Priorities

[John Murphy]

He tried the door again, the third time now though knowing it was pointless. Potential freedom had been within reach only moments ago, even with the whirlwind of events that had ended with the grounder commander wounded and killed, he was unbound and apparently forgotten in those moments. Understandably. Why hadn't he taken his chance? 

Perhaps he'd thought he'd fair better with Clarke, once the princess had seemed out of danger as she grieved, her would-be murderer showing some sort of remorseful kindness. Titus grieving too. What was Clarke even doing here? Is this what had become of their so called alliance with the grounders? Last he knew, the sky people had been at the beginning of a truce with their enemy. He'd apparently missed a lot. 

After a quiet curse as he glared at the door another second or two, he finally turned towards Clarke with a tentative step closer. She hadn't wanted to leave as he'd tried to coax her away from the dying commander. Perhaps she would work with him to escape now they were alone. "...Clarke. We need to get out of here. I don't want to be here when they come back."

Tag: Clarke Griffin

[Clarke Griffin]

It was black. The fur on the bed she used while in Polis used to be pristinely white, but it was no longer that. It was stained black, with the weird black blood of the commander and the nightbloods. In this case it was Lexas blood. She was just here. She was just there, her warmth still tingling under Clarkes fingers, her hands still black with the woman she could have loved. She was so close to opening her heart to her, let her in so far, only for her to be ripped away. And then there was the thing, the AI as Murphy had called, moving out of her body. An AI, how was this even possible here?

Clarke couldn’t question that here. She heard Murphy, saw him, but it was one part, that really shook her out of the trance she was in, where her stomach turned and hurt and gravity seemed to want to pull her down with a scream of pain. All of that she could not afford. He didn’t want to be there when they came back. He was right. She was killed by a gun. They would think it was Clarke. Titus might have to protect them, but he was only one man. He had no power. They had to get out of there. It would have backlash for them. In the worst case scenario it would be added to the legend of Wanheda.

“You are right.” Clarke whispered after he spoke. They had to get out of there, no matter how much it just hurt. She had to get through this, she had gotten through worse. They had to get to Octavia and then to Arkadia. Clarke rushed over to the chest where some clothes were. She pulled on the blue robe and handed a jacket and scarf to Murphy. “Put this on.” It would disguise them a bit in Polis. Clarke herself wrapped a scarf around her head to conceal her blonde hair that just stood out too much. Pushing more scarfs into the pockets, she looked at Murphy for a moment. “With the door locked, we can only get out through the window. Prepared to climb?”

John Murphy

[John Murphy]

He could see her torment, the pain visible in her features, and for a moment Murphy thought she might collapse in her sorrow. As coldhearted as he could be at times, force himself to be, loss was no stranger to him. It was true he held no solid knowledge of Clarke's connection with the grounder commander, but any fool would have seen the impact of the latter's death. It seemed Clarke's heart was broken. 

Relief washed over him as she responded in agreement, half expecting to have to persuade her, drag her from the bedside and beg her to come to her senses. If she'd have refused, then would come the decision whether to try again or leave her there and risk an escape alone. He was glad no persuasion was needed. Clarke was stubborn, but smart. It was clear she knew the danger in staying. 

Any other time he might have offered a clever remark in response to her saying he was right, but the notion never crossed his mind today. In fact, he'd rather have been wrong. Rather Clarke assured him they were in no danger and that she had the protection of one grounder or another. In truth, even if that had been how it had played out, he wouldn't have believed her anyway. He wanted out. Now as he took the clothing she handed him, following the instruction to put it on, he wondered just how much it would help them. Clearly it was meant to help conceal their identities amid the grounders, but he had doubts about how much it would. Securing the scarf as Clarke questioned, he was already moving off towards the window as he gave his answer. "I'm going out of here any way we can. Let's go."

