Rebuilding Ruin

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

Spoilers: All episodes of Season 1 and 2

The evening turned into dead night and into early morning, Lexa kept Clarke awake by talking with her. The journey was tiring but they were more than halfway to where they needed to be and Clarke could only hope when they got there that they were fully prepared for what they found. Part of her was prepared to go all grounder on Jaha and tie him to a pole for the death by a thousand cuts but she knew her role as kwin meant giving mercy when warranted.

"Heda." Indra rode till she was side by side with Lexa, they'd met up with her and Ryder the day before. "There are nomads further head, we found their tracks and the sand has not erased them yet. It is likely they are not far ahead of us."

Lexa looked over at Clarke before turning to her general, "send Mico and Dax ahead to survey the population."

"Sha Heda." The woman turned her horse to alert the two warriors that would be going ahead.

"Nomads?"

The leader turned to the blond beside her, "those that wish to keep their impure children or do not wish to conform to our laws. They are not traitors, they simply see themselves as independent and we do not condemn them for wishing to live by themselves. However, the impure can have sickness of the mind and are dangerous so we must be cautious."

"How dangerous?"

"Some impure have been known to consume their own families, similar to reapers. Most are not harmful and if they are non-violent we leave them in peace and do not associate with them. They will receive us respectfully but we make such visits short as we do not want such an association."

Continuing past dawn they found Mico and Dax waiting at the edge of a dune. Pausing at the top they found what could only be described as a massacre and Clarke could only wonder who would do such a thing. She prodded Stella forward and the horse started down the dune with Lexa on Nat following behind. Mico and Dax grabbed the reins of the horses to hold them as both leaders dismounted to survey the damage.

Clarke bent down beside one of the bodies and examined the wounds. Finally looking up she found Lexa watching her. "Guns, whoever did this had our technology and a lot of it. None of our rifles can do all this damage without there being multiple shooters."

"Whoever did this did so without mercy." Lexa bent down beside a child, finding no visible deformity or impurity. "Children, both impure and not lay slaughtered. Although we do not agree with keeping the impure alive, we respect the choice of their families if they decide to leave to let the children live. We would not have slaughtered them senselessly as was done here."

Lexa rose when Clarke held out her hand to help her stand. The sky leader shook her head, "this was done in cold blood without regard for life. Whoever did this, I hope they know there is no mercy after something like this."

"Heda! Kwin!" Indra called from the doorway to one of the tents that still stood, the tent's material fluttering in the wind. She pulled a young boy of perhaps seven or eight by his arm, roughly enough he fell to the ground. "He was found hiding under the bedding."

Clarke bent down beside the boy and slowly helped him sit on his knees by holding his arm. He looked down at the ground and avoided looking her in the eyes. "Hiya, ai laik Klark kom Skaikru en Trikru."

"Skaikru?" He looked up before backing up till he was against Indra, the woman narrowed her eyes.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you."

The boy shook his head, "he said same and killed all."

The broken English was enough to understand and Lexa pulled the boy up by his arm till he stood before her. "She will not harm you, who came and did this?"

"No name, came and kill." The boy looked up at her, "said kom Skaikru."

Clarke walked to her saddlebag and withdrew her sketchbook, flipping through several pages as she returned to them. "Was this him?" She turned the book around so the boy could see and he grew fearful, running into the tent. "Jaha."

Lexa took the sketchbook and viewed the drawing before nodding. "First he attacks your camp and then harms the nomads, peaceful people with no wish for war. The man has madness within his head and death will be the only action that stops such actions from progressing." The leader turned her attention to her general. "Bring the boy and bury the rest."

The sun was rising farther into the air as they continued, the boy rode with Ryder because he rejected riding with Clarke. It was clear he was afraid of her because of her association of being Skaikru despite numerous reassurances that she wouldn't harm him. Lexa stated they would continue till midday and then break for camp till the following night.

Breaking for camp Clarke lay on the bedroll a foot from Lexa when she felt a presence behind her and opened her eyes upon turning over to see the boy looking at her. She sat up and he backed up onto the bedroll that was a few feet away.

"I won't harm you." She put up a finger and opened her saddle bag that lay beside her bedroll. Pulling out a knife she held it in her palm towards the boy, he grabbed it and held it in his hand while staring at her. "If I wanted to hurt you, why would I give you a weapon to defend yourself?"

He looked down at the knife and slipped it into his boot. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why Skaikru kill?"

Clarke wrapped her arms around her knees and shrugged. "He's sick, has a madness in his mind and doesn't believe what he did was wrong. He attacked the Skaikru camp so we came out here to stop him from hurting anyone else." Sighing she looked at the boy. "I'm sorry we couldn't stop him from hurting your people."

The boy nodded and pointed to himself. "Liam."

"It's nice to meet you Liam, I'm Clarke." She held out her hand and he tentatively took it. "How many winters are you Liam?"

"Seven."

Clarke dropped his hand and moved closer to him, "lay down and rest, we'll rise when it's night." He laid down and held the knife close as he did so. "Sleep Liam, you will be safe while you rest and when you wake."

Once he closed his eyes she returned to her bedroll and laid down. Turning herself toward Lexa, she found green eyes focused on her with a soft smile resting on soft lips. "He will trust you in time. None can deny you once they know you well."

"It's okay if he doesn't trust me, one of my people did something to his and that deserves distrust."

"Sleep ai kwin, I will wake you when they begin making the meal."

