Chapter 12
The following week, Tanwen returned to Garay's to see if he and Jufor had any luck in making a cestus for him. They both bowed to her and then showed her what they'd come up with.
"This fit's Jufor perfectly. We just need to determine if he can hold a handle or if we need to fit a blade some other way, ai kwin," Garay said.
"Have you been doing the exercise?" Tanwen asked Jufor.
"Sha, ai kwin. It is hard at times but I think I am a little better at gripping."
"Good, Jufor. Take it off and we'll check if you can grip well enough to hold the handle of a knife." After several minutes trying to keep a good grip on a knife, Tanwen called a halt. She asked if the cestus could be modified to fit a two part knife. Maybe if he was holding the knife while wearing the cestus, he could hold it better. They tried that and Jufor could hold it better. Tanwen suggested a plate on the top and underneath with a two part knife. That way, Jufor could hold the hilt and then attach a knife or whatever implement he could have made and that way he wouldn't have to fight with holding the knife. Garay was interested and would work with him and a blacksmith friend of his. Tanwen left them to it and went back to the tower for a meeting with Heda Luna.
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"Heda Luna, it's good to see you again," Tanwen said when she walked into the throne room.
"Ai kwin," Luna said with a bow. Lexa smiled. It was good to see Luna and Tanwen getting along. She just wished that more of the clan leaders saw her for the person she was. With clan leaders meetings once a year, they didn't have much time to get to know her. Only Luna's people were around enough to interact with Tanwen, the others were busy with their own clans.
"Kwin Tanwen, I've come to offer you the chance to see my clan," Luna said. Tanwen glanced at Lexa who was as shocked as she was.
"Ahh, when?" Tanwen asked.
"Whenever you want," Luna said. Tanwen turned to her wife.
"Lexa?"
"I don't know. This is the first I've heard of it."
"Forgive me, Heda, but as I was inviting my queen, I thought she should know first."
"A little warning would have been nice," Lexa muttered loud enough to be heard. Tanwen smirked.
"I'm fine with it, Lexa, though I've never been on a boat before. What if I get seasick?"
"Then we return to the mainland and some of my people come to you on the shore," Luna said.
"Your boat is here, yes?" Tanwen asked.
"It is," Luna said with a nod.
"Then what about if we test it out first? Take me on a short tour to see how I am."
"That could work," Luna said, thinking through any problems she may have. "We may need to go out into the open ocean to test it, ai kwin. The sea around here is relatively sheltered so we may need to take you further out."
"Let's try around here first. If I cope with that, then we can try further out, but I prefer to be near land - just in case I begin puking my guts up!"
"Puking?"
"Slang term for vomiting."
"Ahh, okay," Luna said.
"When are you going to try it out?" Lexa asked.
"Today if possible. I know enough about ships that you have to sail with the tide, but other than that, I have no clue."
"With the harbour here at Polis, it's possible to set sail at any time, it's just the need to sail with the tide when we want to return home. We need a high tide to get over some of the sandbars in the area before hitting the open ocean," Luna replied. Tanwen nodded before turning to her current bodyguards.
"Any of my guards who are okay with sailing? Or anyone who knows for definite they can't cope with it?" Tanwen asked Domnik.
"We don't know, ai kwin. I've never been on a boat in my life."
"Me neither," Larkin said.
"Then go ask them. I do not want anyone to go who doesn't want to. I will not make them go."
"Sha, ai kwin," Domnik said as he left the room.
"Gustus, bring in another of the guards as temporary cover until Domnik comes back."
"Sha, Heda, Gustus said and moved to the door.
"When you go, take all of your guards if it's on land. I want you protected, hodness!"
"Sha, Heda," Tanwen said with a bow. Lexa slumped.
"Sorry, but I don't want to lose you!"
"And I don't want to lose you, but I know you have to deal with the Azgeda sooner or later. Stay alive, hodness. I've told you before, I want a lifetime with you, not just a few weeks!" Lexa smirked.
"Sha, ai kwin," she said, mischieviously. Tanwen narrowed her eyes at a horrible thought.
