Chapter Text
“Heda, the caravan will be arriving soon.” Lexa looked up from the map on the table in front of her to see one of her generals, Indra.
“Yes, it is about time those raid-e-o’s arrived, and the Arker who is to teach us how to use them.” Lexa nodded and returned her gaze to her map.
“And..” This time it was Anya who spoke, Lexa’s close friend and old instructor said suggestively.
It took Lexa a moment to clue into Anya’s meaning. It had been two years since the arrangement was made, and quite honestly she had forgotten about it in the last couple weeks.
“My betrothed will be arriving with the caravan.” Lexa concluded and Anya nodded.
“It is set to arrive shortly before the dining hour.” Indra added.
“Thank you, Indra, will you please arrange for my…guests to dine with me? Make space for Anya, Gustus, and yourself of course.” Lexa dismissed with a wave of her hand and Indra stepped out.
“You really forgot about your betrothal?” Anya leaned back from the table.
“More pressing matters have been on my mind the past couple weeks.” Lexa scowled.
“You must work to make this arrangement work, while keeping within our traditions.” Anya advised her.
“I must take her own traditions into consideration.” Lexa sighed and moved to sit on her throne.
“I’ll leave you to prepare yourself for the next three months.” Anya smirked and exited the tent.
Lexa groaned, how could she have forgotten. Their neighbouring nation, Arkadia, had come to them with a proposition. Help them fight against their neighbours the Mountain Men, and the Arkers would give the Tridegakru basic technology and teach them how to use it. Many years ago the Mainland of Earth had been one nation, Nuclear, with smaller nations out at seas that were still under their control. However a civil war had broken out, and three nations had come from it.
The tridegakru kept with tradition and most of their people were warriors, the other nations considered them backwards for keeping away from technology and the like, but they didn’t see it that way. Only since Lexa had become Heda did the people start to slowly accept that perhaps minimal technology could help them, especially against their enemies the Mountain Men, who were constantly testing the border.
The Mountain Men were cowardly and thought very highly of themselves. They had been on the most loosing side of the civil war. So disgusted with the other nations they hid away beneath the mountain range. Although they were brave enough to constantly test the borders and kidnap Lexa’s people. The one warrior who had escaped said the Mountain Men tried to brainwash her people into their school of thought. Those who didn’t were kept in tiny dungeon cells during the day, and forced to clean the place at night. Recently the Mountain Men had kidnapped a large number of Arker children, which led the Chancellor of the Ark to reach out to Lexa for help.
The Arkers were a more peaceful people, although with very strict rules. Barely any warriors among them, they hadn’t the need for many with such strict rules heavily enforced. They used technology with ease and kept detailed histories of all the nations that had come before them.
Lexa didn’t tell the Chancellor that she had already started to plan an attack against the Mountain Men, they would offer her less for her aid. Thelonious Jaha was quick to lend their raid-e-o’s, and an instructor to teach them. Lexa however, had been advised that there needed to be a stronger bond between the two nations, to ensure peace between them for a long time to come. It had been Jaha’s advisor and personal healer who suggested the arranged marriage. Abigail Griffin was a renowned healer amongst the Arkers, so much so that even Lexa had heard of her. However the light of Abigail Griffin had been dimmed ever since the mystery shrouding her husband’s death. At first Lexa had been offered the hand of Jaha’s son Wells. Lexa was quick to let them know she would not marry a man, even if there was not to be love between them. It was then Abigail Griffin had offered the hand of her own daughter.
Lexa knew the name Clarke Griffin. The girl’s name had been heavily mentioned about one year ago. Apparently the girl had had an illicit affair with a guardsman named Finn. Their affair hadn’t lasted long after being discovered by Finn’s fiancee, Raven. Clarke had taken her anger at the situation and joined the guardsmen after Finn had run away in shame. Just under a year ago Clarke had led a very small army and defeated 300 invaders from the small Sand Nation. Lexa had accepted the offer before all this happened, and her people had been worried the affair would ruin their union, but it luckily did not last long enough to. Now, two years later, it was almost time for her to be married.
About one year before the offer had been made Lexa had been in love, and that had ended in a disaster. With her heart now closed off to love Lexa had no reservations about the arrangement. The only thing she hoped for was that Clarke Griffin would be someone she could get along with, and that the young woman wasn’t weirded out by all of the Tridegakru traditions.