Tag: Clarke Griffin

[Clarke Griffin]

Clarke watched as he went to the window, unsure of herself. Her movements felt slow, as if she could barely lift her body of the ground, but she should. They needed to get out. One of them, if not both, would probably be blamed for Lexas death. She couldn’t risk that. They needed to get out. And she needed to go with him. She knew the tower and she knew the language that would buy them a ticket out. “You need to climb in that direction.” Clarke pointed to her right. “Lexas room and the throne room are in the other direction. Everybody will flock there. The next room should be empty and then we can make a run for it, hopefully.” They just needed to get down to the tunnels and from there… they needed to get a horse. Octavia was probably long gone, which would be a problem later. And then she remembered one thing. Her horse. They could always use what was intended as her horse by Lexa. The tower could not react that fast.

“Be careful. If you drop, you’re dead.” She mentioned as she climbed outside after him. It was high, but she intended not to look down. The structure of the tower allowed them to climb just to the window of the next room, where they could easily enter. Clarke looked around, finding it empty, save for a few blades. “Grab the knives. We might need them.” Given that they were escaping here, it was what they had to do. Clarke walked to the door, listening outside. There was commotion. Perfect. She slipped the door open and looked outside. People were running towards the throne room, which was in part where they had to go. “Conceal your face. We have to go through the crowd.” With that she held her hand out for him to take. It was the easiest way not to lose each other in the crowd. And they were doing this together! The thrill of the climbing and escaping numbed the pain for now.

John Murphy

[John Murphy]

Any moment he thought Clarke might change her mind, considering what had just happened. Turning his back to the window, Murphy studied her, hoping for the next proactive comment and no conceding to grief. He was thankful when it came with Clarke pointing out the direction they had to go. "You sure about that?" Despite the question, he was already out on the ledge, if it could be called that, edging anywhere he could place his feet with his grip tight as he moved. Clarke's next remark almost had him instinctively looking down, but he'd already done that on the first step out. Bad idea. "Yeah, no kidding." 

Why did they have to be so high up? He bit his tongue instead of asking if she couldn't have chosen a room lower down, and focused on getting across to their destination without falling to his death. Once he reached the next window he took a look into the room, empty just as Clarke said it would be, and climbed inside. At her instruction, he did as she told him, grabbing the blades and passing one to her. "Let's hope we don't. Theirs are a lot bigger." He wasn't impressed with the idea of them heading into the crowd, but he figured she was probably right. They had little chance of fighting their way out so their best option was to hide in plain sight. His thoughts drifted briefly to Otan as he pulled the scarf up around his face and over his head, with a moment's consideration for Emori's whereabouts. He doubted she would have come here and besides, she would probably have a better chance around here than they did right now. There was hesitation to take Clarke's hand, the gesture odd to him, but he took it anyway.

Tag: Clarke Griffin

[Clarke Griffin]

“No kidding.” Clarke commented dryly, bitterly remembering how Roan pressed his blade into Bellamy, intending to kill him, but luckily he had stopped. The blades stood no chance against them. But it was better than having nothing at all. The element of surprise might help them in this case. But she didn’t know how far or how long. They had to get out. And they couldn’t see Clarkes hair, as that would give her away as Wanheda too fast. Everyone knew she was blond. 

Clarke pulled Murphy through the crowd. Some stopped for a moment to look at them, but it looked like the grief was too strong, too heavy for them to even notice them. She was still careful, ready to hopefully reply in trigedasleng, should someone speak to them. Clarke let the crowd drag them along for a bit, until a hallways was open. Then she pulled Murphy out. The hallways was perfect. It was leading directly to the elevator shaft. Given, that she knew Bellamy and Co once came up with it, they just needed to go down.

“This is our ticket out.” She whispered as she turned to Murphy. “We have to climb down and be careful. The elevator is operated by manpower, so we should be able to avoid that without a problem." They could climb out and in easily. It should work. Clarke pried he door open easily, with not electricity holding it close, it was easy. “At the bottom, we will probably encounter people and we might have to fight, but it’ll be four at most.”

John Murphy

[John Murphy]

He kept close as Clarke led them through the crowd, tensing every time a grounder bumped into him, nudged from either side as they moved. It would be bad to react with a flinch or a shove back. Going by unnoticed was the goal, and the key to getting out of there. If they could just get through this damn crowd. There were so many of them and here they were right in the middle of the commotion. Moving through too quickly would draw attention, which only made being stuck in the midst of it even worse. 

