A/N: Here's the rest of episode three. Thank you for all the follows and favs. And a special thank you for the reviews, thoughts and feelings are always well received.
I've changed the canon here ever so slightly. From what I could tell, there was no Trikru ambassador in the show. In this story, there is one. I didn't really think the Commander should be their own clans representative or leader.
Staring at the knife in her hands, Clarke tried to steady the beating of her heart. This wouldn't be the first time she had killed someone, there were countless bodies behind her. She could do this, she could kill the Commander. She could kill Lexa.
The deep voices of the guards muffled through the door, their Commander was approaching.
Quickly, Clarke sprang to her feet, her hands fumbling to hide the blade within her sleeve again. She had just managed to face away from the entrance when the door opened behind her. It was strange, but the blonde immediately recognised the sound of the Commander's familiar footfalls.
"You wanted to see me? I'm here." The woman behind her said, her voice stern and even. Clarke could just imagine the way Lexa's hands were tucking behind her back. The way her chin was lifting in defiance. "Clarke-"
At the sound of her name, Clarke twisted around, grabbing onto the startled woman's shoulder as she pressed the knife to her throat.
She could do it, she could kill her, she could-
Bright green eyes stared into her own, flickering between them in surprise.
The Wanheda could do it-
Looking down at the blade in her hand, Clarke pressed it harder against Lexa's neck, willing herself to just do what needed to be done.
The Commander had betrayed her. Because of her, Clarke had to destroy the Mountain and face it all alone. Lexa was the only one that could have possibly understood, but she left her. She left her all alone when Clarke needed her most.
Clarke knew Lexa could have disarmed her by now, she had hesitated for too long. There was an acceptance in the other woman's eyes though. Lexa was willing to let it happen. She was willing to let Clarke kill her if that was what she needed.
"You don't understand what Heda is willing to sacrifice for you."
"I'm sorry." Lexa breathed.
Those two words were all it took for her to finally break.
Clarke couldn't do it.
With tears in her eyes, the blonde quickly pushed Lexa away from her, dropping the dagger to the floor. She had to turn away. She wouldn't cry in front of Lexa, she wouldn't be weak in front of her.
"I never meant to turn you into this." Lexa practically whispered. It was so quiet, so hesitant, that Clarke wasn't even sure she meant to say it aloud.
It didn't matter what Lexa had meant to do though. The past was in the past. What had been done couldn't be undone. The second the Commander walked away from the Mountain, she had sealed Clarke's fate to kill them all.
"You're free to go." The Commander continued, her voice louder than before. "Your mother is here. I'll have you escorted to her."
Clarke could hear Lexa's retreat. The heavy fall of her boots against the floor as she made for the exit.
"Do what's right for your people, Clarke."
Again it was Anya's voice echoing loudly in her mind.
Even though she wanted to be selfish, Clarke knew bowing to the Commander was the right thing for her people. If the Ice Nation were going to move against them, her people would need the Commander's protection. If her people were going to have a chance at living peacefully on the ground, they would need to be part of the coalition. Her people needed this.
Clarke had sacrificed herself for them before. She could do it again.
"Wait." The blonde called, turning around just in time to see Lexa dropping her hand from the door handle. "I have a better idea."
Clarke swallowed harshly when Lexa turned to face her again. "The Ice Nation, they're planning to attack because they think you're weak?"
"They believe I should have eliminated the Skaikru the moment you landed, and destroyed the Mountain myself." Lexa stated simply, her eyes not quite looking at her.
"Then I'll kneel." Clarke conceded. "Wanheda will kneel."
Lexa nodded her head, her eyes finally making contact with Clarke's own. Even with the distance between them, Clarke could see the watery sheen of tears in the brunettes eyes.
"My people need protection, Commander. This is the best way to get it for them, that's all." Stepping closer, she was shocked to see Lexa flinch slightly. "I'm doing this for my people."
Again the other woman just nodded her head solemnly.
The silence pressed in around them and Clarke wasn't sure what else there was left to say between them. It used to be easy. The silences between them comfortable. Her heart clenched painfully at the thought of them never having that easiness back again. That Clarke would never be able to talk to Lexa like she was Lexa and not the Commander.
"Are you keeping the knife?" Lexa asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"Would you let me?" She questioned in return, glancing at the blade still resting on the floor.
"If it's something you wish to keep."
Clarke stared at it for a moment, before nodding her head. "You don't want to know who gave it to me?"
"You wouldn't tell me even if I asked, Clarke." Lexa replied, her voice resigned. "Anya will be through shortly, she'll explain what will happen tonight."
For a moment, as Lexa paused in the doorway, Clarke thought she was going to apologise again. The words never came though. Instead the other woman just looked at her sadly, her eyes swimming with all words Clarke didn't want to hear.
Lexa left without another word and Clarke tried to ignore the burning in her chest.
"Are you going to give me another book?" Clarke asked Anya as soon as she barged into the room again.
The Grounder scoffed at her. "It took you long enough to start reading the first one."
"So what happens?" Clarke questioned, keen to understand exactly what it was she was expected to do.
"You walk into a room full of people and kneel in front of the Commander." The other woman dead panned.
Clarke glared, her eyes squinting at Anya as she started to flick through the book that was still resting on the bed. "And Lexa couldn't have explained that herself."
Anya grunted. "She knows how much I enjoy your company."
Rolling her eyes, Clarke crossed her arms over her chest. "So that's it then? I walk into a room, bow, and the Skaikru become the thirteenth clan."
Anya let out another grunt, continuing browsing the book without looking up. "After you take the brand, yes."
"The brand?" Clarke grimaced.
"As a sign of devotion to the Commander and all her allies. And then," looking up, Anya smiled at her. "Then we feast."
Clarke numbly nodded her head. It seemed so simple, so easy. One bow and they would be forever tied to the Commander.
