The rain continued and soaked Clarke's coat. The clouds above thundered as she watched as Bellamy was led to stand before them. He was standing tall and proud. He had been given a task, he would do it or die trying. Clarke could see it written on his face. She gave him the slightest smile before Wanheda wiped it from her face completely. Clarke stepped forward after getting a nod from Lexa. She straightened her posture and raised her chin with authority.
She took a deep breath and eyed the boy in front her, "People of Arkadia, we gather on this morning to bear witness to justice. Bellamy Blake of SkaiKru, you have committed an offense to the Ambassador of your clan, you spoke out of turn to our Heda, you dishonoured yourself." Clarke looked around and eyed the crowd around them as if daring them to speak. "Your crimes are punishable by death!" She let it linger in the air. She saw horror splash across their faces even in the rain.
Yes, even Bellamy Blake was bound by the rules of this world.
Bellamy understood this was his moment to bow and beg for his life. He knelt swiftly into the mud and rain, keeping his shoulders strong but bending his head forward. His hair clung to his head with the rain. His voice when he spoke was strong and determined, "I offer my apologies and admission of guilt. I offer no excuses. I offer my fealty willingly in hopes that you accept my life and my weapon as price for my crimes in servitude to Wanheda and Heda."
Clarke took a deep breath as she saw both SkaiKru and TriKru take in the moment. She saw lots of hard swallows and shifting eyes with nerves. Even through the wall of rain it was all evident to her.
This was the selling point. This was their defining moment in their performance not only for her authority but also for their plan to work and word to spread of his banishment. It was obvious to their people that Kane was present but had no part in the proceedings. His face was stone as he stood among them. His lack of participation alone spoke immensely to SkaiKru:
Even the chancellor was under Wanheda's rule.
Their people needed to see her reject Bellamy's off of life and servitude; they needed to know the new realms of rule they were entering. They needed to see this to deal with what would definitely come later. They needed to see Clarke as Wanheda and the unequivocal leader to SkaiKru.
Clarke knew very well now that she would have them - as Lexa said they always could - pour their hopes and dreams into her and have them fight and die for her. She accepted it now. She had the strength and courage to bear that for them now. There was no running away later to the woods alone. She had her safe harbour standing right beside her on her right. She could feel her love and support within her.
Bellamy remained quiet waiting for her to continue. "I reject your fealty," Clarke words echoed into the morning before a crack of thunder and lightning made everyone but her and Lexa jump slightly. The blonde and the brunette remained as stoic as ever beside each other. Lexa spoke, "I reject your fealty."
Clarke took a beat to compose herself and let the murmurs amongst the crowd simmer. She raised her hand to silence them all just as she watched Lexa do so many times before.
"I as Wanheda offer you a fate I feel is worse than death," her voice was strong and she kept eyeing their people through the downpour. She then looked to Bellamy, "Instead of granting you death on the tree I offer you life. Alone. I offer you banishment." Again she let her words linger and sink in. "Bellamy Blake, I hereby banish you from our lands in Arkadia. I release you from SkaiKru. You are a man with no people." Silence filled the crowd as the rain pelted with more force.
She watched the boy wince at her words but remain strong on his knees.
"Bellamy Blake, I banish you from the nine lands of the coalition on pain of death," Lexa spoke to the crowd and deafening silence despite the rain.
Clarke took a breath and nodded to Octavia.
She saw the brunette take a deep breath underneath her war paint as she sat her jaw and stepped forward.
Octavia gave him no hesitation; she let her knee crack him in the jaw sending him off his knees and onto his back. He landed with a thick slap in the now growing mud. The crowd backed off giving them room. Bellamy got to his feet and Octavia struck him again in the face. As soon as she landed the swing she struck the other side of his face with her left gashing him above the eyebrow. He steadied himself and took another two shots to his side before her elbow collided with his nose breaking it in a loud crunch. Blood began to pour as he tried to defend himself now. Clarke could see his anger and natural drive to defend himself take over.
He swung and missed as his sister dodged to the right giving him a hard elbow to his ribs on his way by in the momentum. You could hear the gasp as it knocked the wind from his lung. He rounded and swung again, she blocked with her forearm before jabbing him in the throat with her left. Again, he gasped and choked for air as another right hook collided with his jaw. Clarke watched a tooth fly from his mouth as if in slow motion. When she looked back to the fighting pair she saw Bellamy swing his right leg along the ground and trip Octavia. She rolled in the mud and quickly popped back up as Bellamy spit the blood from his mouth. Clarke saw pain and tears in his eyes through the rain as he rushed the warrior.
She ran towards him, tucking her body in low and tackling him into the mud knocking the air from his lungs again. They slid in the mud in the momentum before slicking to a stop. Clarke saw Octavia's chest heaving as she straddled her brother and swung her first again to his face. Clarke could tell she was crying through the rain. Still, she hit him again, again and again. She swung again and he finally dodged the fist, grabbing her wrist, pulling her off balance and shoving her face in the mud. He shoved her off of him and tried to wipe his face as regained his footing. Octavia wiped the muck from her face as she stood up. The muddy smear and war paint somehow only made her look fiercer, more ruthless, and more deadly.
Bellamy swung a fist and caught her cheek before landed a hard uppercut to her gut. Octavia absorbed the hits in grunts of pain and spit the blood out as she rushed her brother. She pulled his shoulders forward and kneed him in the stomach before colliding another elbow to his jaw. He grunted as she growled and shoved him back to create distance before taking her right foot and crashing it into his head.
To Clarke's surprise he remained on his feet but he was clearly dazed, he took a sloppy swing missing completely. His sister took the opportunity to swing another kick into his gut before countering it with another left hook to his face. Blood went flying as another cut opened on his face, he fell to the mud in pain and defeat. She slowly made her way over to him breathing heavily leaving white smoke in her trail. It was like a beast stalking it's prey and Raven will later say it was sexy as fuck.
