#her young natblida friends

[popchoc]

Victory stands on the back of sacrifice.

[zhangyulian]

These two characters have been living in my head rent free lately and I thought to myself, Spider and Madi would make an epic duo fighting alongside each other and even being friends.

A) Both are orphans of war

B) They both share parent trauma (Spider’s parents died attempting to protect what they thought was humanity’s only way to survive, and Madi’s parents died attempting to keep her safe against the Fleimkepas and other warriors in the last minutes of Praimfaya before the Earth was scorched in fire)

C) Both have grown up in a forest (Spider in Omatikaya territory, and Madi in Shallow Valley)

D) They’re both children turned teens that carry a lot of baggage for such a young age and are very aware of it

E) They both wish to be normal

D) They’re both loyal, stubborn, independent, selfless and loving

F) They’re not afraid to fight back

G) Their genetics makes them different from everyone else (Spider is a human amongst Na’vi, Madi is a natural born Natblida amongst red blooded Grounders)

H) Speak another native language besides English (Spider Na’vi Omatikaya dialect, Madi Trigedasleng)

I) Both are allies to clans related to trees (Spider = Omatikaya living in the forest, Madi = Trikru also living in the forest)

J) Their allies have human enemies (Omatikaya = RDA humans, Trikru = the Mountain Men)

K) They’re both adopted by others in a way without calling them “mom” or “dad” (Spider = Norm and Max, Madi = Clarke)

L) Both have curly hair!

M) They’ve been taken at least once by evil forces (Spider taken by RDA and Recoms, Madi taken over by Sheidheda and The Primes of Sanctum)

N) Both know how to use weapons to defend and attack (Spider = bow and knife, Madi = swords, knives, guns, and traps)

O) Both are surrounded by future tech (Spider = RDA, Madi = Eligius)

P) Both are involved in some type of neural connection (Spider surrounded by Eywa and living creatures using queues, Madi with The Flame mind chip embedded in her skull)

Q) Both we’re tortured via invasive mind surfing devices (Spider by the RDA, Madi by The Disciples)

R) Both like to joke around, have fun, and try not to think about the craziness of the world around them other than the happy memories they can make

S) They look out for kids near their age (Spider with the Sully siblings, and Madi with Luca and the Sanctumite children)

T) They’re both children born into wars they didn’t ask to be a part of, but stay strong for those they care about and make the best of their situations

U) Both wear some type of paint on their bodies (Spider with blue paint, Madi with her own blood)

I have other ideas of them meeting in different scenarios. I’ll share them in separate posts, but let me know what you guys think of the above info! And if you have any scenario ideas you’d like to see these two in?

[freedom-of-writing]

You’re all I want, all I need

Chapter 1 - I’m ready now

Chapter 2 - The 13th clan

Chapter 3 - Soulmates

Chapter 4 - Your enemy is our enemy

Chapter 5 - Costia

Chapter 6 - The calm before a storm

Chapter 7 - Hurts like hell

Chapter 8 - Shouldn’t be a good in goodbye

Chapter 9 - The Conclave

Chapter 10: The City of Light

When Clarke opens her eyes again, she's not on the balcony of Lexa's room anymore. She's standing in the middle of a narrow road, closed on each side by a series of houses. They're all one or two-storey houses with flat roofs, just like the ones in Polis. She smiles to herself when she remembers the night Lexa told her about her childhood adventures, when as a young Natblida in training she would have to run and jump from one roof to another along the streets of the capital. She can imagine Lexa doing the same now on these roofs.

Clarke's brought out of her thoughts by the sound of footsteps coming from behind. Her heart skips a bit, because she would recognize that sound of boots against concrete anywhere. It's crazy when you think about it, but when you love someone, a family member, a friend, a lover, you pay attention to all the small things such as the sound of their steps on an unsurfaced road. That’s how you learn to feel their presence even before seeing them. And that's why Clarke can't breathe anymore, why she doesn't move, too afraid it will bring an end to this amazing dream. But most of all, that's why she doesn't need to turn or hear her voice to know the hand that's come to rest gently on her shoulder is hers. She knows, but she still can't believe Jaha's chip actually works, so she asks anyway.

"Lexa?" Her voice cracks as her eyes fill with tears.

The hand on her shoulder moves down to intertwine its fingers with Clarke's as another hand does the same on the other side. Clarke's body tenses as she tries to hold back the sobs that threaten to come out and wreck her. She feels her arm being moved so that their right hands come to rest on her heart, and their left ones lay on her belly.

"I'm here." Lexa finally speaks before tightening her hold on Clarke until their bodies are pressed against one another.

Clarke shakes slightly, but she's still refusing to let go. Lexa, of course, can feel it, and so she whispers in her ear: "I've got you." You can let go now, Clarke. You can break down, because I'm here to hug and kiss all of your pieces back together. That's all Lexa tries to convey in just those four words, and Clarke understands it all.

When Clarke finally lets out the broken sob she's been holding, Lexa brings her even deeper into her as if to prove her words. And with that Clarke breaks down for good, sinking on her knees as her body wrecks with her loud sobs. Lexa never loses her hold on her, she just goes down with Clarke, kneeling behind her, and holding her tightly. She doesn't try to shush her or whisper sweet nothings into her ear to calm her down, because she knows Clarke needs to let it all out, and to break down completely in order to start over, and live again.

They stay like that for what feels like hours, and when Clarke finally stops sobbing and shaking, Lexa gives her a long kiss on the crown of her head. It's not enough to put her back together, but it's a first step to give her back some of her lost strength. Lexa feels her girlfriend take a deep breath, and she knows Clarke is going to say something soon, so she moves her head down to rest her chin on her shoulder as if to let her know she's listening, whenever she's ready to talk.

"You never came back to me." Clarke’s voice wavers slightly despite her efforts to keep it stable. She doesn't move her gaze on Lexa yet, she just stares down at their joined hands.

"I know." The former Heda does not apologize. It's not her fault someone killed her, Clarke would never blame her for not coming back, she was just stating a fact.

"I killed her. Nia. She had me pinned to the ground, and for a moment I thought I wasn't gonna make it, but then I remembered what you taught me in our training sessions, and I was able to free myself and kill her." Clarke's voice is just a little above a whisper, but Lexa hears it loud and clear.

Lexa is shocked by her words, but she doesn't say anything. She just leans back to look at the side of Clarke’s face, waiting for her next move. The Sky girl strokes her thumb on the back of one of Lexa’s hands, in order to gather the courage to raise her head, tilting it to the side to finally meet the eyes of the girl she loves. Clarke’s eyes water again at the sight of Lexa's beautiful green orbs staring back at her, so full of life. Slowly, she brings her hand up to cup Lexa’s cheek, like she still needs some proof that this is real, that she is really there.

"That's what I was going to tell you once you came back from battle." Clarke gives her girlfriend a soft smile. "I wanted you to be proud of me. And to know that I can finally fight like you. Well, not like you you, but... like a true grounder. With swords, knives, and all. I wanted you to know that the Ice Queen was not gonna hurt you anymore, because she's dead. Because I killed her. For Costia. For you."

"I..." Lexa is at a loss of words, because of the turmoil of emotions she feels right now.

She wants to scream her anger at whoever killed her for not letting her have the reunion Clarke had planned for her. She wants to be mad at Clarke for facing Nia on her own, putting her life at risk in the process. She wants to cry in relief because the Ice Queen won't be able to hurt Clarke anymore. She wants to thank Clarke for avenging Costia when she couldn't do it herself, and she wants her to know that she's always been proud of her. But instead of trying with words, she leans in to kiss Clarke, hoping this simple gesture is capable of conveying all of the things she's feeling in the moment. Like it's always been for the two of them, they don't need to say anything for the other to understand the message. They kiss until their lungs burn for the lack of oxygen, and then they part but still leaning their foreheads against one another.

"Lexa?" Clarke calls gently after a while, causing the woman to open her eyes, and look at her.

"Mmh?" Lexa hums in question.

"I can't feel my knees." That causes Lexa to laugh lightly, and God, was it worthy to break that serious moment. Clarke hadn't realized how much she's missed the sound of her laugh.

Lexa shakes her head in amusement as the blonde grins back at her, and then, she gets up pulling Clarke up with her in the process. When they're in a standing position in front of each other, they simultaneously move forward to close the gap between them to hold each other properly this time.

"I missed you so much." Clarke says in the crook of Lexa's neck. "I don't ever want to leave you."

"You can't stay here forever, Clarke." Lexa’s tone is sad, and she holds Clarke a little bit tighter when she says the words. She knows her girlfriend has to go back to the real world, but she also doesn't want her to leave.

"Then I'll keep coming back." That's a promise Clarke intends to keep.

Lexa smiles, happy to know this won't be the last time she sees her girlfriend.

"How did you get here anyway?" She asks with a curious tone. To be honest, she has no idea what that place is supposed to be. And most of all, she doesn’t understand how dead people can be very much alive in here, nor how living people can come and go.

"One of my people gave me a sort of 'key' to this virtual reality. He told me there was no death here." Well, that explains some of it, Lexa thinks.

She's brought back from her thoughts when Clarke starts talking again. "I didn’t wanna believe him because... I didn’t wanna get my hopes up about seeing you again, just to find out that he was lying. I almost threw that chip away, but… I couldn’t find it in me to get rid of it. I never thought I’d take it, but then…" Her voice cracks when she thinks about the reason why she's standing here right now. "I got to the point where I could hardly survive without you. I need you in my life, Lexa." She cries.

"Hey, ssh, I'm here." Lexa moves to cup Clarke's cheeks in her hands, before leaning in to plant a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm here." She breathes on Clarke's skin.

They stay like that for a while, until Clarke’s tears stop falling. Then Lexa tries to lighten up the mood, because she can't stand to see the girl she loves suffer so much.

"I'm not going anywhere, Clarke. Literally." She jokes.

"Oh, shut up. This isn't funny, Lexa." Clarke tries to suppress it, but a light chuckle still leaves her lips, and it is music to her girlfriend's ears. Lexa grins at her making Clarke shake her head at how proud she seems for getting her to laugh a little.

"So... You wanna come see my house?" Lexa offers as she holds out a hand for her girlfriend to take.

"You have a house?" Clarke asks in surprise.

"Sort of. There are no properties in the City of Light. If you want something, you just have to make it yours." She explains as they start to walk down the road.

"So, you broke into the house."

"Of course not! No one lived there... it was just waiting for someone to pick it up."

"If you say so…" Clarke isn't actually judging Lexa's choice, it's just that she enjoys messing with her. But unfortunately, her girlfriend is too smart to fall for it.

"Just wait to see it. You're gonna love it." Lexa says, and as she was hoping, it is enough to get Clarke's attention.

They walk in silence for a good five minutes. Lexa is giving Clarke the chance to take everything in. When, at last, she comes to a stop in front of a large metal gate, Clarke turns to look at her questioningly.

"That's it?!" She waits for Lexa's confirming nod before adding: "Wow… That's one big house."

From the gate she can see a small path leading to the front door of the large house, and a yard surrounding the whole building. She's never seen a place that big. Her whole life she's lived in a small room on the Ark, or in a tent, or in a room of the tower in Polis.

"And you have yet to see the best part. Come on!" Lexa smiles at Clarke as she gestures for her to walk through the gate she’s just pushed open. And with that, they walk together towards the front door.

Once inside, Clarke notices that this house looks very different from the one she’s seen so far. It's definitely nothing like the buildings in Polis. It looks exactly like the large houses that she's seen in pictures and videos from before the apocalypse. Right by the entrance there's a big room that is both a kitchen and a dining room. There's a long corner counter against the walls on the left of the front door, and a very long wooden table in the middle of the room. There are eight chairs around it, but Clarke is sure it could host many more people. A wall and a door separate this room from the next one, which is an enormous living room. Coming from the entrance, you meet in front of you a large glass wall that shows the beautiful yard just outside, that can be reached by two large glass doors. There's a bookcase that covers the whole left wall of the room, and which is so full of books it seems impossible none of them falls off. A big rectangular carpet is laid on the floor in the middle of the room, and two long couches are placed along the door side of the carpet and the right wall side of the carpet. A square wooden table with a few books on it is placed on the center of the carpet. On the right wall there's a big tapestry, and that's about it for the furniture of this room. It's a very big living room, but it's also rather empty.

"Come. I'll show you the other rooms." Lexa takes Clarke by the hand to lead her back to the first room.

