❝ 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻
𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲
𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲
𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 ❞
- 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝘀

𝗔𝘃𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩

After reluctantly leaving Octavia and Nova to watch over the camp, Clarke and I head straight to where the Commander is waiting for her.

The guard posted outside announces our arrival and we're allowed into the tent, my eyes immediately finding the wounded Indra.

"How are you feeling?" I breathe out, going straight to the woman's side.

I think I almost catch the ghost of a smile on her face or maybe I imagine it, but she grabs a hold of the hand I place on her shoulder and squeezes it gently in what I assume is gratitude.

"Better" She tells me shortly "Where is Octavia?"

"She's watching over camp" Clarke answers for me.

"Nova?" Indra adds in a quieter tone.

"With Octavia" I assure her and she nods in content with my answer.

"So tell us, Clarke, how does this end? Have you come up with a way to save your people yet again?" Lexa speaks up authoritatively.

"No. Only you can do that" Clarke replies in determination "What happened here was an act of war. Your army was here to help us, and my people slaughtered them. You have every right to respond, every right to wipe us out, or you can change the way you do things"

"Why should she change? Blood must have blood" Indra declares.

"Really? Because from where I stand, the only way that ends is with everyone dead" Clarke states matter of factly.

"Clarke's right. Violence can't always be the answer" I point out and I feel as though Finn would be proud of my statement when Clarke smiles at me the way she used to smile at him.

"So what kind of leader do you want to be, the kind who kills every chance she gets because that's your way or the kind who shows the world a better way?" Clarke snaps out of her momentary daze and directs her question to Lexa.

"You consider letting a massacre go unavenged a better way?" Lexa counters curiously.

"If it ends a cycle of violence, yes. If it brings about peace, yes" Clarke answers sincerely "Someone has to take the first step. Let it be you"

Lexa frowns deeply and paces away from the blonde girl, Clarke immediately following behind her.

"You say you want peace. Everything you've done was to achieve that, yet here we stand on the brink of another war, a war you could stop" Clarke explains to the brunette haired woman.

I watch on in awe as Clarke and Lexa stare at each other as if they are the only two in the room, my lips parting in surprise when I pick up on the tension between the two.

"Commander, you can't seriously be considering this" Indra says in disbelief when Lexa doesn't immediately reply.

"I'm not considering it" Lexa replies and Clarke frowns for a moment before the Commander continues "I'm doing it"

"Heda, please" Indra begs the Commander to reconsider.

"Indra, our people act as if war is easier than peace. If that's so, should we not try and achieve the more difficult goal?" Lexa explains her thought process and I give her an impressed nod.

"She has a very good point" I back up the brunette who nods at me gratefully.

"Polis will not support you. Titus-" Indra tries to reason with her but is swiftly cut off mid sentence.

"Titus is my subject. They're all my subjects. Do you say they will defy me?" Lexa raises her voice in anger "Will you defy me?"

"No, Heda. I will not" Indra grits out.

"Then let it be known" Lexa announces, turning her head to look back at Clarke "Blood must not have blood"

╳°»。 ∾·⁙· ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ·⁙·∾ 。«°╳

I decide that I don't think I can bare to be around camp at the moment with all that has happened and I leave it in the capable hands of Octavia and Nova, taking Lexa up on her offer to stay in Polis with Clarke.

After I settle into my fancy new room i've been gifted by the Commander, I wander down the halls until I find Clarke's room and I knock on the door. The door is opened to reveal the blonde girl i've been searching for and I smile at her knowingly.

"Why do I have a feeling you're about to say something really out of pocket?" Clarke questions as I saunter past her into her room.

"Honestly? I was gonna ask if you've been having sex with Lexa" I admit, flopping down onto her bed and giving her a cheeky grin as my head hits her fluffy pillows.

"No, I haven't" Clarke huffs, rolling her eyes as she closes the door and follows me over, sitting on the bed next to me.

"So it's just purely your flirty little looks that have that poor woman melting like putty in your hands?" I question teasingly.

"Oh, shut up" Clarke groans, flopping down on the mattress and her head landing on the pillow next to the one i've claimed "I have no idea what's going on"

I turn my head to look at the blonde girl and she does the same, her baby blue eyes scanning my face as if she's looking for something.

"Do you like her?" I ask curiously and she nods softly "The way you liked Finn?"

"No, it's different. I don't know how, but it is" She tells me vaguely and I smile softly.

"I understand what you mean. Feelings cause more complications than they're worth" I sigh out and she frowns.

"Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Bellamy?" Clarke questions and I take a deep breath, turning my head to look up at the sheer material draped atop the four poster frame of her bed.

"He left me" I admit hesitantly, closing my eyes to avoid the traitorous tears I fear will start to well.

I feel Clarke's warm hand intertwine with my cold one and she holds it firmly enough that it gives me the strength to look back at her.

"I told him that if he left with Pike to slaughter those grounders then I wouldn't be there when he got back" I explain to the blonde girl holding my hand and she listens intently "I begged him to stay like a fool and he left me there anyway, like I meant nothing to him"

"You didn't deserve that" Clarke states and I smile at her, squeezing her hand gently.

"Thank you...for everything" I breathe out and although the sentiment is vague, I think she understands what I mean because she tears up a little.

"I've always got your back, Ava" She assures me with a weak smile.

"Right back at you, blondie" I hum in content.