The tribes are ninety-six percent their own problems

For the dessert, thankfully, Jake did use his utensils, grabbing a spoon and scooping out clumps of the mousse made for him. He said, smirking at Callie, "Don't be fooled, Callie. I know you are trying to bide your time."

He watched as Callie stared at the old man, Diyoza.

It was only Jake's words that made Callie snap out of her horror.

She looked at Jake and Jake smirked at Callie. "Sorry, Callie," he said, "We know that you are going to try to bide your time to get Clarke and Wells away from us. And don't worry. We won't hurt you. We'll let you play your game. But we'll just keep you under surveillance."

Callie shivered and looked at the scarred up face of this "Charmaine Diyoza's" father.

The scarred face began moving as the priest started speaking, "My daughter shall be ruler. She desires your daughter as her wife, and we intend for that to happen."

Callie shook her head, horror over these people forcing Clarke to marry someone tearing through her.

"But this 'Charmaine' never even met Clarke," Callie said, "I mean, Clarke never said anything about any of you. I know she would have told me."

"Yes, she would have," The scarred Diyoza said, chuckling, "We didn't meet Clarke in the other time. But when we learned of the events that were happening in the Americas, about the Mountain Men being wiped out by Clarke, who the tribes called, 'Wanheda,' and about the Ark people killing three hundred Trikru in their sleep, we realized that something important was coming. And when we sensed that Clarke was being brought back, after she was killed in the first place, we brought Jake back to be one of our new leaders. With myself and Jake as the current leaders, it is only natural that when Charmaine takes control, she shall marry Clarke."

Callie turned to stare at Jake.

"You're alright with this?" She asked in disbelief.

Jake stuck the spoon in his mouth and ate some of the mousse, mumbling, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"To force Clarke to marry someone?" Callie said, "A complete stranger, at that-?"

Jake nodded as he put the spoon back into the cup of mousse. "You're upset. I understand," he began, "But Callie, think about this. The tribes in the Americas have many different religions, but outside of the Luwoda; the Shallow Valley people, none of them have actual magic. These people get their magic from an actual god. It would be foolish not to ally with the strongest players on the field."

Callie scoffed, "So, this is fear talking?"

"Not fear," Jake said, "Pragmatism. The tribes? They aren't doing anything. They just keep things the way they always are. I mean, it's almost like they're the Ark people, just dressed differently and with different languages. If the situation needed it, they would not be up to the challenge of changing, to adapt. The people that are willing to do the deeds needed quickly, are these people. And if they wipe out the tribes? Is that really so bad? We just have to look out for ourselves. After all," Jake shrugged, "Didn't the people of the tribes abandon our people at Mount Weather?"

Jake continued at Callie's troubled silence, "The Commander and her people made an agreement with my daughter and the rest of the Ark people. And when it suited them, they turned their back on Clarke and left our people to die and have their bone marrow harvested by the Mountain Men. And afterwards, after Clarke had to wipe out the Mountain Men, the Commander acted like Clarke owed her, by trying to get Clarke to bow to her, when Clarke was the one that wiped out the Mountain Men."

Callie stared at Jake, seeing the hate in Jake's eyes.

Jake said, "These are people you want to protect?"

Callie swallowed, "There are children in all of those tribes. To kill the entirety of all the tribes, would be wiping out all those children."

Jake nodded, again, totally unfazed by this statement. "Yes," he agreed, "Tell me, when you destroyed Mount Weather and killed everyone inside, how did you rationalize it being okay, when you knew that there were many children in that mountain?"

Callie stiffened, trying to fight tears, thinking about what the last moments of the children in Mount Weather must have been like before she had killed them all.

Jake stared at Callie with meaning. "Well?" He asked.

Callie swallowed again. "I rationalized," Callie said weakly, "That even if I found a way of wiping out only all of the adults in the mountain, their children surely, would try to take revenge on us. And we couldn't risk that."

"Precisely," Jake said, nodding, "I used to be horrified at the thought of different communities, that were at war, wiping out the children in one village or another, according to history. Because why blame the child for what the parents did? But now? Now, I realize that it wasn't about 'blame.' It was about being pragmatic. It was simply survival. Killing the children, so that they could never grow up and take revenge upon those that murdered their parents."

Callie tried to ignore the bile in her throat. She had never imagined hearing Jake talk like this.

So, then, perhaps it shouldn't have been a surprise to her, when her bitter words came out as she glared at Jake, "Well, after you were executed, Clarke never tried to kill Thelonius Jaha or Markus Kane, in the other timeline, to give you justice."

