Hey, you. Yes, YOU! You look really good today :) keep up the good work *heart*
Chapter 22: Heart Eyes
Murphys P.O.V (7:15pm)
Raven Reyes. Possibly the last girl I ever thought I would fall in love with. But looking at her now, with her long hair flowing all around her face, a few strands of it covering her left eye. Her gorgeous brown eyes staring at me. Her luscious lips forming a small smile at one corner, assuring me everything will be just fine. I couldn't wait to kiss those lips again. I just wish this moment was under different circumstances and she wasn't being held hostage by a bunch of ooga ooga people who have a boner for Clarke.
Shit... I still have to tell her about what Wells said in my… coma? Dream? I have no idea what it was but it was fucked up.
I snapped out of my trance when I heard Trevor say, "Is this one of those things where you want to kill these guys to gain their strength?".
"Well, it was. But now I think I should finish what Lexa should have and kill you!" Roan said as he unsheathed his blade and his archers pulled back their arrows. Trevor nodded toward his people and they all cocked their guns back.
"I think you guys should probably take these back before hell breaks loose." Trevor said as he handed Bellamy and Jasper their rifles. He took my pistol out of his jacket pocket and handed it to me.
"Here goes another war we started…" I said as I pulled back the hammer of my revolver.
"I don't want any more wars. Just please let me go with them." Clarke begged. Bellamy put his hand on her shoulder.
"That's not an option, Clarke. You mean too much to me- to all of us." After that everyone, including Azgeda, went quiet as we all heard something off in the distance. We turned our attention to an army marching across the ice, spaced out enough not to put too much weight on the frozen ocean.
"Who the hell invited these dudes?" Jasper asked. The army got closer until they were about 30 feet from us all, then they came to a halt.
"Trikru." Lincoln said from behind me. I watched Trevor's face go pale at the mention of that name. I was just annoyed at this point.
"Again? Seriously? You guys need to find something better to do. Like, pick up a hobby or something. Do some arts and crafts."
"I need to speak with Indra." Clarke stated towards Trikru.
Two of the men who were upfront on horseback moved out of the way. Then… Lexa, of all people, came out from behind them on a horse and silently looked at all of us.
"So the plot thickens.." I stated.
"Lexa.." Clarke said, with a shocked breath.
"Clarke Kom Skaikru." Lexa's glance turned to Clarke's left. "Trevor…" Was all she said with an expression I can only describe as… shocked and relieved at the same time. yeah… we'll go with that.
"Lexa… I.." Trevor couldn't get the words out. Lexa turned her gaze to Roan, and then to Raven and Monty on their knees.
"You will not hurt them." She demanded, Roan looked shocked to see her. He looked like he was about to shit himself and then get down on his knees in front of her and cry his eyes out. That would have been fun to watch. She moved her attention to the army behind him, now, all sharing similar expressions. Is this chick really that powerful? "And all of you. Why are you working with an exile? The terms of the Coalition were clear. Azgedakru has answering to do." The army said nothing, just looked everywhere that wasn't at her.
"I was doing it for you. Heda. In the hope that it could show you I am worthy of being a part of the Coalition." Roan stated. Bellamy and I took Roans' fumbling words as an opportunity to run over to Raven and Monty and release them. I helped Raven up and she immediately wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I hugged her back trying not to squeeze too hard and hurt her… I still gotta get better at this hugging thing. I opened my eyes while we were still hugging and saw one of the Azgeda warriors checking out Raven's ass. I glared at him until he saw me and then he looked away.
"I thought I lost you." She said in my ear with a shaky breath. I had never heard the fun-loving Raven sound like that. She's always been the jokester of the group. Y'know.. other than me but obviously not as funny. Hearing her like this made me realize even more that she really does care. It's a strange feeling. Going so long without anyone caring for you and then all of a sudden you get the most perfect person in the world to care and fight for you… Sometimes moody, but perfect nonetheless. I didn't know what to say in the situation and frankly, I was probably thinking too hard about what to say until it was too late and I got interrupted.
