Chapter 9

TW: talks about abuse and the aftermath, nothing too graphic

Echo came into the room that Clarke had been thrown in. It wasn't quite the dungeon, but it wasn't one of the guest suites either. At least being housed in the palace meant that Clarke wasn't in the barracks. Echo wasn't afraid of what would happen to her there. She knew. So, she was grateful for this small kindness that Nia had bestowed upon the blonde.

The first thing that Ontari had done once she was thrown into the room was strip her down. She'd mumbled something to Clarke about looking the part. Echo smiled a little as she saw Clarke the next morning in more traditionally styled Azgeda furs and clothing. The blonde didn't really seem to care. She looked resigned to her fate, but there was more to it that Echo couldn't see.

She knew that Ontari was going to be rough with Clarke, so Echo knew that she would have be gentle. Or, as gentle as she could be. She needed Clarke to come over to their way of thinking if she was going to keep the blonde alive. When it came to Clarke, though, Echo knew that she could go either way depending on the day, the hour, or the activity. Ontari wanted her dead.

Ontari was going to be a problem for them all. Clarke and Echo both knew it. Clarke just didn't care. She just kept telling Echo that everyone was going to die in six months. It didn't matter what Nia did or what she did. Everyone's death was being foretold by Wanheda, and she wasn't going to stop it. Echo realized maybe four days into their arrangement that Clarke had no want to stop it. At this point, Clarke was beyond caring. She didn't even care what happened to Arcadia or Lexa. Upon hearing this, Echo knew that they were all in trouble. If Wanheda didn't care enough to save them, who could?

Two weeks in, Echo realized that she was going to have to do something drastic to get Clarke to listen. She'd gone to her room to fetch for training. Clarke had asked to start with the bow. Echo hadn't thought it strange, but she agreed. She was the best archer in all of the kongeda. So, maybe it fluffed her ego to have Clarke wanted to learn from her and not Ontari. She wouldn't dare say anything about it to younger natblida, though. She feared what her wrath would do to Clarke if she did.

She'd gone into the market to select a good bow for her train with. This was only due to the fact that Nia wanted to her to one of the best. So, Nia had given both Ontari and Echo the means to get whatever they needed in order to train her and outfit her. Echo knew that this meant eventually Clarke would be thrown into the Ice Pits to see how she fared. It would be an honest trial by combat. If she survived, she became an Azgeda warrior. If she failed, she died. Nia didn't see a problem with it, but Echo knew that whoever took Clarke's life in the pits would lose their life at Nia's hands.

If word of this got back to Lexa, it wouldn't matter. Nia could play it off as doing the work of the Fleimkepas and upholding the law. Clarke was a night blood. It didn't matter any more to Nia that she was Wanheda. She could stop the rumors enough and claim to have her power without actually killing the blond. She had the brute squad and royal guard behind her to back it. No one else in the Kongeda would have to know the real truth, and Clarke would be a protected guest/prisoner in Troi until Nia either got her way or tired of her. Either way, Nia got a result she wanted.

But, it was Echo's loyalty to Clarke that was growing. Neither of them expected it, nor asked for it, but it happened nonetheless. This was becoming more and more apparent to Clarke though. She questioned Echo relentless about it, but Echo always just dodged it, saying that she was loyal to Azgeda. Clarke knew that it was the party answer that Echo had been trained to say, but there was more to it. Clarke was beginning to think that there was some sort of Wanheda movement in Azgeda that Echo knew about and was feeding. It was a dangerous game, and Clarke was stuck in the middle of it, forced to play.

Their relationship further turned on the beginning of the third week. Clarke was in her room like always when Echo went to fetch her. She knew that Clarke would have to add extra furs that morning because of the snow storm the night before. Echo was glad that she was allowed to stay in the palace rooms, too, because she definitely didn't want to be trudging through body high snow banks to get to Clarke. They would have to train near the barracks that were built off to the side of the palace. It was too cold and there was too much snow for them to go to the outdoor training grounds. Echo knew that they would be afforded plenty of time to train in the indoor areas as most of the royal guard that stayed in the barracks had been given leave to travel for the winter holidays. Echo had no one to go home to, so training Clarke wouldn't be a problem. So, getting Clarke ready should have been easy for her that morning.

It wasn't.

When she entered the room, she noticed that Clarke had her back to the door. She was still in bed, but she was curled up into herself. She wasn't crying or sobbing that she could hear. And, while her room was down the hall and a little better, Echo hadn't heard from any of the guards or other gona about Clarke crying out in the night because of nightmares again. The few nights that she had in the beginning had seen Echo entering the chamber to quiet her. If Nia knew about the nightmares, she said nothing as Echo continued to just train her. She knew it was mostly because Nia didn't care about Clarke's well-being. She was only interested in results. Which is why Echo was worried when she saw the position that Clarke was in. It wasn't normal for the blonde.