Jake smirked, appearing not in any way upset by this. He nodded. "Yes," he said, "I know that too. And I'm proud of Clarke. For trying to look past her anger, so that her people could survive. But her problem is that like you, she thought it was all about 'blame' and about anger. When in reality? She should have killed all three Thelonius Jaha, Markus Kane and Abby, not because she would be honoring me, but because it would have been for the best to kill the three of them. It would have gotten rid of threats. Why else did you kill Thelonius and Markus?"

Callie tried not to grunt in frustration. She hated how Jake's words actually seemed to make sense.

"And Wells?" She asked, "Should Clarke have killed him for being Thelonius's son?"

Jake chuckled, "There are exceptions to every rule. Wells was never on Thelonius's side. He was always only on Clarke's side. Children betray their parents all the time and join their parents' enemies. And Wells is on Clarke's side, so, he is on my side."

Callie wanted to argue, wanted to say that Wells would never side with Jake while he was like this.

She, however, felt her heart fall, as she thought about Clarke.

Wells might not willingly side with this version of Jake, but Clarke?

Clarke who now was so broken, so enraged, so scarred emotionally, so, so resentful and hardened?

Callie just didn't know.

And if Wells was still immensely loyal to Clarke? Then he might just listen to this version of Jake, if Clarke was willing to side with Jake.

Jake, seeing Callie's disturbance, grinned and started eating more of the mousse.

Callie snapped, staring at the scarred face of Diyoza, "Why is Clarke being brought back such an issue? Did you do that?"

"No, we didn't," Diyoza said, "We didn't bring Clarke back. Clarke was brought back by another god. Because the god that brought her back, knew of what we were going to do, so they brought Clarke back, in hopes that Clarke would stop us."

Jake said, smirking, "That's why they brought me back. In hopes of gaining Clarke's favor. They bring her daddy back? She might just join us. And Clarke being brought back by the god that brought her back? That's why Charmaine wants Clarke. Because she believes Clarke is chosen in some way. And I suppose, she is."

Callie shivered. A god brought Clarke back after she'd been killed in the first timeline?

"What god brought Clarke back?" Callie asked, unable to help but ask that question.

The scarred face answered, chuckled, "I don't know. Does it matter? Clarke's been brought back, but she won't do what she was brought back for. We will bring her to our side, she will marry Charmaine and claim this world. And that will be that."

"Callie," Jake said softly, causing Callie to look at him, "Clarke and Wells need you. They need you. Don't do something stupid that leads to you getting killed and leaving them in this world without you."

Callie stared at Jake, trying not to shiver.

Jake just threatened her. Subtly. But he had.

Jake sighed and added, "Besides, it might interest you to know that you are not the only person vying to be Clarke's mother. Sekena, that Trikru woman that killed Abby? She wants to be Clarke's mother. She killed Abby, in order to gain Clarke's affections. And then there's 'Demon.' A gargoyle. Ancient. Who has magic. She…..imprinted on Clarke. Clarke more or less is the daughter that she wants. So, if you want Clarke and Wells, you will have some competition. At least with Clarke. And if you die? Well…it will make Sekena and Demona's job of getting to Clarke, much, much easier."

Callie stared at Jake. She had to obey. She had to, for now. If she didn't, she might just killed and Jake would let it happen.

And Clarke and Wells both could be manipulated by Jake, who was manipulative and misanthropic, not to mention by a bunch of complete strangers who didn't know Clarke and Wells like Callie did.

She would have to obey Jake and the cult. For now.

Jake nodded to Callie, seeming to read Callie's mind. "Yes, it would be good if you kept your head down. For now."

At the rundown hotel, where Clarke and the others had set up camp, Monroe, to be safe, had suggested that they take the sheets and blankets off of the beds and cots and place their own blankets from Niylah's place over the mattresses.

They placed the blankets over the mattresses and cuddled under a few others, Niylah lying down on the extra bed that was pulled out of the couch, Monroe and Clarke were lying down under the blankets of the main bed, Monroe was spooning Clarke protectively and Clarke nuzzled against Monroe's chest, closing her eyes, calmed by Monroe's love for her, even if she didn't understand it.

She had gotten a bit excited before when Monroe had made that proposition. She still was rather excited.

She shifted on the bed every few seconds, trying to ignore the heat that went to between her legs and Monroe's words.

Monroe, who of course, was awake, said, whispering in Clarke's ear, making the older girl shiver, "Having trouble falling asleep, sweetie?"

"How could you tell?" Clarke asked dryly.

"Gee, I don't know," Monroe chuckled, "Maybe the moving around for the past several minutes." After a few seconds, she added, "Excited?"

Clarke stiffened, feeling heat touch her face. She said, "Yeah….just a bit."

"Was it what I said before?" Monroe asked, and even if it was dark, with Monroe at her back, Clarke could sense the braided girl smiling.

"Yeah," Clarke said hesitantly, "It was."

"Okay," Monroe said, "Well, I started getting you excited, so, why don't I finish it?"

