A/N: Making some decisions in this chapter! Hopefully you enjoy reading the path that I have chosen. Thank you for all the recent follows, favorites and reviews. They all make me so happy! Happy reading :)
Daeria, one of the Commander's handmaids, is braiding Lexa's hair into the tight intricate pattern to morph her into Heda mode. A daily routine that the Commander has become accustomed to after six years of being Heda. As part of this routine, she uses this time to apply the bronze eyeshadow to her eyes, followed by black eyeliner.
The peaceful morning silence is broken by two loud bangs on her bedroom door, "Min yu op." The Commander calls out, not moving her head as Daeria's fingers spin through her hair.
Liot, the head guard, passes through the open doors. "Heda, you are needed in the throne room."
"I do not have a council scheduled until midday, all updates with the blockade will be dealt with then." The Commander speaks inflexibly, her eyes focused in front of her as the last of her braids is twisted tightly.
"I apologize, Heda," he bows his head with the apology as the Commander rises from the bench and turns to face him. "This is urgent. Two people from inside Arkadia were able to bypass the blockade and were arrested at the capitol gates."
Daeria holds open a coat for the Commander, she grumbles as she slips her arms into each hole. "Why were they not killed? There is a kill order placed on any Sky Person, who passes the blockade."
Liot clears his throat inaudibly, "they had help from one of our own." The Commander's head shoots up at that, her narrowing eyes at him.
"Indra," Liot illuminates.
Her shoulders fall as she exhales heavily through her nose. Nothing else needs to be said. If Indra is involved, she has a decent prediction of who is waiting for her in her throne room. "This is not to be spoken of to anyone else. The other clan ambassadors cannot find out about this until I decide how to proceed. Is that understood?"
"Sha, Heda," the head guard tilts his head down at her.
She buckles the shoulder piece across her chest before exiting her chambers, Liot at her side and two other guards in tow. The succession of heavy boots thump down the flight of stairs, prompting the guards to the open entrance to the throne room. Three guards block her vision from the kneeling pair, Indra is off the side with a guard gripping her arm and her hands secured in front of her.
"They were arrested on site, Heda," the deep voice of a guard states when she stands in front of them. Cloth gags are stuffed in Lincoln and Octavia's mouths as they squint up to her through the blinding sunlight shining from the open balcony. It brings her memory back to over a month ago when Clarke was in this position. If this were any other Sky Person, she would have them killed on the spot to enforce the strict kill order.
Her hand waves upwards in an order for the guards to help the pair to their feet. Unlike with Clarke, she rips the gags from their mouths and there is no whispered apology. She waves the guard away, who has been gripping Indra's arm. There is nothing to fear from Indra.
"You two are lucky to be alive," the Commander growls at the couple in aggravation.
"Yeah, well it was either get killed in Arkadia or take the chance that your army wouldn't kill us." Octavia retorts with a snarky undertone. Lincoln flashes a warning glare in the younger girl's direction, aware that they have already pushed their luck.
The Commander stares hard at them, raising her chin up. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill both of you right now. You are no longer protected by the walls of Arkadia."
"Because I no longer consider myself Skaikru. But, there is nothing stopping you from killing me right now. Escaping was our only change for survival." Aware that this may end in death, Octavia's confident voice barely falters.
The sharp emerald eyes narrow at the statement from the former Sky Girl. Before Mount Weather, Indra had officially taken Octavia has her second when she declared herself Trikru. This isn't desperation or new information. "What of you, Lincoln? Do you see yourself as Skaikru?"
"No, Heda." He answers flatly, "They do not accept me as one of their own either. Either does Trikru since you enforced my banishment."
The Commander's eyebrow quirks, "You defied me when you refused to retreat from the Mountain after a deal was made."
"I was not going to abandon Skaikru as you did." Lincoln shakes his head from residual disappointment. "I was honoring an alliance that you formed, an alliance that could have brought peace together. Leaving Octavia was not an option for me either."
