Chapter 21
The trading went well. Cooper was once again entrusted to get the best deals for each side and they did all the deals in two days. Podakru had made a deal with Clarke, Clarke had made a deal with Cooper, who had made a deal with Floukru. Azgeda produced raw flax which the Floukru could make into rope which they could deal to Skaikru who would then pass it along to Podakru in the form of already made nets. Floukru also made a deal with Podakru to send some people up to teach them how to make them and use them, in return they wanted bags of flour and some vegetables. The deals were good and Cooper knew they would help to cement relations with each other. This way, Azgeda would be known for fair dealing and by the next trade meeting, Cooper hoped to have an idea of what she could trade.
Podakru also wanted raw flax for themselves to make their own rope - once they were taught how. They used vines as ropes but knew Floukru had better ones. They couldn't use vines on the ships, they just weren't strong enough. Cooper made a deal with them with half in trade and the rest in restitution. Now all she had to figure out was what Trikru wanted for their restitution.
Cooper and Clarke talked after the trading was done.
"I hope that after everything's done, I leave Azgeda in a better state than it was when I first went there," Cooper said, yawning.
"It should be, you've already started setting things right."
"I know but I still have nightmares that I'll have everything in place, I abdicate and then my heir destroys everything and takes it back to Nia's reign."
"Will he?"
"No, but my mind still plays around with what could happen."
"Yeah, I get that. After the fall of the mountain, I had nightmares about what could have gone wrong." Cooper grunted.
"Wonder why our minds always find things that could have gone wrong and play them out in our nightmares. I mean the deed's been done so why do our minds dwell on what COULD have happened and not what DID happen?"
"I have no idea. I'm not a psychologist." Cooper grunted again. "So what's the latest up there?" Clarke asked.
"Same old, same old," Cooper replied. "We think we've gotten rid of the last of Nia's thugs with the help of Brother Bandit. Maybe we can trade with him."
"What do you have that he would need?"
"Absolutely no idea!" Cooper said, throwing her hands in the air and letting them fall again. "Right now we're still searching Azgeda for anything Nia hid. I've people out and about into every corner I can find, doing a kind of census or people, jobs, goods and land. Once we get those back, I'll be busy figuring out what we have and what we can produce. Right now, I've got people looking over that stripped valley. I've no doubt there are more of them, I just don't know what she did with the wood!" Clarke could hear the frustration in her voice.
"When you come back to us, what do you want to do?"
"In what way?" Cooper asked, frowning.
"You keep saying that you don't feel that you'd fit back in with us, and in a way, I understand that, but what do you want to do?"
"I have no idea. Polis is my home. When we came here the first time, it was like a weight lifted off me. Each time I came back here from the travels we did and our goods runs, I felt like I was coming home. I've never had that feeling other than with mom."
"Well, she's still here. I think she's staying until you know what you're going to do."
"Good. I'd prefer her to be here."
"What if you decide to become Trikru? What happens to your mother then?"
"Honesly, I don't know. I hope that she will still be Skaikru even if I'm not. It will give her a sense of belonging."
"And you?" Cooper sighed again.
"I think I'd be a trader, Clarke. If I come back to Skaikru, I want to be out and about with a wagon, trading all over the place." Clarke looked at her.
"I may have a job for you if you do, but you wouldn't get much time in Polis," she admitted. Cooper cocked her head to the side.
"And right now you can't tell me what it is, can you?"
"No, sorry." Clarke shrugged her shoulders.
"Ah well, maybe it's something to look forward to," Cooper said, grinning. Clarke opened her mouth to reply when there was a loud and urgent pounding on the door.
"Clarke, open up!" Bellamy said. Clarke opened the door.
"What's up?!" Behind Bellamy was Echo and she seemed agitated.
"Echo?"
"A messenger has arrived from Azgeda. General Dorran has hunted down one more pocket of thugs over by the Sangedakru border. They found prisoners there that said they were Skaikru!" Both Clarke and Cooper were shocked.
"Did they say who they are?" asked Cooper.
"No," Echo said, shaking her head.
"Do you think it's true?"
"I don't know, ai kwin, but the clothes they were wearing were like those you had when you came down."
