Year and a half later
Clarke was walking around newly rebuilt TonDC. They made a good job on repairs and building. When they came here it was nothing more than few ruins and now, they have lot of buildings, forge, crop fields and all of this was enclosed by even better wall than Polis has. They were all working together to get it look how it looks now. It took some time but it was worth it. Now everything worked how it should.
She saw front gate opening so she decided to look what is happening.
Bellamy as always close to her to make sure that nothing will happen to their commander.
They saw Monroe and her scouting group dragging six tied people inside.
Clarke looked at them. "What is the meaning of this?"
"We found them not so far away from here, sneaking around."
One of the newcomers interrupted her. "We weren't sneaking around! We just…" Before he could finish hilt of a sword collided with his head and he felt unconscious on the ground.
Monroe nodded her thanks to the one who silenced him. Then she turned back to Clarke and continued. "They also said that they don't want Pike as their commander. So we brought them here."
Crowd already formed around the group. It was the first time they saw someone else than people who originally left from Polis with Clarke. Of course they were curious.
Kane pushed through crowd and stand next to Clarke. "With that decision you endangered all of us!"
"I told them to do it if they will found someone." Clarke talked without moving her eyes from newcomers. She could say that few of them was scared for their lives.
Kane wanted to argue about stupidity of this idea but he decided to not do that in front of everyone. So he just stormed away.
"Untie them and give them spare tent. They're staying with us."
Monroe nodded and did as her commander said.
Clarke turned to the crowd. "You've seen everything you could. Now go back to work!" After that people started moving back to their work.
Four of newcomers come to Clarke and started thanking her. While the last one was sitting on her spot looking over man who was unconscious on the ground.
Bellamy moved closer to her with his hand on his sword ready to attack if any of them tried something.
Clarke just nodded to the newcomers and looked to Monroe again. "Go back to scouting woods there could be more people."
Monroe nodded and left with her scouting group.
When scouts left Clarke turned again to newcomers. "One of us will show you around just wait here." With that she and Bellamy left.
Bellamy leaned to Clarke. "You know you could just let Kane do it." He grinned at his comment.
Blonde grinned as well. "His face would be priceless." After moment her grin faded a little. "But I would never hear end of it so let's send someone else."
Bellamy's grin disappeared as well and he nodded. "As you say, commander."
FEW DAYS LATER
Clarke was sleeping alone in commander's house. It was the biggest building in middle of the new TonDC. It contained throne room as well as Clarke's private rooms.
She was waked in the middle of the night by some disturbance outside. She didn't thought much about it. There were two guards outside of her doors and two in front of the entrance into commander's house. She also knew that her people were no danger to her. As a precaution she grabbed her dagger what was hidden under her pillow but otherwise did nothing. After few moments noises stopped and there was silence. The same silence that she remembers from year and a half ago. It sent chills down her spine so she quickly get up and took her sword. She slowly moved to doors. Clarke was ready to open them when she heard loud thud and after that whispers. "You can't even hold dead body, you idiot?" Now she was sure that something bad was happening. She pressed her back to wall next to doors and waited.
After few seconds doors opened and two people came into dark room. Clarke didn't wait for anything and plunged her sword into first one.
Other person looked at his dead comrade. "You branwada! You will pay as everyone in this village." With that he attacked.
Clarke easily dodged and with one swing she cut into attackers back. She was ready to attack again when she heard arrow flying through the air and then saw it in end in attacker's head.
Man felt dead on the ground.
Clarke looked at the new intruder and saw it was Raven.
Raven ran to her stepsister and looked her over. "Are you hurt, Clarke?"
Clarke shook her head. "I'm fine. What are you doing here? You should be sleeping as everyone in this time."
"Well you're welcome, commander." She grinned but when she saw that Clarke wasn't amused she continued. "I was little too long in forge. And well, your house is between forge and our house. By the way you could visit sometimes. Anyway when I saw dead guards I guessed there could be trouble."
Clarke nodded. "Thanks. Everything in the city…" She was interrupted by more guards running inside.
Kane looked around and when he seen Clarke being ok he sheathed his sword. "Are you all right commander?"
Clarke nodded. "How many dead?"
"Just four guards that were guarding your house. Then three of newcomers." He looked at two attackers. "Well five of them now." He turned to guards who came with him. "Take the bodies away." Guards nodded and started working.
Clarke sighed. "Let's go to find the last one then." She moved past Kane but she was stopped by Bellamy. "We have him already. That's actually the reason why we are here. Apparently these two..." He pointed at bodies that guards were taking away. "…tried to kill everyone in their tent because the other four really wanted to stay. Luckily for us they're not good killers and one of them survived. He warned us. Your mother is taking care of him in healer's tent right now."
Clarke nodded. "They came for me." Before anyone could talk she turned to Raven. "You should go sleep or next time you will shot some of us with that arrows."
"You don't need to tell that twice to me." Raven grinned and hugged Clarke. "See you later, Clarke." And with that she left.
Clarke turned to Bellamy. "Send few patrols around the camp to make sure everything is alright. I also want one more scout group in forest just to be sure." Bellamy nodded his understanding to orders and left. Blonde leader finally turned to the last person there. "You were right. I'm sorry." She looked at ground sad that four of her people had to pay for her mistake.
"What happened, happened. We can't change that." He put his hand on her shoulder. "But you were right too." Clarke looked at him confused. "Not all of them were bad." After little pause he added. "And we need more people if we ever want to defeat Pike."
