A/N: Please be aware that this part contains scenes of torture and blood. My choice of song for this was Don't Let Me Go by RAIGN. Thank you for the reviews and everything, as usual you people are the best. Okay, here we go. Read, review and enjoy!
Chapter Nineteen
"The great Commander Lexa," a man said as he walked into the tent where Lexa was being held, "it is a pleasure to meet you."
"You'll forgive me if I don't stand up…" Lexa said, from where she was tied to the chair.
The man smiled a little as he walked around the chair, Lexa kept her head lowered a little knowing that he was checking the restraints. She was surprised that he had come in on his own, everyone else who had been in the tent had come in pairs, it was like they feared her even when she was restrained, which was a good thing for Lexa, she could use that fear.
"You're the one who killed my queen." He said.
"I am," Lexa replied, "and if I'd have known where your camp was I would have returned her head to you."
"You are nothing but a child." He said, walking around her again, "a child who tried to lead her people, but failed."
"I united the Grounder clans," Lexa said as she turned her head to look at him, "something that no one thought possible. I have lead more battles than you have participated in. I have killed more people than you ever could, even in the most vivid of your wet dreams, and I killed your queen. I do not see that as a failure."
"And to top all that off, you leave a Sky girl in charge of your army," he said, not reacting to what Lexa was saying, "a girl who has been on the surface no more than 3 months."
"A girl who has, in a matter of weeks, made more kills than you have." Lexa replied.
"A girl who is now dead." He said.
Lexa looked at him again.
"Oh didn't anyone tell you," he said with a smile, "just after we left your camp one of your generals turned on her. From what I'm aware of she didn't put up that much of a fight either."
Lexa didn't reply, she just focused her eyes on the front of the tent.
"Firing her gun around like she thought the bullets would magically find their targets…" he continued, as he walked around her, "you really should have made a better decision about who to leave in charge."
Lexa's mind took her back to her camp, when she had been leaving, when she saw Clarke. The blonde girl didn't have her gun.
"It's going to take more than that to make me talk." Lexa said coldly, "and you need to check the sources of your information. Your spy is dead."
"You know how this is going to end Commander," he replied, "whether our spy is dead or not does not change the outcome. You assume that he was the only spy we placed in your camp? You and your mentor were not the only ones who knew how to plan ahead."
He turned to leave before stopping and looking back at her.
"If I were you, I would hope that you left enough protection there for her," he said, "it isn't difficult to kill someone while they sleep."
Once he had left the tent Lexa let out a long slow breath as she rested her chin on her chest. She knew of at least two of her people who would die to protect Clarke, and she knew that most others would if they knew she was still alive. That was part of the reason she had gone down to the fire with Clarke that night. If her people understood the way she felt about Clarke, they would go to hell and back to protect her.
Lexa raised her head as she heard someone else enter the tent.
"If this is how your queen trained her people to gain information, then she went about it the wrong way." Lexa stated, "It is usually advisable to leave the prisoner for a short time between talking to them, it allows them to consider what you're saying."
"I am not here to gain information from you Heda…" the woman said, "I am here to deliver it."
Lexa didn't reply, she just looked at the woman, trying to recall her name.
"Ariah," the woman said, knowing that Lexa was attempting to remember her name, "my father was a general of yours, my brother was…"
"Anya's mate…" Lexa said with a nod, "Joshua."
"Yes," Ariah replied, "is Anya…?"
"She is with Joshua…" Lexa replied, a sad smile crossing her lips, "she died escaping the Mountain."
Ariah paused for a moment, obviously taking in what Lexa had just said.
"I'm sorry…" Lexa said.
"As am I," the other girl said, "I know how close you were to her."
"I will see her again," Lexa said, "sooner rather than later if this goes wrong…"
"Two of your people followed you here," Ariah said, as if she had suddenly remembered why she was there, "Lincoln, the healer from Tondc, and a girl I didn't recognise."
"Octavia." Lexa said, knowing that it would have been Octavia who had gone with Lincoln.
"Which clan is she from?" Ariah asked.
"The Skaikru." Lexa replied.
"They joined with us?" the girl asked, "We knew they had arrived, but we did not know that they had joined with us."
"They are… allies," Lexa replied with a nod, "it is still complicated."
"They followed you to ensure that you arrived here safely," Ariah continued, "Octavia asked me to tell you that nothing will happen to the Princess, she assumed you would understand who she was talking about."
A small smile crossed Lexa's lips.
"We have set things in motion here," Ariah continued, "I have been asked to find out how long it will be before the army arrives."
"A day and a half…" Lexa replied, "Hopefully that will be enough time."
Ariah nodded as she heard someone approaching the tent. With one look back at Lexa she left again.
x-x-x
Octavia and Lincoln rode the horses straight through the entrance of the camp and up to the top of the hill, leaving them outside Lexa's tent. Walking in without announcing themselves, they saw Clarke sitting on the floor looking at a map. The blonde girl looked up at them as she heard them.