She crossed the room slowly but with noise. She didn't want to scare the other woman. Clarke was learning fast on how to defend herself. She didn't want to injure the girl, nor did she want to be injure should Clarke decide that she was a threat to her. She knew that Clarke hadn't let her guard down completely. She couldn't blame her, either. She was the same way. It was another reason that she found herself caring more than she should. Clarke personality just begged for it. So, Echo answered. She did everything that she could to protect while teaching her at the same time, but it was all under the guise of serving Nia fully, while serving Azgeda completely (or least she hoped so in the end that the legends were true).

"Klark?" Echo questioned as she got closer to the cot that Clarke was on.

She used Trig more than Gonasleng now. It was partially under Nia's orders. Clarke had okayed it though. Saying something about it being immersion and necessary to make her learn it fast. Echo knew that Ontari took great pleasure in causing pain, so she used Clarke's ignorance against her.

"Klark, are you well? It is a new day. Time to get up, stikgona."

Echo got closer to the cot. Clarke didn't move, except to curl further into herself. Echo was now very worried and she hadn't even seen the condition that Clarke was in. She knew that whatever it was, it was not good. She wondered if she should just call for the healer now, or wait until she actually assessed the situation. Clarke not talking to her almost made the decision for her, but she refrained. The healer would only come if she could justify it to Nia.

"Klark?" Echo tried again as she got to the cot.

She reached out slowly. Placing her hand, softly, on Clarke's shoulder, she her a little shake. Clarke gave a small whimper, but she didn't unfurl.

"Clarke, what happened?" Echo asked, switching back to Gonasleng.

Clarke didn't answer. She turned her head just enough to crack one bloody eye up at Echo. The older warrior was shocked, but she didn't voice it. She just nodded at Clarke and went to the other side of the room. She gathered a bowl and some water. She found some loose cloths and went back to Clarke's side.

"Let me clean you up," Echo pleaded.

Clarke didn't move.

"Beja, Klark. Let me help you," Echo begged. "Tell me who did this."

"Ontari," Clarke croaked out.

Echo stiffened beside her. She knew that the younger girl was sadistic and abusive, but she'd never thought that Nia would let her harm a "pet." Clarke had been beaten. Echo moved her as slowly and as pain-free as she could. Clarke didn't unfurl quickly, but Echo needed to see the damage done.

"Why?"

"She didn't like what I had to say," Clarke murmured.

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her that it didn't matter if she won the conclave after Lexa's death, Nia would never let her rule. She would always be subject to Nia," Clarke managed to squeak out. "I can't help it if she can't handle the truth. At least you know and you know where you stand with her. You've never hidden that fact from yourself. She's just too much of Nia's upbringing to see that Nia is only using her for tool in her quest for domination."

"Ontari can't believe it," Echo started. "If she does, she'd rise up against Nia. That is why she isn't allowed to be far from Nia."

"She's made her dependent on her somehow?" Clarke asked. "Like a really warped sense of Stockholm syndrome?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"You do, but you don't," Clarke quipped and coughed.

She held her side. Echo noticed the movement. Carefully, she lifted Clarke's shirt.

"Nomonjoka," Echo hissed as she saw the bruising.

"Haven't done that yet. Give me time. Haven't found the right woman yet," Clarke managed to chuckle out.

"Chit?"

"Nevermind, you wouldn't understand," Clarke replied. She coughed again and made to try to unfurl some more. Echo moved out of her way and let her move at her own pace until Clarke told her, "Help me sit up."

Echo moved quickly. She eased Clarke into a sitting position. She could tell that the blonde wasn't fully aware of what was going on, but she knew that she was in trouble and in Azgeda. Her eyes moved to look deeply into Echo's eyes. The power and the depth that Clarke showed her only made her believe the power of Wanheda even more. She was beginning to understand the fact that she was willing to defy her Kwin for Clarke, completely and without reservation.

"Ontari told me that I needed to learn to take a beating," Clarke told her as Echo carefully lifted the shirt from her body.

Echo knew what beatings looked like. She also knew what torture looked like. Clarke's body looked more like the latter than the former. Echo had been made to endure things like this when she was child. Nia said it made her a stronger spy. She wasn't sure about that, but it did make Echo quiet and demure when needed. Nia didn't want Clarke to be demure. She wanted her angry and ready to kill Lexa if need be. Torture and brutality wasn't the way to that.

"You'll need salve and medicine."

"Nia won't let it come," Clarke countered.

"I'll get it for myself," Echo replied.

"Has there been a break in the snows that I don't know about? Hmm? Can we go to the healer's? Can we leave the palace?"

"No, we can't," Echo stated.