Once they were through he relaxed, though only a little, relieved but eager for their next step. It was a big one, right down the elevator shaft. "Great, more climbing. Just what I was hoping for..." He gave a faint shake of his head as he peered down to try to get an idea of just how far they had to go, too far was all he decided, but he was doing it. Anything to get the hell out of there. It was what they would meet at the bottom that would present yet another obstacle. Jaha would have loved this. The chancellor would have given some speech about destiny and passing tests. Another test on their journey. The only destiny Murphy hoped for right now was not getting killed. 

"After you, princess." He would be right behind. Clarke could handle herself and clearly knew what was around every corner, perhaps it was best she lead the way. He held a hand out to help her into the elevator shaft.

Tag: Clarke Griffin

[Clarke Griffin]

After you, Princess. That was enough to make her freeze where she stood. Princess. It’s been so long. She hadn’t heard that nickname in months. It was always Wanheda now. The commander of death, a title she despised, a title people used to decorate themselves with her. Princess was different. It was once a title to annoy her, but it soon turned into an affectionate nickname, one she thought to be lost forever. Wanheda was a curse on her that, in her mind, eliminated every chance of ever being called princess again. And maybe it was because Murphy was gone for a while, too, but he called her Princess and it hurt in a way that made her actually smile. Because she missed this and she was afraid to never be the princess again. Clarke moved forward, ignoring his hand to embrace him. Clarke hugged Murphy for the briefest moment, overwhelmed by this powerful feeling. She was in emotional turmoil, but this… she needed to appreciate it somehow, so she hugged him, briefly, but she did, before letting go and taking his hand. “Thank you, Murphy.”

That alone was a move she hadn’t expected from him, but time changed people. It had changed her and how could she, of all people continue to carry a grudge against him, when she had loaded more guilt on herself than he did? She was drowning in blood and she was being reminded. As Clarke climbed down the dark shaft, she allowed for her stinging eyes to release a few of those tears she had held back. She couldn’t stop for longer than that brief hug just now. Clarke climbed down, positive that Murphy was following her, he had to. She stopped only on the ground, looking up at him, waiting until he joined her.

“There should be two to three men down here, we have to go through them and in the tunnel. Out there we will have to hurry, probably steal a horse.”

John Murphy

[John Murphy]

When Clarke stilled at his words, Murphy thought he'd triggered some kind of negative response. At worst, he feared she might break down, out here instead of back in the room they'd escaped, just as bad an event anywhere within these walls. At best, she might admonish him for using the term, he thought. Back before they'd parted ways it seemed to be a nickname she wasn't fond of, although perhaps it was more tolerated when spoken by some. He had not been one of them. Even so, he had said it this time with no ill feeling, no bitterness. It was now simply a name by which he addressed her, without any of the previous provocation to annoy.  

The hug was a shock with no other way to describe it, and he froze at the touch. Clarke Griffin hugging him? Not only that but a thank you to accompany the gesture. Perhaps this was a side effect of her grieving, her emotions no doubt muddled and volatile. With no time for him to offer any delayed response she had stepped back, Murphy now having a chance to look at her again and catching the sincerity in her gaze. Maybe she had meant it. There was no spare moment to consider it, their freedom being the focus right now as he assisted her into the elevator shaft, following close behind. Once they'd made the climb he jumped down beside her, scanning around them for any immediate attack that might come their way. Out came one of the blades he had grabbed when Clarke reminded him of who they would likely face down here. A confrontation he was not looking forward to, particularly when he considered the skill with which Titus had put him on the ground as he'd tried to fight him. That was one, now there would be two or three and probably bigger than his torturer had been. "Any chance they're taking a break?" He knew how unlikely that was, the question rhetoric, but there was still a small hope. "All right... " He looked to Clarke now, tightening his hand around the handle of his blade. "Ready when you are."