Somehow Clarke has missed it before, but to the right of the entrance, opposite to the kitchen, there's a flight of stairs that leads to the second floor. Here, there are a main bedroom, and three smaller guest rooms, plus two bathrooms. The same stairs also lead to a mansard. It's a small room that looks like a mini version of the living room, but, instead of opening onto the yard, its glass doors open onto the rest of the roof. Clarke can only imagine how beautiful it must be out there by night, when the sky is full of stars.

"Remember that time we sat on the balcony of the throne room to gaze at the stars?" Lexa asks softly, and when Clarke hums in affirmation she continues: "Ever since I got here, I spent every night on this roof pretending you were by my side, stargazing with me."

"Maybe we can do it tonight. And many other nights to come." Clarke turns to Lexa before continuing. "You don’t have to pretend I’m here anymore, my love." She whispers the last part against Lexa’s lips, before kissing her lovingly.

When they part Lexa smiles widely at her before biting her lower lip in thought. "Would you like to see the lake?"

"Lake?"

"Yeah… There's a small lake that can be reached by the yard. It reminded me of the one near Polis. That's why I chose to move in here."

"Well, in that case… I'd love to see the lake. But I have to warn you: I don't know how to swim, so you'd better not push me in the water if you don't want me to drown." Clarke jokes, because literally everyone in this world, or in any world, knows Lexa would never do anything that could endanger Clarke.

"I make no promises… I'm pretty sure by the end of the night I will be able to get you wet." Clarke’s heart skips a bit when she notices the smirk on Lexa’s face as she says the last part. In case she had any doubt, the pun was totally intended.

When Lexa moves towards the stairs to go back downstairs, she gives Clarke a look of victory. Clarke doesn’t want to give her the satisfaction, and she shakes her head pretending Lexa’s words didn’t affect her at all. Unfortunately, though, the darker shade of her eyes is enough to give away her turn-on.

She might not like the man, but she'll never thank Jaha enough for this chip.

Chapter 11 - Swim Away From Reality

[caralexana]

Natblida (The 100 x FTWD xTWD Crossover - Chapter 1

PILOT

CHAPTER 1

 Important note: By the end of season 3 (the 100), Clarke destroyed Allie indeed, but in this story we don’t need to worry about the nuclear power plants melting down.

“Choj op, Heda”

Lexa took a deep breath as the woman helped her into a sitting position so she could eat. Her eyes observed her calmly.

“How can I call you?”

The older woman showed her a smile “Thia, Heda”

“Hmm” she observed the bandages over her abdomen, unsure of what really happened.

“Fayogon” Thia explained “Skaikru gon”

“What happened?”

“Everyone believes you are dead, Heda.” She spoke “Titus brought what I believed was your corpse to me. Yu kik thru”

The former commander remained silent. The last moments she remembered were like a blur in her mind. She did remember Clarke next to her.

She could only remember Clarke…

“Everything was chaotic after you died.” Thia explained “Ontari wanted to be the next Commander, she murdered all the Natblidas.”

Lexa’s full attention was on Thia, by that moment “What?” She moved her hand to her neck.

“Yes, Heda. Titus removed the flame… But I do not believe he kept it.”

“Where is Titus?!”

“Dead, Heda”

Lexa gulped, taking a moment to process all the information. Titus always did everything for her. Yes, he would do it for any commander. But she knew he cared for her.

“Who is the commander, now?” She asked

“No one, officially, Heda.” Thia explained “The flame is missing. There is a war out there, for it”

“Clarke…” Lexa whispered.

If Titus gave away the flame, there was no one else he could possibly give it to. He knew Lexa trusted Clarke.

“How long have I been here?” Lexa asked

“Over two months, Heda”

The younger lady looked away, trying to adjust to everything she was being told. She remained silent as Thia spoke again.

Thia told her about everything that happened after she was accidentally shot and presumed dead. She told her about the chip that completely took control of people’s mind and body. She told her about the city of light and about the battle in Polis.

“They say Klark Kom Skaikru saved everyone”

Lexa showed her a small smile, proudly “That does sound like something Clarke would do”

“You need to rest, Heda” Thia spoke

“Where am I?” She asked

“Eden” Thia smiled at her “You are safe here… at least for now”

Lexa looked at her, already considering the possibilities.

It was obvious for her that Clarke was in possession of the flame. And, if some were actually thankful for her doings in Polis, she was sure some were still against Wanheda. Plus, Clarke had a slight magnet to trouble.

Lexa knew it was a matter of time until people suspected she had the flame.

Either way, Clarke would be in trouble.

“Hod op, Heda!” Thia was next to Lexa in a second as she saw her trying to stand up.

Yet, it wasn’t necessary since the young lady quickly discovered her body wouldn’t allow her to move so quickly.

“Ahhh” she suppressed a painful groan

“You are lucky to be alive, Heda. Please rest. You cannot yet move. Beja”

Lexa stared at her, desperately wanting to go against it.

“Beja…”

Finally lying down, granting Thia’s wish, she whispered “Chof, Thia”

Thia smiled at her “I will be around”

  *Away from Eden*

 “I’m sorry cutie” Alicia said as she disemboweled the rabbit “You are the first living creature I get in three weeks”

Truth was, she was worried about it.

She was hungry.

She was out of supplies.

She had searched for everything, all around, in the past weeks. It was miles between each small town or village, but everything seemed to be already scavenged, so she was unlucky with that.

She had no other solution other than hunting down some animals. But even with that there was no luck.

That rabbit was the first animal she had found in those weeks.

In fact, she was being honest. It was the first living creature she had found. She almost couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen a human.

“I mean, I know this was my choice, but it would be nice to know if I am or not the last living person on the planet” she kept on talking.

It sounded awkward, but she felt the need to speak out loud, since silence seemed to be a part of her, by then.

 “Gosh, you are delicious” she said, after a while, when she got to finally eat.

Alicia made sure to create a perimeter around the place she was in, somewhere in the woods. She was good at it. After all, she had to.

She knew how to make simple traps and noisy traps so she could sense if someone was approaching.

She looked up at the sky, as she used to in the past nights, before casually drifting off to sleep. She had no idea of what she was doing.

She felt like she had no purpose.

Sometimes she wondered if she should return. Yet she still felt she did not belong there, even if she missed them.

However she also knew she was already too far and that they probably moved too. So she had no idea where they were.

Plus, she always listened to Morgan’s stories and wondered if she was any close to the communities he spoke of.

And what if she was? Did she want to join? She couldn’t be so sure.

She was sure she wanted more meals though.

So, once again, she let herself sleep with the uncertainty of what would happen the next day.

  Alicia woke up hours later, already feeling the sun rays on her face. There was no time for her to wonder for how long she left herself sleep, since she heard noises nearby.

“Is that…?” She asked herself, already combat ready, as she approached. “…a dog?”

She wondered if she was hallucinating but she did hear barks. Carefully, she made her way to discover an actual dog, stuck in one of her traps and already surrounded by walkers.

Quickly, she moved to take down the walkers around the dog but his continuous barks called the attention of even more.

“Shhh, it’s alright, puppy” she spoke, not stopping.

She sensed the danger increasing.

More and more walkers appeared and it wouldn’t take long for her to be just as trapped as that dog.

“Shit…” she sighed, not giving up.

She couldn’t precise for how long she was there, alone, but after a while she sensed there was someone else close.

“Dog!” Someone shouted

Her eyes caught an arrow through a walker’s head, though she still saw no one. Not for long though.

Then, she saw herself being helped not by one but by at least two men.

Having no idea if she could trust them or not, that was no time to think about it. So, the three of them fought the remaining walkers.

“Daaamn!” She noticed the smile of the tallest man, as she took down a walker near him. “Dat a girl!”

Alicia frowned at him, momentarily distracted by the walker approaching in her back. The man, however, noticed and was about to help before yet another arrow punctured its head.

She observed her surroundings.

No more dead. She sighed to herself. At least for now.

“Come here, good boy” she observed the men.

While the tallest one remained with a smile on his face as he stared at her, the other went for the dog. Both carried a good amount of weapons.

“Are you alone, miss?” the tallest one asked

Alicia stared at him, suspiciously.

“Well… I’m Negan. That ugly face is Daryl” he pointed to his friend.

The young lady raised her eyebrow at Negan. Morgan told her a lot about his days back in some communities and there was a lot she didn’t hold. Yet, she was sure this was the Negan he once told her about. After all, it’s not such a common name. But she also remembered Morgan talking about Daryl and he seemed to like him.

Yes, she was sure they were some of the ones Morgan told her about. She couldn’t be sure if it calmed her down or not, but she decided not to talk much about it and take her own conclusions.

Once Daryl approached them with the dog, Alicia noticed the animal was injured, but alive.

“Your dog certainly fell into this lady’s trap” Negan smirked at Daryl

“Dog is smart, he’s used to traps like this.” Daryl stared at Alicia “You were helping him, though, thanks”

She glanced at him, still alert “I was gonna eat him though”

Negan laughed while Daryl didn’t seem to find her words amusing “You would kill a dog?”

Alicia looked at him “If I was hungry, you bet”

“I like this one” Negan chuckled, approaching her. Alicia didn’t appreciate it and quickly pointed her machine gun barrel at his throat “Woah!” he exclaimed “Miss, slitting my fucking throat won’t work alright, someone else has already tried that shit”

“How about we test that?!” She spoke, irritated “It’s dripping guts… I can see many possible outcomes with a single cut”

Negan showed her a small smile “You proved your courage, miss. I mean you no fucking harm”

Alicia was ready to answer, basing herself on what Morgan once told her. Yet she could bet things had changed. If Daryl was trustworthy and allowed himself to be near Negan, then things had certainly changed.

“Please lower that, kid. We’re not gonna hurt you” Daryl spoke

Her eyes deviated to Daryl before staring at Negan once again. Eventually, she lowered her weapon.

“Good.” Daryl approached her “You alone out here?”

“With those beach ball sized lady nuts… fuck, she can go anywhere she wants” Negan chuckled “Oh…” he stared at her “But you are running out of food, uh?”

Alicia frowned at him. Such a statement would be easy to assume, obviously. They surely knew the area and scavenged everything already. She had been around that place for long enough to conclude they already had taken all that was worth something. She knew it was useless to deny it.

“Actually I got a rabbit yesterday”

“You got lucky” Daryl spoke “Not many animals around to hunt, no more”

Negan stared at her “How long have you been around here, miss?”

“It’s Alicia” She finally said it

“Damn!” he leaned back “She actually has a name”

“Fuck off” she spoke

Negan laughed “Come with us, there’s a fan-fucking-tastic community nearby. You don’t have to be all alone, you know”

“Who says I am?” she defied, knowing it would be useless

“Alicia, Alicia…” he chuckled at her “I am too good at this shit... We both know you are, don’t we?”

Daryl approached her “He has talent to get into people’s nerves. Don’t mind him” he spoke “He’s right though, you don’t have to be alone. Plus, you’ll starve if you stay out here”

Alicia looked at him, almost in defeat.

“You know you will, right? Been out here long enough?” he asked

Alicia took a deep breath, she could not argue.

Both were right.

“C’mon and I’ll cook you some spaghetti!” Negan started to walk back

Alicia frowned “You do not have spaghetti”

He turned, chuckling at her “Wanna bet?”

She sighed, in defeat “I’ll go get my backpack”

“Awesome!” Negan exclaimed, as him and Daryl waited for Alicia to return with them.

Daryl stared at her as she did “What?” she frowned

“Nah, you wouldn’t kill my dog” he spoke

Finally, a small smile emerged in her lips.

I think this is safe.

  *Arkadia*

“You are not going anywhere!” Abby exclaimed “You just got here! We just got here!”

Clarke stared at her mother, then at her friends. She wasn’t expecting them to understand.

But her intent was more than to take the flame away from there. She couldn’t bear the weight in her shoulders. She couldn’t deal with the pain in her heart and soul.

She had to leave.

She needed time and space.

“Clarke…” Bellamy approached her “They have no idea where the flame is. We have time to think about what we can do”

She stared at him “You have that time, I am sure you will do a great…”

“Shhh, you are not leaving, period” Raven argued “Can’t you see, Clark? For god’s sake, they will eventually come and try to destroy everything, whether you have the flame or not”

Clarke stared at her enraged friend “We need you” Raven continued “You are not going anywhere. We are not going anywhere either” she finally showed her a supporting smile.

The painful knot in her throat didn’t allow her to say a word. While she knew it wasn’t wise to leave her people at that point, she wasn’t sure if she could deal with everything.

 Everywhere I go I see her face.

[missluthorwillseeyounow]

Childhood’s End (Supercorp/The 100 ficlet)

Excerpt from my Clexa / Supercorp / Adlock AU (HERE). 

