Chapter 8

Octavia was staring out the window when Madi came up behind her. She was still thinking over what Clarke has asked her the night before. Things were still weird in her head. She wanted her brother's forgiveness. She wanted to prove to them all that she wasn't the monster she'd become, but she had no way to do it on the ship. She tried before they left. She'd bowed to Madi and Madi accepted her fealty. Why wasn't that enough? The Heda believed her.

"They will come around," Madi told her as she moved to Octavia's right.

"I don't know."

"They have to forgive you, Okteivia kom Wonkru."

"Why?"

"Because they are no better than you," Madi told her.

Green eyes met blue. Octavia looked at the young heda. She could see the wisdom that Lexa has reflected in her eyes, but she could see Madi, too. She just didn't understand where Madi was coming from.

"Emo laik mo dan ai," Octavia told her. (They are more than I.)

"No, they aren't, O. You did the same thing that they did. You fought for your people and found a way to survive. It might not have been ideal or what you wanted to do, but you saved over eight hundred people in a situation that no one predicted. There was no way that you could have known that you would have been trapped. There was no way that you would have known that the farm would have failed that year. There was no way that you could have predicted everything that happened. You went into that bunker believing that you would be out in five years, but that didn't happen. You did what you had to do in order to survive. Yu laik skairipa. Yu laik asonraun." (You are the Skairipa. You are alive.)

"Laik ai?"

"Do you doubt yourself?" Madi asked her.

"Sha." (Yes.)

"Don't, because I don't."

Again, green met blue. Octavia had to admit that she found comfort with Madi. She wasn't sure that she could explain it, but then again she could. After Trikru accepted her, she felt like she finally found her place in the world. Lexa accepted her as a warrior for both Trikru and Skaikru. Lexa accepted her just as Indra had. There was no test of allegiance. She fought for the Coalition and that was proof enough. But, Madi had never really seen her action. She didn't know about all the lives that she took to make sure that the Coalition stayed active.

"Octavia, you can wallow in self-pity or you can get up, strap on your armor and sword, and defend your people like you've always done. I know that Clarke has asked you to be her second. I ask you the same thing. I want to make sure that she is protected. If you won't be her second, will you be her guard?"

Octavia knelt before Madi.

"Does Heda command it?"

"No, she asks it of her best warrior," Madi told her.

Octavia noded in agreement but didn't move to get up. Madi took another step towards her and the laid her hand on Octavia's shoulder. She turned to look up into Madi's clear, blue eyes.

"You have nothing to prove except your loyalty to our people, Octavia."

"I will do my best, Heda."

"That is all I ask. Now, go see Clarke. I am sure she has more to discuss with you."

"Sha, Heda."

"And, Octavia?"

"Sha, Heda?"

"Give Clarke an answer. You were once loyal to each other. The bunker broke you both. Repair it."

"Sha, Heda."

Octavia stood and went to find Clarke. She didn't have to go far. Clarke was merely a bulkhead away watching her daughter and friend talk. Raven was behind her. Eyes met and silent conversations were had. No one dared to break the peace between them. When Clarke turned to head back to the Captain's quarters, Raven and Octavia followed her without question.

"Octavia," Clarke started, but she was cut off by Octavia's movements before she could finish her thoughts.

She dropped to her knees in front of Clarke. Raven stood still and looked at them both. Neither of them knew what was about to happen, so they waited for Octavia to do something more.

"I serve you and Heda and no other. I cannot be your second, but I will still stand beside you as a sister, friend, and warrior for our people. I have not earned the right to stand as your second. I failed you and the Heda in the bunker. I swear fealty to you, Wanheda and the Heda. I pledge my life to you, to command as you see fit. It is yours," Octavia told her Trigedaslenge.

"Octavia, stand up," Clarke commanded her.

"Do you accept?" Octavia asked her, still in Trigdaslenge, as she looked deeply into her blue eyes.

"Sha, Okteivia," Clarke answered offering her hand to help Octavia up.

"Ai badan yu op en nou moun. Mochof. Taim ai wamplei, Wanheda," Octavia told her as she took Clarke's hand to stand. (I serve you and no other. Thank you. Until my death, Wanheda.)

"What the hell was that?" Raven asked them both.

"Just some personal business," Clarke replied hoping that Raven would drop it.

"I'll just ask again."

Octavia looked at Clarke and waited for her to tell Raven. Clarke didn't. She simply shook her head and turned to face Raven a little more head on.

"She swore her allegiance to the Heda," Clarke stated.

Raven looked around Clarke at Octavia. The dark haired warrior met Raven's eyes and squared her shoulders, almost bowing up and daring Raven to say something. Clarke could tell that it was just enough to make Raven drop it for the time being, but that wasn't going to stop the engineer from trying again.

"If you say so," Raven replied.

"We need to go. The video comm is working. I need to talk to this leader more."

"It's just waiting on y'all," Raven added.

They moved just past the bridge to the Captain's quarters. Upon entering, Clarke noticed how Raven had it set up. She wasn't going to give up much. There was just enough room for Madi and her to be seen. That meant that Raven and Octavia would be in her eyesight but not that of the "Grounder." The more she looked at the set up the happier she was with it.

"Where's mini-me?" Raven asked as she took a seat near the computer console that she'd hacked into.

Madi walked in at that time. She looked at Clarke and then at Octavia. When both of them smiled at her, she returned their smile and nodded. They had come to a resolution for now.

