Lincoln heard them before he saw them, and the moment he did he felt a flurry of mixed emotions spread through him. On the one hand, they hadn't found Clarke yet. They still followed the trail, and while he knew they had to be close, they hadn't reached the right village, hadn't found the place where the Sky girl was being held captive. That had been their orders, that had been the entire point of going ahead and following the trail: to find Clarke before the army could reach them, and in that they had failed. On the other hand though...
"Lincoln!"
The call of his name immediately pulled his lips up into a smile and he turned, finding Octavia at the head of the army. Others were around her, but he had no time to look and see who. He watched as his love swung from her saddle, running almost before her feet touched the ground. Almost as if they had a mind of their own, his mirrored the movement, helping to close the distance between them until they were close enough that she jumped and he caught her, swinging her around before placing her back on the ground, her body so blessedly solid in his arms. They held tightly to each other, fingers clasping at the backs of each other's jackets, and then his hands were on her face, drawing her in for a long awaited kiss. He suddenly felt grounded again with her pressed so close to him, and he could feel her sink into the same feeling. Even in the middle of the woods on the trail of an enemy, they both felt at home.
Even as he felt movement around him, the feeling didn't entirely dissipate. Footsteps drew up beside him and he pulled away just slightly, remembering that they were all still on a mission and had work to do. Nevertheless, he kept one arm around Octavia, holding her close as she continued to press against his side, as he looked up to take in those around him.
Ashi and Jynt stood just a few steps away, both glancing at them before turning their attention to the army in front of them. Ryder didn't even spare them a glance; he walked past them, stopping only a few feet in front of the Commander's horse, bowing his head respectfully to her. She sat at the front of the army, dark war paint around her eyes, looking like she was ready to ride into battle at a moment's notice. Abby sat to her right, looking no more comfortable on a horse than Lincoln had imagined she would, her own gaze darting from Ryder to Lincoln and Octavia. Indra rode on the Commander's left, her jaw clenched so tightly that Lincoln immediately knew that something was wrong, and he felt something inside him twist in anticipation. Behind them, Bellamy held the reins of Octavia's horse, Raven and Taigon riding beside it while Jasper, Monty and Miller stood near them. Lincoln felt his eyebrows rise in surprise when he noticed Reese sitting in front of Taigon and Thom in front of Raven, but didn't have long enough to really dwell on it.
"Ryder," he heard Lexa say, nodding at the warrior standing in front of her. "Report."
"We continue to follow the trail, Heda," the warrior replied, holding his head up, even though Lincoln knew he would be ashamed the army had caught up to them before they'd found Clarke. "We have not found Wanheda or where she is being held."
"The enemy anticipated being followed," Lincoln added, stepping forward. His hand slipped away from Octavia's back, but when he moved she followed right along beside him. He stepped up to stand even with Ryder, not looking away when the Commander turned to look at him. "They split up many times, leaving two or more trails to track that would go for miles. We had to track each of them, which slowed us down greatly."
"What of Clarke's mark?" she asked, green eyes bright, and for a second Lincoln thought he saw something flash across them before she could stop it.
"We have not seen Wanheda's mark for two days, Heda," Ryder answered, "But we know we continue to follow the right trail."
The Commander just nodded, not saying anything for a moment before she grabbed the canteen at her hip. Tossing it to Ryder who caught it easily, she told them, "You have all done well. Now eat and drink and get some rest. I will have others track our enemy's trail: ride and rest."
Ryder shook his head, even as he took a long gulp of the Commander's water. "No Heda," he replied the moment the canteen was away from his lips. "We know how to read this trail: please, let us continue to lead the tracking party." She seemed to consider it for a minute, eying each other them before she nodded. "Very well," she agreed, "But when we stop tonight, I expect all of you to rest." Each of the four trackers nodded in agreement, but before they could turn and continue on, she added, "And if you find a fresh trail left by one person, tell me immediately." Again they nodded, and then Ryder, Ashi and Jynt turned, moving back over to the trail they'd been tracking, and once again followed it, this time with an army following them.
Lincoln had planned to move with them, but at the Commander's words, he turned to Octavia, confused. "Why is she interested in a fresh trail?" he asked, believing up until now that Clarke's trail had been the only thing any of them cared about.
"Walsh disappeared last night," Octavia informed him, nodding to her brother as their group moved over to them and he handed her the reins to her horse. Looking back at Lincoln, she added, "Lexa thinks he's the one who told the Ice Queen about her and Clarke."
"What?" he asked in shock, eyes immediately moving to Taigon. The Commander's brother had his jaw clenched together, his fingers curled tightly around his reins, clearly barely containing his fury. His eyes didn't leave his sister, watching her as she rode ahead of them, and Lincoln didn't think he'd ever seen so much of a family resemblance. "Walsh would never be the one to betray her, and especially not to the Ice Queen. Are you sure he wasn't just attacked as well? This is Ice Nation land: maybe some of their warriors spotted the army and found an opportunity to take out one of the Commander's chiefs."
"Perhaps," Taigon agreed with a clipped nod, still not looking away from his sister. He urged his horse forward as the army once again began to move, Raven flicking her reins as well as the rest of them moved on foot, Octavia simply leading her horse for the moment. "She had the area searched, however, and no one found any signs of a fight. One of our people say that Walsh appeared last night to relieve him of watch, and this morning he had disappeared."
"That doesn't make sense," Lincoln said, shaking his head, "Why would Walsh work with the Ice Queen? He hates her as much as anyone after what she did."
"I believed so as well," the healer told him, his lips pursed in a straight line. "When I see him again I plan to find out exactly what could have made him turn traitor. If I have to, I will make him tell me."
"I thought you were a healer, not a fighter?" Raven asked, shooting him a look, and Taigon merely lifted his chin higher. "I am the Commander's brother," he simply replied, eyes still looking nowhere but straight ahead. "I have spent my life watching her train and have learned a few things in doing so."
"Okay, hold on," Bellamy called out, shooting a confused look up at the healer. "Why is it so surprising that this Walsh guy turned on the Commander? What'd the queen do to him?"
That question finally managed to tear Taigon's gaze away from his sister, instead turning to look at Lincoln, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "You didn't tell them?" he asked the warrior, shock clear in his voice, and Lincoln simply shook his head.
