Chapter 27: Friendly discussions
Clarke felt a little disorientated when she awoke on a comfortable bed of furs the next morning. She blinked a few times, slowly recalling the events of the previous day to figure out why she was in a tent with sun rays slipping through the slit of the entrance. Once everything came back to her, she quickly threw away the fur that covered her and gathered her clothes.
She stepped out to see that only a few workers were already out and about. She paused, unsure of where to go first. She had never really been in the village, only passing through it on the way to Indra's war camp before the battle against Mount Weather.
A guard that had been standing next to the entrance of her tent addressed her.
"Healing Nymph, would you want me to show you the way to the mess hall for breakfast?"
Relieved, she nodded. As they walked, she asked. "Do you know if Anya or Raven are already up?"
"The general is making the preparations for your travel, and the one named Raven usually wakes around this time." He smiled slightly. "I was one of those who escorted the general and her from Polis."
If Lexa or Anya had chosen him for escorting her back to Polis, she had feeling she should get used to his frequent presence around her. Though she was still irritated by the lack of privacy, she had certainly learned her lesson and had promised herself that she would no longer protest whatever protection Lexa insisted on.
"What is your name?" She asked conversationally.
"Catal, Nymph." He paused in front of a great wooden structure, indicated that they had arrived. "Do you need me to go and find Raven?" He asked.
Clarke suppressed her smirk when she heard the slight trepidation in his voice. Between that and Anya's comment from the previous night, she really wanted to know what had happened when they had last woken the mechanic.
She decided to take pity on her new guard. "No, I am sure she will be coming in here by the time I am done since you said she should wake soon."
She pretended not to hear Catal's sigh of relief.
She could see that most of the labourers were eating. She joined the file and waited for her bowl – some sort of porridge with berries, it seemed – and found a slightly out of the way table. She didn't feel like sitting at one of the crowded and loud tables.
Catal had also grabbed breakfast and sat next to hear, his gaze periodically rising to scan the room.
She was polishing off her bowl – much tastier than anything she had eaten in the last few weeks – when Catal signaled her that Raven had arrived in the hall. She looked up and saw the mechanic walking in with crutches and looking around until she spotted her. With a grin, Raven quickly pointed to the queue for food to indicate that she was getting something to eat first.
She joined them, somehow balancing her bowl while walking with her crutches. Clarke scanned the mechanic. Her leg was immobilized, likely broken, but she could see no other injuries, and she did not seem to be in pain.
Still, Raven was her friend, one of the few to share her Skaikru origins, so she would heal her.
The mechanic grinned as she sat down. "Long time no see, Griffin."
Clarke felt herself smiling, the Latina's joy was contagious. "Likewise, Reyes."
She paused while the other one started to dig in her bowl. She remembered that Raven had been angry with her before the battle, because she had let Lexa decide how to handle Lincoln's punishment without insisting on justice for Finn's death.
She continued hesitantly. "Er… Do you know that Lincoln is a scout here?"
Raven nodded as she swallowed. "Yeah, shit ton of things happened here. He was demoted and they had some sort of 'trial by knife' to decide if he could stay here or not. And Octavia has officially become a grounder in training."
The mechanic spooned another mouthful with a groan of appreciation. "I swear, even after months of this I still can't believe how good the food is down here. Beats the protein rations of the Ark, eh?"
Clarke stared at Raven. "You are not angry? About Lincoln and all?"
The mechanic paused in her eating and grimaced. "I was. I am still sad that Finn is dead, but I have calmed down enough to understand that Lincoln had just been attacked in his home and reacted instinctively. Don't get me wrong, I haven't forgiven him. But, I participated in this trial, and I was explained what his full punishment is. So, I guess I am satisfied with it."
"I have never heard of this trial by knife?" Clarke said.
Raven shrugged. "It's nasty. Basically, they stripped him – not completely, thank god – and tied him to a post. Then Indra explained everything he had done to betray the clan and why, as well as his role in the battle. Said he had chosen trial over banishment, but would be demoted if he stayed."
