I have finally posted this not only on but also Articles of our Own as well.

I am so sorry that it took so long to update but I have been getting busier as I get older it seems. Also doesn't help that I have now joined a rugby team limiting the time I had. I'm also getting ready to move to my first apartment and move out from my parents' home. Which has honestly been a long time coming. I may have pushed back the writing of this chapter to give myself enough time to write down what I specifically wanted to happen. Originally the first half of this chapter was super depressing and made me feel sad just reading it. I also realized that I was taking away from the strength that I had been giving Clarke, so I started over. I really am trying to keep things equal in terms of bad ass, but Clarke will be kick ass in the chapters to come. This chapter contains her first true interactions with the Mountain Men in this new timeline in this chapter.

Anyone else watch season 8 of Game of Thrones? I loved the first 2 or 3 episodes and then it just went downhill from there. I don't like what they did with Deanery's character. The last episode just pissed me off and I'm still salty about it.

I own nothing

Chapter Seven

I was the first to step into Lexa's chambers and knew that she would be awhile until she returned because of having to speak to the generals. It looked as though we weren't going to continue to plan today. I mean our plans aren't going to be solidified until Bellamy finally radios us.

After throwing myself into a chair, I leaned back trying to relax. Ignoring how the blood was drying on my face and hands. The dried blood all along my knuckles cracking from the tightening of my fist. Knowing I should clean it off now or else it will be a bitch to clean off, but the chair was covered in furs to soften it. The furs made the chair comfortable enough for me to sink further into them, enjoying how it wasn't hard or uncomfortable, something that I was entirely too familiar with.

The metal doors hinges groaned as they were once more opened and then subsequently closed. Her footsteps barely making a sound as they walked across the concrete of the ground.

"Took you long enough. It feels like it's been forever since we've been alone dear one," voice quiet but slightly husky as I crack one eye open to see her.

Lexa just huffs out a laugh as she slowly unlaces the bindings on her gauntlets.

"Well when you leave a mess like that, it takes a while for me to handle everything," she says sarcastically, tossing the gauntlet onto the table.

"I didn't leave a mess," opening my other eye to watch her. Happiness bubbling through my body as I watch her do something as mundane as untie the bindings.

"Yes you did. You left me to have the body taken and wrapped to ready for his burning. I also had to calm down the other generals who believe that you are lying about who started the conflict since no one was present when the altercation began."

Lexa ended her sentence dropping the other gauntlet on the table, hands rubbing where the leather was probably chafing against her skin. I could barely stop the slight snarl. Annoyed that they would feel so threatened and to question my honor.

"There opinions mean nothing to me Heda. Only yours," not taking my eyes off of her when she stops and looks to me. Her eyes betray nothing as she stares, as though searching my very soul.

My jaw is set as I finally sit up.

Her eyes trail down to my hands, narrowing when she notices the dried blood before returning. Lexa's face relaxes once she seems to find what she is looking for.

"I know you Clarke. I also know Quint. That man while he is a great warrior and leader, he has…had a short temper. He had been disciplined more than once for actions he has taken against those under him."

By this point she had walked over grabbing a bowl that was filled with water before coming over to me. The bowl barely made any noise as she set it down.

Lexa then kneeled as she grabbed hold of my right hand. My heart picked up seeing her like that, the memory of the last time she had done such a thing. My chest tightening at the thought.

The water felt cool against my skin as she slowly used a rag to wipe away all the blood. The action shocking me from my thoughts, and I couldn't help but smile at her as she worked, taking extra time to kiss each finger once clean.

My body seemed to almost buzz or hum in pleasure as she worked. With every swipe of the rag I sunk deeper into the chair and allowed myself to relax. We had never done something like this in the previous timeline. Nothing this intimate. While sex could be considered such a thing, this felt different.

"I also remember what he tried to do last time. I am not surprised that he tried the same thing once more. Though it does worry me slightly that he was brazen enough to try something like that so close to the village," she sounded almost worried by the end, her shoulders seeming to straighten up.

"As you have told me before, that man thought of only that moment. He allowed his anger to guide him and this time it ended with his death."

Lexa just hummed in agreement as she continued to work.

"They don't fear me anymore, Leksa. I have been feared for years and I am not sure how I feel about such a thing changing."

My hands clench in the sudden surge of anger at my words. Lexa barely getting her hand or the cloth out of the way, her eyes trailing back up to mine.

"Is it because you like to be feared? Or that it protected your people better?" eyes narrowed at me, as she waited for what I had to say.

Wasn't that question the crux of the problem though? It had been so long that a part of me loved that I was feared. I reveled in it. A darker part of me that built itself up and grew as the years went by loved it. Loved to see the fear in their eyes when they saw my hair and eyes. How eyes would widen when taking in the scars that covered my face. I could never help but smile with too many teeth seeing such a thing. This part of me loved the fight, enjoyed seeing the life fade from their eyes as their life's blood slowly poured out of their bodies.

I was so lost for so many years in the madness of battle. I would put myself in dangerous situations so that I could see that fear. So that I could bathe in their blood. Many a time I would kill a top ranked warrior and place the head upon a spike where more of Ontari's forces would find it.

The only times I never felt such euphoria was when I saw this look upon a normal citizens face. To see it on villagers who were just trying to stay alive while Ontari ruled with an iron fist. When I saw it on their face, my stomach would twist, and I would feel sick. Children would run and hide in fear when they saw my face and gods did it hurt. I wanted warriors to fear me. Those who raised up arms in the name of their Commander, Ontari. I didn't want those stuck under her to fear me.

It took Raven threatening me for me to open my eyes.

The few that did not fear me were those who were left of Skaikru and the few Trikru that joined our ranks. They respected me for my strength as I worked tirelessly to keep them safe but there were times when my position as leader had been tested.

It was such a strange give and take. To protect those that I loved and cared for meant so much to me. The children always wanted to hear a story of the great Heda, hear of the time in the Ark. Hear stories of when we weren't at war. Sometimes it would help bring me back from the edge of allowing my blood lust to control my thoughts and actions. It helped ease something inside because they never looked at me in fear. Of the 10 children that managed to live through every move and hard ship that we faced, one of them followed me like a duckling follows its mother. Her mother died shortly after giving birth to her due to something tearing inside of her, nothing that was done helped though. Maybe if we had technology from the Ark. She bled out slowly and was barely able to hold her child before she passed on. I tried to take care of her as much as I could but at times it was difficult. I would be gone for long stretches of time but whenever I returned she was always there waiting for me. It was a strange thing, but I loved her.

