Trigedasleng:
Ai haiplana- my queen. Breik em au- let her go.
Ai bro- my brother. Beja- please.
Beja, teik emo hod op- please make them stop. Chil au- calm down.
En's ku- It's ok. Du ste torch ai op- they are torturing me.
Ai laik raun- I am dying. Yu's klir- you're safe.
It was just before midnight when the soldiers turned up at her house. She was supposed to be asleep- she knew if her parents caught her awake at this hour she'd be severely punished- but it had been the first calm night in over a week and there was nothing that she loved to do more than stare at the stars wondering if maybe there was someone or something up there watching her.
She could certainly use a guardian angel right now. She knew it was only a matter of time before she'd be sent to Polis. She'd been born a natblida.
Ontari looked down at the cut on her hand. She'd kept her heritage a secret for four years- from her parents, from her friends, from everyone. She knew what would happen if anyone found out. She'd be forced to leave her life behind, her family, her dreams of becoming the best female Azgaeda warrior.
She didn't want to be Heda. She didn't want to be sat in some stuffy room at the top of some stupid tower listening to people drone on about things she didn't care about. She didn't want to pretend to care about the other clans when Azgaeda was the only clan that had her loyalty. Her love.
Ontari sighed deeply. She didn't have a choice anymore. She didn't have a hope in hell- she would be forced to be Heda or worse, die in the conclave. And the later was highly likely- she'd heard about the other natblidas, Luna kom Floukru and Lexa kom Trikru in particular. Even though they weren't yet in their teenage years they were already making names for themselves. They were the favourites, the ones everyone wanted to win. Ontari had even seen Lexa in person- she was regal, majestic, stoic- everything she wasn't.
That had only driven her even harder to keep her nightblood a secret.
Still she had failed.
She heard the crashing of plates in the kitchen below her room and the sound of her father shouting. Ontari jumped quickly back into bed, pretending to be fast asleep. She hoped they'd overlook her, hoped they'd just leave her, think that she was just some dumb child who would starve to death once they were gone. Who would have no power over them.
She hoped, but still she knew it was futile. No, they were from Heda, and they would stop at nothing to take her to Polis.
She heard their footsteps on the stairs and tried to compose herself. She knew it would be stupid to pretend to be asleep now, so instead she reached for the dagger that she'd hidden under her mattress. She'd stolen it from her father hoping that she could bribe one of the boys in her town to teach her how to use it. Her father would never let her learn, he'd sworn that. She would grow out of wanting to be a warrior, if she was lucky she might become a servant of Queen Nia, or at the very least she'd marry some unknown warrior when she was of age and be his loyal wife.
The later lifestyle was almost appealing to Ontari as she stood, adopting what she thought was a good fighting stance and waited.
The door crashed open. Two burly men stood before her. Their faces were covered with masks and their armour was covered with furs. They towered over her but Ontari was not afraid.
No, they were not Heda's men, they were warriors- from Azgaeda.
At another time, she would have idolised them.
The men regarded her with curiosity and a little intimidation before nodding and grabbing at her. In shock, Ontari lashed out, kicking and punching them furiously. The dagger slipped from her hand, and one of the men kicked it under her bed quickly.
The other man held a hood.
What were they doing? Ontari screamed internally, still thrashing.
"Em pleni, natblida!" a terrifying voice yelled, and Ontari immediately froze.
The woman who stood before her was unfamiliar to her, she had never seen her before in her life, but still, everyone knew who she was. This was Queen Nia. Her Queen- the woman her parents wanted her to serve as a maid, but who she hoped to serve as one of her loyal guard. Ontari immediately turned red with embarrassment, this was not the way to great a queen of Azgaeda.
Queen Nia stood before the little girl imposingly, before placing a hand under her chin, so that Ontari couldn't avoid her gaze.
"Not bad," Queen Nia continued in Trigedasleng, "For an untrained natblida. What is your name?"
"Ontari," the little girl mumbled, before speaking a little louder, "Ontari kom Azgaeda, ai haiplana."
The queen smiled, "Yes, you will do very nicely. Oh, don't look so scared, you'll be coming with me, not to Polis."
Ontari gave her a confused look, but didn't dare question her.
"It's the talk of the town that you want to be a warrior of Azgaeda," Queen Nia began, "Well you have your wish, Ontari, and more. You will be my own natblida, my own personal warrior."
Ontari couldn't help but let out a beaming smile at the queen's promise.
"Breik em au," the queen commanded, "She won't struggle."
Queen Nia held out a hand to Ontari, "Come, my little natblida. There is much work for you now."