The mechanic paused. "I understand they usually execute with 'Death by a thousand cuts'. This is apparently a derivation of that. Anyone who believe they have been hurt by his actions in some ways can cut him. If he is alive by the time everyone is done, the debt is considered paid and he can stay. If not… well the debt is paid too, I guess. Also, they had us cut him across his tattoos. To forever prove he lost his rank through treason, I understand."
Clarke noted Raven's use of 'us' but chose not to comment on it. She was not surprised the mechanic would have wanted to avenge her lover in some way, and the mechanic seemed at peace with it.
Still there was a point that felt unclear. "But Lincoln is still a scout?"
Raven nodded. "Yeah, but from the lowest rank, as if he had just finished training. I am not really sure how it works, but I suppose it's much like in the Ark: the newest – or lowest, in his case – will get the shittiest jobs. He can still rise in rank again, I think, but since he committed treason and is older, I guess his career has taken a big blow."
Clarke tilted her head. "And Octavia? What's the story?"
Raven frowned as she munched. "I don't know, actually. I haven't really seen her much. I have been busy in the Mountain, then Polis then back here. Guess it must have happened between Lincoln's trial and my return."
Clarke shifted in her seat, unsure. "About the rest of the delinquents… Can you tell me how they are?" She paused. "Anya mentioned that you discussed them with the Commander?"
Raven sighed and looked around. "Yeah. Probably better if we don't discuss it out here, most grounders don't know about them."
Clarke glanced at Raven's now empty bowl. "If you are done, we can go to my tent. And I will remove that splint while you tell me everything."
The mechanic rose her eyebrows. "I am healing nicely already, you know."
Clarke smirked. "But think of how much more you could do without those crutches."
Raven grinned ruefully and the healer was sure she had caught a slightly panicked gulp on Catal's face before he smoothed his expression.
They deposited their bowls in a barrel filled with water and slowly walked back to Clarke's tent. Raven proved quite able with her crutches, often stopping to point one of them in some direction to indicate the main buildings to Clarke. Inwardly, the healer started wondering if the mechanic was not in fact more dangerous with her crutches, after barely dodging an enthusiastic thrust towards the common workshop where Raven had apparently found great tools.
They entered the tent while Catal resumed his post, guarding the entrance. Clarke briefly told him to let in Octavia if she came – better to have everything done as soon as possible so she could start the last leg of the journey to Polis.
She indicated to Raven to sit on the bed, and knelt beside her to remove the splint. She was familiar with the grounders way of making splints from her time with the healers in Polis.
However, before she could start unlacing it, Raven grabbed her hand.
"You sure you wanna do that? All the delinquents saw me with a broken leg, they'll now something is weird if I show up without even a limp less than three weeks later." She cautioned. "Monty did not take the news of your abilities all that well." She finished softly.
Clarke flinched, but determinedly started untying the splint.
"What did he say?" She asked timidly.
"Not much. He is angry." Raven replied. "I was actually surprised he did not know. I mean, he spent weeks in Polis with everyone calling you the Healing Nymph"
Clarke shrugged. She had known Monty would find out eventually. She just hoped he would forgive her one day.
She finished removing the splint and carefully prodded at the leg, making sure the bones were properly set before healing. With a nod, she laid her hand over the main fracture and let the power flow from her.
Raven let out a giggle. "I wasn't conscious last time, but this tingling sensation is weird. Good thing I'm not ticklish, I think."
Clarke smiled. It was actually really nice to have Raven, someone so grounded in science, accept her gift without a second thought. She lifted her hand. "There. All done."
The mechanic jumped up and stomped her newly healed leg a few times. "Damn, that feels good. Pretty sure you eased all the rehab stuff as well." She looked up. "Oh, and it seems you have a visitor."
Clarke turned her head, still half knelt the floor, and was faced with a slack-jawed Octavia. She glanced at Raven who was openly laughing at the other brunette.
