So We Met Again
“Clarke kom Skaicru.” A voice hissed. She felt the cold metal of a blade against her throat.
“If you want to kill me then do it. Wanheda no mou. I’m so so tired… Just end it.” She could feel the owner of the knife hesitate.
“You wish for death?” An unfamiliar female voice demanded. Clarke nodded as best she could, opening her eyes to see Ontari straddling her hips. The girl was obviously conflicted. Clarke closed her eyes again and waited. She felt the weight of the new Commander leave her hips and the blade was no longer at her throat. Clarke opened her eyes to see Ontari by the door.
“You wish for death. I will grant you none. I will keep you alive to suffer, Clarke kom Skaicru.” Ontari told her before leaving. Clarke heard her bellow orders in tridgedasleng outside the room as blue eyes closed again.
Clarke and Elyza woke at the same time. It was a short scramble to figure out who was in control of their body. Both were quiet. Clarke wasn’t sure how to feel about her moment with Ontari and Elyza has seen somethings in her sleep that she was sure Clarke hadn’t shred knowingly. She had seen the beginning and end of Clarke’s relationship with Lexa and her heart ached for the girl she shared a head space with. This girl so kind and strong. She hadn’t deserved the cards she’d been dealt. Elyza sat them up slowly, the body was sore all over. Elyza was surprised to find them still breathing and no in the Z pit. Their hands were unbound and weapons intact as well. There was a fire burning in front of them, a fire obviously neither had lit. Elyza looked around confused.
“Are you ok?” She asked softly, feeling Clarke’s discomfort.
“I don’t know…” Was the lost sounding reply. Elyza nodded. She ached to be able to just hug this girl and tell her things would be ok.
“I’ll keep us safe. We’ll find her, I swear it.” Elyza promised. She felt the nudge that she took to mean a nod.
“You’re awake!” A voice from behind them exclaimed. Elyza heard hurried footsteps as the voice’s owner came and sat with them. Elyza froze and she felt Clarke stiffen as familiar green eyes met tormented and confused blue.
“Lexa..?” She heard Clarke whisper.
“Wha… Wh-who are you…?” Elyza managed to croak as she felt her throat tighten.
“I’m Alicia Clark. It didn’t look like you got bit or anything… But you fainted after killing all of those… Things…” The girl introduced. Both Clarke and Elyza were speechless.
“A-Are you ok..? You were just talking to yourself a few minutes ago… Did you hit your head…?” Alicia asked concerned. Elyza shook her head, being the first to recover.
“Why didn’t you kill me?” She asked. Green eyes filled with surprise.
“I-I…” Alicia hesitated. It was then that Clarke caught a glimpse of something familiar in those green eyes. She couldn’t put her finger on what and it was gone as quick as it had come.
“Hesitance can get you killed in this world love.” Elyza sighed, understanding. Alicia nodded, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her chin on her knee caps.
“There’s no way anyone as soft as you could survive so far on your own. Where are your keepers? Where are your people kid?” Elyza asked gently.
“I don’t know… We were rooting around for supplies… But then they came and we got separated… My brother and I were together but he got separated too… My family was on a boat… We needed supplies and then we were going to leave again… That was two days ago… They said if we got split up that they’d wait four days… They leave tomorrow and I don’t know how to get back… You look strong… I thought maybe if I couldn’t get back you could teach me to get through this… Or kill me… I wasn’t really sure which…” Alicia told her softly. Elyza watched her closely. She noted the bloody bat with nails pushed through the head that the girl carried. It was clear that she was timid and disliked killing. Perhaps it was karma for how Lexa had been in Clarke’s world.
“Fine. You can stay with me, but you’ll pull your own weight.” Elyza decided finally. Alicia nodded and seemed to relax.
“So where the hell are we?” Elyza asked.
“A building a few streets down… Night was falling and I could only get us so far…” Alicia explained. Elyza nodded rising to her feet. She stomped out the fire and extended a hand down to Alicia.