[AU where Lena is Lexa's Second and Kara is from the Ark. Takes place before Lexa and Clarke attack Mt. Weather. For reference, Lena is somewhere between 8 and 10 years old in this]

_____________

Lexa stares at the mess of maps and battle plans before her and considers her options. There is a very real possibility that their plan could fail, and she herself could become a casualty of this war.

It doesn’t frighten her. 

Lexa has faced death many times since she was tall enough to wield a sword. She is the Commander, and she knows death is not the end. Heda will live on.

Reassured by this, she summons Indra. The older warrior has never questioned Lexa’s decisions, not even her decision to bring her youngest Natblida to the front lines of war.  Indra inclines her head respectfully at Lexa.

“Where is the child, Indra?”

“Outside, Heda. Playing.” the warrior adds with a disapproving sniff.

Lexa follows her outside the tent to the small clearing where some Skaikru children have gathered, weaving between the legs of the warriors - Trikru and Skaikru alike - all preparing for battle.

Most of the yongons are brandishing sticks in clumsy, unwieldy attempts to imitate the fighting style of Trikru gona, and Lexa knows that her young Lena has already begun teaching them the sword-fighting techniques she has learned from Lexa herself.

Lexa’s little Natblida is in the thick of their childish battle, perched on the back of her “noble steed” -- a Skaikru girl with blonde hair falling in golden curls around her dirty shoulders. The child’s open countenance reminds Lexa of another Skaikru girl with golden hair whose presence is enough to make the Commander’s pulse race in a way it hasn’t since Costia.

But now is not the time to think of such things. A burst of laughter pulls Lexa’s attention back to the children.

“Faster, Kara!” Lena urges in peals of high laughter that Lexa has never heard from the child, who is more prone to serious contemplation in her studies than horseplay. “Faster! Don’t let Alex catch us!”

Her new friend - Kara - complies between breathless giggles, blue eyes sparkling with mirth as she tightens her hold on the Natblida’s skinny legs, both girls dodging a third chasing after them with a stick. The rest of the children flock around them, squealing with laughter, and Lena - ever the clever strategist - directs them imperiously.

“Brainy, Winn! Look out! Don’t let her get you! James, grab her legs! Don’t let go!”

Beside Lexa, Indra stiffens, about to call out to her young warrior, but she stops when Lexa holds up a hand. “Give her a moment.”

“Heda?”

Lexa eyes Lena with the reserved affection she only displays for her young Natblidas. If there is a twinge of nostalgia and regret in her gaze, Indra knows better than to comment on it. 

“Give her another moment to be a child.”

Both women watch as the third young girl - Alex - catches up to the other two, huffing and puffing as she attempts to snag Lena’s elbow. The Natblida is too quick for her, snatching her arm away quickly. Her sudden movement, however, throws her blond friend Kara off balance, and both girls end up in a giggling heap on the ground. The third trips over them, quickly followed by the rest of the yongons, and in the blink of an eye, there is an impressively messy, tangled pile of knobby knees, sharp elbows and dirty laughing faces on the forest floor.

Lexa lets them catch their breath, before calling out in a clear voice. “Natblida!”

Lena looks up from under the sticky pile of children to see her Commander standing at the edge of the clearing. 

Instantly, Lena wriggles out from under the pile and jumps to her feet in front of Lexa, spine rigidly straight, arms clasped behind her back in an attitude of sharp attention. Other than her mussed braids and the heightened color of her cheeks, there is no other evidence of recent playful activity on her person.

Her new friends, all Skaikru, peer at the Natblida in confusion, surprised to see her expression switch so suddenly from laughing to deadly serious. None of them is brave enough to speak up in front of the Commander -- not when even the warriors around them stop their activity and snap to attention at Lexa’s presence as well.

The little blonde one who had been carrying Lena on her back seems to be on the verge of saying something, but seeing her playmate’s face so somber and severe makes her mouth snap shut.

Lexa addresses Lena as if she is an adult, not a child who has just been playing in the mud. This is imperative if she wants Lena to be afforded the respect she needs to uphold Polis.

“We attack Mt Weather in two day’s time. My presence is required in Tondc until then. In the meantime, Polis cannot be left undefended. You, Natblida, will take 50 Trikru gona and make the journey back to Polis. Safeguard the city until my return. If I should not return, you will be my successor until the Conclave can begin and my Spirit chooses the next Commander.”

Lena’s green eyes are wide, and Lexa can see not only surprise, but also the fear the child is trying very hard to hide. She softens her voice the slightest degree.

“This is no easy burden I am placing on your shoulders. You are my most exceptional Natblida, and I have the utmost faith in you. There is no one more worthy to lead our people.”

Lexa’s words make Lena stand taller, her chin tipping higher. There is still fear in her gaze, but Lexa sees the pride beginning to blend with it. It pains Lexa to have to place this burden on such young shoulders, but Lena is only a few years younger than Lexa herself when she became Heda.

Innocence does not last long in war.

Lexa holds out her hand and makes a cut on her palm. It stings lightly, but she catches the trail of black blood seeping from the wound with her thumb. Leaning forward, she smears a black line of her own blood down Lena’s forehead, in the presence of all her gona.

“Bear my mark and my dagger to victory.” Lexa unsheathes the dagger from her side and holds it out to Lena, who accepts it with wide-eyed reverence. Lexa turns to the rest of her gona. “Protect her as you would protect me. Aid her as you would aid me. Follow her as you would follow me.”

“Sha, Heda.” The warriors intone, heads bowed.

Lena’s eyes are earnest and determined as she clutches Lexa’s dagger to her chest. “I will not fail you, Heda.”

Lexa gives her a brief proud smile, which the child returns before sheathing the dagger and turning to the gona. Her childish voice is high and clear. “Gonakru, gon ai! Oso ban op gon Polis nau!”*

One of the gona produces a horse fit for an adult - a horse for a Commander, not a child - but Lena refuses to allow any of the gona to lift her onto it. Instead, she hoists herself up onto the saddle with as much dignity as she can. She still needs some help to reach the back of the tall beast, but she sits on top of it proudly, with her back straight and her head held high.

Lexa wonders if she looked that small when she first rode her horse as Heda.

The Skaikru children all scamper up to the horse’s heels, ducking around the gonakru’s legs as they muster around the Natblida. Lena bids them all a silent goodbye with a curt nod. 

She is no longer their playmate, but the Commander’s Second.

The yongons are too scared of the menacing gonakru and the black blood on Lena’s forehead to say anything, and soon, only the little blond girl - Kara - is struggling to keep up with the gigantic horse and its tiny rider. As the cadre of gonakru reach the borders, the girl falls back, one hand raised in a sad wave.

“Bye, Lena.”

Lena doesn’t say goodbye. The Commander’s Second has no time for goodbyes with little girls. But just before the horse reaches the thicket of trees beyond the border, the Natblida turns back with a small, sad smile.

It lasts for half a second, then the child is gone, swallowed up by the trees.

__________

By SorrowsFlower

I JUST got this out of my head. Now I kinda want to explore the Supercorp more

*“Gonakru, gon ai! Oso ban op gon Polis nau!” = “Warriors, to me! We leave for Polis now!”

[i-dont-know-how-to-quit-you]

“In the Rain, I will always....”

“I can’t believe I am writing fanfic for a season I keep swearing I won’t watch, for show that just keeps hurting me!”

-@I-don’t-know-how-to-quit-you to her co-worker at 8:50 pm today.

I watched The Rain y’all and I had a beautiful and delusional image of Clarke and Madi playing in the rain and Bellamy watching them from afar.

It turned into this....

-------------------------------------------------------

“Clarke, look!”

Rain.

Clear as a crystal.

The green blurred into view but Clarke could see the landscape, vast and wide.

Madi was already running out, her arms spread out.

“Madi, wait-”

They were in a new world. It might look like rain, but they didn’t know what could possible-

Madi laughed, her hair and clothes already drenched, her arms out to the sky as if thanking it.

Clarke smiled, her hands resting softy on each arms.

Madi stopped in front of Clarke.

“Clarke, come on!”

“What-”

Madi grabbed Clarke by her wrists.

She tried to pull back, the instinct to hide almost immediate, but it was too late.

The rain surrounded her.

It washed over her.

Washed away the ache of the last couple days.

The race against time.

The loss of her home.

Monty and Harper. Gone.

But Madi was here.

Her child had not died.

She had not been laid to rest among the other commanders.

Jordan was here.  

A child of the stars, like them.

A child that could have only been born to Harper and Monty. In small amount of time Clarke had know him, Jordan may be older, but there was sparkle in his eyes that made reminded her of Monty, sixteen and already making moonshine and a softness in his voice that Clarke had ever known in Harper, in way that she listened to others.

Monty and Harper. Gone.

So many of their friends, gone.

But she was still here.

Standing in the rain with her daughter.

She wiped her face and open her eyes to find Madi’s smiling eyes.

But she wasn’t looking at her.

“Hey, Bellamy.”

She turned around, and the instinct to hide herself was too strong, but she didn’t.

She didn’t want to.

He was still in his gray henley. His eyes were no longer red. There had been a point two nights away where she swore he would never stop crying.

He had waited outside of the ship, standing his ground, refusing to leave without Monty,Harper, and Murphy.

Now here he was, young and unchanging while his two friends had lived out their lives.

He had gotten to know them a way that Clarke never did, never had the chance to during their time on the ground.

“I’ve got to tell the others.”

“You are going to catch a cold,”

Madi wrapped her arms around Clarke, wrinkling her nose at him.

“Commanders don’t caught colds.”

Clarke chuckled and reached down, pinching Madi’s cheek.

“You never know.” she murmured.

“Stop!” Madi giggled, pushing Clarke’s hand away.

Clarke pulled her closer, going for the other cheek.

“Bellamy, help!”

Bellamy chuckled, moving to cross his arms. But did nothing.

For his part, all Bellamy seemed to be able to do was smile, smile at them.

Smile at Clarke.

It wasn’t the kind of smile she saw him throw at Raven, Monty, Murphy or even Echo…

She couldn’t help it, staring

It was small, the kind you could almost miss if you weren’t paying close attention.

A smile she had seen long ago, in another century, another lifetime.

A smile that still tug at her heart, pulled at the curl of her lip ever so slightly, to give him a matching smile of her own.

From behind them, the ramp moved ever so slightly.

In the flash of a second, Clarke’s smile was gone. The quiet giddiness that had enveloped her was gone.

She shifted around. Madi looked up at her. Bellamy furrowed, confused and turned his head back just in time to see Echo making her way down the ramp, her arms wrapping around Bellamy’s neck.

“Hey,” she brushed her lips against his.

“Hey,” he murmured back.

Clarke ran her fingers through Madi’s hair, keeping her gaze down.

Echo pulled away, turning towards Madi and Clarke.  

“Heda,” bowing her head towards Madi.

Clarke felt Madi nodded her acknowledgements against her.

Slowly, Echo’s gaze landed on Clarke. She stared at Clarke for a long moment, her eyes unwavering, her lips in tight line.

“Clarke,” her sound of her name in Echo’s mouth made Clarke’s skin crawl, but she held Echo’s gaze.

“Echo.”

She refused to be the one who looked away first.

The silence that carried between them was outstanding.

Bellamy cleared his throat. Echo looked away, her gaze meeting his.

He smiled, his hand running down her arm ever so smoothly.

Clarke cleared her throat, her hand landing to rest upon Madi’s head.

“Alright, natblida. Time to get out the rain.”

Madi nodded, her eyes intent on Bellamy as they passed him by.

“Bye,” Madi croaked out, her eyes intent on Bellamy as they pass.

He croaked something along the same lines too, at least she think he does.

The instinct to hide, to run; she ran to it this time.

[closetcasefabray]

ccf rereads loso /7

chapter thirteen: the adopt-a-skaikru program

Some of the older Sekons joined in Monty and Jasper’s impromptu drinking game. A group of gonas started teaching some of the 100 the words for a dirty song in Trigedasleng. A Skaikru girl started flirting with one of the TonDC youths who was part of the wrestling competition going on and their groups of friends began talking. It was a look at how the world could be this time, hopefully. It was just… nice.

i LIVE for drunk arkers & grounders at a bonfire. LIVE FOR IT! it’s just beautiful.

/

Lexa simply orders her gonas to shof op when they complain: Clarke doesn’t have that option. So she’s spent the whole day helping to settle minor quarrels and mentally cursing everyone for speaking too loudly.

hungover clexa shouldn’t be this damn endearing. like since heda never shows weakness, peacetime post-loso hungover lexa must’ve been so dramatic & extra in front of clarke. “go on without me! leave me” / “lexa, im gonna get you water & if you have to puke there’s a bowl next to the bed.”