"But… that's… your leg… did she?" The young seken stammered.
The mechanic struggled to control her chuckling. "Need to sit down, Octavia? You can take the bed, I don't mind standing" She attempted to say with a straight face, but the effect was ruined by her wide grin.
Clarke took pity on Octavia – it seemed she had to do that a lot when Raven was involved, she thought wryly – and decided to initiate the unavoidable conversation.
"Surely you have heard how most of the grounders call me?" She asked.
In fact, she was honestly surprised that Octavia had apparently not known about her abilities. Surely, as Indra's seken she had met warriors that she had healed during the battle, right?
Octavia worked her jaw open and shut a few times before shaking her head and throwing a glare at the still grinning Raven.
"Well, yeah, I did but… I figured it was just because of medicine technique from the Ark or whatever… Not… well, that." The brunette explained lamely with a wave at the scattered pieces of the splint. "How the hell did you do that?"
Clarke sat down on her bed. "Well, long story short, the ability has been running in my family since Antiquity. We had to keep it secret inside the Ark, but when Bellamy tried to kill me and I left, I stumbled upon an assassination attempt on the Commander and helped her."
Octavia blinked. Then blinked again. "I kind of want to hear the long version to understand, I think." She said slowly.
The healer shook her head. "No can do. I have to leave for Polis before midday, and I still want to hear about the delinquents in Mount Weather." She finished while turning back to Raven.
Octavia frowned, confused. "Why do you need to hear about that from Raven? You were in the Mountain until last night!" She tilted her head, obviously recalling something. "Why did you dye your hair last night, by the way?"
Clarke froze. She had forgotten Indra's warning that Octavia had not been told the truth.
It was Raven who answered softly. "Clarke never set a foot inside Mount Weather. She was captured by Azgeda. The people she arrived with last night helped her escape the Ice Nation."
The young warrior's mouth opened in a silent 'Oh' while Clarke got up and resolutely stared at the wall of the tent. She knew both brunettes were of a curious nature and that they would have questions about her time in Azgeda. Questions she did not feel ready to answer.
Questions she did not even want to hear. Terrified of the memories they would bring up.
"So, the delinquents, Raven?" She insisted abruptly.
There was a long silence. She could almost feel the others staring at her back and at each other, until the mechanic awkwardly and loudly cleared her throat.
"Right. Yeah. So, I know they need to leave the Coalition. I wasn't exactly happy to hear that just after the battle, especially right after the Commander told me you had disappeared. She said only Monty and I could stay because we had helped against the Mountain, but that the others had until spring to gather whatever we wanted and leave the Coalition's lands. Along with all the survivors from Mount Weather. One of their scientist is giving the treatment to the children and a few adults that opposed their leaders about using the grounders for blood."
Clarke turned back to look at Raven, happy to hear that her and Lexa's plan had allowed them to spare the children.
Raven smiled a little and continued. "I'm staying, by the way. Since the Ark crashed, the Commander offered to give the others the food that had been set aside for the delegation. It's not much, but Mount Weather has all the facilities to produce more food, so they are making travel rations now."
The healer listened as Raven explained the delinquents' wish to try and find the Ark, and how she had applied to Lexa for a couple of boats for them. She informed her that they expected a reply from the Boat People within two or three days.
Then, the mechanic turned to Octavia. "No offense, Xena, but the offer does not extend to your brother. Even if the delinquents wanted him to come, he shot me, Jaha and tried to kill Clarke. That's a no for redemption in my book. At least your boyfriend seriously felt in danger."
Octavia sighed as she fell besides Raven on the bed, face down. "I know. I talked to him in the prison in Polis. But, he's still my brother, you know?"
Clarke exchanged a helpless look with Raven. They didn't. No one from the Ark knew what a sibling bond was like. They kept silent, waiting for the other girl to continue.
"Do you know when he is to go to the Waste Lands?" Octavia asked, raising on her arms to look at the mechanic.