Clarke's eyes grew large. Wait, was Monroe saying what she thought the braided girl was saying?

Monroe added, "Do you want to?"

"I….," Clarke mumbled, startled by how at a loss for words she tended to be with Monroe, "Here? Now? Niylah's still awake, I think."

"I am," Niylah all but purred from across the room, "And please, don't hold back on my account."

Clarke almost facepalmed. Right, she shouldn't have even been close to being surprised. Niylah might not be willing to touch her, because of her age, but apparently, she was more than willing to watch whatever Monroe was going to do to Clarke.

"What do you think, Clarke?" Monroe asked, in what Clarke was positive, was a seductive tone, before the braided girl kissed Clarke's ear.

Clarke swallowed. She knew that none of the others were that close to this room. They most likely wouldn't hear. And if they heard? They sure as hell wouldn't come near the room where Clarke was. Not unless they wanted to be threatened or worse.

So, Clarke couldn't help herself. She said the needed words.

She said, "Yes. Yes, I want to."

She felt Monroe smile against her, and felt Monroe's hands begin to travel up to Clarke's breasts, hands gently cupping them, causing Clarke to gasp. Monroe leaned her head down and kissed Clarke's neck, biting it softly a second later, a small yelp leaving Clarke.

To Clarke's further surprise, she felt a leg push between her legs from behind.

Now, they'd decided they'd need some new clothes. They had extra clothes with them, thanks to the ones given to them by the Luwoda, before they left on the ships.

So, new clothes for tomorrow were set out on the counters of each room where each group was staying.

And they had nightclothes, as well. Clarke had a set of thin pants on, so, Monroe sticking her leg between Clarke's legs, and raising her leg up, so that her thigh was rubbing against Clarke's cunt.

This startled Clarke enough, that her legs spread wider.

Monroe squeezed and stroked and massaged Clarke's breasts through the thin material of Clarke's nightshirt, her thigh still working against Clarke's cunt, her mouth still sucking and gently biting at Clarke's neck.

Clarke made weak whining sounds as she grinded herself against Monroe's thigh, not lasting long.

It had been a while, so, no, it didn't take long for Clarke to grind herself against Monroe's thigh.

Clarke's eyes closed, and she felt heat begin to coil up, and get ready to hit her at full capacity.

Unable to control herself any longer, Clarke all but slammed her hips down on Monroe's thigh, feeling what was inside her snapping forward.

She cried out, breath choking as she felt herself cum against Monroe's thigh, feeling liquid run down her inner thighs.

She gasped as she came down from her orgasm, sagging against Monroe and the mattress, feeling Monroe kissing her neck as she did, Monroe's hands still massaging Clarke's breasts.

Clarke let out small moans as Monroe continued to massage her breasts.

Monroe watched Clarke's outline in the dark, watching Clarke collapse against the bed and smirked.

She wasn't finished yet.

She took her left hand off of Clarke's left breast and trailed it down along Clarke's body, to the older girl's shorts, fingers, pressing close to Clarke's left inner thigh.

She took her mouth off of Clarke's neck and whispered to Clarke, "Do you want to stop?"

Clarke shivered at Monroe's question. Unless she said something, Monroe was going to continue.

"I don't want to stop," Clarke confessed.

She felt Monroe's smirk, then gasped, back arching when she felt Monroe's fingers suddenly grip her between her legs, Monroe's thumb pressing against Clarke's clothed clit.

"Ah-ah," Clarke moaned as Monroe continued to rub Clarke's clit.

She was unable to help herself, bucking her hips into Monroe, whimpering.

Monroe lifted her head as she groped Clarke between her legs and looked right at where Niylah was.

The lights in the room weren't on, and Niylah was silent, but Monroe could almost hear what it was Niylah wanted her to do to Clarke.

Monroe could practically feel Niylah's demanding gaze in the dark. Monroe could feel the words, even without Niylah saying a word.

(Fuck her harder. Make her scream); Monroe could practically hear it, without Niylah saying a single word.

And well, Niylah didn't need to tell her twice.

Monroe kept thumbing Clarke's clit, her right arm around Clarke's middle, steadying the older girl, as Clarke bucked her hips, eyes squeezed shut.

Monroe ground herself against Clarke's ass, her orgasm starting to make her grind hard against her lover.

Both girls were coming again seconds later, Clarke rocking her hips madly against Monroe's hand and Monroe bucking against Clarke's ass, grunting as she came.

Clarke gasped, eyes shut tight, as she felt her vaginal walls clench a second time.

Clarke panted as she and Monroe laid together, holding each other.

But Monroe could-she could feel it, all her passion that she had held back with Clarke, her desire for the other blonde, it was overwhelming.

