Author's Note: Happy birthday to Sanguin19, my candle-buddy and faithful beta-reader aka fan fiction confidante. May you have many more birthdays to come! I wish you good health and all the happiness in the world. Hope you enjoy your birthday present!
"Singing The Birthday Blues"
It was the first warm day of the summer season and the birds chirped happily at the raise in temperature. From the great forestlands surrounding the capital city of Polis the fresh scent of pine and summer grass wafted in on the tendrils of a light breeze. A miasma of sounds echoed throughout the city as merchants praised their wares and children played with buckets of water in games of dousing one another to cool off under the golden rays of sunlight overhead. What a peaceful and perfect day it was. Except, not if you were Heda.
Lexa sat upon her throne clad in a simple, thin shirt and breeches, having forgone her ceremonial armour in favour of something that allowed her body to keep a tad cooler. At least, as cool as one can possibly be while their thoughts are racing through their head and their heartbeat is such a rapid staccato they are certain it will burst from their chest. If one were to ask Heda for the reason of that gave way to the insistent tapping of tanned fingers against the smooth armrests of her antlered throne, she would have simply glared them into dust. For it was uncertainty that had kept her awake for three nights now. Three nights spent mulling over what would undoubtedly be her greatest challenge yet.
A birthday. The concept sounded so very foreign, Heda had asked Octavia to explain its meaning not once, not twice, but three times. How one managed to possibly keep track of the exact day they were born on, Heda would never know. Her own people marked the season they were born in as a means to gauge how many years they had walked the lands, which was undoubtedly far better a method. After all, how many days were there in a season? Did they differ in number each season? It was all far too complicated. Needlessly so. She would have not cared a single bit about birthdays, were it not that the one person that mattered to her most was about to celebrate it. This evening. Her one and only weakness. Her love. Her mate. Clarke of the Sky People.
Heda wished she could sigh in that moment, simply opting for a solemn mask to shift into place as she stood and stepped out onto the balcony to let the soft summer breeze toy at the intricate braids woven into her thick, dark locks. How had it come to this, she wondered. She, the mighty Heda of thirteen clans reduced to naught more than a grumpy hag simply because she could not find out the answer to the most important question of her lifetime. All of her lifetimes. What in Becca's name should she gift Clarke for her birthday? Octavia had proven to be of no help in the matter. It had been bad enough that Heda had to ask the Sky girl for help, yet it had been even worse still to have said Sky girl simply laugh and offer the answer that Lexa simply 'give Clarke something with meaning'.
What did that mean? What had meaning to Clarke? Heda had spoiled her mate with countless of empty parchments and charcoal to draw with. Exotic paints mixed by the Desert Clan and brushes made of the finest horse hair from the Horse Clan. She had even gifted the girl silk dresses and shifts. Although, were she to admit it, it had been a bit of a gift to herself as well. After all, watching the blonde give a mischievous smirk as she laid sprawled upon their bed of furs wearing naught but a sheer shift had been maddeningly delicious. A horse, then? No, Clarke already had a horse she was fond of.
How utterly difficult was this battle. Heda had attempted to take the tactician's approach; watching the blonde with hawk-like eyes as the girl went about her day. Two days of near stalking her mate had yielded no results. Not even their trip to the markets had given her any insight as to what might be the perfect gift. Clarke had browsed, yes, but more out of politeness. Lexa had pondered about having twin bracelets crafted with their pledge as bond mates inscribed within, yet it would cost far too much time to complete such an intricate commission. No, she would have to be creative. Think outside the box, as the Sky People said. Except, why would Clarke need a box to think beside? Sky People were such strange creatures, Heda mused as she watched the scenery before her slowly turn to the first hints of evening. The sky turned a shade of orange and pink while far below the balcony mothers bellowed at their unruly children to return home for supper.
Damn this situation, Heda thought as she heard her handmaid softly calling out behind her to signal the start of the evening meal. She took her time in walking the hallways to the dining hall, mulling over any and all possible presents she might procure before Clarke and she would be alone that night. After supper, that was. Would she have time to send one of her handmaids to the market still? No, probably not. For once in her life and the many before, Heda was utterly lost as to what to do.
