It is very late when they landed on the couch together and it is very early in the morning when they finally drift off to sleep. Sometime that morning Lexa moves the blonde to the bed without waking her and earning a soft, content sigh when she does so. Lexa brushes the loose strands of hair from her face and kisses her forehead and soaking in her warmth she feels when she does so. Then she quietly makes her way into the bathroom filling a bathtub with hot water she had brought up to the room. She tops it off by adding a rich fragrant oil of lavender.

When Clarke wakes up she finds herself in bed. She reaches out to where the body of warmth should be but finds none.

She is suddenly extremely alert.

They don't often wake up alone or without the other one waking them before they leave when they're together. Briefly, she panics and worries that something has happened, something urgent has called Lexa's attention, but then she shakes her head.

Lexa wouldn't do that. If there were something going on Clarke would be informed. She was sure of it. Kind of. Maybe she was just trying to reassure her fragile self right now.

"I'm right here Clarke." Lexa's voice comes into the room to reassure the blonde. Because, of course, she felt her worry.

Clarke sighs when she hears her from the bathroom. She smiles and tears the furs off of her and bounds out of the bed to go find her. When she does she is wrapped in a tight warm hug that they both sink into with heavy sighs. It is so familiar yet it never gets old.

"I have some business to conduct this morning, but I wanted you to relax after the night you had," Lexa explains pulling back and gesturing towards the tub.

Clarke smiles warmly at her with a small hum of contentment. She runs a trailing hand across Lexa's back while she heads to the tub. She strips her layers slowly and holds Lexa's offered hand while she steps into the tub. Clarke immediately feels the burn and relaxes into the water sinking in deep, allowing the water to run up over her breasts before she plunges her head in as well.

She comes up in a gasp of refreshment and hears a soft chuckle from Lexa. "I take it this was the right decision?"

Clarke nods enthusiastically, "Definitely. Now hurry up and take care of your business because I don't feel like spending much time apart today."

Lexa nods, "And we need to talk."

Clarke cocks and eyebrow before averting her gaze. She expected that. Of course she did, she went behind Lexa's back and tried to exact her own brand of justice last night. She also hit her advisor twice in defiance and rage. She also may have exposed their relationship. She also stormed out of the meeting like a child having a tantrum. The blonde takes a deep sigh, Clarke did not do a lot of good last night for them. She did not fix any problems, if anything she made them worse.

So yes, she expected the 'we need to talk' thing to come up. What she did not expect was for it to sound as foreboding as it did coming from Lexa's mouth. When has any relationship consisted of 'we need to talk' in a good way? None, that Clarke could recall off the top of her head.

"Clarke?"

Clarke gives her a tiny smile, one that is forced and they both know it. She waves a wet hand lightly, "It's fine. Go do your thing, we'll talk when you get back."

"Will you be here?"

The way her voice was soft and quiet, unsure of herself, made Clarke realize how vulnerable they both were right now. Lexa's question was loaded with worry, like Clarke was upset enough to leave her, or at the very least avoid her. The blonde flinched internally, she did have a history of running away from things...

"I may not be in this exact room but I will be around. I can't really go beyond the courtyard in the daylight yet remember? I'm supposed to be a ghost right now." Clarke tries to lighten her voice to ease Lexa's worry. It doesn't seem to do much because the brunette is definitely looking at the wall and not her. "Hey, look at me," she requests softly but it is definitely somewhat of a command.

Green eyes lock to her and Clarke can see the pain and uncertainty. Her heart aches for the girl in front of her at the sight.

In this moment she remembers how young they are, she remembers how intense and new this relationship still sort of is. Even if they have known each other or some form of each other throughout time and different universes - this relationship is still new.

It has accelerated and been filled with absolute devotion in such a brief amount of time. It quickened as they came to terms with the truth of themselves and their paths. It is strong and unwavering love but it does not stifle out the humanity within them. It does not erase the natural vulnerability to open yourself up to someone completely. It does not magically take away insecurities or doubt from either of them.

They have pledged their lives, their hearts and their beings to the other but this moment reminds Clarke they are still young adults in love. Scared of being left behind, scared of being hurt, scared to be left alone with the weight of the world on their shoulders. She also registers in that moment that the weight is now distributed between the two of them; they already carry it together. Clarke thinks, in a way, they always have. But the union that will happen between them, the one that will tie them officially in the eyes of the spirits they owe so much to, will officially place that burden on them both. The union will make Lexa's people Clarke's people. It will complete their path, once Clarke's Kru became Lexa's people by way of them joining the coalition, now the joining of Lexa and Clarke will return the favour.

And Clarke knows now. She wants it. She wants it all. She wants to share it all with Lexa.

The good, the bad, the great, the worse.

All of it.

She's ready. She's never felt more ready. She needs Lexa beside her, she's known it for some time. But seeing Lexa's face right now tells her without a doubt that Lexa needs her just as much.

