Chapter 5
The next day, Clarke woke early and decided to skip her trip to the market to check on some of her patients before heading to the practice pit near her house to train with the warriors and work off her nerves before Lexa came to escort her to the clan meeting. She had become acquainted with a couple of the different clan leaders, but her short visits had not given her enough insight into how these people were when discussing politics. She would have to rely on Lexa to let her know who to look out for until she had a better idea of what made them all tick.
She smiled as she approached the practice ring and found Juno laying there, waiting for her. At any one time, the massive bear seemed to have two or three children playing on or around her, and as Clarke approached her, she laughed as the gentle giant huffed in playful annoyance before raising to her feet, much to the delight of the children on her back, and walked up to her cub to nuzzle her cheek with a cool snout before returning to her place in the sun.
Clarke sparred with Colste for a few rounds. She was slowly getting better, and she couldn’t help jumping and cheering when she finally managed to sweep her friend’s legs and point her sword at his throat. The other warriors nearby chuckled at her enthusiasm before walking over and patting her on the back in congratulations.
She decided to end on a high note, and walked back to her house with Juno to grab a quick bath before throwing on her best clothes. She dressed herself in a pair of tight, dark grey pants, a light blue short-sleeved shirt, and her trusty leather jacket. She knew the other leaders and delegates were bound to be donned in clothes that were much more extravagant, but as she looked out her window and watched the people go by, she couldn’t find it in herself to care. Once satisfied with her appearance, she prepared a quick lunch, grabbed a basket full of fish one of her patients had given her, and went outside to sit on the grass with Juno.
She grinned at the way her friend perked up as the smell of fresh fish floated across the wind and tossed it to her with a laugh before taking her usual place against the bear’s side while Juno burrowed into the basket of delicious treats. Sometime later, her eyes were closed as she and Juno basked in the midsummer sun and was just starting to drift off to sleep when the sound of footsteps and a surprisingly playful voice brought her back to wakefulness.
“Behold, the great Skai Prisa, watch as she and her mighty mother bear claim all the earth as their throne only to nap before the court.”
She couldn’t help but smile at the gentle teasing as she cracked her eyes open and looked up at Lexa smiling down at her. The sunlight cloaked the Commander in a shining aura and Clarke’s breath hitched slightly at the majesty of it.
“Yeah, well yesterday I managed to successfully negotiate with the Heda, and live to tell the tale, so I thought Juno and I deserved some time to relax before being escorted to a clan meeting and suffering through the horror that is politics.”
Lexa rolled her eyes at Clarke’s teasing as she effortlessly pulled the reclining girl to her feet.
“Are you ready?” She asked.
“As ready as I can be.” Clarke answered before taking a deep breath and turning to face the large building atop the hill.
*(OoO)*
As expected, Clarke’s reception was less than cordial at the meeting. Lexa considered them lucky that the only two actual clan leaders at the meeting seemed to have already met Clarke and seemed to take a liking to her.
Luna of the Boat Clan smiled somewhat dreamily as she greeted Clarke. If Clarke had to guess, she would put the older woman in her mid-thirties but age was a difficult thing to discern on the ground. She was dressed in beautiful lavender robes that complimented her dark hair and fair complexion perfectly and when Clarke had met her to deliver some rubs to ease breathing she couldn’t help thinking the woman had a slight fairy tale fell to her.
Meanwhile, Mado of the Desert was an older gentleman. He was adorned in what could easily be mistaken for an assortment of rags wrapped around his frail figure, but closer inspection revealed that not only were the rags made of the sturdiest, lightest fabric Clarke had ever seen, but hidden beneath them was a set of polished steel armor didn’t seem to impede the man one bit, despite his aging body. He immediately pulled the Sky Princess into a tight hug upon seeing her, thanking her profusely once again for the salve she had given him a few days earlier for his sore back.
The rest of those gathered were much more vocal in their displeasure.
“This is a closed meeting!”
“She is not even of the clans!
“She looks no better than a simple commoner!”
“What does she know of leading?!”
“She doesn’t even have any kill marks!”
Lexa watched as the delegates clambered to be heard over each other when she saw Clarke stiffen. Clearly she had heard that last comment and did not take it very well.
