Return to the Unfamiliar

Chapter One: A Little Routine

The sharp rap on the bedroom door woke Lexa from her sleep. She stifled a yawn and thought back to the days when she'd be awake long before an attendant came to fetch her at sunrise. Now her mind and body fought together to delay the inevitable. When Lexa was awake she was restless and would not be able to lounge around. That would mean sacrificing precious time spent with the person who was still sound asleep, tucked into her left side. Lexa curled the arm that was underneath Clarke and prodded the woman on the shoulder,

"Clarke." she whispered. There was a pause and then,

"No."

Lexa smiled. It was such a familiar scene, a routine that she and Clarke went through almost every morning, "Clarke we have to get up and go to the meeting."

Lexa watched as Clarke struggled to open her eyes. She looked up at Lexa with the saddest expression she could muster.

"Clarke, do you want the alliance to crumble?" Lexa asked. She was making fun of course, but she kept her tone cool to suggest she meant business.

"Yes. Your kingdom for fifteen more minutes." Clarke murmured, voice hoarse.

"Excellent. It's good to know I have the full support of my lover." Lexa had grown increasingly fond, and capable, of these little back-and-forths they shared. In their first months together, Lexa had continued to struggle to identify when Clarke was mocking her. Her natural instincts were towards seriousness and literalness. But she had learned eventually. Now she not only to give back as good as she got, but knew exactly what to say to emerge victorious from these little battles of wit.

"Aw," came Clarke's response and she picked up her head and pecked Lexa on the lips, "Fine. I'm awake. Just promise me breakfast is first on the to-do list and I'm all yours."

"I promise."

They both got out of bed and began to dress, dancing around each other as they located their respective garments. Everything was so well versed. Clarke had been living in Polis for four seasons now, a year by the Sky people's way of counting time.

In that time Clarke had learnt to speak trigedaleng quite fluently and as a result, she had been able to start working as a healer in the city. It was a busy job, especially in the most populated area of the Trigeda. But it had done Clarke good to concentrate on helping the people of Polis. Lexa had seen over the year how a weight had gradually lifted off of Clarke's shoulders. Lexa was proud of how readily Clarke had thrown herself into learning about Trigeda culture.

Lexa's time as Commander had been filled with diplomatic meetings. She and the leaders of the other clans had spent the year arranging stronger trade of goods and skills between the clans. Lexa hoped that greater communication between the Trigeda and its neighbours would strengthen her own clan. It would make the woods clan worthy of the respect of other clans. Once you began to rely on each other to prosper, you were less likely to start fighting. That being said, the road hadn't been easy. All the clans were proud and keen to show their strength. A hundred year history of at best tolerating one another's presence and at worst open hostility was not going to go away overnight. Whilst the negotiations had been pretty successful, it wasn't uncommon for Lexa to leave them feeling drained. Bickering and petty one-upmanship was rife between the clan representatives.

All this meant that Lexa and Clarke did not get as much time together as they wished for. Often one would return to the Commander's home only to find the other already asleep. But they found the moments that they could and they cherished them. Mornings were one of those moments. They could not guarantee that they'd be able to go to bed together, but waking up next to each other was an almost certainty. They would have breakfast together. Afterwards, Lexa would see Clarke off on her horse, before turning towards her own duties for the day.

Today was different however. Today Lexa would be speaking with representatives from the desert and boat clans about the trade of medicinal herbs. She needed someone with a greater knowledge of such things than she present. Lexa had jumped at the opportunity of having Clarke come with her to the negotiations. Lexa had absolute faith in Clarke's knowledge. More than that, as Clarke had regained her confidence over the last year, Lexa had begun to wonder when she would express an interest in returning to Camp Jaha. Lexa believed it wouldn't be long. She foresaw a future where Clarke might even become the official leader of the sky people, or the 'sky clan' even. The negotiations would be a perfect introduction to those responsibilities, although Lexa had not mentioned this to Clarke. It was up to Clarke to come to that realisation in her own time and Lexa would wait as long as necessary. She knew that when the moment came, she would stay right at Clarke's side, giving her all the support she needed.

It was an exciting change from their usual routine because it meant not saying goodbye after breakfast. Once they had eaten, Lexa and Clarke made their way outside. Aldrin fell into step behind them from where he had been waiting at the entrance to their home. Instead of heading towards the stable they both began the short walk to the war room. It was housed in a large metal building in the centre of the Commander's village.

Lexa craned her neck to the winter sun as it peeked from behind a cloud. The days were growing ever colder. But she took this moment to enjoy the weak sunlight and the fresh outside air. It was unlikely she'd be leaving the war room for many hours.

"So we're meeting people from the desert clan and the boat clan, right?" came Clarke's voice and Lexa dropped her head and focused,

"Yes. The desert clan live on the edge of the dead zone. Their lives are harsh. Their soil is of poor quality. The Chief has expressed a need for greater trade of medicinal plants, something we have no problem finding in our forests."

"Do you know what they want to trade in return, or is this a charity case?"

