There is some repetition in this chapter, but I felt it necessary for the reactions of certain people. Samdagger.
Chapter 11
Cooper and the Prince - who's name she had yet to learn - moved south to get back to Tesla station when suddenly, the prince pushed Cooper to the side and swiped his sword from its scabbard and slashed at the person almost upon them. Three more came at him and one at Cooper. Cooper avoided his slash and moved aside as the young man tried to attack again. He swung at her but she moved out of the way and as the sword was still completing its arc through the air, Cooper kicked his hand, making him drop the sword. She kicked him in the chest and he flew backwards. Cooper picked up the sword and when the young man went to attack her again with his knife, Cooper swung the sword and sliced open his chest. He looked down in surprise and once more tried to attack her. This time, she kept him at bay but because he knew about her abilities, she couldn't get the killshot she needed. She tried again and again to get in a lucky strike, but to no avail. More Azgeda joined the fight and soon she was overpowered again. The Prince had been stabbed and was down when she was knocked out - again.
She woke up completely tied up this time. She was blindfolded and gagged. She was laying on the ground but on top of some kind of material. She could feel the sun on her face so she guessed she was outside. She felt the force of a boot to her ribs and she grunted in pain.
"She's awake, my queen," a male voice said.
"Bring her here," she said. Cooper was picked up and carried over to whoever had spoken. She was set on her feet and her blindfold was ripped away. The sun was directly in her eyes and she squinted and turned her head away. A hand under her chin forced her head back around.
"Who are you?" she asked. Cooper kept quiet. The woman before her nodded to someone behind Cooper and Cooper felt her legs buckled as she was kicked in the back of her legs. Once down, feet and fists beat down on her for several minutes until the woman stopped them. Cooper was dragged back to her feet.
"Who are you?" the woman asked again. Cooper kept silent once more. She nodded again and this time she felt a knife slash across her upper arm. Cooper cried out in alarm and shock.
"I'll ask you only once more, the next time you don't answer, you die!" she said. "Who are you?"
"Clarke Griffin," Cooper got out. The woman looked at her.
"So you are the Skai Heda? Why were you out in the woods with that natrona?"
"Natrona?" Cooper asked.
"Traitor. That was the one that was once my son. He is a traitor to his people."
"He saved me from more of your people."
"Natrona!" she yelled. "Why are you here?"
"We found out that you were preparing to invade. I was at one of our stations with three hundred Trikru warriors to see off your attack. Three hundred others are at another site and two hundred are at another. Once the clans learn of your treachery, they will join the Commander in destroying your nation!" Cooper spat out. The woman slapped Cooper and her head snapped back, drawing blood from her mouth.
"How did you find out?"
"Does it matter? We found out and we prepared. Once you set foot onto Trirku lands, it was considered an invasion. That is against the laws of the Kongeda to which you are still subject."
"That will change once we take Polis," she said.
"Doubt it, it's very well defended," Cooper said. "How many more warriors do you have with you because I guarantee it's not enough." Another strike to her head drew more blood.
"For the leader of your people, you are not very smart," the woman said with a smirk. "My people are legion and I can raise over twenty thousand warriors without even trying. If I emptied out all my fighting people, I could field an army of over fifty thousand warriors!"
"Still not enough," Cooper said, shrugging.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because all the clans combined could raise over a hundred thousand warriors themselves." The woman stepped back as she considered her words.
"I have you, Wanheda. Once I kill you and take your power, I will command all the clan lands!"
"No, you won't. The Commander will still rule. You can kill me, but you won't get my power. It doesn't transfer from one to the next like the Commander's does. Once I die, my power dies too." Several warriors stirred to hear that.
"You are wrong! You are the Commander of Death!"
"I do not command death, Queen Nia, I am death!" Cooper thought that may have been a tad dramatic but it seemed to be what this mad woman responded to.
