Thanks a lot to strangeJenny for Beta reading.
Her mother, Bellamy, Raven, Murphy and Amyla were in a meeting room, unfortunately Jaha wasn't able to be present. Murphy was the first to speak "So the meeting seemed to have gone well, hmm?"
A snort from Clarke, "That what you thought? It was a little cold at first, but we had a heart to heart talk, a drink, everyone sharing stories, trusting each other, we began to believe everyone could live in harmony… Of course it had gone wrong! They want all of us dead!"
"Eh… Chill out 'Princess' I was just trying to relax the atmosphere!"
"Don't call me that!" Clarke snaps.
"So how did it really go, have we got a chance at peace?" asked Bellamy
"Clarke I need to know, I trusted you with our people, but they are under my responsibility! How did it go? And what happened to you? They really are savages I knew it…" her mother began to grumble. Amyla was glaring at her, they began to insult each other, at least it was familiar, after what she just saw, it helps her relax a little.
"Well they are an army, a really big and scary army! Many warriors ready to attack us by a single word of their Heda. Their um… 'welcome' (Gustus) was a little different, once inside the tent Anya was the only one to give me a nod and the Commander was playing with her knife!"
Everyone was looking at her dumbfounded, except Amyla who was beginning to become more worried.
"Amyla had told me if the Heda plays with her knife, you have to be even more careful, she is making plans after plans to take all of you out."
They all looked at Amyla who gave them a nod and said proudly, "Heda is a brilliant strategist and a great warrior!"
Clarke returned to the happenings of her meeting, with a shake of her head, "There was also a guard and her most trustful general Indra, the guard and Anya were stayed quiet, Heda and Indra were the only ones to talk. Without Anya though I would never have had a meeting, seeing how they welcomed me, they could have killed me just as soon as they saw me. Anyway the talk didn't go very well, I was respectful to the Heda and trying to explain that we wanted peace, but Indra keep interrupting, thanks to Amyla I was able to understand some words, well it was more or less, kill, kill and kill. Now I'm sure that 'branwada' is really an insult" with a glare towards Amyla who seemed totally innocent. "When I insulted Indra there was an eerie silence, everyone seemed surprise that I knew their language, Indra was the first to snap out of it and she threw herself at me. I would like to say that it was an even fight but without the intervention of the Heda, I would be dead. Anyhow, we have to show them Lincoln, show them we can cure reapers if we want to have any chance of having a treaty with them."
And what a beautiful alliance it would be, thought Clarke derisively, her mother clearly couldn't already stand her family, thought they were savages, the Sky People didn't trust the Grounders and were ready to war or to leave. Indra and the Grounders didn't trust them, wanted all of them dead, Anya and Heda were the only grounders on her side, well not really, Amyla taught her well the Grounders way, she knew that what they had to offer could not be enough, even if it was it will just be temporally, 'as leader Clarke, our peoples come first', the Grounders clearly didn't appreciate them, without this treaty, if a time were to come where their leader had to choose between her people and the Sky People, the answer will be obvious. She already knew that there would always be wars; the history of the Grounders clearly shows that. Since they had been on the ground it was one battle after another, she was naïve no more, it's kill or be killed, but damn it! She had to at least try to have peace with some Grounders clans, if not, when her friends and Amyla's people are free, their village will be destroyed. Urgh politics! she could already see the lectures that are sure to follow, don't drop your shoulders, keep your head high, look at them in the eyes, never show a sign of weakness, try trading with this Clan they can be trusted, don't talk to these Clans they are traitors… The problem is that maybe she will never be able to do all of that, it will depend on the mercy of the Heda.
Time to start acting like a leader , Clarke took her three 'generals' apart, told them that while her mother and her were leaving with Lincoln to meet the Grounders, it was their chance to evacuate Finn. They needed to prepare some rations, anything that could help him to survive. Next, she made them promised that once Finn was out of danger, they would make sure to protect her family and the alliance in any way they could, they looked at her strangely at this bit, nevertheless they agreed when she told them she will meet them later. It took some weight off her shoulders, she just hoped they would be able to understand, especially her family.
They took Lincoln, who was restrained, to the meeting point. Clarke told her mother they needed to win time to allow Finn to escape; the Heda was here with Anya and Indra. Indra had a small smirk when she saw she was still limping, after a scoff and a glare, which had become their usual greeting; they began their peace talk, asking questions to Lincoln, making sure everything was true. Thanks to Anya's confirmation of their escape from Mount Weather and the proof they could help reapers, they could hope to have peace. They were arguing on everything they could, winning time for Bellamy and the others. At the end no agreements were made, Heda begrudgingly accepted they had to talk with their peoples first.
It was the night, Amyla was with the girls, Clarke left to meet her friends at the Drop ship, but she was suspicious, Clarke was acting strangely before leaving, giving some hugs and advices to their girls, giving her a kiss with everything she had, telling her she loved her, so Amyla began to search for anything out of the ordinary. She found Clarke's diary on their bed, under the blanket, it read:
"Amyla, I left for a meeting with Heda. You taught me that being a leader was to be responsible for our people, I chose to take responsibility for Finn, I hope that you and the girls will understand. May we meet again. Clarke"
That foolish girl! Of everything I taught her, she had to choose that? Worse she was doing it for the worse reason, the feeling of guilt! All that for saving a criminal who had killed innocent's people, because he 'loved her', Amyla snorted, with friends like that, you don't need an enemy! What could she do? Talking to Abby would be useless, she will panic, she was weak, and she will make bad decisions.
