Chapter 17
Lexa´s village
After that whole debacle Lexa looks at Lincoln and points to a large tent. "Now we can talk".
Like Clarke suspected, Lexa has been waiting for a chance to get out of the deal since they day she made it. The commander listens with a supposedly blank face but Clarke can see the intensity in her eyes. By the time they have laid out their case, and explained about the trip into the Mountain Lexa has already decided.
"We will fight with you," she says formally. Clarke extends her hand for a handshake, which Lexa accepts. She continues, "We need to train both of our people. Yours in close combat skills and mine with your weapons. We leave tomorrow"
"It´s a deal" Clarke says. She would ask about Murphy´s release later.
The Ark
Two days later and they were back at the Ark. A large group of grounders were with them, men and women, their best fighters. More would join later. Murphy, unfortunately, was not allowed to join; he was still in the jail back at Lexa´s village. Raven hoped he was OK. That Tristan guy surely had some pull with the Commander. She was sure he was behind the decision. Where was the huge grounder warrior anyway, she hoped he wasn´t back at the village with Murphy.
After a quick meal, the first one as one group, the training starts immediately. Clarke is impressed with how well the two factions work together, the grounders and her sky people. There is combat training and shooting practice everywhere, the camp is practically buzzing. She sees Monroe expertly tackling a large grounder and then making short of their fight with a knife to his throat. Clarke´s mouth hung open. "Wow" she says, "I knew you were a damn good fighter Monroe but, just wow"
"Thanks Clarke" Monroe looks proud while she helps the grounder to his feet.
The next day
A smaller group had also been teaching hunting and general earth skills. They had to learn about traps, seasons, game, fishing techniques, what mushrooms were poisonous, what berries to eat when, which wood made the best fires and which plant to use for what. And that was just he beginning. Abby was sure this was the end of their food shortage. The timing couldn´t have been better, their food supply was almost non-existent.
Lexa looks around at the organized camp. She is impressed with Clarke´s ability to lead. It was different than her method but just as effective. Her people also would follow her through anything, Lexa was sure of it. She is pleased with the bustling activity. But they need more than battle training. They need a good plan. Lexa needs to sit down with Clarke. The girl in question is intently watching a young girl take on one of her best fighters – and winning. She should take on Tristan in a training fight. Where was he anyway? She hadn´t seen her best – and meanest - warrior since yesterday. Ever since the death of the little boy he had been a bit off. Maybe he just needed some space.
Clarke sees Bellamy and waves him over. "Finished with todays training session?" She could see on his clothes that he had been fighting. "Nope, just taking a little break" He gives her a broad smile.
Clarke points at the fight going on in front of them
"Did you know Monroe is one of the best fighters here? And that includes most of the grounders. That girl has some skills. I should take classes from her"
"Well, then you could just as well take classes from Murphy " Bellamy answers making Clarke look confused. He quickly adds, "He was her trainer or leader or something back on the Ark. She fought in the child fighting rings and so did he. You know, the pits that were parts of those illegal betting dens there were so much talk about."
"What!" Clarke takes it in. "That explains a lot"
"My thoughts exactly"
"I know my mom had to patch up kids that seemed to come out of nowhere. She knew she should have reported it but she just couldn´t turn away children who needed her help. Honestly, I always admired her for it. How much do you know, what did Monroe tell you? They were there together? "
"Yes, but Murphy was there first, so when Monroe was kidnapped and brought into the fold it was Murphy who trained her. Of course this was not run by the kids, I know that, but Monroe mostly dealt with Murphy who she described as a bastard having no child left in him"
Clarke feels a chill in her spine, what a life that must have been.
"Jasper and Monty were there too, but she said they were never mean like Murphy had been. I´m nor sure she can forgive him"
Clarke thinks about it.
"I hope she can. I´ll talk to Murphy when he gets back" if he get´s back. The thought nudges at the back of her mind but she won´t go there. "You say he trained her. Well, her abilities are the reason she survived those pits. I´m not excusing what he did but maybe he felt he had to, to protect her, make her survive the fights and to survive himself"
Bellamy just nods, he had the same thought.
Lexa´s village
The village is quiet, as most of the inhabitants have gone with Clarke and Lexa to the Ark. The people left are mostly, women, children and older people. They were very few old people and Murphy noticed that they were treated with the utmost respect. He suspected growing old was not a common occurrence in a grounder´s life.
He was still in jail but no worse for wear. He was treated with respect. They gave him food and drink, took him to the bathroom and gave him a cot to sleep on. His wrists were bound with shackles but he had a meter or so of moving radius. Could there be a chance that this would just blow over. He should be so lucky.
He missed Raven. That kiss was the beginning of something and here he was and could do nothing about it.
He could hear commotion outside the tent and then the last person Murphy wanted to see enters, a very angry-looking Tristan storms up to him and shouts in his face,
"Like it here in your cushy little jail, your murderer. If it were up to me you would be back in the cage with no fingernails" Murphy can fell his breath he is so close.
"I didn´t kill you son, and I´m sorry you think I did." Murphy starts but is abruptly stopped by a fist to the face, he can feel his lip burst at the massive blow and he doubles over in pain,
"No talking! Lexa has ordered not to kill you but accidents can always happen" The large man sneers and picks Murphy up to hit him again.