She screamed and walked away, trying to get herself back under control. Cooper looked around at the warriors who were now shuffling back a few steps. No-one wanted to be that near to death! Cooper chuckled that the mighty warriors were scared of a few words. It seemed as if they put more stock in words than actions. Cooper stood there waiting for the queen to return or for the warriors to take her somewhere else. She looked around her and realised they were not that far from Polis. It was only a few miles from where the skybox had landed and therefore only a few miles from Darlington where Farm station was. They were only about six miles north of the skybox which meant around ten miles west of Farm station. Cooper hoped that none of them went over in that direction, then she realised that maybe the queen was waiting for those who were attacking Farm station to join them after they killed all the Skaikru they found there.
Cooper looked at a sign. Forest Hill Airport. She looked around and could faintly make out where the runway must have been. It was not a road but there were trees along the sides. Cooper guessed that over the years, the runway stayed clear of trees because of the concrete and tarmac used while the sides of the runway was grass so it was a good place for trees to take root. If it was an airport, there should be buildings under all the dirt and soil. Cooper wondered if she could find one and hide in it, then she dismissed that idea. It would take time to find a building and dig it out enough tto get into it. They'd never give her that time. She sighed and waited for the mad queen to return.
A few minutes later she returned.
"I will take you with me to Polis and the Commander can see you before I kill both of you!" she said.
"Why do you think the Commander would care about me?"
"Because I have spies there who tell me that you and the Commander are very, very close," she said.
"True," Cooper said.
"I'm reliably informed that you often spent the night at the tower on the Commander's personal floor."
"Yes, I do. Not as often as you'd think, but yes, I've spent a few nights up there," Cooper said. She wasn't lying. As Clarke's bodyguard, she sometimes spent the night on duty outside the Commander's door protecting her heda and the Commander. Queen Nia nodded at one of her warriors who knocked Cooper out.
xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx
She came to on the back of a horse with a warrior riding behind her. She was still tied up and she had a bag over her head.
"Fuck!" she said and got a slap on the back of her head. She kept silent for the rest of the journey. Not long after, they stopped and the warrior literally pushed her off the horse and she landed in a heap, stunned. Hands picked her up and forced her to walk wherever they were taking her.
She was standing beside whom she thought was Queen Nia when the woman started talking.
"Commander Lexa! Behold, your beloved!" The bag was ripped off her head and Cooper saw the walls of Polis before her. The Commander was above the closed gate looking down on them. Even from there, Cooper could see the Commander frowning. She knew Clarke was safe back at the warehouse so why did Queen Nia think she had her?
"She gave us a lot of information, Commander, just like Costia did before she died." That was new to Cooper. She had no idea who Costia was, but she had no doubt that she was tortured for information and then killed and that she must have been special to the Commander. Lexa's face hardened at the mention of her previous love.
"I never said anything, Commander," Cooper yelled. The Commander nodded once in acknowledgement.
"She gave me your battle plans for the other stations!"
"I told her how many warriors you sent there but nothing else, certainly nothing about the others who were on their way."
"What others?" Queen Nia said, turning on Cooper. Cooper kept silent. She was struck once more.
"TELL ME!" she yelled at Cooper.
"Untie me and fight me instead of trying to intimidate me while I'm tied up! Some leader you are if you can't even fight fair." Another strike opened a cut on her cheek.
"Fight me!" she yelled at the Queen. "You want to be the Commander, then you should be able to fight with the Commander of Death! FIGHT!" The Queen was furious and nodded to a warrior to untie her. The Queen pulled out her sword as a sword was thrust into Cooper's hand. It was a little heavier than the ones she'd trained with, but it would do until she could find a lighter one.
A space was cleared as the warriors stood back. Cooper had no idea what the fight would achieve but if she could wound the queen enough that she couldn't fight, she had a chance to get free and hoped the Commander took the opportunity the fight would create.
Cooper took up a stance and faced the queen who didn't even give her the chance to strike. As soon as she faced the queen, her sword was already heading towards her. Cooper immediately ducked and put her sword up to deflect the blade, After that, it was backwards and forwards, give and take as the two of them fought. At first, Cooper was hard pressed just to defend herself. The Queen was striking again and again. Cooper hoped that she would tire soon. Nia was not a young woman and even though she had been trained from a young age to be a warrior, Nia could no longer hold her own with the young warriors. Cooper saw a small decrease in the strength of her strokes and a small gap between strikes. She was slowing down. Cooper took the opportunity to strike at her and as she blocked the blade, Nia drew it back and this time, Cooper didn't, she thrust her sword into the exposed body of the queen. The look of shock on her face was enough for Cooper to know she had delivered a serious wound. She pulled her sword out and took another stance, but the queen dropped her sword and fell to the ground. Warriors all around looked at her and then at Cooper.
