May We Meet Again
Chapter 4
Mitchsen
Rating: M

"Beca, concentrate!" Lexa yelled at the eighteen-year-old Grounder. "You need to keep your head in the game." Beca groaned, picking up her knife from the floor and shoving it back in her boot. "I know you're better than this. You're a master archer, stealth should come easily to you." Beca fought to not roll her eyes at the Commander but nodded instead.

"I know." She said in reply. She made to take her position outside the room before Lexa stopped her.

"We're done for today Beca. Titus expects me to work with the Nightbloods this afternoon, so do what you will until tomorrow." She said turning to her friend. "I push you harder because I know you're capable of better." She said. "You remind me so much of myself that I don't want to let that go to waste." Beca nodded, knowing what her friend said was true. "You may be Trikru's second, and the best one the clan has seen in a long time, but you have the potential to go even further, given the right training and circumstances," Lexa said, patting Beca's bicep before leaving the training room, leaving Beca alone.

The Grounder sighed, picking up her jacket from the hook where she had hung it before she started training with Lexa that day. It was a bright, sunny day that day so the Trikru second decided to walk around the capital, enjoy the bustle of the city. Living in the forest, among the trees was special, but there was also something about the city that Beca enjoyed.

As she walked the streets of Polis, she was plagued by memories, as she often was. Even since childhood, when left alone with her thoughts, they often buzzed in her mind like a swarm of bees.

When Lexa had been made Commander she had indeed begun a new reign. While the previous Commander had left the clans mostly to their own devices, stepping in only in the direst of situations, Lexa sought to change that. She desired to join all twelve clans under one banner. Her banner. And though there was a lot of resistance, in the beginning, Lexa eventually beat all the leaders into line.

Floukru, Sankru and Trikru willingly entered the new coalition of the clans, but Azgeda was very vocal about Lexa's course of action. Nia had not joined willingly, but as more and more clans joined the coalition, Azgeda had no choice but to submit to Lexa's will. It was that, or be destroyed. But all on the council and all the clan leaders, along with Lexa herself knew that if given the chance, Nia would immediately challenge Lexa's position as Heda. But as it stood, no one had the strength to go against her.

From day one, Lexa had taken charge. Her first action as Heda was to punish the Azgeda assassins that had killed the previous Commander. She strung them up in front of the capital, whipped and cut them before finally granting them peace in death. She made an example of them. An extension of her strength. That even at sixteen, she would do whatever she had to, to be strong.

Nia had, unfortunately, not been punished. There had been no proof of the Ice Queen's involvement in the assassination and therefore her innocence was upheld. But Beca's deep-seated hatred of Azgeda and its leader never wavered. If anything, it intensified from that point on. The clans may be at peace, but Beca would never be at peace with Azgeda.

Lexa's second action as Heda was to halt the war between Trikru and Azgeda. Neither clan wanted to let the deaths of their family go unpunished, but under Lexa's coalition, they were forced into submission. So they struck an uneasy peace between the two clans. Neither were permitted to cross the borders into each other's territories and any attack between them would be seen as an attack against the coalition. A strong set of terms that neither clan wanted to violate.

Beca continued to walk through the city, waving to the odd merchant or child that acknowledged her. The Trikru second's own role in the world had changed significantly since Lexa had become Heda. For reasons mostly unknown to Beca, the Commander had taken the Trikru Grounder under her wing and teachings.

Beca was under the impression that the Commander's only pupils were the Nightbloods, but she was obviously mistaken as Lexa spent a great deal of time training her. Whenever Beca traveled to the capital, Lexa made sure to contribute to her training. This time, Lexa was working on her stealth. And the Commander was right. Beca was a master archer and stealth should come easily to her. And it did, in the trees.

But simply sneaking up on someone with the intention of sticking a knife in their neck was not something that Beca took to easily. She often made too much noise, or perhaps her breathing gave her away. But whatever it was, Lexa or any other Grounder that Beca trained with was always able to sense her.

Beca often wondered why Lexa showed so much interest in her. Sure, she was a master archer. And sure, she was Lexa's childhood friend. But Jesse also showed both those qualities and he had only seen Lexa once since they were kids training together. But Beca was also not complaining. It was one of the highest honors in their culture to be trained by the Commander. Kommissar was highly proud of her second and how far she had come from the little orphan girl that had shown more interest in drawing than fighting.

