There is graphic violence scenes in this one, so please be cautious about reading.
CHAPTER 21
…
The world has been painted white overnight. From the pick of the highest mountains to the grass on the ground, a faint layer of snow covers every corner of the otherwise green woods of Trikru lands. Winter is comfortably settled and one wouldn't know that it's just barely beginning.
A large clearing expands on the skirts of one of the smallest mountains closest to the river, the stream of water the only living thing that breaks the silence in the early morning. Tall, proud trees stand to the west and north of the clearing, snow covered leaves fluttering small flakes into the air as the wind picks up and then settles down again. Across the river, two cages sit still, set barely on the other side of the wide trucks.
Inside one of the cages, the Ice Princess shivers and grips the iron bars as she focuses on her surroundings instead of the prickling cold that makes her bones ache and twist. On the cage a few feet away from hers Ontari pulls at the iron bars, hoping that they'll give or maybe just trying to keep her mind away from the fact that they're sitting in the snow without their coats or gloves, exposed to the freezing weather like animals left to die.
…
The sudden sense of relief at seeing her most valued asset come back is short lived. Lein has arrived atop a lone horse, unconscious and battered, carrying a letter that offers mercy on a little bag tied close to her chest.
Nia ignores the letter for a while, happy to let her anger grow and consume her whole by sitting close to Lein's bed and watch the damage that's been done. Her little girl has been patched up, only kept alive to deliver this message.
Lexa is giving her the opportunity to retreat her forces, send them back to the Ice Nation where they'll wait for her decision and only asks for her head to answer for the Elders' murder and Wanheda's kidnap. So weak, so foolish. Whoever thought this goufa could lead them all? Whoever believed that she is worthy the vessel?
Merciful and peaceful Heda, putting her people above all else once again, asking only for Nia's life in return, hoping to spare the Ice Nation army as a whole. Asking and hoping.
Laughing, she steps out of the hut they've prepared for Lein and holds the letter in a tight grip above her head. Her warriors are hungry for blood and Lexa is a child in love.
"Lexa asks us to surrender." She mocks and laughter bubbles up quickly among her men. "She asks us to return to the Ice Nation and hide behind our walls while she sits on her throne and decides our fate."
Angry roars rise up, her warriors are loyal and proud, and they won't back down from this fight. Lexa's offer will only serve to insult them. Nia needs them angry, she needs them willing and hateful. There is no going back, there is no forgiveness for what she's already done and though her plans fell through, she always knew that she wouldn't be able to stop. So she won't.
"Lexa asks us to run like cowards and kneel before her, beg for our lives and pay with our pride." She doesn't even need to win this war, she just needs to take two lives and the rest will fall rightfully in place. "Pride she doesn't know the meaning of." Her voice takes on a vicious tone. "Pride she gave up when she let us have her precious lover's head without retaliation."
A few cruel snickers join her malicious chuckle as she burns the letter that communicates clearly how she could be the only one who dies today and burns to ashes the true nature of her actions.
"Let us make our futures brighter!" Her voice -loud and ringing- is met with the slash of swords being pulled out of their holsters after hers. A silent promise to follow her until the end. "Let us make our lands prosperous again. Let us make this world great again! Let us kill the coward who can't defend herself, much less a whole nation. Let us show them where the crown truly belongs. Let us win this war!"
…
Much like the Commander, Skaifaya stands immobile with his eyes focused on the North, watching as the Azgeda Army marches towards them. It's a large army but not larger than the Twelve Clans' armies together. Lexa knows to not underestimate the Azgeda warriors though.
To her right, Clarke caresses the mane of Sky's neck and pushes a button of a device meant to send a signal to announce the arrival of the Azgeda army. Behind them a few Skai guards stand nervously gripping their guns and looking like they'd rather be anywhere else than in the middle of war. They'd never know how much she sympathizes with the feeling.
The device on Clarke's hand beeps two times, the warriors behind the trees to the east confirming their signal and ready to fight. The three beeps announcing the confirmation of the Skaikru behind the cages and across the river comes a few moments later.
When the Azgeda Gonakru steps into the clearing and the cages enter their line of vision, they come to a halt at once. Nia is not riding a horse but rather she's being carried inside of a small carriage that remains in the back of her lines. And Lexa can't understand how so many capable warriors accept to fight and die for a woman who is not willing to fight and die for them.
