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"How do you feel, my dear?" Melisandre approached her as she stepped down from her white horse and walked gracefully towards her, placing two kisses, one on each of her cheeks.
"As well as I might feel now, Melisa, but that's not what matters here," she smiled faintly, or at least tried to.
Melisandre needed no further words to know that Coriane was not going to speak, so she simply smiled as well and nodded, continuing on her way into the tower with her High Sectatores and Guardians behind her.
Coriane watched her mentor as she walked away from her, admiring the presence the Aqua commanded with every step she took. When Melisandre and her company disappeared from her sight, she turned to look at her own company. They were all dressed in greenish colors, beautiful leaves as decorations and ornaments, and they looked at her with understanding, ready smiles, Odeya and Krista stepping forward until they were only a few inches behind her, while Aren and Jensen followed a step behind.
"Ready? Isaac's being unbearable saying Lexa's being unbearable," Isadora sighed, rolling her eyes, reaching the spot where Terra and company were still standing.
Coriane looked at the woman and in her eyes she saw the support and loyalty that burned as brightly as the flame of the Eternal Fire behind hazel gaze. She knew that without words, Isadora was telling her that if she was ready, she would go with her and if she wasn't, she would run as far as possible with her and not look back for a second. They were all doing it, with every held breath waiting patiently for her answer.
Coriane smiled and nodded her head, trying not to let out that sigh that was pressing on her lungs.
"Let's go."
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Close enough to the ceremonial circle to be in full view of all who were watching, the three Elementa stood watching the joining ceremony in critical, calculating silence.
On this occasion, the company of Astrid, Søren and Naga represented Coriane's power on earth.
"This will change everything," Dominic spoke on her left side.
"I know," Coriane nodded without looking directly at the man, her eyes never leaving Lexa and the Sky People. Marcus Kane was about to receive the mark of his Clan.
"It will change things with Azgeda."
"I know."
"It will change things in the Union."
"I know."
"It will change things for you."
Coriane didn't answer right away as she had with the other obvious questions, she stared at the hot metal burning the Skaikru symbol into Kane's skin, even from where she stood, she could hear the sound of the hot metal burning the skin, smell the burning of the flesh, hear Kane's almost imperceptible moans. Her senses were at their peak.
Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
"I know."
The door burst open. Bellamy, Octavia and others entered like soldiers on a battlefield with one of the Trikru guards as a hostage. Bellamy pointing his gun at him. A weapon which made Isadora tremble as soon as she saw it, Odeya quickly grabbed the girl by the wrist protection for the trembling girl. A weapon that made Aren, Krista, Jensen and everyone else in the room go on alert. A weapon that made her animals growl and show their teeth in a threat of attack.
But a weapon that didn't even make Coriane blink.
Bellamy hadn't laid an eye on her, he was so aware of those pointing all manner of pointed weapons at him, including the felines that bared their deadly teeth in his direction and the snake that hissed with its venomous tongue. But he knew she was in there, somewhere. Those deadly teeth belonged to her, that fear-inflicting hiss as well. That tight feeling in his chest, as if he felt the need to kneel down and look up at the sky waiting for a beautiful angel, or a fearsome demon, could only be because of her.
Bellamy then claimed that the summit was all a sham and tried to take Clarke back with him, as if the disadvantage was not on his side at the moment.
"It's the Ice Nation," said the boy when he realised that there would be no way to take Clarke away, leaving the void of mystery in the air.
Immediately the ambassadors of said Clan leapt to the defence of their people, but knowing better, knowing him better, the three Elementa couldn't help a sigh.
Bellamy's supposed informant had vanished, deserting them and leaving them in the lion's den, making a fool of his people and raising a fuss.
Guilt was unmasked in the Ice Nation, and one of the ambassadors, whose name she couldn't even remember, stood up in front of everyone, bravely claiming that the Queen did what Lexa had been too cowardly to do. The woman standing in front of the throne was furious, Coriane could see the veins in her neck tightening and her jaw clenching. The man was ready to be taken to prison along with his other companions.
"No!"
Her head thundered, that familiar turmoil inside her erupted, but Coriane held it all in before speaking so quietly, that only those few around her had a chance to hear:
"Kill him."
Nothing more was needed for the felines to roar and rush forward. Immediately everyone held their breath, many jumped away with screams or held their breaths, the guards holding the prisoner fell to the ground. Astrid took the lead, winning the prize from her feline companion and landing on top of the man and instantly tearing at his neck with her fierce mouth.
It was not a prize to savour, it was a prize to demonstrate her mistress's strength, a prize to be left whole on the ground, a pool of blood to stare at in awe.
