Orita

"Oh shit…" Esiry exclaims suddenly realizing she can't fight with her hands tied so she does the next best thing under the circumstance, run. But of course, just as she takes the first step she trips on a rock and falls to the ground. She immediately rolls on her back to get a better view but it's a bit too late.

Orita is kneeling next to Esiry, knife ready to plunge.

On instinct, Esiry lifts her legs to kick Orita away.

"Stop moving" Orita growls, trying to stop Esiry's blows with her hand.

Esiry, desperate kicks even faster, praying for the other girl to lose balance at some point so she can make her escape.

"I said stop moving!" Orita lets out through greeted teeth.

And there's something in Orita's tone that Esiry detects. It's not a threatening order, it sounds more like an exasperated request. She makes the quick decision to follow her instincts, like Octavia had advised her many times and stops her attacks, looking at Orita in the face.

With nothing to stop her advances, Orita directs the knife to Esiry's wrists and in a swift move cuts the ropes in it.

Esiry gasps surprised and confused but doesn't have time to say or do anything else since Orita is extending her hand to help her up.

"C'mon we have to get to Lexa now!" Orita informs and starts running beckoning Esiry to do the same.

Utterly dumbfounded Esiry follows the girl.

…

Some weeks ago

Orita had been wandering for the past months facing all sorts of weather changes, danger in many situations, sleeping in the most uncomfortable places and even having to find ways to provide for herself when her money ran out. It has been hard but somehow, she found a way through all that and even learned some important things in the process. Overall, she has to admit it had worked perfectly in clearing her mind and making her more aware of her choices and her future.

Right at this moment, Orita doesn't know exactly where she is, so for good measure, she climbed a tree and waited for someone to pass by to give her at least an idea. She gets her answer soon enough, but it wasn't what she was expecting. 'Ugh, no fucking way. An Ice Nation village,' but not any Ice Nation village. She does not know exactly where she is but she's very sure they are not in Azgeda territory, which means these people are the kind who disapprove of Clarke and her new ideas, or worst they could be rebels. But oh, she's so tired and hungry. Orita debates for a couple of minutes but ultimately her need to rest wins over. She groans again removing from one side of her bag the item her grandmother gave her some time ago, an item she thought she would never wear, but at this very moment is strictly necessary.

…

Eight-year-old Orita watched curiously as her grandmother speaks to Luna some meters away from her. She could see the leader of the Boat Clan eyeing her from time to time while her grandmother seemed to be explaining something. Finally, the conversation is over and both women walk to meet the girl.

"I'll leave you two alone" Luna excuses herself not without commenting "and you little one, pay attention to your Grandma, she's going to teach you some interesting things." She caresses Orita's head tenderly before departing.

A confused Orita stares at the old lady who gives a soft smile. "Let's get in the boat, there's something I need to tell you"

xxxx

"I'M ICE NATION!" Orita yells holding furs in her hands.

"At least from my side of your blood, yes you are" her grandmother confirms.

"But…" Orita shakes her head "I thought we were Trikru!"

The old lady sighs, knowing already how difficult this is going to be for her grandchild. "Technically you are half Trikru and half Azgedakru. On your father's side, you are Woods clan, on mine, you're Ice Nation."

Orita's shoulders sagged, her young eyes expressing what words can't.

"I know this is not easy my girl, but I discussed this with your parents and we agreed it was time you found out about your roots. There is very important information I need to give to you." The woman explains with patience but urgency "I did this with your mother and now it's time it passes on to you"

Puzzled but intrigued Orita remained quiet, eager to listen to this information her grandmother was so keen to provide.

…

Orita stares with a grimace at the furs she will sew to the collar of her jacket. 'This better fucking work' she thinks to herself nervously while already rehearsing her "Azgeda mode".

…

Entering the remote Ice Nation village was easier than Orita originally thought. They never questioned her authenticity as one of their clan, they simply stared at her and let her in as soon as she introduced herself as a traveler just as her grandmother had taught her.