(it would’ve been with azgeda villages bc their fayowada would be strong bc they drink regularly in the cold climate & they kept offering her more & more in appreciation of her generosity & how she’s helped them survive in comfort, and wanting to be courteous lexa couldn’t say no & that’s how lexa got fucking hammered so much so clarke laughed & put lexa to bed & just loved seeing lexa be something like the young person she is)

/

Once they’re in Polis Lexa steers her into her old ambassador room, and tucks her into the bed in a way that’s not at all Commander-like. “Sleep, Clarke,” she murmurs in her soft voice. “Get some rest.”

the softest fucking lexa. tucking sleepy clarke into bed. i just can’t.

/

She tries to get out of bed but instead just manages to roll onto the floor (well done, Clarke) and calls out “Come in” anyway because she knows it’s Lexa and she doesn’t have to be too dignified with Lexa.

It’s not Lexa.

Gustus bows his head for a second, then raises it again and looks at her in a way that’s not at all as docile as the gesture of respect made him seem. “Good morning, Clarke kom Skaikru.”

😂 clarke is just a beautiful, graceful sky princess

/

Lexa moves into view. She looks far more awake than Clarke as well.

Clarke wonders if it’s being a Nightblood, or being used to very little sleep after years of being the Commander, or if it’s just one of Lexa’s personality traits. Then, when Lexa gives her a slightly-too-amused look at her dishevelled appearance, she stops wondering and just focuses on glaring at Lexa.

why is this the sexiest cutest thing????

/

She’s not sure who she could sell the idea of being a sanitation worker or something to (though the thought of forcing Murphy to do it is kind of enjoyable. And since his nose is still broken, the smell wouldn’t bother him).

i forgot to mention i loved clarke kicking murphy’s ass: i loved clarke kicking murphy’s ass.

/

When I die, the Commander spirit will pass on,” Lexa answers her. “It will choose one of the Natblidas, as it once chose me. One will be the new Heda.”

“Which won’t be for a very long time,” Clarke says, a little too harshly, and makes herself calm down. She forces a smile. “I need your spirit right where it is.”

Lexa’s amusement shows in her eyes. “After all, I may be heartless, but at least I’m smart?” You can tell from her voice she’s quoting.

Octavia’s looking at them oddly. Clarke coughs and looks away from Lexa. “Something like that.”

you smitten idiots. octavia is observant af. also quoting past shit in a sweet way is my favorite thing. also generally a sucker for distinct canon quotes appearing in fics.

/

“Well that was weird,” Octavia says, as soon as Lexa’s gone.

see? O suspects. also is a hilariously annoying assistant & i love it

//

chapter fourteen: polis brutality

Lexa knows there will never be a day they owe nothing more to their people – this is a beautiful fiction. However, there will be minutes, hours, even days she can steal for herself. She would not have stolen so much time from her duties in the previous world, but when she lay dying there she did not think of her people. She thought of Clarke.

hahahahahahaha fUCK ME UP SMORE JFC

/

But now the Trikru see them as children, barely capable, and this means the strangeness of their ways is seen as funny instead of something to be feared.

And the Skaikru seem to be dealing well too – Lexa has waited outside for most of the checks, but has still seen a boy named Miller scowling in concentration as he learns how to perform a basic punch. She has seen a girl named Monroe kneading bread like it personally offends her. She has seen a girl named Harper examining a basic hunting bow as if it is something rare, a boy named Jones sharpening a blade like it's something precious. They seem to desperately want to learn, to be useful, to contribute. This is not a view she has had of the Sky People before.

crying bc this is everything i wanted for the delinquents & it’s beautiful

/

- bellamy teaching seven-yr-olds english is the gentlest thing & wonderful in contrast to the monster the show made him.

/

Lexa nearly jumps when she feels Clarke’s hand clasp hers. Octavia is watching Bellamy, and the guards look outward, but she still did not expect Clarke to show affection in public. As always, Clarke's touch burns her a little, makes her overly warm, makes her lighter. “Look at this,” Clarke whispers in her ear, sounding so happy that it nearly makes Lexa smile as well. “We did something good. Whatever else happens, this is something good.”

omg this just makes me think of them as parents. so so proud. but also awwww hand-holding is just perfect. i want all the clexa touches!

/

“But there will not be blood,” Lexa interrupts. She dislikes fighting with Clarke, but she cannot back down on this one. “If punishments for crimes are to be lessened, it must be decided on for all people, and announced so that they know. I cannot just begin handing out lighter punishments to your friends.”

“Hardly her friend, she broke his nose the other day,” mutters Octavia, and Lexa feels a swell of pride in her fierce Clarke.

lexa’s right. the punishment is harsh but for polis to not see her bend to skaikru is important.

lol same, lexa.

/

“So your people do not punish this harshly for theft?” Lexa asks, honestly curious.

There’s an awkward pause. Octavia coughs and looks to the side. It is all the answer Lexa needs. Clarke hesitates, looking faintly guilty, then opens her mouth, no doubt to begin explaining that whatever the Ark does, they should be striving to be better down here.

At this moment, Lexa is in no mood for it. She has been doing nothing but striving for better in the past week, and this has involved cutting out and sidelining her own people, people she cares for. In fact, it has also involved giving unearned trust to people she knows to be dangerous, simply because Clarke cares for them. “I see,” she says, voice arctic. “Like always, you expect more of my people than you do of your own.”

She turns and leaves. Before she closes the door behind her, she hears Octavia say, “What does she mean, like always?”

while i don’t like them fighting, this is hugely important. god this conversation should have happened in the show. it’s important not just to suture the divide between arkers & grounders, but clexa as leaders. jfc this fic is just so impressive & why i’m rereading it.

[luxaeternags]

OOC INFO

name / alias: alex  pronouns: they/them or he/him  age: 26  timezone: gmt  triggers: in server  hex code: yeet  discord id: yeet 

BASIC CHARACTER INFO

character name: clarke isabella griffin  character age / birthdate: 25 / 25th october 1995  character faceclaim: clarke griffin  hogwarts house / former school: slytherin / hogwarts  side (order, death eaters, neutral): order  occupation: auror  ships / anti-ships: honestly clarke x everyone thank u goodnight 

EXTENDED CHARACTER INFO

personality: relentless, forceful, perceptive, compassionate, sly.  past:  born to exceptionally talented wizard parents, clarke was exposed to greatness from a young age but thankfully, had kind parents that prioritized her happiness over academic success. they taught her the importance of people and love over all else. clarke’s father was right hand to the minister, while her mother is the chief healer at st mungos, and a member of the wizengamot. while the griffins were indeed a pureblood family ( with clarke’s father originating from a pureblood american line ), they held zero pureblood supremacist beliefs. some members of the family didn’t agree with this, but clarke always pushed intensely against it and the extended family-- something that only got more intense for clarke two years after graduation. 

when clarke was subjected to a poisoning attack, and then in order to save her life was made into a natblida, she was shunned by the extended family. so clarke swore a personal vow that she’d make their lives hell in anyway she possibly could and disrupt their ‘perfect pureblood lives’. clarke’s attack also came only two weeks after the assassination of her father. 

2 months after becoming a nightblood, at 20 years old, clarke started training to become a healer. a position she stayed in for two years, until she finally quit. seeing so much horror due to the war, clarke decided she wanted to take a different approach to help. rather than helping people after they'd already been hurt, she wanted to be on the front lines. helping. fighting. protecting. and hopefully, one day contributing to the end of this nightmare war. she began her training in december of 2017 and will become a full auror by the middle of december. she has been a part of the order since february 2018.

present: clarke is personally trained by bruce wayne, and is very nearly at the end of her auror training. while working in this position, clarke also works for the order of the phoenix in combat, but also shares her knowledge of healing in order to patch up members. 

headcanons:  -clarke became a natblida ( nightblood ) after she was subjected to a poisoning attack by the same death eater group that assassinated her father. clarke grew up knowing a lot about natblida's-- a group of ancient warrior wizards that mostly operated under secrecy, but had a bond of loyalty to the miller family ( clarke's mothers side ) as they had always worked alongside the natblida's as their healers. while most natblida's inherit the powers by bloodlines, clarke is one of the rare few to inherit the power through blood transfusion. allie, the head of the natblida's and dear lifelong friend to abby, offered to change clarke in order to save her life. since being changed, clarke has found she is physically stronger and her reaction times are a lot sharper, faster. she also heals from wounds far quicker, and finds she came somewhat resist two of the unforgivable curses to an extent. -alongside her usual duties, clarke is also a magical tattoo artist and used to give them to people for free in school. she also took over the lgbtq+ society tony began, when he graduated.  -while defensive magic is one of clarke’s strongest areas, potions are her absolute strength. so much so, she has created a few herself, mostly that are used within the order to give them an edge. she often works on these things alongside her friend, monty green.  -clarke is unable to produce a patronus.  -during one of clarke’s first auror training missions, she had to take out her old friend and ex, finn collins, who had been placed under the imperius curse. if she hadn’t taken him down, he would have killed a lot more people, including her entire team.  -clarke’s overall kill count is at 900+ and it has earned her a title as wanheda. meaning, the commander of death. a lot of these kill counts took place in the US, during her time there working alongside lexa and other natblida related groups. 

[trueheda]

Most of the Norwegian Royal House and their affiliates have released statements since the reveal of Prince Ivar Ragnarsson of Denmark’s sexual assault allegations distancing themselves from their allies and standing in solidarity with the victim, one however seems out of place. Countess Ontari Natblida released a statement through an Instagram post this morning, picturing her and the Danish Prince at CEO Jasper Jordan’s Thanksgiving party earlier this year with the following caption:

Due to recent things that have come to light, on behalf of the Norwegian Royal family we would like state that we stand with all victims of abuse, rape and sexual assault. There is no room for error in these cases we always want the truth to come forward. However, personally I feel as though it is my duty as someone who grew up alongside Ivar to explain why I have yet to join my family in releasing our statement of solidarity with the victims, as a woman I find this particular case difficult to swallow, I have known Ivar for the vast majority of my life, he is someone I consider a confidant and I do not remember a single instance in which his staff was treated badly by him physically, or when he was even remotely interested in anyone other than the well-being of his own family. He is, by any personal account I could try to give, a good son, a wonderful friend, and a just person. While I understand that I cannot dismiss the allegations given by the maid in the Danish palace, I cannot simply allow this witch hunt to continue. Until we hear of further explanation from both parties, I, Countess Ontari of House Natblida, ward of the Royal House of Norway, stand by Prince Ivar Ragnarsson of Denmark. For if us here in Norway are known for anything, it is our loyalty.

The public is torn as to whether or not this is a surprise coming from the eccentric young noble, the nineteen year old Countess is known for the rumors that surround her involving Prince Sven Järven of Finland and former Duke Caed Byrone, as well as Prince Ivar Ragnarsson himself, while some are congratulating the prince and Countess for portraying a strong friendship despite the escalating tension in the Royal environment, other have been critical  stating that she should believe the victim and be more empathetic especially since she herself has been rumored to have been abused sexually over ten years ago. We have yet to obtain a statement from the Danish Royalty, or even the Prince himself.

[kylo-renakin]

Hello dear nonny! No need to apologise, I totally understand how you feel. xx I’m sorry, this is not as good as I would have hoped, but at least I knocked something out. :)

Six years. Six years of silence, of peace, of a two-human earth. A mere drop in the lifetime of their universe, and yet, the quiet had seemed to stretch on forever, a vast world of empty hope and a sky full of ghosts sliding above her each night.

Six years, and she has not forgotten the taste of blood on her tongue--the bitter ash and smoke of bodies burnt, the sweet decay of irradiated flesh. Still she has not forgotten the weight and stain of hundreds of lives tipping from her fingertips like grains of sand. Six years, and still Clarke carries that blackness in her soul.

She crouched low amongst the brush, gun resting across her straining thighs, forcing her breath low and even. Madi, their supplies, and the rest of their weapons were carefully stowed in a hidden cave a half mile through the dense jungle. She’d ventured back, as close as she dared, to the prison transport that had dropped from the sky before her eyes.

She can’t fight an enemy she knows nothing about, after all.

For hours she’d sat, unmoving, as the doors had opened and living, breathing human beings spilled out from the metal belly of the ship. But this was nothing like the hundred. There were no young children, no women. A long-buried song stirred within her, recognising the darkness and danger within these men--a darkness that echoed--rivalled--her own. There were so many of them. Hundreds. Each one more menacing, more terrifying than the next. She longed for the days when grounders had struck fear into her heart--these men, hardened criminals all, were unlike anything she knew she’d faced before.

