The Shield of Heda

First Comes War

The throne room was very tense at the moment. Apparently the gathered leaders weren't very open to the idea of a coalition, there was much tension between each clan due to the constant war. When Lexa had told me of her plan I'll admit I thought she was just being very ambitious. However, she explained to me why an alliance needed to take place.

The constant battles weren't doing them any favors, and an alliance between them all would only benefit everyone involved and allow their clans to grow and prosper. With each word she spoke to explain why her plan needed to come to fruition, I could see it her way. When she was finished explaining, I was completely on her side. I only hope these leaders would see it her way as well.

"You must be joking!" The chief of the Yujleda clan yelled out in disbelief.

Being the first to finally break the silence, many of the leaders from other clans soon followed with protests of their own.

"You're out of your mind!"

"I will never ally myself with Azgeda scum!"

"What's in it for us!"

The loud cacophony of noise and rejection to Lexa's idea was beginning to give me a headache. I could even begin to imagine how Lexa herself was feeling.

I was standing slightly behind her throne and to the side so I couldn't see her face, but I could see the that her fingers were gripping the arm rests tightly. This was her first gathering of the clans and her first impression upon them as The Commander. Her next words would shape how they look at her and whether or not that they would follow her or not.

"Silence!" Lexa yelled out impatiently, her voice strong and unwavering.

The suddenness of her voice, filled with so much authority, had the desired effect. Every clan leader shut their mouths and were looking towards their Heda.

"You all are acting as children." She said unwaveringly confident. Now that she had their attention, she didn't need to yell anymore.

With eyes sweeping the face of every leader present, I knew she was about to make her first speech. This moment will show them all what kind of leader she will be.

"Since before I was born, each one of your clans has been fighting eachother. The only alliances that have been made,  have been made with one goal in mind... war." She paused in her speech, letting her words get to every leader present.

"Every friendship, has been built with death in mind. Territories, beliefs, resources, simple shows of strength, these are the reasons for your petty skirmishes. Yet, all these years of fighting, and you're still fighting over the same things."

I noticed some clan leaders look down in shame at her words, while others  looked embarrassed.

"Is the death of every one of your clansmen worth it? We say jus drein jus daun, but where does it stop. If every death, is rewarded with another death, there will be no peace. There will only be death, and that is why we need a coalition..." Lexa paused once again, letting her words sink in.

I could see many leaders thinking over her words in their minds, while some still looked on with hesitancy.

Hearing a loud scoff, I look to see Queen Nia, leader of Azgeda, stand from her chair.

"We do not fight for nothing little Heda. Some clans, like my own, are struggling to feed their people. Our lands do not sustain crops, and animals are not plentiful." She said loudly, referencing her own clan and motioning towards the Sangedakru.

Sangedakru was notorious for being raided by nomads traveling through the desert in the search of the city of Light. A lot of times these nomads would be from many different clans and it would cause major distrust and often times war between the clans.