Gouthru Klir
Clarke followed Khalen through the thick forest. She wasn't sure why she was making such a risky move, but she was so tired of … everything. She needed someone else to take charge for a while. Slowly, as if their image was fading into existence, people started to appear around her. They were weaving through the forest. Normal civilian people chatting, carrying things, running through the forest. Clarke tried to watch them as they effortlessly moved with the terrain. A smile found its way onto Clarkes face as she watched kids swing in the trees. When she looked back to Khalen, she realised the girl was watching her.
"You have a nice smile" she said simply, and then took her hand and lead her to what looked like the centre of a 'village'.
People were nodding, and talking to Khalen. She seemed to be popular to these people. Clarke made sure to read every face but they all seemed friendly, even to her, a stranger.
"This is place is called 'Gouthru Klir'. It means Safe Passage." Khalen turned around to face Clarke and took both her hands, while she continuing to walk backwards. "Lots of wanderers come this way when they need time. And they go again when they have figured themselves out."
Eventually they reached an open space in the forest filled the tents and log-seats.
A boy with black hair and sarcastic smile came up to them "found another one then?" he chuckled before he moved past. A flash of Finn glazed over Clarke.
"Hey! He didn't anything by it!" Khalen had her arms around her. Clarke realised that she must have looked saddened by his words. "See, I'm the one that finds all you lost souls" Khalen poked Clarke's stomach. "It's kinda like my job" she flipped her hair as she thought about it briefly. After a second she realised that Clarke was still wrapped in her arms. A blush rose through Khalen's cheeks.
They reached a tent, bigger than the rest of them. It looked tattered and with a tint of faded yellow. The wooden sticks that stuck out of the top had smoke surrounding it. As they stepped inside, Clarke was shocked by the royal red carpet that resembled the Mountain Men's, but also wooden tables and chairs like the Grounders.
"This is the chief's tent" Khalen finally let go of Clarke's hand and plonked herself down on a chair, her legs hanging over an arm of the seat. Clarke felt lost. Her hand cold. She felt an urge to reach out and touch the strange girl. But she just stood, confused in a strange tent.
After a minute or two of complete silence, Clarke frozen in place while Khalen lazily drifting to sleep, a tent flap lifted and in walked a fat, brown man wearing nothing but a straw skirt and red paint on his stomach.
"Lukot, you bring a wanderer?" The man stared friendlily at Clarke, and grabbed her hand to give her a strong handshake. He made to sit down on a chair, and brought Clarke to a seat too.
"Lukot?" He said again, still staring at Clarke, looking at her as if she held answers for him. His hands were warm and soft, covering her own. Slowly he dragged his eyes away from her. Khalen was sleeping on the chair. With a kick, the man knocked her out of her chair. "We have a guest", he looked back at Clarke with the same loving expression. But Clarke was trying her hardest not to laugh at Khalen. Her hair had flung in every direction, and her arms flailed about right before she landed face first on the floor.
"Shut up you!" She grumbled, through a mouth full of carpet "Guuh, Clarke this is Chief, Chief this is Clarke." Steadily she made her way back to her chair, in the most graceful way she could. Failing miserably as the wobbled on her unsteady feet.
"Hello Clarke" He smile warmly at her. "This place is called Gouthru Klir, people come here from everywhere. Here we allow people to live peacefully, we give them jobs to do while they figure their life out. And when they are ready, they go home. If you want to go before you are ready, then of course you can. But if you break the peace, we will leave you, and you won't be able to find us again. You see Clarke, if you need us we will be there, but if you look for us, you will find nothing." His face looked sorry, and apologetic. Sitting back on his chair, he waiting for the words to settle in.
"Well that was jolly." Khalen's elbows were leaning on her knees. "Let me show you a tent and a job"
They spent the rest of the day, looking around the little village. Khalen was would go into people's tents and introduced Clarke. The whole experience was uncomfortable but cute. Clarke just enjoyed the social butterfly that was the lovely stranger. How nice it was to not worry about war, or murderer, or her. Clarke almost didn't think about the girl that destroyed her. Not until she was laying in her tent, next door to Khalen's, and she realised that she was still lonely. Lonely but safe. She tried to get the kiss they shared out of her head. But in the darkness of the strange and kind place, Lexa's face wouldn't leave her.
It was midnight and Khalen could hear the new girl sob quietly. Khalen did her best to keep still, her blankets itched against her as she resisted the urge to see Clarke. But the newbie's always need a couple days to settle, and Khalen had a feeling that this girl was going to be special.
I'm going to keep my eyes on you, wanderer.
