Chapter 24: Prelude

A/N: So I've upped the chapters again to 32, but it might be 35. Here is a little Clexa fluff for you.

Lexa stood outside of Clarke's tent, strangely hesitant to step inside. She sighed and waved the guards away. She hadn't seen the younger girl in days, not since she had had her imprisoned in her tent, only to be moved days later to the stockade. She was back in her tent now with guards standing outside. They had been ordered to keep her in the tent, a prisoner once again. She wasn't sure how she would explain this to Clarke, but she needed to wait for the ideal moment; and she wasn't sure this was the time.

She sighed again and wrapped her hand around the handle of her sword, twisting the grip back and forth. She was apprehensive, although her face gave none of her anxiety away. She wasn't sure of what her reception would be once she stepped inside. She could only imagine how confused and afraid Clarke must feel, and her heart twisted at the thought. She sighed again, trying to gather her fabled courage that had withered at the sight of Clarke's tent.

"Stop standing outside my door sighing like a petulant child and get in here," the soft voice demanded. Lexa's mouth dropped open slightly, so startled by the voice. She hadn't realized Clarke could hear her. She rolled her eyes but smiled. Only Clarke would call her a petulant child and get away with it.

She straightened her shoulders and stalked inside the tent, moving with all the grace of a lean wolf on the hunt. She stopped dead in her tracks, her gaze roving harshly over the blonde in front of her. She looked exhausted, dark moons under her eyes, her skin more pale than usual. Her hair was clean, but dull, and Lexa's heart clenched at the sight of fading bruises scattered across her arms.

She ground her teeth together as she stalked further into the room. She grabbed Clarke's hands pulling her towards her, so intent on finding out who left the bruises that she ignored the tug back from Clarke.

"How did you get these bruises? What did they do to you? Who did this? Tell me now!" snarled Lexa as the anger burned hotly in her chest. She was going to kill whomever had dared to hurt the Skai Heda, who had dared to mark her Klark.

"Lexa, stop." Clarke tore her hands from Lexa's ignoring the shock on the brunette's face, "they are just small bruises, they don't even hurt anymore," Clarke gestured haphazardly in the air, "it doesn't matter, Lexa."

Clarke turned back away from Lexa and walked back towards her makeshift bed and sat heavily on it. She had been so relieved when she had finally heard Lexa outside her tent. She had felt the chaotic shamblings of her mind start to calm when she realized that she would see her at any moment. But then Lexa had barged in, and while Clarke appreciated Lexa's anger at her bruises, she didn't want Lexa's fury and bluster right now. She didn't want to hear her threats and snarls. She wanted Lexa's silence. She wanted her calm strength, her stoic steadfastness. She needed Lexa to be a mountain right now. A quiet rock that she could cling to, a towering tree that would shelter her, because she felt herself crumbling. Her nerves were frayed, and her heart tattered and bruised, her mind was a constant whirling dervish that she couldn't keep up with, nor could she seem to make it stop. She could hear the mumblings in her mind, and she pushed back against the voices, but she felt fragile and weak. She wasn't sure she had the strength to keep fighting.

Lexa stared after Clarke, surprised and more than a little perturbed. She slowly followed after her, trying to control her anger, but her chest burned with her fury. She had given them all strict orders that she shouldn't be harmed. Someone or someones had defied their Heda. She would have their hands and their heads for such disobedience. And while it occurred to her that perhaps she needed to take a step back and rein in her anger, she still felt her fury building, and she wanted to lash out at someone. It had been building for so long. But there was no one to lash out at. No one in front of her but Clarke. And she had done enough damage to this woman.

Her hand found the pommel of her sword again, and she gripped it so tightly, she could feel the grooves on the handle bite into her palm, and she felt the cuts on her hand reopen. She paced back and forth in front of the blonde, still too angry to trust herself to speak further.

Clarke groaned as she watched the pacing brunette. She was too tired, she couldn't handle this furious Lexa, "Beja, Leska, stop. Please just stop." She pleaded gently, hoping Lexa would hear her enough to abide by her request.

She ground to a halt in front of Clarke, staring with accusing eyes at the mottled yellows and blues on her arms.

"They don't hurt, Leska," but Lexa knew it was a lie. A couple of the bruises were fresh.

