I WOKE UP WITH A GROAN. My head was pounding, my nose was sore and probably broken and I had no clue where I was. I lost that fight really bad. Why didn't he kill me?
I looked around me, trying to make sense of where I was. My hands were bound to some kind of pole and all of my weapons were gone. I was in some kind of cellar. There were two other people in the room.
"Clarke!" I shouted when I saw the familiar blonde head of hair. Both of their heads snapped toward me and Clarke sighed with relief. The man went back to cauterizing his two stab wounds, one of which was caused by yours truly.
"Thank god you're alive," Clarke breathed, trying to inch closer to me. We were both tied to two different concrete poles.
"Another inch and I'd be dead," The man spoke, referring to the wound on his abdomen, probably caused by Clarke. "Maybe you're not the commander of death, after all." Clarke didn't respond. "Now, she's quiet. How about you, nightblood?"
"Azgeda jerk," I muttered under my breath. Shoot, he must have found out about my nightblood. He's Azgeda. What if he tells the queen? She'll kill me. Or even worse, what if he tells Lexa? My worst fears were coming to a reality.
"Why are you hiding from your own people?" Clarke finally spoke up.
"Why'd you run away from yours?" The man countered. He limped over to the fire and picked up his blade which was bright orange at the tip. He pressed it to the wound on his abdomen, the sound and smell of burning flesh filled my senses. The man didn't even flinch as the hot blade caused his skin to sizzle.
"The great Wanheda," The man mocked. He walked over to Clarke and held the hot knife in front of her face. "Mountain Slayer."
"I'm no one," Clarke spat. I knew that wasn't true. None of us would be alive if it wasn't for her.
"A lot of people out there right now, looking for no one," Said the Azgeda man.
"You're not no one," I spoke up, causing both of their heads to turn to me. Clarke ignored me and looked back to our kidnapper.
"You're obviously not loyal to the Ice Nation," Clarke observed. "So why are you taking us there?" The man said nothing and walked over to the door of the cellar. "Look, whatever the Ice Queen is giving you, our people will offer you more."
"Not them. Not for someone who abandoned them," The man shot back calmly. I had a burning hate for this man building up inside me.
"You don't know anything about me," Clarke spat.
"I know you took the coward's way out."
"Like you're so different," Clarke scoffed. "You live in disguise, same as me. You're on the run, same as me. In the wilderness, same as me."
"I was banished," The man cut in. "I'm nothing like you. You had a choice. So, no, I can't take you home to your people." The man paced. "'Cause you're the way back home to mine." He bent down and secured the gag back around Clarke's mouth.
"Why am I here, then? I know you need Clarke so you can take her power and get your banishment lifted but why me? You could have just killed me out there," I spoke up since Clarke was now unable to.
"Two for the price of one. You, natblida will simply sweeten the deal."
I was drifting off to sleep, as was Clarke and Mr. Azgeda jerk. I could hear someone coming into the cellar. They were out of my view but I could see them going up to Clarke.
"I'm gonna get you out of here," They whispered to Clarke. Bellamy. It was Bellamy. He took the gag off Clarke's mouth.
"Look out!" She shouted. The man came out of nowhere, charging at Bellamy. He had Bellamy on his back with a sword to his throat within a matter of seconds.
"Please don't kill him!" I shouted. Bellamy's head turned to me, shocked that I was there.
"No! Please! I'll do anything. I'll stop fighting. Just please don't kill him," Clarke's voice cracked and wavered with her pleads. Roan slowly released his sword from Bellamy's throat. Clarke's face flushed with relief. I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding.
My breath hitched once again when the man stabbed Bellamy in the leg.
"Don't follow us," The man spat.
He had put bags over our heads and led us through what felt like the woods. He ended up throwing me over his shoulder towards the end of our journey because my legs were sore and I was struggling to keep up.
I could feel ourselves going up an elevator, my vision was blocked by a gunny sack. The man walked more and placed me down, pushing me so I was on my knees. I could see some sunlight coming through the bag which helped me see a little but not enough to make out where I was.
"Wanheda, as promised," I heard the man say. I heard the fabric rustle of Clarke's bag being lifted off her head.
"Hello, Clarke," A woman's voice said. Lexa? I heard her walking closer. "The deal was for you to bring her to me unharmed. And who is this?" She seethed.
"She didn't come easy," The man answered.
"I'd expect not," Lexa replied.
"And this," The man said, lifting off my head. I squinted my eyes, adjusting them to the light. we were in the throne room in Polis. Lexa and her guards were scattered around the room, including Indra. "Is just a token to sweeten the deal."
"Talia kom Skaikru. Why would she sweeten this deal?" Lexa queried. I had only met her on a few occasions but she was very kind to me and never treated me like a baby.
