This mortal...he was either incredibly smart or incredibly stupid. I could only see him from his reflection which was bathed in bronze, and the back of his head which was cluttered with dark curls. His face was longer than most men I had seen, his eyes were almost black, if it weren't for his arms holding the shield uo, I couldn't be able to tell what skin his color was, it was dark, but by natural circumstance, and years of sun beating down on him. He had freckles dotting his shoulders. He seemed so different than most, it made me curious to how someone like him was under the Mountain and Jaspers employ. We walked along my meadow, the morning sky was gracing us with its colors, I took a deep breath as we continued to my forest. The scent of flowers filled my nose, my wreaths...all of my work. I stopped in my tracks to look back at the place I was hiding.

"What are you doing?" He asked. I was careful to not turn my head to him.

"Just...saying goodbye." I whispered. He stayed silent with me for the few seconds I took my last look.

"Ok...are you ready?" He asked.
"Yes." I responded. Our sandals crunched on the dirt path, my statues on display for no one. No one dared wander here unless they were truly desperate for a loved one, or to kill me of course. He was quiet...it was almost peaceful if I wasn't so strange. How did he know where to look? How to look at me without turning to stone? How did he speak to Jasper? The trees seemed to whisper to us as we trotted along the path, the forest got less and less dense as we continued on. I heard someone's footsteps rushing towards us, as did Bellamy. I held a hand to my wrap, prepared to remove it if anyone decided to ambush us, he unsheathed his sword from the holster.

"Bellamy!" A female voice called. More running noises, I closed my eyes and dropped my hand. It was a small girl, pale as the moon, with hair darker than night, it was frizzy from the brain I'd assumed she kept it in. Her dark eyes gazed over me slowly.

"No!" I cried, and turned my head. Hopefully it wasn't too late for her, her eyes had barely met mine, and they were covered by the veil. I dropped to the floor and covered myself. She was an innocent girl, she just wanted to help and I could have condemned her to her demise.

"She's ok, Maya, come face the shield." He said softly, as if he were speaking to a scared child. I glanced up a fraction, he was backing up to me, and reached behind as if to grab my hand. I took his and helped myself up, some tears escaped and flowed slowly down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I just…" I whispered. The girl was shaking slightly.

"It's ok, you've probably been through a lot with this curse." The girl said, I think Bellamy said her name was Maya. We walked to their camp in total silence, none of us dared speak to one another. Maya was clearly from the Mountain, her skin was too pale to be a peasant in some village, her clothes were reminiscent of that of a high servant in a palace, and her hair was long rather that short for field work. I took them both in curiously, Bellamy was a hard worker, it was evident in his stance, the color of his skin, the muscles in his arms and legs, yet his presence felt odd. Like he was different from the rest of the mortals I had been near before, something powerful came from him. Maybe from all of the years of work? Maybe he had been through a lot, probably more than I. The hike took quite a while, the birds were silent as they felt a predator in their midst. I think the two took notice of the silence, they kept glancing at each other and then at me in their shield.

"How much longer until we reach your camp?" I asked, Maya almost turned her head to me in response, but stalled before looking back to the shield.

"A few hours, we'll eat and rest for a bit before going back to the Grey Ones." She smiled. A sweet girl had made it out of the mountain, she hadn't lost hope, it was rare of her people to show empathy like this. Kindness in general was rare to me, from the beginning of my life, it was given in fractions. When my father helped Gaia escape Olympus, our family was shunned, ridiculed, and shamed by him. He only did what he felt was right and just. Then came me, the second disgrace to our name. The monster. The girl who had insulted Lexa so badly, she was turned into a creature so foul she turned those who gazed into her eyes to stone. I was feared by many, but not by the girl who had heard the rumors first. Maya was a rare find indeed. As the pale morning grew to a golden afternoon, the sun bore down on my wrapped head and covered face, it was beginning to get too warm under my dressings, sweat beaded on my forehead. My arms felt burnt, and my legs were beginning to feel like they were under water.

"Can we stop here for a while? I don't think I can do much further wrapped the way I am." I asked. Bellamy nodded and scouted out a small canopy we could all sit and rest under.