"You will all leave now." Lexa ordered the Ice Nation. None of them moved. They all looked at each other murmuring words using that nasty language. "NOW!" Lexa shouted and Trikru readied their weapons. With that, Azgeda promptly shit their pants and marched off quickly in the opposite direction. Raven, Monty, Bellamy, and I made our way back to the others. "Not you, Roan," Lexa said before he walked off. Roan gulped and turned around. Lexa got off of her horse and walked closer to him. "You will come with us and answer for your crimes, your plans, for everything." He nodded and walked over to the army where two warriors held him prisoner. Lexa moved toward Trevor now. But I didn't care about what was going on anymore.
I held Raven's hand, just glad we were together again. Life is back to being better now. I did something weird, then. I kissed the side of her head. At least it was weird for me because I don't do that cute shit. I never really had a chance to practice it, I guess. She turned to me with a soft smile. Yup. We may be on an ice sheet ready to break and drop us all back onto a deep hole but.. Life is perfect now.
Clarke's P.O.V
Once Roan went over to Trikru where he was held up by guards. Lexa turned her attention back to Trevor. She walked over to him and stood only inches away from him. I had no idea what had happened between the two of them but it was clearly important to Lexa's anger. She put a hand on Trevor's cheek and, with her thumb, trailed around a scar he had. I didn't know how to feel about this gesture. I didn't know what to think if I'm being honest. This woman, that I swear I loved, had so many secrets. Secrets she promised me she would reveal but never did. She helped me through so much. She helped me to realize I was bisexual. She helped me realize what I was missing and what I deserved. But the life that we would have lived together.. it wasn't me. It wasn't where I belonged. I belong here. Joking with Murphy, gossiping with Raven, figuring things out with Monty, hearing Jasper's ridiculous realizations about life. Being hopelessly in love with Bellamy. THIS is my family. And it's one thing that Lexa couldn't give me. The most important thing that I NEED. Especially with what I did at Mount Weather. Lexa walked over to me now. I didn't know what to do or think but somehow my hand found its way into Bellamy's.
"I'm sorry, Clarke. I'm sorry that I put you through this." She sounded so genuine. More genuine than I've heard her sound since I met her. "I never wanted you to get hurt. I just wanted you to be.. with me." I saw Trevor perk up from behind her with a confused look on his face. She looked down at Bellamy and I's hands locked together. "I see now that your destiny is not with me." She looked at our group now. "It's with all of you. It takes strength and infinite love to abandon your safety and follow Clarke. To care for her that much." It's true. I will never doubt the love that I have for all of my friends that are with me now, and I'll never doubt the love they have for me, either. Every day of this journey I have wanted to cry tears of joy and tell them all how grateful I am to have them with me. I still might just crack and do it anyway. I looked at all my friends with a big smile, trying to fight off tears. They all nodded to me with the same smile, even Murphy and Lincoln.
"We're glad we did it." Monty said.
"I will not bother you anymore." Lexa said, turning back to me. "But I do ask where you're going because this path leads to.."
"Calgary." Trevor answered. Walking closer to her with a wide grin. "Pretty great dream huh?" Lexa showed a quick smile, one I have barely seen, but it disappeared just as fast as it came. "Seems we never got around to it though." He said as his grin dropped. Okay.. what the hell?
"It's a very dangerous journey." Lexa said, still looking at me.
"So we've seen.." Murphy stated.
"Do you know if it's there?" Bellamy asked her. "Calgary?"
"Keep journeying across the bay. Soon you will come across the badlands. It is hot, dry, and filled with lava." She didn't answer Bellamy's question straight up. But it seems she's been there before.
"Why don't you take your people there?" I asked.
"Trikru could not live in a city. We are made for the forest." Lexa answered.
"It's where we belong." Lincoln added. Lexa made her way over to Lincoln, now. She seemed to be studying him, looking him up and down.
"Keep her safe. Lincoln." With that, she made her way back over to her horse.