From the din of squabbling, shouting and euphoria, barked a loud, authoritative voice. Clarke hiked her rifle to her shoulder, peering through the scope towards where that loud voice has originated. At this distance, she couldn’t make out his words, but the snarl on his face, the oily, shoulder-length hair, the straight-backed enormousness of him--oh, she could tell this one was the leader.

She debated, for a moment, taking the man out with a quick shot. But her instinct was quickly suppressed by reason. These men weren’t children. Killing their leader would not scatter them into helpless, harmless groups. She would only draw attention to herself, and to Madi.

She zoomed the scope closer as he gestured towards one of the men closer to the ship, and he disappeared inside at the order. After a tense moment of waiting, the leader burst into laughter, the shoulders of the surrounding men shaking, too. Their eyes were all fixed on something emerging from the ship, and she swung the rifle to look---

Please, God, no.

Stomach in her throat, Clarke struggled to suppress a cry when she saw him, bound and bloody, being pushed across the clearing into the dry dirt at the base of the ship.

Bellamy.

His hair was slightly longer, black bramble patch across his forehead, and his shoulders seemed imperceptibly broader, as though the last of his adolescence had fled and left behind a man of strong stature. She bit her lip, felt that sharp twang of blood when one of the prisoners kicked him square in the stomach, laughing all the while. She watched in horror as he struggled stubbornly to his feet and spat blood in the mans face.

That earned him a more thorough beating still.

She looked back towards the hangar, desperately searching for a glance of her other friends, but Bellamy remained the only one to have emerged.

Ignoring the racing in her mind as to what it might mean, why he was alone, Clarke slowly stretch to full height, taking care to obscure herself behind a wide tree. She strapped the rifle across her back, wiped away the traitor tear on her cheek, and steeled her spine.

She would save him.

When night fell, she crept closer to their landing site than she would have dared had Bellamy not been right there--after six years, finally within her reach. Most of the prisoners had fallen asleep inside the hangar, a handful of them sprawled out on the ground around the bonfire they’d made while she’d explained her plan to her little natblida. Madi had been determined to join her, but Clarke had put on her best I’m-in-charge face and forbidden her from doing so.

Bellamy was tied to a tree at the edge of the clearing, twenty feet away from the nearest prisoner. His hair was wet with blood, chin resting heavily on his chest. Keeping an eye on the men snoring around the fire, Clarke crept up behind Bellamy, heart pounding with the long-forgotten fight or flight instinct that had kept them all alive those many years ago.

She darted from tree to tree, her back softly colliding with the bark as she kept herself hidden in the shadows. When she reached Bellamy’s tree, she fought the tightness in her throat and sidled up behind him, before covering his mouth with her hand.

He jerked awake, rope straining against his broad chest. His eyes darted towards her and widened when he took in the sight of her. Clarke raised her free hand to her lips, gesturing him to be silent. At the almost imperceptible nod of his head, she removed her hand from his mouth and grabbed her hunting knife from her boot. Bellamy’s eyes were fixed on hers, as though convinced she might disappear at any moment, but dutifully kept silent. She motioned towards the men at the fire, gesturing to her eyes and then back to them, and Bellamy took the hint, taking watch while she sawed at his bonds.

With each inch of slack, Bellamy’s shoulders fell and Clarke’s heart pounded in her ears. Please, please, please, she chanted in her mind, begging the spirit of the commanders, of Lexa, to give her strength in these fraught moments.

Finally, the rope gave, and Clarke tugged on Bellamy’s arm to pull him to his feet. He made no sound, but the pain was evident on his face as he struggled to find his footing, one hand pressed gingerly to his stomach. She wound her fingers through his free hand and tugged him into the darkness of the forest.

Neither of them spoke for minutes, not until the prisoner’s fire was completely obscured from view, and the sounds of the forest gave them some feeling of safety.

“Clarke,” Bellamy whispered. His voice was just as she remembered--deep, strong, that ever-present rumble. Just one word had tears spilling from her eyes, and she couldn’t help but turn and grasp him tightly.

She felt his arms wrap around her waist, his wince against her cheek, but she selfishly held onto him. He was definitely bigger than she remembered--not taller, no, but broader. No trace of the uncertain boy that had shot Jaha to have a chance to die by his sister’s side. “Bellamy,” she cried, his name a relieved gasp.

“I thought you were dead,” he mumbled into her shoulder, his arms tightening around her. “We all thought you were dead.”

She pulled back, catching those dark eyes in her gaze.

And then he fell.

She did her best to catch him, but his weight was too much for her. They fell to their knees in the grass, Bellamy doubled over and coughing up blood. His hand was once again clutching at his side.

Clarke pulled off her rifle and her small backpack, then helped Bellamy to rest against a fallen tree trunk. She rifled through her pack and handed him a canteen of water. “Here.” His hand curled around hers for a long moment before he accepted the canteen.

“I need to check your wounds,” Clarke murmured softly, ever concerned about giving away their presence.

Bellamy let out a soft groan as he lifted his shirt, and Clarke cursed under her breath at the constellation of bruises across his taut stomach. Luckily, there were only minor lacerations, and no obvious signs of blood loss or internal bleeding. His hair was still wet with blood, a cut along his temple that had dried perhaps moments before she released him.

She set about cleaning and bandaging his wounds, her heart still heavy in her throat.

He’salivehe’salivehe’salivehe’salive.

“I can’t believe it’s really you,” Bellamy said. “You’re alive.”

A soft, sad smile ghosted her lips. “Nightblood.”

Bellamy’s eyes widened, then darkened imperceptibly, and she knew--she just knew he was already blaming himself for the thousands of deaths they might have prevented if they’d known Nightblood worked.

“Are the others--” her voice cracked, unable to finish the thought.

Bellamy slid his hand over hers, resting against his abdomen. “They’re alive.” A tide of relief washed through her. “They came down about two months ago. I don’t know where they landed. Raven said the navigation was shot.”

“You weren’t with them?”

“There was some mechanical failure. Someone had to manual launch.”

Clarke stopped at that, surveying the hard set of his jaw, the tightness and weariness there. Two months alone in space. He gave himself up for them, and the hurt of it settled deep into her heart. Bellamy, she thought, I couldn’t have survived these years without just the memory of you.

“Those men, the Eligius Corporation--”

“They boarded the Go-Sci ring. Debated killing me. I told them I’d been on the ground, and they decided I’d be more useful to them alive.”

Her heart almost breaks at that, at the unwavering strength of Bellamy Blake. She reaches forward, brushes the tangled, bloody hair from his forehead. Even beaten, bruised and bloody, he still looks the way she remembered him. Dreaming of this moment had kept her sane.

A lone tear fell down her cheek, glinting in the moonlight.

Bellamy struggled to sit more upright, brushing his hand across her cheek. “Clarke, I’m so sorry.”

“Bellamy,” Clarke whispered.

He shook his head. “I left you,” he choked out. “I left you, and I thought I’d killed you.”

“You did what you had to do.”

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers again, and all she can do is kiss his cheek and thank the stars that he is alive, and here, and alive.

“We’ll find our friends, Bellamy. And we’ll face this new threat. Together,” she promises.

His hand finds hers, warm and tight and familiar.

“Together.”

[ecfandom]

Six years after Skaikru returns to space, Clarke is surviving on the ground with a young Natblida she rescued. When a ship comes crashing through their atmosphere, Clarke thinks that it’s the Ark, finally returning. What she doesn’t think is that it’s history repeating itself. With deadly sky people now roaming her Earth, she must fight to keep herself, her Natblida, and the rest of the surviving Grounders alive. This time with no Heda and no army. Or so she thinks. Pt. 1, 2

3. Madi’s excited chatter is about the only sound that accompanies them on their trek through the woods, most of the animals having yet to repopulate after Praimfaya. And still, it’s too loud. Struggling between wanting to encourage and wanting to temper, Clarke walks silently behind her talkative Nightblood, neither hushing, nor speaking back—simply alert.   “Is this the way you used to go to Polis, Nomon?”

Clarks just smiles. “Eyes ahead, strik Natblida. You never know what’s lurking.”

Madi’s eyes light up as she looks around. “Like pauna!”

Clarke chuckles and shakes her head, nudging Madi forward. Somehow, as they walk through the nearly silent forest, the idea of the pauna roaming the scorched earth seems almost nostalgic in a way. A nod to the old world, only six years removed, yet an entirely different lifetime ago.  

“Tell me about Polis again, nomon? The way it used to be?”

“Again?”

“Please?” Madi looks up at Clarke with her large, green eyes. She’s both beautiful and cruel, and even after six years, Clarke still finds herself struggling with how to handle her.

She sighs. “What would you like to hear about?”

Madi’s grin stretches nearly to her ears as she erupts into half-formulated requests interrupted by memory-fueled tangents on lively markets, juicy meats, warriors in masks and every detail lodged in her little mind from the years of stories Clarke had told her.

“Madi, you know—“ Clarke stops herself, hating to dampen the excitement.

“Yes?”

Clarke smiles at her and lowers to a knee. She runs her palm over the Nightblood’s dirty cheek and brushes back her thick, brown hair. “You know it’s not like that anymore. Right?”

The girl’s smile wavers and her eyes fall. “Yes,” she murmurs, deflated. The epitome of the feeling that’d taken up residence in Clarke so many years ago and failed to never completely leave.

“I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up.”

“But you said that Octavia and the survivors of the clans had come out of the bunkers. You said they were resettling Polis. What if it’s different now? What if it’s back to the way it was? It could be back—“

“It will never be to what it was,” Clarke interrupts with a slight edge.

Madi droops even further as Clarke’s sad eyes rake over her defeated form, itching to make it better, but not sure how. “Hey,” she murmurs, squeezing Madi’s hands. “Perhaps we will just have to be the ones to make it great again, yeah?”

A smile dances in the corner of Madi’s mouth before she bites it back in an attempt to remain grumpy.

“You know, Polis is where the Hedas used to live.” She takes a big breath, urging herself to continue. “Why don’t you see if you can recite the pillars of the Commander?”

Madi’s head whips up, a cocky smile crossing her face that makes Clarke’s chest ache to see it. “That’s easy,” she boasts.

Clarke pushes herself back to her feet and ruffles Madi’s hair, nudging her onwards. “Go on then. Let’s hear them.”

//

Except for her furtive, self-deprecating trips to the outskirts of the city walls in the first year after it was safe to come out, Clarke hadn’t been to Polis since her friends, her family, had been there with her. There was too much history there; too many memories, or one in particular, that made the thought of being inside the inner walls again unbearable.

And yet even with the destruction, her feet remembered every step of the way. The winding path through the trees, the dip into the river where the bridge had once been. The scattered remnants of TonDC.  The open field where she’d almost made her escape from the man who would eventually become something like a friend.

“Clarke?”

When she looks up, Madi is staring back at her, hesitance and excitement bouncing through her eyes. There is an unmistakable familiarity to the way the trees open up onto Polis land, the earth stretching subtly upwards towards the vast gates interrupting the wall.

Clarke smiles, though its not what she feels. There is only one thing that Polis means. Only one thing that is remembered and felt as she follows Madi up along the wall.

“Is it how you remember?”

She sweeps across the land before her, catching on the familiar building tops that peek above the stone now charred almost black. And though she does not look for it, she knows that the tower looms large in the distance.

“Nomon?”

“Yes and no,” she answers with a tired smile.

“What is different?”

“Everything,” she says, catching up and wrapping her arm around the Nightblood’s shoulders. She playfully tweaks her nose. “And nothing.”

The girl chuckles and bumps into her. “That doesn’t mean anything!”

“Of course it does. It just doesn’t mean anything to you.”

Madi scrunches her nose at the lack of answers the cryptic response yields, but she continues on, undeterred as Clarke returns to her thoughts.

She runs her hand along the charred wall, collecting the black dust on her fingertips. She rubs it along under the pads of her fingers, agitated and anxious.

With reflexes like the very person forefront on her mind, Clarke hears the man before she even sees him, but still she is too slow. In a flurry of movement from somewhere above them, a man much too large to move so quietly, falls through the air and grasps Madi in a chokehold.

Clarke has her rifle trained on him before his feet even hit the ground. “Breik em au,” she demands, her tone like ice. “Let her go.”

[ghelikblack]

So what if Roan was banished for helping Luna escape Polis?

Roan watches the young trikru girl on the natblida fighting-grounds. She has a wild mane of curly hair and sharp keen eyes. the rest have little to no chance against her. 

