Chapter 3

"The Maunon have fallen, Heda."

Lexa pulled her attention away from the paper spread across her lap and lifted her chin, staring down at the Trikru General. The information did not seem to faze the young woman; she was well trained at keeping her emotions hidden behind a mask of indifference.

"You are sure?" Her strong voice carried through the open space of the Commander's tent, where she was currently working on plans for the reconstruction of TonDC. Now that her people were safe, it was time to focus on repairing the damage that the war had caused.

"Sha, Heda," Indra replied, standing tall and proud with her hands clasped behind her back. "Our patrol confirmed that the Skaikru escaped the mountain with around fifty survivors, so I ordered Mikel to take a group of warriors and inspect the mountain. They have reported that every last mountain man has perished."

Not a lot surprised Lexa, she had seen, heard and done many things in all of her years as Commander, but discovering that Mount Weather, their greatest enemy – who had tortured, killed and turned her people into monsters for as long as any of them could remember – had finally fallen, surprised her more than she could have possibly imagined. Despite having struck a deal with the Mountain Men, Lexa was not naïve enough to believe that they would honour their terms once they were able to walk the earth. All she could hope was that her people had enough time to recover before they were thrown back into the middle of another war, and that their knowledge of this world would give them the upper hand.

However, the days of fearing being chased off their lands and wiped out by the enemies advanced weaponry were finally over. It was a day that the Trigedakru had dreamed of for a long time, and Lexa wanted nothing more than to allow her people the chance to celebrate, but first she had other matters to attend.

She rose from her throne, red cloak pooling around her feet as she slowly approached the General. "And what of Clarke?" she asked calmly, though her heart pounded ferociously against her will as her mind wandered to a particular blonde haired leader. Lexa did not need to know the cause of the Mountain's demise, she was already certain that Clarke was behind it. The blonde would stop at nothing to save her friends, even if it meant putting her life on the line.

Indra – who was oblivious to the turmoil raging with the Commander - hesitated slightly before answering. "They have returned safely to Camp Jaha," she replied, shifting suddenly.

The hesitation did not go unnoticed by Lexa, and sensing her sudden discomfort, she narrowed her eyes at the dark skinned General. "Speak true, Indra. What is it?"

Indra quickly regained her composure, straightening her spine as silently scolded herself for allowing it to slip in front of her Heda. "Clarke of the Sky People left Camp Jaha shortly after they arrived, as has Octavia. They are yet to return."

The Commander simply blinked at the information, but her heart plummeted and stomach twisted nervously. She could not stop herself from thinking about Clarke after she left her outside of Mount Weather, and every time she pictured the devastated look on the blonde's face when she sounded the retreat, Lexa was overcome by waves of crushing guilt.

As quickly as it appeared, the guilt was replaced by a spark of raw anger. The Commander of twelve clans was not supposed to feel guilty, especially when it came to saving her people. She did what was necessary as a leader, saving the lives of her people came before everything else and even if she could do it all over again, she would not change her decision. The alliance with the Sky People was only possible because they offered a chance at taking down the Mountain, but if she declined the opportunity of saving hundreds of her people just to help the outsiders who had invaded their lands, killed hundreds of the Trikru, and provoked a war, the clans would rebel. It would all have been for nothing if they ended one war only to end up in the middle of another.

Lexa turned back towards her throne, clasping her hands behind her back. She stood tall, her chin raised proudly and the young woman radiated power. She was blessed by the Commander's spirit, she would not feel guilty, nor would she ever regret her choices, regardless of how much her heart ached from listening to her head.

"Do we know why they would leave the safety of their people?" she asked stiffly. Not knowing what the Sky Leader was thinking made Lexa nervous; she had learned not to underestimate Clarke.

"We do not," Indra admitted. "We wanted your permission before engaging with the Sky People. How should we proceed, Heda?"

Lexa pondered this for a moment. "What of Lincoln?"

Indra's expression instantly darkened. "The Natrona has fled; he is seeking refuge within Camp Jaha."