She blinks once and a smile appears on her face while she looks at Lexa. "I love you Lexa. I am sure a part of me always has. I am not going anywhere... unless you do not want me of course." She's trying to reassure her, she wants the hesitation and fear to leave her beautiful features but she can't help but shove her own vulnerability into the mix with her statement. She wants Lexa to know she's a exposed and weak about this as she is. (She's still only eighteen, give her a break.)

It works.

Lexa crosses the distance with a wet, teary smile and kisses Clarke who leans forward in her bath to greedily accept. It's passionate and needy. Lexa deepens the kiss with a tilt of her head and a brush of her nose as she changes the angle.

A soft breathy sigh escapes both of them as she pulls away, "Ai hod yu in, Clarke." She cracks the 'k' and Clarke swoons before Lexa continues, "I have wanted you before I knew you. I have been waiting for you all my life. Relax, niron, I will find you when I am finished." Love.

Her words leave Clarke speechless and flushed. Sometimes Lexa is too smooth. Her heart is racing and Lexa has already left the bathroom. Feeling slightly overwhelmed and stupid for not replying before she left the room Clarke, for good measure, focuses her love and energy that she feels in her heart and pumps it out. She imagines it filtering out of the bathroom, weaving it's way through the halls and straight into Lexa's beating heart. Her lionheart roars when the feeling is returned from the brunette somewhere in the tower.

Lexa allows Clarke some time to relax in a hot bath. She enters her thrown room and removes a small book from a desk in the far corner. Before her business is to be conducted she takes the leather bound notebook and her writing utensil back towards the balcony. She walks onto it and uses the time to record in her journal. It's something she started many years ago after Costia's death. She had not been allowed to grieve openly; she could not allow herself to confide in anyone. She confided in herself through the journal, it was her penance, her burden to carry so no one else would have to. Writing it down was a habit now that she often kept hidden, she was not even sure Clarke knew about this.

Okay, she's not really hiding it, but it is not on display either. (If it ended up in the wrong hands it could be problematic.)

But mostly, it's something of her own when she has to share everything else.

Even Clarke. Because she does share Clarke with their people. It's something she loves the blonde for though. Something she could never resent her for either. It's what made them equals. Understanding and acceptance of who they are. Neither Clarke or Lexa could turn their backs on their people. Not even for the each other.

She pours her heart into the small, dry pages. She sinks her hopes and fears into available empty piece of parchment. She'll need to add to it soon. So much has happened lately. She scratches and scribbles in both English and Trig. She doodles and hums, she cries and she smiles. When her hand is cramping she closes the book and takes a few deep breaths to bring her back out of her head. She feels better.

She is brought food and drink before Titus enters the room. Lexa takes a deep breath. Here we go.

"Heda," Titus's gravelly voice filled the room.

She doesn't turn to face him, she remains standing as she finishes the last piece of cheese on the plate and downs the watered wine. She is waiting for him to bring up last night. It's only a matter of time but she will not play into his hands. She is Heda, she commands every room she enters. To prove this, she walks back to her throne and slowly sits down, still with her mouth tight lipped and now eyeing the man. She see's a waiver of hesitation before he comes closer when he realizes she won't play along. She raises her chin waiting.

"We must discuss what is to be done about Wanheda."

"There is nothing to be done," Lexa says coldly.

"She committed an offense against your fleimkeepa! You cannot let that go unanswered it will set a precedent. I have the right to demand justice for her trespass against me."

Lexa narrows her eyes. He's right, he has the freedom to choose to punish any who moves against him. Attacking the flamekeeper is as much as an attack against the commander. But it is obvious to her that had Clarke threatened real harm to him he would be dead. Clarke now carries assassins blades at all times, he would never see it coming. She decides to step on his obvious sore pride, "If she wished to harm you beyond simple bruising you would be dead by Wanheda's blade Titus." She clicks her tongue against her teeth before adjusting her jaw as she sees him squirm. "No one was in that room but the three of us and the Delphi delegate. And he won't live long enough to tell another soul about the events in that room. So tell me Titus how will it set a precedent?"

The bald man doesn't answer. So she presses on aggressively. "Will you spread this news Titus? Will you step beyond your place and allow it to be set as a precedent to punish me, to make me learn a lesson?"

"I- No. Never Heda." He bows his head in respect that Lexa doesn't quite buy anymore. She has had a growing sense of unease with Titus in the last five monthes. Beginning back when she came back from the mountain. To when he saw just how 'weak' she was for Clarke. "She must be punished. If you do not see to it, she will continue to overstep her boundaries," the man cautions eyes glued to the floor.

"Clarke and I have very few boundaries. As is the way of a pledged couple," she reminds him.

"Last night she tried to get answers from the Delphi man, answers that were not hers to take! You are Heda." He is insistent.

