Chapter Text
Clarke stood brushing her horse, ignoring the bodies that were slowly being gathered and put on pyres. The sound of footsteps made her turn her head, she found Lexa making her way to her and turned back to the black mare that had been a gift shortly before leaving Polis. The footsteps stopped and a hand crossed her vision, resting on the horse’s forehead. She dared to look up to see Lexa feeding the horse one of the many fruits from Polis that had been packed.
“When will you name her?” Lexa spoke softly, her tone far different from the night before.
“Steltrona, I named her before we left Polis.” Clarke found green eyes on her, “one myth to another, Wanheda to Steltrona.”
Lexa gave a soft smile, “a fitting name, for only a girl who fell from the sky could catch a horse that couldn’t be caught.” She sighed before continuing, “you wished for peace and you have it, but know that another retaliation can’t go unanswered.”
“Pike’s a fanatic, he believes that the clans don’t belong and Bellamy is,” she shook her head as she paused her brushing. “He blames everything on me, because I left it’s my fault they got massacred. He said I chose the clans over my people, that everything I’ve done is not worth anything.” Clarke gave a soft huff and looked down, “I’ve given everything to them since we landed on the ground and everything continues to not be good enough. Apparently I truly am Wanheda,” she looked up to see Lexa’s concerned eyes. “Death follows me, when I lead people die.”
The leader took a step around the horse and stopped when she was only a foot from Clarke. “He is wrong, this was his doing and Pike’s. It’s true you have given everything Clarke and if they won’t accept that, then give no more. I have lead my people for six years, I have sacrificed too much for their well-being but seeing them housed, protected and thriving drives me to continue. Your people continue to dismiss this, they live recklessly seeking one war after another. They don’t thrive, they fight and take what they want. They are thieves, they’ve taken everything including your spirit, it’s broken because of them. Give no more and one day they will realize what they’ve done, that is the day you will return to them knowing they know they need you.”
“So I just return to Polis, live in luxury as your guest while they battle amongst themselves?” Clarke shook her head, “that’s abandoning them a second time.”
“Yes that is what I suggest, although not as my guest.” Lexa put her hand on the horse beside her while looking at Clarke. “Abandon them and in their greatest need, they’ll come for you. Sometimes the people don’t know what they need until they have nothing, that’s when they look to their leader. Bellamy will realize his mistake in time, his guilt will suffocate him until he realizes what he’s done isn’t for the people. He will change just as you have, he will turn on the one he follows and he will choose the leader that has always sacrificed for everyone.”
The blond thought for a moment, “we have an expression for that.” She looked up to see Lexa’s curiosity, “we give them just enough rope to hang themselves.”
“Skaikru expressions make no sense.”
Clarke gave a soft smile and looked up when Lexa put a finger under her chin. “What?”
“You should smile more; it suits you much better than the permanent despair that sits on your face.”
“Says the woman that constantly looks like she wants to kill everyone in front of her.”
Lexa gave a soft smile, “not you, never you.” She turned to the horse and patted her neck, “carry Wanheda well Steltrona, she is far more precious than you seem to deem her.”
Clarke rolled her eyes as she went back to brushing her horse, Lexa disappearing into her tent.
Once the bodies were burned and Indra was healed enough to move they began on their way. However, Clarke met Lexa’s eyes from where they stood by their horses. The leader knew Clarke had something to say and she dropped her horse’s reins to listen, knowing Clarke would speak when she was ready.
“What is it Clarke?”
“One last thing, you said Nia’s body was Skaikru’s did you not?”
Lexa gave a nod, “yes, why?”
“It’s just an idea I had.” The blond sighed, “take it to Arkadia and basically given them one final reminder of how badly they screwed up.”
“If that is your wish, you may.” She looked over at the warrior standing a short distance away. “I assume Octavia can assist you?”
“Yes.”
Octavia rolled her eyes as she helped Clarke carry the wooden plank that held Nia’s body, it was a stupid move but one that the girl felt was deserved. One huge ‘fuck you’ to those inside that had decided to harm her people and Trigeda were her people. “You know they’re going to have a field day with a random body.”
“That’s why I wrote a note.”
“What does it say?”
Clarke shrugged as much as possible given the body they were hauling. “Pike, you wanted Azgeda to suffer so here’s the body of the Ice Queen as proof they did. Now you started a war you can’t win, good luck when the bullets run out. Wanheda.”
“Does he even know who Wanheda is?”
“No but I’m sure Bellamy will tell him.” She watched Octavia’s eyes dull slightly, “Lexa won’t retaliate, she’s taking the high road and attempting peace. Pike doesn’t know that and neither does Bellamy, they’ll be driving themselves mad waiting for an army that isn’t coming.”
Octavia gave her a stunned look, “she’s attempting peace, after a massacre?”
“I told her that we’ll all end up dead if jus drein jus draun continues. We’ll attack them and then they’ll attack us and the cycle never ends, no one wins.” Clarke gave the girl a soft smile, “she’s smart, a visionary so she knows when to concede a battle to win a war.”
“Here we go.” Octavia nodded to the walls of Arkadia as they approached, “seems like the guards are already uneasy.”
Clarke and Octavia heard the call to halt and decided to leave the body at that moment. The blond put the piece of deer skin under Nia’s headdress and backed up, arms in the air as Octavia did. They backed up, facing the camp the entire time until they were far enough away that the bullets wouldn’t hit them. As promised, Lexa was in the trees with her escort and she had Steltrona waiting. Clarke climbed on the horse and waited, watching the camp.
The gates opened and both Pike and Bellamy exited, heading to the body. She saw Bellamy pick up the note and open it, reading the words on the deer skin. He looked up and surveyed the area, their position was well-covered so they weren’t seen. Bellamy handed the note over to Pike before speaking, the man surveyed the area as well before crumpling the note and aimed his rifle, trying to scope the area. When he put the rifle down he went back inside, Bellamy following.
“Wanheda?” Lexa’s voice questioned with the intensity of Heda.
“Gon Polis.” Clarke spoke in Trigedasleng and turned her horse to the forest, giving Lexa a nod.