THE UNDERGROUND / GXG (The 100)

7

Long chapter ahead 👀

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Lexa was not confident in Zalia's plan. Not at all. It was not her plan after all, but there was no turning back now. Lexa was in her room waiting for all the clan leaders to arrive for the meeting. The plan could work, and she needed it to work if she wanted the coalition to stay as it was, but still, she felt uneasy about it. She didn't know if the clans would agree to follow the laws of the coalition now that their secret plans were not secret anymore, or if they would unanimously decide to break the coalition.

She heard a guard knocking on her door and she knew it was time. "Heda, emo laik hir." (Commander, they are here.) the guard said through the door. Lexa took a breath and walked out of her room, her confidence emanating from her. It was like a switch went on inside her head. She was in Commander mode and no one could notice her uneasiness with this plan. The guards opened the doors to the throne room and the Commander walked in, making everyone shut up and turn to her in amazement and respect. Once she reached her throne, she turned around to face the clan leaders and they immediately bowed to her. "Rise." She said before sitting down on her throne. The clan leaders sat down on their chairs and the Commander started the meeting.

"Rumors about the underground have spread. I indeed captured their leader. And I know you're all here expecting this to be a trial. But that is not why we are here. As you may have noticed, this is an exceptional meeting. The underground leader has provided very valuable information that benefits the coalition. That is what we are here to discuss. And that is why I am granting her and her people temporary immunity." At that last sentence, the clan leaders started objecting, some of them stood up trying to get the Commander's attention over all the bickering.

The flamekeeper, Titus, spoke up loudly. "Shof yu op! (Silence!) Heda has not asked for your opinion!" For what Zalia has learned about Titus, she knows he was very loyal to the Commander. He has been her teacher since before she won the conclave, so Zalia knew to stay on his good side. For now, Titus was on board with her plan because it benefited the coalition. Zalia hoped he would stay on board.

The clan leaders sat back down and shut up. Lexa nodded towards the guards at the entrance, and they opened the doors. Zalia was standing there, with her guarded expression. She was wearing her black cargo pants, which were now patched up, along with a black t-shirt. Her hair was in a half-bun, with braids cascading down her shoulders. She looked entirely different from the first time she was dragged through those doors. Her bruises had almost disappeared, now making her icy blue eyes the center of attention. She was a fit woman, but she now looked slightly thinner. She had been training in her room and on the training grounds, but she missed her usual training.

The clan leaders stared at Zalia in amazement mixed with anger while she walked in the room, her hands were behind her back, but she wasn't tied up. Her boots hit the floor softly as she walked up to the Commander. Zalia bowed slowly while she spoke. "Heda." She rose once again and stood beside Lexa's throne, facing the clan leaders. This was where the Commander's advisors stood, but this time, Zalia was standing there alone.

"King Roan. It has been confirmed that Azgeda has their natblida who in 14 years has not been sent here to train. Anything you would like to say about that?" Lexa said. Some of the clan leaders gasp at that. They were all surprised to hear what the Commander said. To hide a nightblood in that way meant that you were planning to overthrow the current Commander and it was taken as an act of treason.

Roan looked down in shame and out of frustration. The elders of his clan were threatening to kill him if he didn't do something to put Azgeda in control once again. The Ice Nation was very arrogant and prideful. They believed they needed to dominate over the other clans. That was a mentality established by Queen Nia, but now he had to make a decision. Would he be like his mother or would he make something new out of his clan? Lexa knew what was happening in Azgeda, and the pressure the elders were putting him through, but it was either the elders' heads or his.