Chapter 12

Madi and Octavia were in the gym sparring. Echo was sitting near by watching. Occasionally, she would call out a move for Madi to do. The little queen was learning quickly. She couldn't quite best them yet because of their strength, but what she lacked in strength, she made up for in speed and thinking. She could out move them.

"Good," Echo called from the sideline.

Madi dropped her sword and looked at Octavia. She could see the weariness in her eyes, but she knew that would never complain. Octavia fought an entire war before taking her revenge for her lover's death. She survived the bunker when they all could have perished. She ruled with an iron fist, but even Madi knew that it was needed. She'd listened to both Indra and Abby on the subject. While Abby understood it, she wasn't sure that Abby forgave her for the pits. Indra wasn't sure what happened to her Skai daughter, but she supported her, right or wrong. Indra hadn't tuned on Octavia until she turned on Gaia. Madi was trying to repair the rift. She knew that it was going to be a long and hard road, but that didn't stop her from wanting to help them. Octavia was with them from the beginning. She'd fought for them. She was them. But, when she needed them most, they all turned from her. They all assumed that she could handle it like that all had. No one bothered to ask her. No one bothered to see what years beneath the floor had done to her. They just assumed and because of that she broke. She was starting to find her way back and it started with her kneeling before Madi back on Earth.

"Octavia," Madi stated.

"Sha, Heda?"

"Talk to Palla."

"In your place tonight?"

"Yes."

"If you wish, Heda," Octavia stated.

"I do."

Octavia just nodded and left the gym. Madi could tell that she wasn't sure why the Heda had chosen her to speak with their new benefactor, but Madi could tell from her talks with Palla that she would soon understand. She knew that Clarke could benefit from talking to Palla, too. To be honest, they all could, but Clarke, Madi and Octavia the most.

Echo watched the young queen. She could see her thinking and she wondered what the little queen was up to. She reached over for a sword and raised it.

"Can I have a go?" she asked as she entered their makeshift ring.

"Only if you are truthful with me," Madi stated.

"About?"

"Any questions I ask you," Madi replied.

"You are the heda and I live to serve you," Echo replied.

"You failed another heda in the past," Madi stated.

Echo did her best to look admonished for her part in Lexa's problems with Azgeda. She'd made up with Clarke just before Primfaya, but she knew that it might not be enough. She'd proven herself with Bellamy, Raven, Emori and Murphy while they were on the Ring. Clarke had used her in the protection of Madi befor Madi took the flame. But, as soon as she had, Echo made sure that the new little heda knew that she was was heda's to command.

"I did and I suffered for it."

"You were a spy against the coalition, Echo and for the Ice Queen."

"I was."

"And, you tried to help King Roan win the conclave illegally."

"I did."

"You're a survivor, though. You survived Mount Weather. You survived betraying the coalition by trying to start a war with Lexa. You were banished after the conclave and ran and ran into what would become SpaceKru. You have survived where others have failed. And, now, because of Clarke, you're my personal guard. She trusts you even though honestly, you've never given her true reason to and that amazes me."

"Heda?"

"I don't doubt that you are an amazing warrior. I've seen you in the practice fields and rings. I've seen you fight and strategize with us to try to save Eden, but I am not sure who you were actually fighting then. Was it Octavia or was it the prisoners? Whose side were you actually on then, Echo?"

"Yours, Heda," she claimed.

"Would you have hurt Clarke to protect me?"

"Sha, Heda."

"Would you still?"

"If it was needed, yes," Echo replied.

"And, what about this new world? Would you defend me against them? Would you risk a war in order to protect me and our people?"

"If it was the only way to save you, Heda, yes, I would, without thought to myself," Echo answered.

"And, that is why you are my guard, Echo."

"I know, Heda."

"Would you betray me, Echo, like Gustus betrayed Lexa?" Madi asked as she got closer to Echo, sword dragging behind her.

"No, Heda, never," Echo answered as she knelt before Madi.

"And, I believe you, Echo. I do. Because I have no doubt that you would sacrifice yourself for me, the cause, and the people. What I'm about to ask you will be harder," Madi told her.

"Sha, heda, what's that?" Echo questioned.

"I want you to maintain the peace no matter what happens to either myself or Clarke. As the head of my guard, it is your job to make sure that my wants are maintained. Lexa wanted peace and fought for it. I need to know that you will take up the mantle and fight for our peace and maintain it. I need to know that you take Octavia as your sister and keep her close to you. I need to know that you will not let everything that we have tried to work for go to waste. I need to know that you will still do you job and find a way to make sure that the people will be safe and cared for. Do you agree?"

Echo started to balk at the comments that Madi was making, but then she thought about what Madi actually said. There was something to her words and Echo believed them. She knew what Madi was saying was true. She needed to make sure that her legacy, and Lexa's legacy, stayed the coarse.

"Sha, heda, I do."

"Good, then I want you and Octavia to do something for me," Madi stated.

"What, heda?"

"I want you to train the Guard."

"But, Bellamy..."

"Is the Captain and I am sure that Clarke will lean on him, but I want you and Octavia to train them personally. I need to know that they are the best and that they will do as that are ordered. I need to know that Clarke will have protection at all times, even if it is from herself. Can you assure me of that?"

"Sha, heda."

"Don't forget that you have souls aboard that you can train. Don't forget that there are prisoners who want to make a life outside of mining and being pegged as a bad seed. They need redemption, too, Echo. If they are worthy, train them. Seek them out and test them. If you trust them, then so shall I."

