Hey everyone. Hope you're good :) I know it's been another few weeks but please stay with me. Thanks as ever for the reviews, likes and follows. Your messages about this story keep me motivated :) I'm glad you're [for the most part] enjoying it, and those of you getting annoyed by the bad guys well, that's kind of intended ;) Anyway, a few mentions:

Jedi Caro: Thanks :) and glad you're back. Hope you continue to enjoy :)

StephS: Thank you :) hopefully you're more excited than scared ;) I post here first as this is where the story started, I only began posting on AO3 after I received a load of requests lol. So anyway it's in catch up. Chapter 20 will be posted simultaneously on both, and Wattpad.

Gpots: Aw thank you so much! So glad this story has captured your imagination and I hope you continue to enjoy it :)

BasicHooman: Wow what a compliment! Thank you so much. My intention was to write a story worthy of Clarke and Lexa, and explore them and their relationship as they deserved rather than what they did in the show. I'm really happy this is coming across for you and you are enjoying where its going :) I hope you continue to enjoy it! Yeah all of my stories are canon, AU's are great but for me canon is the place where it's best to explore Clarke and Lexa as we know them from the show.

Ok, please enjoy! :) and remember flashbacks are in italics...

"Goddamnit!" Raven yelled, throwing her screwdriver across the room before she ran her hands over her head. If she had the will-power or the time she'd get up and pace furiously but she knew her leg would probably give way beneath her.

She was exhausted, not being able to remember the last time she got more than a couple of hours sleep and now she was working flat out on extremely delicate and complicated compounds. She was practically running on empty but the Commander needed these weapons ready and she wasn't about to let her down. It wasn't in her vocabulary and besides, this was for Clarke.

"Have patience, Raven," Dax murmured from somewhere behind her but in lieu of any coherent response all he got was a strangled and immensely frustrated-sounding growl that she let rip from her lips. Dax found and picked up her screwdriver and carried it back over to her, placing it down in front of her on the workbench. "You will get it done."

Raven scoffed as loud as she could and then threw him an antagonistic glare. "Really?" she spat. "You're giving me advice now?"

Dax sighed, holding her gaze for just a moment before he dropped it and then took the few steps to his seat which was on the other side of her bench. He had been working with her all evening, or as much as he could anyway seeing as he didn't really understand weapons construction. He was a quick study though and obviously could follow instructions well otherwise he wouldn't make a very good general. What he needed to do now though was calm Raven down who had been getting more and more agitated as the evening wore on.

However she wasn't making it easy. She was undoubtedly the most aggressive and brilliant woman he had ever met. Her mind so technical as proved by her ability to conjure up weapons in just a few hours. She amazed him, but also frustrated him beyond belief.

At his silence Raven pressed on. "You, grounder, to me, talented mechanic when you have no idea how bombs work."

Dax met her gaze with narrowed eyes. "They explode."

After a moment Raven sneered and whereas she did appreciate his sarcasm she wasn't about to cut him any slack. "Oh yeah," she said as she rolled her eyes. "Genius."

Dax leaned across her bench, then. "I am here to help you."

Raven picked up her screwdriver and took her focus back to the device in front of her. "If by 'help' you mean annoying the shit outta me then you're doing a fantastic job." She raised her eyebrows. "Top marks."

Dax dropped his eyes to the materials that scattered the bench between them and even more so out to the sides, as well as the discarded pieces on the floor. Anger and sarcasm were clearly her outlets for the whirlwind of information that must be a constant in her mind, he had reasoned over the course of the evening and early morning. Arguing would get him nowhere.

"From what I have seen bomb-making is a delicate task-"

"-No shit," Raven mumbled.

Dax looked at her. "Anger will not help."

Raven stopped what she was doing and stared rigidly at the bomb she was working on, her grip on her screwdriver going white-knuckled. "No," she responded after a moment with a flash of her eyes, her penetrating glare reaching his eyes quickly. "It won't." She forced her tools down and then stood from the bench, pushing herself away a stride or two. "Why don't you take over," she gestured forcibly and then added sarcastically, "master of philosophy?"

Dax remained calm, knowing the outburst would come and understanding that she had to have it. "I cannot."

"That's right!" she fumed, "You can't! No one can." She turned and put her hands on her hips, her voice going a little quiet and strained. "Just me." She had felt pressure before, many times, but it seemed the more everyone seemed to depend on her the more she seemed to feel it. She wanted a break away from everything. She needed one, but she knew there was no way she could.

Dax let her have a few moments, remaining still in his seat as he watched her, a tightly wound coil that was only getting tighter. He made sure his voice was as calm as he could make it. "Tell me how I can help you."

That didn't seem to help, however.

She spun around and took half a step back to her bench. "How about telling your Commander not to involve us in this war?" She suggested as she stumbled forward and fell into her seat, her forehead falling into her palms. "Maybe then Clarke wouldn't have been taken."

He felt like reaching out to her, holding her, comforting her in that way but he suspected it wouldn't be welcomed. He was a little shocked by his automatic desire to offer such a thing, really, and he quickly shook the idea out of his head. He sat forward a little in his chair but didn't invade her space. "Clarke would've been valuable to Nia either way," he said softly. "She defeated the Mountain."

"Yeah," Raven slurred as she breathed out heavily, straightening up where she sat. "Your Commander's fault, again."

Dax held his tongue for a moment as he regarded Raven curiously and then he tilted his head to the side. "Did you believe you would fall to the ground and it would be yours?" he asked honestly. "Just like that?"

That stumped Raven and she was suddenly lost for words. She thought about being defensive, then about going on the offensive and then she wondered, what would be the point of that? In the end she just shrugged. "Honesty?" she pondered and then Dax nodded his head. "That is what my people thought."

Dax grinned a little. "That does not surprise me. Skaikru behave as if they own the Earth."

