I'll be the Bad Guy

Chapter 45: Fire or Flames?

Clarke's POV-

I sit in my small, isolated tent fiddling with some parchment paper on my table. The sun has just set, but that matters little to me. No matter the time of day, I've been trapped in this room waiting for something to happen. Waiting for someone to finally speak to me.

The scariest part about being alone for such an extended time was not the boredom, but the dark, intrusive thoughts that creep out into the silent abyss of isolation. I tried desperately the past day to distract myself with small things such as the parchment in my hands, but ultimately, I could feel the pain of my every effort to keep the floodgates back.

I start to tear the paper in my hands up into small shreds when I hear the guards outside my tent echo the phrase 'Heda.' I pit of nerves forms in my stomach, although I do not show it.

I turn my head to the entrance just as the canvas walls open, revealing the Commander. She locks her eyes with mine in silence as she steps into the tent, letting the flaps fall behind her.

"What do you want?" I sigh, rolling my eyes. I don't bother to address her title, stand, or even acknowledge her superiority.

She doesn't break eye contact, staring deep into my ocean blue eyes. I know this is her way of reading me; it was her way to gage my emotion and manipulate them to her benefit.

I turn my head and try to control my body language, so that she may not examine the symbols I subconsciously create.

"I wanted to speak to you about our plans." She speaks softly.

"Our plans?" I scoff.

"We are traveling to Polis at first light." She admits.

This catches my attention. Polis was the grounder's capitol city- a place where children went to school, merchants traded in the streets, and leaders convened. It was also Lexa's home.

I turn my head back towards Lexa's and my eyes widen in surprise.

Her eyes do not match my excitement. Instead, they linger heavily as if there was more to her statement.

"What's wrong?" I ask warily. I knew better than to expect anything good.

"The ambassadors and my flame keeper all agree that I must kill you." She whispers. Her words string together like a statement, but her tone urges me to argue. She wants me to beg- to give a reason why she should not; to change her mind.

I sit in silence and continue to meet the Commander's eye contact. She searches my eyes, going from left to right in a steady pattern.

"Clarke?" She asks when enough silence has passed.

"I understand." I breathe. Lexa looks taken aback- stunned that I would so willingly accept death as my fate. Her lips part to speak, but she furrows her brow instead, widening her eyes.

"Clarke, I don't want to kill you." She clarifies, searching desperately for me to work with her and help her find an alternate way for me to survive.

"Then don't." I return flatly. I've fought enough for an entire lifetime, and now I was letting life take its course.

Lexa looks at me in a mixture of shock and surprise for another moment before sharply nodding to me. She accepts her defeat and turns to leave the tent.

"Goodnight." She speaks, turning to me as she leaves.

I don't return the curtesy, but I meet her eyes a final time before she disappears into the night.

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Raven's POV-

After having said goodbye to Anya, I drove the Rover back to Arkadia where it belonged.