Italics are in Trigedasleng

Please vote for the chapter!

Dakota walked the hallways of the Ark, looking for her father. Her head was held high and her eyes shot daggers to those who dared to look in her direction. Her hand was placed on her sword as she walked with authority.

"Dakota?" A voice called behind her and she turned her head to look at the man she was looking for. Dakota raced towards her father and grabbed onto his forearms.

"Dad-" Dakota spat out in panic but her father immediately interrupted her.

"Dakota, we don't have much time. Grounders have arrived at the front gate-"

"No, dad. You're not listening to me. Pike, he's planning to arrest you."

Marcus raised his voice while looking down at Dakota with stern eyes. "Grounders are at the front gate, and Octavia hasn't reported in."

Dakota froze for a moment while looking up at him. "Octavia hasn't reported in?"

Marcus shook his head. "No, she hasn't. I need you to stop the Grounders from coming to the front gate, they listen to you."

Dakota shook her head. "Yeah, the Grounders do. But not Pike." She watched her father's face fall and his lips were pulled down into a frown. "You need to lay low, Pike knows there's a traitor in this camp and if they find evidence that you know what they're planning, I don't know if I can help you out it."

Marcus nodded at his daughter while putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I will. Don't worry about me, okay?"

"Well someone has too." Dakota smiled slightly before turning around and walking towards the front gate. The brunette stepped out into the scorching heat and squinted her eyes when she saw a bunch of guards, including Pike and Bellamy head towards the gates that were being brought open, revealing two Grounders mounted upon horses.

Dakota's eyes widened slightly and she rushed forward, jogging down to where they stood, "Talk!" Bellamy was yelling over to them and she stepped in line with them and the Grounder glanced at her from the side of his eyes.

The two grounders remained silent before Dakota stepped forward. "What are you doing here?" She called up to them and their heads snapped down to the young girl, surprised to hear her speak their own language. Dakota saw Pike turn his head towards her with curious eyes.

"We seek the one you call Pike!" The man announced down at her in English and she glanced behind her and her eyes landed on Pike who stared over at her.

"Why?" Bellamy questioned, stepping in line with Dakota.

"An army has fallen, blood soaking the earth where he took their lives, one by one." The other man explained and Bellamy glared up at the masked Grounder.

"Welcome to the war against Skaikru." He said bitterly and Dakota clenched her jaw as she felt the Grounders eyes landed on her frame.

"The girl who stands by you; is she Skaikru?" The other man called down challengingly and Dakota's head turned to look at the masked man. She was about to open her mouth and speak but Pike's voice spoke up before hers.

"Of course she is." Pike called over to him, making Dakota bite down on her lip.

"I am Dakota Kom Skaikru, second of King Roan of Azgeda." Dakota said firmly as she glanced back at Pike. "I stand with Azgeda." She stated with a smirk on her face, knowing that Pike couldn't understand what she had just told the Grounders.

The Grounders looked at her with little amused smiles even though they wore masks, she could tell by the crinkles by their eyes and the little looks they gave to each other.

"Life was taken, we demand life in return," The Grounder spoke as he looked back at Bellamy.

"My life?" Pike suddenly spoke up as he confidently walked towards the two men. "What are your terms, sir?" He asked mockingly. Dakota almost snorted when Pike had called him sir.

"Come with us and we walk away." Dakota had to admit, she was tempted to just grab Pike by his throat and push him in front of the Grounders.

"Walk away from what?"

"By order of the Commander, you have been surrounded by an army of the twelve clans. In every direction, warriors wait to kill anyone who attempts to cross the blockade, besides you, of course." The grounder met Dakota eyes. "Dakota Kom Azgeda." Dakota's eyes stared back at the man as he then threw a brown bag in front of their feet. Dakota's eyes looked down at what was left of the uniforms that Skaikru had worn, the material was bloodied. "We left the bodies for the animals." He hissed sharply.

"That's enough," Bellamy said, his tone dismissive."

"Lets go,"

"They won't leave," Bellamy replied immediately, "I've seen this before."

"Bellamy, fall back." Pike ordered but Bellamy still stood there and Dakota watched him curiously. "That's an order." Pike announced but even at that, Bellamy had no interest to move, he just continued to stare the grounders down.

"If you do not give up your leader, you will all take a long time to die." The grounder was pushing him even further, seeing whether he had the guts to actually do anything about what he was saying and Dakota stepped forward, knowing that he would do something.

"Bellamy," She said gently as she stepped beside him but she saw the dark look in his eyes, the one that she knew so well. The one that Pike brought out in him.

"Pick the side that's best for your people." The grounder said and Bellamy stared him down for a moment.

"I do that everyday." Dakota jumped on the spot in shock when Bellamy had yanked out his hand gun and shot down one of the Grounders and the other one quickly prepared a bow and arrow, ready to fire. Bellamy quickly shot the other one, killing him instantly, the horse neighing from the sound, spooking them. Dakota blinked, completely shocked by his actions. He killed them without even thinking about it or even batting an eye.

"So far, nothing has changed my mind." With those muttered words, Bellamy turned his back and stormed inside, leaving Dakota standing alone looking at the two Grounders whom lay dead on their startled horses.

