AN: So after taking some time and rereading this story, I decided to rewrite and revise most of this adventure. I was not happy with the pace I had established and realized that I was not telling a complete story in my mind. Most of my ideas will be better established and not burnt through so to speak. Hopefully this time around everything will make more sense to everyone. Some cannon events will be changed to better fit the story I want to tell. The city of light and ALLIE will still not be a part of this story. Much love to everyone that read through the beginning of this. Your feedback and support played a huge role in me wanting to better this story.

Prologue

The sun was a welcome warmth for Clarke as she stepped out from the tent she had been staying off and on in over the past couple weeks. She would stay here when the strategy talks with Lexa went way into the night. She had to cover her eyes while she adjusted to the bright rays that were currently blinding her. When her eyes finally adjusted the light she looked around and took in the area that felt more like a home than Camp Jaha was.

From where she was standing on the hill she had a clear view of the camp that had been set up and Camp Jaha was set the farthest back from her tent. In the middle of the two camps, a training ground had been set up for training and the occasional spar that would occur. Clarke had not been to the training grounds yet. She did most of her training somewhere else and away from the prying eyes of everyone.

To her left was a tent that was specifically built for the blacksmiths that had come from Tondisi to assist in providing gear for Lexa's army. This tent constantly had smoke coming from the middle of it. Occasionally she would come to a meeting with Lexa and notice that she was talking with a blacksmith and that said blacksmith would be dismissed almost immediately upon her arrival. She still had not figured out what Lexa was planning but she set that thought to the side for now. She had been itching to get rid of the gun that was currently tucked into her waistband behind her back but hadn't figured out what weapons she would be good with.

To her right was nothing but woods. Lexa and I had wound up wondering through them one day when they both had been stressed to the max it seemed like by the constant back and forth she had with her generals. They had found a nice clearing not that far from her tent that they had decided to use for training. They had only used this clearing a couple times in the past couple weeks. She was just starting to learn the basics when they were interrupted by Gustus and they had to immediately deal with Quint, who had decided to try and sabotage the alliance by poisoning food and water that was meant for Clarke and Lexa.

She smiled to herself as she took everything in. The past couple of weeks had been a breath of fresh air for her. Bellamy had infiltrated Mount Weather a week ago and was checking in when he was able. Lincoln had been able to get them to the tunnels without any major issues and had returned under the cover of night two days later. Octavia had started her training as Indra's second. Raven and Wick were hard at work developing enough explosives so they would be able to hit potential weak points for the mountain.

Her mind drifted to Lexa and her smile grew bigger. The last couple of weeks she could tell something was changing between them. The late night meetings were not always about strategy. It started a few days ago when they had gone over the plan for getting Bellamy inside the mountain. Lexa has wanted to know what her life on the ark was like. She was initially caught off guard by the question but recovered quickly and started describing the basics of what her life was like. Lexa to her credit was very attentive and asked questions when I confused her about something. By the time she had finished explaining how everything worked on the ark it was dark and the moon was a quarter of the way through its cycle. That was the first night Lexa offered the tent to her. Over the next couple of nights, they took turns learning things about the other. The walls started to come down for both of them, they started closing the distance they kept between them. Clarke smiled at the developing feeling she was gaining towards Lexa. Who knew that she would be falling for someone she just met and had to secure and alliance with to survive.

Clarke was pulled out of her trance when she felt the presence of someone walking up behind her. She quickly reached behind her back and pulled her gun and leveled it at the approaching presence.

"Whoa there Clarke it's just me." Octavia had her hands up and was starting to back away from her. Clarke lowered her weapon and smiled.

"Sorry O, I was off in my own little world." Octavia put her hands down and chuckled.

"I would say so. You wouldn't want to tell me where you were?" she asked while raising her eyebrows at Clarke.

"I was just thinking about how things have changed drastically since we first landed here." It was a half lie but she didn't dare mention that she was actually thinking about Lexa.

"You are right in that aspect. Who would have thought that we would have a tentative alliance with the people that originally were sent to wipe us out." Octavia was standing shoulder to shoulder with Clarke now.

"That is all because of you Clarke. You made this possible. Without you we most likely would have been dead by now." Clarke didn't know what to say. She was doing what she thought was best for her people.

"I don't think I deserve all the credit O. I only bought us a tentative alliance. We don't know what the fallout of the fight we have against Mount Weather will be. There is still so much we have to account for that I am surprised Lex-The Commander hasn't thrown me out yet." Clarke mentaly kicked herself for her slip up. Very few people were allowed to call the commander by her real name.

"Well I am sure you and the Commander will figure it out Clarke. You do seem to be spending an awful lot of time with each other." Octavia nugged her as she spoke. Clarke was stunned. Now she wondered who else was watching her that closely.

"Well that kinda comes with the part of being in an alliance with someone. It's nice to actually be listened to for once." Clake said soundly trying to deflect any suggestion Octavia might bring up.

"Yes talking with an ally does take a lot of time, but Clarke you haven't been to Camp Jaha in two weeks. You have spent more time with The commander than anyone that came down from the ark. I'm not the only one that has noticed." Clark looked at her and she could see the worry and amusement in her eyes.

"Who all has noticed O?" She was trying to figure out how much explaining she would have to do.

"Bellamy, Raven, and Kane have noticed but don't say anything. They know the importance of what you are doing. Your mother on the other hand thinks you are being held against your will." Octavia hesitated as she told Clark this.