"Because," The man unsheathed his knife. I could see all of Lexa's guards tense up. He man grabbed my hand and - oh no, here it comes.
He made a cut on my palm. The blood leaked out.
My black blood.
Gasps were heard around the room. Indra's eyes widened.
"I've done my part. Now you do yours," Said the Azgeda man to Lexa. "Lift my banishment."
"I'm told your mother's army marches on Polis," Lexa said. Mother? I was so confused.
"That has nothing to do with me. Honor our deal," The man demanded.
"I'll honor our deal when your queen honors my coalition," Lexa spat. "Lock Prince Roan of Azgeda away," She commanded. Prince? His mother was the queen of Azgeda and she banished him?
"What of Wanheda?" Her flamekeeper, Titus asked.
"Leave us," Ordered the commander. Indra and Titus obeyed reluctantly.
"Help them up," Lexa ordered the only two guards left in the room. They did so, assisting Clarke and I to our feet.
"I'm sorry," Lexa said to Clarke, taking off our gags. "That it had to be this way. But I had to ensure Wanheda didn't fall into the hands of the Ice Queen." Clarke bit her tongue. "War is brewing, Clarke. I need you."
Clarke did what I hadn't expected, she spat in Lexa's face. Girl's got guts. The two guards immediately grabbed the blonde and dragged her away. Clarke yelled in anger as she resisted their grasp.
"You bitch! You wanted the Commander of Death, you got her!" She shouted, anger and venom lacing every one of her words. "I'll kill you!" And with that, she was dragged away, leaving Lexa and I as the only ones left in the room. Lexa wiped the spit off her face.
"I understand why you did it," Lexa stated after a few seconds of slightly awkward silence. I furrowed my eyebrows as a sign for her to elaborate. "Why you hid your blood."
"Well now all that's out the window," I muttered as Lexa unsheathed a knife and cut off the restraints around my wrists.
"Not to worry, Tahlia." Lexa assured. "If you would like, you can train with the rest of the natblida novitiates. Or, you can continue to keep your blood a secret. Those who were in this room that saw your blood are my most trusted, they will keep your secret."
Train with the novitiates? The others would never let me do that. "Um... I'll have to ask the others to see if they're okay with it. Just... please don't tell anyone."
Lexa nodded compliantly.
"Mochof, Heda," I thanked gratefully.
"No need to thank me. Now, you may stay here in Polis, if you'd like or, we can arrange for you to be sent back to Arkadia."
I chose to stay in Polis for the time being. I hardly ever got to come to Polis and when I did, it would only be for a day or so. I had been in Polis for a week so far and I was having a good time. I would travel out to the markets and explore whenever I wanted without Bellamy telling me off or having anyone need me for anything. It felt so freeing, and I was even allowed to train with some of the nightblood novitiates.
I was sparring with Aden, one of the novitiates. He was fourteen, much older than me but we got along well. He was also very good in combat. We were using wooden swords to fight, just to ensure no one got injured.
I ducked his swing which gave me an opening to rise my foot to kick him in the stomach, sending him to the ground and knocking the wind out of him. I took the opportunity to keep him there, aiming my wooden sword at his throat. Aden tapped out and I got off him, offering my hand to help him up. He kindly accepted it and we shook hands afterward.
Even though I'm usually the smaller competitor when I spar, I'm almost always the smarter one, not to toot my own horn or however that saying goes.
I didn't even notice the stares I was receiving from the other novitiates, some were whispering to each other, their eyes not leaving me.
"Who is she?"
"She's so young, how is she so good?"
"No one's ever beat Aden like that."
"I heard she's Skaikru, and she's not even a natblida."
I ignored the murmurs and turned back to sparring with Aden. He was extremely skilled, but I managed to observe him and figure him out. I was able to identify his next move and his weaknesses.
I struck first, clashing his sword with my own. I knew he was stronger than me so I quickly ducked out of the clash and elbowed him in his side, causing him to stumble back for a moment. He stepped back as we both regained our breath for a second, both of us anticipating the next move. Aden struck his sword, which I blocked with my own and sent a kick to his right ankle, which he accidentally left vulnerable. I sent him to the ground, landing on his back. I took the opportunity to press a foot to the armor on his chest and pointed my sword at his throat once again.
Aden tapped out again and for the second time, I offered him my hand and helped him stand. We shook hands and I could hear the murmurs again.
"You fought well, Aden. I'm sure you will make a great commander one day," I said nicely.
He politely nodded, offering his hand. Aden was not only a very skilled warrior, but a kind soul. On the battlefield, he was ruthless but in reality, he wouldn't hurt a fly. I took his wrist, the Grounder's way of shaking hands.
"Talia kom Skaikru. Indra would like to see you," Titus informed, holding his hands behind his back. I hadn't seen Indra since the day in the throne room, when she found out about my blood.
This couldn't be good.
justice for aden <3