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Madi watched as Jeroum knelt to her, looking at her in wonder, whispering Heda. Her mind panicked at the title, panicked at what authority it conveyed, and she was more than a little disconcerted about how Lexa had just spoken through her.
She could hear her. She could hear all of them.
The names, all of their names, were whispering in her head.
Leksa kom Trikru. Adam kom Trishanakru. Kwintsi kom Boudelankru. Buren kom…
Madi watched Clarke raise her gun.
No.
These were her people now. And she couldn’t let Clarke hurt them.
Madi grabbed for her knife, and smashed the hilt of it to the back of Clarke’s head, watching her collapse to the ground.
“I’m sorry Clarke.” Madi whispered. She squared her shoulders and looked back up to Jeroum. “Take me back to Blodreina. Now.”
“Heda, that is not -”
“Now!”
Madi ran along behind Jeroum, tracing the path back to the bunker. She hoped she wasn’t too late. She knew, she knew, what needed to happen. How it could happen. What would bring her people to victory, and she knew Octavia would never forgive herself if she couldn’t stop what Blodreina would have to do if she wasn’t there to stop it.
She burst through the door, running down to the balcony overlooking the arena. She could hear Octavia in the pit, saw her standing in front of Bellamy, Indra and Gaia, on their knees, gagged.
“The Nightblood child did not recite the lineage, and is therefore not the true Commander. Instead she ran -”
“I didn’t run.” Madi spoke clearly, stepping out of the shadows and into the light where everyone could see her. “I was taken away against my will. But I will not abandon our people. I will not abandon you.” She looked directly at Octavia as she spoke those words, though Octavia looked back at her with a mixture of confusion, anger and fear.
All around, the people started whispering Heda, over and over again, kneeling in her direction.
She didn’t need this. No. This couldn’t happen.
She raised a hand. “No. I am not your Heda. What Blodreina says is true. I have not recited the lineage. And I won’t. Not until after this war is won.”
Octavia’s look began to change from panic to curiosity as she appraised her. Yes, this was right. This is how it needed to be. Octavia gave her a short nod.
“Madi kom Wonkru, may we meet in my office, please?” Octavia asked, her voice steady but Madi sensed an undercurrent of worry.
“Of course.”
Madi made her way down the rotunda to the arena, following Octavia as they headed to her office. Some guards that she recognized from the ascension ceremony, including the dark-haired lady from Sangedakru, blocked her way as she was about to enter after Octavia.
“Heda, this isn’t wise. Please.”
The Commanders gave her a name. Brell.
“Brell. You served as second to the Sangedakru ambassador to Lexa’s court.”
“I did, yes.”
“Did you trust Lexa?”
“Of course I did.”
“Then trust me. Let me pass.” When Brell still didn’t move, she put more authority behind her words. “Let. Me. Pass.”
She stared Brell down, until finally she stepped aside reluctantly.
“We’ll be right here if you need us.” Brell whispered, not looking at Octavia as Octavia glared at her.
“I won’t. But thank you for your concern.”
Madi finally followed Octavia into the office, closing the door behind them.
“I’m sorry, Octavia.” Madi said. “I never wanted any of this. This is all wrong.”
“Clarke let you come back?”
“No. I knocked her out. She was going to shoot Jeroum. Jeroum said you sent him to kill me. Is that true?”
Octavia’s expression turned thunderous. “Of course not. Is that what he said? I’ll deal with him later.”
“Don’t. It’s okay. I - well, not me, but the Commanders - I, we - this is confusing -”
“Take your time. Someone uploaded a century of memories into your brain. It’ll take you awhile to get used to it.”
“I - we - they are familiar with people doing things in the name of a leader. In the name of a Commander. Even when it wasn’t authorized by them. But he isn’t a threat anymore. I promise.”
Octavia nodded. “That’s some stunt you pulled back there. Is it true?”
“Is what true?”
“That you won’t recite the lineage. That you won’t be Heda. You’ve got the Flame in your head. People want to follow you. You heard Brell out there.”
“I know people want to follow me. But I want them to follow you.”
Octavia blinked. “Why? After everything that has happened in the past few days, people are trying their hardest to make sure no one does.”
“That’s a mistake.” Madi said. “Wonkru needs you. You led them through the darkness. You need to lead them to the light. To their future. And I think the person who needs that most of all is you.”
“Excuse me?”