"It was never my story to tell," he replied, still staring straight ahead even as he felt all their focus shift to him. He felt Octavia shift beside him, saw the curious look she shot him out of the corner of his eye before she asked, "What didn't you tell us?"
For a moment, neither Grounder answered, Lincoln because it still wasn't his story, and Taigon because he'd gone back to studying his sister many feet in front of them. Lincoln could practically see him debating whether or not to tell the Skaikru the story, and for a moment he thought he wasn't going to, until he saw Taigon's eyes shift to Thom and Reese.
"Thom," he called to the young boy, the child perking up and turning towards him as he sat up straighter in front of Raven. "Would you mind going to find Nygel and Callie for me, and telling them I'd like to talk with them when they get a moment? Reese will go with you."
"Sure!" the little boy said, flashing Taigon a big smile as Raven pulled her horse to a stop. He wriggled, pulling one leg over the saddle and then let Bellamy help him slide down, before he turned back towards the horses, looking up and gesturing to Reese. "Come on Reese!" he called up to her, before he took off in the direction they'd last seen the two women in question.
As he began to walk away, Reese turned to Taigon, shooting him a look. "You just don't want us hearing whatever you have to say," she accused, one hand moving to her hip, and one corner of the healer's lips pulled up into a slight grin.
"It is not a story Thom needs to hear," he agreed quietly, eyes turning to watch the little boy as he moved further away. "And it is best that he not walk around alone. Please go with him." Reese studied him for a minute, and then let out a long sigh.
"Fine," she said, "I don't care about Walsh anyway. If he turned against Heda, he's my enemy now too." Lincoln noticed the pain that flashed in Taigon's eyes, but the little girl was too busy shifting in the saddle to notice. The moment both legs were on one side of the horse, she grabbed his arm and the healer helped lower her to the ground until she let go and fell the last few inches, her boots crunching in the melting snow. "Thom, slow down!" she yelled, before breaking out in a jog to catch up with him.
The moment both children had moved far enough away, Taigon's eyes returned to his sister, even as he felt all of the Skaikru watching him curiously, waiting. Lincoln followed the healer's gaze, turning towards the Commander, and saw not only the strong leader he had walked away from only a few months ago, but also the friend he had known when he was younger. His heart wrenched painfully in his chest, thinking of the stark difference between the two.
"Back before my sister became the Commander, she was in love," Taigon began, his voice quiet as he started the story that every one of their people knew. Seldom was it told, especially among the Trikru, but everyone knew its details, each as memorable now as it had been three years ago when it had all taken place. "Costia meant everything to her, and Lexa often said she would do anything for her. Costia returned her love, and they were happy together."
For a brief moment, Lincoln's eyes flickered over, getting a quick look at the healer as he told the story. He could see the sorrow in those green eyes, could see the pain he allowed to pull at his expression, and had to quickly look away. When he did, his eyes flickered to Octavia, and he looked at all of the Skaikru around them, finding each with their focus on the younger Grounder. "At first, that didn't change once Lexa took on her role as Commander," he continued, sitting up a little straighter in the saddle. "They spent less time together because my sister had to travel, but each understood it was the way it needed to be in order for Lexa to complete her new duties. Then she began putting together the coalition, desperately trying to unite the twelve clans together, a feat that had never been done before. Lexa spent even more time traveling, visiting each of the nations in order to try to convince them to join. Many believed her relationship with Costia would fall apart, the two having to spend so much time away from each other, but it didn't. Costia waited, every time Lexa had to leave, waited for her to return, and every time she did, Costia was the first person Lexa would see. It was difficult for them both, but they made it work."
He paused for a moment, his eyes on his sister, and Lincoln knew he was remembering a time when she was just as likely to smile as she was to give an order. The thought caused his heart to squeeze in his chest, remembering just how different the Commander had been back then, back before she'd lost her love, and he felt his hand move over, his fingers slipping between Octavia's. She gave them a squeeze, flashing a small smile at him, before she turned back to Taigon as he continued the story.
"It was about two years after she became Commander," the healer said, his tone quiet. "Lexa had successfully united nine of the clans, leaving only three who had yet to join the coalition. That in itself was unheard of, and people began realizing she may just be our greatest Commander yet. Lexa refused to stop until all of the clans had joined however, and left our home to once again try to convince those that were left to join."
"The Ice Nation was one of them, right?" Octavia asked, and Taigon nodded, clenching his jaw.
"Yes," he answered, "The Ice Nation was one of those that had yet to join. While she was visiting the Sankru, one of the others not yet joined, Queen Nia showed up, saying she wanted to join her people with the coalition. Lexa accepted, welcoming her into the coalition, not knowing it was a trick. She welcomed the queen, and the next moment Nia handed her Costia's head."
"Wait, what?" Raven exclaimed, eyes wide, "What do you mean she handed her Costia's head?"
"Not long after Lexa left Polis to visit the Sankru, Costia was captured by Ice Nation warriors," he answered, eyes briefly flickering over to her. "She had been out with a hunting party and they were ambushed, but she was the only one taken. A few of our warriors were sent after Lexa, to warn her of what had happened, but they arrived too late. When they returned, we all learned what had happened." A shadow fell across his face, his tone hardening, and even Lincoln had to look at him out of the corner of his eye. "The queen had kidnapped her and then tortured her. She'd used Costia to try to learn my sister's secrets so that she could take over as Commander. She wanted Lexa's power so she beat Costia, tortured her, and then when she was finished she cut off her head."
Monty let out a small gasp, his jaw dropping open, and Lincoln looked around at the rest of the Skaikru. Raven seemed to have paled, her legs pressing harder against her horse. Octavia's eyes burned with barely concealed fury, her grip on his hand tightening to the point of being painful. Jasper looked confused, almost as though he didn't know what to think, his brow drawn while Miller's eyes were wide, his grip on his gun tighter than it had been before. Bellamy stared ahead, his jaw clenched and back rigid, as though he were forcing himself not to react too much. Taigon himself still hadn't looked away from his sister, his head still held high as he recounted the worst day of her life.
