You're The One

Chapter 25

Lexa

When we arrived at Octavia's room, she was siting up and sweat was dripping off her. Lincoln had a cold towel to her forehead and was supporting her as she sat up.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, breathless.

"Just a nightmare." Octavia murmured. I glanced at Clarke nervously and she reciprocated. It was more than just a nightmare. But we wouldn't press her further.

After Octavia calmed down we returned to our room and my eyes veered to where Seren was standing in her crib, watching us with concerned and curious eyes. I felt a stab of irresponsibility and guilt once I realized we had left her in here when we went to check on Octavia and Lincoln. She was only alone for a minute, but still, I wouldn't have liked to imagine what could've happened in that one minute.

"Lexa?" Clarke asked from her bedside. Her  eyes shifted between Seren and I. "Is everything alright?"

I nodded. I stripped off her armor to go to supper, and I grabbed Seren from her crib. Clarke offered me her hand and together we walked down to the dining hall.

Tha natblidas, Indra, Deacon and Luna and much to our surprise, Octavia and Lincoln were already seated. Thrandr was nowhere to be found.

"Octavia, how are you feeling?" Luna asked as we sat. Clarke sat by Deacon and Deacon began to make faces and play with Seren's feet and hands. I kept one eye on them while waiting to hear Octavia answer.

"I'm alright. There's actually two babies in there." She laughed nervously. Luna glanced at Clarke and I with a worried look before turning back to her good.

"Do you know the sexes?" Talie asked.

Octavia gave her a forced smile. It was obvious this was the last topic she wanted to talk about.

"Not yet. We're waiting until they're born."

An uncomfortable silence draped itself across the table.

Wyan stood up in her chair quickly and whipped something out of her pocket, forcing it into everyone's face.

"I lost a tooth today!" She yelled.

"Wyan, get down." Indra scolded. I glanced between the young girl and Indra.

"Congratulations, goufa." I said, putting a smile on the scorned child's face. "You must remember to bury it by the closest water's edge so that the spirits of your ancestors may come and collect it and you give you something in return."

Clarke gave me an odd look, as if she had never heard the tale before. Wyan, meanwhile, couldn't wait to do as she had been told.

"But not tonight, Wyan. It's getting dark, and the spirits won't be able to find it." The spirits would be able to find it just fine. I just didn't want the young girl to go out by herself at the time of night.

"Ok, Heda." Wyan said, beginning to dig back into her food.

"How has your training been?" I asked, glancing at each natblida.

"Good." Aden said. "Deacon knows a lot about fighting with different weapons."

I felt anger stir within me. I turned my attention toward Deacon, and while he tried to maintain his composure, it was obvious he was hiding something.

"Does he, now?" I asked. "Deacon, how did you learn all of this?"

He set his fork down and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Being in the wilderness for ten years creates a demand for knowing what kind of weapons to use and when to use them, either for protection or hunting."

I nodded. "I see." My eyes caught on Seren, the person I was trying to protect the most in this situation, and Clarke, who was watching our interaction cautiously.

Luna, who sat on the other side of Deacon, seemed oblivious. Nothing about her husband's whereabouts and what he had been doing for the past ten years, or rather, his secrecy about it, didn't raise any red flags for her.

"Well, I would love to see some of this expert weapon training." I said to Deacon.

He nodded. "Okay, sure."

Clarke glared at me. She knew I was up to something. And she was right.

The next day, Clarke, Seren and the natblidas accompanied Deacon and I to a new clearing that scouts had found in the forest not too far from the tower. It was big enough for all natblidas and horses to fit comfortably. Trees with low branches provided good climbing spots should sparring necessitate it. About 100 feet away, a small brook flowed with clean water.

Clarke and Talie kept Seren occupied as they and the natblidas watched Deacon and I spar. Deacon had brought along spears, axes, machetes, and chains. I had very little training with any of those. My training had been limited, for the most part, to daggers, swords and a bow.

As we sparred, I noted how he used these weapons. He was incredibly skilled with them, so much so that it made me anxious even being out here with him. The natblidas could take care of themselves and each other well enough, but if he overpowered me and he meant to cause Clarke or Seren harm, they would be in trouble. I shook those thoughts away. He loved Luna. And Luna loved Seren. He wouldn't cause her niece harm. And as much as I hated to admit it, I think Deacon loved Seren, too.

Deacon's use of the weapons seemed to be so exact that I had a hard time believing he had only ever used his skills for hunting and basic defense. This was not a skill that he had taught himself. He had been trained. But by who? Their clan was a peaceful one—rarely had they ever had an occasion in which they would need expertly trained soldiers.

No amount of my small talk had revealed anything questionable. He kept his answers short and simple.

Hours began to pass, the natblidas began to spar with one another, and Seren and Clarke had long since returned to the tower. Still, I got nothing.

I heard the sound of hooves hitting the ground before anyone else did. And I stopped and turned my attention to the sound. At once, a pack of my horses burst through the foliage. I turned to protect the natblidas until I noticed Indra atop one.

"Indra, what is it?" I glanced at the other riders. One was a familiar woman who was on the horse next to Indra. I looked between here and Indra. She was India's daughter. Taking a closer look, I remembered her from one separate occasion.

"Heda, natblidas, step away from him." I grabbed Wyan and Novi and held them close to me.

"What's going on?"

"That man is not who we think he is." Indra said, dismounting. "Heda, you remember my daughter, Gaia?"

I nodded.

"She recently came to me and confessed that she had helped in giving Seren to her former parents, Selma and Sumter."

My blood boiled at the mention of their names. I would never forgive them for almost subjecting my daughter to a lifetime of pain and torture.

"Selma and Sumter, as you remember, were to sell her for her natblida."  Indra said. "Gaia has just notified me that the healer looking to buy Seren from Selma and Sumter is your brother in law—Deacon."