The end cuts through Lexa's chest like a spear; Clarke's devastated face, her eyes full of distraught tears and her lips trembling, is forever imprinted in her mind. It haunted her for months after. She would see her face around every corner and in her dreams she would hear the broken voice calling after her. If she weren't the Commander, she would have chosen to stay with Clarke and Skaikru. As Lincoln did. In hopes of peace and love.
"You lived with Skaikru for over four months, did you never see them as your people?" The Commander probes, searching for deeper answers from her former warrior.
"I stayed for Octavia. She's my home," The strong man testifies honorably. "I attempted to make a home out of Arkadia, I felt safe but not welcomed under Kane's power. But, once Pike gained power, I was thrown in a cell and sentenced to death for attempting to protect Trikru."
It hasn't gotten better. The indication causes the Commander's back to go rigid as tension rises through her body. Her eyes wander over to Indra, who gives her a shallow nod.
"Pike saw me as a problem." Octavia's voice draws Lexa's attention back to the prisoners. "Because I saw myself as more of a grounder than one of them. It only got worse after I tried to warn that village of the Skaikru. If I had stayed, I would have been killed after Lincoln."
The Commander nods, fully believing that Octavia would have died for them with Trikru at her heart. "What of the other Trikru prisoners?"
The couple share a solemn look with each other, before Octavia responses. "Kane tried to break out as many as he could, but he was arrested and will probably be sentenced to death."
A muscle in the Commander's shoulders wraps around itself and pulls painfully under the tension. Kane was their greatest hope, if he is executed Skaikru will likely crumple under the hands of Pike. The news is going to fuel Clarke's guilt, there is nothing that Lexa can do to prevent that. "I presume that you used the method that you snuck Clarke though?"
Octavia nods, "Indra met us on the other side to sneak us behind the blockade."
When the Commander peeks back at one of her most trusted warriors, she stands tall with her head held high. Clearly proud of saving Octavia and Lincoln. She directs her attention to the guards standing behind them. "Please escort Octavia to one of the secured rooms. Then, notify Wanheda of her arrival."
Panic widens in the young girl's eyes and Lexa clarifies to ease her worries. "For now, you are spared. You will be escorted to a guarded room to ensure your protection. Clarke will see you once she is awake and informed." Octavia gazes at Lincoln, anxiously inquiring his fate. "Lincoln is spared to. I wish to speak to him privately before he is escorted to his respective room."
"I will be fine, Octavia." Lincoln assures her as the guards loosely grab her arms. Octavia gives the Commander one final skeptical stare before the guards guide her out of the room.
"Indra," the Commander hooks her hands behind her back as she approaches the wounded warrior. "You aided the enemy during a time of war. However, the loyalties and affiliations of those you assisted are in question. When you helped Octavia and Lincoln behind my blockade, did you see yourself as saving Sky People from their imminent death or did you see yourself as saving fellow Trikru from the hands of our current enemy?"
The woman swallows hard under the Commander's challenging tone, she stiffens her neck and maintains eye contact. "I saw myself as saving fellow Trikru, Heda. Even though he was banished from your lands, Lincoln was born into Trikru and showed his loyalties inside the Arkadia walls. Octavia may have been born in the sky, but her heart rings Trikru. I am proud to call her my second. I was not going to let more Trikru fall at the hands of Skaikru."
Several moments of silence pass as the Commander stares at Indra with an unreadable expression. "Others may not see it as such. They will see it as aiding the enemy and punishment will be demanded, for all three of you. For now, I suggest remaining in Polis as you continue to heal. This is not to be spoken of."
Indra's chest expands as it fills with air. "Sha, Heda."
"Now, leave us. I must speak privately with Lincoln." The Commander pivots on her boots, to confront the tall warrior. "Untie his hands," she orders to the remaining guards in the room.
The two guards stationed by her throne march over to undo the tight bond around his back. Lincoln's shoulders fall with released tension once his hands are free. He shakes his wrists a couple times to ease the stiffens developed during the binding. After freeing Lincoln, the guards return to their positions at the front of the room. Leaving, the Commander and Lincoln eye to eye in the center.
"From a young age, you have felt an outsider to Trikru. Why?"