There was silence for a moment before he continued as he really wanted her to hear him. "You fell on the lands of the Coalition, Raven kom Skaikru, where a delicate peace had just been formed after decades of war." He stared at her then, not aggressively but honestly as he said his next words. "Perhaps somewhere else would have been better, for us all."

Raven ran her tongue over the front of her teeth, not wanting a lecture but also knowing that he did have a point. "Yeah well," she mumbled. "As I said, we weren't expecting to find you here."

For a moment Dax tried to imagine what it would be like if Skaikru hadn't come to Earth. Would relations within the Coalition be any better? Would the war with Azgeda still be about to commence? He wasn't sure if he'd like a world without Raven in it now that he had spent some time with her but then he shook those thoughts away too, pointless as they were. He quickly carried on with his point. "And when you did you thought we would give up our land and bow down to those from the sky. Let you command us and erase our way of life?"

Raven shook her head, now feeling a little awkward. "No," she replied and then she strengthened her voice, not enjoying being put on the back foot. "We just wanted to be left in peace."

Dax smiled. "As did we."

Raven sighed as she brought her hand up to rub the side of her thumb against her brow. She was just so tired, and just as sick of battling as Clarke was. Her face fell a little, then, as she thought of Clarke. She wished she hadn't argued so much with her and she hoped like hell that they'd get her back. "I just didn't think it would be like this," she said as her shoulders slumped and she shook her head. "War. Death."

Dax chose that moment to lean forward on her bench. "It will get better," he tried to reassure her, his lips finding a smile when she finally met his gaze.

After a moment she smiled a little, too, wanting to believe him but not quite being able to. "You think?"

"Yes."

She then leaned on the bench, too. "So my job won't always be so important in saving everyone's life?" she asked as her smirk came back, along with her trademark cockiness.

Dax smiled properly and then leaned back in his chair. "Depends if you keep being so good at it."

That made her laugh and it actually made her feel a little better, for a moment. She regarded him briefly and then took in a breath. "So, what comes next, master philosopher? Are you really telling me this is the last war?"

Dax shrugged albeit lightly. "That depends."

"On?"

"Who is the next to challenge Heda's rule."

Raven rolled her eyes, still not on Lexa's page at all. "Ah the great, magnificent Heda."

Dax's tone became lower, then. "I have told you before about regarding Heda in that way," he warned, eying her carefully.

Raven began fiddling with her screwdriver between her fingers. "Will the earth open up and swallow me whole?" She was teasing, of course, but Dax still pinned her with his gaze.

He straightened his shoulders. "Perhaps it is far more likely someone will simply kill you."

Raven grinned again really just playing with him now. "That someone being you, huh?"

Dax nodded his head as he folded his arms over his chest. "If you insist on being disrespectful."

She shrugged then, sucking in a breath through her teeth. "I just don't trust her-"

"-I trust her implicitly."

Raven glared at him a little in return, taken aback by the intensity in his eyes. He really did love his Commander, that was plainly clear. "The only person I trust is Clarke."

"Then perhaps you should trust Heda, as Clarke does."

Raven sighed and glanced away, tilting her head to the side and stretching out her neck.

"If the only thing you truly desire is peace," Dax pressed on, "then she is the only one who can deliver it."

Raven raised a brow. "Says who?"

Dax raised his, too. "One hundred years of history," he replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and then he became utterly serious. "You are on our lands, Raven. With our culture and our way of life. There is no one who can bring together warring clans, no one who can make people who have known nothing but death believe they can live in peace, but her. Trust her as I do and she will deliver it. Oppose her and invite war upon yourself."

Raven swallowed as Dax took in a breath, the sincerity in his words crashing into her all at once. At any other time she would probably make a snide remark, a sarcastic comment but instead she just listened, and slowly nodded her head. "Well I guess in the coming weeks we'll see."

It was only when she smiled, fully and properly that he understood it wasn't a retaliatory comment. Her lips curled up and for the first time since he'd known her he could tell she was being completely genuine. He could see it in her eyes.

Dax mirrored her smile and then he sighed once more, glancing back down at the materials on her bench. "As long as Heda wins. If not Nia will bring even more war, even more death."

Raven sucked in a breath herself and then immediately got back to work. "Then shut up and help me with these bombs," she ordered curtly.

It made Dax smile again. "Sha tekepa."

"The weapons are ready.. Heda," Raven announced as she limped into Lexa's tent with an example of each of her hastily made weapons bundled in her arms. Raven wasn't one for standing on ceremony, and she wasn't about to wait for the okay to walk in and put the new explosive devices on the table when she was just as likely to fall over and explode one killing them both.

She was certain that wouldn't go down well at all.

"Good," Lexa replied as she turned to face her and then eyes the weapons carefully, tilting her head a little as she took note of Raven's exhausted and pained expression. The limp was much worse than usual but the thought quickly vanished from the Commander as she approached the table and got a closer look at the weapons.

If Raven was honest she still didn't like the Commander, and of course she didn't trust her but her opinion had softened a little since her talk with Dax and really, if she cared about Clarke then that was one massive thing they had in common. Not that she had time to be considering it right then, or anything.

Raven coughed and wiped her hands against her hips a couple times before she picked up the first device. "This is a grenade," she said as she turned and looked at Lexa. It made her pause for a moment, not really having seen the Commander up close before and definitely never alone. She really did look awful but then Raven quickly got back to the matter in hand. "Pull this pin and throw it, it'll explode after ten seconds," she paused, "give or take. Be careful though, the pin must stay attached. If it comes lose and you're holding it..." she caught Lexa's eye for a moment and then she shrugged. "Well holding anything ever again will be the least of your worries."

Lexa frowned for a second and then nodded, assuming that was sky-person speak for she'd be dead. She raised an eyebrow, impressed that such a small object could cause such destruction.

