Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Pairing: Clexa
Rating: a-okay for Kiddies
They had attacked at dawn. Or at least they had tried to. When the army of the Twelve Clans had gathered in front of the gates of Arkadia, no warriors met them, and no gunfire sprayed into their ranks. Only an eerie silence met their thunderous battle cries.
After a few minutes of no retaliation or resistance, Lexa had one of her warriors scale the smooth metal sides of the guard towers and open the gate.
Inside, once again silence greeted them. Filled with unease, the Commander ordered her scouts in sharp Trigedasleng to spread throughout the rows of buildings and work stations, expecting some form of ambush.
When Clarke had not returned, the Commander had assumed she had been captured, meaning their arrival was to be expected. So, determined to see her declaration of war through, she had ordered the army to prepare and launch their attack. Being met with no resistance was disconcerting indeed.
Despite this, the Grounders had pushed forward, determined to see their mission to the end. Even though their primary objective was to lay waste to Arkadia, Lexa had a secondary mission. To save Clarke.
The girl was innocent and completely uninvolved with the attack on Indra's army. Her determination certainly had nothing to do with her affection for the girl, or so the Commander falsely convinced herself.
Reaching the large door to Arkadia’s main building, Lexa threw up her fist. The large mass of bodies behind her paused, limbs coiled and ready to spring at her command. With swift, silent hand motions the brunette directed her forces into a semicircle around the entrance. Two Seconds gripped the handles welded to the metal barrier, ready to yank the two slabs of alloy apart once everyone was in position.
Glancing around to each of her warriors, the Commander nodded as she saw their readiness. Signalling with a pointed nod to the Seconds, she readied her sword. The blade was held at a diagonal across her body, handle gripped with both hands, feet planted firmly just slightly past shoulder width apart. The Seconds adjusted their hands one last time, then, with an ungodly screech resounding through the camp, heaved open the blockade.
Inside was illuminated by bright flickering lights, casting their harsh glow over the inside of the station. No one was in sight. The metal vehicles of the Skykru were parked in an orderly fashion, and weapons lined one wall with crates of ammunition stacked the wall opposite. Sending scouts to investigate under and behind all of the vehicles and works stations brought no new signs of life.
Lexa was becoming worried, but her face gave no sign of her inner turmoil. Have they abandoned their base? She was quite certain they would never do such a thing. All of their technology and resources were still there, as well as their cars and weapons. If they hadn’t left, then where were they, and where is Clarke? Her heart clenched at the thought of the ambassador, and tried her best not to think about any of the many possible injuries the blonde may have sustained away from the Commanders side.
Moving deeper into the depths of Alpha station, the sound of voices could be heard. Her warriors were starting to struggle in maintaining position due to the narrow passages, but readjusted so two warriors flanked their commander with the rest walking in rows of three behind them. Coming to a stop just outside a set of doors, the commander stopped. The voices were much louder here, yet still quiet, as though there were a large group but all speaking in low hushed voices, creating a buzz that vibrated through the air.
Were they hiding? Waiting for her forces to enter to kill them? Sighing the brunette searched for anyway to gain some form of knowledge of the situation. Glancing around the hall quickly, her eyes caught sight of a ventilation shaft a few feet down from the door, positioned near the ceiling. Turning to look at her assembled warriors, she quickly picked out the smallest present, a second named Jas, and directed her to the vent.
“I want you to go in there and try to find a way to see what is happening. You must be quiet and quick. Report back as soon as possible.”
Lexa directed in a soft voice. Jas, nodded and shed most of her bulky armour, handing it off to her mentor, who squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, before boosting her up to the vent. With deft hands and a small knife, the young second pried the grating off the vent, and smoothly slipped inside.
Minutes passed, the voices in the room remained the same, with no sense of alarm present at all. No other Skykru had appeared thus far, which was odd considering how far her army had spread through out the base. After a solid ten minutes, Jas reappeared, sliding feet first from the small opening and jumping to the ground. The second looked confused with a touch of worry. Straightening, she gave her report.