Tag: Clarke Griffin

[Clarke Griffin]

“There is a chance.” She hoped so much that they didn’t have to kill down here. She was tired of killing, tired of seeing blood. She still had the black blood of Lexa on her hands. She didn’t want red to join that and really, they didn’t have the time. They needed to get somewhere that was safe. They couldn’t get to her horse, but there was a village. Maybe they could get a horse there. They didn’t have anything to trade, so they might have to steal, but in this case it was about their survival, nothing less. As they walked, she could see the guards, but they were talking among themselves. They could just sneak passed them into the tunnel, she thought.

Without a word Clarke motioned to the tunnel. As silent as possible she made her way to it, managing to pass the room of the guards undetected. Maybe they were struck by grief over their commander as well. It made their way easier. As soon as they would be out of earshot, she could talk and she did. She hated the silence between them. It’s been so long. She had almost thought he was dead. Now he was here, alive and he was so damn refreshing. He didn’t see her as murderer or Wanheda or the coward that walked out. Right now she was just Clarke in his eyes, maybe even just the princess he knew. She’d take that over anything else any day and he would probably learn better. “Have you been in Arkadia, Murphy?” She asked him, curiously. She wanted to know if she could have met him in there, if he heard anything there. Arkadia was distant, yet she wanted to see everyone be okay. She wanted to hear about Jaha, too. “I haven’t reallybeen there in… over three months, going onto four, I guess. A lot has happened.... as you saw.”

John Murphy

[John Murphy]

He thought Clarke didn't sound too hopeful about that chance either, although he figured she would know better than he did as she appeared to know this place well. Murphy followed her lead, occasionally casting a swift glance behind them as they made their way along, though he still couldn't see clearly from his one eye thanks to Titus. Now the guards were in view, his attention settled on them as they talked. They were as yet oblivious to their presence, and he willed it to stay that way.

Despite them heading past and quickly along the tunnel without being spotted, Murphy didn't feel any ease this time, feeling they were now trapped between two dangers without any other exit in sight. And who might they meet in the tunnel? Regardless, he trusted Clarke to choose the best way, given her familiarity with this place, and it was looking like it was exactly that for now. He couldn't help another glance behind them once Clarke spoke up, as if they might be heard, but soon offered a reply. "Arkadia? What the hell is that?" He hinted a frown as he questioned, although he figured it was something linked to the Ark. Had they set up another camp since he'd left? Last he knew the sky people's base was Camp Jaha. He remarked on her next comment before she had chance to answer his first question, surprised she had been away from the others for so long. "You left? I'm guessing you weren't kicked out... were you?" He cast a quick glance over her, wondering if perhaps she had done something to make them banish her. He couldn't imagine that happening. If it had, it would need to have been something significant. He had more to ask but he paused to let her explain. 

Tag: Clarke Griffin

[Clarke Griffin]

Of course. He couldn’t know what Arkadia was if he wasn’t back there yet, which was sad. She knew people would welcome him. He had been convinced by someone. The other delinquents would probably welcome him with open arms after everything they were through together and separated. It put things back in perspective. So many horrors were witnessed and so much bad has been done in order to survive. “Camp Jaha.” Clarke provided. “It’s been renamed. I don’t know why exactly, but I guess they didn’t want to keep the name of a man who walked away from them just like that. It’s been very long.” And she didn’t think Jaha had the power over the place anymore.

Clarke looked down as she replied. She was not banished, not formally at least, but returning home was still dangerous to her now. She might become an instant prisoner. At least she had a few advocates, as opposed to just one, in Arkadia. “Yes, I left. A lot happened while you were gone.” She didn’t know if she should talk to him, but would it be fair to let him walk back with her, only to have them lock her up and him not understanding anything? No. He was in danger because of her earlier. He was in danger because of her now. He deserved the truth. “I left because I couldn’t deal with the guilt of what happened around Mount Weather. I decided to stay here. I’m probably… not all too welcome in Arkadia at the moment.”

John Murphy

[John Murphy]

It made sense, he thought. Jaha hadn't exactly been agreeable when it came to going along with the events at the Arker camp back then. It had been partly why the chancellor had come to John, apparently seeing someone of like mind on the matter. They did share a common view of the alliance with the Grounders. So it was no surprise the camp had been renamed. Murphy wondered if Jaha had made it back there with Otan and whether he'd been annoyed at the change. He doubted it. Jaha had probably just rambled something about it not mattering in the City of Light. No pain, no hate, no envy about name changes. Some crap like that. "Yeah well, he was on his way back so maybe it's something else now."  Camp Crazy.

