Three longhouses had been thoroughly completed by the time the darkness of night had crept into the camp. Clarke was impressed with the craftsmanship and the speed with which the combined forces of the Grounders and the inexperienced Arkers had built. It reminded her of one of the many lessons she attended in a sociology class back on the Ark, and how an old society of people called the Amish would raise an entire barn in one day. The last two promised longhouses would have to be built the next day.
In a further attempt at coexisting, the Grounders had begun to set up a distribution booth for dinner, which a group of them had been preparing for the past hour or so. Some of the Arkers with common courtesy had helped them prep, not wanting the Grounders to do everything. Even during this moment of rest from all the construction, the camp was still bustling with activity. Clarke was satisfied that at least some of her people were pulling their weight in nurturing this alliance. In fact, the delinquents had actually been excited enough to share their pungent concoction that they called moonshine. Respecting Lexa's request to not pursue her in public, Clarke sought out the company of the people she felt were becoming her friends. Sitting down at one of the many bonfires, she joined Octavia, Wells, Finn, Monty, and a shivering, yet recovering Jasper.
"Ah, the woman of the hour!" Octavia toasted, working on her third serving of moonshine, as Clarke sat down on a stump among them. "Talk about luck, I don't think this kind of easy alliance has ever been made in the history of mankind."
"Unity day," Wells reminded the verging inebriated Octavia.
"Not the same," the lone sister slurred, "Unity Day was about the remaining human stations coming together to save the species. This is different because these Grounders could've killed us in a second. They don't need us to survive one bit, but they took us under their wing. Talk about a lottery outcome."
Clarke shied away from commenting, knowing that she wouldn't be able to share the exact reason why, regarding Lexa's immense generosity, to her friends.
"You did well, Clarke, the Ark will be proud when they arrive," comforted Finn, resting his hand on her knee. Clarke looked down at it gravely, and subtly shifted in her seat to move away from his reach. In the corner of her eyes, she could see that Octavia took notice, but kept her thoughts to herself. Finn on the other hand looked hurt. It touched Clarke's feelings, but she knew that she had to douse his attraction to her quick, now that Lexa was in her life as her verified soulmate.
"Thanks," Clarke said, trying to move on in the conversation as if nothing had happened. "I had to make sure everyone stayed safe. The easier it is for us to live, the more the Ark will prepare to join us. We can't forget about the mission to our people." She took a quick glance at the metal vital-tracking band still shackled to her wrist. She wondered how her mother was doing, and if seeing Clarke's pulse filled her with more and more hope of their reunion.
"Isn't it interesting, though?" Octavia mumbled, "That we were all sent here to save the human race, when… if you think about it, since Grounders exist, and who knows how much of the Earth they inhabit, having the Ark die wouldn't put humanity at risk of complete extinction at all."
"It's still not a good thing," Wells corrected. "Just because there are humans here, and civilized humans at that, that doesn't mean that humanity doesn't need the addition to Earth that the Ark would bring."
"Why do you always have to be so… so… such a killjoy?" Octavia accused Wells, pointing at him.
"It's just the truth," the son of the Chancellor defended, "We're doing humanity a favor by adding more people to the environment."
"I can only imagine," chuckled a drowsy Jasper, who was still wrapped up in a blanket to still the chills caused by his healing wounds, "How this is gonna go. The Grounders are gonna come to us only to find the shittiest goods ever. Horribly skinned animals, crappily cut meat, shriveled and bruised fruit, scrap metal trinkets. Adding us to the Grounder economy will put them in a recession." At this he let out as strong of a laugh that his open chest would allow.
"We'll get better at things," Monty said, looking off towards the other merry groups of Grounders and Arkers sharing drinks and meals. "I'm sure they know that. But some of us have skills, like I'm sure we can farm, but that produce takes a while. Hunting will take time, but I'm sure they'll tell us where to properly damage an animal without ruining the quality of a pelt, and how to put down the animal in the most humane way. All that stuff. We'll have to remember all the plants taught in biology and Earth skills to recognize poisons and medicinal ones. I think we've got this."
"Well someone's got it all figured out," summed Octavia. "All we really have to worry about is the first problem that arose when we landed: leadership."
"I think Clarke has already established that," Wells acknowledged with a weak smile.
"Yeah, but what's gonna stop my brother from usurping her? He's been trying to take control of everyone since we landed, and everything he's done has been undone by Clarke's tremendous diplomacy skills. You know Bellamy would've had us just die trying to kill them."
"You don't have much faith in your brother, do you?" Finn asked.
Octavia's face morphed angrily. "I know my brother. I'm saying I know what he's capable of. He is trustworthy, there's just something bugging him, and I haven't figured it out yet. Bellamy's been all about protecting me my entire life, so I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks taking leadership is the right thing to do for us. Not the 100, just me and him. This is more than him wanting to be the alpha dog, trust me, I just haven't figured it out yet."
"Just make sure he doesn't screw this up," Jasper said, still jubilant, and weakly trying to reach for Monty's cup of moonshine.
