Hi well lookie lookie at me updating in under a month! :p I'm posting this pretty much as I finished it and yeah I should probably take more time to error check but I figured you kids would rather I expedite the process than polish it so sorry for the errors. In the end I split the chapter into two halves because it turned out to be huge. Sorry its sucks for Clarke right now but it does get better...promise. This chapter is violent though so if that's not your bag proceed with caution.
It has also been pointed out to me that the spirit thing popped out of nowhere...and why yes yes it has :) It did so because I started this fic before season 3 started. Hence originally I ran with the Skai Prisa idea before I knew otherwise. Then season three and Wanheda happened and I was inspired by the potential mythos of Wanheda. Rather than start another fic, it tied in nicely with this story ...so this fic grew to incorporate those ideas. :)
Chapter 11: Spirits & Ambushes
SIX HOURS EARLIER
Since arriving in Polis Clarke and Octavia had settled into a routine of sorts. Every morning, before the sun had even risen Clarke would accompany Octavia to the training grounds. Once there she'd watch the other girl get flattened into the ground by Indra or Lincoln or by whomever happened to be there. Then she'd have a go, which was more playing with O than anything. Then afterwards the two would then swing past Drew's for a honey cake before starting their day. It *had* crossed Clarke's mind that all the Honeycakes probably weren't good for her but she figured she'd been deprived of them for the first eighteen years of her life so had a serious deficit to make up for.
Just watching Octavia sparr made Clarke's bones ache but the other girl seemed to live for it, every time the brunette went down (generally hard) she'd pop back up like a yoyo, eyes gleaming, fists high. Indra looked positively proud most days, especially on the days O held her own. It should be noted that Indra's proud face looked remarkably similar to her unimpressed face - the face Clarke was most familiar with.
The young Chancellor wasn't sure what had gone on between the two women but whatever differences they'd had since the mountain they seemed to have been laid to rest. To be honest Clarke was a little scared to ask, seeing from what she'd heard a Seken was adopted into their Fos's village and clan and at this point the blonde couldn't afford to lose the other girl both personally or professionally.
After Octavia had spent a suitable amount of time on the ground and once the sun was actually in the sky Clarke would "have a go". Octavia was trying to teach her the basics but the fact was Clarke's heart wasn't really in it and truth be told she wasn't much of a morning person. Although compared to Raven she totally was. Raven, who had threatened to murder them heinously via tiny robots if they ever woke her up so early again (back when they'd initially asked her to join them) The dark hair girl had later clarified the robots were so the murder could happen autonomously while she continued sleeping...confirming Clarke's long held belief that Raven was actually the scariest of her cohort.
The whole thing had started because of her nightmares which still persisted, often waking her early. Octavia had flat out told her that she wasn't to go anywhere on her own or she would tie her to the get busted sneaking out unescorted with the leader of the free world one time! and suddenly you can't be left alone Clarke thought darkly but not without humor. At Clarke's anxious look the other girl had relented somewhat suggesting perhaps she train with her, that it might help and the blonde had taken her up on the concession.
From then on the system had just naturally fallen into place. Not today though, today was The Seasonal Sitting. She'd come with Octavia to training but she was only going to watch and the brunette had promised that her own training session would be short. No she'd come because this is what they did and because she was nervous and would have just lain awake anyway but she couldn't afford to muck about or get hurt she needed to bring her A game in a few short hours.
Clarke shivered and tugged her jacket closer as a cold wind blew through the grounds. It was her Skai Prisa jacket, which she normally didn't wear if she was training but because she was only spectating she'd grabbed it.
It had cause a few low murmurs of Prisa and of "Wanheda" ...which seemed to be a thing now. Wanheda. They were calling her it more and more. She now knew enough of the language to know it meant "Commander of Death" that they would call her that left her feeling hollow, it brought up memories she would rather not think about. Still it had seemed strange to her, strange enough for her to bring it up with Lincoln the other day.