"Lexa knew none of this," he continued softly, voice carrying to only them. "When Queen Nia agreed to join the coalition, she had no reason to believe there was anything more to it other than just that. So she accepted, welcomed the Ice Nation into the coalition, and the next thing she knew Nia handed her a bag. When she reached inside, it was her love's head that she pulled out."
"And this Ice Queen is still alive?" Miller asked, disgust in his tone. "I'da killed her right there."
A few of the others nodded, but Taigon shook his head. "If she could have, Nia would not have breathed another breath after that moment," he replied. "But Lexa could not do so without breaking her own law." When they looked at the Grounders curiously, Lincoln piped in, saying, "Once a clan has joined the coalition, they are forgiven for any crime committed before that moment. It was the Commander herself who made the law."
"Which meant she could not break it," the healer agreed. "If she had killed the queen for what she had done, she knew her coalition would fall apart and the clans would turn back to fighting against each other. In order to prevent that, she could not go back on her law, and had to welcome Nia into the coalition. She had no other choice."
"That's... Wow," Raven breathed, shaking her head. "I don't know how she was able to do that."
"It was not easy for her," Taigon informed her. "The choice has eaten away at her ever since, but she goes on because she knows she made the right choice for her people." He glanced back over at her, the corners of his lips pulling down slightly before he added softly, "Every choice she has made since the moment she was named Commander has been for us, never for her."
For a moment, the words settled over them all, weighing down on Grounders and Skaikru alike, until Jasper's head tilted to the side, looking back up at the healer. "Okay, but what does this all have to do with the Grounder that turned on us?" he asked, realizing none of this answered Bellamy's question.
"Costia was Walsh's niece," Taigon answered. "He had no children, but helped raise her as though she were his own. When he learned of what had happened to her, he was furious. He demanded Lexa move our warriors against the Ice Nation, demanded justice for his niece's life, but Lexa refused. Even though it was what she wanted too, in order for the coalition to remain strong she had to let Costia's death go."
"But jus drein, jus daun," Octavia said, shooting a confused look between him and Lincoln. "Blood must have blood. Those are our words."
"No," Taigon replied, shaking his head as he ignored her precise wording, "Not that time, and that was one of the things that angered Walsh so much. Lexa knew that blood could not have blood, not that time, not if she wanted to keep our people from falling into another war. The clans all saw what she was willing to do to keep her coalition strong, and it was that, her strength and her belief that finally convinced the final two clans to join. Lexa lost her love in the cruelest way imaginable, but her reaction to that loss is what finally united her people." They all watched him as he focused completely on his her, his shoulders squaring just a little further back in pride, as he murmured, "It is not just the coalition, but also all that she has sacrificed for her people, that has marked her as our greatest Commander yet."
His words seemed to hang in the air around them, their quiet intensity causing the hairs on their arms to all stand up. Power charged the air as though it were electricity, and each of them stared ahead, unsure if that power came from the words or from the woman they were about. As she led the two armies, her back as straight as ever, head high, none of them could really say, but each felt their own backs straighten, that power seeming to sink into their skin as well.
/
The effects of the Jobi nuts wore off slowly and then all at once. Little pieces of her delusions began to slip away, soft touches, quiet words, and then it was all gone, nothing but the reality of her dark cave surrounding her. Queen Nia and her people slipped out of her prison long before the effects were entirely gone, so for at least an hour Clarke got to sit there, falling to the ground and held in Lexa's arms. Those arms weakened, their touch slipping away before the vision itself, and yet the blonde held onto every detail for as long as she could. She whispered words into the air, words of love, wishes of what could be or could have been, even as the brunette began to blur. Details appeared and then disappeared, and as they shifted, Clarke knew her time with Lexa's image was slipping away. She watched her, tried to commit it all to memory, tried to keep her around for as long as possible, but finally she blinked and then Lexa was gone, her system no longer effected by the nuts.
The moment the image of the Grounder disappeared a hollow ache formed in Clarke's gut, so much stronger than the pain she felt from Maloch's many hits. She hurt, both inside and out, enough that she winced whenever she moved, but she couldn't wipe the content smile from her lips. Her situation was no less dire than it had been that morning, perhaps even more so now, and yet she felt more at peace. It hurt, once again being alone in this prison and at the mercy of the Ice Queen, but now she had something to sink into, had the memory of Lexa's skin pressed up against her's fresh on her mind. Her body aching from bruises both new and old, Clarke felt herself lean back against the hard wall, her head falling back and eyes falling closed. Ignoring her pain, the blonde let herself drift off to sleep, hoping that her dreams would only bring her back to Lexa.
For a period of time, they did. She slept, and in that sleep she found herself with Lexa again, found herself training with Lexa, running with her, touching her and being touched by her. In her dreams they could both ignore the truth of what was happening, and live in a world of their own, separate from everyone else. As she slept, her chest rising and falling in even breaths, she lived in the world she desperately wanted to be in.
The door to her room opened, the creaking of its hinges immediately pulling Clarke out of her dreams, and for a moment she panicked. She panicked because she knew more pain was coming, knew that the queen would be trying some new trick to try to get information out of her, but she also panicked because waking up threw her back into reality and away from her world with Lexa. Dark shadows danced along the walls, the light from the torches barely enough to see by, but with that minimal light she looked across the room, expecting to find Nia, trying to fight down the panic she felt building in her chest.
A hooded figure stepped into the room, quickly pushing the door behind them so that it just nearly shut. Hurried footsteps brought the figure towards Clarke, and the blonde watched them suspiciously until a hand quickly drew back their hood. Nadia stared at her with wide eyes, her face visibly pale even in the dim lighting. She carried a second hooded cloak over one arm, and hanging from her other hand Clarke saw a ring of keys.
"Quickly," the healer told her, pushing the cloak into the blonde's hand, "Put this on."
"I don't-," Clarke began, her mind barely able to process what was happening even as she felt the rough material rub against the palm of her hand. She watched Nadia as the younger girl bent in front of her, the ring of keys held out, and then stared in amazement as she fit one of the keys into the lock on the shackle around her ankle. The key twisted and then the manacle fell away, barely making a sound as it hit the ground. For a moment Clarke just stared at the raw skin of her ankle, unable to fully process the fact that her leg was now free. The moment the manacle was on the ground, Nadia stood up, her eyes moving over Clarke and taking in the fact she hadn't yet moved.