Lexa watched from across the fire as Clarke showed Liam the stars, she explained where the Skaikru came from and why they lived in the sky. The boy seemed interested in the pictures she drew of animals and people from the stars, her sketchpad showing the images when the boy was confused. A lightness tugged at her when she watched the two, taking in the blue eyed-blond and the young boy who held similar blue eyes and sand covered brown hair.

"The child needs guidance." Indra sat beside Lexa and held out a bowl of dried meat and nuts. "Several of the warriors have inquired about taking the boy in."

"For now he will stay with who comforts him, Thelonious Jaha slaughtered his village and he is fearful." Lexa stood and looked down at Indra, "when we return to Polis it will be decided where he will reside."

Lexa moved around the fire and sat beside the boy, he looked at her from where he'd been watching Clarke draw what looked like a bird. She held out the bowl to him and he took it, nodding his head in thanks. As he began to eat she ruffled his hair and dropped her hand into her lap while looking at Clarke's drawing. "And that is Cygnus, the swan."

"What swan?"

"It is a bird from the time before the wars." Clarke smiled at him, "I remember reading that they were white and graceful, beautiful without meaning to be."

"Like you." The boy smiled and went back to his meal.

Lexa smiled softly, "I am in agreement with Liam that you are similar to the swan."

"Why don't you show Heda where Polaris is?"

The boy pointed to the brightest star in the sky, "there."

"The torch of the gods?" Lexa looked at Clarke, "you call it Polaris?"

Clarke nodded, "that is the name it was called before the missiles and bombs."

"It is said that the gods keep it lit so all may know how to find their way to them. Should ever the torch go out then we know the gods have deserted us. It has never failed to stay lit so we know the gods welcome us at any moment and guide our actions." Lexa watched Clarke smiled, "the moon before you fell to the ground, a seer stated that within a moon a messenger of the gods would abandon the heavens and join us. No one believed it but here you stand, falling from the sky with messages of peace and mercy wherever you go."

"Why leave gods?"

"I just couldn't live among them anymore, I wanted to live on the ground."

Lexa nudged the boy's arm softly. "In the sky she could only be a girl but here she is kwin, why would she not come to the ground?"

He smiled at Clarke and she rolled her eyes at Lexa, receiving laughter in the green eyes as the fire lit them. "You're impossible."

"It is true, you were merely a girl and now you are kwin to all clans. You were one person and now you are closer to the gods than most."

"Heda close."

Clarke nodded, "he has a point, your spirit was chosen and all I did was unite with you."

"A union that is without regret." Lexa spoke softly and looked at the fire. That got the blond's attention and she merely smiled before going back to her sketchpad, looking up at the sky for another constellation to draw.

The morning was welcomed by screaming, of course all in the tent were on alert immediately. Clarke woke to see Liam thrashing and watched as Indra was about to slap the boy till her eyes caught the woman's. The general backed off and Clarke moved to Liam as Lexa slid beside her, worry in the warrior's eyes but not her face.

"Liam?" Clarke gently shook him and spoke louder. "Liam wake up."

The boy slowly opened his eyes and sobbed, his eyes floating back and forth between Clarke and Lexa. Without caring about propriety, he sat up and flung himself at the warrior. With his arms around her, he buried his face in her chest without care and Lexa froze before gently embracing the boy. One hand on Liam's head and the other on his back she waited till his sobs finished.

"Heda?" Indra moved towards her but she steeled her eyes, glaring at the general. "Allow another to take the boy."

"Liam will stay where he is most comfortable, if that is in my arms than it is in my arms." She looked down at the boy. "You are safe Liam, the dreams that haunt you cannot hurt you when you are awake. Calm your fear child, all is well and you are among your new clan."

Clarke took the boy from her arms and he went without resistance, laying him down gently she began to rub his back and hum. Lexa signaled for everyone to return to their rest and sat beside Clarke as she continued to usher the boy into sleep. It took close to an hour but Liam was deeply asleep enough that both leaders could return to their bedrolls. Clarke turned her back to Lexa for the first time and concentrated on the boy, she merely felt Lexa's hand on her back as she too fell asleep.

Night arrived and the camp was prepared to leave, Clarke found Liam by her horse petting Stella's neck and giggling when the horse nuzzles him. "She likes you."

"I like too."

"Her name is Steltrona." He looked up at her, "after the horse that couldn't be caught but I just call her Stella."

"Stella." The boy quickly clambered onto the horse and looked down at Clarke with a smile.

Clarke nodded, "okay, you can ride with me." She mounted the animal behind him and put her arm around him, noticing the knife she'd given him in a sheath at his waist. One of the warriors in their army had given him a sheath so he could keep the knife on him instead of in his boot.

"Are we prepared to continue?" Lexa spoke softly and Clarke nodded. "Then we continue."

She started Nat forward and Clarke followed on Stella, holding Liam close to protect him from falling off the horse. The army began to move as well, walking or riding behind them without a sound. They'd reach the so called City of Light by morning and Clarke wondered what they would find. If they found Jaha she had no doubt Lexa wouldn't hesitate to slay him where he stood but part of her wondered if he was making his way back into Trikru territory since he'd slain the nomads and tracks were unable to be followed. Whatever they found they'd have to return to their lands and the answer would be found either way.

A/N: It seems Jaha has gone off the deep end and massacred a village except for a boy that was hiding.

Next: They arrive at the City of Light and discover how unprepared they actually are.

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