“The Skykru appear to be very ill, Heda. Most, if not all seem to be in that room, a dining hall of some sort. Their healers seem to be struggling. I also could not see any guns from my vantage point.”
Lexa’s brow furrowed in confusion. What sickness could possibly hit Skykru this hard? And what of Clarke; could she be ill as well? Glancing at the door, she spoke her thoughts.
“And what of the ambassador? She came here before us in an attempt to negotiate. Did you see her?”
Jas shook her head.
“No, Heda. I could not see her.”
The Commander nodded and steeled herself in preparation of what was to come.
“Thank you, Jas. Please prepare yourself, and then we will enter the hall.”
Dismissed, Jas returned to her mentor to do as instructed. Lexa stood contemplating the best way to enter. After some deliberating she determined that the best way would be to go in, in a non hostile manner, and simply take control of the situation. As simple as it was, it had the least likeliness of bloodshed for both sides.
Relaying the plan to the rest of her forces, she gripped the edge of one half of the sliding metal panels. One of her warriors grabbed the other side and helped her pull. There was some resistance but it slid apart more easily than the one from the outside. Straightening herself, she entered.
A wave of warmth passed over her. The resulting build up of body heat from so many individuals in one closely packed room. Many Skykru lay on the floor, on tables, some sat in chairs and others slumped against walls. A counter, that looked as though it had been a bar, had been converted into a medical supply centre. Healers, clad in white coats, darted around the room, trying their best to keep their people alive.
The Commander felt a tug on her long coat. Turning, she found the face of Kane, weakened by sickness, staring up at her.
“Commander, what are you doing here?”
His voice came out in harsh rasps. Kneeling down, she leaned forward to hear him better. Switching to English with little difficulty, she answered.
“I have come to acquire justice for the Trikru, but it seems this illness has beat me to it.”
Kane’s lip quirked up at her joke. Before he could reply, his body was wracked by a coughing fit. He jackknifed into himself in an attempt to cough away from her. Once over he settled back against the wall.
“I know we deserve punishment for what has been done, but please help us so those responsible can pay the price, not the innocent.”
She nodded her agreement. Lexa understood this man better than any other Skykru, bar Clarke. He was a leader trying to find peace and stability for his people, but had been blocked from his goals. This she understood.
“I will try my best to adhere to your wishes. Now tell me, where is Clarke?”
Sighing in gratitude, he responded.
“She’s in Lockup with the ill grounders we took in before Pikes appointment as Chancellor. She was captured because Bellamy turned her in. I don’t know anymore than that.”
A sharp mixture of relief and anxiety flooded the brunettes body. If Clarke was with the ill grounders, chances are she also caught the sickness, but if she was in this Lockup, she most likely didn’t have much in the way of medical care.
“Thank you, my friend.”
She gripped his shoulder in what she hopes he would take as comfort before standing to survey the room once more. The grounders appearance had caused a silence to blanket the room as her warriors spread through out the space. Clasping her hands behind her back, she looked for any familiar face that would be able bodied enough to show her the way to Clarke.
After a few scans of the room, she spotted Clarkes mother, the former Chancellor, making her way over through the horde of sick people. To make the journey easier on the woman, Lexa moved as well to meet her in the middle. As she drew close, she could see the exhaustion in her eyes. Taking care of so many patients was taking its toll, and the brunette would be surprised if the healer hadn’t been infected with the illness as well. Her drive impressed the commander.
“Abi, how bad is it?”
She wanted to understand the situation better, even if it delayed her getting to Clarke. The healer sighed, a light cough invading the heavy breath near the end.
“Bad, it seems to be an advanced or mutated version of influenza. I’ve never seen an illness like this, not when we were on the Ark at least.”
The Commander nodded sympathetically. She understood the worry Abi held for her people, as well as the pain of not being able to protect them from all that could harm them.
“I will have a force of healers come to assist you.”
Pausing, she swallowed.
“Please, could someone take me to Clarke?”
Abi started, almost as though she just remembered her daughter among the confusion of the day.