"This'll also explode," Raven continued as she placed the grenade down and picked up weapon number two. "But needs to be detonated, like at the mountain." It was out before she could stop it and her eyes met Lexa's briefly before she pulled them away again. She swallowed and pressed on. "Put in on a door, rocks, whatever. It'll blow a hole in anything. It'll need a burning arrow to detonate, like at the..." Raven sighed, she really was tired and suddenly wished she'd let Dax come with her, like he'd wanted.

"The Mountain," Lexa finished for her. It was just a whisper and Lexa stared at the weapon with wide eyes that seemed vacant, as if they were suddenly somewhere else.

"Right," Raven responded, clearing her throat a little and thankfully it pulled Lexa from her thoughts. Raven just licked her lips and picked up the last device. "And this," she said with a proud smile, "well, it's still just a prototype. I didn't have time to test it properly."

"What will it do?"

"It's a surface mine." That made Lexa look at her. "It'll explode like the others, but when its stepped on. So if you can line a corridor with them or something, get warriors to chase after you, leave a narrow path at the edge for you to step around them. The warriors will run into them and boom!" She gestured with her free hand to the side of her and spread her fingers out wide. "Bye bye bad guys."

Lexa was impressed. She nodded her head gently and let herself feel for a moment some of Raven's excitement.

"They'll need a steady hand to set them," Raven continued. "Dax knows how. He's out there briefing everyone now."

"Good," Lexa responded, casting her eyes over the weapons one last time. She then turned to Raven. "You have done excellent work, Raven. Thank you."

Raven let the sentiment pass over her. "Well no need to thank me," she said flatly before she met Lexa's gaze. "Just bring Clarke home safe."

Lexa nodded. "I intend to."

She said it with such reverence that Raven actually believed her, and she couldn't help but remember the things Dax had told her the night before. A part of her felt sorry for the Commander, if she was honest, but then she sucked it up and hardened her expression once more.

Dax chose that moment to walk in, sparing them from any impending awkwardness or arguments. "Heda-"

Lexa turned to him. "You are confident you can use these weapons?" she asked, getting straight to the point. She was anxious for them to move out. She needed to find Clarke and now it was set in motion the adrenaline pumping within her for Nia's blood was starting to take over.

"Yes," he replied confidently. "They are being distributed between the five groups now."

"We depart in one hour."

"We will be ready, Heda."

Lexa glared at him sternly. This was it, and he knew it as much as she did. By the end of the next few days either Nia would be dead, or she would be. It was a sobering thought but she was as ready for her death as she was to wake up tomorrow and lead thirteen clans instead of twelve. What would happen would happen; all they could do now was proceed.

Lexa clenched her jaw. "Oversee the weapons distribution," she instructed her general.

Dax nodded. "Yes, Heda."

"And make sure I have some of these," Lexa finished as she picked up the hand grenade.

"Yes, Heda."

It made Raven smirk; those were her favourites, too. "Just remember that pin," she said as she pointed her finger at it. "I don't want to be the reason you get blown up and we all become Ice Nation..." she trailed off as Lexa glared at her and Dax went a little wide-eyed. "...Heda," she coughed, dropping her eyes to the table.

Lexa's eyebrow flicked up. "I will," she nodded, and then she walked out of the tent as she tucked the grenade into her belt. She didn't get far however before she was confronted by Bellamy.

It made her roll her eyes.

"I'm coming with you," he said as he fell into step beside her.

Lexa worked hard to keep her face straight. "You are not."

He pulled on her arm making her stop and the two guards that were flanking her went to draw their weapons. She stopped them though as she flicked her palm up and then she glared at Bellamy, his hand slowly dropping from her arm and he swallowed rather apprehensively before he spoke. "I want to be there when you find Clarke."

Lexa assumed by the sudden wariness in his eyes that this was his way; actions before words and before rational thought. She pushed out a sharp breath through her nose as she wondered how long she would put up with his blatant disregard for the world in which he now lived. Without Clarke around she knew it wouldn't be much time at all. "You will join Luna and her warriors," she replied curtly as her eyes moved over him. "You have accompanied her before. She will have just as much chance of discovering Clarke as I do."

Bellamy scoffed. "You expect me to believe that-"

"-I do not care what you believe," she replied flippantly, cutting him off with no care at all. "Those are my orders. Follow them or remain behind." She went to move away but he reached for her arm again.

"I don't trust that-"

"-Enough!" she growled fiercely, her calm demeanour evaporating like a drop of water on a scorching summers day. Her tone was suddenly heavy, dark and threatening. She had no patience for this, and if he continued she'd have no trouble in ordering his arrest. "Each group will need members of Skaikru for their knowledge of Raven's weapons. I suggest you familiarise yourself with them and report to Luna."

He didn't seem appeased however but before he could mutter a word Lexa stepped closer to him, right into his personal space so he could feel her words as well as hear them. "Challenge me again and I will have no desire in preventing my guards from beating you beyond repair."

Her words vibrated through Bellamy and although he was looking down at her he still couldn't help the shuddering he felt in his chest. He straightened his shoulders as much in a show of confidence more than anything else. "Clarke wouldn't like that," he murmured quietly.

Her eyes just grew wider as she recalled their exchange of words from a few days ago. "Clarke isn't here," she replied just as quietly and then she took a step back. "You have had enough warnings. Do as I say or you will know the consequences."

Raven and Dax then left Lexa's tent, only getting as far as a few steps before they saw what was happening between Lexa and Bellamy in front of them. Dax was immediately angry at how close he was to the Commander and Raven's eyes went wide in surprise.

Lexa saw them both out of the corner of her eye but she remained firm and pressed Bellamy for his submission. "Do I make myself clear?" she asked in a much louder voice.

Bellamy's jaw rippled beneath the surface of his skin but he realised he was cornered here. "Yes," he responded rather irritably. "Heda," he finished and for a moment there was a standoff, the two of them glaring at each other until finally Bellamy broke eye contact.

But still no one moved.

