alright fellas, every story comes to an end, and so does this one. when i first started writing this one, i expected to finish at around 20 chapters, but here we are at 30. to all those who have been here since the beginning, i truly appreciate your dedication and devotion. i hope you won't be disappointed. this has been a great journey, and all of you, each and every one, have been truly awesome. thank you so much.
now, read, ponder, and enjoy for the last time!
"Your Highness." Lexa looked up from her paperwork to find her assistant standing there, worrying her lower lip. She raised her brows and gestured at Rachel to keep going. "Ms. Greene is here."
Her fragile heart stuttered within her chest at the announcement, but thankfully, it didn't completely fail. She supposed Wells' treatment procedure had been effective, which was a little regretful, because that would only mean she was still banned from devouring Clarke proper. Damn doctors and their carefulness – sometimes, a girl just needed something exciting to pump it up.
She couldn't really blame Rachel for being concerned as well. Of all the staff within the palace, keeping the establishment running and the institution intact, Rachel was perhaps the one person who knew the most about Lexa's personal life. Well, her and Gustus, the latter of whom Lexa had banished back to his cottage because it wasn't like she would be leaving the palace anytime soon.
The princess had done many things in her life, but kissing Clarke Griffin and hiring Rachel were most definitely two of the best decisions she'd made in her life. The first because, well, the woman had made Lexa happier than she had ever been, undoubtedly. The second because Lexa was positive that her royal duties would be in shambles without her assistant at her back.
Basically, Rachel had been doing an excellent job juggling Lexa's turmoil of a life, including anything related to Costia, even though she had only joined the palace after Lexa had returned from Libya. The brunette made a note to herself to give the woman a raise that she much deserved and wished quietly that Rachel would stay with her for as long as she could.
"Where's Clarke?" she asked.
Rachel gulped and walked closer until she was in front of Lexa's desk. "Well, here's the thing: Dr. Griffin was looking for you – I don't know why she didn't think that you'd be ignoring doctor's orders to here –"
"You didn't have to say it like that," Lexa grumbled.
"But she – well, they quite literally bumped into each other in the foyer."
"Oh shit." A brow was raised, countered with green eyes rolling. "You've heard me say worse than that, Rachel." She straightened in her chair and grabbed onto her cane. "And where are they now?"
"Walking in the garden, Your Highness."
"Come again?"
"You could just look out the window, Your Highness."
Lexa huffed a disbelieving chuckle and shook her head. She took the cane and pushed herself onto her feet, because yes, it seemed that she was right – the cane was there to stay. Rachel, knowing her employer well enough, didn't move to help. Rachel knew her too well, and Lexa appreciated it.
"You know, I should remind you that I pay your salary," she muttered, eying her assistant in mock annoyance. "Show some respect or something."
Rachel hummed and followed as Lexa hobbled to the window that looked out to the west garden. "Yes, and I am respecting you by not telling you to get out of your office and rest, as Dr. Jaha has explicitly ordered the last time he was here."
Well, okay, she had to give Rachel that. Royal protocols certainly wouldn't allow this kind of interaction between a royal member and the staff, but Lexa liked Rachel. She liked Rachel enough to retain her by her side for as long as she did. And honestly, it was almost as if Rachel was her friend now, rather than her assistant, so she would allow it.
They stopped at the window; Rachel helped by pulling back the curtain so Lexa could have a better view. And true enough, right there in the west garden, were Clarke and Costia – two women who had shifted the trajectory of Lexa's life in so many ways that she was incredibly grateful for them. Two women that Lexa had truly loved in her life, amidst the string of other women that Lexa had had dalliances with previously.
And Lexa was…well, scared, as she looked at whatever was happening in front of her.
Sure, she was the one who called and invited Costia to come over. Yes, Clarke was the one who requested this proper meeting. True, Lexa intended to keep Costia in her life, but strictly as a friend, because if anything, not even Costia could compare to the splendor that was Clarke Griffin.
But regardless of all that, Lexa was still scared. The honest truth was that she wanted to Clarke to get along with Costia, same with her family. She didn't want to end up having to choose between the two of them, and she'd made that clear with Clarke. Of course, the doctor had mentioned that she understood the friendship between them and promised that she wouldn't stop it from happening, but Lexa would still drop everything if it meant Clarke was happy.
"They seem to be getting along," Rachel commented.
Lexa hummed and squinted, as if it could improve her vision of the two of them together. "Do they?"
Rachel chuckled, shaking her head. "Your Highness, I think it's time that you stop envisioning the worst possible outcome." Lexa took her eyes away from the women in the garden to the woman beside her. "I've been your assistant for quite a long time, and I daresay that I know you best, aside from Princess Anya, Gustus, Clarke, and Costia."
"You do," the princess admitted.
"My job is to be your courtier, your assistant. I've been working for you since the moment I graduated university, and I've been doing my best to make sure that you are able to carry out your tasks in a smooth-sailing manner. And along the way, I've grown to care about you; I want you to be happy as I am with my husband, Your Highness."
"And I still haven't met him. Are you sure you're not making him up?"