"Alright. I've done everything I needed to regarding the trading, I can leave once I talk to the Commander. Get our people ready to leave."
"Sha, ai kwin," Echo said, leaving the building.
"Can you take someone with you?" Clarke asked.
"I can. Who do you want to accompany me?"
"Murphy?" Clarke said, looking between Bellamy and Cooper.
"Yep, I've no problem with him coming with me," Cooper said. Bellamy looked like he wanted to object before Clarke stopped him.
"Bell, I need you here. Murphy can go find them and if they are our people, he can lead them to Skaikru lands." Bellamy reluctantly nodded.
"Come on, Clarke, let's go see the Commander." She nodded.
"Bellamy, go find Murphy and have him ready to travel asap!" He nodded and went out the back to find him. As they made their way through the warehouse Clarke called out.
"Liz, with me, Miller, stand by here!" they both nodded and Liz hurried to catch up.
"Where are we going?"
"To see the Commander. Something's come up." Liz nodded and fell in beside Clarke as her bodyguard. Koby was beside Cooper as they moved through the streets.
"Commander," Cooper said, bowing as the Commander entered the throne room.
"Kwin Cooper," she replied, sitting down.
"Commander, an Azgeda messenger arrived this afternoon with a messenge that General Dorran has been chasing one last pocket of Nia's thugs. They ran them to ground near the Sangedakru border where they found more prisoners. Those prisoners claim to be Skaikru."
"Are they?" the Commander asked, sitting forward, eager to know the answer.
"We don't know. With trade done, I'm willing to cut this visit short and go straight there to find out. Clarke has asked that Murphy kom Skaikru accompany me to see if it is true and if it is, to lead them to the Skaikru homelands." Lexa nodded.
"Go find out," the Commander said. "If any more clan prisoners are found, I want them returned!"
"Sha, heda. I will release all prisoners from the clans we have. So far, we have not found any more, but that doesn't mean that Nia didn't have them." The Commander nodded and waved them out. Cooper, Koby and Liz left the room and Liz stood outside the door waiting for her leader while Cooper and Koby left for their embassy.
Murphy turned up an hour later minus a horse. Echo got one ready for him.
"You ready?" Cooper asked him.
"Sha, queen Cooper," he said. His tent pack was strapped to his horse's saddle and he wore his backpack with his belongings.
"Let's go then. It'll take at least a week to reach the area and more like ten days. I have no idea what state they are in but General Dorran has said that he has sent for healers for them." Murphy nodded.
They set off once everyone was ready and headed north then northwest towards the old town of Schenectady, New York. It was right on the border with Sangedakru with the river as the border.
They reached it eight days later. They rode up and one of General Dorran's warriors greeted them.
"Ai Kwin, General Dorran has the prisoners near here."
"Take us to them," she ordered.
"Sha, ai kwin." He led them to a part of the rundown town where the river turned south, right across from an old airport. Dorran was there to greet them.
"Ai kwin," he said bowing.
"General Dorran, this is Murphy kom Skaikru, a trusted friend."
"Murphy kom Skaikru," the General said, with a nod. Murphy nodded back.
"What have you found?" Cooper asked him.
"We chased the last of Nia's people to here, where we cornered them and killed them. We then searched the area. It seems like they had a camp here. We came across eight people - well nine if you count the baby. Four of them said they were originally Skaikru. The others are Podakru prisoners taken when they invaded their lands when you became our Queen."
"Did they give names?"
"Only one of them did and he was insistent that he was the leader of them."
"Loudmouth!" muttered another of the warriors. Cooper turned to him and he eleborated.
"He was very insistent that we call him Chancellor!" Cooper and Murphy looked at each other.
"Couldn't be, could it?" Cooper asked.
"No idea, I left him fairly quickly once I realised how delusional he was," Murphy said, shrugging his shoulders. Cooper turned back to the warrior.
"Tall, dark-skinned guy, big mouth, thinks he's superior to everyone else?"
"Sha," the warrior said.
"Shit!" Cooper said. Murphy nodded.
"We'd better go see if it is him, Queen Cooper."
"Yeah," Cooper said without any enthusiasm. "Let me take the lead, okay?" Murphy nodded.
