❛ empire now ❜
★ ₊˚.  ❪ protection ❫
˗ˏ⋆ ˎ˗⠀┊  3x07⠀┊ ⠀❝ xxvi ❞
▅▅▅ ▅▅▅ ▅▅▅ ▅▅▅

( tw | mentions of torture, murder, death. )

"HEDA..."

Anakin knelt on the rough, yet carpeted floor in the throne room in polis. He bowed his head as he waited for his sister -- who sat on her throne like the royalty she was -- to tell him to stand. He knew that she selfishly enjoyed watching her own brother bow to her, all because she had been chosen by the flame keeper out of the two siblings to fight in the conclave.

"Rise." Lexa spoke as she too stood on her feet, she gave a small, almost unnoticeable smile to her brother and she descended down the few steps. "You got our gift, yes?" Puzzled at the word 'our', Anakin sent his sister a look to which she quickly realized and explained herself. "Mine and Clarkes."

"I did, yes. Thank you." Anakin spoke, but a small part of him hated the idea of Clarke could have been behind what had been left at the entrance of Lincolns cave. "It was definitely a sight to see."

Lexa gestured for Anakin to follow her, to where she lead him past the throne and to the balcony where they could look out of all the grounds of polis. Anakin had always loved the view of polis from above, it made him imagine what it would be like if he was the commander and everyone below him was his subject. "It was a hard gift to leave, considering you murdered every person that had come near you, Marie and the young girl."

A small freeze from Anakin at the mention of Daisy. He knew his sister knew about her, but what all did she know? Clarke probably blabbered her mouth, Anakin figured, since she never knew how to shut up.

"Daisy, is it?" Lexa pressed, not looking at her brother as she spoke. "A nightblood. The last living from the mountain. Maybe I could keep her here in polis, teach her our ways."

Anakin whirled towards his sister, narrowed eyes and hair falling in front of his face as he did so. "She is not a prize, Lexa. She's under my protection. I am not here anymore to ensure her safety and to keep her secret, I am here to tell you to stay away from her."

"And what about Marie?" Lexa hummed, not getting a rise from her brothers words. "Would you like me to stay away from her; the commander of death?"

Anakin nodded curtly. "Marie is just as much as my blood as you are. She too is under my protection."

Lexa stepped away from the balcony and into the throne room, Anakin following behind her with long steps. "Guards!" She called out, and the door swung open before she could have even finished her word.

"Yes, heda?" Someone spoke, a guard Anakin wasn't too sure he knew the name of.

"Bring me Marie Kane and Daisy Wallace." Lexa ordered and the doors slammed shut, with the guard following his orders. She turned towards her brother, a look on her face. "I will always protect you, Anakin. Despite the commanders sprits telling me not too. If you care so much about Marie and Daisy, then they too have my sworn protection."

Anakin nodded. "Thank you, sister."

"Annie?" Daisy grinned as she stepped into the throne room, her legs moving quickly to throw her body towards the male grounder, which she didn't end up doing when she saw how tense his body was. "Hi, Anakin."

"Hi, Daisy." Anakin gave the girls hand a firm squeeze after she had grabbed his hand.

Marie still stood by the door, her gaze locked on Lexa. She wanted nothing more than to throw her knife and harm her for leaving them at the mountain. She wasn't over what Lexa and Clarke had done, what she had been forced to do, because of their actions.

"Thank you, Marie Kane." Lexa told the girl, kneeling slightly in a bow of respect. "You saved my brother. I am forever grateful."

"LEXA..."

   Anakin cried twice, from what he could remember. Once when he was a child, when he was ripped from his adoptive parents at the order of the flame keeper scouts. And the second time, was when his sister had sent him to Trikru to be trained and tortured — they had beat him so bad, he cried and cried for it to end, but after that, he hasn't cried since, not even when they were taking his bone marrow, it was like there were no tears left to shed.

Until now. Out of sadness? Was Anakin even capable of feeling sad anymore? Was Anakin just so blood happy that he wasn't ever sad? No.

"Lexa." He pressed his hand against her stomach, attempting to keep all her blood inside her body. He shot narrowed eyed daggers at Titus, who had shot and would kill his sister. "Hey, no, no, do not close your eyes."

Lexa blinked slowly, blood trickling from the corners of her lips. Anakin could tell her heart was slowing down, her body moved slower and she struggled to keep her eyes open. "Lexa, it is not your time, yet. You have to stay awake, Clarke can help you."

"Anakin, my little brother." Lexa started. "You are not dammed, you are not broken, you have a pure heart, Anakin."

Anakin felt tears drip down her cheek. "I can not lose you too, Lexa. You are the last of my family."

"You have Marie and Daisy now." Lexa spoke slowly. "Love is not weakness, Anakin. I - I love you, okay?"

"Okay." Anakin nodded, his hair falling in front of his face. "I love you too."

And then Anakin felt her body go still, and he knew she was no longer breathing. Titas moved him to the side as Clarke stepped closer to him, about to offer her condolences when he pushed her away out of anger and grief.

"You killed her too, Clarke." Anakin seethed. "Titas was trying to kill you, because you told her not to kill your people. Blood must have blood, always."

Daisy tugged on Anakins shirt. "Annie? Are you okay?"

"He must come with." Titus spoke, Lexa in his arms as he stood near the door. "He must prepare."

"For what?" The young girl asked as Marie stood beside her.

"The conclave."