Clarke took a moment to think about this new information. Bellamy would understand why she hadn't returned hopefully. Although the last time she saw him he was reluctant to leave her while he got inside Mount Weather.

Raven worried her more than her mother. Clarke has made the decision to put Finn out of his misery and Raven hated her for it. She needed to try and patch things up with her.

Kane was the one that would be the most reasonable and easiest one to explain her intentions to. He has been the one that has stood by her since he saw that she was running everything very well down here.

"I will deal with Raven and Kane soon, Bellamy will have to wait till we accomplish our mission." She turned away from Octavia and looked towards Lexa's tent. Her mind started to clear as she set her sights on it. She calmed her rising nerves and took a deep breath.

"Octavia I need you to promise me something." Clarke knew that this war with Mount Weather could turn ugly quickly and she would need someone by her side that she could trust when it came to it.

"What is it Clarke?" Octavia had one eyebrow raised and was trying to figure out what caused the sudden mood change.

"I want you to stay by my side as much as you can. I know you have just become Indra's second but I need someone I can trust with me. I need someone that will keep me in check. This war could turn ugly fast and we may lose or have to sacrifice people to win this war." She was looking eye to eye with Octavia now and her voice was breaking.

"You have been with me since we came down here. I trust you more than I do your brother. You have been able to be the bridge between us and Lexa's people just like me." Clarke was now holding the hand of her best friend at this point.

"I may have to make some choices that will piss you off but I need you to understand that if I have to make those decisions, it is for the best for everyone involved." Clarke knew she was asking a lot of her but she was hoping Octavia would agree to be there with her.

"I'll do it Clarke. We may have had our differences but I think it would be wise for us to stay close."

"Thank you O." She gave her a hug and the both looked back over the camp.

"Now I need you to do something for me." Clarke spoke while still gazing over the whole camp.

"What is it?" Octavia stood a little straighter than she had ever. Clarke smirked at this.

"I need you to inform Kane and Raven that my mother has no say in any of our dealings with the commander. She already sees me as our leader. I need everyone in camp to support me and to not question my dealings with Le-the commander." Clarke mentally kicked herself again. That was twice she slipped up.

"Kane takes over immediately. I don't care how we used to do things on the Ark. This is a new time and we go by our rules." Octavia smiled at the confidence Clarke was showing. She had caught the slip ups but didn't mention them.

"I'll do my best Clarke. I'll need time though. I have to be careful because I am training with the Trikru as well. We are starting a dangerous game here." Clarke knew she was right. They had to tread carefully from this point forward.

"I know that Octavia. I need to meet with Kane at some point before the battle and fill him in on everything I can. Can you help me there?"

"I will get him to come meet you here at your tent. I'll sneak him in two days from now." She paused and turned to face Clarke.

"I would bring this up to the commander. The more she knows the more likely she is to trust you and not betray us." Octavia was giving her a talking to without being blunt about it.

"Already planned on it." She smirked at her and gave her a clap on the back.

"Now how about we find something to eat before I have to go to leader duties." Clarke elbowed Octavia and started walking.

Unbeknownst to both of them Lexa had been on her way to find Clarke and heard everything they were talking about. Lexa on one hand was proud that Clarke was setting things in motion to lead her people in her own way and on the other something Octavia had said bothered her. She needed to talk to Clarke and feel out what her relationship with her mother is.

Lexa turned and headed back to her tent. She would find Clarke in a little while. When she stepped back through her tent she was met by the cold gaze of Indra. Lexa met her eyes and made her way to her throne and prepared herself for whatever Indra was about to talk to her about. She sat down on her throne and tried to settle herself as much as she could. She took a breath once she was settled and focused on Indra.

"You may speak Indra." She tried to keep her voice calm and collected. She knew how Indra felt about Clarke and Skaikru.

"Have you figured out if you can trust the Sky girl?" She was expecting this question and she still didn't have a sound answer for it. There was something different about Clarke that made her uneasy.

Clarke was causing the walls that she had built up for so long, to slowly crumble. The effect that Clarke was having on her was giving her feeling that she had not known since Costia. Those feelings caused her to feel amazing but they also came at a cost. The last time she let her walls down, a part of her was stolen. Could she really go through that again. See turned her gaze back to Indra and was met by a look of worry and compassion. It was quickly replaced by Indra's normal stoic facade.

"We can trust her for now. She has done nothing since we started this alliance to warrant distrust. She has been forthcoming with everything to this point." Lexa to a breath to calm her rising nerves about what she overheard this morning.

"That is good news Heda, but you should know that our scouts reported back this morning from the mission you sent them on." Indra paused and waited. Lexa tried to remember what mission she was talking about. There were so many right now.

"Which mission Indra? Was it the one I sent to keep tabs on Azgeda, or the one that I sent south to make sure everything was still progressing like the Sankru had promised at the last coalition meeting, or was it the one that is getting me info on the matter to the east." Lexa's voice was starting to rise as she spoke.

"What about the one I sent out three weeks ago to the dead zone, or the one that was sent with the Floukru to map out the surrounding area by sea" Lexa was almost yelling by this point. She had been close to her breaking point for far too long now.

"There have been to many missions recently so excuse me if I don't know which one you are talking about." She set back in her chair and looked at Indra.

Indra was shocked and stunned. In the years she had been at Lexa's side she had not once seen this kind of reaction from her reporting the return of scouts. She looked over Lexa and could feel the tension and stress radiating off her. Lexa has never broken like this before, and Indra was out of her element. She didn't know how to approach this.