"Trikru has always seen war and blood must have blood as the solution. I have always preferred peace."
Peace. The answer she knew she would get, but was prying for anyways. "I am trying to change our ways to blood must not have blood because I also want more peace in our future. It is the only way that our people will thrive. As you can imagine, most of our people object to this. Do you support me in this vision?"
"Yes, Heda." He nods. "You are the first Commander to attempt to achieve such a vision. I am honored to support you."
Her instincts are telling her this is right and that Lincoln can be trusted again. His intentions at the Mountain were pure and human. "What do you know of the Fleimkepa position?"
Lincoln is quiet for a moment, the question taking him by surprise. "I know that the Fleimkepa's main object is to protect the spirit of the Commander. They also serve as a mentor or teacher to the current Commander. Your Fleimkepa, Titus, has been one of the longest serving Fleimkepas."
The news hasn't traveled as fast as she thought it would. "Titus is no longer my Fleimkepa. He has been banished." Lexa is shocked when she is able to keep the bitterness out of her voice when she speaks of him. "He did not support my vision for our future and attempted to kill Clarke."
"I am sorry, Heda." He bows his head.
The Commander strides closer to him as she follows her instincts. "If I were to lift your banishment, would you consider in fulfilling this position?"
Lincoln's eyes widen in astonishment, "It would be an honor, Heda."
"Clarke!" Octavia drops her feet off the bed when the blonde marches into her room.
"Octavia, what the hell happened? What are you doing here?" Clarke quickly meets the girl in the middle of the room. As soon as she was informed of Octavia's arrival, she got dressed as fast as she could. She couldn't believe Octavia managed to get her alive and in one piece.
"Things in Arkadia have gotten worse. Lincoln and I just barely escaped with the help of Indra." The underlying resentment and frustration of Octavia's tone triggers Clarke to instinctively brace herself for being blamed. "What the hell happened to you though? Murphy told me what happened." She takes a step closer to stare at the sling across her friend's body.
"I'm fine, now. I'll explain later." Clarke's mind swarming with hesitations of how much she should reveal about her relationship with Lexa. Right now, she is much more alarmed over the reason that Octavia and Lincoln had to escape. How could have things possibly gotten worse? "Tell me what happened."
Octavia digs inside her jacket, pulling out a white prescription bottle. "Your mom gave these to me before we left. I told her what happened, she figured that you could use some pain killers."
Clarke takes the bottle with a relieved smile, "Yeah these healing herbs only do so much."
"Pike was going to execute Lincoln, if we didn't escape last night," the younger crosses her arms over her chest and her lips curled down. Her face is bare of warpaint and grounder markings, but several bruises and cuts mark her face. More marks than she had two days ago when Clarke last saw her.
"What? Why?"
Octavia shakes her head as her eyes gloss over with infuriated tears, "He was going to kill any former Trikru or anyone that defended them. I was going to be next. My brother did nothing, he was going to be the one to kill Lincoln." Her eyes squeeze shut as she clenches her jaw tightly. "There were so many Trikru that we weren't able to save. And now, Kane is locked in there. He will probably be sentence to death also."
The blonde tries to form words, but her mouth just hangs open. "How...has this happened? Does Lexa know?"
"Yeah she does," Octavia tilts her head at the door. "We were arrested at the gates then brought to Lexa. Lincoln is still there talking to her."
"What are we going to do?" Clarke groans, she runs her left hand through her hair. "More Trikru are going to die at the hands of Skaikru. If Kane dies and Pike keeps gaining more power…."
"I don't know," the brunette places her hands on her hips and shakes her head. "There is always hope with your mom."
Clarke sucks in a deep breath through her nose as she feels tears prickling the back of her eyes at the mention of her mother. "If Kane could be sentenced to death for speaking against Pike and trying to save Trikru. Who says that he won't do the same thing for my mom?" Her voice cracking at the end with the suggestion.
After witnessing the treatment of Kane, it wouldn't be surprised if Abby is met with a similar fate. Octavia doesn't want to give Clarke false hope by saying that her mom will be safe. At this point, no one is safe. "If it ever gets to that point, I hope more people will come to their sense."