"Whenever you enter a suspicious Azgeda village or camp introduce yourself as a traveler. They won't ask many questions if you're one, they will assume you're not comfortable with the current command if you're going from one place to another."

It seemed to work. In a short time, she found a temporary job as a server in an eatery to pay for her accommodation and needs. It wasn't the most suitable place but she really needed some rest from her adventures and well, the experience couldn't hurt.

Sometime later and while serving a couple of warriors she hears something that sends a cold shiver down her spine.

"…and they're right outside Skypeople's territory, just waiting for the opportunity to take the little bitch" one rebel says to his comrade.

"Oh, Heda is going to go insane when her young lover disappears" the other chimes in and both fall into a fit of laughter.

Orita does a great job at keeping a poker face in front of these men but as soon as she's back inside she goes straight to the stockroom, locks herself there and lets out the air she didn't know she was holding. 'They are going to get Lexa; they're going to hurt her' she panics. 'I have to go, I have to warn them' a desperate idea comes to her mind but then she rethinks her options 'that would be too suspicious, we are in the middle of nowhere, it would be easy for them to follow me or track me' Orita gauges. 'But there must be a way, I can't just let it happen.' She desperately thinks for a second but then she remembers the lessons of her grandmother. 'Ok, calm down Orita, you won't come up with anything good like this, just breathe.' Some seconds later and much calmer than before she comes up with an idea. 'Tomorrow, I can see how everything is and maybe I can sneak out' she resolves. With at least something to look forward to and feeling more optimistic, she goes back to serve the tables and maybe try to hear some more information from the men.

…

Orita always had her bag packed in case she had to run off from a certain place. This time wasn't any different. She went to work that morning with the idea to check her surroundings and flee as soon as she had the chance. But an unexpected announcement changed her already set plan.

She observes commotion away from the eatery, people coming from the direction of the main square of the village talking excitedly and celebrating. Eventually, a group of warriors come in and order a round of drinks.

"What are we celebrating?" questions the owner of the place.

"They got her. Our fellow rebels finally got Lexa kom Trikru"

It's like the oxygen was removed from Orita's lungs at the sound of that sentence. Her body begins trembling, her mind imagining scenarios in which Lexa is being hurt or… 'no, stop! You have to be strong, think with a cool head' She rapidly gathers her bearings and takes the opportunity to get closer and hear first-hand what transpired.

Among the many things said, something that caught her attention was there were a couple of rebels working close to the leader in the same location Lexa was taken to. They came to this village with the sole purpose to get some recruits willing to fight along with them for their cause. 'This is my chance' Orita decides. She waits until the eatery quiets down to leave, picks up her bag and search for these rebels around the village.

Finding them wasn't too challenging since they were surrounded by people asking them questions, some joining in their cause and generally praising them.

Orita remained close to them, watching them; waiting for the right moment to approach and put into action the strategy she had already brainstormed.

Once the men got ready to leave, followed by six other recruits Orita ran behind them. She called their attention and immediately offered "I wanna join in."

Both rebels stopped and stared at her in consideration.

"Are you good in combat?" One asks.

"Um no, not particularly" Orita replies honestly.

"You are not well built either, what can you offer to the cause?" The other rebel questions with a condescending attitude.

Determined, Orita invades his personal space and voices in a low tone, just enough for both men to hear. "I know people in Polis, I could make it inside easily".

The men exchange gazes having a silent conversation with their eyes. After some seconds and after being analyzed the rebel replies "Alright then, you're coming with us"

…

To Orita's surprise, the rebel camp wasn't too far away from the village, it was more ups and downs than distance per se. It only got to show her how sneaky and smooth these people could be. She observed the way and tried to remember certain details that may be useful in the future. She also made a mental note to remain vigilant and be very careful here; a wrong step and this could end horribly for her.

They made it inside and the group was introduced as the recruits. A warrior explained to them the situation and showed them around.