Sometimes he gathers asks their fleimkeper for a training session. He isn’t supposed to, but nobody seems to have any objections. Azgeda’s Throne Prince Hector is on good terms with the Commander, so Azgeda’s younger Prince gets a lot of free range in Polis. 

Roan’s not about to complain. Echo is tired of their long stay in Polis, but he enjoys his time here. He’s made many good friends, is far away from Nia and Hector’s mad plots to overthrow her. 

“Fine morning” he calls when the beautiful trikru natblida walks out of the training grounds towards where he is waiting. 

He would like to say fight is the only thing he does with her, but... Well... He enjoys her company: she’s funny in a very dry way, and has an older brother - they compare notes on how annoying elder brothers can be - and she has a very soft skin. 

His winter in Polis is the best he can remember. 

And then the Commander dies and she’s looking at him with wide, terrified eyes. The first two rounds he watches from the sidelines as one after the other his beautiful trikru natblida utterly destroys her competition. 

Then she’s pitted against her brother, and the moment her blade goes through his throat, Roan can nearly see something shattering inside her. 

It’s him who finds her after the battle, sitting on a boulder by the fighting grounds. She’s staring blankly at nothing and Roan doesn’t really know what to do, so he just sits next to her and gathers her into his arms. 

“I am going to lose the next fight”, she tells him without moving, either to push away or get closer. 

“No. You are not. Come on, you’re the best fighter.”

“I don’t want to fight.”

Roan swallows the thick lump in his throat.  

“You have to.” he fights down those stupid tears and she huffs. 

They sit in silence for a long while, until finally she pulls back. “I am not going to fight. Death is better than...”

He doesn’t mean to be disrespectful, or shut up the future commander - because there’s no way in hell she’s not winning - but he really cannot bare to hear her talk like that, cannot bare to think about the possibility of her not winning. 

It’s Echo who comes up with the idea, because of course Echo would just suggest vanishing into thin air. It worked for her, why wouldn’t it work for everybody else. 

“Promise you win two more” he whispers. “We need more time to procure safe-passage.”

Echo is doing all the shifty spy-y things she does so well and he’s trying to be helpful - which consists mainly on trying to keep his shit together and be as not-suspicious as possible. It’s unnerving seeing his natblida spiraling into a pit of despair while he just watches. 

Her fighting gets sloppier with each passing day. 

They flee the day she was supposed to fight against the late commander’s favorite. And she could have bested her, because she’s that good, but then she would’ve been Commander and she doesn’t want that. 

She knows the lands better than him, and she warns him about the mountain men, but they need to cross their lands to get to the sea, where she will be safe, far away from everyone who knows her, free to make a life for herself. 

“You could come with me.” she tells him, standing by the stones to the sea. 

Roan shakes his head while Echo lurks by the treeline, looking exasperated and nervous. “My mother would hunt me to the ends of the world. And then you would have to kill the Commander in another ritual fight.”

She shudders, rubbing at her hands like they’re still covered in her brother’s black blood. “Thank you.”

“You keep fighting in your own way.”

She nods, serious. “You, too, my friend.”

Of course his mother is livid when he finds out. The new heda is the previous comander’s favorite. She’s sly and smart and has a huge grudge against Azgeda, but she plays her cards just right and Nia has to banish him or be left out of a twelve-clan-alliance that is exactly what Azgeda needs right now. 

Roan could go to the see. He thinks about it for a short while. But then word that Nia has killed her first born after one too many coup attempts reaches him and he has to stay. 

Time passes, and the beautiful natblida bleeds into the back of his mind, turns into a warm memory. A certainity that, maybe he can’t help his people out of his mother’s tyrannical rule. But he did help this one, exceptional girl. 

Maybe, some day, he’ll see his friend again. Until then he’ll keep fighting in his own way.”

[freedom-of-writing]

You’re all I want, all I need

Chapter 1 - I’m ready now

Chapter 2 - The 13th clan

Chapter 3 - Soulmates

Chapter 4 - Your enemy is our enemy

Chapter 5 - Costia

Chapter 6 - The calm before a storm

Chapter 7 - Hurts like hell

Chapter 8 - Shouldn’t be a good in goodbye

Chapter 9 - The Conclave

Chapter 10: The City of Light

Chapter 11: Swim Away From Reality

Chapter 12: Not Good Enough

Chapter 13: The Ascension Ceremony

Chapter 14: Clarke vs. Pike

Every night, for a week, Clarke goes back to the City of Light. She keeps her promise and never lets Lexa have to star gaze all alone on that roof again. Well, at least not for seven days, because on the eighth one Clarke is too busy packing her staff to even bother getting some sleep at all. It’s been decided that, after the week of celebrations in honor of the new Heda, Abby, Clarke and Marcus should go back to Arkadia just like any other clan leader is going back to their lands. Why does Clarke have to go as well, you might be wondering? It’s not that she has to actually. To be honest she would much rather stay in Polis by Aden’s side, but both him and Lexa have convinced her to take the opportunity to go visit her people and her friends for a while. So, here she is now, packing her things to go back “home” for a few days. The truth is, she feels more like she’s getting ready to leave for hell rather than to go to the place where she used to belong. On the bright side, though, this trip could be the perfect chance to ask Jaha for more chips to give to the Natblida so they can see Lexa as well. She’ll never forget the way Aden’s face lit up when she shared the idea with him. That was the moment Clarke promised herself not to come back home empty-handed, because she could never stand disappointing his expectations.

“Honey, you ready?” Abby says as she enters Clarke’s room without knocking.

“Yeah, let me just... I just need...” Clarke utters as she looks around the room desperately searching for something she might’ve forgotten to pack.

It is clearly just an excuse, and Abby knows it. “Clarke, you know that you don’t have to come with us if you don’t want to. Marcus and I understand if you want to stay here with the kids.”

“No. No, I... I have to do this now. Otherwise I’ll never be able to leave this place again. Just give me a moment. There’s just one last thing that I’m missing and then I’m ready. I promise.” Clarke concludes when she realizes there’s actually something she’s missing.

“Ok. We’ll be by the entrance, then.” Abby waits for Clarke’s nod before turning and leaving the room.

As soon as Abby’s out, Clarke takes her two bags and exits her room as well. What she needs is in Lexa’s- No, not Lexa’s anymore... What she needs is in Aden’s room, so that’s where she’s headed. The whole week, she’s been trying to avoid that room as much as possible, because every time she stands in front of its door, all of her memories of Lexa come back to haunt her, and she feels like she can’t breathe. Gathering all her strength, Clarke comes to a stop in front of said door. With a deep breath, she steps forward to knock on the door. She doeasn’t want to go in without Aden’s permission, but she gets no response from the boy. Aden must be in the throne room or outside training, Clarke imagines, so she just let’s herself not bothering the hard stare that the two guards standing outside are giving her. Clarke knows what she needs and she even knows where to find it, but the moment the door closes behind her back, she’s petrified. She can’t move, she can’t breathe, and she’s not even sure whether her heart is still beating.

“I guess you’re here to take this, right?” Clarke jumps, startled by the sudden voice coming from behind her. As she turns to face whoever is standing by the door, she instinctively takes out her gun.

“Woah, hey, it’s just me.” Aden says as he quickly puts down Lexa’s armor to raise his hands. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“When... how...?” Clarke stutters as she lowers the gun.

“I entered the room right after you. I saw you from the corridor, and I imagined you came looking for this.” Aden begins to explain as he takes hold of Lexa’s armor again. “I thought I might come in and check if you needed any help with it.” When he’s done explaining, Aden offers the armor to Clarke, but the woman doesn’t move.

That’s when he notices there are tears running down Clarke’s cheeks. Aden doesn’t need her to explain what’s wrong, he knows the answer all too well. He feels the same way every time he enters his new room. He’s lost count of how many tears he swallowed back in the past week. Slowly, he moves to go lay the armor on his bed, and then he walks back to Clarke. When he’s standing beside her, he reaches down to grab Clarke’s hand. After giving it a gentle squeeze, he turns his face to stare into the space around them, imitating Clarke.

“This place doesn’t feel the same without her.” He states with a sigh.

“Yeah... many things don’t feel the same without her.” Clarke whispers as she leans her head to rest on the boy’s shoulder.

They stay like that for a minute, until Clarke remembers her mom and Kane are waiting for her. Then she moves away from Aden to go and put on Lexa’s armor. When she’s done lacing it, she takes a moment to stare at her image into the mirror. Behind her shoulders, she can Aden’s smiling face, and she can’t help but smile herself.  

“Try and behave while I’m gone, Heda.” Clarke jokes as she gives Aden a quick peck on the cheek.  

“I’m not the one who’s known for misbehaving, Wanheda.” He jokes right back as Clarke walks to the door.  “Try not to get yourself into many troubles, will you?” he mocks again, gaining a fake laughter from Clarke.

“Ah, ah. Very funny, young man.”

“Clarke...” his voice stops her before she can fully exit the room.

Clarke hums in question, and so, he continues. “I mean it. Don’t do anything stupid. Please. I couldn’t stand it if I lost someone else.”

Clarke smiles at him lovingly before promising to be careful. “I won’t. I promise.” And with that she leaves the room to go meet her mom and Kane.

---------------------------------------------------------------

After hours of riding, Clarke is pretty tired, but she’s also really eager to see her friends. For most of the journey, she couldn’t help but thinking of Aden and the other kids, but as they are getting closer to Arkadia her thoughts are shifting more and more on her friends. The last time she was with them, Lexa had just died, and she was completely out of it. But now she’s doing much better. And she’s pretty sure a break from being a leader wouldn’t be so bad. She’s still just a girl after all, and she needs to have some fun with her friends every once in a while. Unfortunately, though, her plan of partying and having a good time with her friends is put aside as soon as they reach Arkadia. A Council meeting is called upon their arrival, and once again duty calls.

Apparently, the representatives of the various stations couldn’t wait for the next day to be informed on the new Commander in charge of the Coalition. So, here they are, gathered around a long table, waiting for Kane’s accurate account of everything that has happened in Polis ever since the Conclave.

"Members of the Council, I am happy to announce that the new Commander is well-disposed, and just like Lexa, he wants his legacy to be nothing but peace." Kane barely has time to conclude his statement that Pike is already shouting his objections.

"Please, Lexa's legacy was never peace! That's what she wanted us to believe! But we all know the truth: the grounders are savages, and the only way we can survive on this Earth is by taking control!" some members of the Council start cheering in agreement, but their exultation is soon interrupted by the sound of another loud voice.

"Oh yeah, cuz we’d be so much better at controlling the whole territory! Peace has always been our specialty, hasn’t it?!" Clarke shouts in a sarcastic tone while her mother tries worthlessly to stop her.

"Clarke..."

"No, mom!" Clarke stops her, not giving Abby the time to ask her to calm down.

There's no way she's staying quiet as Pike talks shit about Lexa and Aden! Plus, what the man is saying is completely insane, and she has to try and talk some sense into him and his followers.

“Can we at least try and be civil about this? Please.” Abby asks both her daughter and the rest of the representatives.

Clarke is still fuming, but she knows her mother’s right. Shouting and arguing won’t get them anywhere. If she wants to defend Lexa’s legacy of peace, she needs to be willing to have a peaceful discussion with her people. With a deep breath she calms herself down, before speaking again. This time in a calm and controlled manner. “Look, what I’m saying is that you need to think this through. You really wanna throw yourselves into a fight you cannot win? The grounders know these lands like the back of their hands, this is their home. But what about us? We’re outnumbered, and we don’t know the lands. There could be traps anywhere, and we wouldn’t even see them coming. There's no way we’d make it out of that war alive."

"So, what do you suggest, kiddo?" Pike spits out. If his intentions are to upset Clarke, it’s definitively working. "We just do as they say like good allies? What assurance do we have that this new Commander won't betray us like the last one?"

“Lexa’s already made up for what happened at Mount Weather. Or did you forget what happened during the war against the Ice Nation? Wasn’t that enough proof of her loyalty?” Clarke asks trying her best not to lose her temper.

"Proof of her loyalty?" Pike accompanies these words with an amused laughter. "She betrayed one of her clans to protect another.”

“Ok, first of all, it was Azgeda who betrayed her, and all of the Coalition, by attacking us. Lexa’s never betrayed anyone; she just did what every other Commander would’ve done: protect the majority of her people.”

“You see, Clarke, at the end of the day, the Ice Nation... Lexa... the new Commander… They're all grounders.” Pike looks directly at the representatives who are on his side before concluding. “They're all the same. Savages who don't care about anything other than their own survival!" He shouts the last part gaining murmurs of approval from the others.