What if her mom is sentenced to death? "I should have left with you the other day and gritted through the pain. Maybe I could have helped." Her stomach twists in painful knots as she internally kicks herself with reflexive guilt.
"There is nothing that you could have done, Clarke. And you were in no condition to travel, you can't blame yourself for that." Octavia assures her compassionately.
"Everything is my fault though," her voice shakes with exasperation. "The chaos in Arkadia is my fault. It was my fault that I got shot."
Octavia steps closer to her visibly upset friend, "Murphy told me what happened. He told why Titus shot you."
Clarke doesn't respond immediately, her eyes dart away from the other girl to a spot in the corner of the room. 'Lexa will never execute her duty while you live. She might even be angry enough to declare war!' His voice ringing in her ears wrap the lump of guilt in her throat. Lexa had let her guard down in front of Murphy, anyone with eyes could have figured out that there was something between them.
When Octavia realizes that Clarke struggling to speak through her emotions, she continues thoughtfully. "I had some speculation that there might be something. But, I didn't know. And I'm sorry," She says looking straight at Clarke, even though the other girl can't meet her eyes. "I'm sorry for what I said to you that day. You are better than the person I thought you were. I know you did everything you could to protect Skaikru, even from here. Nothing is your fault."
The long apology loosens the ball in Clarke's stomach and throat, feeling comforted that someone recognizes her efforts. Until now, Lexa has been the only one reminding Clarke that she is an admirable leader and is not at fault for recent events. She hadn't noticed the few tears slip from the corners of her eyes until Octavia pulls her into a soft hug, avoiding pressing too hard against her injury.
"I just wish I could have done better," Clarke sniffles quietly as they unwrap their arms from around each other.
"Not everyone can be saved, Clarke." Octavia keeps a hand on Clarke's left shoulder. "Skaikru is going to have to figure out if they want to be saved."
Those words slowly sink into Clarke's head, she breathes out. "Maybe you're right. It's just hard to sit back now and feel powerless."
Octavia senses the emotions becoming heavy again, "For once, maybe you can relax without the demands of leadership. And you can enjoy this." She spins in a circle with her arms open to a bedroom bigger than anything on the Ark. "With your Commander girlfriend."
Clarke shoves her lightly, but can't suppress the smile forming on her face at the lightheartedness from her friend. "Oh shut up, you know you can't tell anyone about that, yet. And last time we talked, I thought you disapproved of her."
"She's grown on me," Octavia shrugs, backing up to sit back on the bed. "Especially since she didn't kill us right away and might give us a chance."
"I'm surprised you even made it past the blockade without being killed." The blonde mutters.
A loud growl rips from Octavia's stomach, startling both girls. Clarke smirks, "when's the last time you ate?"
"Umm," Octavia hums as she racks her brain. "Early yesterday I think."
"I'll go get you something to eat," the blonde's stomach rumbles at the thought of food.
"Thanks, Clarke," she hears from behind her as she walks towards the door. Even hearing a minor thank you fills her lungs with air and helps release some of the weight in her chest. It has been so long that she has heard a thank you from anyone other than Lexa.
"We should just attack this is pointless!" Farho, the Azgeda ambassador, repeats himself for the seventh time during the council this afternoon.
The Commander resists rolling her eyes at his repetitiveness, "The twelve clans will be ordered to attack if Skaikru attacks our army or breaks the blockade."
"Do we know if there has been a change in leadership? Has there been any progress?" Caris, the Sangedakru ambassador probes peacefully. Of all the twelve ambassadors, Caris is the youngest, barely eighteen, but she has remained the most logical in respects to the blockade.
The conversation with Lincoln and Octavia plays in her head. There has been no progress. If anything it has gotten worse and Pike has gained more power. However, the Commander can't release that information yet. It could put Lincoln and Octavia's lives at risk, if they found out the source. The information would add fuel to the fire, a fire that she might not be able to control. "We don't have any further information at this time. In time, we believe that Chancellor Pike will be over thrown. The Sky People will have to make that decision themselves."