“Wh-What..?” Alicia asked confused, but let the blonde pull her to her feet. She grabbed her bat and allowed herself to be led. Elyza brought them back to her bike and straddled the black machine, waiting for her new companion to get on behind her. Slowly Alicia straddled the bike behind Elyza and shyly wrapped her arms around the others waist. Elyza grinned and Revved the bike, taking them back to the camp she’d kept set up from the day earlier. She parked and hid the bike before leading Alicia up to her camp at the top of the building. Alicia looked in awe at the view from their lofty perch as Elyza pulled up the ladder and hoisted her bike up to join them. The blond set about double checking the defenses and fortifications she’d set and then built a fire.
“Welcome home Princess.” Elyza announced to both Clarke and Alicia. She felt Clarke relax at the familiarity with their camp and Alicia relaxed as well, finally feeling safe for once.
“Look, this is how it goes. We look for food and supplies every three days. The rest of the time is spent killing Z’s. The goal is fifty a day. It’s a kind of population control at this point.” Elyza told her. Alicia gulped.
“I’ll teach you. We’ll be safe here.” Elyza promised, opening a can of soup she’d found a week or so ago. She cooked it over the fire and offered it to Alicia who took it and drank gratefully. Elyza cooked one for herself and watched her new companion. When they were finished she pulled out some blankets and as night began to fall they slept.
“Clarke.” A voice hissed. She felt a mug being held to her lips and let herself drink. The liquid was hot and bitter and Clarke tried to spit it up but felt a hand press firmly over her mouth and nose, forcing her to swallow. Blue eyes opened and met brown.
“You haven’t been eating. You need to drink the rest.” Ontari growled. Clarke tried to move but found her arms and legs bound firmly.
“I can’t have you trying to end it or hurt yourself. Now drink.” Ontari told her firmly. Clarke growled but had no choice but to finish the mug of bitter liquid. Ontari gently wiped her mouth and let her rinse the taste from her mouth with water. Then the girl left with an angry huff and tired blue eyes fell closed again.
Elyza rose with the sun and saw the fire was naught but a pile of ash. She was stretching when she heard a distressed whimper and saw Alicia squirming uncomfortably under her blanket. Elyza quietly padded over to her and crouched, resting a gentle but firm hand on the girl’s shoulder. In a blur, Alicia freed herself from the cover and had a knife pressed to Elyza’s neck, eyes wide with fear. Clarke recognized those eyes immediately.
“Lexa! She’s in there!” Clarke exclaimed. Elyza waited patiently for Alicia to wake up fully and Clarke saw the bright eyes of her lover fade into the softer green of Alicia’s as the girl dropped the knife and looked around confused.
“You’re alright.” Elyza soothed, rubbing gentle circles into Alicia’s shoulder with her thumb. Alicia nodded and stayed where she was for a few minutes before rising and stretching as Elyza had. After a brief breakfast that consisted of bread, Alicia helped Elyza lower the bike down the side of the building before following it down on the ladder which was then hidden. Elyza spent the day teaching Alicia about the easiest way to kill zombies. She took them to one of the Z traps so Alicia could learn with a lower risk of getting bitten in the process. The girl was still hesitant and they’d learned that guns were out of the question with her so Elyza focused on honing the girl’s swinging skills first and foremost. They returned to their base as night began to fall and dinner was soup again.
Clarke felt another mug being put against her lips and instantly shook her head, remembering the bitter juice from the last time. She heard a frustrated huff and opened her eyes, seeing Ontari kneeling next to the couch Clarke laid on.
“Please just drink it. It’s not the same as last time.” Ontari growled. Clarke narrowed her eyes but did as she was told. She was pleased this time to find it to be broth in the mug. Ontari seemed to relax slightly as Clarke drank.
“If this is such a pain for you then why don’t you just have someone else do it? Why not just kill me already? You must want to. Imagine the power you’ll get from killing the mighty Wanheda.” Clarke hissed. Ontari bristled, setting the empty mug down.
“Because as you are now, you are no Wanheda. And believe me. I want nothing more than to have you dead at my feet. But I cannot.” Ontari snarled.
“Why!” Clarke demanded, swelling angrily.
“Because she won’t let me!” Ontari roared, rising to her feet and leaving the room angrily, letting the doors slam behind her.