"I'll go with you." Shaw stepped forward toward Kane. Knowing that they would all be hunted if he stayed with them. He didn't want to put Raven in any danger.
"No way, Octavia would never surrender. We leave as planned." Echo said grabbing at Shaw who only jerked himself away from her grip.
Echo told Raven to take him and go, her voice threatening as she had no more tolerance. Their window of opportunity was slowly closing by the minute and she wouldn't risk everyone getting caught in crossfires. Raven ushered Shaw with her as they started for the door. More gunshots sounding outside.
Murphy shared a look with Kane before announcing, "I'm going with Kane."
"John, not again." Emori told him trying to get him to stick to their plan.
"It's Abby. I have to." Was his only response. Emori just sighed before leaving him and joining up with the rest. Hoping he would catch up to them soon.
Once outside they immediately went for cover in the trees so there was less a chance at being spotted as they ran. Echo stopped and told Emori to take Griffin so she could make sure everyone was with them still. Emori took Griffin's hand and ushered him along. Once she was sure everyone was out she gave one last look toward the church before following along at the rear of the group.
They got halfway to the cave when she heard movement behind them. She took a stance and was ready to fight off the possible attacker but relaxed slightly when she realized it was Murphy, followed by Kane who was helping Diyoza walk. Seeing her injured gave Echo a moment of satisfaction and was more than happy to offer leaving her behind, but in the current situation they'd have no choice but to bring her along so she showed them the way.
At the entrance Emori was waiting for them. Inside everyone had chosen their own little spot and got as settled as they could. Kane helped Diyoza toward one side of the cave and helped her sit down. As she zipped down her jacket it was the first time they were all able to see her stomach. And how very pregnant she was.
"Well that's a twist." Murphy commented before walking off with Emori to their own little spot next to Raven and Shaw.
Echo lingered for a second. Her hand almost going to her own stomach as she remembered her days of being pregnant with her son.
"Get comfortable, we're going to be here for a few days while we try to contact the others." She then joined her Skaikru and took a seat, Griffin sitting next to her and snuggling into her side while one of the Wonkru defectors started making a small fire to keep them all warm.
Back in Polis Bellamy was laid back on a bench, waiting for the fight in the pit. Recounting the past days as he tried to think of how it all went wrong. How his sister became so far gone. He had hoped that by staying here he could try to influence her into working a deal with Diyoza, but he saw first-hand that his sister was long gone, only Blodreina remained.
Even so he still held out hope that she would stop this, would see reason and make a compromise that would get them all to the Valley safely. Get him back to his family.
He could only hope Echo and Griffin were safe, doing better than he currently was. With no communication to confirm it, he had to rely on his faith. That the eye was still blindsiding them and they were still oblivious to this impending war.
Before his emotions could get the better of him the door opened and in walked Octavia. He stayed where he was a moment as she walked into the cell, coming to sit at the end of the bench. He sat up when she sat down, facing away from her.
"Remember lily pads?" She asked breaking the silence. When he didn't answer she continued.
"God you used to hate that game.. Jumping from table to chair to bed. First one who touches the ground loses. But you never once said no...and you always let me win."
Bellamy continued to stay silent as he thought back to the memory. Young and innocent versions of themselves jumping around their room. Now look what they had become.
"Do you remember the last time we played? I cut my lip"
He remembered.
"I bled all over the place. I was so worried that someone would see it on the floor and find me. But you took care of that." She looked over at him.
"You cut your own arm open so people would think it was your blood."
Bellamy looked down as he reflexively touched the small scar on his forearm.
"Long way from that to poisoning me." She finished and watched as he finally spoke up.
"Not really, no." He said at first, his voice low. "I did that to save you too. From yourself" He finally turned around to look at her. Showing the hurt in his eyes. "From fighting a war that could destroy the last survivable land on Earth."
"Well you'll be happy to know that the worms are gone. Clarke took them along with Madi the usurper, who you tried to replace me with." She started softly before her words became more harsh towards the end.
"And yet your still ready to go to war. Even though you've been told how many of your people will die? What kind of leader does that?" He asked in disbelief, his tone rising.
"You have no idea what your talking about."