"Bell..." Raven whispered after a second or two, knowing very well that everyone could hear her. "What the hell are you doing?"

Eventually Bellamy took a step back, turning to face Raven and only then did Lexa reanimate herself.

"Dax, mafta ai op," she instructed her general before turning on her heel and striding off followed closely by Dax who conveniently shoulder bumped Bellamy, and her guard detail.

Raven watched them go letting out a long sigh before she moved over to Bellamy. "Are you nuts?"

Bellamy had his hands on his hips and was shaking his head at the ground. "I'm the only sane one here."

"Oh God," Raven said as she rolled her eyes. "Not this again." Honestly she wasn't in the mood for it and so she limped in the direction of her workshop.

It didn't take much for Bellamy to catch her up. "I thought you'd be the last person to follow her," he accused, "after Finn."

That stopped her dead. She spun around as much as she could and grimaced at him. "I am not following her," she fumed, her expression all kinds of disgruntled. "This is different, this is for Clarke."

"C'mon, Raven," Bellamy sighed, "you really think she cares about getting Clarke back?"

Much of her conversation with Dax from that morning rolled through her mind. She still wasn't convinced about Lexa but strangely enough she was getting convinced about the general himself. "Yes," she nodded honestly. "I do."

Bellamy scoffed. Loudly. He didn't know though, did he, everything Dax had told her but even so, Bellamy was being an ass at the most inopportune time. She sighed but this time it was a little lighter. "Look, Bell. You have to trust me on this. Clarke is Lexa's first priority."

He wasn't in the mood for listening, however. "All she cares about is fighting Azgeda and killing Nia," he announced as he gestured in the direction Lexa went in. "And using our weapons to do it."

That made Raven raise an eyebrow. Our weapons, she repeated in her head.

"If she really cared about Clarke," he continued, "she'd give herself up."

Once again Raven rolled her eyes. "And if she did do you really think Nia would give us Clarke back, just like that?"

Bellamy ignored the question, frowning at Raven as it was becoming more and more clear that she wasn't about to side with him. "You seem to want to trust Lexa after she betrayed us so easily last time-"

"-This isn't about the Mountain, Bell."

Bellamy shook his head, staring after Lexa's trail. "We should make her give herself up," he pondered aloud.

"The Commander?" Raven laughed a little at the absurdity of it. "Get real! The Coalition outnumbers us fifty to one. Forget it, Bell," she jeered, trying to force it into him. "This is the plan. Get behind it or stay home." She glared at him once more and then stumbled off toward the Ark, not prepared to waste anymore of her time arguing pointlessly.

Bellamy just watched her go, angry and frustrated that he wasn't being listened to.

Nia paused where she stood, casting an eye over Clarke dubiously as she tried to figure her out. Initially she had assumed Clarke was simply lying to her in an attempt to save herself, her people and her lover but now she wasn't so sure. She quirked an eyebrow as she thought over what Clarke had said, how she'd bartered for her people and hardly mentioned Lexa at all but that of course didn't mean anything. If Clarke was lying about her involvement with Lexa then she was very good at it, but that didn't mean Nia was about to believe her. It didn't matter anyway, Lexa would soon make her move to try and save her and then Nia would know once and for all.

"I can see why she likes you," Nia said finally after some deliberation. She knew the Commander hadn't involved herself with anyone since Costia even though quite a few had tried. She had even sent a few spies of her own to try and get close but even the prettiest of faces had failed. Clarke clearly was much more than that and Nia was coming to realise what a good ally she would be. "You're unlike the chief's of any other clan," she continued with a wry grin. "In many ways you're more like her."

Clarke sighed. She felt like she'd been talking for hours. "If you mean I'd rather have peace than war then yes, I am like the Commander in that way." She watched Nia closely and tried to keep her negotiating cap on although being around the Ice Queen for this long was making her nauseous. She pulled in a breath. "Peace is the only way we can all move forward and live, together."

Nia held up a palm to silence her. "Please. I've been to enough of her meetings and summits to know her ideals of peace."

"I thought you avoided her meetings," Clarke mumbled and it was out before she could stop it. Nia looked at her pointedly so Clarke quickly carried on with a slightly raised voice. "It's not just her idea of peace," she pressed.

"Oh really?" Nia countered. "I was under the impression your people fell from the sky and immediately started killing trikru. Or am I mistaken?"

Clarke swallowed as her chest caved in a little, and then she pulled her eyes away.

"Where were your proclamations of peace then?"

Clarke shook her head. It was true, after all, and she honestly felt like she hadn't stopped killing since she arrived on Earth. It made her chest hurt and her brow immediately furrowed.

"People fear you, Wanheda," Nia continued as she took a step forward sensing vulnerability. "And those who don't want you dead. They don't want your idea of peace, they want to avenge the people you've killed."

Clarke lifted her head and tilted her chin up, taking in a slow and measured breath. "So why don't they?"

Nia scoffed a little. "Because the Commander protects you," she hissed quietly, injecting some venom into her tone. "Kill her and Skaikru will be next."

Clarke's lips slowly fell into a thin line as she narrowed her eyes. She wasn't about to let Nia's intimidation techniques get the better of her even if she was suddenly uneasy. "The way I see it most of the Coalition stands behind the Commander." She shook her head again. "Not you."

"Only because she has you," Nia snapped in return, the annoyance shining brightly in her eyes. "I can guarantee your people's survival just as she can," and then just as quickly she became angry, the irritation almost exploding from her. "The Coalition is weak under her rule, you know that. She is weak. She walked away from a battle that would have solidified her leadership and brought Skaikru into the Coalition as a welcomed clan. Now you are feared for destroying the Mountain instead of her and your clan is outcast and mistrusted." She then lowered her voice. "Her mistake was disastrous and she showed herself for the coward she truly is."