"It is the name of your Spirit…" He said looking solemn
"Thats funny because I'm pretty sure my spirit is actually called Clarke" she snapped back feeling agitated by the implication.
He gave her a wane smile.
" Yes you are Clarke…..and you are Wanheda"
She just gives him a flat look
"Do Skaikru not believe in spirits?"
"You mean like ghosts? Or like souls? Because not really ...souls maybe. Many believe that each person has a soul which is why you need to be good or your soul won't get to heaven.
"Heaven?"
"Yeah the good after life"
"There are other afterlifes?"
"Yup so you'd better mind your p's and q's or at least that's what the priest say"
Lincoln just looked at her confused.
"Nevermind..."
The big man nods his head "We do not have such afterlifes, our souls go on. However we do have an Ether that souls can linger in should they require rest before returning"
Now it was Clarkes turn to nod in understanding
"Like reincarnation, The Commander said her Spirit would choose more wisely than her Generals"
The big man nods.
"Spirits are different to souls…" Lincoln corrects her before looking around her quarters for somewhere to sit.
"What?"
"Your Spirit is different to your soul...It is part of your soul…" here Clarke could see him search for the right words " Your spirit is linked, entwined with your soul and it is like...like your souls muscles and just as you can get bigger muscles…" he pauses here, curling his bicep in a strong man pose throwing her cheeky grin. She grins back easily while waving him to take a seat at her desk. It was one of the things she liked about Lincoln not only did he have a gentle soul but he also had a surprising goofy sense of humor. She could easily see why her friend was head over heels for the man.
"...your spirit can get bigger. Through great deeds or through collecting the spirit power of the people you've have seen our kill marks, they honor our dead but they also proclaim to others just how powerful of a spirit we carry"
"W-what?!" Clarke looked at the man across from her aghast
"You Clarke have a very powerful spirit from both deed and deaths"
"What? No."
" Whether you believe our customs or not Clarke that is what my people believe"
" Is that what you believe Linc?"
He pauses and rubs his head
"Clarke you have done amazing things.." here she interrupts him
"horrific things you mean" he quietly nods his head
" Yes you have done amazing and horrifying things….but you have done them. You. In the face of insurmountable odds. I doubt that another put in the same position could have achieved and that my friend shows great strength of spirit. Did you not feel different after each battle you survived? Would the Clarke who first fell from the sky have been able to slay the mountain? Or is it only after your spirit grew here on earth that you could achieve such a feat?"
"It's not...it's not like that..not really. I mean you are right I doubt Clarke of the Ark would have been able to make the same choice...but that's...it's not..it's just experience." she shakes her head "So that's why they call me Wanheda then? Because I've killed so many? To show how big my spirit is?
The scout looks away.
"Linc"
"There is more"
Clarke sighs and closes her eyes taking a deep breath
"Of course there is.."
"In this world people are not the only things to have Spirits. Spirits are sparks of the gods their creation, the flame of potential that has yet to find form. Man has a spirit because we are a child of the gods...but there are other spirits out there."
Clarke by this point had heard of the Grounder Gods the two Elder Gods Ankie and Lawf and their myriad of children. Ankie and Lawf stood for Chaos and Order respectively. The stories had it that they were in love. When they were in harmony there was balance in the world and when they fought the world lost balance and fell to ruin.
They were not good and evil as Clarke understood it for instance while Ankie brought forth her first son War to the world her littlest daughter was Creativity. Lawf for his part (he might be male but was a God so could apparently have children of his own) had a son for the Seasons and another for Law. There were many Younger Gods Clarke didn't know them all.
"So the Gods have unformed flame babies and they make up other spirits floating about here on earth?" Clarke clarified and Lincoln winced but nodded.
"Yes. they move through the world looking for a host who matches their purpose…they will often latch on to souls in times of need lending them their power" Clarke nods at this "The flames don't linger generally only bonding to help achieve that one purpose - A hunter who makes an impossible shot but then when asked to repeat the feet can't. A Mother who lifts a boulder during a landslide but later cannot budge it that sort of thing…"
Clarke cuts in "So when I defeat the mountain people thought I was possessed by a Spirit?"
