"Anya" the old woman rasped painfully. Anya squeezed the woman's fingers that were interlaced with hers as she fought back the wave of emotion threatening to consume her.
"Don't talk mother, you need to save your energy" Anya replied. The older woman shook her head, several coughs racking her body in the process. Anya brought a pouch of water up to her lips and waited for her mother to drink a sip. The woman's soft tap on Anya's wrist let her know she was finished drinking and Anya hastily took the pouch away.
"Anya, there is something you must know before I die"
"Mother you're not going to die. I-"
"Anya" the frail woman cut in. "I am dying. I have lived a good life and now it is my time," she murmured with a quiet conviction. Anya opened her mouth to protest but quickly shut it again when she saw the look her mother was giving her.
"You must listen very carefully Anya. There is a terrible secret that I have kept since I was a child. I have seen it many times Anya. It is a prophecy. A prophecy that I am afraid will come to pass in your lifetime". The older woman took deep ragged breaths as she struggled for air.
"What kind of prophecy mother?" Anya questioned apprehensively. Her mother was the Trikru's greatest seer and was well respected in Polis. The urgency with which her mother spoke made Anya uncharacteristically uneasy.
"There is a darkness coming Anya. The likes of which no one has ever seen since before the Great War. If it succeeds it will destroy everything. I have seen it Anya. The darkness-" the woman began coughing, her eyes clouding slightly as her gaze became unfocused.
"There is a red leather bound book Anya, burnt by fire on one side in my chest of journals. Inside, half way through is the prophecy. I marked it with blood in the top corner. The prophecy is supposed to take place when the seventh commander is chosen".
"Lexa" Anya whispers, her heartbeat quickening in a mixture of fear and desire to protect. Her mother nods her head in confirmation.
"The prophecy foretells that the seventh Heda will bind with their soul mate. Their soul mate will be the only one that can destroy the darkness. You must make sure that soul mate is protected Anya, even more than Heda herself. There may be a time when you have to make a decision Anya, the Heda or her soul mate. You must choose the soul mate. No matter if it cost you your life. You also must make sure the soul mate does not stray either Anya. For if the soul mate embraces the darkness, then we will all be destroyed".
"Lexa needs to know this mother-"
"No. Absolutely not" her mother replies vehemently. "Anya, you must never tell anyone of this prophecy. Do you understand me? You must guard this secret with your life".
"But mother, Heda-"
"Anya" the woman continues in a sharp tone that silences Anya immediately. "The book has many answers that you seek. There will be a time when you can inform the Heda. But you must read the book to know when. If Heda discovers the prophecy at the wrong time it could cause catastrophic consequences. Promise me Anya that you will not tell Heda until the time regarded in the book"
"I promise mother," Anya agreed albeit hesitantly.
"Good. I am proud of you Anya. You are a great warrior who will do great things in your life. Stay Strong". The woman's breathing began to slow, her eyes almost completely glazed over.
"I love you Mother" Anya whispered as she kissed her mother's forehead, a stray tear sliding down her cheeks as she closed her mothers eyes.
Nine Years Later.
Anya rolled her eyes as the sounds of moaning wafted through the entrance of the tent once again. It had been almost a month since Lexa and Clarke were bound in a unity ceremony. Ever since then it seemed like the two could not get enough of each other. The two were always sneaking off to their tent to find time to enjoy themselves. Anya found it slightly childish of Lexa to ignore her duties in favor of Clarke. But, she kept her mouth shut. Partially because she knew Lexa would kill her if she spoke of her frustration but also because of what Lexa told her the night before she asked Clarke to be her wife.
"Heda are you sure this is wise? I realize that you have feelings for Clarke but a unity ceremony is very serious. You must be certain that she is worthy of the title that comes with being the Heda's wife".
"Anya, I am certain. I love her more than I ever thought possible. I know that you said love is weakness. But her love is strength. She is my soul mate".
Anya kept her face void of emotion as she stared at Lexa. Her heartbeat quickening as her mind flickered to the bound book tucked safely under her bed. A momentary desire to tell Lexa about the prophecy crossed her mind before she quickly quelled it. She knew it was not the time. So instead she kept her gaze unreadable as she asked, "Are you sure?"
