Clarke watched the sparring going on before the camp departed for TonDC. Those of the Skai fallen that suited Anya's village were being left, as well as the injured. The rest were coming with her to either be left with Indra or to continue till she and her forces returned to Polis. Usually on a day like this, she would be in her tent making sure all the pieces of her army were set. However, Jod's reports on his new second had peaked her curiosity. Seeing her guard, she stopped by his side. "I see you were not overselling your second." She remarked, taking in the sparing.
"I had no need to do so." He replied gruffly. "Though it is not my training that is being honored by her performance."
Clarke hummed under her breath as she watched Lexa block an incoming attack and ruthlessly disarm her opponent. There was a sharpness and efficiency to her movement that was foreign but clearly affective. "She goes for the joints and areas that are easiest to hit?"
Jod nodded. "It's almost as if she expects a single hit to disable her opponent. She described the...shock-batons of the ark to me. For such a weapon that style of swordplay would be useful. With true swords, she is more likely to give a superficial injury to her enemy than anything else. The joint slashes are effective though."
"The other seconds seem to have accepted her quickly." Clarke remarked, noting how the others already acted with some deference towards her. Clearly, she had proven herself more than worthy of their respect in a short time.
Jod made a grunt of agreement. "I was not there for it, but I believe there was some jockeying over some of the less talented new members of their group. She did not allow it to persist."
"How long till she earns her marks do you think?" Clarke found herself asking. Indeed, she could already see a competent warrior in Lexa. After a week of training, already the girl was showing immense promise as both a strategist and warrior. If that tidbit of earning the Trikru born second's respect was true, a leader outside of her people by blood as well.
"A season at least." Jod said in his gravelly voice. "Her fighting could be ready in less than a month. At least with edged weapons. Already she has learned the basics, it's more becoming accustomed with the weapons than much else. Though I believe she will always favor the sword. However, in other areas it is like teaching a child. She cannot walk through the woods without making more noise than a herd of children. While she can aim a bow she is clearly unlearned with one. She does not have any of the practical knowledge in a forest a warrior must possess that even the smallest child would know." He looked both disgusted and impressed.
There was a thud as Lexa's latest opponent hit the ground and her sword came to a halt at the boy's throat. "Surrender." She intoned.
He grimaced but nodded. She relaxed and offered her hand hauling him up with a slight grin before they both settled into ready positions once more.
"And her ideas for the mountain?" Clarke found herself asking.
Jod frowned. "I believe they may help."
She grimaced slightly. "There is still much to be done if we wish to be victorious. Still, I will admit that these new idea's will advance our cause."
"You see something in my second." He stated, though there was curiosity in his voice.
Clarke hummed in affirmation. "I think it would have been interesting if events had led to my meeting her as an equal instead of as a conquered child."
Jod looked at her seeming to examine her slightly. "You think she has the potential to be your equal? She'll rise through the ranks quickly enough once she takes her marks I grant you. However, there are many talented warriors and strategists among the clans, many of them leaders and I would not say any of them are your equal."
"You give me too much credit. I have been given opportunities that many are not, that does not make me superior. It is how she thinks that most draws me. I have only gotten where I am today by thinking outside the bounds of tradition and seeing paths that others would not. In her I see a similar skill. She would not be here if she had not seen beyond the traditions of her people and guided her people to do the same. I believe the mountain and the Skai people's arrival will prove to be interesting tests for how that skill can be used and if her loyalty can be won." Clarke said, considering the whirling form of the sparring girl. It was impossible to know how well Lexa would transition to their people and their ways. Still, she was not blind to the potential. "If she wishes to speak to me, allow her into my tent. I have a feeling anything she deems important enough to bring to me will be worth the time."
"Sha, Heda." Jod said his tone carefully even.
Clarke gave him a sharp nod before turning and making her way to where she knew Anya to be. It amused her to feel Lexa's eyes flicker over to her for a moment as she left. Interesting indeed. A fuming Anya was easy to spot outside of the blacksmith's home. It took a great deal of effort not to show her amusement at the unusual display from her first. "Anya."
"Clarke." Anya said sharply, glaring as she approached her. "I can't work with that girl. I don't care about what skill she may have, I want her out of my village!"
Biting the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from smiling, she asked carefully. "What has the Skai girl done that you demand she leaves?"
"Raven is the most infuriating woman I have ever met! She is a braggart and has no respect for others." Anya steamed. "I don't care that she is the one who can make us suits and masks that allow us to walk through the fog, she cannot order and demand things of my warriors and I!"
