Clarke sipped the rich wine of the Trishana clan while she watched a group of performers juggling with more and more deadly instruments. Nia had truly gone all out with her celebration. The feasting hall was richly decorated and the table was filled to overflowing with roast boar and elk. There was a rabbit pie and the glazed pigeons were delicious. She hadn't eaten this rich and bountiful a fare since the feast for the founding of the coalition. The meats and bread had been moved to the side now that the guests had eaten their fill. Instead servants had laid great platters of fruits, berries and honey cakes in their place. It was decadent and a tribute to the trade routes that had been created and fortified by her alliance.

Roan leaned over and spoke lowly in her ear. "Are you prepared for our play?" There was humor overlaying the tension in his words.

Smiling at him while pretending to blush at his words, she shifted so that she was faced towards him and could whisper back in a voice that would only be heard by him. It wouldn't do for their neighbors to think their actions at all suspicious. "I should be the one asking you that."

Standing with a smile, he raised his glass waiting till the hall fell silent. "Tonight we honor my mother and her reign that has brought prosperity and greatness to our clan!" A great cheer rose up. As it died down, he shifted so he was partially facing Clarke. "Our great Heda, who united the clans, and the most powerful person in the land honors our people with her presence. Azgeda is one of the greatest clans in the world and this coalition has made us mightier still. The queen, my mother has retired for the night, her duties keep her busy and unable to fully enjoy tonight's festivities. So in her place, I urge you to drink to her health, that her reign be long and remain prosperous in the years to come!"

The whole room rose to their feet, taking great gulps from their glasses. Clarke smirked and rose as well. As the others sat, she remained standing. "Five years ago when I first inherited the spirit of Heda I knew that continuing the war between our two great clans would bring nothing but ruin to us both." Her spine was iron as she surveyed the room. The early days of her rule had been chaotic and she'd nearly been assassinated by her own people on multiple occasions for daring to negotiate with their historic enemies. "So, I approached your queen. Together we united our clans, and with the power of our united people we forged the coalition as one people. To Queen Nia of Azgeda, my honored ally and a valued friend of the coalition, long may her reign be blessed."

The warriors and officials in the hall roared their approval and drank to the queen's health. Sitting down, she smiled as Roan laid his hand over hers. "Laying it on a bit thick there?"

"You would have me snub your mother? Your mother and Luna are my greatest allies." She said while bringing her chalice to her lips. The wine was truly excellent.

Roan chuckled lowly. "How is that second of yours doing? I've been unable to speak to her in the short time you've been here."

Clarke let her fake smile fall as she took in the sight of her second. Ontari was one of the more contentious issues during negotiations. Now however, she was glad of how she'd handled it. She'd given Nia what she wanted, a hold over the commander and very real guarantees that Azgeda would hold power within the coalition. Taking on her pet nighblood and training her as a second, who would take a high ranking position as a captain and eventually general in the coalition on becoming a warrior, had been the compromise Clarke was the most uneasy with initially. Ontari's blood made her a potential threat to Clarke's sovereignty and one she had been unprepared to face going into the negotiations. Now she was glad she had taken a chance on Ontari. She was loyal, smart, and skilled and had become a sister of the blood. A true asset who, with her blood, would make a fine leader of a multi-clan force.

If keeping Nia close was necessary, Clarke had been more than willing to do so. No clan had been able to stand against the combined might of the Trikru and Azgeda armies. Especially with Trishana and Floukru already allied to her. The coalition had fallen into place with minimal violence. Luna had been the second major decision she'd made that had nearly cost her life. The first of course being opening negotiations with Azgeda. Titus, as well as all of the Trikru generals, had demanded she have her sister of the blood hunted down and killed. Clarke had overruled them. Luna was pardoned and with the mystery and inherent power attributed to nightbloods, had been taken as the second of the chief of the Floukru. She'd disliked dealing with the man but had been glad he was stubborn enough to give her the leverage she needed to save Luna. If he hadn't been willing to stand up for Luna, the consequences of her decision to pardon her would have been much worse.

