Once Philemon left, Clarke and Lexa were shocked. That her mother could have loved Philemon, an Isarian, left her speechless and stunned. She wondered how her mother could have loved such a horrible person, and she thought she was right to leave him.

She would have liked to have her mother's opinion on the subject, to ask her to tell her story with Philemon and to know the ins and outs of this story. Unfortunately, as Philemon had said, she had passed away a long time ago and Clarke had few memories of her mother and this instantly saddened her.

As if Lexa had guessed what Clarke was thinking at that moment, she rushed to hug her tightly, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

But the guard interrupted their exchange, asking them to step away from each other so he could tie them up and take them to their private quarters.

They would be free, yes, but only within the castle walls so they could train and only under escort. Philemon had succeeded in seizing power and despite Lexa's obvious support, it was not enough to overthrow Philemon.

That's why she had to win the ultimate challenge. This challenge, if successful, would allow her to establish her authority and defeat Philemon. Indeed, the winners of these challenges left all authority to the winner when the one who initiated the challenge won it. Unfortunately, no one had ever done it before.

So Lexa had to win. But she could also count on Philemon finding an incredible number of suitors to exhaust her. If she was sure to get rid of her first fighters easily, with time, she would have more and more difficulty due to her exhaustion. And Clarke knew, she knew that she still risked to lose the love of her life and that this time she would surely not escape and inside she was destroyed. She couldn't imagine a way out where everything would end well.

On the way that led them to their district, the guard had not gone there with dead hand with the two women. What had been worth to him a masterly kick in the parts of Clarke who had not supported to see him pushing Lexa a little too violently.

This one had to make intervene two other guards in order to help him in his task, but no doubt that if the two women had been detached, he would not have had any chance and would have spent a dirty quarter of hour.

Arrived in front of their door, this one untied them under the threat of his sword in order to avoid all risks of rebellion and pushed them without care in their room.

Once the doors closed, Clarke pushed Lexa against the wall, reproaching her again for having launched this challenge. Then she collapsed completely on the ground, collapsing against the wall, the legs folded on themselves and the head between the knees. Her body was shaking all over and she was just beginning to realize what was happening.

Lexa did not know what to make to try to reassure her companion, she was completely impotent vis-a-vis her distress. To see it thus literally broke her heart.

Then in her turn she collapsed against the wall at the side of Clarke and took her in her arms, putting the head of Clarke on her knees while caressing her hair with tenderness.

- Don't worry Clarke, everything will go well, I intend to win this challenge! tried to reassure Lexa with a calm and neutral tone.

- How can you say that Lexa, nobody ever succeeded in this challenge, why you would succeed in it ? succeeded in saying Clarke between two sobs.

- So, listen to me, I would never have launched this challenge if I wasn't sure to win it, nobody ever managed to beat me, no matter how many opponents I'll have to fight, I'll manage to win !

- I promise you Clarke!

The young woman raised slightly the head, looked her woman right in the eyes with a tender smile then added:

- I managed to disarm you without you having managed to touch me Lexa...

- Precisely, you, you know all the moves from what you told me. So, teach me. We have three days to train, help me to find my reflexes of yesteryear when you couldn't beat me.

Rose and Leonie were in a remote corner of the forest, in the cave where Clarke and Lexa used to meet regularly when their relationship was still unknown to everyone.

Nayak knew very little about the young women, so he was giving them a hard time. He knew the place better than they did and was waiting for the right moment to escape to join his two mistresses.

Unfortunately, the two young women did not know how to fight, so they did not know how to help Clarke and Lexa. The only thing they could do was to take care of Nayak while waiting and hoping that things would calm down.

As for Clarke, she seemed to think about Lexa's proposal. It's true that she knew all her moves, but above all, she knew Lexa better than anyone. And she could teach him to save as much as possible his energy in order to use the strength of his opponent against him.

She would have liked so much at this moment that the memory came back to her, it would have been much simpler for the young woman.

- Clarke... How could I beat you? You told me that I could easily beat you, yet you disarm me with a disconcerting ease...

Clarke's face instantly turned crimson even though her eyes were completely reddened by the emotion that invaded her.

- Well... to be honest... you were cheating... Since we often trained together and I knew all your moves, you also knew all mine... and our level was more or less equal to each other.

- But every time I was about to beat you, you gave me this look so intense, so deep, that I was unable to resist. And for a second I would lose my concentration and you would beat me... by cheating...

- Of course I didn't show anything on my face, I didn't have the impression to change anything, but you managed to read in me like in an open book...

- So, we have to work on that Lexa. If your look destabilized me to the point that you could defeat me, you must use your ability to observe micro-expressions in order to determine the moment when your opponent will strike his blow so that you can parry it.

- You were able to read me like an open book, and I'm sure it's because you have the excellent ability to guess people's moves in advance by observing them.

- Was I cheating? Really?" Lexa whispered reassuringly and teasingly to lighten the mood.

