Author's Note:
After those clips that have come out of WonderCon and my continued anger at JRat for killing the people I love, I decided to upload this big, fluffy chapter. It will answer the question of soulmates and show us more about grounder spirituality. Hope you enjoy the fluffiness and prepare for future drama. No Beta so all mistakes are mine!
Polis, 2152
It took 2 weeks for Clarke to start training again, and during all that time she had Lexa loyally standing by her side. She had been bored out of her mind since her fiance was taking her recovery very seriously. Not only had Nia's trial been put on hold until she fully recovered, but the amount of guards around her had exponentially increased. It seemed that Lexa was taking all possible precautions and was not willing to put Clarke's life at stake again, not after she had been betrayed by a close ally. Although Lexa had not talked much about it, Clarke knew that the fleimkepa's death had affected the brunette deeper than what she was showing. And, she had been trying for days to get Lexa to share this with her, to confide her burdens and fears but all she got in return was silence. So, tired of this, and knowing that tomorrow the Ambassadors from the different Clans were meant to arrive, Clarke decided to get the answers she wanted. Slowly moving around the room, she noticed that Lexa was sitting on the bed, calmly reading a book.
"Lexa..." Clarke started to say while moving towards the brunette. "Can we talk?"
Lexa looked up at her with curiosity and immediately placed the book away, nodding in agreement. "What troubles you ai niron?"
"You." Clarke replied bluntly and saw the way Lexa's eyes opened in shock. "I know you're in pain, that you're angry and hurt but you tell me nothing about it. I can feel it inside of me because of our connection and I don't know what to do. Do you not trust me?"
"Of course I do." Lexa said quickly. "You're the only person I truly trust. Not only with my decisions as Heda, but with my feelings as Lexa."
"Doesn't seem like it." Clarke smiled sadly. "Because I can see the pain you're in. I know how much Titus meant to you and how upset you must be at me for killing him."
"That's not it." Lexa murmured.
"Then tell me." the blonde begged while kneeling in front of Lexa. "Because what happened has done nothing but tear us apart. Ever since I kissed you and confessed my feelings for you, I've felt your soul next to mine. But these last couple of weeks all I've felt is emptiness. Is it my fault that you're feeling like this? Is my presence not wanted? Because the last thing I want to do is cause you pain." Clarke whispered the last part softly and noticed Lexa looking at the floor, gathering herself.
"I don't want you to leave." the brunette whispered. "I know that I have not been the person you've needed me to be and I'm sorry. But I will never want you to leave my side." she choked the last part.
"And I don't want to leave Lexa, but you need to talk to me. I'm your houmon, I will always listen and care about your feelings ai hodnes, so please talk to me."
"I'm upset." Lexa confessed while staring at her. "But not at you, or even at him. But at myself for not preventing him from hurting you. Many told me about the way he looked at you. Even when he talked to me about you, his words were clear in his contempt and hatred." Lexa scoffed. "And yet I allowed it, I allowed him to roam freely and in a position of power. Do you understand how that makes me feel?" the brunette whispered brokenly.
"How does it make you feel?" Clarke asked softly while placing her hand on top of Lexa's.
"Like I failed you. Like I failed my houmon and I don't deserve to be with you." Lexa refused to look at her.
"Don't believe that." Clarke told her immediately. "What Titus did came out of his own fear and jealousy. I know he was your teacher and stood by your side for many years, but he only looked out for himself and the cause of the Commander."
"But I am the Commander."
"And so were many others before you, Lexa. He did what he had to do so that the Spirit continues moving, continues living. He didn't care about the host of the Spirit. About you." she caressed her face. "And his idea of love is weakness was made so that your sole mission in life was to the Coalition."
"But that's what Commanders are meant to do, protect their people."
"Doesn't mean they have to do it alone." Clarke smiled softly. "Doesn't mean you can't love another. Doesn't mean there's only one specific way to do so."
"I understand that." Lexa admitted. "And the Spirit has already accepted and learned from our relationship, from our bond." she smiled softy. "It now knows that peace can be achieved without blood." she stared at Clarke. "But it is insecure, which makes me feel insecure."
"About me?" Clarke whispered.
"Never about you. I love you Clarke, and I will always love you. But I will be the first commander to have a tenia keryon. So the Spirit is anxious, nervous about this new experience."
"Do you still want to marry me?"
"Of course I want to." Lexa said to her fervently. "There's nothing else I can think about, it's all I dream of and everything I have ever desired."
"Then trust that things will work out. Trust our bond and that we'll always protect each other."
"I shouldn't have to protect you from my people." Lexa muttered darkly.
"And neither should I, but knowing our history we'll have to keep each others' backs. We can't predict what will happen with our people but what we can do is not stop living because of fear. Remember what I told you all those months ago before the battle at Mount Weather?"
"That life should be about more than just surviving." Lexa answered immediately and smiled when Clarke kissed her tenderly.