Lexa nodded her head, "Yes I am sure".
The corner of Anya's lip curved upwards and she bowed her head respectfully, "Well then, congratulations Heda".
Since then Anya had refrained from verbally insulting Clarke at any chance she got. Now she watched her like a hawk, weary and paranoid of the Heda's soul mate. The prophecy her mother saw was supposed to come to light after Lexa and Clarke were bound. It had been a month now and yet none of the signs had appeared. It set Anya on edge. What made it worse was that Lexa was oblivious to it. Before Clarke, Lexa would always be able to sense when something was bothering Anya. Now it seemed like the only thing Lexa could sense was Clarke. Anya was worried that Clarke could cloud Lexa's judgment and end up hurting her.
A loud moan followed by "Yes Clarke, right there" broke through Anya's thoughts, causing Anya's face to contort in disgust. Another loud moan broke through and then silence. Anya took a deep breath and hoped that for her sake they were tired out for the day. Even she didn't have the patience to listen to them having sex for the rest of the day.
Anya's attention was once again ripped away from her thoughts by a commotion near the entrance of the village. Her hand instinctively went to her sword as she watched Indra drag a scrawny boy by the cuff of his shirt straight towards her. Anya took several steps forward making sure the tent was still protected.
"What is the meaning of this?" she spat.
"This boy here requests an audience with the Heda" Indra replied. Anya made eye contact with Indra and froze; seeing something she never thought she would see in the General's eyes; fear. Clearly, whatever Indra knew was serious and couldn't wait.
"One moment" Anya responded as she turned and entered the Heda's tent.
"Heda" Anya called out once inside, respectfully casting her eyes away from the bed.
"Anya, I thought I told you to not disturb us?" Lexa replied in annoyance.
"There is someone here who wishes to speak to you".
"Tell them to come back later" Lexa muttered.
"Heda, this cannot wait" Anya rebuffed, her tone laced in urgency. Lexa must have sensed it because Anya immediately heard shuffling. "I will call you in when I am finished getting dressed" Lexa said.
"Yes Heda" Anya bowed her head and walked outside where Indra and the boy still stood. A few minutes later Anya heard Lexa call them in and opened the flap.
"Speak" Indra spat at the boy as she pushed him forward. The boy tripped as he moved further into the tent his head down and his legs shaking. "Heda, I come from the Sun Nation. I have come to plead for your aid. There have been incidents occurring in our villages. Incidents that not even our most revered scholars can explain. Everything is dying".
"What do you mean everything is dying?" Clarke questioned from her spot near the war table. Anya narrowed her eyes suspiciously as Clarke's curiosity and obvious disrespect of the Heda.
The boy seemed to be confused as he looked at Clarke and then back at the Heda. Obviously debating if he should reply to her or not.
"Go on, answer her" Lexa commanded.
"Heda, it is hard to explain" he replied honestly.
"Try your best" Lexa said reassuringly.
The boy nodded, "At first it was our animals, they began to die off quickly with no visible signs of why. Then the crops, they began to die before we could harvest them fully. We thought maybe they had been over or under watered, or the weather had something to do with it. But then our water supply. It Heda, I-" the boy stuttered and shook his head, grabbing the water pouch strung around his neck and pulling it off. He then pulled out a miniscule bowl and shakily poured the water into it.
A loud gasp escaped Clarke's mouth when the liquid was poured into the bowl. It was a thick black substance, with a putrid smell that made the boy cough uncomfortably. "We believe someone is attacking us Heda. Using tactics we haven't seen before".
When Anya saw the liquid in the bowl she could only use one word to describe it, darkness. It looked like darkness. Her throat constricted and her palms began to sweat. She knew instantly this was one of the signs from her mother's prophecy. She wanted to vomit her breakfast as she saw the black substance swishing in the bowl. She looked up at Lexa and saw her usual mask of indifference, but was able to notice the confusion and fear swirling in her eyes. Anya swallowed hard. It had begun.