"Well Indra?" Lexa speaking again brought her out of her stunned silence.

"It was the one you sent to keep an eye on the sky people. They returned last night while you were in one of your meetings with Clarke." The use of Clarke's name calmed her quicker than she thought was possible. It was also the first time Indra and had called her by name and not something else.

Indra saw the change and it only confirmed her suspicions and confirmed how much Lexa actually trusted Clarke. She was happy that Lexa was finding someone she was starting to care for again. She knew about Costia and how much her death had affected the young commander at the time. She just hoped that it wouldn't turn out like it did the last time.

Lexa looked back at Indra when she was calm and saw a small smile on Indra's face. It was one of the rare times she actually saw Indra smile. She was initially caught off guard by this but recovered quickly.

"What did they have to report?" She was hoping to quickly get this over with so she could move on to finding Clarke.

"They reported seeing Clarke's mother trying to rally some people to come look for Clarke. From what they said, not many people were willing to listen to her. They also reported that some devices were being made by the Skaikru that were small and could be buried. Overall they saw Skaikru preparing for the upcoming battle as best as they knew how." Indra finished and looked back at Lexa. Indra knew that Lexa was clamer and had seen the small smile on her face.

"I will talk this over with Clarke,over the coming days." A small smile crept onto her face as she thought of Clarke.

"Is there anything else I need to deal with?" She really didn't want the answer to this question but she had a duty to her people if they needed her.

"There are a couple things that do need attention. I will have food brought to you before you address these things." Indra had known that the items Lexa needed to deal with were minor but she needed to keep Lexa busy while she found Clarke.

Lexa set back in her chair a bit. This would keep her busy for a couple of hours at least. That of course depended on how severe these issues were. She was hoping that they were very minor and could be dealt with quickly.

"If that is all Indra, you can send for the food." Indra nodded and bowed to her and took her leave.

Indra knew that she was on a clock as soon as she left Lexa's tent. She needed to find Clarke and have a talk with her. Indra knew something was going on between them, even if neither of them knew it yet. She wasn't sure on how she should feel about Lexa starting to feel for someone again. On one hand she was happy for Lexa the person but on the other she was worried for how this could be used against her people and the coalition.

Lexa was special to her in a mother daughter kind of way. Indra had watched her grow into the strong, confident woman she was today. She had also seen her at her lowest shortly after she became Heda. Indra knew that she was known for stoic facade and her lack of a sense of humor but deep down she cared for Lexa. She would die for Lexa if that is what it took to keep her safe and alive.

To her Clarke posed a lot of unknown variables. From what she had seen, the sky people had no sense of survival knowledge or fighting experience to speak of. They relied on their guns more than anything else and that would be their downfall if they didn't adapt. Octavia really had been the only one that had shown interest in their culture and way of living. Indra knew that she would succeed once she fully applied herself to the training.

Clarke felt more like a thorn in her side than anything. When she first met Clarke it was not on good terms and she hated the way she talked to Heda. Her confrontational attitude and outspokenness infuriated Indra. Then she showed that she knew how to bring their people back from being reapers and she started to slowly see Clarke in a different light. The more she watched how she acted and played the mediator to her clan and the sky people, the more Clarke started to grow on her.

Indra checked the eating area that had been set up and saw an unexpected face among the crowd. The man known as Marcus Kane was sitting on a log and trying to talk to some of the Trikru. She could tell that he was not getting very far because of the broken English most of the Trikru knew. She walked over and made herself know.

"Kane, how are you this morning?" she had to hide a smile that threatened to break free when Kane jumped out of his skin.

"I am well Indra. I was just trying to learn more about your culture and customs. Octavia and Clarke can't be the only ones to try and make this work." he gave a half smile to her. There was something about Kane that made her feel different. She shoved that thought to the side quickly. She had no time for that now or anytime soon.

"Heda will be pleased to hear that. Now have you seen Clarke? Heda has requested her for a meeting." She told the half lie too easily. She tried to remember when it had become second nature to her.

"She left about twenty minutes ago with Octavia. They headed towards the training grounds saying something about needing to let loose some steam." Kane must have seen the look of confusion on everyone's face because he quickly explained what this meant.

"Thank you." Indra nodded at him and promptly left and headed straight for the training grounds.

When she arrived she was surprised by the sight that was before her. Clarke and Octavia were standing back to back in the middle of a circle. There were six Trikru surrounding them and behind that circle were about six more Trikru laying on the ground knocked unconscious. She was about to interrupt when one of the six Trikru attacked.

Twenty minutes earlier

Clarke and Octavia had just gone done eating and telling Kane as much as they could about the change coming for Camp Jaha. He agreed to meet Clarke in two days to go over the rest that could not be said in public due to prying ears and eyes. They said their goodbye and left.

"You know O, I need to blow off some steam. How about we head over to the training grounds and spar like we did on the Ark?" she could see the shock on Octavia's face. Clarke knew she saw what had gone down when all the adults were working.

"You know that sounds like a good idea. I needed to train at some point today. I might as well get started early." she started to roll her shoulders as they made their way to the grounds.

When they entered the grounds every Trikru warrior in the area paused what they were doing and studied them. They could care less what they thought at this moment.

"I am going to take a wild guess and say that the staring is normal?" Clarke asked as they found a spot to train.

"Unfortunately, yes it is." Octavia rolled her eyes and chuckled a little.