"You made the right choice, Clarke." Anya said, interrupting her thoughts before they could truly take hold.
"I made the right choice for my people." She muttered, more for herself than the other woman. "Am I just wearing this to the summit?" She quickly added, indicating down to the clothes she had been wearing since her capture.
The expression on Anya's face told Clarke everything she needed to know. It wasn't that she wanted to still be wearing them, she just didn't want to accept anything past the clean underwear that had been offered to her.
"The Commander before- Before-" Anya stalled and Clarke looked at her confused. What she saw was even more confusing, because Anya looked scared. The next moment, she was shaking her head and looking at Clarke as if nothing had happened. "One of the previous Commander's was as... Endowed as you are."
Clarke looked down at her chest before raising her eyebrow at the other woman.
Anya rolled her eyes in response. "Don't look so pleased with yourself, Sky girl. Come with me, I'll take you to your mother."
"Are you not going in?" Anya asked abruptly.
Clarke blinked rapidly, suddenly aware that she had been staring down the corridor for more than a few minutes. Right at the end, behind the guards, was her mom and Kane.
"Yeah, I am, I just- I just need a moment." She explained, only for the General to shunt her in the back.
"Go." Anya said, her hand pushing at Clarke's again. "I'll be there to collect you shortly."
Before Clarke could ask her to stay, or possibly shunt her the whole way down the corridor, Anya was already striding away from her. The other woman didn't look back once and with a swish of her long coat around a corner, Anya disappeared completely.
Alone in the corridor, Clarke stared towards the guards again. She wasn't sure why she felt so nervous. It was her mother. Seeing her should have felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Yet, despite the daughterly craving to be held by her, Clarke's thoughts still raced.
What if her mom hadn't forgiven her for leaving after Mount Weather? What if she wouldn't accept the Commander's terms? What if she was there to tell Clarke, she wasn't welcome back in Camp Jaha?
Taking a deep breath, Clarke tried to shake the thoughts from her mind. The only way she was going to know was if she went in there.
The most important thing was that her mother accepted the Commander's terms. That she agreed to join the coalition. Clarke's place at Camp Jaha and whether her mom forgave her were of little importance if her mom didn't accept the coalitions protection.
Setting her face in determination, Clarke strode towards the end of the corridor. She could do this. All she had to do was convince her mom it was the right thing to do.
As soon as she reached them, the guards quickly opened the doors for her. Clarke could feel their wary eyes on her back whenshe passed them, but she didn't care because her mom was in front of her.
Clarke didn't mean for it to happen, but her confident stride faltered, only dropping back into place when her mom started walking towards her.
Warmth enveloped her body.
Without warning, her mom had wrapped her arms around her.
Hesitantly, Clarke raised her own arms to return the embrace. The emotions that were swimming through her were almost overwhelming. It felt like home, and Clarke wanted nothing more than to let herself sink into the comforting touch of her mother. She hadn't realised how much she craved being wrapped up in her embrace again.
Despite what her heart longed for, Clarke's mind quickly shifted into gear. Pulling herself away, she didn't miss the hurt on her mother's face, or the way her eyes scanned her face.
"I have something to tell you, and we don't have much time." Clarke announced quickly, before she lost her resolve.
"Wait a minute." Her mum said, her hands cupping her face. "Just let me look at you."
It was then that Clarke noticed Kane was in the room. The now bearded man came to stand beside her mother, his hand gripping onto her shoulder.
"We'll have plenty of time to catch up once we get back home." He interrupted, and Clarke was immediately grateful to have him there with them.
"The Commander's changing the terms of the summit." Clarke explained before her mom could argue.
"Is this because of Mount Weather?" Kane asked.
The question had Clarke frowning. "This is because of the Ice Nation. They want Lexa dead. They want to take over the coalition."
"That's Lexa's concern, not ours." Her mom replied. It was the reaction Clarke had feared she would have.
Before she could try and convince her mother otherwise though, Kane was already agreeing with her. "No, Abby. If Lexa falls, the Coalition shatters, and there's no way we avoid that war. You said there were new terms?"
"We become the thirteenth clan." Clarke simply stated.
Questions were racing through Kane's head, Clarke could see it in the way his eyes darted from side to side. With the room in silence, she watched him as he walked away, his mind clearly working through the proposition.
Her mother was quicker to react though. "Thirteenth clan? What does that mean? That we follow Lexa?"
The unspoken words were there. The words that spoke of Lexa's betrayal. Of Lexa abandoning them at the Mountain. Of Lexa abandoning her daughter at the Mountain.
Clarke nodded her head slightly. "Yes."
Her mom didn't look convinced, the frown on her face deepening. "We came here to negotiate a treaty..."
"This is our Unity Day, mom." She tried to explain because Clarke knew the story. She knew what had really happened to the thirteenth station. "You can be the thirteenth station, or you can be the thirteenth clan."
It surprised her when her mom turned to Kane. "Marcus?"
Even though his feature were still tight with concentration, he nodded. "Clarke's right. I've seen the Ice Nation army, and we don't stand a chance against them. We need to do this."
It was slow, but Clarke could see the acceptance starting to creep across mother's face. "So we become the thirteenth clan. Then what? What's going to stop the Ice Nation?"
"Wanheda." Clarke replied, the name feeling bitter on her tongue.
"Wanheda?" Her mom asked incredulously. "Clarke, you're just a girl."
"No mom, the Grounders, they-" Clarke took a deep breath because she still hated their reaction with every fibre of her being. "They fear me. If Lexa can show the coalition that Wanheda bows to her, then she can show them she's not weak-"
Her mother scoffed lightly, the frown slowly returning to her features. "So you just let her use you? Clarke-"
"If that's what it takes to protect our people, then yes."
Before her mom could argue any further, Kane was placing his hand back on her shoulder again. "Abby. We have to trust Clarke."
