The children see it first, whatever it is. They were playing on the hill and come running back yelling about the sky falling. Everyone in the village went to the water's edge to see the thing that was falling from the sky.
The loud pop as the thing got closer let the adults know that what they were seeing was real. When it appeared to catch on fire, we did not worry because it was so far away and falling away from us. When pieces began to fall off, we still did not worry because it was still far away. When the thing crashed, we could hear the sound despite being at the ocean's edge on our island, far away from the territory of the Trigedakru.
Declan and myself are the twin leaders of the Atriakru, we've been leading them for seven years now, since we turned eighteen, and we have never seen anything like this. We're already on the beach when the rest of the village comes rushing down the hill. Upon urging from the children, we both look up from helping the recently returned fishermen to search the sky.
"I wonder what is in it," is my first reaction as we watch it begin to fall apart. I am always monitoring the unknown for dangers to our people.
Declan glances at me, and while he understands my need to know our people are safe, he wonders "where will it land?"
I understand the meaning behind his question; he wonders who among the alliance of the 12 peopled will be affected by this new…thing. Declan always thinks about our relationship with the other tribes. I also understand he's making a point. Since it isn't landing near us, we will likely have to deal with the fallout from the other tribes before facing this new potential danger.
After we heard the distant sound of the crash, Declan begins ushering our people, who are chattering excitedly and worriedly, back to their responsibilities. I, however, continue to watch the plume of smoke rising in the distance.
Declan comes to stand with me again. As we contemplate the smoke plume rising in the distance, I feel a smirk creep onto my face. Declan notices,
"What are you smiling at, Taydem?"
"Lexa's going to be pissed." I say, and Declan grins with me.
Just because we are a part of the alliance, doesn't mean we like everyone. We respect Lexa, she has done much for one so young, but she is hard to get along with. We have different ideas on how to lead our peoples. As a result, the Atriakru only journey to Polis when necessary.
Besides, Lexa is amusing when she is agitated.
[]
I'm not surprised when Declan enters my home during my meditations; I heard him come up the steps. Living on the island, near the water, means the threat of flooding is real, so our homes are built on raised platforms.
"There's a trader come with news you should hear," is all he will tell me, forcing me to walk down to the market with him, and I'm not excited – his voice tells me I will not like what I hear.
I know this trader; Ori has been trading here since his father trained him, and recently he's been bringing his own son, Ivo, along with him. They are a well-liked family, always fair in their trading. They also travel the widest for their goods, so often return with news, stories, gossip, and sometimes notes from other tribes.
Today, Ivo is nodding along emphatically with whatever his father is saying. As soon Declan and I are near enough, I hear the words "Sky People" and my lip curls. My brother wears a similar look of disdain.
The so-called Sky People are the ones who fell from the sky not long ago, and tall tales of them have spread far and wide, with another falling alone only days after the first group.
" – and so Anya agreed to meet with the leader of the Sky People, a girl with golden hair who is called Clarke. Lincoln of the Trigedakru and his Sky-girl, Octavia of the Skaikru – oh! Heda Taydem, Hedum Declan, how wonderful to see you." Ori says as he bows slightly. Ivo follows suit, and we nod to the young boy, causing a blush of pride that the leaders of the Atriakru would pay him such respect.
"Ori," I begin, "would you mind coming by later for some drink? I would like to hear the news you bring for myself, at a time when I can ask questions."
Anyone can tell that, while it's phrased as a question, it's not meant to be one. The look of Declan's face as he stands just behind me to my left reinforces the order.
Ori is unfazed, long since understanding that tribal rules change wherever he goes, and he is good at not ruffling feathers or egos belonging to leaders. He simply does as he is told.
"Of course, Taydem, as you wish." I nod and turn to walk to the beach, Declan following, understanding that we have much to discuss. We pass many members of our tribe, and we smile and nod, but none try to stop us, knowing innately that we do not wish to be disturbed.