When two years later he'd been lost at sea, she'd had her sister of the blood holding the position of chief of the Floukru. It had been a boon she hadn't dared hope for when making her original plans. Still, the pardoning of Luna had been important for reasons other than gaining a valuable ally in another clan. It had set a precedent that a nightblood could have the honor of the possibility of taking the flame stripped from them, and yet remain alive. So she'd used that to have Ontari become her second. It helped solidify the treaty with Azgeda, and had lessened the threat of Azgeda attempting to assassinate her and place Ontari on the throne. Which had been important since in her first year alone there had been fifteen assassination attempts that made it to the tower. She still bore several scars from close calls.

Ontari had been a few years younger than herself and clearly damaged. However, through the years the two had become close and Clarke had found someone who hated Nia more than just about anyone else. Nia had not been a kind mentor. A year of being treated as a human being had been all that was needed to gain the loyalty of her second. Smiling softly, she replied to Roan. "She's found her place in Polis. I look forward to what she will accomplish."

"I'm glad." Roan stood once more. "In my mother's honor, all the food left from the queen's feast is to be distributed to the people of the city."

Chiming in, Clarke added, "Open up four barrels of the finest wine for the people as well."

As the people celebrated, the excess food, of which there was a great deal, was carried out by the servants. The amount of excess wasn't surprising, after all it had been cooked so this gesture could be made. Clarke engaged the minister of trade in a discussion on how much weight the new sleds Roan had had commissioned could carry during the winter months. There was a man standing before the tables singing the Ballad of Nia's grandfather, King Gregor of Azgeda. It was an appropriate piece and gave a lovely backdrop for the political discussions these types of events played host too after the dinner.

Even though she was expecting it, she still stiffened as the side door was thrown open and a guard came running in pale faced. "The Queen is dead! She's been murdered!"

Pandemonium filled the room, everyone was leaping to their feet yelling. Several weapons were drawn as Trikru representatives and Azgeda representatives turned on each other ready to defend themselves. Roan grabbed a horn that was hanging by his side. He blew a great shatteringly loud blast that brought everyone to a standstill. "Lock down the city until the killer is found. No one is to enter or leave this city until justice is done."

Clarke stood laying a hand on his shoulder, ignoring the tensing of the people in the room. "Prince Roan, all of the warriors I brought with me are at your disposal."

He clasped her hand on his shoulder in a show of gratitude. "We will find the perpetrators, and we will bring them to justice for this." Narrowing his gaze across the room, he appeared to be making decisions. "Warriors head to your posts, generals to the war room, we will have blood."

Clarke followed him towards the war room with Ontari hot on her heals. As they walked a guard of hers, Jod, approached her back. His head was shaved as was his chin but his massive mustache stood proudly out on his face. He was a loyal Trikru warrior of note. He'd been a captain in her army before she'd promoted him to her personal guard. His axe was attached to his waist and small shield slung over his back. He spoke in a scratchy, deep voice. "None of our men left the feast as commanded Heda."

"Well done." She said, breathing easier. If none of her men left the feast, then they all had a solid alibi. Excellent, suspicion could not fall on her and Roan for this. Their position needed to be unassailable. They hadn't planned this night for years for nothing. As they walked through the halls, they could see the lights being lit, guards running up and down, securing everything. Reaching the war room, Roan bent over the table and held that pose. Ontari and Jod fell back into respectful positions. Roan's personal guard falling back against the wall as well. Clarke stood beside Roan's shoulder in a physical indicator of her support of him. Soon enough generals, captains, and advisers streamed in the room causing it to descend to a low roar of noise. Everyone was suggesting possible escape routes.

Clarke and the Azgeda general Ulfric soon began to argue over how to secure the border to prevent the escape of the assassins into another clan's land. He glared at her. "Our queen was surely killed by one of your precious Trikru."

"I have only a band of forty warriors with me. What would I gain by having my staunchest ally killed? You need my assistance to keep the border secure whether you're the Bear of the North or not." She snapped.