"She got there alive." Octavia said, "it was touch and go for a while when she head-butted one of the soldiers."
A smile found its way to Clarke's lips at the idea of Lexa head-butting one of the Ice Nation.
"It looks like we missed the party here as well." Lincoln said, "I saw a few people burning bodies."
"Donovan…" Clarke said as she stood up, "he was a spy for the Ice Nation."
"Are you sure?" Lincoln asked, "He was a general for the leader before Heda…"
"I'm sure," Clarke replied with a sigh, "he didn't deny it after I had him tied to a tree."
"You went Grounder on his ass?" Octavia asked, pride ringing in her voice.
"Totally." Clarke said with a smile and a nod.
"How has everything else been here?" Lincoln asked, obviously worried, though Clarke wasn't sure if he was worried for her or for Lexa.
"It's been… okay," she said as she walked over to the table, "I can't leave the tent without gaining a new shadow…"
"Indra?" Octavia asked.
"And Kassius." Clarke replied, "I understand why they are doing it, they need to keep me alive for the plan…"
"That's not the only reason, Clarke." Lincoln said.
"Lexa would tie them to a tree." Clarke said looking at him.
"As true as that is, that is also not the only reason," Lincoln replied with a laugh, "Indra is… complex. She doesn't show that she cares, but she does. Once she starts bringing you food, you'll be good."
"She did that earlier." Clarke said, thinking back to the food that Indra had brought her while she was looking at Lexa's weapons.
Octavia yawned, it reminded Clarke that she herself hadn't slept properly the previous night and she suddenly found herself feeling very tired.
"Get some rest." Clarke said to them, "we march at midday."
They both nodded a little and turned to leave, Octavia stopped. After she motioned for Lincoln to leave she turned back and walked over to Clarke. Surprising the blonde girl she enveloped her in a hug.
"If you need anything…" Octavia said quietly in her ear.
"Thank you…" Clarke replied before the younger girl backed away.
"Night Princess." She said with a smile, before leaving.
It wasn't long before there was another knock outside the tent.
"Yes." Clarke called, unsure of how to invite someone into her tent after she had told Kassius that he didn't need to stand guard all night.
It shocked Clarke when Abby walked in, she hadn't talked to her mother since she killed Donovan.
"I thought I'd let you know that we suffered no losses," Abby said, "and everyone will be ready to go when we leave tomorrow."
"Thank you…" Clarke said with a small smile, "mom, listen, I…"
"I understand Clarke," Abby replied, "I just think there may have been a better way."
"I couldn't let him live," Clarke said, "not after what he did. Because of him, the Ice Nation will know that we have people in their camp."
"We…" Abby said, "You mean Lexa."
"No…" Clarke replied shaking her head a little, "I mean we, mom… well I guess I don't need to ask if you approve or not…"
"It isn't about me approving, or disapproving," Abby said, "I saw what happened last time, Clarke, and I don't want to see you go through that pain again."
"She's not the monster that you think she is…" Clarke replied, "and she didn't hurt me on purpose. She had the chance to save her people, and that had to come above anything that she may have wanted for herself…"
"I know she's not a monster, Clarke," Abby said with a sigh, "a monster would not have done what Lexa did by surrendering herself. I just think…"
"Might as well be honest mom," Clarke replied, "get it all out, it'll make you feel better."
"You might not like what I've done," Abby said, "the choices that I have made, but everything I have done, I did for you."
"I'm in no position to judge what you've done mom," Clarke said, rubbing the back of her neck, "I'm in no position to judge anything that anyone has done, not when I'm guilty of more than that…"
"You did what you had to do…" Abby replied.
"So did you, so did Lexa…" Clarke said, "She is probably being tortured right now, just so I have the time I need to get everything right here…"
Abby stood and watched as Clarke started to pace.
"And if I fail… if something goes wrong, if someone doesn't listen to me…" Clarke continued, "Then all that will have been for nothing. Lexa will die, and it'll be my fault…"
"It won't be your fault, Clarke," Abby said, "But, nothing will go wrong. They will listen to you, the… incident with the traitor proves that. Lexa trusts you, her people trust you. Did you know that you've got one of them sitting outside right now? He told me that you told him to get some rest, but he's still sitting there."
Clarke let out a little laugh, but with the laugh started the tears. Abby walked over and wrapped her arms around her.
"What if it doesn't work…?" Clarke said quietly, "I… I can't lose her, mom…"
"You won't…" Abby replied, "You won't…"
x-x-x
Lexa spat the blood out of her mouth, finding herself surprised that the chair stayed upright after the last hit she took to the mouth.
"One more time Commander," the Ice Nation soldier said, "what are the level of defences at Polis."
Lexa just smirked as she looked at him.
"She isn't going to tell us." The other guy said.
"You're a smart one." Lexa said as she looked at him.
"Maybe we should step this up a bit," the first guy said as he took out his sword, "how would you like to feel the sharp end of my sword…"
"Thanks for the offer," Lexa replied, "but I'm in a committed relationship."