"Has she asked for anything unreasonable? Abused her position in anyway?" Clarke asked curiously.
Anya's hands clenched by her sides. Finally, she bit out, "No…but she's insufferable!"
"I would think you'd appreciate someone to challenge you." Clarke remarked, raising a brow at her old mentor.
"She acts as if she can solve any problem with naught but herself." Anya ground out. "She does not know how to work with a clan, or give other's skills the respect they are do." She finally settled on.
"So, she's cocky, and knows her skills for what they are?" Clarke found herself losing the battle with her face and smirking at her mentor. "I would think you'd do well with someone like that amongst your people."
Anya narrowed her eyes at her. "I am nothing like that branwada!"
"Truly? Tell me Anya, whom amongst my army is my greatest warrior?"
"I am, obviously." Anya snapped before looking sullen knowing she'd fallen for the trap. "I can't work with her."
"You will." Clarke said firmly. She knew Anya knew that as well, but such was the price of friendship. "Raven is perhaps the most valuable of my new wards. I trust you to protect and handle her knowledge. Though I believe she may be better suited to becoming a master of her own skills rather than a blacksmith."
Anya gave an unhappy grunt of agreement. "She is capable."
Clarke decided to let the matter rest seeing as Anya was mostly mollified after getting some of her frustrations out with her. "The scouts bring any news about the reapers?"
Anya straightened becoming more serious. "As we had guessed, more of the foul beasts pour into the land between the fog and our borders trying to find the cause of the disturbances the Skai children caused."
She considered her options, it was good this at least was going to plan. "We give it another week to allow the most reapers as possible to gather. If you believe they may be departing do what must be done to keep their attention. When I return from TonDC we cull them."
"Sha," Anya grinned excitedly. "It will be good for our warriors to test themselves."
"Once the reapers are culled, we can prepare for the Skai people to come. If they arrive before I return, use the Skai children I leave with you to gain ground for negotiations till I can return." Clarke considered the many possibilities. "If you must play the mindless savages, do it. I do not wish for them to be prepared for a war against our people. If it comes to that, we will need to take them by surprise so that their guns cannot be used."
Anya frowned. "Surely we can handle so small a number of people as we expect to come down?"
"I have no doubt that we can, especially if the Skai children remain loyal to me. See to it that they have no reason to not be." Clarke said, making sure Anya understood her role.
Anya scoffed. "They are untrained, useless but they are driven. It is clear they wish to belong and to prove themselves to be useful."
Clarke smiled at the news, she already knew this of course, but having it confirmed by someone she trusted as much as Anya was reassuring. "See to it that they are not forgotten or treated as lesser to our people."
"Of course," Anya looked almost insulted. "You know I would not let any below me to be neglected regardless of where they come from or what I think of them."
Clarke reached forward and gripped Anya's arm. "Peace, I know. It is why I am leaving so many with you."
-TLGTLGTLGLTLGLTLGLTLGLTLGTLGTLG-
Lexa wrapped her hands with clean cotton strips of fabric to protect the blisters forming from using unfamiliar weapons. She had taken to cleaning her blisters throughout the day and redressing them in an effort to stave off infection or any complications. Things were going better than she could have hoped. With the realization that Clarke's knowledge came from spies and an intricate military hierarchy, a great deal of the women's mystique had been lost. Though, that was not to say Lexa was not still highly impressed by her. Working with Clarke most mornings to discuss the mountain and what options they had was fascinating.
She had come to learn that Clarke was intelligent and ruthless. She doubted she had seen anything Clarke didn't want her to see and realize. The strategy of taking away resources from the mountain was brilliant. When faced with a superior foe, instead of fighting a losing battle, Clarke had just removed her people from the region so that she wouldn't lose people as she planned her next strike. It had greatly reduced what harm the mountain could inflict. Also, the culling of the reapers to prevent them from becoming an actual threat was a strategy she could understand. The commander was a leader to be feared and respected, Lexa was grateful that they were her people now. She was not the kind of person you wanted to make your enemy.
Still, most of her time was taken up with training under her new first Jod. The man was hard but fair. She found her weaknesses were her lack of muscle mass and inexperience with the ground. As a guard cadet, she'd been allowed more protein so that she could build some muscle. Still, on the ark they were all thin and soft. Muscles like what most of the warriors boasted here would have been impossible. She tired more quickly than her Trikru peers and was struggling to build up stamina. Though her guard training had served her well, she still had much to learn.
