All I got to say about the finale is…wow. At least I don't have to worry about changing things in my story.
To clarify, this story will end at s2's finale. It will be split into two parts, this story taking place from s1 to s2 and the sequel taking place from s3 to s4. The sequel being published around s4's premiere, whenever that will be.
It's been three hours since father delivered Lexa's message to the village denizens. Everything seems normal like it would for a week day, though one could still taste the tension in the air. The Village Council, composed of four men and four women, are convening with my father regarding the policy Lexa just instated a few hours ago.
While we're all part of the Coalition and answer to the Commander, each clan has a different form of government. While Ice Nation decided on monarchy, the Woods Clan is run by a series of Village Councils, the councilmembers elected by the residents of a village. People related to ambassadors or high ranking military officers are not allowed to run, as a council ran by people related to civilians and average warriors would understand peoples' plights better.
Instead of hunting, I sit on a log and read a chapter of H.G. Wells's War of the Worlds. Not far from where I'm sitting, some of the village children are reenacting famous battles from the past, using sticks in the place of swords. From the looks of it, Tris has "slaughtered" the other players; who are lying in dramatic poses.
They do strive for theatrics at a young age.
I have reached the part where the Martian Tripods make their descent on a city named London when I hear the dinner bell ring. The children and the Seconds drop their pretend weapons and run to the nearest food stalls while I mark my place before making my way to my house for dinner.
The higher ranking members of the clan and their families usually dine together in one of the homes in their resident village. Since my father is the General of our clan, they convene at our house for dinner.
I could smell the aroma of pork, bread, and stewed vegetables as I enter the house. Usually soft conversation fills the air prior to dinner. However, the conversation sounds tense and anxious.
"I don't understand why the Commander wouldn't let the troops make a preemptive strike," I hear Octavian, the Chief Councilman, say. "We should attack them before they attack us."
"Based on the reports from Anya's scouts, they are more like the Mountain Men then us," says Magda.
"Only they don't roast alive," Anya says as I enter the dining room. "I have my doubts about the newcomers but I understand the Commander's decision."
Entering the dining room, the only people that haven't joined the table yet are my siblings and a couple of children belonging to one of the Councilmembers. I sit in my custom seat between father's seat and Nigel's seat, the latter which is currently empty.
"Costia, tell the Council about the assignment the Commander gave you," father says as Nigel and Bristol enter the dining room.
I look at them and say, "Commander Lexa gave me the mission to infiltrate the newcomers' camp."
"And you decided to let your daughter, a nightblood, take the risk?" asks Venia, her tone austre.
"Wait, you're leaving for the newcomers' camp?" asks Nigel, his eyes big.
"Nigel, Bristol, take your seats," Anya says sternly.
"Seriously, when is she going?" Bristol asks as she sits down.
"And why not me?" Nigel asks, like it's a betrayal that I was going instead of him.
"Before first light," says father, looking over at Nigel, "and don't forget that incident with an Ice Nation warrior six years ago that forced me to remove you from Anya's unit."
I remember that incident. Nigel made the mistake of letting an Ice Nation warrior into our territory into thinking that the individual was an insurgent when the very tactic was to enter the territory by trickery. He would have been dead if it weren't for Anya. Father had to remove him from Anya's squad and transferred him to his unit of rangers.
"That was six years ago, father," Nigel protested.
"And I still don't trust you around people stranger to this territory because you tend to be trusting," father scolds.
I glare at him, remember his willingness to help the Sky People as I help myself to some pork.
"What if they discover that she's a spy?" Bristol says with worry. "She's a Natblida. She's supposed to pass it down the family tree."
"Don't act as if I don't have any agency, Bristol," I say before depositing a full cob of corn next to the pork. "I will ensure they don't find out about me being a spy. From the looks of it the Sky People are a bunch of idiots."
The entire conversation about at the dinner table was about the Sky People and what should be done. Three members of the Council thought that a preemptive strike was in order; that a precautionary attack should take place.