The dining room bustled with life and music which swiftly stilled the moment Heda entered through the double doors and gazed about with her piercing orbs of jade green and her usual stoic solemnity worn upon her face. A myriad of Sky People, the Delinquents as she remembered them referring to their sub-culture within Skaikru ranks, stood surrounding the woman that mattered to her most. They all held tankards and wore oddly coloured hats upon their heads, adorned with colourful strips of fabric and drawings. How strange. Yet what drew her gaze was the miasma of hair the colour of golden wheat in summer, framing a delicate pale face and the deepest pools of azure Lexa had ever seen. In that moment, she felt her heart skip a beat. Clarke was beautiful. Radiant. Where Lexa was akin to a sun burning with bright determination and strength, Clarke was the moon. Gentle and calm, ever present and soothing. Ying and Yang, as the blonde had referred to their strange yet addictive dynamic.
Heda approached her mate and allowed a hint of a smile to form upon her plush, pink lips as she extended a tanned hand that was so swiftly enveloped with its pale counterpart that the jolt of electricity at the touch had her nearly spill a gasp. Clarke smiled and Lexa felt her belly flutter wildly, a sensation akin to a thousand glowing butterflies threatening to take flight all at once. Together they walked to the twin thrones places at the head of the long tables. When they had taken their seat, Lexa, much against ceremony and custom helping Clarke sit in hers first before taking her own seat, did all other guests take a place at the table. Immediately they resumed talking and laughing, the musicians in the corner continuing their jolly and foreign tunes. Undoubtedly Sky People music, Lexa mused, yet all train of thought was lost when she felt lips press a kiss to her cheek. Had she been anyone else than Heda, she would have blushed at the intensity of emotion that rushed her body and soul. Instead, she squeezed her mate's hand and pressed a chaste kiss of her own to the softness of a pale cheek. "Ai houmon." The brunette Heda whispers to the shell of a pale ear before pulling back with a hint of a smile. My mate.
All thoughts about presents were forgotten as they shared a meal. Of course, the hustle and bustle at the table made it a far from private affair, yet it was enjoyable nonetheless. Heda was aware of the smirks Octavia kept sending her mate and her from across the table, returning them only with a hint of narrowed eyes at the Sky girl's mirth over her own despairing quest. No, the real battle would begin the moment Clarke and her were alone that evening. A moment that rapidly approached after the three course meal when the party really began. Singing, dancing and drinking. It would've been much akin to a Grounder party were it not for the colourful dances of the Sky people guests and their ideas of 'partying'. Drinking games swiftly ensued and the guests revelled in the mirthful joys of the pleasures offered. While Clarke danced with her friends, Lexa watched her lover spin to and fro from her seat with an amused expression. Heda did not dance, but she did watch. And watch she did. The blonde Sky girl was an amusing and wonderfully adoring sight as she taught the Nightblood's dances from the old world. Heda allowed herself to laugh as Aden spun across the dancing area so fast he nearly toppled over from the rush of blood to his head the moment the spinning stopped.
Clarke met her gaze then and she felt her breath hitch. A mischievous smile played on the blonde's beautifully plush lips and Lexa felt herself bite down on her own bottom lip at the sight. They stared at one another for a long moment before the Heda rose from her chair and walked down to her lover. A pale hand reached out for its tanned counterpart and Lexa allowed herself to be lead out of the dining room by the smirking blonde, leaving whistled catcalls in their wake from both Octavia and Raven as the two Sky girls waved at the couple in mock innocence.
They barely made it to their bedroom before ravishing one another. The guards at the door to the Heda's bedroom immediately opened the large doors with flushed cheeks at the sight of their Commander carrying her houmon while the latter had her thighs wrapped about the brunette's waist and was busy peppering the Heda's neck with kisses. When the couple had passed and the doors swiftly pulled closed, they could hear the blonde being pressed up against them followed by a throaty gasp. A look of discomfort passed between the two Grounders, shifting their weight from foot to foot and hoping they would soon be relieved by the change of the watch. Standing guard was an honourable task. Yet listening to Heda ravish her Skaigada? That was something else entirely.