Beca was often summoned to the capital directly by Lexa at least once every moon cycle. And she had been for the last two years. It became a part of her training regime to work with Lexa. And as that had happened, more and more Trikru warriors in Tondc believed the Beca had been blessed by the spirit of the Commander. Simply she had not fully come into her own until the reign of the new Heda.

Beca felt something pull at her arm before she looked down to see a small child who looked about four or five, grabbing her hand. The Grounder warrior stopped, wondering what the boy was doing. Beca had never taken to children, but she would never be outright mean to one. So she waited. "Beca kom Trikru?" The boy asked her in a small, somewhat nervous voice.

Beca nodded. "Yes." The small child suddenly got really excited. Beca was unsure of what to do, so she kneeled down in front of him. To her surprise, he threw his arms around her neck, giving her a tight hug. Beca didn't know how to react, so she awkwardly patted him on the back.

"Beca kom Trikru! Trikru Seken! Heda Seken!" Beca was taken aback at the titles he had blurted out in her ear. For one, she had no idea that anyone outside of the capital building and her own village knew anything about her. And secondly, to be called the second to the Commander was both gratifying and a little horrifying. She could never dream to be the second to the Commander. If anyone held that position it would be the Flamekeeper or one of the Nightbloods. But not her.

"Elex!" A woman came rushing over to Beca and the child. The Grounder stood up, facing the woman she assumed to be the boy's mother. "What have I told you about running off?" She scolded. Beca just stood there awkwardly as the boy hung his head in shame before mumbling a response.

"That it's dangerous, especially in the capital." The woman nodded before turning to Beca.

"I am sorry for my son. I don't know what got into him. I hope he hasn't been bothering you." Beca shook her head.

"No, not at all. It's no trouble." Beca said before looking down at the boy who tugged at his mother's skirt.

"Beca kom Trikru." He said, looking up at his mother, then to Beca. His mother smiled at her son.

"So you're the legendary warrior that my boy idolizes so much." Beca furrowed her brow.

"I don't know about legendary…" She trailed off before Elex spoke up.

"Legendary! You are blessed by Heda! Second only to Heda!" Beca smiled slightly.

"It is the way of the warrior to know there will always be others better than you." She said. "Overconfidence will get you killed." She said. She turned to the boy's mother. "I assume he wishes to follow the path of the warrior then?" She nodded

"His father was a Delfikru warrior. He was killed during the war before Lexa formed the coalition. It is his dream to follow the path her father once walked." Beca nodded. She could easily understand that.

"The path of the warrior is long and hard, in any of the clans. I wish him the best of luck in his journey." His mother nodded gratefully. Before Beca left the small family, she knelt down next to the young boy, pulling one of her knives out of her boot. She looked up at his mother who simply nodded with her permission for what Beca was silently asking. She pushed Elex in Beca's direction, the child shyly approaching his hero.

She took one of his hands and placed the dagger into his palm. "Keep it sharp. A dull blade will get you killed." His eyes lit up at the gift Beca was presenting to him. He nodded eagerly, grasping the dagger in his hands. It was a bit big for him to use as such, but Beca knew he would eventually grow into it. "Be careful, wouldn't want to hurt yourself or your mom would you?" Beca said, standing up ruffling his messy brown hair.

He looked up in awe at the Grounder before nodded and carefully tucking the dagger into his own boot like Beca had done. Though with his smaller feet, the hilt stuck out quite a bit. Beca laughed slightly at his pout that it didn't fit. "Don't worry, you'll grow into it." Beca turned to his mother. "I hope that helps him on his journey." She said. The woman nodded in response.

"I will make sure that he sees it through." She said, before taking her son's hand and walking back off into the crowd. Beca smiled to herself. Maybe that's why Lexa paid so much attention to her. Wanted to train her. Beca saw something of herself inElex. She hoped that the young Delfikru boy would go far.

Beca had spent the rest of her time in the capital either training with Lexa or watching Polis from her room. She enjoyed her trips to the capital but as she rode through the forest, she couldn't wait to return home. Kommissar had assured her that these trips would not impact her role as second, but she always felt lost when she returned. Like she had missed so much, though her trips only were a couple of days.