BREAK_BREAK_BREAK_BREAK
Clarke raced to the girl's side hoping that she wouldn't be too late, in the distance she could see Bellamy dragging Jaha away from them. The man was knocked out, but still, if he woke up, he'd be a massive risk to their entire plan. Clarke gave Bellamy a satisfied look as he pulled Jaha into a cupboard and barricaded the door. On the other side of the room, she could see Murphy helping her mother. He had Raven's machine and was removing the chip. Clarke let a silent tear run down her face, she didn't want to contemplate what would have happened if-
And she also didn't have time to contemplate it.
Clarke looked at the girl in front of her. She was what, seventeen, eighteen- definitely a few years younger than Lexa. She still looked like a child.
Lexa, Clarke thought and felt a sob rise in the back of her throat. The last time she'd been in Polis… and now, now there was another natblida, another Heda and once again black blood stained Clarke's hands.
No, Clarke thought to herself, it didn't matter if Ontari was a cruel psychopath, she was not letting another commander die. Clarke had been wrong. Lexa was in the chip, she just had to believe that, and that meant that Lexa's spirit, in some unbeknown way, must have chosen Ontari. Because she must have seen something in the girl that none of the others had noticed.
Clarke didn't know if she could trust Ontari, but she knew she could trust Lexa, and she knew that if there was a heaven, then Lexa would be in it and she'd be doing everything she could to help Clarke right now.
Bellamy raced to Clarke's side, a panicked expression on his face, "Is she…?"
Clarke shook her head, "She's alive. But I need a bandage, I need to stop the bleeding."
Bellamy nodded before rummaging through the medical supply bag. Somewhere behind her she was aware of her mother and Murphy joining her. Clarke quickly moved to make space for her mother. On the Ark she had trained to become a doctor and she knew the basics, how to stitch a wound, tie a tourniquet, basic anatomy and the like. But an injury like this- only her mother could save Ontari.
"There's significant damage," her mother told them as Murphy held Ontari's head still, "Definitely swelling. We need to keep her still."
Clarke nodded, "And the chip?"
"Clarke," Abby said, "It could be days before she's well enough to take the flame and defeat Allie."
"We don't have days," Bellamy said, "The warriors- they'll be here any minute, we won't be able to hold them off for long."
Clarke nodded, "There must be some way. The others, they'll be here soon."
Bellamy nodded, "We'll think of something. We have to."
"Yes," Clarke agreed, "Ontari's got to have survived this for a reason."
"Careful," Murphy said, "Or you'll start sounding like Jaha."
"Not now, Murphy," Clarke snapped, before tears welled in her eyes, "I meant Lexa, her spirit."
Murphy nodded, for once not saying something thoroughly obnoxious, or calling her out on how ridiculous her belief was.
"Yeah, but Ontari's a fighter," Murphy said with a sigh, "She's relentless. If I had to place bets on anyone surviving an injury like this, I'd choose her."
"Mom?" Clarke asked.
Abby sighed, "There's not much I can do. I can try to reduce the swelling, minimise infection and inflammation. I have the tools for that. But ultimately, this is going to be up to her."
Clarke nodded, "Floor 52. This is the commander's floor. We should move her, they'll look for her here. We need to keep her hidden, move her whilst none of Allie's warriors are around."
Bellamy nodded, "If it's safe."
Abby sighed, "There's unlikely to be much difference to her prognosis if we move her now."
"Ok," Clarke said, standing up, "Follow me."
Murphy pulled Ontari carefully into his arms, and Clarke could hear him mutter quietly, "Ok, you're still a bitch, and I still hate you, but if you're Lexa's chosen natblida then you better live."
Clarke led the way to the commander's quarters, a walk that she was overwhelmingly familiar with. Bellamy soon was by her side, and placed a careful hand on her arm, causing her eyes to shoot up to see his concerned expression.
"Are you ok?" Bellamy asked.
Clarke sighed, "As I'll ever be."
Clarke walked into the main room, trying to ignore how similar it looked to when she'd last been there. The candles were still everywhere, similar furs decorated the bed, and if she allowed herself to notice them, she was sure she recognised some of Lexa's books. It suddenly struck her how little time had passed between Lexa's…death…and now. A week, if that.
No wonder nothing had changed much, still she'd expected the new commander to personalise this space. She'd expected Ontari to change everything, to throw out anything of Lexa's- perhaps Clarke wondered, Ontari and Lexa both had a love of candles and pre-apocalyptic literature.
Murphy placed Ontari carefully on the bed, covering her with furs.
"She's just a child," Abby said in shock as she brushed the girl's midnight hair away from her face.
Bellamy gave Clarke a grave look, before turning quickly as their friends entered the room.
"They're climbing," Pike admitted, before grabbing a canister of what looked like oil, "Oil for the lamps, we could use it to grease up the balconies, stop them from getting in."
"Good idea," Bellamy said, "Miller, Bryan, you help Pike. Octavia, we need your help."
