Connections

by Animegrl123

"Unbroken" sequel. Every summer the leaders of all twelve clans come together, gathering in Polis to celebrate the coalition. Clarke, the new Azgeda queen, leads her people into Polis, and the tension Lexa can feel around her doubles. To keep the coalition from crumbling, Clarke and Lexa must convince the other leaders to accept the new queen, possibly their greatest challenge yet.

6. Chapter 5

Earlier

Clarke strolled through the busy streets, taking in the sights and sounds of Polis in the mid-morning. As the sun had risen higher, the hustle and bustle had only increased, now more people than she could ever remember seeing in such a condensed place constantly moving around her. Most people moved out of her way as she walked, clearly wary of the stranger with the bodyguard just behind her even if they didn't immediately know who she was, while others completely ignored her. A few brushed against her as they ran or walked by, shouting over their shoulder at her, and whenever they did she had to fight to keep from smiling. After being stared at wherever she went, it felt kind of good to be able to go unnoticed for a change, to melt into a crowd as easily as anyone else. She could tell Jojesh hated it, the warrior moving up so close to her that she could practically feel him behind her, but she loved it.

After speaking with Octavia, she'd gone around to everyone, checking in with her people and making sure they'd all been able to get settled, helping wherever she could. Some had welcomed her more readily than others; Niylah and Luca had gladly accepted her assistance with unpacking one of the wagons, both happily filling her in on their first night in the big city, while Ontari had glared at her the moment she saw her, clearly having no desire to speak with her queen. She'd decided to leave the other girl alone, to give her some space, and moved on to the next person.

Once she'd made sure that all of her people had settled in, she and Jojesh had left once again, this time to visit the Skaikru. The warrior had clenched his jaw as they walked away, obviously not happy that she decided to leave, but had followed along behind her as always. Even then when the roads had been less crowded he'd stuck to her, constantly scanning the area and looking for any signs of danger. He loosened up slightly once they reached the Sky People, allowing more space between them as Clarke and her mother took some time to catch up, but as soon as their time together ended and she stepped back out into the streets, he was once again directly behind her.

"Relax, Joujesh," she finally told him quietly, flashing him a little smile over her shoulder. "Everything is fine."

"You have enemies everywhere, Unbroken," he replied quickly, not even glancing down at her, afraid to take his eyes off the crowd for even a second. "Enemies that will take any opportunity they can find to take you out. I will not let that happen."

"I know you won't," she said, switching over to Gonasleng. Now it was her turn to scan the crowds, far more relaxed than she knew he was but still picking up on as many of the things going on around her as possible. "And I know I have enemies."

They continued walking for a few minutes, strolling at a much more leisurely pace than Jojesh cared for, but Clarke couldn't help but take some time to look at the vendors and stalls around them. She knew that once the actual ceremonies started tomorrow she would have far less time to take in the city than she wanted, so decided she would try to take in as much as possible now while she could. The first vendor she stopped at clearly didn't know who she was, giving her a hasty nod as he did the rest of those milling around his stand, but the second gave her a wide smile, nodding her head respectfully at her, and soon the rest of the vendors seemed to pick up on who she was. Clearly her story had gone around Polis, the Trikru there learning about her defiance against first the Mountain and then the Queen of the Ice Nation, and now she had calls of, "Wanheda!" echoing around her, countless people smiling or bowing their heads to her in respect. She answered as many as she could with a smile or nod in return, trying to politely refuse the samples of foods thrust out at her or people calling to her from behind counters to try to get her to come over and take a closer look at their goods. It took her longer than expected to make it down one street to turn to another, and once they finally did she could nearly feel some of the tension leak out of the warrior behind her.

This new street was far less crowded than the previous one, and here no one called out any of her titles or tried to get her attention. Here she could walk in peace without anyone thrusting a free sample of anything under her nose, and she relished in the anonymity the quiet brought with it. She continued down the street, this time keeping a little distance between herself and these new stalls to try to prevent herself from being recognized, and sunk into the chaotic noise of the city without making herself the center of it all.

A few minutes into this new section of the city, Clarke's gaze landed on someone she recognized and she felt her back straighten. She honed in on him, no longer simply strolling along, and felt Jojesh stiffen behind her when he realized who she was approaching.

"Ubroukai..." she heard him warn quietly, the shift in his movement telling her his hand had fallen to the sword strapped at his waist. She didn't respond, didn't make any indication she had even heard, and instead plastered a polite smile along her face.

"Haihefa Hektar," she called out as the space between them diminished, watching as the Sankru king's eyes settled on her. A brief something flashed across his face before he could stop it, but then the next moment his expression fell into one of calm recognition.

"Kwin Klark," he greeted, stepping away from the stall where he had been studying various vases and bowls. He glanced up briefly at Jojesh, clearly taking in the warrior's less-than-friendly stance, but then almost immediately looked back at the blonde. His own body language didn't change, his hands coming together in front of him in a way that made it clear he didn't feel threatened at all. Clarke simply continued to smile politely at him, pretending not to notice her warrior's stance or the king's. "You are exploring Polis, I see."

"I am," she replied, nodding once. Glancing around them for just a second, her smile grew slightly, genuine. "This city is beautiful, but there's a lot to explore."

"Sha," he agreed. "There is much to see here." She looked back at him, her mind racing but expression still calm. She'd told Lexa and Octavia that she had a plan concerning the Sankru and their attack on her, and while it was really only half a plan so far, now might be the best time to put it in motion. She had an opportunity here, one she didn't know if she would get again, and had to take it.

"Haihefa Hektar, would you join me for a few minutes?" she asked, still smiling at him. She felt Jojesh stiffen even further behind her and saw the king's brow crease, and simply added, "I haven't had the chance to thank you for sending your son to escort me and my people to the city."

The king of the Desert Clan studied her for just a second, seeing nothing but her simple smile, and then finally nodded, replying, "Of course Kwin Klark. It would be my honor."

"Mochof," she told him, and then turned to her warrior. "Jojesh, you can stay here while the king and I talk."

"Ubroukai," he tried to argue, eyes flashing from him to her, fingers curling around the handle of his sword, but she just raised her eyebrows at him, the smile slipping away. "I gave an order, Jojesh," she replied, tone no longer as light as it had been a moment ago. "You will follow it." The warrior stared at her for a second, an inner debate clearly taking place inside his head as he tried to decide whether he should defy her or not, but the moment he clenched his jaw, she knew he'd given in.

"Sha, Ubroukai," he merely replied, bowing his head to her, and she returned the bow with a nod before turning back to the king. The man had watched the interaction, clearly surprised she wanted to walk without a guard, but he didn't say anything. Instead he simply gestured for her to lead the way but before Clarke turned to do so she saw something flash across his face once again. Warning bells went off in her head, the hair on the back of her neck standing up as she felt him watching her, and she knew he suddenly saw this as an opportunity to finish what he had started the day before. She didn't let her knowledge of this show, made sure she walked with ease as she led the way, but she felt her entire self focus on the man walking just barely behind her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to thank you and your son yesterday," she said, trying to strike up a conversation to keep him distracted. She flashed him a smile over her shoulder, one he politely returned. "It was all a little hectic, trying to get everyone settled in."

"Of course," he agreed, hands still clasped in front of him, no hint of anything but polite conversation in his tone. "I am just glad you made it here safely."

"So am I," Clarke told him as she continued walking, body on high alert and listening for any unexpected movement behind her. She looked ahead, seeing a small opening between two buildings, and continued towards it. What she needed to do couldn't be done out here in the crowded streets, and she felt her focus split between it and the man behind her. He said something, something she barely registered but which she nodded back to, and didn't take her eyes off of the opening. Every step brought them closer to it, and the closer they got the harder her heart pounded in her chest. Just a couple more steps...

The moment the opening was beside them, Clarke didn't hesitate. With no warning at all she twisted, shoving the king between the two buildings and he stumbled back, the push taking him completely by surprise. He'd been studying her but had seen nothing to indicate she had such strength and hadn't noticed her focus shift. As he stumbled back, she followed, slipping in right behind him.

The space was small, narrow, very different from the street they'd been on, but most importantly it was unoccupied. With the way the buildings were positioned, the shadow of one fell over the other, leaving the alleyway darker than the street. It was perfect, and just what the queen needed.

