CHAPTER THREE: PRICES PAID

 DAKOTA SLOWED DOWN HER HORSE as she neared where Farm Station had crashed into the snow. Her brown eyes rested on the outline of the Rover parked in the distance, she flicked Hade's reigns as she saw Bellamy start to scout the Station from the cliff.

"The barn isn't empty," Miller said, his voice laced with concern. In an instant all of them crouched down, looking through their scopes, down at the two Azgeda warriors guarding the entrance of Farm Station.

"They moved in." Bryan stated angrily.

"That's why I'm here," The sound of another voice startled the crew, and Bryan turned around; his gun pointed up at Dakota.

They almost didn't recognize her. Her face was covered in black and white war paint. Her shoulders were covered in a thick white fur pelt, given by the King himself, but Bellamy immediately noticed the lack of crown on-top of her head.

"Long time, no see.. Bryan." Dakota smirked and got off her horse. "What are we looking at here, Bellamy." She asked as Bryan lowered pointed gun and turned around to face the cliff.

"Two guards on the outside," Bellamy stated as he handed her his gun. Dakota looked through the scope, seeing the faint fire glow coming from inside the station.

"If it's the same guys who attacked us, with our guns, we could take them." Bryan told them. Dakota sighed from beside him and handed Bellamy back his gun. His eyes met her own brown ones for a brief moment before he looked through the scope again.

"I'm sure we could, but we didn't come here to fight," Dakota replied, shutting down Bryan's idea but that only got her a dark glare. "They butchered us, killed kids, our friends, our families." Bryan snapped over at her, causing Dakota to return the glare. "Just because you've spent a couple of months with their king, does not mean you are one of them."

"I just haven't spent months with them, Bryan. I've been crowned Queen of Azgeda, I am one of them now."

"Look, all of us don't like this situation than you do." Monty says, agreeing with Dakota. "But she's right, we need that machine."

"Uh, guys?" Harper shakily called out. Everyone turned to look over at her, now seeing a Azgeda warrior pointing his bow and arrow at her head. Dakota stood immediately, pulling her sword out of it's sheath. Dealing with the Ice Nation held many possibilities and she knew that.

Bellamy followed her the second she took out her own sword, and guns were pointed while more Grounders made themselves known to the small group. "Weapons down. Now." Bellamy instructed all of them, "Now!" He demanded a little stronger while putting his own weapon on the ground.

Dakota's eyes darted around as they all put their weapons on the ground in front of them, but she was a bit reluctant. She locked eyes with Bellamy after Bryan started to lower his own gun, and Dakota swallowed, hesitantly placing her own weapon on the ground, but making sure to keep her eyes trained on the warriors in front of her.

Bellamy's hand reached for his pocket, until a grounder ordered him to stop, but he informed them that it was okay when he pulled out the token that Roan gave them. "King Roan of Ice Nation... sent us." The female warrior took the token and turned around to her followers, nodding ever so slightly.

Things changed for the worst as the woman knocked him to the ground with a flick of her hand, she yelled out, ordering for her crew to restrain each one of them and prepare to take them to the chief.

Not that long later, their hands were restrained and they were being dragged through the halls of Farm Station. An older man, what Dakota assumed was the Chief, stood by the woman from before, she shoved them onto her knees as the Chief examined the token.

"Where did you get this?"

"King Roan. Skaikru and Azgeda are allies. He sent us to get a part of the ship; a machine." Bellamy explained, and by the confused look on the Chief's face, Dakota wondered if they were even informed of the Coalition.

"King Roan hasn't returned to Ice Nation in three years." The woman leans into the chief. "The banished prince is not my king."

"Commander Lexa has fallen and so has the City Of Light." Dakota spoke, earning the eyes of the warriors in front of them. "I have a symbol of Azgeda royalty around my neck from the King himself. As the Queen of Azgeda, I demand you let me go and my allies." Dakota's stare hardened as the Chief nodded to the warrior woman and she approached, yanking the necklace off her neck.

The woman examined the token herself, "This could fake, we shouldn't trust these outsiders." She told the chief and handed the token over as he gestured for it.

His eyes wondered over the small token and his eyes flickered back up at Dakota. "Queen Nia wore this herself," He then looked over at the Woman. "Untie her."

The rope that bounded Dakota's hands were cut and the Grounder that stood behind her, grabbed ah old of her forearm; helping her off the ground.

"We came here for a machine. If we were trying to take this back, the knife in my boot would be in your chest by now." Dakota told him firmly, and the chief looked down at her, and then nodded to those behind her.

"Release them." The chief ordered his men and Dakota turned around, kneeled down beside Bellamy and took the knife out of her boot, cutting away his binds. "Aren't you glad you brought me?" She whispered, earning a grateful smile from Bellamy.