"And risk being executed for treason?" Anya argues. "I understand where you are coming from, I really do. I don't trust them either but the Commander doesn't want to start a war that will become meaningless down the road.
When dessert rolls around and everyone is treated to a glass of wine and a serving of strawberry tart, I decide to excuse myself, as I was tired of Nigel's sulking and the adults arguing over the Commander's "no attack" policy.
If Bekka Pramheda didn't create that artificial intelligence two hundred and one years ago, life would be so much easier.
My heart is pounding hard in my chest as I run from my pursuers. The horn of the Tripod rattles my eardrums and I could hear the sound of its spindly legs from behind me. My legs are tired from running but I have to, or they will capture me. I move away the branches of the trees to give me better access but when I reach the clearing, I stop in my tracks.
I feel the blood dry from the surface of my body as I see my mother standing still. Looking the same as she did that cold January day she was snatched from my life. Her hazelnut hair blew on her face against the wind and the sea shell pendant still lies on her chest.
Her lips curl into a ghostly smile as she gazes at me.
"Mama," I say, running towards her and wrapping my arms around her. She returns the embrace but she feels ice cold.
She separates from me and unclasps her necklace before putting it on my palm and wrapping my fingers around it.
"Costia, I will always love you," she says, her grey-green eyes glassy with tears. "Look after your siblings. Tell your father how much he meant to me."
Just as she finished, the tentacles of the Tripod reached down and plucked her from my ground.
I feel tension build up inside me before I release it, screaming at the top of my lungs.
I sit right up in bed; gasping for breath with cold sweat running down my body. I examine my surroundings, to see that I am here in my own room; in my own bed. That I'm not pursued by Martian Tripods. That I didn't see them take my mother.
After softly inhaling and exhaling before lying back down on my bed, trying to get back to sleep.
That part about my mother giving me her pendant, and saying those exact words before being ripped from me actually happened. Only she wasn't taken by Martian Tripods. She was taken by Reapers.
We were outside that day, retrieving firewood when they spotted us. My mother picked me up and made a run for it. Unfortunately she knew that one of us was going to be captured and taken to Mount Weather and she didn't want it to be me, especially due to my nightblood.
She hid me in a tree, gave me her necklace, said Costia, I will always love you. Look after your siblings. Tell your father how much he meant to me and kissed me on the forehead before they took her.
It seemed like twenty minutes later before Indra found me. She knew what happened, because if women were with their children while being pursued by Reapers, they hide them in the trees. She wrapped me in her furs and broke the news to father when she returned to the village.
I was only ten. Father took possession of mother's necklace and I never saw it again for nine years. I suspect that he wants to keep a piece of her near him and I don't blame him.
I dream about her being taken from me, in various forms; one more frightening then the next. Its way more frightening when I see it unfold how it actually happened. That is something I can never erase from the facets of my mind.
The tears slip from my eyes as I think about it. This is one of those times where I wish she was still here. Out of my siblings, I guess I was hit the most because I saw her get taken from me.
It's before first light, which I know what that means. I change out of my nightgown into the same thing I wore yesterday, though I put a few articles of clothing; as anything could happen.
I fasten my quiver of arrows to my body before I fit my copies of War of the Worlds and J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan into my provisions bag before strapping it across my body. I made sure to include my plants and berries book to share with the newcomers as the biology has been different for two hundred years thanks to the radiation. If they want to survive, they have to get to know the environment around them.
When I make sure I have everything in order, father comes into my room holding a wooden box. "I decided that before you go, that I should give you something," he says, handing me the box. "I thought that your mother would want you to have it."
I open the lid of the wooden box and there it is, the sea shell pendant that mother gave to me before she was taken from me. The turquoise shell still shines with its pearl lodged inside it.
I bring my hair around my shoulder and try the rope supporting the seashell before turning it so that it lay on my chest.
"I didn't give it to you because I wanted a piece of your mother near me," he says. "Also, I wanted to wait until you turned of age, as your mother would."
I go over to him and hug him. He returns the embrace, patting me on the back. "It's okay, Costia. It's okay."