- Yes, well ... let's just say that during the fights your look was my only weakness and you knew how to play it.

Lexa was still stroking Clarke's hair while she was talking to her. She thought about her words. For her, she just managed to beat her opponents because they were inferior to her. But what the young woman had just said had challenged her. Now that she was telling him that, it could be that she was right. Being aware of the movements of his opponents by studying their movements could be very useful to him.

Then suddenly Lexa got up, taking Clarke's hand with a determined air to the great astonishment of the Zenarian.

- Let's go and train Clarke ! We have three days in front of us, and if you manage to make me find my reflexes of before, then I could defeat anybody and the sooner it will be the case, the sooner we will be able to find ourselves in order to live our life fully.

The Zenarian was not yet convinced. She was still in shock, even if she tried to hide it. She was already thinking of a thousand and one ways to die when Lexa died. She couldn't live in a world where her love no longer existed.

Seeing that her companion didn't share her cheerfulness, Lexa moved closer to Clarke, rested her forehead against his and whispered softly that she was making a promise to him that this was not the end. She promised her a better future, a future without hiding, a future where her people and hers would be at peace.

Then she tenderly placed her lips on his, sealing the promise she had just made. A huge shiver ran through both young women when Lexa kissed Clarke, they savored every second, every taste, every tingle. Their lips were hot, wet, and the kiss intensified quickly, symbolizing all the devouring passion which animated them in spite of the circumstances. And it is with breathlessness that they moved away their face one of the other.

Then Clarke let herself rock tenderly by Lexa who tried to reassure her. She put one of her hands on the face of the young woman to be able to feel this skin which made her so vibrate. The Zenarian hurried to cover her hand with his and closed her eyes to enjoy this moment that she thought was one of the very last.

After a long time, they decided that it was time for them to go practice. It had been a long day and it was coming to an end, but they had decided to take advantage of the last glimmers of sunlight to make good use of it...

On the side of the cave where Rose and Léonie had taken refuge with Nayak, the two women still did not know how to help, when they decided, by mutual agreement, to return to Isarian. They had to help the two people who had saved their lives. So they set off again with Nayak proudly prancing by their side, happy to be heading back to his home.

Lexa had just fallen heavily on the ground. Indeed, Clarke had just made a catch to her, she had made the body of the young woman pass over her shoulder and she had been thrown two meters farther.

- RAISE YOU ! shouted Clarke to him.

Lexa threw herself again on the young woman, returning blow for blow. But Clarke managed to parry them all, it's as if she was reading in her like in an open book. For the queen of Isarian, Clarke was impressive, she was the perfect warrior, the one she would never wish to fight against. Her movements were so simple, so natural she thought...

- Lexa, remember what I told you earlier, breathe, observe me, feel my body, my breathing, observe and learn from my every move, don't pollute yourself with the outside world. Concentrate on me, my movements, the angle and position of my arms and legs.

- All these are precious clues Lexa, indications that will help you to read your opponent, to understand how he thinks, how he moves.

- When you have understood this, you will be able to defeat anyone!

- It's already happening! Lexa managed to grumble

- Except me! laughed Clarke while making her a wink which destabilized the young woman.

- You had all this before Lexa, you had all this knowledge, you knew how to read your opponents. If the memory doesn't come back to you, then you have to find the reflexes, and I'll do everything to help you in such a short time.

From now on, there was no more tenderness in Clarke's words, she wanted to make Lexa find back her warrior spirit that she was before. Then she pushed the young woman in her last retrenchments, she wanted to provoke her, to jostle her, to provoke in her the electro shock which she needed to overcome and survive this supreme challenge.

Lexa resumed her blows on the young woman. This time, both were fighting with the sword. She was really an excellent fighter, her blows were so perfect, so precise, so powerful... And yet Clarke still had no difficulty to disarm her, to the great surprise of the queen who was still wondering how Clarke managed to do it.

The two women were training in the training room of the castle. This one was huge. There were beams to work on balance, hanging ropes to learn how to climb, punching dummies simulating enemies in different positions to learn how to parry blows. There was everything to make anyone a valiant fighter.

Normally Lexa was the teacher and taught the art of combat to any Isarian who wanted to learn. But today, she was the student. She had to learn to go beyond herself in order to surpass herself and have a chance to survive the challenge she herself had initiated.

And once again she found herself on the ground, under Clarke's worried and amused look. In other circumstances, this one would have boasted of beating the young queen and would have cheerfully laughed at her. But the situation did not allow her this luxury. And if for a moment she smiled at the sight of the young woman who was getting up with difficulty from the monumental fall she had just made her suffer, her face quickly recovered its seriousness and its concern.

She had to teach Lexa to disregard everything, and all the difficulty was there precisely.

Seeing that the young warrior could not do it, she approached her and placed herself behind. She put her hands on Lexa's shoulders, put her head in the hollow of her neck and blew on this one, provoking a shiver in the Isarian who ran intensely through her body. She could not prevent herself from sighing of frustration and instinctively closed the eyes in order to benefit from this contact which brought her so much heat.

