The Commander bowed her head and rubbed her temples in the solitude of her quarters. It had been a long couple of days. These incessant "talks" were just about all she could handle, if there had to be any more she would have marched her army in and just been done with it. Thankfully, she had just returned from the last one. The Sky People didn't know how lucky they were.
She didn't want a war. These Sky People were not strong, but they had weapons she couldn't dream of. Technology that could help move their people forward. Medicine to save them. She didn't want to risk her people's lives or hold them back, so she compromised and resurrected an ancient law to bring peace.
It was a truce bound by the holy union of marriage, but she doubted the Sky People would realize the sanctity of the bind. If blessed by the gods, her sister would marry one of theirs and move into their camp. By the law they could not harm her in any way and all her needs were to be met. In return, her clan would abide by the truce and allow the Sky People to live in peace.
Lexa hoped this truce would evolve into an alliance, that they would share their technology and medicine in return for information. Her clan had intimate knowledge of the earth; the lands and everything that lived on them. This should be invaluable to the Sky People. They'd lose many learning these lessons by themselves.
Her predecessor had always told her that the mark of a good commander was knowing when to burn bridges and when to build them. An alliance with the Sky People would make them the strongest tribe in the region. It came at a hefty price but it was necessary. If they were to break the truce and kill the Sky People, they would have to kill Angel too. That was the law.
The dull thud of her headache returned and she began removing her battle gear. Her people wouldn't understand at first, but this was a good idea. They had lost 300 men the Sky People in one swift motion, she couldn't allow a loss of that magnitude again. They did not show it, but they were afraid. She was afraid. She was afraid for her sister.
That girl's head was always in the clouds. She was a skilled fighter and a strong leader but she didn't have the focus necessary to commit to being a warrior. She was a village leader, a title which afforded her the freedom to do as she pleases most days. Her only responsibilities were settling disputes among the villagers and ensuring her people were taken care of; that there was enough food, water, medicine and shelter for everyone. She was their Angel.
As if the thought itself had summoned her, Angel walked into Lexa's room and flopped onto the bed.
"They say you wanted to see me? How did the negotiations go?" Angel's face carried no stress or pressure. She appeared carefree as a child, but Lexa saw the darkness in her eyes. The fear and ferocity that accompanied the threat of battle.
"Yes, I summoned you." Lexa stopped and looked at her sister.
Lexa was older by a few minutes, but those few minutes was the only time they had ever been apart. They grew up chasing each other through the evergreen, rolling meadows; climbing the tallest trees in the hot, humid jungle and picking blackberries in the warm summer sun. Eventually, Lexa grew up and was identified as the next Commander. Angelina never did. But she was seldom far from Lexa's side. And whenever she was on her own, Lexa instinctively knew where to find her. She would be in the trees, singing lullabies to the birds because they always sang for us. Or playing with the village children in the fields while their parents looked on from the farms. Lexa just knew.
So this evening, when Lexa returned from the negotiations. She instructed her second to go to the store house and get Angel from the attic, where she had recently found a litter of kittens. Angel was somewhat immature in her ways but her strength always came through when she needed it. She would need it now.
"The Sky People don't want a war. They don't feel like they'd stand a chance against our armies." Lexa began, her eyes trained on her sister's solemn face. "We offered them the Truce of the Sacrament. Bound by Holy Union… I think it's the best solution. That we could gain a lot, but it would mean…" Lexa pulled her eyes away from her sister's and focused on the ground as she prepared to hand out her sister's sentence. The pause took longer than Lexa had planned and at some point, her eyes began misting and her throat grew tight.
"I am to marry into the Sky Clan." Angel found the words Lexa couldn't manage to extract.
"I'm sorry Angel." A single tear dropped from Lexa's eyelid and spilled down her cheek as she looked back at her sister. Angel's face carried no expression, she just stared ahead as she examined her fate.
"It's for the best Lexa. Don't apologize. I will be safe. Our people will be safe." Angel offered Lexa a small smile which Lexa accepted gladly. "When do I leave?" Angel asked as she started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.
"Tomorrow at dusk. The Sky People want to discuss the truce with their people. We will have to rush your preparation tomorrow to be done in time, but I have sent word to the seamstress to have a garment made. Our priest has been summoned and he will be here by midday and the women are preparing a feast, we will need to break bread with the Sky People after." Lexa stood and made her way to the window. Angel seemed to be lost in thought, probably deciding who will feed her kittens when she is away. Lexa couldn't bear looking at her, knowing that they would be separated soon was too much for her to bear.
"Can I visit you after?" Angel asked, her naivety evident for the first time this evening. Lexa spun on her heels and faced Angel, a sudden urgency in her tone that scared her sister.
"Angel, I need you to be strong. To look after yourself. To do what you need to do to survive. You will be his wife and by our laws, that means your first priority is him. He is your family now. But if you feel threatened, if you feel abused in any way, I want you to come back. You are welcome here any time. For any reason. If they hurt you, I will seek them out and flay them alive." Lexa pulled Angel into a hug and almost fell apart. She knew she needed to be strong for her sister now, but the thought of sending her out to live among the enemy almost broke her.
"I will Lexa, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." Angel tried her best to reassure her sister but the fear inside her was growing rapidly. She knew that if she showed so much as a shred, her sister would break. So she decided to pretend that this was an adventure and plastered a smile on her face. "So, is he cute? My betrothed? What's he like?" Angel smiled at Lexa, and Lexa accepted the reprieve from the seriousness of the situation, feeling slightly better about sending her sister into the lion's den.
They spent the rest of the evening giggling like little girls, talking about love and marriage. Lexa didn't know this Bellamy, but her people said he was strong and a leader among his people. She hoped he'd be a good husband to her sister, that he'd protect her from his people and hers. That he'd grow to love her. And as she fell asleep, she prayed.
She prayed for the union to be blessed.
She prayed for her sister's safety.
She prayed that her sister would be loved.
She prayed that she wouldn't have to kill them all.