Aurora was my favorite child, even though her looks hurt me. It was like looking into the face of a child of Lexa and me. Even though that wasn't possible thanks to no longer having the technology as it was destroyed not only with the mountain but also with the end of Arkadia. My mother spoke of a few times of it was possible for two women before the fall of humanity to have children together. (a.n. it's a real thing. A couple in Dallas had a child that way)

She would watch me as I trained and a few times I had considered taking her on as my second if I had made it until she was older. Now though I know the likelihood of her being born again is slim to none. Her mother Anne had slept with a grounder and never told us who. Wasn't that a dark thought though, knowing that I might never see the one that I thought of as a daughter ever again. I know that Lexa would have adored her, as she did with all of her nightbloods. Lexa loved any child. I had seen her in Polis a few times with guards around her as she made sure to stop and talk to every child that came her way. The smile never leaving her face as she did so.

Aurora, along with the help of Raven, kept me from losing all my humanity. Kept me from becoming a leader like Pike, who would kill or imprison those who did not agree with him. Raven more so because she was one of the few that could get away with yelling or even hitting me when I started to become too militaristic. As well as threatening to not allow any of the children to come near me if I didn't realize what I kind of example I was setting for them. Aurora had just turned 3 and I had threatened to kill one of my people for not being careful and forcing us to relocate.

Raven at this point had to use a cane to help her walk around as her leg had gotten worse when a horse had trampled her. The cane was metal and used to be some kind of pipe. She had smashed the thing across my back and began to scream and yell at me. Yelling that I was becoming another version of Pike and Ontari. That if Lexa saw me or even my own mother, hell even Octavia would be disappointed in me. They knew I could be a good leader, but I wasn't acting like one and if I didn't change the way I was behaving then she would take over command of our people and would banish me. Her words hurt more than my back did, my armor not protecting me much from the blow.

No one said anything until Rollo came forward and said that he agreed with Raven. I was becoming too unhinged to be leader. A few of the other adults even spoke out against what I was becoming. Telling me that they followed me because they respected me, but that respect was turning into fear and they wouldn't follow someone out of fear. Stating that they had enough things to fear already.

"For a while I reveled in being feared but it caused drawbacks. The only ones who weren't completely afraid or even terrified of me were my own people. I would walk into villages and if any of the villagers saw my face, they would hide indoors. Children would run away. For some time I didn't care… I mean why would I? It filled me with joy and power to see many cower before me. I didn't realize that I was becoming the very same thing my people were running from," barely taking note of how tight my fist was.

Lexa's fingers slowly pried open my fists once blood began to drip from the wounds formed from my uncut nails. Her eyes dark as she stared at my own black blood.

"I realized though that that wasn't a healthy way to live. Well more like Raven smashed some sense into me," I chuckled as I rubbed my hand against the back of head. Laughing once more when Lexa gave a huff of annoyance because I was rubbing my own blood over the back of my neck and bottom of my hair line.

She pulled my hand away from my neck with a frown. "Seriously Klark. You're getting blood everywhere,"

"I had threatened to kill one of my people because he allowed himself to be seen by scouts of Azgeda. By this point in time Azgeda scouts knew what every adult looked like. He only killed one while the other escaped. At the time we had just found a new place to hide after wondering for almost a month through the northern Trikru land, losing two of my more elderly people. Raven hit me with her cane and said that if I didn't change then she would banish me from my own people. It hit me that I wasn't ruling like I had in the beginning. I wasn't making decisions in the best interests of my people but in the best interests of me."

My hand moved back to grab hold of hers. Grip tight. "There were 10 children left in our 3rd year. One was named Aurora…Lexa you would have loved her! She was so strong willed even at such an early age. She became a protector as she grew; the other children would follow her around. It was so weird to see a child acting in such a way. I was going to take her on as my second; she was less than a year away before she could safely start to train with knives. To train her to take over if I lived long enough."

Tears filled my eyes, Lexa's face blurring as she continued to listen to my words. "I swear it was like looking upon a child made from both of us. She had yours eyes and my hair. It wasn't the threat of banishment that made me change. It was her. She had no mother…no father…but she had me. I would help take care of her when I wasn't busy leading patrols or hunting. The thought of being banished from my people hurt me but the thought of never seeing her again? My very soul cried out in pain at just the thought."

"I changed for her, like you had changed for me. I changed for the better. After that I worked tirelessly to find a safer home. I created stricter rules when it came to us going on patrol or to go out hunting. Raven became the one who was in charge of anything that was at camp. Creating safe rooms, trip mines, and even early warning systems for those at camp to have. My job was to train our warriors. To teach them how to use bow and arrows. To use swords and daggers. Few even becoming very skilled scouts who could vanish into the woods leaving no trail that they were there."

"Of course the woods never saved us completely…" my voice trailing off as my mind wandered.

"Clarke you made your people strong and fought to every last man and woman. You stood strong against the onslaught of not only the Ice Nation but all the clans that were left after Ontari's reign. All of the adults of your people fought until their last breath to protect the next generation. As far as I see, you did everything right. Of course a few mistakes were made along the way but what leader doesn't make them. I have made many over the years. Those times will never come to pass again, this I promise you. This time you will make your people stronger," her hand reaching forward to grab my chin to make look her in the eye.

Eyes burning brighter in her conviction. Fingers tight on my face, hard enough that I knew it would leave marks.

"We will bring about a new age of peace. We will bridge the gap and finally achieve what Becca wanted all those years ago."

Gently I took hold of her hand to bring it up and used it to cup my cheek. Eyes closing slightly at the warmth.

"I am glad that I am here with you, ai hodness. My last moments were of how I was finally going to see you. That was the only reason I took the flame. I had completed what I had set out to do all those years ago and was ready to rest…" opening my eyes once more to look at her. Lexa looking almost like she wanted to cry.

"This is better though. This is so much better than I had ever imagined. I would gladly live through all that once more if it meant that I could have this with you again."

Hands sliding through her soft hair bringing her lips to mine. Fire burning through my body at the feeling. Tilting my head further into the kiss, trying to get a better angle only for Lexa to pull back.

I can't help but release a whine. The loss of her lips against mine almost painful.

"You branwada," affection heavy in her voice.

She stood once more; a hand reached out for me to take. "Come…Let us get clean and then retire. The day was long, and we only have a few more days to have the generals all agree to our plan of attack."

I groan at the thought. Not ready to leave her already. Thanking the all mother that I still a few more days with her before I would not see her for awhile. The thought of being away from her hurt after finally having her back.

-Time Skip-

My dreams held no single memory of my life but of different small moments. Everything blurring together until I opened my eyes to the Hall of the Commanders.

Jaw popping at the pressure of me clenching my jaw.

There was no one else in the chamber besides Becca.

"What do you want?" I hissed at her. Fingers digging into the arms of my own throne.

Becca's eyes dropped to her lap as she released a heavy sigh. "I need to apologize to you."

