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 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 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 each other. 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 looked 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 oftentimes war between the clans.

"My people need the resources that other clans are able to provide, while my own cannot." Nia finished, sitting back down and smirking to herself.

The Azgeda clan was notorious for war. It had the largest territory out of all the clans but had the harshest lands. Nearly Neverending winters and like Queen Nia said, resources were scarce. Due to the harsh conditions, it was basically survival of the fittest. Because of that, they had the strongest military and were always at war with weaker clans and other clans that bordered its territory. One of the clans that borders Azgeda and is its biggest opposition is Trikru. Their skirmishes are very numerous and Trikru is also Lexa's original clan.

"You are right, Queen Nia." Lexa said calmly, causing Nia to smirk wider.

"However, with this coalition we will share our resources. Trade will become readily available, merchants and traders won't have to fear crossing borders. Polis will not be the only city where the streets are filled with stalls of goods. Foods, jewelry, tools, clothing... War will not be your source of these items anymore." Lexa spoke strongly, sounding like the Heda she was always meant to be.

I could see nearly all the clan's leaders nodding along with her words. Each understanding how beneficial an alliance could be to their people. I smiled proudly behind my mask, Lexa was a natural.

"Now, I ask you. Who here us ready to end the generation's long bloodshed. Who here is ready for a new Era of peace? Look to your fellow men beside you, they are not the enemy. The real enemy is the mountain men! They kidnap our people and turn them into monsters, to reapers! Let us join together and help each other against our real enemy... The mountain!" She finished strongly, the assembled leaders nearly made the room quake with the amount of applause she received following her speech.

"No!" Queen Nia roared, standing up again.

Just in case Nia tried something, I moved in front of Lexa protectively. Pointing my spear at Nia threateningly I didn't need words, my actions spoke for themselves.

Realizing I wouldn't hesitate to spear her, Nia calmed down a little bit but she wasn't any less angry.

"I will not change my entire peoples culture all because of a stupid child's idea." She said scathingly, staring straight at Lexa.

I was about to move forward and silence her when Lexa spoke.

"I am the child?" Lexa asked rhetorically, standing up from her throne and making her way to stand in front of Nia.

I stayed guarded just incase Nia decided to attack the Heda but I knew she wouldn't do something that stupid, every man and woman here would attack her.

Standing right in front of Queen Nia, Lexa stared her down. "You are the child, throwing a tantrum like one in my throne room." Lexa said with venom, daring Nia to try anything.

"I will not be joining your coalition, and you will pay for insulting me..." Queen Nia spit out rudely before turning and marching out of the throne room.

Once Nia left, Lexa turned back to her throne and took a seat. "If Azgeda does not wish to join the coalition, then so be it. We will simply have to force them to."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

It's been a few weeks since the coalition has started, even in this short amount of time every clan has benefited from the alliance greatly. I've even seen more and more members of each clan walking around Polis smiling happily.

However, it's not as peaceful as one would like. Azgeda refuses to join the coalition even after all this time so now Lexa will force them, with the might of the coalition itself.

So far we have been winning, but now Azgeda has started to use more subterfuge instead of more open warfare. They've taken to taking and interrogating people in hopes they hold valuable information. They've gotten desperate, and it won't be long before Azgeda succumbs to the pressure and is forced to join or be destroyed.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Sweeping Lexa's legs out from under her, I knock her staff away with my own.

"Ugh, I yield." she groans out annoyed.

Simply laughing at her displeasure at losing to me once again, I help her to her feet.

"You'll never beat me Lexa, perhaps you need to ask for lessons from the young Natblidas we've gathered." I say teasingly, knowing that she is the best fighter in Polis, second only to myself.

She struggles to hold back a small smile at my teasing while trying to come up with a retort. "I never should have sought you out when we were children." She says with faux seriousness.

*gasp* "Surely you jest!" I say, placing my hand on my chest like I'm hurt.

Lexa just laughs at my misery before walking over to the weapons rack and placing her staff back.

It's been a rough couple of days, Costia has been missing for almost a week now and Lexa has been taking it particularly hard. Today was the first time I had been able to get her down to the training grounds. Whenever she wasn't in the throne room doing meetings, she has been locked away in her room. I am the only one outside of her duties that she'll even talk to.

Placing my own training spear in the rack next to hers, I then place a comforting hand on her shoulder. It will be okay Lexa, we will find her.

Her shoulders sag at my words. The training may have distracted her for a little bit, but it has been plaguing her mind for a while now.

"I can only hope so James..." she says sadly, looking into my eyes and giving me a sad smile.

"Shield Gon Heda!" A guard yells, quickly walking towards us.

I quickly move to intercent the guard. "What is it?" I ask, immensely curious as to what could be so important for the guard to interrupt the Heda's training.

"A package was delivered to the city gates, it was delivered from Azgeda, shield gon Heda." He answers breathlessly.