"Don't I?" He continued. "O, you turned this place into a story from your childhood. The Red Queen? It's a joke."
Octavia bit back her emotions, "I came here to save your life. Now I'm not so sure I should."
Bellamy stared at her blankly, ready for her to explain "This should be good."
"Indra has a weakness.." She stood up getting right into it. "Her shoulder never fully healed from the bullet Pike put in her."
"So what.. You came here to help me kill the woman who made you who you are?" He looked up at her to see if he was still following correctly.
She stared right back at him. "I love Indra. I do.. But she's not my blood. That's why you have to get the sword, make her choose the heavier weapon."
Bellamy ran a hand over his face, "Octavia would you listen to yourself?"
"You worry about Gaia after you take out Indra. Tell me you understand." She said before bending down to be eye level with him. She was trying her best to get him to listen so that he would have the best chance at surviving and staying by her side. But if he wasn't willing to listen..
"I wish I did." He said to her. "I wish I knew what made you this way and that I could have been here to help take the burden off of you these last six years. But I'm here now. And the way I see it is you have two choices: you either call this thing off and make a deal to share the Valley, or you watch me die in that arena today and leave a child fatherless. Because I'm not fighting."
"Everybody fights." Octavia said searching his eyes to try and find the lie. To make sure he wasn't truly going to just give up. Standing up straight again she headed for the door.
Bellamy called from behind "There's no coming back from this O." He stood and turned to look at her, waiting until she matched his gaze.
"If you do this, there's no coming back."
Octavia opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Her gaze hardened as she turned and walked out, leaving him alone for what could be his final moments.
As she returned to her room she couldn't help but dwell on his words. Or you watch me die in that arena..leave a child fatherless. It made her think back to how they lost their mother. How they killed her because she broke a law. And now here she was about to do the same. Was she willing and ready to do that? To her brother, her nephew. The emotions took over and she let out a silent cry.
Turning to look at her mirror, she looked at the cracks, then at her reflection. Reminding herself of the scared girl under the floor. She couldn't be scared anymore. She needed to stand by her word. Grabbing a shard of the broken mirror, she brought it up to her arm and slid it across the skin.
She let the blood flow onto her hand, before smearing it across her other hand and bringing it up and down her face, wiping the tears away as she composed herself into the Red Queen. It was time.
As she entered the main floor, she could see all of Wonkru already surrounding the area. Ready to watch the fight about to unfold. She took her seat and watched as Bellamy, Gaia, and Indra were brought in. The gate closing behind them and sealing them in.
"We gather here today to remind ourselves what happens to the enemies of Wonkru." She addressed the room.
"It doesn't matter who you are. If you choose sides against us, if you divide us or defy us. Then you are not us. Before we give these traitors a second chance, to be called brother, sister or seda.. we pay tribute to those who have died so that we might live."
She bowed her head, "All of me for all of us."
"All of me for all of us." The crowd repeated after her.
Looking back to the trio she simply said "Be the last."
And that was the start. Gaia was quick to jab her foot to the back of Indra's leg so she could get a headstart toward the assortment of weapons. As she grabbed for a spear, Indra was quick behind her and grabbed at her throwing her to the ground. Meanwhile Bellamy just stood there, staring up at Octavia.
Once Gaia was down Indra turned her sights toward Bellamy and started to charge at him. Someone in the crowd had called out to him and he dodged Indra just in time. Cursing under his breath he moved and grabbed a sword, having no other choice but to try and buy time, hoping his sister will still stop the fight.
Indra charged at him once more and he used the sword to avoid the bladed end before giving his own slashes toward her. They traded blows back and forth, Indra getting a slice of his arm before he ran right back into it.
Bellamy was able to get a kick and shove her back but she continued to push at him, gaining another slash at his leg. What they didn't notice was that Gaia had regained herself and got herself up right as Indra had disarmed Bellamy, his sword clattering to the ground.
Gaia shoulder checked her mother and grabbed the spear from her, twirling it in her hands as she chanted "Spirit of the Commanders guide my hand" and without a second thought threw the spear right for Octavia's head.
Bellamy yelled out and tackled Gaia just mere moments after the spear left her hand. Bellamy looked up from the ground fearing he was too late but saw that Gaia had missed and the spear had landed just inches from her head.