"Quickly, Clarke," she whispered hurriedly, "We must go now before anyone finds you free!"
At once, her brain snapped back into focus and she wrenched the cloak over her head, letting it settle over her shirt. "How did you get the key?" she asked, keeping her own voice down in fear that someone might walk by and hear. Nadia lifted her hood back over her head, Clarke quickly mirroring the motion, and then the healer led the way across the room. With every step, the Sky girl kept expecting to feel a tug at her ankle, but the tug never came.
Nadia stopped at the door, pulling it open just a few inches and peering outside before opening it enough for them both to slip through. Every nerve in Clarke's body felt as though electricity shot through it, her attention everywhere at once, and when she followed Nadia out of the room she immediately spotted a warrior on the ground, his body slumped back against the outside of the building. The blonde leaned closer, unable to tell if he were dead or alive, and then felt Nadia's hand on her arm, fingers tightening almost painfully around her wrist before she tugged on it, forcing Clarke to follow her.
"The queen gave me the idea," the healer murmured, her eyes darting around as she led the way around the building, desperately on the look out in fear of getting caught. Clarke's eyes were also constantly moving, waiting for the slightest hint of someone catching them, but listened as Nadia continued, "I realized that if she could trick you into eating Jobi nuts, I could trick your guard into eating something stronger. He will remain asleep for hours." She pulled Clarke around the building, until her prison stood between them and the rest of the village. Looking in front of them, the blonde felt herself gulp.
Her prison was perched on the edge of a cliff. Sharp rocks jutted downward, a steep slope leading to the giant body of frozen water below them. Even in the best lighting, she could tell it would be a dangerous climb, and at the moment all they had was an almost full moon lighting the way. Nadia pointed, and Clarke tried to follow as the healer gestured sideways, indicating something the blonde couldn't yet see.
"About halfway down there is a trail," Nadia informed her quickly, and the blonde realized she could feel her shaking beside her. "The trail will lead along the side of the cliff. We will have rock on one side, and open air on the other. Above us will be the village, so we will have to remain as silent as possible. However, once we reach the end of the trail, we will be able to slip into the trees."
"That does not sound like an easy way out," Clarke commented, once again peering down below her, her heart beating furiously in her throat. Nadia just shook her head, replying, "It isn't, but it is our only choice. We cannot travel on the ice: it would be too easy to be spotted, and we cannot try to reach the trees by going through the village. There is no way we would be able to avoid everyone."
"You make a good point," the blonde admitted, though knowing this was her only choice made the cliff look no more appealing. The healer just nodded, and then took a step forward to lead the way, but Clarke's hand sprung up, grabbing her by the arm. "Wait," she told her,before moving closer to the other girl. Quickly, she whispered, "Nadia, you've done enough. Thank you for getting me out, but you should go back now. If they realize I'm gone, they're gonna know someone helped me. If they catch you..."
Clarke didn't want to say what would happen if she was caught, but the moment she started talking, Nadia began shaking her head. "I must go with you," she insisted, her eyes flicking over Clarke's shoulder to be sure no one had decided to come circle the building. "You do not know where the trail is, or how to make it down the cliff. Once you make it to the woods, you will need a guide, someone who knows the area in order to help you find the Commander. I must go."
"No Nadia, it's too dangerous," the blonde argued, her grip on the other girl's arm tightening as she just shook her head right back at her. "I can't let you do this. What about Sef? What'll happen to him if Nia realizes you helped me?"
Guilt and fear flashed across the healer's face, but the determination Clarke could see in her eyes didn't waver. "Sef is safe," she told the Sky girl, "My parents are with him now, and I know neither they nor Jojesh or Echo would allow anything to happen to him. He will be well, as long you reach the Commander. I must do this."
Clarke's eyes flickered across the healer's face, desperately trying to think of an argument that would convince her to stay, but she could tell by the set of the other girl's jaw that nothing she could say would work. Even now the healer's grip tightened on her wrist, and Clarke could see the sweat beading along her forehead, her fear visible, and yet she refused to back down. Her throat went dry, thinking of what would happen if they were caught, but finally she just nodded. Spending anymore time trying to argue only made it more likely they would be found before they could even reach the woods, and Clarke knew nothing she could say would change the girl's mind. Nadia returned the nod with one of her own, and then released her hold on the blonde's wrist, turning around and leading the way down the cliff.
For a few feet, they followed a fairly worn path, the going easy, and then almost all at once it changed. Nadia turned and fell to her hands and knees before carefully moving to the edge of the cliff, slowly lowering her bottom half over the edge. Her hands held onto the rock, and then she disappeared over the side and Clarke felt her heart leap to her throat before she peered over the edge. She saw Nadia slowly moving down the face of the cliff, her feet carefully finding the most secure rocks to rest against while her hands held tightly onto those she passed. Looking up, she caught the blonde's eye, and nodded again. Feeling herself begin to shake, Clarke took a deep breath and then copied what she'd seen the healer do, getting onto her hands and knees and carefully lowering herself over the rocky ledge. For the briefest moment her legs dangled in open air, only her arms anchoring her to the rocks, and she felt a wave of panic wash over her. The next thing she knew her legs hit solid rock and she scrambled, her feet quickly finding a perch, and even as she shook, she crawled over the ledge.
Sharp rock dug into her palms, and the tight grip she held on them managed to cause the fingers whose nails had been torn only a couple of days ago to open up, blood once again slipping down them. The addition of the blood only made her heart thud even louder in her chest, fear that it would make her grip slippery pounding through her veins. She moved slowly, methodically, only lowering herself down after testing each and every foothold she managed to find in the rocks, and strained her ears to listen to Nadia moving below her. Her body bumped and banged against the rocks, her many bruises all protesting the rough treatment, but she pushed each pain to the back of her mind, knowing that one false move and she'd be toppling down to the hard ice below. She strained her eyes to try to be able to see around her, but with just the light of the moon, far too often found herself groping almost blindly for the next crevice to hold onto.
