GRIM REAPER¹, bellamy blake

008 ━━ where it began

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"OPEN THE gate!" A guard yells, watching as Iona approaches. Athena is hard to miss, and the stone-faced Akru is even harder to not spot. "The commander has returned!"

Iona dismounts from Athena, patting her neck softly before handing the reins over to one of her trusted guards. He takes it with a nod, entering the village and taking a different path over to the stables.

Then, Iona turns, watching as the Sky People get asked for their weapons.

Lincoln approaches first, handing a knife to the guard, before explaining, "We must disarm before we enter."

It was an ironic rule considering Iona had never gone a day without a weapon tucked safely on her. With how much of a mass murder she was, and continues to be, the rule seems unfitting for her.

Yet, when Lexa locked up Iona and gave her the option to train for leadership, she swore that the village would not know such chaos.

While Iona was very reluctant to accept the rule, she did, but only if she, and the guards protecting the village, could keep weapons on them at all times. As well as the townsfolk having weapons stashed in their houses for emergency.

Lexa agreed to the rule, but that's how it was: only in case of emergency.

Iona is stiffly reminded of the fact that it is because of this rule that her people were slaughtered. They had no weapons on them.

Her blood runs cold and she glares over at the corpse of the boy who took the lives of her people, her hands balling into fists.

He killed defenseless citizens.

As the group of tribes enter the village, Iona can hear the voices of her people calling out to her.

"Commander! Welcome back, commander!"

She nods in greeting, eyes scanning the windows of every home to spot a new face peering out at her. Despite the circumstances, she lets a small smile appear on her face.

At least some of her people made it. While the loss of others was utterly heartbreaking, she still had the remaining Grounders.

As long as she protected them, everything would be okay.

Once her people saw the Sky People, however, she felt things go southward.

Everyone began shouting and yelling in protest. The guards began drawing their weapons and stepping close, like they were ready to pounce.

And honestly, Iona would have no sympathy if they did pounce.

This alliance wasn't her idea, it was Lexa's.

While both women are commander's, Lexa is significantly higher in ranking, and Iona must listen to her. Not only because she's family, but because she's her superior.

"Death to the Sky People!"

"Murderers go home!"

Iona sighs as they approach a man. He glares angrily at the commanders, eyes full of fury, and says, "Sky People took everything from me: my wife, my child."

"Step aside," She says slowly, like her patience is dwindling with every second, and honestly, it is. She needs this alliance to be formed before she refuses altogether.

The man shakes his head, "Murderers are not welcome here."

How ironic.

Iona scoffs, "You forget your leaders? You will obey, murderers or not."

"Commander, you can't honestly believe-"

The man suddenly hits the floor as a guard punches him, sending him tumbling in a furry of groans and cries.

But it does not end there.

More violence layers upon violence and soon, the man's face is bloody and bruised.

Iona watches with a sigh, as Clarke runs between her and Lexa.

"Commander, please, stop him," Clarke begs, pointing to the man. "They'll blame us for this too."

Lexa breathes a deep inhale before nodding, "Let him live."

"Pity," Iona shrugs, humming to herself as she stares at the bloody and battered man.

"The Sky People march with us now," Lexa declares loudly, voice booming and strong. Iona glances at her, eyes narrowing briefly before she's looking away and strutting ahead of the group, "Anyone who tries to stop that will pay with their life."

Silence fell over the town and looks were exchanged between villagers. The crazed look in their eyes said it all, and Iona could only imagine where this new alliance would lead their people.

So far, it didn't appear as though it'd lead them anywhere good.

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"In fire, we cleanse the pain of the past," Lexa spoke. Her voice carried across the entire town and Iona shuddered in excitement- finally, the time had come.

Lincoln translated her words to the Sky People as Iona stepped forward, grabbing a lit torch.

The flame danced in her eyes, a pattern she was unable to look away from, and for a moment, all was still. She stared, fascination in her orbs, though bloodlust and pain were written on her face.

Her gaze traveled behind the burning embers and landed on Finn's covered corpse. She froze momentarily, memories of her baby sister coming to mind.

Her first word, of which was sister, though laced with a heavy lisp.

It'd warmed the ice right off of her heart and Iona smiled at the memory. Her lips twitched at the corners until a final, satisfied smile was on her face, and finally, she tore her mind away from the memory and back to the present.

Iona's hand twitched for a second before she was dropping the torch, tossing it into the wood pile and watching as destruction overcame the bonfire.

For the first time since her sisters' death, Iona finally felt at peace.

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