When there was nothing left but smoke and ash, Clarke and the Grounder leader remained, side by side, both in deep thought, staring at the remains. It brought about a common ground between them- the loss of love. Finn held a certain type of love from the blonde, a friendship, a physical attraction specked with feelings. Lexa had something a bit deeper. She truly did love Costia. She was her first love, the first lover she had ever taken. Seeing the sky girl lose someone, in the way she did, the Commander felt unexpected sympathy and compassion. Not that she was incapable of it, but she was a hardened leader. Mostly, but especially in the presence of a possible threat, namely, a new people who came crashing down into the Earth. But suddenly, she had felt compelled to share her own loss with the blonde and deep down, where she really didn't want to admit, she hoped it would comfort her. It had been the thing that definitely broke the ice between them.
And when they walked away from each other, from their conversation, neither one could tell at the time that they had broken through the others' barriers- the walls that had long been set firm around the Commander's heart and the one Clarke was just starting to build, brick by brick.
But soon after, they sought each other out, stayed a bit longer to conversate after meetings, sat together at meals. But then, it wasn't enough to be in each other's company, wasn't enough for their bodies to be in close proximity. Their eyes could not tear away from each other. Clarke began to notice, with a strange but thrilling shiver, that the Commander's passive eyes, would stay lingering in hers, sometimes without the brunette even knowing. She could see a fiery hunger behind the green tint. The brunette, in turn, began to notice an awkwardness, an adorably shy gaze from the sky girl's blue's. She began to catch Clarke's intent staring, the blonde blushing and turning her head away quickly, when she got caught by the Commander.
They naturally gravitated to each other, the pull becoming so great, they began meeting alone.
It quickly became a routine. The day would always end the same way- the Sky Princess and the Commander would meet before nightfall to discuss daily issues. Truthfully, they were pretty sorry reasons, the issues not really issues.
It was often a waiting game to see who would initiate the meeting. Sometimes it would come early in the morning. Someone, either she or Lexa, would let the other know they needed to talk, discuss some sort of problem in the camp or dilemma among their people. And those were the best ones- the day invites. The anticipation for later, getting to think about their meeting all day. It made Clarke feel funny inside, the anxiety that crept from her navel to her throat. The Commander could never handle anticipation well and would throw herself into physical work alongside her men. Anything to stop the flip flopping in her stomach.
And sometimes the meeting request would come later in the afternoon, one asking to speak to the other, and that had its own appeal as well. A last minute request to meet, meaning an even shorter time to wait for the approaching talk.
Lexa always keep it as formal as possible, properly asking for Clarke's company. The blonde though had a bit tougher time. Her awkwardness came through with the shuffling of her feet, sometimes a stutter here and there. It always made the Commander laugh inwardly, feeling a little guilty that she had a better hand at hiding her own uneasiness.
In the beginning, they would meet in the Commander's tent, but as time went by, their meetings began to spill out of the tent, to the perimeter of the camp, then eventually into the privacy of the woods.
Today it was Lexa who had requested the meeting, some general dispute among Sky Crew and the Grounders. She had suggested a walk for minimum interruption, which was a laugh because no one would dare bother the Commander in her tent or anywhere else for that matter. Clarke accepted with an eager air. She went to her tent early, preparing herself, taking time to properly groom herself. Though if she had to actually speak and say the words, offer an explanation truthfully, she'd have to say she was making herself look good. A self realization that made her blush and sigh. The Commander too made sure she was presentable, making sure to accent her eyes. She always favored them, the color unlike any others in the clans. Truthfully though… she loved the way Clarke would look and fall into them.
Finally Clarke heard the knock, causing her heart to flip. She took her time exiting the tent, a bit apprehensive. Walking through she saw Lexa casually waiting just outside the entrance.
"Commander." She acknowledged in a small voice, her eyes squarely in line with hers.
"Clarke. Shall we?" She gestured with her hand.
"Yes."
They could ignore the interested looks, most of the time, from both their peoples, when they would casually stroll outside the camp grounds. Lexa's men were on permanent instructions to leave them alone, while some of the Sky people would voice their wary opinion of the young blonde being alone with the seasoned Grounder Commander.
Finally reaching their destination in the woods, they slowly came to a halt just shy of the edge of a clear pond, with tree limbs overhanging above the water. They both stayed quiet for a few minutes, watching the fallen leaves drop gracefully into the pond. It was becoming very tense very fast, as both stood gazing into the water, with nothing to say.
"So… you said there was problem in the camp Commander? What exactly did you mean?" Clarke finally broke the silence, as the uneasiness between them was too great.
"That's been settled Clarke." Lexa replied instantaneously, dismissive as if it were nothing. Before Clarke could respond, Lexa spoke up quickly.
"Our conversation in TonDC.. when I spoke of Costia, well… it was the first time since she died that I had spoken about her, even said her name.."
Clarke nodded, pursing her lips, as she had no idea where this conversation was leading to.