"He's very real, and you'll meet him at the wedding, I promise," Rachel replied, rolling her eyes. "My point is, Your Highness, it is clear to me, an outsider, that Dr. Griffin and Ms. Greene both love you, albeit in different ways, and I am so glad that you have people on your side, especially those two women. As such, I am more than certain that they will do their best to make sure you are happy, and this is the first step that they're taking together."
For the first time since hearing the news of Costia's arrival, Lexa smiled at the pep talk. She looked out the window again and could finally see what Rachel had been seeing. Clarke and Costia were actually laughing and gesturing rather actively as they conversed, losing their way in the garden that would inevitably need a gardener or guard to guide them back to the palace.
She liked seeing this. She liked seeing them together. She liked that they were getting along.
"I have a bad feeling about this," she commented.
Rachel scoffed. "Only because you know Dr. Griffin and Ms. Greene would be a more formidable force in making sure that you take care of yourself. As you should, might I remind you."
"I need to make sure the three of you are never together. It'll make my life hell."
Her assistant laughed and dropped the curtain, leaving Clarke and Costia to their privacy. "On the contrary, Your Highness, I have a good feeling the three of us will only help you improve your quality of life."
Lexa shook her head in amusement and watched as her assistant take her leave, doing whatever she usually did to ensure Lexa's comfortability in her duties. Well, given that Clarke was still distracted by Costia and Rachel still respected her enough to leave her alone, she supposed she could use this opportunity to sneak away on more work before they would come in and drag her out.
Maybe they'd even drag Rachel along. God, what was Lexa thinking when she brought these women into her life? She couldn't say she didn't like it, but there was no denying that she would be protesting a lot in the near future.
Paperwork was always a hassle. There was no end to them. Once a pile was done with, there would be another the next. A cycle that would never end. A job that would never cease. But Lexa liked them, because seeing the piles of paperwork on her desk only meant one thing. It meant she was still useful. She still had a place in this family. She could still contribute whatever she could without ascending the throne.
A preferable alternative would be to actually get out there and meet with the families that she wanted to help, to tell them what she really thought of their loved ones' sacrifices for this country. Unfortunately, she was still a princess, and to place herself in a public venue would not only endanger herself but also the people. So here she was, looking through the applications and weighing the choices. A force behind the scenes, one that she would never let Jaha intercept no matter how much he wanted to.
Her absence had only meant that the paperwork continued adding its weight onto her desk. And had Costia not been around to serve as a distraction, Lexa was sure that there would only be more by the time she was finally cleared to get back to work. So now, taking the opportunity of a Clarke Griffin who was far too absorbed in conversation with her ex-girlfriend, Lexa did her best to decrease her tasks.
"I should have known you'd be here."
Well, shit. "Um."
"Don't you –" Clarke huffed and let out a weird noise of annoyance, and then she seemed like she just gave up and decided to take action instead. She strode towards the desk that Lexa was situated at and literally snatched the pen out of her hand.
"Hey!" the princess protested, hopelessly grasping for the pen as her girlfriend simply pocketed it. "What on earth are you doing?" she squeaked, watching Clarke putting all the scattered papers on her desk in a stack hastily. "I had a system, woman!" she continued complaining, while the blonde just pretended like she couldn't hear her and kept arranging the stuff on her desk.
And then the woman just knelt down and shoved all the stuff, pen included, in a random drawer. Well, Lexa couldn't say she wasn't appreciative of the view from up here. God, she missed sex – she had her fingers crossed that Wells would be able to clear her for…strenuous activities when he would be coming by later. Very strenuous activities.
Clarke paused after the drawer was firmly closed, eyes focused at the space under the desk. She did a double take and glanced up at the brunette incredulously, pointing at the empty space. "Is that a gun?"
Lexa blinked at the abrupt question, and then she remembered that yes, she had a gun strapped to the bottom of her desk. Just a few months ago, she almost drew them on her family, simply because therapy hadn't taken effect yet and her PTSD was worse than she thought. She gulped and used her functional leg to roll her chair back.
"Uh, yes," she confirmed, refusing eye contact with the blonde.
Nothing was said for a long while, as Lexa kept her eyes on the window and Clarke kept her eyes on her. "I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I am," Clarke said, quieter than she was. "Suppose everyone's surprised when they see a gun."
"How's Costia?"
It was a deliberate change of subject that Lexa came up with off the top of her head. And obviously, Clarke saw right through her, because when she looked away from the window, Clarke had a – well, not sad – humorless smile on her face. Almost like pity, which was unacceptable.
But, god bless Clarke Griffin and all that she was, the doctor didn't protest the change of subject. She just took one last look at the bottom of the desk and got up onto her feet, immediately handing the cane to Lexa. The brunette rolled her eyes and stared forlornly at the drawer in which her paperwork had been unceremoniously shoved into.
"I like her."
"Good." She took the cane with a sigh and stood up, allowing Clarke to loop their arms together and guide them both of out the office. "Is she still here?"
"She wanted to say hi, but her firm called her for an emergency."
She didn't take it to heart. There was no doubt that she'd be seeing a lot of Costia in the future. "You know, no one ever said I couldn't work," she complained half-heartedly, rolling her eyes when she spotted Rachel, who only smirked at the two of them.
