143 days since Praimfaya... (85 days since Madi).
After a day of bursting around their abode, sharpening arrowheads (while leaving the subsequent tying to Lexa), and hunting with Clarke, the Natblida seemed utterly exhausted. And so after dinner, the Natblida went into her room without complaint, after Clarke suggested that she sleep.
And so Lexa tucked the Natblida into her bed, and waited for her to fall asleep. She had decided to wait ten minutes for the Nightblood to fall asleep—and when it seemed as if her time was up and that the Nightblood was sound asleep, the Natblida either switched positions or moved once again, which led to a repeat of the entire process.
It had been about twenty minutes of waiting, until the Natblida yawned. ''Tell me a story,'' she murmured drowsily as she tossed around the bed, her sheets following with her. Lexa wondered if it were words spoken in her sleep, or if the Natblida was unconsciously saying the words.
Various stories popped in her head, floating around as if they were a memory-box, ready to be opened. She took a breath, and quietly, so to not disturb the Natblida if she were in her dreams: ''Have you heard of the Commanders?''
The Natblida nodded, her head curling into her pillow. She was unsure of whether if it was a reflexive reaction, or if the Natblida really did hear her, but she felt slightly more confident than she was before.
Feeling the back of her neck, where a scar and a tattoo met, she gave a small, forlorn smile, somewhat to herself but to the Spirit more than anything. ''Once, there was a Commander by the name of Becca Pramheda...''
...
173 days since Praimfaya... (115 days since Madi).
''Nearly there—ow!'' Clarke groaned as she nearly lost her footing, as the fawn carcass that hung from two bamboo sticks jostled as Madi cringed, but thankfully, the deer didn't fall. That was responded with another one of Clarke's signature groans. ''Damn, Lexa, you could've picked a better spot.''
''If I could come here, then so could you.'' was all Lexa offered to that, much to Clarke's exasperation and Madi's incoherent protests.
''Who d'you think we are?'' Madi groaned as she tried to heft up the bamboo sticks, and Lexa wheeled over to help her. Huffing, Madi grunted: ''I'm no gona.''
"Wanheda, and our elusive Natblida," Lexa drawled in her answer, her eyes flickering from their faces to the their deer they've brought in.
Clarke groaned, mostly in exasperation and she plopped down the bamboo sticks on their Y-shaped rack above the fire, practically dragging Madi along as Madi's steps spluttered and stopped, as she stared at Clarke completely uncomprehendingly.
Mostly because Lexa, the person whom invited her in, that was paralysed and fairly nice in general, if not a bit strict, called Clarke, the person whom she'd kinda-accidentally Bear-Trapped and broke her leg for a bit. Wanheda. Wanheda, the Skaikru that slaughtered thousands in the Mountain Men's base. Stories that were whispered on the streets and between her Mother and Father, with ecstasy and fear and awe and a hint of pride. Madi barely had the time to speak "wait, Wanheda—" until Clarke, the Wanheda, the Mountain-Slayer, the saviour of the Ripas, dropped another bomb.
Shrugging off the load of the fawn, and settling it over the rack under the prickling fire, as Madi's trying-to-comprehend face flew completely past her, Clarke said, grinning: ''You're the one to speak, Heda.''
It took a second for Madi to process. And then she gawked at Lexa in total and complete surprise. Because no, Clarke and Lexa did not just drop two bombs in a day.
Or should Madi say, Wanheda and Heda.
A million thoughts surged through her mind, mostly involving the words: how? (did she not she know this before) what? (is wrong with them for keeping this from her for so long) why? (did the two people left on Earth had to be figures Madi idolized, and not bratty annoying Fleimkipas?!)
In all her life when she imagined meeting her idols, this had not been it.
It took a while for Madi to regain the ability to speak again. Mouth still open in a gawk, the words naturally tumbled out. ''Wait a second. Heda?! You were the Heda of everything!?''
And then, at the resulting smile, Madi almost gawked even further, as the cogs in her brain began to turn. ''Leska kom Trikru. The Commander that united the 12 Clans. That was why your name felt so familiar.''
''13 Clans,'' Lexa—the Commander— corrected, and Madi's gawk dropped even further. Oh Spirits. Right. The Coalition. The Skaikru. Oh Spirits, this really is the Commander and her lover, the Wanheda...
That would mean...
Oh Spirits. I broke the Mauron-Slayer's leg in a Bear Trap. I called the Last True Commander ''not dangerous'' in my head and wondered WHY she sounded like a Commander so much. I didn't REALISE that LEXA was the same LESKA that ruled basically the entire world. Damnit, when I thought it couldn't get more embarrassing than THAT...
Then, almost indignantly turning to Clarke, Madi asked, huffing: ''Why didn't you tell me this earlier?!''
Clarke shrugged, a smile still toying her face. ''It didn't seem important then.''
At that, Madi's blinking stare of disbelief reverted back to Lexa. ''I'd agree with her.''
''How is being a Commander of Everything not important?! And why didn't you tell me you were the Mauron-Slayer?!'' And then, as if recognising her outburst in front of the Heda of the 13 Clans, and the Mountain Slayer, her lover, Madi closed her mouth slowly. Still gawking. If that was even physically possible. ''Can you tell me everything?''
''In due time,'' Clarke said, with a smile. And when Madi gawked even further, the duo shared a laugh.
''But how...?'' Madi said, almost in disbelief, her gaze reverting to Lexa. The cogs in her brain turned, but not fast enough. She knew Lexa the Commander, all right, but Lexa the paraplegic Commander? She didn't remember that being taught that about Lexa in Polis.
At Lexa's questioning stare, Madi coughed. ''I mean... no offence... but I thought Commanders could fight? That the Coalition refused to accept anybody but an able-bodied Commander?'' And then, her brow furrowed, because she could swear she remembered Lexa standing during the Conclave. Right? So if it wasn't before her rule that she got shot, then it must've been in-between, which would explain why they were here. Oh. Ohh.
Wow. Good job me. I am so out of date. That's what I get when my family smuggles ourselves outta Polis and joins Louwoda Kliron Kru where practically nobody bothers about gossip.
''I did,'' Lexa murmured to Madi's question, the crackling flame mirroring in her eyes. ''I did fight. But I suppose my people didn't want me to; at least, not then.''
Clarke's eyes met Lexa's, as if sharing a mutual understanding. Madi understood Lexa's words, even though they were so impossibly vague (did all Commanders speak like this?)
Still. Madi's incredulous stare met both Wanheda and Heda. ''If you didn't mention it today, then when were you gonna ever tell me this?''
When Clarke and Lexa shared a knowing look, Madi had to stifle her disbelieving laugh.
They really didn't mean to not tell her that they were Wanheda and Heda for her entire life, right?
Right?
Suddenly, the scent of steaming richness overwhelmed her. Clarke waved the venison under her blinking (and definitely not watering) eyes. ''Hey, are you gonna eat this?''
Still glaring at Clarke and blinking a lot, Madi snatched the stick from Clarke and shoved the fawn meat down her throat. All the while blinking the hot tears from her eyes and hiding away the full-fledged embarrassment on her face, as the duo stared on, amused at the frightfully flushed-red Natblida.
Wanheda and Heda. Oh Spirits. I'm gonna take a long time to process this.
