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They were coming back.
Lexa and her warriors were coming back.
Why ? What new problem they had to face this time ? The level of Clarke’s stress was blowing the ceiling. She was tired, worried sick for her friends and worried that she had pushed the rest of her people to die to save the few. That’s when she saw the Mountain Man.
And not just a Mountain Man. But one without a suit. That left an unpleasant twist in her belly.
Then, she recognizes Emmerson, smug smile and evil glint in his eyes. That wasn’t a good omen and Clarke felt the dread spiked. She swallows hard and tries to keep her bearings.
Lexa’s face showed nothing and she knew there and then, that somehow, she was screwed.
- What’s going on ? Lexa ?
At the guilt she could see in Lexa’s eyes she knew.
She felt her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. Her breathing started to quicken.
No.
No, she won’t break now. She could not. Her friends, Bellamy, were counting on her. She forced her panic to take a step back and waited patiently for Lexa to tell her what was going on. Maybe she was wrong, maybe it was a ploy ?
- I did what you would have done. I thought with my head not my heart.
She felt like someone had just hit her in the stomach. She couldn’t breathe anymore. She just stays there, stunned, begging Lexa with her eyes to not do this. And then, Emmerson moved. And his arrogance and cruelty in her demise was all she needed to finally react.
- Wait, she growled in his direction before turning her attention to Lexa.
Enjoying the show very much, Emmerson, obediently delayed his action.
- What do you think you are doing Lexa ? Do you know what they will do to my people ?
- You have been very detailed in your description, answer the commander all calm and collected.
At this moment, all the affection she had ever felt for the leader of the coalition was gone. Replaced by an ungodly amount of anger. But her anger, even if turned toward her betrayed ally, was born from all the time she had been a pawn in everyone else’s games. This was just the latest one.
But it was one of too many. She won’t be a pawn anymore. She won’t let anyone walk on her. She won’t let other people's interest, selfish or not, decide for her or the remainder of the 100 fate. It was time to reverse things.
- Are you that naïve ? Do you think that they would keep their word ? That they would spare you ? After decades of looking down on you ? Treating your kind with nothing close to respect ? They will exterminate you ! You give them exactly what they wanted ! How can’t you see that !
But Lexa didn’t sway. She shows no doubt, nothing truly. An impeccable mask of neutrality and collection. And for that Clarke hated and admired her even more.
- What about my people ?
- I am afraid that wasn’t part of the deal. I am sorry Clarke.
That reindeer her speechless. Not the fact that her friends weren’t part of the deal, the Mountain Men would have never allowed anyone to take their key to freedom out of them. But the nerve of Lexa. Stated that she was sorry and yet, showing nothing of the sort. Promising her that grounders weren’t the way she and her people saw them and yet, doing exactly what her people warned her about. Lexa spent several days building her confidence in her leadership quality and trust in their alliances. SHE KILLED FINN FOR IT GOD DAMNIT ! And she took only a second to destroy it.
- You have no honor, she spat with venom.
That’s at least, give some reaction. Not that much, barely a thinning of her lips.
- You let your people die at Tondc to win a war you didn’t even try to fight ? Why Lexa ? What was the point ?
- To save my people. That was the point of our alliance.
- No ! That was MY point ! Your’s was to destroy the mountain ! To give your people freedom of their land ! To save ALL of them ! Not just a few that you thought were dead in the first place ! What about blood must have blood ? You just killed hundreds of yours in TonDc to save hundreds others ? That makes no sense Lexa ! So why ? What ? Being in front of the real threat gets you cold feet suddenly ? she finished with perfidy. Not so brave are we ?
That earn her angry hissing from all the warriors around. But Clarke was relentless, she had nothing to lose. She shrug off the arm Lincoln put on her’s to try to stop her.
- The truth hurts ? Give me one reason for all of this to make sense !
- The commander owes you nothing Skaigirl ! growled Indra.
- She owes me the life of your reapers ! she snarled back. And them, their very existence ! she finished pointing at Emmerson. And YET, I am the enemy ? Go float yourself ! You all are a band of coward who play pretend ! You said we are kids because we are not capable of adapting to this land in less than a few weeks when the survival’s skills of your kind are taught for years ! You are a nation of warriors, used to war but only to the one you think you can win ! she snarled with fury. We have known nothing other than peace and yet, she took a deep breath, my people didn’t hesitate to come and fight a war YOU thought impossible ! And we don’t fight for our entire nation here, but for 47 of them only ! So tell me, who is the coward here ?! Who is the fool ?!