"Where is this machine for the King?" The chief asked them while handing Dakota back her sword with a nod.

       One of the Azgeda warriors lead the small group to where the Hydro-Generator was located. Bellamy trailed behind Dakota, who was walking along side of the Warrior. He didn't particularly like the idea of her making amends with the Ice Nation, but he also knew that having her along for this mission could get them less bloodshed, if that situation did happen.

He also didn't like the way the Azgeda warrior looked down on her when she wasn't looking. It was an almost blood-thirsty stare, and he could tell that these people weren't just part of the Ice Nation, they possibly could've been casted outside their clan from the way they weren't informed from Roan about the Coalition. These people weren't in the Ice Nation village or even Polis since Roan's banishment was lifted, and the former Queen was killed.

The group came to a halt outside of a door. Dakota looked back up at the man with furrowed eyebrows as she was unsure why they had stopped walking. She noted that he grew hesitant to reveal whatever was on the other side of the door. She briefly looked over at Bellamy, who stood beside her, and noticed her worried eyes.

She turned her head as the warrior had finally opened the door, and she immediately understood why he was so hesitant to open it. Dakota's eyes widened at the number of people that were still here.

They were captured, made slaves.

Dakota's shocked brown eyes darted around the room and saw all of their broken faces look up from their machines and at them, eyes screaming for help. She noticed how many young children were trapped in here, and her heart immediately sunk at the startled glances all of them shared when the Azgeda warrior yelled.

"Slaves, eyes down!"

Monty had spotted the generator in the distance and they all began to walk forwards, until Bryan stopped, seeing someone familiar. "Riley? Riley," He called in suprise, making his way over to a boy who's hands were chained to a table. "I thought you were dead!"

A man from Azgeda shoved Bryan back. "Only machine. The rest is ours." Bellamy grabbed onto Bryan's shoulder and pulled him towards the ladder.

Everyone was busy discussing what to do with the people that were trapped in here by the Ice Nation, but Dakota couldn't listen to any of it. All she cared about was the young children trapped in here. They were far too young to be in here.

Dakota moved back as a young girl, who was carrying a medal tin, walked through the group. Her brown eyes immediately locked onto a rough peice of fabric that fell to the floor and her boot stomped over it; dragging it towards her.

MOVING US TOMORROW. HELP.

She swallowed and looked back to Bellamy, who's eyes were already trained on what she was holding. "They're moving them." Bellamy murmured, while Dakota showed the others the note.

"It's now or never," Bryan said.

"Are there any other exits in here?" Dakota muttered quietly to Bryan.

Bryan shook his head. "No. This is completely sealed. Came down from space in here because it's the most secure room in the chip. It's designed that way in case the hydrazine blew."

Dakota immediately knew of the realization that covered Bellamy's face. "What?" Harper asked, noticing the look on his face as well.

"We have a bomb." Bellamy replies, making everyone look over at him.

"Wait a second. The end of the world is coming, and you want to destroy the one thing that'll keep our people alive?" Miller asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. Not all of our people, what about Riley?" Bryan asked him, hurt laced in his voice.

Miller didn't take his eyes off of Bryan's as he spoke, "I vote that we take it home."

"No, we blow it up."

"I'm with Bryan, I know what it's like to be locked up and afraid. You didn't leave us in Mount Weather, we shouldn't leave them here." Harper piped in, looking over at Bellamy.

"Can we build another machine?" Bellamy looked towards Monty for the answer, but it was Dakota who had replied first. "If we could do that. We wouldn't be here right now. The tech's too advanced."

"We have six months. We have Raven. Are you telling me she can't figure out another way to make water?"

"Coming from two experienced Engineers, Yes." Monty paused and looked towards Bellamy. "Look, I know you want to make up for the things you've done... believe me, we all do.. but we need to think of the big picture.. twenty-five people instead of five hundred. We're talking about the human race. We need to get this machine back to Arkadia. It's the only way."

Harper swallowed and looked over at Dakota, who caught her eye. "It's two to two. What's it gonna be, Dakota?"

Dakota closed her eyes as a stressful sigh escaped her lips. "25 people over saving 500." Her brown eyes found Bryan's. "You want that on your shoulders?" She asked firmly. Bryan didn't even hesitate as he glanced back at Riley, who was blooded and bruised.

Dakota breathed out. She knew what it felt like to be locked up, and tortured. She couldn't let this continue to happen to small children, she wouldn't. "Let's blow this bitch," She finally answered, looking over at Bryan, who's face washed over with relief.

       They carried the machine down the ladder and across the small hallway. Dakota noticed all the sad looks that they were receiving, and she adverted her eyes away from the looks of broken hope at the thought that Skaikru would save them.

Dakota looked over at Bellamy as Miller stumbled slightly, making Bellamy's hand slip from the machine's handle. "Watch it, Miller." Bellamy warned him.