It’s clear he’s trying to get some kind of reaction from Clarke. He’s provoking her on purpose, but she knows better than to give him the satisfaction of seeing her losing control again.

"And do you think Skaikru is any different?" Clarke asks calmly, making sure to make eye contact with everyone in the room, because she wants them all to see the truth. "You just said you want to take control, because you think that’s our only chance at surviving." She finishes staring straight into Pike's eyes.

"On the Ark, we did unspeakable things to survive. Think about how many people were floated, how many kids were arrested, or how many families were destroyed. And ever since landing on Earth, we’ve gotten even worse. Hundreds of Grounders died at our hands, and you know that. We are just as savage as they are when it comes to ensuring our survival.” Clarke is both glad and surprised to hear these words coming from Kane. A little support is exactly what she needs.

"And without those savages, as you like to call them, we wouldn't have made it in the fight against Nia's army. If it weren’t for Lexa and her army, there’d be no Sky People left." Abby jumps in as well to show her support against Pike and his friends.

Clarke can’t help but smile widely at her mother for trying and defending Lexa’s honor. She’s glad not only has Abby finally accepted her love for Lexa, but she’s also loving her herself, in her own kind of way.

The room grows quiet, but it’s only a moment before Pike speaks again. "Almost all of my people were killed by the grounders inside Mount Weather, I won't-"

"Ok, let me stop you right there!” Clarke stops him before he can finish. “Again, it was the Ice Nation, and not the whole Coalition. You can't punish all the grounders for the actions of one clan only. If anyone is to blame for those deaths, it’s Queen Nia. And in that case, justice has already been made. She's dead. It's over." Clarke does her best to remain calm, but his attitude is really getting on her nerves.

"Oh, I have just begun to make justice for my people. But don't worry, little girl…" Pike mocks her once again, making her want to wipe away that smile from his face with one fierce slap. But at Kane and Abby’s silent request, she lets him finish. "I have no intention of hurting innocent people. I'll just kill this Commander. And the next. And the one after that. Just like I did with Lexa."

If Clarke wasn’t too shocked to react, he would’ve definitely gotten a knife straight through his heart. She can tell everyone in the room is now staring at her, but she’s paralyzed. To be honest, she’s not even sure whether her heart is beating or not. Although the worried look on her mother’s face let’s her know that she must’ve gone pretty white.

Seeing as Clarke doesn’t show any sign of reaction, Pike uses the opportunity to conclude. "Without a leader keeping them together, the clans will destroy themselves, and I won't have to do a thing to take control of all of those people."

He can barely finish the sentence that Clarke throws herself at him. She’s holding Lexa’s knife fiercely in her hand, and if it weren’t for her mother and Kane’s hold on her, she would’ve stabbed him already.

"You son of a bitch! How could you?! She was here fighting for our people! She was protecting us!" Clarke yells as she struggles to free herself. "Let go of me! Let me go! He deserves to die!” She keeps shouting.

"Clarke..." Abby tries to calm her down pointlessly.

"Guards! Arrest this traitor!" Kane orders as Clarke keeps screaming, and shouting, and kicking furiously. "Abby, please, get her out of here." Marcus asks. “Joseph, help her, please.” He demands to another guard when he sees how much Abby is struggling to keep a hold on her daughter.

"No! Let go of me! I'm not going anywhere!" Clarke tries to fight against those two strong arms forcing her out of the room, but the man is way stronger than she is, and all she can do is yell at Pike one last promise as they are both taken away. "This isn’t over! I will come for you, and I will kill you! Blood must have blood!"

With that the meeting is called to an end, and everyone leaves the room. Kane goes to make sure Pike is put in an isolation cell, while Abby follows her daughter to her old room. By the time they get there, Clarke is no longer screaming nor kicking, but her mother can tell she’s still fuming with rage. That’s why she offers

“I think it’s best if I stay with you for tonight…” Abby knows all too well that Clarke is actually capable of killing Pike, especially now that she’s so angry. That’s why she wants to stay with her, to make sure she doesn’t do anything she’s going to regret later.

But Clarke isn’t having it, and she practically kicks her out of the room. "Leave me alone! Get out!"

“Clarke…”

“I said get out!”

Clarke needs some time and space, Abby understands that. It’s just that she’s worried about what her daughter is going to do with that time and space. But she also doesn’t want to upset her any more, so with a defeated sigh she leaves the room.

As soon as Abby’s gone, Clarke lets go of any control she had left. Anything within her reach becomes the object of her outburst. She literally pours out her anger all over the room, throwing and smashing everything around her. When, at last, she runs out of object to destroy, she stops at the center of the room to take a look around. The mess around her matches the mess that she is right now. She’s breathing heavily, and she can feel the tears forming in her eyes.

I'll just kill this Commander. And the next. And the one after that. Just like I did with Lexa.

Pike’s words resonate in her head, as she falls down on her knees and starts sobbing. The scene is so heart-wrenching even a heart of stone would break at that sight. But unlike when she was sobbing over Lexa’s dead body, this time it’s angry tears that are falling down her cheeks. She's angry because Lexa was there to protect her people, and one of them killed her. She's angry because it was all her fault: if it wasn’t for her, Lexa’s would’ve never chosen to protect Skaikru. She's angry because, had she paid more attention, maybe she could've seen it coming, and she could've stopped Pike before he could do anything. She's angry because how is that fair that he gets to live and Lexa doesn't? She's just… so angry. With everything and everyone.

----------------------------------------------------------------

No one comes to disturb her until the next morning. Clarke is still curled up in her bed when she hears someone unlocking the door. Of course, they’ve locked her in. She was so upset last night she didn't even notice the door was locked as soon as her mother left the room. When the door finally opens, she doesn’t move. She’s facing away, but she stills recognizes her mother by the sound of her footsteps.

“I got you something for breakfast…” Abby says as she sits on the bed next to Clarke.

“I’m not hungry.” Clarke states as she finally sits up to look at her mother. She can tell Abby is trying to decide whether or not she should insist, and she’s glad when her mother puts the tray aside and gets up.

Clarke looks at her silently as her mother starts cleaning up the mess in the room. She’s glad Abby doesn’t ask her what happened, although she guesses it’s because her mom already knows. It’s the thing about mothers, right? They can always read through their kids. Or so they say. In reality, there are so many things they don’t understand. But this time Abby understands all too well. It’s no news that Clarke was angry and upset the night before.

After 10 minutes of work, everything is back into place, and all the fragments of the smashed objects have been put into a bin by the door. When she’s done tidying up, Abby takes a look around the room with a satisfied expression, and then she goes to sit in a chair beside Clarke's bed.

"There was supposed to be a Council meeting this morning to decide Pike's fate. But Marcus and I suggested it should be you to choose what to do with him." Abby doesn’t sound very convinced then she utters the last part, and Clarke guesses it’s because she already knows what her choice will be.

"I said I would kill him, mom. And I meant it. He killed Lexa." Her voice cracks when she says this last part.

"There are many ways for him to pay for what he did, Clarke."

"Blood must have blood."

"That's one of the options.” Abby moves to sit on the bed and she gently takes hold of Clarke's hand before continuing. “But... Is it really the one you wanna go for? Clarke, if you kill him, you’ll be just as bad as he is. And it won't make the pain go away."

"Well, maybe I don't wanna be better than he is." Clarke says as her eyes fill up with tears.

"Clarke..."

"I've tried to be the good guy, mom. Ever since we got here, it’s all I’ve been doing. I've always considered death and murder to be the last option, and look where it got me. Every single time, I ended up paying the price for my benevolence. So, what's the point of being good and merciful if it only brings you pain and loss?" She's not even sure whether the question is for her mother or for herself.

"And what's the point of vengeance then? Doesn’t it only bring around pain and loss as well? It won't bring you peace, that's for sure." Abby pauses a moment waiting for Clarke to meet her eyes again before continuing. "Killing Pike won't give you Lexa back. And you'd only be adding one more person to the list of people who've died because of you."

"But at least he deserves it!” Clarke cries out as a tear falls down her cheek. “Lexa's dead, mom! She's dead because of him! How is it fair that he gets to live and she doesn't?!"

"But that's the problem with life, honey. It doesn't give a shit about fair. Things happen… people die... and the good and innocent ones happen to die more often than the bad ones actually.” She stops a moment to wipe away a tear from Clarke’s face. “Clarke… life isn’t fair. But it also gives us a choice when something bad happens to us. We can choose to remain good, or we can become just as bad as the ones who've wronged us."

Abby can tell her daughter is still not fully convinced, so she tries with the one thing she knows will get to her for sure. "Look, why don't you ask Lexa?" As she was hoping, Lexa's name seems to do the trick, and she can see Clarke is now giving her her full attention. "You can still go to the City of Light, right? Then why don't you ask Lexa what we should do with Pike? If anyone deserves to make that choice, it’s her. She's the one Pike killed. You wanted a fair payback? Well, I think it's more than fair to let her be the one to choose how he's supposed to pay for his crime. Don’t you agree?"

Clarke hesitates for a moment, but Abby can tell she's actually considering this last option. And she reads the decision in her eyes before Clarke can even voice it out loud.

"Okay. I'll talk to her."

[freedom-of-writing]

You’re all I want, all I need

Chapter 1 - I’m ready now

Chapter 2 - The 13th clan

Chapter 3 - Soulmates

Chapter 4 - Your enemy is our enemy

Chapter 5 - Costia

Chapter 6 - The calm before a storm

Chapter 7 - Hurts like hell

Chapter 8 - Shouldn’t be a good in goodbye

Chapter 9 - The Conclave

Chapter 10: The City of Light

Chapter 11: Swim Away From Reality

Chapter 12: Not Good Enough

Chapter 13: The Ascension Ceremony

In the main square of Polis, the crowd is already waiting for the arrival of their new Heda. Everyone is standing in front of a large platform built for the occasion. On the platform, there are 13 chairs, one for each member of the Coalition, placed on the right and on the left of the Commander's throne. They're positioned in a wide semicircle, and the leaders are already sat in their places, waiting for Aden to make his way up. Actually, all the leaders except for Marcus Kane. Technically, he’s the one supposed to represent Skaikru, but both him and Abby have decided to let Clarke take his place for the occasion. They thought Aden could use the support of a friend during the ceremony.

Since Clarke was with Aden when Titus came for him, she didn't have time to precede him to the main square. So, pushing her way through the crowd, Clarke manages to reach the platform just before Aden does, gaining a suspicious look from everyone as she takes her seat. Thankfully, though, Aden climbing up the platform brings everyone’s attention back on him, and no one makes comments about her being late. As soon as Aden is standing in front of them, all the leaders move from their seats to kneel down before their commander. At that Aden responds with a small bow of his head, which counts both as greeting and as permission for them to get back up. When everyone is back on their feet, Aden turns around to face the crowd, who is clapping and cheering for him.

It’s time for his ascension speech. The boy does his best to look stoic, but Clarke can tell he’s quite nervous. Taking a deep breath, Aden raises his hand to ask for attention. As soon as the square grows quiet, he begins. "People of the 13 clans, it is an honor for me to be standing here as your new Commander. I feel even more honored to be given the chance to continue what Lexa has started. She was by far the greatest leader we've ever had. I think we can all agree on that. Lexa kom Trikru was a visionary: she believed traditions are important, but she also wasn’t afraid of changing them for a greater good. During her time as Commander she managed to unify all of us under one Coalition. Enemies became allies, and together we became stronger. Lexa was wise, compassionate, strong, and she wasn’t afraid of making the hard decisions. I can't promise to be an equally great leader, but everything I know about leadership I've learned from her. And I do promise you that I will do all my best to rule as smartly as she has." As the crowd cheers, Aden pauses and turns to look at Clarke with a smile on his face. Clarke doesn't understand the meaning of that smile until he continues.

"Wisdom, compassion, and strength. These are the three pillars of being a commander. That's what every Natblida is taught during their training to become Heda. But there’s one more pillar Lexa taught us by her example: that of love. Our oldest traditions say that to be Commander is to be alone, but that’s not true.” No one makes a noise this time when he pauses. They're listening carefully to see where he's going with this.

“We are just kids when we're taken away from our families. Our lives, our friends, our homes. All of that is left behind, and we're left with nothing but ourselves when we get here in Polis. The tower becomes our new home then. The Commander and Fleimkipa become our guides. Somewhat like our parents. The other Nightbloods become our family and friends. That love is what keeps us going, what gives us the strength to live away from our dear ones, and what makes us work hard to be ready to take command one day. A Natblida is never alone, and neither should be a Heda.” This time light murmurs fill the crowd, and Aden needs to raise his hand to have everyone’s attention again.

