Chapter 70

Echo paced outside the tent. She didn't like it, but she wasn't going to tell Clarke "no." No one did really, except maybe Palla and Madi, and even they had a hard time doing it. She didn't know why, but she didn't like Elena. Maybe it was her warrior instinct. Maybe it was just the way that she looked at Palla and Clarke. Echo didn't care. She didn't like her, but she didn't have to. She had to be there for Clarke. That was all that mattered.

It seemed like they were in the tent for a long time before Clarke emerged with Elena on her heels. Octavia and Palla were talking with the officers left behind and Diyoza. She was glad that she wasn't in that mess. She saw Palla shake her head and then hang it. An officer of some rank came running up to her and Echo's hand immediately went to her side. She didn't draw she just watched as the officer handed her a tablet. It was one of their communication devices and Echo could only wonder what it meant. She kept her eyes on Palla for the most part, but she kept sneaking glances at Clarke and Elena. Everytime she looked back she caught Elena studying Palla deeply.

Palla excused herself from her men and then made her way to Echo's side. Echo watched her coming with her own dark eyes questioning the moment. Palla had a look in her eyes, but she was smiling. Echo could see the conflicting emotions in her eyes. Octavia watched for a second and then followed, leaving Diyoza to hold her own with the officers and tell them how to reinforce their ends of the wall.

"You have a call," Palla told Echo in Trig.

She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. For one, she didn't know why Palla was speaking to her in Trig. Was there something about not letting her people know everything about the "Earthlings" that Palla was guarding? Or, was it something that she didn't want her people to know period? Echo knew it wasn't her place to question the leaders, but she found more than passing strange. She saw a similar thought in Octavia's eyes as she came up behind her. Echo slowly reached out for the tablet and took it. When she turned it around, she saw that Raven was on the other end.

"Hey," Raven said.

"Hey," Echo replied.

"Can I talk to you alone?"

Echo looked up and saw the worry in Octavia's eyes. Echo nodded and then turned to find Clarke not far away. She walked over to the blonde. Blue eyes met brown and questioned each other.

"I need the tent."

"Why?"

"Raivon," Echo answered.

"Go ahead. Let me know after," Clarke told her as she turned to find Palla and Octavia nearby as well. "How goes the tutorial?"

"Good," Palla stated. "Diyoza is a smart and skilled tactician. She is an obvious choice for your security at the wall."

Clarke cocked an eyebrow at the response and saw Octavia's grin. Echo had already moved passed them towards Clarke's tent. She knew that Octavia would protect them both and give her enough warning if her sword was needed. She felt herself relax a little, but not fully. She wouldn't do that until she was back at the barracks with Clarke and Diyoza tucked safely back in and away from the damn wall.

"Okay, I'm alone. What did you need to tell me? And, just remember that I am with Clarke, she'd going to want to know as well."

"That's fine," Raven told her and took a deep breath.

"What did the doctor say?"

"She thinks that she can fix me, but I need help," Raven answered.

"Help? Help with what, Sekkon? Tell me."

"Her wife has devised a new brace for my leg and it holds."

"That's great," Echo told her.

"It is, but I'm going to need more support."

"I don't understand."

"She wants to do surgery. She want to cut my leg open and work on it. To do that, I'll have to stay in the Village."

"Then you stay," Echo said quickly.

"I'll need someone I trust with me."

"You don't trust this doctor or her wife?" Echo asked trying to figure out what was going on with Raven.

"I do. She seems absolutely brilliant. She's cocky enough and Palla believes in her. So do I, and she reminds me of me but as a healer, you know?"

"I do," Echo replied.

"She knows that you've been supporting me. She knows that you've been pushing me. She knows that..."

"She wants me to come help you with your recovery?" Echo broke her thoughts and asked.

"Yes."

"And, you're worried about it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You are Clarke's personal guard. You can't leave her to help me. I know that I am your sekkon, but you can't leave your charge. Madi isn't going to like the fact that both of her best guards are in the Village. Octavia can't leave Palla and you can't...shouldn't leave Clarke."

"I see."

