GRIM REAPER¹, bellamy blake

005 ━━ surrender

━━━✦━━━

IONA STARES menacingly at the troops before her. Her eyes dart between man and woman, eyes flittering between every single body standing in front of her, weapons held tightly in their hands.

"Eyvana is dead," Iona says stonily, eyes revealing very little of the pain she feels deep inside her. As a general, she is required to stay strong; to remain impenetrable even in times of utter desperation. "The Southern Valley has lost eighteen men."

"In a few days' time, we will put them to rest," Iona speaks, her heavy accent breaking through her harsh tone, "but we do not forget. May they live on in our commander, their spirits traveled into the land of light."

The troops nod, all of them whispering their goodbyes and heavy-hearted wishes.

"But now we prepare for war."

Iona disperses the group, sighing to herself as she approaches her weapons room. After their confrontation with Abby, war was drawing especially closer, and they were yet to lay their dead to rest.

Grabbing her katana from the rack, she then grabs a complete black set of clothes- a symbol of death and despair.

Then, she prepares to fight to honor her sister.

━━━✦━━━

IONA STILLS, watching the carrier run away and off to the next person he was to relay the message to, her mind running wild.

He had surrendered.

The boy she wanted so badly to murder had surrendered, and while she still hates him, there's an underlying respect there.

He wasn't going to let his people die for him.

"Maybe the Sky People aren't as dumb as we thought," Iona declares, preparing to head out.

"Yes, well, I'm sure you're pleased," Lexa says.

Iona looks over, her eyes glinting, "I'm ecstatic."

━━━✦━━━

IONA'S EYES stay locked on the form of the Sky girl, who walks forward slowly, cautiously, yet just as bravely.

Her makeup has changed for today. Instead of the black paint forming tears, they form flames. Flames of revenge, of lust for bloodshed, and of desire of ruthlessness. She always wears this look when she takes a life.

Something she plans on doing without regret.

"Let her through," Iona's voice sounds out, a commanding tone that demands submission. The Grounder men obey, allowing enough room for the girl to walk through and approach the group of commanders.

"You cannot stop this, Clarke," Lexa says, face-to-face with the blonde girl.

"No. Only you can."

Grounder men begin to cry out suddenly, watching angrily as Finn is tugged through the crowd in shackles.

"Show my people how powerful you are," Clarke pleads.

"You mean show them how weak she is?" Iona says, eyes narrowing.

Clarke immediately shakes her head, "Mercy is not weakness! You don't have to be such savages!"

Lexa's voice drops low, "We are what we are."

"Then I'm a killer. I burned your people. I slit a man's throat and watched him die. I'm soaked in Grounder blood," Clarke says, her voice breaking. "Take me."

"You are foolish," Iona says, shaking her head.

Lexa nods, "Finn is guilty, Clarke."

"No!" Clarke exclaims, "He did it for me. He did it for me..."

"Then he dies for you," Lexa says, her voice quiet, yet strong.

Iona takes notice of the way that Finn's face falls as he stares at the blonde girl. Both Sky People have tears in their eyes, yet Iona feels no remorse for them.

She does not feel guilt, she does not feel hurt.

She feels vengeful.

"He killed my people in the name of love," Iona says, eyes boring into Clarke's, "and you forgive him. So I'm sure you can find it in your heart to forgive us when we kill Finn out of love for the fallen."

Clarke's face scrunches up as tears roll down her cheeks, and Iona's shoulder brushes roughly into hers as she walks away, heading towards Indra's side.

Clarke and Lexa exchange a few words out of earshot and Iona narrows her eyes as Clarke begins to approach Finn.

Clarke runs up to him, pressing her lips to his.

After a few words and a long moment of hugging, Iona feels like something is wrong.

"No!" Iona cries out, watching as Finn falls lifelessly against Clarke's shoulder. She looks at her with eyes filled with fury, "His life was not yours to take."

Iona's eyes fill will tears as she approaches the dead boy, his stomach dripping blood, and her fists ball up angrily.

She draws her katana as several Grounder men come to her aid, ready to kill the girl.

"Stop!" Lexa orders, and Iona feels herself cease- yet, still, she wants to kill the blonde who stole her chance at avenging her sister. "It is done."

Iona's eyes go wide and she's seething, breathing in quickly and suddenly as she tries to keep herself under control.

At once, she's pulling her katana back into its sheath and walking away from the scene, disappearing into the darkness of the forest, looking for escape.

━━━✦━━━