"Who's in charge here if you and I are both out of Polis?"
"Titus," Lexa said.
"Then we'd better make it a land based visit, Heda Luna. If Lexa is out of Polis, I want to be close enough to get back quickly should Titus begin to throw his weight around - again!" Luna looked at her and then Lexa.
"How bad is he?"
"Bad enough I had to ban him from our private floor!" Lexa said.
"Good thing I'm not the Commander. We'd need a new flamekeeper almost immediately." Tanwen grinned.
"I knew there was a reason I liked you!" she said. All three burst out laughing.
Domnik came back with Ingrid and Viran. All three bowed to the Commander, Heda Luna and Kwin Tanwen.
"Do either of you have sailing experience?" Tanwen asked.
"Sha, ai kwin. We both have sailed before, although mine was with the Podakru," Ingrid said.
"Mine too," Viran added.
"It doesn't matter, we have a slight change of plan. The meeting will be land based and all of my guards are going with us."
"All, ai kwin?" Ingrid asked.
"Sha, with the possibility of Lexa being out of Polis sometime soon, I need to be close enough to get back quickly." Ingrid nodded her head. Titus could attempt to usurp her position on the grounds that traditionally the flamekeeper ran the city while the Commander was elsewhere. With the marriage of the Commander and Tanwen, they had changed the order and Tanwen was now the next in line to run the city if the Commander was off seeing another part of her territory.
"Understood," Ingrid said. Viran just nodded.
"How is Miller's training coming along?" Tanwen asked Viran. Even though he was one of her guards, she had rarely called upon him. She had tasked him with training Miller in unarmed combat. Something Indra would test each time she came to Polis.
"He is becoming proficient," ai kwin."
"Good enough to be one of my guards full time?"
"Sha, ai kwin, he is. The other trainers have said he has vastly improved in all aspects of guarding as well." Tanwen nodded and turned to Lexa.
"Can you test Miller? I need him full time, Commander, as well as Viran."
"I will. We can do that tomorrow. I have a meeting with Titus in the morning and then another with some petitioners before the midday meal. I can test him out tomorrow afternoon."
"Thank you, Commander."
"My pleasure, my queen. Your safety is my concern. I want you around for more than a few weeks as well." Tanwen bowed to Lexa.
"So, a land based clan meeting. Where do you suggest?" Luna asked.
"Where is it easiest for your ships to land or tie up or whatever it is you do with them on a beach?" Tanwen asked.
"Viran, go ask one of my guards for the maps of the coast near Cape Henpen."
"Sha, Heda," he said, bowing.
"Where's Cape Henpen?"
"It's one of the land parts that is the beginning of the big bay southeast of us."
"How far?"
"It would take around four to five days to reach it on horseback." Tanwen winced. Even though her horsemanship had improved, she still didn't like riding long term and four or five days was long term! She knew she herself was only capable of riding for about thirty miles or so before she had to stop for the night. For thirty miles a day for four days that would make it…120 miles!
Viran and another guard came back with several maps of the area, all in various scales.
"Heda," the guard said, bowing to her. Gustus took the maps and both guards retreated to just outside the throne room door. Gustus took them to the table and Tanwen walked over to them and opened them one by one with Luna pointing out where Cape Henpen was. Tanwen sorted through them until she came to the one with enough detail of the old world to know what was what.
"These harbour walls still stand, ai kwin," Luna said pointing to three of the piers.
"What about this one?" Tanwen asked of the wall out into the bay and not attached to land.
"It's still mostly there, but the top layers are missing in most places. It is there to break up the waves so they are not crashing onto the beaches too much. In a few years time, they may not be visible at all. These two piers are gone completely from above the waterline. We have to be careful around them. These three piers are good enough that we can use them and the beach to the north is better for us - there's less buildings so close." Tanwen was nodding along to each point.
"So we meet here?" Tanwen said, pointing to a spot that was a car park just off the beach to the north.
"Sha, ai kwin, that would be an excellent place to meet."
"Alright, when?" Luna thought through when most of her boats would be back from fishing.
