Light filtered in slowly through the window, brightening up the hut with the morning sun. Pots and pans clanking filled the room with a steady beat. Octavia groaned at the noise and pulled her pillow over her head, muffling the noise. Her mother said something to her and left the room bringing all the noise with her. Left with silence in the hut, Octavia relaxed enough to start her wake up process. The whole village was waking up now and the sound of footsteps returning to the village meant that the early morning hunters had just returned. Her mother, in charge of breakfast, bustled around the village gathering the supplies to get the fire going again. Octavia sat on her pallet and wove her fingers through her hair, weaving large sections of it into braids that tumbled down her back. Splashing her face with water, she smiled at the day and its simplicity. Children ran around the village collecting twigs to add to the growing fire as adults stumbled out of the huts drowsy eyed. Her mother upon seeing her, bustled over to examine her. She turned Octavia in circles, examining her.

"And why aren't you dressed yet, young lady."

Octavia frowned in confusion. She was dressed, wasn't she? She had slept in her clothes like usual so she should be dressed.

"What do you mean mama? Am I not dressed?"

Octavia's mother clucked at her and frowned.

"You do remember that the ceremony is tonight right, your marriage ceremony."

Things had just gotten a lot more complicated. Her marriage would secure an alliance between her tribe, the Woods Clan, and the Boat People. Together with their newly founded alliance, they would be able to fight the war against the Mountain Men.

A few months ago a man had come to their village. He was quickly ushered into Indra's hut and did not leave until many hours later. His name quickly spread around the village, Lincoln. Octavia did not know the significance of that name at this time, but she soon would. The tribe's warriors rounded up all of the eligible women, including Octavia and lined them up. Her brother, Bellamy, frowned at this process but continued to help round the women up. As Indra's second in command he had a duty and apparently this was included in that duty. When the man left the hut, everybody stopped what they were doing and stared at him as he walked down the line, examining each woman. He stopped in front of Octavia, looking her up and down. Furious at the way she was being objectified she resisted the urge to spit at him and instead sneered at him, hand on her hip.

"If you have something to say then say it."

He smiled and nodded his head.

"This one. This one will do just fine."

Bellamy quickly broke ranks and ran to Indra.

"No! Absolutely not! He's not choosing her! She's not even 18 yet!"

Octavia was confused, choosing her? What does that mean? Indra raised her hand and silenced him to sputters.

"She may not be 18 yet, but she will be in two months. That will give her plenty of time to prepare."

Lincoln had stopped staring at her and had turned to Indra instead.

"In two months then."

He turned and strode off, out of the village and into the dense forest, disappearing from sight. Bellamy still stood arguing with Indra. And as his voice grew louder and louder she had a dawning realization. Lincoln, son of Luna, was the leader of the Boat People. The ones they were trying to secure an alliance with and the way alliances were secured was through a marriage. Octavia gasped. She was getting married.

That was two months ago. Her time was up. By tomorrow she would no longer see her mother or brother every day. She would not get to see her brothers budding romance with Clarke occur or listen to her mother tell stories to the children. She would not get to see the running river flow through the forest or watch the sun rise over the tree tops. She would not listen to the forest birds sing again or feel the moss beneath her feet as she ran. She was getting married and everything was changing.