The Ice Queen exits her white carriage when she's put down with utmost care and her eyes lock instantly with Lexa's on top of the hill. The Queen doesn't even wear armor and silently, Lexa vows to not let that woman near a position of power ever again.
"I trust you received my letter." Lexa speaks, her voice carrying out without a problem thanks to the vast silence that threatens to swallow them all.
"Azgeda is not made of cowards!" Nia spits out and she's not the only one glaring. Lexa notices the implanted hate in the Ice warriors directed at her and her heart aches because like their Queen, they too believe the words that leave her mouth with an unbreakable conviction.
"Then we shall let the iron decide." Lexa announces.
"I offer you the same thing, Lexa." Nia unscrupulously says and Lexa has to hold back the incredulous look she wants to give the older woman. "I want only Wanheda's head after all."
With Nia's eyes straying towards Clarke, Lexa is unable to hide her anger and the smirk on Nia's lips when she looks back at her is enough to make her want to borrow a gun from the man to her left and shoot the Queen at once. But unlike the older woman, Lexa won't win this fight with treacheries.
But then Clarke's soft, mocking laughter reaches her ears and when their eyes meet, Lexa knows that this is just another trick. Nia wants you to think this is personal. As always, Clarke is one step ahead of her.
"You already tried to take it and you failed." She reminds the Queen instead, absorbing all the confidence she can from her love, and if she can't hide the small smirk on her lips, she doesn't regret it because Nia looks positively seething and suddenly the tables are turned. "Like I said." She continues immediately. "We shall let the iron decide. Unless you wish to show us all how powerful you truly are."
Nia's eyes widen comically now but Lexa is not done. "Your daughter and the assassin you sent to Polis are in the cages across the river." The Azgeda warriors grow loud at hearing her words, upset that their Princess is a prisoner but Nia's eyes don't stray even once towards the direction of the cages. "Take them. If you can."
"Careful now, Lexa." Nia warns, teeth showing in a snarl, obviously knowing what Lexa is referring to. "This wouldn't be fair at all if I were to show you the real me."
Lexa smirks, her eyes never leaving those of her long time enemy. How noble that Nia chooses to show fair in battle. An honorable treat in the eyes of her warriors indeed.
"What's the matter?" Clarke intervenes. "It's a small river, not too wide or deep. Someone as powerful as you won't have any trouble with walking right through it."
…
Despite knowing that a trap is awaiting for her, Nia sends only one of her warriors to the river, if only to satiate her curiosity as well. The young man doesn't hesitate in obeying her order and it takes a while for him to cross the clearing before a single Skai girl walks out from behind the trees and stands on the other side of the river and waits.
He stops looking for a gun on the girl but when he sees none he breaks into a run, his feet splashing in the water, and Harper pulls out a stun stick and lights it up before touching the water with its tip calmly. The electricity vibrates down the water aggressively and the man standing in the middle of the river shakes violently before dropping unconscious.
"What sorcery is this?!" Nia demands to know, fear written clearly on her face as silence overtakes her army.
"No sorcery at all." Lexa replies steadily, though her hands grip the ropes of her horse tighter in preparation. "Tek that the Skaikru provides for the Coalition now."
Her warriors look at the water in apprehension now, none wanting to suffer the same fate as their brother. The anger though, can almost be touched.
"But you are more powerful than all of us, are you not?" Lexa taunts, firm in her wish to make the Ice warriors open her eyes once and for all. "Cross the river by yourself and show us all how strong you really are. Your daughter awaits for you."
Angered and internally humiliated, Nia doesn't answer back but instead gives the order to attack.
…
The Azgeda army charges forward and the armies of the Clans do as well. The lines of archers quickly take aim towards the hill, barely giving Lexa and Clarke any time to back away before arrows fly and penetrate the ground they were just standing on.
"Go back." Lexa orders the Skai guards and they run down to cross the river and join their Clan. But Clarke stays back for a moment longer, her eyes pleading as she looks at Lexa and Sky grows uneasy.
"I'll come for you." Lexa promises, Skaifaya too nervous to stand still and circling around Clarke.
"Now, go!"
They don't say goodbye, they don't wish each other good luck. They are not dying today.