“That’s what this is all about, isn’t it? I’ve heard the whispers. Bad things happened down here in the name of survival. I don’t know precisely what, and I don’t need you to tell me, but - whatever it is, it’s the reason you can’t stay here. I understand that. And I know the stories Clarke told me about you. She says you’re not the same girl you were back then, but I don’t believe that. You told me you knew what it was like to be the girl under the floor. You’ve been her longer than I ever was, and - I know you need to get out of here and start again. I know leading, especially leading like this, was never your idea. But you didn’t have a choice, did you? And - and that’s why I’m seeing the memories that both Clarke and Lexa are showing me about you.”
“Clarke is in your head?”
“She did have the Flame for a bit, so yeah. She’s in there too, but she’s so different from the Clarke we know now.”
“People change, Madi. It’s been six years.”
“Lexa wanted you dead, did you know that?”
Octavia frowned. “What do you mean?”
“When you realized the truth about the bombing of TonDC. Lexa wanted to have you killed. Clarke stopped it.”
Octavia contemplated the idea. “I guess it makes sense. I knew information that could have been dangerous.” She looked down at her hands. “I couldn’t understand why Clarke would let something like that happen. And I made sure to tell her that.”
Madi smiled. “I know. And you still wish you didn’t understand, don’t you? But you do.”
“Yeah.” Octavia sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I never wanted any of this. And I didn’t want this for you either. Not yet. You’re still just a kid. They should have never put that kind of a burden on you.”
“I couldn’t let Clarke die. And they said that you were sick and that you might not wake up, and -”
“Do you know why Clarke was in jail, Madi?”
Madi shook her head. “No. But I know it had to have been bad for you to arrest your friend.”
“She killed one of my people. Murdered her, using the worms. Then after I arrested her, Bellamy and Indra conspired to poison me. I wasn’t sick, Madi. My brother poisoned me.”
“How could he do that? How could any of them do that?”
“They thought that if they made you Commander, then everyone would follow you and you’d surrender to the prisoners.”
“Bellamy kept saying this isn’t a war worth fighting. That there’s another way. But there isn’t another way, is there? Every Commander is telling me to fight. Even the Clarke that had the Flame.”
“I wish there was another way.” Octavia said. “But this, all of this… it is about more than the survival of our bodies. We spent six years making sure our bodies survived, that the human race survived - but we need more than that now. We need to live. And you’ve seen them. The criminals who took over your home. Do you really think that they’d let us show up and take part of the valley and just live happily ever after?”
“No. I know they tortured Raven and Murphy. I saw them electrocute Clarke with one of those collars. I’m sure they’ve got more where that came from.”
Octavia nodded sadly. “They’ve shown no desire that they truly want peace. I can’t risk sending my people unarmed into the hands of the enemy where they could be massacred. And I won’t let my people become slaves. That’s not living. You understand that, don’t you?”
“Of course I do. I don’t want that either. I know that this war needs to happen. But I also know that you don’t want Clarke, Bellamy, Gaia or Indra to die. They’re your friends. Your family.”
“I don’t want them to die. But actions need to have consequences, Madi. I can’t just do nothing. If death has no cost, life has no worth. Clarke killed one of my people. So did Indra. And she hurt Jackson. And Bellamy hurt me.”
“Gaia never hurt or killed anyone. I don’t even think she knows the truth of what Bellamy did to you.”
Octavia thought it over. “Okay. Let’s find out.”
Octavia stood and opened the door to find Brell glaring at her, looking past her to see if Madi was all right.
“Still fine.” Madi said. “Really.”
“Bring Gaia to us please.” Octavia said. “Take the other prisoners to the cells for now.”
Brell didn’t move, but one of the other guards went back up to the rotunda, and brought Gaia to Octavia’s office. Octavia closed the door again and removed Gaia’s gag.
“I have one question, and I want you to answer it honestly.” Octavia said.
“Ask your question. But I won’t renounce my faith.”
“I’m not asking you to. I just want to know one thing: do you know why I was sick?”
“No. I don’t.”
“And if I told you it was because your mother and my brother conspired to poison me?”
“Why would they do that? They love you. You’re the daughter my mother always wanted.”
“I thought that too. But not anymore. Bellamy poisoned me, Gaia. And Indra helped him.” Octavia looked at Madi. “Madi didn’t know that. And now I see that they weren’t honest with you either.”
Gaia sighed, lowering her gaze but Madi saw that anger burned in her eyes as she gripped the edge of the table. “I thought it was a sign. I thought it was providence that Madi was here with us when you fell ill - I thought that was the Commanders saying that the time for a new Commander was nigh. But to know my mother orchestrated it all - I was right, she didn’t come to me with faith. She used me. I’m sorry, Blodreina.” She looked up at Madi. “And I broke my promise that I wouldn’t force the Flame on you. I am truly sorry about that too.”
“What’s done is done.” Madi said. “The Commanders can help us win this war.”
