AN: Thanks for reading, reviewing and following :) This chapter is short, but I didn'twant to delay any further in getting this to you. The next chapter will be posted quicker. Thanks again for reading.

Chapter 2

Despite the late hour I had gone to bed, morning had not come soon enough and my slumber had been less than restful. With sleep now long forgotten I stood at the window waiting for that first spark of daybreak. I had much to get done today and with the announcement of the ceremony tonight. I was pressed for time on all fronts.

Like how I would convince Clarke that we were meant to be more to each other, having only shared a single kiss and how would I prevent the people of the Arc from killing more grounders? And how to bring Skaikru back into my coalition? Then, even if I managed to accomplish all of that, how would I convince Clarke to participate in a ceremony that chooses a wife for me? I dragged a frustrated hand over my face and released a grown.

"Good morning," there was soft laughter at my expense behind the greeting. "Rough morning?"

"Morning." My greeting was gruff as my stare now more than ever focused on the view out the window. I heard the rustle of crumpled sheets behind me and the soft patter of bare feet hitting the concrete floor before my hair was swept from my neck and her lips touched me there.

"You know," she began, her voice lazy with sleep as her breasts pressed into my back and I can tell she's still naked. "You didn't have to leave the comfort of our bed."

"I would not have had cause to leave my bed." I folded my hand in mild annoyance. "If you hadn't been there."

She chuckles. "It's not like I haven't shared your bed before." I feel her pull on my earlobe before she kisses it. "I always share your bed when I'm in Polis."

"This is different."

"The ceremony?" she challenges.

"Yes." Among other things. Clarke.

"You know, I never understood your logic Lexa." She begins stepping away from me and I take the opportunity to take a much needed breath. "How could you hate my mother and still bed me? Yet wont share a bed when we are about to be married."

I turn to face her; she's as beautiful as I remember. Hair so blonde it's basically white with olive skin and deep green eyes. It was the eyes that had gotten me the first time I'd met her. I was inches away from drawing my blade across her throat. I had the full intent of delivering her head to her mother, but then she looked at me and asked me to make her death quick but honorable and all the hurt and anger I had felt in the moment had simply disappeared.

"And I don't' understood you Riya." I reach for the blanket hanging over the couch that had abused my bones and skin mere hours before and move to wrap in around her shoulders. "How could I have killed your mother and you still want to share my bed?"

"That's different." She retorts clutching the blanket and I can tell the hurt is still fresh from the loss.

"Riya … I..." I cared deeply for her and never intended to cause her pain.

"It's fine," she steps out of my hold and move to sit on the couch. "It had to be done and it had to be you." I nod conceding this to be true. "But why is this time different? The ceremony is a formality, even with the challenges; you know the people of Polis will choose me as your wife. Azgeda will make sure of that."

I admired her confidence, however misplaced. "Titus has assured me that the voting process will be fair and just, but I still can't have you in my bed before the ceremony begins, it would be improper."

"And the commander canoodling with Wanheda isn't…improper?" Riya challenged.

"I'm not…" I stopped myself not wanting to lie.

"You like her." She stated rather than asked.

"It's more than that." I admitted.

"Then you are in quite a conundrum Lexa." Riya said.

"Yes." I conceded.

"What if Polis doesn't choose her?" she asked, but I understood what she was really asking.

"I will be faithful and true to whomever my people choose as a wife for me," she nods before she snuggled into the couch and wrapped the blanket around her.

"As Heda you can have two wives." She reminded and I nod confirming that I had indeed remembered the tradition though I wasn't considering it. I wasn't sure if such traditions were a part of Arc culture and I didn't want to insult Clark by suggesting it. Especially when the idea of two wives seemed daunting and one that I was not altogether comfortable with.

"How are you here already? The announcement is this evening."

Riya chuckles sleepily. "The all seeing eye." she winks and I take this as truth. I collect my daggers of the table and reattach them to my clothing; day break had finally broken through and I had my meeting with Indra.

"I'll instruct the chamber maid to prepare rooms for you and your maids?"

"Three rooms." she confirms.

I nod making a mental note of the number and to speak with Marta on my way down. "I'm sure you have much to do in preparation for the festivities?"

"Yes I have swords to sharpen and dresses to try on it," Riya laughs with the playful roll of her eyes. "But later, it's too early."

