A/N: So...no Lexa in this one, but there's Octavia!

kyoshiob69 : Oh well...I guess, sorry about this chapter then... Ops... :/

Some questions: 1. Do you want Bellamy to be a positive character? 2. Would you like some more POV from Ice rebels, short sections like I did with Indra? 3. Do you want me to get in deeper with our rebel friends and their relationships?

Spoiler tease: I just realised who Aeryn's gonna end up with after this Ice part of the story... How didn't I see that before? Oh well, you go on and try to guess who it is.

I mostly use the italic for sentences written in English but meant to be in another language, be it Trigedasleng or Italian. And if there are no " " it's someone's thoughts.

Also... I'm looking for a beta to go over the story and help me with a few points and to get new ideas, so if you want to help me, contact me on tumblr my username is justawordunsaid or on twitter Sara_NobodyO

If you like it, please leave a review! Enjoy!


Chapter Twenty-Three: Of bards and lovers

When they leave the horses, they still have to walk for a whole day before they get to the capital. Goral's stories and Xavier's jokes keep them company, hold back their mind from wondering too much. The party of rebels is tense, Aeryn rides nervously at Clarke's side, Faith switches from being over talkative to being oddly and utterly silent, Nyx is riding ahead, sprinting as much as she can without distancing herself too much from the group.

Malaya is closed in her silence as always, but her posture is rigid and alert, Clarke can see the gears speeding in her head as the warrior concerns herself with what is to come. Kora has continued flirting even after Aeryn's hard blow, but she isn't anymore, she looks tense and on edge, she tries to laugh at Xavier and shoot back jokes, but the exchange is forced even while the boy tries to keep everyone's moral light.

Clarke silently lets her horse fall back a bit as she drops back at Malaya's side, Aeryn is the only one noticing and she throws Clarke a gentle look.

The brunette merely acknowledges Clarke with a look before turning back to watching the road ahead as if waiting for soldiers to jump out from trees. Clarke doesn't know how to start a conversation, doesn't even know if she should or if she would do better to just ride silently at her side as she feels Malaya would prefer.

"I know you want to talk, sky girl"

Hearing Malaya's voice speak up first surprises Clarke and the way she addresses her reminds her of Indra somehow and she almost smiles noting once again the similarity between the two.

"Do you, now?"

Malaya turns for a split second towards her, "Isn't that what you always do?"

Clarke chuckles, "I don't recall being too talkative with you"

Malaya shrugs, "So? What is it?" the tone of her voice is not annoyed and Clarke is almost surprised to find it kind.

The blonde shakes her head, "Actually, nothing. Xavier just cracked a really bad joke and Kora didn't help make it better".

Shockingly that makes the Ice girl let out a small laugh. "Yeah, those two think they're so funny".

Clarke grins, "I hear she thought she could be more than funny to you..."

Malaya looks at her with slight shock on her face, but then laughs again. "Who told you?"

Clarke throws a look Aeryn's way and Malaya follows it shaking her head, a small smile lingering on her lips. "Yeah, I knew it was a bad idea to tell Nyx and her".

Clarke laughs, "So you did throw her in a lake".

Malaya shrugs again, Clarke knows it to be one of her favourite moves together with rolling her eyes and glaring. "She asked for it".

Clarke lets out a last chuckle, "Yeah, I guess she had it coming". They fall silent once again, but this time the silence is comfortable, an adjective she hasn't associated with Malaya and her before.

After a long while in which Clarke feels like maybe she can, one day, become friend with Malaya too, after all Aeryn is her friend and she wouldn't have thought that possible when she first met the brunette, Malaya speaks again.

"What happens after? What will you do after this battle is won?"

"I don't know", she answers truthfully.

"Are you going to stick around?", this time the warrior sounds the smallest bit hopeful.

"If I survive the fight, I'd love to. But I guess we'll see what happens".

Malaya nods and waits a long moment before adding somehow in a lower voice "I think you should. My people like you, and you seem to have found your place among us".

