Author's note : Thank you for the reviews and follows. It's really encouraging for a first story ;)

I've enjoyed reading fanfics for quite a long time and hadn't realized until now how much time and investment writing them required. So kudos to all the writers.

I hope that you enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it.


Chapter 3

Clarke was awestruck by his reply. "Because Lexa is my sister."

"I didn't know Lexa had a brother," Clarke wondered aloud. But she knew Zoltan was telling the truth. There was a striking resemblance between him and Lexa. Starting with his eyes.

"I imagine she rarely talks about me. As the Commander, her enemies are tempted to use the people she's close to in order to put pressure on her. As you may know, one of those attempts ended up in a great loss for her."

"Costia," Clarke guessed. She preferred not to imagine what Lexa had endured when her lover had been so brutally taken from her. It was no wonder she was so guarded with her feelings.

"Yes," Zoltan replied, losing his smile for a moment, probably lost in his memories of Costia. "Since then, Lexa has been very careful to protect her loved ones. She tries her best to keep her relationships with her family and friends private. So, it's not surprising that you haven't heard of me."

"You live in Tondc?" Clarke asked, trying to recall if she had seen him before.

"I do. I've been in Polis a few times but for the same reason I just gave you, Lexa and I agreed that I'd be safer if I stayed inside the Trikru territory. But enough about me. I'll answer all your questions after we get Lexa back. For the time being, we have more urgent matters. Tell me, what do you intend to do? And who is this boy?"

"Right, this is Aden. He is…" Clarke began to explain but was interrupted by Zoltan.

"Aden. Of course. I've heard a lot about you."

Aden blushed at Zoltan's comment. "Heda told you about me?" he asked shyly.

"Of course she did. We don't see each other very often, but we make sure to catch up about the important things in our lives. And obviously, you are important to her," Zoltan explained kindly. Then, becoming serious again, he asked Clarke. "So, what's the plan?"

Clarkes exposed their project. The trio spent some time refining it before continuing their journey to Polis.


They had decided to move into action in the dead of night. Polis, so lively and full of noises during the day, was now perfectly peaceful.

Aden had spent nearly his whole life in Polis and knew the capital inside out. His knowledge was essential to the success of the mission. He directed them in a secret tunnel which would allow them to enter the city without being spotted. Once on the other side of the tunnel, they paused to assess their surroundings.

The anticipation was killing Clarke. She could feel her heart beating furiously in her chest. They would need nothing less than a small miracle to get out of this situation unscathed. She scolded herself for her negative thoughts and took deep breathes. She had to keep a cool head. For Lexa.

As Aden had explained, Lexa was detained in a small building which was located in close proximity to the soldiers' quarters. Fortunately, it wasn't very far from the entrance of the tunnel which should make their escape easier. But on the other hand, a horde of soldiers would surround the building in no time at the slightest suspect sound.

They would have to act quickly and silently. It was of the utmost importance that nobody should recognize Clarke. The consequence for the Sky People would be dramatic. Because of this, Clarke was wearing a long cloak and her very recognizable blond hair was concealed by a large hood.

After checking that the area was clear, they started to move toward their target. A crescent moon gave them just the right amount of light to find their way in the city.

Confirming Aden's information, two warriors, a man and a woman, were guarding the entrance of the old construction.

They had decided that she and Zoltan would slip on each side of the building and arrive simultaneously behind the guards, relying on the element of surprise. They couldn't afford to make any mistake. Clarke would deal with the female soldier and Zoltan with the man.

Before leaving Arkadia, Clarke had made a detour by the medical bay to gather a few supplies that could be useful during their journey. The anesthetics she had taken should allow them to take the guards down silently, as the effects of the drugs were nearly instantaneous. She has taught Zoltan to use the syringe in the afternoon. Everything will be fine, Clarke tried to convince herself.

As planned, Zoltan on one side and Clarke on the other side with Aden in toe, were moving forward to the front of the building. Revealing herself a little, Clarke risked a glimpse toward the guards. They were standing on each side of the door and looking right in front of them. So far, they hadn't noticed them.

Suddenly, she saw Zoltan's head appearing at the other corner. They exchanged a meaningful glance and after a nod, launched themselves at the guards, syringe in hand.

The woman had no time to react that Clarke was on her and stuck the syringe in her neck. As expected, the warrior passed out in seconds, without a sound.

It was something else entirely for the other guard. Clarke had moved into action a few seconds before Zoltan. As a consequence, the second guard had seen Clarke rushing toward his partner and had turned around, on the alert, before Zoltan could inject the drug.

