The sun had barely peeked over the horizon when the warriors rose from their furs.
"Skai Kwin, do you wish to accompany us on our hunt this morning?" Indra asked Clarke who stood behind Lexa, braiding her hair.
"Sha, Indra. I do." Clarke said and finished the braids off.
"Hey, where is Caris and Koda?" Clarke asked as they carried the rabbits back to camp.
"Monti spoke through your sky device and said they were needed. Nothing harmful and they should return by sun hgh. They left shortly after you retired. They ride fast, as Caris can not simply bare missing the action with - how did she put it?- Commander Heart Eyes and Queen Badass." Indra said smoothly.
"I see she spends a lot of time with Raven," Clarke chuckled knowingly. Indra nodded slightly and began roasting rabbits.
In the mansion Regina and Emma laid peacefully in their large bed as Henry sat in his bedroom staring out the window at the Grounder campsite.
"I wish I was apart of something bigger as they are. I wish I was something more." The boy said with a tinge of sadness. He spent all last night dreaming of what it would be like to live as a Grounder; to eat the food he hunted, to fight like a warrior, to sleep below the stars knowing a sky princess fell from there.
They had scratched a circle into the ground, a makeshift fighting ring so they could train. Brea and Octavia were training fiercely together. Clangs rang out as their swords clashed.
"What the hell is that noise?" Emma moaned bleary eyed.
"Those damn savages are fighting." Regina groaned in response. Emma moved to the window to look out and watched as four horses galloped to the camp.
"Regina.. There's more." Emma hissed then paused. "Well there's two we saw yesterday," Emma noted as Caris and Koda slipped off their brown horses. A buff man sat atop a dark horse and finally there was a small girl on a large horse as red as the burning sun.
"They have a child." Emma breathed. Unbeknownst to the two mothers in the mansion, their son was upstairs burning with excitement at the sight of a Grounder child.
"Karis, Koda!" Lexa shrieked. "Why did you bring her here so early! I said when we knew it was safe."
"Leksa, it's okay. She'll be fine she's safer with us anyway." Clarke said softly.
"Nomon!" the small girl shot off of her horse with surprising speed and catapulted herself into her mothers' arms. Clarke and Lexa hugged their daughter close. The small girl was dressed in a soft royal blue tunic that accented her fiery blue eyes, and soft leather pants with tall riding boots. Two burgundy straps ran across her small chest strapping a sword to her back. Her curly chocolate locks were secured with a slim red ribbon. She wore a soft gray fur cloak that was tied off with blue and red braided cords.
"How have you been, my darling?" Clarke asked smoothing the child's blue tunic.
"Good, Ma! But it's no fun without Aunt Ray and Tavia." she said jutting her soft bottom lip out.
"They are training, right now, Prisa," Lexa said gently.
"Nomon, can I train? I've been working very hard!" the prisa nodded her head, braids flinging about.
"Sha, Prisa." Lexa said finally. "Train with your guard,"
"If you try your best then I'll train with you," Clarke smiled.
"Sha! Mochof, Ma! Mochof, Nomon!" she shrieked excitedly, then began stretching with Caris to warm up their muscles.
"Gina!" Emma said frantically. "They are letting a child fight! She has a real sword!" The two hurriedly got dressed and met the Charmings downstairs.
"They are letting a child fight! She will be hurt!" Snow raged.
"Snow, you forget they are different from us. So before you run out there, angrier than a wet cat, stop and think." Regina groaned.
"I believe Clarke and Lexa are the mothers.. Hey Clarke is training with her daughter." Emma said in amazement. She watched out the window as Clarke and her daughter swung their swords with precision. They controlled their blows so neither would be seriously wounded.
"They are amazing." Henry and Emma breathed. Snow scoffed.
"It's simple sword play. We learned better in the Enchanted Forest."Snow snipped.
"Oh yeah? Then get out there Nan." Henry challenged. She nodded fearlessly and the group padded towards the camp.
"Heda, Kwin, Majikru." Indra called. Clarke sheathed her blade and stood tall.
