Chapter 33: Kingship!

'Thinking'

"Talking"

[System]

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- Mount Weather | Level 5 -

- Arthur Pendragon -

As Lexa and I were riding the elevator up to level five, I decided that it would be best to wait until I am alone or back in Arkadia before I choose to open my loot boxes and see what weapon I will gain because of my war performance.

"What were you planning to do with the survivors?" Lexa asked.

"I was planning to either leave them here with a skeleton guard, that way they're not able to rebuild the acid fog or attack us ever again. Or I was planning to give them the marrow treatments over a longer period of time and then have them come and live in Arkadia." I told her.

"What about now?" she asked as we passed level six.

"I will leave a staff of guardsmen here and over time build something atop this mountain." I told her as we approached level five.

"What are you planning to build?"

"I don't know just yet. I'll inform you when I figure out what it is." I asked her as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.

On the other side of the elevator doors stood a group of two guardsmen armed with rifles, and eight grounders armed with short swords. They took a threating step forward before realizing who it was and upon realization, stepped back, lowered their weapons, and apologized.

Waving them off, Lexa and I moved past the group and down the hallway in search of her generals. Lexa and I passed by many of the residences on level five, including the dorms where the delinquents were held.

We passed by the library where a crowd of people were all sitting on the floor in the middle of the room and a group of guardsmen and grounders had surrounded them and were watching them.

We stopped and entered the library and spoke with the person in charge. The grounder officer that was in charge informed us that they were only guarding a small portion of the population and that the rest of them as well as the generals were all in the mess hall.

We thanked him and made our way out of the library and towards the mess hall. On our way there we passed a few guardsman, ranger, and grounder patrols, all of them saluted or said 'Heda' in greeting before walking on.

We finally reached the mess hall and after walking past the entourage of guards we saw that the Mount Weather survivors were split into three groups. The one was nearest to the entrance to the mess hall was made up of only men. The one in the middle of the mess hall was made up of only women, and the last group at the back of the mess hall near the cafeteria was a mix of women and children. All of them were grouped up into circles and were sitting on the floor with their hands behind their backs with a ring of fire surrounding them.

"Was the fire really necessary?" I asked Agni as he made his way over to us with the other generals following behind him.

"I didn't want to, but they kept trying to escape! I figured that if a wall of fire were there it would prevent them from trying." He said as Icarus and Tristan made their way over to us.

"Heda." Tristan and Icarus said in greeting.

"Skaikru." Tristan greeted me with anger.

"Arthur." Icarus said with a small nod.

"Where's Apollo?" I asked.

"He's outside. He said that he would stay outside and watch for any remaining soldiers that might've escaped." Agni told me.

"Have you taken the population count?" Lexa asked, interrupting Agni.

"Yes, Heda. We've counted a total of three-hundred and eight people including the group in the library. One-hundred and thirty-four men, one-hundred and seventy-four women, and twenty-six children." Tristan answered.

"How many of them are in the library?" I asked.

Tristan didn't respond to me but rather stared at me as if he wanted to kill me.

"Fifty-two of them are in the library. Twenty-one men, and thirty-one women." Icarus said stepping forward.

"Tch!... Why are you answering him Icarus? He's pathetic like all Skaikru." Tristan said with disdain.

"I answer him because he is not pathetic, and he has earned my respect." Icarus answered.

"How? In what way has he earned respect? All I see is a leech, a stain on our commander and her leadership!"

"Tristan! That is enough!" Lexa said firmly.

"... Yes, Heda." He said with his head bowed. Then without looking up he turned around and walked away.

"What is his problem with me and my people?" I asked them.

"He says that your people invaded Trikru and that you may act peaceful now, but one day you'll rise up kill them all and take over their land." Agni said.

"It doesn't matter what he thinks. As of now we need to get our people home not worry about us attacking each other." I spoke.

"Agreed." Lexa said.

After that I had assigned a team of guards and rangers to guard the people of Mount Weather while most of us returned to Arkadia.

"Let's go."

- A few hours later -

Lexa, much of our army, and me all exited Mount Weather and were met with the sight of families being reunited

"An inspiring sight, isn't it?" Lexa said from next to me.

"It is." I replied.

After that silence seemed to stretch on between us for what seemed to be an eternity when suddenly Lexa spoke up. "This is where we go our separate ways. Arthur?" she asked, looking up towards me.

"There is a saying among my people. In peace, may you leave this shore. In love, may you find the next. Safe passage on your travels. Until our journey to the ground, may we meet again." I said, looking out towards the army and the survivors from Mount Weather.

"It's a beautiful saying."

"Indeed, it is. As are you." I said, turning towards her and looking her in the eyes.

"May we meet again, Arthur Pendragon." she said extending her hand, with a barely noticeable blush on her cheeks.

"May we meet again, Lexa." I said, grasping her hand and then pulling her in for a kiss.

The kiss was brief, only lasting a few seconds until Lexa pulled back abruptly. A scarlet blush now adorned her cheeks, and her breathing was unsteady.

"I will wait for you in Polis, Arthur Pendragon." she said quickly before walking away towards a detachment of her personal guard.

"I can't wait." I muttered.

"We're sure you can't." I heard towards my left.

"Octavia! Clarke!" I said in excitement and with a smile on my face.

"The two of us aren't enough for you huh?" Octavia said sauntering towards me.

"That's not what I-..."

"It definitely seems like it, doesn't it Octavia." Clarke said strolling towards me.

Slowly Octavia and Clarke paced around me before both approaching me and pressing their bodies into my sides. Octavia on my right, and Clarke on my left.

