Fear The 1OO

Chapter Two

Lexa

  The Commander drew a slow deep breath, "Ona ai mark," on my mark, she said to her brother. Tilting her head, she pointed ahead into a field and nodded slightly. The tall man next to her let loose of his bow, shooting down a deer yards out.
  It was uncommon, hunting on their own instead of others doing it for them, but Lexa wanted this. She needed space. She needed to feel free from duty.
  "Polis isn't low on food supply," Troy mumbled, "Why are we out here?"
  "You need practice, I need the fresh air," Lexa half smirked, leading the way to Troy's kill.
  Troy tailed along behind, "Ste Costia ona your mind again, sis?"
  Is Costia on your mind again, sister?
  Lexa tucked a braid behind her ear as she bent to survey the dead deer on the ground.
  She hated when Troy brought this up, his intentions were always sincere, but she dreaded the emotion it brought. Titus, her Fleimkepa, taught her always to conceal such feelings. Hide them away, keep them safe.
  The girl touched red satin blood seeping from the deer on the ground before her, "I will always remember, dear brother."

  "Heda," knocking came from behind Lexa's quarters. She sat up from her large, wooden frame bed and stretched. It was barley morning. The knocking intensified, "Heda. Lexa."
  "Titus," Lexa rubbed sleep from her eyes, "Must you wake me?"
  "The alliance - I," Titus's voice drowned out, and in came her brother's.
  Troy had this hard, outer shell. He didn't break easily. He'd fought many times with the bravest warriors of Trikru, he'd seen his share of things. But the edge in his voice, told Lexa something was terribly wrong.
  She didn't want to open that door. This was about more than just the alliance.
  "Sister, please."
  "Com op raun," come in, what is it, she stood to let them into her room.
  Two warriors followed Titus and Troy in, carrying a small wooden box.
  "When was the last time you spoke with Costia," Troy asked, hesitantly.
  "Just two days ago," Lexa replied, "She left with others to speak with a healer from Trishanakru. What is this? Put that down -"
  "You'd best not to look, Heda," Titus bowed his head, "The Trikru guard Costia left with were found bound and dead this morning."
  "And what of Costia?" Lexa felt heat rise in her face, the gown she slept in felt like weights atop her chest, "This was Azgeda's doing - What of her? Tell me now!"
  Troy stepped in front of his sister, placing an arm on her shoulder, to which she cringed away. He gave her a look, shaking his head. She knew. She knew this was her love's end.
  "I need to see it," Lexa demanded.
  "You don't want this," Troy responded, bending slightly to meet her eyes, "You cannot unsee what these Azgeda savages have done."
  "Tell me everything," Lexa's voice wavered, "Ban op!" Leave us, she told the guards.
  The Commander sunk to her knees, placing a hand on the closed wooden box. On the top was a white symbol, a carved hand, Azgeda's marking.
  She felt a heavy grief wash over her, then anger. Pure, and burning anger.

  The memory was like a plague filling her brain. She had lost track of how long ago it had been, a year, maybe more. She wasn't sure anymore. Focusing on her duty to the people was the only thing that helped pass the days.
  Troy heaved the large buck over his shoulder, "We should train later," he offered, changing the subject.
  "If you wish to lose," Lexa smirked. She loved showing off her skill in combat. Always so humble, but around Troy, she could be anything. And he would be proud.
  Lexa may have been raised as Heda, but she and her brother were equals. Troy wasn't lucky enough to have been born with the nightblood gene, but for that Lexa was thankful. He would crumble under the weight she carried.
  As the two made their way across the field and back through the woods, something strange happened. Lexa heard a loud sound, almost as if the world had split in two. Flame and fire filled the sky above them. There was a star-like stream that grew larger, and larger as it came into view.
  "Are you seeing this, Heda?" Troy mumbled, switching into battle mode.
  "Its -" Lexa looked up to the dusky sky, a silvery craft flew through the trees miles away, hitting the ground with a loud thump, "Skai raunon." Sky person.
  "Skaikru," Troy searched his sister's face, "I thought the sky people were myth, a story parents told their kids about only to give them nightmares. Like the Mountain Men."
  "These are not myths, Troy. They're threats, they're very real. Falling to Earth like the first Pramheda. We must return to Polis, immediately," Lexa spoke firmly, "Anya and Titus need to know what's happening."