He turned to Roan, "Surely you don't believe her my lord? She's murdered your mother!"

Roan slammed his fist down silencing everyone. "You dare accuse Heda of this treachery? It was you who was responsible for my mother's guard. Do not blame your failures on others. We need her support if we are to prevent any of our old enemies from breaking the coalition to take advantage of a weakness in us."

"Just because she did not stab your queen mother does not mean it was not done on her orders." He accused clearly enraged.

Clarke was impressed he was holding to his theory despite lacking evidence. Of course she'd never have left any evidence. "Whom would I have ordered to do such a thing?" Clarke said carefully and evenly. "I brought only forty warriors to this feast out of respect to the queen. Of those warriors, all were at the feast that you just attended as well. Did you not have your eyes and the eyes of your guard on them all night? Do you think we can be in two places at once? Or do you think I ordered one of Nia's personal guards, soldiers that you command, to betray her?"

"See, she even admits to how she's done it." He looked around the room. "We never should have trusted the Trikru scum."

A servant came in, handing over a rolled up note to Roan. Every eye in the room watched as Roan unfurled it and read it before crushing it in his fist. Looking up at Ulfric, he spoke harshly. "Tell me General, my men have just completed a thorough search of the palace and discovered that several of your men are not on duty where they are supposed to be. Why is that?"

Ulfric seemed taken aback by that before crossing his arms. "I'll have the fools whipped for abandoning their positions without leave if that is what's happened. Surely you must know that this is part of the assassin's plot. My men would never leave their post and their duty to the queen. The assassin must have gotten them. I have been loyal to your family since I was a boy. My men and I have no part in this."

Roan seemed to consider his words before softening his stance. "Let us hope you are right and they have been killed and their bodies hidden. I do not wish to think that this was an inside job. If they have left their posts, I suppose it is possible they were not part of the scheme. Perhaps they just hoped to enjoy the food and drink shared with the common people. Even so it would place you in quite the compromised position. If they have failed so horrendously in their duty for any other reason than death...well their punishments will not be light and I'm afraid that as their commanding officer, you would partake in their punishments as well. Your service and loyalty are undeniable and it would be a shame to lose you due to the incompetence of your men.

He had no sooner spoken than the door to the war room was opened and the captain of the guard entered with quick, but measured steps. Dropping down on one knee, he bowed his head. "Your Majesty."

Roan gripped the edge of the war table. "Report."

The captain stood. "Captain Hoag reporting. We've apprehended the six warriors who were not at their stations. We also confronted a vagrant attempting to leave the castle. He claimed to have killed the Queen for the sake of his son before slitting his own throat. The queen's personal guard who was guarding her door was poisoned. We discovered one of the gas grenades used by the maunon in Trikru territory. How the vagrant got a hold of it I don't know. We can only assume he had support in high places. The six guards whose dereliction allowed the vagrant to enter so easily were found partying in the streets with the commoners. Whether they were part of this or not we have not discovered. They are being entertained in the dungeons now."

Ulfric swung around with a snarl on his lips as he stepped towards Clarke. "You have suborned my guards against me! You filthy witch! How did you buy their loyalty?!"

Clarke dropped her hand to the dagger on her belt, refusing to back down. She didn't draw it as Captain Hoag slammed his hand down flat on the table. "Heda didn't kill our queen. It was your men that failed to guard her. You know as well as I that the Trikru have never used the weapons of the mountain. They fear even touching them. Did you think I did not know that you have been stockpiling them for years on the Queen's orders?" His voice was shaking with restrained anger.

The entire room turned and stared at the General, waiting to see how he would respond to the Captain's blatant accusation. Clarke moved with speed and precision. She knocked Ulfric's knees out causing him to drop while drawing her knife and holding it to his throat while twisting his arm tightly behind his back to prevent him from freeing himself.

Roan roared. "GUARDS! DRAG THIS TRAITOR OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

"I'VE BEEN FRAMED! I DID NOT DO THIS!" Ulfric denied as guards grabbed him from Clarke yanking him out of the room. "I DID NOT DO THIS!"