"Then let's stop worrying about the past and just live the life we got given. Because all I want is to be with you, Lexa Kom Trikru en Skaikru."
"And all I have ever wanted is to be with you, Clarke Kom Skaikru en Trikru." Lexa said and kissed Clarke longingly.
"Then let's do it." Clarke separated from Lexa and gave her a dashing smile. "Marry me. Right now."
"Right now?" Lexa asked with complete shock.
"I know that the time is perhaps not the best one for us to leave Polis but this is what you and I need." Clarke emphasized. "We just went through a very traumatic event that tested our love and bond. And we survived it. We succeeded and we eliminated the people threatening our love. Marrying each other is our way of telling the world that they can't tear us apart." Clarke caressed Lexa's face. "And that we are no longer two people but one person."
Lexa looked at Clarke with complete adoration and kissed her fervently, pouring all of her feelings into the kiss, begging the blonde to understand her desires, her need to have her near her always. She had never loved another person as much as she loved Clarke and that scared her. But behind that small amount of fear there was relief; of knowing that she could still love and was capable of having someone love her as well. Still, when she had asked Clarke to join her she had imagined the blonde woman dressed in a white dress, their people surrounding them and herself stuttering her vows. Not because Lexa wished for that to happen, but because she believed Clarke deserved it. Clarke deserved the world and Lexa was going to try her hardest to give it to her.
"But the ceremony, our people, the Ambassadors." Lexa sighted when she separated from Clarke. "Isn't that what you've always wanted?"
"I don't need those things Lexa. And I think neither do you." Clarke caressed her face tenderly. "I want you." she smiled when Lexa blushed. "Heda and SkaiHeda can later have a ceremony that will appease the Ambassadors and people of Polis. Today I am not marrying Heda, I am marrying Lexa " Clarke got closer to Lexa and stared at deep green eyes. "Because all I want to do right now is belong to you for the rest of eternity." she whispered reverently.
"Are you sure Clarke?" Lexa smiled while standing up and placing her hands on Clarke's waist. "You know what I once told you, that an union that lasts forever. Once we join we can't take it back."
"Would you want to take it back?" Clarke asked her.
"Of course not. You are my tenia keryon Clarke, feva." Lexa told her without hesitation. "I am sure of this."
"Then trust me as well. I was sure from the first moment I saw you that I loved you. Marrying you is not even a question you should ask me." the blonde squeezed Lexa's shoulders.
"Then let's do it." Lexa said excitedly as well. "Let's get married."
"What do we need to do? Who will marry us?" Clarke asked.
"The ceremony of tenia keryons is between the couple and the noun."
"The noun?" Clarke asked confused because translating the word from trigedasleng to gonasleng gave her 'wisdom'.
"That's how we call the elders of a village. They are the wisdom of their clan and hence respected by all. Because joining ceremonies are not common, a noun will test the couple to see if they are truly tenia keryons."
"A test?" Clarke asked completely scared. "So basically our love will be put to the test?"
"Do you doubt our love?" Lexa teased her.
"Of course not. But I didn't know I had to pass a test so I could marry you." Clarke scoffed.
"You fought a natblida, survived an assassination attempt and now you find yourself scared of a test that we both know you'll pass?" Lexa chuckled.
"I want to be with you, Lexa. Any kind of obstacle that could prevent that from happening scares me." the blonde confessed while looking down in embarrassment.
"Don't be nervous ai niron." Lexa caressed Clarke's cheek. "We will be married. That I promise you."
"Good." Clarke purred and kissed Lexa soundly on the lips. "Because I don't want to spend another night without your body and soul laying next to me."
CLCLCLCL
Clarke was packing everything she could think about inside her bag. After some kisses that led to an intense make-out session, the two women decided that the best time to leave would be tonight. It gave them enough time to find the Noun and make it back to Polis before the Ambassadors arrived in a week. According to Lexa, the Spirit was the one that guided the noun and couples that wanted to join usually found the reclusive person within two to three days if it wanted to be found. After that happened, they retreated to a secret location where the Spirit decided if they were worthy of being joined and sharing the secrets of the Spirit. When she had asked the brunette about the secrets of the Spirit and if they were similar to the ones she had inside of her, Lexa had told her that legend said that the Spirit blessed tenia keryons with gifts. These gifts changed depending on the couple and the needs they had when they joined. So, if the Spirit wanted a couple to join, the Noun found them easily and faced the test set up by the Noun. When asking about the test, Lexa had told her that also varied on the couple, it going from physical to mental.
"So basically one can't prepare for it." Clarke had said exasperated while feeling Lexa's lips on her neck.
"No ai niron." Lexa had chuckled and continued making her way down Clarke's body, making her momentarily forget about the coming test.
"Clarke?" she heard Octavia ask from outside the door.
"Come in." she said loudly and it didn't take long for the brunette to enter the room.
