Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 93: Hunted

Orion might disbelieve her story, but his wife, the less-sarcastic Nyssa, shows no signs of doubting Clarke. Instead, she seems almost reverential in her treatment of 'Ontari'. It unnerves Clarke considerably.

"We are honoured to be aiding the Azplana," Nyssa tells Clarke, apparently genuinely, as she walks a few paces back from her to be respectful. Orion rolls his eyes. "Would you like us to bind the prisoner more completely?"

Clarke clears her throat. "No, it's fine. I can deal with him."

"Sha, I saw that earlier, when you shared your food with him," Orion remarks, a little bitingly.

"I need to keep him strong enough to walk," Clarke says coldly. "And I will not be questioned by you."

"Of course," Nyssa says immediately, bowing her head. "He meant no offense, Seken kom Azplana." She looks sideways at Clarke. "May I ask..." she begins shyly.

"Sure," Clarke says. She doesn't want to look like she's hiding anything.

"What is the Azplana like?" Nyssa asks, tone worshipful. "I have heard all of the legends. How she survived the Trikru Commander's betrayal and stole her pet monster, how she made us the greatest of the clans, even how she stole the Maunon's weapons so they could be defeated... but I have never met her. I have never even seen her. Is she truly the most beautiful -"

"Nyssa," Orion interrupts suddenly, interrupting while Clarke is still stunned by Nia's cover story. And more than a little concerned that she could be the 'pet monster' Nyssa's describing – of course, it might be the missile. She decides to believe that it's the missile. "I think I heard something ahead to our left. You are the swiftest of us, could you go ahead and look? Beja, ai niron."

Nyssa looks surprised, but her open, eager face transforms into a professional one and with a nod she darts off.

Clarke glances at Orion. "Did you actually hear something?" She feels a yank on the chain she's holding and looks back worriedly at Gustus, but he nods to let her know she's not moving too fast.

Orion ignores her question. "Nyssa was born here, in the far north," he says quietly, voice colder than the snow around them. "She grew up on tales of the Azplana's splendour. I? I am from the south, from the Sankru. I travelled north to see what snow was like four years ago, met Nyssa, and never left. But my clan were not fed your queen's propaganda. If you manipulate my wife by her beliefs, I will kill you where you stand, Azplana or no." Despite his androgyny, his slightness and prettiness, he suddenly looks like a real threat, eyeing her like that.

"I'm not going to manipulate her," Clarke says, just as quietly.

"No? But you already are." His lips curl into a sardonic smile. "You are manipulating all of us to some end, Ontari kom Azgeda. I only hope that the end you desire is not the destruction of the alliance." He meets her eyes again and spits contemptuously on the ground. "I could never have come north if not for the alliance, never have met Nyssa. Nyssa believes the Azplana will do whatever is necessary to protect the Ice Nation. To her people, the Azplana is a goddess, ruthless but all-knowing and wise. To my people? She is scum. And you are scum, for killing in her name."

Clarke swallows, fighting the urge to agree with him. If she reveals who she really is, he might help her – but the rest of them probably wouldn't. And what the hell is he thinking, talking to her like this? If she was the actual Ontari he'd be dead. Him, his wife, his village... Ontari wasn't exactly known for her good temper. "I don't want to destroy the alliance, I promise."

"No? You want to rule it, then?"

"No," Clarke says vehemently before she can stop herself. He gives her a surprised look and she sighs. "I could kill you, you know. Whether you started out Sankru or not, you're Azgeda now, and you're talking treason about the Azplana."