We sent for two of their leaders. Until Lexa and I were ready, they waited Clarke in a small chamber. When we finally entered, the girl wiped her tears away, trying to disguise the wreckage in her eyes.

Lexa strode to her throne. I remained by her side, still, silent, until the moment demanded my voice.

"Blood has answered blood. Some on my side say that's not enough. They wanted the murderer to stuffer as our tradition demands. But they do not know that your suffering will be worse. What you did tonight will haunt you until the end of your days. Still, there will be a restitution. The body will be given to the people of Tondc. Murderer and murder joined by fire. Only then can we have peace" Lexa declared

"No no we've done enough. The boy should be buried by his own people." Marcus says quickly

"Enough? We were owed the pain of 18 deaths. We were owed our righteous kill. My village deserves justice." Indra voice was harsh. 

"You don't want justice. You want vengeance" Abby replied

"You have not seen my vengeance" Indras eye burned.

I stepped forward.
"If we can't have the restitution, we can't have peace, then Finn would have died for nothing. Do you really want that?" My voice cutting through the room

Clarkes jaw set, her voice steady through filled with grief.
"We'll do it. But when it's over, we talk about how to get our people out of mount weather. All of our people" Clarke speaks

"We want the same things Clarke." Lexa nods 
"Good. When do we leave?" Clarke asked

"Now. Choose your attendants" Lexa ordered, and together we turned and walked out.

The ride back was heavy with silence, and with gustus worry.

"Stop worrying Gustus. Like you've always told us, all alliances are risky" I told him

"This is not the same as uniting the 12 clans. The sky people are different. They're more like the mountain men than us. It would kill our coalition." He argued

"Our coalition or us?" I glanced at him, unflinching

"You both are the coalition." He said

"Then do your job and protect us." I told him flatly

"Open the gates" Lexa commanded when we arrived.

We dismount, walking into the heart of tondc.
"Heda! Haiplana! Welcome back!" They cheered, but the cheer shifted when they saw the sky people at our backs.

"Why have you brought them here! Death to the sky people! Murderers go home!" They yelled

A man shoved forward.
"The sky people took everything from me, my wife, my child" he spits
"Move aside" Gustus ordered
"Murderers are not welcome here" the man shouted, then lunged.

Stella flashed. Gustus met him head on until lexas voice cut raised her hand. 
"Commander stop him. Please. They'll blame us for this too" Clarke pleaded

"Let him live" Lexas voice was quiet yet commanding

Then louder for all to hear:
"The sky people march with us now. Anyone who tires to stop that will pay with their life." Lexa spoke

The coward fell silent. Lexa turned, and we moved on.

That night, the pyre burned.

"People of Tondc, in fire, we cleanse the pain of the past." I called out, my voice carrying over the crowd

They handed Lexa the torch. She held it, then turned to Clarke.
"Clarke." She said, offering it.

Clarke hesitated, then took it. The flames licked higher as she spoke.
"Your fight is over" she muttered

The bodies were consumed, fire and smoke rising into the dark. I watched Lexa glance at Clarke, and something in her eyes shifted. I forced myself not to dwell on it. There would be time later.

Now was for war.

At the feast, Marcus ordered a gift.
"Please accept this gift commander. We drink this at special occasions. I believe this qualifies." Marcus said

Gustus took the flask for us.
"Thank you Marcus of the sky people" Lexa said

"You're welcome Lexa kom Trikru. Just don't drink too much of it." Marcus replied

"Clarke let us drink together" Lexa gestured. 
"It would be my pleasure" she nods, her voice almost cracked.

She poured three cups, handed one to Clarke, and the other to me.

"Allow me" gustus said, taking our cups. He handed lexas to another guard, then they tasted the wine. Then handed them back.

"Tonight we celebrate our newfound peace. Tomorrow we plan our war." I announced

"To those we've lost. And to those we shall soon find" Lexa said

We raised our cups-

And gustus collapsed, choking, gasping.

"It's poison! They tried to kill Haiplana kom uf!" A voice cried

"It was the sky people!" Indra roared, drawing her sword.

"Do not let him die" I commanded the healers. Rage boiled under my skin as Lexa and I turned on Clarke and her people.

"We didn't do this!" Clarke pleaded
"Gustus warned us about you,  but we didn't listen." Lexa snapped

"Lexa please" Clarke begged

I fixed my gaze on Clarke.
"Tell me something Clarke. When you plunged the knife into the heart of the boy you loved did you not wish that it was mine?" I spit

"Commander Haiplana." A guard interrupted, holding up a small vial

"That's not mine" raven shouted as the guard handed it to Lexa.
"This was in her coat." The guard said

"I'm telling you that's not mine. He put it there when he searched me" Raven cried
"No sky person leaves this room!" Lexa roared and we stormed out

Raven was tied to the pole when Lexa and I approached.
"I take no joy in this raven, unlike you did with me. But this time, justice will be done." I said coldly

"I didn't do it. How is that justice?" She demanded

I dragged my blade across her arm. Blood welled. One by one, others stepped forward to cut.

"Stop!" Clarkes voice rang out
"Let her pass" Lexa ordered

Clarke strode forward, fury and desperation in her eyes.
"One of your people tired to kill you. Not one of mine." She declared

"You should've run" Indra sneered

"I can prove it." She admits, holding the bottle, lifting it up to her mouth.

We waited.

Nothing happened.

"Explain" I demand

"The poison wasn't in the bottle. It was in the cup." She said

"A trick Haiplana. Do not be fouled" Mustus speaks, stepping forward.

"It was you. He tested the cup, he searched raven." Bellamy spoke
"Gustus would never harm me" I admit

Bellamy locks eyes with me.
"You weren't the target. The alliance was." He said

"We didn't do this. And you know it." Clarke added

I turned to face gustus. The truth lingering.
"You've been accused Gustus. Speak true." I said harsh

"This alliance would've cost you your life Haiplana, both your lives. I could not let that happen." He admits

My fury ignited.
"This treachery will cost you yours. Put him on the tree!" I snap

And they dragged him away.

I turned to Raven, bleeding, trembling.
"Get healers now" I ordered

"Forgive us. You were wronged. I will make it right" I said quietly

When I returned to lexas side, she leaned in close, whispering.
"This is your kill" she said

Her words seared through me. A gift. A burden. A test. I nodded, hiding the storm twisting inside me. When I stepped forward, blade in hand.

The crowd waited. My decision would define me.