"Will I see you again, Lexa?" Trevor asked in a pleading tone. She turned around with a hand on the saddle.
"It's for the best that we stay apart, Trevor." She got on her horse and shouted in her language to her army, I'm assuming telling everyone to start moving back towards their home. She turned to me one more time. "Goodbye, Clarke." The look in her eyes almost made me go with her. But I didn't.
"Goodbye, Lexa."
She looked a little hurt. Almost like she was expecting me to come with her anyway. Once she realized I was staying with my friends she trotted off. I watched her for a long time while the others were telling each other about the crater. My hand stayed in Bellamy's until she disappeared into the broken city. Everyone was in the middle of a conversation but I had to know,
"How do you know Lexa, Trevor?" I asked, interrupting the conversation.
"Now, why would I discuss information about myself with you guys? I just met you, Clarke."
"Ever since you met us we've been nothing but honest and open with you." Bellamy said, helping me out as usual. "It's only fair that we learn a bit about you." Trevor looked somewhere between amused and annoyed at Bellamy making a good point.
"Look guys, there are things that only I need to know. Just like there are things only you need to know." That was all Trevor responded with. Monty decided to leave it at that by saying,
"We should really get off the ice guys... I think we already used up our luck by having two literal armies on it at once. Let's set up camp for the night on the shore."
"I agree," Murphy replied. "I already fell twice on this trip. I'd like to leave it at that."
"Nah we'll be fine." Trevor assured them. "Logan, take everyone back. I'll be down in a bit." The man he was talking to nodded and rallied up the 20 or so men that came with us. They all headed back the way we came. Back underground to the crater. I was about to ask Trevor more about Lexa but Octavia interrupted my thoughts with a VERY important question.
"Hey, guys?" Octavia gained all our attention. "Where the hell is Warin?" I can't believe I almost forgot about our amazing, beautiful wolf!
"Oh my God, yeah!" Raven ran to the car and opened the trunk. Out popped Warin growling and ready to attack. "When we saw the army we knew he'd run for them and get himself killed so we had to get him out of sight."
"Good thinking." I said, relieved that he was okay.
"Okay, so let me get this straight." Trevor started, "You're all a part of an entire group of people who came from space. You guys are searching for a city to live in. You somehow got not one, but TWO vehicles running. You have guns and now you have a fucking WOLF!?" We all stood there in silence realizing how completely badass we are.
"Yeah, that's pretty much it." Murphy replied. "Oh but, Lincoln here is a grounder." Trevor looked more confused and impressed than anyone I have ever seen in my 18 years of life.
"Welp. We know who the main characters are, I guess." Trevor finally spoke.
I couldn't help but chuckle at that. The main characters, I thought, sounds about right. "And my people and I share things in common with you guys. I think that's pretty alliance worthy if I do say so myself."
"You keep saying that." Bellamy spoke. My hand was missing the embrace of his, now. "That we have something in common. What is it?" He asked.
"You guys grew up and lived on the Ark. A small box up in space.." Trevor had a way with his words that always made him sound sarcastic. But we listened nonetheless. "My people and I grew up and lived in a small bunker. A bunker, mind you, that was built by the same company that built the Ark." He revealed.
"That's…" I was at a loss for words. "We never learned about that on the Ark." I settled with that.
"I'm not surprised. The people who actually made it up to the Ark were positive that we were all dead anyway. Why teach people about ghosts, right?" Trevor answered, looking at the oldest member of our group.
"Did you know about this, Kane?" Monty asked. Kane shuffled about, seemingly trying to find a more comfortable position to stand in.
"I.. heard about it. I never knew if it was canonical or not." Kane answered, truthfully.
"No hard feelings. My people tend not to worry about pettiness. This is why I think our groups have a lot to learn about each other. We'd be stronger together. With you guys' equipment and brains and our knowledge about the ground as well as history in general. I think we could make Calgary a pretty great place to restart modern humanity." I took this in. Everything he said makes total sense. With their militaristic side and our manufacturing and designing side it could work. And we're overdue an alliance anyway. If he's telling the truth, of course. I didn't want to make any decisions without Bellamy so I turned to him now. He was already looking at me and we both seemed to share the same agreement just with our eyes.
