𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 · 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 ⁴

𝟒.𝟏𝟖

──── 「BE PREPARED」 ────

     I didn't know how Sam managed to convince the Blakes to leave us there; it probably had to do with the rush we all felt and the fact that all our lives were in the line now. Octavia was supposed to take her horse to shelter and then move to the Tower while Bellamy informed of her arrival and presented her as our Champion.

- "How are you?" –I asked Sam as I placed her arm over my shoulder to help her to walk.

- "I'll survive."

- "That's not an answer."

- "I didn't want Octavia to fight. I know she can do it, but I'd have rather done it myself." –she sighed- "You'll survive and that's all that matters."

- "You seem pretty sure Octavia is capable of winning this Conclave..."

- "I know what she's capable of, I'm certain she can win."

- "You think she can kill Roan?"

- "She may not need to, but if it came to that, I'm convinced she can." –she stopped walking- "Wait, you... don't?"

- "I'm not sure, Sam, their Champions are all highly trained and Roan..."

- "You know what? I don't need to hear this." –she walked on her own now, stumbling a little- "I'll get to Jackson, get this fixed and then I'll go to my sister."

- "Sam! Wait!" –I caught up with her- "If Octavia doesn't win, we're all dead."

- "I sense you aren't sold on this idea. Would you like to fight yourself?" –I gulped- "Yeah, didn't think so."

     Honestly? Fuck Roan and fuck Praimfaya. I was looking for Jackson because I wasn't sure I wanted anything to do with Abby at that moment. I have to talk to O, she has to know how Azgeda fights before she goes in. Luckily for my bleeding persona, Jackson wasn't that hard to find, he was with Miller.

- "Sorry to interrupt, but I require assistance." –I smiled as I walked up to them- "I'll be fast, there's something I have to do before the Conclave."

- "What happened?" –Miller rushed to my side as Jackson got his medkit, I thought it was funny how they knew what assistance I needed without even saying it.

- "Roan stabbed me to make sure I can't fight tomorrow." –he helped me lay down on a table after I took off my jacket and shirt- "But it's okay, Octavia is here."

- "Wait, Octavia is fighting for us?" –Miller sounded surprised as Jackson came next to me.

- "It doesn't seem deep." –he started disinfecting it before he could close it- "You're lucky, he could have killed you."

- "If he wanted to kill me, he would have, I was completely distracted." –I squeezed Jackson's hand before turning to Miller- "Yeah, the bunker is yours."

- "Ours?"

- "You didn't hear?" –I had to laugh, this whole situation sounded still like a big joke to me- "I'm Azgeda now, that's why I was fighting Roan for the place to be their Champion."

- "Octavia won't let you stay outside."

- "What makes you think..." –I paused mid-sentence as I felt the needle in my skin, Jackson mouthing 'sorry' to me- "What makes you think the clans will allow me to step foot near the bunker?" –he seemed ready to protest- "That's a problem for tomorrow. Now, I need my stomach to stop bleeding because I have to see Octavia before the Conclave."

- "You need to take it easy." –Jackson advised me seriously- "I'm just Abby's assistant..."

- "I wouldn't trust anyone else with my wounds, Jackson." –I took his hand as he helped me up- "You're a great doctor and a genius as far as I'm concerned."

- "But Abby is the one who took care of your...."

- "You just sewed me up!" –I laughed pointing at my stomach- "And you kept me alive after the Mountain when Abby wasn't there. You need to trust yourself a bit more."

- "That's what I've been saying." –Miller gave him a look and I laughed as I put on my shirt.

- "I'll see you both later."

- "Take it easy!"

- "I always do!" –I waved at Jackson who simply shook his head- "And sorry for interrupting!"

I winked at them as I left walking fast and putting on my jacket. I knew where in the Tower each Champion that had been already been decided was supposed to be, so I made my way there, finding Echo and Roan first.

- "You." –I approached Roan, pushing him back against the wall- "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

- "Here to make an alliance, traitor?" –Echo eyed me up and down.