Lincoln grunts "I haven't finished yet. MOST spirits do not linger but some DO these spirits are closer to being fully formed than the others they have a purpose, an agenda and even a personality in fact they are so close to coalescing to godhood they have a name."
Clarke suddenly doesn't like where this is going.
" These Named Spirits when is suits them, if they find a soul that matches with their agenda will Bond. That Soul, that person becomes the Avatar of the Spirit. The person's soul remains their own, they are not possessed but they hold their own spirit as well as that of the flame and that spirit may guided them."
"Lincoln No….I am not possessed by some spirit"
"I just said that you are not possessed you are an Avatar"' He counters
"Linc!"
He shook his head.
"Clarke, I am just telling you why the people call you Wanheda"
"But it's ridiculous!"
"Is it? I am proud to serve you as a scout and warrior, though more so I am proud to call you friend. But even I can see that you are made for great things. You are more like Heda than the rest of us...Heda is also a Named Spirit if you were interested."
….Same as me
Clarke felt her world tilt
"Really?"
"Yes. For the Trigedakru Heda is the greatest of the Named spirits as it is believed that Heda is the only flame to come from an Elder God. Heda was born from Lawf himself, A Commander to bring Order to the people to lead them out of the Chaos of war. Heda was made to protect man. Heda returns again and again to fulfill this directive"
"Doesn't that upset Ankie? War is her kid right?"
"Man is the first and only joint child of the Elder gods. They hoped to create a child with the balance of both of them but something went wrong and man was born weak and mortal. Perhaps Ankie is just as happy to see her mortal child protected."
"So who does Wanheda belong to then?"
Lincoln gives a loose shrug
"No one one knows. Wanheda is not a well know Spirit, it has not been seen since the great Cataclysm"
"Great so not only am I possessed I'm possessed by a spirit that enjoys a good apocalypse...That's comforting"
"I am just te.."
"Telling me what your people believe I know you said...
Octavia's sweaty face popped into view breaking the blonde out of her thoughts. She landed with a plop casually swinging an arm around Clarkes shoulder before asking
" So Drew's?"
"Eww O! You're all sweaty and gross get off me!" squirmed the blonde
"Naaw c'mon really? Ever since you turned into a Princess you've gotten so snooty!...Where's the love?"
" It's not being a princess it's called having basic hygiene standards c'mon on! Off!"
The brunette made a reluctant show of extracting her arm from her friends shoulder
"Sheesh ok ok...But Drew's?"
"I don't know why you even ask anymore...you know we go like every day…"
"I'm just being clear"
"Whatever let's go I need to get back…"
The Brunette warrior opened her mouth with what was sure to be another retort but something in Clarke's expression must have given her pause.
"Yeah ok Prisa. You don't need to worry though ...you'll be fine at the meeting."
"Thanks but I don't think I can relax till it's over.I can just see too many things going wrong"
"You'll be fine! We've spent the last week running all over Polis chatting up Clans. You can't possibly do more. If it's going to take you'll have done enough. If it doesn't it means they were already decided before we got here."
The two women wove their way through the crowd. Now that the sun was up the market was filling fast and more and more often Clarke was being stopped by people with the murmur of Prisa! Or Wanheda. Octavia was getting more and more anxious.
"Why'd you wear the damn coat?"
"Its warm and I didn't think ok? It's fine anyway they just want to meet me."
"Urgh It's not fine and you know it. Not everyone loves us"
"I know. I know. I'm sorry I honestly didn't think...its so cold out I just grabbed the first coat I saw..Awww No Drew."
"What? What about Drew?"
"He only knows me as Claire…"
"So?"
"So I can't just walk up to him as Claire wearing Clarke Skai Prisa's jacket now can I?
"So? He finds out you're Clarke"
"But I don't want him too…"
"Clarke"
"No...and it'll put Lexa's identity in question too...because how did she meet me then? Plus it's a diplomatic nightmare if I'm found out skulking around pretending to be someone else…"
"Well perhaps you should have thought about that before you started sulking!"