The Ice Nation soldier shot his buddy a look as he couldn't stop the laugh as it escaped his chest.
"And even if I was interested, which I'm really not, but you'd have to cover your head with something," Lexa continued, knowing that the hit she got from this would be more painful than any of the others, but she needed them to see that it would take a lot more to get her to break, "I'm pretty sure even your mother has a hard time looking at your face."
The Ice Nation soldier turned and using the base of the handle of his sword he hit her across the face again, causing the chair to fall over and Lexa to go crashing to the floor.
"Careful," the other guy said as Lexa tried to catch her breath and focus her eyes, "he wants to keep her alive."
The first soldier, the one who had hit her, turned and walked from the tent. The other soldier walked over to Lexa and picked the chair back up without much trouble. Lexa ran her tongue around her teeth, checking they were all still there.
"He will kill you." The soldier said as he fetched Lexa some water.
"Why do you care?" Lexa asked, "It'll be your turn tomorrow."
He carried the cup over to her and brought it to her lips.
"Drink…" he said, "it might wash some of that blood out of your mouth."
"Answer my question…" Lexa said turning her face away from the cup.
"I care because there is one person I fear on this earth more than our new leader," he said, "and that is my wife. If I stood here and watched as he killed you, she would kill me. My wife is one of your people, Commander, now drink."
Lexa narrowed her eyes as she looked at him, but took a drink anyway.
x-x-x
Abby wondered how it had come to this, as she sat on the floor of Lexa's tent, with Clarke asleep with her head on her lap. This hadn't been the life she wanted for her child, this wasn't the life that she and Jake had talked about. Granted, Earth wasn't what anyone had expected when they talked about returning. But she certainly hadn't imagined sitting with her daughter while she cried, not like this.
She jumped slightly as the flaps at the entrance to the tent opened and Kassius walked in.
"I didn't want to wake her…" Abby said with a small smile as she looked down at Clarke.
Kassius walked a little closer to where Abby and Clarke were sitting.
"It will do her no good sleeping on the floor, and it will do you no good sitting on it doctor." He said, "Allow me to carry her through to the sleeping area."
"Okay," Abby said, "and my name is Abby."
"I'm Kassius." Kassius replied as he bent down and easily picked up a sleeping Clarke.
"It's nice to meet you." Abby said as she watched him carry Clarke through to what must have been Lexa's bed.
She followed him, standing at the partition as she watched him softly lay Clarke on the bed and cover her with one of the animal skins.
"May your dreams bring you happiness young warrior." Kassius said as he blew out the candle which sat near the bed and turned back to leave.
"Do you have children?" Abby asked as they both walked through to the main part of the tent.
"I do," Kassius replied with a slight nod, "two, a daughter and a son."
"Where are they?" Abby asked, curious about the man who seemed to care about her daughter.
"They are in our capital, Polis." He said as he poured himself a drink of water, offering Abby one as well, "they are too young to fight this war."
"How old are they?" she asked with a nod and a smile as she sat at the table.
"13 and 7," he replied, carrying the drinks over to the table, taking the seat opposite Abby, "my daughter, the 7 year old, thinks Heda walks on water. The only thing she wanted for her 7th birthday was Heda to come to her party…"
Abby watched as he smiled a little, obviously thinking about it.
"And did she?" Abby asked.
"Yes," he replied, "she rode for two days to attend."
"Wow…" Abby said unable to keep the shock from her voice.
"She cares deeply for her people, Abby," Kassius said, "and for your daughter."
"I know…" Abby replied with a nod and a sigh.
"Yet you do not approve of their… union?" he asked.
"It's just not the life I had expected for my daughter," Abby replied with a small smile.
"Is life ever what any of us expected it to be?" Kassius asked, "Life is too short, and this planet too wild for us to be able to protect our children forever. We have to allow them to follow their path, make their own mistakes, and be there to hold them as they cry themselves to sleep."
"Yeah…" Abby said, "I guess we do. It's just… I was there, after Lexa withdrew her people from the mountain, I saw the pain that caused. And now… this. If this plan doesn't work… I don't think Clarke could survive that."
"And if the worst did come to pass," Kassius said, "and by some twist of fate, Heda survives this and Clarke does not… I assure you that she would not survive it either."
"How long have you known her?" Abby asked.
"I first met Heda the day she was born," Kassius replied with a smile, "her father and I had been friends since we were very small."
"What happened to her parents?" Abby asked, failing to contain the yawn that escaped her lips.
"That is a story for another time," Kassius said as he stood up, "you need rest."
Abby looked back towards the partition, the worry obvious on her face.
"I will stay." He said, "do not worry, she's safe."
Abby nodded as she turned to leave.
"Thank you for the chat." She said turning back to face Kassius.
He simply returned the smile and nodded a little. Abby walked out of the tent knowing that the only thing that could hurt Clarke that night were her own dreams and nightmares.