Chapter 20
Anya watched Taylor attentively after they stepped out of the tent. It was obvious how the tense mood in the camp was influencing the blonde doctor.
Almost as if on instinct, she reached out and placed a hand soothingly on the other woman's back and let it rest there.
Taylor turned her head back slightly, meeting Anya's distinctly worried brown-eyed gazed in gratitude for a moment. Internally she wondered how the journey to TonDC would now be. She remembered from the show that Gustus and Lexa were shown momentarily where Gustus articulated his concern about the alliance with Skykru being potentially dangerous to the commander.
"You will ride with me now" Anya answered the question before Taylor could even think to formulate it. Now that Skykru would be travelling with them, it would be rather inappropriate for Lexa to share her horse with the blonde doctor in front of them.
Taylor nodded with a slightly confused expression "I have not even asked that yet" she commented in a light tone, trying to ignore the mood around them and instead concentrating on the warm feeling of Anya's hand still resting on her back. She was certain the general would physically protect her as well if needed. Taylor would have felt more at ease in the camp if she were not looking so alike Skykru. Her light hair and fair complexion were standing out strongly. Beside the coat she was also still wearing her own clothes and although they were dark and ordinary, they were still visibly different from what the grounders were wearing.
"I think that I can manage to ride alone as well" Taylor voiced thoughtfully. She knew that Anya's clothing was hiding numerous bruises and lacerations and she was also sure that the training spar with Lexa would just have made this worse.
Anya furrowed her brows and an almost affronted look crossed her features "There is no need for that" she retorted in a rather curt tone. They had not seen yet how well the blonde doctor could indeed ride and although they would be travelling at a much slower pace with Skykru accompanying them on foot and thus being slowed down, Anya still preferred to be able to make sure personally that Taylor would not fall from her horse by accident. The blonde woman seemed to be doing well even though she had been shot just a few days ago, but she was worried what might happen to that wound from an impact like falling from a horse.
Once they had reached the place where Lexa and Gustus were waiting, Taylor inspected the young leader more closely. The brunette's green eyes immediately scanned both of them and she could almost see the questions burning within their depths. They had been alone within the commander's tent for a while now after all, so, of course Lexa would have wondered what had held them up.
When Taylor looked over to Gustus, her stomach sank and bile rose within her throat. The show had not seen the whole length of his punishment and subsequent execution by the commander's sword. As a medical doctor Taylor had of course seen her fair share of suffering, injuries, blood and death, but she had never seen anyone being tortured and even the thought of it was making her skin crawl.
Taylor felt Anya's hand on her back tensing as well and her grey eyes widened a little. She had not anticipated what impact the knowledge of Gustus' impending betrayal of the commander would have on the general. Could the general have changed her mind?
Of course, Lexa could either just sent Gustus away before he could make his move or maybe have him arrested or plainly executed as well, but Taylor was certain that this would not have the same impact on Skykru like watching the whole thing in TonDC would have.
"Should we go to the horses already?" Taylor proposed and although she had tried to keep her tone calm and steady, even she heard that it was an octave higher than normally.
Lexa raised a brow in question at the doctor's suspicious behaviour. It was obvious that something had happened between her former first and the general. She frowned when her eyes narrowed down on the physical contact between the other two women.
"Yes, we shall leave in a moment" she ground out through gritted teeth. It was obviously unnecessary to offer to share a mount with the doctor again and Lexa hated how her blood boiled with jealousy at the clear intimacy between the other two women.
"If you do not want to speak with Gustus…" Taylor looked back over her shoulder at Anya once they had walked away far enough to not be audible anymore to Lexa and the burly guard "… you should not look at him like you just did".
Anya audibly breathed out a large bout of air before her hand relaxed again on Taylor's back as well. "You are sure that he will not try anything else before the feast in TonDC?"
Taylor carefully nodded her head. She could not be one hundred percent sure, after all Anya was here now and her presence would certainly change something. As long as Gustus would still voice his dissent to Lexa during the ride and also be the one to visibly search Raven in front of the gates of TonDC, Taylor was certain that it would play out like it did in the show. She told Anya what would happen under her breath, keeping her tone low.
No one was really paying close attention to them. A few members of Skykru had already gathered where the horses were and all the surrounding warriors were occupied staring them down. Taylor could fully sympathise with Bellamy visibly nervously fidgeting in place.
Taylor was not sure if she was imagining it or not, but to her it felt as if all the members of Skykru almost simultaneously seemed to eye her. Could they all be looking at Anya?