After stumbling back a few steps, Hektar finally managed to control his balance, one hand darting down to the knife always at his belt. Clarke saw the hand drop and grabbed for her own knife, its hilt between her fingers no more than a second later. She moved faster than the Desert king had believed possible for an invader, one foot coming out to wrap around his and yanking it to the side in an attempt to push him off his balance again. Rather than jump away from him as his hand curled around his knife she moved closer, her hip smashing into his and making him stumble back again while her elbow came down hard on his arm. He grunted slightly at the pain, surprised by the young woman's speed, and tried to strike out with his knife, but before he could get close she twisted away. Before he could pull his knife back, her free hand darted out, grabbing at his wrist and with a strength he didn't know she possessed, she forced his arm back and up, twisting it behind him. The hilt of her knife came down hard on his forearm, and the next moment his weapon was falling to the ground. She kicked it further into the alley and pushed him forward, using both of their weight to shove him against the side of one of the buildings. Hektar tried to shake her off of him, but immediately stilled when he felt the sharp edge of her knife press into the junction of his neck.

"Idiot," she spat, all polite smiles suddenly gone. "Is that what you think I am? Do you really think I don't know you sent your son to kill me?" He didn't say anything, just tried to glare at her even with the side of his face pressed against stone. She stood pressed against his back, his arm still twisted between them and her knife still at his neck, and he could feel the fury rolling off of her. "You hate me so much you would risk your son's life?"

"You do not belong here," he growled, trying to turn his head so he could see her better. "You are an invader and a threat. The Woods Clan and Ice Nation may not see it, but the rest of the clans can. We will never accept you as one of us!"

"You don't have to," she shot back, tightening her grip on his wrist. "No clan has the right to decide who leads another clan. Not even the Commander can interfere with other clans like that."

"You think you know our laws?" he spat, trying to move but stilling when he felt the pressure of the knife increase. It hadn't yet broken the skin, but anymore and it would.

"Apparently I know them better than you," she countered. "You sent your son to kill me; any clan that attacks another isn't just attacking those people but the entire coalition. I have every right to declare war on you, and by law the coalition would be on my side. You put every one of your people in danger, just to try to kill me."

"They wouldn't," he began, voice catching a little when her elbow pressed harshly into his back. "The other clan leaders want you dead, they wouldn't turn against me."

"Are you sure?" she wanted to know. "They might want me dead, but do they want it enough to go against the Commander?" She felt him stiffen, and knew her words had struck a cord. "The Commander created these laws and will follow them no matter what. She knows why Init was with me yesterday; the only reason she hasn't declared war on you yet is because I chose to play dumb, chose to ignore what you did. All I have to do is change my mind, and the Commander will follow her law and so will any clan that still wants to be part of the coalition. Are you sure your people are ready for that fight?" He remained silent, clearly not having anything to say to that, so she let the words settle over them. As she gave him time to think of his people, her own thoughts flickered to hers, and without entirely meaning to her grip on his wrist tightened, fingers digging into the space between his bones. He flinched but she ignored it, her fury mounting beneath her skin. The gut-gnawing fear she hadn't allowed herself to focus on ever since Ontari walked up to her with a warrior at knife-point hit her hard and fast, twisting and twining along with her anger. Sef had been in front of her. He'd been sitting in front of her, and Thom and Reese had both been beside her. If Enit had shot and missed, she could have lost any one of them. It was the thought she'd been trying to keep herself from thinking, but now it was there, growing and festering inside her.

"If you ever put any of my people in danger again, I won't hesitate," she swore, the words spoken in cold fury. The pressure of the knife increased, breaking the skin beneath it in the smallest of cuts. "I don't care if you keep trying to kill me, but if you put any of them in danger, I will make sure you live to regret it." She could feel him swallow beneath her knife's blade. "Do you understand me?"

"I understand," he grunted, still glaring at her, but his expression had changed slightly, something akin to fear flashing across his face for no more than a second. "Good," she replied, not breaking her focus from him even as she heard her name called back in the street. Voice lowering even further and speaking quickly, she informed him, "For now however you and your son's life belong to me. If I wanted to, I could demand your deaths, but I'm not going to. I'm not going to because you are going to act like you accept me as queen. I don't care whether you actually do or not, but you are going to act like it. If other clans have a problem with me or my people, you are going to be on my side, got it?"

"I will never-," he began, outraged, but she cut him off. "You will," she continued, grip not loosening on either the knife or his wrist even as she heard footsteps approaching. "If you care about your son's life, if you care about your life, you will. You will side with me, or I will make sure you and your son are both dead before the end of the Coalition Celebrations. Do you understand?"

Before he could answer, the footsteps got louder, and she pushed herself away from him, sheathing her knife in one swift motion as she stepped away. It seemed to take him a moment to register she had moved, but as soon as he did he turned, finally breaking away from the wall. When he did, he noticed the Commander's brother entering the alleyway.

"Clarke," he called again, expression drawn as his eyes flickered between them. "King Hektar. What is going on?"

Clarke gave Taigon a quick smile, in no way looking like she just had the king pressed up against a wall with her knife at his throat. "Taigon," she greeted, "King Hektar and I were just talking. He was just telling me how much he's looking forward to working with me for the next couple of weeks. Weren't you, Hektar?" She leveled a look at him, raising an eyebrow slightly, and the king met it, jaw clenched as he debated his choices. Finally, lips pursed tightly, he nodded once, stiffly.

"Sha," he answered, voice clipped. "It will be very... interesting." He glanced at the Commander's brother and the girl who had stopped just behind him, and back at the Ice Queen, the line of his mouth tightening further. "For now however I have things I should see to. Taigon." He paused and then nodded to the blonde. "Kwin Klark." She returned the nod and then he moved, first going over to where his knife had been kicked away and picking it up, and then sheathing it as he met the queen's eyes once again. Hard blue shined back at him, and it took every bit of control he had to lift his head up and calmly walk past them, leaving the small party behind. When he passed the queen's warrior, the king could easily read the warning in the clench of the man's jaw and the stiffness of his shoulders. At some point while they'd been in the alleyway he'd taken his sword out, and now the warrior's grip on it tightened. As the king walked away, he could feel the man's eyes following him, and had to clench his own jaw harder as he kept his head up.

Raven watched him walk away and then turned back to the blonde, raising an eyebrow as she folded her arms across her torso. "I see you're making friends, like always," she commented drily. "Not even here a full day and there's already someone who wants to kill you." Clarke met her look, lifting both eyebrows as she reminded her, "There's more than just one person in this city that wants me dead, Raven." The mechanic shrugged, giving in a little, but said, "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you?"

"Clarke, what was that about?" Taigon demanded, fists clenching at his sides. Eyes glancing down the street where Hektar had last been seen, he asked, "Did he try to attack you again?" Not giving her a chance to answer, his eyes narrowed, glaring at Jojesh. "Why weren't you with her? You are supposed to protect her!" The queen reached out, resting her hand against his forearm, and told him, "It wasn't Jojesh's fault; I told him to wait for me in the street." Out of the corner of her eye she saw the warrior's lips purse, clearly still not pleased with the order. From the way the muscles in Taigon's arms shifted at her words, the healer wasn't any happier about them.

"You did what?" he asked, clearly shocked. She saw anger and fear flash across his face at the same time he clenched his jaw, and realized she'd never seen him look so much like his sister. "Clarke, Hektar is a warrior, the king of his clan! He could have killed you; he tried to kill you yesterday!"

"And I needed him to let his guard down," she insisted, not backing down. "That wasn't going to happen with Jojesh right beside me." Taigon opened his mouth to say something else, but Raven cut him off.

"Don't even bother trying to knock any sense into her," she advised, leaning back against one of the walls. She met the healer's eyes and then looked back at the blonde, the corners of her mouth quirking up just slightly as she spoke. "She does stupid stuff like this all the time, and somehow it always works out for her." They both noticed Clarke roll her eyes but not say anything in response. Taigon studied her for a second, and then shook his head.

"You and Lexa are too alike," he simply said. "You both put yourselves in unnecessary danger."