Lexa hand rested on her sword hilt, she was half tempted to shut them up herself, but her curiosity got the best of her when she saw Clarke lean closer to Juno and whisper something in the bear’s ear. Moments later the meeting room shook as Juno unleashed a mighty roar, silencing the dissenters and pulling their attention away from Lexa and toward the subject of their most recent grievances.
“First,” Clarke said lowly. “Heda doesn’t have time to listen to your petty complaints, especially when you all cry like babes fresh off the teat.”
She paused as she looked around the room, leveling glares at each of them.
“Second, any problem you have with me can be addressed with me, personally.”
“And why do you think we should listen to anything you have to say?” Luna asked good-naturedly. To most, it would sound like a challenge and keep the Boat Clan leader from putting her neck on the line trusting the sky girl, but Lexa could see that that the woman was providing Clarke with a captive audience since none of the delegates would dare interrupt when an actual clan leader was speaking.
Clarke nodded at the leader of the Boat Clan in acknowledgement before turning back to the gathered dissenters. “Which of you commented on my lack of kill marks?”
“I did.” Said a man near the back. He was rather bulky, his deep green cotton shirt strained against his chest as he took full advantage of his size to push to the front of the room. “If you carry no kill marks, you have no more experience than a freshly recruited second.”
“What’s your name?” Clarke asked calmly.
“I am Grom of the Marsh Clan, sent as a delegate for-“
“Thank you Grom, but I only asked for your name.” Clarke interrupted.
Lexa watched with well-contained amusement as Grom’s face turned red with anger. “How dare you!?” He shouted. “I am a representative of the Marsh Clan, who do you-“
“Tell me, Grom,” Clarke inquired, seemingly indifferent to the man’s growing rage at being interrupted again. “How many kill marks do you have?”
Lexa smirked internally as the representative of the Marsh Clan’s anger was seemingly forgotten as he puffed out his chest in pride before turning and ripping his shirt from his body to reveal the marks that decorated his back.
“I bear the marks of twenty-one kills, all earned in glorious combat against my enemies.” He exclaimed proudly.
“That’s rather impressive,” Clarke observed. “And I take it that large stature of yours was an asset in some of those battles?”
Grom barked out a hearty laugh before responding, “The spirit’s blessed me with a body designed for combat. I am grateful I was not born slim or,” he looked down his nose at her as he sneered, “vertically challenged.”
Lexa tightened her grip on her sword in barely contained anger. She was very close to standing from her throne and slitting the man’s throat for his inpudence, especially when Clarke’s body was nothing short of perfect.
“You’re right, Grom. I’m not as tall or broad as you.” Clarke observed. “And when I look at your marks and see how they fill your back I’m reassured of a simple fact.” The entire procession watched with bated breath as Clarke stepped down from her place standing next to Lexa’s throne, shrugging off her jacket before carelessly pulling her shirt over her head as she came to a halt in front Grom.
“And what fact is that Fisa?” Mado asked with barely contained amusement. Clarke returned the man’s smile as she turned to addressed him.
“It’s actually quite simple, Mado.” She said as she turned in place, facing each delegate in turn while simultaneously showing off the marks from her fight with the wolves the previous day. “If the back of someone as large as Grom here can barely fit all twenty-one of his marks from glorious combat, then there is no way I would be able to fit several hundred of them on my own.”
A collective gasp told them when it dawned on the remaining delegates just who Clarke was.
Grom was the most comical of reactions as his eyes grew impossibly wide while his mouth flapped uselessly until he managed to utter three syllables in a hushed tone.
“Wanheda.”
What he didn’t expect was the subsequent punch to the face that had him on the ground, or the apathetic way Clarke put her clothes back on before returning to her place by Lexa’s side.
“In case it wasn’t made clear enough,” Lexa announced. “Clarke is the one who felled the Mountain and made sure that we could all sleep soundly at night knowing our families and loved ones are safe from the threat of reapers and abduction. You have all heard her legend, and no doubt have heard of more than one of her many titles. That being said, she has requested that she not be addressed as Wanheda, and as Grom saw just now, she will take offense to those who do.” She paused and allowed the information to soak in before continuing.
“The Skai Prisa has seen countless battles since she arrived from the sky in cage of steel and fire, and has earned her place by my side as a trusted ally. Not only that, but she is accompanied and protected by the Trimani Nomon, the matron spirit of the Tree Clan and I see this as a sign that she is here to help us. Are there any questions before we begin the actual meeting?”
