Chapter 3
Clarke walked through the camp. Gustus and Lexa on her tail quickly. She was looking for something or someone, Lexa couldn't tell. She could feel the worry coming off her. Lexa knew that she had to get closer to Clarke and help her through this. She finally caught up to Clarke as they entered the Ark.
"Clarke?"
"Sorry, I'm..."
"I'm not blame you, Hodnes, but something is bothering you."
"We need to find some guards among your people that don't have face tattoos and very few arm tattoos that are willing to cut their hair. We need people that can blend in with our people. They need to speak only Gonasleng until we release them," Clarke explained. "I know it might be difficult for your people. They won't be able to have their braids or they won't be able to have a lot of braids in their hair. They will basically be spies for us both. I would like for them to be from your royal guard or the tower guard. I'm going to have to get Kane to select some of the guard as well."
"Do you need to go to Kane now?" Lexa asked.
"I need to soon, but it can wait. Do you need to talk with Gustus about this? Do you have some guards that you can call on now?" Clarke questioned.
"I do."
"Do you want to do that and I'll go see Kane?" Clarke asked you.
"Do you want me to do that?"
"You tell me," Clarke stated.
Lexa looked at her. She could see the apprehension in Clarke's eyes. She just nodded. She didn't know what else to do. She knew that they needed to prepare for the coming Mountain Men. If Clarke said that they needed to blend in with the Arkers when they were watching the Mountain Men and helping the Arkers as Clarke did their treatments, then they would. She remembered also that Clarke told her that she needed to have her hair down as well.
"I know that you want me take my hair down as well," Lexa answered. "I would like to talk with some of them. Are you sure that you'll be able to cloth us all?"
"We will see what we can do. I'll get with Kane and make sure that we have everything that we need for you teams, too. Take Gustus and go get your people. We'll meet back here in a few hours. We will do what we need to do with your people to make them look like Arkers."
"Are you sure that this will work?" Lexa asked.
"I don't, but it is the best that we can. He can't know that we are working together Lexa. This is the best way that I know that you can help me and help guard everything. I know that it is going to be hard, but we'll get through it," Clarke answered.
"We will," Lexa stated. "We'll go for now. We'll be back with those who will stay until this over. I will make sure that they will pass your inspection, Hodnes."
"Sweetheart," Clarke replied.
"I'm sorry?"
"You need to call me 'Sweetheart' or 'Baby'," Clarke told her.
"You aren't a baby, though, Clarke. Why would I call you that? Is it some sort of term of endearment like snogon o niron?"
"Sha, Leksa, it is. Being called 'Baby' or 'Babe' is how we say it. Especially being young like we are, Gustus wouldn't call his niron 'Babe,' though. He would say, 'Love' or 'Hun.' It is all relative, but don't worry about it, Babe," Clarke explained as she smiled at Lexa.
The slightly older woman smiled. She understood. Clarke was no referring to her as a gada or strikon. She was using a term of endearment. It meant that they were in a relationship and she was letting others know it by how she addressed her. Lexa knew that she could do this. It was after all just Gonasleng.
"I understand, Baby. I'll take Gus and we'll get the boys. We'll be back in few. Does that work for you?"
"Much better, Love. I'll be in my room by then hopefully," Clarke answered and then kissed her. "Hurry back, Lover."
Lexa shuttered at her words. She could tell that Clarke was playing, but she didn't know for how long. She knew that Clarke was stressed, and a stressed Clarke seemed to worry Echo and Octavia more than anything. Only problem Lexa had now was that Octavia and Echo were both gone. She was going to have to deal with this herself, or with the help of Raven. She wasn't really sure that Raven was an option, but she kept that thought to herself. She smiled at Clarke and nodded. She left Clarke there with little fanfare.
After they exited the Ark, Gustus spoke to her. She knew that he was waiting until they were free of the halls of metal. He didn't like them anymore than she did. But, it was Clarke's former home in the stars. She knew that Clarke was right, too. They needed to blend in with the Arkers, and unfortunately for Gustus, he didn't. She knew that he wasn't going to like it, either.
"I want to pick those that stay close to you and the Prisa," Gustus stated.
