Chapter 27: "What Is War Without Sacrifice?"
Clarke sits quietly, her spine straight and a fire burning in her eyes.
"They bombed us." She seethes, her words dark and vengeful. She unconsciously clenches her fist, leaving crescent shape cuts on her palm.
"They did." Lexa nods, while her words do not show her anger the icy look on her face does.
"And what are we going to do about that?" The brunette questions, turning her head so her eyes can bore into Clarke's.
"We're going to burn them back." She purrs, her lips pulling into a cold smirk.
Lexa matches her smirk before standing and sitting upon her wooden throne.
'Why did I Have to be dramatic and get this throne. Wood isn't as comfortable as you'd think.' She thinks (read whines) absently.
"I believe it's time we speak about our alliance."
The fuming blonde snaps her eyes up from where they were glaring into the floor, "I believe we shall."
Lexa nods, forcing her wrath behind in penetrable walls, well unless you're a certain blonde. Head over heart after all.
"What could our people offer each other?" She questions, seeing no point to ask the useless question like why do you want an alliance or why should she accept. They're at war, logistics can wait until after they win.
Clarke, taking cue from Heda and locking her emotions up, responses with a firm nod.
"We have knowledge about technology that may have been lost throughout the years, certain parts of our medicine is more advanced than yours, and we can with the right parts provide long distance communication." Her voice is firm, no hint of hesitation heard.
Lexa nods, "In return my people could teach yours how to survive on the ground, we can provide supplies and food in return for you ways of communication and our healers can teach yours."
"The only problem I feel we need to discuss at the moment is will your people, including those within the mountain, listen to you?"
Clarke pursues her lips in slight disgust, 'those people aren't mine.' Her mind snarls to her but with practiced ease she ignores it.
'Ignoring Death was more useful than I thought.' She muses.
'Hey!'
"While I cannot guarantee their cooperation I can promise to do my hardest to keep them inline. Any punishment can and will, should you wish, be discussed with you. I will not let them continue the entitled behavior they possess."
"I believe I can work with that." Lexa informs her while standing up. Stretching her hand out Clarke moves closer to complete what Raven has begun calling 'the grounder handshake'.
"To alliances." They mutter together.
"From this day forward it shall be known that Wanheda no longer stands alone."
Abby sits quietly, her eyes darting between Marcus and Bellamy. A frown taking over her stern and wrinkled features as her mind races.
"I believe them."
"Yes!" Bellamy cheers quietly.
"Sinclair!" Abby scolds, " We don't even have proof and you are just going to believe them?!"
The normally happy man looks at the older blonde with a disappointed look.
".. Look at them Abby, really look. There's no way they're lying." He whispers with a shake of his head.
As the familiar calculating look every born griffin showcases at least once in their life appears in Abby's stormy eyes, he turns his head back to the two men in front of them and leans in.
"There's a girl'" he starts to whisper, "who's been starting to get vocal with her dislike of these people. She has access to radios i'll talk with and get one maybe with a little work I'll get into contact with Raven like you said."
Marcus nods, though Bellamy takes on a suspicious look.
"What's her name, and why do you think she's even gonna help? I've been here for a day at most and no one seems to care about how they treat the grounders."
"They don't know." Sinclair stresses, they don't know what the higher ups have been doing. "
"Her name is Maya, she helps around in medical and every now and then I overheared her muttering about some honestly fucked up things she's seen down."
"Mayas a smart girl, it didn't take her long to realize those horrible burns she's been seeing that magically heal aren't exactly normal."
"If you knew something fishy was going on why didn't you say anything?" Marcus questions with a suspicious look of his own.
Sinclair looks to the ground with a guilty look, a tired sigh escaping his lips.
"I didn't want it to be true, so i ignored it. I know i shouldn't have but i…" he trail's off, regretful tears gathering in his dark eyes.
Abby sighs, reminding them that she's still there, "What matters is that you're telling us now, we can discuss your need to stay silent once we get the hell out of here."
"You're gonna help?!" Bellamy exclaims shocked, he knows how stubborn her daughter is he thought she'd need more convincing.
"Marcus has been telling me since the beginning that something wasn't right, with most of the facts laid out it's not hard to put things together."
Suddenly standing she turns to Sinclair " Talk to this girl, get her to help us. We'll meet back here tomorrow, same time. "
And with a just as abrupt turn, she leaves effectively ending the conversation.
"Well, you heard the woman." Marcus stands, hands clapping the two young men before leaving himself.
Bellamy and Sinclair glance at each other, a promise forming in their eyes as they set off with troubled minds.
The two leaders lay spread out across Lexa's over the top bed. The thick but somehow not overheating furs are draped over the leather covered legs in a half hearted attempt to battle the increasing coldness that has begun settling in as the moon draws higher. Winter is approaching faster than anyone wished it would, like always.
"What do you think will happen?" The blonde asks, her voice so very young. People, herself included, tend to forget that despite her powerful title she's still an inexperienced child forced into a role that might be too big for her head.
Lexa takes a moment to adjust herself closer, trying to provide even the smallest amount of comfort to the sky-eyed girl who unknowingly got her to let down her walls, ".. We'll lose at first. They have more guns, more shields, bombs, acid fog… but we'll win at the end. What is war without sacrifice?"
"An idiotic idea of hope." Clarke mutters with a hint of bitterness.
"Nothing you could ever believe in would be idiotic Clarke." Lexa's quick to correct.
"We'll lose so many people…" Clarke mourns, ignoring lexas words.
".. but we'll save so many more."
"I won't leave you Clarke, no deal or bullet would make me stray." The brunette promises quietly, watching as the other girl's eyes flutter close the day finally catching up with her.
Their hands find each other under layers of furs and tension. They remain intertwined even as the sun begins to rise.