My rage growing at her words. "I don't want your apologies. You promised me and then turn your back on it not even a week later. Your words mean nothing. Your actions show your words to Be nothing!"

A heavy pressure seemed to settle on my shoulders pushing my whole body further into my throne. Becca's eyes focused on me, dark with anger. Only for her to shake her head slightly. The pressure disappears and her eyes turning sad once more.

"Clarke, please try to understand. I had no plans to give her the memories, but she asked. If she had not asked then nothing would have been given," trying to justify herself.

My hand slammed down onto the arm rest of the throne once more. "Of course she would ask for them back! She is the Commander. She wants to know so that she can prepare for what lies ahead. You could have given her that and maybe I would not be angry, but you let her remember everything. I wanted to protect her from her death. I wanted her to not see what happened to her people and her coalition. Instead though you gave her everything! You do not even begin to understand how angry I am with you."

Becca seemed to almost shrink in on herself at my words. "Lexa is strong, but you didn't know the damage that could have been done. It felt as though my head split open when I went through time reliving everything in reverse and then once more when you released Lexa's. Accidently making me relive them once more. I relapsed slightly today because of it. I threw a cot at Lexa. I Hurt her!" the anguish clear to hear.

"Clarke. I did not mean for that to happen. If you accept nothing that I tell you, at least accept that. This is the first time that two Commanders have been alive at the same time."

"You should have known! This is your device. You made this."

"Clarke please. I did not know. Please just know that I am sorry. I am so sorry that I broke the promise that I made you."

Finally I stood from the throne. Standing tall as I looked at her. She did look apologetic, but it meant nothing to me. "You have spoken your apology and I have listened. Send me from this place," voice thundering through the room.

Becca looked down once more and waved her arm. The white of the room slowly fading away allowing me to dream once more.

-Time Skip-

The road to Arkadia was easy to follow. The horse seeming to know what to do as it followed the trail. Part of me glad that I had killed Quint the day before, as my own horse lost a shoe. Instead of waiting for it to fixed and placed once more, I took the brown horse that he had. The animal while quick was not as smooth a ride as my own large black war horse.

It felt nice to be on a horse though even if it wasn't my own. For almost five years I had no such animal. My own horse that for some reason I had named Chuck had to be released into the wild. Too worried that it would suffer a terrible death as many of our other animals had.

My mind wandering back to last night. At Becca's apology. The anger still coursing through my veins, making me curt with Lexa when we had woken. Part of me wishing I had kissed her before leaving the safety of her sleeping area. None of the other Trikru or even my own people had learned yet that Lexa and I were together. It wasn't the time or the place to allow others into our own little world. The only to know was Gustus and he was the only to truly know everything.

This morning after we had woken, he seemed almost worried when he had walked into the war room to let us know that we had to get ready for the day and Lexa had pulled him into a hug. Her arms wrapped tightly around him as she cried slightly into his chest. I had told her how Gustus knew that I had traveled back. He seemed to almost fall into shock for a second before pulling her further into him. Lexa had thanked Gustus for trusting me enough not to try and ruin the alliance. His response was that he couldn't trust Ryder enough to guard her, as he was the better warrior.

Lexa explaining to me how Gustus had been a guard of hers since she was a small child and first came to the capital. He actually had known her father but nothing further than acquaintances. Since the Flame Keepers guild had taken her at such a young she never really knew her own father or even her mother. She hadn't been allowed to contact them once she had arrived in Polis as the man who had been Titus's teacher believed that even being connected to ones parents was weakness. It meant that one would favor a certain clan over the others.

Lexa spoke of how when Costia was taken she received a missive that her home village was attacked by Azgeda. All in the village were killed, including her parents. No one could figure out if the reason the village was attacked was because Costia's mother was also living in the village or because the origin of her parents were found.

The next few days leading to many boring and aggravating talks with the other generals. The only good thing that happened was the increased amount of time that I got to spend with Lexa, including all the times that we were able to have their own sexy times. Of course, I got hit the one time I told her that, as she did not appreciate it being called such a thing.

The trees broke away showing a small little clearing a couple hundred feet wide. Flowers and plants growing everywhere. For some reason this seemed wrong, as though I was missing something important about this area. Slowing down my horse when I notice that my mother has stopped her own just before we break through the edge of the final tree line. I knew I should have put her at the back of the group, then she wouldn't have been able to make all of us stop.

Anger curls through my veins. At her ordering my men to stop when we only had to ride for another thirty minutes before we reached Camp Jaha, as it was currently called. It was already mid-day and I wanted to be able to train with the other warriors when I get there. Mainly just wanting to see how far along Octavia has come. I know that Indra has been there for the past week and she became her second barely a day later. Remembering how quick of a learner she was and knowing that she would hopefully start to show some of the same skill that she had before.

All of the Trikru turn to look at me as I jump down from the barely stopped horse. Strides quickly eating up the distance between my mother and me. She stands up once she collects some water from a puddle. Part of my stomach rolls at seeing that, wondering how many germs and bacteria are in it. Hoping that she plans to put an iodized tablet in the can. I had seen one to many times what happens to those who drink dirty water.

Her eyes take in me as I walk closer. Taking in the war paint that covers much of the upper half on my face before her eyes trail over the stitched closed wound. A wound that is well on its way to being healed enough to have the stitches removed much of the ends of the wound already turning a dark pink from the newly healed skin.

"Why have we stopped?"

Her eyes narrow at the underlining anger in my voice. "You need water and I need to check your wound," her words clipped as she reaches forward to prod at the stitches, checking for inflamed or reddened skin. Eyes' narrowing when she sees how far along the wound has healed.

"I don't need a drink and the wound is fine. I checked this morning. We need to keep moving. We are barely an hour away from Camp Jaha and I need to see if Raven has had any contact with Bellamy yet."

Body already leaning away from her touch and turning towards my horse, ordering all the guards and Trikru to mount back up, and to watch for any Mountain Men that might be lurking around. Many of the Trikru had not gotten down from their own horses. The only ones that had dismounted were the Ark guards.

I barely made it a step away before my arm was grabbed. My right arm quickly reaches for the knife on my left shoulder, fingers wrapped tight around the handle. My mind catching up after a second, taking a lot for me to let the weapon go as I try to calm down. As I convince myself that she won't hurt me, and I allow myself to relax once more but only slightly. "It would be wise for you to let go," I warn her.

My eyes drifting past her slightly to see Ryder with a hand on his sword as he looks down at my mother's hand. Raising my left arm to stop him from pulling the sword from its guard completely.

Abby's eyes move and lock onto the hand Ryder grips his sword with only to see him remove it, but his eyes stay trained on my mother, even many of the other warriors as well are intently looking at her. Looking as though they are waiting for something or even a signal. In a way it actually feels nice but it's sad that I am not getting this kind of respect from my own people or even the same amount of protection as many of the guards are looking at me like I am the dangerous one. "The grounders listen to you."

