Blood must have blood
The gates of Arkadia screeched open and five grounders on armour clad horses entered. People slowly filtered into the clearing and watched nervously as the horses came to a halt. Clarke and Bellamy walked wearily towards the horsemen.
"How can we help you." Clarke said coming to a halt in front of them. Two grounders swung off of their horses took a few steps forward. Bellamy's hand moved to his gun and he took a step back, Clarke however stood her ground.
"One of our men were shot by Skaikru, two days past he is now on his deathbed. Treikru demands blood." The larger one graveled in a deep voice. Clarke closed her eyes and sighed.
"Max is only 8 years of age he didn't mean to." She said back. The grounder frowned but then smiled
"Then we will compromise. You know the ways of the grounders correct?" Clarke nodded. "Then you know that, if revenge cannot be taken, one of the enemies men will be taken until the warrior is healed." Shouts of outrage came from the crowd, as Bellamy opened his mouth the second smaller grounder spoke
"If you do not agree to our terms, war will be declared." He growled. Clarke winced.
"Will they be tortured?" She asked the smaller grounder. No response came. She turned, and shouted in a loud voice.
"Everyone line up!" The crown slowly shuffled into a circle around the grounders. Clarke turned back to the men.
"Chose and leave." They glared at Clarke, and began to walk the circle, each person was given a disgusted glance. None of the people seemed to appeal to the riders. A door slammed and everyone turned. Miller was leading a limping Bryan over to the circle. The first grounder walked over.
"Why are you late?" He snapped. Miller eased Bryan off his shoulder and leaned him against the wall.
"He was recovering from a gunshot wound in the infirmary." Miller said looking at the grounder evenly. "He would have been upset to not be here." The grounder looked at Bryan longer than anyone liked then walked back over to his partners. Soft mutters and quick glances were thrown around the camp, but they all seemed to stop at Bryan, who was laughing quietly with Miller. Clarke reached for Bellamy
"Bellamy I think they are going to take Bryan." She whispered, looking at Bryan and back at the grounders. Bellamy shifted uncomfortably,
"I know, but what are we supposed to do?" he whispered back "We can't risk another war." Finally the grounders stepped back
"We will take that one." The large one said, pointing directly at Miller and Bryan. They both looked up shocked and Miller grabbed Bryan's arm pushing him behind Jasper who withdrew his gun. The four advanced and shoved Jasper out of the way grabbing Bryan, and dragging him away.
"Let him go!" Screamed Miller, lunging forwards, Bellamy shot forwards and grabbed Miller by the arms and held on tightly. Miller twisted and struggled but Monty and Jasper came and helped hold him back.
"Nate!" Bryan cried as he was tied and thrown over the side of one of the horses. As he struggled to get free on of the grounder's punched him in the stomach. The crowd roared in outrage and surged forwards, but not in time. The four horsemen were out of the gates. The sound of Bryan's cries would never leave their minds as they let one of their own be stolen away.
Four months later
Clarke dragged Thomas, an engineer who was one of the 100, into the med room. Laying him down gently, she called for her mother before turning back to the beaten man. Groaning the man opened his eyes.
"Clarke, I know he's your friend and all, " he started. Clarke groaned and put her head in her hands. Of course Miller did this. "But, he is lashing out at anyone, who even mentions Bryan's name, or gets in his way. Miller has become a tyrant. You know, this is exactly what he was like when we first landed," Thomas said leaning his head back and looking at the ceiling. Clarke nodded. Everyone had noticed, no one wanted to say anything to him though.
"I know." she said saddly. "Being in the mountain, and seeing that people had survived, gave him hope again. And when he found out Bryan was alive and got him back, he became a whole new person." she looked down at her hands. Abby came in.
"Miller again?" She asked. Clarke nodded, and sighed. Her mom started examining Thomas' wounds. "You know, I think by four months a gunshot wound would have been healed." Clarke looked up, realizing that four months was a long time to recover from a gunshot wound. She glanced at her mom smiling before she ran out of the room.
"Bellamy!" She shouted waving down a truck that was headed for the truck stopped and she yanked the door open.
"What?" Bellamy asked, looking her up and down, "are you okay?" Clarke nodded.
"I think it's time we get Bryan back."
She was sitting around a fire with Jasper, Monty, Harper, Raven, and Bellamy. They were trying to figure out a way, to free Bryan without starting a war, or notifying Miller, when Kane came up to them.
"Grounders are at the gate Clarke." He said out of breath. They all shot up and ran to the gate.
"Open it up!" Bellamy shouted up to the guards. Two women and a man, walked through the gates, horses towed behind on leads. Jasper and Monty put their hands on their guns. They beside Miller, had taken Bryan's captivity the hardest.
"Speak." Kane demanded. The grounders looked at each other. The man stepped forwards.
"Four moons ago, one of our own was shot by your men. We took a captive." The group glared at the man, who rushed on. "The warrior who was shot has long been healed. He sold your man to another. Someone high in the ranks, who has no love for his slaves." Bellamy growled turning around and running his hands through his hair frustrated.
"Why are you telling us this?" Monty asked. One of the women, with feathers adorning her hair stepped forwards.
"We have grown fond of your man...Bryan..." She said, "us and many others, we are in awe of his endurance. He is tortured constantly, yet he does not break, he feeds what little food he gets to the other prisoners, two of which are my children." Tears rolled down her face. "We long to see his suffering end, and we have come assist in gaining the brave one's freedom." she bowed her head and stepped back clutching the man's hand. Clarke looked at Bellamy, hope sparking in her chest.