Despite the authenticity of her reaction, Lexa could see straight through Indra's act. There was no possible way that Lincoln could have escaped without help, and Lexa could think of no one else who would have taken such a risk. The General was tough on Lincoln even when he was a boy, just as Anya was tough on her. It was a clear sign that they had potential to be something greater. If it were not for Anya's vigorous training and authority, Lexa never would have made it as Commander. Perhaps it was easier having something to fight for; Lexa found her true purpose when the Commander's spirit joined with her own and she knew that she would spend her life fighting to bring peace to her people. Lincoln – who had always seemed like an outcast amongst the Trikru – had finally found his true calling; the only problem was that it lay with the Sky People.

If it were not for the fact that Lexa held a high amount of respect for the woman who had helped to raise her after her parents died and who had been nothing but loyal, even when others doubted her capability as Commander, Lexa might have confronted her. However, with the war over, their enemy defeated and their people safe, she was willing to turn a blind eye on this one occasion.

"Lincoln has made his choice. Let it be known that if he is seen outside of Camp Jaha that he is to be killed on sight, and resistance from the Sky People will only end in their death." The words tasted bitter as they left Lexa's mouth, the last thing she wanted was to drive another wedge between the two clans, but she had to set an example before anyone else got the wrong idea and began to question her leadership.

"As for Clarke and Octavia, I want a daily report on their activities. Watch them closely, but keep a distance, only engage if it is necessary. They cannot know that they are being followed."

"Sha, Heda." Indra nodded respectfully before exiting the tent.

Once she was alone, Lexa released a deep breath and slumped against her throne. She tried to assure herself the sending her people to spy on Clarke was a necessary action, that if there was a chance that the sky girl was looking for revenge, then it was better to be safe than sorry, but she only grew angry with herself the more that she tried to lie about her intentions. As much as she hated to admit it, this was not about protecting herself from the possibility of an attack; she was more than capable of defending herself, nor was this about protecting her people whilst they were still vulnerable. No, this was about protecting Clarke from the grisly fate that would await her if she even so much as hinted a revenge attack, if her people even slightly suspected that the Commander's life was being threatened, she would have no choice but to react, regardless of if she sympathised with Clarke's reasoning.

Oh, Clarke, she thought as her head dropped into her hands, I could not protect you from Mount Weather, nor can I protect you from this. Every inch of Lexa's being wanted to believe that Clarke's sudden urge to leave her people and explore the woods was simply innocent, that there was no ulterior motive behind her actions, but the Commander's spirit inside of her was restless and on edge, and Lexa knew that it was no coincidence.

Something dark was brewing in the distance, and Lexa was sure that Clarke was at the heart of it.

…

A week had passed since the fall of Mount Weather, since Clarke and Octavia left what was supposed to be their home to wander through the wilderness. Clarke was positive that Abby and Bellamy would quickly lose patience and order a search party to find and drag them back by any means necessary, so the duo forced themselves to cover as much distance as they could before that happened.

Their days were simple; wake up, eat, pack up camp, and continue walking until the sun disappeared, coating the world in darkness and preventing them from going any further. The two barely spoke; neither was really in the mood to, not when they had so much going on in their own minds. If they did, it was only in clipped sentences and never about anything remotely personal. Octavia informed Clarke the first few times when she would go out to hunt, but eventually they both got so used to the routine that it was no longer necessary.

Clarke would set up camp and keep watch whilst Octavia was hunting. They would prepare a basic meal and eat in silence before one of them would settle down to sleep. They took turns keeping watch throughout the night, rotating every couple of hours, mostly because Clarke could not sleep for any longer than that without waking up screaming from a nightmare, and sometimes Octavia would stay up with Clarke so that she would not have to be alone. They never commented on it, Octavia would never admit that she was concerned for Clarke, and Clarke would not admit that she was grateful for the silent company, so it just became another part of their routine.

Despite their surprising companionship, Clarke believed that Octavia still did not trust her not to do anything stupid, but she was unaware that deep down, Octavia was afraid for her. Clarke's screams were like a nightmare in itself; the tortured sounds chilled Octavia to the bone and left her utterly terrified, fearing falling asleep in case she experienced the nightmares herself. She knew what it was like to be plagued by the terrors of the night; having had her own fair share about being locked beneath the floor of the Ark, unable to escape as she suffocated in the darkness.

