✓ 1. TRIKOVA ᵇᵉˡˡᵃᵐʸ ᵇˡᵃᵏᵉ

chapter two: fighting for peace

- FIGHTING FOR PEACE -

'I'll make sure you get your revenge for what Skaikru did.'

Sairah follows Gustus as he leads the way to the two Sky People they brought in. Her hair is tightly secured in a ponytail, and the skin around her eyes is adorned with black paint, a stark contrast against her determined expression.

Gustus opens the door, signaling for her to enter. Sairah gives him a brisk nod before locking eyes with the two captives. Exhaustion and fear emanate from them, reaching Sairah even from a distance.

As she strides in, Marcus, the white man, rises to his feet, but Jaha, with darker skin, remains motionless. A smirk plays on Sairah's lips as she observes the dynamics. Casting a brief nod to the warriors behind her, they advance toward the prisoners, initiating a brutal assault.

Marcus desperately extends his hand, pleading for mercy, while Jaha remains stoic, enduring each blow with a painful groan. "Stop! We came in peace," Marcus implores, his voice escalating in desperation. "We came in peace! Please!

Sairah raises her right hand, signaling the two warriors to halt. She turns to Lexa, who's disguised as a common village girl with dirt on her face and a limp leg. A nod from Sairah prompts Lexa to take a seat on the ground not far from the prisoners.

Facing the captives again with her stoic expression, Sairah addresses them coldly, "You speak of peace, yet you send an assassin into one of my villages, killing my people, including my brother, in cold blood."

Marcus, confused, furrows his brows. "What are you talking about?"

"Blood must have blood," Sairah declares, retrieving a knife from her waistband and tossing it in front of them. "One of you will die here today, by the other's hand. I will hear the terms of your surrender from the one who lives." She switches to her native tongue as she addresses Lexa, "Fetch us when it's done."

Sairah signals her warriors to follow her as she exits the cave. Turning to Gustus with a furrowed brow, she questions, "You sure she's safe in there?"

Gustus nods reassuringly. "Don't worry, Trikova, I have people on every corner keeping an eye on them."

"Good. Let me know when it's done. I'll be in my room."

With a bow from Gustus and the accompanying warriors, Sairah confidently strides away, head held high. The people around her stop and watch, admiring her muscular and lean physique.

Sairah acknowledges them with a smile, her pearl-white teeth gleaming in the bright sunlight. To onlookers, she appears content, but beneath the surface, she is a person forever scarred by the loss of her brother.

-

Marcus and Jaha gaze at the untouched knife lying before them, pondering the girl's words about a massacre in her village. If her account holds true, then the prospects for peace between the grounders and their people seem bleak. Marcus lets out a sigh, realizing that all his efforts might be in vain.

"They want us to turn on each other," Jaha remarks, breaking the silence.

"They want justice," Lexa corrects, drawing their attention.

"Lives have been lost on both sides," Marcus asserts, frustration evident as he throws his jacket. "That's why we need to end this war!"

Jaha rises and approaches Lexa, who instinctively withdraws. Crouching beside her, he wears a gentle smile. "What's your name?"

Lexa avoids eye contact as she replies, "Lexa."

"Lexa, I'm Thelonious," Jaha introduces himself before gesturing towards the man beside him. "This is Marcus." He then directs his gaze back to Lexa with a questioning expression. "Your commander spoke of an assassin in a village."