"It doesn't matter if they hurt or not, Klark, I ordered them to leave you untouched. They defied me!" she hissed as she stared angrily at the blonde, slightly amazed that the blonde didn't appear to be angry over her treatment. But then almost from the beginning of this nightmare, Clarke had been entirely too calm. Entirely too accepting of the council's judgement. Not that the council had mattered. Clarke had already judged and sentenced herself, and then offered herself to the council for execution.

And sometimes at night, under the cover of darkness, and in the privacy of her tent, Lexa allowed herself to be angry at Clarke for foolishly offering herself as a sacrifice, as some sort of twisted atonement for her people's sins. Her own sins. Why didn't she understand that they had all sinned. They were all murderers. This was what this world required. They were building a better world, a tomorrow for their children's children who would never have to live with blooded blades, genocide, and child Hedas.

"Leska, I don't need your anger right now, ok?" muttered Clarke as she started down at her laps, her hands and fingers twisting and grating against each other.

Lexa stopped.

She felt that old familiar tug in her heart whenever she had looked at Clarke back before the Mountain, back before betrayal, back before the blood of hundreds stained the girl's hands, back before her betrayal burned hotly along her own skin. She knelt down in front of Clarke and gently pried her fingers open, and slid her hands around the girl's. "I'm sorry, Klark, I didn't mean to cause you more distress. I'm sorry," she murmured as she bent down and pressed her lips against Clarke's knuckles.

Clarke felt her breath hitch in her chest, and she smiled down at the braids of hair as the mighty Heda knelt before her. She pulled one hand out of Lexa's so she could cup a warm cheek, and then gently raised her head.

"Hi." She smiled softly at the brunette, "I missed you." She blushed but still managed to keep eye contact with the older girl, as she gently caressed the high cheek bone with her thumb. She was gratified to see that it wasn't just she who was blushing.

Lexa felt the warmth burst inside her chest at the other girl's smile and she rose quickly from her crouched position and pressed her lips against the blonde's. She swallowed Clarke's startled gasp, and wrapped both her hands around the girl's neck, her long fingers disappearing up in her hair. She cupped her face, and gently nibbled at slightly chapped lips. She smiled into the kiss when she felt the hesitant whisper of an inquisitive tongue against her lips, and she opened her mouth slightly giving the blonde entrance.

Clarke moaned lightly when she felt Lexa's lips part to admit her tongue. She didn't hesitate as she reached up with both hands and grabbed at Lexa's shoulders, pulling her down and into her body as she let herself fall back on the bed. It was awkward and uncomfortable, and she was pretty sure she would have a pommel shaped bruise on her stomach later. But she didn't care. Nothing else mattered right in this moment, not the war, not her upcoming execution, not her people, nothing but the taste of Lexa on her tongue, and the feel of her lean body pressing into her own.

Lexa didn't bother to bite back her groan as Clarke slipped her tongue in her mouth to slide against her own. She was surprised when the girl had suddenly grabbed her and pulled her on top of her. She had fallen eagerly into her arms, pressing as close as possible with her armor still on, and she was momentarily frustrated that she couldn't really feel Clarke that well beneath her, but she was too enraptured by the feel and taste of her to want to separate long enough to get take off her armor. She was afraid if she did that reality would crash down upon them again, and they would lose this moment. She wanted to stretch it out, pull at it, and wrap herself in it, until it fully enshrouded her, and she could simply exist here.

Clarke groaned when Lexa shifted on top of her, but this time it was a groan of pain. The pommel was really digging into her stomach this time. She managed to pry her mouth from Lexa's, and she felt the brunette immediately bury her face between Clarke's neck and shoulder to tease and suckle at the tender skin there.

As much as Clarke really wanted to let her continue, she was starting to worry for her organs, imagining that they were bruising under the pommel digging harshly into her flesh.

"Leska," she tapped Lexa's shoulder and then shook it when she ignored her and continued to kiss and lick at her neck. She bit back a groan, "Les-leska, beja. Please stop. Your…your pommel is digging into me."

Lexa jerked back immediately when she heard the tears in her voice, and she rolled off of her and onto the floor with a thump. She scrambled to her feet, her sword clanging between her legs, and she hastily untied her weapon's belt and tossed it to the floor.

"Klark, are you ok?" The worry bled into her voice, and she reached out and gently touched the blonde's stomach. She pulled up her shirt, ignoring the blonde's little huff of surprise. Lexa winced at the large welt across her stomach. It was going to bruise. She stood up and quickly removed her pauldron and the rest of her armor, dropping it on a nearby chair. She grabbed a rag and dipped it into the water in the pitcher, making sure it was thoroughly soaked.