As she rode into the village, she was greeted by Jesse, as always. Over the last few years, the two had grown impossibly closer as friends. When Lexa began to take an interest in her, Jesse had stepped up and helped the clan in her absence. And Beca would have wished for no one else to do so. For all intents and purposes, Jesse was her second half. Her partner in war. The two seemed to always be in sync.

While Jesse was not the warrior Beca was, he was damn close. In times of peace, the warriors continued to train, but most of the skills were put towards hunting and sparing, rather than killing. There would be the odd attack on their border, but they were always small skirmishes as none of the clans wanted to bring down Lexa's wrath on them by starting a fully fledged war.

"Beca, welcome home." He said as the Grounder dismounted. She smiled at her friend as he pulled her in for a short hug.

"Thanks, Jess. I miss anything?" He shook his head.

"Nothing of consequence, like always. It's been peaceful for the last couple years Beca. You know we aren't being sent out on raids and missions every week anymore." Beca nodded. She knew that. But after living through a war for her entire life, it was hard to adjust, even after three years. "How was the capital?" He asked as the two walked towards Beca's cabin. She just shrugged.

"As good as to be expected when the Commander is beating your ass into the dirt I suppose." Jesse snorted.

"You'd think as her childhood friend, she'd go a little easy on you." Beca immediately shook her head.

"No. And I would hope she wouldn't. I've learned a lot from Lexa. After Costia, you know she changed. Her emotions are buried deep. Even deeper than mine now." Jesse nodded. Everyone knew what had happened. Early in the formation of the Coalition, Lexa had a partner, Costia. Against Titus' wishes, as it put both of them in danger. But Lexa insisted she could keep Costia safe.

But unfortunately during those time, Azgeda was doing everything they could to break the Coalition. They captured, tortured then beheaded Lexa's partner, sending the bloody head back to the Commander's feet. Beca knew that Lexa blamed herself for putting her lover in that position and ultimately getting her killed. And from that point onward, Beca saw a change in the Nightblood. Emotions had always been on the backburner for a warrior. But Lexa seemed to shed herself of them all together. She led with her head, not her heart.

And Beca respected that, in the same way, she respected that Jessica and Ashley of Floukru had followed their hearts instead of ignoring them. Each warrior was unique. Each of them had a different way of leadership, by logic or compassion. Making the hard choices or pleasing the clan. Or any manner of methods in between. But Lexa was obviously rubbing off on Beca.

The small Grounder had watched herself become more and more withdrawn from the clan. At one point she strived to be admired on some level by Trikru. But now as long as they showed her proper respect as a master archer and Trikru Seken, she didn't care how they viewed her. Being taught by the Commander offered her that respect. She still saw them all as family and she would die for every single one of them. But being a leader meant making the unpopular decisions when no one else would. Both Kommissar and Lexa had taught her that. And knowing that as Seken, she would eventually be in those positions, she was readying herself for that day.

Beca's life was much of the same for the next three years after that. Once every moon cycle, she would travel to the capital to be trained by the Commander. As she became more and more skilled at combat, Lexa began to teach the Grounder to be a leader. Her childhood friend, against Titus' urgings, allowed Beca to be present when she instructed the Nightbloods on the tradition of the Commander. Beca became closer to the Commander than any other warrior before her.

And when she lived with the clan for the other time of the cycle, she, herself assisted in the teaching of the younglings. As a highly accomplished warrior with more kill marks to her name than her shoulder could hold, she was one of the most highly regarded teachers in their village. One of the few times Beca truly felt the emotion of joy was when she was with the younglings. After her encounter with Elex in the capital, she found it in herself to admire the fighting spirit of the children. She couldn't help but wonder if that's how Kommissar had seen her when she was that age.

Aelani, a young female Grounder tugged at Beca's arm one day after training. "Seken, I can talk to you?" Beca looked at the ten-year-old, nodding.

"Aelani, what is on your mind?" The Trikru child bounced from foot to foot nervously.

"I don't think the warrior path is right for me." Beca raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you say that?" She asked curiously.

"I just… I don't get it as well as the others. The boys poke fun at me because I'm not as strong as them. I can hardly draw a bow. The only thing I'm good with is a sword, but you've always taught us that being a multi-talented warrior was best. I just don't want to put our clan in danger because I can't keep up." The young girl shared with Beca. The Trikru second furrowed her brow.