“I know you must be wondering why I’m telling you all this. It's simple, really. As your new Commander, my first action is to change those traditions. From now on, love is going to be the first pillar of being a commander, and leaders will no longer be judged unfit to command just because they've opened their hearts to another person. A commander who wants to marry will be allowed to do that. Because no one can be a good leader without knowing the notion of love. Do you know why Lexa was so much better than any other leader before her? Because she understood love is not weakness, and she loved her people more than anything. And so will I.” With that Aden turns away from the crowd to face the clan leaders who are still standing behind him.

Everyone in the crowd is looking at him in silence, wondering what else he’s going to do. The leaders look confused, and a bit worried. Changing the traditions won’t be easy, Aden knows it. But he has to do it for Lexa, for himself, and for all the leaders to come. So, with a deep breath, he does what no other commander has publicly done before him: he bows to his people. The clan leaders look at him in shock. Clarke is the only one who doesn’t seem surprised, but that’s because she’s lived this moment before. With Lexa.

As if the scene alone wasn’t already bringing back all the memories of that day, Aden begins to utter the exact same words as Lexa. But this time they are directed to all the clan leaders and not just to her. "I swear fealty to you, members of the Coalition. I vow to treat your needs as my own. And your people as my people."

When he's done, Aden remains knelt down and moves his gaze up to look at Clarke. He knows how much those words mean for her. He knows Lexa said them before him, because it was Clarke herself who has told him about the vow, and how Lexa had bowed before her. So, he is not surprised to find tears running downs Clarke’s cheeks, just like he's not surprised when she moves forward to help him up to his feet. Aden doesn't hesitate before taking her hand. It's not a sign of weakness, not anymore.

"Heda." Clarke addresses him with his new title when he’s back on her eye level, and then she bows to him. It feels a bit off to be calling that someone other than Lexa, but she’s going to have to get used to it. Even though acknowledging Aden is the new Commander makes Lexa’s death even more real. It is like coming to the realization that the world has moved on, while she is still having a hard time coming to terms with the truth. Because, honestly, how do you move on from the love of your life?

As Clarke kneels down right in front of Aden, all the other clan leaders follow her cue and bowing to their new Heda. When the formalities are over, Clarke and Aden move to their seats, and them and the leaders sit down on their chairs. That's when the crowd explodes into loud cheers and applauses for their new young leader. Aden doesn't stop them this time, and he just waits for everyone to calm down and grow quite again. When silence takes over the main square, Titus moves on the platform to announce the ceremony is over, and to invite everyone to the feast in celebration of Aden’s ascension.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Right after the ceremony he had to perform his duties. First, the feast, where basically all of his people came to congratulate him one at a time. So, pretty much he spent two hours watching everyone eating and drinking, while all he could do was waving, smiling, and nodding in appreciation of people’s respects. Then, he had to take part in four different meetings, without any break to go get something in his stomach. After that, there was the paperwork, an incredible amount of paperwork that needed to be done. It's impressive how Lexa made it all seem so easy, while in reality it's mostly boring and exhausting.

Even meals are boring apparently. When he finally gets the chance to eat something at the end of the day, he finds himself all alone in the big dining room. The only company he has is that of a servant who brings him the dishes, without ever uttering a single word. This was just his first day as Commander, but Aden already misses the good old times when he'd eat with the Nightbloods, or with Clarke and Lexa. Speaking of Lexa, if only she could be here to help him out a little. When he comes to theory, he knows everything about leading the Coalition, but on more practical terms he still finds himself a bit at a loss. Imagining what Lexa would do in his position is helpful, but it would be so much better if he actually got the chance to ask her for advice.

He's so tired by the time he finishes his dinner, he doesn’t even realize he's going the wrong way and, instead of heading to his quarters, he's going to his old room. It’s the sound of loud laughter that brings him back to reality, and that's when he recognizes where he's standing at. For a moment, he considers turning away and going to his new room, but the voices of his friends convince him to knock on the door and get inside. As soon as he steps into the room, all the kids rush to him to bring him into a tight group hug. They're all cheering and congratulating him, and Aden is so moved by their words that he's only seconds away from crying.

"Hey, guys. How was your day?" Aden asks, swallowing back his tears.

"How was our day?! You mean how was your day, Heda!" Skye interjects excitedly.

"Well… let's just say I've had one hell of a day." He jokes, making everyone chuckle.

"I bet you did."

“Clarke.” Aden says surprised to find her there. Somehow, he’s missed her presence when he got into the room. And not just hers apparently. Marcus and Abby are there as well.

"We were just having a nice chat with the kids, but we can leave now." Kane says when he notices Aden's surprised look. None of them were expecting the boy to come over, honestly, but he understands he must've wanted to be with his family after the long day he had.

"Oh, no, it's fine. You can stay. We can chat altogether." And with that everyone goes back to sit on the floor.

They talk for hours about everything and anything, and when everyone but the adults, Clarke and Aden have fallen asleep, Abby and Kane leave to go back to their room. Carefully, Clarke and Aden put all the kids into their beds before sitting together on what used to be Aden's one. They stay quiet for a long time, the boy's head resting on Clarke’s shoulder. At last, it is Aden to break the silence.

"I really miss her, you know?" He whispers, knowing Clarke understands perfectly who he is talking about. "I just wish she were still here to show me what is the right thing to do."

"Yeah… I get that feeling a lot too." Clarke hesitates a moment before asking. "If... If I told you I saw her... Like, last night... Would you believe me?"

Aden raises his head and turns to look at her directly in the eyes to see if she's playing with him or something. But Clarke is looking at him in all seriousness, so he responds with a curious rise of his eyebrow.

"But… how's that even possible?"

"With a chip...” Aden gives her a very confused look, so she tries to explain. “It's a sort of key to another world, a virtual reality where there is no death. Look, it's difficult to explain, but it-"

"What… You mean like some sort of vision in your dreams?" He interrupts, trying to understand.

"Well... Yeah, sort of..."

"And what did she say?"

"That she's proud of you." Of course, Clarke knows exactly the kind of answer Aden is looking for. "Aden, you can't even imagine how proud she was to know you are the new commander."

"And what about the Conclave? Was she mad that we went against the rules to save the kids?”

"No. Not even a little." Clarke smiles remembering Lexa's words. "Actually, she told me she's always wanted to change those stupid rules, and she was really glad no one had to die in the Conclave." Her smile turns into worry when she notices Aden's eyes are filled with unshed tears.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it’s… it’s stupid.” Aden says turning away in shame.

“Is it though?”

“It’s just that... I don't wanna disappoint her." He states looking back at Clarke and with a voice so small it makes Clarke emotional as well. In this moment, she realizes that Aden might be the Commander, but he’s also still just a kid.

"Aden..." She doesn't know what to say so she just moves forward to embrace him in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry..."

"Mmh?" She hums questioningly.

"I'm sorry if I'll ever disappoint you in the future. Any of you. I really want to be a good Heda for all of my people."

"And you will be. I know you'll make us nothing but proud." She says before breaking the hug to kiss Aden lovingly on his forehead. "Get some sleep now, Heda. It's been a long day."

"Will you stay with me?" He sounds so much like a little kid tonight rather than a Commander of 13 clans.

"Always." She whispers lowering both of them to a lying position on the bed. “Reshop, Heda.”

“Reshop, Clarke.”

Aden is fast asleep before Clarke can even cover the both of them with some blankets. When she sets her head on the pillow next to his, she can't help but smile at the sight of his peaceful sleeping face. Suddenly, she becomes aware of just how tired she is as well, so she lets sleep take over her features. But of course, there’s one last thought on her mind before sleep overcomes her.

Lexa.

Reshop, ai hodness.

Chapter 14: Clarke vs. Pike

[trueheda]

IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE FOR “ CANON ” O ---

characters that are not in the show put are part of her main storyline: @azgona ( ursa ), @youngcst ( nova ), &. @challengedloyalty ( sven ). also if she’s referring to any backstory regarding roan you can highkey bet its @kingroun.

since the verses aren’t updated here’s a quick few things you need to know.

ontari was born and bred in azgeda she grew up with the royal family and has no memories of a family prior to them. she was taken in the winter between the ages of 4/5 years old, and was placed into a semi-isolation for the first month where her only contact was with nia, the man that would become her trainer and roan. as a result she grew an attachment to all three figures and nia making herself the figure that would bring the child everything she needed ( a coat when she got cold, food when she was hungry ) made it so that ontari’s subconscious regarded nia as a savior and sort of godly figure really early on. 

she spent most of her childhood training in political affairs as well as a more strenuous version of the typical warrior training that a child has to endure.  he became very attached to the man that trained her as a result, as well as nia who often participated in or would observe the training sessions. her #1 goal became pleasing the queen even at an early age. she was more than anything in a position of a servant mixed with that of a ward while she was at the palace, those around her would regard her as almost the extension of the royal family, however those that were allowed in the inner circle for ontari’s training and nia herself would often treat the girl as more of a servant for the queen, starting at a very young age ( six / seven ) ontari endured various forms of torture when she stepped out of like and tricks to cause her to become dependent on nia’s approval including isolation practices, almost ritualistic entrances when regarding the queen and food deprivation until she submitted to what nia said. by the time she was ten it was impossible for ontari to doubt that nia was doing anything wrong. 

forming a strangely close attachment to the royal family wasn’t difficult either, while roan was her first contact with anyone outside of those that gave her orders, seeing as their age gap differed immensely the two formed a very strong protective sibling-like bond. they were very close when ontari was younger, however after her completion of her warrior initiation at the age of fourteen she started to distance herself from roan his views contradicted that of the queen and her own so often that ontari in sort of a form of rebellion agaisnt him put a bridge between them. one that only started to melt until after their reunion ( season 4 alt. ). 

nova however was a fairly different story, she was introduced to the boy after roan, and basically expected to get along with him almost straight away, due to the closer age separation than that of his older brother it was easier for them to relate on a day-to-day matter seeing as their training stages were often closer together etc. the children got along splendidly and often would play together in the palace, it was never official, but it was expected by all those in the palace that they marry once they were of age. solidifying azgeda’s connection to natblida’s and the heda position in polis. ontari almost as a joke would even call nova fiancee when she got a little older, she however never quite took it too seriously. unlike her relationship with the older brother, ontari has never felt right pushing nova away even though their views no longer seem to align on many matters. 

after lexa pushes the azgeda commander out the fucking window ( * which really should have started war with azgeda right then and there considering the negative amounts of chill the clan has ) he is replaced with ursa who was raised learning politics near ontari, the two work together splendidly and her position is solidified when ontari takes up the heda position temporarily durring season three despite not having ascended. she shares most of her fears with ursa and thus the woman becomes a sort of friend/fwb to ontari, they are close, but not enough for it to be considered dangerous politically --- and most of the other ambassadors are fully aware of what is occurring between them. 

the story then follows season three canon up until ontari’s death (* which i will note idaf how long show canon says it is between the ep where ontari rapes murph and then murph gets reunited with emori which are like 1 ep apart in show i imagine a few weeks [ literally two ] have passed just saying ), while she does suffer brain trauma, has her chest cracked open by abby and has her heart pumped by murphy. 

------ it is important to note that prior to the season 4 release the story changed here and she was then taken prisoner by skaikru for a few months in order to ensure that she would not be dangerous if returned to azgeda and/or her position of power and in which her bond with @viiduus formed but seeing as the show started off immediately after s3′s finale and left no room for this plot it is now the canon story for the threedivergent arc rather than the main canon arc.

after which she is thought of as dead and basically left open laying on the floor as skaikru plans shit out. nightblood however has a stronger property than ours does, and the manual pumping actually allowed for enough circulation to start up the heart again at an extremely short pace, when a healer is sent up to recover her body he finds that she is still alive, sets her ribs, closes her up and tells the king ( which is now roan ) that she is alive * and not quite well but alive. she then spends up until s4.e5 recovering by herself in the room, with occasional visits from roan whom other than the healer is the only one aware that she is still alive. at which point she is better enough ( aka they can confirm she wont die at any moment ) to be able to tell a close group of individuals that she is alright including echo, ursa, nova and sven.

 sven is essentially one of ontari’s most trusted people, out of those she considers close, he has the closest way of viewing the world to her and she values that immensely. they are friends, though like ursa their relationship borders on fwb more often than not. they are extremely close and ontari trusts him with her life, which is probably why other than roan he’s the only one that she will actually allow cme to see her for a little while after they are told that she’s okay.