Orita noticed how the two rebels were given more detailed information.

"…and now Echo is looking for someone to get into Polis."

The rebel looks at Orita "ha, isn't this a great coincidence?" he voices with amusement. Then switching to a more serious tone he declares matter of factly. "I guess this is your moment recruit."

The teen simply nods as the man signals for her to follow him. Orita prepares mentally for what is about to come. She is going to face the leader of the rebels and she's not sure what to expect. She has been so lucky until this point but she's not sure it will remain the same way when she's right in front of the infamous Echo. Her grandmother had warned her about warriors like her and she could only hope she can deliver.

"Everyone can lie my girl and everyone can be lied to." Orita's grandmother explained with the wisdom of a woman who had experienced the horrors of her people. And she had more to communicate. "But there are certain groups of selected warriors among Ice Nation who are specially trained to detect lies. Those are the people you have to be very careful with as they will see right through you." She leans closer to the girl locking her eyes with her before carrying on "the slightest change in breathing, an involuntary body movement, a minimum gesture in your face they will notice and then… you're doomed."

Orita breaths in and out, remembering each and every word of the older woman. She takes the opportunity to rehearse probable answers as the rebel warrior enters the tent. She's so into her inner thoughts she almost misses the man calling her.

"Come in"

'This is it. May the spirits be by my side.' With that final thought, Orita enters the tent.

The first thing she notices is how Echo- the leader- observes her from head to toe. It is intimidating but she doesn't show it… or at least hopes she doesn't.

Echo doesn't bother with chit chat and goes straight to business. "So, you can enter Polis? How so?"

With her rehearsed answer Orita can manage confidently "I know people there. It wouldn't be hard to get in. They won't suspect anything even if they frisk me, I don't have any markings." She provides plainly.

Echo hums. "of course, you're what? seventeen?"

Orita's reply comes fast. "sixteen, almost seventeen"

"Useful but I don't want you to do espionage work. I just need you to bring someone to me."

Now Orita is confused, "who?"

"The nightblood."

Orita's mind rapidly recalls the only nightblood currently living in Polis and her relation with Lexa. She can't help but smirk. "Oh, that's a person I can easily get close to. I will just need some tools but, if the spirits are on my side, I can do it." She states with confidence.

"Is that so?" Echo's tone is full of skepticism. She comes closer to Orita and asks making clear she's in interrogation mode. "What's your name?"

"Orita, born in Trikru territory, imparted with our Azgeda traditions since a very young age." Orita supplies without hesitation.

Since Clarke took command it wasn't very uncommon for some members of the clan to search for other lands and then enlighten their kids in their traditions.

Echo wouldn't stop scrutinizing her, waiting for Orita to flinch or something. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she makes a question that could make or break the whole mission for the girl. "Why do you want to do this? Why would I let you?"

"And what do I do then?" Orita asks her grandmother in desperation.

"It's simple actually." The old lady replies in all calmness "Don't lie to them."

"Huh?" The idea sounds preposterous to the young girl. She wants to argue but is silently stopped.

Orita's grandmother raises a finger as she elaborates "You have to be very sharp when doing so, you have to work around what you can disclose in such a way it makes sense but always telling the truth."

At that moment Orita's face twists with withheld emotions and like she finally was given permission, Orita unleashes them all. "Cause I hate Clarke of the Skypeople! I hate how entitled she is, how she believes she can simply come to our villages and take what she wants like it's her right" She swallows lost in memories as she continues "she went to my village once and humiliated me in front of my people… my family. I want her to pay for her arrogance, I want her to suffer" she stops briefly breathing heavily connecting her eyes with Echo's face and delivers a sentence that comes from the bottom of her heart "I want her to die!"

Echo, who a few seconds ago was apprehensive towards the teen now appears to be pleased. Her mouth turns up on one corner, she can't hide how much she approves of what she just heard. She waits a moment for Orita to cool down from her emotional rant before voicing her decision. "OK. You're going to Polis to get the nightblood for me."

