A/N - Literally just landed in New York and got to my hotel and the first thing I did was type up this chapter that I wrote on the plane for you all! Love me? Haha x

The gates to Arcadia swung open slowly, allowing then to pass through easily. As soon as they walked into the camp they were surrounded by Pike's men who levelled their guns at them threateningly.

Pike himself stood directly in front of them with his arms by his side, his right resting on the holster of his gun.

"Commander." He inclined his head slightly but his tone was far from respectful, coming across as a sneer.

Lexa matched his nod with one of her own, but offered him the respect he had denied her, "Chancellor."

Clarke's eyes fixed on something behind Pike, her mother and Kane were stood to the side, and Abby was staring at Clarke as though she wanted to tell her to turn and run.

"I came here unarmed." Lexa stated calmly, raising her hands so they could see she was telling the truth.

One of the men near to Pike raised his gun to his shoulder, eager in the face of this chance to take out the grounder leader.

Without hesistation Clarke pulled her own gun and pointed it at the man foolish enough to threaten Lexa in front of her. "She came unarmed, I didn't."

Pike raised his arms, "Now now, I'm sure we can all handle this like adults, stand down. There we go."

Reluctantly everyone dropped their weapons down to their sides, Clarke was last. Not willing to move until she was sure that there was no immediate threat to Lexa's safety.

"Good, now why did you come here commander?"

Lexa waited a moment, catching eye contact with as many Skaikru as possible.

"The ambassadors of the twelve clans tried to overthrow me so they could wipe out Skaikru without opposition. Clarke kom Skaikru abstaining from the vote of no confidence is all that saved you."

She paused and waited for a reaction, continuing once the wave of hushed murmers had subsided.

"I was challenged to single combat by Queen Nia of Azgeda. I won against Prince Roan and then I killed her myself and travelled back here to deliver the body of the one who ordered the attack on your people, only to find that you had retaliated by attacking mine."

Clarke reached out and hooked their pinky fingers together in support, going unnoticed by everyone else because of how close together they were stood.

"I chose to spare you, once again, and instead of peace you attacked a village, a village with no warriors because you had already wiped out their strongest."

Lexa stared at Pike, looking for any sign of regret or remorse for his actions but instead all she saw was defiance.

So disregarding him she addressed the rest of the sky people, turning to speak to those Pike hadn't seen fit to arm, trusting Clarke to protect her back if she turned it on the new chancellor.

"Yesterday an attempt was made on Wanheda's life and in the process I myself were also wounded. Unfortunately, this means I cannot continue to ignore the actions of Skaikru in hopes of you all coming round to my way of peace. I am here to offer you your choices for what happens next."

On the word next she spun to fix Pike with a hard glare.

Pike answered with a scornful laugh, "Our choices? You do not command us Lexa."

She bristled at his use of her given name, "Skaikru entered into my coalition of their own free will. My mercy is the only thing holding the other twelve clans at bay."

"Really?" Pike chuckled, "The mercy of a child is all that sustains us. Tell me, what's to stop us just shooting you here and now?"

Lexa smiled, having been waiting for that exact question.

"If I don't return to the blockade within the hour, for any reason, you will be attacked on every side by over twenty thousand of our warriors. How many fighters, competent ones, do you really have? Because from where I'm standing you have maybe a thousand on your best day. And you saw when you attacked the village, swords are by no means our only way at fighting back."

Clarke smiled when she saw Pike's men pale slightly at the prospect of facing that many grounders at once.

"So what are these options you are offering us?" Pike asked, still appearing stubbornly opposed to Lexa.

"There are two possibilities moving forward, that the thirteen clan representatives agreed were reasonable."

Clarke nodded supportively at Lexa when she looked across to her.

"Either you give up Pike to be executed for his treason against the coalition, or the armies of the other twelve clans will march against Skaikru, killing anyone who attempts to stand against them."

Pike gave her an incredulous look, "You cannot seriously think anyone here is going to agree to give me up to savages from the ground, do you? I am their chancellor, I keep them safe!"

"You are the one who has led them to the brink of a war they cannot possibly win!" Lexa yelled, anger breaking through her calm commander mask.

Clarke layed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed soothingly in circles patiently until Lexa had taken enough deep breaths to calm her self, which did not go unnoticed by the rest of Clarke's people, in particularly Bellamy who was standing out of sight to avoid added conflict with Clarke.

There was dead silence in the camp after Lexa's outburst, Pike himself stared open mouthed, taken aback at her explosive response.

"Mochof Clark." She murmured before addressing the whole camp again, "I will return at dawn for your answer."

With a nod at Kane and Abby, who were watching the discussion with unreadable expressions, she turned and stalked off the way she had come, pulling herself onto her horse and trotting out of the gate without looking back.

Clarke followed more cautiously, on alert for any surprise attacks, but they were allowed to leave without incident, heading straight back to the blockade to inform Lexa's warriors that there would be no attack that night.