"This is an outrage!" Rooknum bellowed. He was not the only council member who disapproved of the Commander's proposal but he was certainly the loudest. Many of the elders were whispering vigorously to one another while he was simply yelling.
"Silence!" Lexa roared over the drone of conversations.
The Council fell into a stony silence many of its members glared at their Commander.
"I know this is a change." Lexa said firmly, knowing that if she even showed the smallest hint of weakness she would not win this battle of diplomacy. "But it is a change into a brighter future." She stared at the wizened faces who she had come to know and trust. "Today I was responsible for the deaths of 31 of my people."
"Heda. They were Azgeda warriors not your own" Titus said pitifully as if to ease a guilty conscience.
"How can I call myself Heda when I only protect 1/12th of my people?" Lexa asked pointedly. "How can I ask the clans to follow my laws when I do not support or protect them from each other or themselves?"
The council shifted in their seats.
"What should happen if the Mountain is to strike us once more? Or if some new threat travels through the Dead Zone? Should we be destroyed one clan at a time or should we stand firmly and strongly as one strong Coalition?"
The room was silent. Many council members simply stared at Lexa as if they were seeing her for the first time; others stared shiftily at the ground.
Then Rooknum stood. " You are fearful." He spat. "You have been threatened by Nia and the Ice Nation so you would rather befriend them than meet them in open war." He began to advance on her slowly Lexa stood are stared down at him. "You are weak." He growled. " A weak child, who fears death. You are no Heda of mine."
Before any guard could reach him Rooknum had drawn his sword and swung it widely at Lexa. Sensing that this had been coming Lexa dodged the blow easily and in doing so drew her own dagger. As Rooknum prepared to swing once more; Lexa pounced at him sinking her dagger into his chest. The room collectively gasped, Rooknum froze mid swing, his eyes wide.
"I will not have you draw on me." She hissed. "I am Commander, I am Heda, you are a coward." She twisted her knife. The man's eyes bulged. As the life began to fade from his eyes he swung his sword.
"Heda!" Gustus called rushing to her. But he was too late. The hilt of Rooknum's sword crashed into Lexa's face while the blade cut into her arm. She felt her nose crack at the same time pain seared in her elbow. As she felt the man's body begin to fall she was determined to stay standing despite the blinding pain in her face. As Rooknum's body fell to the ground the Elder's surrounded their Commander.
Gustus tucked his large arm under her shoulder in an attempt to support her weight. The Commander shoved her guard away from her. She placed a hand to her face and drew it back. Her black blood flowed steadily from her nose and lips, the vision in her right eye was blurred and her arm was oozing large amounts of dark blood.
"That will be all for today." Lexa said flicked the blood from her hand onto the former council member's corpse. "I ask you all to think on my proposition and we shall reconvene tomorrow discuss it at length." She began to make her way from the council room; the Elder's parted to make way for her. "And to any of you who wish to make attempts on my life I will remind you that I am the Commander and you will be pay with your life."
Sensing Gustus at her side Lexa pushed through the council rooms door and into the dark hallway. As she heard the doors swing shut she felt her adrenaline begin to wane.
"Heda, what can I do?" Gustus asked fearfully.
Gingerly pinching her nostril's closed Lexa calmly said. "Please go to the infirmary and tell Costia I require her assistance. I will be waiting in my room."
Gustus bowed quickly and briskly walked down the hall.
The journey from the Council chamber to her room seemed twice as long, or maybe it was because she was beginning to lose vision completely in her right eye. Never the less she arrived and pushed the large doors open. The scent of the flowers were comforting she though as she crossed to the far side of her room where a mirror and basin of water sat.
Lexa glanced into the mirror and was startled by her reflection. Her right eye was completely black with blood, her nose was crooked and was spewing like a stream, her right cheek was bulging out of her face awkwardly and her lips were swollen tight.
She had only just dampened a cloth and begun dabbing her nose when she heard the doors open.
"Oh Lexa."
She felt Costia's warm hands take the cloth from her and felt her self being turned. Costia's pale concerned face came into view as the healer turned her towards her.
"It is nothing." Lexa said half heartily.
"You're funny." Costia spoke tight-lipped. She pulled a chair over and sat Lexa in it. Then she began to putter around collecting rags and herbs. "Gustus mentioned that it was a council member." Costia spoke as she worked. "Who was it?"
"Rooknum, our war general." Lexa said weakly feeling the loss of blood beginning to diminish her strength.
"I'll kill him." Costia said fiercely, beginning to clean the Lexa's arm.