"Well how about we give them a reason to stare." Clarke winked at Octavia and shed her jacket that left her in a black t-shirt. She then shed said shirt and was now wearing a black sports bra. Octavia just laughed and joined her. Clarke knew that what they were doing was not practical for the type of war they were going into but she wanted to have some fun.

They took their positions opposite each other and did the final stretches to make sure they didn't pull anything. They both looked at each other and smiled, both knowing that they were now the focus of all the men in the arena. Once they were well stretched they took their stances and began.

They circled each other waiting for the other to make the first move. This was known as playing Chicken with the other. It was a common tactic that was used on the Ark to gauge the patience each fighter had. Neither of them said a word to the other. They both knew how this game was played and they both were willing to dance this dance for as long as it took.

They made about four complete circles around each other before Octavia gave up and made the first move. She closed the distance quickly between her and Clarke and tackled her to the ground. Octavia preferred to get her opponent on the ground quickly that way she could control the fight. Once they were on the ground she started throwing punch after punch trying to land a blow to Clarke's head.

The blow to the ground caught Clarke off guard but she quickly recovered and blocked the incoming punches. She waited for an opening and when she saw she struck. Clarke saw the wheels turning in Octavia's mind trying to figure out how to land a blow. Octavia pulled back just enough that she saw her opening. Clarke used her weight advantage and rolled them both over and landed a solid punch to Octavia's gut. Once she was on top she landed a left hook to the side of Octavia's face. She jumped up and backed off daring Octavia to react.

"You are going to have to do better than playground tactics to beat me O." Clarke started pacing back and forth with a wicked smile on her face. Octavia's lip was busted and was starting to bleed.

Octavia ran a finger over the side of her face and winced. Clarke had a mean swing and had busted her lip. She spat the blood that was pooling in her mouth on the ground and got up.

"Nice swing Princess, but that was a lucky shot." She smiled at Clarke and they went at each other again.

Every punch they threw at each other was thrown with the intention to hurt. This is how all the issues between the teenagers on the Ark were settled. You went till the other person dropped. They had been going at this breakneck pace for ten minutes now when they both paused visibly starting to tire. They looked each other over and laughed.

"Shit Clarke you look like you just got hit by a 2x4 multiple times."

"You are one to talk. I didn't know you had so much blood in you."

They walked over to the area that had big pots of water set up for the people training to clean up. They washed each other's blood off themselves and gave each other the once over. They realized that all the blood had come from each other's fists and there were only minor injuries. Both of their noses had to be reset which caused more blood to flow. They both had bruised faces and bruised hands. They just laughed at the state of themselves and headed back to their stuff content with the steam they let loose.

They were starting to grab their stuff when they saw shadows behind them. They both turned around and saw twelve Trikru warriors surrounding both looked at each other and both mental swore to each other. The leader of this little welcoming party looked at both of them and smiled.

"You two think that you can just come in to our area and freely use what we built without any consequences?" The other men chuckled and continued to surround them. Clarke looked at the man and started to size them up. She knew where this was going. Octavia looked over at Clarke and nodded. Clarke was glad that they were on the same page.

They both dropped their stuff and started to slowly loosen the muscles that were starting to tighten on them. Clarke looked at the man and smiled at him.

"As a matter of fact that is exactly what we thought. You see from my understanding we were allowed to roam the camp as we wanted with the commander's blessing." Clarke knew that she was starting a dangerous game here but she could care less.

"That may be true sky girl, but you see, even Heda knows that everyone that enters the grounds is free to be tested." How much of this was true Clarke did not know but again she didn't care she just wanted to go find Lexa and forget about everything as best as she could.

"Well then you may want to find more men to make it an even fight." Octavia spat the men. She knew that alone they would most likely fail in this fight, but together they stood a chance. She trusted Clarke to have her back and that was all she needed.

All the men looked at them and laughed.

"I think twelve of us is plenty. Jump em!" The leader shouted and six of the men advanced.

Clarke and Octavia were immediately back to back and ready to win this test. Once the men advanced on them they moved like a well oiled machine. Their adrenaline shot through the roof and made all the stiffness and wounds from their spar disappear. The first man advanced and they easily countered his blows and knocked him out with a simultaneous blow to his temples. This only seemed to frustrate the men and two came at this time. They took one a piece this time and they both used their size and quickness to their advantage. They ducked and dodge each blow that was thrown at them like they had done this every day for their whole life. Clarke landed a blow to her opponent's nose that caused it to break then she landed a solid shot to his temple taking him out of the equation. She turned around to help Octavia just in time to see her guy on the ground as well. Three down, nine to go.

The other three men attacked at once this time. Clarke and Octavia had to be more defensive this time around. They ducked, dodged and blocked every blow that they could. One man landed a blow on Clarke and then on Octavia. Both of their lips were busted open and that only made them more pissed off. They were done messing around now. They moved like the wind and expertly took down one man after the other. All three of the men had busted knees and shattered noses. The remaining six men moved the others away and surrounded them.

"You have gotten lucky so far sky girls. You are starting to tire. How do you expect to win this now?" The remaining men started to tighten the circle around them. Clarke felt Octavia behind her and they gave each other a reassuring touch. This was the first time they had actually worked together to accomplish something and Clarke couldn't have been happy that she made the right choice in trusting Octavia.

"Even after you saw what we did to half of you, you still think that you can win this." They both flashed a wicked grin at the remaining men.

