We Remain

Chapter fourteen

Clarke POV

Waiting for Lexa to retrieve her gloves from the woods I stood out the front of the Healers Hut next to Indra whom seem to enjoy staring holes in my head.

Once Lexa returned I watched her slowly put her gloves back on before standing next to me as we made our way towards the tournament.

"Clarke!" Octavia called out to me, coming from the direction of the tournament.

In front of me Octavia wrapped her arms around me tightly without thinking of my stomach injury, unable to hide the pain I winced.

"I'm so sorry Clarke, I've been so worried Lincoln and I have been looking everywhere for you." She began eyeing my hair and frowned "What's up with the birds nest….is that bark in your hair."

Blushing I tried and failed to brush it out with my fingers, only to suddenly have Lexa behind me gently combing her fingers through my hair removing the bark. Octavia looked at Lexa like she had grown another head and I didn't blame her, this was weird and strangely…kind of comforting.

This continued for a while, Lexa kept at it like it was the most natural and acceptable thing to do. She was completely oblivious to the eyes around us, her people watching as their Commander combed and picked bark from my hair with her fingers.

Octavia was giving a soundless laugh before looking into the distance, keeping herself in check, as I'm sure I was blushing like a tomato.

Giving a few seconds to compose myself, I kept my voice completely neutral. "We better get going before any of the fights start." Lexa returned to my side, giving me a shy smile.

The moment she turned to Octavia she was the commander once again. "Octavia" she nodded completely stoic in her battle gear and facial war paint. It was an interesting sight to behold, as we began walking towards the tournament.

Octavia POV

I stood stunned watching the commander in full battle clothing running her fingers through Clarkes hair. I could see Clarke was just as surprised by the commanders actions judging by the colour of her face.

It was then I had a sudden image of being back on the arc looking through the pages of an animal discovery book, seeing an image of what I think were two monkeys sitting on a branch with one behind the other cleaning the others back.

The similarities between Lexa and Clarke and the two monkeys was astounding and I couldn't help but brake into laughter, yet made sure it was silent so Lexa couldn't tell.

"We better get going before any of the fights start." Clarke said, snapping me out of my fantasy.

Clarke POV

After parting ways with Lexa and her guards Octavia took hold of my arm guiding me to a small spot on the hill were we could watch the fighting.

Sitting down my guards began surrounding us but still giving us a view of the battle ground. I took hold of Octavia's hand, I could tell she was worried about Lincoln. She must have seen the worry in my eyes as well, because I then felt her hand squeeze mine.

I could tell she was trying to tell me something but I couldn't hear her over the grounders cheering and their need for blood, that I couldn't help but find barbaric.

After about half an hour of watching grounder after grounder beat each other senseless everyone went silent and our view was blocked as more grounders joined the circle surrounding the next fight.

I frowned turning to Octavia "What's going on." She shrugged her shoulders only serving to frustrate me "You can stay here if you want, but I'm going to find out".

Standing with determination I began striding towards the crowded circle with my guards trailing behind me.

Pushing and shoving I made my way to the front and found the reason to everyone's sudden silence.

It was Lexa and Hunter's turn and everyone wanted to see the commander in action. Hunter was speaking to one of warriors on the sideline, while Lexa stood in the middle full of confidence looking every bit the commander she is, while playing with her dagger.

Catching sight of me her eyes slightly widened, before then giving me a half smile that no one else would notice. At that moment Hunter turned back to Lexa with a sly smile on his face and nodded at her.

I swallowed the lump in my thought as they began circling each other. The grounders began cheering for their Heda, this however didn't bother Hunter in the slightest. It only seemed to make his twisted smile grow and made me feel like a thousand stones were dropped in my stomach.

What surprised me was the way Hunter moved, I had seen him move when we trained together and it was nothing like this. Hunter looked like a snake about to strike. It gave me Goosebumps, so instead I watched Lexa and how she moved like a graceful feline stalking her prey.

It happened so fast I also missed how they got from circling each other to throwing punches and dogging kicks. Lexa was memorizing to watch, but I was snapped out of it when hunter used his dagger and managed to jab her in her left side. She stumbled slightly but straightened again like it never happened.

After a few moments Lexa swiftly used her sword and struck Hunters leg, making him fall to his knees in front of her. Narrowing his eyes at Lexa a look of pure fury crossed his face. However it didn't last long as I watched in slow motion as Lexa's foot collided with his face and he fell on his back.

When Hunter didn't raise the crowd made disappointing noises "In a death match grounders like their opponent conscious for the killing blow" Jumping slightly I looked to my side to see Octavia who gave me a sad smile.

"What happens now then?" I asked her.

"We wait for the Hunter to wake and then the commander can kill him." she replied.

The grounder hunter was speaking with before the battle called out to Lexa grabbing her attention.

Frowning Lexa turned away from Hunter and towards the grounder. The second her back was turned I noticed Hunter discreetly move his hand into his clothing removing his dagger and I realised he was about to throw it in Lexa's back.

Without thinking I took my own dagger hunter had given me during our training and went to throw the dagger in his arm, only I missed and watched in horror as it planted itself right in his neck.

Lexa spun around taking in the scene around her, her eyes went to Hunter laying on his side now, with a knife in his neck, holding a dagger in his right hand and his lifeless eyes. Her eyes then went to me and my trembling body, I could only imagine what I must look like. I could see her eyes soften before then looking around at the crowd with a hard and worried look on her face.

Looking around myself I noticed the grounders angry expressions and a cold feeling went down my spine. I had interrupted one of the fights and to them this fight was sacred. I could tell in their eyes they wanted my blood.

One grounder from the opposite side of the tournament ground said something vicious in trigedasleng before several others behind him nodded and stormed towards me.

Lexa removed her sword from her sheath pointing it in the direction of the angry grounders. She began calling out demands to her guards, who guided me so I was right behind her back as the rest of her guards formed a tight circle around me.

I watched lexa snarl at the grounders trying to get to me and in a voice full of authority. "Jomp em op en ju jomp ai op!" (Attack her you attack me)

Keeping her eyes on them since she still didn't trust them she called out to Indra saying something to her softly enough so no one else could hear. Indra respectfully nodded her head before making her way over to another group of Lexa's guards speaking in trigedasleng.

TO BE CONTINUED

Part Two will be longer and some Grounders will be out for Clarke blood