Octavia nodded, and Clarke knew that Bellamy had only asked her to stay because he was afraid of what she might do to Pike. Clarke, reluctantly, had to admit that Bellamy had made the right choice.
"What the hell happened to her?" Octavia asked, regarding the Ice Nation girl.
"Jaha," Murphy said, "Allie ordered him to kill Ontari. He struck her. She's lucky to be alive."
"Ok," Octavia said, "So what can we do?"
"I can relieve some of the pressure from the inflammation," Abby said, "And I have some medicines to help prevent infection, but…well, did Lincoln ever talk to you about how they treat the severely injured in Polis?"
Octavia shook her head, "No, he only ever taught me herbal medicine, and then only the basics. How to stop a poison, prevent infection to a shallow wound. Basic warrior stuff. Nothing on this level. I don't even know if trained healers would know how to treat this."
Abby nodded, before arranging her tools.
"We're not going to like this, are we?" Murphy said.
Abby sighed, "No, but it's necessary."
Clarke nodded, "Do it."
"Hey," Pike said, just as Abby tilted Ontari's head a little, "Shouldn't you remove the chip first?"
Clarke sighed, looking at her mother for guidance, "Mom?"
Abby nodded, "I know it sounds cruel, but Clarke, we don't know what state she'll be in when she wakes up, if we have to fight her, fight Allie."
Murphy nodded, "Normal Ontari was difficult enough to work with, but given we're saving her life she might be more co-operative. Add in Allie and we won't stand a chance."
"Ok," Bellamy said, "Do whatever you need to do."
Abby tilted Ontari's head and placed Raven's machine to the back of the girl's neck. A few moments later and without any indication of pain or awareness of any kind, the chip was removed. Abby swiftly gathered the rest of her tools, preparing to make an incision.
That was when the girl begun to move. Clarke noted that it was uncoordinated movement, shaky, and indicative of brain damage, and the right side of her body didn't move at all.
"Is she waking up?" Octavia asked.
Abby quickly put down her tools, and grabbed a small flashlight, using it to examine Ontari's eyes. The girl tried to push Abby's hands away, but Murphy grabbed her arm before she could do any damage. That seemed to only make her more furious.
"Hey, hey," Murphy said, "You're safe."
The girl seemed to settle a little and Murphy released her arm.
"She's waking up, isn't she?" Murphy echoed.
Abby shook her head, "Not necessarily. The symptoms- they're not uncommon of people in comas, who are having nightmares. And we don't know what state she'll be in when she wakes up, she's already showing signs of paralysis, she might not be able to speak, or see, or hear."
Clarke nodded, "For now, our plan is on hold. I want to stop Allie as much as you do, but right now I'm more concerned with saving Ontari because it's the right thing to do, than because I want a weapon."
Murphy nodded, "Yeah, she might be heartless, but she doesn't deserve this. No one does."
Ontari fidgeted a little again, and Abby gently placed a hand on the top of Ontari's head. The girl made what sounded like a choking sound, followed by a barely perceivable noise.
Clarke moved closer to the girl, trying to catch what she might be saying. She felt hope flood her heart, if Ontari could speak… but then again, she might be too badly hurt to know how to comprehend the flame's message. Just because she could speak didn't mean that she would understand them.
"Ro-," Ontari murmured, "Roan?"
Clarke sighed, the last time she'd seen him, he'd been trying to contact Ontari, to capture her. Clarke didn't know if the two were close, but she suspected that they probably were. Ontari had been raised by Queen Nia, Roan's mother, they would have at least grown up in the same building. Roan had hunted for the flame for Ontari, had been angry at Clarke for stealing it, said he would support her because she was Azgaeda. But Clarke knew Roan was level-headed, he was loyal to his people yes, but he wouldn't let Ontari become Heda if he didn't believe in her, or at least believe he could influence her.
They would have been close, Clarke concluded, and Ontari asking for him, that confirmed their closeness. Not only that, but it showed that Ontari could speak, and likely had some long-term memory function as well, maybe even some emotional aspects too.
She gave her mother a tentative smile. Yes, Ontari was strong, she was a fighter, and Clarke could sense that there was more to the girl that the heartless bitch who wanted them all dead. How had Nia treated her? Was it really fair to judge her for the way she acted when Lexa, her soulmate, had picked up so many things during her childhood? Lexa had believed that love was weakness, but only because Titus had constantly told her so, and then Costia, her first love, had died. In the end, Lexa had chosen Clarke, and love, who knew what Ontari might choose?
Clarke sighed, she had to be hopeful. But if Ontari was already becoming more conscious then that was good news.
"Roan?" the girl repeated, "Where- where are you, ai bro?"