Lexa stays until Clarke crosses the river and dismounts Sky, and she's sees how she's immediately handed a gun which she confidently takes. Their eyes meet across the distance and Lexa nods, knowing well that the Skaikru won't be using their guns until it's absolutely necessary to defend themselves in case the Azgeda try to cross the river again. The bullets can catch anyone in the chaos of a fight, Clarke had explained and she digs her hills on Skaifaya's sides.
…
She's not on the front lines but it doesn't take her long before she's riding into the heart of the battle. The smell of blood already perpetuates the air, making her nostrils flare and her stomach to twitch uncomfortably inside. Jumping down from her horse she comes face to face with a young woman, Azgeda, who dives into a series of attacks with her long spear as soon as she sees Lexa. The sharp tip of the spear catches the side of her armor and Lexa swings one blow on the woman's neck, effectively killing her.
Fights unravel everywhere around her, blood of battles she's not fighting splashes on her hair and back, wild sharp iron flies through her eyes wherever she looks. Riders pass by her on their horses so rapidly and the only thing she can do is raise her sword higher to protect herself if an attack comes her way.
It's absolute chaos, all lines have been broken and everyone fights with one thought alone in their heads, survive.
Her feet steady on the ground the Commander turns at all different directions, somehow lost among all the fighting that surrounds her. Spears rip through armor as if it were made of paper, swords break in half and shields fall the ground. Hammers the size of a horse's head swing so closely to her chest that she almost misses it before it finds its target and slams on the side of a warrior's cheek.
Half of the Azgeda army remains behind, protecting their Queen and by her orders, four of the armies on her command remain behind the trees as well. They will not be fighting unless it's absolutely necessary.
Blood from a close fight splashes on her face in time for a man to come surging towards her, but Lexa's stoicism prevails and she pushes forward as well, clashing her sword with his and rounding on her place to connect her elbow in his eye quickly before impaling her sword on his neck from side to side.
She shudders as his eyes roll back but a scream from a close enemy has her on high alert and she rolls on the ground just as a new opponent strikes. Her sword forgotten, Lexa picks the first thing she sees from the ground, not noticing that is a simple stick as the woman quickly invades her. The stick breaks in half as soon as the sword touches it and Lexa is thankfully fast enough to move her head to the side before the blade fastens to the ground.
Without a second to spare, Lexa wraps her legs around the woman's torso and rolls them over, and using the broken piece of stick she pierces through the woman's neck with gritted teeth and trying to ignore the suckling sickening sound of the woman gargling on her own blood.
But this fight is only just beginning and she doesn't have time to think about anything before she's jumping on her feet and avoiding getting a spear right through her chest. This boy is much younger than she is, though his hand shows just how familiar he is with the weapon on his hold. The glint in his eyes tells Lexa what she already knows, that Nia offered a great reward to whoever kills her on the battlefield.
Grunts, screams and the sound of skin being ripped apart fill her ears, but she doesn't step back as he circles her, stalking her to see if there is a weakness that he can play on his favor. Without a weapon on her hands, Lexa waits until he makes the first move and when he does, he's not half as clever as he thinks he is. She is Heda for a reason and they will all do well to remember it.
His posture reveals his intention early and Lexa jumps back just in time for his spear to hit the ground close to her feet. With a kick she breaks the spear in two and his mild shock gives her enough time to retrieve a fallen sword from the ground and rip through the armor of his chest and all the way through him. He grips her arms as blood floods from his wound, his nails digging on her skin as he spits more blood.
Pain like she hasn't felt before suddenly rips through her back and she falls forward, taking the boy with her and sticking her sword deeper inside of his chest. She just manages to roll away from him when a hammer connects with his chest, sending the sword she put there all the way through him and into the ground beneath him, killing him instantly.
The man in particular isn't large, nor does he look too strong but the hammer on his hands is surely a thing that makes up for that and more, though it's not made of iron but wood instead. He comes at her with a loud scream, his hammer hitting the ground she was at a second ago and sending snow splashing all over them both. In her rush to get away from his next blow she comes face to face with Leo, whose skin is painted red but she doesn't have the time to figure it out if it's his own blood or not because the man is on her too quickly and Leo is blocking an assault with his sword from his left. The hammer almost hits her on the face but she's not fast enough to avoid the hit all together and the side of it grazes her arm from the shoulder down to her elbow.
