"You can't be the one to deliver the final blow to Emerson." Clarke says as soon as we leave the throne room and enter mine.
I find my eyes rolling without my own volition. "Clarke." I sigh, turning around. "I need to do this." I say, imploring her. "I have to kill him."
"We're not killing him." She says, making my eyebrows furrow.
"What?" I pull away from her. "We were just on the same page about his guilt and his punishment." My lips curl.
"I know." She nods, her eyes cast downward away from me. "But killing one man is not going to rid us of the past, Hailey." She walks up to me and tries to take my hand, but I pull away. "I need to give him his worst nightmare." She says, making my eyes furrow even more.
"If he's not dead, then what nightmare is worse than the pain I'd give him?" I ask, crossing my arms.
"Living without his wife, his kids." She says, and my lips part in realization. "See, he wants us to kill him, hence the antagonization he's giving us."
"But, letting him live will be giving him the worst punishment." I finish for her, my lips forming a smirk. "I like the way you think, Blondie."
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"We come together tonight as we have countless times before to watch a man die." Lexa's loud booming voice sounds throughout the throne room. Her eyes cast to mine, but I look to Clarke, making her hand the knife to her. "Vengeance is yours." She says.
Clarke walks forward and stands in front of Emerson and before speaking, she looks to me with that crazed calm look in her eyes. "No." She says, looking away from me to Emerson.
His face dissolves from calm to horrified, making my smirk widen. He glances over at me and sees my smile, causing him to struggle against his chains.
"I don't know if your death would bring me peace." Clarke speaks, making him stop struggling. "I just know I don't deserve it." My eyebrows furrow at her words.
Titus shoves past me in an outrage. "This man must die. If Skaikru will not take his life then Heda will!" He screams, pointing at Lexa.
Lexa stands with a stone cold face before crossing the room to stand in front of Titus. "Heda will speak for herself. Enough, Titus."
Emerson continues to struggle against his chains, furthering my satisfaction. I guess Clarke was right. "What the hell is this?" He spits at Clarke.
"I wouldn't be killing you for what you've done." Clarke says, her calm demeanor faltering. "I'd be killing you for what I've done." She turns, facing Lexa. "I give this man his life. Blood must not have blood."
The rows of people behind us begin to yell and disagree. My eyes flit through the crowd, not recognizing a familiar face.
"Silence!" Lexa screams, quieting the crowd. "The crimes of the Mountain cannot be answered by one man. Wanheda knows this." She holds Clarke's gaze. "Her actions show us a promise for a new future. A world in which violence does not always answer violence. A world in which our children can flourish without the shadow of death." She walks towards Emerson and stands in front of him. "This prisoner is banished from my land. He will live, but he will live with the ghosts of those he has lost. Haunted until the end of his days by the knowledge that he is the last of his kind." She finishes, looking towards me and her lips lift at the sight of my small, almost imperceivable smile.
I step forward as Clarke and Lexa step back. I bend down and grasp Emerson's chin with my callused hand. "May you live forever."
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I return to my room alone. Clarke stays with Lexa to begin the ascension ceremony while I sit by the window and ponder my life choices. I can't help but regret earlier today with Clarke.
I don't know who I want or what I want. I isolate myself from the people that care about me or they isolate themselves, like Bellamy.
I let out a breath as I look out of the frosted window, my calm front slipping. My father is supposed to be here tonight, so I suppose I should join Clarke at the ascension ceremony.
I stand and grab my weapons and walk out of my chambers, but something stops me. I pause with my back against the door when I hear frantic footsteps running my way. I slip back into my room but leave the door cracked as they run past.
Titus. Running fairly quickly. Strange.
I easily make the choice to follow him.
I tiptoe after him as he takes twists and turns and walks down steps and goes through corridors. I stop when he goes through a door and shuts it behind him. I hear him lock it.
My eyebrows furrow as I walk up to the door as place my ear against it, listening. I hear his muffled voice talking to someone.
I think for a second that I recognize the second voice but I hear a commotion from the throne room. I immediately quietly slip away and then break into a run towards the throne room.
The sight I'm met with is Octavia in chains and kneeling on the floor of the throne room with Semet, a clansmen, behind her.
"Octavia!" I say, quickening my strip towards them.
"Explain yourself. Why do you hold Octavia of Skaikru prisoner?" Lexa asks, making my hand slowly inch towards my gun.
Semet glances at my hand and gulps, "She is a prisoner of war, Commander- brought here to bear witness to the crimes of her people."
I scoff, "Oh to hell with that." I practically spit. "What crimes are you referring to?" I narrow my eyes as Semet becoming more nervous.
Titus walks into the room and answers, "Skaikru attacked their village. Because their warriors were lost and your people massacred the army we sent to protect you, their village were defenseless." My eyes widen.
"O, is it true?" I ask.
She looks up at me with a bloodied eye and bruised face. "Bellamy was apart of it, Lee."
My blood runs cold.
Bellamy. Killing innocent grounders. Our allies. My Bellamy.
Semet takes it as his turn to talk and says, "Please Commander. I beg you. Avenge us."
The grounders around us erupt in agreeance. I take out my broadsword, but let the tip hit the ground, resting it.
"You will show respect in this chamber!" Titus yells, calming them down. I take the oppourtunity and grab Octavia and send Lexa a nod as a, 'i won't leave.' I take her to Lexa's chambers and sit her down on her bed.
"Are you okay?" I ask, taking off her chains. As soon as I take them off she engulfs me in a hug.
"No, I'm not okay." She mutters into my shoulder. "I'm terrified, Hailey."
I squeeze her tighter. "I know, me too." I mutter as Titus, Lexa and Clarke storm in, making us break apart.
"How dare you bring me this to me on Ascension day!" Lexa yells at Titus once they're all in the room.
Titus' eyes narrow as he takes a step towards her, "I did not bring this here, Heda." He seethes. "You did. Against my advice, you made Skaikru the 13th clan, they rejected this, murdering hundreds of your people." He continues. "And yet on the very field where they died. You decided to forgive the killers. But this provocation is proof, blood must not have blood has failed. All that can stop that now is war." He finishes.
"Bullshit." I say, walking up to him. "War isn't always the answer, Titus." I say. "And besides, not everyone there voted for Pike. He's the one that is doing this."
Clarke joins in, "If you just give our people a chance, the ones who votes for Kane, to do the right thing, then war can be avoided."
"And you really think your people will take them out themselves?" Lexa asks, making Clarke and I look at each other.
"I wouldn't bet my life on it, but I think we should give them time." I say truthfully.
Lexa nods and she leaves to convene a conference.
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Hours later, we're all gathered in the throne room once again, but not it's for a different reason.
"Today I call upon the armies of the 12 Clans to march on Arkadia. Not to attack, but to contain. We will blockade the 13th Clan. We will keep them from the lands they wish to possess. We will give them time to take out their leaders from within. Once they rise up against them, then we will welcome them back as one of us." Lexa says, her voice unfaltering and strong.
Titus calms down the grounders as they begin to yell, especially Semet. "You heard the Commander. Send riders. Tell your armies to set up a buffer zone around Arkadia." He orders. "5 miles should be enough to keep them away from our villages. What are their orders, heda?" He asks, looking back at her sat upon her throne.
Lexa glances to Clarke, Octavia and I before she responds. "Any Skaikru caught across the line will be subject to a kill order." She orders.
My eyes widen and eyebrows raise at her order. I notice Clarke's mouth open but I reach down and grab her hand, making her look to me. I shake my head, silencing her.
"It's for their own good." I mutter to her.
"I'm not so sure." She says back.