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THEY STOOD IN FRONT OF THE PYRE, Finn's body laid across it in a bag. Taylor was almost grateful that he was covered. She wasn't sure she could look at his face again.
"Kru kom Tondisi," Lexa boomed to the village that surrounded the setup. "Raun faya, oso wada klin laudnes dei kom foutaim."
"People of Tondc, in fire, we cleanse the pain of the past," Lincoln translated thoughtfully from beside Octavia. Taylor looked down for a moment, all of the same feelings that were there a few days ago rushing back.
When she looked up, Indra was holding out a torch to Lexa while Dria stood next to her dutifully. Before Lexa lit the fire beneath the body, she extended the torch, offering it to Clarke.
Whispers rippled through the crowd, all indiscernible, but certainly disapproving. Clarke accosted the torch and nodded at Lexa gratefully. Taylor stared at Raven in front of her, a sudden guilt rooting itself in her stomach.
Clarke bent her arm forward and ignited the pyre, flames slowly crawling over Finn's body. Taylor once again found her eyes wet. She was tired of losing people.
"Yu gonplei ste odon," Clarke said, neither her nor Taylor really knowing what it meant but certain of the fact that Grounders said it to their dead.
Lexa glanced at her curiously, a quick moment where her hard expression melted away. Dria continued to stare on with contempt.
Clarke places the torch at the bottom of the pyre and fully ignited it. Taylor stared at it blankly, tears still running down her cheeks. She looked down when she felt another hand grab hers and shot Bellamy a grateful look as he squeezed her hand.
Finn burned away for a few minutes until he was nothing but ash.
__________
Her tears were dry and she made her attempt at putting on the most stoic face that she could. A long table was full of food, surrounded by more than enough chairs for all of them. Hundreds of candles surrounded them, lighting the room effectively.
Taylor stood in between Kane and Bellamy, facing Lexa, Dria, Indra, and Gustus almost directly.
"Please accept this gift, Commander," Kane offered Lexa, holding out a clear bottle filled with clear liquid, which was what she could only assume was alcohol, for her to take. "We drink this at special occasions. I believe this qualifies."
