The small child stood in the throne room at Polis looking up at the odd tree-like throne that stood before her. The Commander, a woman with flaming red haired, sat authoritatively upon the throne, gazing with an intrigued stare at the natblida in front of her.

The little girl felt timid, but despite being no more than two, she knew better than to show it. Instead she averted her eyes at first, giving the Commander an unbalanced curtsy before meeting her eyes unwaveringly when the Commander told her to get up.

"Leksa kom Trikru?" the Commander asked.

"Yes, Heda," the girl replied, trying to stop herself from toying with the end of one of her pigtails.

"Do you understand why you are here?" the Commander inquired and Leksa gave her a small nod, her eyes still holding onto the Commander's own bright blue ones.

"I am a natblida," the young girl began, in as loud a voice as she could muster, looking out at the circle of elders and generals that surrounded her, "I have been sent to Polis for training."

"Good," the Commander said with a quasi-smile, "You are lucky, Leksa kom Trikru. It is a great honour to be born a natblida. Here you will want for nothing. You may even become the next Commander. But you must be prepared to train hard, to listen to your elders, to give everything you have to your people. Do you understand?"

Leksa nodded. She had been told little about what it meant to be a natblida. Her mother and father had been both pleased and saddened by the news, though, when their daughter had asked them why they were sad they'd told her it was nothing to worry about. Leksa pondered the Commander's words- she was a farmer's daughter, she had expected to live a life of hard work and obedience back in Trikru lands. She wasn't afraid of hard work, and whilst her elders scared her a little, she knew that she could be respectful. She could do this, she could survive, and maybe even thrive in Polis. But become the next Commander- did she really want that?

Leksa cleared her mind. No, she told herself, if she became Commander it wouldn't be about her, it would be about doing what was right for her people. She couldn't be selfish anymore.

"Anya?" the Commander called out, and a tall, brown haired woman walked out from the crowd. To Leksa she looked regal, and somewhat intimidating. Leksa felt in awe of her, and immediately decided that she wanted to be as much like the mysterious woman as possible. Because the woman, Anya, she captivated the elders and the generals, with several giving her questioning looks, and muttering amongst themselves. Leksa admired the woman's ability to be so influential- that would be a key skill to master if she became the next Commander.

"Yes, Heda?" the woman asked.

"I understand you have been looking for a second," the Commander began, "As you understand the training of the nighblidas is the responsibility of myself, Titus the Flamekeeper and the most talented of my generals. You have proven yourself strong and capable, Anya kom Trikru. It is only right that you are gifted a natblida to train, especially one who is your kinswoman."

Anya looked at Lexa with unwavering brown eyes, looking at her questioningly. Leksa tried to hold her gaze but being looked at with that level of scrutiny made her waver. As soon as her eyes darted away she felt the woman grab for her chin, startling her and making her immediately make eye contact again.

"I'm… I'm sorry," Leksa stuttered worriedly, "I meant no disrespect to you, my lady."

Anya sighed, "You must not let your emotions dictate you reactions, Leksa kom Trikru. You must not let your fear consume you."

Leksa nodded passionately, before Anya let out what looked like the slightest smile. The woman turned back to the Commander.

"I am honoured, Heda," Anya told her, "I will gladly accepted Leksa kom Trikru as my second."

BREAK_BREAK_BREAK_BREAK

Lexa was just recalling her first day in Polis when the sound of gun shots broke through her reverie. She quickly dashed through the corridors from her room to where the sound was coming from. Panic filled her veins.

Weapons were banned here, so of course any sound of gunshots was worrying. That wasn't the only thing however, the sound, the direction of it…

The gunshots were coming from Clarke's room.

Lexa burst into the room to see Clarke running. Running from the gun man, who was… Titus? Titus, her trusted adviser.

The shot sounded loud and instantly Lexa felt pain radiate throughout her stomach. She paused, looking down in shock, her mind not quite registering what was going on, but Clarke's look of utter horror telling her everything she needed to know. She remained standing for a few moments, looking down at her hand which was covered in black blood. She looked up at Clarke, noticing the fear in the girl's eyes, before the strength went out of her legs and she fell to the ground.

The next thing she knew Titus was yelling at her and Clarke was standing above, and she… she was lying on a bed, the pain raging through her, blood spilling from her stomach. She was scared, although she tried her hardest not to be. And she knew… she knew, that this was the end. In some ways that comforted her, because the pain would still be over. But it also broke her heart into an infinite number of pieces, because she knew for Clarke it wouldn't be the end, and that she would be left in so much pain without any way that Lexa could help her.