We stop when we reach the ocean, the water lapping up around our ankles. We look across the water, toward where we know the territory of the Trigedakru to be located. Without looking down, I know the vine-like birthmarks that wind their way up my right ankle are glowing a bright blue in the water, and the slightly more block-like set on Declan's left ankle are glowing as well.
"The attempt to forge a truce between Anya's people and the Sky People didn't work," Declan tells me, "I heard Ori say that much before coming to get you. The Sky People became violent."
"I am not surprised," I sigh, "look at how violently they fell to the Earth." I continue to look at the water, thinking hard.
"We should have intervened from the beginning." Declan says, disgust dripping from his words at how Lexa and Anya have handled the situation.
"Perhaps, but it is not helpful to reflect regretfully on the past. We cannot change it now." Still, I am thinking about the ramifications of a failed truce meeting.
The way Declan and I lead our people is very different from the ways of the Trigedakru. Perhaps it is our Atrian ancestry, but we see things very differently. Where Lexa prefers to instill fear, we see fear as detrimental - it breeds discontent. It is a reason our leaders die of natural causes rather than violence. Declan and I work for the respect we command. We train our warriors, and we practice with them, we eat with our people, hunt with them, visit them when they are sick, and play with the children. Lexa prefers to separate herself from them, and it has only gotten worse since Costia was killed. She cares for her people, and she is serving them the best way she knows how, so we respect her; we have simply determined to agree to disagree. We also know not to interfere with each other's ways.
"We will let them play out this course," I say finally.
"But pay close attention to the development." Declan finishes for me.
[]
"Sister-mine!" I hear from across the market. I look up from playing on an old chess board with a little girl to see Declan coming toward us.
"Welcome back, brother-mine." I respond, smiling while standing to greet him. He has just returned from a trip to the Trigedakru territory.
We embrace before he tells me, "There is a messenger of Lexa's who has come here with me."
I look to the little girl, "We will finish this game later, Lyn, I must attend to something."
She grins and nods, scampering off to find her mother for lunch.
Declan and I begin walking to the beach where he left the messenger with a couple of warriors.
"What message does he bring, brother-mine?"
"He doesn't bring one, he waits to return with our decision." He says, cryptically.
"Our decision on what?" I question, but he only tells me to be patient.
Once we reach the beach, I learn Lexa requests that we join them in fighting the Mountain Men to free their people and those of the Sky People. Declan bids the warriors to take the messenger for food and drink in the market while we discuss.
Again, I find myself standing in the water, looking toward the mainland. When Declan joins me, he speaks first,
"I don't think we should." he says definitively, and it surprises me. Usually he is the one looking to our relationship with the others, the first to suggest assisting them.
"Explain." I say, because, though I agree, I'm curious.
"The Mountain is strong, it has technology we do not. They have not survived for so long being weak. There will be mass death on both sides. The Sky People's numbers have expanded, and I do not wish to bring their attention to us, if the rumors of the Sky Peoples' ferocity is true – we know nothing of them as an enemy."
"And we should not risk our people on a risky mission to save people who are not us. People who are possibly even our enemy." I finish.
Our decision is made, and the messenger is rowed back to the mainland.
[]
It is not long after that traders begin coming with stories of the formidable Heda Lexa, and the fierce Sky People leader Clarke. They tell of the destruction of Tondc. Declan and I are interested in the tales of Lexa abandoning her allies for a deal offered by the enemy. We understand her decision, but we worry about the retaliation of the Sky People.
The best stories, however, tell of the golden-haired Clarke, who rescued her people nearly single-handedly, and wiped out the Mountain Men. The stories include more of the Sky People's names, and they become famous. Clarke's second, the strong and charismatic Bellamy, the Sky-person-turned-Trigedakru Octavia, the fierce Sky person who fell to Earth alone, Raven, and sometimes those who were trapped in the Mountain, like Monty, who helped Clarke kill the mountain.
All the tribes were fascinated by the stories. When they heard Clarke had left her people to travel alone, they cautiously roamed the woods, both excited at the possibility of meeting her, and wary of what she was capable of.
Though none of the Atriakru ever thought one of them would run into her.