"What did you have in mind?" The younger grounder girl spoke up.
"We took your man for injuring one of ours, if we injure one of yours..." she trailed off. Harper took a step forwards.
"I'll do it. Anything to get my old Miller back and to save Bryan." she said boldly. The man smiled at her.
"We will stage it as a hunting accident..."
Three days later Harper was rushed into the med room, two arrows protruding from her shoulder and stomach.
Bellamy and Clarke were prepping the jeep for travel, Monty was staying behind with Harper. Jasper was getting his gear on and Raven was already in the vehicle. Clarke was swinging herself into the driver's seat when a hand stopped the door from shutting.
"Where are you going?" Miller stood outside the jeep looking in at the fully geared up troop. Clarke looked panicked at Raven, then turned back to Miller.
"We...were called to Polis." She said. "King Roan wanted something." Miller looked up sharply.
"To Polis?" He whispered, a hint of his old self coming back. "I'm coming with." He said reaching for the door handle. Raven started to protest but he stopped her.
"If there is even...the slightest chance that i'll see...him... again Raven I'm going with." He said looking up at Clarke begging. "Please." Clarke's heart ached for her friend, despite Bellamy shaking his head, she nodded.
"On one condition Miller." She said ignoring the groans of the others. "You say nothing, do nothing, and don't cause disruption." Miller nodded and climbed in.
Everyone was quiet for most of the trip. Miller looked at his hands the entire time. Everyone could see he was visibly shaking. Bellamy rested his hand on Miller's shoulder, giving him a small smile of reassurance. The trek to the tower was quick, as people moved out of their way. Surprisingly many whispered encouragement, an old woman came up to Clarke and whispered in her ear.
"You save that poor lad." Clarke nodded at the elder touched. Miller walked silently behind Jasper, eyes searching the crowd, trying to pick out the familiar face. The grounders had told them that the man who had Bryan lived in the second floor of the tower. Miller didn't even notice when the elevator stopped at that floor instead of the top one. They were escorted down the hallway to a room, garnished in luxurious paintings and silks.
"Gereon Jürgen will be with you shortly." Their escort said. A few seconds later a man entered the room. He had mean eyes and a pointy nose.
"Why does Skaikru want to meet with me?" Gereon demanded, sitting in a plush chair. Clarke stepped forwards.
"How many slaves do you have Gereon?" she asked looking him directly in the eyes. Gereon looked suprised.
"It is an odd question, but I will answer. I have nine slaves and 14 servants." he said leaning back in his chair. "Why do you ask this?" Bellamy spoke next.
"Have you gotten any recent ones?" Gereon nodded, smiling to himself.
"Not two months prior I bought this wonderfully strong man, whom I was told was a traitor. He is very good looking, I must say, and I immediately wanted him." Bellamy stiffened holding back his anger. Miller was confused and looking back and forth trying to figure out why these questions were relevant. "However, he was very defiant and fought constantly, today infact I ordered him to come into my bed and he refused," Gereon's voice grew bitter. "He is down in the dungeons, suffering for his defiance." Jasper came up and whispered in Clarke's ear.
"I think Millers catching on hurry." Clarke nodded.
"Gereon that man was wrongfully taken from us, we have come to retrieve him." At this Miller gasped. Bellamy placed a hand on his arm as a warning. Gereon sat up straight and sneered.
"Why should I give him to you?" Seeing Miller's face Clarke quickly explained Harper's situation and the grounder laws. Angrily Gereon motioned for the guard to take them to the dungeons. They rushed out of the room just as Miller burst.
"That asshole!" He growled. Jasper grabbed his hand and pulled a struggling Miller behind him.
The dungeons were dark and wet and moans echoed from every cell. From down the hallway, they heard the whistling of a whip. The closer they got they heard cries. Raven started running, skidding to a halt she watched in shock as a grounder whipped a bloodied man who was shirtless and shoeless. This couldn't be Bryan, they must have gotten the wrong cell. This man's hands were chained and hooked to the wall, along with his feet. A metal collar with a long chain attached was held by another guard. Although she wished it weren't true, the man let out another heartbreaking cry and she knew it was him.
"Stop!" she yelled darting in the cell. The guard motioned for his partner to step back.
Raven rushed to the injured man lifting the chains off of their hooks. He slumped to the ground and rolled onto his back, and Raven stepped back, hand to her mouth. He looked awful, dried, and fresh blood ran down his head and underneath a dirty blindfold. Tear streaks lined his dirty face. The gap between his teeth was unmistakable as her friend cried out again. Raven backed out of the cell crying as the others showed. Miller ran into the cell looking down at the broken man.
"Bryan!" he cried dropping to his knees, shuffling forwards and pulling his lover's head onto his lap. "Bryan..." he whispered brushing the hair out of his eyes, and slowly tugging the blindfold off. Clarke and Bellamy rushed in and removed the chains and collar. Bryan's eyes opened and when he saw Miller he froze.
"Nathan?" he rasped. Tears gathered in Miller's eyes and he nodded, smiling. Bryan's hand reached up and grabbed the back of his neck pulling Miller down into a heated kiss. "Nathan..." he whispered, their foreheads pressed together.
Grounder's bandaged Bryan, and fed them. When they left, Bryan slept the whole way, head rested on Miller's lap, who was running his finger through Bryan's hair. Miller looked down at his lover's sleeping face, and smiled.
"I love you Bryan."
The end.