Seemingly defeated, her mom's shoulders slumped. "Has she at least been treating you well? You look tired, Clarke."
Clarke almost laughed at the statement. After everything that had happened, everything that was happening, her mom still found the time to say something so utterly motherly.
"Yeah, they have been, I'm fine mom, honestly." Despite Clarke's words, her mom still looked at her disbelievingly. "What did you mean?" Clarke quickly asked. "When you asked if this was about Mount Weather?"
Both of them froze at her question. Two sets of guilty eyes looked at her, and Clarke felt her stomach drop.
"We've been using the medical facilities there." Her mom revealed. "And... The decision was made to move the survivors of the farm station there."
"You- There's- You moved people into the Mountain?" Clarke was completely horrified. She had overheard enough over the past three months to know moving her people into the Mountain was the worst mistake her mom could have made.
"Clarke-" Kane tried to say.
Anger flashed up within her. "What the hell were you thinking!?" The blonde seethed.
"Clarke." Anya's voice cut through the tension in the room.
Clarke quickly brushed her hand through her hair, trying to distract herself from the pounding of her heart.
"Anya." Kane smiled, apparently as grateful as Clarke was for the interruption. He extended his hand to the Grounder. "It's good to see you, and in good health I take it?"
Anya nodded, grasping the man's arm with her hand. "Clarke tried to drown me, and then she stabbed me, but I've otherwise been well."
Her mother looked at her, her eyebrow rising in an incredibly Abigail Griffin like gesture.
"She's missing half the story..." Clarke argued weakly as she tried to defend herself.
"She also tried to get me killed by three Ice Nation scouts." The other woman continued, smiling at Kane as his expression began to match her mother's.
Coughing awkwardly, Clarke looked at Anya. "Is it time?" She asked, her heart feeling heavy when the woman nodded.
Her mother's arms suddenly wrapped around her again, causing Clarke jerk at the unexpected physical touch. "You're going to be fine, Clarke." She softly whispered to her.
"Thank you." Clarke murmured quietly as Anya led her back through the corridors. The older woman glanced at her, her brows creasing in confusion. "For coming in when you did." She quickly clarified.
Anya tilted her head in acknowledgement. "You didn't know your people were in the Mountain?" She asked.
"No." Clarke replied, frowning at the thought of her people being back inside that place. There had been so many bodies lining the halls of the Mountain. Men, women, children. All of them lying where they had fallen the moment she pulled the lever to save her people. "They shouldn't be there."
Anya hummed a noise of agreement.
"There should be a hand maiden in your room, I've asked them to prepare a bath for you." Anya announced as they approached the corridor back to the room she was staying in. "I'll be with you soon."
Before Clarke could say another word, the other woman was already striding away from her.
Slowly, Clarke walked towards the guards. As she pushed through the door, she did her best to ignore the way their eyes still wouldn't settle on her. She couldn't help the small prickle of guilt she felt for their ridged postures, it had only been a few hours earlier that she had threatened to kill them both.
The Grounder standing beside the bath was a familiar one. "Pheme?"
"Hello, Wanheda." The girl smiled, her head bowing as Clarke shut the door behind her. "Your bath, it is ready."
Walking to the bed, Clarke began removing the layers of clothing that covered her. It was a familiar ritual she had grown used to over the previous days. As always, the young hand maiden kept her head down in respect until Clarke had submerged her bare body into the warm water.
As her body leant back against the tub, Clarke let out a deep groan. It was scented heavier than usual, small petals and dried leaves floating on the surface. The warmth of the water relaxing her tense muscles was what Clarke appreciated most though.
"I will wash your hair, Wanheda." Pheme said, shuffling behind her to prepare her things. Despite wanting to let her muscles unwind in the bath, Clarke shifted herself away from the edge to give the girl enough room to start her task.
Pheme worked in silence, wetting the blonde's hair with the jugs of warm water that sat next to the bath before lathering the bar of shampoo into her locks. Deft fingers massaged her scalp, and Clarke let out a hum of contentment. With her hair saturated with the shampoo, Pheme began the longer task of washing the suds away. Eventually, after the water ran clear again, she twisted Clarke's locks onto her head, fastening it into place to keep it from dipping into the water.
Sighing, Clarke relaxed back into the bath again.
"This." Pheme's voice interrupted the silence, and Clarke twisted her head to look at her. She was holding onto the book Anya had given her. "I have not seen before."
"Anya gave it to me." Clarke explained, feeling slightly guilty for making the girl use English despite her own proficiency in Trigedasleng.
The Grounder settled herself onto the bed, her hands opening the book on her lap. Seeing her there made Clarke smile. She suspected if the older hand maiden that was so often with Pheme had been there, she would have shooed the young girl straight off again.
Clarke was so distracted by the girl climbing on the bed, she almost didn't notice the way her eyes were discreetly scanning the room instead of the book in her hands. It was as if she was looking for something.
"Are you okay, Pheme?" She asked and big brown eyes instantly snapped around to look into hers.
Pheme nodded her head, but the hint of panic in her eyes was too clear for Clarke to miss. "Yes. Time." Pheme stuttered, her finger pointing towards one of the candles.
Following the direction of her point, Clarke could see the wax almost at a gauge that had been cut into it.
With her eyes once again diverted, Pheme held out a towel for Clarke to step into. It was just as the material wrapped around her naked body that Anya threw open the doors.
"Knocking is a thing." The blonde muttered, her hands pulling the towel closer to her body when the other woman left the door open. Anya just let out a grunt, walking straight past her as she carried a box of what Clarke assumed were clothes to the bed.
"That will be all, Pheme." Anya said, not even looking at the girl. Silently, Pheme collected the empty jugs around the bath before practically bolting out the room. Clarke sighed in relief when she shut the door behind her.
