revenant|c.g.|

x

The clanging of Lucille against metal filled the main room of the Sanctuary where everyone gathered. Negan gazed down upon them, watching as they bowed their heads and kneeled for their leader. Clary walked behind both Negan and Carl, keeping her gaze on the people below, trying to keep the image that was the Angel of Death that they seemingly knew so much about. But her strength faltered as she saw Daryl, his gaze meeting hers momentarily before he looked away, almost in shame.

As the people below them showed what was their apparent respect, Negan handed off Lucille to Carl before placing his hands on the railing. "You know the deal. What's about to happen is going to be hard to watch. I don't wanna do it. I wish I could just ignore the rules and let it slide, but I can't. Why?" Negan questioned before he continued walking, Clary following as the Saviors sounded in unison. "The rules keep us alive."

Clary grew cold from hearing the words, realizing that his people were more brainwashed than she had believed them to be. "That... is... right. We survive. We provide security to others. We bring civilization back to this world. We are the Saviors." There was a pause before Negan nodded softly. "But we can't do that without rules. Rules are what make it all work. I know it's not easy. But there is always work. There is always a cost. Here, if you try to skirt it, if you try to cut that corner—" Negan paused for a moment before chuckling. "...then it is the iron for you."

Clary allowed her gaze to fall towards Dwight, recognizing the pain hidden in his gaze as he flinched, almost in remembrance of his own experience with the iron. She had seen him before the scars that laid on his face, realizing he knew about the iron all too well. It almost made her feel sorry that anyone, even him, would have to endure that sort of pain. The key word was almost. Remembering his face among the other Saviors that destroyed her home, that threatened and killed her people, she thought it was getting off lightly compared to what she would do to him.

"On your feet."

Negan's command brought her back from her revenge filled thoughts , the man descending the staircase leading to the teenagers to follow close behind. The Saviors rose to their feet as they entered the main floor, all of them surrounding a singular man tied down to a chair in front of the furnace.

Clary realized as she walked that it was the first time she walked among the Saviors in their own home, the realization dawning on her as their eyes fell upon her in fear or anger or malice. She kept their gazes, wanting the attention on her not for her own ego but rather to distract them. In this place, Carl could be ripped apart and she made a promise to herself that that wouldn't happen, not without them going through her first. So her glares held taunts, almost daring them to come at her, but none ever did.

Her attention fell away from the crowd and to Negan as he made his way towards Dwight, putting on a thick glove before grabbing the iron from the fire poke. Clary watched as Negan turned towards the bound man, letting out a soft sigh. "Mark... I'm sorry. But it is what it is." With a set jaw, Clary watched as Negan approached the man, bringing up the iron before placing it on the man's face.

It was so quick, Clary thought, no warnings or hesitation. It was straight to the point where screams of agony filled the silence, forcing Clary to clench her jaw to hide the pure digits she felt as Negan seemed unfazed by his doing. She felt Carl move closer to her, his hand brushing hers. She wondered if his actions were to reassure her that he was by her side or to comfort himself that he wasn't alone. Ultimately, she felt slightly more at ease with him by her side, an ease that dwindled as she looked at the scene. She knew she couldn't look away, not only because of the expectations of her coldness by Saviors because of being the Angel of Death, but because she wanted to remember it. She allowed it to be engrained in her memory as yet another reason for the man to die for all he'd done.