"What Hektar and I talked about was very necessary," the queen informed him, chin tilting up just a bit, and he nearly shook his head again. "You will always think so," he told her, "And maybe it is, I don't know." He smirked suddenly, lips barely pulling up as he met her look, telling her, "But I do not think I want to be there when Lexa hears about this. And you," he turned to Jojesh, the warrior still standing stiffly near his queen, "Would do well to be far, far away when she learns of it. For most things my sister has an endless supply of patience, but in this, you will find she reacts quickly and without mercy." The warrior simply met his look, face still entirely blank except for the clench of his jaw that hadn't lessened since the Desert king disappeared from their sight. His queen, however, grinned.

"I think we'll be okay," she just said. "She'll glare at me for a few minutes and tell me what I did was dangerous, but then she'll realize it was important and get over it." Taigon let out a little noise from the back of his throat, something that almost sounded like a scoff, and had to shake his head again because he knew she was entirely right. For many people his sister was a cold mystery, but to perhaps just the two of them, she was entirely predictable. In some ways, at least.

With that, Clarke let the subject of the Desert king drop and everyone else seemed ready to let it go as well. She could see Jojesh standing stiffly beside her out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but feel a little guilty for putting him in this situation. What she'd said about needing the king to let his guard down had been true, but she knew her warrior's anxiety level must have been incredibly high, being forced to just stand back and watch. Rather than continue exploring like she wanted, she decided to take pity on him. Looking back at Taigon and Raven, she offered, "But now that that's taken care of, I have to go back to my people. Do you want to walk with us?" At her words, she could practically feel Jojesh relax slightly beside her, finally returning re-sheathing his sword at his side. She could tell by the way Taigon's expression softened he knew what she was doing, but the healer didn't say anything.

"Why not?" Raven replied, shrugging her shoulders as she pushed herself back off the wall. "Let's go watch you be all queenly. That'll be entertaining." Again Clarke wanted to roll her eyes, but this time she managed to stop herself. Taigon just smiled, giving her a nod, and as a group they left the alley, another warrior joining them as they stepped back out into the street. With the way the man immediately moved towards Taigon, Clarke didn't have to wonder what he was doing there. She tried to hide her grin, but knew she wasn't entirely successful; leave it to Lexa to assign her brother a bodyguard while countless newcomers flooded their city.

To Jojesh's relief, they managed not to run into anymore trouble during the walk back to the Azgeda encampment. To Clarke's, nothing terrible seemed to have happened while she was gone. Niylah and Luca were talking to a few passersby about some of their trading goods, Luca giving her a happy grin when he saw her, Niylah flashing her a small smile. Kila sat on the ground, working on a weaving she'd brought with her and trying to tune out her babbling grandson beside her. His grandfather was supposed to be watching him, but Clarke could tell that Kurtis kept getting distracted by the people going by in the streets. Because of this, Echo stood not far away, a small smirk tugging at her lips as she watched the young boy. The queen could see she had something in her hands but couldn't tell what until Sef started to toddle away from his grandparents. Before he'd gone more than a couple of steps, Echo carefully tossed one of whatever it was out, the little rock landing near enough Sef that the movement caught his attention. Curiosity got the better of him, and he turned away from the street and towards the rock, moving over to inspect it. She didn't see Callie or Nygel anywhere or Ontari or Roan, the latter two of those missing worrying her more than the first, but decided to push that worry away. Octavia, Lincoln and Paten all stood near the building, using its shade to try to beat the intense summer heat. Lincoln was the first of the three to notice them, smiling as they approached, and the next second the other two turned, Paten's focus falling solely on the blonde while Octavia grinned at the mechanic walking next to her. Out of the corner of her eye, Clarke saw Raven return the grin.

"Looks like someone's fallen right into the Grounder life," she called out, smirking at the other brunette. "Your brother's gonna be so disappointed. I'm pretty sure a part of him was hoping you'd get here and tell him you wanted to go back to Arkadia."

"No way," Octavia replied, shaking her head as she moved towards them. "There's no way I'm going back there." Smile growing as she got closer, her expression shifted slightly, a hint of sincerity coloring her tone as she admitted, "I do miss him, though."

"Just him?" Raven asked, lifting an eyebrow before touching her hand to her chest. "I'm hurt." Clarke and Octavia shared a look, the queen shaking her head while the warrior rolled her eyes. "And you, Raven," she informed her, "I miss you too."

"We both do," Clarke added, and Raven's grin grew. "Of course you do," she simply said. "Why wouldn't you? I'm awesome."

"I imagine you would be welcome in Keerie," Lincoln informed her, moving up beside his love. Looking first at the queen and then back to Raven, he added, "If you also wanted to leave Arkadia." Shifting his focus from her, he smiled at the healer on her other side. "Taigon," he greeted, reaching an arm out, the other man immediately clasping it with his own.

"Lincoln," Taigon replied, matching his smile. "It's good to see you happy, my friend." At the same time Raven shook her head, crossing her arms over her torso once again.

"As much as I miss you both, I don't think I'll be leaving Arkadia," she told them. "Not any time soon, at least. I've got too many projects going on right now." Clarke grinned, raising an eyebrow as she asked, "Yeah? How many things have you blown up with these projects?" Rather than say anything, the mechanic just smirked, clearly proud of herself, and it was all the answer she needed. "I thought so. You're always welcome in Keerie Raven, but maybe you can leave your projects in Arkadia?"

"Hey, how many times has my blowing things up saved your ass?" Raven wanted to know, and this time it was Clarke's turn to remain quiet. The other girl just nodded, smirk growing. "Exactly." She reached forward then, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders, yanking them closer to her. "Really though, I probably should join you guys. Who's gonna keep you out of trouble if I'm not there?"

Both Jojesh and Paten took a step closer as soon as Raven grabbed her, an automatic reflex, and Clarke held up her hand to them, stopping both in their tracks. Clearly the other girl noticed, her brow raising, and Clarke just smiled a little sheepishly at her. "As you can see, I have plenty of people around me whose job it is to keep me out of trouble."

Raven scoffed, the noise pulling their attention. "Yeah, as if that's gonna help. You're a trouble magnet Clarke, just accept it. You could have fifty personal bodyguards and I guarantee you'd still find something."

"Especially depending on who those guards were," Octavia added, pulling away slightly as Raven loosened her grip on them. Giving the blonde a look, she gestured back over her shoulder. "I take it you've noticed who's missing."

Clarke let out a sigh, also pulling away from Raven, and rubbed at her forehead. "Yeah, I noticed," she replied, and then met Octavia's look. "Does anyone know where Ontari or Roan are?" Octavia shook her head, and behind them she heard, "They left this morning." Octavia, Lincoln and Paten turned, making way for Echo as she moved to join them, Sef now balancing easily against her hip. The little boy twisted, clearly wanting to get down, but the warrior's grip on him remained firm. She met her queen's look, telling her, "Not long after you left to visit your mother. They did not say where they were going, but Ontari looked as though she needed to hit something."

"Ontari always looks like she needs to hit something," Clarke heard Octavia mutter, but ignored her. She could have pointed out that the brunette also often seemed to need to get her frustration out through training, but didn't. All she could do was hope that training was all Ontari was doing to get out her anger. Knowing that for the moment at least there was nothing she could do about them but try to think of a way to keep track of them both, she just asked, "What about Nygel and Callie? Where are they?"

"Callie wanted to visit Abby and Kane," Lincoln answered, slipping an arm around Octavia's side but not looking away from the queen. "Nygel went with her." Clarke just nodded, glad she didn't have to worry about either of them.

Before anyone could say anything else, they heard footsteps approaching behind them, and they all turned to see Lexa, Ryder and three children walking towards them. Thom looked tired, his arms hanging down at his side, but a happy smile tugged at his lips. Beside him, Reese looked thrilled, walking proudly with her chest puffed out. The only one of them Clarke didn't know walked calmly on Lexa's other side, his hands folded behind him in the same way the Commander's were. All three children's shirts had sweat stains around the collars and under the arms, and when she got closer Clarke could just make out the faint outline of perspiration along Lexa's collar as well. Considering she still wore the long-sleeved black shirt from the day before, the blonde wasn't at all surprised by it.

Even through his clear exhaustion, Thom perked up the moment he noticed Taigon.

"Taigon!" he exclaimed, smile growing, and a sudden burst of energy seemed to hit him, the boy suddenly bolting forward. The healer laughed as he ran right into him, wrapping his arms around the man's leg. "Hello Thom," he simply greeted, settling an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Did you have a nice training session with the Commander?"