Anya pulled folded fabric out of the box and thrust it into Clarke's hands. "Here, put this on. There's a screen over there." She said, pointing vaguely at the other side of the room.
It didn't take Clarke long to find the wooden frame. It was old, the wood a mismatch of colour, with the spaces in between filled with a patchwork of embroidered cloth.
The clothing was unexpected. Clarke raised her eyebrow in disbelief when she saw how little of it there was. Quickly drying, the blonde pulled it on regardless, and she wasn't surprised to find half of her body was left uncovered.
"I think it's missing some material." Clarke groaned as she tried to shuffle the top further up her body.
"That's all of it, Clarke."
"Didn't this Commander own anything a bit more..." Looking down at her chest, she tried to pull the edges of the top closer together. "Covered?"
"Pallas kom Floukru was not known for her modesty." Anya said, and Clarke could practically hear the smirk that must have been on her face.
"What was she known for?" She asked. Despite the depth of the history within the book Anya had given her, there had been very little on any of the previous Commanders.
"For being wise. She was the daughter of the Boat Peoples leader." Anya explained from behind the screen. "But she had no will to dominate or unite the clans..." She trailed off. "Are you done?"
Looking down at herself, Clarke felt an unexpected bout of nerves as she stepped around the screen.
"Good," Anya nodded. "Come with me."
Anya had left Clarke half way down the tower. Apparently there was someone else coming to collect her for the final part of the preparations. As she waited, two Grounders had worked silently to twist her blonde hair into what Clarke assumed were intricate braids for the ceremony.
It was only minutes after they left when someone slowly pushed the door open.
Clarke was surprised to see the small woman, her features soft and aged, standing in the doorway. Her grey hair was long, hanging well past her waist with only a few thick black streaks remaining.
"Yein kom Trikru." The elderly woman said in introduction. "Come, Wanheda, or you'll be late, late, late for the ceremony."
Clarke nodded wordlessly, following the woman in front of her down the flight of stairs at the end of the corridor. Despite her elderly appearance, the blonde had to stride to keep up with Yein as she led her into one of the rooms on the floor below.
The room was lit with tens of candles hanging from the ceiling, their bare flames drenching the room in warm light. The walls were covered in shelves, each one stacked with tiny pots. Studying them as she passed, Clarke realised they were all paints.
Settling herself onto the stool in the middle of the room, Clarke watched the woman. "Is this what you do? War paint?"
"Not for many years. Heda asked me herself to be here today." Yein's reply surprised her. Lexa had been counting on Clarke to say yes to her offer, yet she had been willing to let her go back to her mother without a fight.
"Did you choose Lexa's war paint too?" Clarke asked curiously as the older woman skimmed her fingers over the pots of paint that lined the walls.
Yein nodded at her absentmindedly, her attention still focused on the shelves in front of her.
"And the four Commanders before her. Heda was a tricky one though..." Yein tapered off, her attention switching to the two pots of paint she was inspecting side by side. "She was not in Polis for a long time before her conclave, then afterwards the poor girl wouldn't say a word... Ah, this one." She said putting one of them back on the shelf.
"What happened? At her Conclave?"
Lexa had mentioned the event to Clarke when they had been walking back after the attack of the Pauna. The Commander hadn't been specific, quickly moving the conversation away before Clarke could ask any real questions. All she knew was when the previous Commander died the new potential candidates would go through a "conclave" with only one coming out as worthy.
"She had to kill them all, he was very specific in his instructions." Yein replied, her head shaking. Clarke felt her throat tightening at the thought of Lexa killing her way to the title. "Heda refused to cry though, so I let her war paint do it for her."
"And the Commander before her?" Clarke asked, watching Yein dip one of the multitude of brushes laid on the table before her into the paint.
Yein's eyes darkened. "He rejected my choice, he wore the blood of his Natblida's as his war paint. Look up." Clarke did as instructed, tilting her chin until Yein's hand stopped her. With her head in position, she went to continue their conversation only for the elderly woman to quickly cut her off. "Silence, let me finish."
Yein worked quickly, gently moving the brush across Clarke face before smearing the edges with her thumb. Apparently content with the coverage of one colour, the blonde watched the woman search through the shelves again, eventually pulling out another pot of paint.
It was only a few minutes later when she stepped back from Clarke. "There." Yein said, letting her thumb run over the top of Clarke's cheek one last time before stepping away fully. "Take a look."
Following Yein's outstretched hand, Clarke approached the full length mirror that was tacked to the wall.
"Wow."
The top she was wearing looked as low cut as Clarke had suspected it was. There was a slit in the skirt that travelled further up her leg than she was comfortable with, and it surprised her to see the muscles clearly defined on her thigh. She hadn't seen her reflection in months and Clarke wondered if it was possible to forget what your own face looked like because she didn't remember looking like this.
It wasn't just the clothes, or the way her hair had been braided, or the smears of makeup across her face. Clarke realised she looked older, she looked tired.
"Clarke." Anya voice came from the doorway, drawing Clarke's attention to her. "It's time."
The other woman had changed too, her casual attire swapped for light armour and her face washed clean of any trace of war paint.
"Your work is as astounding as even, Yein." Anya said respectfully, her head bowing to the older woman.
"Thank you. You made me look..." Drifting off Clarke looked at her reflection again.
"You were already beautiful to begin with, Wanheda." Yein smiled, and Clarke felt herself blush because beautiful was something she never thought of herself. Especially not now, when anything beautiful about her had been quashed by the deeds of the Wanheda.
With a final respectful nod to the woman, Clarke left with Anya, following her into the lift she had been forced into only a week before.
"Are you nervous?" Anya asked once the cage started to slowly ascend.
"I just want to get this over with so I can leave."
Out the corner of her eyes, Clarke could see the other woman nodding her head. "Will you return to Arkadia?"
