ASCENSION: BOOK 2 - SHADOW BLOODS.

Chapter 3: Declaration Of War.

Three weeks had passed since I made the decision to stay in Polis as Ambassador for Skaikru. My mother wasn't overly happy with my new position and neither was Gaia, both of them feeling that the relationship I shared with Lexa was too personal to be mixed with politics.
Maybe to some degree they were right. We were about to go to war with an army that could massacre us all with the pull of a trigger. I worried day and night that it would cost us a painful price, but Lexa and I both knew her leadership could not be swayed by personal feelings. We honoured our commitment to our people and held true to our duty first and foremost.
I walked with my Commander along the perimeter walls of Polis as the people of The Capital worked tirelessly to fortify the city. In the courtyards around the grand tower, warriors that stood to protect the city trained harder than ever. Steel clashed on steel as they prepared to face their toughest enemy yet.
We paused for a moment to watch them spar with each other, Lexa observing every move, every detail of combat. She knew we had to be more than ready, that one weak link in the chain could cost us eveything.
"Fio Kom Trikru! Watch your left side, you're leaving it open for attack," Lexa called out.
Fio respectfully nodded and corrected his weak point.
"They'll be ready, Heda. When the time comes they'll fight until their last breath," I reassured my Commander.
Lexa sighed, "That's what concerns me. The Shadow Bloods will attack with guns, no sword can completely defend against that. If all of our warriors fall, everything will be lost."
I could feel the frustration in her voice.
"Then we fight tactically, Lexa. They may have guns but we have the numbers, we know these lands. The Mountain Men have been hidden away for a hundred and fifty years, they've bearly scratched the surface of what we're capable of."
Lexa smiled, "You never fail to see the positive, Skaigada. That's what I love about you."
I felt my face flush in the cold air as I returned a smile.
As we continued to watch Lexa's warrior's fight, from the corner of my eye I saw one of her Sentries approach. His face was serious, his tone, urgent, "Heda, forgive the interruption. One of the scouts has returned with news."
By look on the Sentries face the news wasn't good. Lexa nodded and asked him to convene The Ambassadors in throne room.
As we all gathered in The Tower Of Polis, a sense of foreboding filled the throne room. Each of us stood in front of our respective clan banners and eagerly awaited our Commander.
Since learning of the new threat of The Mountain Men and what they had done to become Shadow Bloods, The Clans had called for the deaths of each and everyone of them. The blood legacy of The Commanders was sacred, the entire hierarchy of Grounder Socitey was build around it and The Flame. What The Mountain Men had done was viewed as an horrific dishonour to our people.
The low murmering of The Ambassadors ceased as the doors to the throne room opened. Lexa entered the room, her head held high and walked towards her throne. Behind her Anya, Indra, Gustus and Gaia followed.
We bowed our heads in respect before Gaia requested that we be seated in our chairs. Lexa sat upon her throne, surrounded by her Generals and her Flamekeeper, looking as regal as ever but troubled by what her scout had discussed with her in private.
There was a brief moment of silence before she ordered one of her Sentries to bring the scout into the throne room. The Grounder looked nervous, intimidated by the amount of high ranking Clan members that had now fixed their gaze upon him.
Lexa ordered him to deliver the warning from The Shadow Bloods word for word. Fury filled the room with every syllable he uttered. Each of us angered by the arrogance of Mount Weather, but none more so than Lexa.
She dismissed the scout and stood from her throne to address the room, blood boiling in her veins, "Ambassadors of The Coalition, the time for deliberation is over. There will be no negotiations with these Shadow Bloods, no reasoning. This is an official declaration of war. Not only have these Men of The Mountain taken the sacred blood of Becca Pramheda's legacy, they intend to take all that we have, our lands, our lives, our very existsnce as a nation of people. I will not allow us to be wiped from history. The War Council will meet in the morning. I want the black blood of these abominations spilt and the mountain to fall once and for all!"
The Ambassadors stood in agreement to show support for their Commander, I was no different. Our people had survived Praimfaya, the end of the world, we would not be taken from our lands so easily.
Mount Weather wanted war and we were happy to oblige. The Shadow Bloods had now angered the entire Grounder Nation and set alight the fury of Lexa Kom Trikru. There would be no mercy.