I can't help but snort when she finally removes her hand. "We are all grounders now, Mom. They are the Trikru, it would be wise to remember that," I warn her. Remembering how xenophobic she was towards them in the beginning. Not trusting anything that they did. The anger and mistrust only disappearing a little before Pike took the position as Chancellor. That needed to change soon. This time Lexa was not going to betray us as we already had a plan that we would enact one we are at the mountain once more.

"We can't trust them, Clarke. You may think you know what's best for us, but you don't. You need to trust that I know what's best for us," she tries to plead.

"As much as I wish that was true, it isn't. We need these people. This is not like before on the Ark, we are finally back on the ground. This means that we are not going to follow those rules that we had up in the sky. The ground is a harsh place and you just came down here. Now I want to go home. We can talk about what is best for us later."

It was easy to see how my words angered her. I didn't care though. Part of me extremely anxious to get away from this place, knowing that I was missing something and it did not help my anger that I couldn't remember what it was.

Finally, I threw myself back up into the saddle of the horse. The horse whining from the sudden weight and I barely stopped the snort at the picky creature.

"Move out!" I ordered.

The Skaikru at the front finally moving their horses into a full gallop. My eyes scan the clearing looking for something. For anything. For any sign that people are moving in the tree line or somewhere they can hide.

Red hot pain shoots through me. My mind remembering why I felt so nervous at the stop. This is where I meet Carl Emmerson for the first time. A man that I would learn to hate with every fiber of my being because he was the reason that everything started turning to shit. His help with destroying Mount Whether allowed Charles Pike to push for the extreme mistrust of all those that are on the ground. He was one of the most well protected people in the entire coalition only just behind Ontari. His actions against Skaikru effectively guaranteed his safety.

The horse screams, as we both go flying. The last thing I see or hear is the large rock as I land hard onto the ground, my mother's scream, and the bark of the gun.

-POV CHANGE-

Indra looks on with fear as she sees the Skai Heda thrown from her horse, going down hard and then not getting up or even moving. Her heart seeming to almost stop for a second in her chest. Her eyes move back to the Mountain Man who Octavia is about to kill. Feeling vicious satisfaction as she goes to cut his throat before ordering her to stop, realizing that if he is killed then Clarke will not have her vengeance.

Shock and anger crosses Octavia's face but stops anyways. Watching on as the Mountain Man held his thigh while he screamed as his skin blistered and turned red. Octavia moves quickly to the bag next to the dead mountain man and begins to look for something only to stop. Her eyes widen in what can only be horror and fear as she handed the picture to Indra.

Indra snarled at what greeted her in the picture. It was of both the Skai Heda and Heda.

"She was targeted! Send our fastest rider to Ton DC. Someone needs to warn the Commander and let her know what has happened here," Indra had barely completed the order before one of the men who had road over, took off. The hooves of the horse thundering past.

Ryder brought his horse over before jumping down from his saddle. His eyes dark with worry and fear, though quickly changing to anger when he sees the maunon.

"How is the Skai Heda?" Abe asked. He was one of the few scouts that watched Clarke's fight with both Gustus and Indra. The man felt she held the same weight and authority that the Commander did for the coalition.

"She lives but is losing blood quickly. The bullet went through her leg and killed the horse. That was why she was thrown. The throw knocked her out. The fisa from Skaikru road ahead with more of our men. She wants to get her to Camp Jaha as quickly as possible. Is he the one that shot her?" he asked, kicking the man in question in his side.

The maunon moaned at the increased pain.

"No. He was a spotter. The one killed was the shooter. If the arrow hadn't hit him she would have died. It threw off the shot."

All eyes turn to look at Octavia whose is only looking down in anger at the man on the ground. Her knuckles white as she grips her sword once more. Already her eyes are red as she holds back tears that she doesn't want to shed. Tears that she didn't think would show over Clarke just getting shot but she had seen her fall from the horse. Felt the horror deep in her chest as she landed and did not move. Fearing that one of her first friends that she had made was now dead. That she would never get to share with her that she a second to not only the leader of Ton DC but also one of the Commander's top generals.

The anger rearing its head once more. Bones in her hand cracking as she looked down at the Mountain Man. Arm twitching with the need to rend his head from shoulders.

"We ride to the Sky people's camp now!"

Abe and Octavia moving quickly to tie the Mountain man up before throwing him over the back of a horse.

Octavia rode next to Indra, the horse's hooves sounding like thunder in her ears, but she had to ask as it was starting to bug her.

"Fos! Why did Abe call Clarke Skai Heda?"

Indra could easily hear the confusion. "Her blood is black as night. Only those who are a natblida can become the Commander. Only they can house the spirit."

"I still don't understand though. Why does that mean she is called Skai Heda?"

"You ask many questions second. She is your old people's leader. Her blood is that of the Commander and she has already shown unbelievable skill as a warrior. She earned her title. Clarke has not only defeated me but also Gustus. Her defeat of Gustus was truly impressive because he has been a guardsman for the Commander for over 20 years. Not once has a Commander lost their life when he was around."

They finally passed the tree line and were able to see Camp Jaha whose gates were still open and even from over 300 yards away could see the large amount of activity happening on the walls and inside.

"The Skai people are not a part of the coalition and this means that until they do, that she is their leader. She is their Commander and unlike the other clans she is one of the only people that are just as powerful as Heda. She is the only one who does not need to bow to our Commander."

-Time Skip-

Clarke was rushed into the med bay with the mountain man not too far behind. The blood that was originally flowing heavily from the wound had slowed down and only sluggishly bled now. Abby's hands were stained black and she had to use all of her will power to not choke out a sob at the state her daughter was in. Her hand instantly moving to check her carotid artery and finding her pulse was sluggish but not enough to be too dangerous.

"Jackson you treat the mountain man for radiation burns when he comes!" she shouts as she tries to keep her hands steady as she tries to clear away the blood enough to stitch the large hole closed on her leg.

She shouts for someone to bring her a tourniquet, as the one she was currently using was a strip of leather that was not tight enough to do a proper job. Once it was applied the blood flow was slow enough that she could see what she was happening.

Each stitch was perfect, and she was about to order one of the other nurses to help her move her daughter enough that she stitch the inside of her left leg, only for her to be kicked in the face. Blood pouring down her face from the harsh move and she swore that the force of the blow broke her nose, but she knew that it was only because she had never been hit in the face before.

Abby blearily looked up from where she had fallen to floor to see her daughter standing. Clarke's eyes were wild and seemed almost glazed, knowing that her daughter wasn't really there with them at the moment.