"We should be okay to meet you in a moon's time. Let's make it at the next full moon. This full moon is in five days, not enough time."
"So we meet here at the next full moon," Tanwen said, more to herself. "Alright, we'll need to set off five days earlier to get there on time, but we will meet you there." Luna smiled and they shook on it. Lexa smiled.
"Good!" she said, quietly pleased that Tanwen would not be in Polis at that time. It gave herself time to plan on how to deal with the Azgeda then.
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Five days before the full moon, Tanwen and Ingrid were saddling up their horses when a messenger came to them with a message.
"Ai kwin, Bellomi kom Trikru and some of his people have arrived to visit with you." Tanwen swore under her breath. Relations with Azgeda were getting strained and they needed to be away.
"Which gate?" Tanwen asked.
"The western gate, ai kwin."
"Lead them around the outside to the south gate and wait there with them. Tell them I'll meet them there and not to leave the wagon - I assume they have a wagon?"
"Sha, ai kwin."
"Then go, make sure they aren't challenged or attacked." The messenger bowed and left.
"We need to get going, Ingrid. The sooner we're away, the better. I know Lexa needs me gone so she can deal with Azgeda." Ingrid nodded. Once finished, they waited for Rabia and Viran to come get them. They and the others were packing a wagon with supplies for them all. Pelana would drive it, keeping down the numbers needed for the journey.
Rabia and Viran came to them and led them out of the stables. Viran climbed onto his own large horse while Rabia mounted hers. With them on either side of her and Ingrid in the lead, they made their way to the south gate where the others would meet them with the wagon. Pelana would teach Miller how to drive so she could rest now and then.
They made it to the south gate to see Bellamy and seven others in the back of a wagon with Monroe and Sterling on the driver's seat. Monroe was driving.
"Kwin Tanwen!" Bellamy shouted.
"Shut up!" Tanwen hissed. "Keep down and be ready to follow us. Polis is not a safe place to be right now."
"What's going on?" Bellamy asked.
"Not now, Bellamy. We'll tell you later, now just sit tight and wait for the rest of my bodyguards. We're going on a journey."
"Where to?"
"Bellamy, which part of shut up do you not understand?" She said it mildly, but with rebuke. Bellamy shut up and waited until they were away and Tanwen could tell them what was happening.
They waited for around ten minutes before Larkin came through the gate with the wagon following and Domnik behind them. Pelana's horse was tied to the back of the wagon with her and Miller on the driver's seat. Miller's eyes widened when he saw the delinquents but he stayed where he was. The messenger left and the gates closed.
"Let's go," Tanwen said. Larkin and Ingrid took the lead with Rabia and Domnik on either side of her. Viran took position behind the delinquent's wagon as they followed Tanwen's wagon. All of the delinquents were surprised by the turn of events and a bit worried about just what was going on.
They travelled for twenty miles before they stopped for a break. Rabia organised a perimeter guard and one beside Tanwen. Miller went over to Tanwen.
"Ai kwin, why are the others here?"
"They just turned up at Polis expecting to visit." Miller nodded. They walked over to Bellamy's group who were stretching their tired muscles.
"Man, I'm stiff!" Del said.
"Me too," said several others.
"Alright, what's going on?" Tanwen asked.
"We wanted to come see you and Clarke okayed it," Bellamy said.
"And you couldn't send a message first? Make sure it was okay to visit?"
"Well, we didn't think of that," Bellamy admitted. Tanwen sighed.
"Alright, listen up! Azgeda are pushing their luck within Polis and the Commander has to deal with them but she can't with me there as a potential bargaining chip. We are heading to see Heda Luna kom Floukru and her clan. I won't say where, but just follow us and be ready in case any Azgeda are around or follow us. My life is at stake here, got that?"
Bellamy and the others nodded.
"Whatever you want, ai kwin. We can stand sentry duty too."
"Good. As you're the ranking person here from Halian, set it up with Rabia starting when we camp tonight." Bellamy nodded.
"Can you tell us what's going on or is it classified information?"