"You must really be full of yourselves to think that we are done. This just shows that all of you need more training if you are getting your asses handed to you but two sky girls." Octavia spat at them knowing that she pissed them off. The remaining men didn't wait any longer and they started to attack them.

Indra couldn't believe what she was seeing. Clarke and Octavia were moving faster than she thought was possible. They were weaving in and out of the circle with ease and were combining their attacks seamlessly. Indra watched as once by one the men went down until the so called leader of this group was left struggling to stand. She moved a little closer so she could hear what was being said.

"You think this proves anything Sky girls. You still have not earned our respect just because you used a style of fighting we are not accustomed to." He spat at both of them sending blood flying towards the ground in front of them.

"Well we will have to see about that. From where we stand you are the last one standing, barely. We both know how this is going to end." It was Clarke and Octavia's turn to laugh.

The man to his credit still went on the attack. They easily dodged his weakened punches and shattered his knees with swift kicks. He fell to the ground instantly. They walked around to face the man and flashed a wicked grin at the man.

The man looked up at both of them and saw two different faces staring back at him. Each of the women had blood running down their faces and through the blood he saw the flash of teeth and the look of glee hidden in their eyes. He was staring at two women who turned into fighting machines like it was second nature and he was scared shitlless. They both looked at each other and nodded. The next thing he saw was two kicks swinging towards him and then black.

Clarke and Octavia watched as the man crumpled to the ground. They looked around and noticed that everyone that was left, was backing away from them. The looks plastered on their faces were that of pure terror. This confused them as they looked at each other. Clarke took one look at Octavia and realized that she was covered in blood from the various wounds they had plus the wounds they caused on the men. She could tell Octavia had the same realistation.

"Damn princess you look like death walking. You are covered from head to toe." She laughed as she started to try and wipe some of the blood that was running down her face.

"Same goes for you O. I have a feeling from the looks we just got that we won't be messed with anymore." Clarke chuckled as she turned to find her things when she was met by Indra.

Clarke quickly stilled and was at a loss for words. How long had Indra been here? How much had she seen? Was she going to think they started this? Clarke's mind was racing as she was trying to figure out what would happen to them.

Indra took one look at the state the girls were in and shook her head. She was impressed to say the least. She could count on one hand how many people could take on twelve trained Trikru warriors and still be standing.

"What is going on here Okteivia?" She asked with her stoic gruff voice reappearing. She smiled to herself as she saw Octavia bow to her before she spoke.

"Clarke and I were doing some sparring to release some steam. When we were about to leave we were surrounded by these Trikru and told that we were free to be tested. We stood our ground and were just about to leave." Octavia bowed after she was done remembering some of her training.

Clarke was curious as to why Indra was here to begin with. As far as she knew, Lexa and her were not to meet till around lunch.

"Is this true Klark?" It took a second for Clarke to respond because she was shocked. Indra had just called her by her name and not Sky girl. She shook herself out of her stupor quickly.

"Yes Indra everything that Octavia said is true." Clarke followed Octavia's lead and bowed to Indra just to be safe.

"Well we will see what Heda has to say about this. Come with me." She turned and told the closest Trikru warrior to move the men on the ground to the healers.

Clarke and Octavia looked at each other and sighed. They both knew this would not go well. They grabbed their things and caught up with Indra, falling in behind her.

Lexa's tent

Lexa didn't know whether to be upset with Indra or how easy the issues were to deal with or be thankful that she was able to clear her day for now. She had just sat down on her throne when a messenger came through the flaps of her tent and knelt before her. She looked at the man and wondered what this could be about.

"Chit ste em?"(What is it?") Lexa asked the boy in front of her.

"Indra ste ona the way kom meet yu kom Klark en Okteivia. Emo laik both covered head kom toe in jus. Tua Trikru were taken kom the fisa. Hogeda were unconscious."(Indra is on the way to meet you with Clarke and Octavia. They are both covered head to toe in blood. Twelve tree people were taken to the healer. All were unconscious." The boy said as he described what he was told to inform Heda of on orders from Indra.

"Mochof, yu laik free kom go"(Thank you, you are free to go.) The man bowed and took his leave.

Lexa took this information in and had more questions than she could fathom. Twelve of her warriors were heading to the healers while Clarke and Octavia were on their way here being led through camp by Indra. She could only imagine what would be spread through her camp. She would deal with that later. She could only wait for their arrival so she sat and ran through all the possible reasons for what had occurred. She didn't have to wait long as one of the guards outside announced their arrival.

Lexa sat up straighter on her throne and played with her favorite dagger. Indra entered first and bowed to her. Clarke and Octavia were right behind her and followed Indra's lead. Lexa had to hold back the gasp that was threatening to escape from her as she looked at Clarke. Her blond hair was streaked with blood, her nose was broken for what looked like the second time, her left eye was almost swollen shut. Her face was covered in bruises, her hands were black and blue and covered in cuts. Lexa almost didn't recognize her. It took all her will power to stay in her seat and not rush to make sure she was okay.

Lexa turned and looked at Octavia. Her black hair hid the blood better than Clarke's. Her face was almost an exact match to Clarke's. Both of their arms were also covered in bruises, as well as their mid sections. She looked at Clarke and had to still herself again as she laid eyes on her stomach. It pained her to see Clarke like this and for the first time she felt pain for Octavia as well. Lexa's eyes finally found Clarke's and she saw the worry and guilt in her eyes. She tore her gaze off of Clarke and looked at Indra.