"O please"
"Ok Ok What do you want to do then? Skip the honey cake? Dump the jacket? But obviously somewhere exceedingly safe because waaaay too many man hours went to that thing for you to lose it now"
"Nah I'll just hang back here while you go and pick up the honey cakes for us …"
"On your own?" The brunette levelled a terrifying glare at the blonde "Like hell you will"
"I'll be FINE O. We're in the middle of the Capital Lexa has this place guarded and everyone knows the price of breaking the peace here"
" Forget it. I'm not leaving you on your own"
"Octavia! C'mon you're being ridiculous!"
"No look Griff I don't tell you how to do your leadery thing...you don't tell me how to do my guard-warrior-thing. Alright? We both have our "things" lets stick to em"
Clarke huffed but relented
"Fine, but when you feel sad you're not eating sweet sweet honeycake you just remember whose idea it was not to get one"
At that the dark haired warrior furrowed her brow before grabbing the young Chancellors wrist and tugging her to the left.
"C'mon new plan. The stables are practically on the way, we can grab Lincoln and send him off to get the cakes. I know he'll be there, he always says good morning to Helios after training…" A fond smile graces the brunettes face as she adds "... the big softie."
That's how Clarke found herself loitering in a busy thoroughfare a good 100 paces away from Drew's, her position obscured by a gaudy stall as Lincoln loped his way through the crowd in search of the prized honeycakes.
It was as she was once more trying to peer through the riot of bright feathers in the stall next to her in order to check on Lincoln's progress that she felt someone bump into and press up against her for what must be the thousandth time. Frustrated she tried to turn giving a curt
"Em pleni! "
"Naw Now Now Prisa or is that Wanheda?" Drawled a voice in her ear "I'll say when enough is enough. Move or scream and your guts will be decorating the earth"
It was at that moment that Clarke felt the sharp point of a dagger pressing into her belly. The man was behind her and he now swung her around so that she was facing the street and coincidently Octavia. Her friend appeared to be in a similar situation to her. At her side a gangly unkempt man he had his arm slung around her shoulder in a gesture that was not unlike the one Octavia had given her at training this morning however unlike that time he had his other arm pressed threateningly at the brunettes side and Clarke was willing to bet that there was a similar dagger to the one pressed against her if her friends wide eyed look was anything to go by. The man holding her shuffled so he was in a similar position to his friend. The sharp dagger point never leaving Clarke's body.
"Now we've all met. We'll be leaving. No funny business or you're both dead. Zeek remember what I said about stabbing"
"Not unless I gotta. But whhhyyy? We don't even need this one!" Here he shook O roughly as if to emphasise his point "Let me poke her here quick and we can go faster! Isn't faster better?"
"No Zeek! We need to get out of the city first! Unless you are offering to carry her body from here to the outskirts?"
"What's wrong with leaving it here?"grumbled the other man
"No you useless branwoda! People will find it and we'll be nabbed! We need to get away clean!...Just" The man gives a long suffering sigh" Just don't stab her unless she runs or shouts alright? Do you think you can follow that?"
"Sure Dev I'm not stupid"
There was another long suffering sigh
"Right well let's get out of here before the Meat Mountain gets done at Drew's...Right Prisa Walk like you life depends on it... head towards the east gate."
Clarke feeling the dagger point digging firmly into her side could see no other choice but to follow the instructions. She shared one quick frantic look with Octavia before walking forward. As they walked the gangly man holding O, Zeek his name was, chatted amicably.
"Ya know you're lucky we ALMOST missed you! We were worried when you didn't come ta Drew's...You always go to Drew's " Zeek shares conspiratorially "But then you didn't show! and hooo boy was Dev getting grumpy…" here he did a stage whisper " ...but Dev's always grumpy" he straightened up " but he was all like 'grr we waited to long grr we should have taken them before this grrr it's too late today's the seasona…"
"ZEEK!" Barked Dev "Jok! Shof op!"