“You intend to fight?” Gaia asked. “What about what my mother said about negotiating to enter the valley peacefully?”
“Your mother hasn’t seen what I have of the prisoners. We can’t rely on a peace from them. Not unless they surrender to us.”
“Is this what the Commanders are telling you?”
“Yes. Including Octavia. They all agree. We’ve got the element of surprise and I know the land. This is a war we can win. It is a war worth fighting for the freedom of our people. So we can live, instead of just survive.”
Gaia and Octavia exchanged a look. Something passed between them in that look that Madi didn’t quite understand, but she was sure it had something to do with the awful secret that they were all keeping.
“Will you fight with us, seda?” Madi asked.
“I would be honoured to fight with you.” Gaia said. “So how do we do this?”
“We’ll get to that. First though, we need to decide what to do with Bellamy, Indra and - when she wakes up - Clarke.” Madi exchanged a glance with Octavia. “I know they have to face consequences for what they did. But what can we do so that they don’t have to die?”
“Wonkru has no punishments besides fighting in the arena, because that’s all we could do. But if we reach back to the laws before Praimfaya, the other punishment for crimes of such a serious nature was banishment.” Gaia said. “But there is nowhere to banish them to.”
“That’s not quite true.” Octavia said. “We’re going to Shallow Valley. They can stay here, until such a time that they’re pardoned.”
Madi nodded in agreement. “Until they’ve earned their forgiveness, they will not share in the rewards of our victory.”
“Will they be able to survive?” Gaia asked. “With what there is here? The farm is almost dead.”
“I suspect Monty and Harper will choose to stay with them.” Octavia said. “They don’t seem keen on fighting. Monty’s been messing around in the farm with his algae. If they trusted him on the Ring, they can trust him here too.”
“That’s settled then.” Madi said. “Time for the battle strategy.”
* * *
A day later, Wonkru was on the move, marching into the wasteland, Miller and Brell leading them. Octavia, Madi and Gaia stayed back for the moment, and would catch up in the Rover once the army had departed Polis.
Octavia had been right, Monty and Harper chose to remain behind with Bellamy, Clarke and Indra. And now the five stood before them.
“I’ll protect her, Clarke.” Octavia said, resting a hand on Madi’s shoulder. “Just like I told you I would. I only wish that you’d trusted me to do it, then we could all be going home together.”
Clarke didn’t say anything, she only hugged Madi tightly, tears streaming down her face.
“I’ll be all right.” Madi said. “I promise. I’ll make our home safe again. And - and when you understand why we have to do what we’re doing, then it’ll be your home again too.”
Clarke nodded, and Madi pulled back from the hug, watching Octavia with her brother.
“You’ll be happy to know we have a new plan. We’re not using the worms.” She told him. “I’ll make sure Echo’s safe. She fulfilled her end of the bargain. Her banishment is lifted. She will be allowed to stay in the valley. But should she choose to join you here, she will be bound by the same laws that you are, and will also require the same pardon to return to the valley as you do.”
“How long, O?”
“I don’t know.” Octavia whispered, looking away, unable to bear the sight of him. “What you did to me, I - I don’t know. This isn’t like when you supported Pike, Bell. I know you didn’t kill Lincoln. But this time it was you. It was you feeding me poison. It was you covering my mouth when I tried to scream for help. It was because of you that I almost died. I don’t know how I’m supposed to be okay with that.”
“You don’t need to be.” Gaia said firmly, resting her hand on Octavia’s shoulder in turn and glaring at Bellamy and Indra. “And I don’t know how you could have supported it, mother. But I should have known that you’d disown her one day, just like you disowned me. You pitted us against each other, warrior and mystic. We didn’t throw our lives away. You did that. You tossed us aside like garbage when we no longer suited your purposes. But no more. The joke’s on you, mother.” Gaia sneered. “Nau osir throu daun ogeda, nami? En du bilaik natrona.”
“Dison natrona don sad klin.” Madi said. “En osir don oson. Tsa bants.”
Without any further words to the traitors, Madi, Octavia and Gaia turned away, heading to the Rover. But despite her excitement for the battle ahead, and a conviction that they would soon win, Madi could tell that a cloud of sadness still hovered over both of the women who walked by her side, the betrayals of their kin weighing on them.
Madi needed to remind them that they weren’t alone. That they had each other now. She stopped and turned to them.
“Okteivia, Gaia, nou get yu daun. Emo laik natrona. Ba oso - oso laik sis. Nau oso laik seingeda. En seingeda throu daun ogeda.”
She held out her fist in front of her, and Octavia and Gaia placed their hands on top of it.
“En seingeda throu daun ogeda.”