The doors were slammed shut, the cries of innocence still ringing down the halls. No one spoke. Roan bowed his head and seemed to be overcome with grief. Clarke laid her hand on his back in a symbol of strength, support, and comfort. No one need it to know it was also a sharing of joy at their success. Finally, Roan pulled himself up straight locking his hands behind his back. "Captain, see to it that we find out everything the prisoners know about what happened tonight before tomorrow morning. For a day we will mourn. At dawn tomorrow, justice will be dealt to those who by their negligence or deliberate actions brought about the death of our Queen and my mother. I want them stripped and beaten until all their bones are broken. Then I want them left out on wall to be killed by the cold if their wounds do not claim them first."

Clarke looked over at one of the other Generals. "Go, secure Ulfric's former division. Until we are sure there are no other conspirators we can't allow them access to the capitol." Turning to Roan, she spoke levelly. "I will remain for the Queen's burning as she deserves for our years of friendship. I shall also remain for your crowning so that people know that the alliance of our people is still strong and not to be doubted. After that, I will return to Polis to ensure none from within the coalition dares challenge you."

He bowed his head to her. "I thank you for your kindness and loyalty Heda. Azgeda's position in the coalition will not change."

"Of course, you can receive the brand once you've grieved for your mother and rooted out the traitors." She allowed, feeling the respect she was gaining from the generals and advisers present. Dipping her chin as much as was permitted for her position, she continued. "Nia's loss will be felt for many years."

-TLGTLGTLGTLGTLGLTLGTLGTLGLTLGTLG-

Lexa ducked the wildly swinging sword of the charging grounder. With a cry, she lunged forward, burying her sword through the creature's torso. Sharp teeth bit down on her shoulder, ripping into her flesh. She screamed before taking a dagger and shoving it into the creature's brain through the ear. Kicking the corpse off of her, her sword came free with a sickening squelch. Looking at the other's she raised her voice. "Run!"

They took off, but Raven was clearly still suffering from what was most likely a mild concussion, making their pace slower than Lexa would have liked. Spinning on her heel as she heard Atom curse, she saw him locked in combat with a grounder. Bringing her sword down in a violent arch, she caved in the creature's skull.

"DUCK!" Raven hollered at her.

Lexa didn't question it, dropping down as Raven swung her piece of pipe like a baseball bat into the face of a grounder who'd been almost upon her with a wet thunk. It dropped like a stone.

Harper let out a scream of fury as she blocked the swing of an ax while Myles cut the grounder's throat. Lexa and Atom set on another grounder that emerged out of the dark foliage. Lexa kicked it in the gut hard while Atom slashed his sword across its face killing it instantly. Not bothering to strip the bodies, Lexa grabbed Raven's arm. "Run."

They stumbled through the woods in a desperate rush for the camp. If the earlier grounders had attacked with any sort of coordination, they would have been crushed. Their half mad state was the only reason they survived to breathe and run. Lexa saw a grounder coming for them from the side. Twisting she made to kill it but Myles got there first. He was a moment too slow. The first slash of the grounder's axe caught him in the thigh, spinning him before he crashed to the ground with a yelp of pain.

Harper leapt over Myles' pain filled form, driving her sword into the bone of the creature's arm. It was like it couldn't even feel it as it knocked her off bodily. Lexa took advantage of its distraction to stab her sword through its throat. It gurgled, twitched, and fell. Not bothering to clean her sword, she dropped to see how hurt Myles was. "Fuck."

She yanked a piece of rope out of her pockets and wrapped it around his leg above the cut that was bleeding and clearly bitten into the bone. She tightened the rope without pause for Myles' agonized scream. Once it was as tight as she could physically get it, she tied it off as securely as she could. The bleeding had slowed but there was still blood pouring from his wound but she'd done all she could. Hiking his arm over her shoulder, she yanked him up in order to pull him along with her. His face was pale and she could tell he was going into shock. "Raven, get under his other arm."

