Survive for Another Time

Chapter 29

As Onya's words registered to Clarke she felt her heart stampede in her chest and her blood flow on her veins, her breath caught in her lungs and her eyes blurred with tears.

Lexa knew.

She remembered her, them. Us.

At the thought her mind filled with memories of the tall brunette and of their time together whether it be as enemies, precarious allies or lovers.

She felt her head spin and realized she had not been breathing so forced herself to inspire then expire. She wiped her teary eyes, relieved that no actual tears had leaked and betrayed her emotion and breathed deeply once more.

"Clarke!"

Her name, shouted quietly in her left ear by Octavia, brought her back to the present and she realized that Onya was speaking once more.

"... in three days' time with Heda's answer. Have an Ambassador ready by then. If the rest of the Ark arrives before a treaty is set, we will consider it an active invasion."

"We understand though I shall warn you that we have no way of contacting the Ark and therefore stopping them from acting as they please."

"I shall inform Heda of that fact. Whether you will be considered part of it or not will be for Heda to determine. Feel free to hunt to satisfy your hunger but do not cross the river."

"You still haven't told us why we shouldn't." lightly said Clarke.

"Cannibals live there."

Clarke simply nodded while the rest of the Arkers gasped or hiccupped at the news. She stood up with Onya and walked her back to the wall's gate where her horse was waiting.

"Once again I wish to thank you for taking the time to talk with us instead of simply killing us and want to reinstate my promise that we are not here to invade and are simply trying to find our own place in the world to live in."

"Do not thank me, thank Heda. And we all are looking for Houm."

"I am afraid I do not know what Houm is."

"It is a concept," explained Onya as she petted her horse's head "a home for the spirit and heart where they find peace and balance."

"It is a beautiful concept." said Clarke already knowing where her Houm was.

Once again, she was taken away by her memories by someone else intervention. Charlotte was tugging her jeans while looking at her plaintively and Clarke, remembering her promise when the Trikru delegation arrived, let out a laugh.

"Forgot to ask for my apprentice: could she pet your horse? This is the first time any of us has seen any..." she explained the situation.

"How do you know they are horses then?"

"We have pictures, though they are far from being true to the majesty of the animal."

Looking at the skai gada with interest, Onya spoke to her directly for the first time since her arrival.

"Are you scared of my horse?"

"Yes." admitted Charlotte the same way Clarke had admitted to her people's situation: truthfully.

"Then why do you want to pet it?" pushed the Trikru general.

"Because I am scarred of it."

Charlotte's answer was direct, she held her head high with pride and looked into Onya's eyes with no hesitation.

"This little gada is more suited to being a warrior than a politician or a healer" lamented Onya, making some of her guards snicker in approval.

"It takes a courage to look at a man's eyes and take his life in battle, I agree, but so does telling a man that he will forever loose his arm or leg or never know his unborn child. Just like it takes courage to hold the weight of an entire Kru or Geda by representing them at a summit of a council. Please to not make my apprentice believe any different."

Clarke words were playful but Onya perceived them for what they were, a lecture. And she had to admit that she was always underestimating Lexa's work at political gatherings. After all, wasn't it there and then that she strengthened the bonds between Clans instead of conquering them by show of forces like so many other Hedas?

Onya nodded appreciatively towards Clarke and, taking Charlotte's hand in hers, guided the girl in petting her horse. The girl was absolutely frightened yet let out giggles of delight when the horse shook his head in response to her touch. After than Charlotte ran back behind Clarke's legs and Onya, Triss and the Trikru warriors mounted their steeds.

"May we meet again, Onya kom Trikru."

"Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim, Klark kom Skaikru." repeated Onya as she discovered the farewell and felt it correct for the occasion.

Onya = Anya

Heda = Commander

Houm = home for the spirit and heart where they find peace and balance

Skai gada = Sky Girl

Kru = People

Geda = Nation

Onya Kom Trikru = Anya from the Tree People

Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim = May we Meet Again

Klark Kom Skaikru = Clarke from the Sky People