Lexa allowed a throaty hum to pass her lips as Clarke ravished her neck with hungry kisses, threatening to steal away all coherent thought. Only by sheer power of will drilled into her by rigorous training did she manage to gently pull back from the girl with a final kiss shared between their lips. "Klarke—" she began, "I have to tell you something."
Clarke had not been expecting her lover to pull away, that was for certain. The girl simply nodded with a hint of uncertainty creeping into her aquamarine eyes as Lexa settled her back onto her feet. Heda walked to the middle of the room and pondered going back to pacing about like a caged feline beast, yet refrained from her stress-induced reaction. Instead, she turned to face Clarke. "Ai Hodness." She whispered, taking hold of the blonde's hands within her own as she continued. "I do not know what to give you for your birthday. The concept is foreign to me. Klarke, I wish to give you the world, but can only give you myself." Lexa's voice trembled with uncertainty, so wholly out of her element was she.
The brunette sunk down to her knees then, much as she had done once before all those months prior in the throne room. Each of them knew the implication of the gesture and Clarke swallowed and nodded, giving her lover's fingers a reassuring squeeze as she gazed down with wide eyes.
"I am scared of the love I have for you, because I know it will ruin me—" Lexa continued, every mask long since slipped from her face. A face that now betrayed an immeasurable amount of love and devotion. Adoration, like a sinner saved by a deity. "—And I also know that I will let it." She finished in a whisper, a careful and hopeful smile curving upon her lips. Clarke could only smile and sink down upon her knees as well, carefully enveloping the brunette's neck within her arms and tugging the older girl closer. "Ai hod yu in, Leksa." She whispered with a smile of her own, matching the brunette's expression and allowing their lips to meet in a long, smouldering kiss that left either girl breathless. "Ai hod yu in, ai houmon." Lexa whispered back, ending in a shivering gasp when pale fingers carefully began to undo the thick braids of her dark hair.
All rational thought was soon lost as the two women undressed one another in between slow, sensual kissing. Clothes were shed and hair unbound, both the blonde and brunette taking their time to worship one another. Every time they made love was like it was their first – so intense and wonderful it would take poets a lifetime to find the words to describe the emotion poured into it. Only after they were both sated and sweat-slickened did they relax back on the soft pillows of their bed, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Lexa gazed down at the halo of golden locks sprawled out over the rise of her breast, a soft smile upon her lips as she combed through Clarke's hair with practiced ease that could only be born from endless repetition and an odd sense of domesticity developed since they became bond mates.
"You are all I want, Leksa." Clarke's voice rang out, sweet and melodious, still husky with excitement. "I am yours, Klarke. Always and forever." She replied truthfully, gently tugging her lover's golden curls to guide their lips together for another sensual kiss. Her other hand possessively squeezed a pale rump – teasing and mischievous. "Oh you are bad, Heda." The blonde giggled after their lips parted, to which the brunette could only smirk and pull her lover back for another kiss even as she treated her lover to a fourth round of lovemaking.
Octavia and Raven walked side by side, each of the two Sky girls clutching a bottle of potent Grounder cider as they had to support one another to stay upright. In between hiccups and gulps of the alcohol, they attempted to navigate themselves to the guestrooms prepared for them. "This isn't the way to the guestrooms, you drunk." Raven giggled out, clutching Octavia's arm as if her life depended on it. "That one is Heda's."
Octavia narrowed her eyes and seemed to recall the door from memory. Of course, the twin guards were quite the indicator to their location as well. Particularly embarrassed guards, now that she thought about it. "Hey Raven, do you hear that?" she giggled in return, listening to the filtered gasps and moans spilling from underneath the door. "What's that?" the mechanic replied in between hiccups, attempting to categorise the sounds within her foggy mind.
"Clarke's present. She's singing the birthday blues." The Blake-girl replied with a laugh before steering them back towards the elevator in the hopes of finding their room before the sun rose again.