A/N - Hey guys! Thank you so much for all the reviews last chapter, they mean so, so much to me you have no idea! :D I had so much fun writing this chapter and I really hope you guys like it as well, Happy Easter to anyone who celebrates it! And enjoy! Also please don't forget to let me know what you liked and also if you have any ideas for future little plot points or any other ideas! :) Love you all x
"Heda! Heda!" The shout came from outside their bedroom door, Clarke groaned and rolled over but Lexa didn't have that luxury. Climbing out of the bed she quickly crossed the room and flung open the door, her expression making clear that it had better be important.
"Abby kom Skaikru had picked a fight with a group of Azgeda warriors." The guard explained breathlessly, he had obviously ran straight to her without pause, which Lexa was grateful for.
Lexa let out a low groan, "Wait here." Retreating back into their room, she quickly assembled her armor and sword, dressing in record time before going back to the door, "Show me."
The guard led her down through the tower and out into the main market area, where Lexa was met by the sight of a heavily intoxicated Abby Griffin shouting at a group of warriors who looked like they were gearing up to attack.
"Em pleni!" Lexa shouted, as she marched over to the group, everyone except for Abby bowed low as she came past. "What is the meaning of this? Ron ai ridiyo op!"
"Heda, she started attacking us unprovoked, screaming about the attack on the Mountain, but that was Nia and nothing to do with us." One of the warriors explained, warily keeping an eye on Abby.
Lexa's eyes hardened as she looked over at Abby, "And what do you have to say about this, Abby kom Skaikru?"
"I don't have anything to say to you, Commander," From the way she spoke it sounded like an insult, "You are twisting my daughter and taking her away from me!" The crowd gasped at seeing her talk to the Commander in such a disrespectful way.
Lexa nodded to her guards, who picked up Abby and carried her back to the tower, kicking and screaming all the way, "I apologize for her behaviour." She said to the Azgeda warriors who looked more confused than anything else.
Then she addressed the wider crowd. "The Skaikru have been through a trying time, Abby kom Skaikru worries for Wanheda needlessly and mourns the loss of many of her old friends. Her grief and pain have affected her judgement so rather than the usual punishment for speaking out of turn to me I will personally deal with the issue myself. I apologize for the disturbance."
"Sha Heda." The chorus of voices came back immediately, and Lexa was relieved when no one tried to argue with her for her leniency towards Abby. Stalking back to the tower she headed straight for Abby's room and flung open the door angrily.
"What were you thinking?!" She shouted at her, "You do not understand our ways, you cannot attack warriors in the streets and disrespect me like that! Usually I would have you killed!"
Abby just glared at her from her seat on the chair in her room, aware that Lexa's guards were flanking her with swords drawn.
"But that would break Clarke's heart and she had suffered enough loss. Abby you are under house arrest for the rest of your stay in my city, you do not leave this room without my express permission and you certainly do not leave the tower."
Lexa gave Abby a stern look that left no room for arguments.
"I want two guards outside this room at all times." She barked out the order as she left the room, trying to work out how to tell Clarke that she had just essentially arrested her mother.
Clarke's reaction was not what she had expected, instead of anger or questions, Clarke just started laughing when Lexa told her what she had done with Abby.
"You've been wanting to do that for a while now haven't you?" Clarke chuckled.
Lexa just stared at her as though she had gone insane, "Clarke I just told you I locked up your mother, and you're happy?"
Clarke shook her head, still laughing slightly, "No, not happy, but I just understand that you could have killed her and didn't. And I know that was for me, so thank you."
Smiling Lexa ran a hand through Clarke's hair tenderly, "You are welcome Clarke. And now it is time for you to leave this room, let's take a walk through the town, just you and me."
Clarke thought about it for a while before nodding, "Ok, let's go for a walk."
She took her time getting dressed and then followed Lexa down to the main market where children where playing in the streets, immediately running over to catch at her hands and pull her into the games. Clarke shook her head slightly at Lexa as she allowed them to pull her forwards into a game of piggy in the middle, "You planned this didn't you Commander?!" She yelled across their heads, as she caught the ball that came flying towards her.
"Clarke I would never plan against you." Lexa called back with a laugh, as she knelt down beside a grinning child that held her hand up for a high five, "Good job little one, thank you for helping me make Wanheda smile."
Lexa then leaned against a low wall casually and watched Clarke run around, forgetting about the last few days and just allowing herself to be free and lighthearted with the other children. Octavia soon arrived at Lexa's side like a ghost, eyes also fixed on Clarke, "She's lucky to have you." She observed quietly, as Lexa smiled fondly at Clarke lifting up a small boy so he could catch the ball that had been thrown far too high for him.
"Not as lucky as I am to have her Octavia, Clarke's special."
Octavia nodded as her own smile appeared, "She told me about you two being engaged."
Lexa stiffened for a moment before she forced herself to relax, "Oh?"
Nodding Octavia slipped a chain out from under her shirt and started playing with it absentmindedly, "I think it's great Lexa, you both deserve to be happy and I am fully in support of both of you." Lexa turned her head to smile at her thankfully and it was then that she noticed the ring on the chain Octavia was rolling around in her fingers.