"I say you can't work."
"Are you purposely tormenting me or something?"
"I love you, Lexa Woods. Why would I torment you?"
"You won't let me work. You won't let me swim –"
"You'll drown on that bum leg."
"And you won't have sex with me."
A handmaiden who was passing by could barely suppress a laugh at Lexa's unbridled outburst. Clarke blushed at the unnecessary attention and only nudged Lexa in the hip.
"I'm going back to work tomorrow," the blonde informed Lexa, her hand slipping down to tangle their fingers together. "I'm going back to my place tonight. Can you promise me that you'll listen to Wells and just rest? I really like it when you're awake and not suffering from a heart attack."
Because she would drop everything just to make Clarke happy, Lexa felt like she had no choice but to nod in agreement, though she didn't hold back a sorrowful sigh at the thought of wandering around the palace with nothing to do. She supposed she could go back to seeing Niylah; that would surely give her a lot to think about.
"I really liked having you here," she confessed, hobbling down the stairs – she'd refused the ramp once she was out of the wheelchair. "It gave the whole place a breath of fresh air." Clarke squeezed her hand, focusing on making sure Lexa didn't topple headlong. "I like waking up next to you and seeing your cute little face all the time."
"I'm not moving in with you, Lexa," Clarke replied with an amused smile.
"I'm not asking you to move in with me," Lexa retorted, letting Clarke direct her out the door where they were met with the garden. "Not even Roan's moving in with Anya here. We have protocols, Clarke."
"Wait, so where are they staying?"
"Warlington. Anya is the Duchess of Warlington, after all. It's time she takes responsibility of her own turf."
"Roan's okay with that?"
"He'd do anything for Anya." Lexa stopped momentarily, pulling Clarke back with her, so she could admire the blooms that were starting to emerge as the winter season came to a close. She winked at a nearby gardener and plucked a lily, handing it to Clarke. "You'll officially be a Countess in two weeks," she said. "Ever gonna talk to your mother about it?"
Holding onto the lily, Clarke closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of it. "Yeah, I'm thinking I'll visit her on the weekend."
"You want me there with you?" Lexa offered. Clarke lifted her head, clearly not expecting her girlfriend to offer, not in her current state. With a shrug, the brunette untangled their arms and wrap her own around Clarke's shoulders, squeezing her in. "I think it's time I meet your mother, anyway. You've met my parents."
"Okay."
"You should probably also pay a visit to Arkadia before you, you know, become their resident noble," Lexa whispered. "It'll do well for your image."
"I have to say: Arkadia seems like a nice place."
Lexa hummed. "So is Goldcrest."
They stopped at a gazebo and sat down, Lexa leaning into Clarke and closing her eyes, thinking that this would be a very nice place to take a nap, with Clarke next to her and protectively wrapped around her body. Nothing else was said, really, but they didn't have to. They had time. They had all the time in the world. After all, it wasn't as if she was the heir apparent and expected to have heirs to continue the bloodline.
"Wait a minute, I'm not gonna get a house, right?"
Lexa laughed and nuzzled closer into Clarke's neck. "Well, no, not a house." She could hear Clarke's audible sigh of relief. "More like a mansion. As big the west wing of this palace," she muttered.
"Lexa!" She refused to be moved and just continued laughing. "Oh my god, I can't take care of a mansion. I can barely take care of my own apartment."
"Don't worry. It'll come with its own staff to take of it for you. Think of it as a vacation home."
"This is what I get for dating you, huh?"
At that, the brunette lifted her head and met Clarke's eyes, blues twinkling with mild apprehension and largely acceptance. She leaned forward to capture the blonde's lip, truly meaning it, pouring all her emotions into this one touch. Thankfully, the kiss was well accepted, as Clarke moaned in pleasure and kissed Lexa back. A good kiss. A great kiss. A perfect kiss.
"I love you," Lexa whispered when she drew back, resting their foreheads together.
Clarke made a noise of approval and closed her eyes, breathing steadily. "I love you too, Lexa Woods. More than you'll ever know."
"And yet, you still won't have sex with me."
An impatient groan escaped Clarke's throat, which, funnily enough, only served to turn Lexa on more. The doctor forcefully pushed Lexa's head back down into the crook of her neck. "God, you're ridiculous. Take a nap. I'll be here."
And Lexa believed her. Out here, in the open-air garden, Lexa felt safer than she ever had. In the palace, her family was scrambling to make sure Anya's wedding would go without a hitch and that Clarke would receive her noble title smoothly. Somewhere in a cottage nearby, Gustus was spending time with his wife, which he deserved.
Sure, she may be a spare. A spare's spare, to put it more accurately. But Lexa was – well, she had a leg that would never function and duties that she would always carry out. After all that, she had Clarke Griffin, the pretty blonde doctor who saved her life in more ways that she could count. Everything would be fine. And they had time. All the time in the world.
there may be an epilogue, or not. i don't know yet - depends on my mood lol
but thank you all. it's been fun. see you when i see you! take care of yourselves and remember to wash your hands and wear your masks!