"Wait. wait. wait. put it down." Monty replied as his eyes met Dakota's brown ones. She nodded and all of them put the machine down on the ground.

Dakota saw how his jaw clenched as he bent down to press the buttons into the machine. "What are you doing?" One of the Grounders walked forwards as a beeping noise filled their ears.

"Now!" He yelled, and Dakota threw her elbow back towards one of the male warriors, gaining some distance between them and gave her the opportunity to sprint for the door. Everyone rushed into the room and shut the doors before a large explosion burst through the metal walls, killing every Azgeda warrior in that area.

The only remaining Azgeda warrior that was inside the room was the chief and he wasted no time lunging towards the group to avenge the death of his people. Dakota moved to the left just in time to grab a fistful of his shirt and slammed him into the door, where Bellamy had caught him, throwing his fists at the man.

It was when Bryan pryed Miller off of him, everyone had stood still. "Ok, Nate! This isn't your kill. This isn't your kill. This is Monty's kill."

Monty looked over at him in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

Bryan looked down at the male Grounder with nothing but hatred. "This is the man who murdered your father."

Dakota's head spun around to see the expression on Monty's face had completely changed to pure anger. He looked down at him with clenched fists and walked over to the Axe that he had lost when Dakota threw him. Bellamy eyed him from beside Dakota, "You don't have to do this."

Monty looked down at him with the Axe in his hand. "Yeah. I do."

However, instead of ramming the axe through the man, like Dakota thought he would have. Monty instead broke the chains on the wall, releasing the children from their binds. Riley was the first person to break out in sprint towards the chief, his eyes thirsty for his revenge of what he did to him, and his friends. Everyone that were in chains had ran towards him, and Dakota looked down at the chief, seeing his eyes filled with pain.

"Yu gonplei ste oden." Dakota looked down at the man with distaste in her eyes. "May you never rest easy for what you've done." The Azgeda warrior had met her eyes once, but the overwhelming of his flesh being torn open consumed him and his attention couldn't be brought.

       "Where is it?" Raven came limping over to where the group had returned and started un-loading all the prisoners that came off of it. Dakota helped the last prisoner off before turning towards a worried Raven.

"We didn't get the machine," Bellamy told them.

"It didn't survive the landing?" Clarke asked.

"No, it did." Dakota walked up and stood next to Bellamy. "I had a choice.. Bring back the machine, or save them." Raven's eyes casted down as she shook her head. "Oh, we are so screwed."

"We have time, but we're not sacrificing any more innocent lives." Bellamy looked over at Raven who had a frown on her face.

"You just did."

Bellamy looked towards Clarke's unapproving gaze, "We made the call, we will live with that."

"Yeah, you're not the only one who has to live with the choices that you've made, as usual." Raven replies in a stern tone and Dakota rolls her eyes.

"Would you have rather have us tell all of them, that we should've left them to die?" Dakota shot back at her, stepping closer towards her friend.

Clarke immediately took a step between the two, holding back Dakota from doing anything rash and causing a scene. "How many of us will the ship sustain without a Hydro-Generator?"

"No more than a 100." Raven answered, tearing her eyes away from Dakota.

"What am I suppose to tell the people now?" Clarke stressed as she looked out at all the happy faces.

"The truth." Raven turned her head to look at the blonde. "Crowd-source it like we talked about."

Clarke had nodded at her words. "Call for a general meeting."

After Clarke announced that the world was ending to the people surrounding her, she continued to shed some hope on the people. "So now you know the truth. I know you're afraid. I know you're angry, but when I shut down A.L.I.E., i knew there was a way to get us through this together." Clarke paused for a moment, looking over at Raven, Bellamy, and Dakota.

"Alpha Station is that way. Every single one of us will survive on this ship. It won't be easy. Raven needs volunteers if we're gonna get it ready in time. It'll be alot of work, but now you understand why we need to do it. If we stick together, I give you my word. We won't just survive; we'll thrive."

Dakota's eyes casted downwards as the sheer disappointment laced on her features. Clarke knew deep down, that there wasn't a way to stop the world from ending, all she was feeding them was utter bullshit, just giving them hope to latch onto.

"Nice speech," Raven gritted through her teeth as Clarke walked over towards the three of them. "Sometimes hope is more important than the truth."

"Your dad would be so proud," Raven challenged, her voice going low.

Clarke's face completely changed. "You wanted workers, you got 'em." She snapped back at Raven.

Raven's eyes lingered on Clarke's frame before she turned towards the murmuring crowd that awaited her orders. "Everyone to the hangar bay, now!"

