Chapter 9

She sat on the edge of her sofa. The talks had gone better than she imagined that they would. She had expected that Clarke would have fought her more. But, there was still something about Clarke and Madi that seemed to be familiar with her. She was surprised when she saw them and she hoped that she didn't make it very noticeable. She was amazed at the presence that they both had. It was obvious that Madi defaulted to her mother of sorts on most things, but it was also obvious that she was the true leader of the people aboard the ship.

She didn't know what that meant for her and the others back in the Village. She knew that Madi didn't want usurp the status quo, she was just looking for a place for her people to live. Palla wondered how many people they would actually bring with them on the exploration visit in the next week. She knew that she should be able to have several of the quarters ready for them. She would work on her building. She also needed to bring some more caballos out there for their use. She wouldn't bring many, maybe a total of four, but she knew that Clarke would more than likely to see the world that they were going to living on.

She grabbed a small device similar to ancient cell phone and began to tinker with it. She knew that she needed to get back to her daughter. She missed Lex and she was sure that her daughter was driving her aunt crazy. She realized that her first stop would be to the Engineers' Shed. She would need them to boost the signal and allow her to be able to connect to the Eligius comm system. As soon as that was completed, she would be able to stay at the village and use the "cell phone" to communicate with not only the Eligius ship on the ground, but also the one orbiting the planet. She knew that it was just a fix for the time. They still needed to find a more permanent way to communicate with each other while they were on the line.

Making her plans on what she needed to do in the next few days, she began to work. Finding the keys to the other rooms turned out to be the hardest thing that she would do that day. Once she'd secured the keys to the other quarters near hers, she got to work cleaning and moving things around. She didn't know what comforts they would need, but she would give them the minimum for now.

In the mid-afternon, she went outside to look at the sky. The snows were going to come early this year and while she knew that the Village was prepared, she knew that the new comers wouldn't be. She needed to make sure that she had enough provisions for those that came down. The rest she would deal with once she got to town and let the Village know what was going to happen come Spring. She needed everyone to be prepared and she wanted to ask a few of the soldiers and villagers to come out to the barracks to help her. They would be a select few and only those that she asked.

Her reasoning was part of the quarantine that she would put them through. She didn't want to expose them to the Village until she knew that they were healthy enough to integrate. She would also meet with them as individuals and with Clarke and Madi to find them something to do for the betterment of the community. She wanted them to each have a plan before they moved from the barracks. She wanted them to get along and she didn't want trouble. To be honest, she was surprised at how quickly Clarke agreed to her terms.

"I wonder..." she thought and just then the cell phone came to life in her hands.

"Palla?"

"Madi?" she asked as she looked down at the young face before her.

"Yes, Palla, may we speak?"

"Yes, please say what you need to tell me," she replied as she wondered what the young girl wanted.

"Clarke is a very responsible person and I default to her on many things, but our people treat me as their leader. The title Heda means Commander or Head Leader. They will listen to her because she is the Wanheda, but we aren't in a war and I am not sure how she is going to react to such peaceful things. She wants it, believe me, but she became cynical with her time on Earth," Madi told her.

"You are afraid of her?"

"No, never. She is my mother. I love her as such and so much more. She has seen and done things that she isn't proud of and that she cannot escape, much like her title."

"What does it mean, Madi?"

"Wanheda?"

"Yes," she replied.

"It means Commander of Death."

"Then we should get along well," she answered.

"Why?"

"Palla is a similar title for me."

"You're a warrior?" Madi questioned..

"I am many things for my people, but yes, I've been a warrior."

"Are you a general?"

"No, nothing like that. I am actually a farmer and a historian of sorts. Me becoming a warrior was purely by accident," she replied.

"But, you were good at it?"

"Exceedingly so."

"Clarke's conscience doesn't allow her to rest. She has done many things that she regrets, but it was always for our people. Except when it came to me. She still wrestles with all the death and destruction that she caused in the name of survival. It haunts her."

"I know her pain."

"I could tell," Madi stated.

"How?"

"You have the same look in your eyes that she does. She needs this peace. She needs to feel like she is doing the right thing. She needs to find the acceptance that she is desparately looking for. Can she find that with you and the Village?" Madi asked her.

"I hope so."

"Have you?"

"To a degree."

"Explain."