- "I haven't betrayed anyone so you might want to revise the definition of treason, my friend." –I looked at her- "I'll forget about that arrow you just pointed at me for the sake of business. I'm just here to remind the King that he fucked up." –I smiled at him, sarcastically, of course- "Big time, by the way."

- "The King knows what's best for his people, including you."

- "What is that supposed to mean?" –Echo didn't look like she'd answer me, so I confronted Roan instead- "What is she talking about?"

- "Nothing." –he gave a reprimanding look to Echo.

- "I demand an explanation as to why you won't let me take the spot for Azgeda's Champion when it's obviously the best choice. If the black rain falls during the Conclave, I'd be the only one able to move around. That's a winning strategy, even you have to agree with me on that."

- "I do."

- "Then what's your problem, am I that threatening to your power or what?" -I crossed my arms over my chest; I was pissed and I wanted an explanation- "Is this because of that woman that stopped Echo from shooting at me?" -he wrapped his hand tightly around my arm pulling me away from the hallway and into an empty room, Echo following us and closing the door after she made sure no one was there or saw us coming inside- "Alright, enough with this much mystery."

- "The reason I stopped you from fighting, aside from the fact that you'd have never let your people die, is that there was a plot going on with the rest of the clans against you."

- "Should I be surprised? Isn't that what people do? Form an alliance and then break it?"

- "You don't understand, Jusheda, the rest of the clans hate Azgeda." -Echo answered me, almost concern in her voice- "I heard 6 War Chiefs plotting for their Champions to kill you first if you stepped foot down there."

- "You both were trying to save my life?"

- "You're welcome."

- "But you agree a Nightblood would be better off down there." –he nodded at my words- "If you heard them and they don't know this..." –I looked at Echo.

- "I'm a spy, Jusheda." -she scoffed- "They don't know."

- "This is an advantage for us, isn't it?"

- "I can't let you fight now that your sister fights too."

- "What if we make a deal? You and I, no one else needs to know."

- "I'm listening."

     Octavia had been isolated in a room just like the other Champions and I couldn't find Sam anywhere. I had run into Miller who told me she had seen her before they went to sleep and that she had intended to visit Octavia, but I knew she never made it there as I asked the council's member guarding the Champion's rooms. I was starting to wonder whether she had a plan b when I went the next morning to see if they'd allow me to see Octavia before the fight.

I approached the room, feeling despair settling on my stomach as I knocked on the door and opened it, finding Octavia sat playing with her hand. She was nervous. I didn't know what would have worried me more, seeing her completely calm or like this. She shouldn't have to be doing this.

- "Why are you here?" –she eyed me, straightening her back- "To give me a pep talk?"

Her voice was hard and cynical; it didn't necessarily surprise me, but it did sound foreign since I hadn't seen her in a while, let alone had a proper conversation with her. She had changed. She had decided the only thing she was good at was war, and that's what she intended to do. It made sense Sam and she were so close, they were similar in more than one way.

- "O..." –I sat next to her- "You don't have to do this, we can find someone else to fight."

- "If I die, I die." –she stated, no room for discussion- "At least I go down fighting."

- "O..." –I wanted to reason with her but she sounded so much like Sam right now, it was clear it wasn't going to work; whatever I said, she had her mind made up.

- "Don't." –she cut me off before I could even think about what else to say- "This is my decision, Bell." –she rose from beside me- "I know what the odds are, I don't need you pointing them out."

I knew she was right and my intention of going to see her wasn't lowering her spirits; I just wanted to know that she was okay, maybe try to convince her not to do it.

- "It's time." -Clarke came into the room as Gaia started to name the Champions in the background.

- "Have you seen Sam?" –I questioned moving up to them.

- "I'm sure she's fine. She's probably around, checking the competition and we'll see her before the fight... she'll probably come to you then to let you know what she's learned..."

- "I thought she might come to see..."

- "It's fine." –Octavia cut us off as she walked past Clarke- "It's better this way."