Something must have happened because soon all the Azgeda warriors kneeled down, heads bowed towards Cooper. Cooper looked at the Commander and frowned. The Commander and a contingent of guards came out and over to Cooper. One of the Trikru guards checked on Nia.
"She's dead," he said. The Commander nodded.
"What's happening, Commander?" Cooper asked.
"When you challenged Nia to fight, it was a fight to the death and the one who survived would be the next queen of Azgeda."
"WHAT?" Cooper yelled. "I don't want to be the Azgeda queen!"
"Then you can appoint someone to take over."
"Wait, wait. Let me get this straight. Because I fought and killed the Azgeda queen, I've now BECOME the Azgeda Queen?"
"Sha, your majesty," the Commander said with a small bow to her, smirking as she did so.
"So what does that mean?"
"You are now the leader of these warriors." Cooper's eyes narrowed. She turned to one of the Azgeda warriors.
"Is that true?"
"Sha, Wanheda."
"Wanheda?" the Commander asked.
"When they asked for my name, I gave them Clarke's. I thought that if they thought they had her, they wouldn't go looking for her." The Commander nodded.
"You are not Wanheda?" the warrior asked, surprised.
"No, I'm not," Cooper replied. "I'm Cooper kom… ahh shit! I'm Cooper kom Azgeda, Kwin of the Ice Nation!" She said sullenly. Cooper was not happy about that.
"Hail Kwin," the warrior said and it was repeated by all the Azgeda warriors. "Your orders, my kwin?"
"Send messengers out and recall our warriors back to Azgeda," she ordered. The warrior banged his fist on his chest, bowed and sent several people off to recall the troops.
"Send most of them back but I want a group of ten warriors to remain with me. I assume that Kwins have a guard with them at all times?"
"Sha, ai kwin." He left to organise the return of the warriors. Cooper turned to the Commander.
"I really need to learn the language," she said facetiously. The Commander smirked. "What now, Commander?"
"Do you want to fight me?"
"Not in the slightest. I want to be here with my people, but until I can leave Azgeda in better hands, I need to go there and keep them from attacking anyone else."
"Wise decision."
"Not really, it's either I go be queen until I can find a suitable replacement or they fight among themselves and bring more terror to their own people until it's stopped." The Commander nodded.
"You need to be crowned as the queen before anything you do is official," the Commander said.
"And I suppose that happens in Azgeda?"
"Sha."
"Brilliant," muttered Cooper, not meaning it. "What about the Kongeda?"
"You would need to swear fealty to me as the Commander, but only after you are crowned."
"Oh that's just great! To do anything I have to become the queen of the Ice Nation and live in the cold lands! I'm gonna freeze before I can come home."
"Home?"
"Commander, this is my home. I don't know if I'll be Trikru or Skaikru, but Polis is the place I find myself coming back to. This is home to me." The Commander smiled.
The warrior returned and told Cooper that the warriors were ready to return home. Cooper went over to them.
"When you get back to Azgeda, make sure that no-one invades our lands. If any of the Trikru chase our warriors back over our borders, send them back. DO NOT KILL THEM!" They looked at her and as one replied.
"Sha, kwin!"
"Move out!" She ordered them. They moved off back towards their homeland.
"Kwin Cooper, these are your new guards," the warrior said.
"What's your name?"
"Koby, ai kwin," he replied.
"Okay, Koby, you are my personal bodyguard until further notice. Where I go, you go, got that?"
"Sha, ai kwin."
"Choose two others and include one woman in the group that will spell you when you need to sleep." He nodded.
"The others will help out wherever I tell them." He nodded once more. Cooper turned to the Commander.
