It was a last minute decision on Declan's part to join the trip to the mainland. Swatting a bothersome mosquito from the back of his neck, he can't help but ruefully contemplate the choice. His sister, Taydem, wasn't fond of the idea of him going with the group of traders. As the leaders of the Atriakru, they worried for their people, and the developments in alliances since the arrival of the Sky People had them concerned.
So, when the traders came to them and requested the semi-annual trading trip still take place, they determined to allow it, but only if some of the warriors accompanied them. Declan was not originally part of the group to be going, but the night before he had a feeling he should go, and when he visited Taydem to discuss it, she agreed he should follow his gut – even though he could tell she didn't like it.
Luckily, they had been travelling for two weeks, and today was the last day before they started back toward the coast – a two day journey, with only one village stop along the way.
Declan had considered what he would do if they were to come across any of the Sky People, but it turned out to not be an issue. They had visited one village where the people told them how to get to the Sky People camp, but they had no interest. Taydem had given clear orders that they were not to seek them out.
With a long sigh and a small smile, Declan watched as one of the Atriakru traders cunningly traded for a child's toy. He knew the man was soon going to welcome his second child, and he was very excited.
Walking around, he noticed a woman with an array of weapons laid out; ever curious about how the Trigedakru made their knives, he went to investigate. He had picked up a couple and weighed their balance while getting a feel for the handle. Then, he spotted one, with delicate metalwork, in an interesting light blue color, which looked like vines. He picked it up, and it was too light for his taste, but the double-edge was sharp, and he decided he should get it for Taydem. It did, after all, have her vine-like birthmarks on it.
"A small one for you, is it not?" asks the young woman at the stall after watching him study the knife for a few moments.
Declan chuckles, "Not for me – my sister," he explains. He turns to face her more fully, and she sucks in a breath, realizing who he is.
She bows her head quickly, "My apologies, Hedum, I had not realized," but he waves away her apology.
"Did you make this?" he asks, still holding the knife, balancing it on the edge of his finger.
"Yes, Hedum, it is one of my favorites." The then young woman blushes for admitting such a thing.
"Then the trade should be of equal measure in skill." Declan tells her, complimenting her while trying to think what he could give her in trade.
She blushes again at the praise before clearing her throat and taking a deep breath. Declan watches in amusement, curious as to what she is working up the courage to ask.
"Perhaps a dagger of uniquely Atriakru making, in trade for such a unique dagger?" she says, with a remarkable amount of confidence. The Atriakru are notoriously protective of trade secrets, and even when they trade, it is not typically with things others could glean the technique from. Salt, shells, whale meat, yes, but weapons, not usually.
Declan smiles, suddenly knowing exactly what he will trade.
He places the dagger down for a moment before reaching up and removing a chain from around his neck. On it is a long red crystal, roughly four inches long, and two inches wide. He shows the woman the crystal.
"While it is a gorgeous necklace, I'm afraid it is not of equal craftsmanship to the dagger." The woman says, with only some hesitation.
"Ah, but it is not what it appears." Declan says cryptically, leaning closer over the small table so others wouldn't see.
He uses his thumb nail to release a discreet catch hidden it the top of the crystal, near the chain. And a dagger pops out from within.
The young woman jumps back, suppressing a startled gasp, but immediately retakes her spot, eyes wide, and laughing.
"My sister says it is a dagger made for slitting a man's throat," Declan tells her, "and she has one very much like this one, but the crystal is a different color. And this one is not blood-broken yet."
"'Blood-broken?'" she asks.
"It is a custom of the Atriakru. In order to make the blade yours, you temper it with some of your blood. A small cut along the meat of the thumb, and it is bound to you." He says with a smile, watching the astonishment on her face.
"Do we have a trade?" He asks her.
"Yes, Hedum, we have a trade." She says triumphantly, handing him the dagger he had put down, and taking the crystal dagger.
"You slide the blade back in by pressing it firmly against a piece of wood or other flat surface." He says, sliding the dagger into his belt.
She just smiles and admires her new acquisition after placing the chain over her head.
Declan glances around the stall one more time, and his gaze snags on something new.
"What is that?" he asks, pointing to the piece of paper laid under a couple of knives to keep it flat.
"Oh, an artist came through just yesterday. I traded with her a small knife for a drawing."
"May I see it?" he inquires quietly.
This time she hears the order from the Hedum instead of the request of a patron. She hands the paper over without comment.
It's exquisitely done, Declan decides. The artist has drawn the vendor-girl in the midst of dealing with another customer. Her eyes on fire during the deal, and all the detail of the knives are present. He can pick out some of them on the table before him.
It's rare to find a true artist among the tribes. The Atriakru attempt to foster the arts more than others, but a true gift is rare. Himself and Taydem were gifted in multiple art forms. Among the Trigedakru, he knew of Lincoln and a couple of others who enjoyed drawing. The Ice Nation has some skilled workers, though they specialize in different crafts and do not travel much.
"Do you know where the artist is heading?" he inquires, handing the drawing back.
"No, Hedum, she did not say, but…" she starts hesitantly.
He waits patiently, watching her glace around the make sure no others would hear.