"Hello, how may we assist you?" Clarke asked formally.
"I wish to try out your training methods. I learned to wield a sword in my home land." Snow said. Indra scoffed quietly.
"Hmm you may train with my houmon, she is the newest to training and can match up to your skill fairly well." Lexa said.
"I am rather good at this." Snow said removing her sword from its sheath.
"We shall see."
Clarke got into a fighting stance and slowly circled Snow. Snow gave a yell and lunged forward, Clarke dodged it easily and tripped the dark haired woman so she was flat in the dirt.
"Maybe you should sit out a round." Clarke said and stepped out of the circle. "Caris give us a show." Caris smiled widely and her and Octavia slipped into the circle. They left their weapons off and Caris gave a feral smile. They flew at each other, Caris jumped up and 360 roundhouse kicked at Octavia who moved enough to where the kick only caught her shoulder. Octavia grabbed Caris's arm and flipped her over her back. Caris hit the ground and spun out knocking Octavia's feet out from under her. Caris shot up and straddled the fallen warrior.
"Check Mate Tavi." Caris laughed.
"Quit being mean Cari!" the small prisa teased.
"Ooh I think I'm gonna get you," Caris said making the girl run off. Caris chased after her noticing she was sprinting towards the woods. Then, to the amazement of Clarke and Lexa's party and the Majikru, she ran at a tree and propelled herself off flying neatly over Caris's head.
"No fair Prisa!" Caris shrieked.
"Who is she?" Snow wondered aloud.
"Ember, Princess of both Trigeda and Sky People. Our daughter." Lexa said proudly.
"Ma I wish to explore." Ember said flicking her chocolate locks out of her face.
"Alright. But, first I must braid your hair and you have to take Caris and Ryder with you." Clarke said raising an eyebrow as if challenging her daughter to whine about the terms.
"Sha, Ma." Ember sighed. "Can the branwada goufa come with me?"
"Emba kom Trikru!" Clarke reprimanded. "You are not to treat strangers as such."
"Sha Skai Kwin," Ember groaned.
"You will protect her, yes?" Lexa asked Caris.
"Always, Leksa, always with my life." she said with a soft tone of voice.
"Mochof." Lexa said, clasping her shoulder respectfully.
"Ai yongon wishes for your son to accompany her as she explores. If that is suitable." Clarke said to Emma and Regina. Emma's eyes narrowed.
"You have my blood oath that no harm will come to him. They will treat him the same as the Prisa is treated. Caris and Ryder are very good warriors." Lexa said smoothly.
"Please Moms!" Henry begged. Finally Regina relented.
"Don't go farther than the Troll Bridge." Emma warned.
"You need a horse, Magic Boy." Ember said as she slipped onto her large red horse.
"There are stables near here. We can ride over and get Burr." Henry said.
"That sounds most appropriate. Get on behind me." Ember instructed. Henry climbed on and they small exploration party moved away towards the stables of which Henry spoke.
"Lexa. Perhaps you and I can speak privately?" Regina asked smiling lightly.
"Yeah! Hey Clarke you should come with me back to the mansion. There's a few things I'd like to show you." Emma said.
"Yes, let us talk." Lexa said. "Indra."
"There is a beautiful spring a little into the woods." Regina said and led Lexa and Indra into the woods.
"Come on!" Emma said enthusiastically. Clarke followed and noticed Dal followed.
"Dal, are you the next one she assigned to me?" Clarke asked exasperated.
"Sha, Skai Kwin. Octavia deserves a rest with Lincoln." He nodded. Inside the mansion Emma handed Clarke a cup of dark liquid.
"Here Skai Kwin, let me." Dal said and took a sip to make sure it wasn't poisoned.
"Dal." Clarke groaned and waved him off. She moaned as she sipped the coffee.
"Does this always happen?" Emma asked taking a drink from her mug.
"We've been through a lot." Clarke laughed lightly.
"I can say the same," Emma agreed with a chuckle. "So what's your love story Sky Queen?"