Finally tying off her wraps round her hands, she picked up a bow and quiver of arrows and moved to where several targets were set. It was her worst skill and if she was to prove that she and her people belonged, she could not have so glaring a weakness.
Taking a stance, feet planted below her shoulders she drew back the string notching it against her chin and breathed out, slowing her heart rate as she took aim. With her next exhale, she released her string. She nearly cursed as the arrow barely hit the target at all, falling half a foot or so from where she had aimed.
"You're doing it wrong." A female voice piped up from behind her.
Twisting, she saw a girl in her early teens with braided dirty blond hair and a dirt smudged face. "You're releasing with your breath not your heart. Also, your arm is all wrong. You'll skin yourself holding it like that."
Lexa dropped her arm she was holding her bow with turned to properly face the girl. "Can you show me how?"
"Duh," The girl said easily walking over to her. Looking at her seriously, the girl continued. "You have to help me pick flowers after though if you want my help."
Smiling, Lexa offered out her arm. "That sounds fair, my name's Lexa. And you are?"
The girl took her arm squeezing it briefly before dropping it. "Lucia kom Trikru, best archer around." She smiled proudly.
"So, what am I doing wrong exactly then Lucia?" Lexa asked, stepping to the side so that the girl could have the ideal position for shooting.
Swinging her bow off her shoulder, Lucia notched an arrow and began in a voice clearly used to giving this lecture. "The arm holding the bow must be bent. Your elbow can never lock. The string can scrape the skin off if you lock it like you were." Pulling the string back she demonstrated the slight bent that she had described. "Then you release between beats of the heart not breaths." She informed her with some sarcasm. Breathing out slowly, she held the position for a split second before letting her arrow fly hitting dead center.
Lexa let out a low whistle. "That was impressive."
Lucia just looked at her with a 'duh' expression. "I'm going to be a hunter, of course I'm good at it." She stepped to the side. "Of course, this is easy. The target is stationary and we are not moving either. Irogana warriors can shoot from horseback!" There was an awed lilt to her voice. "Can you imagine!"
"Can you do that?" Lexa asked, and it was true shooting from horseback had to be ridiculously difficult.
Lucia shook her head. "The woods are too thick here for most of our warriors to ride. Horses are for chiefs, generals, and messengers. In the plains, everyone rides though." She had a sort of dreamy look on her face. "Can you imagine having your very own horse!"
Lexa shrugged. "No one had horses in the sky. They are...beautiful." She settled on while drawing her bow back careful to keep her arm bent slightly. Breathing out she waited for the slight break between heartbeats to release her arrow. Smiling she noted it was a good four inches closer, though still lower than the center.
The girl frowned. "You can't move your bow arm till the arrow is long gone or you'll make a mess of it. Again!"
"Right." Lexa redrew her bow, concentrating on following the directions before releasing yet another arrow. It sunk only an inch from the center.
The girl hopped slightly. "Good, once you can do that forty times in a row we can go pick flowers." She smiled happily.
-TLGTLGLTLGTLGLTLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLG-
"Do I want to know why you're wearing a flower crown princess?" Murphy asked, staring at her like he couldn't believe his luck.
Lexa felt herself blush slightly. "Stuff it Murphy." She shoulder-checked him lightly and moved up the line so she was walking beside Octavia and Miller. If Murphy was snickering, she didn't notice or care, not at all.
Octavia had taken to warrior training like a fish to water. The girl already had her hair braided back in neat grounder rows and her clothing matched what the clan wore more and more. Lexa had been amused at how quickly the girl was integrating. She may not have the advantage of guard training that she, Miller, and Bellamy all had. Still, Octavia had a drive for it.
"So, how's training?" Octavia asked her curiously.
Lexa grinned, feeling the cotton fabric around her abused hands. "I like swords." She enjoyed the weight of a short sword slung over her back.
Octavia nodded seriously. "Swords are fantastic!" She reached up and touched the hilt of the full-sized sword slung over her own shoulder.
Miller stared at them for a minute before shaking his head. "Girls."
"What was that?" Lexa found herself asking, daring him to repeat that.
"You all are crazy. I mean the new weapons are cool but you two look like you want to make out with the things." He griped while rolling his eyes. "Completely illogical."
"Uh huh, and you don't enjoy watching the big burly grounders wrestling just as much as we do?" Octavia scoffed while shoving at Miller playfully.
His cheeks went a bright red. "It's just looking."
Octavia placed a large wet kiss on his cheek. "If you say so."
Lexa sighed. "You're both ridiculous."