As night drew near - much to Clarke's dismay, - the two girl's chose a spot to settle down and build a camp. As Octavia ventured off into the woods to hunt, Clarke threw together a pile of firewood and eagerly worked on building a campfire. Winter was far worse than Clarke originally anticipated, each day was colder than the last, and their clothing was not suitable for this weather. Sleeping on the frozen ground without furs or blankets was becoming unbearable even whilst lying next to a roaring fire, and every morning they awoke feeling stiff and fatigued. Their food supply was scarce despite Octavia's capability at hunting for their meals, but it would only continue to deplete with animals going into hibernation and the lack of berries to forage.

Clarke pushed a hand through her hair, cringing as her fingers snagged on several knots. She desperately wanted a bath, but with the dramatic drop in temperature over the last couple of days, it was impossible to do anything more than quickly wash at a river. They badly needed supplies if they intended on surviving through the winter, but Clarke was not prepared to admit defeat and return home with her tail between her legs. When Octavia returned from her evening hunt, Clarke decided it was time for them to construct some sort of plan.

"We need supplies," she said as Octavia settled down to skin the rabbit she had caught.

Octavia stiffened slightly at the sound of the blonde's voice after becoming so used to the silence, but she replied with a sigh and nodded. "I know."

"Do you want to go home?" Clarke asked hesitantly, and Octavia narrowed her eyes at the question.

"I told you, that place is not my home."

She nodded. "Good, I don't want to go back either."

Octavia studied the blonde for a moment before returning to her task. "You have a plan," she stated simply. She knew Clarke well enough to know that she would not have brought up the conversation without an idea in mind.

"We should go to the supply depot," Clarke replied as she placed a few of their remaining berries on a leaf for Octavia to pick at.

"I thought Kane and the others already cleared it out?"

"They did, but we could use it as shelter for the winter. It's not in the best condition, but it has to be better than this."

Octavia nodded. "Okay, but what about supplies?"

Clarke hesitated, dreading what she was about to suggest because the idea of ever returning there made her feel sick to her stomach. "Mount Weather," she murmured.

Octavia's head snapped up so fast that it almost looked painful and she nearly dropped the rabbit that she was working on. "What? Clarke…"

"I know, I know," the blonde sighed, knowing exactly what Octavia was thinking. She pulled her legs up to her chest. "I don't want to go near that place again either, but we don't have much of a choice if we want to survive."

"Clarke, this is a really bad idea." Octavia said, her voice laced with anxiety.

Clarke swallowed thickly. "I know, but Mount Weather has everything we need to get through the winter."

Octavia sighed and returned her attention back to the half-skinned rabbit. She still had not quite gotten the hand of skinning an animal; in fact, it still made her feel a little sick. Even if she was able to skin it without accidentally cutting chunks off, they did not have anything to sew the furs together to make a blanket. The days were cold, but the nights were awful and the meat of the rabbits was barely enough to provide them with one meal. As much as she dreaded the thought of returning to the mountain and worried about what it would do to Clarke, they were not prepared for this winter. If they did not freeze to death first, then they would certainly starve.

Reluctantly, she nodded. "It will take us at least a day to get there, so we'll set off at first light, head west for a few hours, and then go north until we reach Mount Weather. That way we'll avoid going anywhere near Camp Jaha or any of the Grounder camps."

Clarke released a sigh of relief, relieved that she was not alone in this. She had forgotten what it felt like to have a plan and it filled her with a bit of confidence, knowing that they might just stand a chance of making it on their own.

As usual, they prepared and ate their meal in silence, but the tension was somewhat thicker than before as the nerves for their upcoming journey began to sink in. Clarke was more restless than usual as she settled near the campfire in the hopes of getting at least a couple of hours sleep, knowing that she needed the strength if they were going to travel all the way to the mountain. She led facing the fire, but the warmth caressing her skin was not enough to melt the chill that had settled into her bones. Her stomach knotted and squirmed with nausea as she tossed and turned, unable to find a comfortable position on the cold, hard ground.