Orita tries not to show how stunned she is she was actually chosen and instead, she replies "It will be my honor"

"Now you will be shown to your tent, get prepared for the mission and then return here to get your instructions."

With a nod, Orita backs out. She tells the rebel warrior who recruited her she was chosen and he immediately shows her what would be her tent. Once alone she takes a moment for her overwhelming emotions to take over her body. Everything is going so fast, ideas keep popping into her mind in fast succession, she must be quick. 'Enough' with that word as encouragement Orita begins acting. She takes her bag down and searches for something in one of the smaller compartments. She pulls out an assortment of bracelets she made during her trip. 'I knew I would need them someday' Orita sighs putting the items in her pants pocket for easy access. Then she retrieves some thread strings and fastly starts working on a new bracelet. Years of practice and skill helped her produce it in less than ten minutes. She looks at the newly created bracelet which has four tiny shapes in the center 'I hope you are as wise as everyone seems to believe Clarke of the sky people' she says holding it tight into her hand before placing it in her jacket pocket. 'Guide me please' she whispers to the spirits as she leaves the tent in search of Echo.

…

Facing Clarke was one of the hardest things Orita has ever done, luckily, she could unleash her rage toward the woman without consequence knowing she would feel guilty. She's also thankful the whole ordeal allowed her to get close to Clarke and be able to deposit the bracelet in Clarke's coat pocket. Now she has to focus on the whole reason she was in Polis in the first place: getting the nightblood. She has to find a way to be alone with her and then maybe…

"Esiry will fill you in and keep you company while we arrange accommodations for you."

Clarke's words come like a blessing from the spirits. It couldn't have been easier it's like the stars aligned for this to happen. Orita is more than ever sure the spirits are on her side, so she lets everything happen trusting ideas will flow.

…

Some small talk and she knows she's gained Esiry's trust, all she has to do now is let her know she knows where Lexa is, to pick her interests, and…

"Nice bumping into you again!"

A stupid boy had to come in and try ruining her plans 'think fast Orita, think fast'

"I mean what are your names?"

Orita hears the boy asking but she's running out of patience "I'm sorry but we are really busy here. I don't know if you noticed but a war is about to ensue, we have things to do, so please just leave" with that she takes Esiry by the arm and takes her away from the scene.

"Hey!" Esiry protests "that was so rude."

"I know, I know" Orita lets go of Esiry's arm but continues walking "it's just there's something important I need to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

Orita searches for a more secluded area and when she finds it, she discloses carefully "I know where Lexa is."

Esiry gasps, she can't believe her ears "you know… wait we have to tell the Commander!"

"No!" Orita grabs Esiry once again by the arm to stop her "we can't tell them Esiry. The General will display the army and that will alert the rebels, they're dangerous they could kill Lexa if they feel trapped!"

It makes sense to Esiry but she doesn't relent "but we must tell them, I'm sure they can figure out a strategy, see their options."

"That's too risky, the Commander will go insane when she hears about this, we don't know if they will be careful enough!"

"But then what do we do!"

And this is where Orita wanted Esiry to be. "You're a warrior. I can take you there to assess the area, see the way. You can first take notice of everything and then come back with a full input" she persuades. "With your help, it can be a clean and fast mission, you could be the hero of this war Esiry, the General would be so proud."

That certainly touches Esiry's ego. She imagines scenarios where she hugs Lexa, where Lexa thanks her for rescuing her. Where Octavia puts a hand on her shoulder telling her she's a full warrior now and gives her the sword of the Commander's army. And that's ultimately what convinces her of the crazy idea "Ok." She concedes "I'm coming with you. But I must come back as soon as I gather some information!"

"Deal" Orita extends her arm for Esiry to take it in a solemn promise. Done with the formality she resumes, "now we need to find a way out."

"I know a way."

…

They have been walking for almost an hour, they are already heading for a less dense area when Orita stops.