"She accepted my pledge. I will be her guard, Heda. My life is hers," Octavia stated as Madi made her way around the desk to sit near Clarke and look at the comm in wonder.

"Sha?" Madi asked, looking to Clarke for an answer.

"Sha," Clarke answered.

"Good," Madi replied before moving her eyes back to the screen.

Clarke opened the channel and waited for the other station to reply. Raven looked at the all like she was missing a big piece of the puzzle and she didn't like it. She vowed to corner Clarke later to find out what was going on really, because she knew that Octavia would tell her nothing.

Madi just watched the screen. She seemed completely oblivious to the tensions in the room. She wasn't worried about Clarke and Octavia. She knew that they would make amends. She was worried about her people. As long as she had Skairipa and Wanheda on her side, she knew that she had nothing to fear.

Clarke sat closer to Madi and made sure that they were both in the shot. She didn't really want Madi there, but she was trying. She knew that Madi would be upset. She was the Heda and Clarke couldn't deny it any longer. It would do her no good. She wouldn't speak out against her adopted daughter in front of the people. She knew what might happen if she did, now that Madi had taken the flame. She also knew that Madi was scared. She took the flame to protect Clarke, but now she found herself the leader of a worldless nation. She had to make sure that Wonkru survived. That was her job as their leader.

"Eligius Three, this is Eligius Four, are you ready to talk?" Clarke asked as soon as she saw a dark haired, dark eyed woman sit down in front of the comm.

The woman nodded as she leaned forward more to study them both, before answering, "Yes."

There was something in her eyes that Clarke recognized. She felt Madi stiffen beside her, too. It was like a sense of déjà vu. Clarke reached under the table and took Madi's hand. She gave it a good squeeze and hoped that she was conveying her thoughts. Madi gave her a squeeze back, twice, letting her know that the message was received.

"Can we start with names?" Clarked asked her.

"Yes, I believe that introductions are in order," the planet-bound woman stated. "I am called Palla, but that is a title. Just like Fio is, but it is a position. I am the First Officer of the Colony of Helios on Terre Nova. I am the leader of the Terrens."

"Palla is a title?"

"I might have earned it. Everyone in the village just calls me Palla. My actually name doesn't really matter."

"I am Clarke Griffin. Together with Madi, we are the leaders of the last survivors of Earth. While on Earth, I was given the title of Wanheda and Madi the title and position of Heda," Clarke told her.

"Nice to meet you both. I am not sure what your titles mean, but I understand that you are family and you are both leading your people. However that happens is your business."

"Thank you," Madi replied. "I am curious though. Why did you say that we couldn't settle until after winter?"

"I am sure that winters on Earth were strong and cold, but here on Helios, they are brutal. We don't have adequate housing for the souls on your ship. I know that it isn't what you wanted to hear, but winter shall be here soon. I don't have a way to help you survive it if you all landed together."

"You propose a small landing party?" Clarke asked.

"Something like that."

"You want an ambassodorship?" Madi questioned.

"More like that."

"That should be doable. You mentioned no more than five. Does that include us?"

"I would like a small party. Then, I could show your the Village and we could start planning with our engineers a place for you all to live. Even though the winters are brutal, we do have some small amounts of lodging to accommodate a select few," Palla told them.

"That seems reasonable."

"Bring whomever you'd like, Clarke and Madi, but be prepared for close quarters. I suggest no more than five with you, but I could possible have a space available for ten."

"I was thinking of a landing party of eight total," Clarke said quickly, knowing that she was being stared at by everyone in the room.

"Who would you bring, Clarke?"

"My chief engineer, my daughter, our personal guards, the captain of my guard, my general and my medical officer."

"That sounds sufficient. I will prepare the accommodations. It will take me a few days for them to be ready and the rains will have started. I will send you coordinates to land at. The position is our old processing station."

"Processing station?" Madi asked.

"When we still believed that Earth would send more supplies and people to the colony, we set it up. It was...is a place that we can check for diseases. It was a way to make sure that whoever was landing wasn't going to cause issues or troubles for us. We are generally a very peaceful people, but..." Palla started.

"That sounds fine. You need to protect your people. I get it. I wouldn't want foreign diseases running rampant without some sort of assurance that they wouldn't last long. That is another reason I will be bringing my medical officer. She can do wonders with local diseases and such."

"That is good. I am sure that my medical guild would like to confer with her. We are so removed from a true Earth education that I'm sure we've forgotten some of the simplest medical procedures."

"Is there anything that you require of us?" Clarke asked.

"Will you speak with me daily until you land?"

"About?" Clarke inquired.

"I want to know more about Earth."

"I will do my best for you then, Palla," Clarke answered.

"Go make your preparations. I will contact you in a few hours. I want to make sure that I have enough room for your landing crew," Palla told them and then looked away. "It is almost night here. I shall contact you after I break my fast in the morning. Until then, Wanheda Clarke and Heda Madi."

"Until then, Palla," Clarke and Madi both replied and then comm went dead again.

"Eight?" Madi and Octavia asked together.

"Yes, Raven, Octavia, Indra, Echo, Bellamy, and Mom," Clarke answered.

"I'll go talk to Abby," Raven said, leaving the room because she knew that shit just got real and Octavia, Madi and Clarke needed to talk.

"Will you be ready?" Clarke asked Octavia.

"Yes."

"Will you?" Madi asked Clarke.

"We have to be," Clarke answered as she looked at the blank screen, wondering how she was going to explain her choices again to everyone awake.