Chapter 1: The Culprits

She sat their silently in her throne gazing upward, watching the first stars winking in the night sky. It was too early for anyone to really be asleep. She glanced behind her to the smaller room, glaring silently at the heavy leather that separated her sleeping area from the rest of her tent. Clark was in there. Not sleeping. No, she was punishing her. Her! The Heda of the Trikru and 12 clans. She was being punished by this couch thing that she didn't fully understand. It wasn't even her fault she had been banished to this object that she didn't even possess. It wasn't fair. It was all Octavia's fault. Stupid Octavia!

She huffed and shuffled her feet, squirming in her throne, too agitated to relax. She quickly heaved herself out of her seat and strode across the room and starting rummaging through a trunk. She smiled triumphantly when she pulled out the jar of kohl. She swept her long fingers through it gathering enough to apply to her face. She closed her eyes and gently painted the kohl across her eye lids and down her cheeks. After so many years, she didn't even need a mirror. Once done, she put the jar back and pulled out the rest of her armor including her ceremonial sword. It was time to look her fiercest.

She finished tying the last pieces in place and adjusted the sword at her hip. She glanced back one more time at the small room, and then strode out of her tent without another glance. She quickly made her way to one of the smaller fires near the outer ring the communal cooking area.

"Linx!" She called for one of her younger guards who was on patrol. She tapped her foot impatiently waiting for him to appear.

"Heda. How may I serve you?" She eyed the young guard noting that he still stood in front of her with his head slightly bowed. Good. He was respectful. She should be feared. Especially tonight.

"Linx, go find Octavia. Bring her to me immediately. I don't care where she is or what she is doing. Have someone replace her if she is on patrol. Now go!"

"Yes, Heda." He gulped as he hurried off to do her bidding. He didn't know what was happening, but his Heda was clearly agitated, and he didn't want to do anything to re-direct her ire towards him. She was literally dressed to kill. This was worrisome. Somehow he had a feeling that Octavia was not going to like this meeting. He just hoped Heda didn't kill Octavia. He kind of liked her, especially when she was pulling pranks on Lincoln. He smiled as he hurried through the tree line looking for Octavia.

Lexa stalked quietly near the small fire, partially hidden in the shadows. She didn't want to attract too much attention. They would worry that she was wearing her ceremonial armor with the panther claws threaded through the sleeves. Her arm guards had small spikes on the outside, perfect for hand to hand combat. She could inflict a great deal of damage with the spikes, and she had. The once gleaming silver was stained a violent red.

He finally found her at the southwest tree line patrolling with Nara. "Octavia, come. The Heda has requested your presence immediately." He turned immediately to head back to his Heda, confident that Octavia would follow.

Octavia gulped. This wasn't good. She knew Lexa partly blamed her for Clarke being so upset. She hesitated worried about what Lexa would do when she felt a small shove to her lower back.

"You'd better hurry, Octavia. Heda does not like to be kept waiting." Nara shoved Octavia again toward the camp.

Octavia took a step forward and then whirled back around grabbing Nara's sleeve. She gulped hard, her anxious eyes wide and darting all around her. "Tell Lincoln I love him." Then she took off towards camp at a run. Keeping Heda waiting would only make it worse. Nara just shook her head and returned to her patrol.

She quickly caught up with Linx, and she opened her mouth to ask him what was happening, but closed it when he shook his head at her. He clearly did not want to be involved. Smart warrior. She grumbled under her breath.

They circled around camp and slipped in the back to the fire where Lexa waited. Linx bowed his head to Lexa.

"Heda." He murmured. He left quickly when Lexa flicked her hand in his direction, not even looking at him. He was so glad it wasn't him in trouble.

"Octavia." Lexa just looked at Octavia, her face completely impassive, not giving away any of her thoughts or feelings. She simply waited with her hand wrapped around the hilt of her sword, her fingers lightly playing with the top. She bit back a smirk when she saw Octavia's eyes widen as she couldn't look away from the sword.

"Heda. How may I serve you?" She tried to keep the shaking out of her voice. She really did. But Lexa was intimidating without armor, and with her armor that was partially stained in blood, with dripping war paint? Well that was enough to make her almost wet herself. She tried not to squirm or show her fear, but she was pretty sure Lexa could smell it.

"Come." Lexa quickly turned and made her way through the paths and around huts, listening for the stumbling footsteps behind her as Octavia tried to keep pace behind her.

They reached a hut, and Lexa gestured for Octavia to knock while she glared at the door.

Octavia knocked and once the door opened she announced the Heda. They stepped through the door into the small room. Lexa barely spared a glance at the table filled with food. They had obviously interrupted the occupants who were just starting to eat.

"Raven. Abby." She nodded at both of them and bit back a smirk as they both scrambled to their feet looking wide-eyed at the commander. She hoped they were scared of her. They should be. She had been banished to the couch, and someone was going to pay.

She walked over to the table plucked a couple of berries out of a bowl, rolling them around in her hand.

"So…" she said casually while still staring at them. "As you obviously know, Clarke is unhappy with me. I'm not sure what I have done to deserve this, but I have been banished to something called a couch."

She stopped and fixed the three of them with a cold glare, noting that Octavia was trying to fight back a laugh. Abby had a small smile playing about her lips, and Raven refused to meet her eyes, but her lips were twitching as she clenched her hands in front of her.

After another pointed glare, she continued; "You know of this couch? Of how it is used?" She waited patiently for all three of them to nod.

She continued, "I have been told that I must sleep on this couch. But as you know, I do not possess such a thing," she hissed through gritted teeth as she crushed the berries in her fist. She grunted and looked disgustedly at the mushed, purple remnants of the berries. She flicked her hand out trying in vain to get rid of the stain on her hand.

And then Octavia laughed.