Rebuilding Ruin

Disclaimer: I don't own the 100 or its characters

Spoilers: All episodes of Season 1 and 2

It was soft sounds of movement from the door that made Clarke wake early in the morning the day after the Ice Queen's threat. Opening her eyes she found Lexa sitting on the bed, the dip more felt than heard, quietly shucking off her shoes and removing the armor she wore over her ragged black tank top as well as her pants. Clarke put a hand out to her arm and Lexa turned her head to look at her.

"Sleep Clarke, there is no danger near at the moment." The fearless leader laid on the bed and let the space between them stay vacant, her back to the mattress as she lay with her hands on her stomach. "When dawn arrives we can begin our plans for war but for now you need rest."

Clarke moved her head till it rested on Lexa's shoulder before closing her eyes. She felt Lexa's lips on her forehead, a gentle kiss to the pale skin. "Parameter check?"

"Relieving myself, your relief rooms are complicated." Lexa shifted and Clarke picked up her head, the leader wrapped her arm around Clarke's shoulder till her hand rested in blond waves. She pulled the blond's head back to her shoulder. "Rest ai kwin, your strength is needed in the coming days."

"She thinks I'm colder than her."

Lexa pressed her lips to Clarke's crown, "she does not know you. She does not know you lead with your heart while not sacrificing your mind, a task no leader of the clans has ever been capable of. She is not aware that every life you take also takes a piece of your spirit but instead of growing weaker, you grow stronger. That is why she mistakes you for cold, she cares not for her people but to only demonstrate her power and authority. You care not for authority and power but instead you care for your people."

"Our people." Clarke softly whispered and Lexa allowed herself to smile.

"Our people." Correcting herself Lexa closed her eyes and allowed her body to rest despite her restless mind. "Rest ai kwin and know your heart, mind and spirit are safe with me."

"As yours are with me." Clarke kissed the soft skin at her neck before closing her eyes, allowing herself to fall into sleep.

Kane and Raven made their way down the hallway that lead to the dorms, both needing to talk to one of the respected leaders. They found Ryder standing beside Clarke's door on alert, Kane paused and looked at the man.

"We gave you quarters so you wouldn't have to stand here all night,"

"My duty is to protect Skai Prisa, orders from Heda."

Raven narrowed her eyes, "can you say that in English?"

"I am tasked with protecting Klark kom Skaikru, the Commander demands it." Ryder looked at the smaller girl. "Is that better understood?"

"Yep, that works. Why would Lexa demand Clarke be protected in her own camp, we aren't going to slit her throat?"

"Skai Prisa must be protected, her death would start wars. All revere Skai Prisa for leading victory against the mountain. She did what none could do in many generations. Heda has stated that she is to be protected above even her own life."

Kane folded his arms, "why exactly?"

"It is not my place to speak." Ryder looked at the man. "Do you wish to speak with Skai Prisa or Heda?"

"Yes, we need to talk to both."

"You may enter." He stepped aside and Kane hit the button to open the door.

Both entered to see Clarke sitting on the ground drawing on a dried animal skin while Lexa paced softly. The two women looked up when Kane and Raven entered the room.

"Marcus of the Sky People," Lexa nodded her head to him and then looked at Raven. "You are Raven, you assisted Bellamy in the mountain if I remember correctly."

"Well we know your memory isn't broken like your promises." Raven moved over to where Clarke was and looked down at the animal skin. "A map?"

Clarke nodded, "Lexa is describing the boundaries between the Ice Nation and us, allowing me to map the area and landmarks so we can plan without being blind."

"They are already in our territories so we are blind to their location until my scouts return with information." Lexa stated and started pacing again.

"Chil au." Clarke spoke softly and stood up as she did, Lexa stopped before sitting in the small chair by the desk. "The scouts will return by nightfall and we'll have the information. Right now the best we can do is review our weapons and start any training that is necessary." She moved around Raven and looked at the door. "Ryder, komba raun."

The warrior moved into the room and stood at attention. "Sha Prisa?"

"Find Octavia and request she come when she has time." He nodded and started to leave, "Ryder, that is a request to Octavia not a command. Make sure you express that unlike the last time."

"Sha Prisa." He bowed his head before retreating from the room.

Clarke turned back to Raven and Kane, "what did you guys need?"

"I was coming to ask how many weapons Wick and I need to make, we may have to get Jasper and Monty to help."

