A/N Another update yaaaay
Kind of a filler - but crucial to the storyline!
Please Vote/Comment!

The song linked reminded me so much of the changing dynamic between Brin and Bell that I had to include it. (Fleurie - Love and War incase the link doesn't work.) 

The Trigedasleng might not be 100% accurate but it's all from (http://trigedasleng.info/dictionary/) if you're interested. :) 

I hope you enjoy!
*UNEDITED*

***** 
'I can see your light even in your darkest times.'
-E. Grin, the stars adore you.

*****

Brinley was walking towards the main gate when it happened.

She could immediately tell that something unexpected was occurring. There was uneasiness in the air and both Bellamy and Pike were walking towards the gate determinedly, demanding it be opened.

The Arkadians that had crept forward out of curiosity immediately stepped backward as the gates opened fully, revealing two grounder warriors on horseback.

Brinley did the opposite, moving closer to what was sure to be a show.

'Talk.' Bellamy's voice was sharp.

'We seek the one you call Pike!' One of the rider's announced in a strong voice.

'Why?' Bellamy asked loudly, though he – along with everyone else - already knew the answer.

The grounders wanted justice.

'An army has fallen, blood soaking the earth where he took their lives one by one.' The rider answered.

'Welcome to the war against Skaikru.' Brinley could hear the arrogance in Bellamy's voice and the anger that had barely died down since their conversation the night before spiked again.

Asshole.

'Life was taken, we demand life in return.'

'My life?'

Brinley watched the two grounders became uneasy as Pike stepped closer to them.

'What are your terms?' Pike asked, false curiosity lighting his tone.

'-Sir-' Bellamy tried, but Pike held out his hand to stop Bellamy speaking.

'Come with us, and we'll walk away.' The first rider spoke again.

What the two grounders were offering was more than fair. One life for the many taken – it was the same deal Finn had been offered. The only difference between the two situations was the fact that more than one shooter had been involved in the most recent massacre – and that Finn had willingly handed himself over in order to seek some form of redemption.

Brinley laughed as she stepped forward, trying to warn the riders away without actually saying the words aloud, stepping forward until she was only a few feet behind Pike and Bellamy.

'Os lottau.' (Good luck) Humour coloured Brinley's tone for a moment. Yo souda ban op.' (You must leave.)

As expected, the grounders eyes went to her, as did Pike's. Bellamy however, stared straight ahead, not acknowledging her existence.

No surprise there.

'Gonaripa!' (Warrior killer!) There was an edge in the man's voice.

'Chit dula op yo gaf in?' (What do you want?) Brinley sounded bored when she spoke.

'Yo badan op disha hef?' (You serve this man?)

Brinley laughed without humour before her face smoothed out into an emotionless mask. 'Ai badan op non.' (I serve no one.)

Brinley's answer only unsettled the riders further and she assumed they'd been hoping for a valid reason to kill her on the spot. Pike seemed to realise she'd agitated them, his expression turning thoughtful for a moment before he spoke as though Brinley's interaction with the grounders hadn't occurred. '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, to greet them as we greeted those we caught outside your walls today.'

The grounder threw a sack of blood soaked clothing at Bellamy's feet, and Brinley immediately recognised the contents as parts of a guard's uniform. 

'We left the bodies for the animals.' The grounder continued viciously, seemingly losing patience with Pike.

'That's enough.' Brinley recognised the dark edge in Bellamy's voice.

'Let's go.' Pike commanded, beginning to turn away.

'They won't leave, I've seen this before.' Bellamy challenged Pike, and Brinley got the distinct feeling it wasn't the first time they'd had the conversation.

'The men who wore those uniforms took a long time to die.' The grounder taunted again.

'Hod op!' Brinley warned. 'Bak op hou.' (Stop! Go back home.) Unease crawled over Brinley's skin.

'Bellamy, fall back. That's an order.' Pike commanded. 'You too Miss Kane.'

'If you do not give up your leader, you will all take a long time to die.'

'Bellamy-' Pike warned, nodding slightly at Brinley when she took a few steps backwards – which only made her want to walk forward again.

'Choose the side that's best for your people.' The grounder implored, staring directly at Bellamy now.

'I do that everyday.'

Brinley saw Bellamy's hand move towards his gun, and before she could scream at him to stop, he'd shot the two grounders dead, their horses running off into the tree line with the still warm bodies slumped over their backs.

'-So far nothing has changed my mind.'

Brinley heard shocked gasps from behind her and watched as people stepped away from Bellamy slightly as he walked back through the camp – not showing a single sign of regret.