The soldier put up a struggle but Zoltan had no difficulty to take him down, eventually slicing his throat with his dagger. The dying guard let a few gurgles before his body stilled, lifeless.

Clarke looked around with apprehension. The two guards weren't a danger anymore but the fight, as short as it has been, has made more noise than she was comfortable with. She was afraid someone had heard the struggle and would give the alert. But so far, nothing.

They had to go on. She looked at her two companions and whispered, "Let's go inside. But be careful. There might be more guards indoors." They nodded their agreement.

Aden opened the door slowly and Zoltan entered first, followed by Clarke. The blonde could feel that he was tensed, ready to take down any further threat.

But it wasn't necessary for there was no more guard. They quickly brought in the two guards they had neutralized.

The single room was lit by two torches. It appeared that when it wasn't used as a prison, the building probably served as a shelter for horses as there was a big quantity of hay stacked in a corner and a trough.

But it wasn't what caught Clarke's attention. Her eyes were riveted on the lone figure hanging from the ceiling. Lexa.

Clarke was stuck in place. She wanted to run to Lexa and free her from her ties but her legs refused to move. What if they had arrived too late? What if she was already dead?

She snapped out of her stupor when Zoltan put a hand on her shoulder and motioned her to come with him. Together, they approached Lexa and Clarke gasped when she saw the state she was in.

Lexa's wrists where tied with a rope hung to a hook in the ceiling. Her feet were only barely touching the ground, and her shoulders carried most of her body weight. Under those circumstances, Clarke wasn't surprise to notice that one shoulder was dislocated.

Judging by the bruises and blood on her face, Lexa had suffered a serious beating. And that was only for the visible part. Clarke imagined Lexa's body wasn't in a better shape.

But the worst was that Lexa was inert. Hopefully only unconscious. After a short while, Clarke took a step forward and shook Lexa gently to bring her back to consciousness. But there was no reaction.

Worse, when the blonde removed her hand from Lexa, they were covered in blood. Black blood.

Clarke gave a worried look to Zoltan and said, "We must get her out of here as soon as possible. Can you untie her?"

Zoltan nodded, reached the rope and cut it with his dagger. He received Lexa's body delicately in his arms, his eyes filled with sorrow.

Clarke had rarely been as anxious as she was in this moment. With a shaky breath, she proceeded to take Lexa's pulse. She put two fingers on her carotid artery. At first, she couldn't feel anything, but she was soon relieved to feel a strong pulse.

Clarke's tensed muscles relaxed gradually. She could breathe again. Lexa was badly hurt but at least she was alive. They had to get out of this place quickly so that she could tend to Lexa's wounds.

Suddenly, a sharp voice rose from behind, "What exactly do you think you're doing?"

Startled, the three companions turned over, facing the newcomer. Their attention had been so completely focused on Lexa that they hadn't even noticed the entrance of the intruder. Clarke was berating herself for their carelessness.

The voice continued, unimpressed, "Zoltan. Why am I not surprised? And Aden. Interesting. "

Clarke's heart faltered as recognition dawned on her. She couldn't help but exclaim "Anya?"

She hasn't seen the trikru warrior since the battle at Mount Weather. After their reunion in Polis, Lexa had explained that she had sent Anya on a trip to meet the twelve clans' leaders to gauge their state of mind after the fall of the Mountain.

A look of surprise appeared on Anya's face. Addressing Clarke, she asked "And who are you, girl?"

Realizing that her face was hidden, Clarke removed her hood, revealing herself.

"I see. Clarke kom Skaikru. That is unexpected," Anya said, smirking.

This smirk was a beacon of hope for Clarke. Maybe Anya would help them or at least not report them. The woman was ruthless but she also was Lexa's mentor. Clarke had only seen the two grounders together for a short period of time while they were planning the Mountain offensive. Even if they had been rather distant in their public interactions, Clarke knew they were close.

"What does it look like we're doing?" Clarke retorted daringly in answer to Anya's initial question. "We need to leave now. Lexa's wounds need to be cared for. So if you intend to stop us, just do it. Otherwise, move out of our way."

At the mention of Lexa's injuries, Anya's eyes left Clarke to focus on the former Commander, trying to assess the extent of the damages. Her face was unreadable, as always, but deep down, Clarke sensed that she was worried.