Which was what motivated Monroe to grip Clarke by the hips, move out from behind Clarke, flipped Clarke onto her back, grabbed Clarke's pants by the waist with her left hand, yanked Clarke's pants right down and began sliding down along Clarke's body, grabbing Clarke by the older blonde's hips again, her mouth inches from Clarke's cunt.

She heard Clarke gasp and felt Clarke grab her face between her hands, trying to push Monroe's head away.

Monroe frowned, disappointed. Clarke didn't want Monroe to put her mouth on the other girl?

"You don't wanna?" Monroe asked, not able to help the disappointment in her voice as she asked the question.

She heard Clarke sigh, and felt the covers being pushed back, allowing Clarke and Monroe to see each other's outlines in the dark. Clarke said, "It's not that. I do. But it's just really intense. Just as Niylah."

Monroe glanced at where Niylah was, startled. Niylah had gone down on Clarke? Lucky bitch.

"I don't recall you complaining, my love," Niylah said and Monroe and Clarke both almost could picture the Grounder woman's smirk.

"I wasn't," Clarke confessed, "It doesn't change that it was intense."

"If you don't want me to," Monroe said, about to move away, "We can stop, or do it another way."

"No, I'm fine, really," Clarke said hesitantly, "Just give me a few seconds." She took a breath and spread her legs some more, pushing her arms against the mattress, bracing herself somewhat. "Alright, now."

"You're sure?" Monroe asked.

She was startled when she heard Clarke snort, "Monroe, if you don't put your mouth on my cunt, I'll get up and go see if Finn wants to eat me out."

Monroe felt herself growling. Actually growling.

It wasn't like her incentive was the thought of someone else touching Clarke in that way. It wasn't.

She was willing to share Clarke with Niylah, when it came time and all three of them consented to it.

And it probably was dumb, but Finn, for Monroe, was part of Clarke's old life. Not her new one.

So, Monroe growled and leaned down, getting between Clarke's legs, and putting her mouth on Clarke's clit, licking her tongue all along it.

Clarke arched against the bed and screamed.

Monroe listened to that sound, a sound she could listen to for hours.

She sucked on Clarke's clit, licked it, circled Clarke's clit with her tongue, each lashing from her tongue, was met with a helpless buck from Clarke's hips.

Clarke's hands had gone to Monroe's head, but they were only trying to push Monroe away for a second, before, pushing Monroe's head closer.

Monroe sucked and licked at Clarke's clit, making Clarke thrust her hips up against her lover and cum for a third time. Monroe made her come a fourth time after that. Then several more times.

By that point, Clarke was shaking and sweaty on the bed, barely conscious.

Monroe had straddled Clarke's right thigh and humped it, getting off that way several times.

Clarke gasped as she panted, "Well, fuck."

Monroe snorted, laying her head against Clarke's lap, "You could say that."

Clarke panted, "Monroe, don't you want to-?"

Monroe snickered as she said, "No worries, sweetie. I sort of…..humped your leg the whole time."

Clarke snorted. She had felt that, but hadn't been sure. "Classy," she said, sarcastic and Monroe chuckled, amused.

"So," Clarke chuckled, glancing at where Niylah was, "Looking, but no touching, huh?"

"Well," Niylah said, "Looking and listening have their own pleasures, don't they?"

Clarke giggled weakly as Monroe crawled back up to her, the Monroe's lips meeting Clarke's in a hot and passionate kiss.

Well, sure, she understood that.

For Clarke, this was an intoxicating feeling, to let someone else take control of things? It just felt reassuring. It made her feel safe.

It felt like she didn't have to be in control all the time, which always was exhausting.

But everyone expected her to be.

Clarke gripped onto Monroe more tightly as they kissed, moaning into her lover's mouth.

Downstairs, in the broken down lobby, Anya and Pascal, guarded the downstairs area.

Onya watched through the ruined glass panels that were the glass windows for the lobby.

She felt Pascal's eyes on her. She said nothing to him.

Then Pascal finally spoke.

He said, "Clarke told me what your relationship was with the current commander. That you more or less raised her. Isn't it difficult to be here, when the commander is essentially your child?"

Onya considered not responding for several minutes. However, she still felt herself answering.

"It's extremely hard," Onya confessed, "I raised Leksa, as my seken for years. I trained her, I took care of her. And I loved her as my daughter. And then she did the worst thing she could do. She gave the Mountain Men a means in which they could go above ground and wipe out the different tribes. She gave the Mountain Men you Sky People, so as to give them bone marrow. And committed the ultimate betrayal, not just to Klark and her people. But the commander betrayed her own people, by giving the Mountain Men bone marrow. Giving the Mountain Men a way of being above ground."

Pascal nodded, feeling somewhat relieved. Great. It looked like unlike the commander? Anya had honor. And had a brain.

That was good to know.

