A/N: Okay folks, here we go, the lead up to the battle. The same warning as before applies, this contains scenes of torture and bloodshed. The next part is coming soon as it's simply a continuation of this part. Please remember to take a few seconds and let me know what you think, a lot has gone into writing this part and I'd appreciate the input. Read, review and enjoy!

Chapter Twenty

For a moment when she first opened her eyes, Clarke thought that everything had just been a bad dream, then she remembered that it wasn't. That lost feeling in her chest was very much real. The sun had just risen outside, she could hear the camp waking up as everyone prepared to march on the Ice Nation camp. She didn't remember how she got to bed, the last thing she remembered was talking to her mother. As she made her way out of bed she saw a set of holsters sitting on the table near the partition, she hadn't seen them before, but she also hadn't been back to that part of the tent after Lexa left. She walked over to them and saw that they were all new, hadn't been used. Smiling a little she ran her hand over them, before jumping as she heard noise coming from the main part of the tent.

Kassius was putting the plate of food on the table for Clarke as the blonde girl walked into the main part of the tent.

"You're awake," he said with a small smile, "how did you sleep?"

"Everything was great till I woke up…" Clarke replied as she walked over to the table.

"Not sure what was a dream and what was real?" Kassius asked, pushing the plate over towards Clarke.

"It was like she was right here Kassius…" the blonde girl said as she sat down.

"And when the sun rises after our battle, she will be again." Kassius replied as he watched Clarke start to eat.

"You really believe that?" Clarke asked.

"I have faith." He said with a small smile.

"What's the difference between faith and wishful thinking?" Clarke asked with a smile of her own.

"Belief." Kassius replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "it depends on the strength of belief a person has, in themselves and what it is they are about to do."

"Check you out," Clarke said with a laugh, "you're like a walking, talking philosophy book."

They both sat there in a comfortable silence for a while as Clarke ate.

"Your mother is an… interesting woman," Kassius said, breaking the silence, "she worries a lot for you."

"Yeah…" Clarke replied, "She does…"

"Are you her only child?" he asked.

"Yes," Clarke said, "on the Arc there was a rule, you were only allowed to have one child. Resources were limited, oxygen was limited…"

"But Octavia…" he started to say.

"Spent 16 years of her life living in the floor," Clarke said interrupting him, "and when it was discovered that her mother had two children Octavia was locked away and her mother was floated."

"Floated?" Kassius asked, obviously not understanding the term.

"The punishment for any crime on the Arc was death, the airlock was opened and they were sucked out into space," Clarke answered, looking down at the food on her plate, "with no oxygen supply, they suffocated…"

"Every crime was punished in that way?" he asked.

"Unless you were under 18…" Clarke said with a nod, "then they locked you away in the prison wing of the Arc until you turned 18…"

"That method of punishment seems harsh." Kassius said.

Clarke simply nodded.

"You lost someone in that way?" he asked.

"I did," Clarke said taking a deep breath before slowly letting it out, "my father. He found out that the oxygen supply was running out, it wouldn't last… he wanted to tell everyone…"

"But he was found out before he could." Kassius said.

"My mother… she told the Chancellor and the council…" Clarke replied, pushing the plate away from her.

"With no thought what it would do to you?" he asked.

"I spent a few years thinking that it had been my best friend who told the Chancellor," Clarke said with a sad smile, "Wells… his father was Chancellor on the Arc, we grew up together, did pretty much everything together… I told him, and only him, what my father had found out and what he was going to do about it…and then when my father was floated…"

"You blamed him." Kassius replied.

"I did, though he had done nothing wrong." Clarke said, "He let me believe that he had told his father…"

"So you wouldn't hate your mother for it," Kassius said, "he sounds like a very brave and noble young man."

"Yeah…" Clarke replied with a nod, "he was… he was killed here on the surface."

"By one of my people?" Kassius asked.

"No," Clarke said, "by one of mine… a child… she blamed his father for what happened to her parents, and as she couldn't get to Jaha, she killed Wells. Stabbed a blade straight into his throat…"

Kassius looked a little shocked by what Clarke had just told him, like in a way he didn't really understand.

"It seems our people are not so different after all." He said after a while.

x-x-x

She hadn't slept, she wasn't given the chance, after one person finished their line of questions the next started. She knew it would happen that way, her people had similar methods. The less a person has a chance to rest and regroup the quicker they are likely to crack. The blood was starting to dry on her arms and her back, the wound to her stomach would take more time, time that Lexa was starting to think she wouldn't have. Every time she felt close to her breaking point she remembered why she was doing this, to protect her people. To protect Clarke.

Lexa let her head fall forward a little, she was tired, so very tired.

"It can all end if you just tell me what I want to know Lexa." The man in front of her said.

She raised her head and looked at him.