The crowd was still, the rain was cold and Clarke felt numb. Octavia looked down at her bloody and beaten brother, she looked to Clarke who nodded slightly signalling to end it.
Octavia spoke just quiet enough that Clarke, Lexa and Bellamy heard, "May we meet again." With that she swung her foot cracking him in the face and knocking him unconscious.
There was a roar from TriKru members into the rain. There was silence and shock from SkaiKru.
"Get him out of our lands," Clarke said as she turned to her people once more. "Let this serve as a warning to all of you," she turned and walked away. Octavia, Raven and Lexa followed when Lexa directed Lincoln to take Bellamy to the borderlands.
He nodded and took off with Ryder and Bellamy's limp body.
The four women ignored the concerned looks from Kane and Abby; they walked in silence through the rain straight out of Arkadia and to Lexa's tent. She called for towels, wine and food to be brought as the girls tried to dry off from the rain. No one spoke for a long time as the events sunk in. Clarke watched as Octavia downed a big cup of wine and grimaced as she did so. She watched Raven begin to tend to her face and small cuts from her fight.
Clarke sat quietly beside Lexa at the war table. They both sipped their wine in silence. Clarke could feel Lexa's concern as her eyes scanned her face. Clarke finally sighed and met her gaze, "I'm okay," she assured her. And she was on some level.
She watched Lexa's eyes adjust slightly searching for the lie.
Clarke rolled her eyes, and relented. "I am okay as I am going to be with this," she admitted.
Lexa's lip twitched slightly, "Okay, Clarke." She left it at that.
Clarke was grateful, she didn't want to go over the 'what if's any more and question her choice with Bellamy. She turned to Octavia, "You okay O?"
The girl just downed her second cup of wine. "I am as okay as I am going to be with this," she repeated Clarke's own words to her with a light smirk.
Clarke understood. They were all on the same page.
The same shitty page: What happened this morning had to be done. It was the bad choice or a worse choice. It wasn't really a decision at all. Their option had always been, since Clarke suggested it, to stave of death this morning. Sure he lost his people and his home, but he was given a task to redeem himself, and like the warrior he is he accepted it. If he lived, they will welcome him back. She tried to ignore the fact that it was a very large 'if'.
~~L~~
They all deserved an award for their performances that morning.
All except Lexa, she was fine with everything that occurred except for how it clung to Clarke's emotions. Being who she is she is used to hiding her torment and pain, but not to Clarke. Never to Clarke. The blonde saw all of it and it was taking everything in Lexa to hide it from her right now because the pain in her eyes was the pain she was feeling for Clarke. It was unfair to add that burden on the blonde. Maybe that is her performance for the day, once again protecting Clarke.
That afternoon, long after Octavia and Raven had left their tent Lexa and Clarke received word from one of their search parties. The TriKru parties were still out in the wilderness because they could survive out there. The SkaiKru parties came back every twelve hours much to her displeasure. That was hardly enough time in her opinion to properly gain any traction in a search.
"Clarke, I wish to discuss something," she said bringing Clarke out of one of her drawings. The blonde put down her charcoal to give Lexa her full attention and beautiful smile. "I want to split our search parties, I want TriKru and SkaiKru going out together in two's and three's."
Clarke furrowed her brow, "Why?"
"Well aside from the fact that it will help grow their bonds to each other, I have to point out that you people's searches are…not accomplishing much."
"Your people haven't come back with any news either," the blonde countered.
Lexa smiled at her, "That is not exactly what I meant. I meant if they pair up together my people can teach them to track, keep them alive in the wilderness as well to prolong the searches. Twelve hours is not enough time to get distance from here without having to turn around and come right back." She was careful to make sure her tone was light and not scolding.
She watched the blonde consider this before sighing, "When you're right, you're right."
Lexa chuckled softly, "I'll see that it's done." She took off out of the tent to find Indra and pass their orders along. When she returned to the tent she found Clarke back at her drawing. Lexa grabbed her book and went to the bed. This was a habit and normalcy they found in their relationship. They enjoyed the other's presence and company even in silence and immersed in their own activities. Every once in a while they would catch each other watching and smile before returning to their tasks. She loved it, she loved how she felt whenever they had their quiet moments.
Not long after Clarke had put her art away and joined Lexa on the bed. She kept reading while Clarke gently wiped the war paint from her face before tending to her own. She finished with soft kisses to Lexa's cheek and neck before she settled in beside her on top of the furs. The warmth between their two bodies filling them up once more and easing the harsh reality of the day. She felt the blonde's head move on to her chest listening to her heart before her breathing slowed and Lexa knew she was asleep. Lexa put her book down and turned her body to better hold on to Clarke. She ran her hands softly along her back and side as she heard and felt a soft sigh in relaxation leave Clarke. Not long after Lexa too, fell asleep.
That evening they packed for their trip to Polis. They readied their gear for an early morning departure before bundling up and heading out of the tent.
They found Raven and Octavia, who they ate with once more around a roaring fire. The rain had long stopped and the ground was freezing beneath their feet as the night went on. Clarke and Lexa finished their meals and met Abby in Kane to say goodbye. Each group had a radio and set times on when to contact to keep informed on either end. Lexa knew Clarke did not wish to leave Arkadia with one of their members still missing, but they had no choice. They needed to be in Polis for the ambassador's arrival. They needed to arrive beforehand so they were better informed on the situation in Polis and in the coalition's clans.
When she did offer for Clarke to remain behind for news on Jasper Lexa was nearly knocked over as a pillow collided with her head. She took that as the end of the discussion when she saw the unimpressed look on Clarke's face that went along with it.