Then Clarke went down with an infinite softness and slowness her hands along the body of the young woman. Neither of them dared to pronounce the least word. Lexa had now the head backwards, enjoying the caresses of Clarke of which she could feel the warm breath on her skin. This breath which made her so much effect and made palpitate her heart beyond all reasons.

But when she felt Clarke's hand going dangerously towards the inside of her crotch, she stopped her immediately, breathless and panting.

Then Clarke whispered in her ear:

- You see, you were able to ignore everything, you were able to predict where my hand would go if you didn't stop me.

- In a fight it's the same thing Lexa, if you can read your opponent, you can win and stay alive.

Following her words, she placed herself in front of her and winked at her. Lexa as for her had not yet taken possession of her body, this moment had been of such a sensuality that she had not entirely recovered her spirits.

She gently shoved Clarke with her hand, pointing out to him that there is little chance that a fighter makes him lose his means as she had just done.

- It's not fair Clarke, how do you expect me to concentrate now?

The Zenarian blew a splendid smile whose azure glance transpierced once again Lexa, who decidedly had more and more difficulty to concentrate in front of the young woman.

They had almost forgotten the guards in charge of their surveillance. And when they looked at them, asking them to stick to the training rather than to look at each other in the white of the eyes, they immediately regained their seriousness.

Lexa then turned again to Clarke.

- I think I understood the principle of what you are trying to teach me Clarke, let's do it again!

- But only you makes me this effect, I doubt that my adversary tries to seduce me as you have just made it, she whispered to him while giving him a furtive, but intense kiss on the lips making completely ignored the present guards.

Surprised by the kiss that Lexa had just given to her, Clarke was so disturbed that when she turned over to take its distances and to engage a new fight with her wife, she didn't see the post and bumped into it, provoking immediately the crazy laughter of Lexa who couldn't hold back anymore. This moment of lightness was welcome in these difficult times. Lexa could not stop laughing, she was laughing at Clarke's head who was pretending to sulk.

She passed her hand on her head to see if she had not hurt herself, and, noticing that it was not the case, she threw herself on Lexa to take revenge, engaging a fight which could have been epic if it had not been worthy of a kindergarten.

Indeed, Clarke tickled Lexa from all sides, provoking loud laughter that she could not contain anymore. Clarke knew how to do it, she knew perfectly the weak points of the young woman and she took advantage of it cheerfully. As for Lexa, she tried in vain to get out of the hold of her companion without much success.

Clarke had a total hold on Lexa, she was now encircling her in her arms while this one was grabbing her hands to try to make her let go, but the young woman ended up making her turn in the air and at the end they both fell heavily on the ground.

- Ouch! Lexa screamed.

Clarke immediately felt sorry for hurting the young woman and instantly let go of her embrace.

But of a blow she found herself plated on the ground, the wrists firmly held above her head under the mocking eye of Lexa who shouted to her:

- I got you!

- It's not fair, you cheated!

- Maybe so, but I still won she mocked.

Then they left again in mad laughter. Unfortunately the guard had enough of it and had decided to intervene, he expressly asked them to stop their antics if not he would see himself in the obligation to call of the reinforcement to make them keep quiet. He made it clear that while they were free to move, they should not use this freedom for anything other than training. And clearly, the antics were not part of it.

Lexa then helped Clarke to stand up by holding out her hand, then approached the guard and hit him in the face. She wanted to give him a second blow, but she was stopped by the hand of Clarke who asked her to calm down, that it was not worth it.

The guard painfully held her face and walked away, finally content to guard the front door of the training room.

- Lexa, what you did earlier when you defeated me...

She didn't have time to finish her sentence when Lexa interrupted her to apologize, because she had cheated and that was not right.

- Lexa, please let me finish! Okay, you cheated, but more importantly, you used my weakness to get the better of me.

- With your opponents, that's exactly what you have to do, you have to use their weakness to defeat them.

- You will have to watch them, control yourself in your moves, and when you have noticed their Achilles heel, then you will strike to finish them.

- I always told you it was cheating, because I enjoyed torturing you rather than admitting that you were better than me. But the truth is that you always knew how to strike when I was weakest.

- You always had this amazing ability to read me, but you could also read your opponents, and today you proved to me that you still have that ability. Even if it's cheating... The young woman pretended to sulk with a slight smile on her lips.

- Then, transcribe it during your fights and you will have maybe a chance... to survive...

The good mood had left Clarke's eyes. His last words had brought her back to the hard reality that awaited the two young women. The fleeting, light-hearted moment they had just experienced was over and life was catching up with them.

They both sat down along one of the walls, stopping their training completely. It was evening anyway and they would soon be back in their private quarters.

But leaning against the wall on the floor, they were pensive, cuddled in each other's arms. They didn't dare say a word. And it was only an hour later that they decided to go home for a good night's sleep.