"And if the commander figures out where we are and comes after us?" He asked.

Onya stiffened. She didn't like thinking about that. If Leksa found out where they were, and came after them with the force of her armies, Onya would have to protect Klark and the others. Even if it hurt her to go against Leksa.

She said nothing to Paskal, but she suspected that Paskal heard what she was thinking, anyway.

"I'm sorry," Paskal said, "I'm sorry you're in this position. I wish you weren't in this position."

Onya nodded. "I made my choice, Paskal," she said, "I wouldn't choose differently, if we were brought back in time again. Leksa has become foolish. Dangerously foolish. To give the Mountain Men a way of being able to go into the air without their suits, and so, make it possible for them to attack the tribes? Beyond idiotic. I don't believe I'll ever be able to raise a hand to her. But I don't think I can ever follow her again."

Pascal nodded. He was somewhat glad to hear that.

Still, it made him wonder, when the chips fell? And if the commander ever found them? Would Anya be able to defend them from the commander?

It was a somewhat sad thing to wonder and he realized he had no place to be wondering that, considering Anya was here with them now, so, she was doing what she could for them.

And Pascal knew he and the others didn't have the right to ask her for any more.

So, Pascal changed the subject. He said, glancing at the Trikru woman, "Did you ever imagine that we'd be in this situation? That we'd find out that time travel and magic are real and that a cult worshipping a child sacrificing god would be after us?"

Anya chuckled, "We always had an inkling that magic was real. We heard rumors about what magic was used in the Luwoda tribe. And many of us had witnessed the gargoyles that lived in that tribe. And we had heard rumors of the people who lived here and who worshipped the child sacrificing god. 'Molok.' But many of us didn't believe the rumors. I suppose it's simply proof that those of us who disbelieved the rumors the most, the Trikru, don't know as much as we try to tell ourselves. So, no, I didn't imagine ourselves in this situation."

Pascal nodded.

A few hours away, on the small waves of the North Atlantic Ocean, the queens Demona and Elisa, and their ships, were getting closer to the Mediterranean Sea, they would just need to cross between Spain and Morocco.

On a map, the space between Spain and Morocco looked almost nonexistent, however, if a person could see something on a map? Then that just meant that it was visible to the person on a micro level, but in reality, it was massive. The space between Spain and Morocco, while appearing almost nonexistent on a map, was actually quite wide and large.

The ships would pass through easily.

On their way to northern Italy.

Night had fallen and the gargoyles had woken up, their stone flesh cracking as the winged warriors emerged from their stone sleep, and shedding their stone skin all over the deck, making several human warriors get out of the way.

It was best to give waking gargoyles some room.

The stone flesh was swept up and would be thrown into the ocean.

Demona had transformed into her gargoyle form, her wings spreading over her as her growled, eyes glowing red.

Elisa watched at a distance, knowing that it was better to give her space. She'd first seen Demona transform from her human form into her gargoyle form, a long, long time ago. When they had still been enemies. At the time, Demona had taken the other gargoyles, Goliath and his clan captive, and had thrown a challenge at Elisa, telling her to arrive at the location where she'd held the gargoyles captive, or Goliath would know that human loyalty was worth noting.

That was several literal lifetimes ago.

Funny how things had changed so drastically.

When Demona was fully in her gargoyle form, she breathed out evenly and stood up to her feet, turning to Elisa.

She said, folding her wings around herself, "We'll be at Italy soon, I need to gather what ingredients I have, should we need spells to fight the cult there."

Elisa nodded.

What wasn't exactly stated, but they both knew anyway, was that it wasn't whether or not they might need the spells.

They would.

So, the accurate words weren't, "should we need," it was more like automatically, that they would need the spells, inevitably.

That spell book, which had been vital before, the Grimorum Arcanorum, was no longer an option. It had been destroyed when the Archmagus, an enemy, had literally consumed it, during his attack on Avalon, making the book a part of him.

When he had been destroyed, so had the book.

But there were other powerful items that Demona had access to. And so many other spells, as well.

Demona wouldn't have survived to the age that she had, when she made the deal with the three Weird Sisters, Phoebe, Luna and Selene, to become physically young and strong again, and thereby becoming immortal with Macbeth, if she hadn't learned to be resourceful. And she had learned how to be resourceful with magic, as well.

"I'll help get what you need," Elisa reassured her wife.

Because of Demona's affinity for magic, and because Fox was Titania's daughter? Elisa had a great deal of experience with magic. She'd decided that she needed to. In order to help protect her wives and her tribe.

She'd use magic now, if need be. Which they most likely would.

After all, they were about to face off with one of the most dangerous groups in the world.

Almost on the other side of the world, in what used to be called the United States, the current commander, Leksa, and her warriors, had learned something troubling. Klark and her group had gone to the Luwoda's territory. More than that, they had taken ships and had gone from the Luwoda's land, to Iryland.

