DISCORDIA

[ 45 ] two commanders

       "So do you have an answer for me, Jinny and Clarke of the Sky People?" she asked.

       "We've come to make you an offer," Clarke quickly said, taking the few steps forward to stand next to Jinny's rigid posture.

       The tips of the Commander's lips curled upwards in further amusement as she looked to the girl. "This is not a negotiation."

       A different voice suddenly spoke from the side, one of the Commander's advisors. The dark skinned woman with black closely cropped hair scowled at them with distaste. "Teik ai frag emo op en dison laik odon."

       Jinny couldn't make head nor tails of that. The Commander raised her hand in reply, a gesture for her to stay silent.

       "We can help you beat the Mountain Men!" Clarke immediately took the opportunity to state their proposal.

       The Commander leaned her head back as she fetched her knife once more to glide her fingers over its smooth steel. "Go on," she said as Raulf shifted on his feet beside her, his expression clearly showing that of intrigue.

       "Hundreds of your people are trapped inside Mount Weather," Clarke continued. "Kept in cages. Their blood is used as medicine."

       "How do you know this?" the Commander demanded.

       "Because she saw it with her own eyes," Jinny answered. "We have cause to believe that forty-seven of our people are trapped in the mountain as well. Clarke escaped with Anya."

       "And where is Anya now?" Raulf asked.

       "She died while we were escaping," Clarke replied with an expression of regret.

       "Lies," the advisor said. "Anya died in the fire, the girl killed her."

       Clarke reached into the pocket of her jacket and the warriors around the tent moved their hands to the hilts of their swords. Jinny raised hers in the air to show that they were not a threat and Clarke pulled out a tangled lock of brown hair.

       "She told me that you were her Second," she said, carefully moving forwards to offer the token. She glanced towards Raulf cautiously. "I'm sure she'd want you to have this..."

       The Commander reached forwards to pluck the braid from the girl's fingers, thumbing over the fine hairs with a soft sigh underneath her breath.

       "We don't know it's hers," the advisor said.

       "Shof op, Indra," the Commander scolded. 'Shut up, Indra', Jinny guessed. That seemed to bode well for them. "Anya was my mentor before I was called to lead my people. Did she die well?"

       Clarke nodded. "Yes. By my side, trying to get a message to you."

       "What message?" The Commander looked at her with a steely gaze, her tone frigid.

       "The only way to save both our people is to join together," Clarke said and Jinny had to commend her on her skills in manipulation.

       "Those who are about to die will say anything," Indra interjected. She was like a poisonous snake, trying to corrupt her leader's ear against them.

       "I'm still waiting for an offer," the Commander told them.

       "The Mountain Men are turning people into Reapers," Jinny said, pulling out a bloodied strip of Lincoln's clothes and his necklace, then throwing it on the ground in front of them. She looked to Raulf. "Lincoln was one of them... they use a drug, it drives them senseless. But with our medical knowledge and expertise, we can turn him back. We can turn all of them back."