𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, bellamy blake ¹

16; get back up

"She tastes like nectar and salt. Nectar and salt and apples. Pollen and stars and hinges. She tastes like fairy tales. Swan maiden at midnight. Cream on the tip of a fox's tongue. She tastes like hope."

― Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke & Bone

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SERENA AND NAOMI BEGAN TO TREK BACK HOME AFTER AN HOUR OF MESSING AROUND IN THE LAKE. The both of them were grinning, nudging each other playfully as they went. Mud stuck to both of their faces. Mentor and student were one.

They began to approach the gates, braided hair swaying. When the gates pulled open children ran towards us. "Serena, Naomi!"

"Village Chief!"

The children grabbed a hold of Naomi's hips, reaching for her hands. She smiled and knelt to touch each of their forehead. "Hello." They giggled at her and moved to play with her hair and fingers.

"Visitors in the village," a boy said as he looked up at Serena. "Village Chief. Visitors."

Serena looked ahead abruptly, coming to stand. She nodded to the children before turning to Naomi.

"Who—"

"Come. Hold yourself high," she said, taking a hold of Naomi's hand to help her up. "Follow my lead. Don't speak without being spoken to. Come."

Naomi stood and wiped the remained of the mud off her face, so only a streak remained across her cheek. "Okay." She pushed her hair back out of her face and followed Serena down the pathway. Villagers began to follow the two, muttering to one another about a visitor with hair of fair dirt and eyes like a forest. Naomi moved to touch the pendant around her neck. It shone in the midday sun, rusted slightly at one edge.

Serena stopped in front of two figures in the village clearing. They stood beside a green tent that had a golden symbol painted on the doorway.

"Indra." Serena spoke as if greeting an old friend, but Naomi noticed her shoulders were straightened and tense. The woman turned. She had dark skin—darker than Serena's—and an angular jawline. A scar ran down her left brow-bone and the tattoo on the other side matched it. Her eyes rested gently on Serena but then turned to look accusingly at Naomi.

"Sky Girl," the woman hissed, drawing her sword. Naomi took a step back and looked over for Serena.

"Sky Girl," the brunette beside Indra repeated, eyebrows furrowed in curiosity.

"Heda," the villagers around Naomi said. They moved to their knees. "Heda." Naomi did a double-take before falling down on her knees, lowering her head and hoping she didn't mean offence.

Indra walked forward. "What is a sky person doing here?" She grabbed the back of Naomi's jacket and pulled her to her feet. Naomi stumbled and pulled against the older woman's grip. Her heart leapt into her throat.

"Indra," The Commander barked. "Leave her be." She moved to stand in front of Naomi, examining her. She was the most beautiful person Noe had ever seen. The villagers were right, she thought. The Commander's eyes were as bright as a thousand deep forests. She looked like she couldn't be over nineteen, and her cheeks were pronounced against plump lips. "You are the Sky Girl staying with us," she said. Her voice was deep and beautiful.

Naomi kept her gaze away from the Commander's eyes. They were fierce and she did not want to anger Lexa. "I want to become a warrior, Heda," Naomi replied. "To stop a war."