Kane's small group had met up in their room again, they were gathered around the radio, waiting for the latest council meeting to start. Dakota opened the door to the room, which made Miller jump up in surprise and Dakota held up her hands in defense.

"It's just me," She spoke with a smile on her face as she closed the door quietly behind her.

"Nice to see you've picked the right side." Miller examined her attire before returning his gaze to her face. Dakota had nodded at him and grabbed a chair and pulling it up to the table where Harper and her father were leaning against.

"Our lookouts confirm another three encampments just over that ridge," Bellamy's voice spoke as he informed the others in the meeting. Everyone's attention was drawn in towards the radio.

"Well, they're not hiding from us, that's for sure." Pike replied. "How many days can we keep our population fed without being able to send out hunting parties?"

It was Hannah, Monty's mother who spoke up this time. "Food and water stores were already less than sixty percent. Now, maybe a week before we go critical, two if we start rationing immediately."

"Immediately it is."

"What about breaking the blockade?"

"After Bellamy's theatrics this morning, they'll expect that. But the Grounder said that Dakota was the only one allowed passed the blockade, since she's connected with the Ice Nation.. If we can get her on our side.."

"She would never break, she's loyal to the Ice Nation." Bellamy's voice spoke, filled with hatred.

"But there's a chance, if we try.." Pike pressed Bellamy further and Dakota heard Bellamy huff out, "We can't engage the Grounders until we've got our own people under control, and that starts with Kane."

"I need you to suspend access to the prisoners, no contact with anyone in camp. For all we know, they've been providing intel on Grounder villages to Kane." Pike ordered.

"Yes, sir."

"And i want you to take over coordination of camp surveillance. We need new security protocols at all camp entrances."

"Maybe, uh, changing critical passwords every 12 hours," Monty suggested.

"Good. Coordinate with your mom but keep the circle tight. Then there's the matter of camp wide surveillance." This made Dakota look up and over at her father with widened eyes. This made sneaking around, and having this meeting about ten times harder if they were being watched. Marcus shook his head at her, gesturing down towards the radio.

"You want us to spy on our people?" Monty asked, obviously shocked.

"We can't do what's needed to defend this camp if every order i give is leaked before it can be executed," Pike explained. "It's an old saying, but it's true: the walls have ears, and we can't afford any more assumptions about who's a friend and who isn't, no your oldest acquaintance, not your husband, wife or lover. We're fighting two wars now, and the more dangerous one is here inside this camp. We can't prove it yet, but Kane and his accomplices passed information to Octavia. I know none of you sighed up to investigate your neighbours, but Monroe and Lacroix died because the traitors in this camp sold them out to the Grounders."

"They died because he was stupid enough to send them out in the first place," Dakota muttered angrily which gained agreements from Harper and Miller.

"Whoever did that will be hunted down and exposed for what they did to their own, for what they did to us. Now you get whatever resources, whatever personnel you need to make that happen. Dismissed."

Dakota let an angry sigh out as Miller flipped the switch and turned off the radio. "If they're gonna play that game, we need to play it, too."

"Meaning?" Harper inquired, glancing over at Marcus.

"We don't meet here again, for starters," He elaborated. "We change our patterns, forget our habits. Take a different route through camp each time we go out. Assume that there are eyes on us at all times."

"Or we could just shock-lash Pike's fascist ass and hand him to the Grounders."

"I'm agreeing with Harper here." Dakota smirked over at Harper which she returned with a smile.

Marcus threw them both a look of disapproval, "That would be murder, not to mention treason, and that's not who we are."

"Maybe it's who we need to be," Miller said slowly.

"Well, that's who I am. So if you need me to push Pike over to the barricade.." Dakota trailed on.

"That's not who we are, at least not yet." Marcus shook his head.

"Alright, then what's the plan?"

Dakota walked down the hallway and opened the door to Bellamy's assigned room. She had completely forgotten that she had left some clothes in here. Her eyes glanced around the room which was neatly kept and her eyes started wondering over towards his desk.

Her fingers skimmed a book, an Illad that was filled with an epic poem about the Trojan war. She picked up the book and smiled, but her eyebrows furrowed when a piece of paper slipped from underneath the book and her eyes glanced upon a water colored painting.

Her mouth hung open slightly as she picked up the drawing that she had drawn while in Mount Weather. "He kept me from drowning.." The words left her tongue as a single tear escaped her eye.

Suddenly, behind her the door opened and Bellamy walked in, startled to see the brunette. "What are you doing in here?" He immediately asked.

Dakota quickly put the book down on the drawing and turned to face him. "I was.. just grabbing my jacket that I left here.." She told him while clearing her throat.

Bellamy looked down at the book she had dropped on his desk. "I'm sorry.. I should of asked first before barging in here.." She told him while grabbing her jacket from the floor and a T-shirt she left here which seemed like nights ago where they had slept together in this bed.

Bellamy walked towards her and grabbed her hand. "It's not too late to pick the right path, Dakota. Pike will accept you."

Dakota internally groaned while she grabbed her hand back from his hold. "I will not be a traitor to my people, Bellamy."

"You are not one of them! You're Skaikru."

Dakota shook her head. "Everyone picks the path that's laid out for them, Bell. Mine just happens to be with the Grounders." She pushed past him and started to walk towards the door.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how fucking good-looking Bellamy looks in Terms and Conditions. Like wow, boy.