black bird, raven reyes

35. ascension day

"Octavia. Eden." They were thrown into the room, gags around their mouths, on their knees on the ground. "What crimes? What happened?" Clarke asked. "Skaikru attacked their village. Because their warriors were lost when your people massacred the army we had sent to protect you, their village was defenseless."

"How dare you bring this to me on Ascension day?" Lexa asked. "I did not bring this here, Heda."

"You did."

"Against my advice, you made Skaikru the thirteenth clan. They rejected this, murdering hundreds of your people, and yet on the very field where they died, you decided to forgive the killers, but his provocation is proof. Blood must not have blood has failed. All that can stop this now is war. "

"I would do anything to save my people. You know that, but I know them. Not everyone agrees with chancellor Pike. Kane doesn't. Octavia doesn't. Eden doesn't."

"Your people did not vote for Kane."

"Some of them did. We need to give them time to see that they made the wrong choice and fix it." Clarke said. Eden knew they wouldn't fix anything, and wouldn't stop until all grounders were dead. "And you believe your people will take him out themselves."

"If they don't, if instead they use this time to plan their next attack then we must act now, Heda. Make an example of the thirteenth clan. Show the other twelve what happens when they defy you. You got them back when you killed the Ice Queen, but the coalition is still fragile."

"I call upon the armies of the twelve clans to march on Arkadia. Not to attack, but to contain. We will blockade the thirteenth clan. We will keep them from the lands they wish to possess. We will give them time to take out their leaders from within. Once they rise up against them, then we will welcome them back as one of us."

"You heard the commander. Send riders. Tell your armies to set a buffer zone around Arkadia. Five miles should be enough to keep them away from our villages. Any skaikru caught across the line will be subject to a kill order."

"Heda, I do not understand. How is this vengeance?"

"It is not vengeance. It is justice."

"Skaikru killed my sons, and my brother, and my wife. If the spirit of the commander will not protect us, the what will?"

"You mind yourself, Semet." Lexa tries to assassinate Lexa, but Titus killed him before he had a chance. "Blood must have blood." Titus tells her.
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Octavia and Eden waited impatiently for Indra for Clarke to join the two. "What is taking her so long?" Octavia murmured. "I can train you." Octavia said, out of nowhere. "What do you mean?" Eden asked. "To use a sword. To fight." "Octavia you don't have to do that."  "I want to, just tell me when." Eden nodded, and saw Indra walk out of a building and over to the two. They headed to Trikru without Clarke.
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