"Mmhm," he nodded, beaming up at the tall man, but then his expression grew more serious. "But I still don't think I want to be a warrior. It hurts too much. I like being a healer instead."

"What about a mechanic?" Raven wanted to know, a twinkle in her eye. Briefly meeting Clarke's eye, she grinned, saying, "I seem to remember you're a natural at making things go boom." The queen shot her a glare, but the little boy's expression lit up once again.

"Yeah!" he shouted, releasing Taigon's leg. He nearly bounced up and down, big eyes widening as he asked her, "Can we do it again, Raven? I really liked the sound of the 'splosion last time!"

Before either Clarke or Raven could respond, Lexa stepped forward, the others still with her, and looked down at the little boy. "Nothing will be exploding in my city," she informed him calmly. Looking up, she locked eyes with the mechanic, expression and voice still perfectly even as she asked, "Is that understood?" The boy let out a heavy sigh, clearly dejected, but muttered, "Yes Heda." Lexa didn't look away from Raven, still showing nothing but calm, but her warning was all too clear. Finally the mechanic let out her own little sigh, rolling her eyes slightly as she answered, "Yeah yeah, I get it." Clarke saw the corners of the Commander's lips twitch, clearly amused, but the other leader simply nodded.

"Good," she said, and then turned back to Thom, not bothering to hide her small smile. "You are welcome to join us in training whenever you would like Thom, but I agree, you will make a wonderful healer." The little boy just beamed, the praise clearly everything he needed, and Clarke felt her chest grow tight, her heart swelling in her ribcage. She didn't think she'd ever be able to get over the way the big bad Commander always softened around children, and knew she never wanted to. Lexa looked up, catching her eye and smile, and couldn't help but smile back. A second later and that smile shrunk, hidden away once again behind her stoic mask, but Clarke knew it was still there, just beneath the surface and waiting to come out again. The Commander looked at the two other children still with her, and gave them a nod.

"You all did well today," she informed them. She made eye contact with Reese, and gestured towards the Azgeda camp. "You should go drink some water; after all the work we did, your body needs it. Take Thom with you, and I will see you again in the morning for more training." The young girl nodded quickly, clearly excited by the prospect of getting to do it all over again, and then grabbed Thom's hand, pulling him back towards the building.

As though a silent order had been given, the others all seemed to slip away as well, Echo returning to her uncle and aunt, Paten going over to check on how Niylah and Luca were doing, and Octavia, Lincoln, Raven and Taigon and his bodyguard moving back over to the shade. Soon only Clarke and Lexa were left, Jojesh still standing as the queen's shadow while Ryder stood as the Commander's, and the young boy standing stiffly beside her.

"Clarke," Lexa began, turning slightly towards the boy. "This is Aden, my student. Aden, this is Kwin Klark kom Azgeda." Aden bowed his head respectfully, as Clarke figured any student of Lexa's would.

"Kwin Klark," he said, head still bent down. "It is an honor to meet you."

"It's an honor to meet you as well, Aden," the queen replied, giving the boy a smile. Eyes flickering over to Lexa, she added, "I didn't think the Commander took on students."

"Normally I don't," Lexa readily admitted, flashing him a small ghost of a smile. "Aden is one of the few exceptions." Clarke could tell the young warrior was fighting not to beam as easily as Thom had under the praise, somehow managing to maintain a straight face. The only tell of his excitement was the slight crinkling around his eyes, and the fact that he bit his bottom lip for no more than a millisecond, using the gesture to hold in his grin. Lexa too kept a straight face, but Clarke could see the amusement dancing across her eyes. Head tilting up a little higher, she nodded to Aden, telling him, "You are dismissed for now, Aden. Meet me at dawn at the training field, and we will continue our work." Immediately the boy's spine straightened, shoulders squaring back. "Sha, Heda," he quickly agreed, and then bowed his head once again at Clarke. "Kwin Klark." With that he turned, walking away, and Clarke watched him go, a partial grin tugging at her mouth.

Looking back at Lexa as he disappeared, she lifted an eyebrow.

"What was that all about?" she asked. "Since when do you take on students?" Rather than answer, the Commander instead gestured back to the street, asking her, "Would you like that tour of Polis I promised you, Clarke?" Eyeing Lexa, suddenly suspicious, the blonde studied her for a moment, and then nodded.

"Sure, a tour sounds great," she agreed, and the other girl gave her a small smile before leading her away from the Azgeda camp. As always, Ryder and Jojesh followed, keeping a respectable distance between themselves and their leaders, all while scanning the area around them.

"I took Aden on as my student because I needed someone I could trust," Lexa murmured quietly, her words clearly meant only for Clarke. Her expression remained straight, perfectly calm, as though they could be talking about anything. "Someone needs to represent Trikru during the Coalition Ceremonies."

Clarke shot her a curious look, trying to keep her expression as blank as possible so that no one would take more notice to them than they already got wherever they went. "You aren't the one who represents Trikru?"

Shaking her head, Lexa informed her, "I cannot. I have to remain impartial, and so cannot stand for the clan that raised me. Someone else must. This year Indra will be doing it, but next year it will need to be someone else. Indra is a great leader, but she does not have the... patience that will be required for the next couple of weeks. I am training Aden to take on the role next year."

Clarke's brow shot up, unable to completely hide her surprise. "But he's just a kid," she pointed out, thinking back to the boy she'd just met. Looking at him, she knew he couldn't have been more then twelve or thirteen. "Why him?"

"Because he was the Second of the last person to hold the position," the Commander said, staring straight ahead. She could see the blonde studying her out of the corner of her vision, and was unsurprised by her next question. "Who was that?" Without showing any hint of emotion, she answered simply, "Anya. She was my General, and so acted as the Trikru representative during these ceremonies."

Clarke stopped, clearly momentarily stunned by the answer, and Lexa stopped as well, giving her time to process. After a second the blonde started forward again, the Commander falling into step with her, eyes flickering over to the shorter woman.

"Aden was Anya's Second?" she just asked, and Lexa gave a simple nod. The younger leader's brow furrowed, before saying, "But I thought Tris was her Second?" The Commander's jaw clenched at the name, the young girl someone she hadn't thought about in months, but then gave another nod.

"Tris was Anya's most recent Second," she answered quietly, still keeping her expression carefully blank. "She had only been her Second for a few months before she died. Before that, it was Aden. She took him on shortly after I accepted my role as Heda. She became my General, and as her Second, Aden traveled with us and was part of many meetings, both as we were trying to piece together the coalition, as well as after we finished." Clarke noticed her nod, saw the proud smile that briefly pulled at her lips. "He is the right person to become my next General. He is not ready this year, so Indra will do it, but next year I intend for it to be him. He listens well, thinks everything over carefully, never makes a rash decision. He is also a great fighter." When the blonde gave her a look, clearly thinking about the skinny boy she'd just met, Lexa's smile grew. "He is," she insisted, "He is even a better warrior than I was at his age." That surprised Clarke, and she didn't even try to hide it.

"Well that's... I guess I get why you made him your student, then," she finally got out, not knowing what else to say. She noticed Lexa's lips curl up playfully, and then she leaned over, murmuring, "He does not beat my first student, but he still does well." The blonde didn't fight her grin, just let it grow as she replied, "I'm sure your first student is happy to hear that." They shared a look, their finger tips briefly touching down at their sides, and then Lexa forced herself to look away, having to fight down her smile.

"So what do you have planned for me on this tour?" Clarke asked, needing to change the subject. Flirting with Lexa was too easy, and could even more easily lead to things they couldn't do right now. Her desire to reach out and slip her fingers between the other girl's tugged at her, strong and difficult to ignore, but she forced herself to. As though she too may be fighting the same battle, Lexa's arms folded behind her, back straightening as one hand clasped around the other wrist.

"I thought we could walk by where the other clans will be staying," she replied simply, nodding to a couple staring wide-eyed as she walked by. Glancing back over to Clarke, she added, "That way you will be able to recognize at least some of them tomorrow morning at the council meeting." The queen nodded, clearly agreeing with the idea, and let Lexa lead the way.

They didn't talk much while they walked, Lexa maintaining her perfect Commander composure, happy to simply glance over at Clarke every now and then, taking in the awe obvious in her wide eyes. For the most part the blonde managed to keep her staring to a minimal, trying to also keep up the role of queen, but there were some things she just couldn't help but let herself get lost in. She'd visited each of her own villages in the Ice Nation over the past three months, always amazed at even the smallest of them, but none of them could even begin to compare to Polis. She felt sure that she could wander these streets non-stop for a full week and still not be able to see everything by the end of it.