"Where are you going?" Octavia asked her the moment she saw her with travel clothes and a bag.
"Octavia, what I tell you are orders that are meant to be followed." she addressed her friend seriously. "It is your duty since you offered your loyalty to SkaiHeda."
"Sha SkaiHeda." Octavia replied solemnly.
"Good, then you cannot tell anyone that I left Polis. Specially my mom." she emphasized on the last part.
"I don't think Lexa will approve of you travelling alone after what happened two weeks ago."
"No she won't." Clarke smiled. "Which is why she's coming with me on this trip. And as I told you before, no one can know that we left."
"You're going to seek the Noun." Octavia realized.
"How do you know?"
"Lincoln and I have been talking about seeking him/her too." she confessed while looking down in embarrassment. "But it's very serious shit to take the tenia keryon test."
"That's why finding the Noun is hard to begin with." Clarke chuckled. "Lexa and I plan to start our trip at the outskirts of Polis and then head towards Floukru where the Noun was last seen."
"But you do know that once you join your bond will last forever, right?" Octavia reminded her friend.
"Of course." Clarke said seriously. "And I know that Lexa is my tenia keryon. I don't want, or can't see myself, loving anyone else as much as I love her."
"But why now?"
"Why not?" the blonde smiled happily. "This, seeking the Noun, is not a political decision done by Heda and SkaiHeda. It is a crazy and yet wonderful decision made by Lexa and Clarke."
"Then I'm happy for you." Octavia said while hugging her tightly. "And I wish you all the luck in finding who you seek."
"Mochof Octavia. Please, keep things secure here in Polis until our return."
"And when will you return?"
"When the Spirit approves of my union with Lexa and she becomes my wife." Clarke vowed and smiled when she noticed Lexa standing outside the room. "Are you ready?" she asked her houmon while hugging her tightly.
"Sha." Lexa answered with a happy smile. "Indra is also informed of our absence and will help you keep things under control while we're gone." she addressed Octavia who exhaled in relief.
"Thank the Spirit, I was worried I would be the only one knowing your dirty secret."
Clarke chuckled but Lexa was far from amused.
"I still can't see why you like her." she muttered while placing a dagger and Clarke's swords on the blonde's body.
"I know you like her too." she whispered while kissing the brunette's cheek in thanks. "And that you trust her."
"I trust she won't tell your mother we're gone."
"She won't unless she wants to be the only person facing the wrath of my mom." Clarke said loud enough so Octavia could hear.
"Believe me, I know better than to taint fate by making Abby be pissed at me." the younger brunette raised her hands. "And besides, I grown on people. Don't believe me, ask Indra or Lincoln."
"Lincoln is your houmon and Indra had a temporary lapse of judgment when she asked you to become her Second." Lexa joked with Octavia. "We must leave now if we want to make it outside the walls of Polis without bringing attention to ourselves." she warned Clarke.
"May we meet again." Clarke hugged Octavia tightly.
"May we meet again." she hugged Clarke back and then stared at Lexa seriously. "Please keep her safe."
"With my life." Lexa promised and after one last look the young couple left the room.
"Here's hoping you come back before Abby finds out you're gone." Octavia screamed at them and heard some curse words coming her way.
CLCLCLCL
"She will definitely tell Abby." Lexa whispered to Clarke while moving behind the walls of the building.
"She won't." Clarke refuted immediately. "And why are we leaving your building as if we were a pair of thieves?"
"Because no one can know we're gone. If they do, then they'll think about taking advantage of the situation. Although we defeated Azgeda, Sangedakru is very unhappy about the Coalition's current stand."
"You mean they just want war." Clarke whispered angrily.
"Yes. And they know that now that Azgeda has been defeated they no longer have a strong ally. So they'll settle and remain in the Coalition. But nevertheless we should not taint them." Lexa warned.
"Makes sense." Clarke huffed when she had to jump up a fence. "How far away are we from the border?"
"Not too far." Lexa responded while stopping her from moving. "A patrol will start making its rounds in 5 minutes so that means we must reach the border in less time than that."
"How long does it usually take it to reach it?"
"10 minutes."
"Are you insane?!" Clarke asked in astonishment. "We'll never make it to the border in such a short amount of time."
"Trust me and trust your abilities ai niron." Lexa smirked and quickly started running. "And do keep up!"
"Shit!" Clarke whispered and started to run behind Lexa, following the same steps and making the same moves the brunette was making. "She's so fast." Clarke was feeling her muscles strain with the speed and strides they were taking.
"We're almost there Clarke." Lexa said to her while going up some stairs.
"Stairs..." Clarke said in defeat and used the last of her strength to move up. She really needed to do some more cardio with Lexa or the natblidas because hers was terrible.