"If you got that stick out of your ass long enough to do something other than make flower crowns, you'd find that these Trikru are hot. Like there has to be something in the water." Octavia said seriously. "Is that possible?"
Miller scrunched up his face. "I don't think radiation can do that."
"Warrior training is good for the soul and the bod." Octavia said like it was a proclamation of solemn fact.
"Really?" Lexa asked staring at them in disbelief. She was remembering the focus on war and logistics and normal practical things that she shared with Clarke was not typical for her age range.
"What? I'm in the market for a nice studly Grounder." Octavia said cheerfully. "You in the market Miller?"
Miller grumbled while blushing darker. "No, I've got a boyfriend on the ark."
Lexa reached out and squeezed his hand before releasing it. "I'm sure you can plead Bryan's case to be sworn to Clarke when he gets here."
"Clarke?" Octavia asked curiously.
Lexa felt the tips of her ears heat up a bit. "Heda."
"You called Heda by her name? How are you not dead?" She hissed.
Lexa shifted, slightly uncomfortable with the situation. "Heda is a title, it's not like I can call her that when we're discussing the mountain."
"Uh huh." Octavia regarded her like she was a puzzle to be solved.
Lexa pushed on because something told her she didn't want to know what Octavia was thinking. "Did you ever hear about Bryan and Miller here's romance?"
"Hey!" Miller protested at the subject change while Octavia appeared diverted.
"See, Miller here thought Bryan was the handsomest of boys." Lexa smirked at her friend who was ducking his face into his collar. "So, he thought that of course he should give him a button. Not sure how but it worked. They snuck tiny tokens like that back and forth for months before he managed to kiss him."
Octavia threw an arm over Miller's shoulders. "Oh, you were so cute! Why do you have to be all surly and stoic all the time?"
Miller grumbled, "At least I'm not as whipped as Lexa is around a pretty girl."
"I sense a story." Octavia grinned, pulling Miller into her further. "What is Princess here like around a pretty girl?"
Miller gave her a malicious and knowing grin. "At least I can talk to a person I like. Lexa is completely whipped when she's dating someone." He threw her another glance. "She tripped over her own feet when Victoria winked at her."
Octavia sniggered, "Princess, do you turn to mush around pretty girls?" She batted her eyes theatrically at her.
Lexa groaned and reached out, pushing Octavia's face away. "I do not."
"Oh, she does." Miller said gleefully. "She's completely useless."
Lexa opened her mouth to protest when she was saved by the arrival of Costia dropping down beside them. "Are you all doing alright?"
"We're fine." Lexa cut in before either of the others could say anything. She wasn't blind to a couple of the delinquents within ear shot barely keeping straight faces.
Costia looked at them in disbelief but seemed to accept it when no one corrected her. "We'll be in TonDC within the hour."
Wells, who'd been fiddling with some wires, perked up and joined them. "What's TonDC like?"
Lexa was curious what the girl would say. She had no doubts she was most likely the most informed member of the Trikru army they were traveling with on their way to Ton DC. Costia smiled softly at Wells before speaking. "It's the largest village between the mountain and Polis, our capitol. Indra is the chief and is a stern and loyal woman."
"Are all your leaders women?" Wells asked curiously.
Costia seemed to blink for a moment before laughing. It was an almost musical laugh and Lexa couldn't find it in herself to criticize the others who seemed to be drawn to it. "No, but I suppose we have more women leaders in Trikru land than men this year. The head of the warrior band coming to deal with the reapers is Tristian, he holds the same rank as Anya but his role is different so I can see how you would mistake that."
"Is Heda always a woman?" Wells continued to inquire, clearly fascinated by the Grounder culture, and also quite pleased he'd managed to get the Grounder girl to laugh.
Costia shook her head. "No, the Heda before her was Erik and of her class the favorites to win the conclave were Garik and Luna. Some of the clans in the south believe that woman should hold religious not military positions, but it is a rare belief." She seemed to examine them. "Do your people rule based off gender then?"
"No," Wells said firmly. "Before my father was Chancellor we had a female Chancellor, Diana Sydney."
"I have noted that you all have two names, why is that?" Costia sounded genuinely curious.
Lexa didn't say anything to stop the exchange. After all, they needed to integrate and Costia for all that she didn't trust her was useful for that. She wondered when she'd become so cold when it came to these things. Evaluating people by their usefulness and how they fit in her plans would have horrified her not to long ago.