"Well, it all started when a boy I had slept with shot up a village of Grounders. I was set to form an alliance with the Grounders and keep in mind this is after Lexa sent 300 warriors to kill me. So I show up to her tent and her guard stopped me and said 'if you so much as look at her wrong, I will slit your throat.' I spent the entire meeting wondering if I was looking at her wrong," Clarke began with a laugh and the story continued.
"A missile was going to hit Ton DC in a short amount of time and we needed to keep our spy in the mountain safe. Lexa drug me away. I remember afterwards I was in such shock, I confronted Lexa about her and how she felt all feelings were weakness. I told her she felt for the people and she still let them burn. She said 'Not everyone, not you.' It wasn't much but for Lexa, saying that took everything. The days wore on, we were still finding things out about the mountain waiting for a signal. Then one day when I was in her tent, Lexa kissed me. I told her I wasn't ready not yet. That night, we went to war. That night, Lexa took a deal that nearly broke me. She took a deal to save her people but the Sky people had to stay I watched as she left, or so I thought. Lexa came back to me that night and she gave me the strength to bring down the mountain. I didn't forgive her at first, it took a long time of healing. Through that healing time in Polis, I fell in love with her. We joined and then Ember came along. We have had a fair life together so far, I have no complaints.. But with the threat of the Azgeda.." Clarke trailed off.
"You have an inspiring tale." Emma smiled. Clarke laughed quietly.
"We've been through a lot for sure. Enough about me, what is your tale?" Clarke asked.
"I suppose it started back when I was a baby, Regina hated my mother, due to some circumstances so she cursed a land to live here in Storybrooke without knowing who they truly were. My parents sent me in a wardrobe to a town called Boston. Time skip and I was living in Boston working and suddenly a boy knocked on my door saying he was my son. It was Henry. I had him when I was 18, I was young and stupid so I gave him up. So I took him home, to Storybrooke, to Regina. I decided that I didn't quite trust her with my son, to love him so I stuck around. In this time period she tried to poison me, kill me in the past- however later in the past she took me to her bed- and sent me and Henry away to give us our best chance. Back in the Enchanted Forest she was said to have a soulmate with a lion tattoo so they were together for a while, it killed me. But when I was sent to the past I unknowingly brought back his wife. Regina in the past was a fierce and evil queen but after locking me in her dungeons she was taken by me. She took me to her bed and actually began to feel something. I told her I was from the future so she helped open a portal to send me back. When I came back, Regina remembered everything from the past. It was crazy and her mom is absolutely psycho but was killed by my mom eventually." Emma said.
"And here I thought I had the rough love story." Clarke laughed.
"Its been a ride." Emma said. "You're daughter is amazing, what is she called?"
"Depending on who we are with, Emba kom Trikru or Ember Anya Griffin." Clarke said softly.
"Ember Anya is a beautiful name. How did you come up with it?" Emma asked.
"Ember for the embers in a fire, which burn bright and Anya for Lexa's mentor. She and I weren't very good friends. She was one of the 300 that attacked us. She was the only survivor.. But then we were captured by the mountain. She and I escaped. I remember her slapping me in the face with mud because I smelled like the Maunon. She died at the hands of my people but she was my friend in the end." Clarke said softly.
"She is within your daughter now." Emma nodded.
"Kwin, there has been word that your Prisa is attempting to teach the branwada goufa, as she calls him, to hunt." Dal called.
"Sometimes, Emma, I believe there is too much Anya in my daughter," Clarke laughed.
"What's it like? Away from here." Regina asked as they looked out at the lovely spring.
"Life is hard, but rewarding." Lexa said softly.
"I have lost so much outside of here, I don't want to leave fearing it will all be gone." Regina said looking at Lexa's profile with watery brown eyes.
"I was 8 when the spirit of the Commander before me chose me." Lexa said suddenly. "I was young and suddenly thrown into a word of war, it was horrifying. I was 10 summers when my village was slaughtered because the Azgeda were afraid of the Trigeda gaining power. My parents were killed. My mother wasn't really much of a mother, I'll admit. She was raising a warrior and she knew it, she wasn't loving by any means. I was 15 summers when I met my first love and her sister. Costia was her name, and Caris was her sister."