"I-" Truthfully, she hadn't really thought about what she would do once she left. Her only concerns had been getting her people protection. "I don't know. I wasn't ready to go back."
"You should be amongst your people. Let them help you heal." The cage shuddered to a stop before the blonde could reply. With a grunt at the strain, Anya pulled open the grating for them to step out.
Singing echoed from the end of the hallway, a melodic voice wrapping around the Trigedasleng lyrics of the song.
"Go ahead, Wanheda." Anya instructed.
With one last inhale to calm the pounding of her heart, Clarke marched towards the door, her head held high as the guards opened them before her. She could hear the clunk of Anya's boots just behind her.
The sight of Lexa almost had her steps faltering.
A dress hung off the brunettes shoulders and Clarke swallowed down the feelings that swirled in her stomach. She tried her best to ignore the way her palms started to sweat. The way her heart sped painfully.
Clarke could see the apprehension on the Commander's face as she stood before her. The thoughts in her head so loud that Clarke could practically hear her voice asking her if she was going to kneel to her or not. The thought of not kneeling crossed her mind again. They were in front of all the ambassadors. If Wanheda didn't bow now, would the Grounders follow her instead of their Heda? Could almost a century worth of tradition be wiped out by her? Would she really be willing to risk her peoples lives on a power struggle that she had no guarantee of winning?
Clarke would be willing to risk her own life, but to risk the people she had lost so much to save...
With a final look at the Commander's face, Clarke bowed her head and dropped to her knee, breathing heavily as she waited for the song to finish.
"Hail, warriors of the twelve clans." The Commander called from above her once the last note was sung.
"Hail, Commander of the Blood." The crowd behind Clarke echoed back.
"Rise." The leader of the Coalition ordered.
Clarke lifted her head, looking up at the woman in front of her. Lexa's mouth dropped open as Clarke rose to her feet. It was only there for the briefest of moments, but Clarke was sure she spotted a look of awe in the Commander's eyes as she ducked away from her to stand beside Anya.
"We welcome Skaikru to our halls in the spirit of friendship and harmony, and we welcome Clarke kom Skaikru, Legendary Wanheda, Mountain Slayer."
The titles made Clarke want to crawl in on herself. She knew it was for effect. The name Wanheda invoking more acclaim than the name Clarke ever would.
"The reason for this summit has changed." The Commander continued, and murmurs started from the clans around her. "We are not here to negotiate a treaty with the Skaikru, but rather to initiate them into the coalition." The murmurs became louder, the undertones of objection growing. "To symbolize this union, the leader of Skaikru must bear our mark."
Clarke couldn't see them clearly, but through the gentle hum of the crowd, she could just make out her mothers voice telling Kane to take the mark. Her stomach rolled when the next noise she heard was the brand being pressed against his arm.
It was just at that moment, when Clarke thought everything was finally going to go to plan, that everything fell apart.
The doors to the throne room room flew open.
Before Calrke could even comprehend what was happening, Anya was stepping in front of her, her arm pushing Clarke safely behind her. Just over the General's shoulder, she watched in shock as Bellamy and Octavia came rushing into the room. Both of them had Grounder's in their grips.
"Bellamy?" Clarke asked in disbelief as both the Blake siblings kicked away the guards they were holding.
"What is this?" Anya seethed. A beat of worry for Bellamy and Octavia's lives flashed through Clarke at the anger in the woman's voice.
"The summit's a trap. We need to get you out of here." Bellamy stated, his eyes making contact with her own.
Clarke's brow creased with confusion because the summit was over. They were the thirteenth clan. If there was a trap, surely it would have been sprung already.
Looking behind her, Clarke looked to the Commander. "What the hell is going on?" She demanded.
"I don't know." The woman snarled, her eyes never leaving the invaders.
It was when Clarke turned back to Bellamy that she realised there was a third man with them.
Pike.
"It's the Ice Nation." Bellamy accused.
From the crowd, a man stepped forwards. Patterned scars swirled around his face, the raised skin standing out in the shadows of the dimly lit room.
"These allegations are an outrage." He said, but Clarke couldn't help thinking it sounded forced, as if he had rehearsed it time and again. "The Ice Nation never stormed this summit with weapons, breaking our laws. That was the Skaikru." The Azgeda representative continued.
Clarke felt her heart plummet. They had been part of the coalition for less than a minute and already they were disrespecting the traditions of the Grounders. The guns in Polis were another breach of their laws. Her people were trampling over years of tradition and the blonde knew she was going to have to control the damage somehow.
"We were right about this." Pike snarled as he stepped towards her mother. "The two guards you left behind are dead already. We need to go now." The angry lilt in the man's voice, the way he pointed his gun at the innocent unarmed Grounders around the room was far too alarming for Clarke to ignore.
"How did you come by this information?" Anya demanded.
All three of the invaders paused, looking around their group in confusion.
"Where the hell is Echo?" Octavia asked, her searching getting more frantic.
"What's going on? Where the hell is she?" Bellamy questioned, his own eyes darting around the room.
"Bellamy, maybe we were wrong about this." Even as Octavia said it she was lowering her sword, and Clarke knew they understood. They had been played. The Ice Nation had tricked them into interrupting the summit, tricked them into brandishing their weapons at the clans who had yet to meet them.
"I don't understand." The older Blake stated, more to himself as his own gun started to lower.
Kane approached him, his shoulders stiff as he pulled the gun out of Bellamy's hands. "Stand down." He ordered.
"Bellamy, Bellamy, come in." Raven's voice suddenly cried from the radio that was attached to the Bellamy's jacket. Clarke felt her muscles seize at the tone of desperation the woman's voice held. "The Grounders attacked Mount Weather."
"What are you talking about?" Bellamy asked, but Clarke could already see the realisation dawning in his eyes.