"Commander, may we enter your city and go to the Azgeda Embassy?"
"Yes, your majesty," she replied and a group of Trikru warriors formed up around Cooper and her guards as they were escorted into Polis.
Once at the Embassy, the Commander informed her that because of the recent hostilities, she could not allow them to roam around unescorted. Cooper nodded and then the Commander assigned Ryder as her escort. Cooper smiled. She liked Ryder. The Commander left and promised to send Ryder to her within the candlemark. Until then she needed to stay at the embassy. Cooper nodded her assent and said goodbye to the Commander.
xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx
Indra, Octavia and a few warriors were on their way back to Polis to inform the Commander of their victory when they saw Azgeda warriors walking back towards their homeland. Indra pulled her horse in front of them and demanded what they were doing.
"Kwin Cooper is sending us home," one replied.
"Kwin Cooper? Where is Nia?!"
"Kwin Cooper killed Kwin Nia in single combat." Indra knew the Azgeda way of becoming the next ruler but guessed that Cooper didn't.
"So Cooper is your new queen? How is she taking that?"
"She doesn't like it, but she will honour the tradition until she finds a worthy successor." Octavia stared at him.
"Cooper killed the Queen by herself?" she asked incredulously.
"Sha, we did not know who she was because she told us her name was Clarke Griffin, Skai Heda and Wanheda." Octavia smirked. She was pleased that Cooper had done that, it saved Clarke from being hunted down.
"So you are returning home?"
"Sha, Kwin Cooper sent messengers to all places we were attacking to stop fighting and go home."
"So the war is over?"
"Sha. Kwin Cooper is at Polis and will return with our people." Indra nodded and moved her horse to the side.
"Do not stop until you are back in your own lands!" she said as they passed. The warriors continued their journey without fighting. Once they were passed and had moved into the trees, Octavia turned to Indra.
"Think it will last?"
"Maybe, though I didn't think Cooper would be the one to end it!"
"Me neither, but you really should stop underestimating us skai kids!" Indra looked at her and realised she was correct, they had underestimated all of them. One was Wanheda, one was now a Trikru warrior and now a third was the Azgeda Queen, having killed the previous one in single combat!
"Let us go to Polis and see what's happening." Octavia nodded and they moved off to Polis.
xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx
A messenger reached the village of Arkadia just before the Azgeda attacked. Kane watched as the messenger talked to the leader of the Azgeda warriors. They seemed to have an argument but the leader listened to the messenger. He sighed and walked alone to the fence.
"My Queen was defeated in combat and we have a new one. The one once called Cooper kom Skaikru is now our queen. We have been recalled home."
"Cooper is your queen? How?"
"In our traditions, the ruler can be challenged to single combat. If they die, the challenger becomes the next ruler. Cooper challenged Nia and she won. She is now our queen. This war is over. We will leave you in peace. Do not cross our borders!" He turned around and walked back to his people before ordering them back to the homeland. In less than an hour, all of the Azgeda had left. Kane and the Trikru general decided to send scouts to make sure they went home.
Abby, Sinclair and others came out of the station.
"What happened?" Abby said.
"It seems that Cooper kom Skaikru challenged the Azgeda queen to a fight to the death and won. By Azgeda laws that made Cooper their new queen. She recalled all the Azgeda troops and sent them back to Azgeda."
"Cooper?!" Abby said surprised.
"We have three of the dropship prisoners now in positions of authority on the ground and none of them needed our help to do it. Maybe it's time to stop seeing children and start seeing people," Kane said. Abby just stared at him. She turned and left for the medbay, not yet ready to admit her own daughter knew better than her when it came to the ground. Abby gave way to Kane because he was an adult, but the kids were still kids in her eyes. A lifetime of being conditioned to think like that was hard to overcome. Kane sighed. He had hoped that Abby would be better now but she was still resistant to anything other than adults being seen as better than children.
The Trikru general sent out hunters for more food and Kane sent out people to get more water. Soon the warriors were settling down into their tents for a good night's sleep.
xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx
An Azgeda messenger was making his way to Tesla station when he was captured by General Chester and Sterling.
