Tia was holding her breath, she had never been more terrified in her life, she was locked up in a cage with others grounders around her, all were weak with lifeless eyes, like if they had given up on living. She was used to feel a little scared, the life on the ground was always unpredictable, a lot of dangers were lurking in the shadows, but it was natural for her, it was her everyday life, here, all seemed unnatural, fake, she would prefer to fight against a puma an hundred times over than this. She saw the weird doctor entering the piece and opening the cage of her last clan mate and protector who was still alive, he gave her a resigned expression and was led outside. She had to fight back the tears that wanted to fail, she will not cry and give those monsters the pleasure to have broken her, if she was fated to die here, she will die with dignity, like a grounder! She still couldn't stop herself from whispering " Please moms, help me! ", even if she was acting like a grown up most of the time, she was still a scared little girl who was hoping that her mothers would come to free her.
Amyla was looking intently at the mountain, far enough to be safe from the frog. The chiefs of the clans were meeting today to deliberate, before she would have been worried about Clarke's fate, but not anymore. After what they had done with Indra and Anya, it should go well and if it wasn't the case then she will burn everything to the ground, she had no more patience left, the only thing making her holding up and wait was the respect and love she had for her sister and her friends. She remembered a talk she had once with Abby, about right or wrong, about forgiveness, it was still an alien concept to her, forgiving and enemy who has wronged you or what's yours to protect and let him go, for him to attack once you have turned your back? What absurdity! For Abby it was one of the greatest human qualities to be able to forgive, to Amyla it was a weakness, when someone had hurt you, you had to fight back with even more strength and completely annihilate him, then you could forgive and prey to the spirit for him once his dead body was burning, the fire purifying him of everything he has done.
Abby had found this way of life too harsh and wrong, but it was their way, it was how they were delivering justice. Lexa already knew she would go after those who had done this to Tia and she will do nothing to stop her, she agreed with it, she even promised to take care herself of those that could maybe escape from her, both sisters have always had the other back during tough times and it will not change, Heda or not, family was family! Amyla sighed tiredly, her body brimming with anxiety, only a few more days and if everything was going according to plan, they will attack the mountain and free her daughter.
Two days later Clarke was freed, the clan leaders were unanimous, they wanted more the mountain men dead than a sky girl, even if she had threatened the life of their Heda, they knew that without her they wouldn't be able to attack the mountain, the ones who would have been firmly against the freedom and pardon of Clarke had mysteriously disappeared so the judgement was given quickly.
Clarke had eaten and slept a little after Amyla visit, she knew she would need her strength for her daughter, she wasn't completely fit physically, but a few days of Amyla's hard training would fix it, the time necessary for the army to make the preparations for the war against the mountain. The fist thing Clarke has done once released was to go visit Murphy and her people still in the hospital, the tears fell when she saw how hard they had been beaten for protecting her family, Murphy gave her his usual smirk,
" Don't worry chief, I will be as good as new in a few days! I won't let you go without me to save the little brat! "
Clarke laughed, the tears still falling from her eyes, " I know! I know you will fight by my side during the war. Thank you for what you have done Murphy. For now just try to rest until you get better. ", then her expression became darker and she softly said " We still have to wait a little before the attack. We will find her alive Murph, we have to… "
Murphy 's smirk disappeared from his face, it was replaced by a serious expression she had never seen before, "Eh! She is alive, ok! We have to believe it, otherwise… Clarke, she is alive! " , it was said with such conviction, than Clarke couldn't help but believe him, she looked at him and gave a serious nod of her head, " Yes, you are right she is alive! I will come back tomorrow, I need to call Bellamy and to sleep a little, I need to recover from being locked up! See you tomorrow! "
" See you tomorrow and tell Bellamy to not have any pity! " replied a furious Murphy.
" Its what I intended to do! ", Clarke left the hospital after checking for the injuries of her men and giving some orders to the doctor.
The call on the radio was brief, " Bell, it's Clarke! I'm free! "
"Clarke!? Thank god, they released you! I was so worried! How are you? " answered Bellamy.
"I'm good. Raven told you about what happened? "
« Yes, I heard! It's why I have been waiting! I thing the plan of Raven is solid, it should get us rid of the frog! We have to move soon Clarke! What they are doing to the grounders….I don't even have the words to describe it, if they start to do this to our people…."
" Yes, Raven's plan is really good, but Bell, Raven didn't want to tell you something important since there is nothing you could do, but my little girl, Tia, is a prisoner inside the mountain. " choked out Clarke.
A long silence, then an explosion , " What!? She should have told me! I could have tried something! I don't know what, but I could have done something! I would have "
Clarke interrupted his mild sentence, "I know Bell, it's why she didn't want to tell you! I trust you, I know you would have protected her, but they would have known about your presence and everything we have done would have been for nothing! Just stay hidden for a few more days, after this… "
" Don't worry, I will protect her! " swear Bellamy.
« Thank you Bell, I knew I could count on you! And Bell, when we will attack, give them hell! People who take children…. "
" I hear you! No restrain! People are coming, I'm off! "
Clarke puts down the radio, she was feeling emotionally exhausted and she could see that her wife wasn't far from snapping, she took her hand and led her to their tent, tonight they needed some comfort, the next waiting days will be hard for their nerves. They fall into a troubled sleep while holding each others.