Brinley knew that Bellamy's actions would come back to haunt him in the future. She just hoped that by the time they did - he'd have finally realised he was on the wrong side.

Brinley watched Bellamy's retreating figure, seeing Pike catch up to him quickly, clamping a stern hand down on his arm as he looked at the watching Arkadians, before he gestured towards what Brinley assumed was the general direction of his office.

Brinley didn't hesitate, immediately picking up her own pace and making her way to the room Marcus used as an unofficial rebellion base to listen in on Pike's conversations. Brinley knew that whatever went down in that room would be important and they couldn't risk missing out on crucial information.

She'd almost made it without any trouble when somebody grabbed her arm.

'Wha – Harper?'

'Brinley.' Harper looked nervous.

'What's up?' Brinley tried not to let her impatience show.

Harper looked around the empty corridor, leaning in closer to Brinley before she spoke. 'I want in.'

Brinley forced a frown onto her face. 'What are you talking about?'

Harper sighed. 'Whatever you're planning, I want in.'

Brinley was immediately suspicious, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. 'Who says I'm planning anything?'

Harper gave her a disbelieving look. 'I'm not stupid, you're always up to something.'

Brinley stared at Harper for a moment, feeling awful that she had to question whether she could trust a girl who had been nothing but nice to her since the moment they'd landed on the ground. Harper must have seen the indecision on her face because her expression softened.

'Brinley, please.' She was pleading now. 'Monroe was one of my best friends and she's gone because of Pike. I want to help in any way possible.'

Brinley was quiet for a moment before she let out the breath she'd been holding, seeing the sincerity in Harper's voice and face. 'Follow me, and don't say a word.'

Harper nodded eagerly, walking quickly behind Brinley, who knocked sharply on a door nestled inbetween two storage rooms.

The door opened and Brinley found herself face to face with Miller, whose expression turned into one of surprise as he noticed Brinley wasn't alone.

'Harper?'

'She's on our side.' Brinley shut the door once Harper was inside, looking to her Father quickly. 'The grounders have established a blockade around us, and Bellamy just shot two of them outside the gates. Both he and Pike were headed towards the Chancellors office, my bet is that there's a meeting within the hour.'

Marcus rubbed at his forehead tiredly as he flicked a switch on the top of a radio transmitter.

'What's that for?' Harper frowned.

'You'll see.' Brinley answered. 'But first, we'll have to wait.'

They didn't have to wait all that long. Twenty minutes later the group heard the sound of a door shutting through the speakers of the radio, followed by footsteps and eventually – a voice.

'Mark in what we know on the map, the others will be here soon.'

'Is that Pike?' Harper asked in disbelief.

'Unfortunately.' Brinley sighed.

Another five minutes passed without a word until they heard a door open again and more footsteps, followed by Pike beginning to address the new occupants of the room.

'Alright, now that you're all here – we need to go over the new information we received today, beginning with the blockade the grounders have set up around us – Bellamy?'

'Our lookouts confirm another three encampments just over that ridge.' Bellamy's voice came through loud and clear.

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

'Food and water stores were already at less than sixty percent, now, maybe a week before we go critical, two if we start rationing immediately.'

Brinley felt the unease between herself and the three others in the small room. None of them had considered how greatly – or how soon - they would be affected by Lexa's blockade.

Pike sighed. 'Immediately it is.'

'What about breaking the blockade?' Hannah suggested.

'As if.' Brinley scoffed under her breath.

'After Bellamy's theatrics this morning, they'll expect that.' Pike sounded disapproving. 'Regardless we can't engage the grounders until we've got our own people under control –'

'Here we go.' Miller commented.

'-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.'

'Yes sir.'

Brinley grit her teeth. Who would have thought Bellamy Blake could be so obedient.

'And I want you to take over coordination of camp surveillance. We'll need new security protocols at all camp entrances.'

'Maybe, uh, changing critical passwords every twelve hours?' Monty's voice came through for the first time, and from the corner of her eyes Brinley noticed Harper's disappointed look.

'Good. Coordinate with your Mum, but keep the circle tight. Then there's the matter of... camp wide surveillance.'

There was a moment of silence from the radio.

'You want us to spy on our people?' Monty sounded horrified.

'We can't do what's needed to defend this camp if every order I give is leaked before it can be executed. It's an old saying but it's true; the walls have ears.' Pike explained. 'We can't afford any more assumptions about who's a friend and who isn't, not 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.'

Brinley locked eyes with Miller, who looked nervous. She knew this meant that he would have to be even more careful about what he told Bryan, and already Brinley could see the sadness in Miller's eyes as he realised how much it could change their relationship.