"It's gone. It's gone. They're all gone. Sinclair and I are the only ones left. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Sobs filled the silence of the summit, and Clarke ducked her head.
It couldn't have been Lexa. The certainty she felt that the woman wasn't responsible was startling. Logically, Clarke knew there was nothing the Commander could gain by destroying the Mountain. Betraying a clan she had she had just minutes ago accepted into the coalition. Betraying Wanheda in front of so many people.
The only people who had anything to gain from it were-
"You should have never moved your people back into Mount Weather." The Ice Nation delegate said directly to Clarke, a cruel smirk twisting on his face before he turned around to address the crowd. "The Ice Nation did what Lexa was too weak to do." He continued to bait.
"This is an act of war." The Commander seethed as she stepped down from her platform.
Clarke had seen the woman angry before. She had see her hands shake as her Generals continued to berate her plans. She had seen her jaw clenching as a warrior delivered her news she didn't want to hear. But never had Clarke seen the look of such unrestrained fury on the Commander's face before.
"Sentries, arrest the Ice Nation delegation!" The Commander ordered. "Including the prince."
Roan left without a fight, merely shrugging off the hold of the guards to walk ahead of them. The delegate on the other hand struggled against grip of his captors.
"Their deaths are on you, Commander!" He cried. "This is on-"
The butt of Anya's sword made a sickening crunching noise against the man's face, blood instantly spurting from his now broken nose. As his head lulled forwards again, Clarke could tell the blow had knocked him out completely.
"Take them to the cells." Anya ordered the guards. "Go!"
The room was suddenly in chaos. The noise was rising around her, the words of Trigedasleng and English merging together without meaning. As discreetly as she could, Clarke tried to calm her breathing. It felt like the walls were closing in around her, crushing the air from her lungs.
Mount Weather was gone. The people of the Farm station, the people she had never got to meet were dead. Joining the coalition was meant to protect her people and now Clarke couldn't help fearing that perhaps it was too late for her people to be saved. Perhaps the people of the Ark had already done too much damage.
"We need to get home. If they attacked Mount Weather, Arkadia could be next." Her mother announced, and a new fear jolted through the blonde.
"Go. Marshal your forces. We'll avenge the attack together." The Commander's voice husked from beside her. Unnoticed to Clarke, the woman had moved closer, her mere presence offering Clarke a comfort she didn't want to acknowledge.
Despite knowing better, Clarke had to remind herself it wasn't Lexa that had attacked Mount Weather. It wasn't the Commander that had just slaughtered her people. It wasn't the Grounders that had just attacked them. It was Azgeda.
Even as her own mind struggled to make the distinction, she knew her people wouldn't be able to. She knew Bellamy wouldn't be able to. They would blame all the Grounders, Clarke realised with startling clarity.
"I'll escort them." Indra offered.
"Clarke, we need to leave now." Bellamy tried to order, causing Clarke to bristle at the demanding tone of his voice.
"We need an ambassador from the thirteenth clan to stay here in Polis." The Commander replied before Clarke had the chance. It made sense that one of them would need to stay behind.
"It's not safe here." He accused.
"Clarke will be safe here under my protection." The Commander argued back. As the pair of them stared each other down, Clarke couldn't help wondering if the Commander wanted her to stay because she was Wanheda or if Lexa wanted her to stay because she was Clarke. Getting through to Bellamy wasn't going to work. She knew how suborn he could be when he was upset, there was no way Lexa or her would be able to change his mind. So with his eyes still blazing into her own, Clarke approached her mother instead.
"I have to stay." She said softly.
"Clarke-" Her mom immediately tried to argue.
"I have to make sure she keeps her word." Clarke whispered, but she knew Lexa was close to enough to hear her. A part of her wanted the brunette to hear.
Reluctantly, her mom nodded her head. "Take this," She said, handing Clarke the radio that had been clipped to Bellamy's jacket. "Turn it on everyday at 10am. It has a full battery, it should last a couple of weeks at least. Do you still have your fathers watch?"
"It's with my things, I think it's still accurate."
"Good, that's," Her mom smiled. "That's good, Clarke."
Kane's hand gripped onto her shoulder, the red wound on his arm standing out against the pale skin. "You've got this, Clarke." He stated quietly, and Clarke felt the swell her heart gave at the confidence he had in her.
"Heda, we must convene the war council immediately." The man that had been standing beside the Commander for the whole summit muttered.
Lexa looked at her expectantly.
"I'll be right there." Clarke assured, before turning back to her mother. Without any of her earlier hesitation, the blonde wrapper her arms around her, letting herself bask in her mom's embrace for a moment. "May we meet again." Clarke whispered to her.
Pulling back, she could see the tears in her mom's eyes. "May we meet again."
With a final squeeze of her hand, her mom left the room, and Clarke didn't miss the way Kane gripped onto her shoulder in comfort. The rest of her people left behind her, but Bellamy stayed, his disappointed eyes staring at her.
He approached her slowly. "She left us to die on that mountain. She will always put her people first. You should come home to yours." He tried to convince.
"I can't do that, Bellamy." Clarke replied, completely unprepared for the look of anger on his face before he charged away from her.
Clarke knew he would come to understand why she had to stay, once the pain of the Mountain had settled. She couldn't worry about him now though. Turning back to the Commander, she nodded her head, because it was time for the war council.
Clarke wasn't entirely sure what she was expecting for a war council in the Grounder capitol. When she had nervously fretted about it whilst changing back into her clothes, it hadn't been the twelve ambassadors throwing accusations at her.
"The Mountain is cursed land, the Skaikru should not have been there!" One of the ambassadors practically shouted over the noise of the others. Clarke didn't try to reply. She had learnt after the third complaint that the Grounders apparently had a lot they wanted to say to her, but little they wanted to hear in return.