No one spoke, no one even moved. When Dominic and Melisandre turned to look at her and saw the trickle of black blood down her nose, they turned back their heads away, not saying a word. They all looked at her, Lexa could not hide her stupefied face, Clarke her disgusted face at the sight of the shredded throat and the pool of blood staining the floor of the room.
Funny, for someone with the title of Wanheda.
"Take the body to our dear Queen, let her know that we have answered her desperate cry for attention. The others; take them to prison," she turned to look into each of Azgeda's faces as they glared at her with the same hatred Eddard always did, but this time there was no emotion on her face. "I'll be sure to get even their mothers' names out of them later."
The guards did not even hesitate, some even stepped carelessly over the pool of blood to close the distance between them and the new prisoners to carry out Terra's orders in the blink of an eye.
Coriane's gaze shifted to Lexa and raising a sly eyebrow, before the woman could even open her mouth, she spoke:
"Every action brings a consequence, doesn't it, Heda?"
Lexa took a deep breath, raising her chin higher and waiting a second before answering the Terra.
"Every action has a consequence," the woman nodded, maintaining intense eye contact.
Coriane turned around without another word, and her entire company was ready to set off with her. As they walked to the exit, she stopped in front of Skaikru to look at the man and woman in charge.
"As the new thirteenth clan, I expect your participation in Tributum, I count on it?" Both Abigail and Kane nodded in the direction of Terra. Coriane did the same, and resumed her exit from the room.
When her eyes met the brown ones of the boy she hadn't spoken to since the fight in the forest, the eye contact wasn't enough to read the full emotions on the freckled face. Coriane simply brushed his shoulder, and without letting a coherent thought pass through Bellamy's head, she walked out of the Commander's Hall with every pair of eyes in the place looking at her.
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The day that kicked off the Tributum had arrived. The air of festivity could be smelt and felt everywhere. A much-deserved break from all the conflict was finally smiling upon them.
It all began with Trikru, the leading clan and home of Terra. The people were undoubtedly the most enthusiastic and festive. The celebrations, offerings and performances dedicated to the Elementa in the Forest Clan were unparalleled. Music was played everywhere and a huge feast was never lacking.
Just Trikru, the Elementa and the gods. If Coriane could, she would stay in that moment forever.
It wasn't that she didn't like other celebrations. She loved Floukru's, for example. But being surrounded by the people she grew up with, the clan that took her in as their own when she was abandoned, it made her feel different, it was an inexplicable feeling that filled her with fulfillment.
After Trikru, Azgeda were next, and even if it was her least favourite of the now thirteen clans, there were people who were worthwhile. The children, for example, melted her heart with the messages of gratitude and love snowflakes they delivered to her. The girls and women who watched her with such admiration and respect made her heart swell a little more. She could happily do without Nia's presence, but that of the people, of those who trusted her with their lives, was the one she took into account.
And so the four Elementas went from clan to clan. Enjoying the different offerings, spectacles and feasts that each clan had to offer depending on their customs. Each clan had a different way of celebrating Tributum, both for the elements' visit and the week-long festivities in general.
In each clan they were greeted with huge smiles and carefully prepared surprises. People enjoyed themselves and cleared their heads, drank and laughed and ate and mingled. The Elementa were part of them and they were part of the Elementa. A king cannot rule without a people, just as the gods cannot prosper without theirs. Not only did the people show their gratitude during Tributum, so did the spirits and their emissaries.
With the intensified power Tributum gave them, the four of them gave out their own shows and gifts to each clan they visited. From full harvests of unparalleled tasting fruits, to blankets of warmth on cold nights.
During this time, Coriane felt Tekara's presence upon her as if he were right beside her, receiving each and every smile himself. She felt more alive, more empowered, the forest whispered to her and she understood with crystal clarity. Every step Nyx took, she felt it on her skin, it was as if her own heart had burst from her chest and joined the one in the centre of the earth.
Last on the calendar came the inevitable visit to the newest of the clans. None knew what to expect from Skaikru, and even Melisandre was tense as she waited to see what was in store for them past the trees to the great metal gates.
A large welcoming committee gathered at the gate to greet them. At least there was no lack of manners. Yet.
"We are very happy to have you here," Kane began, stepping forward with a smile. "Forgive any mistakes we make, please, it is our first Tributum, but we would like to learn and improve. Please welcome to Arkadia."
Melisandre and Coriane loosened up a little and both women smiled and nodded. With a glance she first found Adriel standing next to his parents, the boy kept his beaming smile at bay as he saw her arrive and circled his thumb and forefinger to indicate that he liked the dress, causing her mouth to tighten in a contained smile. Then her eyes fell on none other than Bellamy. At first she was surprised to see him there, but then she figured he probably hadn't come out to greet her of his own free will and decided to look away from him to follow Kane's lead into Arkadia.