- "Hey." –Clarke's demanding tone made O stop just by the door and turn around to look at her- "You got this."

Octavia nodded and exited the room, leaving us both there.

- "You think she has a chance?" –I had to ask.

- "Right now, she needs to believe it."

Clarke didn't think she could do this either. So, this is the end. I knew Octavia could fight and defend herself, but this was something else; I had seen Ulger fighting Sam and I could only imagine these people were trained on the same level. I sighed before I walked outside, standing in the crowd next to Clarke and Kane as Gaia kept naming the Champions. I was zoned out, looking for Sam in the crowd. Until I heard her name.

- "Samantha kom Azgeda."

I froze in my place, my breath caught in my chest as I frantically looked around, seeing the confused expression on Kane and Clarke's faces while the crowd murmured. I saw Sam walk up to the stage where Gaia was, walking past Roan and Echo who had satisfied expressions on their faces. She looked so strong and regal, I hated it.

- "I thought Roan didn't want her to fight." –Kane murmured next to me.

- "This is suicide, I have to..."

- "It's too late, Bellamy."

Clarke pointed with her head at the stage, forcing me to look there too. Sam was standing next to the other warriors with the symbol of Azgeda hanging from her neck, an emotionless façade on. There was no going back now.

- "Octavia kom Skaikru."

Octavia didn't waste a second to join Sam up there, Sam avoided her eyes and I knew Octavia was just as confused as we were. What the fuck did you do now, Sam?

- "A Conclave." –Gaia started once the Champions of each clan had been presented- "A battle to the death within the walls of Polis. These warriors will fight until only one remains, when that warrior collects all the sigils from the fallen and delivers them to me, they will be declared the victor. This final Champion alone will tell us which clan is meant to survive in the crypt of Bekka Pramheda and which clans are meant to perish in Praimfaya."

She then proceeded to say some words in Trig that were interrupted by someone else's. Luna. The people of Polis panicked, murmurs rose, Octavia looked concerned for a second but Sam simply rose an unimpressed eyebrow as she saw Luna approaching Gaia. I thought I saw her nod at Roan and Echo, none of them looked especially worried to have a trained Nightblood there.

- "I'm Luna kom Floukru and I'm the last of my clan."

- "We know who you are: the Natblida who ran from her conclave."

- "I'm not running from this one."

Luna's voice was hard and Gaia looked slightly taken aback by her words but also by her cynical tone as she turned around to collect Floukru's sigil.

- "With no one from your clan left, who do you fight for?"

- "I fight for no one." –Luna answered Gaia before she turned around to look at the crowd with a smile on her face- "I fight for death." –the crowd started murmuring- "When I win, no one will be saved."

     I couldn't believe my eyes when Luna showed up and I definitively wished I couldn't understand her words when she proclaimed she fought for all of us to die. Now there was no way Octavia could win this. I felt eyes on me. Sam's. Only for a second, she eyed me before the Champions were escorted to the Worgeda. I still couldn't understand why Sam was there, Roan had made it clear he wouldn't allow her. I had to speak to him. Jaha, Kane, Bellamy, and I remained at the plaza as everyone started leaving.

- "Skaikru!" –Gaia walked up to us- "Two advisors to the Worgeda, the rest of you, report to your designated safe zone. Now."

- "Come on." –Kane motioned Bellamy as we had agreed they both would do best- "We have to get her ready."

- "This conversation isn't over." –Jaha pulled Kane back- "The death wave will be here within three days and here we are, risking the fate of our people on a blood sport?"

- "The fate of all people." –I faced him- "You heard Luna."

- "She's one of 13."

- "She's a Nightblood novitiate, which means she trained in combat exactly like this."

- "You want us to cheat?"

Bellamy faced me, I knew what I was proposing wasn't right, but I couldn't find another way; as much as Sam believed in Octavia and herself, I had seen Lexa fight and I could only imagine Luna would be just as good or even better now. Maybe Sam might have a chance of winning this, but not Octavia and, since I didn't know what Roan was planning, I couldn't risk it.