Lexa turned and cocked an eyebrow at him. She knew that he meant well, and she understood his hesitation in this. But, she also knew that he knew that this was the best way for them to deal with the Mountain without too much bloodshed.
"Who would you pick, Gostos?"
"I think that Ekou would approve, too, but I think you should pull Mezi, Kahlan, and Jacov," Gustus answered.
"Jacov has facial tattoos, though."
"He is young. I am sure that Clarke could rationalize it to the Mountain. He would fit in well."
"I will not select Jacov. He is too inexperienced, besides the facial tattoo. Gostos, I know you want to protect me yourself, but you can't. Jacov can't either. To have a prominent tattoo like that would be against Ark rules and the Mountains rules. It would be considered a waste of resources. He would have killed for it. He would be a good selection if it wasn't just for that. I know that you owe the boy's family back Trishana, but I cannot take him."
"As you wish, Heda," Gustus replied.
"Are there others you can think of?"
"Not that are with us, but I will send word to Indra. I am sure that we can get enough to us from TonDC quickly and quietly. I would like at least ten guards inside their fence, Heda. I know that you would like less, but we can even send warriors to do chores with the Arkers. It will help our peace relations with them as well," Gustus answered.
"Very well. I will speak with Klark about it. Get your warriors together. They will have to pass an inspection first."
"Sha, Heda."
"We also need a place for you to camp. I know that you aren't going to want to be far from me. I don't want that either. I still need to be able to communicate with the rest of the Kongeda, and especially with Indra at TonDC. I need her to stay there with Octavia until they are call upon."
"Sha, Heda," he replied.
"Send your fastest runners. I need people in place tonight. And, remind them that while we are in the fence line or in the presence of the Maunmon, I am not Heda Leksa. I might not even be Leksa. Klark may give me a new name in order to blend in better. I will let you know. For now, though, we ride to camp and start planning for the fall of the Mountain," Lexa told him as they neared their horses and mounted.
"Sha, Heda," Gustus replied as they rode off together.
Meanwhile, back in Arkadia, Clarke was hunting down Kane. There were things that she needed in place before the morning, and she wanted to make sure that her mother was protected and completely segregated until they were done with the Mountain. She'd deal with Abby later. Safety was her biggest concern at the moment. Her mother would just have to be uncomfortable for a little bit. She'd done almost a year in a solitary, a month or more being constantly under guard might do her mother some good.
She knocked on Kane's door and waited to be seen in. She knew that he would be there after hours. The guard had been set. She'd made sure that Lexa and whoever she brought back would be allowed back. There were tents, not Grounder tents, being erected between the medical, Raven's, and the airlock sections. A secondary fence was being erected around Raven's area. This wasn't just to protect them all from the Mountain Men, but it was also to protect Raven's little designs. Clarke was giving her the area in which to work, and to build whatever she wanted as long as it didn't go boom in the camp. That was Raven's "little neck of the woods" and the people had learned quickly to stay out of her way. It was also where the radio was.
Kane's door opened slowly. He looked tired, but he gave her smile and ushered her in. She was and she wasn't surprised to see her mother there. She gave her mom a strange smile and sat down at the table. She was there for business. She'd give him the shovel speech later. And, she knew that he knew she'd do it, too. It was one good thing that came out of being called Wanheda. No one dared mess with her family for fear of reprisals.
"Clarke, what can I do for you?"
"Dante has take the offer. Five Mountain Men will be coming tomorrow to start treatment with Mom. Raven's already checked the airlocks with Sinclair and they are secure for them to stay in until treatment is complete," Clarke told them.
"We already had that working when you came up with this option for them, Clarke," Abby stated. "What's changed?"
"Nothing," Clarke replied. "Lexa and Gustus want Grounders to help Guard and learn what they can about those that we treat."
"That sounds reasonable," Kane said.
"How are they going to blend in?" Abby questioned. "Because we both know after your display of claiming Lexa before those of the Ark, that they are going to know who doesn't belong. Our population was barely two thousand before we came down, Clarke. We are at roughly two hundred here. They are going to notice new faces, especially those that have tattoos or scarification."