"What do I tell Clarke?"

"That you are doing your job as the personal guard to the Commander."

"Sha, heda," Echo replied.

"And, remember that Lexa had no fewer than six guards on duty at a time. You are only one woman, Echo. How are you and Octavia going to watch us all the time? You need help. Find it. Cultivate it and make it the best that it can be. Your Heda and Wanheda's lives depend on it," Madi told her.

"Sha, HEDA!"

Madi left the room then for Echo to think. She knew that Echo would go to Bellamy and get a roster. She knew that she would then go to Indra for her input. But, above all of that, she knew that Echo was looking to prove her worth to them all. Being a spy for the enemy, being banished by Lexa and then Octavia had taken it toll on her and Madi could see it. The fact that Clarke trusted her enough, mainly because of Bellamy's loyalty and love for her, to be Madi's personal guard spoke volumes and gave her something to strive for. Madi was just pushing her further. Echo needed a purpose. She needed to feel like she was contributing. Just being Madi's guard and trainer wasn't going to be enough. Echo was meant for big things and Madi could see it. She was a follower, a doer, and a policy changer. She just needed a little steering sometimes.

Raven sat on the bridge and looked at the maps. Where they were landing wasn't that built up, but it was maintained regularly because it wasn't completely wild like the landscapes to the south, west and north. She could only wonder what the vegetation looked like. She knew that the scans were horrible and she was made at herself for not being able to tweek them further.

She found the Village, as Palla called it on other scans. She was trying to figure out where they would fit into everything. So far, what she'd heard from Madi and Clarke just seemed to be too good to be true. She chalked that up to the rough life that they'd encountered on Earth after landing. She was ready for anything, but hoped that they wouldn't have to fight. Her leg was still trouble, but she'd be damned if she'd let anything happen to her "new" family and Clarke's mini-me.

"Raven, have you seen Octavia?" Madi asked as came onto the bridge.

"Not since she went in there to talk to Palla...saying something about Heda's orders."

"How long has she been in there?"

"I figure about two hours," Raven replied.

"Thank you," Madi said as she turned towards the Captain's quarters and knocked on the door.

She didn't wait for an answer before she went in. There she found Octavia, in tears, curled up on the chair and facing the screen. Madi quickly shut the door and locked it. She didn't want anyone to disturb them. Especially Raven or Clarke.

"Has she spoken?" Madi asked Palla when she saw her on the screen.

"Not in fifteen minutes," Palla replied.

"Octavia, this isn't the pits. This isn't the bunker. We are safe. We are alive. I need my Skairipa."

Octavia turned and looked at her. The pain and unshed tears flooded her green eyes. Madi just kept her eyes trained on her as she reached out for her.

"O?"

"Heda?"

"You are Echo are sisters now," Madi told her.

Octavia looked at her sideways. She wasn't sure where Madi was going with this, but she wasn't sure that she was going to like it, either. She knew that Echo and Bellamy were together. That much was obvious, but as far as she knew that was the extent of their relationship. She hadn't heard anything about them bonding.

"You are both personal guards to the Heda and Wanheda. As such, I expect you to be the best of all my guards. Bellamy might be the Captain of the Guard, but it is just a title. He is basically the head of security and not much more. You and Echo have a bigger role. I want you both to train and select the members of your teams. This means that you will have the pick of all the souls on board. You will have a distinct advantage over Echo in that respect as you know how all the souls from the bunker move, fight, and how loyal they are. I need to know that you can do this for me," Madi explained.

"Sha, Heda, I can," Octavia answered.

"Good because I am counting on you, Okteivia kom Wonkru. You are Clarke's personal guard and I want you to be the head guard of the personal guards. I want you to make sure that we are both safe. You'll share that responsibility with Echo, but I want you to want it more. Understand?"

"Sha, Heda."

"Octavia, you have earned your place by my side. Never forget that. I haven't and neither has Lexa. She knows what you did for her and the people. She is still proud of you, Octavia. Hold your head up and be the Skairipa that I need you to be. Be the one that will make the hard decisions in order to protect us."

"Sha, Heda," she replied with more conviction.

"And, remember that should anything happen to myself or Clarke, you are to support the other fully and help maintain the peace. That is going to be our legacy, now, Octavia, not war. Blood doesn't always have to have blood. Can you do that for us, Okteivia Kom Wonkru?"

"Sha, Heda, jus drein jus daun nou. Ai gonplei gon yu. Ai laik yu gona," Octavia replied.

"You are my warrior. You do fight for me. Never forget that. We are your family and we protect our own."

"Sha, Heda," Octavia stated.

"Now, go get some sleep. I'll check on you in a few hours. We'll spar some more. Rest now."

Octavia nodded and left the room. Madi moved and sat down before the comm. She looked up to see Palla waiting on her. Her dark eyes watching Madi's blue.

"What language is that?" Palla asked her.

"We call it Trigedaslenge," Madi answered.

"What does that mean?"

"Forest language. It is the language that we developed in order to survive. All the 'Grounders' as we are known as speak it. Most of Wonkru has learned it, but all the warriors learned English in order to protect ourselves from those in the Mountain. The language was developed out of necessity and is now becoming obsolete because Clarke took down the Mountain."

"Does she speak it?" Palla asked.

"Yes, she does."

"Will you teach me?"

"If you would like, yes."

"Okay, let's start with..."