Two days until the coronation. These weeks I have been being trained both physically and mentally. Roan is the one who spends most of his time with me. He is in charge of teaching me trig and learning about the clans, their cultures and their history. As for my physical training, we both do it together, but we are taught by a young woman named Ritha. The markings that indicate that she belongs to the Azgueda clan protrude from her skin, combined with her many scars that cover her face make her look terrifying. In fact, the first day I saw her, I screamed very loudly.
Zarah comes to see us rarely. Despite the fact that she is very busy, she sees us once a day, even for a short time. She was the one who convinced me to train with Ritha, who I'm sure hates me. Today we find ourselves in one of those rare days where Zarah oversees our physical training. It is my first lesson using a bow. Ritha explains the theory to me, since Roan has used one before. When she's finished, she gives me a smaller one than hers, the perfect size for me, and tells me to try it, to see how terrible I am. What a good way to raise my self-esteem.
I turned to Zarah, not very convinced. She smiles at me and nods her head, giving me the confidence to do so. I keep doubting and she gets closer.
"What's wrong little one?" She asks in a sweet and patient voice. Ritha rolls her eyes and heads to Roan, so the training doesn't stop for me.
"And what if I hurt someone?" I ask, scared.
She laughs a little. "You won't. Come on, try it once."
I sigh and turn to the targets. Ritha mentioned that they are not as far away as they should be, but they seem miles away to me. I position the bow and carry an arrow. I try to aim my best, trying to remember everything Ritha told me a few moments ago. Zarah places her hand on my shoulder, giving me mute support. I take a breath and prepare to release the rope. I release the contained air, at the same time that I release the bowstring, firing the arrow. Everything seems to go in slow motion. The arrow begins to advance in the air, making its way towards the targets. The arrow moves in the air, until it hits the white area of the target.
"Yes, I did it!" I scream excitedly, while doing a victory dance making Roan laugh.
"Technically, you failed." Ritha's party pooper comments. Damn bitter woman.
"What?"
"That part of the target you hit." She points with her finger. "It counts for nothing."
"Maybe." Zarah interrupts. "However, it is more than what many get to do in their first time. "She says proud of me. I give her a grin. "Not even Roan hit the target." He nods confirming, impressed by my achievement. Zarah picks up the bow I dropped on the ground and crouches next to me. "Here." She hands it to me. "Try again." I take it and get into position grabbing an arrow. "You're better at this than in any other discipline." I take a breath ready for the next shot. "And remember, Clarke . As long as you have a bow, you will be safe." I shoot the arrow and it also hits the white area, but even closer to the next line.
"Naiplana, Heda kom here. (My queen, the commander is here)" Says one of the guards. Although I am a fast learner, I only recognize the word Naiplana, queen; and the word Heda, which is commander. Wait, Commander? I look at Roan intrigued and he takes me by the hand and we walk behind Zarah towards the castle. It seems that the lesson is over.
-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------
We reached the doors of the throne room. If I understand correctly we will meet the new commander. Zarah stops before entering and turns to me.
"Listen little one, normally I would not take you to these types of meetings, but Heda must know the whole royal family." She explains to me and I nod. "When we enter there, you will kneel in front of her and you will only get up if she allows it, Do you understand?" I nod my head again. "Don't speak if she doesn't ask, don't look her in the eye if she doesn't give you permission. Just go in there and show your presence." I nod, not very convinced. I'm still not used to the way things are here. Maybe because I have been treated as the most powerful here, but now that the commander is here I have been displaced up in the scale.
Zarah braces herself and Roan squeezes my hand. I look at him and he nods, he will support me. The doors open and my nerves rise. Zarah walks first and we follow. At the end she says a Heda and kneels. I enter with my eyes downcast and when we get behind Zarah we do the same.
"Rise." I can't understand what he's saying, but Roan pulls my hand up. The voice didn't sound like what I expected.
It's from a young woman, not even that, it's from a girl. I peek around Zarah's side a little bit and see her. She must be around Roan's age. She has beautiful brown hair and what looks like green eyes. She's wearing her war paint, which according to what Roan has taught me belongs to Trikru, our neighbors. She is scary despite her young age, I have no doubt that she is a leader. Her eyes meet mine, which widen and I hide behind Zarah again, totally embarrassed.
"Heda, how can I help you?" I don't know what Zarah says, but he said it in a very polite tone.
"I have come to speak with you Naiplana and to meet Skai Prisa." Her tone denotes the authority she possesses in this room. Zarah moves to the side and I am fully exposed to Heda. She examines me with her gaze, as if evaluating whether I am worthy of my title. Zarah said to keep my eyes down, but I lift my chin and straighten my back. She seems pleased by my attitude and turns to Zarah. "What will you do with her?"
"Azgeda claims her as a rush for his clan, Heda. The ceremony will be in two days. Her training has already begun." Zarah's voice is sure.
I am totally lost in this conversation, Heda nods and turns to me. "And you want that?"
I frown trying to figure out what he said. Yu is you, so it's me, but what about me? "Moba, Heda. But my trigedasleng is still very basic. Beja, Can you repeat it in gonasleng?" I try to sound as polite as I can and use the few words I know in trig, so that she doesn't think I'm useless. Although my voice sounded lower and shy than I wanted.