"We know there are 12 clan leaders, and that you rule over those leaders," he continued, "what I want to know is where I can find them."

"It changes from day to day," Lexa replied, "though usually they can be found in their strongholds…"

"Which are where?" He asked, "You, for example have two that we know of, Polis and Tondc. Where are the other strongholds Lexa."

"Go to hell." Lexa replied.

"Why do you insist on putting yourself through this," he said, "it would all be so much easier and painless for you if you just told us. No one would blame you Commander, we've been at this for a day and a half, you haven't slept, and you haven't eaten. Your people wouldn't think any less of you."

Still Lexa said nothing.

"Fine, have it your way." He said before walking to the entrance of the tent and sticking his head outside, "send Darius back in."

Darius had been the one who had resorted to using the blades, even then he hadn't got any answers. As he walked in Lexa noticed he wasn't alone, he had a friend with him, someone that Lexa had yet to see. Between them they carried a long piece of chain. Lexa knew what was coming. They were going to wrap the chain around her and pull, tightening it until either she talked or she passed out. She didn't know what was going to break first, her arms or her ribs, but she knew something would. She also knew the pain was going to be excruciating.

"The longest a person has lasted with this is around 10 seconds," Darius said to Lexa as he and his buddy wrapped the chain around her, "think you can do better?"

"Last chance to talk Commander." the first guy said.

Lexa just kept her eyes fixed on him as she clenched her jaw, willing herself not to break. He just looked at Darius and nodded slightly. The Commander tensed up as she felt the chain slowly start to tighten.

"The locations of the villages Lexa…" the guy said as he walked around her.

Lexa forced herself to breathe as she felt her chest constricting under the pull of the chain, not making any sound as she felt the chain start to cut into her arms. Closing her eyes she pictured the one thing that could take away the pain. Clarke. She remembered the nights she had spent awake watching the blonde girl sleep, how she cuddled closer to Lexa the deeper she slept. The smell of her hair, the feel of her hand holding Lexa's.

"We have a problem…" said a voice that Lexa didn't recognise.

The chain loosened around her and she opened her eyes.

"The Grounders are on the move." The man said, his eyes flicking from the man Lexa assumed was in command of at least her interrogation and her.

"We gave them three days to leave," the leader replied, "they are probably cutting their loses and returning to Polis."

"Not unless Polis has suddenly changed location sir," he new guy said, "they are a matter of hours from here."

Lexa dropped her head forward as her body started to really feel what she had just been put through.

"They are coming for her." The leader said as he looked at Lexa, "your people are going to die Lexa."

"We'll see about that…" Lexa replied defiantly.

"That gives us two hours to get the information we need before they arrive." Darius said, "Shall I set up the stockade out in the main camp?"

The leader simply nodded his head.

"How are you with whips Commander?" he asked Lexa.

"I thought you were supposed to be torturing me." Lexa said with a smirk.

x-x-x

As she was moved from the tent Lexa noticed that a crowd had gathered, at a guess she would say it had been about an hour since the first threat of whips was made, her people would be there soon. All she had to do was hold out long enough. She lifted her head a little as she was dragged from the tent, her legs refusing to work the way she wanted them to. Her eyes fixed on Ariah who was standing at the front of the crowd of people, as she nodded Lexa released a breath she didn't know she had been holding, everything was ready.

She managed to stand as her left arm was tied first.

"Stupid mistake…" Lexa muttered.

"What was that Commander?" Darius asked, walking closer to Lexa's right hand side.

"I said…" Lexa started to say quietly, "stupid mistake."

With the last word she brought her right elbow up, catching him square under the chin. Those of her people who were in the gathered crowd needed to know that she hadn't given up, Lexa herself needed to know that she had the strength to withstand what she knew was coming. Darius went flying back into the mud as two other soldiers grabbed her and held her still as her right arm was secured in place.

Darius got up and walked up behind Lexa.

"You're going to pay for that." He said into her ear.

"Can't wait…" Lexa replied, her eyes remaining fixed forward.

x-x-x

Clarke had sent Indra and Octavia ahead on the horses, she needed information about what was going on in the camp before they arrived. She had the army stopped less than 30 minutes march away, awaiting their return. She was sat on a fallen log, looking at the ground in front of her, listening to the voices around her. The army was ready, now all Clarke needed to know was that there was still something worth fighting for.

Kassius made his way over to her.

"I'm not in the mood for an 'everything is going to be okay' talk right now Kassius." She said.

"That is not why I'm here," he replied, sitting next to her, "I think it would be sensible to leave your mother and Raven here with protection until we have cleared the camp. Your mother is a healer, Raven is…"

"Stronger than you think." Clarke replied, not looking at him.

"I understand that, but can she fight?" he asked.

"Put a gun in her hand and point her in the right direction and she won't miss." Clarke said, "But I think it would be a better idea if she remains here with my mother… We need my mother alive."

