Sorry about the delay. Chapters will be coming at a significantly faster pace.

Chapter 7-This is On You Princess

Clarke was exhausted by the time she reached the 100's camp. She had to will each step from TonDC. Before she got to the perimeter of the camp she called out, "Whoever is on guard, it's me, Clarke! Don't shoot!"

"Come on Clarke!" A female voice called out, "We've been waiting for you!" April walked up the path and smiled at Clarke. "Bellamy and Raven showed up about two hours ago but they crashed. Raven said that you would show up and set up a spot for you to sleep in her tent."

They entered the camp and Clarke was relieved to see five or so people patrolling the perimeter and that they seemed to have things under control. She was so weary she hoped that she would be able to make it to the tent. She considered just crashing on Lexa's floor, rumors and consequences be damned, she was too exhausted to care.

"Raven's tent is over there." April pointed, "It's the one with the silver and red top."

"Thanks, April." Clarke smiled, or at least she thought she did.

Clarke dreamed of flowers and of playing chess with Wells but they weren't on the Ark. They were sitting in the middle of a field and she could feel the eyes of the Grounders watching them from the trees but she didn't feel threatened; she felt protected and loved.

"Princess…" Raven nudged Clarke with the toe of her boat. "Princess, its' time to get up. You have some visitors. "

Clarke groaned and rolled over, "Please, please tell me it's not my mother?"

"No," Raven smiled, "It's the Commander and some of her people."

"Fuck." Clarke pulled the jacket she was using as a pillow over her face.

"I know but things are kind of tense out there."

"Can't Bellamy handle it?"

"He tired but little miss I'm an emotionless robot will only speak to you."

Clarke groaned again, "Fine. Fine. Tell her I will be out in a moment." Clarke sat up and ran her fingers through her hair and prayed she didn't look as bad as she felt."

Lexa stood in the center of the camp. Her hand absently petting the monterous horse that stood next to her. A dozen or so Grounders and their horses stood behind her. The horses were loaded down supplies and what looked like building materials. One of the large cats they had killed the night before lay flaccidly across the back of one of the horses.

Clarke noticed that her people seemed nervous but not in an aggressive manner. "Commander." She tried not to smile but she couldn't help herself. She wanted to ask about LExa's leg but she knew better to acknowledge any weakness the Commander might have in front of her people.

"Clarke, Commander of the 100. I have brought some of my people to help fortify your camp and make suitable lodgings for your people."

"Thank you Commander but aren't your people needed in TonDC?"

"Yes, but I can spare them for a short while."

"Thank you that is very generous of you."

"I'm afraid I must ask a favor."

Of course, Clarke noted, nothing was ever free. "What can I help you with?"

"We have five Reapers back in TonDC that need your mother's help to heal. I have come to ask, if your people did not need you, if you would travel with us to The Ark as we speak to the Chancellor."

"Of course." Abby was the last person that Clarke wanted to see but she couldn't see any way to graciously bow out and she knew that the Reapers needed healing.

"I'm going with you." Bellamy appeared at Clarke's side.

"Me too!" Monty stepped forward.

Clarke smiled releaved to be surrounded by her friends once more. "Jasper," Clarke turned to the boy whose girlfriend she had killed in the mountain, "You're in charge." He nodded, his eyes meeting Clarke's.

The Grounders left their horses except for the one carrying the pauna and most of their delegation at The 100's camp and left for The Ark. The walk was uneventful and for a few moments Clarke allowed herself to pretend it was just her and Lexa taking a stroll through the woods.

"Clarke," Lexa's voice was soft as to not alert her guards, "You seem to be deep in thought."

"I'm just enjoying the walk."

"It is a beautiful day. Earth had many such days especially in the spring when the flowers bloom and there are afternoon showers to wash everything clean."

"I hope I make it to spring." Clarke muttered.

"Sky Princess you must not speak like that. You are a warrior and a great leader. Your people and my people will make sure you see as many springs as you wish."

"You know that is impossible to predict Lexa. Sure, the Mountain Men are no longer a threat but there are a million other things to kill you on this fucking planet."

"You will learn and things will become less frightening."

"I'm not frightened. I am resigned."

They stopped at the edge of the woods The Ark looming in the distance. It was so very familiar to Clarke but she felt no attachment to it. At some point it had become nothing but a hunk of metal and wires.

"Heda." Ryder stepped forward, "Do you wish to mount the horse? We can remove the pauna."

"No, I will walk."

As they approached the guards raised their weapons and the air swirled and popped with tension.

"Well, this should be fun." Monty deadpanned.

"Home sweet home, Sky Princess." Bellamy gently bumped Clarke's shoulder with his own.

Kane appeared at the gate with a gun strapped across his chest. His eyes never left Clarke's. She couldn't help but snort at his vain attempt to be intimidating. Lexa did not like the way the Chancellor's general stared at Clarke. She would gut him if she had the chance.

"General Kane of the Sky People. We have brought you a tribute." She held her hand towards the carcass on the horse. Clarke smiled slightly at the Commander's clever diplomacy. "We have also brought our best cooks to teach your people how to prepare and cook it."

