The city was big.
That's what Cassie was thinking as Anya guided her horse through town. Dilapidated concrete houses stood on both sides of the road, curtains hung over doors and windows. A few people were walking all over the place, Cassie couldn't tell what they were doing.
In the distance, a huge tower rose to the sky, Cassie could only see it from the side, painfully raising her head.
As Anya moved through town, the locals would stop to watch them go by, stopping in their chores. They watched them, whispering from time to time to their neighbors.
"Why are they looking at you like this?" Cassie asked, her hands tied in front of her.
"It's not me they're looking at," Anya replied.
"Oh yeah, you're right. They're definitely looking at me. It's because I'm so hot. It's thanks to my booty. It pays off."
"Shut up, Skaigada."
"I'm that bitch
Been that bitch, still that bitch
Yeah
Will forever be that bitch
Forever be that bitch
Yeah," Cassie sang peacefully.
Anya didn't even try to punch her to silence her, just ignoring her as she walked in the direction of the tower. The young woman's voice echoed through the streets silenced by her presence.
Finally, Anya stopped in front of the tower, dismounted her horse and pulled Cassie, throwing her to the ground.
"Onya. Yu laik bak."
Cassie looked up at a gunman walking up to Anya, a few other men behind him. The young woman guessed that they were guards.
"Sha. Ai teik ste disha honon kom Heda," she announced.
She pointed to Cassie, who was laying on the floor with her wrists tied. She gave them a small wave of the hand.
The man gave her a strange look that Cassie couldn't read. Obviously, her lack of color puzzled him.
"Gyon au. Heda ste hod gon yu."
He pulled away, as if to tell her to go forward. Cassie lifted her left leg and Anya rolled her eyes before grabbing her ankle to pull her behind her. The young woman let herself be pulled inside the tower.
"I caught it bad just today
You hit me with a call to your place
Ain't been out in a while anyway ... "
Anya walked down the hall, pulling Cassie behind her as she walked through the premises. Cassie saw a door in the distance that opened into a tiny room. A few Grounders were waiting by a wheel then, watching Cassie as she continued to sing.
"Just… take us up to Heda," Anya sighed over Cassie's voice.
She entered the cabin, pulling the young woman inside.
"Call me when you want, call me when you need
Call me in the morning, I'll be on the way
Call me when you want, call me when you need
Call me out by your name, I'll be on the way like ... "
The cabin shook and began to climb slowly, carrying the two young women upwards. Cassie continued to sing in the elevator, unbothered.
After a long moment, they came to a second opening, Cassie raised her head to look around her. Anya crossed a long hallway with an ornate wall that let in a slight light. Candles lit up the room.
She turned one corner, then another, and finally stopped in front of a double door, turning to Cassie.
"Now. You don't say a word. You can't speak to the Commander. Got it?"
"Aye aye Captain."
Anya took a deep breath and knocked on the door, which opened almost immediately.
Anya grabbed Cassie by the back of her t-shirt and dragged her forward, only to throw her in front of her. Cassie rolled over happily, only to stop when she hit a step. She raised her head to look around.
The room was large, curtains closed the back of the room, letting the light in freely. Many people stood in an arc in front of the balcony, a throne was placed at the top of the steps.
A young woman, younger than Cassie, sat in the seat. She wore a long dark cloak and a shoulder pad, many straps closing her clothes. Cassie guessed it was a combat gear. She was strangely pretty, her face almost angelic, if not for the dark makeup that surrounded her eyes and spread over her temes, down to her hairline, and the harshness of her expression and her eyes.
She was cool.
Cassie opened her mouth, closed it, as the woman fixed her green gaze on her. She turned to Anya, as if to call her to witness, but the Grounder imperceptibly shook her head, motioning for her to shut up.
"Chit ste disha?" The woman asked.
"Won honon, Heda," Anya replied, crossing the room to grab Cassie by the back of her shirt and pull her to her feet.
The young woman staggered, speechless.
"Wait, this is your Commander? That is so cool! "
A movement of indignation ran through the spectators, who seemed to hesitate to draw their weapons.
"I mean no offense, of course," Cassie continued. "I'm sorry, Heda. I didn't mean to disrespect you."
She turned to Anya.
"What am I supposed to do?" She hissed. "Do I bow? Do I call her 'Your Majesty'? 'Her Highness'? Oh no, wait, 'Her Royal Highness'?"
"Is she ever quiet?" The Commander asked.
"Yes, look," Anya replied.
She grabbed Cassie by the collar and kissed her briefly on the lips. Cassie gaped, still, as Anya released her without a word.
"See?" Anya added.
An amused spark danced in the eyes of the Commander, who nevertheless did not show it. She rose from her seat, watching Cassie blinking in haggard eyes.
"What is she?" She asked.
"She's human, Heda," Anya replied, still holding Cassie by the arm. "She was born this way. Her body just doesn't have any color."
"Where is she from?"
"The sky."
Murmurs ran through the crowd watching Cassie in surprise. No emotion appeared on the Commander's face, but she was watching Cassie intently.
"She fell from the sky in something she calls a pod, a little space ship. She told me she is from a bigger one."
"Why didn't you kill her?" The Commander asked, her voice low.
Anya was silent for a few seconds, as if searching for an answer she didn't have.
"She has crucial information, Heda. She can tell us more about her people and what we can expect from them."
The Commander watched Cassie intently.
"Is she cooperative?"
"More or less," Anya hesitated.
She glanced around, eyeing the onlookers warily.
"She has the Haknes gon keryon."
New murmurs ran through the crowd, now showing surprise and bewilderment.
"What's this?"
Anya turned to Cassie.
"Haknes gon keryon. What is it?"
"The sickness of the soul," the Commander replied.
Cassie exchanged a look with Anya. She knew she was talking about her desire to die, and guessed that she wasn't the first Anya had seen behaving like this. Strangely, it broke her heart.
"Will you cooperate, Skaigada?" The Commander asked.
"Why does everyone keep calling me that? I don't even know what that means– ouch!"
Anya slapped her on the back of the head.
"Answer the Commander," she ordered with a growl.
"Alright, alright! I will cooperate, or whatever."
The Commander raised her head.
"Good. Take her to the cells," she ordered to the guards placed beside her throne.
Still, Anya held them back, keeping Cassie's arm in her hand.
"With all your respect, I wouldn't do that if I were you, Heda."
She glanced around, as if hesitating to speak in front of an audience. She had no choice but to explain.
"She tried to jump off a cliff. She will find a way to kill herself. She will do anything to die. You have to keep her under constant surveillance. Never take eyes off her."
The Commander looked at Cassie again, then turned to Anya.
"Since you know her so well, it will be up to you to watch her. She will be under your responsibility."
"What? Heda, please, no."
"Ha haha! You're stuck with me!" Cried Cassie, laughing.
Anya hit her on the back of the head and the young woman dropped to the ground with a groan of pain.
"You will do as I say," the Commander replied.
An amused spark danced in her eyes and it looked like she only had it to annoy Anya.
The Commander then sat back on her throne, arms on the armrests. She watched, stared down at the prisoner.
"Now, tell me about your people. Tell me about Skaikru."
Onya. Yu laik bak: Anya. You are back.
Sha. Ai teik ste disha honon kom Heda: Yes. I'm taking this prisoner to Heda.
Gyon au. Heda ste hod gon yu: Go. The Commander is waiting for you.
Chit ste disha: What is this?
Won honon, Heda: A prisoner, Commander.