"I don't like it here," Aren whispered behind her.
Each Elementa walked with their own company. As always, Krista and Odeya, being her two High Sectatores, walked only a small step behind her at her sides. Aren, Jensen and Isadora trailed behind them, while Naga was wrapped around her neck and Astrid, Roscoe and Søren walked in front of her.
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"If you'd shut your mouth and wipe the drool off, maybe it wouldn't be so obvious," Adriel spoke next to him.
Bellamy turned to meet the boy's gaze with a gruff look, but that wasn't enough to wipe the sly grin off Adriel's face.
"No, forget it, it's still obvious," Adriel laughed at his own misunderstood joke.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Asked the exasperated boy. Adriel was incredibly honest and somewhat sardonic, and that, being his only best friend, sometimes got on Bellamy's nerves. Perhaps because he didn't want to hear the truth, let alone have the other chestnut rejoice in it. Not in a bad way, he knew Adriel simply wanted to help him —aside from teasing him a little—, but still.
"Well, you look like a bigger idiot than usual, looking at Coriane like you're a lapdog."
"I wasn't looking at her, I was looking at all of them," but for some reason he wasn't able to look Adriel in the eye as he spoke in annoyance.
Luckily, they were far enough away from everyone else to not be overheard.
"Yeah aha."
"Sometimes I really want to punch you."
At that Adriel laughed, throwing his head back a bit and patting the boy's shoulder. He really needed more friends.
But, even as Bellamy growled at the boy, he couldn't help but think that his accusations were indeed true. He couldn't stop staring at Coriane. Not since she had arrived, let alone throughout the day and night. That dress fit her like nothing he had ever seen her wear before. It was not at all like the one she had worn the night of Finn's execution. That had been a somber, imposing, almost frightening one. This one was more festive, cheerful, representative of all the beautiful things she stood for.
While the other one had been dark green, this one had lighter shades. The skirt fell with tree leaves and flowers were embedded in the corset. Her crown was worthy of a forest queen, and her face was painted with flowers and leaves. The woman looked like an illusion, so perfect that for a second he almost forgot how dangerous she was. The three huge felines beside her and the snake necklace reminded him of the truth.
How could something so beautiful be so fucking dangerous?
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"Oh my God!" Adriel groaned as she came closer to him.
A melodious laugh brought him out of his thoughts and caused him to snap his head up. Beside his friend, the girl who had been flooding his every thought a second ago approached the table with a huge bowl of fruit in her hands. Exotic fruits, he could tell, since he had never seen them before in his life. Adriel held one in his hand, and looked at it as if it were the greatest of treasures.
"This is the best fruit I've ever tasted in my life, I'm serious," he told the girl.
Coriane laughed again, and Bellamy's heart dropped inexplicably into his hands.
"Well then, enjoy it, because you only get it once a year."
"What? How come?" Cried the offended boy. Only Adriel could get attached to a fruit. Bellamy tried to keep his expression serious and not laugh.
"It's a gift from Tekara, for all of you."
"Wow, and do we deserve this precious gift?" Bellamy asked in a flippant voice when they both arrived at the table.
From where he stood, he could hear Aren and Jensen growling, he didn't care, he didn't turn to look at the burly boys. Those were worthy lapdogs of Coriane.
"Oh, shut up and eat one," Adriel said, shoving a fruit from Coriane's basket into his mouth.
Okay, maybe he was wrong, it wasn't only his friend who could fall in love with fruit.
"Everyone deserves the gifts of the spirits if they respect them. Even idiots like you," said the girl without looking at him, placing the basket of fruit in the centre of the table.
Everyone sitting there looked at the food a little nervously at first, but when they saw Adriel take one after another after another, they decided to do the same. No, it wasn't just Adriel who could fall in love with a fruit, everyone was doing it.
They stopped looking at Coriane with fear and nervousness and instead looked at her with a gratitude full of charm. The farmers kept asking her if there was a seed they could use to grow more, but Coriane would politely deny and explain that Tekara this and Tekara that. Not only did she show off her gifts to everyone's delight, the other three Elementas were not far behind in leaving everyone's mouths agape. Only one of them, the one he knew as Eddard and the one Coriane seemed to dislike, would not accept praise or questions and refused anyone who approached him for anything more than offerings, the other two, Melisandre and Dominic, soon loosened up and greeted Skaikru with smiles and displays of power.
