Chapter 16:
"With the votes counted, we are to pursue resettlement with the Old Ones." Lexa declared after the vote of 9 to 4 in favor of moving to the city. "We will ensure that our most important customs are upheld. Talks will begin as soon as the Old Ones agree to terms. You are not to discuss this with your clans until concerns are finalized."
The commanders stood and left the command center while all rumbling about the potential change.
"What about us, Clarke?" Bellamy asked her.
"I need to go back to camp and present the pros and cons. If Kane agrees-"
"Kane's not in charge. He likes to pretend he is, but he's not." Bellamy shared.
"Then who is?" Clarke asked.
"You are." He stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We've been waiting for you to come back, Clarke. You're the only one people trust. Kane was willing to kill anyone and everyone on the ark and your mom is great, but she's no chancellor."
"Neither am I."
"No, but you're the best we've got. Jaha ditched us and there are others that probably want to make a play for power, but they're not because everyone's waiting for you."
"I heard Octavia say something to Indra once. I told you so." Lexa toyed and shook her head sideways. "Of course, Indra slapped her after she said it so maybe I shouldn't have."
Clarke laughed.
"I don't know if I can be that for them, Bell."
"Yes, you can." It was Octavia who'd entered with Indra standing next to her. "I'm still pissed at you. That's not going go just go away, but Clarke, you're the reason we've all survived this long." She paused and looked down before looking back up in Clarke's direction. "If you think moving to the city is the best way for us to keep surviving, I will follow you."
"You will follow me, child." Indra told her.
"You two made up?" Bellamy asked.
"Octavia has much to learn and will do penance for her mistake at the mountain."
"You okay with that?" Bellamy asked.
"Yes." Octavia answered. "Now, can we go on this tour we were promised?"
"I will deliver your tour." Indra told her. "Come with me."
Octavia looked a little disappointed, but followed Indra out the door.
"Bell? Tour?"
"Let's do it, Chancellor Griffin." He mocked and laughed as they walked out the door.
After the tour, they returned to the house where Bellamy and Octavia played in the water of the backyard while Clarke called her mother on the radio and told her they'd be arriving in a couple of days to discuss the move.
"You don't have too." Abby said. "We voted and most of the people want to go. We just need to know how and when."
"Most?" Clarke asked.
"The others will stay until Jaha returns."
"He went to the City of Light."
"And they believe he will return to take them back. It's only about 10 people. They said they'd wait for a while, but if he doesn't return and they want to resettle, they will follow."
"How did you convince them?" Clarke asked.
"I told them what we saw." She shared. "I also told them you would vote in favor of moving us there."
"How did you know how I would vote?"
"Because I do know you, Clarke despite the fact that it doesn't always seem like I do."
"We're scheduled to speak with Carolina tonight by radio. I'll have more for you tomorrow. How's Raven?"
"She's alive." Abby told her and there was a deep sigh. "You made the right choice in taking her there. You saved her life… again."
"I'm not the doctor, mom."
"Yeah, I've got to go. Patients to check on. Radio tomorrow and give me the update." She started. "Oh and Clarke?"
"Yeah?"
"Tell Lexa I said hello." The radio went silent and Clarke smiled as she stared down at it.
Clarke watched Bellamy and Octavia swimming and splashing from the back door. Lexa approached from behind her and wrapped her arms around the other girl.
"Ai nou na teik yu bants nowe." She told her.
"What's that one mean?"
"I am never going to let you go."
Clarke placed her arms over Lexa's and held onto her.
After they'd eaten their dinner, Clarke pulled out the long-range radio and waited for Carolina to call them. It took some time to find the right signal, but finally she came in with only a little static.
"What was the decision? Will you be joining us here?"
"The vote was in favor of it, but with conditions." Clarke shared.
"Go ahead."
"Each commander needs a role in leadership. That is non-negotiable, Carolina. They are-"
"Done." She replied quickly.
"Done?"
"Clarke, we understand you come to us with generals and commanders and queens and kings and other titles I'm not entirely aware of. We will respect those titles to the best of our ability."
"What does that mean?" Bellamy asked.
"I will retain the presidency, but I have a group of people called my cabinet. They are my most trusted advisors. Currently, I have 3 vacancies. I will open those spots to 3 of your people and to the other leaders, I will create representative positions. Two per clan. How does that sound?"
"What power does a representative have?" Lexa asked.
"They advise on policies and listen to their people."
"These commanders aren't really known for their listening skills." Octavia said while clutching a fresh shiner beneath her eye that undoubtedly came from Indra earlier. Clarke didn't understand why this was so important to her, but Octavia wanted to be Indra's second so she'd respect it. "They're more about ordering people around." She checked with Lexa who gave no sign of disagreement.
"We give orders as well here when needed, but we believe that everyone should have a voice. If that is a problem for your people, we may need to discuss it further."
"Continue onto the next condition." Lexa segued.
"We would come in phases. Phase one is a test phase. We'll send 20 or so people from each clan." Clarke continued.
"If everything works out…"
"We'll send more. We'll need transport so this is also about that. You don't have enough planes and cars to get everyone there at once and the walk would take months with groups this size."
"We have homes ready for that number. We can make up more for each phase so that works for us as well."
"Good. Next condition." Clarke began. "Traditions and customs are very important to us." She used us instead of them to again appear united with all the clans. "We will keep all customs and traditions that do not harm others and/or do not interfere with the operation of the city. This won't be one group of people taking over the other and trying to force them to live by their rules."
"I'll need some examples."
Clarke listed off a few examples. The first was the reincarnation of leaders. Lexa will be a representative or maybe a cabinet member if she chooses. When she dies and is reincarnated, that commander will replace her in leadership. There will be no vote. She brought up sanctuary and also a few more things Lexa had mentioned were incredibly important to the clans.
"Bonding." Lexa said after Clarke finished.
"What is bonding?" Carolina asked.
"You would call it marriage." She explained. "We want to maintain our ceremony."
"And have it be legal in the city? Official, I mean?"
"Yes."
"I can grant those conditions, but I have one of my own."
Clarke wasn't expecting that, but she'd just given the woman a list of things she wanted so she had to at least be open to hearing her one condition.
"Okay."
"No executions."
"What?" Bellamy asked her.
"We do not believe in executing people here. We have forms of punishment based on reform and death makes reform impossible."
"Good luck convincing a bunch of war tribes on that one." Octavia was being unproductive.
"Within the city." Clarke offered.
"What do you mean?" Carolina asked.
"The clans will not execute a current citizen of your city; an Old One as they call them, but they will maintain the right to perform their punishments based on the laws of their people and if an execution is determined to be necessary based on those laws, it will be conducted outside of the city and in private and will be run by the clan administering the punishment."
Lexa, Bellamy and Octavia all looked at her like they we surprised.
"We will hopefully be able to convince you to change your mind on that given more time, but I can accept that for now as long as these executions are not discussed in the city beyond the confidential meetings of leadership and that I am consulted if one is to transpire and given a chance to change your mind."
"Done." Clarke agreed.
"When should we begin phase one?" Carolina asked.
Clarke explained that each clan would be selecting their first phase groups and that she'd get back to her once that was done. Each commander had some work to do to convince his or her people that this is the right decision. Even though they would follow their commander's orders, Clarke wanted the first phase group to be more than following orders. She wanted them to believe this was the right decision and give it a chance. If they did that and it didn't work out, then at least she'd know it wasn't meant to be.