𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝓍 ➼ 𝓈𝓉𝑒𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝑒
ANGELINA HOOD CRIES SILENTLY AS SHE stands over Lexa's body. The girl had refused to leave her alone every for a second as the servants prepared the body. Roan stands behind the girl as they watch the servants wrap Lexa's body in a white cloth. Roan comforts his soulmate as he runs his fingers through Angelina's hair. The girl hadn't taken it down from the way Lexa had styled it for her.
Angelina leans back into Roan's chest, intertwining their fingers as the both look down over Lexa's body.
Roan moves the two to the side as the natblidas arrive to preform their purification ritual before tomorrow's conclave.
Angelina watches as Aden is the first to step up to the commander's wrapped body. Candles and red roses surround the commander, illuminating Angelina's face as she stares straight at Lexa's body, watching for any little movement that would tell the girl that this was all a dream, that Lexa was alive and that this was all a misunderstanding. Aden was Lexa's favorite, though she would never admit it to anyone other than Angelina. The young boy steps up to her body, sending Angelina a soft smile as her face is still wet with the tears she wept.
Angelina watches as Aden reaches into a ceramic jar, pulling red soot into his hand before sprinkling the substance over Lexa's body. "Hofli keryon kom heda na sad ai op." (May the spirit of the commander chose me.)
Angelina's eyes don't leave Lexa as the doors open, revealing Titus as he leads Clarke and John into the room. Titus bows before his commander as Angelina shakes with rage. Roan pulls the girl's back to his chest, letting her seethe in his arms.
"They're just kids," Angelina hears John whisper to Clarke.
Titus moves to stand before Aden, whispering in his ear. The young boy turns, glancing to Clarke before he nods. Aden moves to the side, standing before Angelina as Clarke moves to speak with him.
"I'm sorry to disturb you," Clarke apologizes.
"Would you like a moment with her?" Aden asks, making tears form again in Angelina's eyes.
Angelina blinks them away as Clarke shakes her head and says, "no." She glances at Lexa before saying, "I'm here to see you." Aden watches her as she says, "you made me a promise to support my people."
"If heda's spirit chooses me," Aden clarifies.
"Yes. Will you still?" Clarke asks.
"We all will," Aden says, glancing to the rest of the natblidas sitting before their commander. "Lexa made each of us vow it."
Tears fall again from Angelina's eyes as each of the natblidas stand, bowing their heads towards them.
"We loved her," Aden says.
Before anyone else can respond, the doors are slammed open. Angelina turns, her eyes widening as she finds Raen sending the girl an apologetic look as Ontari walks in behind him. Angelina had met the woman once during her time in Azgeda.
Ontari snarls as she looks to Clarke. "You!"
She rushes to Clarke. Aden attempts to intercept the woman but fails as Ontari throws him to the ground. Ontari tackles Clarke as she pulls out a knife. Before Angelina can intercept, Titus grabs Ontari's wrist, stopping her movements as Roan yells, "put the knife down, Ontari."
"Your mother is dead because of her," Ontari snarls.
"You will obey your king," Roan sternly tells the woman.
Ontari scoffs as Titus removes the knife from her grasp. "An unfortunate fact that we have her to thank for as well." Ontari glares at Angelina as she stands, "no matter. When I am heda and the king bows to me, you and every last member of Skaikru will die."
➼
Angelina left Roan and Raen to handle Ontari as she follows Clarke and John down to speak with Titus. The three of them enter to find the man praying over the flame.
He turns, yelling as he says, "you do not belong here."
"Really?" John smirks, laughing as he asks, "then why is my blood decorating your floor?"
Angelina looks down to find dried puddles of blood under a chair. She winces, moving forward to Titus as he says, "there is nothing left for you in Polis. Why have you not gone?"
"I'd like to know the same thing," John complains as Angelina elbows his side.
"We need to talk about Ontari," Clarke demmands. "She wasn't trained here. Why would you let her into the conclave?"
"Ontari has the blood of the commanders, same as Angelina," Titus says. "It is her birthright to complete for the flame." He turns to face both women with the flame placed carefully in his hands.
"Is she really in there?" Clarke asks, saddened by the image before her.
Titus turns to Clarke, a sorrow expression on his face as he responds, "of course she is." He places the flame in the box, enclosing the lid on it before wrapping it in a red cloth with commander embroidered across the front. Angelina watches as Titus moves to the back of the room.