"There will be casualties." Kassius replied with a nod.

"Her priority is Lexa." Clarke said as she stood up, "the other healers we have can take care of the others."

"Understood." Kassius said as he watched Clarke walk over to her mother and Raven.

"How are you two doing?" Clarke asked.

"Top of the world Princess." Raven replied with a small smile.

"I want you two to stay here," Clarke said, putting her hand up a little when Raven opened her mouth to protest, "Lexa is going to need a doctor…"

She looked at her mother.

"And you're the best doctor I know…" she continued, "Raven, I need you to make sure that nothing happens to my mom… I don't trust anyone else."

"What about Bellamy?" Raven asked.

"I need him with me," Clarke said looking over at where Bellamy was standing with the Grounders as they put war-paint on his face, "and I'd hate for him to waste the war-paint…"

Bellamy looked over at them, an awkward smile on his face which made Raven laugh.

"He's bonding." Raven said with a laugh, "okay… we'll stay here, but how are you going to let us know its over."

"Someone will sound the horn…" Clarke replied, "I'll leave you with two horses, the minute you hear that horn, you ride."

They both nodded as Clarke heard horses approaching, Indra and Octavia were back.

"We need to march, now." Indra said as she dropped off the horse in front of Clarke.

"What happened?" Clarke asked.

"They dragged her from a tent and tied her up in the middle of the camp." Octavia replied, the worry obvious in her voice.

"Is she still alive?" Clarke asked, trying to keep her face clear of emotions.

"For now…" Indra replied, "She's strong Clarke, but I don't know how much longer she can hold on."

Clarke walked to the front of the army, everyone looking at her.

"Quiet!" Clarke called, getting everyone to fall silent, "Indra and Octavia have told me that the Commander is still alive…"

Calls rang out of 'Heda' around the army. Clarke raised her hand again.

"But we need to move, now," she continued, "Everyone knows what they have to do and what is at stake, if the Commander dies, this has all been for nothing. Kom wor!"

x-x-x

As the blades which were fastened to the end of the whip again cut through her skin, Lexa arched her back, gritting her teeth and letting out a low growl. She was pretty sure that the entire surface of her back was cut to ribbons, her mental strength slowly failing her as the blood seeped from the wounds. The new Ice Nation leader stepped in front of her.

"You know how to end this Commander." He said.

Lexa lifted her head and looked at him. She didn't have the energy to talk to him, so she motioned for him to come forwards a little, like she was going to talk to him. She started mumbling words, nothing that made any sense. He moved closer again and Lexa knew this could possibly be the last chance she had to do anything that was at all meaningful. As he brought his face into range, she quickly lifted her head a little, using all the strength that she had left to head-butt him, smiling a little as his nose broke, splattering blood across his face.

"Heat the blades." He said as he held his nose, "I am done being patient Commander, that just cost you your life."

Lexa lowered her head a little but kept her eyes fixed on him. She could tell from the look in his eyes that, at that moment, he was fascinated with her and terrified by her all at the same time. He didn't understand why she kept fighting when it would have been so much easier for her if she just gave up. He didn't yet understand what it meant to lead his people.

x-x-x

The Grounder army spread out around the outskirts of the Ice Nation camp, the silence of thousands deafening Clarke. She could hear yells from the camp, she could also hear a whip cracking.

"Lexa…" She said quietly.

"Be strong Clarke," Indra said, coming up beside her, "if you fall apart now, you cannot help her."

"I want you and Kassius to find her, Indra," Clarke replied, looking at the older woman, "protect her with your lives…"

Indra nodded a little and moved away quietly to find Kassius. Octavia replaced Indra at Clarke's side.

"You ready for this?" she asked.

"Nowhere near…" Clarke replied honestly.

"Everyone knows the plan Princess," Octavia said as she looked at the blonde girl, "this is going to work."

Clarke nodded a little before she looked at the younger girl.

"Let's do this…" she said.

Octavia gave a her small smile and a nod. Clarke raised her hand, looking at the army around her, as she lowered her arm a flaming arrow was sent up, the signal to move forward into the camp.

x-x-x

Lexa heard a war cry ring out across the camp as the edges of her vision started to blur, darkness was moving in fast. She heard the sounds of panic as her head lowered and her eyes started to close.

"Kill her!" the Ice Nation leader shouted.

She heard swords being drawn as fighting broke out around her. Lifting her head one more time she found a circle of people surrounding her. Darius was on the floor, his head at least 3 feet from his body.

"Hold on Heda," she heard someone say, "They're coming."

No matter how much she tried Lexa couldn't keep her eyes open, her head felt heavy, her breathing coming in short sharp bursts. Her lungs burned as she tried to take a deep breath, it felt like she was drowning.