The words leave Clarke open mouthed once again, this girl really is more than she looks as Aeryn told her more than once already.

"Oh yeah? You wouldn't mind?"

Malaya shrugs and looks ahead once again, "I mean, it's not like I can kick you out. Nyx would probably beat my ass."

Clarke grins and catches the small smile that sneaked on the brunette's face. It's not that bad to befriend Malaya.

They continue the ride in silence, Goral's current story reaching them from ahead.

He tells about heroes who are remembered in Ice's history for restoring the true ideals of their Nation and taking back their lands. He tells about a great victory against a queen that had been left in power too long to do as she pleased with her people. He tells about a great forgotten ally that returns to keep faith to an old alliance between justice and freedom. He tells about how they all win in Ice and get back their spirit as the Ice People.

Clarke spies Malaya's smile at hearing Goral already writing their fight in the memory of Ice. The blonde allows herself to keep her smile on her face too as she feels her friends finding their hope and enthusiasm in the loud voice of the storyteller.


Octavia falls into step with Hatan hoping to start a conversation with the man, her knowledge on the Ice Nation limited at what Lincoln told her, which, as Hatan himself said, is what his people learned from the Queen's men they've met. She wants to know more about these people, wants to understand their culture as she tried doing with the Trikru, she's still learning the ways of the ground and is curious about Ice, being it the first other clan she's come in contact with.

He doesn't seem to mind when she speeds up to walk at his side. He merely spares her a kind look before focusing on the path again.

She misses riding, they walk all day and she's dead tired, she wishes they could just jump on the horses they're bringing along and ride. But the horses wouldn't speed them up, since they have to keep the pace of the supplies carts, so they let them rest most of the day, making them keep a slow pace. They couldn't bring the Sky People's cars because they make too much noise and are not as easy as horses to conceal in case they need to hide.

So her feet are killing her, but as a good warrior she doesn't let any weariness show. She keeps Hatan's pace the whole day and eventually a conversation blooms.

They stop for lunch and she makes sure she sits near him, Bellamy approaches her offering her some food from their supplies, she looks down at it disappointed but takes it nonetheless, missing trikru's food. Hatan notices her distasteful expression and chuckles.

"You don't like your own food?"

She looks up at him and shrugs, "We may be good at a lot of things, but cooking's not one of them." He addressed her in English, probably thinking she would appreciate it being a Sky person, but she answers in Trigedasleng, making it clear she's a grounder and she will use grounders' common language. He seems to take the clue as his next words are in Trigedasleng as well.

"Here, try some of this", he hands her a plate with meat and some sort of vegetables on it.

She doesn't know what it is, but trusts him and takes a bite from the piece of meat, humming in delight at the wonderful taste.

"Oh god, this is amazing! What is it?"

Hatan shrugs, "It's just some Ice fox, pretty good, huh?"

She hums again in response.

"It's all in the way you cook it." he grins at her and she grins back, the gesture coming out a bit awkward as she's still eating, but that only makes him laugh as she shrugs apologetically.

"So your people are good at cooking. I thought Trikru cooked meat better than anyone, but I must say, this pretty much stands up to them." she admits after swallowing what's in her mouth.

"They say the best cooked meat actually comes from the Blood Clan and the Horse People. Though no one really goes to the Blood Clan for their cuisine anymore. They do go to the Horse People instead. Anyway, every clan has its speciality. The Boat People are obviously the best with fish, the Riven Clan's good at that too but what they're the best at is cheese, they make the most wonderful kinds of cheese. The Cloud People were once known for their baking, the Shadow People for the mutated plants that only grow in their lands and make for delightful appetisers."

Octavia drinks in all the words spilling from his mouth, eager to know more about all the clans. He seems to make no discrimination against any clan, not even the ones she heard to badly about.

"Wait, why do those plants only grow in their lands?"

"I'm not sure, but someone once told me the reason they only grow there is that that particular land, or most of it, was hit by multiple bombs and the concentration of radiations there was highest than anywhere else. But that's only an assumption, I doubt there's anybody left who could explain that to you."