"Indra care to explain why Clarke and Octavia look like they have been through a war." She was surprised that she was able to speak in such a calm tone. She had to focus on Indra to keep from staring at Clarke.

"Well Heda, you could say that is exactly what happened." Indra said as she began filling in the gaps.

It took about twenty minutes for Indra, Clarke and Octavia to tell their version of the story. Lexa was able to tell that Indra had come upon the fight in the middle of it. Clarke and Octavia were not in the wrong in her eyes. She was more impressed than upset. She got up and moved to the table and sat down at the head of it.

"Indra could you have the guards fetch two bowls of water and some food." Indra nodded and exited the tent leaving both girls standing stiff as boards. She chuckled softly to herself. What was she going to do with them?

"You may sit down." She said to them calmly and gestured to the two seats on either side of her.

They both looked at her and then each other and nodded. Lexa smirked at this little interaction. They were already showing how much respect they held for each other. Clarke sat to her left and Octavia to her right. They still had not spoken since they finished telling their side of the story. She looked at both of them and now could see and the cuts that were not as visible from far away. Every time she looked at Clarke her heart sank.

One of the guards brought in a bowl of water for each of them to wash their faces with. Once they were sitting in front of them, Clarke and Octavia still didn't move. Lexa shook her head at both of them.

"You can move, you know. I am not upset at either of you. From what you have told me, you did not seek out the fight and you held your own against trained warriors. I am very impressed with the both of you. Now wash your faces so we can eat when the food gets here." She motioned to the bowls in front of each woman. They thankfully started moving and cleaned their faces.

It took them a solid ten minutes to wash the dried blood off all the covered parts of their bodies. Lexa just sat silently and watched. As more blood was washed away the more was revealed. Each woman had a smattering off bruises on each arm, their faces were worse than she previously thought. By the time they were done each bowl had turned dark and was no longer water. The bowls were removed as the food was brought in. Lexa could tell that both girls were starting to come down from the adrenaline. They were moving slower and starting to wince at every movement. Clarke looked up at Octavia and shook her head while wearing a smile.

"O we really should work on protecting our faces better. If you look like a bruised grape then I am afraid of what I look like." Lexa relaxed a little at the laughter coming from Octavia.

"If you think I look bad you should look in a mirror. I think you intentionally tried to block every punch with your face." Lexa saw the blush form on her face. It was cute to see. Lexa was intrigued by what was going on between the two.

"Well there really is only one way to find out who looks worse." Clarke smiled at Octavia and winked at her. Lexa was confused by this and for the first time was caught off guard when Clarke turned to her.

"So commander, which of us looks the prettiest?" Octavia spit out her drink and was beating on her chest to try and breathe. Lexa's mouth dropped open and she was at a loss for words. Her mind was not working.

"Clarke, I think you killed her." Octavia waved her hand in front of Lexa's face which caused her to blink.

"Well to answer your question Klark, I would have to say Octavia does on the sole purpose that she didn't use her face to block punches." Lexa could tell that Clarke was not expecting this answer by the look on her face. Octavia was howling with laughter at the state of shock Clarke was in. Lexa let the laugh that had been building out and joined Octavia.

"Well I think that settles that Clarke. Now if I remember correctly you mentioned something about a bath commander?" Octavia turned to her once she calmed down.

"Yes I did Octavia. If Clarke is okay with it I can have one sent to her tent so you have some privacy. I can also have another bed set up in the case that you pass out afterwards." Lexa looked at Clarke and she nodded.

"Mochaf Heda. The bed sounds nice but I still have training with Indra later today."

"I think what you both went through today will be sufficient enough for today." Lexa motioned for one of her guards to come in. She told him to have a bath set up in Clarke's tent and to set up another bed as well.

"Mochaf Heda" Octavia said and bowed as she got up and left the tent.

Clarke and Lexa stayed quiet once Octavia left. Clarke picked at her food not knowing what to say next. She knew that she looked like shit and she felt like it too. She looked up at Lexa and her blue eyes met her green once again. Clarke studied her face and saw the worry flash in them. She could tell that Lexa was studying her and was fighting some battle in her head.

"Lexa I am okay. It all just happened at once." Clarke took a chance and grabbed her hand. She felt Lexa stiffen then relax. She half expected her to pull away and was glad she didn't.

"Clarke, you have to understand that I am not used to having someone I consider a friend. The last couple of weeks we have talked, have shown me that I am allowed to let people in." Lexa took a breath and Clarke just gave her hand a squeeze letting her know that she understood.

"When you walked in here it took everything I had to be the commander first and not Lexa. I have enjoyed getting to know you and learning about you. You are my friend, Clarke and I will worry about you because of that." Lexa took another breath to center herself. She still didn't know how Clarke felt towards her and she didn't want to rush anything.

"I understand that Lexa, I am glad that we have been able to get to this point. When I landed here on Earth, I was not expecting to find friends. I now have two that I care about." Clarke smiled at Lexa.

"Now before I completely pass out, we have things that need to be discussed." Lexa saw the switch from the Clarke she saw when they were alone, to the Clarke that everyone needed to see. As much as she wanted to continue the moment they were having Clarke was right.

"Where would you like to begin?"

"Well you should know that I am meeting with Kane in two days, in my tent to inform him that my mother is no longer leading Skaikru. I am taking over commander from this day forward and Kane will act as the leader in the shadows until we deal with Mount Weather." Clarke paused and waited to see how Lexa would take this news.