"Then, there is no use for you to waste the effort. It will only cost you more in the long run," Clarke told her. "Besides, if I don't get up and at least make an appearance around the palace, even if it is just to the sparing rings for training, Nia will send for me. This is more a test for me, than you, Echo. You cannot let your loyalty for Nia wane or she'll remove you from me. She doesn't care if I live or die, but you do."

"If you survive another month of this, she'll send you to the pits," Echo warned.

"Then, I guess you better patch me up and get to trainin' then, huh?"

"Could you even hold a sword if I put one in your hand, today?" Echo inquired.

"Won't know until we try."

Echo cocked an eyebrow at her and said nothing more. She went to cleaning up Clarke's torso. She cataloged each and every fist-sized bruise that she saw. It was amazing now that Clarke was even managing to sit up without showing too much pain. She was amazed at the blonde's stoicism, but it also made her wonder what caused it. Clarke was strong in her own way, but she was also naïve and weak. Echo was surprised at that Clarke didn't see her weaknesses as true weaknesses like those of Azgeda did. She bore them with grace and a strength that Echo didn't understand. She mused that it was because Clarke was really Wanheda. Maybe humility was one of Wanheda's main qualities. Maybe the other clans spoke about Wanheda differently, but she only knew about the Azgeda versions of the legends and prophecies.

"I wonder what the Keyronkepa would think of her," Echo mused, not realizing that it was aloud.

"Who or what are the keyronkepas?" Clarke asked, wincing as Echo cleaned her wounds.

"They are the keepers of the story of Wanheda. The tale of Wanheda is as old or older than that of heda. There was one Keyronkepa in the village where I grew up. When Haihefa Thiou was still alive, they would journey around the clans and spread their tales. They would learn bits of the tales, legends and prophecies from each other. But, after King Theo's death, Nia sought to eradicate them from Azgeda. She saw them as a problem and a threat to her reign because they would not bend their stories to make her more powerful. I think she sought to be crown as Wanheda without actually being Wanheda. Those that didn't flee Nia's wrath stayed hidden. They no longer bore the symbol of Wanheda," Echo told her.

"Wouldn't the Fleimkepas want them to stop the tales as well?" Clarke hissed out the question as Echo found a particularly tender spot.

"You would think so, but the tales of Wanheda were always blended. But, after the last Wanheda left, the Fleimkepas were afraid. I think it was mostly because of Sheidheda, though. They started the whole Heda is to be alone thing. They didn't want Heda to have the power of Wanheda. So, all the Keyronkepas agreed to hide who they were. And, only those in the know can tell if someone is another believer now. The symbol of Wanheda has been lost to us for generations because of this. For over fifty years, no one has seen another with the symbol on their body. However many of the believers and the Keyronkepas have taken to adorning themselves with the symbols of Wanheda Twel in hopes that they will be selected to serve them when Wanheda comes back to lead us into peace," Echo explained.

"You don't believe in peace, Echo. You believe in war, death, and destruction. Jus drein jus daun, remember? There is no grey for you or your people."

"Because we don't know what to do in the grey, Clarke. For us, everything since the bombs has been nothing but life or death. We survive the only way we know how. We protect what is ours. We fight those that would take it from us and we fight for the right to have it. We aren't all bad people."

"I never said you were," Clarke winced as Echo bade her to turn to let her look at her back.

"I know that, but you think that we are way harsher than we need to be. It is what works for us. It is how we've survived so long here. You think that your way is better, then you will have to prove it. You can't just come down here and demand that we change. You have to show us how, Clarke."

"You spoke of the Twelve of Wanheda, sha? What are they? Who are they?" Clarke inquired.

"The Twel represent the twelve elements of life. Each one is different. They have different characteristics. These symbols are the ones that the believers and the keyronkepas use now to identify each other. It also lets them know what information they know about Wanheda. Most of the other clans still don't know what they symbols mean and how they are sacred to those that believe in the power and majesty of Wanheda. Sheidheda destroyed many of them and their tomes. Few remain now and those that do are closely guarded."

"You've seen one?"

"When I was child, I did."

"What happened?"

"Nia."

"What does that even mean?" Clarke asked her.

Echo allowed her to turn around. She sat on the cot next to Clarke. She lifted her own shirt and showed her the marking on her stomach.

"For those of us who believe, we do what we have to do. For those of us in Azgeda, we have all taken the symbol of Ice. Nia doesn't know what it means. Most don't and they won't because the icy swirl that I bear here," Echo told her as she pulled Clarke's hand to run over the faint scarring on her skin. "They all just believe that we bear it because we are from Azgeda and it is a symbol of our people. But, it isn't the same. It never has been and it never will be."

"And, Nia never noticed?"

"It isn't on my face, so she didn't care. But, those who bear the symbol of Ice are known as Guardians to Wanheda. We have pledged ourselves to helping them come into the power and serving them as they lead us into a new age of Man. Now, more than ever, I can tell that we need Wanheda. We need you."