"Where's Cooper!" Sterling yelled at him.
"Kwin Cooper is safe at Polis," the messenger said.
"What?" Chester asked. "When did she become our kwin?"
"Not your kwin, Trikru! She killed Queen Nia in single combat." Chester was silent and Sterling wanted to know what was happening. He looked between both of them.
"What am I missing?" he asked. Chester turned to him.
"When Cooper killed their queen, she became their new queen."
"Wait, Cooper's the Azgeda queen?"
"Sha."
"So what are you doing here?" he asked the messenger.
"She has recalled all the warriors back to our lands. I was on my way to tell our people not to attack."
"Too late, they already did. We repelled it, but a recall was already sounded when Cooper went missing."
"How did she end up with Queen Nia at Polis?" Chester wanted to know.
"I do not know how she came to the camp, but Queen Nia had her tied up. Cooper had said something about Prince Roan freeing her from her Azgeda captors. Queen Nia called him a traitor. What happened next, I don't know."
"Go home, Azgeda and don't come back!" Chester said, untying the warrior. The warrior nodded and headed home.
"Let's go back to Tesla station and give them the good news," Sterling said. Chester nodded and they turned around and headed back.
xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx
The messenger heading for Farm station met Indra and Octavia along the way and he was informed that they already knew and he was to continue back to Azgeda. The messenger nodded and left, glad he left with his life.
"Let's get there and see what's happening," Octavia said. Indra nodded and they continued on their way. They reached Polis three hours later.
"Jidon!" Indra called to one of the gate guards. "Open up!" The gate was opened enough for them to enter and then closed again.
"We met Azgeda as they were returning to their lands. They said that Cooper was now their queen."
"Sha, General Indra. It was a sight to see!"
"What happened?"
"Cooper was tied up and she yelled at the queen to untie her and fight her. Nia did and soon they were fighting. Cooper hasn't learned our weapons enough to fight properly, so she did the smart thing and waited until Nia had tired and had fallen into a rhythm. Once Nia had tired enough, Cooper struck her as Nia raised her sword to strike at her. One thrust to her chest and Nia dropped her sword and fell down dead. The Azgeda warriors all knelt before Cooper and declared her their new kwin!"
"Where is she now?"
"At the Azgeda Embassy, General."
"So what's happening now?"
"Cooper recalled all Azgeda troops and sent them all home. She had kept ten guards with her for protocol reasons."
"Wise," Indra said.
"The Commander wants her to swear fealty to her and the kongeda, but that needs to wait until she is officially crowned as the Azgeda queen."
"We'd better go see the Commander," Octavia said. Indra nodded and she sent the troops to the local barracks to eat and rest while she and Octavia made their way to the tower.
xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx
"Commander," they both said as they bowed to her in the throne room.
"Indra, Octavia," the Commander replied as she sat down.
"We encountered Azgeda warriors at Farm station and defeated them. I've left most of our warriors there and came here with a hundred. We met more Azgeda warriors moving towards their homelands. They told us what happened with Nia and Cooper." Before the Commander could reply, Clarke and Miller were announced. They entered when Lexa gave them permission.
"Commander," Clarke said, while they both bowed. "General Indra, Octavia," Clarke said, acknowledging them.
"What's happening, Commander. We got a garbled message about Cooper and Queen Nia fighting."
"Cooper challenged Queen Nia to single combat. Nia was killed and by Azgeda laws, whoever does that becomes their next ruler."
"Cooper's the new Azgeda Queen?!"
"Sha." Clarke didn't know what to say.
"Where is she?"
"At her own Embassy," Lexa replied.
"Her embassy? You mean the Azgeda one?"
"Sha."
"So what does this mean for the kongeda and us?"
"I do not know. I do know that Cooper doesn't want to be their queen, but she is conscious enough to know if she doesn't then civil war would break out in Azgeda and it could spill over into other clan lands."
"So the war with Skaikru is over," Octavia said.
"Sha, she has recalled all the troops."
"Will they go? After all, Nia was their queen when they set out. Would they believe someone telling them she was dead and a stranger was now their queen?"