"Shheesh see? Grumpy! " Zeek said to Octavia as if looking for support " I was just saying it's lucky we checked the approaches otherwise we woulda missed youse"
It was just as they were exiting the east gate and Clarke was beginning to truly panic. If they left the grounds of Polis it would be that much harder for someone to find them.
Octavia made her move.
Faster than Clarke could follow she brought both hands up to grip Zeeks dagger hand, jamming her thumbs into the pressure points in his wrist while stamping hard on bridge of his foot. Both had the desired effect. Zeek howled and let her go. Then in one smooth motion the braided brunette was twisting out of his grasp while drawing her own dagger, sending it flying at the man holding Clarke. Dev cursed and hurled them both to the side. Clarke needed no further encouragement and brought her own arms up to wrestle for the dagger at her side. She could hear Octavia hollering for the guard. Of course! Her friend was brilliant all gates to Polis were guarded and the brunette had timed her attempt so that even if she failed their struggle would hopefully be seen and help would come. With that Clarke started shouting as well.
"Shut the Jok up! Shut up!" Hissed the man still struggling with her for the blade. Since his frantic lunge he was off balance and Clarke used this to her advantage throwing all of her weight backwards into him. Cursing he was forced to drop her to keep his feet. She kicked out backward scrabbling forward and hopefully out of his grasp
Behind her Dev was shouting.
"FORGET THE BITCH! GRAB THE PRINCESS! ZEEK! THE PRINCESS"
And suddenly Zeek was in front of her. Clarke tried. She tried to barrel past him but he wrapped her up in a bear hug, his grip surprisingly strong for such a small man.
Up ahead of her Octavia who had been sprinting for the trees quickly reversed her direction having heard the command from Dev, she now headed back towards Clarke.
Seeing her friends approach the blonde fought fiercely, she wiggled, kicked and she finally succeeded in freeing an arm, swinging her elbow back to where she thought her captors face was. She was rewarded when it connected with Zeek's face hard, she felt the bones in his nose crunch and give way under the force. He howled again and let her go for a split second before snagging her wrist as she tried to leave his reach. Clarke used the small bit of space she'd gained and the momentum from his grip to whirl back and slam a kick between his legs. Zeek like any man crumpled to the ground in agony. Clarke didn't wait she hurled herself in Octavia's direction.
Just as she thought they might have a chance now they were free of Zeek and Dev Clarke watched the brunette suddenly staggered mid step. Confused the blonde slowed her gait and confusion gave way to horror as she spied the slowly blossoming red around an arrow now protruding from the other girls upper chest. Archers! There were archers in the trees! Her friend dropped to her knees. The blondes shout of distress was cut off as heavy body slammed into her from behind. Dev tackled her to the ground pinning her ruthlessly into the dirt with his body. Clarke found she could barely move inch but desperately her gaze sort out Octavia.
Octavia struggled up to her feet again while Clarke watched helplessly on. She took no more than a handful of step before another arrow was thunking into her, this time high in her thigh. Clarke screamed for her friend. Stay down thought Clarke desperately Stay down! Please please O stay down! Even as she thought it she knew her friend wouldn't. She bucked and wiggled but Dev's grip was relentless.
She made herself watch as he friend slowly dragged herself to her feet once more and staggered toward them and when, miraculously no more arrows were forth coming Clarke realised that the other girl was now so close that the Archers were probably worried about hitting Clarke and their own men or the brunette was out of range.
Then, before Clarke could process Octavia's change in fate the other girl was upon them.
Apparently Dev hadn't expected it either, focused as he was on holding Clarke down. Octavia who could barely stand and with one arm hanging uselessly at her side launch herself at Dev with her remaining dagger, slashing fiercely. She caught him under the chin as he raised his head to look at the on coming threat and Clarke below was soon drenched in the blood of the dying man above her.
Their victory was short lived. Before Clarke could even wiggle out from beneath the body of Dev, Zeek was back and wild. He slammed into Octavia taking her to ground sitting on her waist and punching her in the face before tearing out the arrow from chest viciously.
