XX

[PREVIOUSLY: Under dire circumstances, Clarke, Octavia and Bellamy work together to break into Mount Weather and save their people. In the meanwhile, Lexa ascends to her coronation and Skikru abandons the fort, leaving the future of the nation in the Peace Keeper's hands].

It had been three months since Bellamy and I stood at the camp gates, watching as a certain blonde-haired girl walked away across the horizon.

It had been three months since Clarke pulled the lever in Mount Weather, killing the hundreds of people residing within its cemented walls.

It had been three months since Trikru betrayed Skikru and left us for dead at the base of the mountain.

It had been three months since Princess Lexa became Queen Lexa, Commander of the Twelve Clans and Heda of the Tribes.

Since our ungraceful exit from the so-called 'mountain of death', there had been a cease-fire issued between us and the grounders. They stayed away from us and we stayed away from them and that was that.

For most.

Every single day for the course of several weeks, I had strapped on my sword, tied up my hair and slipped, unnoticed, through the wire fencing encompassing Camp Jaha. Every day, I would go deep into the dark, ebony forest that surrounded us like a nightmarish flood. Every day, I would meet up with General Indra to undergo my training.

It had taken her a while to come to terms with what had occurred in her absence but news travelled fast throughout the region and when Indra learned of the Peace Keeper's bravery, she agreed to a term of conditions. She still wanted to see me flourish as an experienced swords-woman but she had appointed herself another second so she considered me to merely be just another of her regular trainees.

Of course, neither Lexa or Kane or anyone in between knew of this. If they did, there would be a huge outrage. Even with the cease-fire, we were still considered enemies. Indra could be severely punished or even killed and I could be lashed or put into lock-up.

That's why I kept my training a big secret ... even from my brother, Bellamy.

Since Clarke's disappearance, Bellamy, who had previously suffered from sadness and resentment, tried to forget his growing feelings for the blonde by hooking up with a sweet, brown-haired, doe-eyed girl by the name of Gina. Even though I had nothing against Gina, I didn't particularly converse with her much. She wasn't in my circle of friends and the only reason I knew her name was because she was my brother's girlfriend and that was that.

Gina, along with Nate Miller and Dustin Hendrick, was a high-ranking member of the guard and was in charge of the patrol and scout groups that were often sent out by Chancellor Kane to secure the perimeter.

The Skikru grounds overlapped a couple dozen miles across a valley and a series of paddocks. However, we were forbidden from crossing the border into the Flat Zone that separated our camp from Trikru's.

I wished all of my friends' stories were was happy as Bellamy's and Gina's but this wasn't the case...not for a long shot.

Later, I found out that Maya, who had died in Mount Weather, had been dating Jasper and they had gotten really close. After her death, the cheery, out-spoken, dorky boy disappeared and in his place resumed a quiet, brooding, depressed soul that spent his entire day at the bar, trying to rid his mind of the horrible events that had taken place.

Raven, who had broken her leg in a frantic escape from the Reapers, had also cracked a vertebrae in her spine. She would never walk properly again. All feeling from her knee down was gone. When she did move around, she had to hobble on a pair of crutches. She passed her time in the mechanics station with her boss and mentor, Sinclair, and her co-worker, Wick. Even though she tried to stay strong, I sometimes heard her cry herself to sleep. She had gone through a lot. She had lost her boyfriend, Finn, and now she had lost the use of her leg. It was a tough calling.

Monty, Harper and Bryce, on the other hand, had a happier alternative. Although the news of Zoe's death shattered them, they had stuck together and were determined to remain strong. When Bryce wasn't in the farmer's station breeding algae or calculating formulas with Harper and Monty, he was out on the field with his best friend Dustin learning how to trap rabbits and shoot birds.

Lincoln, who had been disgusted and mortified by Trikru's betrayal, abandoned his people completely. In order to remain safe out in the wilderness, he sought protection from Skikru in return for a few favours. Kane, who had gradually learned to trust him, gave him a guard's uniform and taught him how to shoot a gun. Lincoln was still a grounder at heart though and when Indra wasn't teaching me how to par and thrust, he was. We grew a lot closer in those three months than we ever were before and I was extremely glad for his company and confidence.

