Chapter Four: Setting Pace

The morning was a bright one and the sunlight shone through the thin material of the Commander's tent, waking Clarke up. It took her a second to place her surroundings but as soon as she realised where she was she smiled widely and shifted onto her side. Lying on her stomach beside her was Lexa, still asleep.

Her braided hair was splayed over the pillow behind her, leaving her face exposed. Lexa looked completely at peace, her breathing deep and even, a small smile tugged at her lips even as she slept. The fur cover rested at the curve of her bottom, leaving her back completely exposed. Clarke took the opportunity to admire such a wonderful view. Lexa's back was almost entirely covered in a large tattoo; its swirling design matched the one on her upper arm. The ink patterns swirled over toned back muscles that shifted as Lexa breathed. On the skin between the swirls were Lexa's brands, one for every kill she had made in battle. She had a lot, starting at her right shoulder and moving along with the pattern of the tattoo diagonally. The brands reached down almost the whole length of Lexa's back. The tattoo itself sprawled even further. Tendrils of ink snaked around to Lexa's left breast and around her right hip to her navel. Once it met the small of her back, it continued to weave down her left thigh to the knee. As well as the brands, there were several scars of varying sizes and intensity. Where the burns had been carefully made upon Lexa's skin, these marks of battle had not and they interrupted the design of the tattoo, creating texture and ripples in the ink. Clarke looked at Lexa with her artistic eye like she was looking at a prized masterpiece.

Clarke propped herself up and with her free hand, she reached out and began to trace the tattoo. She wanted to memorise every detail. She reached the middle of Lexa's back when the other woman woke up and their eyes met, Lexa's still looked sleepy,

"Morning," Clarke said, her roaming fingers coming to a halt,

"Don't stop."

Clarke smiled and continued her task of mapping Lexa's tattoo, reaching the small of her back before journeying back up, tracing a new path of swirls.

"The time?" Lexa asked,

"Early. The sunrise woke me up."

"Good, then we have some time before we leave. The army completes it's march to Polis today."

Clarke stopped tracing again and lay her hand flat against Lexa's skin, "Lexa I want to come with you to Polis."

Lexa gave her a smile, "I was hoping you'd say that."

Clarke shuffled closer now and brought up her hand to cup Lexa's cheek, "And I want you to know that I forgive you."

This time Lexa responded by leaning forward and kissing Clarke. It was a slow and gentle kiss more like their first than the passionate ones they'd shared last night. They parted, but rested their foreheads together a while before Lexa sighed and rolled away onto her back,

"What is it?" Clarke asked,

"I want to savour this moment but I can't. If you are coming to Polis with me, there are things that we must discuss."

"No rest for the wicked, right?" Clarke tried to make light of the situation.

Lexa didn't reply. instead she climbed out of the bed and began to dress. Clarke took the opportunity to appreciate Lexa's naked, toned body in the seconds before it was hidden by clothing.

"There are tensions growing within the army," Lexa started as she put on her coat, straight to business,

"I know. When I arrived yesterday, I was stopped by a warrior who expressed disdain at your decision to retreat."

"My warriors wanted blood. I robbed them of their chance for vengeance,"

"Yeah. And you also prevented any more of them from getting killed in a battle that had become avoidable-"

Lexa put up a hand and Clarke stopped, "That isn't good enough for many. I know I made the right decision. And I can't express how much it means to know that you know that. But my warriors are proud and traditional. They live to fight. To see that all wrongs made against our people are met justly and ruthlessly. They see weakness where we see a chance to make peace,"

"But isn't that the ultimate goal of war? To keep people who don't fight, who can't, safe? Isn't there a way that we can convince them that what you did wasn't weakness?"

"Maybe. I think so, but it'll need to be a convincing argument. Otherwise-"

"Otherwise the doubt will spread and your life will be in danger,"

Lexa nodded grimly, "That's why I need your help Clarke, it is good for me that you came here. But I don't want to cause you more hurt. I'm worried that what I have in mind will do that,"

Clarke was moved by the obvious concern Lexa was showing for her. The Commander had never been so open and finally her words matched her expressions, the mask gone. "What do you need from me?"

