CHAPTER 10
AN:/ Okay really sorry that its been ages again after I promised I would start updating weekly but I've just had my exams for first year at uni and didn't have the time to revise every muscle/bone in the body and write the next few chapters! But i'll try to keep up to date from now on! Thanks for waiting guys! ENJOY!
It had been a few days since Clarke and Lexa were attacked by a giant mutant gorilla. Life had gone back to normal, well as normal as life could be in a post apocalyptic era. Clarke and Lexa spent time with each other everyday as they planned for the upcoming war. Both girls denying the fact that something changed in the cage days previously. However many of the villagers would catch them occasionally holding hands or staring at the other whilst they thought they were alone. Yet they remained oblivious.
Yet with no word from Lincoln or Bellamy, Clarke was on edge. As such she had planned to return to camp Jaha with her mother. There was still much to plan but Clarke also wanted to get away from the Commander for a few days. She wanted space to clear her head. Ever since the proposal she hadn't had a single moment to herself. Whether she be dealing with the safety of her people or running from a rampaging monster. She needed time to register what her life had become.
She is the wife of the commander.
Well at least she will be when they have consummated the union. That was yet another reason why she wanted to run from Lexa. Although she did not detest the woman she also did not know what to think of being intimate.
The only person she'd ever had a similar connection with before was Finn. Who evidently since her trip to the 'zoo', has not let her out of his sight unless to sleep.
There was so much to sort out yet Clarke could not think over her own relationship issues. How was she supposed to co-lead these people into war? She couldn't even control her own life. All these thoughts were racing round her head as she rode slowly through the forest. They'd been travelling for an hour, with another to go. Abby had been discussing further medical procedures she could teach Nyko, before she realised her daughter was in a world of her own and stopped the group. Letting her horse drink from a nearby puddle she watched as Clarke came to.
'Mom, why are we stopping?' Clarke questioned as she quickly took in her open surroundings.
'You need to drink, too.' Abby pleaded as she watched Clarke, slide down from her own horse to check around the place further.
'I'm 're almost home.' Clarke whispered as she stroked her horse. However she soon realised how out in the open, Lexa was going to kill her for their stupidity.
'Our scouts patrol these woods. Be careful where you shoot.' She voiced as she sent her guards to go clear the area. No one argued as they simply continued to follow her orders.
'The Grounders listen to you.' Abby whispered in almost awe.
'Lexa told them to. We shouldn't have stopped. Mount up.' Clarke scolded, they needed to go find out what was occurring.
'Clarke…'
'Mom, I need to get back to that radio to see if Bellamy has made contact.' Clarke rushed.
'Listen to me. I know you don't think you need my protection anymore, but you do.'
'You have to trust that I know what's right for us. Let's go home. Let's move out!' She shouted as she jumped back into the saddle.
Yet it was too late as a gun shot sounded through the area and a warrior collapsed off his horse.
'Mountain men.' Clarke whispered before racing off in the direction of the shot. Pushing her horse as fast as possible without endangering herself by falling off.
However, Indra's scouts had already taken care of the mountain men that were sent to attack.
'Finish it.' Indra commanded as Octavia swiftly lifted her sword ready to complete part of her training and take her first kill.
Yet just as Octavia was about to swing back down, Clarke swept in on her horse to take in the surrounding scene. One mountain man already dead beside her friend. 'Octavia, no. He's from Mount Weather. We need to keep him alive. Check to see if he's got a patch kit. We've got to get him back to camp.' She panted as she rushed out to order everything. This man could be a useful insight into their enemy.
As Octavia began patting down the new patched up prisoner she came across a folder of sorts.
'What is that?' Clarke questioned as she moved forward to speak to her friend.
'Clarke, you and Lexa were the targets.' Octavia warned as she passed over the photograph with Clarke and her wife circled in red.
'We have to warn the commander!' Indra ordered as she turned to the nearest guard.
Soon after the prisoner was secured Clarke ordered everyone to continue on route to Camp Jaha, with even more vigour. She was worried about her people and had no way to know for sure if any of them were safe, including Bellamy.
By the time everyone had made it back to the Ark, it was hectic. Doctors, including Abby, were rushing around as they tried to save both the grounder warrior and find a safe containment area for the mountain man. Shouting was coming from all directions as the main entrance to the huge ship was covered with warriors and curious Arkers. All trying to get an insight into the commotion that was occurring ahead of them.
Soon after the warrior was confirmed deceased they had Raven re-engineering the air lock to act as a radiation free zone for their prisoner. Who after the death of the warrior, the grounders were ready to put on a tree.
'A killer lives while a warrior dies? This is your way?' Indra growled out towards Clarke, in fury. Clarke knew that they couldn't kill the prisoner yet. He had vital information on the Mountain that could help their rescue mission. She was sure they could get him to talk, without Indra's suggestion of torture. That would be a last resort. 'The Commander will want his head.' She stated as Clarke began to walk away causing her to stop.