Lexa smiled at Clarke's optimism, "To some extent perhaps. The vegetation that does grow in their territory is hardy. But the desert people are skilled craftsmen and they use their resources well. Things we may be able to use to improve the quality of living in the army camp. Or simple things like materials for weaving. These materials alone may not seem worth our time, but we need the desert clan to share their building techniques. That would be a fair trade."

Clarke nodded her understanding. Clarke had told Lexa on may occasions that one thing that she had grown to appreciate about the tree people was their willingness to share with each other. Goods were traded for other goods that you needed more, but if there was nothing you required it was still largely true that you'd give to those in need. Food and shelter was given equally among all residents of Polis, and the other settlements in the Trigeda followed suit. Now Lexa was hoping to open up this way of life to the other clans.

"What about the boat clan? Why are they going to be there?"

"Their boats are the quickest means of distributing tradeable goods. The Trigeda has always had a good relationship with them since their territory is across the river from Polis. But now they face a lot more work. They'll no doubt want a share of the goods being traded between the woods and the desert."

They reached the war building. The large metal structure punctured the flat surroundings and cast a large shadow even with the sun so low in the sky. It's corrugated walls were adorned with black paint, the same circular design that could be found on the flags atop Lexa's house. It was the mark of the Trigedakru; a symbol they had inherited from the old world but it's original meaning had been forgotten. Now it communicated an official place, the property of the Commander.

Lexa paused for a moment outside the door. She looked ahead of her to where she could see her generals and their seconds already at sparring practice. The sounds of swords and loosed arrows carried to where she stood. She focused and felt the Commander's mask slipping back into place. Clarke must have noticed because she furrowed her brow and then gave a small nod of understanding. The time for being casual had passed.

Lexa stepped through the door first, followed by Clarke and Aldrin. She led them through the first small area that housed the circular staircase to the next level and into the large back room. It was dark, save for candlelight and a large wooden table stood in the centre.

The representatives of the boat and desert clans had already taken their seats around the table. When Lexa entered they stood and bowed their heads in respect. There was a slight male from the boat crew. He had gingery hair, a rarity. The woman from the desert clan looked tall, even sitting. She wore the loose white clothing traditional in the desert, her head covered as it would be in her own territory to fend off the sun.

Lexa bowed her head in turn to each of them. She approached the largest chair at the head of the table and waited for Clarke to stand next to her own before sitting down. Everyone else followed suit, except for Aldrin who remained standing behind the Commander, his sharp eyes ever alert.

Lexa looked at each representative in turn, her face neutral. Then she turned to Clarke and spoke,

"Do you want Aldrin to translate for you?"

Clarke considered the offer, "Only if I get stuck. I should be fine."

Satisfied, Lexa began to address the room in trigedasleng. The language was shared by all those who lived on the ground, though each clan had its particularities. "Representatives of the desert nation and the boat people. I thank you for agreeing to these negotiations and for your presence here today. We will be discussing the trade of medicine from my nation in return for natural building materials from the desert nation. The boat people will provide transport for this trade. They will be rewarded for their participation with their own share of goods, to be decided at this meeting also. If you would introduce yourselves before we start?"

"I am Natali, Advisor to the Desert Chief," the woman said first.

"And I am Ceileb, current Second Mate of the Boat people," spoke the man.

"Welcome, Natali and Ceileb, to Polis. I hope your stay is a pleasant one and this meeting fruitful for us all. Let's begin." Lexa took a brief moment to gather her thoughts and then quickly got to business. "First we should address what is to be traded between the tree nation and the desert clan. Upon agreement of this matter, the boat clan may make its demands. I have communicated with the Desert Chief previously. They have expressed the need for medicinal plants from my lands. I have brought Clarke, a healer here in Polis along, to tell you what we have to offer." Lexa motioned to Clarke, giving her permission to take over.

Clarke addressed the desert representative. "The majority of common medicinal herbs that we use grow in abundance in our forests. But we have to consider the increased workload of our gatherers. And avoid over-harvesting when making any agreements to trade. For now I would recommend that we concentrate on supplying your people with the likes of lavender and witch hazel."

"What are their uses?" Natali asked. Her dialect was noticeably different from that of a tree person. Lexa worried that Clarke had bitten off more than she could chew by refusing a translator. Yet Clarke listened intently and understood,

"Lavender is used as a relief for aches and pains. It can also aid digestion. It is a popular aid for insomnia and an insect repellent too. Witch hazel has many uses. Its oil can be used to treat wounds and bruises. Witch hazel bark is extremely effective for curing dysentery. Both are very versatile plants."

"Good. We cannot grow these things in our territory, so even the simplest of aids will be of use to us. But what about antibiotics? Things to cleanse wounds and stop the spread of disease in the flesh."

Lexa noted the respect with which Natali of the desert clan spoke to Clarke and was pleased. She motioned to Clarke again to signal that she should continue the negotiation on behalf of the tree clan. Lexa watched as Clarke thought deeply about what best to offer. She had to suppress her own loving grin when Clarke smiled widely, after having a moment of inspiration.

"Red seaweed is our most common antibiotic for fresh wounds. It grows in the lakes in the tree nation. But it is useless once it has dried out."

"Any goods will have to travel for days to reach our territory, do you have a solution?"