"You know you're gonna pay for that, right?" Octavia breathed into my ear.

"... I know." I said in mock shame. Inside though I was feeling excited.

"Good. Tonight, you're not going to get any sleep." Clarke chirped.

Before I could respond a series of horns blew and I could hear Lexa yelling that the battle was a victory and that they had finally taken down the Mountain. The grounders all began to yell and cry out in joy and happiness, they then began walking down the mountains in their units after Lexa had said that the battle was over, and it was time to return to their homes.

"Sir! Chancellor, sir!" A ranger yelled running up to me.

"Yes, ranger?" I said, ignoring his look of envy as he observed both Clarke and Octavia pressed into me.

"The men would like to know what you would like us to do now?"

"Tell Bellamy to gather our people and take them back to Arkadia, I'll catch up later." I said unwrapping my arms from Octavia and Clarke's shoulders.

"Yes, sir!" he saluted before running off.

"What the hell do you mean by, 'I'll catch up later?'" Octavia asked with a frown on her face.

"I need to set the people of Mount Weather straight and I couldn't do that while Lexa and the grounders were still here. I promise I'll catch up with you."

I could tell that my response didn't appease them, but they trusted me anyway, and after a few minutes of passionate kissing both were walking away convinced as well as hot and bothered.

"Arthur!" I heard yet another voice call out my name.

"Raven! Perfect just the person I wanted to see." I said happily.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes, I need you to grab Sinclair and make your way down to level seven. There is a partially destroyed mech down there. I need you to take it apart and take it back to Arkadia for further study."

"I'm on it, boss." she remarked before jogging back towards a crowd of our people.

After making sure that no one else needed my attention, I made my way back inside Mount Weather and down to level five. I traversed the halls until I came up on the mess hall once again.

Stepping forward into the mess hall, I loudly cleared my throat causing the guards as well as most of the remaining people of Mount Weather to quiet down and focus on what I had to say.

After waiting a few more minutes for the rest of them to quiet down, I finally began my speech. "My name is Arthur Pendragon, chancellor and leader of the people you dubbed as outsiders. Your people tried to bleed my people and let them die to allow you to live on the surface and one hand I can understand your motivations, but there were other ways you could have done this besides kidnapping and manipulation. I'm also certain that some of you have no idea what I am talking about but that is beside the point, I as of this moment am the ruler of Mount Weather. That makes all of you my responsibility, my people, and as my people I will treat you as such."

"Bullshit! You just want to use us as slaves!" One man shouted out.

"If that were the case, I wouldn't be doing this. Would I? I would've just put you to work instead of speaking to you like this... Now, as I was saying, that makes you, my people. Since you are my people, I will give you two choices. 1. You all receive the marrow treatment over a slower period of time than what Cage Wallace originally promised you. When you receive the marrow treatment you will be forced to move to Arkadia and live there, or you can receive the marrow treatments, live here, but you will be forced to build a structure for me on top of this mountain. Choose someone to represent you and decide, I will be back in three days. Have an answer by then or I will pick one for you. Goodbye." I said walking out and back to the elevator.

- A few hours later -

After my speech, I quickly made my way to the elevator and out of Mount Weather. Within a few minutes of me walking out of the main bunker door, I had caught up with the group making their way back to Mount Weather. And after answering a worried Bellamy and Kane's questions a peaceful silence enveloped us as we made our way back to Arkadia.

When we had returned to Arkadia the sun had just gone down, and yet still most of if not the entire population stood at the gates and lined the streets with applause and cries of joy at the sight of their people, some because they were the parents of some of the survivors.

We had walked most of the way down the road when I felt the need to give a speech. I turned to Bellamy and asked if there was anything I could stand on, he quickly made his way to the horse stables I had set up, grabbed a step ladder, and brought it over.

'It'll have to do.' I thought to myself as I stepped onto it.

"People of Arkadia!" I screamed out, causing the people to scream right back at me in joy and happiness. "The past weeks have been hard for all of us! With the help of the commander and her forces we were able to free our people trapped within Mount Weather! We fought side by side with them and defeated Mount Weather!"

"AHHHHH!" The crowd screamed back.

I let them roar and celebrate for a moment. When I decided it had gone long enough, I raised my hand, and the crowd quieted.

"The Mountain men thought that we were simple savages, that we would go down without that much of a fight! They were wrong! All who think that we are weak are wrong! In this world of swords, spears, and bows we are the strongest! We will not instigate violence but if violence ever falls upon our people, then no longer will we need to wait for the commander and her army to arrive! From this time, until the end of time, we will no longer be weak! No one shall threaten us again! For if they do, they will face destruction! Utter Annihilation!"

The crowd was roaring as I finished speaking, but it wasn't over yet, as when I went to step down, Bellamy insisted I stay on it for some reason.

Bellamy stepped in front of the step ladder I was on and raised his fist high in the air and began a chant that caused my heart to soar.

"ALL HAIL KING ARTHUR!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

Thus, the chant began, it started small, but slowly it spread throughout the crowd. The words were clear, and they chanted it over and over again.

"KING!"

I raised a hand to quiet the crowd.

"KING!"

Finally, the chants began to die down, and I waited until the very last one to address the crowd again.

Before speaking I drew my sword and raised it to the sky.

"I accept Kingship for you, the people! I will protect you from enemies within and without! I will be your king and our people will soar to newfound heights that we could've never found on the Ark! Together our people will prosper! LONG LIVE THE KING!"

The crowd roared once again, and another chant began to sound throughout the crowd and the rest of Arkadia.

"LONG LIVE THE KING!"

'Long live the king!' I exclaimed mentally.

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