Clarke once again held it all back. The part of her that wanted to defend Lexa and the choices she made but however much she may dislike it, part of her also agreed. Lexa did make the wrong call at Mt. Weather and if she hadn't things would indeed be very different. Nia was testing her and Clarke knew it so somehow she managed to keep her expression neutral. Her demeanour calm even though she felt anything but.

An evil smile slowly spread itself across Nia's face as she seemed pleased with the non-reaction she was getting from Clarke. Perhaps she was starting to believe her after all. "So you would be happy to see Lexa fall, despite the relationship you have with her?"

Clarke fought the temptation to role her eyes. They were going over the same ground as Nia attempted to call her out. It was yet another test. "All I want is for my people to live, and be protected."

Nia nodded. "Having Skaikru as an ally would be beneficial I admit," she finally concluded as she began to pace rather lazily in the middle of the room. After a few moments she turned to Clarke. "And you can ensure the cooperation of your people?"

Clarke raised both of her eyebrows. "They certainly don't hold any fondness for the Commander." Finally she could say something that was true.

"As you know Azgeda is a great distance from where we are now. I will need more than a general distaste for Lexa if I am to believe your people will support my rule."

"Formal negotiations can come later." If Clarke knew anything it was that pandering to egos within Skaikru was a sure way to gain their favour. "But I'm sure my people will gladly assist you in coordinating leadership in this area."

Nia just frowned a little in order to get Clarke to elaborate.

Clarke sighed. "It would lend to certain egos well and after all, it is what we've been trying to do since we got here." She didn't like to admit it but she knew even her mother would feel better with having some form of control over the land around Camp Jaha. All of trikru if possible. Clarke was just glad it would never come to that, if she had anything to do with it anyway.

Nia narrowed her eyes. "Make no mistake, Wanheda. I intend to lead the Coalition when Lexa is dead."

Clarke's heart plummeted again and a heavy lump appeared at the back of her throat which she had trouble swallowing. Nia was testing her yet again she assumed, watching her as closely as she was to any reaction Clarke might make to her words. Clarke however stood firm. "All I'm saying is if you respect and treat my people well you'll have no opposition from them." She swallowed again and felt her heartbeat pick up a little. "That was Lexa's mistake from the start."

Nia wasn't surprised at that. "Her judgement has always been poor," she mumbled with distain before she continued on with her point. "The clans that resist will need to be punished. I trust I can count on you to assist in that too?"

All of the people Clarke had met while living with Trikru and staying in Polis quickly flashed through her mind. The faces of so many people and the friends she had made. Sienna, Zeek.. even the ones who had initially greeted her with hostility but gradually came to accept her. She knew that even without Lexa they would unlikely back down to Nia, in fact she was completely certain Indra, Dax and quite a few of the other clan leaders would die trying to avenge her. It was unthinkable and suddenly Clarke's swallowing became painful. "Of course."

Nia smiled, then. A wide and far reaching smile which made Clarke's blood turn cold. "Alright, Clarke," she eventually said, taking several steps forward toward her and then she outstretched her arm between them. "Do we have a deal?"

Clarke was a little surprised although she didn't know why. This had been her point, after all, to con Nia into thinking she and her people were on her side. All she could hope was that Lexa and Skaikru had hatched some plan for which Clarke could assist with from within, somehow. She heard Roan shuffle behind her and it reminded her of the tenuous position she was in. "Yes," she replied as she grabbed onto Nia's arm in agreement.

"Good," Nia practically cackled before she pulled her arm away. "There is one last test before I can believe you fully."

Clarke's eyebrow went up. "Test?"

"Yes," Nia replied. "Pass it and Skaikru will be safe as long as Azgeda rules Polis and I assure you, that will be for a very, very long time."

Clarke heard some shuffling from Roan behind her and instantly her defences went up. "And if I don't?"

Nia shrugged, the grin still on her lips however. "Then you die at Lexa's side but fear not, if what you tell me is true then there will be no issue."

Clarke quickly became ten times more uneasy than she already was. "What's the test?"

Nia raised her chin as she glanced at Roan over Clarke's shoulder for a brief moment and then she brought her icy gaze back to Clarke. "You will soon find out."

Stealth missions were always Anya's favourites. The element of surprise and the art of hiding and moving silently without detection, followed either quickly or not by skilled killing and destruction. There was always a glimmer in her firsts eyes when the lesson revolved around any of these and so Lexa was well versed in such tactics. Well versed, expertly taught and Lexa could only imagine how much Anya would relish being in such a position like she was in now.

She pushed it to the back of her mind though and instead focused only on the task at hand.

They were made up of five teams; Lexa leading one, Indra, Luna, Gaia and Azizi leading the others and each positioned strategically in locations around Ouskejou Kru and Delfikru. All Lexa could hope for was that she would be the one to discover Clarke and Nia, and of course with her knowledge of both dissenting clans she had placed herself in the most likely position in which to do so.

Dax was currently across from her, his outline barely visible as he submerged himself within the cover of the trees. The plan was to sneak in and scatter, taking down the enemy quietly until they were discovered at which point the havoc would begin. She and Dax were to interrogate whenever they could and then once the targets were discovered, radio the other groups so they could all converge at the same time.

It was dangerous, undoubtedly, with the risk of capture and death high but Lexa's soldiers were loyal, as were the clans who remained in support of her. She had asked for her most skilled warriors and the clan leaders who loved her most had volunteered without question. They all knew what was at stake and they all wanted Nia dead as much as Lexa.

She caught Dax's gaze for a moment before she nodded, his loyalty and commitment to her never wavering even though he had now seen her at her worst. Both broken and lost and throughout it all she couldn't have hoped for a better second to Gustus. If she lived through this she knew she owed him a great debt even though he would never see it that way himself.

He nodded in return and then lifted the radio to his lips, the other groups waiting for the go ahead to strike. "Move in," he murmured quietly, and then with one last glance at his Heda they all began their assault.