"I know," I say firmly.
We separate and he looks at me like a general would look at his subjects. "I hope you have success on arriving to their camp."
"I will, father," I assure him.
When I leave the room, I see no sign of Bristol or Nigel. They probably won't notice my absence until when they wake up or they will probably watch me from afar.
Two people are loading a wagon as I leave the house with Anya watching them. Tris is feeding Athena, my palomino horse, when someone closes the top of entrance to the back of the wagon.
Anya looks at me and hands me a folder paper with the faded words Map of Virginia on it.
"The wagon contains animal hide, bowls, silverware, cups, two spare wheels, a tool kit, hunting bag, honey, and exported sea salt," says Anya as I unfold the map of the territory. "This will match with the story of going into Norbridge Trading Post/Farm. Allow them to use what you have in there."
"Yes, Anya," I say, remembering the cover story that they gave me. There are clan boundary lines between the Woods Clan and the Blue Cliff clan. In our territory, there is a black X with the words Sky People's camp and it's approximately twenty miles away from the danger zone which is Mount Weather and the radius around it. From the look of it, the camp is approximately four hours from Brighton Village, six hours from Norbridge Trading Post/Farm, and three hours from Hanover Village by walking. It might take me less then that by horse.
"Remember that they are to think that you are a civilian," says Anya. "It will be less difficult for you to do your task and safer that way."
"Because a civilian is less likely to get tortured for information then I soldier," I say, repeating what my father told me.
"Everything is packed and ready," I hear.
Anya offers her hand and I grasp the area before her shoulder before she pulls me into a hug. "I will see you soon," she says without a shred of doubt.
I part away from her, nod, and walk away before walking towards the wagon and opening the flap to deposit the bag in the wagon before walking to the bench at the front. As I sit down after setting my provisions bag beside me, I look at muslin curtains covering the view from my sister's room; only they are parted slightly as if someone has opened them a bit.
I knew they would watch me leave. I look at the window before mouthing, "Goodbye."
I shake the reins, beckoning Athena to move. She tugs the wagon forward and two guards hold the gates open to let us out. The early morning air feels a little nippy though not bad. When the month changes, the nights will get cold and the days nippy.
As she rides me towards our destination through the woods, I look at the map that Anya gave me. Four hours away from the village and six hours from the trading post/farm. I am uncomfortable about the fact that they are so close to the village but my worries could be unfounded.
Brighton Village is hard to find if one doesn't memorize the paths to it that don't lead to tripwire traps. Besides, the trading post/farm is obscure from sight as well.
The sun is hovering a few feet from the horizon when I feel one of the wheels smash over a rock.
Brilliant.
I stop the wagon and hop off the bench and walk to the left side of the wagon to assess the damage. The bottom half of the left back wheel is completely shattered. I have spares with me but it might take ten to twenty minutes to replace it.
"Stupid piece of wood!" I exclaim, hitting the side of the wagon with my booted toe. I grumble as I turn to the back of the wagon and unlatch the flap keeping the contents in place. I step inside to retrieve one of the wheels and the toolkit.
I am about to pick them up when I hear someone ask, "Is there anyone else here?"
It sounds like a boy in his late teens. His voice carries curiosity yet full of awe; like he didn't expect to see anyone else here except for the people he arrived with yesterday.
I leave the wagon, take out a arrow, place it along the bow string and come around the corner; pointing the arrow at the speaker. He's a dark skinned boy wearing blue jeans, a white shirt, and a blue jacket.
What's interesting is that he doesn't seem worried about the arrow pointed at him. It's like he's more surprised at the mere sight of me. Like he didn't expect to see anyone else on this planet.
"Are you armed?" I ask him.
"No," he says.
With that, I put down the bow and store the arrow back in the quiver. No need to intimidate him. "Decided to investigate?" I ask him.
"Well…it's just that…we were told the earth was uninhabited," he says. "That everyone died off."
I snort. "That is what we thought about you people up in space," I say. "Of course, we would both come to that conclusion."
