✓ 1. TRIKOVA ᵇᵉˡˡᵃᵐʸ ᵇˡᵃᵏᵉ

chapter seven: Remember me, part II

- REMEMBER ME: PART II -

'You want to speak for the people who tried to kill your Heda?'

"Murderers go home!"

"There is no place here for murderers!"

"Death to the Sky People!"

The cacophony of voices surrounds Sairah, each proclamation a sharp arrow of resentment aimed at the Sky People. Her people, expressing their discomfort at sharing space with those they see as the perpetrators of their anguish, voice their collective discontent. Sairah empathizes with their pain, understanding it better than anyone, but the weight of Lexa's decision urges her to stand by her leader.

Ramos, a healer in her village, confronts Lexa with a glare that cuts through the air. His eyes, filled with anger, belie an underlying fear and vulnerability. "Sky People took everything from me; my wife, my child!"

"Move aside!" Gustus barks, his authoritative tone cutting through the tension.

"Murderers are not welcome here," Ramos insists, his gaze fixed on Sairah, silently pleading for her allegiance.

Before Sairah can respond, Lexa, with a subtle gesture of her head, signals Gustus. Stepping forward from behind the two girls, Gustus employs his right fist to deliver a series of punishing blows to Ramos's face. Each strike is met with a grunt, the healer groaning and coughing in pain.

Surveying the reactions of her people, Sairah notices raised eyebrows and a myriad of emotions etched on their faces. However, a common thread of disappointment binds them all.

Her gaze meets that of her sister, a silent plea for intervention. "Lexa, tell him to stop." The request hangs in the air, a plea for compassion amid the swirling tempest of resentment and violence.

The mentioned girl remains indifferent, her gaze fixed ahead as the scene unravels into a growing pool of blood. Suddenly, Clarke steps between Lexa and Sairah, wearing a frown that mirrors the escalating turmoil. "Commander, stop him. Please. They'll blame us for this too."

Lexa, her jaw clenched, deliberates as the chaos continues. "Let him live," she commands, then turns to address the grounders behind her. In the midst of the unfolding drama, Sairah rushes toward the wounded man before her. "The Sky People march with us now," Lexa asserts, her voice carrying authority, while Sairah tends to Ramos and his bleeding nose. "Anyone who tries to stop that... will pay with their life."

Sairah rises from her crouching position, addressing her people with a resolute tone. "That won't happen. You all know I would never let any Sky Person into our village after what they did to our families." She emphasizes her commitment while acknowledging the collective pain. "But like Heda said, they march with us now because they can help us with one of our biggest threats—the Reapers. Sky People know how to stop them."

With a scrutinizing gaze, she locks eyes with each member of her tribe. "I know we lost important people because of the Sky People, but I also know that some of you have loved ones held hostage inside the mountain. And they're probably being turned into Reapers while we talk." The weight of the situation hangs heavily in the air. "So, let's try and save them for the ones we couldn't save."

Silence blankets the assembly for a solid minute following Sairah's impassioned plea. Even the Sky People wear expressions of surprise, with Lincoln diligently translating for them. The Grounders, one by one, nod in agreement, a tacit acknowledgment of the harsh reality and the necessity of collaboration with the Sky People to rescue their captive kin.