"Well that is good to hear. I should let you know that my scouts returned last night and informed me that your mother was trying to convince people that we were keeping you here against your will." It was now Lexa's turn to wait. She studied Clarke's face while she waited and she got lost in those blue eyes of hers.

"Why am I not surprised by either of those things?" She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

She was not mad that Lexa had scouts watching Camp Jaha. She kinda already knew that. Her mother on the other hand was the problem. She had no idea how to handle her. It was her mother and she was already starting down a dangerous path by removing her from power in secret.

"Well I will cross that bridge when the time comes. For now I will make a trip to Camp Jaha tomorrow because it has been brought to my attention that I have not been there in two weeks." Lexa chuckled at this. She raised her eyebrow at Clarke and wondered how she had not noticed.

"That sounds like a good idea. If you want I can send Indra under orders that if anyone tries to keep you against your will she is to step in." She knew that was a long shot. She still didn't know how Indra felt about Clarke but something about her earlier talk with her made her offer this.

"If you think Indra will go for it then, I would like that. I'll have Octavia with me but a little extra back up wouldn't hurt." Clarke was thankful for the offer because if she was being honest with herself she was expecting just that thing to happen.

"Then that will happen, but with what happened today I think you would be fine especially with your general beside you." Clarke did a double take at what Lexa just said. How did she know that Clarke thought of Octavia that way?

"What do you mean by that Lexa?"

"Well I may or may not have been coming to find you this morning when I overheard you asking Octavia to stay close to you." Clarke couldn't believe what she was seeing. Lexa was blushing and she was shy about having heard this. It was the first time she saw Lexa in this light and it was cute.

"Oh well in that case, you could say that description is correct. I needed someone I could trust from Skaikru. I don't fully trust Bellamy. He is too headstrong and he doesn't think clearly. She was the only choice and I am happy with my decision."

"I think you made a wise choice by choosing her and appointing Kane as the lead of your camp. You are improving more and more as a leader Clarke." She meant every word she had just said. Clarke was coming into her own as a leader and she was making her own life for herself.

"Mochaf Leksa. That means a lot coming from you." It was Clarke's turn to blush.

She was not used to receiving that kind of praise from someone. Her mother had always told her she was not living up to her potential and she was not happy with anything Clarke did. The last person to give her such praise was her father. She instinctively started to play with the watch that was one her right wrist. He was always trying to build her up as much as he could. Even when she messed up on something small he would do the opposite of what Abby would. He took the time to talk with her and teach her things. He knew about the fighting she was doing on the Ark because he would be the one to clean the wounds. He always went to bat for her when Abby would start to lay in to her for her being distracted from her studies. She felt the tears start to fall as she went down memory lane.

Lexa saw the tears start to flow and was wondering what she had said to cause this. She moved out of her chair and kneel beside Clarke trying to get her attention. She turned Clarke's head to face her and saw the tears really flow. Lexa did something she never thought she would do again. She wrapped her arms around Clarke and hugged her. Clarke stiffened at first then sank into her embrace. Lexa just rubbed her back as soothingly as possible knowing Clarke would talk when she was ready.

"I am sorry Lexa…...my mind started thinking…...about….my father….and how different he….was from...my mom." Lexa managed to catch what she was saying through the sobs. Her heart started to hurt for Clarke. She motioned for one of the guards and told him that she was not to be disturbed and to not speak of anything he heard or saw. The guard nodded and left.

"It is okay Clarke you can talk to me." she spoke softly while rubbing her back.

"My dad was my best friend growing up. He always saw the good in me and tried to help me when he could. He would teach me everything about the Ark he could. He would joke and laugh with me." she took a breath.

"He was the complete opposite from my mother. She always expected me to be perfect. She forced me to study to be a doctor like she was. I hated doing it but I did because it was the only time she was decent to me." Lexa started to stand up and Clarke followed her. Lexa guided them to her bed so they could be more comfortable. She had a feeling Clarke needed to let this out and she was going to be there for her.

"I wanted so badly to make my mother proud that I did everything she wanted and it still wasn't enough for her. I wound up getting angry at her one day and storming out of our living area. That was the first time I met Bellamy. He took me to his mother and we talked. I wound up accidentally meeting Octavia too." She chuckled at this memory.

"What is funny Clarke?"

"Well the way I met Octavia was funny. You see on the Ark each family was only allowed one child. If they were found to have more than one they would be floated." She paused and looked at Lexa who was confused.

"Why would they only be allowed to have one kid? And what does it mean to be floated?" Clarke could tell that Lexa was trying to be supportive of her and she appreciated that.

"Well the reason for one child was a way to control how many people were living on the Ark at a given time. It helped manage the food we had and how much oxygen we were using."

"Well that is completely wrong to limit how many children a family should have. A family should be able to have as many as they want to make sure their bloodline continues on." Lexa said this with so much conviction that Clarke wondered if Lexa wanted kids someday.

"That is how it normally should be, but when we were up in space we had limited resources and they were running out. Anyone that tried to go against the council or broke the law would wind up being floated." Clarke watched as Lexa's face scrunched as she raised an eyebrow still trying to figure out what she meant. Clarke found another small thing that Lexa did cute. It was a sign that she was seeing the real Lexa.

"When someone was floated, they would be taken to a special room and shot into the open air of space. I watched as my dad was floated by my mother. She was the reason he died. She turned him in for trying to tell the people of the Ark that it was failing." Clarke was shaking again, this time it was in anger and rage.