Raven shrugged. "As soon as possible, I guess. I think the only reason he is still in Polis is because the Commander was wary of a Skaikru roaming around while Clarke was captured. Most grounders don't know where the Healing Nymph is from."
"Do you think Heda would allow me to see him off?"
Clarke let out a chuckle. "I have a feeling she will be easier to convince than your Fos." Raven joined her when Octavia paled visibly at the thought. "How did that happen by the way?"
Octavia's voice was muffled by the furs. "I accompanied Indra and Lincoln in the tunnels during the battle. Then, after Lincoln's trial, when some guy said I wasn't a real Trikru warrior I replied that at least I had not been injured in the battle – unlike him. He kicked my ass with one arm in a splint. Then Indra offered to take me as her seken."
There was another heavy sigh before Octavia rose from the bed and looked at Clarke. "When did you say you were leaving?"
"As soon as possible. Before midday at the latest." She answered.
"Damn. Not much time to convince Indra." She strode to the entrance of the tent. "See you later, hopefully." She added as she pulled aside the flap.
Clarke sat back down on the floor. "How good are the chances of having ships capable to cross the ocean with, what, over a hundred people aboard? Truthfully?" She asked, fearing the mechanic's answer.
"Depends on what kind of ship we are given and how shitty they are. But don't worry, I'll personally direct the repairs. If it's not safe, there's always the Waste Lands. With provisions and as a group, they have a better chance of crossing them than anyone before, I understand."
Clarke nodded wearily. "And what about orientation? Or propulsion, if they choose the boats?"
Raven grinned at her. "You do known that humans have crossed oceans long before they invented combustion engines, right? And there's still some hydrazine left from the dropship." She added with a dismissive wave.
Clarke suddenly wondered how appropriate it was to put a zero-G mechanic in charge of boats. Surely she would not try to construct some rocket reactor for the ships to use the hydrazine, that would be crazy. Right?
The brunette continued, oblivious to Clarke's sudden apprehension. "As for orientation, they can use the stars at night. And it's not like they must aim for some precise landing point. They just have to go in a mostly straight line to save food and water." She concluded with a shrug. "We don't know where the Ark landed, or even if it did."
Clarke closed her eyes and rested her head against a pole of the tent, trying to organize her thoughts. "You are staying here until you hear about the boats?" She clarified.
Raven confirmed. "And then I suspect I'll be busy preparing them until spring."
"Any way you could build a radio that could reach the one in Polis, so we can stay in contact? That way, I can send you parts from the old stuff in Polis if need be." Clarke suggested.
The mechanic scrunched up her face thoughtfully. "Well, there's got to be enough parts for that in the Mountain. If we stick to the frequency we used with the Ark, you would not have to tweak the radio in Polis, and I doubt the boats will be so far that the signal could not reach. Besides, it would not take that long to build a small amplifier if need be." She paused, sliding from the bed to sit on the floor as well. "Some of the delinquents will go with me to help prepare the boats."
Clarke kept her eyes closed. She didn't need Raven to give her a list of those who would be working with her. She knew they were both thinking of Monty.
"It's not your fault, you know?" The mechanic insisted.
Jasper. Shamefully, Clarke privately acknowledge that it had been a while since she really thought about him. Was it really only a few months ago?
The healer finally opened her eyes. "How would you know? You weren't there." She commented, surprised by the lack of emotion in her voice when she felt so torn by the memories of Jasper's cries of pain and the delinquents comments about the noise.
The Latina shrugged. "Yeah, but I still heard about it. You wanted to heal him with some kind of herb, right? That's what you do with most grounders if it's enough to save them, isn't it?"
"He was my friend."
"And he asked to be killed rather than deal with the pain. He could have trusted you that the herbs would heal him. He chose not to."
"So he hurt so much that he'd rather die, while I stood there instead of healing him. Was that supposed to make me feel better?" She asked bitterly.
