Who We Are [Bellamy Blake]

Chapter 42

The day seemed to move slower than a glacier, and Athena found herself digging at her nails, trying to cleanse herself of all the dirt on her body before she was strung up for the Arker’s to see. Might as well look her best for her funeral. She spent most of the day in the tent, refusing Aslan’s company, or anyone else’s for that matter. It was almost the evening, the sun still shining but the temperature dropping, when voices began to rise.

“I saw someone leave.” A voice muttered.

“At least three people.”

“We must tell Lexa.”

“I can’t believe they are stupid enough to try and slip him out.”

Aslan entered the conversation. “You saw the boy leaving?”

“Yes.” The first voice replied, though it was clear he wanted to say very little to Aslan of the Ice Clan.

“Tell Lexa, I’ll gather a hunting party.” Aslan’s voice told Athena that he was determined to keep her alive.

No more than ten minutes later, Athena was being pulled out of her tent by two of Lexa’s guards, their grasps hard on her biceps. She went willingly, but they did not loosen the hold on her. If she darted out of their grasp, she might be able to get away and then they would have lost both of their traitors; Athena and Finn. They brought her to Lexa’s tent.

“I’m sorry about this Athena.” Lexa nodded at her guards and they turned her around, bringing her to a large post that had been placed upright in the ground, in perfect view of camp Jaha.

“No, you are not.” Athena replied smoothly. She wasn’t angry at Lexa, she understood what she needed to do to prove herself worthy of commander rights.

“I am.” Lexa glanced at her, “You are someone I would work well with; I would have liked you by my side when we took down Mount Weather, for you lost more than I have from them.”

Athena had no reply, and stood patiently as she was bound, her arms above her head, being tied together with knots that would not come undone if she struggled, and would in fact tighten if she struggled. They hooked her onto the pole so that she was hanging only from her arms, the weight of her own body already putting strain on her shoulders. A few hours like this and she would have both her shoulders dislocated. As her feet were lifted off the ground, two men pulling the long rope so that she was hanging up, she held her sturdiness in her expression.

“If the boy is not found by nightfall, you take his place.” Lexa said quietly to her.

And so another waiting game was being played, and Athena seemed to be the losing player. Nightfall came quick this time, and after three hours Athena had remained conscious, despite the slow pain of her shoulders being dislocated from the weight of her own body. With Aslan at the head of the hunting party, more than determined to bring back Finn to free Athena, she had some hope they would return with him. If he had enough of Lexa’s people with him, they would have the upper hand of knowing the terrain better than Finn and whomever else helped him escape. She only had another half hour of light at the most, that was her deadline.

Crowds gathered at the other side of the fence, fearful faces of camp Jaha. Athena looked around and saw commotion, torches raised and followed were the voices of cheers; war cries. They had found Finn. Some relief found Athena, and though her shoulders, hands, and even her feet were numb, it did not make her feel much better. Her life would be spared, so Lexa said, but the death that Finn had coming was not one Athena would wish on him. His mistakes were that of a love struck rookie. That didn’t absolve him of his crimes, but a swift death should have been granted.

“Bring her down.” Lexa’s voice commanded just as Athena’s eyes spotted Finn. He looked terrified, but not as upset as she expected.

Aslan was there in a flash, his curved blade slicing the ropes that held her up. His blade fell to the ground as she caught her, knowing that she would not be able to stand. She groaned and she tried to put her arm around her shoulder, but she had no usage of her arms just yet. Not only were they both dislocated, but they were so numb that they weren’t even tingling yet. She ached over her whole body, and it felt deeper as she made eye contact with Finn, who was now going to be taking her place.

As Aslan began to bring her away, Athena managed to find her words, “Wait.”

Finn was being tied to the post, though not the way Athena had been.

“I’m sorry this is happening to you.” Athena said, “It is going to be a long night.”

“Words of comfort?” Finn asked, but the humour was drained.

She did not reply, she had nothing else to say. Aslan had to put her shoulders back in as quickly as possible so that minimal damage was done. He brought her to the nearest tent and she lied down on the table, reaching her arm out. Aslan gripped her forearm, and held her down by placing his left hand on her sternum. As he brought her arm up, Athena gritted her teeth, but did not cry out as the shoulder popper back into place. By the time he got the other shoulder in, Athena could feel her body again, and she knew that she would be able to walk, and be able to witness Finn’s death. It would bring her no satisfaction.

She exited the tent, still leaning on Aslan as minimally as possibly. She could see Raven, Abby, Finn, and many other worried faces through the fences. She could offer them nothing, no solace could be spared. They might have lived harsh lives on the Ark, where things had to be rationed and all crimes meant death, but here it was a different kind of savage. She was almost sure that these people watching a child die over the span of days, painfully sliced but kept alive just long enough to feel the pain he has caused, it would destroy them. It would break the chance of an alliance even though it had been the final piece of the truce. 

Right, so, this happened. I'm very curious to know what you guys think of where I am going with this story, because honestly, I have no idea where I am going with this story. I just write each morning with the intent to post :P Anyways, I am gone again this weekend and I won't be bringing my laptop or even have internet most likely. I don't know when I am leaving tomorrow morning, but I will aim to post. However, I'm leaving for work in twenty minutes and won't be home until late, and my boyfriend will be home by then, and I don't usually get writing time with him home. So, if I don't post until Sunday or Monday, that's why!