"I need you to agree to-" Lexa paused and seemed to be searching for the right words, "To turn what you did to the Mountain to our advantage."

"You mean lie?"

"No. Merely work with me to think of a way to tell the tale that benefits us most."

"You have an idea of how to do that?"

"Yes. We have to make out that the alliance between my people and your own still stands."

Clarke considered this. "Do you want to tell everyone that we foresaw the possibility that the mountain men would offer a deal? And we already knew what we would do in that situation?"

"No. That would be a lie." Lexa paused and poured herself a drink of water from the jug that the guard had left on the table last night. She nursed the metal cup with her hands, "We just need to make them think that our alliance didn't end when I ordered the retreat. Because I trusted you would finish what we had started if you kept yourself alive. If the alliance stands then who killed the mountain men should not matter. We stood as one and thanks to you, blood answered blood,"

"So it was like a test to see if the Sky people were worthy allies?"

"People may choose to see it that way. But what is important is that they think that I always had faith in your ability. To exact justice on the mountain men and to rescue those left inside. And that as the Commander I say that it was adequate that it was you that killed the mountain men."

"The warrior who spoke against you was… he showed respect to me,"

Lexa nodded, "They will. You showed true strength that night. My plan is also aimed at ensuring the continued safety of the sky people."

"By keeping you alive. Yeah, I told you I need your spirit to stay where it is,"

"No, the sky people aren't going to be protected by me. They'll be protected by the respect the warriors have for you. By the fact that the skaikru have proven themselves to be worthy and powerful allies to all who live on the ground. I will admit to you now that I thought the most likely outcome of my leaving would be your death. But I also know your strength, Clarke. I knew that if you found a way to stay alive you would be victorious." Lexa allowed herself a fleeting smile, "Still, perhaps I underestimated you again. For the last time."

Clarke nodded in understanding, "You see a future where there are thirteen grounder clans?"

"You are on the ground to stay aren't you?" It was a rhetorical question,

"What about the alliance between the twelve? Do you intend to try and keep it now that you don't have a common enemy?"

"I do. I want lasting peace, Clarke. I want an end to the suffering of innocent people. I want everyone to be deserving of happiness. And I have to believe that if even I can find some with you, like I did last night, then I can find it for everyone."

Clarke smiled from where she still sat in the bed, "Last night made me feel happy too." She paused, "Alright, I'll go along with this plan of yours. But I can't guarantee that everyone else back at Camp Jaha will be happy to go along with this,"

"I understand and I do hope to make amends somehow. But for now what is important is that you and I arrive at Polis as a united front. My warriors know you as the leader of the skaikru and that will be good enough. We need to concentrate on silencing the dissenters first. Then we can think about ways of encouraging continued peace and cooperation between all the clans. Skaikru included."

"No small task."

"This won't be easy, Clarke," Lexa said seriously, but then her expression cracked and she smirked. "So you'd better get out of bed and think about getting dressed."

"Yes Commander," Clarke replied with her own smirk and she tossed the furs back and got up, standing naked before Lexa. Clarke was extremely satisfied when Lexa's eyes immediately started to roam over her body, but the Commander forced herself to stop and looked serious again.

"I'm going to get breakfast. Join me when you're dressed. We march soon."

Clarke watched as Lexa exited the tent somewhat hurriedly. It was probably for the best. Clarke didn't want to be responsible for delaying an entire army from going home by waylaying the Commander. She dressed and left the tent too to join Lexa for breakfast.

The army got into formation for it's march to Polis the moment that everyone had been fed and the camp packed away. Clarke had watched in awe as the eight hundred grounders Lexa had saved from the mountain came pouring out of the village gate's. They took their place in the centre of the marching group with soldiers on every side to protect them.