Disturbed, Leksa knew ultimately, what it would mean. The moment Klark and her group reached Iryland, they would be near the portal that would lead away from Iryland and into Ytaaliy.

Which meant by now? There was a strong possibility that Klark and her people were currently in Ytaaliy.

Leksa orderd her people away from the entrance to the Luwoda's kingdom.

Leksa stared condemingly at Kwin Foks of the Luwoda.

The kwin in question, Foks, just smirked at Leksa, her blue eyes flashing with amusement, and Foks watched as Leksa and her warriors moved away. Leksa spat, "We'll go to the Floukru to get the ships. The Floukru's ships are more reliable, after all."

Foks kept smirking. When Leksa had arrived, and realized that Klark had gone off with the Luwoda's ships, she had demanded that the Luwoda give her and her warriors ships to go after Klark and the others.

But Foks, she had smirked and had told Leksa exactly this, "If you want to take the ships by force, go ahead. But you know that we Luwoda, are the strongest tribe in the lands. And you will not succeed. And go ahead and try to make us Luwoda as much of pariahs, as you've made the Azgeda. You know it won't work. It will simply prove to the tribes that the moment you don't get your way, you'll make anyone into the enemy. And let's be honest, there are doubts about your leadership, amongst the tribes, already."

The commander had seethed against Foks, but she knew that what Foks had said was true.

She knew that there were doubts about how good a commander she was, amongst the tribes, already.

No, the debacle with the Mountain Men hadn't happened, but Leksa knew that while a good many of the tribes believed that Leksa had done the right thing, by welcoming the Azgeda into the coalition after Kostia's murder, rather than seeking revenge, she knew that many of them, however, also believed her to be foolish for doing so.

Because what person in their right mind, would allow the tribe responsible for that person's lover to be tortured and beheaded, to go unpunished? Even if Leksa believed and was certain that she had done the right thing, she knew many people thought she was weak for having welcomed kwin Nia into the fold.

And Leksa knew she had to be careful now, since there were so many whispers behind her back about that decision.

She knew also that there were many who had doubted her leadership, ever since she had made a treaty with the Mountain Men. Many believed that she should have stormed the mountain and killed all the Mountain Men. Instead, she had arranged a coalition that made them live with their oppressors.

Leksa still believed that that had been the right choice.

But she knew so many others had doubts.

The commander knew that she couldn't make others have more doubts. So, attacking a tribe within the coalition? Not a good idea.

So, it was off to go to the Floukru and get the ships from Luna.

With a glare at kwin Foks, Leksa turned her horse and she and her warriors rode away from the Luwoda, going in the direction of the Floukru's land.

It would take several hours for them to reach Luna's tribe.

When Leksa and her warriors reached the Floukru, they confronted Luna, demanding ships.

Luna looked at Leksa and Leksa could see the questions in her fellow Nightblood's eyes, but Luna just nodded to her and ordered her warriors to get the ships ready for travel.

Leksa got onboard with the rest of her warriors and before the ship she was on began to move away from the Floukru's shore, Leksa looked over the port bow, and she looked over at where Luna stood.

Luna nodded to Leksa, but even from the distance they were at, and as the ship began to move back, Leksa could see the doubt that Luna had for Leksa, all over Luna's face.

The ships began to sail off into the distance, and in a few hours, the sun would be going down. But for now, they had plenty of sunlight and could sail steadily.

All the way in Italy, Milan, the priest of Moloch, who had brought Jake Griffin back from the dead, regarded Callie, as the servants cleared up the dishes of everything that had been eaten, smiled with his brutally sliced lips and continued speaking. He said, "I see that our plans for Clarke, disturbs you, Callie. I'm sorry for that. However, things must be done for the sake of all of us in this region. You seem to believe that we are evil for our decisions. But the tribes? Do you know what they are capable of? I'm sure that Clarke has already told you a great deal about them."

At Callie's fearful silence, the priest continued, "They attacked the 100, unprovoked. And when there finally was a reason for them to attack the 100, they had already caused enough harm to the 100, without the 100 doing anything, whatsoever. When the 100 and a group of the Trikru were at war with each other? They tried to take Clarke prisoner and force her to join them. Clarke escaped, and after Clarke wiped out three hundred of them in battle, she was considered a monster by the Trikru, even though, what Clarke did, was just out of self-defense. Self-righteous weaklings. Clarke's at one time boyfriend, Finn Collins, searched for Clarke, was willing to kill to get her back, and as a result? He ended up becoming wanted for execution by the Trikru.