The corners of his lips barely rise, she seems to want to contain her smile, trying to remain serious. "I said, if it is what you wish, Skai Prisa." She addresses me with an authoritative voice, but she seems to become softer when speaking to me. I wrinkle my forehead again, since more than half of the conversation I have not understood. "If you want to be the princess of this clan, if you want to join them."
"Sha, Heda." I nod with conviction. "It will be an honor for me to serve the Azgeda clan, much more to be their princess." I try to sound serious and tough, but I doubt I have succeeded. I glance at Roan and Zarah. She nods, keeping her expression neutral due to Heda's presence, while he smiles at me, not being in Heda's sight.
"Alright then. I would like to witness the ceremony."
"Of course, Heda. It will be an honor to have you here. You are welcome to stay as long as you want." Zarah responds quickly, again I don't understand what she says.
"Now, you're dismissed." He addresses Roan and me, in english so that he understands it. "I want to speak with you in private, Naiplana."
Roan gestures for me to bow my head in respect and I do. He grabs my hand and pulls me away from the room. The last thing I see are her green eyes fixed on me.
-------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
Lexa pov:
After the children leave I turn to the queen. It's funny how I call them children, when the oldest must be my age. But not my rank. The woman waits patiently for me to reveal my intentions here.
"Be discreet, do not let go of everything at once." The already known voices of the old commanders speaks to me.
"What happened to the old queen, your sister? " I decided to start by informing myself of these new leaders.
The woman, Zarah, I think I remember her name, clenches her jaw. So she doesn't like to talk about her sister. "She was murdered by her own people." The answer is concise, straight to the point. She wants to avoid the subject, but I don't.
"And why that? " I press even more, I want to see what is the limit of her patience.
She lets out a sigh before answering. "She was a despicable and evil woman. Those who murdered her were unjustly imprisoned. They prevented her from leading Azgeda to ruin because of his selfishness and thirst for power." The woman tries to sound calm and she almost succeeds. Almost. To anyone it would sound calm, but not to me. I was trained to read people, this is nothing more than child's play.
"What about her son?" Heredity worries me, but I'm not going to prove it. He may want to follow in his death mother's footsteps.
"She never wanted Roan, she only wanted an heir. I took care of him since he was a child, and that child does not possess an ounce of evil. And I'll see to it that it stays that way. He will learn to be a fair and benevolent leader." The woman begins bitterly, but her voice is tinged with pride as she speaks of her nephew. "During Clarke's coronation, both of them will officially become my children." This is new. So her name is Clarke, very pretty.
-Concentrate Lexa.- The voices of the old commanders bring me back to reality. Azgeda will have two heirs. They both look like good kids, the girl has character.
The woman's affection for her children does not go unnoticed for me. Love is weakness. Those children will be her undoing. Maybe if she doesn't cooperate I should use them. I will keep this information if necessary later.
I clear my throat before continuing. All right, here we go. "What do you think of the other clans? " That's right, prepare the game board.
The woman seems puzzled by the question but responds quickly confidently. "I think they are all good powers and in due time they will be able to develop. Our only problem is that we are too focused on attacking each other to think about building a good state." Wow, I wasn't expecting such sincerity. I began to like her.
"So, you think war is stupid?"
"I think there are better ways to resolve conflicts."
I don't want to trust blindly, but the woman sounds sincere. Maybe, just maybe she wants the same thing that I do, peace. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I take a big sigh before dropping the bomb. "What do you think about a coalition?"
The woman looks confused, until understanding spreads across her face. She has deciphered the reason for my visit. "Well, I think that if we all propose it, we can get to live together in peace. However, I doubt it's easy." It is not the answer I expected, but it does not disappoint me either.
"Would you go in if I proposed it to you? " And there is the one million dollar question.
The woman considers it for a moment before nodding her head. "Sha." She doubts a moment but asks the question. "Who else have accepted?"
I want to smirk, it is not stupid at all. "Trikru will support me, of the other clans you are the first one I visit." I decide to be honest, my intentions have already been revealed. The woman would know if I lied to her, surely she also has spies in the other clans. A visit from Heda is impossible to miss.
The woman seems to want to smile. "Smart, first visit the clan with the largest army. Although I would have taken care of having at least two more on my back before trying. What if I said no? What if I was my sister?" The words would sound disrespectful if they came from someone else, but from her they sound sweet, as if she were my teacher marking a mistake. I know she's right, I can't deny that.
"Who doesn't risk doesn't win." I simply answer. She nods.
She contemplates what to say, until she finally speaks. "Azgeda is going to support you, Heda. You have our warriors and resources." I let go of the air that I did not know it was holding. "However," Why should there always be buts? "Until you manage to form this coalition, Azgeda will continue at war with the other clans. I don't doubt your authority, but I can't let my guard down for a promise of peace." I tense up. She's right, I'll have to settle for this. For the moment.
"Very well, you have my word."
"Mochof, Heda." The woman nods and I leave the room. I need time alone to think.
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------