Everyone went quiet as Octavia turned to look at the spear, then at them. Pulling it out with ease, she then tossed is back into the arena. "I said..Be the last."
It took a second before they all scrambled back to their weapons, Gaia going for a new one. Right as they raised their hands to fight again Monty came barging into the middle.
"Stop!" He shouted.
"Monty get out of here." Bellamy warned him not wanting anyone else to get hurt. Octavia trying to get guards down below to get Monty out of there.
Monty raised his voice loud enough for everyone to hear as Harper blocked off the doorway.
"Octavia told you that you have to march, that you have to fight for the one place left where we can survive. But she knows that's not true!"
Everyone muttered amongst themselves, wondering what he meant. He then uncovered the object that was in his arms and held it up high for all to see. What he had been working hard on since Cooper was killed by Clarke and Bellamy and wanted to prove that war was not their only option. In a tube was a tree branch with growing blossoms.
"The hydrofarm is working again! Soon, it'll be processing enough food to feed all of us here. Using the same techniques, we can grow crops in the wasteland."
He turned to look at Octavia. "Ask Octavia. She's seen it with her own eyes."
The murmurs grew louder as they couldn't believe what they were seeing. At feeling betrayed for having it be kept a secret from them.
"Go to war if you want to!" Monty shouted up at Octavia. "But at least tell them they have a choice!"
Octavia stayed silent as she looked down at them all.
"Blodreina no more!" One of them shouted. Soon after they all started shouting it, breaking away the fencing that closed off the arena from them and flooding the floor.
"Blodreina no more! Blodreina no more!"
Accepting temporary defeat she stepped back, letting them have their moment.
Bellamy smiled and hugged Monty. If he had known this is what his friend was up to all this time he would have done more to try and help, instead of how foolishly focused he was on his sister and getting her to stop this war. Harper then joined in the hug, proud of him.
The celebration became short lived though as Monty looked up and noticed that Octavia had disappeared.
"Where'd she go?" He asked as the others looked around for her, not seeing her anywhere in sight. They knew that wherever she was, they needed to find her.
They all ran off together, searching rooms to see where she had gone. "We need to find her." Bellamy said with concern.
"Why?" Monty asked.
"She lost the battle, not the war." Indra supplied meaning that she wasn't going to give up so easily as it seemed.
"We should split up, but be careful." Indra offered before alarms started going off. They looked toward the sound with worry.
"What's that?" Harper asked.
"The fire alarm." Gaia told them before Monty got scared.
"The hydrofarm." Was all he said before rushing out of the room they were in and toward the farm. Everyone else right behind him.
But they were too late. They arrived to see the room already engulfed in flames, Octavia at the entrance watching the flames dance.
"No! What did you do?" Monty asked looking between Octavia and the fire.
"Took away the choice.." Indra answered in realization.
Octavia looked at them all with no remorse, "You do have a choice. Stay here and die, or march with me and live."
As she left them to their room of ashes, they worked together to put out the fire and see if anything was salvageable. But all that remained was char and ash. Monty looked down in defeat. He thought he had finally won, had helped them see that it wasn't just Octavia's way or death. But now that's all that was left.
Harper hugged Monty giving what little comfort she could. Even if he didn't reciprocate, she needed him to know that she was there for him and would continue to stay by his side.
Gaia and Indra left first, then the rest started to trickle outside, seeing Wonkru already out and waiting. Word had spread just as fast as the fire. Octavia marched out to meet them, not saying a single word as she picked up a backpack and began moving.
Miller announced that they had six days rations to help them get to the Valley, before grabbing a backpack of his own and following right behind Octavia. One by one they all followed until it was just Bellamy, Monty and Harper behind.
Bellamy wished he could say something, anything, to give them hope. But looking at Monty and seeing how dejected he was, there was nothing he could come up with. He simply handed one of the backpacks to Harper.
"Ready?"
Harper just nodded as she took the bag and stood. Monty didn't move.
"Come on Monty..Our family is waiting." Bellamy told him offering him a hand up. Monty took the hand and stood, gathering what strength he could.
It was a long trek ahead of them.