Clarke hadn't thought about what her new wife may think of this plan. However it was the only plan they had. Lexa would have to get over her bout of revenge for the meanwhile. 'I'm sorry, Indra, but he can help us beat Mount Weather.' Clarke cleared her throat before returning her attention to her mother.
'Someone tried to kill you today. It's ok if you're upset.'
'Just another day on the ground. I'll be in engineering waiting for Bellamy to radio. Let me know when he wakes up.' Clarke stated as she walked swiftly out of the room.
'Raven did a good job. The airlock is radiation-free.' Marcus stated as he overlooked the cell. 'When will he wake up?'
'I don't know. Soon. Our blood heals them. It's incredible.' Abby had been working furiously for the past hour to understand the data she had collected from the prisoner, but all it did was worry her further.
'Yeah. That's why the kids in Mount Weather are in trouble.' Marcus mumbled as he turned to face the woman he used to consider his rival.
'My kid is in trouble. They tried to kill her, Marcus.' The chancellor raged.
'They missed. Clarke is strong.'
'She's not that strong. The Grounders look at her like she's our leader, thanks to her bond with the Commander, and now Mount Weather does, too.'
'Clarke is holding this alliance together, and without that, the war is lost.' Kane reasoned. He knew the strain Abby's tenuous relationship was affecting her ability to see reason, yet he also couldn't help but feel sorry for the woman. She has lost both her daughter and husband in the space of a week then to find her daughter again only to lose her to someone else.
'I didn't know I'd lose my daughter over it. Even after the war, she has bound herself to that savage.' Abby spat in almost defeat. 'I want this man under 24-hour guard. Is that clear?'
Meanwhile Clarke had finally reached engineering and had been speaking to her friends and getting up to speed with neutralising the after being up to date she rushed around trying to find jobs for everyone to give herself something to do. Yet her friends didn't take kindly to this.
'You don't need to give me orders, Clarke. I got this.' Raven spat as she glared back at Clarke.
'Raven, any word from Bellamy?' Octavia asked trying to change the topic.
As Finn just watched Clarke in worry over Ravens outburst. He looked like a lost puppy and was happy to take orders from Clarke. It meant she would actually speak to him, now that she was 'married'.
'Nothing yet.' Raven mumbled as she glared at her ex-boyfriend as he obviously dotted over her friend.
'Lincoln is still missing, too. He should be back by now.' Octavia whispered. They were the two closest members in her life and she could've possibly lost both of them without even knowing.
'They'll be ok.' Clarke encouraged.
'They better be. Your whole plan rests on Bellamy getting in.' She answered bitterly before she was interrupted by the P.A system began to blare out a message.
'Counsellor Kane and Clarke Griffin, please report to the south airlock immediately.'
'We'll finish this later.' Clarke whispered before swiftly moving on to the containment area as Finn just continued to stare.
'Did he say something?' She questioned as soon as the doors opened.
'No... But his blood did. Jackson found genetic marker anomalies that can only come from someone who was born on the Ark.' Abby announced as she looked to her daughter with sympathy.
'It's started.' Was all Clarke could mumble.
'It didn't come from the blood transfusion that we gave him?' Kane asked hoping it could be a misunderstanding.
'No. I took the sample before that.' Abby informed.
'They're bleeding my friends.' Clarke growled out as she looked towards the prisoner, whose cell was muted from earlier.
'We don't know that.' Kane tried to calm her.
'Yes, we do. We were genetically engineered. They weren't.' Clarke answered immediately.
'What are you doing?' Marcus asked as Clarke suddenly got up to open the cell.
'Killing him. Get out of my way, Kane.' Clarke growled furiously as Kane did all he could to hold the girl back.
'Calm down. Clarke... You are not in charge here. We do things my way.' Abby shouted to reprimand her daughter. She needed to be reminded of her place once again.
Clarke couldn't handled the thoughts surrounding her in that moment so she did the only thing she could. She ran. Rushing straight back to engineering she pushed herself into work mode and headed towards the mechanical genius. Maybe Raven would have better news.
Yet the day just kept getting worse.
'You don't get to give up, Clarke! You stole Finn, and I didn't give up! I'm building a damn tone generator. You do your job.' Raven fumed as she saw the blonde walk into the room slumped revealing the news.
'What is my job? I'm just the one who married another woman to prevent a war.'
'I don't know, to come up with something. That's what you did with the Commander right?'
'I have tried.' Clarke argued. Things were not looking good. Well that was until the radio began to buzz with life.
'Camp Jaha, this is Mount Weather. Can anyone read me?'
'Holy crap.' Raven mumbled as she looked at the device in disbelief.
'Camp Jaha, this is Mount Weather. Can anyone read me?'
