UnderStanding (Clexa)

Chapter Five

I own nothing
The Ark

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"He's sure about that? Lincoln!" She grabs his arm to stop him from packing some things into a small pack and pulls him to face her. "Do you trust what he told you?"

Lincoln looks at Octavia with a tight-lipped expression and nods. "Miko and I grew up together. He has no reason to lie to me about this."

Octavia swears and drops her head. "Can she survive it?" She doesn't want to let her fear for Clarke's life show, not when she is still fighting to hold on to the anger she feels for the other girl, but she can't hide it.

Lincoln cups her cheek and rests his forehead against hers for a moment, allowing her a moment of peace. Pulling back, he nods. "You Skai girls are strong. If anyone could do it, it's her. But let's get moving."

"Hey," Octavia stops him once more, "look, I know we planned on leaving the Ark anyway, but we weren't heading back to TonDC. Why are you so worried about going? Won't they be angry with you?"

He smiles a small smile. "Heda pardoned me so that I may be with you. It doesn't matter if that's here, with them, or elsewhere, but we need to be there. You may still feel angry at Clarke and Heda for TonDC, but you know in war, it was the right call." He stands up, pulling his pack over his shoulder. "And I know you miss her."

Octavia can't deny that. Bellamy is her brother, but over the time spent on the ground, Clarke has become like a sister to her, and they have grown closer than she and Bellamy in different ways. She never felt like she belonged to the Ark people, but she feels more herself and at home with the Trikru and Lincoln. Now with Clarke making the decision to face the trials she has only heard about briefly from Lincoln in order to make peace within herself and become Triku, why is she questioning it?

Octavia turns and secures her sword to her back and a dagger in the sheath on her side. Picking up the pack Lincoln readied for her, she heads out the door. "Let's go then."

Lincoln can't do anything but smile and follow her out.

TonDC - The trials of the Skaikru Heda

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Clarke takes a slow and deep breath, closing her eyes as she grips tightly to the leather wrapped around her hands. She stands with her knees slightly bent, trying to be relaxed and not too stiff. She isn't sure it will help her much either way, but it feels like the right thing to do

The heat from the fire around her is hot. She can feel the first few beads of sweat begin to drip from her hairline and down her temple, despite most of her upper body being bare. After she rid herself of her jacket and shirt, Echo presented her with a small loose top, with thin bootlace style ties that go around her neck and her lower back, just enough material on the front to cover her breasts. She had been shrouded in the front by Echo and another woman as she exchanged her bra for this new material. She knows it was created to expose the most skin of her back and sides while leaving her chest covered from view. For that, she is thankful.

She knows Indra is speaking once again, something about the people stepping forward to begin, but she can't hear it all. Her mind is already racing with the thoughts of the dead. She is seeing Finn firing that rifle into innocent villagers. She can hear the anguished cries of family and friends, hovering over the lifeless bodies of their loved ones. She is hearing the screams and coughs of the children in Mount Weather as they died their slow and painful deaths at her hand.

She is preparing herself to welcome what is coming. Even in the haze of her thoughts, she can't help but hear Indra sending one of the men from the lineup away, taking his dagger. She can't be certain, but she thinks he is shaking his head and gesturing towards her, seemingly unwilling to take part. She is confused by this, expecting more of them to want a turn at her. She doesn't think on it too long as she notices Indra slowly turning towards Echo whose eyes harden at her, but she obeys her general and hesitantly steps forward and accepts one of the daggers.