Clarke evened out her weight as she went to grab the daggers that were still strapped to her arms, ones that the guards of Camp Jaha didn't have the time to take because she was instantly moved to medical.

This proved to not be the right move as her leg instantly gave out, Clarke letting out a sharp cry of pain as she fell to one knee. Her left arm hanging limply at her side, eyes instantly moving to look at the immobile limb.

Her eyes turned back to look at every one surrounding her. Right hand clutching the dagger and even from a couple feet away she could see how her pupils seemed to almost eclipse the blue.

The moment when Abby is about to order the guards to help her sedate Clarke is when Raven runs into the room skidding to a stop when she sees a pale faced Clarke. Her left eye was blood shot, the burst veins causing her sclera to turn black. Some blood was stuck to her temple turning her hair dark. Raven then sees her torn pant leg, the wound situated there, and her stance.

Her eyes then trail to Abby only to widen when she takes in all the red blood covering the doctors face before shifting back to Clarke. "You need to get back in the bed princess. If you don't they are going to strap you down and give you a sedative. I don't think you want that?"

Clarke's eyes instantly moved from the guards behind Abby whose guns were pointed at her to Raven. She barely stopped the shiver of fear that racked her body at the look. It was a look that she had never seen before on the blonde. The look promised pain and death. She looked like an animal that was injured and cornered and was ready to lash out once more. Ready to strike. Ready to kill.

The look was completed with the large amount of blood that covered her. It was still unsettling to see such strange colored blood coming from a person. The left side of her head was matted, and the hair clung to her neck. Almost the entire left pant leg was gone leaving only her bare skin open to world but even that was covered with dried blood. Even though her left arm still hung uselessly at her side Raven knew that she could still do considerable damage as she seemed to have grabbed the large knife that had been sheathed on her shoulder.

Clarke's eyes seem to clear for a second before rolling back in her skull as she falls forward.

"Shit!" Raven shouts as she rushes forward to help get the blonde back on the bed only to be beaten to it by a large grounder who easily lifts the girl up.

Abby carefully stands and tries to calm her erratic heart. Tries to calm her mind as she tries not to think about what just happened. Tried not to think that her daughters first reaction to waking up after being injured is to lash out.

The large grounder who picked up Clarke gently laid her down on the bed before turning back to Abby. "Sis au, fisa. Nau." (Help her healer. Now)

She didn't know what he said but his eyes had yet to leave hers.

Finally deciding to ignore the man she rushed forward to once more check the stitches. She wasn't surprised to find when Clarke kicked her, that many of the stitches tore.

More grounders, including Indra and Octavia entered to med bay with the mountain man. She wished she didn't have to help him, but she had taken an oath to heal all those that needed help. "Jackson you're up!"

Jackson who had been standing off to the side rushed to the man.

Abby ignored the throbbing of her nose as she worked once more to stitched close both wounds on her daughter's leg.

"Abby we have a problem over here!" Jackson called out.

"What," she asked as her fingers began to feel along her daughters scalp to try and find out how bad her head wound was.

"I can't treat him if I can't touch him."

Raven who had been leaning against the wall pushed off making her way over to Jackson. "I can rig up some scrubbers in an air lock. That way you can treat him and also keep in custody. Give me 20 minutes and I should have it up and running," she barely finished before she seemed to almost run from the room.

Abby finally found to wound but because of all the blood and hair she couldn't get a clear picture of the extent of it. She didn't want to do it but called for an electric razor that she always kept charged for when needed for situations such as this.

The item was quickly brought over and turned on before shaving away the skin on the left side of her head. Her stomach turned when she was finally able to get a good look at the wound after washing away the blood and hair. The wound was jagged and stretched from the top of her head and went down at sharp angles to almost her ear. In some areas it looked as though the skin had pushed under itself and the only bright side is the wound while large and painful looking was not as deep as she feared.

She knew that this was going to be a lengthy process and also painful. Her daughter would most likely wake again from the pain. Ordering another nurse to grab a sedative.

Octavia could only watch on in worry at the state of her friend. Could only watch as Doctor Griffin shaved away a large area of her hair to see the wound on her head. Could only watch as the doctor cut away small pieces of skin so that the stitches could be as even as possible. Could watch as even under a sedative gave a moan of pain when her shoulder was popped back into place.

"She will live, yes?" Indra asked.

"She should. Her heartbeat is still too fast but has lowered slightly. She lost a lot of blood and I would give her a transfusion if I knew that normal blood wouldn't kill her. Her head wound while it looked bad wasn't too severe and the bullet passed cleanly through the leg and barely grazed the bone. I was also able to easily put her arm back into place."

"Good. What about the killer?"

Abby finally looked up after whipping the stitches down once more before wrapping that area in gauze to hopefully keep the wound clean at the early start of the healing process. Though she wouldn't be surprised if the would was healed in a couple weeks with how quickly the healing process was for her daughter.

It looked as though besides a few of the grounders…Trikru warriors as she mentally corrected herself wanting to at least try think of them as their clan instead of a general term but anyways the entire med bay was practically empty. The mountain man having been taken away over an hour ago from what she can remember.

"He should live. He was given a transfusion of our blood, but I haven't been to see him yet. I can head to him now and see," Abby offered before going to clean off her hands from her daughters blood.

"Hopefully when he wakes he will tell us what he knows," she tells her over the spray of water as she meticulously scrubs her hands, trying to get all the blood off before moving onto the left over blood that still covers part of her face. Glad to see clean skin once more when finished.

"What if he doesn't talk?" Octavia asks. She fidgets a little when her fos looked back at her with a raised eyebrow.

"He'll talk we did just save his life."

"If he doesn't then what. I understand what you are saying but what if he doesn't. Even if you had saved me from death, I would still not tell you my secrets. So I repeat the question my second asked. What if he doesn't talk?"

Abby's eyes narrow at Indra. "You aren't torturing him."

"If you want him to talk then you must. I can get him to speak of what he knows."

"I'll say it again, Indra. We aren't going to torture him."

"Then you are weak. I see now why Clarke is in charge," her words are clipped.

"Clarke isn't in charge. I am the Chancellor!" Abby shouts back. Her eyes dark in her anger.

Indra scoffs. "You are in charge of nothing. Your yongon is the true leader. If not for her you would already be dust in the wind," while her voice was calm it was easy to see how angry Indra was at the woman.

Abby's face turned red before she took a deep breath and instead of responding left the med bay. Indra and Octavia following. Octavia was not looking forward to their training later. Anytime that Indra was angry then their lessons usually ended with her on her ass nine times out of ten.

-Time Skip-

"Carl Emerson. Mount Weather Security Detail."

The statement was beginning to anger Indra even further from every utterance of that phrase.

"I don't think you are grasping the situation here. You should have died in the woods. We saved your life. Why not help us bring an end to all this?"