As for Aidan, I wish I knew where on earth he was. Upon his release from Mount Weather, he simply disappeared, much like Clarke. He hadn't come to say goodbye, he hadn't come to make sure I was okay, he hadn't come to assure me that everything was alright between us.

He just left.

I was shaken, I was sad, and I was angry. I couldn't make any judgements without knowing the full story but I was determined to figure out why. Why had he left me behind again? Why had he not come back, even when he promised that he would?

However, as the days and weeks flew by, my feelings became increasingly frustrated and confused. At first, I had been sure how I felt about Aidan but now, not knowing what he thought about me, I was starting to waver. I hated to admit it but having Lincoln by my side had got me thinking.

Who was always there for me? Who had always protected me? Who had always just popped up out of nowhere to save the day?

The answer to these questions wasn't Aidan.

It was Lincoln.

One day, as Lincoln was showing me how to properly sharpen my blade with a special stone he had found, we heard a big commotion erupt from the front gates.

As the place had been rather dull and still after our escapade from Mount Weather, the two of us, along with most others in the camp, immediately went to check it out.

Nate, Gina, Dustin and their comrades were having a noisy conversation with Kane and Abby. They had found a large poster in their side of the woods, one that called for a bounty of over one thousand gold coins to whoever found a mysterious hooded figure that went by the name of Wanheda.

As they spread the poster out on the ground, I caught a glimpse of a charcoal drawing of a girl, donned with a dark hood and showing off a full head of dreads.

I furrowed my brow. That girl looked very familiar. I just couldn't put my finger on why.

"Wanheda. What does that mean?" I asked Lincoln as we walked away from the clatter of chaos.

"It is Trigedasleng for the Commander of Death," he returned soberly. "My people believe that when they kill someone, they get their power. This Commander of Death has killed hundreds of people. Killing Wanheda means that they will command death."

"Wait," I stopped stock-still. "Y-you know who this Wanheda is?"

"I'm surprised that you don't," Lincoln swivelled around to face me. "Think, Octavia. Who, that you know, killed hundreds of people and then just left?"

My breath caught in my throat when I realised.

Wanheda was Clarke!

"Oh god," I breathed. "They have a bounty on Clarke's head? Don't you think we should go and warn her?"

Lincoln let out a soft chuckle. "If Clarke wants to be found, then maybe we can. But considering that no one has seen her in three months, I doubt that she's ready to come back. Don't worry, though. As long as she stays away from Polis, she'll be safe."

I nibbled on my bottom lip and shrugged in response, "I - I'm not just concerned about her."

Lincoln paused. "Aidan?"

I nodded, trying to keep the flush from crawling up my cheeks. "Er...yes. He - he didn't come to say goodbye. Now I'm worried that he never will."

Lincoln let out a lengthy sigh. "Listen. I know Aidan. He's a loner. He likes being in the great outdoors with his horse...alone. That's how he survives. Lock him up and he'd die just from going insane. I know you miss him and I'm sure he feels the same way but, as I said about Clarke, maybe he's not ready to return."

I shook my head. "At least Clarke said goodbye."

"I - I think he knew it would be too difficult to leave if he did," Lincoln pointed out. "He ... uh ... he cares about you. He hasn't felt like that about anyone since Erin died."

Curiously, I glanced up at him. "Erin?"

Lincoln rolled his eyes, all compassion and assurance forgotten. "What did I tell you about bringing her up?"

"Ah. I'm sorry, okay? But hearing about her every two seconds isn't making my curiosity abate!" I complained loudly.

Lincoln opened his mouth to respond but froze mid-movement. "What...the...hell?"

Confused, I spun around to face the front entrance, just in time to see a group of straggly travellers coming up the dusty path towards us.

"Who are they?" I frowned.

"No idea," Lincoln responded shortly.

Quickly, I hurried over to where Kane and Abby were still talking about how the poster found its way onto their territory when, abruptly, they both stopped and stared, amazed and shocked.

Kane shook his head in astonishment as he walked towards the travellers. "I - I can't believe this," he whispered. "Is it really you?"

A tall, dark-skinned man stepped forward. Reaching up, he jerked the scarf down from his face and looked straight into Kane's eyes.

"Yes, Kane, it's me. It's Thelonious Jaha."

Gif: Octavia as she talks with Lincoln.

XX