"It looks like we're not the only ones planning on getting married."
Octavia grinned happily, thinking for a moment before pulling the ring off the chain, "Lincoln gave me this, but I've been keeping it hidden because of the kill order and how my own people may react to it." She slipped the ring onto her hand and gave it an admiring look, "But now I don't have to worry about either of those things. I want to be Trikru Lexa, and seeing all the kids here able to run around without fear or responsibilities weighing them down, it's just made my decision that much easier."
Lexa nodded, "Ok then, there is a meeting tomorrow with the clan leader, I will lift the kill order on Lincoln and announce your induction into Trikru there. Indra will back me and I am sure Azgeda will follow, you've made quite an impression on their finest warrior after all."
Laughing, Octavia brushed the hair from her face, "Ontari's been a good friend to me, Nia was the problem with Azgeda and after some thing's Ontari's told me...well let's just say that that woman had it coming and no one was sorry when you killed her."
"What exactly has she told you?" Lexa asked curiously, Clarke had mentioned something similar but had said Roan had refused to elaborate.
Octavia shook her head apologetically, "Sorry but it's not my story to tell."
Lexa's lips quirked slightly, "I admire your loyalty to your friends Octavia and as such I trust that you wouldn't be keeping it from me if it was something that I needed to know."
"Ok course not." Octavia said quickly to which Lexa smiled widely.
"Then we have no problem. Now I believe it is time for us to rescue the great Wanheda from a pile of overzealous children."
Octavia looked up and laughed aloud when she was met by the sight of a mound of kids piled on top of Clarke who was just visible underneath, red faced from laughing. Lexa was about to whistle and order them off her when she caught sight of Aden across the square, holding something up in his hand and beckoning her towards him. She squinted slightly before realizing what is was and pulling Octavia's wrist so she would follow her around the edge to where Aden was waiting.
Octavia's eyebrows raised skeptically when she saw the pile of pine cones amassed in front of the two grinning night bloods, "What-?"
Her question was answered when they both seized handfuls of them and started pelting the group in the center, with a chuckled she caught on and tossed a few of her own. The children were breaking away and looking around in confusion as Lexa pushed a canvas bag of them into Octavia's arms as she and Aden took one for themselves, then she shoved Octavia in one direction as they went in the other, still tossing the projectiles as they ran.
The game went on for a while, with Clarke just as bewildered as the children, but then she saw the ends of Lexa's braids flying round the corner and her eyes narrowed determinedly, "Warriors we are under attack!" Her voice rang out clearly, as she gathered handfuls of the pine cones that were lying around them that had already been thrown. "The Commander has gathered her warriors and now I am gathering mine, we will win! Kom wor!"
The children cheered and ran around enthusiastically, now they were discovered Aden, Octavia and Lexa allowed themselves to be seen as they pelted the little warriors from above. They were perched on rooftops and market stalls and the parents of the children watched on with amusement as Heda and Wanheda went to war with an army of children and pine cones for weapons.
After a while, Clarke managed to catch Lexa square in the chest with one of her throws and the Commander very dramatically clutched her chest and went into a controlled fall from the stand she was crouched on top of, rolling across the floor and bouncing to her feet in front of Clarke, "Wanheda, I challenge you to single combat to end this fighting!" She cried out with a smile as the children cheered for Clarke and Aden and Octavia started chanting Heda from behind her.
Clarke turned to her army and tilted her head in question, "Should I take the Commanders challenge?" The answering yell was deafening so Clarke spun back to Lexa and nodded, "Challenge accepted Heda."
Two wooden staffs were quickly offered up by Aden who had already been prepared for this end to the game and soon Clarke and Lexa were circling each other as the onlookers cheered.
They put on a show of attacking back and forth and then Lexa allowed Clarke to catch the end of her staff and pull it away, before stepping forward and knocking Clarke's from her hands. Then she offered out her arm, "Should we end this fight with peace? Wanheda, Clarke kom Skaikru?" She said loudly, as all the children watched with bated breath as Clarke clasped Lexa's arms with a grin.
"We shall Heda." Then they turned to the children surrounding them, congratulating them on how well they had fought before sending them back to their parents or to other games.
Aden and Octavia appeared at their sides as they headed back towards the tower, "That was fun!" Octavia grinned happily.
"I think we all needed a small break from responsibility." Lexa smiled as she led them through the building, once they arrived at Lexa and Clarke's bedroom she turned to the other two seriously, "I want you both at the meeting tomorrow. Aden you need to learn how to lead and deal with the clan leaders in case you are called to become Heda, and Octavia I will be bringing up the motion we discussed earlier and I think you should be there for that."
"Sha Heda." They both bowed and then left quickly as Clarke and Lexa both disappeared inside to take a bath and eat.
The next morning dawned brightly and Lexa walked towards the throne room with a confident air, Clarke had been sent on ahead to take her place and Octavia and Aden were also inside, so all that was left was her arrival.