She ponders about it. "Considering the post-apocalyptic world we live in, that sounds even plausible."

"Who knows, maybe that's the reason, or maybe those lands were different ever since before the bombs. Anyway those plants give lovely fruits, I've had the luck to try some of those and I must say, they are right, I'd never eaten anything quite like that before. Back to the clans, Trikru and Ice are known for their good cuisine, yes, but it's more like being great cooks than having a speciality, although we do have our particular plates."

Octavia grins at him as he finishes his speech about the clans' cooking and she starts to eat whatever it is that was put around the meat. It tastes watery and it's refreshing, it makes her thirst subside a bit and it has some kind of bittersweet flavour. "What's this?" she finds herself asking.

He shrugs, "Nothing special, I'd say it's our Ice version of wild salad. It's refreshing and actually pairs well with the meat you just ate."

She nods her approval and they finish their meal in silence before resuming the march with everyone else.

Octavia sees that he doesn't seem to mind not being with his group of rebels and instead marching with the other warriors and notices that when he rushes ahead to point the right direction for the warriors leading the way he always somehow falls back into step with her, or lets her catch up easily with him.

... ... . ... ...

When they set camp that night he comes to her after dinner with something dangling from his hand. He greets her as she's fixing her tent and hands her a pair of boots, they're high and the white fur with occasional dark smeared spots looks very warm and is soft at the touch.

She stares at him, "What are these for?"

He offers a kind smile, "I saw you weren't too comfortable with the road before, our soil is very different than the one you got used to. You could use these, they're pretty comfortable and much more helpful than the ones you're wearing."

She looks up at his eyes searching a reason for this gift but he's unreadable behind his kindness.

"Just try them" he prompts her putting the boots in her hands.

As she bends down to put them on, he adds "I did my best for the size, but I had to guess so..." he trails off as she straightens back up and looks down at her feet before walking a few steps.

The boots really are comfortable and warm, she kinda loves them already. "The size is alright. But I can't-"

He stops her raising a hand, he smiles and then he just walks away.

All she can do is call a "Mochof" after him.


"They rode into the capital on horses, their mane white as the pure moon, warriors clad in silver armour drawing slim lethal swords and shouting silent battle cries with eyes full of truth. They joined ancient allies in respect of a vow to righteous people, Ice and Moon together broke chains and ropes freeing spirits long forgotten by the world." Goral's voice is heard all around the camp, every rebel is listening, hoping that the battle goes exactly as their friend is telling it.

It's night, they set camp some hours away from Ice, they met Liri as planned and they will say their goodbyes tomorrow before everyone takes their place. Liri didn't have much to report about the capital and she now joined them for dinner around the fire.

They set various camps, the one Clarke is in right now is the smallest one, the friends she made since her arrival in Ice are there and some others she just got to know recently. They all sit around very small fires and are now listening to Goral's story.

Clarke is flanked by Nyx and Aeryn on each side, Faith is right next to Goral and Malaya listens quietly from the other side of the fire, her eyes occasionally finding Nyx's or Clarke's.

"The battle, that had lasted for hours already, came to an end only few hours after the arrival of the silver warriors, painting the sunset of red darkness and new hope. Loss were suffered on all sides, but the once feared soldiers were reduced to a few and held captive for the people to judge."

Aeryn nudges Clarke softly on the arm, "He has everybody captivated".

Clarke nods gently, "Indeed. He has a way with words, not just making up the story itself, but the way he tells it."

Aeryn chuckles and a warm smile spreads on her face as she turns toward her big friend who's still speaking his magic. "He's a poet."

Clarke looks over at her and smiles too at seeing the girl eyeing every one of her friends from behind a fire, she sees the concern and the love in her gaze and she reaches out placing a hand on her thigh. Aeryn covers it with her own hand without turning to look at Clarke and for a moment they just stay like that, until Aeryn's ready to let go of the nostalgic atmosphere.