"Who will guard Madi if you come? Who will protect Clarke? Who will keep the hopefuls in line, Echo? You need to stay back."

"How soon does she want to do this treatment?"

"Soon enough."

"Before the snows?" Echo questioned.

"Yes."

"I will talk to Clarke."

"Echo..."

"She might come with me."

"She needs to stay at the barracks. With Diyoza about to pop and the wall and all the other shit with the colony, she can't just abandon everyone and come to my side. I won't allow it and she knows that. I just...I don't think that Octavia wants to train with me. She doesn't push like you do. I think she's worried, she'd going to break me."

"Keep this ready. I'll talk to them both. I'll let you know soon. Don't fret, Sekkon. You'll be walking soon enough," Echo told her and walked out of the tent.

Clarke, Palla, Octavia, and Elena were all still talking together. It looked like they were working out some sort of battle plans or reinforcements around the wall and the Village and barracks. Octavia met her eyes first and saw the look that Echo was trying to hide. She could tell that her sister jusgona was being torn in two about something and she wanted to help. She elbowed Clarke softly and then jutted her chin at Echo when Clarke looked up at her.

"Wanheda en Skairipa, can I speak with you?"

"Go. We need a break. We'll finish planning after dinner. Go. Take care of your people," Palla told them and then saw Octavia's jaw tense. "Go, Oktevia, Elaynah will protect me. She will not let any harm come to any of us in this camp. We are safeguarded and very well protected. Go see what they need."

Octavia nodded and followed the blonde back into the tent. Echo stood still for a few moments as she tried to gather her thoughts. She didn't know how to even broach the subject. She felt all these emotions and she didn't know which one to settle on. Clarke could see the confusion and then questions in Echo's dark eyes.

"Take your time. Gather your thoughts. There is nothing to be afraid of with us, Echo. What's wrong? What does Raven need?" Clarke asked her.

"Me."

"I'm not sure I understand," Clarke replied to her quick and simple answer.

But, it was enough for Echo to see Octavia bristle. Madi had sent her own personal guard with Palla to guard her for Clarke's sake and not for Palla's own. But, she was also in the Village as a liason or ambassador. She was also sent to be there for Raven and to protect their best mechanic and sometimes engineer. She wondered why Raven needed Echo over her, but she was sure that Echo was going to tell them.

"The doctor wants to do something to her leg. She said something about cutting it open and I don't know. I am not a fisa, but Raven told me that the doctor said she needed someone with her for recovery," Echo stated.

"That makes sense."

"She wants me."

"Because you push her and won't let her quit?" Clarke asked.

"Among other things," Echo stated, knowing that Clarke still didn't know about Raven's want to compete in the trials to become one of the jusgona.

"Can I not do it?" Octavia asked jumping in.

"That is why I want to talk to you both. She is afraid. She's scared and I am her prima. I should be with her, but Clarke is my charge. Clarke will always come first and she knows that. Madi sent you, Octavia, to guard Palla and be ambassador. How can you do both? How would you be able to support Raven and still be by Palla's side?"

Octavia then understood. Whoever was with Raven would be with her until she was deemed healed and released to be on her own. Octavia couldn't do that. She had to remain near Palla and make sure that her own people didn't raise up against her.

"Aeolus and Miller are still at the barracks. Madi and I would be safe. Plus, we have Indra. I know that the General is not going to let anything happen to us," Clarke stated.

"Do you think that Madi will just let me go with Octavia?" Echo asked.

"She won't have a choice if I order it, will she?" Clarke questioned with a smirk.

"You wanted to send me anyway, didn't you?" Echo inquired.

"The more people I have in the Village, the better prepared I feel we will be come the Thaw. I know that sounds weird, but I think of the Village like Polis. We need people with our interests there. I know that Octavia is doing Madi's bidding by being there and making sure that Palla is protected because Madi is trying to make sure that we have an ally on this planet. I get it. I understand it. And, honestly, Octavia has some very big shoes to fill," Clarke answered.

"Whose?" Octavia asked.

"Mine, Lexa's, and Anya's," Clarke answered.