It did not seem so though as the general stepped in between her view to the group of Skykru and herself only a moment later.
Anya glared at the blonde Skykru doctor and Kane for a moment, standing with a dark-haired young man she did not know yet, feeling protective of Taylor. She motioned her over to her brown horse.
The horse's ears flicked in recognition and the mare turned her large head, neighing in greeting at its owner.
Anya reached out and let a hand run over the horse's large neck, feeling its soft coat under her fingertips.
Taylor watched Anya with her horse in silence while her lips tilted into a smile. She stayed a little distance back at first, but stepped closer when the general waved her closer.
Anya held her hand up with her palm up, waiting until Taylor had placed her own hand inside it, before she brought their joined hands to her horse's nose.
Taylor smiled when the horse's breath tickled over her hand when the mount sniffed at her fingers just like Lexa's horse had done before. She let out a surprised chuckle though when the horse suddenly turned its head and butted into her shoulder strongly.
"She likes you" Anya commented with satisfaction tinting her tone.
"Seems so" Taylor acknowledged although she had to grit her teeth when the horse repeated its motion with a little more force and she felt a painful ripple go through her body from the shot wound.
Anya slightly pushed Taylor away from the horse and held up her hand, catching the horse by its nose when it wanted to repeat the motion a third time. She knew that her horse expressed joy to meet someone this way, but it was obviously painful to the blonde doctor.
"Let me help you mount" Anya said instead, offering Taylor a hand to get up.
Taylor nodded mutely. She would ask Anya and Lexa to teach her how to ride alone probably after the war with the Mountain or at least once her wound had healed up better. She gritted her teeth against the sudden pain once Anya hoisted her up onto the horse's back.
Taylor remained slightly rigid in the saddle in front of Anya. She had felt the horse trample a little for a moment to adjust to both of their weights and she internally wondered if two adults were not a little too much for the animal.
When she looked over to Gustus mounting another horse a few moments later, Taylor discarded the thought again. It was probable the man weighed roughly what the both of them weighed added up together after all.
Taylor's attention was caught by Lexa approaching her own horse with quick strides. The brunette had spoken a few words with Clarke obviously as the blonde was still watching the commander's retreating back.
The way in which Lexa moved and how the commander's red sash flowed behind her – almost like a river of blood – was really a sight to behold. The woman's whole poise screamed like eternal power.
Taylor looked over to Gustus when she felt Anya's body tensing behind her. The man's dark eyed-gaze flicked between Clarke and the other members of Skykru and the commander. It was hard to tell from the distance, but to Taylor it seemed as if the burly guard's expression was hardening and she sighed under her breath. A part of her was still hoping that Gustus' death and the pain it would undoubtedly bring to Lexa was avoidable.
The ride itself went over relatively silent. Anya seemed to be deep in thought behind her for the most part. Or could the woman be just trying to reign in her impatience at the situation and not lash out at Gustus?
Taylor had relaxed on the horse once the general had placed her lean arms around her form and whispered in her ear to just lean back. She even slightly enjoyed the ride.
It seemed as if the summer must have ended around them and the leaves of some of the trees were turning yellow and red. Autumn was obviously setting in and Taylor breathed in deeply.
Anya had steered her horse to walk beside Lexa's, just as Gustus had done on the commander's other side. Both of them did not really talk to each other though.
Taylor could feel that there was some form of tension again between Anya and Lexa and she was not sure since when. She wondered if she had missed something happening between them.
"Tell me if you need a break" Anya broke the silence for the first time since they begun their ride.
Taylor shook her head slightly in the negative. The wound in her stomach still hurt of course but it was bearable still. She slightly gazed to her left and noticed how Lexa had turned over to look at her as well.
Once their eyes met, Taylor gave the commander a gentle smile.
Lexa's lips tilted into the ghost of a smile as well. Her expression blanked over visibly only a second later though when Anya audibly cleared her throat and tightened her arms around Taylor.
"Stop worrying Gustus" Lexa said instead, turning over to her burly guard riding on her other side "Like you have always told me, all alliances are risky."
"This is not the same as uniting the twelve clans. The Sky people are different" the burly man answered in a serious voice. "They are more like the Mountain Men than us" he added lowly "It could kill our coalition" and worry was evident in his dark eyes.
"Our coalition, or me?" Lexa asked, her gaze switching to Gustus, daring him to answer in an offending way.
"You are the coalition, commander" Gustus said in a reverent tone.
Lexa looked more closely at his face for a second, before she answered in an even tone "Then do your job and protect me."