"I do. Would you also benefit from an extra supply of water?" Clarke asked,

"It can be a scarce commodity in the dry seasons, yes. We normally send people to the coast to collect water from the sea."

"What if we transported the seaweed in water barrels? The tree nation has a limitless supply of fresh water from the rivers that flow through the forests. We'd be doing two things at once."

"Our larger boats are strong enough to carry the weight. It is a good idea," Ceileb spoke up for the first time since introducing himself. He had been listening intently to the exchange, just as Lexa had.

"In that case, I would also propose that we send fermented tuba skins. It is one of the most effective disinfectants we have. And great for pain relief if downed in large quantities"

The room laughed at that. Natali looked pleased and her smile reached her eyes, "Two very generous offers. I am sure my Chief would gratefully accept these materials in trade. What would you have in return?" She turned her attention to Lexa; it was time for the Commander to speak for her people again.

"I have heard that your people use the tough vegetation that grows in your territory for building. I would ask for a trade of these materials, what you can spare. And for you to send people to teach mine how to use those materials."

"Yet you already seem quite skilled with scrap metal?" Natali asked. Thankfully her tone was curious rather than reluctant. Lexa had been present at far too many negotiations where the other clan had been all smiles whilst Lexa made her offers. Only they'd then become quite unwilling once it was their turn to offer something back. Luckily she thought quickly and always had an answer,

"Yes but supplies will not last forever. Metal does not grow back once it has been taken and used. Using you weaving techniques will provide opportunities to build houses faster. I would also like to improve the quality of our army tents. Waterproofing is a particular issue."

"Very well," Natali relented. "I will arrange for some of our builders to come to Polis along with the first shipment of materials. They will teach your people."

Negotiations continued for another few hours. The details of goods to be traded between the tree and desert clans had been worked out first. Then Ceileb had asked for a small share of the same goods and the right to use a small area of forest in the Trigeda for timber to build boats. All in all it had been a successful negotiation meeting. Still, Lexa was pleased when she finally exited the building and tasted the outside air again.

"Well that went well. And from the way you come home most evenings I was expecting an uphill battle." Clarke teased as they began to walk back towards their home.

They had decided to eat before venturing into the centre of Polis. Lexa hadn't been outside of the Commander's village in many days and she yearned to be around her people for a while. It would be a great motivator to spend time amongst the residents of Polis. Lexa found that seeing them go about their everyday lives energised her. It reminded her why she was so invested in making the negotiations work.

Lexa threw Clarke a dark look for the teasing, but her smile betrayed her. "That's because we've had the company of two of the most reasonable clans today. Be thankful. If you had attended negotiations with the prairie clan it would have been a different matter."

Clarke laughed aloud. When they reached the door to their home, Lexa motioned to Aldrin that he should wait outside. He would have to join them on their trip to Polis of course, so this was going to be a rare chance for Clarke and Lexa to spend time completely alone. Not that she minded Aldrin's presence; he had proven himself a loyal bodyguard and a good friend to have in the last year, to Lexa and to Clarke.

"You did well Clarke," Lexa said as they moved through the house into the dining area.

"You know, I thought so too."

Lexa smiled at Clarke's confidence. She was glad that Clarke's self-assuredness had returned over the year. It was good to be confident in one's abilities when one has many responsibilities to attend.

"What would you like for lunch?" Lexa said and she started to head for the larder. It was stocked every morning by an attendant, but other than that Lexa liked to see to her own meals when she was home. There were much more pressing things for her people to do than go around babying their Commander.

"Actually can we talk first?"

Lexa turned around and studied Clarke. She tried not to look concerned but there was always something ominous about that phrase, "Are you well, Clarke?" she asked. She moved back towards Clarke and joined her on the bench by the dining table, maintaining distance until she knew exactly what Clarke needed.

"I'm fine, Lexa. It's just… the negotiations got me thinking and-" Clarke paused as if she was deciding whether or not to commit to what she was about to say. "I think I want to go back to Camp Jaha."

Lexa reached out and squeezed Clarke's arm, "Something about the meeting made you realise this?"

Clarke nodded and brought her hand to briefly clasp the one Lexa had on her arm, "Yes. Just talking about the desert clan's need for supplies- The Camp has been surviving now with no contact with others for a year. They've probably run out of medical supplies. Are they even managing to get enough food? I should have thought of this sooner-"

"Clarke." Lexa stopped her, "You needed time for yourself. Your people are capable. I am sure they have managed." Clarke looked grateful for the reassurance, "But you are right. They must have run out of some things by now. It is time that we extend our negotiations to the sky people. If you do feel ready?"

"I think if I don't go I'm just going to worry. So yeah, I'm ready for this."

"Let's get lunch and then we will ready ourselves to leave. We should travel alone. Numbers would be too threatening."

Clarke looked perplexed, "But what about the negotiations?"

"Both representatives have to return to their own territories and discuss the terms with their leaders. It will be two weeks at least before they come back with an answer. And Clarke, this is important. To both of us."

"Thank you."

Lexa could hear the gratitude in Clarke's voice. She let her eyes linger on Clarke's for a moment, before getting up to get food. If they travelled fast, they could be at Camp Jaha within a week.