The Beginning of Lexa

4

Footsteps running outside of her chambers woke the brunette from her slumber. She slid out of bed and padded barefooted to the door, opening it to the chaos outside.

"what's happening?" She asked a warrior passing by. 

"Luna is missing." he answered while running off to his destination. 

Green eyes watched the warrior run away, soon blending into the chaos outside. She shook her head and reentered her chambers. Luna is missing. This has never happened before in the history of conclaves. Lexa headed to her wardrobe and dressed herself into her armour and boots. Her eyes caught sight of the brown jar Anya had gifted her the day before. She tenderly picked it up and unscrewed the jar, peeking into the black goo inside.  She dipped three fingers into the black goo and stared into the mirror. Neatly, she coloured around her eyes, two parallel lines up and down her eyes, and coloured in the blanks. She smiled at the image. Neat and tidy. Just the way everything should be in her life. Her life may be a feat of chaos, but she likes to keep as many things as tidy as possible. 

She tenderly placed the jar back in it's space on her nightstand and walked down to the circle where she had spent half of the previous day at. Her sword thumped lightly on her back as she approached her fellow officiates. The remaining ones who had not run away. Her face settles into her usual poker face and she nodded slightly at the others who returned the nod. Like her, their faces were concealed of emotions. However, fear was clear in their eyes. 

Their attention was drawn to the bald flame keeper whom approached the middle of the circle. Its ground still stained black with blood from the previous day's killing. Lexa pursed her lips and concentrated on what the respected man was saying.

"I am sure you have all heard about the news."  Titus all but spat out the words. "Luna, ran away. She is a coward, unwilling to face the conclave. Unwilling to die for our people if she had to. Her behaviour is a shame to us all. Scouts have been sent out to track her. To bring her back to face her punishment for abandoning trikru during its sacred occasion. But we will not let this deter the conclave." His voice carried easily through themes of people. "Juan and Leksa, please step up." 

And so we fought. Juan was a much better fighter than Peta. A lot better. Their blades made contacts with louder and more sharp rings. Their face twists with effort as they matched the other's speed. They moved so fast that their blades were merely a flash in the air. Deep green eyes met grey ones, glaring at one another. 

20 minutes into the fight and neither of us were backing down. Our swords clashed to a standstill for the fourth time that morning. Lexa's heart twisted painfully as annoyance started to form within her body. she bared her teeth and let out a roar. Something inside her snapped. Her hand swiftly grabbed Juan's blade, ignoring the stinging pain and with both her hand and sword, she flung his weapon out of his hand and across the court. She smirked menacingly as Juan gaped in surprise. Sweat dripped down the brunette's face as she lifted her sword into the fighting stance she adopted 10 years ago. "Yu gonplei stei odon." the girl told him and drove her sword home. Warm blood continued dripping down the girl's hand as her sword stuck out of the boy's chest. He sputtered slightly before his body folded into itself and he collapsed onto the floor. 

Lexa retract her blade out of his chest and nodded her head at the crowd who were pointing and whispering at her, her face in its usual blank stare. The girl headed back to the area where the other two officiates were resting and sat down, allowing a healer to take care of the abused hand while watching the next fight. her back straight as a rod, she watched Monto and Draco square off on the field. She felt sweat rolling down her cheeks and resisted the urge to wipe the droplets off of her face. Her heart twisted slightly in pain for killing Peta. He was perhaps her most trusted friend after Luna. 

A warrior does not mourn for the death of her comrades till the war is over. Anya taught her that. And so she will not mourn for the lost of her family till she won the conclave. She caught her image in the mirror placed beside the mat. Deep green eyes stared back at her, it's glow accentuated by the black goo she applied. A frown appears on her face. The goo she so neatly applied had melted down to form striped down her cheeks. Probably because of her sweat during her fight with Juan. She took in her image and the frown tilted upwards. The brunette liked this look. It made her feel confident and absolutely powerful. She captured her image in her brain before focusing on the match again, draco pinning Monto down onto the ground. This would be her war mask for every battle from now on. 

Within seconds, the fight in front of her ended, blood spurting from the gash Monto had carved into the other boy's neck. A merciful death. Less painful than a sword through the stomach. Lexa nodded her head at the boy who approached the mat, needing to Take a seat.

"Two officiates are left. Monto and Lexa. We will continue the conclave at dusk." Titus announced, officially dismissing the entire crowd. 

Lexa turned to the blue eyed boy sitting next to her.

"May the best win." She reached out her uninjured hand for the boy to clasp.

"May the best win." The boy clasped her elbow and nodded his head. 

Lexa held on tightly to the boy for a second before dropping her hold and spun to her room. She came this far. Watched her brothers and sister die. Killed them with a quick stab through their chest. Their blood may be special but they are still humans. They are merely pieces of flesh held up by bones.  Now there was only one of them other than herself left. One left to kill before she becomes Heda. Lexa blinked back the threat of tears threatening to fall and she slip into her room and leaned against the massive wooden wall, needing the support as her legs turned to jelly.

That was the purpose of the conclave. It forces them to kill the people whom they trained with since birth. Whom they grew up with and fought with. It creates the cold hearted Heda that will lead their people into battle with the clear mindset. To be commander is to be alone. No family, no friends. No love. 

Lexa understood that. But she cannot bring herself to terms with it. Anya had repeated to her, so had Heda, that love is weakness. Love holds you back from making the wisest decision for her and her people. But that may not be true. Love may be making them stronger but they were just too afraid to try. What if ruling together would strengthen them? What if all this killing are unnecessary sacrifice?

Doubt clouded the young girl's mind and she started to think that maybe Luna had the right idea. Staying may be meaningless. 

The brunette shook her head and frantically shushed all the voices in her head. Right now, her main goal is to survive. Right now, if she died, everything Anya did for the girl would be to waste. She is Anya's second. She will win this and make her teacher proud. She will make her teacher proud. And live to see another day. 

The girl slid out of her boots and trotted to the plates of food left in her room. She needs to eat to garner energy to win the fight that determines her life and death. She placed an assortment of food on her plate, wisely choosing her diet. Boar meat for protein to give her strength. Bread for energy and fruits to cleanse her mouth from the condiments. 

She sat on the small stone table and chair and begun chewing mechanically at her food, trying to clear her mind from the thoughts of her fellow comrades she had grown up with. Now is not the time to be weak. Now is the time to stay strong. And if she were to win the conclave, she can never be weak. Heda has to be strong and powerful. Wise and smart. thousands of people would  be under her command. Any sign of weakness may just cause the death of the thousands of warriors. 

The green eyes hardened and she took a deep breath. She will survive.