- "You know the rules. If we break them, we lose, and if we lose, we die."

- "The rules are not the problem, Marcus, the game is. Even if we stop Luna, even if Octavia finds a way to win, does anyone truly believe that the Grounders will accept Skaikru as the lone survivors?"

- "Yes." –Kane answered Jaha- "We're all Grounders now."

- "And what about Samantha?" –Jaha insisted- "What is she doing? Will Octavia be able to kill her if the time comes?"

- "She isn't one of us anymore." –I sighed- "I don't know what she's doing but, right now, that's not important. We have bigger problems."

- "We fight to find out why Roan allowed Sam to fight for them."

- "Whatever Samantha chooses to do, it's not of our business now, son. She isn't one of us."

Jaha tried to pat Bellamy's back but he moved away from him with a scold on his face.

- "Roan might have made her one of them, but she's from the Ark just like me, and I'm not going to abandon her." -Bellamy looked at me- "I'm sure there's something we aren't seeing here, Clarke. Roan knows Sam won't kill Octavia so why let her fight?"

- "Then Octavia will have a chance to win for us." -Jaha looked pleased with himself- "She just has to stay away from the rain and..."

As Jaha kept talking, I started to put the pieces together, realizing what Sam might have been doing and why they -Roan, Echo, and Sam- didn't seem bothered that Luna showed up. I simply nodded at them, prompting them to go check on Octavia and Jaha to leave to our designated safe zone. I saw Roan and Echo speaking to Sam in the distance, so I approached them.

- "What are you doing?"

- "Isn't it obvious?" -she faced me- "I'm fighting for my clan."

- "What are you doing here, Wanheda?" –Roan moved next to Sam, almost covering her- "You should leave."

- "Do you think you can kill Luna?" –I ignored him and addressed Sam again.

- "If you're here to ally, the time has passed."

- "We don't make deals with traitors." -Echo almost spat at me after Roan spoke.

- "I'm here because I want the human race to survive." -I retorted before addressing Roan- "That's the difference between us, I don't care if it's Azgeda or Skaikru. We need to kill Luna." -I looked at Sam- "I don't care why you're fighting for them or how you came to be in this position, I want someone to get the bunker even if it's not us."

- "Luna's only advantage over the rest is her black blood but now I can survive the black rain too." –Sam simply answered- "I may have to consider thanking your mother for this, maybe we all should."

- "We can't let Luna win this. We can't have just avoided war for everyone to die anyway."

- "Consider that my only mission down here, princess." –Sam squeezed my arm- "Now, leave. I got this."

     I thought going into the Worgeda I'd get to see Sam. I had to ask her what had happened, what was going on, but she was nowhere to be found once Kane and I made it there, looking for Octavia. We found her pacing a corner of the place, black war paint covering her face. Kane began quickly explaining what he had seen the other Champions doing, their weapons and weak spots but I couldn't help but think this was wrong.

- "What is it, Bellamy?" –she faced me, her voice was agitated- "If you have something to say, just say it."

- "You don't need any of that..." –I sighed and glued my eyes to hers- "When the starting horn blows, just stay out of sight and let the others thin the competition."

- "You want me to hide?" –she sounded offended.

- "You don't need to go up against the strongest warrior of each clan."

- "I came here to fight."

- "You were the girl under the floor. Use that, just like mom taught us."

- "Bellamy's right." –Kane backed me up after a moment of silence- "You don't have to kill all 12 warriors."

- "I just have to kill the last one." –she realized as she looked at me and nodded- "But, what about Sam? Why is she here? I thought Roan was fighting for Azgeda."

- "We don't know." –Kane sighed- "But if it comes to it..."

- "I can't kill my sister!" -the despair in Octavia's voice made me feel miserable because I knew what she was feeling.

Why are you doing this, Sam? Didn't it occur to you, you'd break Octavia's heart? And mine. Nothing made sense.