As the night grew quieter, Clarke's thoughts only grew louder until it was almost impossible to keep them out. Her body trembled from more than just the cold as her heavy eyelids urged for a moment of rest, but the moment they slipped shut, the images appeared. Each time Clarke ripped her eyes open with a gasp, her heart thundered against her chest and she had to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. As a doctor in training, Clarke knew that she could not go much longer without sleeping; she could already feel how the deprivation was wearing on her body, but she had never been as scared of anything as she was about falling asleep.

However, as much as Clarke resisted, her body eventually gave in to its needs and as her eyes slipped shut, she drifted off into another world.

A cold breeze whipped through Clarke's hair, curling around the back of her neck and chilling her to the bone. Shadows danced in synchronisation with the flickering blue flames of the burning torches hung high on the walls. She stood beneath a stone archway, and the area was eerily quiet except for the calm, crackling fire that lured Clarke into a sense of peace, her lips pulled up into a lazy half smile, as she almost seemed to float down a dark corridor leading away from the archway. It was a strange sensation, every worry that plagued her mind and weighed down upon her shoulders suddenly seemed unimportant, as if they had just melted away and seeped into the ground below.

A laugh bubbled up Clarke's throat, and she was suddenly overcome by the urge to throw her arms out and scream with joy. There was not a time that she could remember where she had ever felt so free, so alive. Every inch of her body tingled with anticipation; she was invincible, and beautifully powerful.

But as the corridor eventually came to an end and Clarke stepped out into the open, the glow of the moonlight illuminating her golden hair and cascading over her body like a waterfall of silver light, the euphoria instantly gave way to pure devastation.

The ground beneath her squelched as her as her feet slowly carried her towards a mound of disfigured bodies, and Clarke did not need the moonlight to see that she was walking through a river of blood. The thick, irony stench of spilled blood and death caught at the back of Clarke's throat and she fought against the violent urge to heave until nothing in her stomach remained. Wide, fear filled eyes darted between the fallen warriors, desperately searching for a familiar face, and silently praying that she would not find one.

Oh my god, her mind silently whispered. Who did this?

Just as the thought came to her, the scene suddenly changed. She remained outside, still coated by the beautiful glow of the moonlight that did not seem to fit under such devastating circumstances, but she stood atop of a hill, watching a chilling battle between two warriors. The sound of blades clashing screeched through the night, ringing through Clarke's ears until they almost felt like they would bleed. Her heart thundered against her ribs as she anxiously watched the fight.

Dread seeped into Clarke's stomach, every muscle screamed at her to do something, to scream at them to stop or force them away from each other, but her feet were rooted to the spot. Tears pricked at her eyes as she watched the pair dance around each other, flinching every time their swords came together with tremendous force, unsure of which time was going to be the last. She helplessly watched as they swirled, ducked, and jabbed at each other with such determination that it was almost earth shattering passionate, and it broke Clarke's heart.

These two strangers in the night… there was something about them that made Clarke ache. With their desperation to cut the other down, came a deep sorrow that shook her to the core. Every jab was a silent cry, and every slash was a bittersweet promise. This was a fight to the death, but not with the sole intention of ending a life and viciously spilling an enemy's blood.

This was a battle between two warriors, between two souls connected and divided, between two lovers who found themselves on opposite sides of a war, who could not live with or without each other. This was a battle to end their suffering, to save their love once and for all.

As a blade finally struck, everything went silent, even Clarke's heart. Tears filled her eyes as she watched the warriors embrace, slowly sinking down onto the ground as the victor laid their lover to rest in a puddle of blood before pressing one last kiss to their lips. As the survivor, slowly rose to their feet and stepped away, the moonlight caught the fallen warrior's face, and a scream ripped out of Clarke's lungs before she had a chance to stop it. Her heart shattered as she stared down upon Lexa's still form.

"This is what you are, and all that you will be, Wanheda."

Clarke's eyes snapped up towards the surviving warrior, and screamed at the sight of her own face staring back with hollow eyes.

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