It took her longer than expected, or maybe that was her tiredness and sore muscles complaining, but the stairs they were taking seemed endless for the blonde woman. Huffing because she was running out of air, she was relieved when Lexa stopped moving after they reached the highest part of the tower. Looking around them, Clarke noticed that there was no other door apart from the one they just took to get here. So, when Lexa gave her a silent nod and started to move towards the wall with the clear intent of jumping it, Clarke stopped her by grabbing her hand.
"What do you even think of doing?" she huffed exasperated. "You can't jump!"
"Yes I can." Lexa said calmly. "It's the only way we can make it out of Polis."
"I want to leave but I don't want to die in the process!"
"Do you trust me?" the brunette asked her while getting closer to the edge of the tower.
"What?" Clarke asked her completely shocked. She's serious about this...
"Do you trust me?" Lexa repeated with a confident smile on her face.
"Of course I do." the blonde said because it was true. She trusted Lexa with her life.
"Then jump." the Heda moved forward and took Clarke with her.
Closing her eyes, Clarke felt herself falling for a couple of seconds and did everything she could to not scream.
This is it, this is how I die... she thought while she felt the wind around her. But instead of colliding with the floor, when she opened her eyes Clarke noticed that Lexa had hugged her close and they were now laying on top of a tent. Hidden beneath the many layers of walls and dust, there had been a hidden tent. And based on the teasing smile that was now on Lexa's face it was clear that the brunette knew of its existence.
"Branwada!" Clarke said pissed and moved away from Lexa who was now laughing. "You almost gave me a heart attack"
"I'm sorry ai niron." Lexa continued chuckling. "But it pleases me to know how much you trust me." she caressed Clarke's face and the blonde's anger dissipated.
"Asshole." she muttered tenderly.
"That's no way to address the Heda." the brunette joked.
"Right now I'm not with the Commander, I'm with my Lexa." she said happily and smiled when Lexa nodded in agreement.
"To you I'll always be Lexa first and then Heda." Lexa vowed to the blonde.
"Good, and I'll always remember to show you the respect of Heda when we are in public." Clarke promised as well because she knew that although her fiancé could possibly allow her to do anything, she was still the Heda and her decisions not only affected them but the view people had of them. So Clarke's behavior affected the way Lexa was seen and vice versa.
"We must move quickly." Lexa reminded them. "The guard must have already gotten into position, which gives us the opportunity to move from here."
"So this tent..." Clarke started whispering while moving close to Lexa. "How did you find it?"
"Costia did." Lexa whispered softly while grabbing the blonde's hand. "The both of us were training for a position of Seconds and we got distracted. Knowing that we would receive a scolding if we returned, we escaped and accidentally found this tent. After that we would come here to forget about our responsibilities and just focus on us."
"That must be a nice memory to have." Clarke said softly.
"Costia was there for me when the previous Heda died and I had to enter the Conclave." she confessed. "She was the only one that believed I would be the one coming out as Heda." Lexa smiled. "She said she felt the Spirit within me and that I would do good for our people."
"And she was right." Clarke smiled softly at her fiancé. "I'm glad you had her in your life Lexa." she said honestly to the brunette.
"I'm also glad I met her." Lexa smiled sadly. "And I know that she would be happy for us, for finding each other and being together. She never believed that love was weakness. By being with you I'm honoring her memory in the best possible way."
"Love is strength." Clarke said strongly while grabbing her hand.
"Love is strength." Lexa repeated surely. "Now let us go find the Noun so we can finally be joined."
"Ok." the blonde smiled happily and followed Lexa towards the edge of Polis.
CLCLCLCL
Moving around the forest was not as easy as Clarke had thought it would be. Although she had been adamantly practicing with Indra, the depth of the plants in this part of the woods was unexpected to her and Lexa had to check on her numerous times before moving forward. They had been on the move for about 2 days and there was no sign of the forest ending or a new trail appearing. Yet Lexa had continued to push them forward, slowly but surely guiding them further inside. It was not that she didn't trust Lexa, but she was getting upset because the further they walked, the harder it became for Clarke to keep her pace. Frustrated because of this, at one point she had stopped moving to just angrily hit a tree, losing her patience and feeling like she was slowing them down.
"Ai niron don't get upset. The reason these woods are harder to navigate than others is because they're intentionally meant to test us." she whispered while holding Clarke's bruised hand. "Remember I told you there were physical and mental tests that a couple has to go through before reaching the Noun."
"This is a test?"
"Well, not losing one another in the middle of this forest is one of them."
"You mean we're no longer in Trikru territory?"
"We haven't been in Trikru ground since the moment we passed the river." she said while looking around them. "We're in the border between Podakru (Lake People) and Ouskejon Kru (Blue Cliff Clan)."
"They're mostly neutral in the Coalition, correct?"
"Yes, that's why we don't have good enough knowledge of their lands. They've never been in a war and are only part of the Coalition because of the trading system."
"But there wasn't peace before you became Heda..."
"There wasn't peace but that doesn't mean the Podakru or Ouskejon fought. They were mostly attacked and the Coalition offered them protection without them having to train an army. They've never fought."