"We don't know, but they are conditioned to believe another Azgeda messenger."
"Then could we talk with her?"
"Not as your friend, but if I call her here as the Azgeda Queen, you can talk to her." Clarke nodded.
"I don't like thinking of her as a potential enemy."
"Neither do I," said Octavia.
I will send for her tomorrow morning. That will give everyone time to think things through," the Commander said, rising to end the meeting.
xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx
Cooper walked into her new Embassy and found it empty.
"The Commander would have arrested our people, Ai Kwin." Cooper nodded.
"Alright, I know nothing of your- our ways so I'll need a crash course in the main laws and ways and of the Azgeda culture," Cooper said.
"Sha, ai Kwin," Koby said. He was a large man and he reminded her of Gustus. So far, he seemed okay with Cooper being their new queen. She hoped he was as loyal as Gustus was before his treachery… maybe Ryder would be a better person to compare him to.
Koby showed her around the Embassy and showed her to the Queens Chambers. Cooper didn't like the decor of them and would change them if she was going to be here for a while. The walls were blood red with a collection of shackles and other restraints dotted around. Cooper wondered if the queen liked control even in the bedroom! It would all go and a more neutral colour would adorn the walls. The bed furs had also been dyed a deep red. Those would be given to the Commander to do with what she wanted and Cooper would find better ones in the market.
"Change the bedfurs, Koby. I do not like blood red as a decorating colour either."
"Sha, Ai Kwin." He went to a closet and pulled out snow white furs instead. "These are from a white bear that lives way to the north but still inside our territory," he told her.
"A completely white bear!" Cooper said in astonishment.
"Sha, up there it is cold all year around and snow comes early and leaves vey late. The white fur would hide in the snow." Cooper nodded. "Will these do?"
"Sha, Koby," Cooper replied.
"What about the walls? What colour do you want?"
"Can you get a light grey? I think white would be a little much in here, but I think a light grey would be nice." Koby looked at her.
"You are not like our old queen," he said.
"Is that a bad thing?" she asked.
"I do not know. Queen Nia ruled from before I was born. I do not know any other ruler."
"And therefore, no other way of ruling?"
"Sha."
"Did you ever come here before?"
"To Polis? No, ai kwin."
"There are many ways to rule, Koby, terror is just one of them."
"Our people do not know another way. The warriors may rebel against you."
"People are going to make their own minds up no matter how I rule, Koby, that's the way of humanity."
"Maybe it's time for Azgeda to become peaceful with the other clans."
"Maybe it's time for Azgeda to become peaceful with themselves," Cooper countered. Koby nodded after thinking about it.
"It would be nice to know we could spend time with our families and not be attacked for it." Cooper was confused about that.
"Are you saying that Queen Nia would attack her own people?"
"Sha, ai kwin. I think she enjoyed the pain and suffering of her people." Koby seemed ashamed to admit that.
"Well then, before I relinquish the crown, I'm going to make some changes and whoever takes over from me will keep the new rules," Cooper said.
"Any ideas who?"
"Not yet, but it needs to be someone who can rule fairly but lead warriors in battle as well. The needs of their ruler should not outweigh the needs of the people. If I can't provide for my people, then I have no right to rule them, Koby. That's the mark of a good ruler, she looks after her people." Koby thought about it.
"Like the Commander? She brought all the clans together and got them to stop fighting."
"And she brings them together for trade agreements," Cooper said.
"She does?" he asked, surprised.
"Sha. Every spring and fall, the leaders or Ambassadors meet to discuss what is needed and what they have to trade."
"Azgeda as well?"
"Sha."
Koby was quiet as he thought through everything he'd learned when in the presence of his old queen.
"She often said that she had trade goods and no-one would trade with her."
"So she took goods back with her and kept them for herself?"
"I do not know, ai kwin, but it is troubling to me to know she could let our people starve and yet demand they produce more food than they can." Cooper closed her eyes at the stupidity, greed and unconscionable deceit of Nia.
"Well then, once in Azgeda, I need to find out exactly what she did, where the goods were sent and what to do to reverse it. I have a lot to do, Koby, and I'll need a group of good people to do it."