- One more word girl and I cut your tongue, said Indra advancing on her until Lexa stop her with a raised hand.
- Violence is the resort of the wrong, Clarke retorted with a raised chin and wicked smile. You have no argument because you know I am right. And the only way to get me silent, is to threaten me or harm me.
Clarke chuckled darkly.
- That just shows your weakness. A kid can hit. It took so much more strength to actually deal with unpleasant things without it. You're not a nation of warriors, you are a nation of children. I am proud to be a Skaikru if that means I am never like you.
The silence that follows her tirade was deafening. Everyone was looking at her with hate in their eyes. Everyone but one. Lexa show hurt and thoughfulness. But she didn't care. None of them counted for her anymore. They were all waiting on the word from their commander to end her life. But Lexa won't allowed it. Clarke knew that even if she didn't let her times to deepen the reason why she knew it.
- Well, it’s not like it isn’t entertaining but the president is waiting here. So, if it’s all, stated Emmerson with glee, I think it’s time to move on.
On that, he turned around. Clarke’s glare fell on him and a snarl formed. The door wasn’t open yet but in a handful of seconds it will be and her people will be doomed. She will stay and probably die trying to save them. But at the end she would fail and her friends who were waiting on her, counting on her, would die an agonizing death.
No. She would not allow that.
All the hate, the anger, the doubt, the stress and hurt came crashing down on her and in a second.
She took her gun out and targeted Emmerson’s head.
A beat and she had pressed the trigger. Almost immediately his head exploded in a heap of blood and brain. The warrior who was the closest to him got plenty of it on his face. His expression could have been comical if it wasn’t for the circumstances.
His corpse fell with a light thud on the floor. Nothing could be heard outside of the hard breath of Clarke and the shock of the commander and her army. Clarke turned to the Commander and snarled with some dark glee, so unlike her :
- Now you have no other choice than to fight with me.
She turned around and took her place back in front of the metal door. Staring at it. Bellamy will find a way to get it open, she knows it. If not him, Raven will. Or Wick. Her people won’t let her down like she didn’t let them down. Even if she had to kill every grounder here, she wouldn't fail them.
She felt slightly better when she heard Lincoln take his place back at her side. He squeezed his shoulder in a show of support and she knew that she did the right thing. Lincoln was as much a peacekeeper than herself. If he approves her actions then she did the right thing.
- Go back to the tunnels Commander, we have a war to win.
She didn't know what Lexa said or did but she heard some shuffling and argument whispered harshly before, finally, hearing what she wanted. With a glance she checked that they were really heading to the tunnels and not turning on her.
Worry took her then. What made her think that another Emmerson won't show up with another deal ?
She turns to Lincoln and gauges him. His resolution was as steely as her’s. She meant it at TonDc when she said that he was her people. And she recognized then and now too, that he saw her as his leader. Probably more because of Octavia than anything but it was enough for her. He was her’s.
- Go with them, she instructed, and if any other Mountain Men show up, don’t hesitate, kill them. Don’t let them talk. Any deal is out of the question.
He nodded immediately and disappeared in a quick jog.
With that taken care of, she could breathe a little easier. She looked around her and saw Monroe. She beacon her. She was no fool and if she didn’t like putting the life of the people she cared about at risk, she knew, now more than ever, that her dying would have everyone of her friends killed. So she sucked it up.
- You're my new bodyguard, she said to her when Monroe reached her. Your only job is to keep me alive. Forget everything else.
If the responsibility scared her, Monroe showed little and took position, her back to Clarke. Watching not only their surroundings, but all of the grounders. She was aware of the hostility the move Clarke had just made was putting her in their bad book but she was proud of her. For the first time in a long time, she had a leader who would not abandon her. No matter what impossible task Clarke has to face, she will not stop until she has saved all of them or dies trying to. And no matter how the event turned out, in this moment, she felt great.
- Thank you Clarke, she said under her breath, to be the leader we all thought you were. But more than that, to care for us.
Clarke swallowed hard, emotion taking the best of her again. But this time, it was the great one type. In this tiny little thanks, she felt loved and cared for too, even if Monroe wasn’t conscient of it.
So what if their situation wasn’t better than a few minutes ago ? What if the door wouldn’t open ? They will find a way. Because they were together and because they cared. And if not, well… she would have tried. Wasn’t that all it counted at the end ?
Sharing a glance with Monroe she saw confirmation.
Yes, that was all that counted.
End