The woman did as she was told taking half of the kid's weight as they began to hobble at the fasted pace they could move towards the dropship. She nearly sobbed in relief when she saw the tall wooden walls of the camp. It died in her throat at the sight of eight grounders between them and the wall. They wouldn't make it. Gritting her teeth, she sheathed her sword and took her gun from its holster. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she concentrated on calming her heartbeat. Taking aim, she used her force of will to stop the shaking in her arm and fired. The first grounder's head snapped to the side with a spray of blood before falling like a puppet with its strings cut.

Aiming again, she took down the second grounder. The others were turning away from the wall now facing them. Two more shots and two more grounders hit the ground. Her hours in the shooting range on the ark were paying off now. Her next three shots missed the charging grounders' heads instead hitting them in the torsos. With a curse, the next shot apparently hit the heart dropping another one. It took four more shots to drop the last of the grounders. Panting she gripped more firmly onto Myles.

The gate swung open for them as they hobbled in. As the gate closed she shoved her gun back into the holster. The standard glock clip held fifteen bullets, she had three left. Internally, she cursed herself, she'd been saving the bullets for a last stand. That option was now off the table. Raising her voice, she moved onto more important matters. "Wells!"

Wells came rushing out of the drop ship and took in her bloody shoulder and Myles who was falling unconscious. In a shot, he was there taking the weight of Myles off of her, sweeping the boy up into a princess carry and hurrying off with him. Breathing easier for the first time since she left camp, she took in the sight of her people who had remained behind in camp. They looked tired and suspicious as they looked warily at Raven's form. Straightening herself, she repeated a mantra in her head, 'no weakness, no weakness.' Raising her voice, she gave the announcement. "The ark sent us a working radio and their best mechanic Raven Reyes. She's here to help us till more reinforcements can come."

The mood lightened instantly. A couple of the younger kids let out whoops of joy. Seeing as that was taken care of, she saw Bellamy approaching. "Bellamy, report." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Raven's eyes narrowing and her mouth opening. Gripping the girl's wrist tightly, she squeezed it in warning.

Bellamy came to a stop in front of her. "We were attacked not long after you left to recover what the ark sent. Six of the grounders dead, a broken arm, and three of us needed stitches." His own brow held a row of sloppy stitches above his left eyebrow.

Nodding, she spoke clearly. "I want guards on the wall, everyone else is to sleep while they can. In the morning we'll scavenge what we can from the corpses and throw them in the ditch."

There were several salutes. Bellamy remained sagging slightly at her side and Octavia came skidding up to her looking relieved. "Oh thank god, when we heard the gunshots we knew they'd found you in the woods." Octavia threw her arms around her hugging her tightly.

Lexa was bemused by the youngest Blake's affection. She hadn't expected it but it made her feel a flicker of warmth at the show of friendship. Returning the hug was as natural as breathing.

"Raven?" Finn's voice called out in shock.

Lexa looked up at the unfolding drama while Octavia stepped back, releasing her from their hug. She may not like Spacewalker particularly but she was glad at least one of them got family returned to them. Her mind blanked in shock as Raven practically threw herself at the floppy haired boy, kissing him desperately. The entire camp went deathly silent.

Finn untangled himself from Raven, the two exchanging words. There was a rushing in her ears though. Still, she picked up enough to get the gist of it. Raven had risked her life to fall to almost certain death for the barest chance of seeing her boyfriend one more time. Meanwhile, Finn hadn't even waited an hour after landing to flirt with anything with breasts. Finn sent a panicked look towards Octavia and the silent spell broke. She let out a sound of distress like she couldn't decide whether to deck him or flee and cry. Bellamy didn't have that issue. His fist crashed into Finn's face with all the force he could put into it. Finn didn't have time to recover before Bellamy was on him. Atom and Harper grabbed Raven hauling her back from the fight before she could use that knife she'd just pulled out of her pocket.

