Blue eyes stare tiredly at the light increasing on the horizon as the sun rises, turning the clouds warm shades of red and orange. Blinking slowly Clarke groans as she sits up. Another fitful night of sleep. If sleep is even the proper word to use. The young blonde rubs her eyes and leaves the bed of furs. Running her fingers along the soft covering she sighs. The commander has certainly put effort into making her feel comfortable. Foolish, really. Bending to Clarke's every demand in a desperate attempt for forgiveness. A room right beside hers, fully furnished, more furs on the bed than the blonde has seen in all the months she has been on the ground, a book and charcoal to draw whatever she pleases. All with barely any words spoken to each other.
The woman moves to the balcony and looks out over the city of Polis to the forest and fields beyond. Part of her wonders what is truly happening in her former home. Wonders if she should return to her friends. Her family. A sharp pang in her chest and her stomach rolling is all the answer she needs. They will be fine now. Lexa is so desperate to gain Clarke's trust back she wouldn't dream of harming Skaikru. A throat being cleared to her right catches her attention.
Green eyes stare at her from the other balcony, not yet wrapped in the black mask of the commander. Lexa offers a small smile and the blonde scowls. The brunette's lips fall and she clears her throat again while looking away from Clarke.
"Did you sleep well?" Her voice is still hopeful.
"Not really. I would sleep much better if I wasn't surrounded by people who either want me dead or worship me for being a murderer." The younger woman snaps back. Lexa runs her hands over the rail in front of her.
"You are completely safe here, Klark. I would never let harm come to you."
"I was doing fine without your help, Lexa. I just want out of here." A tense silence stretches between the two before the commander lets out a small sigh.
"I can not do that. I will not risk you be captured or killed."
"By anyone that's not you, right?" Confused green meets fiery blue.
"Klark-"
"You want my power? So take it. Maybe then you'll have to see their faces and hear their screams like I do." Clarke spits out, venom in every word. The silence returns for a few minutes before the commander turns to go back into her room. The blonde supposes it probably is a bit later than usual for Lexa to start her day.
"When the clouds catch fire come to the crying tree and I can soothe your burns under the tears." Lexa murmurs before disappearing back into the tower. Clarke stares at the empty space stunned then quickly snarls.
"Trees don't cry."
The scene is familiar to Clarke. Staring at the light gray of the early morning sky still tired from the lack of sleep the night before. But now instead of the cries of her victims Lexa's voice rings in her mind.
"Goodnight, ambassador."
The blonde can still feel the other woman's hand in hers, not even flinching despite the cut running across it from grabbing the blade of a sword like an idiot. A smart idiot. A brave idiot.
With a huff she sits up and swings her legs out of the bed and makes her way onto the balcony again. A faint red is in the distance, black clouds stretching from it. Clarke narrows her eyes and watches the light grow, the bottom of the sky turning orange, before quickly changing out of her sleep clothes and making her way out of her room. She nearly runs a tower staff member over in her rush out the doors and hurries out an apology. The older woman waves her hand with a slight chuckle and begins on her way again.
"Wait!" A deep breath. "Where is the crying tree?"
A figure is sat against the trunk of the tree reading when Clarke reaches it. The blonde recognizes it as a weeping willow from the books they had on the Ark, though the leaves seem more blue than green. The tree is huge, the base several people wide, with a stream flowing a few yards from it. A small twig cracks under her foot and green orbs snap up to meet her own.
Lexa sets her book to the side before standing up.
"Good morning, Klark." She offers her hand and the blonde grabs it carefully. The brunette guides her around the trunk to a spot where the roots are raised above the earth, creating a natural bench facing the sunrise. The sky is washed with reds and oranges, chasing the darkness of the night away. They sit in comfortable silence simply watching the colors.
"I know you probably do not care when people say they understand your pain." Lexa begins.
"They do not understand it. I don't care for rushed comfort." Clarke replies. The woman beside her nods.
"I do understand, though. I see the faces of every officiate of my conclave, hear the cries of the people I had to leave behind for my duty." A gentle hand rests on top of the blonde's. "We are born to bear this weight. Sometimes alone, but sometimes we get fortunate enough to have someone who can share just a bit of it."
