Chapter Thirty Two
Several weeks after their marriage, Lexa and Clarke were still enjoying their new domestic quarters, Clarkes things had been moved into Lexa's quarters which was a little bigger than Clarkes suite and had a larger balcony and an extra fireplace in the bedroom. It had the added benefit of being not the place where Lexa had been shot and Clarke had performed life saving surgery under duress.
Their routine was much the same, training each morning, Lexa to the throne room and meetings around Polis with various persons and parties and Clarke upp to the stables and after her bath to the Healers tent and the marketplace. They continued their tradition of notes, trinkets, books and pieces of fruit or sweets, not only those but the welcoming of each other back to their rooms, the taking of each other's coats and shoes.
Clarke had begun sketching an enormous portrait of Heda, to be hung in the throne room. The canvas was taking up almost their whole front room and Clarke could work on it bit by bit, an hour in the afternoon, an hour in the evening while Lexa read in the evening. She didn't need Lexa to sit for it exactly, but there were certain things that were taking time for Clarke to get right, her hands, the exact facial expression.
Sometimes she would say, "Don't move," she would jump up and grab some paper and copy the way Lexa had crossed her legs or folded her hands and in the following days that would be worked on to the canvas. Clarke would say "Yes that's just right," but a week later Lexa would use a different pose or posture and Clarke would say "Don't move," and the previous work would be erased or modified.
Heda had once posed in her uniform and Clarke measured the dimensions and sketched them in, and it was this that she worked away at when Lexa was working or away from Polis. It was by far the biggest art project Clarke had undertaken and everyone who saw it marvelled. Anya and Aden were regular guests in their apartment, Ellie and Hetty also saw it, Warriors and guards saw it and as word got round more people tried to see it, it was going to take many more weeks to complete but Clarke was happy to chip away and Lexa was proud of the diligence, skill and talent of her wife.
One evening as they were preparing to retire, Lexa and Clarke together rolled down the massive lioness pelt that sat on their bed by day and Lexa asked Clarke, "What next?"
"What next? What do you mean Ai hodnes?"
"We appear to be at the end of your lists, my wife. I know you are not finished, you have more in that beautiful head of yours, now tell me, what next?"
"Well, I did have an idea," said Clarke tentatively wondering if it might be too selfish an idea to raise. Lexa sensed her hesitation and gave her a face, like who are you kidding?
Clarke giggled and said, "Well I thought it might be nice if we went on a wedding tour."
"What is a wedding tour?"
"We could travel to each of the Clans and give them a gift to thank them for their support of the Coalition, for their support of our marriage, I don't know, I just want to meet everyone and see everything. The boat clan - I want to ride on the boats, see all their waterways, try their fish. The horse clan, maybe I could get a foal and raise and train it myself? But I understand they have vast lands for riding and I would like to see that. Everything, Lexa, I just want everything."
"Yes, you do Clarke. It is wonderful that you are so alive, you bring other people alive with you, if we went to see all the clans, that would be your gift to them. Let them see your beautiful face and experience how you want to learn their ways and their customs. You will touch their pride and they will be glad you came."
"That's a beautiful thing to say, Lexa, you honour me."
"I suppose you want Anya and Raven on this wedding tour?"
"Of course. And Aden. Not a large party, otherwise we lose the chance to sneak away."
"I will raise it with Anya and Gaia, it will be done."
"And there is maybe one more thing, just a little thing, incy wincy little tiny thing."
"Oh, no Clarke, I know you, this is the biggest thing. You want your mother to come?"
"No thank you. But I was thinking when we get back we could think about having a baby?"
"You want to have a baby?"
"I want to have your baby."
"You don't think I am too old?"
"Well Anya did suggest you might live into your thirties so the kids would be fifteen or so."
"You said one baby and now you say kids?"
"Well a baby is going to be a kid and if we are going to have one…"
"How many, Clarke?"
"One for you, one for me and one for Polis?"
"First the wedding tour, then the babies. Your lists are very excellent, my wife, now come here to me and let me remind you how much I love you and your lists."