Kane's gaze drifted between Lexa and the dead cat as if he were waiting for guidance from the dead beast. "Thank you for your generous gift. As soon as your people," He glared at Clarke, Bellamy, and Monty, "Disarm. You may enter the camp."

"Of course my people will disarm but it is up to Clarke, Commander of the 100, to guide her people." Kane visibly stiffened at the news and Clarke could see his jaw clench, "Very well. Open the gates."

"Looks like somebody is pissed they can no longer control us." Bellamy whispered to Clarke's ear.

"Well," Clarke moved towards the gate, "He can eat shit and die."Bellamy and Monty laughed as the followed her through the gate.

Lexa and Cain stood about 20 feet inside the gate and glared at each other as if they were having a staring contest. "Kane," Clarke didn't have the patience to deal with prideful stubbornness, "We need to speak with my mother." Kane studied Clark and bit his tongue in order to avoid telling her to piss up a rope.

"Brody, Dave!" He barked, "Please inform the Chancellor that Clarke and Lexa have requested her presence.

Clarke stood with Lexa and watched as the Tree People unloaded the pauna and carried it over to the cooking pits. Her crew once they realized things were peaceful wandered off to talk with old friends. She was glad that even though the 100 had left to establish their own camp that there didn't appear to any bad blood. Apparently, it was different with the leadership but Clarke had stopped caring what her mother and Kane thought of her.

Her anger at her mother was rooted deep and seemed to be ancient in origin. Now that there were no immediate threats Clarke's rage turned towards her mother and threatened, at any moment, to overwhelm her. She knew she was vital in securing this deal but she didn't know how long she could stand to be in her mother's presence.

"Clarke," Lexa's voice was deep but soft so Kane wouldn't hear here, "What are you thinking?"

"I don't want to be here."

"Nor do I." Lexa shifted and her shoulder brushed against Clarke's. "Thank you for agreeing to come."

"I didn't do it for you."

"I know."

Abby, flanked by two guards, approached the odd group. Her eyes searched Clarke for any injuries as if she could see internal as well as external wounds. "Commander. Clarke." She nodded to each of them.

"Chancellor." Lexa regarded the mother of the Sky Princess.

"To what do we owe this visit?"

The talks and neogiations went on for most of the day. During lunch Clarke excused herself and wandered away. Behind The Ark she found a ladder that led up to the roof. Taking the rungs two at a time, she was soon on top. The view was incredible. The trees seemed to stretch on forever but every so often a plume of smoke would reveal the whereabouts of a Grounder camp. There were clusters of ruins, their gray exteriors stood in sharp contrast to the forest that had long ago asserted its dominance. To the east Clarks could see a cluster of ruins and wondered briefly if that was the great Polis.

She sat and pressed her back against one of the large metal pieces that jutted out of The Ark. The people of The Ark and a few of the Grounders stood around the cooking pits. Clarke inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of cooking meat and spices. Clarke was weary and she questioned if she would ever feel rested again. The grind of surviving on Earth was an ache that Clarke could feel in her bones. She felt ancient, her 18 year old body had grown firm with muscles and was colored with bruises and scars. But, despite her weariness, she felt stronger. She had control over her body that she had never experienced on The Ark. She could run through the woods her reflexes had become sharp and able, she could lift heavy things that seemed to weigh as much as she did, and she could fire a gun with a steady hand.

No longer was she Clarke of the Sky People but she wasn't a Grounder either. She was suspended somewhere in between the two. She wasn't the silence of space or the clatter of Earth but some sort of amalgamation of both.

There was a fracas below and Clarke's sharp gaze found the Grounders and the people of The Ark squared off, weapons drawn. Lexa stood arms crossed not caring that there were six guns pointed at her face. Abby's shouts carried across the camp but Lexa didn't move or speak.

Clarke considered letting them all kill each other. What's another life or ten or 200. There would always be someone else to pick up the weapons and the burdens of the dead. But she couldn't do it. Almost everyone she cared about stood on the ground beneath her.

"Stop!" Clarke maneuvered herself so she was standing in front of Lexa and held up her hands. "What in the fuck is going on?"

"Clarke!" Abby gasped at her daughter's choice of words.

"Shut up mom. What the fuck is going on?"

"It seems as if our negotiations have reached an impasse." Kane offered,.

"No shit!" Clarke's anger raged, "What happened?"

"Your mother," Lexa's eyes never left Abby's, "Seems to think that you and your people are our prisoners. She has forgotten that you are a free person and will only help us if we, if we, give you back"

Clarke lowered her arms, "What?" She glared at her mother.

"Clarke," Abby shifted her gaze to her daughter, "You and the 100 belong with us."

"I'm not a token or a treasure to be bargained with!"

"I want you home, safe, with us."

"You stopped being my home when you had my father floated and when you sent me to Earth to die! If you don't accept the terms of this agreement, that will ensure the longevity of your people, then my people will consider it an act of war and will be forced to severe any and all ties."

"An act of war?" Abby fumed, "So, you and your band of misfits will attack us?"

"No, but we won't come to your aide."

"Nor will the Trukau." Lexa added.

"Mom," Clarke stepped so that she was standing next to Lexa, "It's the right thing to do and you know it."

Clarke turned and walked towards the gate.