"So if they don't offer you soldiers, why do you allow them to be in the Coalition?"
"Because they offer us healers and builders. And, all of the known clan elders go to these clans to get their education. Ouskejon are the wisest of the clans. Their knowledge of the old war is far more extensive than ours."
"And how is that possible?" Clarke asked.
"Because their books survived the end of the world." Lexa smiled. "And they have learned from them."
"But you also have books." she remembered Lexa's prolific library in the Heda's building.
"All of them gifts from the Ouskejon when they come to Polis." she smirked.
"Interesting." Clarke said honestly. "Would they be open to starting talks with us, perhaps give us some books in exchange for technology?"
"They should be, they're a very curious and open-minded clan. Their leader is a close friend so I can introduce you."
"A close friend?" Clarke asked knowingly.
"Not in that capacity. Fenri is a formidable and wise man that backed down the moment he realized I was not interested in a very specific part of his anatomy." she winked at the blonde who blushed.
"Of course." Clarke said while looking down in embarrassment. "Now I feel stupid."
"Don't." Lexa smiled softly. "If it would be you talking about a possible past lover then I would be jealous as well."
"Well, there weren't so many." she confessed. "Only a make-out session with a girl on the Ark and then Finn here on Earth. He was my first."
"And how was he?" Lexa whispered while getting closer to the blonde who gulped after noticing the dark green eyes focusing intently on her.
"No one has been, or will be as good as you Lexa." she purred and Lexa crashed her body with hers.
"Ai niron, ai tombon." Lexa moaned while crashing her lips with Clarke.
"I love you." Clarke murmured while kissing Lexa strongly. "Gods I love you." she chanted.
Quickly placing her arms around Lexa, Clarke was moving her body rhythmically, refusing to separate from her tenia keryon. She could feel the strong muscles holding her weight, keeping her up and melding against her own. Each time the two of them kissed it was intoxicating, it was easy to get lost in the sensations that came from being with Lexa. The soft lips, the strong hands, the curly hair caressing her face and the little moans that she could hear the brunette voice only encouraged Clarke to continue her assault, forgetting for a moment of where they were.
Nevertheless, as it tended to happen when they were together, the two women got reminded of where they were when an arrow landed near them. Quickly separating, Clarke noticed Lexa angrily looking around, clearly surprised at being caught in a moment of weakness.
"We need to move." she whispered to the blonde. "Take your bow out and be ready."
"What clan?" she asked Lexa who had moved to take the arrow from the tree.
"No clan." she muttered while giving the end of the arrow to Clarke who noticed no clan marks. "Another test to find the Noun."
"Well, that one almost killed us."
"That was its point. To kill us." Lexa whispered while placing her body in front of Clarke's. "This is why the search for the Noun is risky. Only the truly worthy are capable of finding her."
"Well..." Clarke moved Lexa out of the way when she noticed another arrow being shot towards them. "Then let's show this bitch who we are." she released an arrow straight towards the place where the last one was shot and heard a whimper.
"Indeed." Lexa said proudly and moved forwards with her body still in front of Clarke. "I believe there is at least one more shooter scanning the area." she pointed towards the direction of the first arrow.
"Can you see him?" Clarke moved forward and prepared another arrow.
"Northeast, 30 steps to the left." she whispered to Clarke and smirked when the blonde immediately released her arrow.
"Good call." Clarke smiled at her when she heard the pained scream coming from the bushes. "Now let's go." she said to Lexa who had stopped in the middle of the clearing. "What?"
"Footsteps." Lexa whispered. "And many. A small army."
"We can't face a small army."
"I know ai niron, that's why we will run." the brunette told her while pushing Clarke forward, bow and arrow forgotten on the floor.
"My bow!" the blonde said but Lexa simply pushed her forward.
"I'll get you a better one once we make it back." she promised and continued pulling Clarke towards the trees. "But we have to get away from here."
Running around the trees, Clarke could not differentiate one tree from another. She could sense the nervousness of her houmon, who continued running without looking back. The two women noticed the vegetation surrounding them becoming less than before, the only sign that they were moving forward and not in circles.
"This is good news." Lexa huffed to Clarke. "This means that we are nearing the end of the woods."
"The end?" Clarke asked disbelievingly. "All I can see are trees Lexa, where is the edge?" she asked and abruptly stopped when she felt Lexa freeze. "Shiiit." she muttered when they were standing in front of a cliff. "Now what?"
Looking around them, Lexa noticed that there was no way for them to safely go down, and yet it made sense for this to be another test. One of faith in the power and will of the Spirit. And the sound of drums that were coming their way was making Lexa realize that this path was the only one they could take. Now she only had to convince Clarke of this.
"Are those drums?" Clarke asked her completely shocked.
"Yes, they are chanting and getting ready for battle." Lexa confessed.
"So what do we do then Lexa?"
