It had been hours since Clarke was escorted to her room by Brea, an expressive young woman, who wore simple clothing rather than the warrior attire Clarke had become accustomed to seeing. On the way to her room, Clarke took in the extravagance of the home that she was in. It was a mansion, bright and well kept, with many pieces of art showcased along its halls.

Clarke could not help but stare as she was brought up to a grand colonial door, intricately carved with designs and the word heda at the top. Brea stopped before laughing at Clarke's bewildered face.

"This is heda's room Clarke kom skaikru." Brea smiled fully at her before tugging on her elbow to move Clarke to the only other door in the hallway. "This is your room skaiprisa. It is, oh how do you say, the second best of the whole city."

Clarke ducked her head as heat rose to her cheeks at the smile that Brea was giving her. "Mochof" Clarke murmured to her. Thanks indeed, she thought.

Brea paused before saying "anything you need I am here. Heda is close too. Heda instructed that you are to be taken care of as best we can do."

As Brea made her way out of the room, Clarke gaped at the beauty of it. There was a massive bed adorned with furs and exquisitely crafted wood for the frame. The room appeared comfortable, far more inviting than any room Clarke had ever been in in her life. She was sure that no one on the Ark had actually been near a room this nice.

"Do you like it?" a soft and familiar voice called out behind her.

Clarke's hand froze on top of the fur blanket she had been admiring. She turned and was met with a questioning gaze.

"I do. Thank you Commander. It is beautiful here." Clarke responded.

"We are not savages Clarke. Here, in Polis, my people live without fear of war and it is this safety, which allows them to live in this way. We only appear savage in order to survive." Clarke looked at Lexa, taking in the lack of war paint on her face and the lighter, less intimidating clothing that she wore before nodding.

"I know that the past haunts you Clarke. But while you are here you will see a different side. My people respect you." Lexa's eyes searched Clarke's once again.

"Skaiprisa"Clarke whispered, a faint smile tempting her lips to curve.

"Sha. You are a fast learner. They call you the sky princess, Heda kom Skaikru. Leader of the sky people."

Clarke's eyes flashed with pain for a moment before she looked down, her body growing tense once more.

"I am no leader. I am a murderer, a killer, someone who deserves no praise." Clarke bit out the last words as if they tasted like poison. "And you are a traitor Lexa."

Lexa's eyes flashed, her fists clenching. No one, not even Clarke could get away with speaking to her like that. No matter her feelings for the girl, there was a certain line that no one could cross.

She took a few quick steps forward, once again invading Clarke's personal space out of intimidation. Her jaw was clenched and her eyes were dark as she simply stared at her. She could see the emotion in Clarke's eyes, feel the way that her breath sped up and her stance changed. She was submitting, something that she did not often do.

"Come with me Clarke" Lexa said, her voice so low that Clarke barely heard it, before she turned on her heel and left the room.

Clarke's body relaxed, once again releasing a breath she did not know she had been holding before following Lexa. As she left the room she saw 2 of Lexa's personal guard by her side. The other two were quickly discovered to have been waiting for Clarke outside the door, for they immediately assumed the same position behind her as they would Lexa. Clarke raised an eyebrow at this but did not dare mention it.

Clarke wondered if she had already ruined the hospitality of Lexa, angered her to the point of no return. Still, she followed. They made their way out onto the street, heading straight for the lively city in the center of the complex.

As they approached, Lexa turned and beckoned for Clarke to walk beside her. Upon entering the city Lexa took on the persona of the Commander even more. Her back was ramrod straight, her eyes dark and filled with power, her chin tilted up.

Though she lacked the paint of war and the intimidating clothing of the commander, she was still a symbol of leadership and power as she strutted along the dirt path. She had a dagger holstered to each leg and a sword strapped to her back. The Commander raised her fist to stop them from walking before she turned to Clarke.

"You think I betrayed you to save my people but that is only half true. Even when you slipped away from your camp and into the woods with no protection, no desire to live, did harm befall you? Did death get the chance to touch you?"

Clarke looked at her with a mixture of confusion and some unknown emotion Lexa couldn't quite place.

"I did what was best for my people. I chose with my head not my heart. But that does not mean that my heart did not make other decisions. You were not attacked because I guarded you. I sent Dax to protect you, knowing that you would likely welcome death because of the guilt you felt."

One of the men that surrounded them made a grunt upon hearing his name and Clarke's eyes were pulled toward him. There was a cut running down his forearm that appeared to have healed recently and Clarke wondered if he got it guarding her.

Seeing her gaze on him, Dax looked to the Commander for permission before speaking. "Ai laik Dax kom Trikru. I am Dax of the Tree People," he repeated. "I protect the skaiprisa with my life. Heda's command."

Clarke looked at him with wonder before stepping up to him and tracing her finger along the scar. She turned to Lexa who seemed a bit stiff watching her before returning her gaze to Dax.

"You were injured recently. Was that protecting me?"

"Sha Clarke kom Skaikru." Dax nodded, his eyes showing more pride than anything.

"I never left you Clarke," Lexa said. "Now you will see the people that you saved, those that owe their lives to you for making the mountain fall."


Chapter 3 is already almost completed. Please review and follow. I am open to ideas for things my readers wish to see included. Let's just say that the story will begin to focus more on Clarke and Lexa as a pairing in the next few chapters.