It's like he doesn't know what to say until he offers his hand. "I'm Wells. Wells Jaha."
So, they still keep the tradition of surnames. I shake his hand and say, "Costia. Costia of the Woods Clan."
"Okay…" he says, still not knowing how to take in the situation. "What was the problem?"
"Well, I was on my way to the trading post/farm to trade animal fur for meat and eggs and my wagon hit a rock, shattering the bottom half of the wheel," I say, gesturing to the wagon.
"Do you have a spare?" he asks me.
"Two and a toolkit," I say. "I don't have something to steady it with."
"What about that rock over there," he says, pointing behind me. Next to a tree is a rock big enough for steadying it.
"It could work," I say with a nod. We both pick up the rock and I push it under the rock as we both use our hands to lift the wagon. "The supplies needed are in the back."
Wells turns to the back of the wagon and I unlatch the flap before going into the wagon to retrieve one of the spare wheels and the toolkit.
"Did you see the dropship descend from the sky yesterday?" he asks.
"No, but I have seen five people walking through the woods," I answer as I remove the broken wheel from the wagon. "Thanks to them the deer I was trying to hunt ran off. A valuable catch it would have been, since a deer with two heads is a rare find."
I position the spare to the socket and take out the nails.
"That was my former friend and four others," he says as I begin hammering the nail into the wood. "Is there any chance that you know how to get to Mount Weather?"
The edge of the nail cuts across my hand and I pull my hand back. A stabbing pain courses through my hand as I try to control the bleeding with a clean rag in the toolkit.
"Are you okay?" he asks, his voice full of concern.
"I'm fine," I say. "There is bag on the bench in front of the wagon. Get it for me."
It doesn't take long for him to retrieve my provisions bag. I open it with one hand before taking out the roll of bandages and a pouch of seaweed. I place the plant on a part of the roll, tear that section apart, and wrap them around the injured part of my hand.
I look up at Wells to see a horrified and baffled expression on his face and he's looking at my bandaged hand. Looking at it, I see that my fingers are smeared with my blood. He wouldn't have seen black blood before, since it only exists on the Earth and only in this part of the continent.
"Yeah, my blood is the color of night," I say, standing up. "You might as well get used to it."
"Hey, Chancellor!" I hear a male voice call out. His voice is deep, indicating that the speaker is a few years older than Wells and the tone is rather mocking.
Two boys are approaching. One has black curly hair, tan skin, and is wearing a blue shirt and black pants. The second boy is lighter skinned with short brown hair and the jacket over his shirt is distinctive with red spikes on one shoulder. The former is around my age while the latter is closer to Wells's age.
"There you are," says the first boy looking at Wells. "We don't want you attacked by radioactive –"
He and his companion stop in mid step, their eyes glued to me. The blood drains on their faces. The first boy is shaking his head while the second boy tilts his own and narrowing his eyes.
"Impossible," says the first boy, stepping towards me. "We were told that the Earth is uninhabited."
"Baffles me too," says the second boy. "It could be just the radiation messing with our brains but it's not. If there is a girl here, there might as well be others."
The first boy looks at me and asks, "What's your name?"
"Costia," I say.
"Bellamy Blake," he introduces, offering his hand. I lift my uninjured hand and shake his own. "What was the problem that caused Wells to investigate?"
"I was on my way to the trading post/farm to trade animal fur for meat and eggs and my wagon hit a rock, shattering the bottom half of the wheel," I repeat. "I was trying to replace the wheel when I hurt myself with a nail."
"Are you okay?" Bellamy asks me.
"I put a antibiotic seaweed on the bandage so, I should be," I answer.
The second boy seems to have regained his composure. "There is a reason they call DIY projects of that nature for boys only. I'm surprised you survived out here with no access with feminine care products."
I feel the blood reach my face. What did he just say?
"Murphy, finish what she started and fix the wagon," Bellamy says, pointing to the wheel that has yet to be attached.
Murphy looks at Bellamy. "You want me to…we arrived here yesterday and just came across the first human aside from those on the dropship."