Wells happily explained the answer to Costia's questions completely unaware of Lexa's thoughts. "My name is Wells Jaha. Wells is my given name while Jaha is my family name. Everyone of my bloodline will use Jaha after their given name. If I were to marry my wife and children would take the name Jaha as well."
"If you bonded, your partner would change their name?" Costia frowned. "Why would you not take their name? How are such things decided?"
Lexa spoke up then seeing Wells did not want to take that one. "Our people, many generations ago long before the bombs fell, believed that men were superior to women. As such a woman was property of the man and by marrying him entered and became a part of his house. Of course, we have not held to those beliefs in hundreds of years, but the tradition remained. Now if the woman in a match is of higher standing, the man will take her name instead. Since Wells is the son of our Chancellor it is expected his future partner would take his name."
Costia seemed to let the information soak in slowly before asking any more. "What if the partners in the bond are of the same gender? Or if there is more than one partner in the bond?"
"A marriage is between two people." Wells said looking at Costai curiously. "Do you mean a marriage can be between more than one in your clan?"
"Of course," Costia said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It is rare for a bonding to involve more than two but I was at a bonding ceremony that involved four people."
Wells seemed to think about it for a moment. "That's cool, we never had that. If a relationship involved more than one person, it was expected that only two would marry."
"And if they are of the same gender?" Costia brought back her earlier question.
"Then the individual of higher status would share their name." Wells said confidently, gesturing at Lexa he grinned slightly. "Anyone who married Lexa here would most likely take her name."
Lexa couldn't help it, she felt her cheeks heating up at the mention of her in a relationship. "It's complicated by our lives in the sky." She deflected quickly. "Partners of the same gender must still meet the child rearing requirements."
Costia tilted her head in question.
Wells practically was preening with pride at being able to answer any questions the girl had. "Miller here prefers men, while Lexa prefers woman. As they are friends, it is likely Lexa would bear a child with Miller's or his partner's sperm, as would her wife. One child to be raised as hers and the other for Miller's household."
Costia frowned. "They are both warriors. How would they care for their young?"
"Our guard are different. It is less dangerous and there is less travel. A guard is able to raise a child the same as any other." Wells explained simply.
"I never wanted a child." Lexa found herself offering to the conversation. "Still, it would have been expected to keep the population going."
"The Skai is strange." Costai said, sounding truly baffled. "A child is an honor to raise. A mother who bears many is held in great reverence by our people."
There was bitterness as Octavia spoke. "One child only on the ark."
"But you have a brother?" Costia said slowly.
"Why do you think we're here?" Octavia snarked. "I had to be hidden."
"What…?" Costia was clearly lost.
"Death at age eighteen." Lexa said while gripping Octavia's shoulder firmly to keep her in check. "As well as execution of both parents for breaking the law."
Costia shook her head. "That is a great crime done to you Octavia kom Kongeda." She looked troubled. "A child is not punished for the crimes of their parents. If there are no adults by blood or home with obligation to a child, they are given to the care of the village chief. If a famine, plague, or war leaves too many orphans they are sent to Polis to Heda's care. To execute a child for a crime committed by their elders has been banned for many generations now."
Octavia swallowed thickly. "That's good."
Costia continued. "The Skai's habit of killing those guilty of minor crimes is foolish. A clan member may meet many punishments from those set by a first or chief for minor offences to whipping, stocks, banishment, and execution. However, every punishment must fit the crime."
"How are people executed?" Wells asked his voice serious and Lexa found herself listening nervously. After all, they'd bent themselves to these laws but not had time to learn all of them properly yet.
"It depends on the clan and the crime." Costia prefaced. "Here amongst Trikru, murderers and traitors are killed by death of a thousand cuts. If a person has earned a merciful end, beheading can be requested. Rape is punished by burning alive on the pyre. Of course, there are others but those are the most common."
Lexa as well as the rest of the delinquents within listening distance went pale. Lexa could feel her stomach roll. She saw Octavia opening her mouth and knew she could not let her say whatever it was she was going to say. Grabbing the girl's arm with an iron grip, she spoke. "Why is suffering involved? Is not death enough?"
"Juis drein, Juis draun." Costia intoned. "Blood must have blood. To spill less than the blood required is to fail to give the victim and the family of the victim justice." She seemed to practically vibrate with pride as she continued. "Since Heda Clarke has been on the throne though, a family may grant the one who wronged them mercy. Allowing an easier death than is required."