"Classified for now, but know that Azgeda could use me against the Commander or even just kill me. This meeting has been in place for a month. The only people who know are the Commander and my guards. Not even the flamekeeper knows where I've gone."
"Who do you trust?"
"Right now, my guards, you and your people and Lexa."
"Not the flamekeeper?"
"Hell no! That little shit wants me gone, either by sending me away or by killing me." Miller smirked but said nothing, keeping his eyes peeled for any signs of attack.
"Good to see you, Miller," Bellamy said. Miller nodded but said nothing and kept his eyes searching the area instead of looking at Bellamy.
"Don't bother my guards while they're on duty, Bellamy," Tanwen said in a resigned voice. Bellamy blushed. He was Clarke's security officer so he knew better, but seeing Miller brought back the times at the dropship when he was in charge and Miller was one of his boys.
"Sorry," Bellamy said in apology.
"It's alright, just remember he's my person now." Bellamy nodded. Tanwen changed the subject.
"Seen your sister recently?"
"Around two months ago. Indra and Octavia came to Halian for trade talks with Clarke. She's good. She and Lincoln are together and happy."
"You okay with that?"
"I am. It took some time to come to terms with, but they are happy and that's all I really wanted for her - despite what I wanted in the beginning. I think mom would be proud of how we've both turned out." Tanwen grinned.
"Even if you were a dick back then, you turned out okay, Bellamy. We all did." Bellamy nodded.
"Some are still struggling, but they are slowly coming to terms with the ground."
"Who?"
"Shalia, Colette and Brandon."
"Brandon's the youngest of us now, right?"
"Yeah he was only thirteen when we were sent down. He turned fourteen not long before we took down Mount Weather."
"He was in there?"
"He was. Jasper took him under his wing on the outside but he's still having nightmares occasionally. Same with Shalia and Collette."
"Are the rest settling in at Halian?"
"Oh yes. I've got several of them working under me as security officers. Murphy's my second in command and is the officer of the watch during the night. Those kids from the Pentagon have all fitted in nicely. The younger ones have integrated with the Arker kids and both groups of kids have taken to the ground with aplomb. They love it!"
"Good. Hopefully by the time they're grown, most of the adults of the Ark have mellowed enough to realise the ground is our home. The Ark is now a relic of the past."
"Alpha is! Clarke had Raven dismantling it almost as soon as she became our officially elected leader! Clarke made sure the med bay was remade and all the equipment needed had an independent power source. We found a town not too far away and we asked permission from Anya before we went and got some solar panels and other stuff we needed like winter clothing. We didn't take everything and only enough for us but we now have enough resources to survive winter."
"Good. Last winter was brutal!"
"Tell me about it!" Bellamy said, rolling his eyes.
"Ai kwin, your tent is ready!" Larkin called out.
"Did you bring food for yourselves?"
"We did, but there's only enough food left for four days."
"Then feed your people, talk to Rabia about sentry duty and get some sleep. Tomorrow we begin our journey to the shore." Bellamy nodded and Tanwen turned and went to her tent. Miller peeled off and stood to one side of the entrance while Ingrid stood on the other, guarding their queen. Bellamy watched them. Miller was no longer his to boss around. He was Tanwen's man now. Bryan was slowly coming to terms with how life was and that the grounders were not the enemy. Bellamy was not going to tell him anything unless he asked. Miller was better off without him. Bellamy turned to the others as they got their tents up. He went to the food and began lighting a fire to cook it.
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Three days later, they made their way to the meeting site. With Bellamy and his people standing night time sentry duty, Tanwen's guards were able to rest a bit and not be on guard the entire time which they thought they were going to have to do. Larkin and Pelana went forward to find a good site for their tents. They found a small clear area among the trees just behind the houses and other tumbled down buildings along the coast just west of the piers.
Bellamy's people pitched their tents among the trees surrounding Tanwen's and the guards had their tents in the clearing surrounding Tanwen's. They were all determined to protect her.
It wasn't until the following day that ships were sighted approaching the coast. Bellamy brought out his binoculars to check.