Bellamy was nothing but rage. Against the better trained older boy fueled by a protective anger Finn didn't stand a chance. He hit the ground in moments, his face a bloody mess. Bellamy straddled him instantly, raining blows down on his torso while Finn's legs kicked out, his arms raised in a futile attempt to protect himself. The screaming of Raven finally snapped Lexa out of her frozen state. Her head whipped around fixing her glare on Murphy and Dax. "Get him off of him!"

Murphy and Dax moved automatically grabbing at Bellamy. He shook them off like they were nothing but flies. Murphy let out a growl as he stumbled back before darting in and wrapping his arm around Bellamy's throat and choking him out. Dax darted back in helping drag him off of the weakly struggling Finn. Lexa stepped forward, putting herself between Bellamy and Finn. Raven had stopped yelling thank god. Staring right into Bellamy's furious eyes, she put her hand against his chest. "Bellamy stop."

"How dare he! I'll kill him! You promised if he hurt her, I could handle him!" He growled with bared teeth.

Lexa shoved her hand more firmly into Bellamy. He needed to focus and slapping him wasn't an option. "You've taken your pound of flesh, but Spacewalker is still one of us." She didn't add that he was necessary as their best tracker.

Bellamy looked mulish and closer to rebellion than he'd been since the first couple of days. "He's a lying cheating bastard and he used her!"

"And it's her place to deal with that. Whether you like it or not, we are all equal here and we can't start killing our own people just because they turn out to be dicks." Lexa said viciously, seeing the fight draining out of Bellamy slightly. He was still furious but she was fairly sure he wouldn't go right back to attempting to kill Finn.

Turning, she took in the scene. Raven was looked horror stricken still held immobile by Atom and Harper. Octavia's face had fallen frighteningly blank. Finn had sat up and was wheezing slightly. His nose was clearly broken. His face was bloody and bruising already. If the way he held himself was any indication, she was almost certain he had at least one broken rib, if not more. If she had her way, this would have been dealt with privately. However, it was public now and if she tried to move it to a private area she could lose the trust and authority they placed in her. So publicly it was. "Finn Collins. It's not my place to deal out your punishment but I think you're lying cheating scum. Still you're one of us. Do you want to accuse Bellamy of doing anything to you that you didn't deserve?"

He let out a sound of pain before speaking weakly. "No, but..."

She cut him off ruthlessly. "Your excuses don't matter." She kept her gaze on the boy, measuring her options. "Your relationships with Raven and Octavia are none of my business but if they continue to disrupt the camp, I will make them my business. So, after you are treated, you are on guard shift until I relieve you and expect to go on your hunting trip as soon as you are rested enough after that. I don't want you in my camp making a mess of things with Bellamy and the girls. Make yourself scarce Spacewalker. I don't want to hear about any more trouble like this."

Jon stepped forward gripping Finn under the arm and hoisting him up to his feet. "Come on man, let's go."

"Raven, Octavia, my tent now." She strode into her tent, trusting that her orders would be followed and if not, they'd be enforced at the least. The way Raven stumbled into the tent, Lexa assumed she'd been forced in by one of the guards. Octavia followed not long after. "Sit."

Both women did so, but not without some unhappy grumbles. Raven was glaring at Octavia and Octavia just seemed mad at everything. Lex dropped onto her simple cot. Facing Raven, she decided to handle that one first. "Raven, I'm sorry your boyfriend was unfaithful. Perhaps the ground won't be what you expected but you still have a home here with us. We're all trying to survive down here as best as we can. I will not tolerate any retaliatory attacks on either of the Blake siblings. None of us knew Spacewalker was in a relationship, and Bellamy was protecting his sister."

Turning to Octavia, she spoke slightly softer but still firm. "O, sometimes people are shitty partners. I know you thought my last girlfriend was. You're hurt but Raven has done nothing wrong and as an arker on the ground, she is one of ours. I'll will turn a blind eye to one clean hit towards Spacewalker from either or both of you. If you want to never speak to him again, I'll make sure that happens."

Standing, she looked between the two girls. "Settle any issues between yourselves. Finn is the one who's created this mess, he should be the one to suffer for it. Frankly, I think you both deserve better."

