*Thank you to all my reviewers* Disclaimer: if I got any of the grounder spiritual stuff wrong I'm sorry. As of right now only episodes up to s3:e2 are released.


Lexa was strapping on the last of her armor when she heard Clarke roll over and groan. "Good morning."

Clarke sat up with another grunt. "Morning." Not fully awake, not fully remembering everything that had happened, Clarke let her heart flutter just the tiniest bit at Lexa's tanned face smiling softly down at her, still bare of paint.

"There is something," Lexa bit her lip, wondering if she should even go through with this, "I wished to give you yesterday." She plucked the little golden circlet off the table. "I heard it was your custom, to give rings when you are married." She held it out towards her. Clarke just stared at it like a foreign being. "It was my great grandmother's, before the bombs. I hope you will wear it."

Clarke didn't know what to do. It was beautiful, two tiny gold threads twisting together, holding up a single shinning pearl in the middle. Of course, there were nicks and scars in the metal, but they seemed to make it shine even brighter.

Lexa took her hand back, placing the ring back in its little drawer. "I'm sorry, it was a stupid idea." She turned her back, wiping her hands on her skirt.

"I could have killed you. Last night. There was nothing stopping me." Clarke stated, void of emotion.

"But you didn't." Lexa couldn't look at her.

"I could have, then this would all be over."

"No it wouldn't. You aren't so stupid." She busied herself with strapping on her sword belt. "My spirit would travel into the newborn baby. Then there would be nothing to stop the generals to declare war on all of Skaikru as principal would mandate them."

"I would no longer be your wife."

"If the end of our union was worth that many lives to you, you would not have married me in the first place."

"I can make mistakes."

"We can all make mistakes." Lexa bit back, harsher than she wished. "It won't do for you to spend the day in here. You must make an appearance outside. Visit the healer's. I don't know. Just please, don't spend the day in here alone."

"Fine." Clarke got up and made her way to the little breakfast Lexa had sent for earlier.

"I must go meet with generals to discuss tomorrow's meeting before we decide the terms of the new peace."

"Okay." Clarke shrugged, picking at the collection of fruit.

They went on like that for the next week. Barely talking except when mandated by public appearance. The peace talks went fine. No grounder would enter Arkadia without permission, and no Sky Person would enter any grounder village without invitation. Other than that, they were to be treated as one people. Clarke kept herself busy in what functioned as Polis's makeshift hospital, training what healers she could in CPR, learning more uses for different herbs.

Every night, Lexa would come back after Clarke was asleep, curl up on the carpet, and rise before she woke. Each time, she let Clarke's sweet soft snores lull her back to sleep. Allowing herself imagine, in the tiniest moments where her self-control was weakest just before sleep over took her, that perhaps she really was right next to her, their breath stirring each other's hair.

In one meeting, she was surrounded by her generals and Abby discussing how to divide work assignment for a new road between Arkadia and Polis to make trade and transport easier. "We need this route open as much as you, but we cannot spare the people. We barely have enough to gather enough food to feed everyone." Abby argued back.

"I understand, but should not the division of labor be equal among those baring the benefits?" Lexa tried to reason with her mother in law. Clarke had been left out of this debate. Her mother and she seemed to figure out that the chancellor would take care of the small things while Clarke could handle the peace as a whole.

"Yes, but you must see—"

"Nou mou!" The Azgeda queen growled. "Ai ni nou hukop, ni com disha kru!"

Lexa threw her to the ground without hesitation. "I am Heda, and I will not tolerate your obstinacy." She laid her fist into the queen's jaw. "The Skaikru are my people now. And therefore they are your people. You will show respect." Lexa spat into her face, getting off her to resume the meeting. No one said anything against the Sky People.

When they at last let out, Lexa made clear to Indra she was to go for a ride along the Trikru and Skaikru border. She could have easily ordered an underling to do the same job, but she needed the space. Her mare's hooves pounding into the rain softened mud wasn't enough though to clear her head and she found herself close to her hideout in the massive tree before she recognized she had changed course.

Marriage or no, she didn't know if there could ever be real peace between her people anymore. The hatred already ran deep, and they had only been here little over a year.

"LEXA!" Clarke's voice reverberated inside the hollow trunk, ringing in her ears. Should she respond or simply let her go on, leaving her be? No, she would find her horse. Better not to let word spread that she had gone missing.

"I'm here." She uncurled herself from her ball, trying to keep some semblance of dignity.

"Lexa where are you?" Clarke called again, only a few feet from her.

"Down here." Lexa almost chuckled.

Clarke caught her, and jumped from her horse. "My mother told me what you did in the meeting." Lexa nodded. "Don't you think that could only lead to more problems?"

"The Azgeda queen has always been obstinate. It is not the first time I have had to put her in her place."

Clarke settled down on the side of the trunk, not venturing into the hollow. "Thank you." She said after a while.

"Your people are my people now, Clarke. Just as the grounders are now yours." Lexa stared ahead at the still water. How she longed to be a still and lovely as that.

"I know." Clarke glanced down at her hands. Lexa followed her gaze. Twinkling on her finger was the pearl. Clarke saw her eyes widen in surprise. "I thought, I thought the people of the Ark would be more accepting of the union with it."

"Of course." Lexa agreed, even as she felt her heart sink as the tiny surge of hope leaked out of her. "For the treaty."