They were led to a partially ruined building and led inside. The door was opened and Cooper and Murphy stepped inside to see Jaha laying on a pallet on the floor and two others laying on others while a young woman sat in the corner holding a child who appeared to be about two.
"Jaha!" Cooper said. He turned to her.
"I suppose you are another of these savages?" he asked.
"Yes I am. I'm Queen Cooper kom Azgeda, but I was once Cooper Lyons, Factory Station and a prisoner of the Ark." Jaha stared at her.
"Prove it!" Murphy stepped forward.
"Hello, Jaha," he said.
"Murphy?" Jaha asked, not believing his eyes. He knew Murphy was one of his - even if he was a bully and a thug. "Are you working with them now?"
"No. I'm working for Clarke Griffin, Heda of the Skaikru clan."
"Who? I know who Clarke Griffin is, but who is Skaikru?"
"That's the people who came from the sky, Jaha. the Arkers and the hundred."
"But you are here with her," he said, jutting his chin in Cooper's direction.
"Queen Cooper was one of us, Jaha. She has as much right to survive as the rest of us."
"Prisoners!" Jaha spat.
"I was a prisoner three times, Jaha and each time I was supposed to die. I'm a survivor, Jaha."
"Three times?"
"Once in the Ark where I was supposed to die either on my 18th birthday or by being sent to the ground. Second was when I was captured by the mountain men where I was supposed to be killed for my bone marrow. Third time was when Azgeda declared war on Skaikru. I wasn't Azgeda then and they captured me and handed me over to their then queen, Nia. She took me before the gate of the Commander's city and was going to kill me in front of her. I challenged her to a fight and she accepted. I killed her and according to Azgeda laws, that made me the reigning monarch. Three times people condemned me to death and three times I survived." She could hear warriors whispering about another Wanheda from the sky.
"I'm not Wanheda. I do not command death."
"You did once," Koby said. "I was there when you challenged Nia to that fight. You told her and her warriors that you didn't command death, you were death." Dorran chuckled.
"Yeah, well, it may have been a bit overboard, but it did get her and you to back off and leave me alone! I swear, I almost laughed out loud to see battle-hardened warriors flinch away from me just because I said that!" Murphy sniggered.
"You didn't?!
"What was I supposed to do when she was intent on killing me? I had to get her to back off somehow and as they were so intent on taking Wanheda's power, I pretended to be her." Murphy looked around, still chuckling. He looked more closely at the young woman in the corner.
"Laura?" he asked. The woman looked at him and narrowed her eyes as she tried to remember where she knew him from. "John Murphy, Factory station and one of those sent to the ground as prisoners. You were one of them, weren't you?" Cooper turned to her and could vaguely remember her.
"You came from Arrow station, right?" she asked. The woman nodded.
"How did you end up here?"
"It was during that fight with the grounders. Once the ring of fire had been fired, I was hiding among the trees, terrified out of my mind. I felt hands on me and one put their hand over my mouth and knocked me out. I came around several hours later on a horse, coming here. I've been here ever since."
"Was anyone else taken with you?"
"No. I was the only one."
"What did they do to you?"
"Actually, I was treated fairly okay. They never attacked me or tried to do anything to me. They fed me and left me alone. I was a prisoner but I don't know why or what they wanted to do with me."
"You've been here for the last two years?"
"Yes," Laura said.
"And the child?" Laura teared up.
"Three days before the fight at the dropship, I knew it would be bad and I wanted to… well, lose my virginity. I asked Drew and he agreed. We only had sex once but it was enough. This is Drew's daughter, Andrea. I call her Drew in his memory."
"Do you know what happened to him?" Laura nodded, tearing up again.
"I saw it!"
"I'm sorry, Laura, but at least Drew's memory will live on through your daughter." Laura nodded.
"Did anyone else survive?"
"There are about 55 of us still alive, Laura. Our leader is Clarke."
"She's a child, she cannot possibly know what is best for my people."
"Not your people any more, Jaha. You left them to go off and chase some mythical city of light. How'd that work out for you?" Murphy asked, sarcastically.
"It's out there somewhere," Jaha said.
"Still chasing it? Jaha, it doesn't exist. We've been over to see what's near those shining lights and it's an old solar panel farm on the coast. Not a hint of a city there nor anything to point to one," Cooper said, having been informed of what previous visits to the area had revealed. She'd been the one to figure out what the shiny panels were.