Gustus just looked ahead of them again and silence settled between them again. Taylor had not needed any kind of translation for the small dialogue which had just passed between the two. She knew the scene well from the show.
Taylor could feel Anya tensing even more and how her hands clenched around the reigns in her fingers. She reached out after a moment and placed her own hands around Anya's, hoping to sooth her a little. She nodded subtly towards the general, acknowledging that this had been the scene she had meant earlier.
It was only when darkness started to fall, that the commander finally called their group to a stop to make camp for the night.
Taylor was glad when Anya pulled the horse to a stop right beside Lexa. The commander had already dismounted in one fluid motion and the general followed her example only a blink later.
It seemed as if Lexa lingered beside Anya's horse for a moment, before she could offer to help the blonde doctor still sitting on top of its back though, Anya had done so.
Taylor sighed under her breath. It seemed that it was not only her being attracted to both Anya and Lexa, but both of them appeared attracted to her as well. At least that's what would explain the tension between the two. Jealousy. She sighed again when she looked into Anya's deep brown eyes and detected worries there again.
"I am fine" she assured the general in a steady tone, giving her a smile.
"You are paler again" Anya said though, critically looking at the doctor's complexion.
Taylor slightly shrugged with her shoulders. The pain in her stomach had intensified. "I will check the wound once the camp is set up" she exclaimed, gingerly putting a hand over the wound and pressing down a little. She immediately took her hand away though at the strong pain. Was it getting infected?
Anya nodded and motioned Taylor over to the place where a few warriors were in the process of starting a fire.
Skykru seemed to wait on the edge of the quickly being erected camp, obviously unsure on what to do.
Taylor looked over to them. She could even understand the Trikru's doubt about them. They were really visibly completely different to the grounders. But so was she and the commander and general obviously did not look at her with the same distrust.
She sat down beside the fire when Anya gave her a slight push on her shoulder. Taylor's brows furrowed though when the general did not join her and instead walked away.
"Anya will help shortly" Lexa suddenly appeared on Taylor's other side, sitting down beside her silently.
Taylor whirled around quickly. She had not noticed Lexa's approach. She smiled though when she looked into her green eyes.
"You can sleep in my tent later" Lexa offered under her breath, not looking at Taylor any longer but instead staring into the flames dancing in front of them, making crackling sounds on the wood it consumed.
Taylor was not sure if she imagining it or not in the low light around them, but it seemed as if the commander's cheeks were tinted with a slight blush at her offer.
"Your body is weakened" Lexa added as if to justify her offer "There will be no other tents beside mine" she added even lower.
Taylor simply nodded her head in acceptance, feeling her stomach tingle in excited anticipation.
"Commander…" a warrior addressed the young leader from behind them, calling Lexa away from the fire for now.
Taylor watched her stand up and leave from the corner of her eyes, before she turned her attention back to the fire. So many things were going through her mind. Shortly ago she had tried to take her own life. Now, her life here suddenly had a purpose. If she remained alive here, she could potentially safe others. Things were getting more and more complicated though now as she was attracted to both, Lexa and Anya.
Her thoughts were interrupted once the general returned to her side. Unknown to Taylor, Anya had witnessed the exchange between the commander and the blonde doctor.
The general's features were mostly falling into shadows when she spoke up "You feel for Lexa as well" her tone was low and Taylor had to strain her ears to even catch her words. They were not alone around the fire anymore, so, she obviously needed to speak carefully in case they were overheard.
Taylor turned her head towards the general, trying to decipher the other woman's expression, but failing for now. Sadness suddenly clouded her mind "I am sorry…" she exclaimed honestly.
Anya shook her head though "We do not choose for whom our heart aches" she said simply "Life here is short. A relationship between three people is not uncommon here".
Even though Taylor had expected Anya to be jealous or maybe even angry, the general's tone was calm and she seemed to have already accepted the situation for how it was. She remained silent for a few moments, hoping that the other woman would already tell her how they could proceed now, but Anya remained mute as well.
"What can happen now though…" Taylor asked uncertainly, fidgeting around nervously with her fingers.
Anya's brows furrowed together as if she was confused by the doctor's question "We will work it out Yssa" she assured her.
Taylor chuckled slightly under her breath, honestly surprised by the easy reaction.
"There is only one problem" Anya added and there seemed to be a certain playfulness underlying her tone.
"And that would be?" Taylor asked expectedly, turning back fully to the general.
Anya's brown eyes glittered when she answered with a smirk "Lexa and I both dislike to share."