Lexa moved over to the three, "what weapons are you speaking of? If you are to retrieve them from the mountain then I must…" she paused her words when Clarke put her hand to the leader's arm. "Apologies, please continue."

Kane narrowed his eyes, catching the position of Clarke's hand before the girl dropped it. Raven raised an eyebrow as if surprised by the sudden apology from the great commander of all of the grounders. Instead of asking questions, the mechanic continued with her conversations.

"We've figured out how to make small bombs from the horse shit and we could also rig some type of fire bomb if Monty and Jasper help. I mean, their ability to make moonshine allows for some possible fire bombs."

Clarke nodded, "coordinate with them and let's see what we can come up with. Kane, how are we with bullets?"

He put up his hands and looked at Lexa. "I understand your people don't want us in the mountain but before we left we retrieved some supplies. Food, books and bullets as well as medicine and other necessities. We didn't take anything more and don't plan on going back if it means starting a war."

"Understood." Lexa tilted her head as she thought, "your people are accustomed to certain ways of life we are not nor wish to be. If these supplies assist in your lives then their removal is acceptable but next time you wish to return to the mountain I must be alerted so to avoid war with the clans."

"We can do that." Kane nodded before looking back at Clarke. "We have enough bullets to last a couple of wars, not that we're planning that. The bullets were originally meant to be used for hunting but when Echo started bringing meat we didn't really have a reason to use them."

Clarke nodded, "good. Okay, right now we're doing all we can until the scouts return with information. Their names are Axel and Draven, so have your men ask their names before they start shooting." Looking back at the map she bit her lip, "I need to finish this so I guess we'll talk more over lunch?"

"Sounds good, it'll allow me to speak with the guys and we can at least have a vague idea of what we can do." Raven nodded to Lexa, "see you around Commander."

"Likewise Raven of the Sky People." She nodded to the girl before her attention moved to Kane. "I shall see you at the midday meal and we can continue our previous conversation of adapting our security methods to your own."

Kane gave a soft smile, "of course." Nodding his head he backed up towards the door, "Commander."

Once the door was shut and they were alone, Clarke put a hand to Lexa's arm. "I told them before we left the mountain that if we returned that we'd likely be instigating war with the clans. Mount Weather is no one's to claim, it is death and history too dangerous to touch or claim."

Lexa nodded, "I apologized for my actions…"

"I know," Clarke gave a small smile and met green eyes with her own blue. "You didn't have to do that but I'm glad you did."

"It is unlikely to occur often."

The blond chuckled and ran her hand along Lexa's waist, resting it on the woman's hip. "I know." Nuzzling Lexa's cheek with her nose, Clarke pulled back to see her. "Shocking Raven is always a highlight as she is never phased by odd things."

Lexa took Clarke's hand from her waist. "Careful ai kwin, your hands may lead to more than you are ready for." A hand rested against Clarke's cheek before she walked away to the desk chair to pull on her full armor. "I will go view the parameter, you have enough knowledge of our combined lands to finish the map."

"Could you take Shadow with you? She hasn't been out since last night and I don't want to have to clean up a mess."

Lexa nodded and tapped her leg, the wolf who had been sleeping by the bed lifted her head. Instantly seeing who it was that commanded her attention, Shadow leapt up and moved to Lexa's side. "We shall return in time for the midday meal."

"I'll be finished by then." Clarke sat back down on the floor to start on the land Lexa commanded as well as the land surrounding the camp.

The tables in the forged together mess hall were filled with people eating, chatter was abundant as different conversations flowed. Lexa sat between Clarke and Kane, Abby joined them as did Raven, Wick, Monty and Jasper. Bellamy and Echo squeezed in at the end of the table, adding comments or ideas as necessary. Plates had been pushed aside after the meal to allow for the map and flexi-films that were being used to write ideas on by Raven, Wick, Monty and Jasper.

"No you idiot, a glass separation chamber just opens a potential explosion before the thing can be used." Wick took the marker from Monty and started rewriting something, "we could use a metal casing."

Jasper shook his head, "metal corrodes faster, we could do metal plated between two glass slides to prevent mixing."

The conversation, otherwise known as arguing, continued between the four while Clarke and Lexa spoke about the upcoming battle against the Ice Nation. Abby and Kane seemed to be invested in that conversation a lot more than the ongoing one concerning weapons. The conversation was also easier to follow than the one about weapons.