"How many are there?"

"Eight- no seven hundred and ninety nine. One of the men was from this village. He's with his husband now. Hopefully rediscovering what it is to be around someone you love." Lexa replied and she gave Clarke a meaningful look that suggested she wasn't just talking about the survivor.

It wasn't just survivors emerging from Gowma, many residents of the village had also come to see the army off. Clarke watched as Lexa turned to face these people and she spoke to them in trigedasleng. Clarke couldn't understand what Lexa was saying, but the pride and love for her people was evident in Lexa's voice. It was different to how she spoke to her warriors, not at all threatening, merely strong and reassuring. The voice of a true leader. The crowd were enraptured by her. 'Same as me' Clarke thought.

When Lexa had finished she turned to Clarke and smiled; "Come. There's someone I would like to introduce you to before we go,"

Clarke and Lexa walked towards the crowd and a woman, who looked to be around her mid thirties, stepped forward.

"Clarke," Lexa said as they reached the woman, "This is Pola, Costia's sister."

Clarke offered Lexa a supportive smile at this revelation and then she turned and offered her hand to Pola. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Pola," she said, even though she knew Pola would not speak English.

Pola smiled and rather than shake Clarke's hand, she clasped Clarke's forearm and brought her in close for a hug, as was grounder tradition. Clarke followed the movement as best she could and she thought back to when she and Anya had clasped arms. There'd been no hug that time though.

"Clarke." Pola said simply in greeting and then she turned to Lexa and spoke in her own language. Clarke watched as Lexa's cheeks coloured and she could guess that they had previously spoken about her.

Clarke stood quietly whilst Pola and Lexa exchanged a long goodbye hug. Her ears caught mention of the word 'skaikru' and she concentrated harder on what Lexa was saying, trying to understand.

"Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim." Lexa said to Pola. It didn't take a huge leap to work out that that was 'may we meet again' in trigedasleng. Pola seemed pleased with this newly introduced sentiment and she hugged Lexa one more time.

"Are you ready to go to Polis, Clarke?" Lexa said, turning her attention back to her,

"I can't wait," Clarke replied, and she meant it.

They turned their back on Gowma and headed to the front of the army.

"Gonakru!" Lexa shouted in the commanding tone that Clarke was most familiar with, "Ai kru! Oso kamp raun Polis!" Warriors. My people. We go to Polis.

It took them until mid-afternoon to reach the first gates that guarded the outskirts of the city. Progress was slow so that the survivors did not need to struggle. The army had been following the same ruin of an old road the whole way. The closer they got to Polis, the sparser the woods got and the more cracked concrete you could make out underneath the foliage. Whereas there were cars buried under roots and leaves around TonDC, here they had all been cleared away. Clarke assumed the metal had been used for construction. The metal walls that expanded out on either side of the gates were a mish mash of colours. Automobile bonnets and other scrap metal joined together into an impressive structure. The group turned off the road, which seemed to run parallel with the wall for many more miles, onto a smaller pathway. The group came to a halt at the foot of the gates.

On the other side were two tall sentry towers, also constructed out of scrap metal and a guard stood alert atop either one. They both looked down over the gates to the army below. One of Lexa's attendants went forward and shouted up at them, the sentries in turn called an order to the ground on their side. Within a second there was a loud groan of metal moving against metal and the gates began to move, opening outwards. The attendant moved back into formation and the army began to march again. The gates closed the moment they were all through.

Clarke surveyed the land before her and turned to Lexa with a furrowed brow. It didn't seem much different from the scenery on the other side of the wall. There were scattered trees and tufts of grass growing over the remains of old roads. Hardly the hustle and bustle Clarke was expecting to find,

"Those are the outer gates. We have just passed into the outskirts of the city. The centre is further in." Lexa explained, recognising Clarke's confusion.

