Just Forget The World
Chapter Five: Just Forget The World
Raven and Jasper returned quite sometime later. Murphy got anxious waiting for them, often pacing around in Abby's room and jumping at every sound of footsteps that passed by the door. He knew it was a matter of time until someone told Pike he was here. He had to be prepared to kill him.
Finally, the door opened. Murphy stepped around the corner out of sight of the door. He waited until the figure walked all the way inside and he saw Bellamy's curly hair and muscular, tall stature. He bristled at the sight of him.
Bellamy turned and noticed him, putting his hands up in a placating way when he saw Murphy had his gun trained at Bellamy's forehead.
"Hey," Bellamy said softly, "I'm with you, Murphy. Abby sent me."
Skeptical, Murphy only frowned and kept the gun trained on Bellamy's head. Bellamy licked his lips, clearly nervous. Murphy didn't know what to think of that. Was he nervous about being discovered as a traitor, or nervous because Murphy had a gun pointed at his head? He couldn't decide which.
Bellamy tried again. "Raven and Jasper went to get the bracelets and they're back. You went to stop Jaha and now you're back," Bellamy said before pausing, looking at Murphy differently. "Did you kill him?" He asked.
Murphy began to lower the gun as Bellamy convinced him. He nodded his head in response to the question asked by Bellamy. "His body is still sitting in the woods," Murphy told him.
"And Pike?" Bellamy asked.
"Alive, obviously. You would've heard otherwise," Murphy said with a touch of attitude in his voice.
The attitude caused Bellamy to smirk, then he said, "good, I need a little action in my life." When he saw Murphy's confused expression, his smirk grew. "I'm going to help you kill Pike."
Clarke was seated behind Lexa, pulling her hair back into the intricate braids that she wore as Commander.
"A new Flamekeeper is needed. I sent word to the twelve clans and now their leaders are meeting here in Polis. They're on their way," Lexa told Clarke, her voice nearly steady. She was shaken up from Titus' execution, Clarke knew.
Yearning to lighten the burdens Lexa carried, she asked, "is there anything I can do to help?"
Lexa smiled, sighing a bit with pleasure at Clarke's question. "No, Clarke, there's really nothing you can do. I appreciate your concern."
As Clarke finished the final braid, she leaned back and sighed, looking at Lexa's hair. She wasn't as good as Lexa when it came to these braids, but it only made sense. This was Lexa's culture that she was most familiar with, which made sense.
Sensing Clarke's criticism, Lexa turned to face her with an encouraging look behind her eyes. "You did well, Clarke," Lexa assured her, running her fingers over the braids, "I can feel everything is in place."
Their eyes met, both soft and caring. Lexa felt as if her breathing nearly ceased and Clarke could feel her own pulse quickening. One of Lexa's hands rested on Clarke's thigh as the other carefully cupped her cheek. Then, she leaned in. The kiss was soft and loving and had no heat behind it, but it was intense and intimate just the same. Lexa slowly pulled away with a smile, before leaning in again and kissing Clarke's cheek.
"Come," Lexa said, "my scouts returned today from Arkadia. Perhaps we'll hear some good news."
"Scouts?" Clarke questioned, following Lexa to the door of their bedroom. "You didn't tell me you were tailing Murphy."
Lexa opened the door for Clarke. "I'm not. I've had scouts there and you knew that. In addition to the blockade, I needed scouts there to relay information. They just so happened to return with important news." Lexa stepped out of their room after her before matching her stride.
That caused her to frown. "Do you think..." She trailed off.
Lexa didn't need to hear the rest of her question to understand it. "I think it's a strong possibility. A scout claims it is worth an immediate audience with me, which she will now receive."
Lexa straightened her spine as she continued down the hall toward her throne room. Clarke slowed her pace so she walked respectfully a few steps behind Lexa. In the throne room, there were already a few soldiers standing at attention and waiting for Lexa.
"Send in the scouts from Arkadia," Lexa demanded, taking a seat on her throne.
Not even two minutes later, the two scouts were escorted into the throne room. Clarke watched them carefully, trying to determine what news they would bring before they could bring it. It was pointless. Lexa's people wore perfect masks, even when there was nothing covering their faces.
"Speak," Lexa commanded of them.
Bowing their heads, they straightened up before one of the scouts stepped forward. The woman Lexa spoke of that claimed they would need an audience with the Commander. "Heda," she said, her voice eager. "Chancellor Pike is dead."
Clarke felt herself gasp, shocked. She wasn't expecting that at all. Instead, she thought it would be news of Murphy, that he was still alive. But Pike dead? Not at all. She knew Murphy went to kill him, but she was startled by how quickly it happened. Clarke expected that it would take a week, not a mere few days.
"How did you come by this information?" Lexa asked, her expression nearly betraying her surprise, same as Clarke.
"He was executed at dusk in front of the blockade."
Clarke and Lexa exchanged a glance before Lexa raised her chin higher. "And have we gotten word from Arkadia about becoming the thirteenth clan?"
The scout nodded again. "The man Marcus Kane has assumed power. It is expected they're to send a delegation here. There is a rumor they wish to bring Wanheda back with them." The scout's eyes landed on Clarke for a moment, before turning back to her Commander. "They'll arrive tomorrow after dawn."
Lexa nodded, dismissing the scout. Clarke could see the lines of worry on her face.
When they were alone, Clarke stepped toward Lexa and carefully squeezed her shoulders. "Hey," Clarke spoke softly, drawing Lexa's eyes to her. "Don't worry about the delegation. I don't have plans to leave you tomorrow."
Lexa managed a weak smile while she masked her thoughts. No, not tomorrow, but perhaps the next day. Or the next. She didn't say as much to Clarke, and Clarke didn't pry.
"This is good, though, right? Pike is dead, the blockade can be lifted on my people. Kane will be here as acting Chancellor, ready to become the thirteenth clan." Clarke sounded incredibly hopeful as she spoke those words. "That can't be a bad thing, can it?"
"I don't view it as a bad thing, no." Lexa nodded, "let us hope that the other twelve clans don't see it as a bad thing. Azgeda might."
This clouded Clarke's expression. "Azgeda..." she whispered to herself, as if recalling unpleasant memories from a different time.
Lexa took a few steps toward her and carefully grasped her forearm. "Are you all right?" She asked in a concerned fashion.
Clarke didn't look up when she nodded. "I will be."