"Enough." The Commander's voice, dripping with authority, silenced the whole room in an instant. "Wanheda. Why were the Skaikru in Mount Weather?" She asked evenly.
"Medicine." Clarke answered. "They were taken there for treatment because there wasn't enough room at Camp- at Arkadia. That's all."
"So many?" The man from Shallow Valley clan asked disbelievingly. "Heda, I would suggest the Skaikru were looking to repopulate the Mountain."
"Yes, so many," Clarke replied before Lexa could step in for her. "They were dehydrated, malnourished from their time trapped in Azgeda. The Mountain offered the facilities to treat them, and on mass." It wasn't quite the truth. The blonde knew full well that her mother had planned on letting the survivors of the Farm station stay there indefinitely. That didn't mater though, she needed to convince the coalition that the Skaikru were innocent in this massacre. She needed the coalition on her side, not against her if she was going to get justice for her people.
"Heda," the man ignored Clarke and looked straight to his Commander. "You cannot believe this?"
The Commander didn't answer him though, her head merely tilting to the side. The Shallow Valley ambassador took it as a sign to continue. "The Skaikru were planning to use the Mountain to attack us. They are the same as the Maunon. We cannot trust them."
"The Skaikru are invaders, Heda." One of the ambassadors sat opposite Clarke added.
The men and women around her all made noises of agreement, muttering amongst themselves in Trigedasleng about the Skaikru invaders. Clarke braced herself, ready for another barrage of complaints.
"No." The Commander's voice cut across the noise, and the room fell into silence again. "The Skaikru are our allies. They are members of this coalition. Wanheda, was there anything in the Mountain that could have been used against us?"
"Yes." Clarke replied honestly. "There were missiles, three of them, the same as the one used on Ton DC." She felt the whole room tense. "However, for the missiles to work we would have needed the codes, a series of numbers and letters, known only to the Mountain Men I killed. Without them?" Clarke looked around the room, making sure to catch the eyes of her most vocal opponents. "They were useless."
"And the fog?" The Commander asked, but Clarke knew it was only for the benefit of the ambassadors.
"Destroyed during the attack on the Mountain."
"So. Even if the Skaikru had moved into the Mountain there would have been no threat to us." The brunette surmised out loud.
Voices erupted around them, the room in chaos again as each ambassador fought to be heard.
"Enough!" The Commander's voice boomed.
Clearing his throat, the man who had been standing next to the Commander's throne stepped forwards to address them all. "Regardless of Skaikru's position in the Mountain, their people have been slaughtered. It is your duty as members of the coalition to see that the perpetrators are brought to justice. Make no mistake ambassadors, this was an act of war by Queen Nia, and not just on the Skaikru, it was an act of war against us all."
"An act of war?" Asked a woman who Clarke recognised as the ambassador to the Trikru. "The Skaikru burnt my village to the ground. They came to peace talks with weapons, slaughtered innocent villagers and burnt 300 of our warriors in a ring of fire! Were these not acts of war Heda? Where is justice for the Trikru?"
Guilt swirled in the blonde's stomach. Hearing the events listed out like that... Clarke couldn't help wondering if maybe her people didn't deserve the backing of the coalition.
"You dare dishonour our warriors?!" The Commander's voice erupted from the front of the room, making Clarke flinch at the sudden rise in volume. Green eyes blazed down at the Trikru ambassador until the woman sank into her seat, her eyes looking away from her leader.
"The crimes of Finn kom Skaikru have been paid for by Wanheda's own hand. The reason we are free of the Mountain is because of Wanheda. She has done what generations of Commanders have failed to do, she slew the Mountain. Wanheda's actions alone have earned Skaikru their place in this coalition." The Commander stated firmly, her eyes looking around the room, daring the ambassadors to disagree with her.
"Or perhaps the ambassador for the Ice Nation was correct and this is your weakness showing." The representative for the Broadleaf Clan accused quietly.
Clarke practically snarled at the insinuation. "Or perhaps your Heda knows that making an enemy of the Skaikru is not in this coalitions best interest."
The man stood from his seat and Clarke quickly rose to to meet him in the centre of the room, refusing to give him any ground as he drew closer. "Is that a threat, Wanheda?"
Despite the overwhelming urge to answer straight away, to bark back that yes, that was a threat, Clarke turned her head to Lexa. The leader of the coalition waited, staring down at the two of them and the blonde could only assume she was pausing until everyone in the room was looking her way. It was only a few moments later that the Commander nodded, giving Clarke permission to continue.
"Yes." Clarke hissed at the man.
The room remained silent as the ambassadors stared at her. Sweat was already collecting along the representative of the Broad Leaf's brow, and Clarke could just see the nervous bob of his throat. He blinked his eyes away first, before slowly turning around to return to his seat. Silently, Clarke returned to her own, subtly rolling her shoulders to try and relieve the tension that had gathered between them.
"Azgeda have been a loyal to this coalition for many moons, Heda." The woman sitting next to Clarke said softly. "Might I suggest we first summon Queen Nia to Polis to explain her actions to the council?"
Noises of agreement spread out across the room. It was possibly the only thing the ambassadors had agreed on all night.
Clarke looked up to see the Commander nodding. "Very well. Wanheda, do you have any objections?"
Despite wanting nothing more than to demand justice for her people, Clarke knew she couldn't push the ambassadors. If she was going to make sure Skaikru became an accepted members of the clans, she would have to give ground to the members that were already there.
"As you say, Azgeda have been a part of the coalition since long before my people were on the ground. They should be heard." Clarke tried to say as calmly as possible.
"Anya," the Commander called across the room. "Release the Ice Nation delegation. Tell them their Queen has been summoned before the coalition in two days." She ordered.
"And the Prince?" Anya asked, stepping out of the shadows.
"Prince Roan is to remain within his cell." The Commander confirmed.