"Oh, I already did that." Lexa said wincing as Costia crumbled a stinging herb into the deep cut in her arm.
"I should have made you sleep last night." Costia said angrily, threading a needled. "Then you would have been more alert and this wouldn't have happened." She began to sew Lexa's wound shut.
"It has nothing to do with sleep." Lexa said firmly. "It was all just luck on Rooknum's part."
"Well, lucky for him that he's dead." Costia grumbled finished the last stitch and turning her attention to Lexa's still bleeding nose. "Otherwise I'd skin him."
"Harsh words from someone who once feared beetles." Lexa said trying to distract herself from the pain Costia's cleaning was creating.
"Yes, well such fears cannot be had in a world such as ours." Costia said dabbing the cloth around Lexa's blind eye. "This will heal on its own." She said stonily. Lexa had figured as much but she was grateful to hear it out loud. "You're nose on the other hand I will have to fix."
Lexa who had had countless bones broken in her lifetime knew what this meant. She tightly gripped the arms of the chair and took a deep breath. "Just do it then." She said closing her eyes.
Costia placed the cloth in the basin of water and positioned herself in front of the Commander. Knowing that what was about to occur was not going to be pleasant for either of them. She took a deep breath and felt along Lexa's nose for the break. Lexa's breathing hitched with each point of contact she made.
Costia's fingers found where the bone had snapped. With one hand she familiarized herself with the break and how to mend it, with the other she reached for a clean rag that would mop up the new onslaught of blood that was to come. Lexa whimpered as Costia prepared to snap the bone back in place.
"Just do it." Lexa said harshly and Costia didn't hesitate, hating herself she snapped the bone back into place. Lexa didn't scream. This caught Costia completely off guard, the girl didn't even flinch. The healer stared into the Commander's eyes in confusion. Lexa's one good eye stared determinedly back at her, then as if someone was blowing out a candle the light faded from her eye. The girl's body went limp and her head fell forward.
Costia covered Lexa's nose with the new rag and lifted her eyelid confirming that the girl had passed out.
"For the better." Costia muttered gratefully setting to work on bandaged the Commander's nose. It had been different when Costia served as the Heda's healer, she did her duty first and cared for Lexa's pain or suffering after, but now it was different. Now when Lexa hurt, she hurt. Just as Costia had finished bandaging Lexa's arm and face the girl began to stir. As life began to return to Lexa's face Costia wiped it with a warm cloth, the dried dark blood came away easily and as the girl finally opened her eyes she was free of blood. She still like an utter mess, a bloodshot eyes, a swollen face and a broken nose gave her are fairly horrifying appearance but she was still alive.
"Hello there." Costia said smiling as Lexa's eyes found and focused on her. "Welcome back."
Lexa said nothing but raised a hand to her nose. Costia caught it. "Don't touch it, it will only hurt you. You'll need to keep it bandaged for a few days but it will heal and so will your arm."
Lexa lifted and examined her lightly bandaged arm. "Its amazing that he had the strength to break my face but didn't even hit bone with his blade." Lexa said flexing her fingers.
Costia shook her head exasperated. "You should be glad that you still have your arm."
Lexa smirked at the flustered healer. "I am, however, the fact that he was my council for war topics and I beat him in single combat without even losing a limb is shameful."
Costia groaned. "To bed with you. You need rest."
Lexa looked at her with what Costia assumed was a raised eyebrow. "I am your healer and you are to follow my instructions." She said firmly wrapping her arm around Lexa's shoulder and lifting her. The girl grunted in pain as she was moved but did not protest at the help.
Costia settled Lexa on the bed and took a step back allowing her to settle herself. Lexa winced slightly as she positioned herself under the furs and laid in her back.
"Aren't you coming to bed to?" Lexa asked confused as Costia crossed to the table.
"I will." The healer said examining the yellow flowers in the bouquet. "But first I need to complete my job as your healer. Then I can be your partner."
"What are you doing?" Lexa asked as Costia selected two of the healthiest flowers and removed them from the vase.
"Helping you sleep." The healer said simply holding the flowers above the candle nearest to Lexa. The flowers curled and crumpled under the fire's heat but produced a large amount of smoke, which Costia blew in Lexa's direction.
Upon inhaling the smoke Lexa felt relief wash over her tense body. Her eyelids grew heavy and her body seemed to sink into the bed's form.
She felt Costia place a light kiss on her forehead. "Sleep well my love." Was the last thing she heard before sleep took her.