Finally, after far too long for her liking, Clarke felt both of her feet hit solid, level ground. For the first time since she moved herself over the edge of the cliff, she looked at more than just the rock at eye-level. Nadia stood to the side, waiting for her, eyes constantly darting up above them, as though to make sure they still hadn't been caught. Clarke didn't bother looking up, instead looking down, and immediately pushed herself closer to the wall of rock in front of her. They were still far too high up for her liking, and when she looked, she found the path that Nadia had mentioned appeared to only be a foot or so wide. They would have to move right up along the side of the cliff, or risking stepping out into open air. Just the thought of it caused the blonde's stomach to drop, and she had to breathe slowly to keep herself from getting sick.
"Come," Nadia murmured, as though they weren't still practically hanging off the side of a cliff, "This way." Carefully she stepped to the side, her gaze moving down to the path below their feet, and Clarke followed behind her, feeling her cloak catch on the rock every now and then as she continued to push herself against it. She tried not to look down, tried not to focus on the white of the ice below them as the moonlight danced along its surface, but found it impossible. In order to be sure she remained on the path, she had to look down, had to be sure she stepped in the right place, and had to just try to ignore the racing of her heart as she continued to move.
As they moved further along the side of the cliff, the wind began to pick up, whipping at their cloaks, pulling at the wisps of hair that escaped their hoods, and with it came sounds from the village above them. Nothing quite so solid as conversations managed to reach them, but Clarke could make out noise, the whiny of a horse or screech of a child, and she just pressed her lips tighter together, tried to make her footsteps lighter. The last thing she wanted was for either of them to make a noise loud enough that those above might be able to hear, and then get caught on the side of the cliff trying to escape. So they both moved even slower, picked their way even more carefully, trying to make as little sound as possible, even as their hearts beat crazily in their chests.
There was a small dip in the path, a slight slope she wasn't expecting, and then Clarke took another step and she felt snow beneath her boot. She looked out around her and realized they'd made it: the cliff melted away on one side, and on the other she found a few feet of open space that disappeared into a mass of trees. Seeing the trees, for a second the Sky girl thought she might cry, relief flooding through her veins, but she managed to hold it in. Nadia looked around them quickly, making sure there was no one else around, before she looked back at the blonde and gestured for her to follow. The next moment she pushed away from the shadows of the cliff and raced forward, dashing madly across the open space, Clarke right on her heels. The Sky girl felt like there was a target on her back, felt like every person in the village must be watching, and held her breath while she waited for someone to shout, for someone to point them out. The shout never came though, and a moment later the two escapees disappeared into the trees, leaving the village behind.
Within the trees, Clarke felt something spark inside her, some feeling that had been buried while Nadia freed her from her prison, buried while she scaled down the side of a cliff: she felt hope, burning white hot, flare up in her chest, and as she followed Nadia further and further away from the village behind them, that hope only grew. Her fingers curled into fists, the cuts and scrapes she'd received from the rocks all but forgotten, and felt her lips pull up into a small smile as her expression settled, determination now flowing through her. She was out, finally free, and all she could think of was one thing: I'm coming, Lexa. I'm coming.
/
Moonlight streamed through the hole in the wall, pouring down on her thrown. The torches along the walls added to the light, their fires flickering and casting shadows throughout the room, but Nia knew it was the moonlight filtering around her that made her nearly white hair glow, that lit her pale skin. It was the moon, she knew, that cast her in the white light that made all who entered her throne room pause, seeing a queen who shined like ice itself. She knew because she had placed her throne in this spot specifically for nights like this, when the moon was all but full, few clouds in the sky to dim its glow. In this spot, she knew the white furs she wore shown as bright as her hair, knew that she nearly became the moon itself. Those who looked on her could only do so for a moment, before they had to turn away. In fear, in awe, in respect: it did not matter. All she cared about was the fact that they did, that they saw her greatness, saw her for the powerful leader she was and soon would be, and would immediately bow before her, just as the two in front of her did now.
"What is it?" she asked, her tone mild as she looked them over. They were two of her guards, two of the ones who stood just outside her door, and since she had not summoned them she knew they must have something important to tell her.
"Your informant has arrived, my queen," one said, keeping his head bowed, while the other remained quiet. A corner of Nia's lips twitched but she allowed no more than that, before she flicked her wrist, telling them, "See him in. And one of you go get Kostia." Immediately they nodded and stood, moving quickly to do as they were told.
Hands moving to rest on the arms of her chair, Nia's fingers moved slowly over it, tracing patterns within the wood as she thought of what the informant's arrival meant. Lexa must be close: he would not have deserted her if he had far to travel, unless staying had become dangerous. If he was here, that meant Lexa and her army would soon follow, and that knowledge sent a clash of unsettling emotions through her. Before she had time to analyze them, the doors opened once again, and her informant walked through them, two other guards following to position themselves on either side of the doors. Walsh walked into the room, his shoulders back and expression set, eyes immediately meeting hers. He didn't look away, and her brow rose just a fraction at his boldness. She could see the twist of his lips, noticed the fact that his jaw was clenched, and knew he liked her no more than he had when she'd first approached him over a year ago, stealing away in the woods a few miles outside of Polis to tell him that his niece lived, and that if he did as she wished she would remain safe and he would be able to see her again. She'd read the hatred then as clearly as she did now, but just as then, it made no matter. He had agreed as she'd known he would, feeding the scouts she'd sent back periodically any bit of information he thought she might find useful, until he'd finally given her exactly what she needed to bring Lexa to her knees. Again her lips twitched, the image causing her heart to speed up in excitement, but she pushed the emotion away, to bask in when she was once again alone.
Finally when he stood only a few feet away from her thrown, Walsh stopped, still meeting her eye, and for a moment he just stood there. She raised her brow at him, the only indication she gave towards his insubordination, and a moment later he sunk to one knee, albeit stiffly. His head finally lowered, eyes turning to the ground, as he simply said, "Ai kwin."
"Wolsh," she replied, giving him a slight nod. "What news do you have for me?"
"The Commander is little more than a full day away, maybe a little more depending on how easy the trail is to follow," he answered without looking up. Nia allowed the use of the title to slide, showing her irritation only in the way one fingernail dug into the wood of her chair. "And?" she instead just asked, knowing there must be more for him to say, and he looked up again, meeting her eyes before he added, "And she rides at the front of not only her own army, but an army of Skaikru as well. Forty of them chose to join the Commander, most of them with guns. They will all be here soon."