Glancing around as well, Lexa's gaze stopped as she noticed a pair of people standing and waiting for a vendor to finish preparing their smoked rabbit. Barely brushing against the other girl's shoulder, she waited until Clarke looked at her, and then nodded to them.

"Do you see the two over there, getting food?" she asked, and after following her gaze, the blonde nodded. "You see the tattoos running down their necks? That marks them as Ouskejon, the Blue Cliff Clan. They are Halen and Hutch. Hutch is one of the personal guards for their leader, Esta, while Halen is one of her advisers." With their backs to the two leaders, Clarke allowed herself a moment to study the two. Hutch's long dark hair hung past his shoulder blades, no obvious braids in it that she could see, while Halen's deep auburn hair barely passed her shoulders. He stood at least half a foot taller than her, but it seemed to be her that was doing all of the talking with the vendor. She could barely see them with so much space between them, but when Hutch shifted, she could just make out a blue tattoo bleeding down his neck and shoulder, disappearing beneath his shirt.

"Does everyone in Ouskejon have a tattoo?" she asked, finally tearing her focus away from the two. Lexa began down the street again, Clarke moving easily beside her, and gave a small shrug. "Not everyone," she answered, "But most. I expect everyone who has come with Esta will have them." Glancing over once again as the two members of the Blue Cliff Clan accepted their rabbit, the Commander felt her stomach rumble, a clear reminder she had not eaten anything yet. Glancing up at the sky, she realized it was nearly midday.

Steering them through a small crowd of people who immediately got out of their Heda's way, Lexa led them over to another vendor. Meat sizzled on the metal grill in front of him, fat dripping into the hungry fire, and it only made her stomach growl once again. The man standing on the other side of the fire grinned as soon as he saw her, nodding frantically, his way of bowing respectfully.

"Heda!" he exclaimed, grabbing a skewer on the small table beside him and immediately stabbing the largest chunks of meat. He held it out to her, still grinning as he informed her, "I have the best saved for you, as always." She returned his grin with a small smile, accepting the offered food. "Mochof, Moutis," she replied, and then nodded to the blonde beside her. "We will need another one today, as well." As she spoke, she handed her skewer over to the other girl, glancing away from the man just long enough to give her an amused look.

As though he hadn't noticed the blonde before, the man's head tilted, clearly studying her, before his eyes widened, recognition suddenly sparking in them. "Wanheda!" he exclaimed, hurriedly reaching over to grab another skewer and knocking a couple to the ground in the process. He stabbed the next largest chunks and then handed it over, Lexa once again accepting it even though he was no longer looking at her. "I'm sorry Wanheda, I-I didn't see you. Please, enjoy!" He paused for a second, eyes scanning her face and then asked, "You... are Wanheda, yes? I have only heard stories..."

Clarke flashed him an easy smile, nodding. "Sha," she answered, "Ai laik Wanheda. Klark." She took a bite from the skewer Lexa handed her to be polite, and then felt her eyes close. The meat was almost too hot to eat, but she didn't care. Flavors like she'd never had before flooded her taste buds, as though they were waking up for the first time. The food she'd eaten ever since coming to the ground had always been better than what they'd had on the Ark, but none of it compared to this. Opening her eyes again, she looked at Motis, flashing him a bright smile. "This is delicious," she told him, the man immediately beaming at her words. "What is it?"

"Deer," he answered, eyes twinkling, "But the secret is in the herbs I use, and that is a secret I will never share."

"It's true," Lexa agreed, one corner of her mouth turning up, "I have been trying to get him to tell me most of my life, and he still hasn't." Motis returned her smile, looking away only when he heard an extra sizzle in the meat still on the grill, and returned his attention to turning them so that it would all cook evenly.

"I will just have to come back then," Clarke told him, finishing another bite. The second was almost better than the first, and she had no doubt she would definitely be back before she had to leave Polis. Motis flashed her another smile, only glancing up briefly this time as he continued to tend to his work, telling her, "I am always here, Wanheda, and will be honored to serve you." She mirrored his smile, and then felt Lexa's free hand briefly cup her elbow, grabbing her attention.

"We should continue," she simply said, before nodding one last time to the meat vendor. "I am sure we will both see you again soon, Moutis. I hope you have good business until then."

"I always have good business this time of year, Heda, and you are to thank for that," he replied. He glanced around at the many people walking the streets, noticing a few staring at the imposing Commander, and had to fight not to grin again. He knew as soon as she and Wanheda left he'd have a flock of business. Grabbing the rack of already-seasoned deer meat waiting to go on the grill, he began to reload it.

With a quick round of farewells, Lexa pulled Clarke back out into the street, beginning on their way again. The blonde followed along readily, but frowned, glancing over her shoulder. "Shouldn't we give him something for this?" she asked, gesturing to the two skewers of meats they held, and Lexa just shook her head, smiling slightly.

"The last time I offered Motis anything in return, he said he hoped I would never insult him like that again," she informed her. "And that was a few months before I became Commander. I haven't dared to try since." Clarke nodded, but her brow furrowed, studying the other girl. "So he knew you when you were younger?" she asked, and Lexa nodded.

"He was friends with my mother as they were growing up," she answered, the words spoken so matter-of-factly that Clarke knew they must be getting to the brunette under her stoic surface. "I have known him all my life."

Clarke didn't say anything to that, too afraid of dragging up memories the other girl wouldn't want to think about while walking the streets of her city, and instead allowed peaceful silence to settle between them. They ate as they walked, both content to just take in the sights and sounds around them as the crowds of people shifted, many of them openly staring at the two imposing leaders and their silent bodyguards trailing along behind them. Once they finished, Lexa took the skewer from Clarke, their fingers momentarily brushing in what could easily have been an accident to anyone passing by, and then tossed it and her own into one of the fire pits they walked by.

Lexa led the way down the streets, every now and then pointing out specific people or places, murmuring tidbits of information to the queen beside her. Clarke soaked it all in, trying her best to remember everything the Commander told her, but as they turned a corner, her eyes widened, suddenly too focused on what was in front of her to pay attention to anything else. Two buildings towered in front of her, the side of one barely more than rubble. They were no where near the size of Lexa's tower, but they still stood higher than the other buildings around them. The buildings stood close together, close enough that more than a dozen pieces of fabric and furs had been stretched between them, each somehow securely tied in place many feet off the ground. Thick ropes hung down the side of each building, and as Clarke watched a young girl, probably not much older than Thom, darted out from the dip of the hammock she was sitting in, moving as easily as though she were on the ground. Clarke felt her heart jump to her throat, sure the girl would fall, but instead as she reached the end of the fabric she reached out and grabbed the nearest rope, easily hoisting herself over the side of the hammock and shimmying down the side of the building. As though what she'd done was completely normal, the moment her feet touched the ground she was off, grinning at the people milling around and running out of sight.

"What..." Clarke began to ask, but then trailed off, at a loss for words. The people around the buildings moved as though they didn't have a care in the world, a few sitting by a fire, another clearly telling a story to a couple other children, and all the queen could do was stare, dumbfounded.

"Trishana," Lexa informed her, a little smirk tugging at her lips. "The Glowing Forest Clan. They don't care for our buildings in Polis. Their villages are built in the trees." She gestured up to the hammocks, their colors brighter than anything Clarke had ever been able to associate with the Grounders before. "They were able to build small structures at great heights, using the trees to hide away from their enemies. Because of this, I try to give them space where they can place their hammocks." Her gaze shifted, following a man as he easily began hoisting himself up one of the buildings, barely needing to use his legs at all to lift himself along the rope. "You will never meet anyone who can climb like the Trishana."

"Amazing," Clarke whispered, eyes still wide. She glanced around the camp, finding men with no shirts on and women with nothing but a band around their breasts, and in some cases not even that. Something nagged at the back of her mind, something she couldn't place for a second, before she frowned. "None of them have any tattoos," she stated, looking around at all of them and trying to find a mark of any kind to signify their clan alliance. Out of the corner of her vision, she caught Lexa's grin grow.