"She is the main cause of all my pain and hurt growing up. She had this image in her head of me that I hated and didn't want to be." Lexa could tell something in Clarke was changing.

When she met her eyes she saw a fury that startled her. There was no way that what she was seeing in her eyes was a spirit of legend. A spirit that rivaled her own power. She felt the subtle nod from the commander spirit inside her. She pushed it away for now.

"When the battle is over Lexa, she will need dealt with eventually. She is a liability for us and this alliance we both would like to build."

"We will deal with that when the time comes Clarke and when that time comes I hope I am still there to assist you in that matter." That last line snapped Clarke out of her fury and rage. What did Lexa mean if she was here?

"Lexa what do you mean if you are still here?" Lexa cursed herself for the slip. Clarke had revealed so much to her tonight that she wanted nothing more to be there for Clarke but she knew what came with her position.

"I could die any day Clarke. I have a lot of enemies that would love to see my head on a spike. I don't take anything for granted and I live my life to the fullest every day. I have so many responsibilities and duties to my people that moments like this are rare." Clarke had never thought about it that way. All she was concerned about was surviving right now.

"Well as long as I am still here, I will make sure you are as well. You have gained a friend that will watch out for you Lexa. I won't betray you." Clarke grabbed her hands and held them in her own.

They locked eyes and Lexa was at a loss for words. She had never met someone that had told her what Clarke had. She was fighting back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She was studying Clarke's eyes for any sign of doubt or fear and there was no trace of such things. All she saw was confidence and raw power. Lexa smiled and pulled Clarke into a hug.

"Thank you Clarke. You don't know how much that means to me." She pulled back and smiled.

"You are welcome Lexa."

"Now If i remember correctly I have a bath waiting for me. As much as I would love to stay here and chat, I smell terrible." Clarke flashed a wicked grin at her and all Lexa could do was laugh.

"You do really smell awful. I will have a bath sent to you tent." The look of shock and awe on her face made Lexa completely break. She was holding her stomach because she was laughing so hard.

"Well that was not nice." Clarke said as she threw her jacket at Lexa and headed for the entrance. Before she left Clarke turned around and looked at Lexa.

"Hang on to that for me. I'll see you in the morning." With that Clarke walked out of Lexa's tent and headed for her own tent, leaving a stunned Lexa clutching her jacket.

Clarke's tent

Clarke entered her tent and saw a steaming bath ready for her. She peeled the dried sweaty clothing from her body and made her way to the bath. The cool breeze hit her naked body and sent chills all over her body. She stepped into the tub and the contrast between the cool air and the heat of the water was enough to make her moan. She submerged herself in the water and felt every muscle in her body relax. She leaned her head back and sighed. She was content.

"A little warning next time you decide to strip butt ass naked would be nice." Octavia said from the opposite side of the tent. Clarke turned toward her and couldn't stop the blush that rose to her face.

"Sorry O, the bath just looked so welcoming and did you forget that this was my tent?" she smirked at her best friend.

"No I didn't not. Just some warning would be nice if you plan to do that again. All though I must say Lexa doesn't know what she is missing.

Clarke almost jumped out of her bath. What the hell was Octavia talking about. There was no way Octavia knew anything about her feelings for Lexa. Before she could even ask Octavia spoke.

"Come on Clarke it is obvious that she cares for you. She couldn't take her eyes off you when we walked into her tent. She may have been trying hard to keep her face calm but she failed terribly. I'm surprised that she didn't throw Indra and I out to check you out herself." She laughed at the stunned state Clarke was in.

"I may not have seen all your interactions with her Clarke, but today told me enough. There is something there between you two." Clarke sunk into the tub fully to try and hide from her and all she could do was laugh. She rolled over to allow Clarke some privacy.

Clarke couldn't believe what she had just heard. Octavia knew more than she was letting on and that was frightening for her. Clarke knew that she had feelings for Lexa but she was hesitant to start anything with her. She was afraid to start something and run the risk of losing her. For now Clarke was going to keep Lexa at an arm's length and see where it went.

She raised herself back up out of the water and looked over to where Octavia was laying. She smiled at the scene. Octavia was sprawled out on the extra bed and seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Clarke knew she would not be far behind her once she got out of this tub.

Her mind drifted back to the training area and she remembered that Octavia and her moved like different people. It was oddly thrilling the way she felt with all the blood from the jerks running down her face. It didn't really hit her what Octavia and she had done till they were walking through the camp. She saw all the staring and the people talking. She noticed the way everyone avoided them like they were death walking. She would glance over and look at Octavia and she would see a crazed look in her eyes and all she could do was smile. They both were feeling the same way.

When she walked into Lexa's tent and saw the look of shock and worry in her eyes it snapped her out of her bloodlust state she was in. The more she studied her the more she saw the restraint Lexa was using. Clarke knew Octavia was right, she just didn't know how to feel about it and if she was ready for that commitment just yet.

Clarke realized the water was starting to go cold, so she quickly washed the remaining blood off her that she missed and washed her hair. Before she got out she looked over to Octavia and saw she was still passed out. She quickly stood up and wrapped the towel around her body and moved to her side of the tent. Once she was behind a curtain that had been hung she dried off and found some clothes to sleep in.

She climbed into her bed and sank right into it. She couldn't remember the last time a bed felt so good. Every muscle in her body ached and she could tell now that tomorrow would be a very stiff day. As she dozed off she felt the presence of someone sharing her mind with her but before she could think about it much more she passed out even though the sun was just beginning to set.