"We have to jump. This is a test of faith in the Spirit."
"Jump? Lexa I can't swim." Clarke whispered worriedly.
"I'll keep you safe as always." Lexa promised to her while staring at the trees. "But this is the only way forward."
"I can't do it." Clarke whimpered.
"Then let me do it for you." Lexa squeezed Clarke's hand in reassurance. "Trust me again ai niron."
"Always Lexa." Clarke whispered and looked at the trees where the men were becoming more visible.
"The close your eyes and jump." Lexa screamed to her and moved forward to propel herself of the cliff.
Looking around her position, Clarke could see Lexa in the middle of her jump, eyes open and determined. It was this sight, the one of her fiance risking her life so they could be together, what made Clarke close her eyes and run towards the cliff, trusting in her tenia keryon to find her and keep her safe. She didn't know how to swim, or how deep the cascade was, but all she needed to know was that Lexa would be there to get her. And it was this what made Clarke jump from the stone, the cries of war becoming distant as she fell towards the edge.
She immediately felt water entering her nose, and opening her eyes she noticed that she was deep inside the river, water all around her and not a sight of Lexa. Feeling conscious of the fact that she was running out of oxygen, she started to move her legs but they were not doing anything more than spending the remaining air inside of her. So, knowing that without Lexa she could not exit the water, she used her strength to keep holding on, believing in the brunette's promise to come find her. And after what seemed like eternity, she saw Lexa swimming towards her, relief in her eyes. Closing her arms around her strong body, Clarke felt Lexa slowly but surely pushing them upwards, the sensation of sinking lessening with the passing of each second.
When they reached the surface, Clarke took a deep breath and opened her eyes to see an unfamiliar land, it being filled with yellow and pink. Confused, she turned to look at Lexa who was just as shocked as she was. Nevertheless, it was more important for her to make sure that her fiancé was ok so she ignored their strange surroundings and did a quick check on Lexa who smiled knowingly.
"I'm fine ai niron." she promised while kissing Clarke on the lips. "Thank you for trusting me."
"Always ai hodnes." she smiled softly when the brunette kissed her. "I knew you would come get me."
"Always." Lexa reiterated and then looked around them. "You see this as well, right?"
"You mean the freaky colors and weird plants around us?" Clarke asked sarcastically. "Then yes, I see it as well."
"This must be where the Noun is said to live." Lexa whispered excitedly. "This means that we're finally close."
"I bet..." Clarke muttered while staring around her. "How can this place be like this Lexa?"
"The will of the Spirit." the brunette replied reverently.
"Or there can also be a scientific explanation." Clarke tried to touch one of the plants but her skin burned at the contact. She hissed.
"Don't touch anything." Lexa scolded her while moving around the path marked. "We need to follow the road until the end."
"This could be a trap."
"Perhaps, but I feel that this way will lead us where we want to."
"Then I shall follow you." Clarke smiled softly and grabbed the brunette's hand.
"Let's go before it becomes night." Lexa pointed towards the sky.
"What happens when it becomes night?"
"I don't want to find out." the Heda admitted softly. "Now let's move." she emphasized by pulling Clarke forward.
"Do you think we are done with the tests?" she asked Lexa after a while of just walking in contemplative silence.
"The physical ones yes, the mental ones no."
"By mental ones what do you mean?"
"Ones that will test our sanity and desire to be together. The mind is our strongest organ and hence in order for it to break it must pass through tremendous pain."
"So painful mental activity is our remaining thing before facing Noun." Clarke smirked. "Easy..."
"Mockery is not the product of a strong mind." Lexa joked.
"Neither is sarcasm." Clarke replied and the both of them laughed. "You know, even if we have been almost killed numerous times, I have enjoyed this time with you away from Polis. It's refreshing to just be Lexa and Clarke."
"We will have more moments like this ai niron. I promise you that." Lexa vowed.
"A trip to the beach would suffice for next time." she smiled softly when Lexa blushed.
"That can be arranged." Lexa started to explain but stopped moving when they were faced by a stone wall.
"Now what?" Clarke asked after moving around it, trying to find any words or way for them to move it. "Wait, there is something written here." she said and quickly read it. "We must solve a riddle before we can move forward."
"What's the riddle?"
"Of no use to one,
Yet absolute bliss to two.
The small boy gets it for nothing.
The young man has to lie or work for it.
The old man has to buy it.
The baby's right,
The lover's privilege,
The hypocrite's mask.
To the young girl, faith;
To the married woman, hope;
To the old maid, charity.
What am I?"
Lexa stared at Clarke in deep concentration, analyzing each part of the poem. Meanwhile, Clarke was doing the same, trying to think of what it could be.
"It's of no use to one but to two it's an absolute joy..." Lexa started to say.
"The old man has to buy it." Clarke said mostly to herself. "While to the old maid it is charity..."
"And it's a lover's privilege and at the same time the hypocrite's mask." Lexa was confused. "What could it be?"