Ai bro, Clarke thought, my brother. She needed to find Roan, maybe he could help them? No, there was no way that he could get to them, not when he was already injured, and likely imprisoned somewhere safe below them, and the passage way was blocked too.
Clarke looked towards Bellamy. She could tell what he was thinking. Ai bro. Roan was like a brother to Ontari, just like he and Octavia. Clarke was suddenly struck by how similar Octavia looked to Ontari, she reached out a hand to Bellamy, and he squeezed it gently. Yes, he was definitely imagining Octavia there, and reeling from the idea that Ontari was like a little sister to the King of Azgaeda.
"Ok, I'm going to do this now," Abby said, "Murphy, Bellamy, just be ready, in case she starts moving again. Clarke, I'll need your help with the instruments."
Clarke nodded before moving to her mother's side. She knew exactly what her mother was about to do and hoped that Ontari wouldn't wake up during the procedure. She was going to be in agony when she woke up, Clarke concluded, and there was no amount of grounder stoic-ness and stubbornness that would alleviate that.
"I'll check in with Pike," Octavia offered.
"No!" Bellamy yelled.
Octavia sighed, "I'm not going to kill him, Bell."
"Let her go," Clarke told him, as her mother made the first cut. Ontari struggled a little.
"Roan," Ontari said, this time clearer. Shit, Clarke thought, she didn't want Ontari to wake up now.
"Roan," Ontari continued, "Beja, Roan, beja teik emo hod op."
"What is she saying?" Bellamy asked.
"She's saying 'Please make them stop,'" Clarke replied.
"Them?" Abby asked, "She knows we're here."
Clarke shrugged, "I don't know. Let me try- Ontari, chil au, en's ku."
Ontari fidgeted a little before letting out a scream, "Roan, beja, du ste torch ai op!"
Clarke sighed, "She knows someone is here, but if it's us, or a memory…"
Murphy sighed, "My Trigeda' isn't great but I know she thinks we're torturing her."
Abby nodded, "Then I'll do this quickly, I need you to hold her still. Clarke?"
Clarke prepared the instruments as Abby made another incision.
"Roan!" Ontari yelled, "Roan!"
"Hey, hey," Bellamy said, taking Ontari's hand in his, "I'm right here."
Murphy gave him a doubtful look but despite their doubts Ontari seemed to settle a little. Clarke gave Bellamy a warm smile as Abby moved quickly.
"There's bleeding," Abby said, "Inside her skull."
Clarke nodded, before grabbing some tubing from the bag.
"Roan, beja, beja!" Ontari yelled, "Ai laik raun!"
"Ontari, beja," Bellamy continued, "Yu's klir."
"You're not Roan!" Ontari yelled and Clarke was sure she saw the girl try to open her eyes a little.
"Mom, hurry!" Clarke said, before helping Bellamy and Murphy to keep Ontari still. She had forgotten how strong natblidas were and Ontari was struggling as hard as she could.
"Hey, hey!" Murphy yelled, "It's me, yeah, you remember me, alright, Ontari? Your fake Flamekeeper, yeah?"
Ontari seemed to still a little, "Bring Roan to me."
Bellamy and Murphy looked at Clarke expectantly. Ontari knew who they were, she knew they were Skaikru, she knew it was better to talk to them in English, she knew that Bellamy wasn't Roan and that Murphy was her fake Flamekeeper. Clarke knew that if she told them the truth then Ontari would likely try to kill her- that was if she didn't figure out that something was iffy with Bellamy trying to pretend to be Roan in the first place.
"I'll go get him," Clarke told the girl, before moving out of her earshot. Bellamy following her once he knew Ontari was calmer and Abby finished the procedure.
"Where's Roan?" Bellamy asked.
Clarke shook her head, and whispered, "I don't know. The last time I saw him he'd been shot, badly. There's no way we can get to him now."
"Well," Bellamy said, "The elevator shaft was only blown up at the bottom, if we were careful, we could clear the rubble-."
"No," Clarke said, "Not with Allie's warriors out there."
"Clarke," Bellamy argued, "From what I can tell Ontari's not going to be co-operative until she sees Roan. And if it were Octavia, I'd want to be there."
Clarke sighed, "I know. But I don't know if he's alive, let alone where he is."
"We'll find him," Octavia said, "And you don't need to remind us to be careful, Clarke."
Clarke nodded, "I don't like this, but if you think it's necessary. Good luck."
Bellamy nodded before following Octavia from the room.
"Are you insane?" Murphy said, "You just sent them on a suicide mission."
Clarke sighed, "I know, but we said the same thing about Mount Weather, and now the stakes are even higher. We need Roan."
"Roan?" Ontari mumbled.
"Yes," Clarke said, "Don't worry, Ontari, we're bringing him to you."