"Caris.. your daughter's guard." Regina said breathlessly.
"Yes, Caris was 10 and tackled her sister. I fell in love with Costia's sweet nature. The years wore on and the two of them would make the journey from the boat clan to the woods clan frequently. Caris was set to be Indra's second. On the way to my village, they met a small Azgeda child. Caris and Costia had to stop due to their loving nature. They were ambushed and Costia was taken. The Ice Queen had her head sent back to me in a silk woven basket, but since she was Ice Queen and not in our coalition I could not kill her personally. I killed many of her warriors however." Lexa paused. "I regret losing Costia, I will for as long as I shall live. But that loss shaped me. I became a strong, a fierce, a ruthless Commander. I would not have survived this long without that attitude. I would not have met Clarke without that loss."
"I understand entirely." Regina swallowed.
"Do you?" Lexa finally turned and rested her green gaze on Regina.
"I was young when I fell in love. Daniel, was his name. He was our stable boy. I loved him dearly. Snow White was on a runaway horse and I saved her. She told her father of the amazing girl who rescued her, so her father wanted me as his wife. His wife and Snow's mother had died. So my mother said yes to the proposal without my say. Snow's father was old enough to be my grandfather. Daniel and I decided we were to run away, but Snow caught us. I had to explain to her that I loved Daniel, she thought that was amazing and promised not to tell. Well, he told my mother. My mother killed him in front of me. I married Snow's father, the King. I began hating her and hating life. I was bitter. I finally killed the King and Snow fled. Life went on and I always hunted Snow. Then I set the curse off. It took us all to this land. The land here didn't always have magic, when the curse broke, Mr. Gold brought it back." Regina stopped. "I guess I know what it's like. To suffer so much and to finally be happy. That is why you protect Ember so heavily, and Clarke. That's why I'm afraid to leave this town. I've lost my parents. I had to kill my father to enact the curse. But I haven't lost Emma."
"I had to kill my nonatu figure. He knew the rules but he did it to protect me. It was hard." Lexa said lowly.
"I am sorry Lexa."
"Life is much different out there. We can show you how we live while we are here but you must know, your magic will not work out there." Lexa said.
"I know." Regina smiled. "Perhaps you could begin to teach us of Grounder life." The moment was broken by Ember's cry of victory.
"Nomon!" she called. "I have nourishment." Ryder and Caris both carried a deer.
"What the hell?" Regina said under her breath.
"Dude Mom, you should have seen them. Caris and Ember like chased them down then stabbed them. It was crazy." Henry chattered excitedly from where he sat on the back of Burr.
"Ember what did I say about showing off?" Lexa growled.
"Nomon.." Ember whined.
"You get to tell your Ma." Caris said and headed into the camp. Clarke and Emma stood near the fire.
"Ma, I killed a deer." Ember smiled charmingly. "For the Majikru too."
"She showed off." Lexa said, nodding sternly.
"That doesn't sound anything like someone I know," Clarke teased. Lexa and Ember wore matching scowls.
"Houmon that isn't fair." Lexa started.
"Later Lex, let us prepare a meal for our newfound friends." Clarke said and waved them closer to the fire. They began roasting the deer and laughed amongst themselves. Ember was telling a dramatic story that made Henry and the Charmings laugh.
"Heda!" Indra yelled ceasing all festivities. An older lady and two young women stood with Indra.
"Ruby!" Emma called.
"Friends?" Lexa asked Regina, who nodded. The three passed and stood near the fire.
"She reeks of wolf." Ember commented. Ruby's eyes widened.
"Emba." Lexa cautioned.
"You and I are gonna be great friends, kiddo." Ruby smiled and plopped down beside Ember.
"Hello, I am Emba kom Trikru, in your language I am Ember." the small girl said.
"I'm Ruby, in your language I'm.. yeah no idea." Ruby said with a laugh.
"Rubi kom Majikru." Ember said lightly.