"We accept the alliance." Bellamy stated. Trevor lit up like a Christmas tree at that and I have to say, it was a good sight.
"Can you get us a radio?" I asked. It was really out of nowhere. I thought of it and instantly just said it. I have to know how Arkadia is. I have to know how my mom is. I can't believe I haven't been searching for a way of communication until now. "So we can communicate with our people?"
"So you guys have a whole ass car and an iPhone but not a radio?" Trevor asked. We all nodded in sync "Oy vey. Yes, I can get you guys a high-frequency radio. On ONE condition."
"Which is?" Bellamy asked.
"You guys radio us as soon as you get to Calgary."
"We can do that." I promised.
We, very carefully and slowly, moved the vehicles to the shoreline on the other side of the bay. It was a snowy sort of beach at the edge of a dead forest, which was our next area of travel. The beach gave us a great view of what used to be Chicago. Looking at this torn-down city, with massive cracks in the few buildings that were standing and the scattered debris everywhere, didn't give me the best hope of Calgary looking any better. If it's even there. I didn't care about that, then. I was just relieved that Lexa saved us from another war.
Monty and Jasper just finished making a fire and we were all finally sitting down around it after the long hard day we'd had. I checked my watch, 9:05 pm. There was a pleasant few minutes of silence, just listening to the crackle of the fire. When Trevor returned from grabbing the radio from his town. He had a huge backpack on and he was carrying a box of beer… oh no...
"Is that… alcohol!?" Jasper asked frantically. "I mustn't…"
Trevor sat down and decided to give us too much information right off the bat.
"Man, I'll tell you. When I heard that Charger startup I just about came my damn pants."
"Dude. We just sat down, c'mon man…" Murphy exclaimed what we were all thinking.
"She's pretty sweet isn't she?" Raven said.
"Yup. Here's the stuff." Trevor stated as he handed the backpack to Kane, who immediately started opening it to check if it was there. Sure enough, there was a radio in there. It looked a lot like the one Raven fixed up to contact the Ark for the first time. Broken and all. "I'm a man of my word. It still works fine. Trust me when I say I want this to work out, guys. There's also a piece of paper in there that will tell you the frequency to contact us on." Trevor seemed genuine enough. "I know we all have questions for each other." He handed Lincoln the 24 pack or so box of beer. Lincoln had no idea what to do with it. "But I got my people to take care of right now. You guys just get to Calgary. I'll answer any question you guys want me to answer if you actually make it and bring us there." With that, he shook Bellamy's hand and started walking off back onto the ice. "Good luck, Skaikru." He said without looking back.
Today was a good day. It's not often that I say those five words, especially now. But in this case, I have to admit that it's a fact. Sure we almost died falling into a possibly radioactive crater filled with a militaristic group of people. But we also gained a new alliance. New friends. Which seems to be the most important thing you can do in this new world. I saw Lexa again today, and you know what? I didn't freak out. I didn't scream at her. Nor did I run up and kiss her. But I know now that I'm over it. I'm ready to focus on my people. On my friends, my family.
I took a sip of my stale beer and let the music Murphy was playing over the car's speakers seep into my mind as I stared at the fire we were sitting around. 'Ophelia by The Lumineers'. I looked around at all my friends. Raven was working on getting the radio working. Meaning soon I will be met with my mother's voice, telling me how stupid I was to leave and how I need to come back this instant. I wasn't worried about that though. Instead of worrying, I watched Kane and Lincoln, deep in conversation. Instead of that, I watched Monty and Octavia playing X's and O's in the snow. And instead of that, I watched Bellamy's freckled face light up in a smile at Jasper and Murphy, who I guess are friends again, dancing stupidly around.
Today was a good day.
Thanks for reading guys! :) Please leave a review so I know I'm going in the right direction! You guys are dope :D