The Girl from the Ground - Season 1

Episode Five, Part 5:

Episode Five, Part 5: 
Defectors 

The frown on Ares' face didn't let up, even as he sighed out the entire contents of his lungs. His folded arms only added to Izzy's amusement and it took all of her strength to not break out into a smile when he tried to focus.

"Are you sure she's fine?" Harlow asked from behind Izzy, one hand having been held on her shoulder the entire time as if trying to share the weight of her portion of the world.

Haven nodded on behalf of her and Ares. "I still think it would be a good idea to get the experts in... Aeryn and Fenn have been doing this longer than we've been alive," she reminded them. "But I'm fairly confident they'd say the same as us."

"Yeah - rest," Ares said from Haven's side. "And no more getting into trouble, or whatever happened out there."

Izzy appreciated her brother's concern - far more than she'd ever know how to express - and wished she could tell him that he'd never have to worry about her like this again. But there was a war on its way, and danger on their doorstep, and she couldn't do as he asked, and she couldn't tell him.

"I'll take it easy," she murmured. If she wanted it to be true, did that count for something? If she longed for the opposite as the lie came out through her gritted teeth, did that take away some of the damage?

Before she could figure it out, there was a metal rumbling above them, shaking the tunnel and convincing each of them that the sky was falling down.

Izzy looked up as the light burst through, wondering if it hurt everyone else as much as her.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're all up to no good?"

Sol's voice was recognised first, then as the shadows fell behind her, her suspicious gaze landed on the group.

Izzy swallowed a breath of nervousness, looking to Eden and Reign to handle their mother's questioning.

"If I used the excuse that I'm a Sovereign, could I get out of telling you?" Eden tried, hoping the same charm she inherited from her father would work on her mother, but it didn't.

"Not a chance," Sol answered. "The four of you might have mastered the art of sneaking around, but your new accomplices need some more training. Up and out."

"Technically, Auntie River, you put the four of us in charge of everything-" Veer began to speak, but after realising that Sol wasn't backing down, she abandoned the rest of her sentence.

The group piled out of the tunnel and Izzy was grateful that Harlow went first to help lift her up, however, her dependance was observed by Sol, and though Izzy was sure that the bruise on her temple and the mix of mud and blood splatters on her clothes were enough of a giveaway that something had happened, she was still disappointed in herself for not being able to hide it better.

"Izzy, you should get to the medic tent," Sol said - her maternal instincts kicking in as she ran her fingers softly over the young girl's forehead.

"See?" Ares chimed in with agreement, nudging Izzy's elbow.

"I'm fine," she insisted, standing up straight, but her facade was see-through.

Sol took a moment, chewing her lip as she wrestled with a decision, then, "the four of you go wait in the map room. We'll be in soon."

"'We'll'?" Eden frowned, realising only after she had spoke what her mother was implying. She almost wanted to point out that the Sovereigns didn't take orders from anyone but themselves, but then she weighed out the consequence of being grounded forever, and settled on biting her tongue instead.