“Yes, I’ll have Jackson take you, but he’ll need to come right back. Lincoln is with her. He should be able to direct you from there.”
Nodding in understanding, Lexa smiled in gratitude. Signalling for one of her captains, she ordered them to gather their healers to help the Skykru, while Abi called for Jackson. Having given orders to help where ever possible to her forces, she followed Jackson to Lockup.
The walk there was filled with silence. The younger healer was calm but obviously wary. He trusted the older Griffin, otherwise he wouldn’t be guiding her so willingly, but he also had some reservations about her and her people’s presence. Justly so. The balance of his obedience and caution was to be commended.
Reaching the cell, Jackson unlocked the door quickly, and bid her fair well in a quiet voice. Scanning through the chain links that made the wall of the cell, she could see her people laying on the floor and leaning against the cold walls, much like those of the Skykru in the dining hall. Swallowing the lump that had gathered in her throat, she entered.
At her entrance, eyes turned to her. Rather those that could. Many were too weak to even turn their heads, but at the moment she didn’t care. All that Lexa could think about was finding Clarke. Her gaze scored across the room, searching for the mass of blond hair that belonged to the sky girl that had earned the commander’s affection. A light tap on her shoulder interrupted her search.
“Heda, it is good to see you.”
Turning, she saw Lincoln, standing tall, and obviously unaffected by the disease. Nodding, her eyes continued to scan the area. Warriors had begun to enter the cell to carry their people from their prison, filling the room more, making it more difficult to search.
“She is over there, against the wall.”
Lincolns calm voice once again interrupted her search. His arm pointed to the back far corner. She nodded her thanks, hoping her eyes conveyed the gratitude she felt. She turned toward where he indicated.
“Careful Heda, she is not well.”
He called after her before returning to his task of helping his people. His words worried her. A lump took root in her throat, choking the brunette. If the dining hall full of ill Skykru was bad after only being exposed to the illness briefly, she feared to think what it would do to someone who had had a much longer exposure.
Worming her way through the slowly thinning warriors, she found her objective. The blonde was slumped against the wall, breathing shallowly. A thin blanket was wrapped around her shoulders in an attempt to keep out the cold. Beads of sweat had gathered on her forehead, creating an unhealthy sheen on her already pale skin. Lexa kneeled beside her, hand coming up to cradle her burning cheek.
“Clarke?”
Her voice was quiet, but the ill girl stirred slightly at the sound. ‘Good, she isn’t beyond waking.’ A breath of relief loosened the knot closing her throat. Brushing her thumb against Clarkes cheek bone, she tried again.
“Clarke, I need you to wake up so I can move you.”
That was untrue, but she’d much rather the blonde be awake, even for a second, just so she would know the girl was truly alive. Clarkes eyelids fluttered briefly before cracking open to reveal clouded, tired blue eyes. A brief spark of recognition flickered behind the haze of illness.
“Are you awake, Clarke?”
A slow wheezing groan, a combination of a sigh and a whimper, was her response. Lexa’s heart clenched, feeling physical pain at the sight of her love in pain. Wrapping the blanket tighter around the blonde’s shoulders, the brunette slipped her arms carefully around the other girl then lifted her with ease. The Commander gripped her possessively, almost as if, should she let go, the healer would disappear from her arms.
Exiting the cell, Lexa spotted Lincoln leaning against the opposite wall. He moved to help before his commander stopped him.
“Go help take care of the rest of our people, Lincoln. I can take care of Clarke.”
He nodded in understanding, then left to do as he was told. Once out of sight, Lexa gazed down at the girl in her arms. She was the picture of exhausted. The haze had returned to her eyes. It wouldn’t be long before she returned to the void of sleep.
"I will take care of you until this passes, then we will figure out this Pike situation together."
An almost imperceptible nod was her response before Clarke rested her head against the brunette’s chest.
“Rest well, Ai Hodness.”
The endearment was spoken in a soft tone, just below a whisper. Readjusting her grip, the commander made her way through the metal halls of the Ark, determined to care for the girl in her arms. She would not lose her love again.