She came back and sat next to the blonde, who had managed to scramble into a sitting position. But she gently pushed her back down on to her back. "Shush, lie back, Klark." She lifted her shirt, ignoring the other girl's blush and wiped the wet rag across the swollen flesh. She sighed. She needed something else. She leaned down and kissed the girl quickly, "stay here. I will be right back."

Clarke barely had time to protest as Lexa hurried out of the tent. She heard her calling for Mordecai, but couldn't hear anything else as they moved away from the tent. Oh well. She wiggled around on the bed a bit, before she finally found a more comfortable position. She was so tired. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she raised one hand and lightly traced her lips with a finger, smiling at the trace of Lexa that still lingered.

It took Lexa far longer than she had anticipated to find what she was looking for, and when she finally returned to Clarke's tent, she noticed almost immediately that the blonde had fallen asleep. She smiled as she laid the food down on the table and then grabbed the pouch Nyko had given her.

She carefully ground the herbs into a fine powder and then poured a little oil in it. She whisked it together until it smoothed out a little, and she took the heavy cream over to the bed.

She sat down on the bed, just gazing at the sleeping blonde. She was relieved that the blonde seemed to be sleeping peacefully. She tenderly wiped a stray curl off her cheek and then softly stroked the hand laying on her stomach. She hated to wake her, but she didn't want to touch her stomach without the other girl knowing.

"Klark. Klark," she whispered as she continued to stroke her hand. She smiled when sleepy blue eyes finally opened and focused on her face. She was rewarded with a smile in return, and she simply couldn't resist. She leaned down and dropped a gentle kiss on the blonde's lips and then pulled back. She lifted the little bowl and rag nestled in her hand.

"I brought you some cream for you bruises and your stomach," She gestured to the girl's stomach and arms, "May I?"

Clarke bit her lower lip and then nodded slowly. She felt the warm air hit her stomach as her shirt was lifted, and she immediately clenched and then winced at the pain in her abdomen.

"Don't clench, Klark. This may be a little cool, but it will help. I promise," Lexa assured the other girl as she carefully scooped a little of the heavy cream on to her fingers and then gently wiped it across her abdomen. She carefully smoothed the cream into the welted skin, and she smiled when the blonde gave a little moan. She let her fingers linger, lightly tracing the faint outline of muscles in her abdomen.

Clarke had worked hard, and Lexa could see the beginnings of tight muscles stretching under the skin. She leaned down and blew across the welt knowing how delicious the cool cream could be. She grinned at the resulting shudder from the blonde, and she gently kissed the welt, letting her lips caress the smooth skin. She poked her tongue out and prodded lightly at the welt, and then slid the slick muscle across bruising flesh, and she was more than a little gratified at the resulting hiss and the hands that grabbed at her braids, but rather than pull her away, they pressed her face in to the warm skin of Clarke's belly.

She wasn't going to complain, but she did need to take care of the blonde's other bruises, and she reluctantly pulled herself away from the enticing skin, but not before dropping one more quick kiss on her belly.

"Why did you stop," whined the blonde as she tried to push Lexa's head back down towards her belly. She relished the coolness of the medicine on her hot skin, but when she had felt Lexa's hot mouth on her flesh, she had groaned and shuddered at the feel of the cold heat swirling along her skin.

Lexa chuckled as she sat up and pulled the girl's shirt down, "I need to put this on your arms too, and then you should sleep."

"I don't want to sleep. I've been sleeping," pouted the blonde.

"You are exhausted, Klark. You need to sleep and gain your strength," admonished the brunette lightly as she gently slid her fingers along Clarke's arms, massaging the cream into the bruised and broken skin.

"Perhaps you shouldn't tell me what to do, Lexa," hissed the blonde as she jerked away from the brunette, batting at her hands, as she struggled to sit up. But her movements were hampered by Lexa who was sitting on the edge of the bed, pressed into her side. So instead, she flopped back down on her back and crossed her arms over her chest and refused to look at the older girl any more.

Judging from the initially surprised look on the brunette's face, Clarke knew she was probably over-reacting, but her time was limited. She could sleep when she was dead, and that time was fast approaching. She felt the cold hollow in her chest stretch, and her muscles twitched in time to the staggered pounding of her heart. She angrily wiped at the tears gathering in her eyes.

