Only in the darkness can you see the stars

Acceptance

Location : Polis
Date :28 December 2149

The eighteen year old washed away the red dye coloring her hair. She looked into the piece of broken mirror when she spies a ghostly apparition appear behind her.

"Since when could you talk?" She asked keeping her voice low, not wanting to draw the commanders' attention nor the guards Lexa posted at the doors.

'This is your mind Clarke. Tell me why can I talk?' Asteria's ghost asked with a quirk of her lips.

Clarke dropped the mirror and dried her hair before moving over to the bed. The apparition followed her movement and sat in the only chair in the room. Clarke stared at the ghost who stared right back at her.

"I'm going insane aren't I?" She asked softly

'Perhaps. Or you need to accept that meeting me has affected you much more than you believe it has.'

"What does that mean?"

The apparition hummed 'what do you want it to mean?'

Clarke groaned exasperatedly "If you're my subconscious manifesting as Asteria you should stop speaking in damn riddles"

The ghost chuckled 'Well let's call me your subconscious.' She paused before continuing "if I was your subconscious I would be telling you to get the hell out this place, you're vulnerable. This woman might be a grounder but she has manipulated you before. She uses your past relationship or whatever it was as a tool against you.'

Clarke pursed her lips "Would it be so bad to join their coalition though?"

The ghost of Asteria rolled her eyes "what would you gain by joining them"

"Safety? A way for my people to survive this winter? Protection from those who wants to destroy us?"

"All things easily taken care of if you make a deal with the Queen. She has been there when Lexa abandoned you on the mountain. They asked nothing in return. And .. you know as well as I she's been searching for you.." Ghost Asteria countered

Clarke narrowed her eyes "Are you really my subconscious?" She waited for a response but the woman simply smiled "You're not .. are you?"

"Would you like the truth ? Or would you like to continue living in denial Clarke?"

Clarke opened her mouth to respond but the apparition was slowly fading away "I'll leave you with this truth. You are more important than you realize Clarke Griffin. Do what queens do" the ghost of Asteria brushed past Clarke's ear "Rule.."

•••••••••••••

Location: Astra City ( Orions Keep)
Queens bedchambers

Asteria sat on her bed staring at the wall blankly. The days events had her thinking hard on what her next step would be.

Option one: allow the situation to play out and do damage control

Option two: take a party to Camp Jaha and take out Jaha before he even starts his campaign..

A hand caressed her shoulder "My queen.." Asteria ignored the bile in her throat at sound of a smooth silky voice. It brought her no joy, she wasn't aroused she wondered how long she would be continue to do this.. it was pointless, her body even refused to shift into another form.

"Please leave." She managed choking down the vomit in the back of her throat "I have work to do."

She hated herself. She hated for using this girls emotions in an effort to ignore her own. The sheets rustled and she heard a sniffle. "I apologize .." she said sincerely.