She jumped when Raven hit the ground violently with her fist. "Damn it, Griffin! You say you don't want to be seen as some sort of god, so don't fucking act like one!"
Clarke stared, gobsmacked.
Raven continued with an accusing finger pointed at her. "You said you would heal him with the herbs, because you were pretty sure it would be enough to save him. And I know you enough to be sure that you would have used your gift if it turned out not to be. That was your choice. Jasper asked for a mercy kill rather than take the chance to live. That was his choice. Hell, from what I understand, he did not even make his request with you in the room. Because he knew you would not agree."
Clarke shook her head. She was not as sure as Raven that she would have saved Jasper anyway. She was still hiding her abilities then. The mechanic had only met her after her secret had been blown, and Jasper's own death had played a part in her giving up the secret. "I was a coward." she objected in a whisper.
Raven stared at her, gaze unwavering. "Okay, if you insist. But at least acknowledge that so was he. No matter what Monty thinks, you are not the only one to blame there."
The healer sighed. She could understand the other woman's arguments rationally, but it did not change the guilt she felt about Jasper's death. Or even Atom's. And right now, she had no desire to keep arguing.
"I still owe Monty an apology. I should have told him everything back in Polis."
Raven nodded with a grimace. "Do you have the time to go to the Mountain?" She asked doubtfully.
"Not without delaying my return to Polis." She confirmed.
The mechanic leaned more comfortably against the bed. "I'll try to convince him to talk to you on the radio once we are settled with the boats, then."
Clarke shook her head. "No. No, he deserves to have me do it face to face. Can you… can you tell him that I'll come?"
Raven agreed, and Clarke redirected the discussion to the rest of the delinquents and what they expected to have by the time they left. It soon grew obvious that Raven had mostly focused on the technical aspects of the problem and had little knowledge of how much food reserves they could grow.
"What about hydroponic cultures?" The healer asked. "I'm guessing the Mountain has some, like we had in the Ark. Would it be possible to bring some onboard? It might help with the food issue."
Raven doodled a few calculations on the dirt ground. "Not much use during the ocean crossing. If they spend so much time at sea that they have time to grow crops, food won't be the first problem." She lightly tapped on her doodles. "And they would have to bring some power source as well, most likely a solar panel. There are still a couple at the dropship, but I don't know if the Commander would agree since we might need them for whatever else I repair next. I will have to see if Mount Weather has any."
The mechanic grimaced. "In the end, a lot depends on the available space in the boats. Stuff like that might help once they reach a new shore, but they will have to bring a lot of pure water. Rations can be small and highly nutritive, but water…" She trailed off with a shrug.
Clarke considered the problem. What if they had boats but not enough space for the people leaving and the resources?
"Are you sure they are all okay with trying to find the Ark? Many weren't exactly eager for the adults to come down." She recalled. "You can't have a few sabotage your work like when Bellamy tried to remove all the wristbands. I am sure we could organize two separate groups if some don't want to."
She did not voice the fact that it might make more space available on the boats, but knew the mechanic was also considering it.
"Yeah, not a bad idea. I'll make sure they understand they have a choice, especially once I have seen what kind of ships we are working with. As long as we divide the resources equally, some might actually choose the Waste Lands."
Clarke frowned, searching for more solutions. "Weren't there machines that could make salted water drinkable? Do you think you could make one?"
Raven tilted her head. "Mmmh, never seen one before, but basically, you'd just need to boil the sea water, lead the vapor away and then wait for it to condensate again, right? If I could use the heat from the motor, that would not even really require more power. That's more of a chemistry set-up, really. Think you could make me some schematics, Griffin? I'm pretty sure there would be more than enough parts in the Mountain, but I might need a drawing to show the noobs what I need. Can't spend the winter going back and forth between the Mountain and wherever the boats are."
Clarke promised to send them with a messenger as soon as she could.
The mechanic continued. "I doubt it could produce enough for so many people, but just a few liters per day could save up a lot of space. And it will give the passengers something to do besides lounging around."