"I am an ambassador for a people I do not understand. They seem to fight against everything I do for them. I worry I will give my life to give them peace and they will throw it back in my face and blame me when things go wrong." A hum sounds beside the young leader.
"Your people believe wisdom comes with age, they do not understand that it comes with experience. Trust they will soon see what peace means here. They are not used to such a big world, so they do not understand there are different ways to live and we have twelve of them." The sun shines brightly in the sky now, the clouds mostly white and the atmosphere blue. Lexa squeezes Clarke's hand gently then stands up. "I must attend to my duties for today, Clarke. My apologies, because I really do wish to stay."
"I understand." The brunette bends down to grab the book she left on the ground before meeting Clarke's gaze.
"When the sun is chased by the moon, meet me in the fields of water and I will soften your bruises." She turns and begins to make her way back to the city.
"What are the fields of water? Where is that?" Clarke calls after her. The commander turns and gives the blonde a smirk.
"Find them the same way you found the crying tree."
A few nights later Clarke is rushing out of the tower doors as the same staff woman stares after her amused remembering when her own gona had her meet him at the tree and other mysterious locations in his effort to romance her. Shaking her head fondly the woman continues to her own duties.
The trek to the fields was a bit further than the willow tree and Clarke was glad of her months in the forest to build her stamina more than it was on the Ark. She was still a bit out of breath when she reached the crest of the hill and the rest of the air was sucked out of her lungs as she looked over the land.
A huge field of blue fluorescent flowers sprawled across the hills, the slight breeze moving the plants in a wave making them look like flowing water. A dark shape stands in the middle, plucking flowers and decorating her armor.
"Lexa!" The shape looks up at the blonde and Clarke can just make out a smile on her face. With a laugh the blonde wills her legs to run down the hill, almost barrelling the other woman over as she wraps her arms around her in a tight hug. They share a laugh and Lexa begins decorating Clarke with the glowing flowers. Shiny blue eyes meet soft green.
"I have lived almost my whole life a walk away from these plants yet every year they still amaze me. I figured you would love to see them as well." Clarke nods excitedly but stills at Lexa's hand cupping her chin gently. The commander carefully tucks a flower in the blonde locks before letting go. "I hope the ground is beautiful enough for you to be glad you fell from the sky, Klark."
"I think, if I got to see the beauty of it more often, I would remember to be grateful." Lexa gives a small smile.
"I know plenty of places." She whispers. Releasing a small chuckle Clarke adjusts one of the flowers poking out of the other woman's armor.
"Any more I can see tonight?"
"I can't show you them all otherwise I will have nothing to surprise you with." Lexa replies playfully. "It is also late so we really should head back." The blonde hums before leaning down and picking a flower, tucking it behind the commander's ear.
"There. Now we can go."
The two share teases and jokes as they walk quietly through the mostly bare streets, ignoring the questioning gazes of the few people still out. When they reach the door to Clarke's room they hesitate.
"How are you sleeping lately?" The brunette questions quietly.
"Not as good as I would like." Is the quiet response. They stand for a few more seconds.
"My bed is quite large if you would…" Lexa trails off, but Clarke nods.
"Yeah. I don't really like sleeping alone."
The two carefully place the flowers they wore back in a small pile on a desk before turning from each other to change into more comfortable sleepwear. Lexa is the first to slide into the bed, Clarke following a couple minutes later. Green searches for blue in the faint light, the brunette's body relaxing when their eyes meet.
"Goodnight, Klark."
"Night Lexa."
Angry sniffles fill the dusty air as a blonde stands by a large stump barely peaking out of the sand. She had nowhere to go, no more beautiful scenes to visit. The earth had given her breathtaking views and had promised to show her more. The cursed planet had gave her hope, then ripped it away in a storm of fire and dust, leaving her with nothing but memories. What was she to do now but wish they had been able to stay in the sterile space station. At least then she didn't know what she would miss.
The planet had given her beautiful gifts, and had taken them away. Leaving her with nothing to show for her efforts but a desert and a dusty truck. She hated it for that. And she would survive. Just to spite it. It had brought the end of the world for a second time in an effort to kill her and failed. And Clarke will make sure it continues to fail.
A/N So the title was inspired by a sunrise I saw from the window at work. I still manage to admire it despite Burger King obnoxiously covering up 90% of it. Comments are appreciated! Stay safe :)