"Sha, ai kwin," Koby said, this time smiling. "I think I can find some people who could help you and a few people who can enforce it if necessary."
"I don't want any headbashing against people who are just trying to survive, Koby! Those warriors from her own personal guards were probably handpicked for their ruthlessness and enjoyment of terrorising their own people. They need to go. I want a guard who will protect me from danger, not our own people."
"Sha, ai kwin," he said again, relief evident in his voice. "What do you want to do first?"
"I want this place turned upside down to find its secrets, Koby. That Ambassador will be her man and therefore do her bidding - no matter how illegal it is!"
"Sha. Most of the documents will be written in Azgedasleng though. I will assign Lori to you to help you with them. She prefers a slower pace than fighting."
"If she's good at the job, then maybe she can stay here as my Ambassador. I'll need someone I trust to do the job."
"I believe she would like that," he said, grinning,
"Okay, take me to the Ambassador's office and we'll take it from there."
"Sha, ai kwin," Koby said, bowing to her and leading her out of the queen's chambers.
xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx
Sterling and General Chester made it back to Tesla station.
"It's okay, they've gone back home, the war is over!" Sterling shouted when they were within reach. Several people cheered. William and Cooper's mother, Julia, went to them.
"Where's Cooper?" Julia asked. Sterling and Chester looked at each other.
"She's alive and safe in Polis," Sterling said.
"But?" Julia asked. Sterling sighed.
"She was captured by the Azgeda and taken to their queen. Cooper challenged the queen to single combat and won. By their laws, that made Cooper the new Azgeda Queen," Sterling said.
"So my daughter is now a queen to those barbarians?!" Julia said, indignant.
"She didn't know she would become their queen, but she can do a lot of good up there. She can change an entire nation to a more peaceful one."
"At what cost to herself though?"
"We don't know. I need to return to Polis," Sterling said.
"I'm coming with you," Julia said. Before Sterling could say anything Julia continued. "She's my daughter, Sterling. I'm not leaving her there alone." Sterling nodded.
"We'll be setting off within the hour," Sterling told her.
"I can't ride," she admitted. Sterling turned to Chester.
"May we borrow a wagon, General? We can fill it up with things from one of the old world places we've already found and return to Polis with it." Chester nodded.
"May I ask for one of those telescopes as payment?"
"Sha, General. That is more than acceptable. I will add other things from there for you as payment."
"You pay for things?"
"We TRADE for things, Julia. We can't just take what we want, so we trade for it instead. How else do you exchange goods when they don't use money anymore?" Julia thought about it and realised he was right. She had a lot to learn about the ground and not just how to hunt and find water. She should have thought about these things, but staying alive was their number one priority and she never thought about that.
Within the hour, Julia was sitting on the seat of a wagon next to the driver as they moved out and back towards Polis via Harribur.
At Carlisle barracks, Sterling led some of the warriors sent as escorts into the building and down to where the goods were. Julia came with them and looked around at all the things left behind by another clan of people who had no idea of the destruction to come. She picked up some plates, cups and cutlery before finding a bag and putting them inside it. She picked up some small squares of coloured material called Linen serviettes. Apparently some people spilled food on themselves so they were put on the person's lap to catch whatever food they dropped and it kept their clothes clean as well. She could use them for something else instead. She also looked through some of the kitchen gadgets and picked up a peeling knife, a grater and a device used to chop things up. It was manually operated by pushing down on the plunger. She kept looking and found a meat grinder. She put them all into her pack and then went back to the wagon. Sterling checked her pack to make sure she didn't have any forbidden goods. He passed it as fine and Julia climbed on board and watched as Sterling and the others loaded things into the back including tools and several wheelbarrows. She frowned and then understood that those things could be used for whatever was needed. She'd concentrated on food prep things, but they could use a whole variety of other items. She had a lot to learn!
ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo
I debated even putting this chapter out this week as it contained the death of a queen, but as I finish stories (almost) before I even put out chapter one, it just happened to coincide with Her Majesty's Funeral tomorrow. In the end, I decided to put it out instead of keeping you waiting. Samdagger.