The mountain man's head dropped down and sighed heavily. A part of her hoped that he would say something else anything besides the same phrase that she had been hearing for over an hour. The man looked up once more.

"Carl Emerson. Mount Weather Security Detail."

Her anger seemed to almost triple in that moment.

"He is not going to talk," the woman Raven said. Her eyes were down as she took in the picture of both Clarke and the Commander.

"He will if we open to door."

-POV CHANGE-

My head seemed to spin as I tried to open my eyes. The light of lamps burned as I quickly closed my eyes again. Tempted to let the current take me under again and into the blackness once more. Only to moan in pain when I moved my head slightly to get in a different position.

"Clarke?" The voice sounded hopeful but also worried at the same time.

It was a chore, but I finally opened my eyes again, taking in the surrounding med bay. Eyes stopping for a second at the two Trikru warriors that were positioned at the door before turning back to see that Raven was sitting on a chair next to me. She seemed to be fiddling with her necklace. Hands running over the wings as she stared at me, her face breaking out into a large smile when she realizes that I am actually coherent.

Her hand reaches out and gently grabs hold of mine. "I was so worried. I thought you were going to break your promise to me," her voice soft.

"I would never break such an important promise to you," my throat hurts from speaking for the first time in god knows how long.

"Now can you tell me what the hell happened? Last thing I remember is flying from my horse. You would think I would know how to crash," laughing at my really dumb joke I just made.

"No I am pretty sure I know more about crashing than you do," she jokes back.

I squeeze her hand tightly before siting up, ignoring how my different areas of my body hurt, including my head. The pain doubling for a second from the rush of blood. My hand reaches up to grab it only to pull back when I can feel gauze. "What the hell?"

"You took a real nasty fall off of the horse when you went down. You dislocated your left arm and cut open a large part of your head from hitting a large rock. Your mom stitched that up, as well as your leg. Well re-stitched your left after you kicked her and jumped off of the bed."

My eyes widen at her words, as I try to rack my brain but I can't remember waking up before now. "I did what?"

"Oh ya! You kicked your mom in the face as she was working on the last of your stitches for your leg when you woke up and kicked her. You didn't break her nose, but you did make her bleed a lot."

One thing I definitely can count on is how straight Raven tells it. "Well shit…I didn't mean to hurt her," something in my chest hurts at the thought.

"Where is she anyway?" I can't help but ask considering the only people in the med bay besides Raven and I is a couple of Trikru warriors whose eyes haven't left me since I woke.

"She is at the airlock where the mountain man is. She'll be upset to know that you woke up just after she left," her voice taking on a more serious tone.

At hearing the words mountain man, I remember that piece of shit and his buddy shot me. I should have remembered this. I don't understand how I didn't and can only blame it on the fact that it has been years since I ever thought of that piece of shit.

I shifted my legs over the side of the bed and pushed myself up. The weight on my left leg hurt and it almost gave out on me. Raven barely able to catch me. I ignored her for a second, as I tried once more to put weight on my leg. This time thankfully it held but still hurt like a bitch.

"I don't think you should be getting up so soon, Clarke."

"I'm fine. I've walked away from worse. You should go back to work. I'll be fine and after I see my mom I'll come by your workspace."

She narrows her eyes at me before finally releasing a sigh when she sees that I am being serious. "No I'll come with you. Make sure you don't fall and hurt yourself."

Each step burned but I ignored it, as Raven and I made our way to the airlock.

We made it there just in time for Kane to tell my mother. "He'll talk if we open the door."

Mind flashing back to the radiation burns he suffered the first time around, eyes taking in the left-over burn marks that look mostly healed. "Do it, Kane."

My voice is clear and almost dares the others to disobey me. Kane's hand moves toward to the button only to have his hand grabbed by my mom.

Abby turns back in surprise at my voice, taking in how I am slightly leaning on Raven. "You don't know what you're saying. We aren't going to do that. I already told Indra and now I am telling you. We aren't going to torture this man. You aren't thinking clearly."

"His partner shot me…he tried to end me. If the other hadn't been hit by the arrow and killed in time then he would not have missed. That bullet would have killed me. Trust me, I am thinking very clearly. He has the codes for the mountain. He can get us inside without having to blow the main doors, so trust me when I say that I am thinking very clearly" shifting my weight so I am standing without having to slightly lean on Raven. The pounding in my head increased for a second before lowering down once more to manageable level. Eyes training over to the where I recognize the tone generator.

"Just as I said before. You don't get to decide this. You may be why we have this alliance, but it doesn't mean you are charge of us all. You shouldn't even be out of med bay to begin with."

"I would have preferred we had finished our earlier discussion somewhere private I won't now. You can wear whatever pin you want mother, but it doesn't change the fact that I am the leader. I am the reason that any of you are alive. Without me we would have already been banished to the deserts," I tell her as I once more push off of Raven so that I can stand on my own two feet, though still keeping my weight on my right leg.

Abby's lip thin and eyes narrow, turning darker in her anger.

I stand taller in her challenge, feeling something primal rise up in my chest.

"I am the Chancellor here Clarke. You don't get to decide this. You maybe why we have this alliance but it doesn't mean you are in charge over everyone on the Ark. You are still just a child who is playing at leading. Go back to the med bay before I force you. You are on thin ice here Clarke," she seethed.

My own anger roared but I knew that she wasn't lying to me. I could see how close she was to giving the order to have me removed and most likely locked in my room or my old cell. Instead I took a deep breath and the slight red haze as well my own anger slowly bled away to a more manageable level.

Reaching out I grabbed to tone generator before grabbing Raven's arm and forcing us to leave.

The instant we turned to corner Kane began to speak once more to my mother but I could hear his tone. He was not happy with the way my mother was handling this any more than I was.

We don't say anything until the doors to Raven's work shop finally close behind us.

"Are you ok, Clarke?" her tone conveying how worried she seemed.

"No. I'm not ok. I'll be fine though. The main thing I want to discuss is this," and I finally pull the tone generator from my pocket.

"What is that?" her head tilting slightly.

I don't say anything and instead press the button that fires the little machine up. The sound only lasted for a second or two before becoming too painful for me and I turned it off. "It's a tone generator and I am hoping that you can make a couple of them. If you do then we won't have to worry about the reapers ruining any of our plans. It can also keep the group that will be using the tunnels safer."

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't know that you couldn't do it."

She holds her hand out for the device. Eyes going over every piece after I give it to her.

Fingers running over the different ridges as her eyes narrow. "I can do it. I just need to find the right frequency and then I can make as many as you need."

Going off the look in her eyes she say this as a challenge. Something for her to focus on. Part of me worried that she was working as much as she could so that she didn't have to focus on what happened. I was also worried that she still resented me for what I did.