"And what if Pike stays in power?" Caris inquires further, pushes her petite stature further up in her chair.
"Skaikru only has so much time to fix their leadership before they run out of food and supplies. They will be forced to either surrender or attack our army." The Commander answers definitively.
"They have guns. Their weapons are far superior to ours," the young ambassador reminds the twelve clans logically. "How will we defend ourselves if they attack?"
Their weaponry is one of the core reasons that the Commander was hesitant to attack in the first place. There will be significant bloodshed. They have already lost so many warriors, the damage would be detrimental. "The armies of the twelve clans outnumber than that of Skaikru significantly. If it comes to battle, we will win but we will have to prepare for blood."
"Wanheda remains here in Polis," the ice nation ambassador points out in a shockingly neutral tone. "She must have information about Skaikru."
"Wanheda has provided all the information that she has. Unfortunately, due to her absence from Arkadia, she has no new information."
"How do we know that she is withholding anything she may know? Her loyalties must be to Skaikru since she has remained affiliated to them!" A hiss comes from Uzac, the Yujleda ambassador, as he cuts into the discussion.
The rising anger from Uzac causes Lexa to clench her jaw tighter then bare her teeth at him. "Wanheda is a commendable leader, who realizes the mistakes of her people. As we do, she believes in justice."
"Justice is blood must have blood!" Uzac snarls, slithering out of his seat.
The Commander's insides seethe with vexation, the air in her throat shakes with every breath. Repeated mistakes from Skaikru has made it incredibly difficult to continue to defend the new belief, that she has been attempting to enforce. Hopefully, 'blood must not have blood' will become easier to defend with a supportive Fleimkepa at her side.
"Anything else?" She inquires, scanning over the faces of the twelve ambassadors. A few moments pass and no one speaks up. "Very well. Everyone is dismissed." She waves them off with her hand.
After departing the room, the Commander travels down three flights of stairs to the floor with the secured rooms. She waves at the two guards positioned at the front of the door on the left hand side. In the room, Lincoln spins away from gazing out the window to bow his head at the Commander striding through the open doors.
"Have you given any final thoughts to my offer?"
"Sha, Heda. My answer has not changed. It would be an honor to serve as Fleimkepa."
Her cheek bones raise marginally into an invisible smile. "Your banishment has been lifted. I will make an announcement tomorrow. You will be given proper instructions on certain aspects of your new position. You will also need to meet with the Natblidas since you will be working closely with them."
Lincoln blinks hard, "Won't people question my return and my ability to succeed as Fleimkepa."
"I expect there to be questions and concerns about your banishment and your relationship with Skaikru," the Commander answers honestly, already preparing herself for some backlash. "But, I am their Commander. They will accept this, choosing the Fleimkepa is solely the Commander's duty. They have no say. As Clarke is, you and Octavia are under my protection."
"Mochof, Heda."
"Come," Lexa motions with a tilt of her shoulder at the door. "I will take you to Octavia."
Lincoln exits his chambers behind Lexa and continues down the hall to a door on the right. In Octavia's room, she is lying on her bed with Clarke leaning against the headboard. Lexa's heart leaps in her chest when she catches a glimpse of Clarke smiling during a conversation with her friend. Her lips spread wider while they melt into mesmerizing emerald pools. Octavia sits up in bed when she realizes Clarke's focus is elsewhere.
"I was wondering when I would be seeing you," the young Sky Girl comments, directing her eyes at Lincoln.
The Commander strolls a foot closer with her hands clasped behind her back. "I had a meeting with the twelve clan ambassadors and Lincoln used that time to think over something I asked him." A small v forms between Octavia's eyebrows as her forehead winkles in confusion and her eyes dart between the two grounders.
Subconsciously, Lincoln squares his shoulders and grips his left below in front of him as he elaborates. "The Commander has asked me to serve as Fleimkepa and I have accepted the offer."
Behind Octavia, Clarke raises her eyebrows in surprise. "Fleimkepa?" Octavia questions, her hands pressed into the furs "Like Titus use to be? The one who shot Clarke?"