Her relationship with Anya has been complicated from the start. But despite their prejudices toward each other's people, they had come to develop a mutual respect during their escape from the Mountain. Clarke has gradually learnt to know Anya better. In pure grounder's style, the tough warrior was convinced that showing her feelings was a weakness. Therefore, she wore an impassive mask in public. Very much like Lexa. But there was a woman behind this mask and Clarke has had glimpses of her on a few rare occasions. And from what she has seen, Anya was more compassionate than what she would care to admit.

Oddly, Clarke felt that Anya wouldn't stand in their way. As a matter of fact, Anya seemed uncertain about what to do.

Finally, she made her intentions clear. "Zoltan, take Lexa and Aden, and get out of here." Turning to Aden, she asked with a ghost of a smile, "I assume that you came through the tunnel you used to hide in when you were younger?" Aden nodded.

"Very well. Go now, and wait for us in the woods. Clarke and I have a last task to accomplish."

With that, Aden and Zoltan, the latter still carrying Lexa, exited the building quietly.

"I don't understand," Clarke began. "Why are we staying here?"

"I figure it would be for the best if Lexa died accidentally," Anya explained mysteriously. Puzzled, Clarke was about to say something when Anya raised her hand to stop her and continued, pointing at the unconscious female guard lying on the floor, "Help me bring her to where Lexa was."

Clarke did as she was asked, beginning to understand what Anya was getting at. Once it was done, Anya tied the woman's wrists with a rope and the two of them hung her up to the hook. The same way Lexa was.

Then, Anya grabbed the torch on the wall and set on fire the stack of hay lying in the corner. Satisfied that the fire was growing fast, she seized Clarke's arm and hurried her toward the exit.

They left the building quickly. No one seemed to have noticed the starting fire yet. Anya's horse was waiting nearby. She grabbed the reins and the pair ran toward the entrance of the tunnel. They reached the tunnel without a hitch and, after checking nobody was around, hurried inside.

Once on the other side, they had no difficulty to find Zoltan, Lexa and Aden.

"Has she woken up?" Clarke asked Zoltan. He shook his head sadly. Clarke would have wanted to check Lexa's wounds but they weren't in the clear yet. They had to put distance between them and Polis.

Anya's plan was clever. The grounders would believe that Lexa had been killed in an accidental fire. There would be a burnt out body to support this theory. At the thought of the guard they had hung in place of Lexa, Clarke had a hint of remorse. Another death to add to her already long list.

In the best of case, if the grounders indeed thought that Lexa was dead, nobody would come after them.

But if the plan had somehow failed, especially if someone had seen them, they were doomed. So it was better to leave the area and find a good place to hide.

"Where do you intend to go now?" Anya asked.

"We thought that maybe we could go to Tondc and ask Indra to hide us," Clarke answered, unconvinced.

"That's not a good idea, Sky Girl," Anya retorted, in her usual cold tone. "If the new Commander realizes Lexa's death is a trick, he will immediately send soldiers to search the Trikru territory. It's not a secret that Lexa belongs to the Trikru and that her people will likely remain loyal her." She thought for moment and then said, "I can guide you somewhere safe where we could stay for a while. It's a two days ride from here, somewhere near the sea."

"All right," Clarke agreed. "I understand that it's too dangerous to remain here any longer but we will really have to make a stop in a short time. I don't know exactly the extent of Lexa's injuries but they have to be cared for. I think she has a wound somewhere on her upper body, and I will have to stop the bleeding."

Anya nodded and said "I know a place not too far from here where we could rest for a short time. Nobody we'll look for us there."

Clarke was comforted by Anya's presence. She was surprised that the grounder was willing to come with them but her help was more than welcome. "Let's go then."

By luck, the tunnel they had taken to get out of Polis had been big enough for Anya's horse to go through. Therefore, they had three horses for five people. Zoltan took Lexa on his horse, and Clarke rode with Aden.


Anya guided the group through the woods at a fast pace. She has always liked the feeling of freedom provided by horse-riding, the impression to make one with the animal. It helped her clear her mind. And that's exactly what she needed at the moment.

Her life had been turned upside down in a matter of days. She had been back in Polis for about two weeks when the ambassadors had made their coup. She couldn't say she had been surprised. Lexa's decision concerning the Skaikru had been unwise and had triggered contestation among the people.

While she understood the reasons, deep down, she couldn't accept the consequences of the ambassadors' decision. She has known Lexa for a very long time. She has seen her transformation from a carefree child to a ruthless leader. She may have been harsh with Lexa and hardly affectionate but she loved her. Yet, Lexa had been a gentle and dreamy child and it had been necessary to harden her, to prepare her for the burden of responsibilities.