I could still remember how much she resented me after I killed Finn especially the first time. The anger that I could see in her eyes anytime she looked my way. Or how she would tense up when she would see Lexa. How once she seemed to somewhat move on from what happened with Finn she had to face the challenges that came from her hip. How the universe in a way seemed to just dump on her.

"Raven?" my voice soft as I focused back in on her.

She stopped messing around with some parts to look up. "Yea Clarke?"

"I just wanted to ask how you are doing. I mean that I know that you must be going through a lot and if you want to talk about it then I'll be here to listen. I promised that you wouldn't be alone again and I don't plan on breaking it."

Her eyes seem to darken slightly and get a little glossy. Something in my chest clenched at that look. How she seemed close to breaking. After shaking her head slightly she smiled. It was small and barely visible but it was easy for me to see the slight quirk of her lips.

"I've been better but if I haven't been busy here then Octavia comes around. She gets me out of this room and make sure that I eat. She helps make things better, especially when Octavia tries to teach me how to fight. Says that the physical activity should make me feel a little more normal and that's one of the reasons that she loves to train so much. I mean besides the fact that it looks as though she was born to be on the ground. She takes to the grounders culture like I took to anything engineering."

She stops fiddling with the device and turns to look at me. Eyes taking in the different wounds I have on my body, my now partially shaved head before looking down at my leg. I still had on the same pants from before, the left leg torn off slightly above mid-thigh, showing off the white gauze that was wrapped tightly around the wounded area before looking back to my face.

"The better question, is how are You doing?"

I could feel as my face shut down to a passive expression, showing and giving away nothing. Her brows bunched up at the sudden shift in my mood.

My mind brought up the new memories that I had made with Lexa. Imagining her bright smile as she laughed after I tripped trying to pull my pants on and had fallen down taking a small table with me. Of how I felt to hold her in my arms at night as I slowly fell asleep, feeling safe and happy for the first time in so long. As I allowed myself to feel something besides the duty for my people. Allowing myself to be selfish for once.

Lips stretching into a large grin, surprising Raven slightly. "I haven't felt this good in years. Yes we are in for a difficult battle soon. A war that if we do not win will bring about the deaths of our people and many of those who live here on the ground. And I get to see many of those who I care deeply for here. I get to see you as both our people and the Trikru and other clans work together. Something that used to be so hard to envision."

I wanted to speak more but the door to the work room opened and in stormed Octavia. Her eyes lighting up slightly as she took me in.

"Oh my god, Clarke!" She screamed as she rushed forward to pull me into a hug. My body instinctively stiffening in her embrace, dark memories flashed across my eyes. Forcing myself to keep myself from slamming my head forward into hers. Instead I allowed myself to relax into her warm embrace and enjoy having her arms around me.

She pushed me back and reached up to my face to turn it to get a good look at the side of my head. No gauze obstructed the view and allowed Octavia to see the jagged wound that covered much of my head. Her hand reaching up and lightly tracing her fingertips across the stitches. Whistling when she pulled away.

"How's the head feel? Looks pretty bad."

I had forgotten how caring she was, but her question also brought forth some of the pain I was trying to block. My own hearts beat could be felt in my eyes with every pump.

"It hurts little but it doesn't feel like I have a concussion so that's good. Those always make it so hard to think or focus. The only good thing is that the gun shot wound on my leg seems to be feeling better but I still can't put to much weight on it until it heals a little but more," my hand moving to run over the gauze on my leg. Taking a small note of how it looked as though it bled a little bit.

"Well I'm happy that you weren't hurt worse…or even killed," her voice sounding almost small.

I punched her on the shoulder. "It would take a lot more than bullet to kill me," words and body language oozing confidence.

Raven laughed at that. "It'll be your stubbornness," she told me cheekily.

"Also did you know that many of the Trikru are calling you Skai Heda now?"

My world seems to stop slightly at that for I had never been called by that name before. It was always Wanheda. Part of me preened at hearing that.

"Actually I haven't," it's obvious to all that I was extremely satisfied with that bit of news.

"Anyways, I wanted to know if we have heard anything from Bellamy yet? It's been almost a week. I figured we would have heard from him by now and Lincoln hasn't come back either."

"He hasn't reported in yet," Raven tells her. Octavia's smile falls from her face.

"Don't worry. He will and when he does get in contact then our plans can move forward," I tell her with a smile.

Raven opens her mouth to say something else when my name is called over the intercom. That I need to return to the med bay because the Chancellor wants to see me. At those words the anger that had faded away surged to life once more.

"Fucking great…well it seems I am being called. I'll return in a bit," I promise as I limp my way out of the room.

The wound on my leg makes me limp a litter harder than I would have liked but it was better than being dead or even shot in the stomach, like the warrior was during the original timeline.

I had just turned the corner when Octavia seemed to almost appear beside me, looking pleased until she noticed that I wasn't surprised. She opens her mouth some, but I beat her to the punch. "You still walk a little bit to heavy but you're close."

Her teeth click together from the force of her closing her mouth and her neck turns slightly red. She doesn't say much else besides letting me know that she was coming with me just to make sure I don't hurt myself or others.

When I enter the med bay it is to my mother walking back and forth across the floor. Her eyes that are downcast and worried shoot up to me.

"Clarke I got the blood work back and I though you should know what we found. In Emmerson's blood we found genetic indications that can only be found from someone on the Ark. This was discovered from the blood we took from him before we injected our own into him later to help save him.

"Then you know. You know that they have started and that if we don't hurry then not only will my friends and people die but they will able to leave. They will be able to leave that mountain and spread like a sickness across this land in their quest to survive. Right now by you not letting us interigate him is helping them. The more time we give them the less we have," I hiss at her.

She looks taken back from both my words and my tone.

I don't even take the time to listen if she has anything further to say and turn and leave. Knowing if I stayed any longer I would end up back in solitary or under armed guards.

I don't speak anything to Octavia as we leave. I don't say anything until we have at least gone down a full hallway and turned once more.

"She values their lives to much. It will end up costing us if she doesn't change soon," I mutter to Octavia.

Instead of responding, Octavia just nods her head in agreement.

In a stroke of strange luck the instant the door opens to Raven's work shop, Bellamy's voice cracks over the radio.

"Camp Jaha, this is Mount Weather. Does anyone read me?"

I rush forward and take the radio from Raven, who seems only too happy to hand it off.

"I can't begin to tell you how good it is to hear your voice right now. How are our people doing? Have you been able to speak to any of them?"

The radio is quiet for a second.

"Things aren't looking to good here. Something has changed. Jasper, Monty, everyone is locked in the dorm."

"Shit. Are they all still alive?"

"For now at least."

"Maya says they're already using their blood. Things will get ugly in here real fast."