"That's...kind of her." Lexa found herself remarking. She could see the logic in the punishments. It served as deterrent, but she wasn't so foolish as to think deterrents did much to prevent crime. No matter how brutal it may seem to them, it was they had a system of justice that would keep the people content. Having a system that the people saw and agreed was just, would keep the population settled. In an awful sort of way, it made sense. After all, the death sentences on the ark did little to deter crime, but the level way it was applied kept revolt from occurring. If the people did not see justice, they would not trust their rulers. While Grounder justice appeared grotesque she could see why and how it would be reinforced. Clarke's amendment allowing mercy was clear as well. It allowed the victims to be a part of determining what justice was required and allowed justice to be applied on a more individual basis without taking away the universal nature of the law that gave justice its force.
Costia nodded. "Yes, she is the greatest Heda we have ever had."
Wells seemed to realize that criticizing the justice system of the Grounders was folly and steered the conversation away from the macabre topic. "How do the Trikru choose a profession for children if they are made apprentices so young?"
"And you do not apprentice your young?" She replied somewhat playfully.
Wells shifted slightly. "We're trained in whichever of our parent's professions best suits us. If a child shows promise in a different field though, they can be sponsored by that department."
Lexa knew it was foolish but she fell back and let her mind race. There was still so much left to learn about the people they now found themselves a part of and their culture. Still, something Costia had said earlier was bugging her. Plague. Was plague truly that common? She could feel the tendrils of an idea planting itself in her mind. Quickening her step, she made her way towards the front of the line. She gave a deferential nod to Jod, who gave her a questioning narrowing of the eyes as she approached. Making sure she was deferential and non-combative in stance, she fell into step beside the Commander who was riding a white horse. "Heda." She bowed her head slightly.
Clarke looked at her with a raised brow. "What brings you to the front second?"
"The plagues that your people survive on occasion. How common are they?" She asked carefully watching Clarke's face. The woman didn't seem to have expected that question but she turned serious instantly.
"Why do you ask?" There was a note of command in Clarke's tone.
Lexa spoke carefully. "You believe the mountain is eating your people. Do they ever take the sick?"
Clarke's regarded her with interest. "I see your plan and clever though it may be, it will not work." She turned to look ahead as she spoke. "You hope that we might weaken the mountain by deliberately feeding them those who are ill. There is an illness we use to weaken our foes that is carried in the blood of many who have been taken. The mountain was not weakened by it. They have some way of combatting illness that is foreign to us, they are not tricked by such simple ploys. Such strategies have been tried before and always they have failed. Still, your creativity does you credit second. Tell me, how would you react to the return of one of your people you thought dead?"
Lexa considered her options carefully. This was obviously a test so the obvious answer would not be right, especially considering what they had just discussed but she could not help but answer honestly. "I would welcome them. Whatever trouble they might bring could not be worse than the dissension I would bring by abandoning a comrade because of my suspicions. I would watch them carefully. If we are not loyal to our people how can they be loyal to us?"
Clarke turned to her once again, a speculative gleam in her eye. "An interesting answer, especially given the idea that you just suggested. Entire villages have been killed as a result of leaders who gave that answer. Their enemies used tactics like the one you just suggested we use against the mountain. Alternately, there have been ruthless leaders who have killed their comrades before risking the lives of their people. Some of whom have lost their authority and had their people fall into chaos as a result. Is your loyalty to all your people worth the possibility of the death of all those you lead? There are no right answers and sometimes there is an immeasurable cost to keeping your people safe."
"What would you do in such a situation?" Lexa asked, curious how Clarke would deal with such a dilemma. Lexa's knowledge was theoretical mostly when it came to war, Clarke's was clearly not.
"Such questions are not mere speculation for me. I have fought in wars and dealt with such trials. As a second, I was among a group of healers who dealt with the sickness caused when a leader took your path. When I was faced with the situation myself, I imprisoned those returned to me and studied their effect on the other prisoners. Sometimes they had to be killed to keep an illness from spreading among the populace. Sometimes they could be returned to their families. Illness is not the only way that returned prisoners can be used against you though." There was warning heavy in Clarke's voice and Lexa was left pondering the weight of her words. Though she enjoyed her lessons with Jod, conversations with Clarke often left her looking at the world from a different perspective. Clarke challenged and broadened her mind and perspective. Leadership seemed less and less concrete in method the more she spoke to the woman.
Clarke interrupted her thoughts on the matter. "Ton DC is not far and I have no doubt you wish to be with your friends when we arrive. You should return to them." With that dismissal, Lexa left and fell back to her people, who were still conversing with Costia.
