(Edited)
I always knew I'd be killed one day, the thought wasn't new or scary. After all I had lived most of my life in a cell waiting for my own expiration date to come and even on earth the chances I would survive were slim.
The difference between now and before though was now I had something to fight for, I had a purpose, I even had a family.
Hopefully after my death Raven and Malachi would be able to find some peace in the thought I died fighting for what I believed in, though I'm sure Raven will find anger and regret knowing I brought this death on myself.
I should have been smarter, faster, stronger, we all should have, but now this is how we'll die, executed for trying to fight a war amongst our people as another brews outside our boarders.
I wonder if Lincoln, Sinclair or even Kane are having these thoughts, if so they're certainly better at hiding it than me, choosing to give encouraging words to the other grounders in the cell with us instead of hunched over in the corner, thinking about every decision that got us here.
It's funny, on the Ark I always fought the guards when I thought I was going to die, fought for the chance to live and experience life and when I got to the ground, I was able to. On the ground though when I was faced with the idea of death again, I didn't fight with the same passion I used to. I had gotten the chance to live but I always wanted more time and my thoughts would always be occupied on what lead me to where I was, what decision I made, what I should've done to prevent things, it was like my life was flashing before my eyes in a montage of all my mistakes.
The same thing was happening right now.
Just yesterday in this very cell, I could have fought harder against Bellamy, not get distracted and let my emotions make me weak. Weeks ago I could have stood up against Pike at the election, make it so he wouldn't win to begin with. Months ago we shouldn't have put so much trust in the grounders.
So many things could've been done differently and could've prevented any of this from happening but what's done is done.
As guards enter, instructing us to back up, I'm brought back to almost a year ago on the ark when I was sure I was going to die, I fought then, against the two guards who had no real training in the field and only carried shock batons, difference now was these guards carried guns and knew how to use them.
Letting the guards place metal restraints on my arms and feet, not a single word is said between the four of us, not even as we're dragged out and escorted down the halls of Arkadia to our certain death.
I always thought my death would be more meaningful, like dying in battle, at least then it would have been an honorable death.
Though I was fighting for what I believe in and what I think is right, that's what I want Malachi to remember, what I want him to remember me as, I just hope he doesn't remember the part I died for nothing, that nothing I did changed anything and instead just got people killed.
Being pushed to my knees in the middle of a hallway, this isn't exactly where I thought I would die and I didn't think this was Pike's style. Thought he would make a big show out of our deaths to convey a message but I suppose my blood splattered across the empty hallway is better than outside with a crowd, at least then people don't have to see our last failure.
The absence of one curly haired guard doesn't surprise me. Ever since Pike has taken over, Bellamy has become a coward. Making dumb decisions to try and please others and following Pike around like a lost puppy, it made sense he didn't have the balls to watch his friends be killed because of him.
"sir we can assume her friends already know where we're taking them, we shouldn't go any further till we know the route's secure" Bryan's statement gains my attention, maybe this wasn't where we were going to be killed.
who could her be though, Clarke? no she's out playing princesses with the commander, I would say harper but we had just previously passed her in the hallway so can only assume she would be one of the 'friends' they're talking about.
There's not much time to think through all the possibilities as we're thrown into a room and locked in, guess they're taking no chances here.
There's no need to think about who is coming to save us as our rescuer quite literally pops out of no where.
"Octavia!" a relieved sigh escapes me as the girl crawls out from under the floor.
Being shushed by multiple people, I quickly shut my mouth, we weren't free yet and there was still guards outside.
Climbing into a hole in the floor like instructed, that is where we listen and wait as Pike's voice is heard above us along with multiple footsteps.
I'm brought back to all the times I had to hide as a child, in vents, under beds or just anywhere. That's what me and Octavia have in common, we're both illegal children who had to hide to survive, though her mother was much smarter than mine and didn't let Octavia go out and maybe if my mother had the brain cells to keep me in the room, than maybe I would never have been found and things would be different.
Pulling myself out of the hole as I shake away the thoughts, no use thinking of what could have been, better to focus on escaping and surviving.
"you ready to get out of here" Octavia appears in front of me, a knife in her hand and already cutting away at my bindings.
"as ready as I'll ever be"
stretching my now free limbs, I watch as Abby, Miller and Bryan enter the room.
I wonder what the plan is
"there's to many guards, stay put" harper's voice rings over the radio.
Well whatever the plan was doesn't seem to be working.
Monty's voice replaces Harper's as he instructs all the guards to go to the main gate, leading them away from our exit.
I knew that dork would turn on them eventually and what great timing too, he came to the rescue like always.
***
Once again Octavia is shoving me into a tight space, though this time it was an escape tunnel hidden in the wall.
"how convenient" knocking Miller slightly in the side, I refer to the long tunnel that leads us straight to Arkadia walls.
Letting the smallest of smiles form on my face as we're so close to being free and once we're outside of these walls, I could come back and get Raven and Malachi free.
Though what comes once we're free? where is safe for a 7 year old? not with me apparently. Ever since Malachi met me all I've done is make things worse for him and put him in danger, how could I be so delusional to think Arkadia will let a grounder child live with them and use their resources, how could I be so stupid and blind to think I could be ruling people while trying to look after a kid.
I have to make a choice, either Malachi or my people.
And if it came down to it, Malachi would win.
I can't keep putting him in danger and pray everything would be ok, he deserves a normal childhood with someone who loves him, and I'm prepared to do that.
