The One True Commander [BOOK 1]

Chapter 5: Leadership

"In today's teaching, we will talk about leadership and if you become the next commander, what will you do? How will you rule." The commander played with her dagger in her hands while she spoke. "Tell me Cree, if you become heda, what will you do? How will you rule?"

Cree looked up from the floor, caught off guard by heda's question. "Ummmm. Well I would like to make peace with the clans." Cree answered the question but you could tell he was unsure and nervous with his answer. The commander noticed this, but she carried on questioning him.

"How will you achieve this?" The commander's eyes were burning into his and Cree looked away.

"Errrr, agree on terms all the clans can live with, and ensure peace." Cree spoke again in an unsure tone.

I looked over to my friend a little concerned. He seemed so unsure and I could tell something was bothering him. The boy looked away from the commander and back to the floor.

The commander stared at Cree for a little while before continuing. "Very well, Cree."

Heda's gaze fell on me. "What about you, Y/N?"

I looked to the woman sitting before me and sat up straight. "If I become heda, I will unite the twelve clans."

Every pair of eyes in the room fell on me after I had spoken this impossible sentence.

Heda stared at me, a slight smile formed, "how will you achieve this?"

"I will form a coalition where each clan will work together to achieve a goal, which will be peace. And I will ensure that the commanders after me will keep the coalition by my teachings." I finished speaking and gazed into the blue eyes of the commander.

She looked at me, smirking, "I believe that you can achieve that goal with your strength and wisdom. Thank you Y/N."

The other nightbloods were looking at me, with disbelief in their eyes. With all the violence they had seen between the clans, they thought that it was impossible to create such a coalition. But I would prove them wrong.

***

After the lesson with the commander, me and Cree decided to go into the forest to take a walk and talk. I needed to ask if he was okay, he seemed not like himself since the mock conclave a few days ago.

"Hey, what's up with you? Your haven't been yourself since the mock conclave. Are you okay?" I asked the boy in front of me.

Cree walked past me and kicked a stone. He sighed. "Nothing Y/N, I just feel like." Cree paused. "Oh it doesn't matter."

"Yes it does-." I cut myself off as I realised what had been making him so unlike him self for the past few days. "You don't want to be commander, do you?"

Cree looked at me, sadly, confirming my answer. I put my hand onto my forehead, trying to process the information.

"I don't want to be heda, because I don't want to rule. I want to live a normal life." Cree took a step closer. "You need to be the next commander. Not me."

"Cree you can't not want to be commander. Your a natblida, it's your right." I spoke to the boy.

"I know, but I don't want to be. When the commander dies, and the conclave begins, I'll run. I won't fight. You will win and-."

"You can't do that Cree!" I cut him off shouting. "If you try to run, you will be executed as a traitor to the blood." I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.