"Oh, hey, look at that," smiled Monty, who pointed to Octavia's bare forearm. The group all watched as a drawing of a forest began to grow. "Someone's trying to get your attention."
"Oh yeah," Octavia nodded, watching the ink spread, "I think my soulmate might be a Grounder."
"Well that will certainly set your brother off," Wells noted.
"What makes you think they're a Grounder?" Finn inquired.
"Oh you know, just clues. I never experienced a lucid dream until we landed here on Earth, and my mate has always drawn things that were never on the Ark, like the sky, mountains, riverbanks- they're very artistic, as you can tell."
"Well Clarke used to draw Earth scenery," Wells pointed out.
"Is that so?" Octavia asked, drunkenly raising her eyebrows at Clarke. "Are you my soulmate, Clarke?" she teased.
"No," returned Clarke with a scoff, but still trying to maintain a playful manner.
"Gosh, giving out so much rejection in one night, huh, Clarke?" Octavia giggled, making Finn and Clarke tense again. Monty and Jasper watched, amused, while Wells felt like the odd duck out.
"I'm going to go check up on… others," Clarke said, wanting an excuse to remove herself from the now uncomfortable situation, as she stood up and prepared to leave.
"Clarke, wait," Finn got up as well, following her away from the small circle of friends.
"Finn, no, go back to them," Clarke waved off over her shoulder.
"Can we just talk? Just a small word?" he begged.
Clarke stopped in her tracks, exasperated yet sympathetic. "What is it?"
His face furrowed worriedly, feeling all confidence disappear in the presence of her negative energy. "I just… I just wanted to say that I really like you."
"I know," Clarke said, pitying him. "But we're not meant to be, so you best let me go."
"But how do you know that?" Finn asked.
"Finn, I can show you right now that we're not meant to be together, the same way I showed Wells years ago," Clarke said, shifting her weight to her left side, growing impatient.
"So that's it?" Finn asked, "If our markings don't show up on each other you wouldn't even consider being with me? What if we never find our soulmates? People on the Ark rarely do."
But I have, is what Clarke wanted to say. "I'm not going to resort to someone I know that I don't want," she said instead, and immediately regretted her choice of words. Sure, she was going to reject him, but perhaps she should have been a bit gentle. Finn felt his head and heart get heavy and looked away from her, yet stood his ground. "Listen," Clarke attempted, "I did feel a small attraction to you when we first arrived on Earth, but it is gone now. I know that we're not meant to be. Don't waste your time on me, Finn. I'm sure there's someone out there who, soulmate or not, will reciprocate."
"I uh," Finn started to mutter. "I better get back to the others." Looking at Clarke one last time, he turned around and walked back, leaving Clarke alone in the middle of the quaint celebrations.
Sighing, Clarke began to walk aimlessly through the camp, just taking in the sight of the coexisting happening. She wanted to take a look inside one of the complete longhouses, but on her way towards the closest one, she found a campfire with a familiar face among the group taking in the fire's warmth.
Lexa was taking distgusted sips of the Arker moonshine, while her three riders were at her side, pulling apart some kind of jerky to share amongst each other.
"You know, if you don't like it, you don't have to finish it," Clarke pointed out. Lexa and her riders looked up at her from their seated position. She could see the flames of the pit dance in Lexa's irises.
"Manners, Clarke," Lexa simply stated. "If I have been offered a drink by a new ally, I must finish it. Symbolism, one could say."
"They won't see it that way," Clarke explained, "They'll just see it as you can't handle liquor."
"All the more reason now for me to finish it," Lexa grumbled, looking at the clear substance still half full in her cup.
"May I join you?" Clarke asked. Lexa looked up at her, studying her intentions briefly, yet gave in with a nod. Sitting opposite of Lexa, with the fire separating them, Clarke watched Lexa's riders take her in.
"These are my most trusted warriors," Lexa introduced. "Anya, at my left here, is my mentor. Indra, at my right, who you have met before, is one of my most prized lieutenants. And Gustus, next to Anya, is one of my most loyal guards."
"Pleased to meet you," Clarke said with a routine smile. "Thank you all, for whatever role you played in having this alliance happen."
"Many are worried about your people, Clarke kom Skaikru," said Anya, intrigue playing on her face. "You are leaderless, correct?"
"Not overall," Clarke cleared her throat. "In the Ark, we have a Chancellor and a small council. They lead us, and they are the ones who sent us here. But as in terms of our camp, yes, there is no leader."
"And will your leader and your people be joining you from the Sky?" Anya continued. Clarke could tell that this was another interrogation, but when she looked at Lexa for reassurance, the Commander just stretched and watched, eager for the answer as well. Lexa may have been her soulmate, but it seemed she would always be doing her job to her people.
"I'm not sure. It all depends on our survival rate. If we survive, they will come when they are ready to travel."