"No! It's there somewhere!" Jaha insisted. Cooper sighed and turned to the other two who remained silent.
"What do you want to do?"
"We're prisoners," one said.
"Not any more. I can release you to Murphy's custody until you get to the Skaikru homelands where you'll be given a place to live and jobs to do as the clan grows and settles into their lives on the ground," Cooper said
"Really?" asked the third man.
"Yes, " Murphy said. "Our homelands are in the old state of Michigan. It's big enough for us to live, spread and define our own culture and ways," Murphy said.
"You live there?"
"No, I live in the grounder's capital city, working at the Skaikru embassy and warehouse. There are others who live there though and around ten villages. There will be a place for you." Both men nodded.
"I want to go back to the people I know," one said.
"Me too," said the other.
"Okay, Murphy can take you to the Skairu lands. Obey him and he'll get you there, disobey him and he can leave you behind to die alone. This world is harsh and we need to pull together to survive."
"You're not Skaikru though, are you?" Jaha said,
"No, but they are still my friends and as such, I will protect them from people like you if necessary. Murphy will also protect his people from you if you try to do anything against him. He's trying to keep you alive. If you prefer to die, speak up now and I'll happily have you killed. Make no mistake, the Skaikru are my friends."
"I do not recognise you are a leader of any people, you're just a child!" Jaha said.
"Okay, Jaha, I'll say this just once. If you insist on disregarding me as the leader of the Azgeda or Murphy as a representative of the leader of the Arkers, I will kill you!"
"Is that a threat?"
"No, a promise. This is not the Ark where you make the rules. This is the ground and she makes her own rules. One of which is to kill as many humans as she can. This world is not ours, it belongs to itself. We are only the caretakers of it. A lesson we lost before the war. We thought it was ours to do with as we wanted. She fought back and now she's in charge."
"Who is she?"
"Mother Earth, or Mother Nature, whichever you're comfortable with. She will be here long after the human race has died out. This world is not yours, it's not mine and it does not belong to humans. So, are you going to behave or do you die?" Jaha kept silent.
"Okay, let's do it this way. If you fail to answer me, you will be deemed as willing to die. It will be a sign of your guilt." Jaha looked at her.
"You can't do that!"
"Jaha, I'm THE queen of Azgeda. There is no higher authority in Azgeda. I only answer to one person and believe me, she'll slit your throat the first time she knows who you are."
"Still don't think you are the leader!" he muttered.
"Alright, I'll have you killed tonight. You'll be buried here. What about the rest of you? Laura will be spared because of her child but the rest of you need to make up your minds." they were silent as they thought it through.
"If we go to Michigan, will we be free?"
"To a degree, yes. Everyone works," Murphy said. "You don't work and we exile you."
"Where?"
"There are a couple of islands off the coast of Michigan where we've been putting our dissidents. They live and die on those islands."
"But not in a prison?"
"Not there. If you're in one of the villages and you cause dissension, you will be held until we can drop you onto the islands, then it's up to you and those on the islands if you live or die," Murphy told him.
"I want to live free. I'll go to Michigan and behave," said the third man.
"Me too," said the second. Cooper nodded.
"Okay, Laura, you'll come with me first. We'll get your daughter looked at and when you're both fit enough to travel, I'll have you escorted to Polis and Clarke. You are one of us, Laura, we look after our own, no matter what clan we are part of." Murphy nodded.
"Octavia became Trikru, Cooper's now Azgeda and Clarke's the Skaikru leader and ambassador. Three people who were former prisoners in high places within the clans, Laura. We can do anything!" Laura nodded.
"Okay," she said. Cooper smiled.
"Let's get you out of this hovel and get some food into you," she said, holding out her hand for Laura to take.
"What about us?" asked one of the men.
"You'll be brought out as well, Jaha will stay here until he dies."
"You're going through with that?"
"Yes, He is on my lands and I have the authority to decide who I think is a threat to my reign. He is too dangerous in his own belief to let roam around."
"I want to be buried by my son," Jah said.