"I see six boats approaching. They all have sails with a symbol on it and it's the same symbol. Three small swirly circles enclosed by a bigger one."
"That is the Floukru symbol," Domnik said. Bellamy handed him the binoculars and showed him how to use them.
"I see Heda Luna in the lead boat, they are heading this way." He handed them back to Bellamy.
"Now what?" Bellamy asked.
"We go inform kwin Tanwen," Domnik said. Bellamy followed the tall, lithe man back to the small camp.
"Queen Tanwen, the Floukru approach. Six ships," Bellamy said, bowing to her.
"Good, send a small party out hunting. See if we can scare up some fresh meat and plants to eat."
"Sha, ai kwin," Bellamy said, bowing and moving away. Domnik smirked.
"He's learning, Domnik, let him try."
"Sha, ai kwin," Domnik said, bowing as well before returning to watch the Floukru approaching.
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Four hours later, Domnik led Luna and a small group of Floukru towards Tanwen.
"Heda Luna," Tanwen said with a single nod of the head in respect.
"Kwin Tanwen," Luna said, bowing deeply. All her people bowed as well. "Welcome to Cape Henpen."
"Thank you, Heda Luna." Tanwen looked at the six others with her. She saw a variety of other clan symbols amongst the tattoos, some of them with a cut through them. Tanwen surmised it was a way of saying they were no longer part of that clan and now had a new one.
"My people are setting up a camp on the shoreline at the moment, but we would like to invite you to join us once we have it set up. We will be cooking the fish and other things we catch for a celebration meal."
"That would be lovely, Heda Luna. How long do you need? I have some people out hunting right now so we can provide some land based meats as well."
"Say two candlemarks?"
"We'll be there," Tanwen said. Luna smiled and bowed once more before leading her people back to the beach.
"Wow!" Raven said from behind her. Tanwen turned to see Raven still staring at Luna's back as she went back to her people.
"Raven?" Tanwen asked. Raven shook herself.
"Sorry, but she's gorgeous!" Tanwen laughed. Raven looked at Tanwen. "I get it now," Raven said.
"Get what?"
"It's not the gender that you fall for."
"No, it's not, but it's also not something most people feel. The person underneath the gender is the one you fall for. Go with the flow Raven. Who knows? Maybe you'll end up as Floukru as well and be very happy there."
"Wait! What? No! I was just admiring her!"
"You were almost lusting after her, Raven," Tanwen pointed out. Raven blushed.
"So?"
"So stop thinking with your head and start thinking with your heart. Step outside the gender norms we had on the Ark and embrace life. We got a second chance. I took mine - though I was gay already. Get to know her and figure it out, Raven. Don't let an opportunity slip by because you thought about it too much. Give your heart free reign."
"I've always been with guys," Raven said.
"Have you ever considered women?" Tanwen asked.
"No," Raven said slowly, thinking back to the encounters she'd had.
"Did any woman ask you out on a date?"
"A couple, but I always turned them down."
"Why?"
"Because they were women," Raven admitted.
"Were you with Finn then?"
"No, it was before we got together romantically."
"And now?"
"I ended it with Finn because he cheated on me. I can't be with someone who has no respect for me. I deserve better!"
"Yes, you do. We all do. Don't settle for good enough, Raven. You'll end up being miserable." Raven sighed.
"I don't even know if she's available." Tanwen looked around.
"Anyone here know if Luna's with someone or not?"
"Sha, she is. His name is Derrick," Rabia said.
"See? She's straight," Raven replied.
"Doesn't stop you thinking about being with her, does it?" Raven shook her head and sighed again. "Don't worry too much about it, Raven. You were in a happy, committed relationship as well before you came down and that was only a couple of years ago. Who knows what's going to happen in the future? Don't stress out about it. Que sera sera and all that shit!" Raven grinned.
"Whatever will be, will be," Raven translated.
"Damn straight - or not in your case!" Tanwen said with a laugh. Raven laughed with her before Tanwen left to go to her tent to relax until they went to Luna's beach party.