"When I asked who she was trading with here, she said she was travelling on her own. She is young, and I thought it odd. But then, I remembered the stories of the Sky People's leader. This artist, she had golden hair and blue eyes, just like the stories say of Clarke." Declan notices the name is said even quieter than the rest, and in equal parts reverence and fear. He wonders idly what other stories did not reach the islands that could instill such a response.
"I see" he says, thinking hard to himself.
"Hedum, I think she may have been heading toward the coast, though she said she didn't have a destination in mind. Perhaps you will find her." She says excitedly.
"Perhaps," Declan says quietly, while inclining his head to her in farewell, "perhaps."
[]
Over the fire that night, the group of Atriakru admire each other's new wares and share a meal. The other warriors agree that Taydem will appreciate the knife.
Declan watches over his people as they eat together, but part of his mind is focused on the Sky People leader, possibly out in the forest now. He had thought they would get through the trip without running into any Sky People, but now, he isn't so sure.
[]
On their last day on the mainland, Declan could swear he smells the salt of the ocean he loves so much. He can tell the others have missed it as well, as everyone's steps get a little faster, and the mood more chipper.
Declan had sent a group hunting this morning, intending to bring some deer meat as a gift to the tribe who keeps their boats when they go on these trips. They live on the coast, and there is some inter-marriage between the Atriakru and this village of the Trigedakru. They share a love of the ocean, and it helps strengthen their bond. The hunters had returned not long ago with their kill, and Declan was relaxed knowing they were only an hour from the coast, then they would be almost home.
Suddenly, one of the warriors walking at the front of the group calls out a warning – he's spotted something. Declan had let himself fall to the middle of the group to talk to a couple of the older traders, but when the signal to stop comes, he retakes his place at the front, his trident held in his right hand.
"What did you see?" he asks quietly, straining his senses to notice anything out of the ordinary.
"I'm not sure. There was a disturbance in the bushes up ahead, and then there was flash of color. I didn't get a good look." Says the warrior.
"Well done, Chave, noticing the little things can save lives." Declan reassures him.
"Nell," Declan calls out, calling the female warrior to the front, "you're our best tracker, see what you can find and we'll follow."
Nell's grey eyes flash and she darts away silently, already picking up the trail.
"Chave, Reed, and Lyra, with me, everyone else, guard your position here."
They head out after Nell, and it only takes a few minutes before they hear her call out.
"Hedum."
They fan out behind Nell in a clearing. The other side is a tangle of fallen logs and vines, and is clearly what stopped the person fleeing from continuing on.
Declan walks up behind Nell and taps her shoulder. She take his spot in line with the other warriors as he faces the girl.
She's taken up a fighting stance. She's balanced on her toes, with a expression determined, and a small knife ready in her hand.
But Declan notices all of these things as a part of his training, his attention has been caught by the girl's features. There's no doubt she's attractive, but that's not why she has his attention. Her hair is golden and her eyes blue. And it's still not these things that confirms for him who she is.
He sees the sadness behind the determination in her eyes. He can see the weight she bears, and he recognizes it. It's the weight of making too many choices between bad and worse. He recognizes the weight from his mother's eyes, and the resignation of responsibility from those of his sister, and his own when he looks at his reflection in still water.
He speaks first, "You have nothing to fear from us." He backs up his claim by placing his trident back into its sheath on his back. He hears the others follow suit as they put their weapons away. Besides, this girl may be a formidable leader, but he can tell from the way she stands that he wouldn't need a weapon to defend himself from her.
She still doesn't speak, but he sees her eyes glance behind him at the others' movements.
"I saw the drawing you made for the dagger vendor. You are very good."
She starts at his words, eyes going wide. He watches as the mention of art relieves some of the darkness in her gaze.
And he gets an idea.
"My name is Declan. My sister is the leader of the Atriakru. Have you heard of us?" he asks, weighing his words carefully.
She shakes her head minimally, still unsure about them, shifting her grip in her knife.
"We are a people who live on islands, about a day's rowing from the coast. We only come to the mainland to trade every now and again, and we are heading home now. We're part of the alliance of the twelve, but we keep to ourselves." He explains, making sure to include the distance they keep from the other tribes.
He turns to those behind him, "Taydem has been searching for a new artist. Looks as though we may have found one." He says the words lightly, but the expression he gives them is anything but light. They keep a straight face and show no surprise, but they can easily see he means to bring her with them, and they aren't to question it.
So they simply nod, and Lyra even produces a smile toward the girl.
He turns back to her, light expression back in place.
"If you'd like to come with us, we're about an hour from the coast, and we'll be back on the main island before nightfall. You would be welcomed there."
She finally relaxes her stance a bit, and she appears to be contemplating the offer. Declan is sure he knows her answer – he saw the allure distance from here holds for her.
The girl licks her lips before speaking. "I – " she starts, but has to stop and clear her throat when it cracks, "I'd like that. I'm Clarke." She says simply.
Declan only nods and turns to begin walking. He gestures for the others to go as well – to their credit, they didn't react to her name. After a few steps, he hears her begin to follow.
"Chave, Reed, go ahead and let the others know everything is fine."
He doesn't have to tell them to pass along the message to the others: leave her in peace. Reed's mother was close with his own, and Reed knows the look of a run-down leader nearly as well as he does. He'll make sure the others listen.
Declan intends to help this girl, he only hopes Taydem feels the same.