"Rubi.. Hm I like it." Ruby chuckled. "So how did you smell my wolf kiddo?"
"There was a wise Alpha wolf who lived near my home. I snuck out without my guard and found him. He was dying from a wound the Maunon inflicted upon him. They are not like us, they kill for sport, we kill out of necessity. So I decided to put him out of his misery. His soul sought out mine and connected. I have a way with the wolves now. They are protected by the Trigeda, they are not to be killed." Ember said.
"Alpha Ember then." Ruby lowered her head in respect. "I do not shift anymore though."
"No worry, you are still one of the wolves." Ember said softly.
"Thanks you, Ember." Ruby said sincerely.
"Is that your mate?" Ember asked nodding towards the short brunette laughing with Raven and Caris.
"Yes, I love her." Ruby smiled. Ember nodded.
"I believe Caris and Raven seem to have a strong romantic connection between themselves. However, they have yet to act on their affections." Ember commented offhandedly.
"Are they the two talking to my Belle?" Ruby asked lowly looking over at three women.
"Yes. Raven is of the Skaikru and Caris of the Floukru. I do not understand the problem, why will they not admit feelings?" Ember asked curiously.
"Fear of rejection." Ruby said knowingly. "I'm sure you're parents didn't hit it off right away."
"They didn't. But my mothers are the leader of two joined people. There are many responsibilities." Ember said.
"You are wise, Alpha." Ruby said extending her hand. Ember took it a strong grip and firmly shook it.
"Let us eat, Rubi kom Majikru." Meat and berries were passed around.
"This is delicious!" Henry exclaimed.
"Mochof, goufa." Clarke said.
"Can I learn to be a warrior?" Henry asked in amazement.
"It takes time and it seem you and your Majikru are not patient." Caris swallowed.
"Henry, I can teach you to fight!" Charming exclaimed.
"Grandpa.. I think Ember could beat you guys up." Henry whined.
"Sha, goufa." Ember laughed. "That is expected,"
"Hey!" Charming said slightly miffed.
"Don't underestimate my daughter's prowess.. She inherited it from me," Lexa paused and her voice then held a husky edge. "I've had to tell Clarke many times not to underestimate my prowess… I think I have showed her time and time again that I am to be reckoned with."
"Lexa, fuck you," Clarke said, her face red.
"If you wish to, houmon." Lexa smiled.
"Commander Heart Eyes and Queen Badass are in the house!" Raven laughed.
"Hush Raven, make your mouth busy and make out with Caris." Clarke snapped teasingly. Raven's mouth fell open and Caris began choking on her meat.
"I- what- no. I have no idea of what you speak of." Caris said.
"Lies. You have been my guard since I was born, Caris, I know you well. You love her." Ember said taking a bite of her meat.
"You little-" Caris trailed off with a laugh. "Koda can we get some music?" Koda, Brea and Echo began to play a fun tribal song on the wood.
"Dance with me, ai hodnes." Caris said and pulled Raven into the ring of people. She pulled her into a sweet kiss and began dancing with her. Lexa stood.
"Come on, ai kwin. Let us dance." Lexa pulled Clarke forward, tipped her back and kissed her until Clarke saw stars. A few catcalls rang out. Lincoln and Octavia shared a kiss before joining in the dancing. Soon Regina, Emma and the Charmings joined in.
"Let us dance, goufa." Ember laughed. Henry nodded and quickly kissed her, flushing red as he did.
"Follow my lead." Ember quickly fell into the beat of the dance and Henry followed. He watched as Ember immersed herself in the beautiful dance. He admired the way she was so full of life and wisdom, how her blue eyes danced in the firelight.
"You are staring, goufa." Ember said softly as they danced, breaking his trance.
"Wrong, I'm gazing." He smiled wryly. Ember simply laughed in response.
"Alright, Fire Gazer, the music has changed. Would you like to continue dancing with me?" Ember asked her smile bright in the light of the fire.
"As long as you'll have me." He said smoothly.
"Always, Fire Gazer, always." Ember chuckled and started the new dance. It was in that night that new friendships were made and relationships were solidified.