"Why does it matter who wins?" John asks both women before him. "I mean, if your girlfriend really is in that thing, then we have nothing to worry about, right? I mean, let's just get out of here while we can."
"That's not exactly how it works," Angelina speaks.
"It matters," Titus confirms. "I have served four commanders as flamekeeper. None of them half as wise or strong as Lexa kom Trikru. But the truth is, she was all of those things even before ascension. The flame deepens what's already there. If the spirit of the commander choses Ontari, the Ice Nation will control everything and Skaikru will face her wrath."
"Not really a silver lining type of guy, is he?" John comments.
"So how to we make sure that Aden wins?" Clarke asks. "He was Lexa's choice, you know that."
"And she will chose him," Titus assures.
Angelina pauses as a horn sounds through Polis.
"What is that?" John asks, glancing to Angelina whose eyes sit wide.
"The victory horn," Titus gasps, rushing out of the room.
Angelina rushes out of the room behind Titus. They race up the stairs to the throne room where a crowd has already gathered. Angelina pushes her way to the front with Clarke right on her heels.
Clarke runs right into Angelina's back as Roan pulls her to the side. He holds a finger to his lips, quieting both girls as Ontari sits upon the throne covered in blood.
"What is the meaning of this?" Titus asks the woman.
Ontari smirks, not saying a word as she reaches into a bag sitting before her and lifts Aden's head up for the room to see.
The crowd gasps, stumbling backwards. Clarke pushes herself forward as Angelina holds her back. "Clarke, if she sees us she'll have our heads too." Roan nods, confirming his soulmate's words.
"Guys, I think we should get out of here," John says.
A thud erupts the room as Ontari drops Aden's head as she smirks. "I win."
Roan pulls the three of them from the throne room, meeting with Raen as they rush down the stairs.
"I thought you two were supposed to handle her," Angelina asks, pulling a robe over her head that Roan threw at her.
"Honey, there is no handling Ontari," Raen says, throwing a robe over John's head as he says, "cover up, pretty boy."
Angelina holds in a laugh as John looks at the girl with wide eyes.
"Slow down, Roan," Clarke calls as she struggles to keep up. "We need to talk to Titus."
"Trust me, right now Titus is on his knees in front of Ontari," Roan responds as he pulls the group down the ally way.
"No, there's no way that he'll support someone who hacked the heads off of children while they slept," Clarke argues.
"Yeah, those children were marked for death anyway," Roan blatantly says, holding tighter onto Angelina's hand.
Clarke stops, Raen running into the back of her as she realizes, "you'll support her, too."
Angelina stops, halting Roan in his tracks, forcing him to turn and face her. "She's Ice Nation," Roan states, as if his answer is obvious.
Angelina scoffs, pulling her hand away as Clarke says, "whatever's best for your people, is that it?"
The brunette fills with rage, her eyes flashing green under her hood as Roan says, "that's right. Kind of like killing every man, woman and child in Mount Weather was what's best for yours."
"Hey!" Angelina snarls. She brushes off Raen's grip on her shoulder as she turns to Roan, looking up at him as she asks, "what the hell is your problem? I get that you're grieving Lexa. We all are. But that doesn't give you an excuse to act like an ass!"
Raen pulls the girl aside as he says, "the tunnel's through here."
"Great, thank you," John says as he slips through.
Roan turns to Angelina as he says, "this is as far we we go." He points to himself and Raen as Raen hugs the magical girl goodbye. "I'll see you soon." Angelina remains still as Roan presses a kiss to her forehead.
Clarke and Angelina watch the two Azgeda men disappear in the crowd. Neither of them move as John returns and says, "we aren't leaving yet, are we?"
"Not without the flame," Angelina states, slipping back into the crowd of people.
➼
Angelina leads Clarke and John through the edge of the city down the backway to Titus' chambers. John keeps watch as the two women find the door.
"Have I mentioned that I hate this idea?" John reminds them.
"I will not let Ontari get the flame and ruin everything that Lexa stood for," Angelina states as she shoves the door open. The two women advance down the stairs as John stays watch.
"He keeps it in the pod," Clarke tells Angelina.
The brunette nods, making her way to the pod marked with POLIS. She takes the briefcase she watched Titus place the flame in earlier and opens it. Clarke stands over her shoulder, watching as Angelina lifts the cloth.
"You killed her," Titus' voice startles the two girls. "I pulled the trigger but it was you."