She leans in closer to Clarke, "So..." she whispers and Clarke can feels the warmth of her breath on her own cheek, "you're friends with Malaya now, huh?"

Clarke closes her eyes to enjoy the feeling of the girl's voice in her ear and lets out a quiet chuckle. "I guess", she answers before adding "I hope so".

Aeryn elbows her playfully "Well, she's staring at you without glaring, so I'd say you're almost best friends". Both girls let out a short laugh before settling back in comfort silence and listening to the story once again.

"Ice found its pride again and claimed its freedom, people sang their hymns again and children learned about our festivities properly. And on the day that followed the victory a new song was heard coming from the heart of the Ice sons and daughters."

Goral starts to sing and Clarke can't help but gape in wonder as his voice rings deep and beautiful over the camp, it's low and powerful like the roar of the earth before it trembles shaking everything on its surface as Goral is shaking the heart of his friends. He sings of beauty and freedom, he chants of passion and a spark of madness, of union and friendship, he frees notes in the air of love and fight, belief and bleeding hearts that healed each other in the liberation of their spirit.

Some tear up as he recalls the ones they lost and the injustice that stained the white snow with blood, the lost fights and the despair in violence. And they all smile at his promises of new dreams and loves, nights under clear skies and people to call home, a land to name theirs with no shame and forest no longer haunted by screams and cries.

Faith is drinking each one of Goral's words and her eyes don't leave him even once as he keeps alternating between singing and telling, adding verses to stories and rhetoric to songs.

Clarke looks over at Nyx and notices a strange expression on her face, her slightly watery eyes are far away and her lips occasionally tremble as if thoughts were shaking her from the inside, her gaze is lost looking at Goral and through him, into depths Clarke doesn't wonder about, her hands lie on her lap clenching and unclenching slowly but incessantly. Clarke leans in and place her hand over the brunette's ones and looks into unfocused eyes, "We're going to make it, we will win" she assures before carefully, slowly as to let the girl free to pull back and a bit hesitantly she rests her head on Nyx's shoulder.

Aeryn still has her other hand held tight and after a while Clarke feels Nyx turning hers upward and squeezing the blonde's hand as she comes back from wherever her thoughts brought her. She smiles at the blonde resting against her and looks over at Malaya before turning her gaze on Aeryn and whispering for no one to really hear, "Yes, we're going to make it."

Aeryn smiles at her and catches Malaya's own smile from where the brunette is observing Clarke and Nyx's forms gently pressed together. As she feels Faith lying back on her, resting her back against the older girl's side, Aeryn sees the family they're creating before any of the other girls can.

... ... . ... ...

Aeryn holds Clarke back before she can make her way to the tent she's supposed to sleep in. The sky girl turns around and looks at light eyes reflecting frozen water with a question in her own sea blue ones.

"I have a feeling your bed will be occupied." A small shy smile unusually appears on the girl's face.

Clarke shakes her head chuckling, "Oh yeah?"

The other girl only nods.

"And you have nothing to do with that, right?"

Aeryn grins but still looks shy, which surprises Clarke and renders her curious. The Ice girl sure is often quiet and calm, she's like steady water gracefully moving in a small lake, but she's never shy.

Clarke resigns to simply follow her and Aeryn leads her in the tent she should be sharing with Faith, but the younger girl is nowhere to be seen, and Clarke has an idea where she's been sent.

Aeryn takes Clarke's hand hesitantly and leads her to one of the makeshift beds and has them sit down next to each other.

"It's the last night we can spend somehow in peace, tomorrow it all begins for real. I mean...it's already real, of course, but tomorrow..."

Clarke puts a hand on Aeryn's leg to stop her rambling. "Tomorrow there will be no coming back, tomorrow is definitive. I know, Aeryn, I know."

The girl looks at her and hesitantly reaches to tuck a strand of hair out of Clarke's face, Clarke kisses her hand and Aeryn leans in.

This time Clarke is the one who closes the distance and kisses her, it's soft and gentle, still oddly shy from Aeryn, but Clarke slides her hands on the Ice girl's hips and she looses up a bit, dipping her fingers in wild blonde locks.