Dakota sighed lightly, running her hand through her tangled hair. She took one last look at Bellamy and Clarke before walking towards the entrance of the Station. She started walking towards her room and once inside, she discarded her jacket and put her finger on the blood-caked wound on her left arm. '

She sighed again, grabbing a cloth from her metal desk and started rummaging through her bag for her tin water bottle. She wasn't sure when she had got the wound, perhaps while fighting the chief.

When she soaked the rag in water from her bottle, she began to wipe the dried blood off of her wound and that's when the door opened up from behind her. "Are you alright?" The sound of Bellamy's concerned voice filled her ears and she turned around to find Bellamy staring down at her with concerned eyes landing on the small slash on her arm.

"Back at Farm Station.. The chief must of snagged me.." She explained and Bellamy nodded at her, walking further into the room and closing the door behind him.

Bellamy had sat her down on the edge of her forgotten bed and grabbed the wet cloth from her hand. Dakota looked down at his face, noticing the gentle nature that he had always used with her. "Do you think we did the right thing?"

Bellamy looked up from cleaning her wound, pressing the cloth down on it. "Saving those people? Children.." She added to her question, but in all honesty she wasn't sure she wanted that answer.

"There wasn't a right way to deal with that situation." He tried his best to answer it but even he knew that what they did had multiple consequences.

"I couldn't let those children die, Bell.. They're children." Dakota looked down at his hands as they resumed cleaning her fresh wound.

"I know," Bellamy quietly answered her as he reached for a bandage that laid in her bag. Bellamy looked back up at her, noticing her brown eyes started filling up with tears. There was the side to Dakota that only resurfaced when she put her guard down, and it was that she cared. She cared about the lives that are lost, and that's why Bellamy loved her.

She wasn't just the merciful shadow warrior that the Grounders had claimed her to be. She wasn't this warrior that had no care in the world for all the bloodshed and the lives that she had taken. She did care.

When Dakota noticed that Bellamy had finished with dressing her wound, she slipped out of his hands and wiped her face with her arm. Bellamy stood up from his kneeling position and watched as she started packing up her things. That caring side of her had completely vanished behind that wall that she had built, and now her heart of fire had turned cold.

"Where are you going?" Bellamy asked her.

"I have to go back to Polis.. Roan needs me there.." Dakota answered weakly as she wiped at the remaining tears coming down her cheeks. Bellamy walked towards her, putting his hand on her arm, making her freeze.

"Hey.." Bellamy took ahold of her face, tracing his thumb under her eyes as the tears flooded down her cheeks. "It's okay,"

"It's not." Dakota shook her head, unable to make peace with the choice that she made. "I sacrificed 500 people today so that 25 could live. How could I be so weak?"

"You're not weak. You care about people and that's what makes you, you." Bellamy reassured her, "We can find another way past this, we always do." Bellamy looked down at her as he wiped away more tears that came from her eyes.

"But what if we can't?"

"Then we do better than we did today."

Dakota looked back up at his brown eyes, recognizing the flicker of lust appear in his eyes as she bit down onto her lip and nodded at him. It was when she realized how close they were together, and how she could feel his warmth radiating off of his body that she found herself cold without her jacket covering her shoulders.

She didn't know how it happened, but it did. One moment they were staring into eachother's eyes and the next he had leaned in and kissed her. Dakota felt fire ignite inside of her, and for a second there, she was not kissing him back, but before Bellamy had pulled away from her, she leaned into the kiss, capturing his back with passion.

A part of her told that this was not right, after she had kissed Roan but in selfishness, she pushed that part aside. Deep inside her, she found herself longing for Bellamy's embrace again, almost forgetting what it felt like to be brought into his arms. Dakota's arms draped around his neck, pressing closer against him as his fingers tangled into her brown curls.

His lips trailed down her neck, stubble tickling her skin. She tilted her head back, gripping onto his shoulders slightly as he sucked at her tender skin. Bellamy backed her against the table, and Dakota propped herself on to it, her fingers trailed down his covered stomach zipping open his jacket.

Bellamy's hands had slipped up into the back of her shirt, feeling her scarred skin and Dakota had backed away slightly. He only tightened his grip by snaking an arm around her bare skin pulling her tightly into him. She bit down onto his lip as his hardness pressed against her.

Dakota couldn't help the sharp gasp that escaped her lips as Bellamy rocked against her and pleasure surged through her. She pulled away from his lips, taking a moment to breathe as they both stopped to look at eachother.

Bellamy had thought that she would've stopped this from going further, but as her small hands reached to discard his shirt, his breath got hitched in his throat as her hands left a burning sensation over his skin.

Their lips met again with desperation as his shirt left his body, and soon Bellamy lifted her off the table when she had lost her shirt, and carried her towards the bed.

A/N: YALL SHOOK? CAUS I AM. Sorry for the long wait, you guys. I've been extremely busy these past weeks, but lately I've been feeling inspired to write and finally sat down. I hope this chapter was to your liking.