I'll take Malachi and Raven and we'll go find somewhere far away from all this, somewhere safe.
These people don't need me anyway, they have Kane, and Abby and even Clarke, they'll be fine without me.
"hey I'll be right back ok don't wait up" back tracking out of the tunnel, Kane holds out a hand to stop me before I can get anywhere.
"where are you going? this is going to be one of our only chances to escape" he was right of course, but I can't just leave Malachi or Raven.
"I'll be quick and I'll make sure no one sees me, just go and I'll meet you on the hill looking over Arkadia ok" not giving him time to respond, I rush down the hallway.
***
"Raven!!" calling into the mechanic room, my sister is easy to spot sitting at a desk, necklace in hand and tears in her eyes.
"Wren?"
We both rush at each other, engulfing in a hug that lasts a lifetime.
"why are you crying?" pulling back slightly to rub the tears off her face, I notice the subtle look in her eyes as she stares at my own necklace shaped like a Wren.
"I don't know"
Something seems off about her as I observe her, confusion crosses her face but the lack of sadness in her gains my attention.
"I know this is going fast but I can't stay here, as you know they're going to kill me so qu-" before I could even finish Raven jumps in.
"who's trying to kill you? why?"
Taking a step back, never had my sister been one to forget things, especially something this big. How could she just forget I was going to be executed? Pike was making a big deal out of it to bring pain to my friends and family and to teach them a lesson, no way she missed that.
"Raven what's going on?"
It's her turn to step away from me this time and turn her back before whispering "I don't know"
"hey it's ok, we'll figure it out but right now we need to get Malachi and you need to follow me got it?" gently taking her hands, now wasn't the time to be sitting around and catching up on each others lives, we had to get out of here.
"I left Malachi with Abby, I had some important stuff to do and couldn't take him"
No way Malachi was with Abby, Abby was just with me helping us escape.
"Raven, Malachi isn't with Abby ok and I'm sorry but I don't have the time to stay here and find him so here's what you have to do. Find Malachi then go back to our room and pack our things but only the essentials, then find Abby and tell her you need to get to the escape exit ok?" this was the only way we could all get out without the risk of being caught, even if this plan made it so I'd have to wait even longer to make sure my family was safe.
Loud footsteps echoing down the hall in unison tells me my time is up. Pulling Raven into a tight hug, I pull away before telling her "meet me at the hill looking over Arkadia at nightfall"
before I could leave, Raven pulls me in one last time before saying
"I won't let you down, I promise I will get her out of my head and make sure Malachi is safe. Just, if anything happens, I love you"
"I love you too"
***
Getting back proved to be a lot harder than it was before.
Guards march around almost every corner and with limited space to hide, I'm I'll be found in no time.
Rounding a corner into a hallway, I quickly throw myself against a wall as someone approaches.
By the sound of their footsteps it's only one person.
I could easily knock them out and be on my way, just had to time it right.
Counting down the seconds until the person moves into my line of sight, I pounce forward onto the person , knocking them off their feet.
Going to punch them, my fist stops before it could connect as I stare down in confusion at the person "Lincoln?"
"Wren what the hell are you doing, you're meant to be with the others out of Arkadia by now" He gently pushes me off him before standing and making sure no one heard us.
"I know but I couldn't leave Malachi and Raven behind, Pike would've used them to get back at me. What are you doing here? you should also be out of Arkadia by now too" the look that crosses Lincoln's face isn't one I would describe as sad and weak but strong and spirited which made it easy to guess what Lincoln was going to say next.
"if we all escaped they would have killed the grounders here, so I'm giving myself up to give you guys a chance to leave and for the grounders to live"
Although it breaks my heart, he had a point, after all we both had the same motives. We both risked our freedom to save the people we love, only difference is mine have a chance to escape, the grounders didn't, leading to Lincoln's ultimate sacrifice.
"we can find another way, a way that doesn't require someone dying"
"you know that's not possible, its either one of us or all of them and I'm sorry but I can't let them all die when they could have been saved" Lincoln states, his mind set with no way of changing it.
As much as I wanted to think there was a way, there wasn't. Pike had his mind set on making a public display out of someone's death and he didn't care whos.
Choosing to hug him instead of protesting, his arms wrap around my much smaller frame.
"thank you, you were one of the first sky people who helped me and thanks to you look how far everyone's become" he pulls away slightly while offering me a smile.
"yeah look at us, at war with the grounders, hundreds dead, all thanks to me yeah"
"no because of you everyone here is alive, if you didn't make peace, Lexa would have killed you all by now, yeah Pike di-" the sound of marching cuts him off, a grim expression taking over his face.
We both knew we had run out of time.
"hide behind those crates, don't come out until they're gone" pushing me over to a pile of crates, Lincoln starts to back away in the direction of the guards.
"may we meet again"
***
Crawling through the now empty escape tunnel, the end leads right to a hole in the barbed fence that covers all of Arkadia.
Wasting no time, I crawl through the small hole, making sure I'm low enough so no guard on patrol can spot me.
Walking through the tall grass, everything stops as a gunshot rings through the air.
Bowing my head and letting some stray tears fall down my cheek, I vow to not let Lincolns death be in vain.
"may we meet again"
***
A/N
Just noticed I switched a lot between first and third person in this chapter so sorry about that but I am feeling much more in the writing mood lately so I'll try to get chapters out as soon as possible
Feel free to leave comments :)