"It will be ok, just lie still, ok?" Clarke said, trying to reassure her, but the fear was evident and heavy in her voice, "Just lie still."

Lexa felt Clarke's hands on her stomach and despite the pain she tried to take comfort in Clarke's presence and keep still.

Clarke was being so strong for her, Lexa thought, her eyes glistening with tears, so strong. "Don't be afraid," she told her, in a voice barely above a whisper. If there was anything Lexa could do to help Clarke, she absolutely had to do it. And she only had a little time. There was so much to organise…she needed to talk to Aden, reassure Titus that she didn't blame him, ensure that Clarke and the 13th clan and the alliance were protected…

"You're going to be fine," Clarke said, trying to reassure her, "Just stay still."

Lexa tried to give a comforting look but as Clarke tore open her shirt, she could see the look on Titus and Clarke's faces and feel their silence. Lexa's breathing was raspy now and as she leaned slightly to see her injured stomach, she could see the black blood streaming from the wound.

"She's losing too much blood," Clarke observed as she tried to control the bleeding.

"Stay with me," Clarke said to Lexa, as she frantically cleaned the wound, "What is that? Titus, what are you doing?"

Lexa leaned slightly to see what Titus was doing. Ah… he knew too. He knew it was time. She just wished he could say something to reassure Clarke, because Lexa's breathing was becoming more and more difficult now and there was no way she could speak.

"I will fix you," Clarke told her, with a defiant look in her eyes, "Just stay with me."

Lexa looked at her adoringly. That was her Clarke, the same Clarke who had fought against her decisions, did whatever she believed was right. The same Clarke who had walked into a grounder camp, without fear, and faced the unknown when she was just inches from death. She loved her. She had meant to tell her earlier, but the fear… and that old nagging feeling of 'love is weakness' had gotten in the way.

I love you, Lexa thought with as much strength as she could muster, hoping that she could somehow will herself to say it out loud.

"Get away from her," Clarke said as Titus walked near. Lexa looked up at him with betrayed and concerned eyes. She only wanted to see Clarke, to hear Clarke's voice telling her everything would be ok. But she knew she must also make preparations for her death rite.

"Forgive me, Heda," Titus begged.

"You will never again attempt to hurt Clarke, " Lexa commanded in Trigedasleng, surprised to find her voice was still strong, "Swear it."

"I swear it," Titus replied.

"Then do your job," Lexa replied, knowing she was only a minute or so from slipping away altogether, and letting her eyes close for the briefest of moments. No! She had to say goodbye to Clarke first. "Serve the next as you have served me, Flamekeeper."

Titus nodded before moving away.

"Hey," Clarke told her, "Don't you dare give up."

Lexa shook her head, "My spirit will live on." Lexa needed Clarke to understand…

"No!" Clarke yelled, "I am not letting you die!"

"There's nothing you can do now," Lexa told her, surprised to find her voice so calm. She had been trained well, but still she had broken that one rule, and fallen in love with Clarke. She expected that she would want to cling to life, but now, now she just wanted to let go. To go peacefully, so that she didn't burden Clarke any more than she already had. "The next commander will protect you."

Lexa thought of Aden, who was like a little brother to her. She knew Hedas weren't allowed to have favourites but she'd have been lying if she didn't admit that she'd been giving him extra training sessions in private, let him borrow her favourite books and let him eat the best quality meals that the kitchens could prepare.

"I don't want the next Commander!" Clarke told her, "I want you!"

Lexa looked up at Clarke with despair, she wished she could do anything. Reach out a hand. But she felt too weak. She had never felt this weak.

"I'm ready, Heda," Titus told her.

Lexa nodded and Clarke stepped back, confused, as Titus began his ritual. Taking her blood and marking his face.

"Clarke," Lexa said, breathlessly.

"I'm right here," Clarke told her, stroking her hair, and trying to hold back tears.

"Ai gonplei ste odon," Lexa told her. It was time.

"No," Clarke told her defiantly, shaking her head, "No, I won't accept that."

"You were right, Clarke," Lexa said her, with a smile, "Life is about more than just surviving."

Clarke shook her head, it was clear to Lexa that the girl was having a hard time accepting what was happening. She wished she could do something, anything, to help her.

But it was too hard.

She felt her eyes close, and no matter what she wanted she couldn't get them to open again.

She tried to hold onto to the feeling of Clarke's warm hands, stroking her hair, hoping she could take that to the afterlife.

Then there was darkness.