"Ok…" I said clearing my throat unnecessarily. "You have fun with that, I must leave you now. I have much to do."

"Clarke?" she playfully teases.

"Duty," I said before existing into the hallway between the sentries. That's where I spotted Clarke leaving her room. "Clarke" I greeted feeling my heart skipping an unnecessary beat. The guard at my side firmly closed the door behind me and I heard him draw the security latch.

"Lexa." Clarke says somewhat startled.

"Good morning" my smile brightened as my gaze roamed over her new outfit, then back to her face, her hair. She's done something different with it that I quite like. "I like this new look." My compliment comes bold and honest.

"Thank you." She blushed. "I treated myself to grounder couture courtesy of Baya." She said mentioning her chamber maid whom she'd grown fond of.

I smile having understood the joke as we headed down the hallway. "Then how about I treat you to lunch?" I asked nervously.

Clarke blinked. I could tell she was unsure of the meaning behind my question. Maybe this wasn't how one asked for a date?

"Oh, you don't have to do that…"

"I know, but I want to." I raised an eyebrow. "Unless you're already meeting someone?"

Clarke shook her head. "Oh, no. I'm not meeting anyone," She replied then back peddled. "That's a lie. I actually am."

I frown at her slightly. "Explain."

"I'm seeing Aden later this afternoon." I raised a brow again. "He's been training me with swords."

"I see."

"Is that okay? I never thought to ask before and now that I'm thinking about it, I probably should have."

"It is good that you are learning." I assured. "Aden will be a good teacher."

"He his." there was a hint of reflection in her voice. "Where are you off to?"

"Meeting with Indra" I said as we reached the lower level of the tower. "You?"

"Hunting with Baya, then going to see a man about some paints and drawing supplies."

"You will be drawing?" I asked unnecessarily, she nodded. "I look forward to seeing one of your pieces."

"Okay. Sure." she replied but seemed nervous at the implication of her agreement. "Where should I meet you for lunch?"

"I will come to you." I replied.

"Um, Okay. Let me not keep you then." Clarke said as we existed the building. Then she smiled, so faint and so innocently that I thought I'd imagined it but there was no mistaking that nervous twitch in the pit of my stomach that now felt like a snowball running down a mountain.

"I will see you later Klark."

Sometime Later...

"Again!" I shouted with Indra at my side as we watched several pairs of my special militia in training that morning. "They are not ready." I determined having watched them train for the past hour.

"They will be." Indra confirmed.

"Much depends on it Indra," The men and women before me had been specifically chosen and trained to one day infiltrate the mountain from inside. They conversed in English, wore mountain men type clothing, had no physical markings - tattoos or kill markings - and where trained in traditional military hand and weapon combat, but today slight adjustments were being conducted by Indra to suit our current need, to infiltrate Arcadia. "They must be able to assimilate."

"Sha Heda," She nods "my times with Skaikru have been educational. I will teach them what's needed."

"You need rest Indra."

"Hm." It was a low grunt of agreement. "This is important Heda; no one else can do it." She reasoned and I had to concur, only Indra held the knowledge that was needed.

"Your life is important. You must rest."

"Is that a command Heda?"

A small smile formed on my lips as I continued to watch the training. "It's a humbled request Indra."

"I will make time to rest Heda," She said and I glanced over at her. "After training." She promised.

"What is our weapon count?"

"Nine automatic rifles and twelve hand guns taken from the mountain over the years." Indra responded.

"Bullets?"

"Instructions have been given to Knox on how to make them. As soon as the materials arrive production will start."

"Good," it seemed all was on track and I could rest easy knowing that this part of my plan was in capable hands.

"Are you good Heda?" her question was so soft I'd almost not heard it among the noisy activities of sparing. "Titus informed me of the ceremony."

"Sha."

"He wanted to know which one of my daughters would be representing Trikru." She continued and that bit of information lifted my brow.

I had known both Indra's daughters since childhood and was very fond of them. They had often visited Polis with her and when I wasn't busy being the leader of twelve clans I would spend time with them, but one more than the other.

"Which daughter will you be sending?" I asked trying to sound less interested than I was.

"Which one would you prefer Heda?" she asked looking over at me and though I tried to hide it, I blushed ever so slightly.