"What's wrong?" Esiry suddenly questions.

"I'm sorry" Orita lets out with a grimace, raising a hand.

"What? Sorry about what?" Esiry barely finishes the sentence when she feels a sting in her neck. When her hand reaches the injured spot, she notices a dart in her neck. She doesn't have time to react, she loses consciousness.

"Well done recruit" One rebel praises observing the unconscious form of the teen while the other removes the dart, taking in the slight black stain in the tip.

Both men laugh at the success of the operation, rapidly carrying the girl and placing her over a horse.

Along the way, Orita was very careful the men didn't notice each time she left bracelets in certain strategic spots.

…

It's almost dawn when they reach the campsite.

Orita walks confidently as they near Echo and watches as the other warriors place Esiry on the ground. "Here, I bring you the nightblood" she states.

Echo removes her dagger, crouches near the body and makes a cut in Esiry's hand.

When black blood begins slipping from it, the rebels observing the scene cheer and holler in celebration.

"Very good Orita" Echo voices "now you're no longer a recruit, you're a rebel of the cause" she hands her a tin of white paint.

Orita nods in silent acknowledgment, receiving the tin. The rebels close to her encourage her to apply it which she does promptly, continuing with the charade. Once she's done, she receives praises and congratulations from them. What she doesn't expect though is to look at one side only to be faced with Lexa in the distance. Her heart constricts at Lexa's expression of utter pain. Nevertheless, Orita maintains eye contact, portraying her best bitchy face until Echo closes the flaps of the tent. Then as if nothing had happened, she continues to pretend celebrating her successful mission.

There, among food and drinks, Orita learns a lot about the rebels and Lexa's condition. She waits for a prudent time to excuse herself to go to the kitchen area. There she starts placing food in containers and when everything is packed, she walks toward Lexa's tent.

"Where are you going?" The rebel woman who put the salty water in Lexa's back inquires with distrust.

"I'm gonna feed the prisoner" Orita replies nonchalantly.

At that moment Echo makes her appearance. "What's going on here?"

Orita doesn't let the other rebel speak, she talks fast "I wanna have my fun with the prisoner if you don't mind. I mean she's the legendary Lexa from Trikru, I never got a chance to meet her; I just wanna see what the big deal is" she shrugs.

That seems to convince Echo. "Go ahead."

Not even bothering to look back, Orita heads in search of Lexa's tent.

When she's at the entrance, she's faced with four guards: two at the sides, two in front. Orita clears her throat to gather their attention and voices "I'm gonna feed the prisoner, and well, enjoy myself" She smirks devilishly at the men.

They all seem to like the idea so they join in the sneer.

"You should go and take part in the celebrations. I will let you know when I'm done here. Just help me get her ready and then you're in the clear."

Two rebels shrug and leave the tent while the other two help her with the task.

She inhales deeply preparing herself for the encounter she's sure is going to be extremely emotional for Lexa.

…

Orita leaves the tent in a hurry. The way Lexa looked at her before she left engraved in her memory. She lets a rebel know they can come back to guard Lexa and quickly goes to her tent. Only there, in the privacy of the place she succumbs to her feelings 'what did they do to you' she thinks as tears stream down her cheeks. She paces around the room, holding her head, trying hard not to scream. 'What I'm doing to you' she also feels guilty for making it even worse for Lexa. 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry but I have to, I have to' Orita repeats to herself among sobs. She feels her body crumble 'I'm so scared, I don't know if I can.' She abruptly looks up 'Holy spirits please gimme the strength to put up with this, gimme the wisdom to choose right. I have to be able to save her, please. I know you didn't bring her back just to let her die like this so I'm begging you to help me just a little more, please just a little more…'

Some minutes later and after she calmed down Orita gets ready to play her role once again. But this time with the certainty deep in her soul that everything will be on her side as if the spirits had suddenly blessed her 'I can do anything, I can do this,' with that she leaves the tent transforming once again into Orita the rebel.