Sacrifice
'Something's wrong.' Bellamy whispered.
He was sat in engineering, his leg twitching nervously. Pike had promised to be fair with Clarke but she had broken into Arkadia twice now and she had turned actively against her own people. Monty was pacing anxiously around and another guard was with them, who had trained under Pike when they were in Azgeda territory.
'What?' The guard asked.
'Clarke doesn't back down.' Bellamy muttered, almost to himself. 'It was too easy.'
Clarke lips pursed into a thin smile as her arms were handcuffed to a low hanging railing in one of the empty rooms that she had been brought into. There was nothing in this room and Clarke knew why; it was now an interrogation room for unofficial interviews. Octavia and Murphy had probably been brought here. She hoped with all her heart that they were still alive and hadn't been taken to their deaths. Bellamy would have protected Octavia and Murphy had never done anything to suggest allegiance to Lexa and the clans. She hoped that would be enough to keep them safe.
Two guards stepped back from her once she was secure and the door closed behind Pike as he stepped in, wearing a look of a triumph.
'Clarke Griffin,' he greeted, 'it has been a while.'
'Not long enough, really.' Clarke sighed.
Pike gave a soft chuckle.
'You always had spark. Even when you were wrong, you were convinced you were right.'
Clarke remained silent and Pike stepped closer to her so that he was only several centimetres away. His eyes were bloodshot; he wouldn't have slept when the demands of leadership were so high and Arkadia was falling apart around him.
His breath was cool against her face but Clarke's gaze never deviated from his eyes.
He sighed, almost as if in defeat.
'Tell me Lexa's plans.'
Clarke offered only a smile.
'The grounders sent a messenger saying that if we did not release our prisoners then they would attack.' Pike spat. 'The Commander-'
'Our Commander.' Clarke corrected. 'Skaikru are the thirteenth clan.'
'We reject the Coalition!' Pike shouted, furious.
'I do not.'
Pike's face tightened and Clarke was sure it was taking a good deal of effort for him not to begin screaming at her.
'We are not releasing the prisoners.' Pike said. 'They know of Arkadia's design and protocols. They cannot leave and the grounders have no right to attack us.'
Clarke gave a shrug of her shoulders. She rested her head against her right arm. Her arms were already starting to ache but she wore an expression of supreme ease and boredom.
'Clarke, we are your people. You can help us.' Pike pleaded. 'Lexa trusted you. You can tell us how to defend ourselves.'
She remembered a night when watching the Ark fall out of the sky had given her hope while they were facing slaughter by Trikru. She never expected her people to turn into this and to fill her with disgust and shame.
'I'm one of Lexa's people now.' Clarke replied.
'Then why did you spare the guard?' Pike challenged quickly.
Clarke gave a bitter laugh and leaned forward, pulling against her restraints.
'I'm Wanheda but I am not like you. I won't just kill somebody because I feel like it.'
'This plan is foolish, Clarke. Lexa has sacrificed you for nothing.' Pike retorted. 'I heard that some poor girl died years ago for loving Lexa. You will risk that same path when she so obviously cares nothing for you?'
The silence stretched on and it seemed to bounce off the walls as menacingly as raging bullets.
'I just don't understand you, Clarke. You were always an independent spirit. Wells couldn't hold you back from anything you wanted.' Pike said, tears forming but out of regretful nostalgia or frustration Clarke could not tell. 'You always went after what you wanted but you've walked in here to die- and for what? The grounders? Their leader's ego? We are not theirs.'
'I am not yours.' Clarke replied.
Pike looked down at the ground for a moment, shaking his head slightly and when his eyes met Clarke they were filled with regret and sadness.
'I have to protect my people, Clarke.' Pike said quietly.
'Trust me,' Clarke replied, with a bitter smile, 'if anyone understands then it's me.'
Pike reached to his belt and pulled out his shock stick. It buzzed and glowed in warning. Clarke eyed it warily. It had been threatened many times against her in the Sky Box but she had managed to escape its wrath, until today.
'You will tell me what you know of the Commander's plans.' Pike told her solemnly.
'I'll tell you nothing.' Clarke replied, her voice flat.
Lexa closed her eyes as Clarke's screams pierced through the tent. Indra and Titus remained silently behind her. Lexa felt tears roll down her face, no doubt smudging her war paint Clarke had told her to wear. Clarke had told her to be strong throughout all of this and she was haunted by the memory of Gustus telling her to remain strong before she snuffed out his life.
Lexa's eyes opened and she spun around to face Indra.
'Prepare the attack.' Lexa commanded.
'Heda-'
'Do as I say, Indra!' Lexa roared, already hurrying to the exit of the tent.
'Heda! Stop!' Indra demanded and Lexa froze at her defiance. 'I know you are worried but your emotions are clouding your judgement. You must trust Clarke.'
Lexa tore her gaze away from the exit and paced around the tent, grasping at the hilt of her sword as Clarke's cries seeped into every corner of the tent and of Lexa's soul. Clarke needed her; she was in agony. It was a foolish plan and she seethed that Clarke had manipulated this entire situation. Clarke would have known she would have fought this plan so Clarke merely gave her a code that would be uttered when Clarke thought the time was right to raise the army. She was Heda however, and she waited for no one.
'I know Costia's death haunts you. Her disappearance...and you could not help her.'
'I made a choice.' Lexa replied, her voice a dangerous whisper.
'You couldn't start a war over one person.' Indra reasoned.
'One of my people.' Lexa corrected, drawing to a stop in front of Indra. 'The woman I loved.'
'This is not history repeating itself. Clarke knows what she is doing.' Indra pressed. 'I have never given the girl as much credit as she deserves but Octavia told me always to trust in Clarke to defeat the Mountain Men because she always has a plan.'
'Reckless plans are Clarke's strong suit.' Lexa retorted coldly, remembering how Clarke foolishly tried to kill Nia. 'She's risking too much. She needs me.'
'And she has you, Heda.' Indra urged. 'Talk to her. Support her but let Clarke decide what she needs. It is her choice now.'