"And she is Wanheda, she brought down the mountain. She slayed the Ice Queen, she survived her trial for it as well, blessed by the spirits of the ground. When our union is completed she will rule in my stead whenever I am away from Polis." Lexa's tone is firm and commanding. She has essentially pulled the rug of power from Titus's feet.

"You cannot!" Titus raises his voice and looks at her with rage in his eyes.

She stands instantly at his tone. Her hands fly behind her back in a very imposing manner as she crosses the distance between them.

"Yes I can." She cuts him off with ice in her voice. Her chin is raised with authority, "And I will. That duty will no longer land in your hands once this union is official." Her words cut him down piece by piece. He is losing his hold on authority, something he loves, something he's weak for. She is diminishing his responsibility, his hold on her, and his authority in the city. She is making her distrust obvious now.

And it is too late to take it back.

"You put too much faith and power in her hands. Your people will see you as weak Lexa. They will revolt at the news, demand a new Heda, call for both of your deaths, truth of her reincarnation be damned."

"I place no faith or power in her hands," Lexa growls. "She already wields it. She held it long before I came along. I simply allowed my faith and power to join hers." There is no lie. There is only certainty.

"You sound like a lovesick puppy. I beg you to see reason; she will be the end to your legacy. She endangers the both of you. Her actions last night, her general impulsiveness does your people no good. She is not your equal."

Lexa barks a cold laugh; "Her 'impulsiveness' saved my life last night and ended a very real threat against me. Her impulsive actions brought down an enemy we had been a war with for decades. Her quick thinking saved me from losing my head to Nia and effectively extended the coalition. You refuse to give her credit where it is due. Your fear blinds you! Do you not remember advising me to kill her, to take her power? Now you try to deny she has any. She is a quick study Titus; she absorbs it all. She learns from her mistakes and makes better decisions for making them. She is impulsive but she is also patient. She is special." She stares at him coldly. "You were behind this union before I left for Arkadia, what happened?" She presses him in hopes that he will crack or give something away. His behavior has been doing complete 180's since she first told him about Clarke's past life.

There is something that she is missing.

Titus doesn't respond right away. This is Lexa's first warning, something did happen while she was gone. Something occurred when she was waiting for Clarke to heal from her trial. She just didn't know what. The people she has watching Titus told her nothing out of the ordinary had occurred with the man, but she can't shake the feeling that they missed it. Somehow Titus was working in the shadows right under her nose. What he was working on, she doesn't know.

The man swallows thickly, "Nothing happened Heda. I must return to your Natblida's. It is time for their morning training."

"You are dismissed when I say you are." She steps closer once more, "Clarke and Octavia will be joining some of their lessons."

"I have already permitted to let Octavia partake in combat training against my better judgment. This is too far. This is an abomination! They are unworthy of such lessons - it is a blood and birth right! It is tradition!" His anger is spinning into rage and she internally smiles. Unbeknownst to him Clarke has blackblood, she has a birthright. She was born for this, just like Lexa. She was strong enough to share the brunette's blood, she was born to take it, she was born to be at Lexa's side. They were born to lead together.

She squares her shoulders once more and softens her tone slightly, "The world is changing rapidly Titus. You think it changed when Clarke came into the picture and you are wrong. The world began to change the minute I ascended. We were at war for decades. Thousands of our people's blood spilt until I unified the clans. We had peace for a time and a common enemy. As one enemy falls it is natural for the balance to shift, for the board to reset itself. We adjust as well and meet it head on. I am not afraid of this new world and its challenges now when I used to be afraid Titus. Clarke only changed my world, not our world, it was already changing long before she fell from sky."

His face flushes and he is about to refute her statements. She takes in his hardened eyes and figures she may as well put the final nail in the coffin, so with a flick of her wrist she stops his words and speaks again, "She has a birthright as well as the bloodright Titus."

His eyes widen, "She bleeds red!"

Lexa looks at him coldly. It's a challenge and he knows it. "Not anymore," she growls. She can see his mind whirling; she sees the anger and what looks like betrayal in his eyes.

"You have betrayed your people! You have committed a great offense towards your predecessors! You shared your blood?"

"Clarke is Heda Kom Faete. She was the second person to ever have our blood and decades later she has it again. History repeats itself, that's a lesson you taught me long ago Fleimkeppa. Clarke was destined to carry it again, I simply completed the inevitable." She hardens her tone once more to a more commanding one, "If you are so concerned with Clarke's ability to lead properly you will allow this to happen. You will teach her as if she is one of the Natblida's and Octavia as her second will continue to join her, in all aspects not just combat." She allows her commands to sink in a moment. "Now get out of my sight."

The man chews his cheeks and swallows any negative response. He knows he has pushed Lexa far beyond what she would normally tolerate. So he simply nods to her commands and leaves the room. She takes a deep breath. Allowing him to push her and question her like that may not have been wise, she let that go way beyond what she should have. It may have only proven in his eyes that she is weak, or at the very least, weakening.

She sends for Luna and Ziva and awaits them on her throne.