A Different Landing

Chapter-15

Aden blocked the strike from Lexa, he could feel the force of it traveling up his arms. It echoed in his still very sore head. Apparently, his reward for accomplishing his mission to get Char drunk was an extra hour of sleep before being hauled to the training grounds. His head felt like it was full of rocks and he hadn't managed to eat at all. Just the smell of his morning rations had sent him running for the bushes.

"Keep your arms up!" She instructed, "Don't let a larger opponent lock you into a match of strength." She ordered while using their locked swords to shove him several steps back.

Trying not to squint, he feinted to the right while bringing his knee up aiming for her ribs to the left. She used her sword to knock his blade flying out of his hand while stepping into him cutting off his momentum with the knee. The next thing he knew, he was hitting the ground hard with a grunt.

"What did you do wrong?" She asked him staring down at him.

"Over committed." He groaned, wondering if she'd let him just lay there for a while.

Lexa was clearly waiting for him to expand but his brain just couldn't come up with anything else. Finally, she spoke. "Why do you think I assigned you to train with Charlotte, Aden?"

He frowned, squinting up at her. "Cause if I am chosen as the next Heda I need to be able to defend against attacks by an assassin."

"Tell me how many commanders have been killed by an assassin?" She asked. When he didn't answer, she answered for him. "None, they died in war, from illness, or killed by their advisors. Learning to defend against an assassin is a skill that few possess. There is a reason a single assassin will kill many warriors before being struck down."

"Then why have me train with her?" He asked confused. He was sure if his head hadn't felt like an open wound he'd have followed her train of thought.

"Because a commander is most likely to die at the hands of an enemy force since as commander you must lead your army from the front. However, with the coalition formed that mode of death is less likely. So, tell me Aden, how will I most likely die?" Her eyes bored down onto him.

Aden swallowed, he didn't like talking or thinking about Lexa's death. Still, he knew it was a reality, after all she was already one of the longest lived commanders ever. "You will likely die from sickness or betrayal." He finally replied.

She nodded. "And if you succeed me how will you most likely die?"

"Sickness or betrayal." He said thickly.

"Why does the Ice Nation use assassins as bodyguards?" She asked next.

He knew this one, Titus had spoken of it at length in Polis in the glade where the nightbloods trained. "Assassins are the tool of betrayal, so they can see it before anyone else."

"And how would you kill me if you tried to do so?" She asked, voice flat at the mention of him killing her.

"I would never!" He protested, Lexa was as close to a parent as he'd ever known. To kill her would be unthinkable.

"I know, but if you were to try how would you do it."

Frowning, he looked down and thought about it slowly. How would he? The commander was always guarded. Even if he had her alone he wouldn't be able to do more than mildly injure her, if that. He decided to start over. If he was Char, how would he kill the commander? She could do it during sparing couldn't she… he'd earned dozens of 'deaths' at her hands every time he trained with her. He looked back up. "Poison, I'd poison you."