"Pushing them back won't be a problem." Clarke stated as she motioned to the map, "there are several villages between here and the border, full of warriors and craftsmen. With a little encouragement, I don't think they'll have a problem helping our warriors and soldiers push the Ice Nation back."

Lexa let her eyes view the map, "we know their current location is within a day's walk from your camp in the north. They would not leave a valuable target lying in wait, they are also known for watching their enemies."

"Why would they even want war with us?" Abby folded her arms and shook her head. "The situation with Echo was just a cultural misunderstanding. Surely she could understand that."

"All clans are neutral, no favoritism over another just for this reason." Lexa met the Chancellor's eyes. "Dara will not settle for those who could rise up against her, no nation must be greater than her own. To prevent war, I issues a command of peace and equality among the clans. The fact that you defeated the mountain without a heavy battle and have an alliance with Trikru puts a target on you. She sees us both as powerful now and will stop at nothing to destroy us."

"The law prevents her from harming you though."

Lexa nodded at Clarke's statement, "no leader can touch another, not unless a direct threat of harm has come. None would test this and try to harm one of us so until the law changes or she is left with no option, she will not touch me. However, she does strike at all those close to me as well as my people."

Bellamy leaned forward, "Clarke's protected but what about the rest of us?"

"Our people are one upon your sister's union." Lexa met his eyes with her own. "To strike at my people is to strike at yours. We are one people, we will fight as one and rejoice in victory as one."

"Do they have any weaknesses?" Kane asked after taking a drink of water.

Clarke looked over at Echo and the woman nodded, "what are they Echo?"

"My sister plans for various outcomes at once no matter the situation. In war she rarely sleeps and while it prevents attack, it wounds her mind. She grows weak so her generals take up the battle in her name. She also expects the most obvious of attacks, believing her enemy to be unable to form advanced plans of attack." A small smile formed on her face, "she will expect you to fight with your guns behind the walls of your camp. She does not believe Skaikru would venture beyond the safety of the gates or use weapons of the clans."

"So if we do the opposite she'll be caught off guard."

"Yes." Echo nodded softly. "It will also drive her to plan continuously, ignoring the need for rest and leave her weak. It would be an easy task to get close to her if you can get into camp, she does not have warriors standing guard as you do Heda."

Night fell quickly as was normal with winter and Clarke sat on the floor of her room with Shadow's head in her lap, viewing the map as if it would give her answers to her many questions. Lexa's scouts had reported the exact location of the Ice Nation's camp in the nearby territories.

"You need rest Clarke." Lexa laid on the bed with her eyes shut and hands on her stomach. "You question yourself again."

Clarke leaned back against the bed and shook her head. "It doesn't make sense, why would she watch our camp knowing what we are capable of."

"She is waiting, nothing more." Lexa opened her eyes to see the blond head just inches from her feet. "She knows my weakness and is waiting to capture it."

Looking up at Lexa, Clarke narrowed her eyes. "Your affinity for us is borderline, you'd kill us all if we crossed you." The blond stood and crawled onto the bed, over Lexa before laying down beside her. "What weakness?"

Turning her head to the side she looked into blue eyes. "You are my weakness ai kwin." Lexa raised her hand and placed the back of her finger to Clarke's cheek. "She saw it the moment I placed my horse in front of you. I should not have done so but my heart demanded your safety."

"I'm not Costia nor will I end up like her." Clarke captured Lexa's hand and kissed the palm before resting her hand against the brunette's shoulder. "I'll fight her to my last breath on my terms not hers."

Lexa smiled softly at the words. "Your strength is the one trait you carry that I envy. I wish I had your strength Clarke."

"It's here when you need it." Soft lips touched the leader's cheek before Clarke pulled back to see Lexa looking at her with soft eyes. Hesitantly she leaned in and kissed the woman lying beside her, as soft as their first one in a tent months before. Soft but longer and this time Lexa's hand threaded through her hair. Once the need for oxygen was too great to ignore, Clarke allowed herself to look down at Lexa with a grin. "You could win wars with your ability to kiss."

Brushing blond hair behind Clarke's ear, Lexa smiled slightly. "Perhaps but they belong in no other place than against yours." A calloused thumb rubbed against the pale cheek, "now rest ai kwin before you fall from exhaustion tomorrow during our planning."

A/N: Planning for war is exhausting...

Next...the first battle if fought.

Please read and review...