"Do you want to do this Aelani? Be a warrior?" The girl nodded. Beca placed a hand on her shoulder. "Being a warrior is a commitment. It's a lot of work, you knew that coming in. The thoughts of the others, they don't matter. What matters is that you train, and you prove them all wrong. We don't send warriors out on their first mission until we know they are ready. If you don't feel ready, you won't be allowed to be in a situation where it would put us in danger. You have nothing to worry about."

"But…" Beca cut the young girl off.

"The real question is, are you willing to do what it takes to become a Trikru warrior and earn the symbol of a warrior?" Beca said, rolling up her sleeve to show the girl the Trikru symbol that had been tattooed onto her skin. Aelani reached out to run her fingers over the body art. With a renewed sense of determination, Aelani nodded her head.

"I want to do this Seken." She said. Beca could see the fire in her eyes and hear the determination in her voice.

"Then you will. Push yourself and you will become a warrior." Aelani smiled, throwing her arms around Beca's neck, hugging her.

"Thank you Seken!" She said before running off. Beca stood up smiling at the young Grounder who disappeared into the distance.

Beca was just waking up from her slumber when there was a soft knock at her door. Beca had no idea who it could be, so she got up from her bed and opened the door. A tall brunette, dressed in an outfit of cloth and leather stood at her door. "Stacie," Beca said, surprised at the healer's appearance.

The Trikru healer had joined their village a few years ago, shortly after the Coalition was formed. Stacie was one of the most accomplished individuals in the village when it came to medicine, along with poisons and their antidotes. It had been the healer that had shown Beca, along with the other archers, what poisons to use on their arrows and how to tip them correctly.

"I heard you were out," Stacie said, handing Beca a small, metal tin. The Grounder already knew what was inside. Stacie always made sure that Beca had a number of vials of antidote to their most commonly used poisons. Beca bowed her head in respect.

"I was. Thank you, Stacie." The healer smiled.

"Of course Seken." Beca gestured inside.

"Do you want to come in? Chat awhile." Stacie accepted Beca's invitation and entered her cabin, sitting in a chair near Beca's bed. The Trikru second herself sat on the bed. "I saw you with Aeleni the other day. She seemed a little distressed." Stacie mentioned casually. Beca nodded, leaning back against the wall.

"She was a little distressed. I was just encouraging her."

"With what?" Stacie pushed.

"She was feeling inadequate to be a warrior. I simply told her otherwise." Stacie nodded.

"And that is why you make a good leader Beca. You inspire them to do better. To be better." Beca shrugged.

"I don't know how really. I'm just me." Stacie snorted.

"Yeah, being just you means that you've been a childhood prodigy with a bow, gained the blessing and favor of the Commander and been one of the most successful Trikru generals in history at the age of twenty-one. You're a hero to a lot of people Beca. Not just Trikru." Beca sighed, thinking back to Elex at the capital. She did know she was idolized by some, but hearing it like that made Beca uncomfortable.

"When you put it like that, I guess you're right. But I'm still only human." Before Stacie had the chance to reply, they both heard commotion outside the cabin. Both women got up to see what the fuss was about. Many of the men and women were pointing to the sky. And when Beca looked up she saw a ball of fire falling from the sky. She instinctively pushed Stacie behind her protectively.

Though the falling mass didn't come anywhere near them. It passed over their heads and seemed the fly off into the distance before a loud collision could be heard. It shook the very ground they were standing on. Many of the Grounders made to leave and investigate before Kommissar stopped them. "No one leaves this village. We do not know what this is. Return to your homes, we will discuss this and choose an appropriate course of action. Beca, get dressed." She said, looking at the other Grounder. "I expect you in the council room immediately." Beca nodded stiffly as she made to ready herself for the impending meeting about the phenomenon that was going to change her life forever.

A/N: Ok, so it's taken four chapters, but we're finally going to introduce Skaikru. It kind of been a long haul, but I really want to develop Beca's character before bringing in everyone else. While this is a Mitchsen story, this still revolves around Beca's character. So it was important to bring everyone up to speed about what she's like and why.

Anyways, I feel like Beca with the Grounder kids is cute. I took a lot of the inspiration from how all the Nightbloods adore Lexa in canon.

A Charmed Vampire