The 100 - Just one life more!

14: Clarke meets Heda

Alura and Clarke perked up when they heard steps nearing. A moment later Anya comes onto the clearing. Her face doesn't betray her thoughts. It's as stoic as ever when she turns to Clarke, "The Heda and I are done with our discussion, she will see you now. I'll bring you there." She doesn't wait for an answer, but just turns around and walks away, expecting Clarke to follow. But Clarke just looks questioningly at Alura, who gives the young, blonde woman a short nod and motions to Clarke to follow Anya. Clarke turns to Anya and jogs across the clearing to not lose Anya.
As they near the tent, Clarke grows more and more nervous. She will face the most powerful women in literally everywhere in just a few minutes. And it will either bring an alliance or death.
Clarke has waited for this opportunity, yet it is overshadowed by the fact, that her and Anya's people had, mildly put, a rough start. Hopefully she could convince the Heda of Skaikru's usefulness.

Anya held the flaps of the commander's tent open for Clarke and followed her inside. The first thing Clarke saw, was two guards at the entrance. She let her eyes wander and she saw a bulky man at the feet of the stair leading up to the throne. Upon her entering he placed a hand at his sword threateningly.
On the throne, to Clarke's surprise, was the young woman Clarke thought to be Indra. The woman that had to actually be Indra stood beside the throne a few steps below Heda. Anya, who entered the tent after Clarke, lead her towards the throne and then left Clarke's side to take her place directly next to Heda. Without looking up, Heda spoke, while Clarke was fixated on the dagger, she toyed with, "You're the one, who burned 300 of my warriors alive." Clarke took her eyes of the dagger and looked up. She defended her actions, saying, "You're the one who send them there to kill us." That made Heda look up and poke her dagger into her throne. "Anya told me, how you escaped the mountain and that you, Clarke of the Skai People, want an alliance with us to defeat the Maunon. But what do you have to offer? All you brought is death."

"Your people are trapped in the mountain same as mine. The blood of your people is used as medicine to cure radiation burns, but this treatment has it's limits. And it kills your people. It will not take long for them to start killing my people to. We can help each other. You know the Mountain Men better than I do. Your people are trained fighters, but you deal with a technologically advanced enemy. Though, their tech is similar to Skaikru's. We have people that can handle the tech, that hinders you from attacking this fortress. My people can do that. And we have doctors-" Clarke stopped for a second about her phrasing, "They are healers, kind of, and with your healers we can help people so much more. We both can't help our people alone, but we can together." Clarke stopped. She made her case, now it was on Heda to answer.
Indra spoke up, "So you have nothing to offer? Your people can't fight, you just want us to do your dirty work..."
"Shof op, Indra," Heda interrupted her, "But I agree with Indra. You bring nothing to the table. I just have your word, that you can deliver."
"You actually don't have," Clarke interrupted bluntly, stepping closer to the throne. Gustus took that as a threat and drew his sword, but he was stopped by Heda, "Chil doun, Gostos." She then turned to Clarke, "Continue."
"I have trained with Nyko, he can attest, that together we can do so much more in healing. And if you doubt my people's commitment to the cause, they will do everything go get their children back, but not if we are fighting each other. And we might not have many fighters, but we have knowledge about the mountain and their tech. I know the inside of the mountain. And the people that do know how to fight have guns. They're our guard and they will be far more efficient than a sword or a bow against the weapons of the, how do you call them, Maunon?"
Heda stroked her dagger while thinking about Clarke's words. On one hand, Skaikru might be a strong ally, on the other hand, the clans could turn on her for an alliance with Skaikru. She glanced at Anya, who responded to the unasked question, "The Maunon are our biggest enemy. The clans are vulnerable without you. They will follow you."
Indra also started speaking, "Trikru suffers the most under the Maunon, but every clan had losses to them, don't underestimate their commitment."
Only Gustus didn't approve, "Hukop na kot of oyu melon! (An alliance will cost you your head.)" Lexa knew, that Gustus was always worried about her, but he also did a great job as her bodyguard and Indra and Anya were right, the clans would follow their Heda. But before she could make a decision, one other thing needed their attention. "Before I make a decision, we need to talk about your friends. Finn and Murphy kom Skaikru. And about Barn kom Trikru. Your friends almost massacred TonDC, while Barn also wronged them. We will have to discuss a punishment."
Immediately Indra raised her voice, "Since when do we discuss punishments with the enemy. She can't possibly decide this, Heda, it's madne-" "Em pleni! My decision stands, don't forget yourself, Indra. I'm interested in Clarke's opinion and she can speak for the boys that were wronged by one of ours."
-----
A/N: Next time Finn and Murphy's (and Barn's aka the Karen's) fate will be decided. And not everyone might survive it. This decision was planned for quite some time now and soon more Skaikru will join the story. Raven for example...