'- We can't prove it yet, but Kane and his accomplices, passed information to Octavia. I know none of you signed up to investigate your neighbours, but Monroe and Lacroix died because the traitors in this camp sold them out to the grounders. 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.' Pike paused for a moment. 'Dismissed.'

Marcus switched off the radio and Brinley glanced sideways at Harper, surprised to see burning rage in her expression.

'If they're going to play that game we need to play it too.' Marcus looked deep in thought.

'Meaning?' Harper's voice came out more controlled than Brinley expected.

'We don't meet here again for starters. 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.' Marcus explained.

'Or we could just shock-lash Pike's fascist ass and hand him to the grounders.' Harper suggested, and Brinley found herself agreeing with the statement.

'That would be murder, not to mention treason, and that's not who we are.' Kane shook his head.

'Maybe it's who we need to be.' Miller piped up, obviously agreeing with Harper, his eyes shifting to Brinley who nodded slightly, showing she too agreed with the idea.

Marcus looked at the three and deliberated with himself for a moment before he shook his head. 'Not yet.'

'Alright, then what's the plan?' Miller was becoming impatient.

Marcus didn't hesitate. 'We give Pike one more chance to turn himself in.'

Brinley groaned. 'You really think that's going to work?' Scepticism coloured her voice.

Marcus shook his head. 'No, but that doesn't mean I can't try.'

*****

'I don't know what kind of outfit Chancellor Griffin was running around here.'

Marcus tensed as he heard the words leave Pike's mouth, deciding to make his presence known to the man. 'The kind that wasn't planning on a war footing for life.' Marcus paused as Pike turned to face him. 'A word?'

Pike followed Marcus closely, waiting for him to speak.

'You don't really believe you can make enough bullets to stop all the grounders, do you?' Marcus spoke first.

Pike's voice was tight when he spoke. 'I have to.'

'No.' Marcus denied as he stopped walking, turning to face Pike with a serious expression. 'You need to turn yourself in and end this blockade.'

'Is that why you're here? To run this plan by me?' Pike scoffed.

'I'm here because I have a responsibility to speak to you like someone who understand this world in a way that you don't.' Marcus challenged lowly. 'The only way this doesn't end with us dead, is you doing the right thing.'

Pike seemed almost amused. 'Like you all did the right thing when you turned in that boy Finn? Because from what I hear Marcus, your daughter might as well have handed him over herself.'

Marcus tensed at the mention of Finn. It was clear that Bellamy had filled Pike in on the similar situation they'd faced before, and the choice Brinley had given Finn.

'Don't bring my daughter into this.' Marcus warned.

'Why not? From what I've seen, Brinley, Clarke and Octavia would prefer to be with the grounders than their own people. She speaks their language, Marcus! She spoke to their riders this morning, completely ignoring the fact that they spoke English!'

Marcus hadn't known this, and he filed it away for later. 'Brinley has nothing to do with this conversation!'

'Fine.' Pike shrugged carelessly. 'The fact still remains that you surrendered one of the young lives you swore to protect, and the grounders did what they always do – they betrayed you.' Pike continued. 'There's only one way for this war to end. We put the grounders down and keep them down until they know better than to take one more step in our direction.' Pike was angry now and he was making no attempt to hide it.

'You've become a dictator, Charles. You realise that, don't you?' Marcus was equally as angry.

'I am the Chancellor.' Pike reminded Marcus. 'I am doing what is necessary, nothing more, nothing less.'

'When this ends with our camp in ruins, you won't be able to say no one told you there was a better way out.' Marcus warned.

'No. When this ends with Arkadia victorious, you'll only have yourself to blame for choosing the wrong side.'

And there it was.

All of the false pretences were gone, stripped aware bare until Pike had no choice but to acknowledge verbally that while he was technically the Chancellor, both he and Marcus were leaders of two very different sides.

*****

'I can't believe Monty is siding with Pike.'

Brinley looked at Harper, who was still having trouble processing the idea that Monty would willingly be working under someone like Pike. Brinley didn't ask, but she could tell that Harper harboured some feelings for Monty and that the discovery of what she viewed as a betrayal on his part, had hit her harder than she'd expected.

'I can.' Brinley admitted, seeing Harper's surprise. 'Monty's Mother practically worships Pike, and all Monty wants is to make his mother proud, so by following Pike, he thinks he's doing that.' Brinley explained quietly.

Harper frowned.

The two girls were sprawled across Harper's bed as they waited impatiently for Marcus to find out how the conversation with Pike had gone down, though truthfully they didn't expect it to go well at all. Miller had left them to their own devices – girl time, he'd called it – and Harper wasn't needed anywhere until much later that day. Harper was routinely scanning through different radio channels hoping to hear from Octavia at Marcus' request.