"Bleed bitch" He said before spitting on Octavia's now inert form as he rose to his feet. He cast his gaze around and Clarke realised he must be looking for the knife. She struggled under Dev's body.
Just as she got free and just as Zeek found the knife a new voice called out.
"Leave it Zeek she's out! Just get them behind the jokkin tree line before the guard change! We could only pay off one set of guards!"
It was a woman's voice, the Archer in the trees thought Clarke. Zeek growled in frustration and yanked her up by the hair the point of the arrow he'd pulled from O, wedged hard enough under her chin it drew blood.
"Walk" He commanded. Leaving his companion to deal with the unconscious brunette.
Soon they were within the trees but Zeek kept her moving and it was a surprisingly short trip until they reach a rough temporary half packed camp where there were two more ruffians waiting. Zeek threw her down before whirling on his companion who had been trailing a fair distance behind them.
"Well? Where is she? Where's the bitch that killed Dev!" he seethed.
The other woman shrugged
"Left her just inside the tree line, she was a problem we don't wasn't breathing to good anyway she'll probably be dead soon enough" The woman replied.
Zeek gave an inarticulate sound of rage before snapping his attention back to Clarke.
"You! This is *your* fault!"
Before Clarke could even respond he was on her, his fists finding her unprotected ribs once, twice before he swung for her head. She tasted blood as her lip split, then the world went fuzzy around the edges as he cracked her hard in the eye socket.
"See how you like it?! Princessbitch you broke my nose" he raved as he rained blow after blow down on her.
"Zeek! Zeek! Calm down! C'mon man stop it! You know we need to give her to Cutter"
Suddenly the blows stopped.
"Cutter! Cutter that's right!" he crowed and Clarke decided he wasn't all there. He stood again wrenching her up by her hair and she threw up a hand to try and protect her scalp. He was laughing as he dragged her over to a crate being used as a table, clearing it with a sweep of his arm before flinging Clarke down on it.
"Zeek!" The woman called again sounding more exasperated this time. But Zeek wasn't listening. He bent Clark over the crate pinning her with his body.
"Hands on the crate where I can see em' or I bleed you" Clarke could do nothing but comply placing them on the crate next to her head
He pressed her further into the wood, her head turned to the side, cheek pressing against the rough grain. He leaned on the back of her neck as he bent over to talk into her ear, his foul breath making Clarke want to gag.
"Do you know what Cutter's going to do to you Princess? Hmmm? Do you? He's going to pull you apart piece by piece" He giggled
"Piece by piece...presents for your Niron you see" Niron Niron Clarke's hazy terrified mind stumbled over the word as she searched for its meaning. It came to her suddenly and her terror trebled. Niron. Lover ... presents for he lover. Lexa. He must mean Lexa. Clarke stifled a groan They weren't lovers but Clarke knew that there were enough stories out there about them that the truth no longer matter anymore.
"Your eyes" suddenly Clarke felt the tip of a knife gently run down the side of her already swelling eye socket and she froze in absolute terror.
"Your ears" It gently traces the shell of her exposed ear
"Your tongue" it glided down her cheek to dip into the corner of her mouth
"Your fingers"
Then suddenly he pinned her hand down, wrenching her little finger away from the others and slammed the dagger down,seperating her pinky finger from her hand.
There was screaming. Lots of screaming. It took Clarke a little while to realise it wasn't just her, that the whole camp had erupted.
The other three had torn Zeek away from her
"Jok! Jok! Jok! "Cursed the woman loudly as she rushed to Clarke bundling the injury in a hastily grabbed garment.
The others two were shouting too as they struggled with a now hysterically laughing Zeek.
"Zeek you mad fucker what have you done! Cutter is going to kill us" It was in the lull that followed that statement that a new voice joined the fray
"Yes I rather suspect I am." Said a small bland looking man flanked by a behemoth and a woman with the brands of Azgeda on her face.