"Adriel, that's enough," Bellamy looked away from a giggling Coriane who was playing with the children, growing flowers out of thin air to place on Adriel and his parents.
The Tates, apart from being on the welcoming committee, had stayed as far away from everything as possible. It made Bellamy want to shout at them, but he restrained himself both for his friend's sake and for the sake of the girl a few feet away from them.
"Mom, you should try one, you too, dad, they're the most delicious thing I've ever tasted," the boy ignored his mother and grabbed another fruit, taking a big bite.
"Adriel, your mother told you to stop."
"What, why?" The boy looked at his parents in bewilderment, but still wouldn't let go of the fruit in his hands.
"You've already eaten too much, you might get sick."
"I'm not a kid, mom, if I'm going to be sick from eating too much, then I'll be sick but happy," he took another bite, infuriating his parents a little.
Bellamy knew he should probably go and leave that uncomfortable family discussion, but his legs didn't respond to his thought.
"These fruits are new, we've never even heard of them, they could be, I don't know, a trap perhaps."
The man's comment made his blood run a little hotter, Bellamy clenched his fists to feel something other than anger creeping up his body.
"Dad, I'd appreciate if for once in your life you'd stop thinking like a paranoid soldier and think like a human being. Coriane told me that they were fine, that they are exotic and unknown because they are gifts from her spirit," the exasperated boy explained.
Adriel was not someone who lost his patience easily. In fact, only once in his life had Bellamy ever seen him really angry, and that had landed him in the Ark's cells. But from his voice, he could sense that his parents were starting to anger him already with their words.
He certainly wasn't the only one.
"And what do you know, son, she could have lied."
Bellamy felt his mental glass overflowing at that very moment.
"What do you mean, Mr. Tate?" He looked up at the two adults, trying to conceal his anger in the slightest. He didn't succeed very well.
"What?" The man questioned, confused.
The family turned to look at him, all scowling, but the woman had gone a little pale, the only one who had taken the hint.
"Nothing, I just find it comical that you call Coriane a liar for wanting to give us a simple show of good faith when you two are the biggest liars here."
The man finally took his hint and, unlike his wife, his face turned crimson. Those close enough to hear the conversation stopped all chatter to eavesdropped curiously on the situation.
Before the parents could react with words, Adriel interjected.
"Wow, wow, Bell, what are you talking about?" He looked at his parents in confusion and noted the adults' expressions, looking back at Bellamy in bewilderment. "And why there seems to be some kind of inside joke that I didn't get."
For a moment, none of the three said anything, just stared at each other with a tension that made everyone else uncomfortable. More people had come over to see what the commotion was about.
"No inside jokes, just your parents' lies and hypocrisies."
"Okay, I think that's enough," the boy got up from his seat and looked at his friend a little angrily.
"No," Bellamy mimicked him more forcefully, causing the seat to echo as he pushed up, not taking his eyes off the adults.
Now he had really earned the attention of the audience.
"Come on, Mr. and Mrs. Tate, why don't you tell your son? In fact, why don't you tell them both," he shouted.
Kane and Abigail approached in concern, the situation had gotten out of hand and Bellamy hadn't even realized it. But with so much emotion in the moment, he didn't care anymore.
"Bellamy, what's going on?" Kane asked, trying to get closer to him.
Octavia made her way through the crowd next to Lincoln, as the man surveyed the situation and saw the two adult Tates almost stiffen, something in his face changed, something that made Bellamy think that he didn't need an explanation, and that made him angrier.
"What the fuck is he talking about? Mom, Dad?"
The woman's eyes filled with tears and the man stood up to try to take control of the situation.
"You have no idea what you're talking about, boy, you'd better stop this right now."
"No, you'd better tell your son how fucking selfish you really are, how lying and vile. You'd better apologize to her, you'd better tell her that it was you who abandoned and murdered her!" He didn't even realize when he started shouting and pointing a finger at Coriane, when he did, it was too late.
His chest was rising and falling with extreme force and he felt his face burning, he heard behind them how someone was brandishing weapons and when he turned around, he saw half of Coriane's company pointing their weapons at them. Behind them, the girl was staring at him with open eyes and gaping mouth, now she was standing and it was not children who surrounded her, but soldiers and predators. She looked at him with a bewilderment he had never seen in her before, a bewilderment that was all too anormal of her, almost vulnerable. Her gaze made his heart drop to his feet, and an inexplicable urge to run and embrace her, to try to protect her from his own words, had him clenching his fists again to keep his heart and legs in line.
When the girl spoke, so slowly and breathlessly, he wanted to use those same fists he was clenching to strike the man now behind him.
"What?"