The guards opened the door as she arrived as she walked up the center of the room with her head held high as the clan leaders all bowed to her. Turning to sit on her throne, she motioned with her hand, "Rise."
They did immediately and took their seats.
"There are four things we need to discuss at this meeting, and I trust we can get through each quickly and avoid losing any of this beautiful day." The clan leaders nodded gladly and many smiled.
"Firstly, how are the preparations for the funeral rights for those lost in the attack on Polis during the tournament celebration?"
Luna cleared her throat quickly, "Those from clans who mourn in different ways to the Trikru have claimed the bodies of their dead to take back to their homes. For the others, they have all been laid on a pyre and their spirits are set to be released tonight Heda. We have discussed between us and ask for you to wield the torch."
Lexa nodded, "It will be an honor, and I gladly accept the responsibility of releasing their spirits to the next life."
"Mochof Heda." Luna nodded, followed by the clan leaders who were also offering up their dead to be burned that night.
Lexa looked over to Clarke, "And the rebels from Skaikru?"
Clarke met her gaze calmly, "My people claim no affiliation with those that attacked the city, we offer them up to be burnt alongside those they wronged to provide peace to the dead and their families."
"Then it shall be done." Lexa said resolutely.
Turning to Indra she nodded at the Trikru leader, "The next thing we must discuss goes hand in hand with the third item of today's meeting. The kill order will be lifted on Lincoln kom Trikru." There were stirrings through the clan leaders but they all held their tongues and waited for her to finish. "As many know he is involved romantically with Octavia kom Skaikru, the offer was made to initiate her into the Trikru and she accepted. As a gift for her joining my clan I am lifting the order so he can return. Does anyone object?"
A snort came from the back of the room and Lexa's head shot up to fix them with a cold look.
"The Sky Girl is being made one of the Trikru?" The clan leader from the Glowing Forest Clan laughed, "Not to mention that you are allowing that natrona to return."
"Do you have a problem?" Lexa's eyes glinted dangerously and Roan chuckled softly, already guessing what was coming.
"It will be seen as weakness to let a traitor return to the capitol because of a soft spot you have for one of the Skaikru." He barked out, leaning forwards in his seat.
Lexa tapped the arm of her throne thoughtfully, before smiling at the clan leader, "Come with me for a moment, let us speak privately."
He walked past the others arrogantly, Indra and Roan smirking as soon as he was past. The second they walked out onto the balcony Lexa kicked him firmly in the chest, leaning over to watch him fall before turning back with a satisfied nod.
"Anyone else want to accuse me of being soft?" She asked conversationally as she took her seat again.
Clarke was staring at her shocked as Lexa turned and smiled, "Come now, none of us actually liked him, and he was leading his clan to their destruction. Now his second can take command and the Glowing Forest will thrive as it did when his mother was in power."
The other leaders all nodded in agreement, having truly despised the man since he came to power for his arrogance and refusal to make decisions for the betterment of his clan and their relationships with the other clans.
"So does anyone else have a problem with what I have proposed?" She asked, looking around the room.
Indra leaned forwards, "As leader of Trikru I fully support and accept Octavia into my clan. She had proved herself time and again."
Roan nodded, "Azgeda has nothing but respect for her prowess as a warrior and she has earned her place in any clan as far as we are concerned. If Trikru wasn't taking her I would be tempted to make the offer myself."
Lexa smirked at Octavia from across the room as if to say I told you so.
The Delphi Clan leader sat forward slightly, "I agree fully with what King Roan has said, however I have slight reservations about lifting the kill order on Lincoln kom Trikru. He ignored orders from his Heda in war time, which goes against our most basic rules."
Lexa acknowledged his point, nodding thoughtfully, "I agree that under normal circumstances this would be out of the question. However, his actions from within Skaikru to protect the peace and my coalition cannot be ignored. And as well as that, the the reason he ignored orders does not escape me. Lincoln was loyal to the Skaikru who I was betraying by taking the Mountains deal, he was loyal to the girl he loved that was still in the Mountain. I put personal feelings aside that night, he didn't and was banished for it, but if I wasn't Heda I would've been tempted to stay and fight as well."
The gathered people looked at her in surprise, taken aback by the honesty of her response.
Luna stepped in quickly during the silence after Lexa's comment, "I am with Lexa on this, following his actions and in light of the reasoning for his betrayal, there is more than enough cause to lift the kill order."
Clarke nodded, "I can testify to Lincoln's loyalty to Trikru, he may be living in Arcadia but his true place is here."
Roan backed them quickly, "I doubt very much there will be much argument from the people. Lincoln had a lot of friends before his banishment amongst the people of Polis, and those bonds of friendship run deep."
Lexa sat straight and surveyed the room, "All in favor of both accepting Octavia kom Skaikru into the Trikru and lifting the kill order on Lincoln kom Trikru?"
There was a chorus of affirmations and Lexa was pleased when nobody spoke against.
"Good, we will send the word out today, and the initiation ceremony for Octavia will be arranged by Indra on their return to TonDC."
She glanced over to Clarke before facing back to the front, "Finally Wanheda and I are planning our bonding ceremony."