Lexa decided she really liked hand grenades. They were effective and destructive as they took out groups of the enemy at a time. Lexa's group hadn't been inside long before she knew Clarke was there, somewhere, the sheer number of Azgeda warriors present seemed unfathomable, almost impossible for her scouts to have missed but there they were nonetheless and Lexa had no issue with killing them all.

There was hardly time for interrogation, nor for communicating with the other four groups as they were quickly outnumbered but with the art of stealth and the aid of skaikru explosives they weren't losing. In fact they had the upper hand and when they weren't killing they were giving Azgeda and Delfikru the run around, easily able to slip into the darkness as they moved from cover to cover, hiding within buildings and the environment itself.

Eventually though Lexa became frustrated. She was there for a reason, not just to mindlessly kill traitors regardless of how much they deserved it. She decided to speed things up and easily killed two Delfikru warriors who approached her as she stepped out from her cover, her blade slicing through their flesh as they fell to the ground in puddles of their own blood. The third warrior she swept around and incapacitated him, cutting through the back of his knee which made him collapse to the ground. She quickly sheathed her sword, glancing around to make sure she wouldn't be noticed amongst the surrounding chaos and then she dragged him back toward her cover, around a cover and into the shadows.

She practically threw him against a wall before she descended upon him, covering his mouth with her hand and drawing her dagger from her belt with her other. She crouched over him with her teeth bared, the bloodlust now screeching through her the longer the mission went on. Her warpaint was now almost indistinguishable, the sweat and blood covering her face providing a certain anonymity that she didn't need but served a purpose nevertheless. Up close however anyone could tell who she was and the fear in the warrior's eyes as this realisation struck him was paramount, but he was in no position to alert his people to his discovery.

"Where is she?" Lexa seethed, the warriors eyes blinking rapidly and she could feel his bodies tense shaking beneath her. "Tell me," she commanded, her voice quiet but no less rigid. He didn't respond however, just moaned and screamed in pain beneath her palm so she thrust her dagger into his thigh, pulling it out sharply and holding it up so he could see the blood as it dripped from her blade. "Where is she?" she demanded again.

Still nothing, and this only angered Lexa further. She could feel her insides trembling with the intensity of what she was feeling. So much hatred for Nia, so much worry for Clarke and somewhere amid them both concern about her own actions and where they might take her but really, that was the least of her problems. If she couldn't save Clarke she was certain her soul would be gone forever so whatever it took to find her she would do, and currently that was torturing this warrior for information and so torture him she did.

Lexa grit her teeth and plunged the dagger into his opposite thigh not once but twice, repeating her question with even more ferocity each time. The warrior was Azgeda and that appeased her a little, knowing he was the best chance of knowing Nia's exact location and imagining with every thrust of her blade that she was hurting Azgeda, and therefore she was hurting it's Queen.

"Tell me where your Queen is," Lexa growled into his ear, his screams still being suffocated by her palm and this time she knifed him just to the right of his gut.

He was loud but the fighting and explosions from all around them was louder. The distant sound of Skaikru gunfire added into the mix, too. Lexa knew her warriors were doing their jobs well, and contrary to previous opinion Skaikru were being effective too.

Lexa had for a while thought this kind of war was long since over but it seemed it really wasn't. At least Nia would be dead at the end of it, or so Lexa kept telling herself and at least then she would see Clarke again. She could touch her again, kiss her and hold her close, if of course she would let her. Regardless this was her justification and so she hardened herself again and twisted the blade a little as the warrior continued to force his pain into her skin.

"Tell me!" Lexa shouted, her desire for this day to be over and Clarke to be saved culminating in such a ferocious impatience that she glared into his eyes harder, twisted her blade more forcibly and as the warriors eyes widened in absolute terror she then witnessed the life drain from him before his body went limb, and he slowly hunched over to the side.

For a moment Lexa just continued to stare at him, a number of things rushing through her mind but she easily ignored them, swiftly removing her blade as she got to her feet and sheathed it back on her hip. She sighed as she turned, wiping her bloodstained palms against the outsides of her thighs knowing she was going to have to find a higher ranking warrior in order to find out what she needed to know. She swallowed and then took in a long breath, attempting to calm the rapid rise and fall of her chest before she stepped out from cover once again to go and find Dax without even a second look back.

"You can come inside if you'd like," Abby offered, nodding toward the Ark. "I could give you a tour."

Pius regarded the structure dubiously, his hands linking behind his back. He was a man of tradition and the kind of culture that would easily define such a thing as an abomination, but he managed to refrain from saying so. "I would rather not," he said instead, still eyeing the Sky People's home with distaste. "But thank you for offering," he finished, glancing sideways at Abby.

"Fair enough," she smiled, knowing that would likely be his answer. "I'm Abby Griffin," she then continued as she extended her hand out to him. "Chancellor of the Ark. I don't believe we've met."

It took a moment for Pius to contemplate this gesture in the spirit it was meant. For his people grasping a person's arm meant a lot more than a simple greeting but of course Abby wouldn't know that, and Pius wasn't naive enough to think she would. His eyes flicked between hers and her outstretched hand and knowing a refusal would more than likely displease Lexa, he unclasped his hands and grasped the Chancellor's offered arm.

"Meika's slack," he said in a firm voice even though he felt a little uncomfortable. "I am Pius. Fleimkepa and advisor to Heda."

Abby raised her eyebrows as only a few words in his sentence made any sense to her. She smiled as she shook his arm a little and then released her grip. "You'll have to teach me what that means one day."

Pius retracted his hand and once again linked it with the other behind his back, his gaze returning to the metal construction. He would never understand how an entire people could live within such a thing, or even how such a large, heavy object could remain in the sky for so long in the first place. It baffled him, and again resulted in his opinion of it being an abomination. He took in a breath. "Yes," he replied, still lost in thought. "There are many things we could learn of each other."

Of all the things Abby thought he might say she certainly wasn't expecting that. She nodded her head once. "I suppose there are."