As they kept marching however, signs of life became more and more apparent. To Clarke's right, the trees grew denser but she could just about make out the shapes of metal buildings built between them. Then she looked up and was stunned to see tree houses too. To her left, the signs of an old city started to emerge. Foliage grew freely over concrete structures that had been skillfully repaired into livable buildings. Sounds of day to day life began to carry from the houses on the wind; shouting, the sounds of children playing, the clanging of cooking pots.

The company kept to the central trail as it began to curve towards the north, circumnavigating the large cluster of homes on the left. Soon they were joined on the path by other people also heading into the centre of Polis. Horse and carts that were carrying crops and meat and milk were brought to a stop at the side of the road, allowing them to pass. They were all coming from a vast flat area to the East,

"Our farms," said Lexa, following the direction of Clarke's gaze. Clarke could see fields of livestock in the far distance, and in front of them fields of crops. Every now and again there was a metal structure, farmhouses no doubt.

Eventually they reached the next set of gates and Clarke deduced that they were finally about to enter the centre of the capitol. Behind the high city walls were two massive structures, the most intact structures from the old world Clarke had seen save for the statue near TonDC. The one on the left had once been whitewashed, but now it was faded to grey. The building on the right was brown. Sentries stood all along the length of the buildings, they were perfect lookout points.

At the command of the attendant these second gates opened to them and in they went. Clarke was momentarily stunned when she was greeted with more woodland growing behind the two lookout buildings. She had been expecting many more ruined buildings but now it felt like she'd gone back to the forest. Clarke continued to watch in amazement as Lexa turned around to face the army and issued a command. Whatever she said was met with cheers and the strict formation broke as the majority of warriors began to disperse into the trees. Clarke watched as the ones still in view began to build their tents.

"So any visitors to Polis have to make their way through the army camp, which is in a mini forest because that's where your people are at their strongest?" Clarke guessed,

"Exactly."

The group did not linger and they continued forward on the path until trees once again gave way to metal buildings and city ruins. And people. All at once there were crowds and crowds of grounders bustling around markets and metal huts that Clarke assumed were also places of trade. She watched the furious trading of goods around her; a plucked chicken exchanged for bread and milk, a spare blanket became currency for a new shirt. The cacophony of voices gradually died down however as more and more people noticed the arrival of their Commander. Suddenly it felt like all eyes were on Lexa and Clarke and then one person started to chant 'Heda Heda Heda!' and it was soon picked up by others. Lexa continued to walk, bowing her head to people in acknowledgment as she went. Clarke followed along with the eight hundred survivors and the warriors that had remained to see them safely into the centre of Polis.

Clarke realised that they were heading past the markets for a large clearing that she took to be the meeting point in the city. It was filled with people. As they got nearer, several children came running up to Lexa, repeating her title over and over. One presented Lexa with four small white flowers, tulips Clarke remembered from a picture book she'd read on the arc. The Commander gratefully accepted them, her free hand squeezing the child's shoulder. Lexa separated two of the flowers and held them out to Clarke with a smile and Clarke could feel her cheeks grow red as she reached out and took them. Some of the children gave an 'ahhh' at the gesture.

Lexa brought everyone to a stop by raising a hand. A man came forward from the large group of people and he bowed his head to the Commander and then began to speak. Lexa listened and then she turned to Clarke,

"Before you are people who are hoping to be reunited with a loved one today. I am glad that you are here to see this Clarke. It would not have been possible without you."

At this, Clarke realised that the crowd before them all shared an expression of hope and excitement, "Well, don't keep them waiting any longer."

Lexa smiled and she turned towards the crowd and spoke. The effect was instant and all at once, that crowd began to rush forwards as people clamoured to identify their family and friends. Clarke and Lexa moved clear of the rush and watched as scene after scene of happy reunion unrolled before them. Clarke cried openly at the joyfulness of it all, she was almost overwhelmed. When she turned to look at lexa she saw that the Commander was clutching so tightly to the stems of her tulips, her fist had turned white. Lexa was holding back her own tears.