Anya nodded, her head bowing to her Heda before she left the room. Clarke was surprised at the disappointment she felt at seeing the woman leave. The only other person in the room who hadn't spent the night berating her people's choices was Lexa.
"This war council is over." The Commander announced.
The ambassadors all rose to their feet, gathering in small circles that Clarke knew she wasn't a part of. All except the Trikru representative. Her dark eyes remained staring at Clarke, the unspoken threat in them clear to see. Standing, the blonde was about to introduce herself to the woman when Lexa moved to stand in front of her. She had been so focused on the Trikru ambassador, she hadn't even seen the Commander rise from her throne.
"I'm sorry, Clarke, I did not mean for this to be your first experience as ambassador." Lexa apologised. Clarke almost rolled her eyes in response. It wasn't like the other woman knew this was going to happen. "You have my word that the Ice Nation will be brought to justice."
"We both know your word doesn't mean a thing." Clarke snapped, her frustration from the meeting boiling over at Lexa's attempt to comfort her.
"Heda. Wanheda." The man who had been with the Commander through out the meeting interrupted. "Apologies, Wanheda, my name is Titus, Heda's most valued advisor and keeper of the flame."
Lexa looked at the man clearly waiting for him to continue, even though his gaze shifted nervously to Clarke. When it was obvious she wasn't going to move, Titus continued. "The bodies of two guards were found."
"Who were they?" Lexa asked quickly, her jaw tensing at the news.
"Sal and Andreas." He replied. "Arrangements are already being made, Heda. They will be burnt at first light."
"They were working the lift... Andreas..." Suddenly Clarke remembered why the name was familiar to her. It was the guard Anya had greeted when she had dragged her into the tower. "His houmon is with child..."
Closing her eyes, Clarke looked away from the Commander and her advisor, her eyes misting over as she stared at the intricacies of the throne. She forgot sometimes that the lives her people had taken had left family behind. Just like the three hundred warriors she had burnt alive.
Like Quint.
"Ask her to move within the tower." The Commander ordered.
"Heda, the woman is half blind, there is nothing she can offer you." Titus remarked.
"Do you now question my decisions too, Titus?"
The voices around them fell into silence. Tension seemed to fill the room, making Clarke shift uncomfortably.
Titus quickly tried to defend himself. "No, Heda, I just-"
"Enough." The command in the woman's voice was so strong that even Clarke felt her back stiffening. "Have her moved to the tower."
"Of course, Heda." Titus replied meekly.
When Clarke turned again, she could see the subtle shake of the man's hands as he bowed before his Commander and left.
The rest of the delegates filtered our behind him, but Clarke held her ground by the Commander's throne. It felt familiar, staying behind with Lexa after a meeting. Except back then Lexa used to turn to her with a subtle smirk and a quip about the intelligence of her Generals. Now, even though her shoulders still relaxed as she shed the act of the Commander, she just looked at her with sad, lost eyes.
There was one question that had played on Clarke's mind throughout the meeting, a question she hadn't been able to ask under the assault of the ambassadors. "I keep asking myself, 'how did the the Ice Nation know there was a self-destruct mechanism inside Mount Weather?'"
Lowering her head, Lexa slowly approached her. "We'll get the answer soon, Clarke." She stopped, keeping a respectful distance that Clarke appreciated. "Thank you for staying."
"I stayed because it was the right thing for my people."
"Our people." Lexa quickly corrected.
"If you betray me again-" She tried to say, her voice lowering dangerously.
"I won't." Again Lexa cut across her, stepping even closer to her at the same time.
What happened next shook Clarke to her very core.
Lexa lowered herself to her knees in front of her.
"I swear a fealty to you, Clarke kom Skaikru." She pledged, her green eyes wide and pleading. "I vow to treat your needs as my own and your people as my people."
Clarke had to remind herself to breathe at the sincerity in Lexa's voice.
She didn't hesitate, her mind still trapped in a haze as she held out her hand to Lexa to take, helping the woman rise to her feet again. There was no mistaking what had just happened. It wasn't the Commander that had just knelt to her, it was Lexa. Lexa had just sworn to protect her, with no one to watch them, with no expectation for her to do so, she had done it.
Lexa's hand was still clutched around hers and Clarke didn't want to think about letting it go. "What now?" She asked instead.
"Now you sleep Clarke." Lexa's hand squeezed hers lightly.
"I-"
"I have things to attend to at first light, the meeting of the ambassadors won't be until late morning." The blonde caught herself just before she got lost Lexa's eyes as she stepped closer. "There is a time for many words, Clarke, there is also a time for sleep."
Clarke recognised the words. Back on the Ark she had read The Odyssey enough to recognise Lexa's paraphrasing of it. If she hadn't been ready to curl onto the floor and sleep she might have thought more of it.
Finally releasing her hold on Lexa's hand, she stepped away. "Goodnight, Commander."
"Goodnight, Clarke."
The guards followed her back to her room, the heavy sound of their feet lulling her into a stupor. Her thoughts should have been racing. The Mountain had just been destroyed, her people were potentially going to go to war with the Azgeda and Lexa had just sworn her loyalty to her.
Yet all Clarke could think of was closing her eyes. Just for a little while.
The doors were swung open for her, letting Clarke walk straight in. She didn't wait for them to close again before she started to strip off her top. Throwing back the furs, Clarke quickly kicked her boots off before sinking onto the soft mattress. Her whole body relaxed, every muscle finally unwinding against the soft material.
With her head against the pillow and the past week heavy on her shoulders, Clarke was asleep before she could even think to cover herself with the discarded furs.
A/N: The next chapter is called The Prince, where Clarke tries to talk to Roan and tries not to kill any of the ambassadors. It's also where I post a shorter chapter, because I feel like this one was too long? Maybe? Idk... In other news I'm thinking of renaming Anya to angry mother hen.