"We'll just set up here for now, continue on in a few hours. He said, propping the shield up against a tree. Bronze shields weren't always the best in battle, the metal was not strong enough unless backed up with something else. Bronze was only good when killing creatures...I wonder how he came upon such a shield. They built a fire, Bellamy left to go hunt for some food while Maya searched for roots and berries that graced the forest's edge, there seemed to be plenty near our rest spot. I could hear Bellamy rustling in the bushes trying to be sneaky.

"Yu baga gon Leksa ou na?" Maya asked in Trigedasleng. I shrugged my shoulders in response, until I realized she wasn't looking at me.

"Ai fig raun ai laik." I said softly. Maya's dark curls bounced as she nodded her head.

"Chomouda?"

"Ai din hod em in. Leksa ste pis hashta de." Maya laughed.

"She was never my favorite hayon, she's never done anything remarkable besides cause friction in Olympus. Jasper would tell me all of the time." Her words hit me hard. The friction was caused because of her unnatural obsession with ruining her handmaidens lives. Mine included. But something was off, Maya had asked such a forward question about Lexa...one that was only rumored. I had been punished by her because of some infraction I had committed. Not because she had hated me.

"How did...how did you know she hates me Maya?" I asked, standing up slowly, preparing myself to run. They weren't here to help me, they were sent by her to kill me. To cut my head and send it to the Mountain Men.

"Clarke?" I glanced at the shield Bellamy had left behind, the bronze one that he had used to look at me. It had an owl on it, and an olive branch embroidered to the leather arm strap. Lexa's creations. The sword was missing.

"Stay away from me." I hissed, the venom filled my mouth as my fangs ripped through my gums. Maya straightened her back, she was scared. The scent of carnations filled the air, not from my garden...we were too far from it. It was her fear radiating off of her, somehow I could smell it.

"You two are liars." Scales began forming, the claws were out before I could will them back. My skin was slick with poison. I began stalking towards her, circling her like she was prey. Because I was the predator. The heaviness I always felt in my chest only grew, it stung as it got heavier with each step I took near Maya.

"Clarke...we haven't lied to you." Maya whimpered. Her eyes looked at the ground below as I focused on her.

"Give me one reason to believe you. You have her weapons. You both are working for her, she wants me dead." I snarled. Maya began crying softly. I reached out and flicked one of her curls with my claw.

"I promise we aren't here for her. We want to help." She whispered. Rustling behind me, made me pause for just a moment. Bellamy was close by, I could sense him and his anxiety. His pheromones smelt of Hyacinth flowers. He stalked me while staying concealed behind the shrubs and trees.

"Leave her alone Wanheda." He growled. How dare he use that cursed name!

"Do not call me that." I hissed.

"Do you think for one second we would try and lie to you, you could kill us with one look. But if you do that...none of us will be free."

"Why do you have weapons from Lexa." I demanded.

"Retract the claws and we can talk calmly." I felt the anger and anxiety evaporate, the claws went back into my nail beds, scales slithered back under my skin, and the poison retracted itself. I kept my guard up as he walked around not looking at me, he picked his shield up and walked backwards, Maya stood and rushed to his side.

"Chil au. Emo nou na frag yu op." He whispered into her ear. At that moment I felt awful for what I had done, the monster came out again, and I had zero control over it. This girl who had already seen her fair share of trauma and death and I...I threatened her life. I toyed with her fear because the monster inside of me enjoyed it.

"I'm...I'm so sorry." I whispered. My eyes burned with tears I was holding back.

"It's ok Clarke. You were scared and lashed out. I know a thing or two about that." She said, glancing at Bellamy.

"She gave these to us and told us to kill you. I accepted the weapons because I thought we could use them should we come upon a monster. I'm on Jaspers side. I'm on your side." Bellamy said.

"But you're on your own side." I said softly. Looking at the ground, the dirt was dark and coarse, my feet were worn down and dirtied from travel. As were theirs. They'd traveled for days to get to me, and were going to travel far longer to help me.

"We just want our freedom. And I know you do too Clarke." Finally, I met his gaze, something in it was so sincere it make the heaviness in my chest lift for just a moment.