Clarke felt her eyebrows rise at the last remark. She doubted crossing the ocean would involve much lounging around, especially in a hastily repaired boat and without the genius who had patched it up to oversee the maintenance. She cautioned the mechanic to make sure enough people would know how to actually use the boat and everything she put on it.
Raven agreed with a grimace and a grumbled admission that she hated having to explain things more than once.
A rasp against the entrance of the tent spared Clarke the task of replying. She turned her head to see Anya pull aside the entrance flap.
"Are you ready to depart? We can wait another hour, but I'd rather not have to make up for it tomorrow." The general asked with a quick glance at Raven.
Clarke nodded, turning back to Raven. "I'll have someone near the radio, so just call whenever you are done with your own. We can discuss anything else then, okay?" She clarified as she rose.
The mechanic nodded and pulled herself up as well. "Sure. And, Clarke?"
"Yeah?"
"It's nice to see you again."
The healer had rarely seen Raven with a serious face, and suppressed a shudder, pushing away memories she had no wish to face yet – if ever. She walked to the entrance – Anya had already vacated the tent – with only a quick nod of acknowledgment.
The stables were easy to spot, especially with the few warriors and horses already gathering there. Despite being a few shades darker than her own, Anya's blonde hair also stood out. She was only half-surprised to spot Octavia nearby with a horse, a scowling Indra next to her.
She joined the general, wondering exactly how large of an escort they would take to Polis. She noticed Emori next to a horse, as well as Ponu who seemed to be babysat by Anya's seken. Not counting them or the general, there were four more guards. Adding Catal who was following her, that meant five warriors in addition to a general and two sekens.
When they met, Lexa had only traveled with Gustus and two guards.
Not that she intended to complain. Clearly, the lesson of her vulnerability had definitely been well learned by the Commander as well. Clarke just hoped Lexa would allow her to circulate in Polis without a small army surrounding her – some of the healers' patients were frightened by the bulked warriors, and she would hate to give up her visits to the help the healers and learn more about healing concoctions.
Anya guided her to a horse with some travel equipment tied behind the saddle. Though Clarke had been more eager to learn horse riding than sword wielding, she glanced apprehensively at the frozen grounds. She had no idea how sure-footed the big animals were.
The general clearly noticed and reassured her in a low voice. "The horses have been fitted with shoes that will prevent them from slipping on small patches of ice."
Anya helped her up before mounting her own horse and quickly giving orders to organize their small party. Two warriors were to ride in the front, with one of them regularly scouting ahead. Clarke herself was to ride besides Anya, directly followed by Emori and Tris. The latter would be sharing her horse with Ponu, who had never ridden before. Catal would bring up the rear with Octavia while the last two warriors covered the flanks.
Clarke got closer to Anya as soon as they had left Tondisi, asking in a whisper if the general expected trouble.
She was answered with a determined look. "Heda would have sent thrice more warriors if she could have done so without inviting more questions than is safe right now. Hopefully, Nia does not know where you are right now, but since we still do not know how she was able to send warriors to the Mountain so quickly, I prefer to be thorough."
Clarke nodded. The timing of her capture had also bothered her, especially after experiencing firsthand the long travel back from Onto. Of course, the Ice Nation had warriors near the border with Trikru, but there was no way Nia had had time to send a messenger after receiving Heda's declaration of war against the Mountain. It had been sent less than two hours before their own departure from the city.
At least, no time for a message on horseback.
She glanced quickly behind her and debated the idea of asking to return to Tondisi to discuss the possibility of some clans using radios with Raven – she would know of the ranges for signal and maybe how to listen on them. But the village had already disappeared behind the trees and there would still be time to discuss it over the radio. She highly doubted Nia would even try to capture her in Polis. It was too risky, and she had clearly been relying on secrecy in the initial capture.
Carefully tucking away the idea to ponder it later, Clarke focused back on her horse.
One more day, and she would be back in Polis.