A Different Landing

Chapter-14

Anya pulled Gustus aside and guided him into her tent. Ignoring his stoic face, she started speaking. "We need information on Klark, and we need it now."

Gustus frowned. "We've needed information on her for a while, why now?"

"Because Lexa is starting to trust her." Anya didn't mention that it wasn't the trust necessarily that was worrying her. No need to send Gustus off to do something stupid. Despite what Titus and Gustus may believe, feelings were not weakness.

"I've noticed she listens to her council." He was clearly displeased with this.

Anya was careful with the next part. "The general's council has been wise so far. Still, she is Azgeda and we need to know that she doesn't plan on betraying Lexa. If she doesn't mean her harm, having an ally in Nia's court would be a boon."

"You would ally with Ice Nation scum?" He asked, clearly outraged.

Not rolling her eyes was a burden sometimes. "I would have the coalition secure and we both know that Azgeda is a part of that coalition, whether we like it or not."

Gustus narrowed his eyes, "Even if you want more information on the general, it's impossible to get it without violating the coalition."

"Not everything is torture. We have the perfect opportunity tonight to gain information." She replied.

"You intend to get information out of the assassin, how?" Gustus crossed his arms looking confused.

"She'll be the only Ice Nation warrior in Ton DC tonight. The healer, Brady, will be with Nyko helping with their new reaper and the others departed this morning. If we get her drunk enough, her tongue may loosen. She is clearly close to the general, she may be able to give us enough information to help protect Lexa." Anya was rather pleased with her plan. The problem was getting Gustus to agree to it.

He laughed in his booming voice. "You will sooner see a pig fly then see an assassin lose her head in drink. She'll know your game as soon as you place the mug in her hand."

Anya closed her eyes for a second. Gustus was a good leader, a good warrior, and uncannily attuned to Lexa. For all that, he was not particularly good with politics or plots. "She won't if we get more than just her drunk."

"Explain." He looked thoughtful, she figured he was understanding.

"Convince Indra to reward the men for acting appropriately while the village was crawling with foreign healers and warriors. Break out the wine and ale. I can see to it that the girl's training partners encourage her appropriately before I question her, casually." She laid out her plot.

"You think this will work?" He asked seriously.

"I think it's our best chance to learn more about Klark and thus better learn what type of a threat she is to Lexa." Anya answered honestly.

"Then it will be done." He said.

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Three years ago:

Bellamy stood at attention behind Nia's throne, his ceremonial spear clasped in his hand, a mask of bone concealing most of his face. Petitioners to the throne were being allowed to speak with the queen today. He hated guarding her, but it was his duty and kept his family safe. He'd thought gaining his brands would have given him more rights, but it truly hadn't. Now the civilians avoided him when possible like he had the plague and they would catch it just by touching him. He did have more freedom to move throughout the capital but his duties were stricter. Clarke was lucky. She had received her own hunting team after the disaster where she had to take charge of an outpost after a bandit attack. Having her own hunting team meant getting to stay in the countryside far away from Nia and her foul stench.