For the first time since she heard of his arrival, Nia felt herself frown, but then she quickly controlled her expression when she noticed him look to it. Raising her head, she looked down on him, giving him the same look that made her warriors cower before her, but he simply remained there, still kneeling before her but meeting her gaze. She wanted nothing more than to draw her dagger from its spot at her belt and show him exactly how she dealt with insolence, but she didn't move, didn't even allow her finger to twitch. Instead she just met his gaze, staring him down, until the door to her throne room opened once again.
"Uncle!" she heard, and immediately Walsh stood, turning his back to her as he crossed back towards the door, Costia running to meet him. She watched as the two came together in a tight hug, holding on to one another as tears ran down the girl's face and he whispered quietly into her ear, but Nia simply tuned them out.
His news was not as she'd hoped it would be. She had guessed, back when she'd first thought of capturing the Sky girl, that some of her people would come after her. She had wondered even if they might join with Lexa's forces, and she had only smirked at the thought. It was well known, the tension between the Sky People and her own, especially that between them and Lexa. She'd thought that if the two people did try to travel together, they would only slow each other down, perhaps even begin a new war between themselves, greatly diminishing each side so that when Nia rose up with her own people, wiping each out would take no more than a simple breath. That they continued to ride together, unhindered, was a problem. That there were that many Sky People with guns, was another issue entirely.
Yes, she'd managed to get a hold of some of the Mountain Men's weapons. Her army now held weapons that none of their people had ever used, and in this way she held the advantage over Lexa, as she knew she would. The Maunon had proven for dozens of years just how powerful their guns were, and then the Skaikru had proven it again after falling from the sky, so the fact that Nia's army now held them should have solidified her victory, but her people were not yet experts with the weapons. They'd been training with them for days, even weeks now, and if it were only Lexa's forces she went up against, she would not worry. The Skaikru with her, however, changed things, and the fact that it seemed they now followed Lexa changed things greatly. For the first time since she'd devised the plan of Clarke's capture, she began to feel an inkling of doubt in her gut, but she immediately extinguished it. She would still win this war, would still kill Lexa and take her title back, but in order to do so, she needed more information. She needed to know of each one of Lexa's weaknesses, needed to know how she would attack, what her strategy would be, who of Lexa's people had the most power and therefore would need to die first. She needed to know how to break Lexa's army and therefore Lexa herself, and in order to do that, she needed to finally break Clarke.
The Sky girl had lasted far longer than Nia had believed she would. She'd been truly surprised when she refused her offer, sure she'd seen a look of defeat in the girl's blue eyes, but then she'd refused, and strength had seemed to flood through the girl. Even then though, Nia had thought little of it. She'd believed that strength wouldn't last, had believed that the torture she put the girl through would break her, would have her telling her everything by the end of that first day. Clarke hadn't broken though, then or any of the other times Nia had walked into her prison, even managing to remain steady under the influence of the Jobi nuts, and the queen would be fascinated if she hadn't started to get a little annoyed. There were few who had ever been able to hold out this long against her, and even fewer that managed to hold her gaze as they did so. Most were cowering by now, spilling their guts, telling her anything she could ever possibly want to know and more, just so long as the pain stopped. Clarke, it seemed, was unlike any of them; instead of talking, her lips remained tightly shut, her eyes bright as she held Nia's gaze with her own.
The queen stared off in front of her, watching the family reunion taking place before her without really seeing any of it. Instead she pictured a blonde prisoner, cheeks wet as tears rolled down her face, and Nia felt her lips pull up into a small grin. Clarke had not broken yet, it was true, nor had she told her of any of Lexa's weaknesses while effected by the Jobi nuts, but she had told Nia of her own. As she cried out, the queen had watched, watched as the guilt from those she hadn't been able to save crippled her. She'd watched and she'd listened and she'd learned, and what she learned was that she had been going about this all wrong. If she wanted to break the Sky girl, it was not fear for her own life that would do it: it was fear for the lives of others. If she wanted Clarke to talk, it was not the blonde's life she needed to threaten.
Nia settled back against her thrown, her grin growing as she thought about how to finally break the Sky girl, and was only shaken from her thoughts when the door opened once again. For a moment she paid little attention to the warrior entering, but when he hesitated by the door, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides, her focus shifted to him. Eyes narrowing, she met his before he flinched and immediately looked away, and even from so far away she could practically see him shaking. He hesitated before taking a few, small steps forward, and she watched his every move.
"What is it?" she all but barked at him, knowing from the way he held himself whatever he had to say was not going to please her. Even knowing so, she wasn't prepared, and she felt her vision go white as he stammered, "Wanheda. She's, she's escaped."
"WHAT?" the queen screamed, jumping to her feet, eyes blaring as she stalked down her thrown and crossed the room in seconds flat. One hand lashed out, tightening around the neck of his coat, furiously pulling him closer to her, and she watched as all of the color drained from his face. "The, the guard on duty has, has been knocked out, possibly poisoned with something," he informed her quickly, his words all running together in his fear. "Someone noticed him on the ground, and when they looked in the prison, sh-she was gone."
"Find her!" Nia yelled before thrusting him away from her. She ran to the doors, yanking them open, and growled to every guard gathered outside her throne room, "Find her! I want every warrior out there, now! I want the Sky girl found, and whoever helped her escape! I want them back, and I want them back alive!" Each and every one of them scattered, all cowering beneath her glare, even Costia yanking Walsh out of the room, the girl almost as pale as the guard who'd delivered the news.
The moment she was alone, Nia spun around, her hand moving to the hilt of her knife as she stalked angrily back towards her throne. She paced back and forth in front of it for a moment, thoughts running madly through her mind, before she threw herself into the large chair. Without thinking about it, she quickly drew her knife, plunging its sharp tip into the arm of her chair while a frustrated scream tore from her throat, terrifying anyone outside the room that heard it. Those who did knew that something terrible was coming for the one who caused it, and each one of them hurried back home, praying that whoever it was wasn't someone they loved.
/
The wind whistled through the trees around them, whipping at the bare branches and tugging at their cloaks. Clarke felt a shiver run down her spine, but whether that was from the cold or from the anticipation coursing through her body, she couldn't tell. She and Nadia continued running, covering their tracks whenever they could, but focusing more on putting as much distance as they could between themselves and the village than on hiding their trail.