It was not only my job to protect the Heda, but it was also my job to protect the city as head of defense for Polis. Therefore whatever this package was, it fell under my jurisdiction.

Nodding to the guard, I turn towards Lexa's concerned face. "Will you be okay for a few minutes while I go check this out? It could be important to the war." I ask, not really wanting to leave Heda by herself, but knowing how important any information on Azgeda was I knew I had to.

"Of course, James, be quick though. I would like a rematch when you get back." She says with a smile.

"I'll gladly beat your ass anytime." I say cockily, dodging a swipe of her hand and follow the guard out of the training grounds.

I followed the guard up to my quarters where they left the box. It smelt of blood so right away I knew that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

Placing the box on the table, I carefully pry the lid off. What I found inside however... what I found made my heart stop.

Inside the box was Costia's head. I dropped the lid of the box and backed away a few feet. There were so many things racing through my mind at that moment. But there was one thing that rang more loudly than any other thought I had, how could I possibly explain this to Lexa. Since we found out she went missing I have been telling her that Costia would come back safely, that she was going to be okay....

I took deep calming breaths and hesitantly took steps towards the box again. Looking inside, I struggled to come to terms with Costia's death. Regardless of the severed head. Lexa was going to be devastated, and I had to be the one to tell her.

Taking a few more minutes to steel myself, I put the kid back on the box and went to retrieve Lexa. This was going to be the hardest thing I've ever had to face up till this point in my life, I knew seeing how upset Leda will get will hurt me as well.

Finally making my way to the training grounds, I see Lexa going through some forms with the staff.

"Lexa!" I yelled, getting her attention. When she sees me, she comes jogging over with a smile on her face. Seeing that smile on her face is making this so much harder for me.

Taking my mask off so she can see the grave look on my face, her smile quickly falls from her face.

"What happened James..." She asks me worriedly, stepping closer to me.

Squaring my shoulders, I answer her with the best of my ability. I didn't want to break the news to her down here, she needed to see it for herself. I knew that she would demand to see the head anyway.

"Follow me to my quarters Lexa, please." I ask her, turning back towards the tower and making my way towards the elevator, knowing that Lexa would follow.

As if sensing the gravity of the situation in the air, she didn't say a single word all the way to my quarters which I was thankful for.

"James, please tell me what has happened." She pleaded once we reached my quarters.

Sighing heavily, I knew I had to give her something at least. A little preparation for what is to come.

"It's Costia, lexa..." I say softly, staring into her eyes so she'd see the emotion in my own.

When she heard my words, her own eyes started to water and her breathing got faster.

"What happened to her?" Lexa demanded, her voice wavering slightly.

"She...." I tried to tell her but I just couldn't, she would be devastated. So in reply to her question I just shook my head and opened the doors of my room.

Walking over towards the box on my table, I lifted it up and turned back towards Lexa. She was just in the doorway and seemed to stop when she saw the box I held. Her eyes were glued to the box, her breathing got a little faster and I could see that her hands started to shake a little bit.

"What's in the box?" She asked, her voice wavering even more and the first tear fell down her cheek.

I couldn't seem to find my voice. When I saw the first tears on her face, I felt a painful tug on my heart and my stomach churned wildly.

"What is in the box James!" She sobbed, the tears now flowing freely down her flushed cheeks. Her hands were shaking quite a lot now and she was nearly hyperventilating.

"It's Costia... Costia's head is in the box Lexa..." I say softly but clearly.

As soon as the name fell from my lips, Lexa fell to her knees and let out a heart pulling scream. I put the box back on the table and rushed over to her, pulling her in a tight embrace.

She gripped me tightly and sobbed loudly into my chest. I don't know how long we stayed like that but the longer I heard her sobs, the more I hurt as well.

Eventually her sobs slowly subsided and she shoved me away. Looking at her sadly, I could see anger slowly but surely replacing the sorrow in her eyes.

"This is your fault." She quietly, her voice full of rage.

"W-what?" I asked confused, how was this my fault?

"If you would have protected her, she would still be alive James!" She screamed at me. Her words hurt, I know she just needed an outlet but blaming me was unfair.

"It wasn't my job to protect Costia, it's my job to protect you." I say honestly, trying to make her understand it wasn't my fault.

"I don't need protecting! Costia did!" She yelled.

I just looked at her sadly, I knew that my words wouldn't change her mind. Right now her mind is filled with grief and rage, my words would fall on deaf ears.

"From now on it is only business between us, you say your job is to protect me? Then do it. I am your Heda, not your friend." She said seethingly, looking at me with eyes more deadly than the Pauna's.

Her words hurt a lot, she means more than anything to me, and hearing her say such things to me was devastating. She was my best friend, the woman I loved, she was the only one I had left.

Refusing to show weakness to her, ignoring the burning behind my eyes, I stood straight and put my mask back on.

"Understood Heda."