"None that you can see now," she agreed with a simple nod. "We will have to return after nightfall." Not giving Clarke time to question her, she nodded to the two people in the middle of the camp, each constantly moving from one person to another. "Those two are the leaders of the clan," she murmured. "Sheni and Jace."

"They're both the leaders?" Clarke repeated, raising an eyebrow as she studied the two. From what she could see, they had similar features, each with slightly darker skin, dark hair and dark eyes. Jace's hair was short, certainly shorter than she saw on most Grounders, not even reaching his ears, while Sheni's was long and wild, the tight curls springing from her scalp. She smiled as she moved around her people, teeth flashing and conversation flowing easily between them. Jace's smile was smaller, lips pursed together, but he seemed no less content than her. The same little girl she'd seen shimmy down the building suddenly came running back, bare feet smacking against the ground, and with no warning she jumping, easily scrambling up the man's back. His smile grew then as he glanced over his shoulder, and then Clarke watched as he sent the same look to Sheni, the other leader easily returning it. The Ice queen didn't need Lexa to tell her they were a family; their love for each other was obvious.

"Yes," Lexa replied, answering her question. "During the council meetings only one will be able to sit as the leader of their people, but outside of Polis their people follow them equally."

"They look... happy," Clarke murmured, the only word she could think of to describe the scene before her. The other girl nodded, expression almost soft before saying, "They are. The Trishana are peaceful people; they have never been much for fighters. Sheni and Jace were happy to accept my offer to join the coalition the very moment I told them about it. It was not a fight getting them to join, as it was with some others."

"Should I go over and meet them?" the queen asked, glancing at Lexa, and the brunette took a moment to think about it. "No," she finally replied, "We should leave them as they are for now. There is still a lot I would like to show you, and introducing you to them will take time." Clarke nodded, perfectly happy to follow Lexa's lead, and then allowed herself just another moment to take in the people before her. After, she turned to the Commander, raising an eyebrow and giving her a half smile, and let Lexa lead them away.

"Are there other clans who have more than one leader?" Clarke asked as they walked away, glancing over at the other girl. Lexa shook her head, telling her, "No. There are some whose partners have a significant role among their people, but no others who lead as equals. A couple other clans have tried in the past, but it can be difficult. When there is only one leader, their word is law and their decisions are final. When more than one person have equal power, it can cause problems."

"That makes sense," the queen replied, thinking it over, and noticed Lexa flash her a curious look, clearly hearing something in her tone. "It's like why we had a Chancellor and council on the Ark," she said, answering the unspoken question. "The council brought multiple points of view in, but when there was an even split between them, it was always the Chancellor who had the final decision."

"Yes," Lexa agreed, giving a nod. "That is like the council meetings we will be having. All the leaders of the clans will gather to discuss trading routes and goods and land, but if there are any disagreements I will be the one who decides what happens."

Clarke returned the nod, mind wandering as she began thinking about the council meeting she would have to go to in the morning, the first time she would have to act the part of queen in front of the leaders of the other clans, and went silent. Lexa gave her her silence, guessing what she might be thinking about, and instead simply led the way down another busy city street. They managed to put a decent amount of distance between themselves and the Trishana before she saw another face in the crowd, one that had already spotted them. Her cool expression settled back in place, head tilting up a fraction higher, and it was as though the blonde sensed the shift in her. Clarke looked up, glancing at first her and then the area around them, asking quietly, "What is it?"

"Over there," she answered just as quietly, eyes remaining locked on the young woman standing down the street. Clarke followed her gaze, finding a young woman near their own age staring back at Lexa, her own cool calm discernible even with the space between them. Her skin was pale, hair only a shade or two darker than Clarke's, eyes light though the queen couldn't make out their exact color. "That is Asta, daughter of the king of the Rock Line Clan, and likely to be their next queen once he steps down or dies." As she spoke, the woman beside Asta turned around, looking first at the princess and then following her gaze, until she saw the Commander and blonde with her. Head rising, the woman made eye contact with Lexa, giving her a nod, and then took the other woman's arm, leading her away.

"And that was...?" Clarke asked, watching the two walk in the opposite direction, and Lexa answered, "Mita, the king's sister and a fierce warrior. All of the Rock Line Clan are fierce warriors; they pride themselves on their strength." The queen made a noise, an utter of confirmation she'd heard, and then followed along as Lexa began walking again. From the interaction and the way the Commander talked about them, she had a feeling the Rock Line Clan was likely to be a problem. She stored that thought away to go over when she had more time to think about it.

The next encampment they stopped at looked more like the Azgeda camp than the Trishana camp, no hammocks strung between buildings. These people had a single building to themselves, a few of the clan members lingering around it. One woman sat at a fire, clearly preparing a meal for everyone else, while others found their own work. Once again the men walked around with bare torsos, the women wearing wraps that crossed over their chests and then up and around the back of their necks, but unlike with the Glowing Forest Clan, these people all bore marks, signifying their clan. Lexa leaned over when they stopped, pointing at the green ink staining a single shoulder on each of those milling around the camp, telling the blonde how this marked them as Yujleda, the Broadleaf Clan. Clarke scanned the area, trying to see if she could identify their leader before Lexa could point them out, but when the Commander realized what she was doing, she told her that Cela wasn't there at the moment. After another minute or so of studying this new clan, Lexa continued on, Clarke following after her.

The Ice queen was starting to wonder how long this tour would take when they were stopped once again. Lexa froze nearly mid-step, her spine immediately straightening and hands clasping behind her back the moment she noticed two figures approaching them. Clarke looked at her curiously and stopped beside her, Ryder and Jojesh once again stopping behind them. The queen glanced at the two women approaching, easily identifying them as warriors in the way they held themselves. Both had dark hair littered with braids, but with other colors woven into the braids as well. As they drew closer, Clarke realized the flashes of color came from strands of other hair somehow held in place and twined through their braids. Strands of red and blonde and lighter brown stood out against hair that was nearly black, drawing the eye to them. Looking away from it, Clarke's eyes were drawn to something else, as each women had a small red stud pierced into their nose.

"Heda," the shorter one greeted once they were close, nodding respectfully. They both kept their expressions carefully blank, nearly as stoic as Lexa's own. "It is good to see you again."

"It is good to see you both again as well," Lexa replied, returning her nod. Gesturing at the blonde beside her, she added, "This is Queen Klark of the Ice Nation." Both sets of eyes turned to the queen, clearly studying her as Lexa continued the introductions, pointing out each of the women in turn. "Klark, this is Ilia and Eleina of the Shallow Valley Clan."

Elana, the one who had already spoken, finally nodded to Clarke. "We've heard a lot about you, Wanheda. It will be interesting to see if any of it is true." Not entirely sure how to respond to that, the blonde simply nodded, telling them, "It's an honor to meet you both."

Elia, who had been silent up to this point, barely acted as though she'd heard the queen. Instead she turned back to the Commander, a small smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. "We're looking for your General, Commander," she said, amusement coloring her tone. Quirking an eyebrow up, she asked, "You don't know where she is, do you?"

Now Clarke knew why Lexa had reacted so automatically the moment she saw them, and had to force her expression to remain blank. She didn't look up at the girl beside her, couldn't look at Lexa as she informed them with an entirely even voice, "You will not find Onya. Her fight ended before winter set in. I'm sorry."

Their masks were good, but not good enough. Clarke saw the shock and disbelief flash across their faces in the split second after Lexa's words were out, followed almost immediately by rage, only to be wiped away the next moment by grief. Elana's head lifted higher, her jaw clenching painfully, but she refused to look away. Elia's head bowed momentarily, water clearly gathering at the corners of her eyes before she could push it back. Clarke didn't know either of them, but it was clear they had known Anya, and it was even more clear the knowledge of her death had torn something open inside them. A wave of guilt washed through her, hot and sudden, and she fought to keep it from her expression.

Almost as one, the two women touched their right fists to their lips, murmuring against them, "May she rest to fight again." Elia looked up, eyes still watery but now with a fierceness in them that Clarke couldn't look away from. "The spirits had to fight to take her," she declared, clearly just knowing that Anya wouldn't have gone easily. "She was the fiercest of us all; she deserves her rest." Elana nodded, obviously in agreement.

"She was," Lexa agreed, voice quieter than usual, and Clarke knew she was thinking about the mentor who had done so much for her, helped shape her into who she was. The blonde ached to reach out and try to offer some comfort to her love, but forced her hands to stay at her sides.