'Doesn't mean I like it though.' Brinley finished with a sigh.

There was a small moment of silence before Harper hesitantly spoke. 'Brinley?'

'Mhmm?' Brinley hummed absentmindedly.

'Do you regret leaving?'

Brinley was surprised at Harper's bold question. Most people steered clear of the subject altogether, but it seemed Harper wasn't as quiet as Brinley had originally thought.

Brinley shrugged. 'Not really. Why, are you thinking of making a run for it?'

Harper laughed lightly. 'Even if I wanted to, with the blockade I'd be dead within the hour.' She paused again. 'I've always found it strange that no one knew where you were, or that you wanted to leave.'

Brinley stayed silent.

'Unless, someone did know?' Harper pressed.

'You're full of questions today, aren't you?' Brinley commented lightly.

'I guess the idea of rebellion has me all fired up.'

Brinley laughed at Harper's words. The two girls weren't overly close but they were friends – and Brinley genuinely enjoyed Harper's company, so much so that she found herself humouring Harper with answers.

'You're right. Someone did know I was leaving.'

Harper frowned. 'I'm guessing it wasn't Bellamy?'

'Why would you say that?' Brinley asked curiously, tilting her head to the side slightly.

'Because of the way he acted when you disappeared.' Harper shrugged. 'He kinda isolated himself for awhile. He was worried and he missed you. I could tell it was genuine. I don't think even Bellamy could act that well.'

Brinley swallowed the slight lump in her throat. 'He had Gina.'

'For like, two weeks.' Harper stated, elaborating at Brinley's surprised look. 'They were only friends right up until two weeks before you came back.'

'How do you know so much?' Brinley asked in amusement, mind still reeling from Harpers revelations.

'I like to people watch.' Harper shrugged, switching the radio channel again. 'So Bellamy didn't know?' Harper asked for confirmation.

'No.'

Harper stared at Brinley with a raised brow as she waited for an answer.

Finally, Brinley gave her one. 'Octavia. Octavia knew.'

The two girls were completely unaware that at that exact moment, on the other side of the camp, anger and betrayal burned through Bellamy like wildfire as he switched his radio off.

*****

Brinley and Harper split up as they made their way to their meeting point to find out anything new Marcus might have found out from his conversation with Pike. Miller was supposed to meet them there also, each of them taking different routes and arriving at different times.

Miller was there first, nodding at Brinley as she arrived. Neither dared to make a sound as Harper walked in with her radio still in hand. Finally, a few minutes later Marcus arrived.

'Hey, anyone followed?' Marcus asked.

'No. What about you?' Miller asked.

'No, no I'm good. Any word from Octavia?'

Harper shook her head. 'Been scanning different channels all morning, nothing. I mean either she's out of range or...'

'Or they already got her.' Miller winced as Brinley slapped him for his less than optimistic words.

'Or she ran her battery down, or she needed the radio silence to run the blockade. There are a lot of reasons why she might have gone dark.' Marcus reminded Miller.

'I've been out there patrolling for the last three months, I know this area better than any grounder. Just let me go out-'

'Guys.' Harper interrupted, pulling the headphones out of her radio. 'Listen to this.'

'...Results of this morning's missions inventory were sobering. In no way do we currently have the ammo for an extended series of fire fights, not even close.' Pike was the first voice they heard.

'So what's plan B?' Bellamy jumped in immediately.

'Our lookouts say the largest grounder encampment is in this valley, so we deploy and assault team in rover one, and we do as much damage as we can with automatic weapons.' Pike explained.

Brinley shook her head as she listened with furrowed brows.

'And they'll just fall back and make a run for reinforcements.'

'I'm counting on that.' Pike continued. 'The only way there and back is over this ridge. Now we can bottleneck their warriors and pick them off.'

'We got the firepower for that?' Bellamy sounded sceptical.

'We won't need it. We have a dozen concussive antipersonnel devices in our armoury. I've already got a weapons man rigging them with a remote trigger. We load the APD's into the rover and mine the field before we attack. After we strike, we lure their reinforcements on to the ridge and once we have enough grounders in the killing box...'

'We detonate.' Bellamy finished for Pike almost immediately. 'It'll buy us some time but...'

'Time's what we need. We move at dawn.'

Harper switched off the radio as Miller cursed under his breath. Brinley however, was deep in thought. There was something odd about the preciseness of Bellamy's replies...

'Alright. We need to disable that rover. If we take it out, it doesn't matter how many grounders they kill, ten times that number will descend on Arkadia, and no one will survive.'