They did not have to go far for the blonde to realize the other girl had never been a hunter or a warrior: though she managed to remain quiet as they moved, she stepped on just as many branches as Clarke did, maybe even more, and it wasn't too long before she was breathing heavily, clearly not used to running so fast for so long. She didn't complain though, instead just pushing herself to lead the Sky girl through the woods, and it was clear that she knew her way around. Where Clarke thought she saw tightly packed trees, Nadia saw the small paths between them; when the blonde nearly ran directly into a hunting trap, the healer pulled her away just in time before the net could snap up around her. Nadia led and Clarke followed, both keeping their eyes open for any sign of the Commander's army and ears open for any indication they might be followed.
Clarke wanted to go faster, wanted to push them both harder, but didn't for multiple reasons. The first was that it was clear Nadia was already traveling as fast as she could, and considering she was the one who at least had an idea of where they were going, the blonde knew she couldn't just go on without her. The second was that in among the trees, the moonlight filtered in sporadically, lighting up one section of woods and then getting caught in clusters of branches and leaving another almost completely black. Already the blonde had nearly twisted her ankle twice, stepping poorly due to minimal lighting, and knew that their chances of injury only increased the faster they moved. Finally, she didn't because while Nadia's breathing made it obvious she was tired, Clarke's torso wailed at her, her many bruises protesting so much movement. Even without thinking about the bruises, her legs felt weak, tired and stiff after almost an entire week of barely being able to use them. She couldn't push her body any harder than Nadia pushed hers, and she knew they would just have to make do with the pace they had already.
The two run-aways continued throughout the night, putting an unknown distance between themselves and those they tried to escape. They barely stopped, barely allowed themselves even a moment of rest, instead just pushing themselves to go further, to run faster. They ran, praying that each desperate step would take them further from their enemies and closer to their allies, but as the light of the moon began to grow dim and the dark light of the dawn began to take its place, they heard shouts far behind them, and knew their chances were just about up. Still they ran, hoping to lose the faint noises, but rather than losing them, the shouts only seemed to get louder.
Knowing that no amount of running would save her, Clarke suddenly stopped, her eyes glancing widely around her, desperate for any idea that might help. Nadia skidded to a halt a few feet away, whirling back around when she realized the blonde was no longer following her.
"Clarke," she wheezed, her voice breaking as her chest heaved, panting now that she'd finally stopped. "We have to keep going!"
"It's no use," the blonde told her quickly, her own breathing coming in short, quick gasps. "They're right behind us. We're not both going to be able to get away." She felt her heart speed up even further, even as she turned to look at the younger girl. "Go," she insisted, nodding towards the trees in front of them. "Keep running, keep going until you find Lexa. Tell her about Nia, tell her about the guns and what's going to happen when she and her army make it to the village. Tell her you tried to help me escape, but I told you to keep going."
"No," Nadia argued, her head shaking furiously as she took a step back towards the blonde. "No, no, I can't. You are the one that must find the Commander. You must speak with her, not me. She will not listen to me."
"She will if you tell her I told her to," Clarke insisted, peering briefly over her shoulder when she heard another shout in the distance. Looking back at the healer who simply continued to shake her head, the blonde quickly walked over to her, her hands moving immediately to the other girl's shoulders. "Nadia, they want me," she said, her words racing out of her. "If they find just me, they're less likely to keep looking for you. As far as we know, they don't even know you're the one who helped me. If I stay back, that means you have a chance to find Lexa; if you stay back, there's a better chance they'll just kill you and keep looking for me. You go, and I can buy you and Lexa time. Nia's not going to kill me until she gets what she wants, and I'm not going to give that to her. Go, and the Commander's army can be ready for Nia's before Nia even knows they're nearby."
The healer opened her mouth as though to say something, but nothing came out. Sweat dripped down her forehead, and Clarke could feel her shaking beneath her hands. She gave the younger girl's shoulder a squeeze to try to reassure her, and then whispered, "Nodia, beja: gon."
Nadia's eyes widened, but then she finally nodded slowly. Her eyes flickered over Clarke's shoulder, worry obvious in them as they heard another shout from not as far away, before she turned that sharp gaze on the blonde. Her hands came up to wrap around the Sky girl's forearms, returning the same pressure. "You are strong, Clarke," she murmured, unblinking as she looked into blue eyes that held her gaze. "Yu ste Ubroukai." Each held on to the other for another moment, and then Clarke lightly shoved the other girl away, nodding towards the trees. Nadia licked her lips, her fear still clear in her expression, before she nodded one last time and then turned, running until she had disappeared from sight.
The moment she was gone, Clarke was looking back around her, desperate for something to do. She might be waiting to be captured again, but that didn't mean she needed to go easily. Her heart hammered against her ribs but she took deep, even breaths, trying to keep the fear from clouding her mind. Eyes scanning around her, she saw a thick stick on the ground not too far away, and hurried over to it, immediately lifting it up. When her captors found her they would take her back, she knew that, but not without any kind of fight. Quickly the branch warmed up in her hands and she swung it a few times, trying to loosen up her muscles in preparation. She shifted from foot to foot, nerves humming through her, just waiting for those shouts to get louder until any of her pursuers found her.
Waiting, she almost immediately found, was impossible to do with nothing to distract her from what was coming. She took a few steps, thinking she could put more distance between herself and those tracking her, but stopped when she realized she was moving in the same direction Nadia had disappeared in. She returned to shifting where she stood, her hands clenching instinctively, and then winced as pain shot through her fingertips. Looking down, she saw droplets of blood slowly gathering and falling away from the wounds that had once again re-opened, and felt her eyes widen as an idea suddenly sprang to mind. Quickly she looked up and let her gaze dart around her, until she found what she was looking for. Without hesitation, she ran over to the wide birch tree, dragging her fingers along its bark the moment she stood in front of it. She knew there was a better chance of Nadia finding Lexa than of Lexa finding this message, but even so she guided her fingertips along the bark, barely even flinching as the pressure against them caused sparks of pain to shoot along her nerve endings.