"Titus," Clarke gasps as Angelina tightly holds the cloth that conceals the flame to her chest. "You made Lexa a promise, remember?"
"Give me the kit," Titus says, advancing towards the girl.
Angelina backs up, pushing Clarke with her as the brunette says, "I know that you don't want to give Ontari the flame. She murdered those kids, the children that you raised! Lexa's spirit would never choose that!"
"Yes she did," Titus says, continuing to close the space between them.
"There's no way that you believe that," Angelina glares at the man.
"Ontari kom Azgeda is the last willing natblida!" Titus yells, attempting to snatch the flame back. Only Angelina is quicker.
"The put the damn thing in someone else!" Clarke yells.
"You stupid girl!" Titus yells, "after what you witnessed here, you still think this is just superstition? When someone without the blood take the flame, the flame takes their life."
"I don't understand. If nightblood is so rare why do you let them kill each other for it?" Clarke asks. "That has to be the dumbest," Clarke is cut off at Titus grabs Clarke's throat.
Angelina throws the man off of Clarke as she stands protectively before her. From the floor Titus says, "we honor those who die in the conclave."
Clarke gasps as she says, "the eighth circle."
"What?" Angelina asks, turning to face the blonde.
"Lexa had a mark on her back for every life lost during her conclave. There were seven circles. Only she told me that there were eight novitiates in her class," Clarke states before turning to Titus. "What happened to number eight? There's another natblida out there besides, Ang. Isn't there?"
Titus nods as he stands. "Yes." He turns away from the two women before him as he says, "she fled. She was a coward and a traitor to the blood. Lexa refused to let me hunt her down. She's unworthy of the flame."
"More unworthy of Ontari?" Angelina asks.
Yelling is heard from the door. Angelina turns, watching John tumble down the stairs. "She's here," he grunts.
Titus turns to the two before him as he says, "hide."
Clarke pulls Angelina behind the pod. Angelina leans against the cool metal as Ontari makes her way down the stairs. "How dare you bring Skaikru into the order of the flame?" She asks.
"It's what Lexa wanted," Titus calmly responds.
"Well Lexa's not heda anymore," Ontari smirks. "Thanks to you. Let's get this over with."
"You must be cleansed before you can ascend," Titus tells the woman before turning to John. "Take her to the commander's chambers. Preform the ritual."
Angelina's eyes widen as she watches John's eyes narrow. "Are you sure I'm ready for that?"
Ontari wips out a blade, holding it to John's neck as she says, "hod yu chichplei op, mokskwona!" (Stop talking, worm!) She then keeps her blade to John's back as she pushes him out of the room.
Clarke is the first to move from her hiding spot. Angelina follows, moving to stand before Titus as she says, "you still want to give her the flame?"
"Even Luna would be better than her," Titus rolls his eyes.
"Wait, did you just say Luna?" Clarke asks.
Angelina's eyes widen as Titus turns to Clarke, sang, "yes. You've heard the name before?"
Clarke nods as she says, "from my friend, Lincoln."
"Can you find her?" Clarke quickly nods. Titus hesitates before saying, "perhaps the spirit hasn't chosen one after all."
"I'll take you to him," Clarke says.
Titus quickly says, "no. Luna would never let me near her." The man pauses, glancing to the flame kit still lying in Angelina's grasp. He rests his fingers against Clarke's forehead before lying his hand upon the kit. "This is yours now."
"I'll protect it with my life," Clarke assures the man. Angelina nods, confirming the same.
"There's a book inside, the journal of the first commander," Titus says. "When you find Luna you will need it to preform the ancient ritual. Come," Titus ushers the girls over as he says, "armor of the first commanders." He opens a hutch, exposing the armor as he says, "chose something and take the hidden passage. The tunnel will lead you to the stables. They'll be expecting you."
"What about John?" Angelina asks the man.
"I'll get him out," Titus assures the girl. Titus moves forward before Angelina as he says, "read every page of that book. But first I want you to look into my mind. With Ontari around I can't promise that I'll be here if you shall return."
Angelina wrinkles her eyebrows before realizing what Titus was saying. "You'd kill yourself to prevent Ontari from getting the flame?"
Titus nods, "it is my last duty to Lexa. I need you to keep your promise to her as well, that you will not give up on the coalition."
"I swear it," Angelina nods before pressing both of her palms to Titus' head and watching his memories. After a few minutes the girl pulls away.
"Your duty is to the flame now, flamekeepers."
➼