Survive, if you can // John Murphy

//21// Yours Truly

WARNINGS: swearing.

When I wake up, I'm on my knees. Someone is holding me up from behind so I don't slump further. My vision is a little blurry but I can make out the room I'm in. The walls are covered in brown and black fabrics with patterns on them. People are surrounding me in a semicircle. They're sitting in chairs. They're also Grounders. My eyes find someone sitting in front of me in a throne made of mangled bones or antlers. Two people are by her sides. She has her legs crossed. Her face is painted in black and her brown hair is flowing down her black armour. I recognize her.

"Lexa?" I ask, squinting a bit.

The grip tightens on the back of my collar as my head is brought up. Lexa shifts in her seat as her Seconds move too. I must've said something wrong. I usually do.

"You will refer to me as the Commander," she says firmly.

"Right. Commander. Sorry," I say, nodding.

"Please explain to me why you attacked one of my people's families," she says, head high.

"Woah. Attacked them? They attacked me. I was just defending myself. And when I let the man go, they knocked me out," I say, frowning.

"Lies," the bald man on her left says. He's wearing a long, black robe and his hands are clasped in front of him.

"It is not a lie," I tell him, turning back to Lexa. "Look, I'm Skaikru. We have a truce, right? You met Clarke and Marcus and Bellamy. I thought we had some kind of deal worked out. Though I suppose that was three months ago."

"Skaikru and I are working out a deal. In the meantime, you are welcome to stay with Clarke," she says, nodding.

"Shit, really? She's here?" I ask, eyebrows raised.

"Yes. Downstairs," Lexa says, nodding once.

"Thanks, Commander," I say as the hand releases me.

I stand, giving her an awkward bow before following my tall guard. We walk down a set of stairs until we come to a hallway. He opens a door and I walk inside. This room is larger than the last. A huge bed with furs on it sits on the far wall, cabinets spread evenly. A balcony is off to the left and I see the back of someone's blonde head. It looks like Clarke with her black clothes but her hair is cut shorter now.

"Clarke?" I say, walking over.

She turns quickly, smiling as she gets a glimpse of me. She rushes over, throwing her arms around me. I'm shocked at first but then I hug her back. It feels nice to be comforted. I'm sure she feels the same way.

"What happened to you?" she asks, pulling away to look me in the eyes. "Bellamy said they hadn't seen you in months. They thought you ran after Murphy and Jaha."

"They'd be correct in that assumption," I say, nodding.

"Well? What happened?" she asks, leading me to a chair and sitting me down in it. She sits on the ottoman in front of me.

"I followed them and was taken to a woman. Well, she isn't really a woman. Her name is Ally. She's an A.I. John told me that she launched the bombs that destroyed Earth," I say.

"Did she hurt you?" Clarke asks quickly.

"No. She wanted me to take some kind of key. She said it was the key to the City of Light. Jaha believed her like an idiot and now he's chipped-"

"Chipped? What does that mean?" she asks, leaning her elbows onto her thighs.

"I don't really know. He isn't really himself anymore. It seems like he's at peace but I think Ally just does all the thinking for him," I say, shaking my head.