Her message was only half-written when she heard another shout, this one close enough that Clarke could actually make out what was being said. Her left hand clenching around the stick she still held, she stepped back, taking a final quick look at her work before turning around and hurrying away from it. It wasn't done, but she couldn't take the chance of being caught near it, and she knew Lexa would understand the message if she ever found it.
Hurriedly the blonde ran through the trees, both to get away from the tree and to try to put more distance between herself and whoever followed her. Fear prickled along the back of her neck, but she just kept going, kept trying to stay ahead of those behind her. She heard another shout, closer than she wanted to admit, and just a minute later heard the beating of hooves against the ground.
"Ai don hon em op!"
The voice crashed against her eardrums almost as loudly as the horse's hooves crashed against the ground, and Clarke could feel the warrior's eyes on her. She stopped and whirled around, finding him riding towards her, rope in one hand and a knife in the other. Her grip on her stick shifted, loosening slightly as she felt herself fall into the position Lexa had taught her months ago, waiting for just the right moment. The warrior rode closer, eyes darting to her stick and then back to her, almost as though it didn't matter. Her eyes narrowed and her grip tightened, her heart beating in time with his horse's steps. When he was only a few feet away, the warrior easily slid from his saddle, both hands moving to his rope.
"Let's go," he called to her, eyes hard, but she said nothing. Instead, the moment he took another step, she lashed out, her branch gliding through the air and striking his hand before he even realized she'd moved. He dropped the rope, letting out a low curse as his hand pulled back, shooting her a glare. Clarke fell back into position, waiting for his next move and her next opportunity.
"What are you doing?" they both heard, and the warrior looked over briefly to see two more Grounders ride towards them. One looked on with a scowl while the other nearly grinned, one eyebrow raised. "What, are you afraid of her stick?"
"She is fast," the one she'd just hit spat back, turning his glare on the one who'd just spoken. The other warrior's grin only grew before he too dropped from his saddle, strolling easily over to him.
"She is a Sky person," he said with a roll of his eyes, "Without a gun, she is as dangerous as a bird. Now let's go: the queen wants her back immediately."
His attention was too focused on his friend. Without warning, Clarke took a quick step forward, bringing the branch out in a wide arc as she would a sword, and smashed it against the warrior's back. The force made the man flinch, taking an involuntary step towards the other Grounder. The one she'd hit first raised his eyebrows, almost grinning himself as the other one shot a glare at the blonde.
"See?" he said, "I told you: she is fast."
"Shof op," the second Grounder growled, turning to face the Sky girl. His hand fell to his dagger, pulling it from his belt and he held it out in front of him, crouching as though getting ready to attack.
"The queen wants her alive," the third warrior called out, still watching everything from his horse. "She will be alive," was the reply he got, "She just might be bleeding more when we are done."
Without warning, he sprang forward, his knife darting out before him. Clarke had anticipated the movement though, and had her stick swinging in time to knock his knife away and side-step the attack. The second Grounder came at her immediately after, lower than the first had been, and Clarke shifted her grip on the stick, bringing its free end up to meet the man's chin. The blow was hard enough to wrench his head back, and when he looked back at Clarke she saw a trickle of blood running slowly from the corner of his mouth. She didn't get any longer to look at it though, because her first attacker had righted himself, his fist flying directly at her head. She dodged the blow, ducking in time to let the fist fly right by, and then drove her elbow into the softest part of his stomach.
For another minute or so, Clarke dodged and attacked, holding her own against the two warriors, but the moment the third slid from his horse and joined in, she knew she wouldn't last much longer. She managed to step away from a knife as it bit through the air at her, but couldn't then dodge the elbow directly in her path. It smashed into her head, opening up a cut along her eyebrow, and had to blink quickly to clear her vision. A fist made contact with her stomach, the blow something that might not have incapacitated her if not for her many other injuries there, but the pain made her double over. A hand grabbed at her stick, wrenching it from her hands, and then she felt a foot on her back, roughly pushing against her and making her fall to the ground. The next thing she knew her arms were pulled behind her back and a rope wrapped around her wrists, effectively pinning them in place.
Two hands grabbed the shoulders of her cloak, yanking her back up on her feet. She breathed heavily, but felt a sense of satisfaction when she realized at least the first two who had attacked her did too. The third stepped back, running his hands through his hair to clear the wisps that had gotten loose from his braids away from his face, and then nodded.
"Let's go," he simply said, nodding to the other two. "The longer we take to return her, the angrier the queen will be." Each of the other two Grounders nodded, the one who'd found her first pulling her with him towards his horse. Just as he was about to lift her up, they heard more hooves, and they all turned to see two more warriors moving towards them. Clarke looked too, and felt her heart sink when she saw them.
"Looks like we have found them both," one of the new Grounders said, his eyes falling on the blonde. "The queen will be happy."
Nadia sat in front of him, a trail of blood dripping from a long gash along her hairline. Even with so much distance between them, Clarke could read her barely contained fear in the tight press of her lips and wide set of her eyes. She met the blonde's look and shook her head, the motion so small it was barely noticeable, and the Sky girl felt her heart sink as her own fear rose up, filling her until there was no room for anything else. The warrior beside her lifted her up and then fell in the saddle behind her, and as he turned his horse back in the direction of the village, all Clarke could do was close her eyes. She had escaped, and she had failed.
As the warriors rode back towards Keerie with their two prisoners in tow, tiny drops of red dripped down a lone birch tree, the only true splash of color in a world comprised otherwise of shades. The droplets ran down, at some points blending together, but never enough to blur the letters that had been left behind. The letters, seven in total, laid out in two rows, one on top of the other; a simple message left behind for one of the only Grounders alive who knew how to read.
G U N S
K E E
I don't know if you guys know this already, but you are all seriously the best readers I could ever ask for! Really, the responses I got from the last chapter and my author's note were all amazing, and I can't even begin to describe how happy they all made me! I'm glad to know that there are so many people who love my story, and anxiously wait every week for the next chapter. You're the best, and I love you all! Hope that this chapter was worth the wait, and I'll see you again in one week! :)
Trigedasleng Translations:
"Nodia, beja: gon." - "Nadia, please: go."
"Yu ste Ubroukai." - "You are Unbroken."
"Ai don hon em op!" - "I found her!"