Black Blood, Green Eyes

another meeting

CLARKE

Bellamy and I walk in behind Roan and the room goes silent, first because the Ice King who just lost his mother had entered the room and then because Bellamy and I changing our war paint color. I take my seat beside Lexa and Bellamy stands protectively behind me. "Now that everyone is here let's begin." Lexa calls the meeting to order. Her voice remains quiet because the room is absolutely silent, "There have been reports of a rebel group near Azgeda borders that has been slowly gaining the numbers needed to be a threat to the coalition. As I call for Roan to bow before me there will be a rise in numbers whether or not he complies, so from here we decide if we should take the fight to them or wait for them to grow and make an attack of  their own. "

The room is suddenly filled with answers for both to wait and to attack now, and just as soon as it started it ends as I stand up from my chair. "I say we wait, why risk the lives of our people without attempting to make an agreement with these people or a peace treaty?" I say quietly and I receive confused looks from everyone in the room besides Lexa and Roan.

"I say we keep them and get rid of you!" one of the men from the back of the room yells and draws his sword. "Your people haven't been here long enough to take the place of people who have bled for the coalition and who have lost their families to see the coalition prevail!" He starts to charge towards me and I reach for my sword but before he can reach me the tip of a blade comes out from his chest and his face is painted with pain. The blade disappears again and the man falls to the floor exposing Roan who is cleaning his sword on his pant leg. 

"Who brought this man to the meeting?" Roan demands walking towards me to stand by my side. "I demand to know now!" he starts to raise his voice and it deepens with every word. "Who is the traitor that brought this man to the war council?"

"I did!" the leader of San Kru says standing from his seat. "Can you all not see that we are no longer the people of the Commander but of Wanheda? Look how both Roan and the Heda protect her! We aren't being led by our Commander any more, we may bow to her but she bows to Wanheda."

"I bow to no one!" Lexa yells standing up and slamming a fist on the table making everyone jump. I take my seat with a smirk on my face knowing the man is going to get teared a new one. "I solely lead the coalition, I  command our armies, I declare war, I end wars!" The man takes his seat and i can see him gulp from where I sit. "Sky Kru is the the 13th clan whether or not anyone likes it. An act against them is an act against not only the coalition but against me! The next person found to be plotting against or threatening anyone from Sky Kru will be charged with treason and executed publicly! Does anyone else have anything to add?" The rest of the leaders sit far back into their seats and shake their heads, "Good so we will have a anonymous vote you all should have a piece of paper and a marking tool in front of you, mark a circle for wait or an x to attack now. Once you make your mark fold it in half and then place it in the bowl that I will be passing around." Everyone picks up what we would call a pencil and quickly makes a mark on their papers. Lexa makes her mark first and places it in the bowl then she makes her way around to every leader starting with me.

I write a small x on the paper, fold it, and then drop it in her bowl. As she goes around the table I watch the reactions of each leader. Some of them flinch when she gets to them, others are completely still and a few who drop a hands closer to their weapon. By the time Lexa is done collecting the votes I have a pretty good idea on who is and isn't loyal.

As the votes are tallied the room remains completely silent, most eyes are on me. I am probably grabbing everyone's attention because I have Bellamy and Roan right behind me like bodyguards. Two of the best fighters in the coalition standing behind me ready to go for anyone who steps near me, not only them but I have Lexa standing to my left who doesn't even need to look up to be able to obviate  any threats. I have these three deadly and brutal killers on my defense but I wouldn't even need them and the people know it.

"Out of the 13 clans," Lexa starts which shocks me out of my thoughts. "9 voted to fight now and 4 to wait, we will gather our supplies and ready our people for two weeks before we attack. For those of you who voted to wait I have given you those two weeks to get ready and to fully support the coalition. Now let us prepare to mourn for Nia and accept Roan as a leader in the coalition. At sunset the ceremony will commence you all know what to expect, go and prepare." She ends the meeting swiftly and the leaders clear the room as quickly as possible leaving Roan, Bellamy, Lexa and I at the end of the table. "So all three of you are best of friends now?"

"No, we are all leaders working together to save the coalition." Roan replies making Lexa's face scrunch up in anger because I wasn't the one to reply. "How is your wound?"

"My wound is nothing but a scratch compared to what I have had before, I will be fine. Clarke how are you?" She asks looking to me and at that moment I can feel all of their eyes on me. What the man said earlier echoes in my ears and he was only speaking the truth. I have every single one of them and my every beck and call. They act like leaders but in reality all I have to do is snap my fingers and they'd do whatever I say.

"I'm fine. Bellamy and I have to start getting ready for the ceremony and I have to talk to my mother, I will see you later." I plant a firm kiss on his lips and then bow my head to both Roan and Lexa. "I will see you all at the ceremony."

As soon as I was able to I take a break from walking and lean against a building's wall. I place my hand over my wound and it comes back drenched with blood. I groan to myself and then stand back up and continue my walk towards the med bay where I know my mother will be. I walk through the door and as I suspected she is there helping sew up man's wound. I walk around her knowing that when she is focused my presence is barely an interest to her.  I grab a suture kit and hoist myself up onto an open table. I take off my armor and then my shirt which grabs the attention of the man being worked on but my mother snaps her fingers and he adverts his eyes quickly. I let out a small chuckle and then start to prep my wound. I tore three stitches and without anything to numb the pain the replacement stitches are going to hurt like hell. Once the needle is threaded and I'm about to start the first stitch my mother's hand grabs it from mine. 

"You shouldn't have been doing anything besides resting today." she scolds me as she starts to stitch as if she were making a quilt. "You have so many scars now, one day you'll get one that will end you."

"Mom I needed to be at that meeting, you know exactly how important these next few hours are going to be. I came to update you on what's happening here. " I say in a low voice and look up to the few people still in the room. "May we have the room?" I ask in their tongue and they all bow and walk straight out of the room shutting the door behind themselves. "We have two weeks before we attack and in that two weeks Lexa will find out which clan leaders are loyal and which are not. We won't just be going to war, she is going to kill anyone who isn't loyal to the coalition and us. She is trying to prove that she can be the Commander that everyone thinks she is, people are saying that her and Roan are loyal to me and that I am the true leader of the coalition. I need you to get back to camp, not just to help our people but to keep you safe. If what I think happens the war will be more of an assassination attempt on me and Lexa rather than a war. We are playing regicide now and you and Bellamy are the only way of getting to me. Until we begin the attack you two are my top priority and you are not safe here, Bellamy and I fight best when we are together but I can't fight if I know you aren't safe." She opens her mouth to speak but I cut her off. "I know that this isn't how its supposed to happen that a child should never have to protect their mother but even though you think I am still a child I'm not anymore and this isn't the perfect world where mothers get to protect their children every time something bad happens. So I don't want to hear anything but an 'okay' from you."

"I was going to say that I understand. I know that I am not any help when it comes to war and especially when it comes to protecting you. All I have to say is be careful and always keep Bellamy by your side. I expect radio updates as things happen." she smiles softly and kisses my forehead. "Try not to rip anymore stitches, you're going to need your health." She helps me put my shirt back on and my armor

"I'll try. Thanks mom." I pull her into a hug and it feels weird like it was forced but I know this could be the last time we see each other and I would want her to remember that it was a pleasant time. "Go update Kane and you too need to be gone before the ceremony, I'll tell them there was an emergency back at camp that required your medical attention. Say hi to everyone for me." I grab an extra suture kit and walk straight out of the lab not wanting to look at my mother's face again. If I did I would want to tell her exactly what I think is going to happen at the ceremony and she won't leave if I tell her.