Fate Worse Than Death

Blood Must Have Blood

Finn's POV:

How my mind weakened, not knowing what was real, not knowing what time of day it is, or even if the blood on the floor was mine or just a figment of my imagination. But how Raven's arrival was a saving grace. In my days filled with agony and wretched darkness I had Raven to clear up the memories she told me false, she was my compass in this kaleidoscope of my mind. She and Clarke were my strength during each beating, lashing, and electrocutions. Though I could not hide from my punishments at least I had family to patch up my wounds and care for me after.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt any of you." Still I begged with the guards to stop the vile beatings, I begged for my own people to give me an explanation.

"You still don't get it!" This time every hit was personal "Seems Bellamy was the only smart one that came down with you CHILDREN. The earths fortunes at our feet if it weren't for your stupidity. The grounders dead leaving nothing in our way." Though they spoke with hate in their voices their eyes remained empty. I wish I could understand their need for my blood but I couldn't. Night after night I spent torturing myself trying to find the reason but no matter how hard I pushed my memories stay mixed in puddle. They have NO right! No right! Every memory of pain and the cause of so many innocent lives lost was by Skaikru , not the grounders but us. We are the villains in this narrative.

"The grounders were here first, they aren't ours to kill." My statement only angered them both further. They didn't stop the beating until the bubbling blood on my lips started to pour as a crimson river. I know not how to name the feelings that rise in me, I know only that I fear it's arise. Every part of me wanted bash their heads onto the same cold cement floor they loved to decorate with my blood and vomit. I wanted to watch THEM bleed this time, I wanted them dead and not just by anyone, by ME. No amount of pain ever awoke these wicked temptations but here they stand, ready to be my next torturers. Fear comes upon me, the very thought of what I've become terrified me. I bite my urge and close my eyes till it was over. Upon the floor my eyes not clear but seems a figure watches from the sky light, Raven. Another thing that made no sense, how Raven stood watching and doing nothing. But she and Clarke were all I had left, I couldn't ever believe she meant me harm.

"Hey listen to me" When raven finally enters the cell she tries to calm me but a mumbling fool I was. "You did so good, so good. I'm so proud of you!" A child I was to hear her pride in me, in feeling that I finally did something right. "This is good. They're fixing you Finn."

"F- fixing me?" I could not comprehend how beatings and shock lashes could be good but Raven said it was so it must be. No! It's not! But why would Raven lie? Was this punishment or a re-teaching?

Clarke's POV:

My heart not mended yet, but I have no tears left to shed. Every tear dry but not forgotten. The nights I spent in my sorrows longing for Finn or even at minimum some clarity. But none came, no letter, no visit, none. Unfortunately Finn wasn't the only one who hasn't checked in with us in Polis, Skaikru had gone radio silent. Over 2 weeks of nothing but a stand still on both sides. Grounders fearing Lexa's anger but Skaikru's reason was unclear. Reports of civil disruption within the walls is what our riders send back but nothing more. What are they waiting for? I didn't want lives to be lost for no good purpose but how I wished they would attack already. I just want it to be over, all of it. The Ice Nation representatives were not happy about their Queen's death but knew better to speak against Lexa unless they wished to be the paint on the street floors. Instead they whispered and huddled to plan in the corners, planning of what I could not know. But every day they would pull Ontari out of training more and more. The birds sang different tunes, the wind changed directions, and the air became thick. Everything changed and something was coming but from where was the question.

I had only met the natblida children once, Lexa was her softest self with them. Teaching them right from wrong, training them with her, and caring for each of them as her children. Something everyone feared now, the bringing of a life to this horrible excuse for humanity. When I feared for Lexa's life after her accepting of the challenge, she tried to comfort me. I never deserved her kindness, her will to defy the norms for me and my people. I was rude to her from the very beginning and still she never faltered her affection. The look of annoyance in her eyes is embedded deep within me, a look I never wanted to happen again, I blew off her kindness as naivety when she presented me with her proudest Natblia. He was quite small but stood firm as an oak, the freckles didn't give him a commanding face but only the face of a child. And I wasn't ready to let her die and leave the fate of my people to a little boy. But now she spends her days in meetings and I hardly see her. Instead I spend the afternoons walking the grounds listening to the whispers no one hears.

"You idiots! We can't kill heda, we've already tried and now people think her a god since the challenge. Any leverage we had is gone." I hear angry Azgeda ambassadors whisper to one another still drunk from the night before. The cloak of dawn hid my features from them, all they saw was a common whore. When I ignored their catcalls they only spat and continued on.

"We can't get to HER, but we can insure that the next heda will be Azgeda." I heard one man pry. I saw nothing but heard confusion in all of them. "Azgeda will be placed back on the throne! Ontari will be heda and she's following instructions right now." The man not drunk enough to be stupid let out vague information. Annoyed it did make me, but when I realized their plan nothing could horrify me more. The kids?!? The only thing standing in the way of Ontari was the other Natblidas and Lexa. Everyone knew Lexa was untouchable but the children were not.

"The natblidas! She's going for them." Out of breath I explained to Lexa. Without letting me say who she raced out of the room as a hare in threat. No matter how fast we ran the flights of stairs it never seemed fast enough.

"Slip of the hand?" Ontari teased while holding the head of Lexa's pride and joy, Aden. The look of despair washed over the enraged eyes of Lexa as she sees the children she help raise and train slain in their beds while Ontari only smiles. The shock within the room as the rest of the ambassadors catch up is bone thick. Lexa turned her back quickly after Ontari was arrested and taken away to hide the tears she could not force down. When she opened her eyes again they were dark and cold, numb to her pain as she left to do what she wanted.

"Jus drein jus daun! Jus drein jus daun![blood must have blood] " the streets filled with the chant only mear minutes after Lexa's call for it. The peace we hoped for was gone as we watch Ontari being dragged out into the square for everyone to see. And the light in Lexa's eyes that I loved faded as the blade cut through Ontari's neck. Ontari's blood was the start of it all.