The two warriors stood there for a moment, letting the information sink in even further, and then Elia's eyes glanced over at Elana, the shorter woman still simply staring forward, a hard expression on her face. "We need to get back to our people, Commander," she informed them, looking back at Lexa, and the Commander nodded.

"Of course," she agreed, "Go." Elia bowed her head, Elana following suit a second later, and then they turned, moving back down the street in the direction they came from. As she watched them walk away, Clarke saw Elia's hand settle on Elana's arm, the two shifting closer to each other as they went. She frowned slightly, not entirely sure what she was seeing.

"They're together?" she asked, glancing up at Lexa, and the other girl simply nodded, still watching them go. With their backs turned to her, she finally allowed her stoic mask to slip a little, her own grief barely flashing across green eyes. Feeling confused, Clarke looked back at the two warriors. "The way they reacted, I thought one of them must have had feelings for Anya." Lexa let out a silent sigh, shoulders rising and then falling, and then turned to the blonde.

"The Shallow Valley Clan believe in..." she trailed off, brow furrowing slightly as she tried to think of the Gonasleng word for what she was trying to describe. "Lovers, maybe? It is not uncommon among their people to have multiple partners. Anya was theirs, whenever they traveled to Polis or she traveled to the Louwoda villages." Her mask slipped a little further as she looked back at them, the corners of her lips turning down as she murmured, "They wanted her to go back with them last year. She never said anything to me about it, but I could tell they asked her." She closed her eyes for a second, trying to fight down the small lump forming in her throat. "She stayed because she was my General; she knew I needed her."

Seeing the guilt trying to slip past her mask, Clarke didn't try to stop herself from reaching out. Her hand rested lightly on her arm, forcing Lexa to open her eyes and meet an almost overly-bright blue gaze. "She loved you, Lexa," she heard Clarke tell her softly. "Maybe not in the way she loved them, but she loved you. You were her student and her Commander: she wasn't going to leave your side." Lexa nodded, knowing the truth of the blonde's words, and rested her hand on top of Clarke's, allowing the other girl to help fight back her pain and guilt. Only once she felt those feelings push back down did she allow her hand to drop, the Ice queen's falling away immediately after.

"Tell me more about the Shallow Valley Clan," Clarke requested as they began walking again, partially to try to get Lexa's mind off of her mentor and partially because she was curious. "Their hair was interesting."

"Mm," the Commander agreed, letting out a little smile. "I thought so too, the first time I saw it. It is how they pay respect to their loved ones who have died. Before the bodies are burned they cut off a piece of their hair, and then wind them into their own braids. They believe it allows them to carry a piece of the loved one's spirit with them."

An image suddenly flashed across Clarke's mind of Anya standing over a tiny body, knife out and cutting through a small braid. Her eyes widened, realizing now that it hadn't been a Trikru tradition she'd witnessed that day, but a Louwoda one.

"Wait, so that's why Anya took Tris's braid that day?" she asked. "And why I took-"

"Yes," Lexa replied, nodding once. "Anya learned the custom from Elia and Elana. She did not weave them into her own hair, but when someone close to her died, she would take a braid in order to remember them. She felt it kept her connected to them."

"Huh. I never would have pictured Anya as the sentimental type," Clarke said, partially serious and partially joking, hoping to lighten the mood. Clearly she'd failed at steering the conversation away from Anya, but even so she watched as the corners of Lexa's mouth twitched up. "She usually wasn't, and would have hated anyone knowing she had moments of such foolishness, as she called it." That made Clarke grin, lining up much better with the woman she had very briefly met. Seeing Lexa in a better mood than she'd been in just a few minutes ago, she switched the topic back to Elia and Elana. "What about their noses?" she asked. "They both had a piercing. Is that how the Shallow Valley Clan identify themselves?"

Lexa nodded. "Yes," she replied, "Every member of their clan gets their nose pierced when they reach a certain age. The color of the jewelry they wear helps identify what they do. Red symbolizes warriors."

"So no tattoos?" Clarke asked, and the other girl shrugged. "It is not strange if a member of their clan gets a tattoo, but they are not important to their people the way they are important to the Trikru or many other clans." The blonde nodded, taking that in, and then the two once again fell back into silence. They continued walking, interrupted every now and then when someone would approach Lexa for something, and the Commander would patiently listen to what they had to say. Often times Clarke tuned it out, not honing in on the Trigedasleng as much as she normally did, trying to think over everything she'd already learned. Her head buzzed with new information and new insights, and she couldn't help but wonder how much that buzzing would increase by the time the tour was over. They must have easily been walking for over an hour now, and they still hadn't even covered half of the clans. She had a feeling when they did finally finish she was going to need to find Taigon and ask him for his strongest headache herbs.

Movement up ahead of them suddenly grabbed Clarke's attention, this time caused by more than one or two people. She looked ahead, finding the crowds of people condensing into one area, all turned and looking away from the two of them, possibly the strangest part. She hadn't realized how used to the stares she'd become, until they were no longer being directed at her or the woman beside her. Turning, she found Lexa grinning, not at all trying to tamper the reaction, and when she looked over, Clarke was surprised to see excitement shining in green eyes. Apparently she had already figured out whatever was happening, and it was a good thing.

"Come on," she simply said, gesturing towards the crowd. "I think you will enjoy meeting this next person." When she hurried forward, barely waiting for a response, Clarke nearly had to jog to catch up to her.

The crowd of people closed off the street, making it difficult to see past them, and the queen could feel Jojesh and Ryder both move closer to the two leaders. Those closest to them in the crowd parted as soon as they realized who was trying to get through, a pathway quickly clearing. The four stepped through, Clarke glancing around as she did, and felt her eyebrows raise when she saw what all the fuss was about.

Horses made their way down the next street, their riders watchful and eyeing the crowds. A couple of horses pulled wagons similar to the ones Clarke's people had brought, but two others pulled another kind of structure. It too looked like a wagon, but with a closed off top, almost like a small building were being pulled through the streets. What appeared to be tiny windows had been carved out of the sides, but from where she was the queen couldn't see inside it. A man rode beside this strange wagon, as watchful as the other riders, but when his eyes skimmed over her and Lexa, they immediately stopped. The queen's eyes widened in surprise as the man suddenly grinned.

"Hod op!" he called out, voice easily carrying over the entire riding party, and almost as one they all stopped. Lightly tapping his feet against his horse's sides, he urged the mount forward, moving directly over to the two leaders. "Commander!" he exclaimed, still nothing but grins, "It's good to see you again! Every year you are even more beautiful than the last." He swung a leg over his horse, easily falling to the ground, and bowed deeply to the brunette, looking up at her with a hint of mischief twinkling in his dark brown eyes.

Shock ran through Clarke as she realized the man was trying to flirt with the other girl; Lexa however didn't seem fazed in the slightest. Her brow lifted, amusement dancing in her eyes as she replied calmly, "Danias. I see you have not changed. Welcome back to Polis." Turning slightly to the blonde, she told her, "Clarke, this is Danias kom Delfikru."

"Clarke?" the man asked, rising out of his bow, a single eyebrow ticking up. "As in Wanheda, and new queen of the Ice Nation?" The blonde nodded, expression even as she tried to study him back, not sure what to think. At her response, his grin only grew, and then he fell back into his bow, this time the motion clearly meant for her. "It is an honor to meet you, Queen Clarke. We've heard a lot about you." He looked up, glancing over at Lexa again as he added, "However, I think you should have your messengers all killed, Heda. They told us of her great strength, but failed to mention her radiance. Beauty such as hers should be praised until one's last breath, don't you agree?"

"Danias," Lexa sighed, a warning edging into her tone, but rather than let it scare him, the man just looked back at Clarke, giving her a little wink.

"Danias, are you making trouble already?" they all heard, and at the voice the man immediately straightened, flashing the blonde another quick smile. Beside her, Clarke saw Lexa's expression soften, focus immediately turning to the voice, and the blonde followed her gaze to the one who'd spoken. A man climbed out of the strange wagon, a woman carefully grabbing his arm and helping him down. Seeing him, Clarke had to fight to contain her shock.