"I know that, Mom," Clarke answered. ''Which is why she is heading back to her people to select those without facial tattoos or scarification. Also, younger warriors that don't mind getting a haircut, so that they can blend in better. They will be staying in the tents near Raven's area. They will be protecting medical, Raven's area, and the airlocks."
"That sounds smart," Kane added. "I'll send the most trust guards to work with them, pair up and all."
"Good. They'll want to train in their down time. Work on them with the shock batons. They aren't going to want to work with the guns, necessarily. We'll work them into that, but for now, the batons will be something that they can see the use of and the similarity to a knife or sword."
"Yes, it would," Kane replied. "I'll make up a manifest in the morning. Is there anything else that we should know?"
"I don't know who is coming, but we might have to give them last names. I say that we stick with what they know, because they all can't be kom Trikru or whatever. Lexa is going to have to probably change her name, too," Clarke lamented. "I was thinking that she could be Alexis Woods and a member of the guard. The rest we'll just have feel out. But, that brings up another point."
"And, that is?"
"Tattoos and scarification aside, they are going to need skaibakkova, Sky clothes, to really blend in," Clarke stated.
"That is true. If they are in armor, they'll stick out. And, even if they weren't on the guard, they still wouldn't blend," Abby added.
"How many guard uniforms you got?" Clarke asked.
"I'm not sure but, I'll get someone to do an inventory. I'll also get some more clothes though as well. They will need to have something besides uniforms to wear," Kane answered. "Do you think that we should have some of the families adopt those that come in? It would make things seem a little more -"
"Inclusive?" Clarke inquired.
"Yes," Kane replied. "I'll make an announcement at breakfast. I'm sure that we will get plenty of volunteers. They already know why we are doing this. The people came forward to give us their marrow to help with the treatments."
"I know, Kane, and I appreciate it. I know that the people of the Mountain will as well when they know. We are trying to have more peaceful relations with the clans and this is a way we can. We have to be able to show that we are able to blend in with them. This is way that the those are here can attest to our willingness to follow Kongeda law and practices. We are doing well so far with the Trikru. I want us to be able to continue this with the rest of the clans."
"I know, Clarke. I am doing my part with the Guard. We are doing what we can with what we have. We can only do what we can right now. We can use our friendship with the Trikru to help us when it comes time for us to join the Kongeda. I understand that the more we come together now, the better we will function when it comes time for us to head into the bunkers."
"About that..." Clarke started.
"What about that, Honey? Has something changed? Did we do something to the timelines?" Abby asked, suddenly upset by the prospect.
"No, nothing like that, Mom. We still have time before we have to deal with all that. Not much, but we have time."
"Not all the Grounders know about the bunkers and the situation coming. Things have to happen before they will understand and are willing to follow. If those things don't happen, war will break out and many people will die. We don't want that, and I know that it is selfish to keep this kind of news to ourselves but if we don't...It will just cause chaos and destruction. Not everyone will survive. That is a hard truth that we all must understand and face. Lexa and I are trying to save as many as we can. But, we need help. I need to know that you are on board with this and you aren't going to contradict me just because you don't like the way that I am doing something. I need you, both of you, on my side through this. Can I count on you both to do that?"
"Yes, Baby, I will. I know what is coming. I will support you," Abby answered quickly with a pained smile.
Kane nodded, before he replied to Clarke's plea. "I know that I don't have the full knowledge on what is to come, but your mother has told me enough. She's shown me things that she should and you shouldn't know. I have put my trust in you. You've saved the majority of those that you could on the Ark, Clarke. You've given me my daughter -"
"That still is up to Octavia, Kane. It is her choice if she chooses to recognize you now that we are the ground. I know that you claimed her to save her, but honestly, in every life, you've never been her father. If she wants you in her life, she'll tell you. And, you will leave that up to her," Clarke commanded.
"I will. I never... I'm sorry, I was just saying that I understand that you are doing the best that you can with the knowledge that you possess due to your multiple lives spent doing this. And, I understand that it must be hard for you to know what is to come and know that you can't save some of us. Clarke, I know what that is like, and I want you to know that you have my full support. You gave my mother and a daughter. I have a family that I might not have had without your intervention. I appreciate that, and I will do whatever I can to make sure that we save those that we can from the coming disasters."