She paused and watched the others seated before them look between themselves before one daring hand rose into the air.
“Yes, Luna?” Clarke offered gently.
“If I may, Fisa Klark, why do you take offense at the title of Wanheda? Is it not a mantle to be worn proudly, demonstrating your great skill in combat?”
Clarke sighed before looking the Boat Clan leader in the eye. “My back may not big enough to mark all the ghosts that follow me, but that does not mean I don’t honour the fallen. Instead, I honour those who have fallen by my hand by living the life they never could and using it to heal others and save lives. It would be insulting to them if I was known only for killing them, and not for living the life their spirits have blessed me with.”
“Well said.” Mado chimed in and Clarke smiled at him gratefully before turning to her Commander and listening as the meeting turned toward more relevant matters.
*(OoO)*
“Ugh.” Clarke grunted as the last delegate left before sliding to the floor and leaning against Juno. “I thought it would never end!” She whispered conspiratorially in the bear’s ear. The meeting went slowly as the various clans voiced their complaints, none of which had to do with the Sky People. She was able to see some of the tension Lexa had been referring to, as several Clans voiced their complaints towards each other, all of which boiled down to the Ice Nation encroaching on other people’s borders in supposed ‘military exercises’ and the rest of the clans taking sides in each resulting conflict.
“You did well today, Clarke.” Lexa stated as she stood from her throne and moved to join the blonde on the floor. “They have seen that you are not one to be trifled with, and now as they return to their homes, word will start spreading to the clans that you stand by me.”
“Your words fill me with pride, Commander.” Clarke muttered sarcastically before standing with Juno behind her.
“You know,” Lexa said jokingly, watching as Clarke and Juno made their way to the door. “Most people would be lashed for such disrespect.”
She knew she had misspoken when she saw the blonde stiffen as she reached for the door and cringed internally at the argument that was bound to ensue.
“My love for the Trigedakru and respect for their culture keeps me standing on decorum,” Clarke said lowly through clenched teeth. “And my understanding of your situation keeps my mouth shut in front of others. But don’t think for a second that I respect you Lexa.”
“I am Heda,” Lexa replied. “The spirits have chosen me to lead my people, is that not enough?”
“For your people, maybe.” Clarke ground out. “Though your actions at Mount Weather have some of them questioning that too. That’s why I’m here ‘as your advisor’.”
“You’re here as my advisor because I trust your wisdom, not because I need help winning the respect of unhappy politicians. My sword does that just fine.”
“You’re mistaking respect for fear, Lexa.” Clarke countered. “You don’t scare me.”
“And when word spreads that the one who stands literally at my side holds as little respect for me as the dissenters, what then?”
“As your advisor, I’d recommend you don’t let that happen.” Clarke replied easily.
“How would I do that?” Lexa asked hotly. She was growing weary of the other woman’s hot-and-cold attitude.
“Easy. Earn my respect.”
“And how am I supposed to do that,” Lexa shouted as she shot to her feet. “When your hatred for me is so great?!”
“I already told you Lexa, I don’t hate you.”
“Recent behaviour would indicate otherwise!”
“I’m hurt, Lexa.” Clarke muttered brokenly. “I’m hurt that you left me. I’m angry at you and I hate myself for what I was forced to do. I’m sad that the pressures of leadership and the heat of battle forced you to make what ultimately turned out to be the wrong decision.”
“I had to!” Lexa shouted, trying valiantly to reign her emotions in before someone walked in or overheard them through the door. “I have a responsibility to keep my people safe!”
“I understand that,” Clarke replied softly. “And I understand that, at the time, it seemed like the best way to spare your people’s lives and keep them safe in the future.”
Lexa looked into the blonde’s eyes and she wasn’t sure what hurt more, the look of hatred she thought she had seen before, or the soft hint of pity being directed at her now. She took several deep breaths to calm herself and replayed Clarke’s words in her mind before pausing.
“What do you mean ‘at the time’?” She asked lowly.
Clarke sighed to herself and shook her head before turning back to the door. “As your advisor, I think it would be in your best interest to make sure word doesn’t spread about what they were doing to my people.”
“Why is that?” Lexa asked, but before the words had fully passed her lips, both blonde and bear were already out the door.