Murphy threw a glance behind them once again, before his attention settled on Clarke a few moments as she continued. It was odd that Clarke had left but what did he know? Things change and he was no stranger to that fact. None of them were really. Although the idea of Clarke, of all people, not being welcome was bizarre. Her further explanation only opened up more questions. "What happened at Mount Weather? I thought you were all taking along your pet Grounder army to storm the place."

Tag: Clarke Griffin

[Clarke Griffin]

“I doubt it.” They wouldn’t go back on it anytime soon given how much was happening there at the moment with Pike and everything. It felt tense. It made her sure of what her fate would be should she enter Arkadia again, but it was the only placed they could be safe or relatively safe. For her, she didn’t even know where she should turn. Lexa was dead. The last thing she saw of Bellamy was her shocklashing him after he put her into handcuffs. It was all broken. She felt like turning around and not seeing a single friendly face… except Murphy. Funny how she would have never expected to have actual fond thoughts of him. But she wanted him to get to Arkadia so he could be safe, no matter what it might mean for her. “Maybe he would get along with the new chancellor. They had elections. Voted for Pike. Don’t know if you know him. I wouldn’t be surprised if they got along. Pike was Wells and my earth skills teacher on the Ark.” They knew each other for sure.

“That pet Grounder Army betrayed and abandoned us.” It was a betrayal. When did she stop thinking of it as such? When did that happen? Clarke was tempted to stop. But she had a goal, one of the only few goals she still had, was one she never expected to have: Get Murphy to safety, what happened to her didn’t matter, not anymore, not after what happened. Bellamy had half predicted it and it evoked so much regret in her. “We were forced to kill everyone in the mountain. I killed over six hundred people in the span of a week maybe. The Grounders call me Wanheda because of that, the commander of death. They believe that I have powers and that they can take them by killing me. I was under Lexas protection. And Arkadia… well I left because I couldn’t live with the guilt. The last time I was there Bellamy put me into handcuffs and wanted to lock me up. I shocklashed him. Sooo I’ll probably be locked up as soon as we reach Arkadia. But I guess being locked up is better than being killed.”

@jmuprhy

[John Murphy]

He spared a thought for what Camp Jaha... Arkadia had become. It probably hadn't changed that much in many ways. The same hierachy, the same problems. He didn't dwell on the thought for long, didn't entirely care about the society or the politics of the new and improved Arker camp. The mention of Pike being a teacher had Murphy's mind rolling back to before he'd been locked up on the Ark. Most teachers had no time for him, nor he for them. He wasn't sure he could recall many of their names. "I don't know... maybe." Clarke's suggestion that Jaha may get along with the new chancellor prompted a vaguely bitter huff. "As for Jaha... depends if the new guy buys what he's selling..." Maybe everyone in Arkadia was a zen zombie now. 

The news of the betrayal came as no surprise at all, Murphy had expected it way back during alliance talks. Grounders would only save grounders. In his mind, they'd screw them over at the worst moment. It sounded like that's exactly what happened but at least it seemed they hadn't simply slaughtered everyone. As Clarke continued, Murphy cast a glance her way between looking ahead and checking behind them as they made their way along the tunnel. Wanheda? Powers? Is this why Titus had been apparently hellbent on destroying her? Perhaps he was really after her 'powers' to add to his collection of crazy faith crap. The mention of powers, however, had Murphy thinking over the A.I. Titus had cut from the girl's neck... powered by tech? Whatever the hell was going on it was nothing to do with faith. As Clarke mentioned Bellamy, he gave a slight frown. The two were enemies now? Again? That was a bit of step back to how things had started out on the ground. Now Murphy considered what his chances were if he decided not to go all the way to Arkadia, he didn't want to go back there either but right now, it was preferable to this place. "Yeah well, depends who you're locked up with..."

Tag: Clarke Griffin