Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 18: Pawn Promotion

Anya and Indra are both already waiting when Lexa enters TonDC. She feels a surge of uncharacteristic fondness and represses it. Clarke has been a bad influence on her, inspiring her to care about Indra, miss Anya, show affection to Gustus.

"Heda," Indra says, bowing her head.

"Indra," Lexa acknowledges. "Anya. It is good to see you." That is enough emotion for her. Otherwise she will be like Clarke, hugging people indiscriminately, becoming attached to branwadas like Murphy. She is the Commander. She may have decided to allow herself some weakness, but there is a limit.

"And you as well, Heda," Anya says. "We must speak with you. In private."

"Me too," Someone says from beside her. It's the dark-skinned boy Lexa remembers standing beside Clarke. Wells, she had called him when Lexa asked eventually. Her oldest friend, who died in the first world, but who she is grateful to have back. For this reason, he has importance.

Anya hesitates, but Lexa says, "Of course. You can fill in Clarke kom Skaikru later." It will give them a chance to talk. Clarke needs friends. She is not like Lexa. She is not weak, either, but she is not like Lexa. Clarke needs many people.

They're back in the tent they use for these discussions, which was carried here by her gonas when she first came to fetch the Skaikru. Houses have better walls to block sound, but also have corners for people to hide. With a tent, all that is needed is to set it in the middle of a reasonably empty area and post trusted guards to watch for people, and it is secure. If it weren't for the risk of archers, Lexa would probably have all classified discussions in the middle of an empty field. In a forest, there could always be someone up a tree, down a hole, hidden behind a bush. Only fools felt safer just from being surrounded by more things. The trick was emptiness, so the snakes had no way to sneak up on you.

"Report," Lexa orders.

Indra frowns. "It is the Mountain."

"Yes?" She glances at Anya, who she never discussed this with.

Anya looks faintly embarrassed. No one but Lexa would know her well enough to see. "I noticed Indra had sent gonas to spy on it. I needed to know why."

Perhaps Lexa should give her a reprimand for prying into her Heda's business. But Anya is trustworthy enough. She needs trustworthy people, and she cannot demand that Anya pretend to be blind and stupid. "I see."

"I am sorry, Heda," Indra says gruffly. "I did not know -"

Lexa waves a hand. "No doubt Anya tricked you into telling her," she says. "And in any case, Anya is trustworthy. You may tell her as much as you like." Anya looks faintly gratified by the praise. She is handing out too much of it, these days. She looks at the Skai boy, and makes a decision that is about Clarke instead of him. "Wells may also be trusted. His leader vouches for him, and I for her."

Wells blinks, probably surprised she knows his name. "I... thank you."

"I assume there is also a reason you wanted to be part of this discussion," she comments.

He nods. "I know this has something to do with what happened to Atom, Trina and Pascal."

"The three lost in the fog," Lexa clarifies.

"Yes," Wells says, but his voice is hesitant.

"Perhaps," Anya says, equally hesitant, which is unusual for her.

Lexa frowns. Clarke had been sure that was what happened. "You have not found their bodies?"

"One of them," Wells says. "We found Atom. We gave him a proper burial already, I thought about waiting for Octavia but I didn't know when she'd be back." He wrinkles his nose a little when he mentions Octavia and Lexa decides she likes this quiet, sensible boy.