"It can't be a feeling because a hypocrite would be a hypocrite for pretending to feel it." Clarke said surely.
"But it has to be something that makes young women be excited about..." Lexa reminded Clarke. "And the nervousness of a first love tends to do that."
"But that's a childish idea. Old people are no longer capable of feeling that innocence." Clarke refuted.
"You're right. And yet they can still obtain it..." Lexa smiled happily. "I know what it is."
"You do?" Clarke asked completely surprised.
"Think about it, it must be something that each individual can long for no matter the genre or age. It has be something that can be obtainable through many means, going from emotional to economical. It has to be something that can mean the world to a person and nothing to another. It has to be a kiss." she smiled at Clarke when she noticed the happy look on her face.
"It must be." she said surely and then went close to the wall and whispered 'a kiss'.
The moment Clarke did so, the earth started to move around them, making the stone wall shatter to dust. Smiling at each other, the two women moved forward and stopped when they could see nothing around them, the darkness slowly pulling them in.
"Lexa!" Clarke screamed when she stopped feeling the brunette's hand on her own.
"Clarke!" she heard the Heda scream loudly.
CLCLCLCL
"Clarke Kom Skaikru." Clarke opened her eyes and she was no longer in the dark room. Instead she was now in an empty white room, a bald man sitting down in front of her. "I've heard you've been seeking me."
"Noun?" she whispered while staring at the man who then transformed to a woman in front of her. "What..."
"We are Noun." the woman said while giving her a warm smile. "The wisdom of the 13 clans and the joiners of souls."
"13 clans..."
"Indeed, now that Skaikru landed on Earth we are no longer just 12." Noun said while now transforming into a man. "But that's not why you're here."
Clarke stared at the changing body in front of her and closed her eyes in concentration. She was here for one reason only and this unexpectedness was not going to stop her.
"My houmon." she said firmly. "Where is she?"
"Safe." Noun smirked. "And awaiting for you."
"And where am I?"
"You're in your final test." Noun said reverently. "The one that will decide if you're Heda Lexa's tenia keryon."
"I am Lexa's tenia keryon." Clarke said surely.
"That will be for us to determine."
"You can deliberate my answers all you want. But I believe, and know deep inside my heart, that Lexa is my soulmate. And no matter what you two tell me, I will marry her." Clarke was being rude and she knew it.
"That's not the way to address us child." Noun warned Clarke.
"I am no child." Clarke seethed while standing in front of Noun. "I am SkaiHeda, feller of the Mountain and houmon of Heda Lexa Kom Trikru."
"That you are." Noun smiled at her. "But we are wise and the Spirit tells us to heed you a warning. Being with the Heda is no easy task. It will force you many times to choose between her and your people."
"Lexa is my people. My people are her people since they'll become our people."
"A wise answer indeed." Noun smiled softly at her. "While your love will flourish, it will also be tested. The path of soulmates is one that unities two people not only on one reality, but in all of them. Some of these realities will not be kind to either of you while in others you'll be as happy as you can possibly be."
"Is this an attempt to keep me from joining Lexa?" Clarke asked angrily. "Because I don't care what kind of life we have as long as I have Lexa in my life. In all of our lives." she said honestly and surely.
"It was just a warning." Noun smiled sadly. "Because the Spirit has foreseen great happiness and sorrow for you two, Clarke Kom Skaikru."
"Then we shall prepare and do our best to remain together no matter the challenges." the blonde continued saying. "My love will not be deterred, my life is meant to be forever shared with Lexa."
"And so it shall be." Noun said with a warm smile on its face.
CLCLCLCL
When Lexa opened her eyes she felt herself grow more confused than before because she was now laying in a white room with a woman sitting in front of her. Knowing immediately who it was, Lexa bowed her head in respect.
"Noun." she said surely and the woman looked up with a soft smile.
"Heda." the woman smiled while transforming into a man. "It's nice to finally see you here." he finished.
"You knew I would come?" she asked carefully.
"It was predestined that Heda Lexa would come seek us when she found her tenia keryon. The Spirit told us to wait patiently until it found it's Commander."
"It's Commander?" Lexa was now confused.
"The one Commander that would be equally balanced with love and revenge, war and peace, calm and lust. You are all of these things Heda Lexa."
"But there were so many before me..."
"And none were the ones the Spirit was looking for. They were not bad Commanders, but they were not the ones meant to bring peace to our lands. But you are." Noun smiled softly. "The Spirit recognizes the sacrifices you have made to have peace."
"The Spirit has asked too much of me ever since I became Heda."
"And it will continue to ask for more." Noun warned her. "That is the burden of being Heda."
"And I will gladly bear it with the company of my tenia keryon." Lexa said determinedly.
"No Commander has ever had a tenia keryon, to be the Commander is to be alone."