"I have a family that cares for me. I have a reason to continue forward. I have a reason to not let the darkness swallow me whole," Palla told her.

"Can you help her find the light again?"

"Can't you?"

"I'm trying, but she is upset that I became Heda."

"Why?" she inquired.

"We tend to have very short life spans once taking the mantle of Heda. I do not wish for anything to happen to me, but I accepted the responsibility when I took the flame. Sure, I did it for selfish reasons, but I did it. I chose it and I stand by my decision."

"She doesn't?"

"It isn't that she doesn't. It is the fact that she had me for six years to herself. We were the only ones alive actually on the surface of Earth. Things happened and our people were finally released from the bunker they'd been surviving in. Things were tense and a war broke out. A first there were only two sides, and then there were three. Clarke...she's my mom and I want to protect her, but she will do whatever it takes to make sure that I don't die, even betraying her own people."

"You should count yourself lucky that you have someone that loves you so fiercely," Palla stated.

"I do, but I cannot allow our people to suffer. She needs an outlet. She needs a friend that understands and she doesn't have that. She did once."

"What happened?" Palla asked.

"She died in her arms," Madi explained.

"I understand."

"Do you?"

"More than most, young Heda, more than most."

"Will you speak with her?"

"I will do what I can, but honestly, Madi...if she doesn't want to fight the darkness, she won't. I would know. It took a long time for me to come back to who I am now. I can only offer her someone who understands. But, if I might ask, how do you now so much about this?"

"The Flame...it is a chip that has merged with my consciousness. It is a special item for our people. Inside it resides the memories of all the Hedas before me, including Clarke's lover. For the Heda, it is a right of passage and we are told that our spirit will pick the next. For over seven years, no one succeeded the last Heda until I took the Flame. She is worried as she watched Lexa die and they were lovers. She hid me as soon as everyone was released from the bunker. She knew what they would do if they found out what I was and what I could be," Madi explained.

"But, you still took it."

"Willingly, yes, I did."

"Then, she should be proud of you."

"She is in her own way, but she is still afraid for me. I am afraid for her. I am afraid that if I die, she will completely break. Don't get me wrong, I love her family and friends. I've heard stories about them all. I've fought along side them. And, they all treat me as if we were still on Earth and I was the Heda, but I know that they won't be able to save her should anything happen to me," Madi stated.

"Then, I shall make sure that nothing happens to you and also, to her."

"You cannot predict the future," Madi warned.

"No, but I can do my damnedest to make sure that you both survive and thrive here, Madi. That is what I want for you. We are the last humans in the universe. We have to work together to make sure that we continue as a species. And, if that means that I have to work with Clarke to help her find a new meaning and reason to live, then I will help her find it just my sister did for me," Palla told her.

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me yet, Madi. You haven't come down here and you've not made it through the Winter. Let's get through that and then you can thank me," Palla instructed.

"I will."

The line went dead and she felt odd. Madi was the true leader. She could see it in her face and hear it in her voice. Clarke wasn't going to leave her side and she wasn't going to let daughter rule by herself. She didn't know what she could do for Clarke just yet. She would need to meet with her and talk with her. She needed to get to know the blonde, but she wasn't sure how receptive Clarke would actually be.

Realizing that she'd done as much damage as she could for the day, she made her way over to the small stables and got on her caballo. She wanted to see Lex and she needed to talk to Ferre. Hrathgar and some of the others would need to be told. Life was about to get very interesting.

She rode towards the Village. Normally, she would have stopped at her farm, but she knew that her daughter and Ferre would be at their house. She turned her caballo in that direction and let it trot slowly. She wasn't really in a hurry. She knew that she would make it sometime before the evening meal.

She rode peacefully, taking in the nature and sky around her. She smelled the air. She chill was there, but she knew that rains weren't ready to subside to the snows just yet. But, it would only be a matter of weeks.

"Four hundred eleven souls and just weeks to be ready..."

"HALLO!" Ferre called as she neared their farm.

"HALLO, Sister, room for one more at your table, tonight?"

"Always. Come inside. Wash up. We'll talk after the girls go to sleep."

"Where's Hrathgar?"

"Working with Imber on some of the winter prep at the wall. He should be home tomorrow. Do you need him?"

"It'll keep for now," Palla told her as she walked inside.