Hissing in pain, she lets out a scream of her own and charges forward. She punches him on the nose, the cracking sound of his bone breaking giving her a boost of energy as she launches forward and takes the sword strapped to his hip before swinging it forward with all her force. The man lets out a shattering scream as his hand, still gripping the handle of the hammer falls to the ground, detached of his body. The rain of blood that flows from having his hand cut out makes him pass out almost immediately and Lexa moves on to the next opponent.
…
Leo is nowhere to be seen and Lexa feels as if she's been fighting forever. The count though, she keeps it quite clear in her head.
She slashes the neck of number fifty seven when a foot connect with her chest, sending her flying backwards and hitting the ground a breathless mess. She feels exhausted, her limbs are heavy but she's far from giving up.
Her attacker kicks away her sword and kicks her chest again when she tries to go for it. This time she coughs and feels as if she's suffocating as the man, easily twice her size, sits on top of her and punches her on the cheek.
The metallic taste of blood erupts inside of her mouth as she tries to push him off but he's not budging, and he's too big for her to just get him off of her. The scars on his face seem to be bleeding fresh blood and she is barely able to handle his fists without exhausting herself, but there are no weapons close to her and when he pulls out his sword she begins to panic.
She stops the first blow of his blade with her vambrace but the more she covers herself the more savage his hits becomes and she knows the armor will give in soon.
Her heartbeat is so wild she can feel it in her ears, she is barely conscious of everything that's happening just a few feet away from her because she doesn't have the slightest idea of how to get out of this alive and Clarke is waiting for her. And she promised, she promised to not leave her alone.
Finally, in her desperation, she wraps her arms around his big head and brings him down with sheer force close enough to sink her teeth on the side of his neck where she knows he'll bleed the most. The sword slips from his hand as he tries to tampon the wound urgently and Lexa spits out the chunk of his neck with disgust. She feels like she could vomit at any moment but the man is quickly losing consciousness on top of her and soon she finds herself trapped under his massive body, feeling his blood soak her clothes and hair.
This time she knows that the blood drying on her face is partly hers and the pain hits her unexpectedly. Her face throbs and her arm screams in agony but pain is the last of her problems right now.
The fast approach of running feet has her looking backwards and she grabs the first thing she touches to halt the attack of two swords coming down on her face. She only realizes that she's grabbed the dead man's arm to cover her face when his warm blood washes over her and the new adversary beings to struggle to get his swords back. Grunting and struggling herself, Lexa reaches down to her boot and grips the handle of her knife before sticking it in his groin.
His blood also splashes on her face as she twists the knife and pushes it even further up. He shrieks his torment but Lexa is far from stopping. She pulls her knife out, crying out as his blood enters her mouth and stabs him on the stomach, over and over again.
He falls forward on top of the man already trapping her down and breathing becomes hard as they push down on her stomach and chest. She doesn't know how long she's underneath their dead bodies but when she comes out, the chaos seem to have multiply several times.
…
When she finds her footing the first thought to cross her mind is that she's thankful that Clarke is on the other side of the river and away from this massacre.
The Azgeda Gonakru are true to their reputation of being brutal and severe, but they're also so messy that Lexa instantly despises their approach. It's also considerably less crowded now, more dead bodies than alive, the snow has completely disappeared from the grass under their feet and has been replaced by mud and blood.
She arms herself with two fallen swords and defends herself hastily. The Azgeda warriors seem to forget that there are other targets beside Heda around them and their eagerness to kill her cost too many their lives. But the Azgeda aren't the only ones eager, the warriors fighting on her side are even more ferocious as they fight to protect her and fight by her side.
The galloping of horses has them on sudden alert and she really shouldn't be surprised that Nia has been keeping these riders back to gain ground on them after fighting for so long, but she kind of is.
Myra is by her side now, shield close to her chin and sword dripping blood of their enemies. Lexa tries to look for Leo but he's nowhere close and the horses are closing in on them quickly. She sees many of her own on the ground before she takes her knife and throws it straight into the eye of one of the horses at least thirty feet away.
With the beast swirling down to the floor, it takes at least three other horses with him, giving Lexa and Myra the necessary vantage to slay their riders. The riders go left and right though, killing everyone they have a reach on and Lexa has to jump out of the way too many times to avoid being ridden over to her death.