The second message managed to knock Clarke out of her disbelief and caused her to almost jump on top of Raven to reach the mouthpiece of the device. 'Bellamy?'
'Clarke?' He asked in return to check he had reached the correct people.
'Are you all right?' The blonde quickly checked in hope.
'I'm fine. That's it for the good news. We have to talk fast. Something has changed. Jasper, Monty, everyone, they just locked them in the dorm.' Bellamy hurried to inform his friend.
'But they're alive, all of them?'
'I think so, for now. Maya says that they're already using their blood, and things are gonna get ugly in here real fast.'
'Maya is with you?' Clarke questioned with a hint of suspicion.
'She helped me escape. If not for her, I'd be dead. And, Clarke, there are kids in here. We need a plan that doesn't kill everyone. Please tell me we have one.' Bellamy asked desperately.
'I hear you, but we can't do anything until you disable the acid fog. Raven is gonna help you.' Clarke answered as she looked over to the mechanic hopefully. Watching as Raven just nodded with a smirked splashed across her face.
'Got it. What else?'
'You have to figure out a way to free the Grounder prisoners. There's a whole army inside that mountain, and they don't even realise it.' Clarke answered eagerly. There plan was finally coming to fruition.
'Trojan horse. Good plan.' Bellamy chuckled as he thought of all the times he'd read the story of the Trojan horse and how he would explain to Octavia the genius idea behind the roman assault.
'What does Maya think? Is it doable?' Clarke worried quickly, hoping to get as much information as possible.
The radio was silent for a few moments before he finally replied with an exasperated. 'She says it's not a problem. Look. If i'm gonna pull this off, I need you to buy me some time. It won't be long before they realise I don't belong here, and if that happens... That can't happen.'
'I'll come up with something.' Clarke confirmed.
'Come up with it quick.' Bellamy interrupted.
'Copy that, and, Bellamy... -Yeah?- You came through.'
'All I've done so far is not get killed.' Bellamy almost chuckled.
'Keep doing that.' Clarke whispered with the smile still spread across her face.
'You're up. What are you gonna do?' Raven questioned as she watched her friend rush around to the front door before mumbling just enough for her friend to hear the answer.
'Gonna keep them looking outside instead of in.'
'Uh-uh. Don't. Get dressed. You're coming with me.' Clarke stated as he crossed her arms facing the young soldier.
'What's going on?' He asked in confusion as Clarke an her horde of grounders began to lead him out of the huge space station.
Crowds of civilians began to form as the group walked closer to the front gates. Akers including the current chancellor and her advisors.
'Clarke, what are you doing? Clarke, stop.' Abby demanded as she stood blocking the groups exit.
'No. I'm letting the prisoner go.'
'Absolutely not. He hasn't told us anything yet.' Abby argued with a huff.
'He doesn't have to. He's gonna tell them something.'
'Get the prisoner back to the airlock now.' Abby ordered to the nearest guards. Who moved to comply automatically.
That was until Indra unseated her sword and stepped beside the Commanders wife.
Clarke took two steps forward before leaning into her mothers face and began to whisper.
'You may be the chancellor, but I'm in charge.' She couldn't help but smirk as she finally stood up to her mother. Abby needed to know that Clarke was old enough to make decisions for her people. That Clarke was in charge, if the Arkers were to survive.
'Indra, tell your people to stand down before this gets out of hand.' Abby ordered, ignoring her daughter, who simply countered the order.
'No.'
'People could get hurt.' The doctor tried to reason.
'Not if you get out of my way. You need to trust that I know what's right for us.'
'The Grounders trust Clarke. Maybe we should, too.' Kane suggested as he tried to reason to the current chancellor.
'Stand down. Stand down. Open the gate now.' Abby relented as she turned away from her unrecognisable daughter.
'Can you hear me all right? Because I need to make sure you get this. Loud and clear. I have a message for your leader. We're coming for him. You're watching us, but you haven't seen a thing. The Grounder army is bigger than you think, and even if you could find it, your acid fog can't hurt them, and now, thanks to you…' She paused as the tone generator buzzed loudly infant of the soldier. 'Neither can the Reapers. So you have one last chance. Let our people go, and we'll let you live. It's just that simple.'
'I got it.' He nodded, just happy to go back to the safety of his home.
'It's an 8-hour walk back to Mount Weather. You're gonna do it in 6.'
'6 hours? That's not enough. How am I supposed to deliver your message?' He pressed, after all his life was on the line. Apparently its not going to be a safe as he thought.
'That's your problem. Now go.' Clarke ordered.
'You want to explain to me how this helps my brother?' Octavia almost ordered as she looked to her friend in disbelief.
'I just told him we have a secret army to worry about. The more they're looking at us, the less they're looking at him. Bellamy is the key to everything, Octavia.' Clarke shrugged before facing her friend fully.
'If he dies, we die.'