"You should have thought of that before you tried to usurp Abby's position as Chancellor and before you decided to go off looking for that city of light. You left so you don't get to demand that. We'll bury you here." Cooper pulled Laura out of the building and into the light. She squinted and then turned her face to the sunlight.
"I forgot how good this feels!" Laura said. Cooper smiled.
"I still turn my face up to the sun even after almost two years," Cooper said.
"And I keep mine down when it rains!" Murphy said, cheekily. Laura laughed.
"You've changed," she said. "I remember when you were a bully, Murphy, and you, Cooper was just trying to stay alive."
"Yeah, well a lot of shit happened back then," Cooper responded.
"We were also naive," Murphy said.
"And stupid!" Cooper said.
"Yeah and Bellamy wasn't helping!" Murphy said.
"Neither were we. I look back at how idiotic we were. Imagine thinking that because there were no people on the ground that we could live there! It takes so much more than just breathing!" Murphy nodded.
"But the others are okay, right?" Laura asked.
"Those that have survived are mostly in Polis. We started looking for our lost stations and when we needed things, we went out and looked for old world places. We eventually became traders. Now those in Skaikru's lands are in villages and those in Polis are learning the ways of the traders. We have to be careful because the Nomads are also traders. We only deal in old world goods for now. Maybe in future we can deal with the clans too for other things," Murphy said. Laura nodded.
"I'd like to see the others," she said wistfully.
"You will. I just want to make sure you're up for a long journey first," Cooper said. Laura smiled and nodded. Just then the child woke up.
"Shit, she's got Drew's eyes!" Cooper said.
"Yeah, I love that about her. With her blonde hair and his eyes, I think she'll look like him when she gets older."
"Hah, Drew's the first of us - along with you - to have a child!" Murphy said. "The first Skaikru child born on Earth!" Cooper and Laura smiled.
"She was born out of love - well, at least on my part, I'm not sure about Drew, but I did love him."
"Yeah, I remember watching you moon over him!" Cooper said.
"Shut up!" Laura said, going red. Both Murphy and Cooper laughed.
"Come on, let's get you some food." She led them over to the campfire and the boar cooking on a spit.
The next morning, Murphy was ready to set off with the two Skaikru members when there was a commotion.
"What's happening?" Cooper asked Koby.
"There's a nomad woman hanging around. She was a prisoner too but we freed her and let her go but she's still hanging around."
"Bring her to me," Cooper said. Murphy and the others stood to one side as the nomad woman was brought to her.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Queen Cooper kom Azgeda, Queen of the Ice Nation." the woman dropped to one knee and bowed her head.
"Forgive me, Queen Cooper."
"There's nothing to forgive for not knowing someone. If you knew who I was and disrespected me, then I'd have a problem with that." She nodded. "So, who are you?"
"Emori, Queen Cooper. A nomad outcast."
"Outcast? Why?"
"Deformity, Queen Cooper." Cooper frowned so Emori took her hand out of her glove and showed her.
"And they threw you out just for that?"
"Sha, kwin."
"Why are you here?"
"My brother was killed by Queen Nia's warriors. I was to be next but for some reason, they didn't."
"And you stay here, why?"
"I want to give my brother his funeral rites, kwin. I can't leave until I have." Cooper nodded.
"Do you know where he is?"
"Sha, there's a ditch at the other end of the river bend to the west. He was thrown in there."
"Do you know your funeral rites?"
"Not really, we were cast out fairly young."
"Would you be opposed to an Azgeda funeral ritual?"
"No, kwin Cooper. As long as Otan is put to rest and his soul released, that will be enough." Cooper nodded.
"General Dorran, get some warriors to cut some trees down for a funeral."
"Sha, ai kwin!" he said before moving off to organise it.
"Once your brother is cremated, what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. We lived in the dead zone but it's not an easy place to live. Everywhere we went I'll remember Otan. Right now, those memories are painful."
"I can take her to Skaikru lands to see Abby. See if there's anything she can do for her," Murphy said. Cooper turned back to Emori.
"What about it? Want to go with them?"
"What will I do?"
"What can you do?"
"Anything. I don't let my deformity define who I am or what I can do!" she said with a touch of determination.
"Good. Murphy, what about taking her to Polis with you when you return? Maybe Clarke can give her a new clan and a place to stay?" Murphy nodded.