"We could only be so lucky," Octavia quirked.

"Which is why I sent you, O. You've got both mentalities in you. You think like a Grounder and like Skaikru. You'll help them understand our traditions and wants for our colony. And, you'll have Echo to talk to and discuss things through with before making any decisions. And, if you both think that you need more help, you can always call us back at the barracks, but I don't think that you will. Between the two of you, you could start and end any war that might come and I have complete faith in that, but I also hope that it doesn't happen. We can't guess what the Praha are going to do, but we need to know how the Villagers and other non-Praha are going to react to us. Having you both, with Raven, will help us. It is a good mix. Plus, I think that Echo needs to work on her diplomacy skills," Clarke stated.

"My diplomacy skills?"

"Yeah, I think that I'll tell Madi that you are staying in the Village, not only to be with Raven to help her, but also as the ambassador to the Amazons."

"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me. I want to rip her head off and she hasn't done anything. Elena is an arrogant bitch who doesn't know her place," Echo stated.

"And, I know someone that was once like that," Clarke said staring right at her.

"Fine. Fine. I'll play nice, but I can't help if I only speak to Raven, Palla, and Octavia in Trig."

"Do what you want. Make them believe that you really don't English that well, but I doubt that she will believe it. You have to remember everyone that you've already been exposed to, and I doubt that Elena doesn't already know that you speak English. They don't know it is the warriors' language though. So, you have that."

"Do you think that Madi will agree?" Octavia asked.

"Her two best warriors will be in the Village and not with her. I don't like. But, I love my brother and I trust him. And, I know that Octavia trusts Miller. They'll both be watching Heda en Wanheda, but Indra will be alone in training the prospects," Echo answered.

"Madi will have to train with them as well," Clarke replied.

"So, I guess this is a now or never type situation," Octavia added.

"It is. I'll go talk to Madi. I'm sure she'll agree. Call Raven and tell her that you'll be staying. And, let her know that I'm coming to visit."

"How will you get back?" Echo asked.

"I'll worry about that later. Call Raven. I'll be back in a few," Clarke told them and left the tent.

Echo looked at Octavia. They shared a look. Neither of them liked being away from Clarke and Madi, but they had been given their orders. She pulled up the comm and waited.

"So?" Raven asked.

"We'll be staying. Clarke is coming back with us to check on you. But, she is talking to Madi. Miller and Aeolus will guard them while we're both in the Village," Echo said.

"And, she's now the ambassador to the Amazons," Octavia added with a smirk.

"Amazons? Like actual Amazons? The warrior women of Greece?" Raven asked.

"Something like that," Echo replied with a hint of dry sarcasm.

"Making friends already, eh, Prama?" Raven questioned.

"Careful, Sekkon."

"Yes, she is," Octavia replied.

"Let me know when you're on way back to the Village. I'll make sure that Sam and Meeka are here to meet Clarke. Be safe. May we meet again," Raven told them.

"May we meet again," they both replied as the comm went silent again.

"Would it be bad if beat her in the Pins?" Echo asked.

"Never," Octavia told her as they went back out of the tent to find Clarke. "In fact, I think it would make you feel better. But, you'll have to wait until we get to the Village to beat her up in the guise of training. Careful thought, sisgona, she's a fighter."

They both laughed as they caught up to where Clarke, Madi and Palla were talking. They were in good spirits and they hoped that it would stay that way. Palla seemed to be calming down about the wall. Madi and Clarke were watching their guards however and wondering if it was a good idea to have made them both ambassadors.

"So, you will represent us, Azripa?" Madi asked Echo.

"Sha, Heda, as you command," Echo replied.

"I do."

Echo just nodded and then saluted. She turned to Palla and nodded as well. She knew by the look in Palla's eyes that Clarke had already informed her of Raven's plans and that she agreed with them. Echo looked around the camp and didn't see Elena. It made her werry, but she wasn't about to leave their sides to find out where the Amazon had gotten off to. She'd wait and she'd talk to Octavia about it later. Now, she was still Heda's guard and she needed to be ready...for anything and anyone.