#theweightofxfivefeathers

                '' I'm FINE! God, can't you see? If you tell this                 to Lexa, I swear - I'll rip your head off myself. ''

Be vigilant. Everyone said it, all the time. Warriors, healers, farmers, everyone. No matter your station, everyone was always telling you to be vigilant. Costia had heard the words so many times she wanted to scream the next time she heard them spoken to or near here. It always seemed like everyone was always wither telling you to be vigilant, or telling you off for not being vigilant. No matter whose second you were, that was always lesson number one.

So if Nyko could see her now, ignoring everything around her as she watched a young second training with their general, she was sure she’d never hear the end of it. It wasn’t what she was supposed to be doing, as the bag of seaweed from the nearby river, now sitting by her feet, would prove, Costia was meant to be collecting samples for Nyko, but she paused as she saw the young warrior fighting. She’d seen her around a few times, always walking with Anya, no doubt discussing something important. Her training seemed to work her harder than any of the other warrior seconds, not that Costia made a habit of watching her train. Lexa, her name was.

Anya sat by the main fire pit warming her hands. This winter was one of the worst she could recall, and she wasn’t alone in thinking it. Lincoln sat beside her doing the same, casual conversation floating between them of where Lexa might be right now, how she was and what decisions were being thrust upon her by the elders as they spoke. 

A man approached with a small girl at his side.     ‘My Commander.’ He said with a bow of his head.      ‘This girl, we believe she’s been chosen.’ He added moving the young girl forward a little more.       “It’s only been a week since Lexa was taken. You think this is a good time?” Lincoln said standing up and moving in front of Anya protectively. The woman, obviously still mourning the loss of her previous Sekond.        “Lincoln, it’s fine.” She said standing and placing a hand on his shoulder to move him back a little.        “Your name?” She said directly to the almost frightened looking girl, towering over her.