When they break apart it takes Aeryn a moment to find her voice, "I know we said we'd talk after the battle, and I do intend on waiting as long as you need, but..." she trails off and Clarke finishes for her.

"But it doesn't mean we can't enjoy each other's company before that." she pauses and considers something. "I need to be honest, I don't know what will happen after the battle, I don't know if I can-"

It's Aeryn's turn to interrupt now, the warm smile is confident again, "It's okay Clarke. I don't expect anything of you, you know I like you and I know you like me to some level, it doesn't matter if we don't feel the exact same thing, we can enjoy a night. I will understand if you don't feel like starting a relationship of any sort after the war, but it's my people's way not to waste little moments of happiness. I learned to enjoy and live every little thing I get to feel and I just need to know you are as comfortable as I am with enjoying something that may even have no future." she chuckles a bit then, "Of course, I would be very willingly to take it further once the war is over. But I will never expect anything from you, nothing but honesty, it's all that matters to me. My people use to take what comes their way without forcing it or wanting more when it's not offered, but we're not shy about our desires."

Clarke is looking at her in awe, wondering how she got so lucky to stumble upon such a wonderful girl, and she chuckles at the last sentence and mocks gently, "Sure, you didn't look shy at all just some minutes ago."

Aeryn blushes suddenly and Clarke finds it adorable. "You're right, I was, but I wasn't being shy about my desire for you, I was merely nervous about your reaction."

Clarke laughs softly and kisses her again. "I like you, Aeryn. I don't know if I'll be able to take this anywhere, but I want you to know that no matter what, you are important to me. And this is important to me."

Aeryn smiles and lets the sweet depth of what they've been saying linger for a moment longer before attempting to lighten the mood. "Of course I am, I introduced you to the best culture people have ever had. In Ice we are amazing poets and artists."

Clarke laughs, "Ice People" she sighs "so full of themselves".

Aeryn feigns offence and tickles Clarke as payback.

"Oh, not only the girl's a jealous one, she's also vengeful!"

As they laugh together they fall back on the bed, Aeryn on top of Clarke looking down at deep blue eyes. The laugh dies in their throat and they stare at each other for a short eternity before Aeryn leans down to kiss the blonde and Clarke's hands slowly start to roam.

Sometime along the way, among sighs and whispers and small moan and whimpers, their clothes start to follow from their body and hands touch bare skin, kisses take another path down necks and tongues trace collarbones.

At some point while Aeryn is kissing down Clarke's neck, the blonde flips them over and traps Aeryn underneath her, grinning as a drunk artist who has finally found something worth painting. She takes off the last pieces of clothing they forgot to discard and lets her hands learn the curves of the body in her arms. She caresses breasts and sucks on erected nipples, she descends to slim legs and takes a taste from between them that has Aeryn whimpering and slightly bucking her hips up into Clarke's hand that just made its way there too.

Clarke kisses her as she takes Aeryn over the edge, she holds her as her back arches and her breath is stolen by the beauty unravelling before her, mouth open in a loud cry, eyes shut tight, hands gripping the furs and legs shaking, her body trembling and shining with sweat. When Aeryn comes down from her high, Clarke gently leads her through her bliss with small kisses all over her face, until frozen eyes open full of care and desire and oh so soft and Clarke has her breath stolen by the lazy kiss Aeryn pulls her into.

And then Clarke is on her back, Aeryn slowly makes her way down her stomach, until moments later she has Clarke trembling for her mouth. The Ice girl is soft as well as strong as she keeps Clarke in her arms during her orgasm, kissing down her neck and sucking gently on her collarbone, until Clarke is finally coming down and Aeryn lays her head on the blonde's chest and traces small circles on her stomach.

They fall asleep tangled together in sweat and bliss after falling over the edge some more times and they both wake up to hair tickling their noses and mouths. They both wake up to different shades of blue and naked skin.

They both greet the new day with smiles on their faces and confidence in their heart.