The Skaikru X (Sequel) (The 100)

15

War drums filled my ears as I stood a mile from the gates of Arkadia with the grounders dispatched to me by Queen Nia, with nothing but the flat land between death and victory. I stared ahead at the people I used to call family scurry around within their walls looking for weapons. I held the reins of my horse tightly as I sat on her back. Roan beside me, not uttering a single word on what had happened couple of nights ago at camp, and not voicing out the obvious that was about to happen. Someone was going to die tonight.

The question of who it was going to be remained a mystery.

Finally, the gates of Arkadia began to open, and slowly, followed by Clarke and Octavia, Abigail Griffin walked out in what they deem was armour.

"That's Trikru armour," Roan said softly only for me to hear, "Easily penetrable."

I exhaled deeply, watching as Abigail and the two Skaikru ladies came to a halt not too far from the gates of Arkadia, and feeling the urge to turn around and gallop away.

I have a horse, I thought. Why didn't I?

I gestured my horse to move towards Abigail, and the moment I did, Roan and another Azgedian guard began to follow me, and very soon the sound of the drums came to a halt.

I stopped when I reached them, keeping a fair amount of distance from Abigail Griffin and her obnoxious daughter, and the daggering glares of Octavia and the sharp tip of her sword.

"It's been a long time, Xavier," Abigail spoke with a hint of calmness to her tone, to which I responded as I stared down at her with a sense of annoyance. "How have you been?"

"Small talk bores me, Abby," Octavia growled, "What are you and your pack of wild dogs doing on Skaikru land?"

I decided to ignore Octavia's question, as well as Abigail's, and decided to make it sound as formal as possible.

"I come on behalf of Queen Nia of Azgeda," I respond, and glanced at Clarke, who had been standing quiet, which seemed very unlike her, "Your defiance, it seems, will not go unpunished."

Octavia scoffed, "We should just shoot her dead, already."

"Xavier," Abigail responded calmly, "You must understand how this looks,"

"We came for your blood," the Azgedian guard spoke out. I glanced over my shoulder at him, and saw him gulp.

"As the Chancellor of Arkadia, and the people that live within it's walls," Abigail spoke, "I will not allow you to threaten them."

"He spoke out of turn," I responded softly and met her gaze, "Queen Nia demands that the blood of every Skaikru in Arkadia be spilled."

I could feel Roan's eyes fall on the back of my head.

"But I say we can do with spilling the blood of just one," I glanced at Clarke whilst I still continued to talk to Abigail, "But your daughter refuses to let it happen."

"Clarke," Abigail sighed, "Mentioned your conversation back in Azgeda. Perhaps we could reach an arrangement."

"You make it sound like you have an option," I snapped, clearly getting irritated about the that her humble and generous approach in this negotiation was only clouding my decisions, "One life to save everyone in Arkadia, or the blood of innocents will be spilled once the sun goes down."

"You cannot threaten us, Xavier," Clarke finally broke her silence.

"You have until then to decide and send a messenger our way," I ignored Clarke and spoke to her mother instead, before turning my horse around and galloping towards the army of fifty Azgedians.