Haunted By You

Chapter 26 Pain

There was something poetic about it, Clarke thought. In a way she felt like she was paying for her sins, something she still felt the need to do even though those she'd killed were long dead.

The guards dragged her to the two trees and used a scratchy, rough rope to tie her wrists to each one, her arms barely long enough to stretch between them. She felt crucified as she stood there, the knots around her arms too tight and the trees too far apart for her to do anything other than stand with her arms wide and her back exposed to the dais of Ambassadors.

Usually, the Commander would be the one to administer punishment, but today, as her crimes were against the Ambassadors and not the coalition as a whole, the Ambassadors had decided that the man from Azgeda that had called for her torture would be the one to give her the lashes.

One of the guards stepped up behind her and tore the back of her shirt in two, and she almost gasped as the wind hit her now exposed flesh. She'd taken her time on the balcony to prepare herself, however, and had decided that no matter what they did to her, no matter how much it hurt, she would not scream, she would not flinch, she would not apologize.

She could feel Lexa's eyes staring into the back of her head, and wished she could be facing the girl so she could communicate through her expression that this was okay. She prayed Octavia would keep her word and not let Lexa interfere. She'd really hoped her mother and Kane would not be present, but the one quick scan of the square she'd allowed herself revealed their horrified expressions.

She dropped her head in submission, showing that she wasn't going to fight as she tried to take the last few seconds to school her features and brace herself for what was about to come.

The first crack of the old whip felt like lightning. And though her eyes remained closed, she couldn't hold in the shallow, pain-filled gasp that escaped her lips. The second blow is worse, landing almost in the same location as the first and she feels her skin split. Her muscles tense as the lashes keep coming, the Ambassador allowing her no reprieve in between. She loses count as her blood oozes from the cuts and runs down her pale skin, absorbing into the waistband of her pants.

The pain isn't like the sharp sting of a needle or a knife, it burns and spreads across her skin like fire. Every inch of her back feels scorched, and, whether she moves or not, Clarke is in more pain than she ever thought imaginable. She believes a bullet would be a mercy in that moment, though she still refuses to make a sound.

Her consciousness begins to slip as her knees give out. She expects to hit the ground, and is unable to contain the quiet whimper as her arms jerk and the skin on her back stretches. Clarke's bonds are too tight, and she is forced to hand by her wrists, knees inches from the ground, but not touching and far to weak now to support her.

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It takes every ounce of strength that Lexa has not to jump down from the dais and slit the Azgedian Ambassador's throat. She is both appalled and fascinated when Clarke makes no sound at the first crack of the whip, expecting the pain to get the better of the younger girl. She knows deep down she would not have been able to keep silent had they swapped positions.

The tears start after the eighth lash, Clarke's once mostly smooth, pale skin now a bloody indiscernible mess of flayed skin. Lexa wipes the tears away, hoping no one has seen them, though they return a few moments later Clarke whimpering as she crumples toward the ground.

Lexa actually cries out when Clarke is jerked by her wrists, the bonds placement on the trees not allowing her to sink fully to the ground. The blonde hangs there as the Ambassador continues to whip her, and Lexa sees red. Fury unlike she's ever felt before takes control of her and she stands abruptly, causing her throne to scratch backwards on the wooden stage.

They next thing she knew she was taking quick steps forward and there was someone jerking her backwards. She turned, hand poised to strike whoever dare to stop her, but she froze when the person responsible caught her wrist before it could make contact.

"Octavia?"

"Don't." The young warrior whispered.

Lexa's voice cracked, "I have to stop this, I have to save her."

Octavia smiled sadly, "You can't. Not this time."

The two girls glanced towards the girl that meant so much to both of them. The brave, outgoing, creative, beautiful, intelligent, and lively girl that they knew and loved was replaced with a broken and bleeding prisoner.

Lexa turned back to Octavia, "I have to try."

"She knew you would try."

"Really?"

"She also told me not to let you."

"And how do you plan to stop me?" She questioned, tired of being told what she was and wasn't allowed to do.

Octavia flinched remorsefully, "Because it's already over."

Lexa's wide eyes flashed back to her love, and she was dismayed to find that Octavia was right. The Ambassador had handed the whip back to one of Lexa's war advisors and was stepping through the dispersing crowd. Abby was kneeling in the blood splattered dirt in front of her daughter, weeping as Marcus stood behind her with a supportive hand on her shoulder.

Lexa pushed Octavia aside and sprinted towards Clarke's seemingly unconscious body. She reached to small group of people, aware that Octavia and Indra had followed her and Raven was slowly limping towards them from the small crowd remaining.

Unapologetically, Lexa pushed Abby to the side as well and cupped Clarke's cheeks in her hands. Brushing sweaty blonde hair from the forehead, she allowed her tears to fall. Clarke lazily blinked up at her and smiled,

"Hi."

"Clarke?" Lexa gasped.

"Hi."

"Hold on, my love. I'll get you down and I'll make all the pain go away."

She quickly barked for Octavia and Indra to undo Clarke's bindings. The blonde collapsed into her arms as soon as she was released and Lexa gently lowered her to the ground. Clarke was on her side, her head resting in Lexa's lap as the Commander smoothed her hair and whispered sweet words that only she could hear.