White hair so thin it seemed nearly translucent had been pulled back into a small ponytail, little wisps of it falling into his face. A scraggly beard the same pure white fought to grow, clearly thinning with age. Deep wrinkles tugged at the man's leathery skin, his eyes nearly sinking into them. When he finally stepped onto solid ground, Clarke realized his back was permanently hunched slightly, shoulders sagging over his body. He was, without a doubt, the oldest man she'd ever seen, but even so he smiled as he walked forward, steps slow and deliberate. When he was close enough, the blonde realized his blue eyes twinkled, sharp and intelligent and obviously amused.

"Me?" Danias asked, turning and moving towards the old man. "I never cause trouble." His grin only widened when the other man let out a little laugh.

Rather than wait for the man to get to them, Lexa followed Danias, eyes never leaving the man with the white hair. Clarke followed after her, seeing the brunette's smile grow, eyes bright, and she couldn't help but wonder who this man was. As soon as she closed the space between them, Lexa reached out, gently laying a hand on the man's arm.

"Nontukri," she murmured, voice soft. "It is very good to see you again." The man returned her smile and then took a final step forward, wrapping his arms around the brunette in a tight hug. "Lexa," he greeted happily, "It's very good to see you again too."

Too many things about what was happening in front of her made absolutely no sense, but one thing stood out above the rest, and it was this that caused Clarke's jaw to drop just a hair.

"Nontukri?" she asked, eyes flickering back and forth between Lexa and the old man. She'd heard the title before whenever anyone was talking about Sef and Kurtis. "This, this is your grandfather?" Pulling back from the hug, they looked at her, both still smiling. Lexa stepped away, reaching towards the blonde, and Clarke moved towards her, feeling the brunette's hand rest against her elbow.

"Nontukri is his title," she explained, understanding the other girl's confusion. "It is what all of his people call him." She gestured back towards the man, reading the amusement in his light eyes. "Clarke, this is Daniel, the leader of the Delfikru. He is the one who taught me Gonasleng."

"I was one of the only ones left who knew the language," Daniel explained, flashing the blonde a little smile. "That's what happens I guess when you're the oldest man on the ground." Clarke couldn't hide the utter surprise she felt from her face, and the man simply let out a little chuckle. "I know, you wouldn't guess it; I look good for my age."

The queen's mouth hung open for just a second, before she managed to stammer, "I... I-It's an honor to meet you." His smile softened and then he reached out, carefully grabbing her hand. "No, it's an honor to meet you," he replied, his tone nothing but sincere. "When I was a little boy I heard stories about the people who made it to space, but I never thought I would live long enough to meet any of you. It truly is an honor." Clarke tried to think of something to say to that but couldn't, her mind still trying to process exactly what was happening.

Luckily, Lexa seemed to sense her inability to say anything, and diverted the focus away from her.

"How was your trip, Grandfather?" she asked, glancing up and over those waiting around them, many of them still on horseback. "Did you have any problems?"

"No problems accept for old bones," Daniel replied, shrugging his hunched shoulders. He pulled his hand back from Clarke's, looking wistfully at the horses. "I used to be one of the finest riders in my clan, but now can barely even get onto a horse." He scowled, hooking a thumb over his shoulder towards the wagon he'd been riding in and said, "I hate that carriage, but it's the only way I can get around now."

"Complained about it the whole way," Danias added, grinning at his leader. "We couldn't go a mile without him trying to convince us he could ride as well as any of us." He glanced up at Lexa, wanting to know, "You put us in the same place as last year, yes Heda?" She nodded, informing them, "I did. It is the closest I could get your people to Polis Tower so you will not have to travel as far for the council meetings." Looking back at Daniel, she added, "You also have a room in my tower, if you would rather stay there. It might be easier for you." Danias nodded, seeming to think it over, but Daniel glared at them both.

"I can walk you know," he reminded them sharply. Looking at Clarke, he shook his head, telling her, "They think I'm helpless and forget that I've been taking care of myself longer than both their lifetimes added together." She grinned, unable to stop herself, and then gestured to Lexa. "She's a worrier, it's just what she does. She can't help it." He returned her grin, giving her a nod. "I know," he said, "I tried to teach her how to relax a little while teaching her our language, but that's a lesson I don't think she'll ever learn." Clarke almost laughed but managed to catch herself just in time as Lexa shot her a little glare. Rather than bother with any kind of reply, the Commander simply let their conversation drop, instead telling Daniel, "We will be happy to escort you through the city, Grandfather. I'm sure your people would like to rest."

"Mochof, Commander," he replied, giving a sharp nod. "That sounds wonderful." When Danias reached over and placed a hand on the old man's shoulder, clearly planning to steer him back towards the carriage, he just swatted the hand away. "I told you I can walk," he growled, directing a small glare at the other man, and Danias immediately pulled his hand away.

"Alright, you can walk," he gave in, wrapping his horse's reins around one hand. He looked around at their people and then pursed his lips together, letting out a loud whistle. The signal was all they needed, and the group began forward again, the warriors riding keeping their mounts to a slow walk.

Lexa's focus was split between Daniel, Clarke, and the crowd still lining the edges of the street, watching these new people go by. Because of this, she nearly missed one specific face in the crowd, but when her mind processed who it was, she felt her back stiffen. Without saying anything she walked a little closer to the queen beside her, placing her body between her and the Desert king watching them. Clarke clearly read the stiffness of her movement, and looked at her curiously.

"Lexa, what is it?" she asked, giving the Commander a look. When the other girl didn't answer right away, she scanned the area around them, having to step forward to see past her. After a second she saw the same person Lexa had, and then fell back beside her, a calm and easy expression on her face.

"Relax, Lexa," she informed her, looking forward. "It's alright; I took care of the problem with the Sankru king." Danias shot her a look, lifting an eyebrow, while Daniel looked at her worriedly. Lexa's eyes widened for just a moment before she shoved her surprise back behind her mask.

"There have already been problems?" Daniel asked, worry obvious in his tone. He had known it would happen eventually with the Sky girl becoming queen, but he had hoped it wouldn't happen so soon. Clarke glanced over at him and then away again, telling him, "It's fine, just a little... misunderstanding. He and I talked, and it won't happen again." Daniel and Danias shared a look, the younger man's lips pulling up in a grin while the older man continued to look concerned, but it wasn't them the blonde paid attention to.

"What do you mean you talked?" Lexa asked quietly, her words clipped. As though forcing herself to remain calm, her hands folded behind her back, her fingernails biting lightly into the skin of her wrist. "When?"

"This morning," Clarke answered, still looking nowhere but forward. "He and I happened to run into each other while you were training. We talked, and came to an understanding." The queen swore she could practically hear the Commander's teeth grind together. She was silent for a second, and then turned to the two Delfikru.

"Excuse us," she simply said, overly polite. "I said we would escort you, but the queen and I need to talk. I will see you both tomorrow, and wish you a good night. Welcome again to Polis." With that the Commander took off, walking quickly away from the group, the crowd parting as soon as they saw her moving their way, Ryder splitting off right behind her. Clarke let out an almost silent sigh, and then gave the two men a small smile. "It was nice to meet you both," she told them. "I'll see you tomorrow." They nodded to her and then she followed after the Commander, the crowd still parted to let her through, some even taking another step back as she approached. Jojesh barely acknowledged any of them as he remained by his queen.

Danias shook his head, watching the two go.

"I think the Commander of Death is about to get a severe talking to from our Commander," he said, grinning slightly. "I wish her strength."

"Something tells me there is little that Wanheda cannot withstand," Daniel murmured, his own smile tugging at his lips. "Perhaps it is Heda who needs the strength to survive her." The two shared a look, amusement dancing across their expressions. If nothing else, the next couple of weeks promised to be very, very interesting.

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Hope you enjoyed! The next couple of chapters are probable going to be a lot of world-building and introducing more clans and characters, so if you're waiting for some action, you've got a little longer to wait. If you have any questions about the characters introduced in this chapter, feel free to send me a message either here or on Tumblr, to clarkethewanheda and I'll do my best to answer them. Also, we're getting to the point where I had to make up certain Trigedasleng words for the story, so I'll point out in the translations when it's a word or phrase I created. Thanks all!

Trigedasleng Translations:

"Ai laik Wanheda" - "I am the Commander of Death"

"Hod op" - "Stop"

"Nontrukri" - "Grandfather" (My own translation, based off of "Nontu" for "Father")