Pius' lips pulled a little to the side. "The customary response is, 'Yumi's klir'."

"Ah," Abby replied, and then after a moment. "Yumi's klir."

Pius actually smiled but then his thoughts quickly headed toward the complications of Skaikru becoming the thirteenth clan, but then that was a headache for another time. He turned his attention back to Abby. "Abby Griffin," he began. "You are Clarke's mother?"

Abby immediately felt a pain in her chest at the mention of Clarke's name having spent the last few hours trying not to think of all the things the Ice Queen might be doing to her. She pressed her eyes shut as she sucked in a deep breath and then she nodded, once or twice. "Yes," she replied quietly, her eyes opening and a deep furrow forming across her brow.

Pius felt a little sympathy for her then as he recognised the emotion that ghosted over her face. It was exactly what he felt whenever Lexa went into battle. "She will not give up without a fight," and that made Abby look at him. "Clarke is..." he didn't really know why he was trying to comfort her, other than the fact he had many, many years' experience of not knowing whether Lexa would return victorious or not. Only the hope that she would and he assumed this was something new for Abby, Skaikru arriving only months before. He raised an eyebrow, trying to think of the most polite way to categorise Clarke kom Skaikru. "A force to be reckoned with."

Abby actually smiled, at that, and it took her a minute or so to reply. "She's certainly that."

Pius nodded. "Besides," he carried on with a sigh. "Heda allowed it once. She will not again."

Abby turned to him. "Allowed it?" She assumed he was referring to what Lexa told her in the woods but thought his choice of words was a little odd.

He nodded again, just once but nothing more was forthcoming.

Abby thought she would push it. "The Commander told me," she started quietly, watching Pius carefully as she spoke. "Before Clarke was taken, what happened when Nia took the last person she cared for."

Pius swallowed, very uncomfortably and uncertain where the Chancellor was taking this. He remained quiet with his hands still linked, his shoulders back and jaw level.

Abby didn't really know what else to say. This was obviously something he wasn't interested in talking about. She wasn't surprised, however. She breathed out slowly. "Did you know?" she asked after a moment or so and Pius angled his head a little toward her. It gave Abby the confidence to continue. "That there was something between the Commander and Clarke?"

Slowly Pius' lips pulled to the side in the slightest of smirks. "I suspected," he replied, recalling the looks between the two of them until of course he walked into Lexa's room and found Clarke in her bed, quite obviously naked but he wasn't about to bring that up. "From the moment Heda brought Clarke to Polis." He then turned to Abby and there was something like fondness in his stony grey eyes. "She used to look at Costia the same way."

Abby assumed Costia was the girl Lexa was talking about in the woods and although his comment made her smile, briefly, a certain warmth passing through her as she realised just how much Lexa must genuinely care for Clarke, it also reiterated how much danger her daughter was actually in. The conflicting emotions made her muscles flinch.

"She was broken," Pius continued, his eyes now finding the ground a little ahead of him and then he shook his head firmly as if he didn't want to think of it. "She will not let Nia do it to her again," he growled. "This time when Heda returns, Nia will be dead."

His confidence however wasn't shared by Abby. "What makes it different this time?" she asked carefully, and then she turned to him. "How can you be certain she'll succeed?"

Pius met her gaze, not at all used to anyone doubting the Commander. Anyone who usually did ended up off the balcony but he suspected Lexa would want him to grant Skaikru a little leniency. They were new after all, and were yet to see exactly what Lexa was capable of. "She is the greatest leader we have ever seen," he began slowly, exceptionally resolute. "She is formidable, in every way. She will lead our people to widespread peace I am sure of it."

If his tone wasn't enough the look in his eyes certainly spoke volumes about the way he felt about Lexa. She wondered if it was the same for all of Lexa's people. "You speak very highly of her," she responded after a moment.

Pius clenched his jaw. "She deserves nothing less."

Abby finally broke eye contact and then sucked in a long heavy breath, not being able to forget what happened at the mountain no matter the strength in Pius' words. She wasn't convinced about Lexa, and she knew it would take a lot more than a few conversations to get her to change her mind. One thing seemed certain though, and that was how important Clarke was to Lexa. Abby raised a brow. "Well I hope you're right."

"You will see," Pius replied confidently, taking another long look at the Ark. "When she returns you will understand, and then she will lead your people as well."

Abby scoffed loudly, really not expecting him to say that. She cleared her throat not ready at all to think about anything other than getting Clarke back home safely. "I don't know about that."

Pius glanced at her again. "If you wish to join the Coalition there is no other way." His brow was furrowed as if he was unsure how the Chancellor wasn't already aware of that fact.

Abby was somewhat lost for words and all she could do was grin a little, knowing in that moment she was completely out of her depth. She couldn't think about it, though, and somehow Pius seemed to recognise her feeling.

He smiled a little himself and this made the mood considerably lighter. "Speak with her," he offered, "when she returns with Clarke."

"Oh I will," Abby responded quickly, and then she smiled at him in return.

"Good."

"When I am Heda, things will different."

Lexa was sick of war. In all of her lessons with Gustus, all of his talks on strategy and leading armies it was always because of a squabble between one clan leader and another. Some bitter feud that was still raging on generations later.

There were firm alliances with some clans and temperamental ones with others. Some clans were never worthy of an alliance and members of others were always to be captured and bled for information regardless of why they were on foreign land. No matter the reason they may have wandered so far from their own boarders.

Lexa was tired of it even though she was still very young but according to Gustus it was necessary. Pius however believed a peace could be achieved and so Lexa always enjoyed her sessions with him, regardless of how many times Anya told her he was idealistic and foolish. A man of faith rather than action who wouldn't last five minutes on that battlefield, or so her mentor would say.

"You will be amazing as Heda," Costia whispered into Lexa's ear as the young novitiate leaned her back against Costia's front, covered up to her chest in bubbly warm water.