- "Only one warrior can make it out alive, Octavia. I'm sorry Samantha's one of them, but she's fighting for Azgeda, she won't hesitate to kill you."

Kane's words hurt me deeply. I knew Sam, I knew she'd never harm Octavia which was why I didn't see this going through. I was going to lose one of them today, if not both, and I couldn't do anything about it.

- "Ambassadors and advisors, to the Tower." –one of the council's members came to us- "Champions, to your flags."

Kane approached Octavia and hugged her, wishing her good luck and taking a couple of steps back to leave me some space with her.

- "May we meet again." –she smiled approaching me.

- "Damn right we will."

- "I can't kill Sam, Bellamy." –her voice broke a bit- "Why is she here? I don't understand, she asked me to kill Roan and now..." -she looked behind me, her eyes never staying in one place for too long and I knew she was looking for her.

- "I don't know, O. I don't know." -I sighed- "But I need you to focus on surviving, alright?"

- "She has to have a plan, right? She wouldn't just go in there..."

- "Her original plan was killing the competition while keeping save our Champion, allowing them to kill her once they were the only ones left."

- "I won't." -she took a step back- "She has to know I won't do that."

- "Roan wouldn't let her fight if that was still her plan, but I know she'd never hurt you." –I reassured her, even if I knew she knew- "Just focus on hiding and staying cover from the black rain, alright? I'm sure everything will be alright."

- "Okay." -she took a deep breath before moving away.

I licked my lips and nodded at her retreating figure before taking a last look around the Worgeda, seeing Roan and Echo with their back to us. I couldn't help myself. I walked up to them as Kane left.

- "What's the meaning of this?" –Roan spoke as soon as he saw me- "Leave my Champion alone."

- "Why are you doing this, Sam?" -I pleaded- "What's your plan? I know you won't hurt Octavia and she won't kill you."

She was with her back to me, placing her blades on her new clothes, Azgeda's I assumed and, as she turned around, I felt my heart tear apart. She was wearing white paint on her face, but the design was all too familiar, it was the same Sheda used to paint on her, only this time, it was in white. I couldn't comprehend the reasoning behind the choice, but to me, it was both beautiful and terrifying because it was a mix of what she had lost and what she was fighting for now. I wished Sheda was still there, maybe he would have managed to get some sense into her.

- "You'll be glad once this is over..." -she eyed me- "Trust me."

- "O is out there fighting against you!" –I tried to get to her but Roan pushed me back- "And Luna too! A Nightblood, Sam, a Nightblood! This is not like fighting Ulger, if the black rain falls and you aren't covered, you'll die or she'll easily kill you."

- "Luna won't be a problem for us, Skaikru." –Echo's voice was laced with venom- "Jusheda will be victorious."

- "Sam, I need to know..." –I stopped trying to fight Roan- "Am I losing you for good?"

- "She doesn't belong to you." –Roan pushed me back once more- "Sam, leave to your post. We'll see you later."

- "Ste klir." [Stay safe - good luck.]

Echo patted Sam's back and she nodded at her, looking at me one last time before leaving us three there without saying another word. I watched her leave; I wanted to scream, to run after her... I couldn't understand what was happening and the fact that Roan called her 'Sam' this time did nothing to ease my fears.

- "Why is she fighting for you." –I confronted Roan as we left the Worgeda, entering the elevator to get to the throne room.

- "Because I know she can win this. She might be the only one with an advantage to fight Luna and, if allowing her to fight means our people survive, then so, be it."

- "An advantage?"

- "You don't know?"

Echo questioned, an incredulous look on her face as she rested her back on the wall of the elevator; as I failed to answer she looked at Roan, a smile on her face before I turned my face to look at him. He had a look on his face I couldn't quite decipher, but I knew it was nothing good.

- "Your ex-lover is the only one that can fight Luna in a fair fight." –he smiled at me before facing the opening doors as we got to the last level- "Sam is a Nightblood, Skaikru."