"Klark."

Still Clarke ignored the gentle plea in the other girl's voice. But she was unable to ignore the feel of gentle fingertips wiping the away the tears that slid down her cheek.

"They are going to kill me, Leska," sobbed the blonde, "I don't have much time left to be with you, and you want me to sleep!"

Lexa smiled gently and leaned down, sliding her arms under Clarke's shoulders and pulled up upright into a sitting position. She maneuvered the girl into her arms and pressed the wet face into her neck while she traced circles on the heaving girl's back. She muttered soft non-sensical words to her until the heaves slowed and only occasional shudders wracked her frame.

Lexa pulled back and looked down into the red tear-stained face. Even with swollen eyes and pale skin edged in angry red, she was beautiful. She wiped at the girl's face, trying not to frown at the snot glistening under her nose. She wasn't able to hold back the shudder though as Clark grabbed the sleeve of Lexa's shirt and wiped her nose on it. Lexa wanted to gag, but managed to refrain. Barely.

"Klark, it is not your time to die. There is no tree waiting for you," she smiled down at the widened blue eyes staring back. She saw hope flickering gently her eyes, and she leaned down and wrapped her arms more tightly around the blonde. She pressed her lips to her ear, "It's ok, Klark, I promise. There is a lot to explain, but it can wait."

She kissed the blonde when she opened her mouth to protest and then gently pushed her back down on the bed. "I promise I will explain everything later, but first let me finish with this cream, and you do need to sleep. You need to regain your strength. Please sleep. For me?"

Clarke pouted for a moment, still slightly anxious, but she was tired, she could feel the exhaustion leaching into her muscles. "Ok, I will under one condition."

Lexa smiled and continued to smooth the cream into the skin of Clarke's arms and she quirked one eyebrow at the girl as she finally looked at her, "oh?"

"I will sleep if you sleep with me." Clarke felt the strong fingers stop gently massaging her skin and she immediately missed the warmth. She worried that she had gone too far as she saw the brunette bite her lower lip, worrying it between her teeth. Her green eyes skittered around the room, and then she took a deep breath, letting it out in a loud rush. She stared off in the distance, not looking at Clarke, and Clarke knew better than to speak.

Lexa felt a little sliver of anxiety flower inside her chest. She hadn't really slept with anyone since Costia. True she and Clarke had briefly slept in the same bed, but that was after they had almost…she immediately banished the thought from her mind, not wanting to tempt herself. She glanced down at Clarke, noting the hope shining through cloudy blue eyes. She smiled as she started at the beautiful girl, and she realized it didn't really matter anymore. Clarke was her shelter. Her strength. She was home.

"Sha, Klark. I will sleep with you."

Lexa stood and stripped off her jacket and kicked off her boots. She untied the dagger from around her thigh and carefully set it within reach and then sat down on the bed, gesturing for Clarke to scoot over. Once Clarke was settled, Lexa lay down next to her carefully positioning herself on the bed, so that she could rise quickly if an intruder dared enter. She double checked that her dagger was at hand.

She stiffened abruptly when she felt the weight of Clarke against her side and felt an arm slip across her chest, and a leg thrown carelessly over her own. "Is this ok?" whispered Clarke. She had felt the brunette stiffen against her and worried that she might have crossed a line.

Lexa felt her chest tighten at the words slipped across the skin of her neck. It wasn't the most comfortable position, and it limited her movements, but she couldn't bring herself to tell the girl no. So instead, she wiggled until her right arm was free, and she wrapped it around the blonde's shoulders and pulled her tighter against her, holding her securely. She was rewarded with an unintelligible murmur from the blonde.

The minutes passed and the blonde's breath evened out and she fell asleep, safe and content in the sheltering arms of the Heda of 12 clans, of Lexa.

And Lexa…She sighed in contentment at the strange weight against her side, and she knew she could get used to it. She could love it.

And perhaps that is where the danger lay.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the fluff. I know things are moving kind of slowly right now, and the Trial by Combat is still a few chapters away. I really want to delve into Lexa. I've been pushing her a little, because I want to see what she will do. I also really wanted to spend a few chapters building their relationship before the epic (you know what) hits the fan. So hope you don't mind how slow it is.

Thoughts?