Lexa enjoyed bathing with her girlfriend after a particularly hard training session just as much as Costia enjoyed taking care of any cuts and bruises she may have sustained with the healing salt water. Costia would envelope Lexa in her arms, washing the water over Lexa's skin as she rested her head against Costia's chest. Lexa always felt safe in these moments and it was precious alone time they got to enjoy away from lessons, work or training.

Lexa sighed as she felt the gentle rise and fall of Costia's chest beneath her head, the quiet thudding of her heartbeat helping to sooth and relax her. "Much blood will be spilled before the correct leaders command the clans into peace," Lexa murmured, considering the task that lay before her even before she knew if it would be hers to take. "Changes will need to be made."

"And you will make them," Costia reassured her gently, her fingertips running over the exposed skin of Lexa's arms.

Lexa hummed, not convinced at all that she would ever achieve such a thing even if she was Heda, but then Costia always did have the most faith in her. It made Lexa love her even more. "Azgeda will be the hardest to convince," she continued after a moment, turning her head up and slightly to the side so she could push her forehead a little against Costia's chin. "The war between them and the Trikru-lead alliance is years old. You know the stories Indra would tell us."

Both of them were Trikru so they had both grown up listening to tales of the hated northern-most clan.

"Indra loves you," Costia whispered, giving Lexa a squeeze with her arms. "Once she is convinced the others will follow."

Lexa's brow twitched a little. "Perhaps."

Costia grinned. Her girlfriend was as cautious as she was pessimistic, never willingly looking on the positive side of things. "No perhaps about it," she responded as she splashed Lexa playfully, giggling as she grumbled in return. "She is proud of you already. The strongest of all the novitiate's and of Trikru origin."

Lexa rolled her eyes. "Cos..."

"It is true," Costia said, this time feeling proud herself. Her girlfriend was the best novitiate and she would become Heda, everyone knew it except of course for the girl herself. Costia found it very cute though when the future Heda became all shy and bashful, and so she took these opportunities to embarrass her thoroughly. "You do not know since you came to Polis. She speaks of you often, how our next Heda will be Trikru and how she knew you as a child."

Lexa continued grumbling as she fidgeted a little in Costia's arms. "We do not know that yet," she mumbled, not wanting to think about how much she would disappoint Indra if she wasn't victorious in the conclave.

Costia brought her lips to Lexa's ear once more. "Well I know."

Lexa frowned. "You are bias-"

"-Mmm but I still know," and then she placed a kiss against Lexa's temple.

The kiss diffused her agitation, as was always the case. "Either way," Lexa sighed heavily, "Azgeda will never agree to a peace."

Costia continued to drag her lips along Lexa's skin, from her temple to her cheekbone and back again. "If Indra will, then Nia will."

The haziness that was settling over her thanks to Costia's lips and fingertips were having the desired effect. Lexa felt lighter, and her chest was beginning to feel fuzzy as her lips suddenly went dry. Costia's comment however made her chuckle. "Do not let Indra hear you liken them together," she warned light-heartedly, knowing without a shadow of a doubt Indra would not like that at all. She raised her hand from the side of the tub and reached it back into Costia's long curly hair, running it through her fingers to enjoy its thick, wavy texture. "She will cut off your head."

Costia giggled and enveloped Lexa tighter. "But you would save me."

Lexa smiled as she angled her head up further, Costia moving hers down to match. "Always."

The kiss was chaste, gentle and loving as their lips moved together slowly. Both of their eyes falling closed as they melded into their warm and wet, skin on skin embrace. Lexa lived for moments like these, and Costia happily gave them to her.

"You will make it happen," Costia carried on once their lips had parted and their lungs once again took in air. "The twelve clans will know peace," she said as Lexa settled back down against her chest, Costia's arms returning to their gentle squeeze, "and Indra will follow you no matter what."

Lexa sighed. "And Azgeda?"

Costia settled back against the tub as well, her hands getting busy with bathing her girlfriend and fussing over her bruises. "Just remember peace is your goal, and don't let anything get in the way of that."

Lexa felt a knot at the back of her throat, all of a sudden unsure of her own abilities. Was she strong enough? Sure enough? Resolute enough? She knew Costia had unwavering faith in her but she honestly didn't know if she had what it would take. Not that she would ever admit that out loud, not even to Costia.

Lexa swallowed and it made her cough a little. "I must first succeed in the conclave upon Heda's death," which was of course something else she didn't really want to think about. Lexa loved the Commander wholeheartedly, as did the rest of the novitiates and it was she who had confided in Lexa one night and set alight the idea of a united peace in her mind in the first place. She blinked a few times and then looked away, her fingers tapping against the side of the tub which told Costia it wasn't something she wanted to discuss any further.

Costia smiled and placed another lingering kiss to Lexa's temple. "Piece of cake," she whispered softly.

Translations.

"Skaikru."

"Sky People."

"Azgeda."

"Ice Nation."

"Raven kom Skaikru".

"Raven of the Sky People."

"Sha tekepa."

"Yes tech-maker."

(I've made this up as a sort of reference to what Dax has seen Raven doing and therefore has called her almost as a term of endearment. To us she is a skilled mechanical engineer but to Dax she is a maker of complex things, therefore a maker of technology).

"Dax, mafta ai op."

"Dax, follow me."

Trikru.

Tree people.

Ouskejou Kru.

Blue Cliff Clan.

Delfikru.

Delphi Clan.

Fleimkipa.

Flame keeper.

"Meika's slack."

*Grounder equivalent of, "nice to meet you."

"Yumi's klir."

*Grounder equivalent of, "nice to meet you too."

*The people over on the slack board are amazing for discussing Trigedasleng and expanding the language. You can find them putting these phrases to David Peterson on Tumblr here:

h ttps [:/] post/ 158526333262/ slengheda-slakkru-has-a-suggestion-for-the