"Maya's with you?" I had forgotten about her. The times I had ever thought of her in the past was because of drastic Jasper has changed after her death.

'Yes. If not for her, I'd be dead. And Clarke, there are kids in here. We need a plan that doesn't kill everyone. Please tell me you have one," even over a radio I could hear the desperation he felt.

My hand tightened, the plastic creaking from my tight hold. The thought of killing children turned my stomach and while I would gladly kill everyone in the mountain again, I knew that their deaths would be the one's that would haunt me. I could care less for the adults. For the ones who took the blood.

"I hear you. But we can't do anything until you disable to acid fog. Raven's going to help you."

"Got is. What else?"

"I need you to find the strongest warriors. Only use those who can actually stand and haven't had more blood taken more than a few times. We will need them. They will protect the others who are to weak once everything begins to move."

"I need you to buy me time. They'll soon realize I don't belong here."

"Bellamy, if you take down the acid fog then we won't need to buy time. The army is already here. You just need to bring it down so we can storm the mountain. Just keep staying alive."

"I will try and get it down as soon as possible. Bellamy over and out," the static of the radio lasts for only a few more seconds before I turn and walk away.

"What are we going to do?" Raven asks after me. I stop at the door before turning and looking at her.

"We have the largest army ever gathered in history since the bombings. I am going to keep them looking out instead of in," then I turn and leave.

Octavia is matching me stride for stride. "Where's Indra?"

"In the yard training with the warriors. She allowed me to come see you once we heard you were finally up and moving around."

-TIME SKIP-

As Octavia said, Indra was training the other warriors. When we had made it outside it was to her flipping a warrior over her back.

She stops once she sees me standing next to Octavia.

"Shai Heda," she greets with a slight bow of her head. Many of the other warriors following her example.

"Bring some of your warriors. I want the Mountain Man."

Then I turning and leaving. Not even giving her time to respond. My own blood lust slowly rearing its head at what I planned to do next.

She grabs four of the largest warriors and follows. Not asking questions and just following my lead though I can tell she is curious.

"Where is my bow?"

Surprisingly it wasn't Indra who responded but another. This one while tall wasn't very large but instead looked slim, as though he trained himself to be fast instead of beating down an enemy. He looked strangely familiar and I knew his name started with an A but couldn't remember what.

"It was kept with your saddle bags. We erected a tent for you and placed all your belongings there, Skai Heda," his tone respectful.

"Well I need it. We will meet you outside momentarily."

The man doesn't even wait for Indra to give him the order before he is already off running down the halls we just came from.

The guard tries to stop us when my large group stopped at the air lock doors.

"Clarke, you need…"

I cut him off. "Don't."

Moving past the guard, I stop at the air lock door and stare at the man whose mere presence makes me sick.

"Get dressed. You're coming with me," my words as sharp as my own knives.

The man was quick to get his suit back on before two warriors entered and grabbed him. The man wincing slightly from the grip.

The two warriors basically drag the man as leave the downed ship, only stopping once my mother makes her way in front of the group. Six guards at her back, all with their weapons slightly raised.

"Clarke stop. What are you doing?"

I tilt my head slightly. "I'm letting the prisoner go. What do you think I'm doing?"

"I think you are disobeying an order from your Chancellor. You aren't letting him go. Guards take this man back to his cell."

The group behind Abby takes a step forward, only to be stopped when as one all of the warriors pull out their weapons. My own sword quickly following as I hold it down at my side. Glad that I had gotten all my weapons back on my person before going to Indra, though I do wish I had gotten a new pair of pants.

"You may be the chancellor but I'm in charge!" I snarl at her. More than tired of this argument.

She ignores me. "Indra tell your people to stand down before this gets out of hand."

Indra laughs at my mother's words. "As I have stated before. Your title means nothing to me."

At her words I remember Octavia telling me of their fight. A part of me greatly wishes I had asked for more details.

My mom turns back to me once more. "Clarke, please. You have to trust that I know what's right for us."

I lift my sword up and many of the guards guns now move to me. "You don't know what's right for us. You think you do but you don't. You have never in your life handled anything that relates to war. Unlike you, I have. I have fought and won battles. I have killed to keep my people safe unlike you. You just think you know what's best and these thoughts will lead to us being killed. From now on when it comes to anything with this war, I am in charge. Not you. If you disagree with me, then that works to. Just remember that I have the Trikru and their alliance with the other clans on my side, while our people only have each other."

My mother's face goes through many different emotions from anger, sadness, fear before finally landing on acceptance.

"Fine," she hisses at me before finally moving to the side, ordering the guards to stand down.

"Open the gate!" I order the men who are quick to follow.

Once we stop the warriors finally let go of Emmerson who just stares darkly at me.

My own smile turns sharp and promises death.

"I have a message for your leaders. We are coming for them. You haven't seen the full might of the Commander's army. You will though that I promise. Well if you make it back. Hopefully you do as it would make things simpler. I want to tell them to let all our people go. If you do this, then we won't come for you."

I take a step forward and the only thing that stops him from taking a step back is the two Trikru that stand behind him.

"Now I know it takes 8 hours to return to Mount Weather. You my friend? You are going to do it in 6," I tell him as I grab hold of the gauge and allow the needed air to escape.

Then I lean closer to his ear, making sure that he is the only one to hear me.

"I have another challenge for you as well. I have been working on my archery for awhile and finally have a good bow. You my friend are going to run away while I shoot at you. Of course if you make it to the edge of the clearing and beyond then you win."

His eyes widen in fear at my words. "You're crazy!" Carl yells at me.

He takes a step back and then sprints for it.

Holding my hand out I ask for my bow.

The man from before is quick to answer. Handing both my bow along with the quiver, which I quickly throw over my shoulder. Ignoring how tight it still feels as I quickly reach and grab an arrow.

After notching, I pull back before taking a second to aim and then releasing.

My mother begins to scream at me as I watch the arrow go, losing it quickly in the slight darkness of the morning. Finding it once more when Emmerson makes a hard left when the arrow lands in front of him. This time instead of running straight he begins to straif.

I notch another and let it fly, making sure to adjust slightly so that this time it will land to his left. It hits it mark and he goes right.

This time is he is to close to the edge so I stop playing around as I let this last arrow fly. In the five minutes it has taken for him to almost cross the clearing the sun has risen enough that when I release I can follow.

The arrow arches high into the sky and finally crests before falling down. Gaining more speed as it descends. The arrow slams into the upper middle of his back, right at he reaches the end of the clearing.

"Jus drien, jus daun.," Indra spoke.

"Just drien, jus daun," I respond back. A dark heavy weight I had been feeling since I had seen him once more lifted. I knew that the souls of those that have been killed from his actions could now rest in peace.