Survive for Another Time

Chapter 37

What?! Hostages? What is Klark thinking?! No!

Lexa didn't care that her expression was visibly tense and disapproving or that she was risking the Ambassadors finding that her all-knowingness -thanks-to-the-spirits was a facade. All that mattered was that Klark was putting her life in the line in a stupid way. Again.

Lexa was burning inside to ask what Onya meant by that but restrained herself. This was a precarious situation that she needed to take caution in.

"What, exactly, is Skai Prisa's plan?" asked the Trishana Ambassador over the whispers of his peers.

"Skai Prisa intends to prove coexistence possible between our two people by making, with Heda's authorization, their current camp into a village where both Trikru and Skaikru would live in harmony. Mingling so would also serve as deterrent for their previous leaders not to attack us as they would therefore be attacking friends of their children and put them in harms way. Furthermore, Skai Prisa would like Skaikru to serve as a go between the people of the Ark and Trikru in trade decisions as thanks to their origins they would know what the Ark may provide and thanks to their would-be integration they would know what the Kongeda would want."

"And what could they possibly have that we would want?" scoffed the Azgeda ambassador.

Onya stopped herself from sighing at the continuous derision the ambassador was showing the absent Skaikru and answered his question as she knew that it was his wright to ask as per Heda's permission.

"Medicinal knowledge and techniques as well as machines we have forgotten, ways to grow food in the dead of wintam even when they should not grow and better metal and cloths for our smiths and tailors. Plus their Moonshine."

Onya knew that her answer would shut up the ambassador's bravado as Azgeda always had need for food in wintam. She was right, the man grunted and quietly leaned back on his seat.

"What would they want in return?" asked The Ouskonja Kru Ambassador who seemed to be already calculating the benefices of such things.

"At first, knowledge of this world and how to survive in it: how to hunt, fight and who to trade what with and whom., later when they are settled... I believe they will be trading for horses, weapons and clothes. Skai Prisa was adamant in making her people as integrated as she could."

"That is... reasonable." Admitted the Boudala ambassador, earning himself a dark glare from the Azgeda Ambassador as the two were supposed to be allies.

"Yes, it is." Agreed the Ingranrona Ambassador followed by the other Ambassadors.

Lexa felt her heart swell in pride at seeing her people acting rightly and justly, thinking that even from far away Klark had an enormous impact on the future of her people.

"After speaking with her about her people's situation and possible trade agreements Skai Prisa asked if I could tell her about Trikru and Heda that I had mentioned."

Lexa smiled slightly at this, knowing full well that the first thing she had heard during their previous future was Markus Kane's and Theolonius Jaha's perception of her. Knowing that she had threatened and manipulated them to discover more about the Skaikru she couldn't imagine it being very good.

Onya saw her smile and wondered what it was about but figured that this was something between Heda and the Spirits.

Or Klark, she added with an afterthought.

"I told her that Heda was the ruler of the twelve clans forming the Coalition and the name of each Clans, their approximate location and what they specialize in so that they can think about who to trade with."

"So you just told her of Gonde without caring for our safety?!" exclaimed the Azgeda Ambassador, coming once more at the charge.

"The locations were vague and Skaikru knows nothing of our numbers or gonakruu. We are perfectly safe."

"We should make the skat talk of their secrets!" he insisted with a snarl.

"My orders were to return him to his people, which I have done, and inform them of the threat Maunde paused. It is done. I also doubt that a simple skat would know any of the Ark's secrets."

"Skai Prisa seems to!" Retorted the ambassador from Delfikru, the second ally of Azgeda.

"It is because she is Skai Prisa that she knows." intervened Lexa aloud for the first time. "No, " she retracted herself thinking that Klark would never have been in the first drop ship if she hadn't known about the Ark's most dangerous secret "it is because she knows that she is Skai Prisa."

Leaving those mysterious words as her sole contribution to the meeting Lexa returned to her observation and silence.

"When she learned that there were twelve clans she immediately asked me how they had gathered together and how to become the thirteenth clan."

As Onya had expected the information that Skaikruu was indeed interested in becoming the thirteenth clan brought about another wave of whispers. She also distinguished a shine in Lexa's eyes, as if her Heda was taking the news of Skaikru choosing peace over war with great relief.

She probably doesn't want to confront Skai Prisa on the battlefield. Through I don't see the gada posing a threat to her or our gonas.

Onya decided to ask Lexa more about Skaikru and their non-willing leader, a fact that she had decided to keep silent for the moment, once they were alone. It was important that she knows how strong Skai Prisa's hold was on Heda.

Onya was about to start talking again when a gona burst into the room, running to the throne. The guards hold on their spears tightened until the intruder kneeled in front of Heda and spoke.

"Heda, the skai if falling again!"

Klark = Clarke

Onya = Anya

Skai Prisa = Sky Princess

Trishana = Glowing Forest

Heda = Commander

Trikru = Tree People

Skaikru = Sky People

Kongeda = Coalition

Wintam = Winter

Azgeda = Ice Nation

Ouskonja Kru = Blue Cliffs People

Boudala = Rock Line

Ingranrona = Pains Riders

Gonde = the Coalition members

Maunde = Mountain

Delfikru = Delphi People

Gonakruu = army/unit of warriors

Skai = Sky