"Kane, as much as I hate to admit it, I know that you love my mother. I expect you to take care of her when I can't, and I know there will be times that she wants to rale against what I am doing. She can be a voice of dissent, but it needs to be only with the council and with the Twelve. She can explain that later. Neither of you can be publicly showing that you disagree with me after the fall of the Mountain or I can't help you. The Grounders will see it as treasonous and respond accordingly. I need you both. You need each other. So, please, for all that is Holy and those that we don't believe in, help me help us."
"We will, honey. I promise. I will keep myself in check. It will be hard, because you will always be -" Abby started before Clarke cut her off.
"Your little girl, I know, Mom. I appreciate that. I love you both. I need to go and find Lexa, so we can begin our Grounder to Skaikru transformations. I'll see you at breakfast. We'll leave for the Mountain about an hour later. We have to be ready," Clarke reiterated.
"We will be," Kane assured her.
"Go get some sleep, honey. We'll see you in the morning. We'll be ready."
"Goodnight," Clarke said as she stood and took her leave.
Clarke walked through the camp and back over to Raven's little corner. She was just about to head back into the Ark to her room, when she saw Raven come out of the radio tent. She was followed by a woman that Clarke didn't recognize at first.
And, then her heart knew who it was.
"Let me be the to introduce you to Alexandria Blake," Raven told her.
"Alexandria Blake, hmm?" Clarke questioned as she looked Lexa up and down.
"Octavia named her after she gave her some clothes she'd had in TonDC. I think it fits her. Grounders don't understand the last name thing, so..."
"I was thinking more along the lines of Alexis Woods, but whichever you prefer, I'll leave it up to you."
"I think that we should combine them, Klark. I understand that you want to give me a name that is close to mine with Alexis, but as Octavia told me, Lexa could be a shortened version of my name. It would help in case someone slipped up."
"That is true," Raven said. "It would make it easier. O has some good ideas."
"She does," Clarke added. "And, you're okay with that?"
"Yeah, but why are you suggesting 'Woods' for a ... you called it family name, right, Rae?" Lexa asked trying to sound more like a Sky person.
"Yeah, a family name," Raven replied.
"I was thinking 'Woods' because you are Lexa kom Trikru. This way you would still be that just in a more Gonsleng way. Alexandria Woods, Lexa of the Woods family, years ago even before our ancestors took family names, they took clan names. Woods would be your clan name. I was thinking that we could give them all names, like Pine, Elm, Rivers, Lake, and such. That way no one thought that we were trying to downplay their actual name," Clarke explained.
"I like this name. Me being Alexandria Woods is just Skai for Lexa kom Trikru. That is who I will be then," Lexa stated.
"Well, Clarke, how about you take Alex here to bed? It's late and we have to get up early to name the rest of the crew," Raven said. "And, don't worry. I got people on the Mountain, the radio, and the computers. We're safe for now. I'll get ya if I need ya."
Clarke smiled. She reached out for Lexa's hand and took it. She knew that Lexa wasn't used to so much PDA, but she would play along until the end of the Mountain, because for now she was Alex Woods, Arker and girlfriend of Clarke Griffin. She couldn't help the smile that adorned her face.
"Lexa?"
"Hmm?"
"I forgot how long and thick your hair is."
"Well, I feel weird without the braids."
"I'll help you do them back as soon as we can, Love. Do you want some to sleep in? It will make your hair wavy in the morning when I have to take most of them out. Or, I could give you just a few," Clarke stated as they neared her door.
"Like how many?" Lexa asked.
"One on each side, so two, or I could do something to pull up your hair in the back so it isn't all down. We can worry about that in the morning. For now, I just want to sleep beside my girlfriend. And, I can't wait to introduce her to the Guard in the morning when I tell them that she is going to be leading a special team of them. Hmm, maybe I'll make you a captain or something. You don't quite look old enough to be a major yet," Clarke mused.
"I am Heda. I am the highest ranked among the people. You know this, Clarke," Lexa told her.
"Lexa might be, but Alex is only going to be a lieutenant," Clarke stated as she closed the door to her quarters, smiling at Lexa's little pout.