"Yes," the Commander's gut twists at the wordsas her eyes fall upon the sling that remains across her body. "Titus has been banished. It went into effect at dawn. It is a great honor to serve as Fleimkepa."
"So, your banishment has been lifted?" Octavia asks, slipping off the bed. The couple's gaze locks as Lincoln's eyes crinkle in the corners and he nods once.
"What of me, Lexa?" The young girl's voice wavers a tad with worry that she might not be as fortunate.
Lexa stares at the girl, who she believes is a grounder at heart. Even before Mount Weather, Indra saw the Trikru in her blood. "You may stay in Polis. I can arrange for you and Lincoln to share a room, if you wish."
Octavia releases a heavy sigh of relief, "Sha, Heda. Mochof."
"I only suggest that you refrain from mentioning any loyalty you may still have to Skaikru until this resolves. And that you don't draw attention a lot of attention to yourself."
At the mention of Skaikru, Lexa observes as the features of Octavia's face darken and her jaw clicks subtly. "You don't have to worry about my loyalty to Skaikru anymore. Now that my brother has turned against me, there is no one I really care about there."
"Did anyone notice them sneaking out of Arkadia or through the blockade?" Clarke aims her inquiry at the Commander.
"No," the Commander flickers her eyes between Lincoln and Octavia. "They got lucky. The ambassadors at the meeting would have brought it up immediately."
Clarke gets on her feet, "If they were able to get through unnoticed, I can probably sneak back into Arkadia unnoticed also. I can get my mom and maybe fix things."
"No!" Lexa yells with her head and heart. Both the Commander and Lexa in her couldn't let Clarke wander into Arkadia, knowing how it would end.
"Clarke," Octavia's tone is laced with raw concern as she slowly exhales. "You can't. You will be killed on the spot. Pike sees you as he sees me. As a grounder, not Skaikru. When we snuck out, we only had to worry about the blockade. You would have to worry about both."
The truth sends a knife to Clarke's heart. Not a grounder. Not Skaikru. Who is she? Where is home? She flits her eyes away from the group, not wanting them to see the emotion creeping into her eyes.
"Octavia is right, Clarke." Lincoln agrees sensitively. "There is nothing you can do from inside the walls. You will either be thrown in jail or sentenced to death if you aren't killed on the spot."
Thrown in jail. Sends a shiver up Clarke's spine, it always come to that with her doesn't it? On the Ark, when she first arrived in Polis and it could have ended up in that way again.
"There has to be something we can do from here," Clarke's voice weak with hopelessness and exhaustion.
Despite the fact that the Commander sees Octavia glancing away hopeless and Lincoln drops his head, she can't allow Clarke to lose all hope. "We will try to figure out something, Clarke."
"Yeah," Clarke the word barely falls off her tongue, not entirely believing Lexa's comforting words. The options for Skaikru are running out fast, they all know it. All she can think about is her mom. She can't lose her too.
"Yesterday," the Commander changes the subject when Clarke's upset demeanor lingers, "Clarke brought something interesting to my attention. It will be important insight to you, as Fleimkepa," she twists her head to Lincoln. "I will have Clarke join us in the sacred room tomorrow after the announcement." The pair of emerald eyes fall to Octavia, "And you are welcome to join us, I'm sure you will find it fascinating as well, Octavia"
Octavia scrunches her eyebrows together as she looks at Clarke curiously. Clarke whispers, "you will, I promise."
"I will have a messenger inform of the time tomorrow. For now, I will get a room prepared for you and Octavia. You will be brought there when it is ready." The Commander informs Lincoln, aiming to wrap up the conversation and spend time with Clarke.
"Thank you, Lexa." Lincoln says sincerely.
"You're welcome," she veers her eyes to the blonde's face. "You ready, Clarke?"
Clarke ignores the teasing smirk pulling on Octavia's lips as she trails Lexa behind. "I'll see you tomorrow, Octavia."
Translations:
Min yu op: enter
Sha, heda: yes. commander
Sangedakru: desert clan
Yujleda: the broadleaf clan