"Then when Clarke realized that the only way to stop the Mountain Men, was to have the 100 and the rest of the Sky People, ally with the tribes, the price for that, was to hand over Clarke's boyfriend, Finn. And Clarke willingly did it, to save her people. But she killed him quickly, to spare him a torturous death. But do you know what would have happened had Clarke not handed Finn over? The Trikru would have wiped out the entirety of the Sky People, all to kill just one person."

Callie's jaw tightened. Yes, that she had heard more or less before.

Still, it was a disturbing thing to think about. To threaten to wipe out the entirety of a people, even an enemy people, just to kill one murderer?

Just how savage were the tribes?

Especially the Trikru?

Seeing Callie's repulsion at the story, the priest smiled wider and went on, "One of the Trikru, named Gustus, poisoned the cup that was meant for the commander during the alliance between the tribes and the Sky People. And Gustus made it look like it was the fault of one of the Sky People. I believe you know her, Raven Reyes."

Callie swallowed. She knew this story already. Clarke had told her it. But now, Callie was hearing the version that didn't incriminate Raven, but the entirety of the tribes.

The priest went on, "They tried to torture Raven to death, believing that anything excused torture. Clarke discovered that Gustus didn't poison the drink but the cup and it was revealed that it wasn't Raven who had poisoned the cup, but Gustus. Gustus was killed and the alliance presumed. And of course, the commander offered nothing as compensation for almost torturing Raven, and likely terrorizing her for life. Then when it came time to fight the Mountain Men, what did the commander do?"

Callie sighed, nodding. "She abandoned Clarke and the rest of us at the mountain."

"Correct," the priest said, "She gave the Mountain Men bone marrow, which would allow the Mountain Men to go above ground and potentially attack the rest of the tribes. And she showed to Clarke that she had no honor and was willing to leave the Sky People to die. We are not harming people who don't already bring harm upon themselves. If anyone deserves to be wiped out on the ground, Callie? It's the commander and her twelve tribes. After all, do you know what things were like before the coalition? The tribes were attacking each other left and right. Unleashing wars on each other. They already are the biggest threat to each other. They don't need our help or the Sky Peoples' help to cause pain and misery amongst themselves."

The priest nodded to Callie, "The tribes? Any pain and death and misery they experience? I promise you, they bring it on themselves. All the time."

Callie tried not to feel sick as she felt some part of herself agreeing with everything the priest was saying.

Were it not for what the priest had said that he and the rest of his cult were planning on doing to Clarke; forcing her to marry someone, and brainwash Clarke and Wells, then Callie just maybe would agree with what the priest was saying.

Because she had heard this story before.

From Clarke.

Which meant everything this priest was saying, added up.

Which meant, the tribes, ultimately brought most of their problems on themselves.

Almost as if he was reading Callie's mind, the priest added, "Do you know what's funny? The tribes even brought the Mountain Men on themselves. Do you know how? Because their ancestors drove the Mountain Men's ancestors into the ground, forcing the Mountain Men's ancestors to stay there for almost a century and a half. And when the first of the Mountain Men emerged, they died because of the poison air. And so started the Mountain Men's desperation. It's almost as if the tribes wanted the Mountain Men to rise up in revenge for driving their ancestors underground. You can call the Mountain Men 'monsters' all you want, but at the end of everything? The Mountain Men were created by the tribes."

Callie's eyes widened. That part, she hadn't known.

But then, it made sense, right? Why go underground and risk becoming weak to the very air, unless you were forced underground?

And while all of it was horrible, it made the situation have a certain poetic justice, didn't it?

The tribes' ancestors forced the Mountain Men's ancestors underground, thereby making the Mountain Men become weak to air and anything from the outside world.

And the tribes still treated the Mountain Men as such.

But the Mountain Men would need a way of healing up from their time outside, and would need a way of potentially being able to be in the outside world in general.

And how would that happen?

By the Mountain Men grabbing people from the tribes and draining them of their blood.

In some ways, it was almost as if the tribes' ancestors, had condemned their children and grandchildren to not just war, but terrible acts of oppression on the Mountain Men's parts.

It was as if the tribes had made it inevitable that the Mountain Men eventually would attack and steal members of their tribes, because they were simply suffering from a problem that they had caused in the first place.

Then again, going by Clarke and this priest's stories?

That sounded like how the tribes ended up in most of their problems.

It sounded like they were at least ninety-six percent, their own problems.

Callie shifted uneasily on her chair, as Jake and the priest watched her.

Were it not for everything about this cult seeming…..uncomfortable, at best, she might just agree wholly with the priest.

She wished she didn't.

But she did.

She took a deep breath as she said, "If I'm going to agree to any of this? Can I at least meet this Charmaine Diyoza?"

The priest smiled again, thankfully, pulling his mask back on, covering the complete horror that was his face, and he got up and so did Jake. Callie followed suite.

The masked man turned and led Jake and Callie out of the room, down the hall, to a another room, wide, vast, with several metal tables lining it.

