Goodbye beautiful // King Roan

Chapter 2

I put another log to the fire and watched the red flames in the dark night. Leaning back I moved one knee to rest against the forest floor. I had been here for two weeks now, moving across the forest, avoiding the Ice Nation. The second we came back from Polis I immediately packed my things and said goodbye to Octavia, Lincoln and Clarke, the only people I really trusted. Don't get me wrong Kane, Abby and Bellamy are tolerable but they wouldn't hesitate leaving me for dead if it meant saving their people.

I thought back to Arkadia, how I first met Skaikru. While they were in Mouth Weather I had found Arkadia and made camp. So when they all came back they were ready to get rid of me. Hadn't it been for Octavia and Lincoln I probably wouldn't be here today. I told them of my story and how I had been laying low and hiding these last four years. Lincoln, who knew about the Westari people, was able to convince the other's to let me stay. So ever since then I've been helping them, hunting for them and stuff. By now they were used to me leaving for a couple of days and the goodbye hadn't been too sad, because we all knew I'd be back.

I hummed on an Italian song I learned as a kid while watching the fire and meat roasting over it. The Westari people's mother tongue was Italian, how it had survived I've no idea. Letting out a breath I found myself in a calm state of mind and slowly let my guards down. I hadn't encountered a soul in the past two weeks and I guessed I wouldn't meet any for that part either. Now with the guards down I felt all the emotions slowly washing over me. The feeling of blood sticking to my hands, the fear crawling over my spine, the guilt squeezing my windpipe. I let it all come to me, welcomed it. When survival was the top priority it was easy to just shut everything else out, all the emotions, all the thoughts, all the complaints. Moments like these, where I could finally relax, were the most important ones. Because otherwise I was afraid that I would become inhuman, unable to feel remorse or guilt over what I had done. It was a cruel tactic, but I saw no other way.

A twig cracking made me stiff. All walls up again, all emotions gone. But I didn't move, my gaze still on the fire. Whoever was there was probably watching my every move. If I tricked them into believing that I didn't know they were there, then I would still have the moment of surprise. I listened closely, trying to spy anything in the corner of my eyes. My trident was by my feet, close enough to grab. I watched a shadow in front of me move. A human. Probably male by the size of it. Looking even closer I could make out two other shadows to my left and right too.

Grabbing my trident I aimed in front of me, head twisting around in a circle, seeing seven Azgeda scouts around me. I held the trident with one hand, eyes hard as I scanned them. They all had weapons, machetes and swords mostly. Thankfully no one had a bow, that would've been harder to beat from a distance. The bushes moved to my right and I turned that way, watching as a man stepped out in the small clearing I'd made my camp.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Roan?" I asked almost sarcastically, glaring at him.

"You know why." he answered and watched me with his narrowed eyes. His hand on the hilt of his sword. The scouts stepped closer, caging me in. My eyes scanned the situation, I'd have to fight my way out.

"If you think I'll come willingly, you'll have to reconsider." I said and gripped my trident tighter.

His head was a bit tilted back and he lowly chuckled at me with a slight half smile. "Eight against one. Are you really sure about that?"

I gave him a challenging gaze and beckoned for them to bring it on. The scout on my left was the first one to run at me. Still being on the ground I swung my trident at his legs, the sharp blades catching his flesh and he fell to the ground. Next was the guy behind me, arching my back I dodged the blade aimed at my head. In one swift motion I stood up and twisted towards him, bringing my trident up with me. The blade caught him across the chest and he too crumbled to the floor. I blocked the attack from the next scout. He tried three times but I blocked each time and landed a kick to his head. He went down but I knew that he wouldn't stay there for long.