She throws one of her swords to a different rider, effectively sending him to the ground and she slashes through the legs of two other horses to bring down their passengers.
…
When she puts another horse out of his misery, Lexa looks up to find that they're approaching Nia quickly. It can't be more than a hundred Azgeda warriors left standing around their Queen now and even fewer fighting around them.
Now that she can focus on another sound beside her own heartbeat, the Commander notices that the clashes of swords are coming to an end and the only sound left behind is the anguish of the wounded as they lie on the snowy grass. It's been hours, the late afternoon darkness quickly approaching.
During the fight, Nia has been pushed against the mountain and now she finds herself surrounded as the last of her soldiers on the battlefield fall down one by one.
Behind Lexa, the armies of her Coalition left untouched walk out of the shadows to show themselves to the cornered Queen, who still looks far from surrendering and only seems to be getting exactly what she wants though it's clear that the fight is won.
"It's over." Lexa declares but the Ice Queen merely smirks back.
"It's over when I say it is!"
A man is pushed forward from behind Nia's horse, her carriage left forgotten, and Lexa doesn't even know recognize the man until she takes a closer look at his battered face and everything falls into place.
The last Mountain Man. Emerson. The one who offered Lexa the deal that almost cost her Clarke. He's the one who built the bomb that killed the Elders. But if Nia thinks that he's an offer she'd accept she's clearly mistaken.
"You wanted the responsible for the attack on the Temple? There you have it." Nia relents but Lexa is far from falling on her traps.
"Is this your surrender?" She asks instead.
"Never." The Queen hisses back.
Lexa bobs her head, expecting the answer and gives the order to take Emerson away. When she finds herself backed up by so many of her own she can't understand how Nia can still refuse to accept her offer. She truly has no consideration for her own people, the people who is giving their lives for her even now.
Leo stands right behind her, a hand holding onto his side as he grimaces and breathes fast. Margot is next to him and besides looking tired, Lexa is glad to see her standing upright and seemingly well. Octavia, Lincoln and so many more known faces stand loyally behind her, all tired and fatigued but steady in their resolve.
If things were different and Lexa was the one being cornered, she wouldn't doubt in taking any deals if it meant saving the lives of the people standing with her. She wouldn't even consider her own pride, or her own worth. Their lives would be exchange enough for her own. And Nia doesn't even care that they have her daughter in a cage.
"All of you have a choice." Lexa addresses the remaining Azgeda warriors. "Fight and die for a Queen that has lied to you all your lives, a fake witch, a coward who couldn't even find the strength to fight with you today; or you can swear loyalty to your Commander and live peaceful until your fights are over."
"Em pleni!" Nia yells, dismounting her horse and rushing forward. "The only fake one here is Wanheda!"
"Fake how, exactly?" A voice asks and Lexa turns to see that the Skaikru has crossed the river to join the other armies and Clarke stands close to her now.
"I see you received my gift." Nia's smile threatens to split her face in half as she touches her forehead to indicate what's she's referring to and Lexa grits her teeth in anger, though not only for Clarke and what was done to her but for this woman as well. Not once has Nia asked about her daughter, her son or Ontari, who seemed to have so much faith in her Queen. Nia simply doesn't care and she finds it difficult to comprehend how such a despicable human can incite so much loyalty.
"And now you'll receive mine." Clarke assures her but before Lexa can ask what she means by that, the Azgeda warriors go on the offensive against them. More specifically, all of them seem to be coming straight for Clarke.
None makes it too far. Warriors from every Clan jump at the defense of Clarke and it doesn't make any sense, Lexa finds no reason in this attack but she fights and protects Clarke at all costs until it's over once more.
And then Nia is standing alone, her smile still not a defeated one. "Look around you, Lexa." The Queen spreads her arms as Lexa's heartbeat picks up. She reaches out for Clarke's hand and pulls her close, something is wrong. She takes a step back and pulls Clarke harder, until the blond is standing behind her.
"This is your legacy. Death."
"You did this. Not me." Lexa finds herself speaking and it only takes Nia stepping forward for Lexa to realize what's about to happen.
Time seems to slow down as she picks up on what Nia was planning to do and she doesn't think twice before taking her knife out and throwing it straight into the Queen's arm but she still presses the detonator in her hand and the carriage she came in still explodes.
…
Em pleni = Enough