She sighed. "But how are we supposed to find out which want to be with us and which want to kill me."
"We will come up with something, don't worry. Pike will pay for what he have done."
Clarke nodded once again and started walking out. "Let's go to talk to the last one of them." Kane nodded and followed his leader. "Do we know something about him?"
"Not much, right when we heard about attack we ran here. Octavia took him into healer's tent. And how I know her she already asked a lot of questions."
They got in front of healer tent where they saw Octavia. Younger girl quickly checked her commander for any injuries and when she found none she smiled. "Good to know they didn't get you."
Clarke nodded and turned to Kane. "Go take a look if everything is ok inside."
He nodded and disappeared into tent.
"So you know something about the guy inside?"
Octavia shrugged. "Not much. He is the guy who was knocked down when scouts brought them. Also his name is Murphy and he came from desert clan. I was asking why he left but without success. He said he will say it only to you."
Clarke nodded and they both went inside healer's tent.
Clarke saw her mother. "How is he?"
"They stabbed him into stomach. I'm surprised he managed to get to guards and then there. Anyway I did what I could. He should be fine if he stays here for some time."
"Thanks." Abby just nodded to her daughter and come back to her work.
Murphy looked at Clarke. "Commander herself." He looked her over. "And without any bruise." He dryly laughed. "And these two idiots thought they can kill you."
Clarke wasn't amused by his talk. "Tell me, why are you here."
"I was expecting that someone will tell you. You know…I was stabbed."
Octavia moved from behind Clarke to him. "Watch your tongue. You're talking to commander!"
He glared at the warrior. "A lot of people is saying that they're commander these days."
Octavia was unsheathing her sword ready to kill him but Clarke stopped her with her hand. "You came to my camp…"
Murphy interrupted her. "I didn't came here. You're people dragged me here."
Clarke started losing her calm. "So what are you doing in my woods then?"
"I ran from my clan. New commander…" Murphy scoffed. "Pike, came to my clan, to our capitol, with his army. He was saying that we will either bow to him or die. We were ready to fight him. Everyone was ready for blood for his insolence by stepping on our sacred sand. But that coward who used to call himself Jaha the leader of the desert clan fell to his knees and bowed to him." He clenched his fists. "Everyone who disapproved was killed and Jaha didn't even flinched when his people were killed for nothing."
Everyone in room exchanged worried expressions.
Clarke moved closer. "How is that you're alive then?"
"Well, I like my head where it is so I ran before they could get me." When he saw that no one is saying anything he continued. "Let me stay. I can help you fight."
Clarke ignored him and turned to Kane. "I want two warriors watching over him all the time. They won't move away from him not even for a minute."
Kane gave her a curt nod. Clarke nodded back and left.
FEW DAYS LATER
Commander was sitting on her throne thinking about events of the past few days when she heard Bellamy who was guarding doors announcing Octavia.
Without waiting for anything Octavia ran inside. "Clarke you need to go outside!"
Bellamy ran inside right behind his sister. "O you can't just ran into throne room!"
"Shut up Bell no one cares about your stupid job right now." Octavia didn't waited to anything and dragged Clarke with her outside.
They both could hear Bellamy pouting behind them. "But I'm important…"
Two girls ignored him and when all three of them got outside they saw huge crowd.
Clarke frowned. "What is this about?"
Crowd parted and they could see Raven in middle. She waved at Clarke. "Hello commander."
Clarke came closer to see what is happening. She saw Raven and next to her fire with iron stick in it. "What are you doing Raven?"
"Well, you remember what Pike said in Polis to you. That everyone with sacred symbol will be killed, right." Clarke slowly nodded unsure where Raven was going with this. "Well after what happened few days ago I started thinking about it aaaaand I came up with solution." Raven raised hot iron from the fire. On its end was little infinity symbol. "If all of was will be branded then they will have to kill us all. Also when someone new will come we will be able to recognize if they really want to join or no."
Clarke was unsure about this idea. It sounded good in theory but she can't force people into branding that's not how she wants to lead. She saw Kane rolling up his sleeve and hold out his wrist to Raven. So she turned to him surprised. "You're up for this?"
Kane nodded. "Of course." He didn't even flinched when Raven put hot iron on his skin. "If any of Pike's assassins would take the brand they would be killed by him when they would come back. No one would be that stupid to risk it."
Clarke thought about it for a moment then she turned to Octavia. "Bring Murphy."
Octavia ran away and after few moments she come back with Murphy and his guards.
Clarke turned to him. "There is your chance to prove you're not lying." She motioned to Raven and looked Murphy into eyes. "Roll up your sleeve."
Murphy did as commander said and started moving to Raven. He murmured more to himself than anyone else. "At least they don't want to cut anything off." He flinched a little when iron burned his skin. When Raven moved the iron away he looked at his new brand and showed it to commander. "Now we are good?"
Clarke nodded. "Now you're one of us." After that she turned to warriors who were assigned as his guards. "You're services as his guards are no longer needed. He can walk freely as any of us."
They were few cheers and some people even patted Murphy back like he belonged to them before.
Line was already forming for the brand. Clarke seen Bellamy and Octavia running to the line and competing over who will take the brand as first. She shook her head at sibling's antics.
Hi everyone,
thank you all for reading and remember comment is the best thing you can leave to author :D
Also I'm still looking for beta so if someone would be this brave I would be really glad and happy=)
And next time - Problems on the Ark
