Accidentally (I'm in Love)

In which Clarke unknowingly is extremely romantic according to grounder culture, Lexa is both dumbfounded and in love, the grounders are first confused, wary, then encouraging, and Octavia is so done with these two idiots in love.

Or.

The one where Clarke doesn't realize they're married until Lexa wants kids.

A/N The idea of Clarke accidently wooing the Grounders (and Lexa) really appeals to me. So, that's pretty much what this is. Feel free to share ideas if you have any about how Clarke might do this. I have an idea of where I want to take this and a few more pages of different future scenes. That said, I guarantee that it'll be a really long time before I put the second chapter up as my condition for putting new chapters/stories up is writing a matching chapter in my other multichapter fic (Unexpected Complications). Sorry. Though, to be fair I did post to the other fic because of this one so maybe.

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Chapter One: A Matter of Perspective

Or, the one where Clarke begins her courtship and seduces Lexa without even being aware of it.

Grounder culture, Octavia Blake quickly learns, prioritizes strength and disdains weakness. Under Indra's mentorship Octavia begins to truly understand how that simple statement fails to encompass the importance of strength to grounder clans. The body must be strong, yes, but physical strength is not all they cherished. In fact, Octavia has come to understand that physical strength is just a pleasant tag along of mental and spiritual strength. The ability to stand, to continue on ones path despite overwhelming physical reasons not to be is the most highly prized attribute. It makes an incredible amount of sense to Octavia given that their culture was born in a time when an entire world was dying. It is this strength that has led Lexa to be the commander of the Tree Clan. It is this strength that has led Clarke to be so well respected by the Commander and Tree Clan.

When she begins to understand more and more of the language Octavia is stunned to learn what the grounders gossip about. Clarke. More specifically, how Clarke strode into their territory without weapon or care after killing three hundred of their soldiers. How Clarke demanded to speak to the Commander of the Coalition and proceeded to take her to the site where even now her soldiers' corpses lay burned and broken. How Clarke had brought back to life and clan a dead reaper. They marvelled at her show of strength and agreed that as first meetings between the leaders of two peoples go it was one of unsurpassed power. They worried that were it not for the Coalition of more than a thousand warriors prepared to wage war on the Sky People their Commander would have appeared weak.

Octavia is shocked to learn that part of the Tree Clan's insistence on Finn's death was because of Clarke's show of strength. They feared that such a leader who was not Clan would be their death and feared such a leader had no sense of justice. The Clan's people sought so hard for war between themselves and the Sky People because they feared if they left it too long they would not be strong enough to win. They were never the type to shy away from an unwanted yet necessary task. This fear drove their actions until Clarke did something that none of the expected. She started courting their Commander.

It started small, so small that even those who were there questioned the intent. The way Clarke stood, defiant and accepting. How she would challenge their Commander one moment and agree with her the next. The Tree people thought it was a sign of war to come, the war between ground and sky people. Until after a day away from the camp an injured Lexa came back alone with Clarke. More importantly, came back swordless. When the people questioned their Commander on where her sword was, a shy Clarke explained that she'd accidently broken it in the process of saving Lexa from a Pauna.

It was then that the rumours really started. To allow another to use ones sword was an intimate act, but not the first such act between their Heda and the Sky Princess. The first, the clan agreed after some consideration, was Clarke drinking the Skaikru gift to prove it clean of poison. Sharing of food and drink was considered an important act of trust in the first place, which is why it was so often the start of a negotiation. To test a drink for poison and in the same act to test the faith of a guard was a powerful symbol. It said to all who watched 'I will die to have you truly protected, in both body and heart'. Bonding ceremonies have been held for less reason than that.

Such symbolism should be dismissed, dissenters scoffed, due to the differing culture between Trigedakru and Skaikru. For days vicious debate rang through the Grounder camp. Had Clarke intended to make such a statement of concern and protection to their Heda? Or had she merely meant to save her own?

The answer became starkly clear when the Sky Princess proudly presented a new sword to their stone faced leader in a public forum. "I asked Raven to make it," the golden haired girl said with a shy smile. "I feel bad for breaking your other one." She raised a hesitant hand to Lexa, as though to reassure her. "Not that it wasn't worth it, it totally was. I meant what I said; I do need your spirit to stay right where it is. So, this should help do that." The Sky Princess lifted the wrapped sword uncertainly. "If you want something changed I think I can get Raven to do that too. You, uh, you probably shouldn't ask her yourself though. She's still a little upset about Finn, he was her only family." Her voice was soft and the exact words heard by only a few.

Lexa's "thank you, Clarke" was oddly soft for the imposing Commander.

Within an hour more people knew about Clarke's gesture than Octavia could believe. The tale seemed whispered on the wind itself. It was nice, the new warrior thought, of Clarke to replace what she broke. Octavia made no claim to understanding Grounder culture but she did understand that weapons were important and cherished. What she didn't understand was why everyone was talking about Clarke's gift. So as with all she didn't understand Octavia asked her general.

"Indra? May I get guidance?"

The general in question sighed softly. She hadn't realized how very talkative the girl was when she made her a second. Added to her stubbornness and curiosity the dark skinned Grounder was sure that the sky girl could run any warrior ragged with her questions alone. "Yes."

"Clarke gave Lexa a sword toda-."

"She what!" Indra shot straight up from her reclined position, honed muscles tense and eyes intent. "Explain to me what happened."

"I was trying." Octavia mumbled under her breath at her general's interruption before clearing her throat and starting again. "Clarke broke Lexa's sword, so she asked Raven to make Lexa a new one; a better one. Raven didn't really want to, on account of Lexa ordering Finn's death. I know you didn't like Finn and I hate what he did, but he was Raven's only family for a long time and even though she knows what he did wasn't right she still blames Lexa and Clarke for his death." Octavia paused to gage Indra's attention.

The stoic warrior nodded abruptly to signal her understanding and for her second to continue.

Octavia ran a distracted hand through her braids before continuing her rambling tale. "So, she brought it by today and gave it to Lexa before their war council meeting. Apparently it's important that she did it outside the meeting tent? And that she said that she needs Lexa's spirit to stay where it is? Which, I get why she said that; I just hadn't realized that Clarke knew about the Commander Spirit."

Indra swallowed and opened her mouth before shutting it, her teeth clicking against each other. There were times, the general lamented, that the Sky People were much more trouble than they were worth. "Octavia, second, understand." The general paused to breathe again and gather her thoughts. If the most Grounder like of Sky People did not understand what had occurred, it was unlikely the Sky Princess did. "To gift one with a weapon made for them is an act of great intimacy, for this will protect their life. It may act as a stand in for the person who is gifting it. To do so in public is a mark of acknowledgement and esteem. In doing so you tell all who can watch that this person is special to you. It is a public statement of your intent. That your leader then made clear she wished Heda to live more than she wished her spirit to continue says that she values Heda as an individual, not a Commander. Finally, by having Raven make the weapon tells Trigedakru that the blood between our clans has been spilt, and it is time for us together to spill other blood." Indra's intense eyes bore into Octavia's, willing her second to listen. "If it was your leader's intent to propose a marriage of clan and to woo Heda I doubt there is another act and speech she could have done that would work so well."

Octavia nodded her head jerkily, thoughts focused on the implications of what had happened. After a day of training the second made her way to Camp Jaha, hoping to get an update from Raven about Bellamy, only to find Clarke holed up in the mechanic's room. At the younger girl's questioning glance the blonde uneasily explained that she'd felt watched all day at the Grounder's camp and just wanted a little peace and quiet, well she freaked out about the Grounder's strange behaviour. Octavia laughed so hard she nearly passed out.