With that she walked out of the tent and for the drop ship. She prayed that she'd made the right decision leaving them alone together. Still, she knew that cheating left messy drama in its wake and their camp couldn't take that strain. It needed to be handled, and handled now before it could spiral out of control. As soon as she was into the drop ship she unhooked her pack and slid down the wall asleep before she even hit the ground.

-TLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLGLTLGTLGTLGTLG-

Lexa was woken by her shoulder being shaken gently. Opening her eyes, she started to shift to defensive mode only to see Wells' face. He had dark circles under his eyes but was smiling knowingly at her. "How long were you going to hide that injury on your shoulder?"

She smiled weakly in an attempt to hide any signs of weakness. Which Wells saw through immediately. "Come on, let me clean that and then you can go do your thing."

Her muscles protested the movement but she stood slowly, stretching out her long limbs as she did so. With a grunt, she pulled herself onto the table they'd made for Wells to work on his patients. "What time is it?" She croaked.

He shook his head while helping her get her jacket and shirt off so he could get to her shoulder. "The sun rose an hour ago. Miller will want to talk scavenging teams after I'm done with you." He frowned looking at her shoulder while she dropped her upper body clothing on the table with a thunk. "Jesus Christ is that a bite? One of those things bit you?"

"They're not right in the head." She said with a wince as he started to clean it out to prevent infection. "How's Myles?"

Wells looked sick for a minute. "I had to take the leg. He passed out thankfully." He continued to clean the dirt off for a bit before continuing. "I'm not a trained medic Lexa. I was able to burn the artery closed and stitch him up but…" He grimaced. "His chances of surviving this are almost negligible. Jasper's survival is a miracle."

"Hey, you did the best you could." She said in an attempt at comfort but knowing it fell short. After all, she liked Myles and Wells knew it.

They remained silent as he used some of their moonshine to wash out the injury and he then stitched it closed. A piece of the cleanest fabric they had access to was wrapped from her shoulder to under her opposing armpit. "There, you're good."

"Nothing about this is good." She said while pulling on her shirt and jacket. "There's a radio in my pack. See if you can get Monty and Raven to get it up and running while I handle taking care of the bodies."

"Got it, and Lexa…take care." He patted her arm.

She was struck by how different he looked down here on earth. He had several days' worth of stubble along his chin. His clothing was filthy and caked with blood and grime that looked like it had just been scraped off instead of given a proper wash. Dark circles were under his eyes, not to mention they were bloodshot from exhaustion. They couldn't keep this up for long.

Her feet felt heavy as she walked out into the camp. There was a purpose and pride in the kids but she could also see the price it was taking from them to wage a war, constantly on alert for another attack. Miller walked up to her with a serious expression. "I've got a party ready to deal with the dead."

"How many?" She asked getting straight to business.

"Four of the building team to deepen the ditch and cover the bodies once we get them. Two guards and a hunter to watch their backs while they do that. Then two parties of six. One with three guards, you and three builders to strip the bodies. Then a party of myself, three guards and two hunters to sweep a circumference around camp." He reported easily.

It was a good plan and used their resources well. It would leave the camp low on guards but with most of the hunters and builders inside their walls. "Good, we'll leave Murphy in charge of camp while we're gone then."

"Yeah, Bellamy's sleeping off the night shift." Miller pointedly didn't mention the Finn debacle.

"Well done, is everyone ready to move out now?" She asked.

"Of course," he glanced at her blood stained shoulder. "Are you capable of dragging corpses? You and Murphy could easily switch positions."

"It's just a scratch, Wells already stitched it up." She kept her face carefully even, 'no weakness, no weakness.' He seemed to buy it and fell in as they walked to the waiting party. There was no need for a talk. They just silently fell out according to orders.

She and her team moved to the bodies furthest from the walls first. Methodically they began to strip the weapons, armor, and anything of use off of the bodies. A woven matt suspended from two branches was spread out on the ground after they'd taken all that could be salvaged. The corpses were hauled onto the stretcher and then two by two they hauled them to the ditch and dumped them there before heading back. It was slow going considering they had to stay in a single unit.