'You got any idea how we're gonna stop them?' Harper asked, an edge in her tone.

'I might.' Marcus admitted.

'Hold on.' Brinley frowned. 'Something doesn't feel right.'

'What do you mean?' Marcus frowned at his daughter.

'There's something off about this whole thing. Pike said they're going to rig rover one, right?'

'Yeah, so?' Miller frowned in confusion.

'So why be specific? Why specifically state which rover they're taking?'

'Maybe Pike's just being thorough?' Harper suggested, though there was doubt in her voice.

'Maybe.' Brinley admitted. 'Or maybe he knows we're listening. He already knows that someone is learning and passing confidential information to Octavia; it's not improbable that he searched his office and found the bug.' Brinley looked to Marcus. 'You said yourself that we have to assume eyes are on us at all times, we have to be careful.'

Marcus nodded in understanding. 'You're right. Pike could be setting us up.'

'If Pike wants to play games then fine, we'll play. We just have to be one step ahead.' Brinley explained.

Miller sighed. 'This could get messy.'

Brinley sent him a wicked smirk. 'Just the way I like it.'

*****
'Brinley, are you ready?'

Brinley was standing outside the garage an hour later by herself. After her Father had explained his plan and successfully recruited Sinclair's help, Harper had been called away to her post earlier than expected. It seemed that the news of a blockade had spread quickly and people were becoming nervous. In response, Pike had doubled his usual security detail – meaning Harper couldn't be present for what was about to happen. 

Miller on the other hand worked nights, and upon Brinley noticing the tiredness in his face and the circles under his eyes. had been ordered away to get some much needed sleep. Miller had protested of course but Brinley was almost certain that he was grateful – though she knew he was annoyed that he was missing out on the fun.

Brinley felt proud of the plan they had come up with, surprised by how similarly her and Marcus' brains worked when it came to strategy. Their plan was solid and if executed correctly, Brinley was certain they'd be successful. Even though the plan was theirs, she had to admit the only reason they were able to put it into action was thanks to Sinclair's help and willingness to do whatever he could to aid them in their course of action.

Brinley's hair was pushed over one shoulder, the long strands hiding the small earpiece she was using to communicate with both Sinclair and Marcus. She rolled her eyes as her Father's voice crackled through for the second time.

'Brinley?'

'Of course I'm ready. The real question is are you ready Sinclair?'

'Ready as I'll ever be. Make sure you don't get caught – either of you.' Sinclair's voice crackled through the speaker.

'We'll be fine. Let's do this.'

Brinley moved from where she was standing, edging closer to the main entrance of the garage. Both Sinclair and her Father were already inside and already Brinley was feeling the increased security presence. There were more guards than usual – especially considering the garage wasn't a high-risk area.

'Pike has guards everywhere.'

The reply Brinley received wasn't the one she'd been expecting.

'Is that a problem?'

Brinley froze, thankful that she wasn't facing the person who'd spoken behind her. Almost nervously she let her hair fall forward more as she turned around, staring up at an impassive face.

'It makes me feel trapped.' She covered easily. 'What's it to you?'

Bellamy's eyes narrowed slightly, his hands resting casually on his hips. 'Who were you talking to?'

'Myself.' Brinley shrugged as though the answer was completely normal.

'Really?' Bellamy clearly didn't believe her.

'I don't have to tell you anything.' Brinley scoffed, narrowing her eyes slightly.

A dark expression crossed Bellamy's face for a moment. 'Yeah, you've made that pretty clear.'

Brinley grit her teeth at the implication before she spoke. 'Look, I spent months in the woods by myself Bellamy, it's a habit I picked up, so what?'

Brinley's answer had anger flashing across Bellamy's face for a split second before it smoothed back over into a familiar look of arrogance. 'Sure it is. If the guards make you that uncomfortable, then you don't need to be here.'

Brinley rolled her eyes at Bellamy and the dismissal clear in his voice. 'Yes sir.'

Bellamy's hard eyes stared at her for a few seconds more before he turned and headed into the garage.

'Bellamy's on his way.' Brinley spoke quickly, hoping her warning got through in time.

'He's heading towards you now Sinclair.' Marcus' voice came through, low and quiet, which Brinley assumed meant that Bellamy was within hearing range.

Brinley slipped into the garage at the sound of yelling not five minutes later, just in time to hear Bellamy charge Sinclair with treason. A sigh of relief left her lips as she realised the plan had worked perfectly. While everyone was still distracted, she made herself scarce, following her Father's lead.

She'd been right about it being a set up, and she was thankful that because Miller, Harper, Marcus and eventually Sinclair, had listened to her, they were one step ahead of Pike.

Atleast for now.