Warrior ‣ Bellamy Blake

Twelve

With those words, all hope of returning to her people to convince them to leave before they were all slaughtered died right in front of Aella. She knew how odd it was to have black blood. Since it only stayed on Earth after the 13th station was shot down, but she didn't know that and assumed the color of her blood had to do with sickness.

"Why does your blood flow black?" Lexa repeated with fury. "Are you not one of the Sky People?"

"I am, Commander," Aella said.

She began running her hands through her hair and mused, "How do the Sky People have a Nightblood, Anya?"

"I don't know, Heda. I happened to see the girl bleed and thought you should be the first to know."

She turned her attention to the Sky People's Nightblood and asked angrily, "How?"

"I don't know, Commander," she admitted. "That is the truth."

"You lie, Aella of the Sky People!"

"You can call me many things, but not a liar. Let me go to my people and we will leave you alone."

Lexa circled her as a predator would to prey and simply muttered, "No."

Deciding fighting back would be a death sentence and she wanted to save her people, Aella simply listened to Lexa and Anya argue about what to do with her while formulating an escape plan.

"What can we do, Anya?" Lexa asked desperately.

"You could let the girl go so she can leave you forever with her people," Aella suggested snarkily.  

"I could always cut off your tongue for sassing me," Lexa threatened dangerously, her voice dropping an octave. Though she was young, she had undeniable power.

"Let me go," Aella shouted. "My people are dying! We've lost so much! We need to survive and we can't if you decide to kill me before I can tell my people to leave! I don't want anyone else to die!"

"That is not your decision to make."

She turned to Anya and pleaded, "You said there was an enemy that wasn't my people. We can take them out with our technology. We can."

"You underestimate them," Anya muttered. "That is a battle you will lose, and since the Commander has sent her warriors to destroy your people, consider yourself lucky that you are spared another day."

She bit her lip to keep herself from screaming in frustration, wondering how the hell she always managed in situations where she couldn't save her people. She didn't want to beg, knowing the two warriors in front of her would see it as cowardice, a trait seemingly frowned upon by the Grounders.

"You won't beg?" Lexa asked, almost taunting the girl. She also admired her strength.

"Would you budge if I did?'

She smiled knowingly at the girl before answering, "No."

Aella leaned her head against the wall and said, "What would you do if you were me and the situation was reversed?"

She thought about it or a second before responding, "I'd kill my enemies. Every last one. What would you do?"

"Attempt making peace."

She refrained from scoffing but realized how naive this older woman was. "You want to make peace? While honorable, you have left yourself vulnerable to be betrayed. You have been betrayed again and again. You have lost those you love. The difference between you and me is that I know when to stop using my heart for decisions."

"We're at war. How much good can your head serve now?"

Lexa clenched her fists angrily before muttering, "Anya, restrain me now before I rip out her throat. I want her alive."