At the head of the table in the room opposite of the door where the priest, Jake and Callie came in through, there was a woman standing up. Tall, pale, calm, with long, dark blonde hair.

The priest led Callie and Jake to the end table, and to where the woman stood.

"Charmaine, love," the priest said from behind his mask, "I've come to introduce you to your betrothed's biological father. And to her soon to be adoptive mother. Jake Griffin and Callie Cartwig."

Charmaine turned her attention away from the table, where there were maps all over, and she threw her light blue-gray gaze Callie and Jake's way.

Callie stiffened as the militant gaze of this Charmaine Diyoza, glanced from her to Jake, then from Jake, back to Callie.

Callie had the distinct impression, that while this woman's father might be unhinged, this woman, was completely militaristic and would do whatever was necessary to succeed in her goal.

The woman then smiled and Callie was startled at the warmth behind the smile.

Charmaine said, "Mr. Griffin. Ms. Cartwig. A pleasure to meet you both. I hope we all can handle this arrangement involving Clarke carefully, and with nothing but the best for her in mind."

Callie tried not to snap, "as if you care at all what happens to her." She was able to keep her words in check.

"There is another matter that needs to be discussed," the masked priest that was Charmaine's father, said, "Clarke at the very moment, is involved with someone else. A girl, named Zoe Monroe. What is more, two others wish for Clarke's heart, as well. Two Trikru women. Both of them now loyal to Clarke. Niylah and Anya."

Charmaine appeared unaffected by this news.

She nodded as she said, "That won't be a problem. Clarke cares about these people?"

The priest answered, "From what I can tell, she cares a great deal about Monroe right now. And cares more than she wants to about both Niylah and Anya."

Charmaine nodded. "Very well," she said, her smile soon becoming a smirk, "I'm sure we can…arrange something. Just because she is to marry me, doesn't mean that she will need to only have sex with me. If she cares a great deal about this 'Zoe Monroe,' and this 'Niylah' and this 'Anya,' then I guess even if Clarke and I marry, I won't raise any qualms in her also fucking these other women."

Jake smiled, appearing approving of this answer, as if Charmaine had just said the greatest thing one could ever expect from someone planning on marrying their daughter.

And Callie just stared. At this woman, at Jake, at the priest. Because Charmaine's answer, honestly was so far from the answer she'd been expecting, it wasn't even funny.

The priest chuckled, "There, you see? Everything can be worked out. Now, we'll wait till tomorrow. Give Clarke and her group some time to rest. Then in the morning, we'll strike. And bring all of them in. And when Clarke sees what we're willing to offer? Well, she'll accept, without a doubt. And the tribes will suffer."

The priest then looked to Callie. "If you are concerned about the safety of Zoe Monroe, and of Niylah or Wells?" He said, "You have no need to be. As Charmaine said, as long as something can be arranged, Monroe, Niylah and this 'Anya' will be spared and will be able to be with Clarke, as long as Clarke joins us and marries Charmaine, and all three Monroe, Niylah and Anya don't go against us. And Wells, as long as he doesn't go against us, can potentially rise in our ranks, as well."

Callie tried not to see the appeal of what these fanatics were offering. It disturbed her so much, but despite how horrifying she found what these people were planning, she wasn't going to pretend that what they were saying? Wasn't tempting.

"Yes," Charmaine said, "We imagine you'd be worried about Clarke and Wells, and about those they care about. But I understand. I have a daughter too, you know."

Callie looked at Charmaine, startled, honestly not expecting that.

Seeing Callie's surprise, Charmaine's smile widened. "Her name's Hope. I do hope you get to meet her soon. I think Clarke would like her. Hope's young yet. Only ten years old. But smart and strong."

Callie's eyes widened. This was getting more severe as the seconds went by.

"Now, then," the priest said, "For security reasons, we must confine you, Callie, to a cell. But don't worry, the cell we've made for you is much more accommodating than your previous cell. Guards," The man nodded to other masked figures, all with bull masks on, "Take Callie to her new cell, please. And please be gentle."

Two guards mumbled in answer quietly and carefully escorted Callie out of the room, down the hall.

Callie looked ahead, trying not to get freaked out by anything. She heard Jake call after her, "Callie, don't worry. Clarke and Wells will be fine! Just wait. You'll see."

Callie was disgusted with herself. How could she try to be seeing from these peoples' point of view?

But then, weren't the tribes exactly one of the reasons for why Clarke was the way she was right now?

If Clarke was a callous monster, which Callie would never call her, but Clarke only thought that way about herself, then wasn't Clarke only that way, not just because of many of the 100 and Abby, Thelonius and Kane, but because of the tribes, as well?

Again, Callie was disturbed to find that she saw a certain benefit to these peoples' plans.