Another Clans meeting
Right now Lexa wanted to be anywhere but here. It was time for the monthly clans meeting.
Before entering the room and showing herself Lexa took a quick glance around the room.
There was the grounder queen, head of the ground people. At age 42, she was the oldest and one of Lexa's favourite. The lioness and tigress were there looking there best in there panther suits. Both people were very close and sometimes were considered a single unit, the feline people. they were usually very supportive of Lexa at the clan meetings. And she had a deep respect for the way they governed their people.
Commander Rea of the rock people And Queen Kay of the wolf clan were both a year younger than Lexa. Like her both of them had been made commander at a very young age of 14. Commander Kay was willing to work with them with condition that her wolves be left alone. They were the symbol of her clan. Commander Rea was the closest thing to what Lexa would call a friend. She had a gentle nature but never hesitated to do what needed to be done which earned her Lexa's respect.
Commander Cara, Queen of the night watchers was known for her swordsmanship. It was said she could beat four grown warriors at the same time. Some people thought it was a rumour. Lexa on the other hand had seen her do it and had been amazed. The night watchers didn't care much about making alliances but they did not care about war either. As long as you left them alone they left you alone.
The boat commander was not so keen on the alliance, she didn't like sharing her army and didn't think the alliance was necessary after the mountain men were gone. Which could be a problem but not one that could not be solved.
The snake mistress true to her name was never seen without a snake on her arm. Of course the snake's poison was harmless. There people were known to give punishment by letting a snake with slow working poison bite the prisoner. The prisoner was left to die as the poison took almost an hour to fully take over the body while the victim screamed in pain. The snake mistress wasn't against the alliance but didn't have a good history with some of the other clans.
The water clans were the ones that gave Lexa the most trouble. They acted like a separate, single unit lead by the Commander Rain of the ice nation. Commander Rain and Commander Sonia of the river clan loved picking out flaws in everyone of the commanders plans. Commander Nefera of the lake people obviously found these meetings boring and a waste of her time so she loved subtly reminding the clans of there bad histories with each other. It created a bad feeling among the commanders during the meetings. The one incident she loved to refer to was Costia's death.
Lexa entered the room to a chorus of "Greetings Heda"
The meetings were always held in English because it was the common language among them. the feline clans had their own language as did the water clans. The night watchers and the rock people spoke different languages too. Everybody else spoke the same language as the tree crew but with a slightly different accent. Lexa of course knew all the clan languages.
To Lexa's surprise the meeting went well. The clans agreed on the trade routes. the night queen and the snake mistress did not get into an argument. Even the water clan commanders behaved themselves.
Lexa should have felt relieved. Things were getting better. But she wasn't naïve. She knew there was something else in there minds. Something they wanted to discuss before the meeting hour was over.
She found out what when the grounder queen said
"Well commander there is something we will like to bring up. We were discussing it before you came into the room"
"What is it commanders"
"We would like to invite the sky people to join the meetings" said the snake mistress
Lexa hid her surprise. Where had this come from?
"I thought it was decided that we would leave them alone" said Lexa
"Well commander that was before. The sky people have expanded their camp. they are growing stronger. It is either fighting them or joining them for they might one day attack us and I for one had had enough of blood shed." said Commander Cara. A few other heads nodded in agreement.
"And anyway Clarke has gone back to her people. She will probably be willing to come to the meeting even though we betrayed her" put in commander Rea. Lexa was grateful that she had said 'we' and had not blamed it all on Lexa even though it was Lexa's fault but she was surprised at the fact that Commander Rea knew that Clarke had returned. She must have kept a close eye on the sky people.
"If we are all in agreement, I could send a rider in a few days to the sky camp with the message that they are to attend the meeting" was Lexa could think to say. She did not want to face Clarke again but she had to put duty before heart.
Every body nodded in agreement