Lexa was an excellent Commander, probably the best they've ever had. Anya had been distraught by the thought of Lexa dying because of a single questionable decision. After all the sacrifices she had made. But Anya was also very attached to the grounders' traditions. And this was their way. She had been conflicted about the whole situation.

And second hard blow, she had been dismissed from her functions of General. The new Commander, Roan of Azgeda, wanted his generals to be loyal to him. Of course, Anya being a close adviser of Lexa didn't fit in that category.

Earlier today, Roan has decided to send her back in the Trikru to do as she pleased. He didn't seem to care as long as she didn't cause any trouble.

The night had been well under way when she had finished to pack her belongings. Making her way toward Polis's gates, she had walked by the place where Lexa was being kept, somehow hoping to get a last glimpse of her. That's when she had noticed that something was amiss. No guards at the entrance.

When she had realized what was happening inside, she had to make a quick decision. To do her duty or to help. Or do nothing at all.

In the end, she had decided to help Lexa and her saviors. After all, she didn't have much to lose anymore and she couldn't bear to lose Lexa.

She didn't regret her decision, but she was uneasy because it was against all her principles. She was now a traitor to her people. If everything went as planned, maybe they would never know of her treachery. But she knew. And it was enough to trouble her. But it would be worth it if Lexa lived.


After about one hour, the group arrived at the beginning of what seemed to be a small canyon with a calm river flowing out of it. They continued their way along the riverbank until Anya told them to stop. They dismounted their horses. Clarke internally thanked Anya for her knowledge of the area. The canyon offered a decent shelter. This was perfect for a short pause.

Zoltan installed Lexa carefully on the ground and Clarke began to assess her injuries. She was worried that Lexa hadn't regained consciousness by now. It wasn't normal. But she didn't seem to have sustained any kind of head trauma.

Like she had noticed previously, Lexa's left shoulder was dislocated. Clarke could take care of that. She was glad to have spent so much time assisting her mother in her medical procedures. She manipulated Lexa's arm carefully until she could hear a distinctive pop. Good. One problem solved. It was just as well that Lexa was out. At least she didn't have to endure the pain.

Then Clarke checked Lexa's torso. Her top was soaked with blood. It seemed to come out of her stomach. She lifted Lexa's top to have a better view and gasped. Lexa had been stabbed and had visibly lost a lot of blood. That's probably why she was still unconscious.

She looked with apprehension at Anya and Zoltan who were watching intently what she was doing. She asked Zoltan to fetch her medical kit in the saddle-bag and water from the river. She had anticipated that Lexa could be injured and before leaving Arkadia, she had retrieved the necessary items.

Once Zoltan was back, she cleaned and stitched the wound. She then applied a salve to prevent an infection and covered it with bandages. She hoped there were no internal damages because she wasn't sure she could deal with it.

As far as she could see, there weren't any other serious injuries. Only some bruises and scratches. There was nothing more she could do for the moment.

Clarke cupped Lexa's cheek tenderly, silently begging her to wake up. Now that the bleeding had stopped, she hoped Lexa would quickly show signs of improvement.

Finally she stood up and saw Anya talking to Aden and Zoltan. She approached the group to update them on Lexa's condition. "I think she needs time to gather some strength. She is weak because of the blood loss. But now that it's stopped, she should be fine."

Zoltan seemed relieved by her diagnosis. Anya nodded her understanding and said "Now, we should resume our journey. It wouldn't be safe to stay here much longer. Aden will leave us for the time being." Sensing Clarke was about to ask an explanation, she went on, "Our destination is located within the territory of the Boat People. It would be highly disrespectful to hide a fugitive within their land without informing their leader. Luna will probably be neutral on the matter but she has to be informed of our presence. That's why I ordered Aden to seek Luna. He will join us after his mission is accomplished."

"But he shouldn't go alone. It's dangerous. He is just a boy," Clarke argued.

Anya raised an eyebrow and looked at Clarke as if she was talking nonsense. "Aden is a very capable warrior, Sky Girl. Don't insult him."

Aden looked up at Clarke with an air of defiance. At that, Clarke chuckled. "In no case was I doubting your abilities. I just don't want you to be hurt. But I get it, it's an important mission and you have to go. May we meet again, Aden."

"We will, Clarke of the Sky People," Aden answered with a smile.

With that, Zoltan picked up Lexa in his arms and the group went to retrieve their horses. This time, Clarke would ride with Anya. They parted way with Aden at the exit of the canyon and continued their journey toward their mysterious destination.

TBC