Damn it Clarke! She will have to go to the grounder camp, reveal herself and have to talk to Lexa about sparing Clarke's life. Tell Lexa that Clarke is her wife and by consequence her sister in law. It couldn't be worse, all the effort Amyla had made, to be able to live with her wife in a better and safer village, will be for naught! She will have to watch her back constantly, protect Clarke a lot more and she still didn't know what Clan had betrayed her village. She had her suspicions but nothing for sure! All that for a foolish Sky Girl, she knew Clarke will become a weakness, it was the same with Costia for her sister! The mantra of their family 'feelings are weaknesses', she snorted, which has now all gone out the window! Damn it Clarke!
She had to prepare, if she knew her sister as well as she thought, there would soon be an execution, and not with the one that was supposed to be executed! She told Tia that she was in charge because she had to go to save their stupid Sky Girl, and left. Once she passed the gate ready to walk to the grounder camp, she encountered Bellamy, Raven, Murphy and a sheepish looking Clarke.
For Clarke it had gone worse from worse. The meeting with Heda where she told her she had let Finn go, acting as a leader should, placing her peoples first, hadn't gone really well. The answer had been, "Then you will die as a leader, in taking his place!" They took her captive and were preparing for the execution, when Finn surrendered himself. She didn't understand how he could have known what she was ready to do. She was always in semi torpor, trembling from the fear, when Heda told her she could leave. Once justice was served, they will talk about the treaty.
She didn't see that some Grounders were now looking at her with respect, for them she had acted as a true leader, taking responsibility for those who were under her command.
When she was almost at camp she met with Bellamy, Murphy and a crying Raven. When they didn't see her coming, they began to worry, Murphy was the one to make his doubts known. The three of them were talking about what they hoped she hadn't done, when Finn heard them. Raven begged him not to surrender himself but she had mixed feelings, she had come to like Clarke, her wife and the brats. She finally resolved herself, the decision was for him to make, she would not send him to die, not her most long and trusted friend, but if he decided to go, she will not stop him. Murphy was a lot less divided, without the others two he would have delivered him himself, he had come to appreciate and trust Clarke a lot more, between the two his choices was an easy one. Finally Bellamy wanted to protect everyone but knew that it would not be possible, he too was leaving the choice to Finn, be it Finn or Clarke, or one of the 'hundred' he would do all he could to protect them. Finn had decided to turn himself in, if he had hesitated two more hours, she would have been the one on the cross, screaming.
Once they were near the camp, she was really happy to be alive, she still feels guilty for Finn but she really had done all she could, she was also happy to see her wife, who strangely didn't seemed happy. Her only word was "Come!", with a last look to her friends, telling Raven to come with her. She didn't have to assist to the torture, she would be better in their tent with the girls.
Clarke's welcome home was fantastic, everything she could have imagined, her wife was holding her, telling her she was worried about her, and that she loved her. The girls were laughing and crying so happy to see her…
Clarke opened her eyes, still four glares and scowls directed at her, and still Raven crying in their bed, sigh, it was a good dream!
She will make them understand, she had walked in a Grounder camp alone, this was nothing she couldn't handle! She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, "I have done what you taught me, I have no regrets!"
Ugh, they seemed even more mad if that was possible, time for a new approach, shoulders a little dropped, apologetic look, "I'm sorry, I will try not to do it again!"
Four growls could be heard, shoulders completely dropped, hands in the air in frustration, "Fine, what have I to do for you to forgive me?"
Her wife began to talk quickly in Trigedakru, she wasn't able to understand a lot, one of the words was for foolish, or maybe it was stupid? Ah, here others words she understood, 'kill her herself', what's worse the girls were nodding, they were agreeing with her!
Finally, Amyla seemed to calm down, "You will never do something like this again without consulting me or your friends! Clear!?"
Rapid nod, "Good! At least one of us should be able to keep you from being stupid! And we are going to retake the teaching of leading from the start! It seemed to me like you hadn't listened to half the things I taught you!"
Oh, no, all the history lessons, the customs, the Heda, from the start? It was a nightmare! What's more the fighting lesson promised to be fun, sigh it was time to concede, with a nod to Amyla who seemed satisfied she agreed to the 'terms', she turned to the girls who were watching her expectedly, Tia was the port parole, " stories every nights before we sleep, training partner with Tia and me, and Aura will accompany you every time you go to the hospital tent!"
"Wait, wait, for stories and Aura ok, but I don't want to fight against you!"
"This isn't a negotiation!" said Tia, hitting her foot on the ground "If you don't agree, this is war! We will hide your clothes, one of us will always follow you, never leaving you some time alone with Amyla, we will paint you during your sleep, cut your hair..."
"Ok, ok, stop! I agree to your terms!"said Clarke quickly, the girls gave a collective "Good!" ,damn they were fighting dirty like Grounders and were becoming more and more stubborn, Amyla seemed proud of their negotiation technique.
They began to hear the screams, the girls left to support Raven; Clarke had tears in her eyes, her wife finally taking her in her arms.
"How long?" asked Clarke.
"Probably a part of the night," replied Amyla.
It was going to be a long night with the screams and Raven hysteric sobs but the morning they will have peace, she had to convince herself that Finn had done the right thing, giving them a chance for peace, for surviving, that his death had meaning!