"Good idea. Only Clarke can say if someone joins our clan, right?" Cooper nodded.
"Are you okay with that, Emori? As long as you help out with the hunting and such, you can go with him." Emori looked over to him. She liked what she saw. She could do worse by staying in the dead zone.
"Sha, Kwin Cooper," Emori said. Murphy smiled.
"Do you want to ride a horse or in a wagon?" he asked her.
"Do you know how to drive a wagon?"
"Sha, but not well."
"Then I'll drive. I can show the two men how to do it as well so they can drive them as well. It's a good job to have," she replied.
"Deal," Murphy said. "Come on, we'll get things set up and once the funeral rites have been done, we can leave." Emori nodded but waited for Cooper to release her before she went over.
"Go," Cooper said and watched as Emori walked over to Murphy and they began to talk about what they needed and what they could get along the way.
"What about Jaha?" Laura asked.
"He can replace Otan and nourish the ground," Cooper said. Laura was a little shocked but she remembered what Jaha was like on the Ark. It was no different now than it was up there. Those in charge could kill prisoners if they wanted.
The following day, Otan had been cremated and his soul released. Murphy sat upon his horse and Emori was driving the wagon with the two men sitting in the back with several bags of food and some camping supplies. Cooper and Laura waved them off.
"Oh yeah, Laura I meant to ask if your parents were alive when you came down?"
"Dad was, but mom died of cancer when I was eight."
"Arrow station?"
"Yeah."
"Then your father could now be a Yujleda member. Arrow station came down in Florida and that's Yujleda territory. They made contact with the locals and learned from them. When asked if they wanted to stay Skaikru or become Yujleda, most of them wanted to stay where they landed. I'll have to send a message to Clarke about you and she can find out if your dad's alive and where he is, okay?"
"Yes, please." Cooper grinned.
"Come on, let's get you sorted. Don't suppose you can ride, can you?"
"Nope. Never been on a horse other than as a prisoner."
"Then you can ride in one of the wagons," Cooper said. Laura nodded.
"Ma!" Drew said.
"Hey, baby, you good?"
"Da, ma!"
"Sha, nomon," Cooper replied.
"What?" asked Laura.
"Sha means yes and nomon means mother."
"Oh." She turned to Drew.
"Sha." Drew looked at her.
"Sa!" Laura and Cooper grinned.
"Close enough!" Cooper said. Laura laughed.
It took them another two weeks to reach Cooper's palace.
"You live here?!" Laura exclaimed when she saw it.
"Yes. I know it's a bit…gaudy, but the next monarch can change it. I've already changed the inside." Laura nodded.
"Sha, ai kwin," she said. During the journey, Echo had given Laura lessons in protocol and taught her about the political layout and what each clan did or produced. Laura caught on quickly.
Cooper led her into the palace.
"Katsuri!" Cooper called. A moment later, Katsuri appeared.
"Sha, ai kwin?"
"Guest quarters for Laura kom Skaikru and her daughter, please."
"Right away, ai kwin," he said bowing.
"Go with him Laura and he'll get you sorted. Katsuri, find her and her daughter some decent clothing as well, please."
"Immediately, ai kwin," he said, bowing again. Laura left with him and Cooper turned her attention to Charles.
"Anything important?"
"No, ai kwin. Just routine reports."
"Good. I'm going to my office to write a report for Heda Clarke kom Skaikru. I'll need a messenger to ride to Polis with it."
"I'll get one standing by, ai kwin."
"Good. After that, I want a bath and some rest."
"I'll make sure one is drawn for you, kwin Cooper."
"Thank you, Charles." Charles bowed and left and Cooper went to her office to write a letter to Clarke.
ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo
Well guys, that's the penultimate chapter. Next week is the last for this story. I don't have any more stories finished and I don't like putting out stories only half done, it puts too much pressure on me to complete them.
The next chapter could be put out early because this week has been crap for my family. Two family members in two different hospitals 40 miles apart and our home is stuck between them. Visiting hours are the same so that means I have to choose who to see - my 83 year old mum or my younger brother who has Down's Syndrome and dementia. It's a nightmare! I will put out the last chapter and then wait a while for them to come home before I start others. Thank you, Samdagger.