"How many of you are there, would you say?" Anya asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Too many to count. Thousands, I'm sure. Probably in the tens of thousands. We're all split up in different stations, and I have never been to all of them. So I can't give you a solid number, unfortunately."
Gustus muttered something in their language, and Clarke watched Lexa stare off as she heard his words.
"Five miles won't be enough to house all of your people," Lexa began, "When your people come down, they can no longer be seen as a small trading post community. You will be as large as a clan. This can be seen as a threat to the other Clans. Tell me, Clarke, will you people respect this agreement we have created today?"
"I can get them too," Clarke offered. "Our communication with them was destroyed in the landing, but we have people working on repairing the radios. My mother is part of the Council, so I can have influence on our leader's decisions. Once the radios are repaired, I will contact them and tell them about your people and what you have done for us. Their goal is to make the human race survive, so they should be grateful for what you've done for us."
"And land?" Lexa inquired, seeming regal even on a tree stump.
"I will make sure they recognize your authority and ownership," Clarke negotiated. "I will make sure that they honor your rules to petition."
"When your people get the radios working, I would like to be present," Lexa commanded instinctually. "I want to be there when you tell your Council about me and my people. I trust you, Clarke, but I do not know how your Council operates and what their behaviors are like. I wish to be the one to represent my people and our motives."
Clarke blinked at this. She wasn't sure how the Ark would take the news about a foreign power. Yes, the Ark wanted humanity to survive, but just like what Octavia had said earlier, finding out that there are more humans than just the Ark will cause a major shift in perspective. Would the Ark immediately start planning to be more in power than the Grounders? Would that become their new concern? Power and conquest?
"I'm not sure if that is best," Clarke warned, "I think I should be the one to break the news to them that we're not the only humans anymore."
"What do you think they're capable of?" Lexa asked, sitting up straight.
"Instinct," Clarke shrugged. She could feel Lexa looking her up and down as she spoke.
"Are you people like that boy?" she asked, seriously. "The one who leads your riflemen."
"Bellamy?" Clarke asked, as Lexa nodded in clarification. She considered this, and her mind couldn't shake the association. The Ark was all about rapid punishment, no true investigations or tolerance of motives. "Maybe," Clarke sighed, "The Ark has never truly practiced the art of getting to know the true reasons behind things. Bellamy doesn't know anything about your people, Lexa, I don't either. Survival to the Ark means getting rid of those who are a threat to our resources, and I feel that this is the mindset he is operating under. Another group probably just means another threat…"
Lexa's riders began to shift uncomfortably.
"You're not selling a future alliance, Clarke, I hope you realize that," Lexa said, remaining still.
"All they need is to have a paradigm shift, that's it. Once I show tell them that how we lived on the Ark is not how we'll survive on Earth, they will change. They will adapt, I can promise you this, Lexa. Please give me time," Clarke pleaded. "You saw today how many of people have already bonded with yours. They wanted to work with your people, they are accepting your goods and skills gratefully. It won't be long for the rest of the Ark to learn that coexisting is our best option."
"There's nothing we can do now but put our faith in you, Clarke," Lexa said. "Trigeda will recognize you as the Skaikru ambassador. Know that if your remaining people fail to honor our agreement, I will have no other choice but to consider them an enemy."
"I won't let you down," Clarke said firmly.
"Heda, should we ready the horses?" Indra asked. Clarke's ears perked up. Were the Grounders leaving?
"Where are you going?" Clarke asked.
"We are taking our people back to a nearby village to rest for the remainder of the night. They have to go back to their homes soon." Lexa said.
"But…" Clarke searched for something to say. She wanted Lexa to stay. "We need your help building the rest of the longhouses," she resorted.
Lexa's lips curled into a smirk, amused, knowing exactly why Clarke was trying to stall her, and it touched her heart.
"Your people have learned enough on what to do to complete the rest," Lexa informed softly, as her riders began to stand up.
"What about skills?" Clarke blurted. "Show us how to hunt? We're all terribly inexperienced, and don't know we can give you the revenue you seek if we don't know how to properly catch and clean game. At least teach us these things."
"Tomorrow?" Lexa asked, her smirk still present. "You want my people to stay?"
"At least just for tomorrow morning," Clarke requested, trying to ask for the smallest favor Lexa could expense, just for more time together. "We'll feed your people breakfast with whatever we catch, please, just one more day?"
"Just one more morning," Lexa said. She wanted to spend more time with Clarke, but she had to distance herself for now, she had already explained this.
"That's fine," Clarke accepted, "Just don't leave yet."
Lexa nodded. "I have to spread the word. Go Clarke, inform your people as well."
Clarke returned the nod and watched Lexa walk away with her riders, making their way to Grounder team after team. Turning around herself, Clarke let her selfishness take hold. Before she told her people, she wanted to find a way to be in private with Lexa just one more time. She was dying to get to know her. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, as all she ever wanted was to paint the picture that was her soulmate. Stepping into the drop ship, she found a marker rolling on ground and picked it up. Snatching the cap off, she rolled up her sleeve and began to write…