Troy

  "I've lost a perfectly good meal and now we're running," Troy mumbled, watching his sister sprint ahead. Her dark clothing blending into the trees, he squinted large green blur eyes to make out what direction she was headed. They had left the buck behind, making their way to Polis. He could smell smoke in the air coming from the crash sight.
  Mid run, his hands searched the small leather pack on his side. He felt the edge of his journal. These sky people would be something to write about, he knew that for sure.
  "Try to keep up, brother," Lexa called back to him.
  He chuckled. Troy would never let his sister alone in these woods. He'd run miles on empty for her if it meant keeping her safe. She was able bodied, strong, but he still worried constantly for her safety.
  Heda's second in command was his job, but being an older brother was his calling. Although he was harsh with others, Lexa was his weak spot. After what happened with Costia, he felt the need to avenge what his sister couldn't. He constantly feared his sister was next. Troy had grown paranoid.
  He wouldn't let anything happen to her, and he promised her that.
  Killing Azgeda in Costia's name was gratifying for him. He would gladly do it again.
  But his sister wanted peace, she preached of it often, and so he was forced to hide his urges for some time. Some days he craved a good fight, he wanted it. Often times, Troy thought he had gone insane, numb to the feeling of guilt.

  Troy walked through a campground near the edge of a mountain's slope. Azgeda blood warmed his machete like sword. The boy wiped mud and wet red muck from his face, peering out into the night.
  "Heda wishes to speak with you," a voice called from behind him, some warrior grunt sent on an errand mission. Lexa wasn't allowed to leave the tower without guard these days.
  "Tell her I'm -" Troy sighed, "Tell her I am trying to make it home."
  "She says no more killing, Troy," the man said, "Pleni ste pleni." Enough is enough, "There must be an end to this violence, she wishes to form another alliance."
  He gripped his hand, a warm cut spread across his palm. Closing his eyes, he heard screams. He heard the men he'd killed trying to justify their actions again and again.
  Queen Nia this, and duty that. Murderous monsters. He felt overwhelmingly bitter.
  "I'll stop," Troy mumbled, "Tell my sister I'll be home by the morning."
  His tall lanky shoulders felt cool in the wintery air. The boy did as he was told and wandered back through the forest towards home.
  Polis hadn't always been home. At a young age, Lexa was taken from their family to train in the capital, just as all natblida were. Troy grew up with a terribly angry father, their mother was absent.
  Just years later, at twelve years of age, Lexa had returned for her brother. After winning the conclave, she decided to go home, bringing her older brother to Polis. He was sixteen at the time. Lexa asked their father to kneel, before his Commander. What power that moment held for her, a young woman, in charge of what seemed to be the whole world.
  But sixteen years of belittlement and mental abuse does numbers on a young impressionable boy. Training with his sister and learning the ways of Trikru helped him immensely. But there was only so much healing his little sister could do.
  She never stopped being there for him. Duty or not.

  "Anya is heading out with scouts," Lexa informed Troy. They stood in Lexa's thrown room, alone. Titus stood only in the corner, pretending to ignore their conversation.
  "What can I do?" He asked, eyes eager.
  Lexa spread her hands over the table in front of her, looking over a map, "We have no idea what we're dealing with here," Lexa sighed.
  "I won't hurt them," Troy admitted, "Let me go alone. Sneak around the crash site."
  "Beja, nou make ai regret disha. Hon daun bilaik journal," Lexa eyed him warily.
  "You won't regret this, sister, and yes I have my journal," Troy replied, a broad grin spreading his face. He pulled the old leatherback book from his pack and shook it, "Ai hod in yu, sister."
  "I love you too, Troy," Lexa rubbed her temples, standing back from the table, "Off you go." Troy grinned wider, he scarcely heard his little sister say these words. He wanted to make her proud.