"If she's the first human we saw, we shouldn't have to worry about the others," says Bellamy. "Like I said."
Wow. He just met me and assumed that others here are not hostile. Hopefully he doesn't make a mistake, because he'll be in for a surprise. There is a reason the other clans don't want to go to war with us but we're not as ruthless and warped as Azgeda. We're second to Azgeda when it comes to brutality.
Murphy glares at him before walking towards the wagon. Muttering to himself.
"Is there anything in that bag that's edible?" asks Wells.
I pick up my bag and hand it to him. "There are five pouches of dried fruit and a canister of nuts. Help yourselves."
Wells takes out one pouch before Bellamy takes the bag from him and retrieves the canister of nuts.
"Take it easy on the nuts," I tell him. "They didn't send any food down with you?"
Wells is the one who answers. "Actually, we were supposed to land at Mount Weather." He pops a dried apple slice into his mouth. "It is stocked with supplies for three hundred people that could last them for two years."
"I'm sorry but Mount Weather is a danger zone in this territory," I answer. I pull out my map and unfold the part showcasing the area. "This area in the shaded red circle is off limits. Pass the red line and you might as well be digging your own grave."
"Wait, so you're saying that there are radioactive monsters around?" asks Murphy. "Like Godzillas roaming the place?"
These kids most likely spent their time reading comics that don't adhere to the realities of nuclear radiation. Radiation can cause deformities and abnormalities in plants. Besides, what is inside Mount Weather is much worse then what this kid is hinting at. Worse as humans being monsters by mentality isn't something found in fantasy and science fiction.
So, I say: "The less you know what is inside the Mount Weather compound, the better."
We hear running footfalls, frantic breathing, and twigs snapping from a distance. I turn to see the source and four of the five people that I encountered from a distance yesterday come into view. The missing boy is the one I remember with the goggles over his head.
Hopefully it's not what I think it is.
"Good! They got Jasper and we need to –" the blonde girl stops shouting and she freezes in place as her eyes lock on mine.
Judging by the blood draining from her face, she and her group had a unpleasant encounter with my clan. And it's obvious that someone might get killed for disobeying the "no attack" policy.
Bellamy locks his eyes on the black haired girl in the group. The way she's holding herself, it's indicative that she's injured.
"Octavia!" he yells, coming to her. "What happened?"
"I'm okay, Bell," she says. I recognize that tone, as I have seen girls at the village trying to ward off their overprotective brothers. Yep, they're definitely siblings.
"She got bitten by a monster when she took a dip in the lake," says the boy with the shoulder-length hair.
I roll my eyes. What a bunch of idiots.
"If you are entering unfamiliar territory that has been changed by nuclear radiation for two centuries, one might want to proceed with caution," I say, throwing my hands in the air. "Even if the earth was uninhabited, you still should proceed with caution."
"She's got a point," says Wells.
"Her people have speared Jasper in the chest not too long ago," says the blonde girl, sending a dagger at my direction. "And who knows what they are doing to him."
"WHAT?!" I shout, feeling the blood reaching my face. "That was not supposed to happen. My Commander ordered us to stand down for the time being."
She is about to say something to me when she looks at Wells's hand. It looks fine, so I don't understand the concern.
"You're wristband," she says.
Murphy gets up and his lips form in a smirk. "Twenty-four and counting."
Analyzing them, I do notice that Wells, Bellamy, and Murphy are not wearing the wristbands while the other four are.
"Those wristbands inform the Ark that we're alive," says the blonde girl in indignation. "Take them off and they will think we're dying! That the planet is not survivable."
I roll my eyes. The planet is not survivable. Has the solar radiation affected their brains?
"If they come down, things will be the same as they have been, Princess," Bellamy tells her mockingly. "You and you're friend will have it good since you're among the privileged. And where will that leave the others?"
"Um, I know you want to have a heated discussion about social hierarchies but it's not the best time if your friend is hurt and most likely needs your aid," I say, raising my eyebrow and resting my hands on my hips.
