"Tristan what the hell are you doing?" Echo cries running to the edge of the circle.
"What is best for our Nation," Tristan says. "I esteem you greatly Skaiprisa and I respect you for saving my sister and defeating the Mountain Men, but ever since the war my Nation has become the weakest of all the clans. A merger with Heda will strengthen my Nation."
"Let us be weak for a while Tristan!" Echo cries. "We can build our kingdom again together! We don't need to kill anyone."
"I like the peace Echo, and I don't want our generals to have any reason to attack anyone," Tristan says. "If their families keep starving and freezing the way they are because of all the homes that were destroyed they will attack."
"They won't if you stop being a prideful bastard and ask for help from the Coalition!" Echo says. "We have trade lines to every single clan."
"I am the king and I make the choices Echo and this is the best choice even though it pains me greatly," Tristan says.
"You said we would rule together when we rebelled against mother," Echo says. "You lied to my face! When I was captured by the Mountain Men you became as tyrant as mother!"
"I did not!" Tristan yells turning to Echo.
"Yes you did!" Echo shouts. "It was Skaiprisa who sent Bellamy in there to save us. Bellamy kept his promise to me and he saved us all. Killing her will harm him and for that I can never forgive you."
Tristan pales. "W-what?"
"You heard me," Echo says with a disgusted face. "Fight Natrona, go ahead. But if you kill her you can forget you have a sister."
The square is quiet as Indra says, "do you still wish to challenge Tristan of the Ice Nation?"
Tristan hesitates for a moment but then pulls out his sword. "If I fall our kingdom is in your hands Echo," he says. "The challenge stands."
Clarke stands nervously and she can see the fear in Lexa's eyes. Her people are squirming nervously and she sees Lincoln pointing to her feet.
She glances down and sees a dagger concealed well in her boot.
Bellamy beside him keeps pointing to the carotid veins on his neck, arm, and thigh. Clarke takes a deep breath and walks towards the circle.
Octavia is mouthing something to her but Clarke can't tell what. When she passes by Indra the dark-skinned woman says, "she's saying, 'strong top, weak bottom.' Stay low to the ground and always keep moving and go for his legs."
Clarke looks at her in surprise and when she glances back at Lexa, the brunette is giving Indra an appreciative nod.
Clarke steps into the circle and pulls out her sword. Tristan looks pained and for a moment Clarke understands his decision but then he swipes his sword at her and she forgets all about it.
Clarke stays low to the ground and she breaks out into a full run. Tristan is after her swiping his sword heavily. He is strong but slow. The sword misses Clarke every time clanging loudly as it hits the floor.
Clarke glimpses her mother who is crying in fear, Raven holding her tight. Abby lifts two fingers in the air and Clarke understands immediately. It was something her father taught her when she was a kid to take out larger opponents. Abby taught her where to find the nerve spots were and Jake taught her how to hit them.
Rolling away from another sword swipe, Clarke slides on her knees and with two fingers hits a nerve spot on Tristan's leg with the precision of a snake.
Tristan howls in pain and falls to the ground. Clarke sees Lexa jump to her feet and the crowd gasps all around.
Tristan punches Clarke in the temple sending her tumbling away. She briefly sees the panic in Lexa's eyes as Tristan grabs her by the ankle and yanks her towards him.
Clarke kicks her other leg wildly and manages to kick him in the jaw. He grunts and falls back. His leg is disabled but he uses his arms to drag him towards Clarke.
Clarke strikes the nerves of his shoulder and Tristan falls face first into the dirt.
"Skaiprisa!" He cries. "What have you done to me?"
Clarke crawls to him slowly and says, "what you forced me to do. May we meet again Tristan."
She pulls the dagger from her boot and plunges it into his carotid. She holds the dagger there and tries not to remember the feel of burnt flesh from when she had done this to Adam, or Wells' lifeless eyes when they found him in the morning with a gaping hole in his neck.
Tristan stops moving and his eyes flutter closed. Clarke releases the blade and when the cheers start Clarke raises a hand to stop them.
They silence quickly looking confused. "Death is not something to be celebrated," Clarke says. "All the killing everyone has done, even the Mountain Men and all the people they slaughtered, has been to survive. We deserve more than to just survive."
Grounders murmur all around her and her people look at her with pride and admiration. "I don't want you respect me because I slaughtered innocent children at Mount Weather, I had no choice but to do that to survive. I want you to respect me because I helped you learn how to live. No betrayals, no death."
"That boy Charles has parents who will forever mourn him. Tristan was a clan leader who will be missed by his people and his sister," Clarke looks at Echo. "I am sorry for your loss."
Echo is stricken at the gesture and offers her a bow. "You did what you had to do Skaiprisa."
Though Echo speaks the words Clarke can hear her sadness. She steps towards Echo and gives her a hug. There's chattering and gasping of surprise and Echo isn't sure what to do. "Hug her back," Bellamy says to her.
Echo lifts an arm awkwardly and pats Clarke's back. Cheers break out all around and the Grounders start chanting in Trigedasleng. Clarke understands it as, "Bounded One," and "Eternal Peace."
When she breaks the hug she sees that Tristan's body is gone and the Grounders are all out of their seats jumping and cheering excitedly. Her people are still seated, looking around in both confusion and wonder, but Lincoln and Octavia are in front of their bleacher jumping and cheering with the rest of the Grounders.
Clarke wants to laugh because she never imagined Lincoln as cheerful and playful, and because it's been a while since she's seen Octavia this youthful and fun.
Lexa is waiting for her in the center of the circle arm extended for her. Clarke walks to her and takes her hand. Lexa pulls her close and gently wipes away the blood from her temple with a small towel.
"I'm okay," Clarke says. "In case you were wondering."
Lexa smiles at her and throws the bloody towel aside. "I know. You surprise me more everyday Clarke, and everyday I love you more and more."
Clarke gently touches her cheek and says, "I love you too Lexa. There's no doubt about it now."
Lexa pulls her in for a kiss and cheers explode louder around them. "Let the preparations for the ceremony begin!" Indra cries out.
Kane looks happy beside her as he says, "At sunset we will begin!"