"That was to be the Commander. Clarke makes me be stronger, wiser and kinder than I ever thought I could be." Lexa smiled warmly. "She reminds me of the joy of being the Heda, of the happiness my people feel when they're safe. She shows me the peace I have fought so much to obtain." the brunette stared at deep gray eyes. "And all I desire is to be with her."
"There will be many obstacles both of you will face. To be with the Commander is no easy burden for a person to have." Noun said solemnly.
"Clarke knows this and is capable of making her own decision of joining me. But I will not decide for her and I know neither will she. The choice is her own."
"What if you must choose between her and your people? Who will you choose?"
"Since she'll become my people then I can choose her first. She will be my people and the rest of clans will be aware of this. My duty towards my houmon will always come first and my life, as Lexa, will become hers the moment we join. My fight may end, but the fight of the Commander never does. The Spirit will go on."
"What if the Spirit does not want to part from being inside of you?"
"Then the Spirit will find a way of keeping me alive and with Clarke in my life. There's nothing the Spirit can't do and I trust it with our love and bond."
"Then the Spirit will honor your sacrifice and loyalty by giving you what you wish." Noun said reverently and the room became completely dark.
CLCLCLCL
When Clarke opened her eyes, she found herself in a tent similar to the one she had shared with Lexa while being in TonDc. Smiling at the memory, she suddenly remembered where she was and what had just happened. Quickly moving up from the bed, she noticed Lexa laying in front of her with eyes wide open, having clearly awoken as well. Exhaling in relief at being close to her again, Clarke hugged the brunette tightly while kissing her lips desperately.
"Ai niron, I'm here." Lexa was crying as well and hugged the blonde close to her. "When you were gone I was so scared. I couldn't feel you." she whimpered.
"I will no longer leave your side, never again." Clarke promised and kissed Lexa again tenderly. "Feva."
"Feva." Lexa cried again while hugging Clarke close to her. "Ai hod yu in."
"En ai hod yu in." the blonde said reverently.
"Heda Lexa Kom Trikru and Clarke Kom Skaikru have come to us today in search of a joining ceremony. Many try to find us, not so many succeed and even fewer leave as one." Noun said solemnly. "Because to become one is no light decision, it is a monumental action that will forever entwine your souls, join your lives for eternity and keep you two coming back to find each other. After talking with you two, it has become clear to us that the bond you two share is real. That the love you two have is everlasting and that not only has it healed you both, but it has also made you better, kinder leaders. The Spirit recognizes this and acknowledges its need for people like you." Noun smiled at them warmly. "Which is why it has bestowed me with the right to share with you the secrets of the tenia keryons."
Noun took a deep breath and when it opened its eyes the two women saw them pitch black.
"What's happening?" Clarke whispered to Lexa.
"This is the Spirit speaking to us." Lexa whispered back.
"In the eyes of the Spirit you are no longer two people but one." Noun explained patiently. "And as one person you two have no secrets, even the ones of the Spirit becoming known." the man/woman stared at Clarke deeply. "Your bond shall be cherished and respected by all, no other love comparing in strength and loyalty." she then looked at Lexa. "And the dream of the Commanders will finally become true. The Spirit does not only bless this union with its support, but it also blesses the essence of it; the joining of the true soulmates of the Commander and its equal."
"Can this be true?" Lexa cried while hugging Clarke tightly.
"What does this mean Lexa?" the blonde whispered lovingly.
"It means that all of our future dreams and hopes will become true." Lexa whispered reverently. "It means that you're my tenia keryon and our lives have become one."
"Heda Lexa is correct. You are no longer Clarke Kom Skaikru but Clarke Kom Skaikru en Trikru." Noun then looked at Lexa. "And you are no longer Heda Lexa Kom Trikru but Lexa Kom Trikru en Skaikru. May all the clans recognize this union just like the Spirit has done."
"And how will we show them our bond?" Clarke asked with tears in her eyes.
"By having the symbol of Heda on your body." Noun replied while putting her hand on top of Clarke's back. "These tattoos can only be bestowed on the Heda by an Ambassador of the Spirit. You having them will show to the skeptics your bond to Heda and that it has been blessed by the Spirit."
"Close your eyes Clarke." Lexa whispered in her ear and Clarke did as asked.
Feeling her skin tingling, Clarke waited until she felt the warmth in her body disappear, the feeling of fingers caressing her back making her open her eyes. When she did, she noticed Lexa smiling happily at her with tears in her eyes.
"Why are you crying ai hodnes?" she asked her houmon.
"Because you're finally my houmon." Lexa motioned for Clarke to look at her side and noticed intricate tattoos going around her whole body. "You bear my mark just like I now bear yours." the brunette moved her shirt up and she noticed a similar tattoo to the one she had on her side. It was one of the stars.
"Ai houmon." Clarke cried as well and kissed Lexa soundly on the lips. "My wife."
"For every life we have and the next ones to follow." Lexa promised and closed her eyes in contentment.