It was dirty foul work. Lexa had learned more about bodies on the ground then she'd ever known a person could know. The way they smelled, the way they felt, the way the head lolled on the neck when moved. It was frustrating that the pants were never truly salvageable because of the corpses defecating on themselves in death. Still, if they didn't want to infect themselves with a plague dealing with the bodies was necessary work. So, she put she put her back into it and did her share of the work, shoulder to shoulder with her people.

They were stripping the last body and loading it up when she heard the heavy sound of footfalls. She had her sword out and was on guard instantly dropping the leg she'd been stripping a boot off of in the process. Narrowing her eyes, she waited. The footsteps were deliberately loud and slow. It could be one of the outer guard returning injured, or it could be a grounder that just hadn't noticed them yet. She held her hand up to keep the others in their places.

So, they stood there in a group. Dax had turned to the side covering their flank Atom taking the other side. The wall was protecting their backs. It was days of fighting these crazed monsters that kept all of them in their places as a giant of grounder came out from behind the trees approaching them slowly. After all, it was safest to kill the things when they charged recklessly at you. Strangely, this one didn't charge.

He was bald and his clothing was lighter in color, his face missing the white war paint she'd become accustomed to seeing on the grounders. He came to a stop three body lengths from them, his hands raised up at the height of his shoulders, palms empty and facing them.

Lexa frowned, she could feel the confusion all of them were feeling. However, she stayed firm. Surely, this one would attack in a moment.

The grounder opened his mouth and spoke. It was so jarring, she and all of them lowered their weapons incrementally. "Ai laik Lincoln kom Trikru."

"Holy shit the grounder just spoke." Monroe breathed out.

Dax spoke under his breath as well. "Can they all do that?"

Lexa took a step forward keeping her sword raised and ready to attack. "Who are you and what do you want?" It was foolish she realized almost immediately to speak English to someone who clearly didn't.

"My name is Lincoln." He kept his hands up and spoke slowly like the words were in a language he used rarely. "I am of the Trikru, tree people." Slowly moving his hand, he unbuckled the sword he had strapped against his back.

They all tensed but he didn't draw it just carefully taking it off and dropping it at his feet. "I wish to speak with your leader."

Lexa felt her mind racing, there really was only one course forward that could help her people. Straightening out of an attack position, she lowered her sword. She didn't sheath it though. "Why should I listen to you? Your people have done nothing but attack mine since we arrived."

"The ripa, reapers attack yours." He gestured slowly to the corpse at their feet. "You are in mounmen land. I am Trikru."

Taking in the information, it made a great deal of sense. This grounder was fundamentally different than any they'd encountered up until this point. "So the Trikru have never attacked us?" She asked to confirm exactly what he was saying.

He frowned. "The one who crossed the river only. To do so is to risk the reapers. All who cross the river are left as a warning."

Lexa grit her teeth. He was talking about Jasper. Now, it all made sense. If they were all savages, Jasper shouldn't have lived and there shouldn't have been medicine in his wound. That why it had seemed like a warning, because that was exactly what it was. "If this isn't your people's land how do you watch the river?"

"Scouts travel this land often to watch for gatherings of ripa. They are the only ones permitted to be here. To be here is death." He said carefully, clearly trying to convince them of something.

Swallowing, she came to a decision. "Will you consent to be checked for weapons before we allow you into our camp to talk?"

Lincoln seemed to think for a moment before reaching his own decision. "Sha, yes."

Dax spoke up. "Princess what the fuck? You can't be letting his grounder in. He could kill someone."

"He's outnumbered and will be unarmed." She said firmly. "Monroe, Atom go pat him down. Monroe, he so much as twitches you run him through." Her voice was hard as she remained where she was. This grounder may appear peaceful but there was no way she was risking her people on that alone. She would give this grounder a chance in an attempt to learn things that would help her people survive but if she thought he was lying or trying to lead him into a trap, she wouldn't hesitate to kill him herself.