"Do you remember what I said?"
She had said many things that day but Clarke knew exactly what she was referring to… "Love is weakness," she wistfully answered, looking away from the brunette next to her.
"Do you now believe that Clarke?"
She took a minute to ponder that. She went over everything that happened, everything she'd seen, everything she'd felt. Pain. Sorrow. Death. She killed Finn, she cared about him too much to let him be tortured by the Grounders. So in a tiny part of her, while she didn't wholly believe it, she could now see where Lexa was coming from.
"It can seem that way sometimes…" Clarke sadly said, looking down at the ground.
Lexa glanced over at Clarke. She could see the sadness in her, in her eyes, in her posture. She didn't mean to upset the blonde but she had been struggling herself with that notion. She could see Clarke thinking hard.
"What are you thinking Clarke?"
"Love.. can both be incredible, at the same time, unfortunate. Tragic, even. Like Romeo and Juliet."
"Romeo and Juliet?" The brunette furrowed her eyes, eyes scanning the ground in thought.
'Uhh… Shakespeare, late 1500's I believe… it's one of the greatest love stories," Clarke shook her head slightly. She could not believe that the brunette never heard of either the man or the story. Lexa stood there, still confused.
"Well he uh.. was this great author and poet back in the late 15th, early 16th century. He wrote many plays and poems, many of which were highly regarded, very well known in those times."
Clarke looked at the Commander who she saw looking back at her attentively, with obvious interest. "Continue… please," Lexa nodded.
Clarke cleared her throat. "Well one of his most famous works was Romeo and Juliet. So the story goes.. basically they were "two star-crossed lovers", Clarke air quoted. "Romeo was from one family, Juliet from another. Their families were longtime enemies. And it happened one night that Romeo and Juliet met, and at first glance, fell in love with one another, not knowing they were from opposing families. They found out soon enough that their families were enemies and felt the pressure that they couldn't be together. Feeling as if she had no other choice, Juliet took a potion that put her in a comatose state, which she would wake up later from, her intention of making it seem that she had died, leaving her free to be with Romeo. Romeo learned of her death, not knowing the truth about Juliet's plan. Well.. he couldn't live without her, decided to kill himself alongside her body, still in a coma.. He did so by swallowing poison. Juliet woke up to find his lifeless body and kills herself as well…. the end."
The Commander stood silently, watching the leaves from the leaning trees, slowly drift down into the water. Her thoughts seem to be visibly processing on her face. She was clearly affected by the tale.
"So death became their fate because they were not allowed to love each other?" Lexa quietly asked, still lost in her thoughts.
"Basically." Clarke replied, noticing the somber air between them. Clarke turned her body to face the brunette, who turned to face her as well.
"What's wrong, Commander?" She asked, searching her face.
"You said this… Romeo and Juliet, this grand tale… that it's one of the greatest love stories ever written.."
Clarke nodded.
"How can this be Clarke? How can you say that? They had a chance, they almost made it, but they died instead. What makes that great?"
The blonde stood silent. She knew what made it great. It was on the tip of her tongue but when she realized what she was about to say, she cringed at her words. It's great because it's tragic.
"You see Clarke, even our ancestors got it right. Their literature, their storytelling, their art… they all say the same things... love only brings pain."
The sky girl was speechless. Lexa's words knocked the air out of here. She knew better than to take to heart the Commander's words and thoughts, but for some reason, she had nothing to say, no rebuttal. Clarke stood dejected.
Lexa scolded herself. She could see Clarke's defeated face. And she knew she was the one that put it there. She didn't mean to do that to her.
"We should return to camp." The Commander spoke, waiting for Clarke to come out of her thoughts.
They eventually made their way back to camp, each a little bothered. What began as a simple excuse to get away to be alone, turned horribly wrong. Lexa felt bad for bringing up their conversation and Clarke… well Clarke just felt bad.
Their deep thoughts made their journey short, so short, that they both were surprised when they were standing outside Clarke's tent.
They didn't know what to say or do. Clarke seemed like she didn't want to go inside. Lexa seemed like she didn't want to go at all. But she was still so guilty, she never meant to hurt Clarke that way. She needed to make things right between them. She had to try.
"So, Clarke of the Sky People, do you have anymore of these dark, tragic, archaic love stories from a time long forgotten …" she asked with a teasing tone.
She chanced a look at the beautiful blonde and was rewarded when she looked back up at her with a smile.
She nodded chuckled. "They're not all tragic.."
"Then would you mind telling me some more of these epic tales of yours…" The Commander asked, eyeing the girl, a flirtation in her tone.
"It would be my pleasure Commander.' she almost whispered, with a slow, seductive bat of her eyes.
"I'm looking forward to that. Sleep well, Clarke," the brunette nodded with a slight smile, turning and walking away, ever the stoic Commander.
"Goodnight." The blonde returned the smile, keeping her eyes on the departing leader for a long second, before stepping inside her tent.