A/N - Hey! So this one is the longest so far haha, without the authors note this chapter is 3,762 words and my eyes are literally aching right now as I'm trying to do this note because I have sat in front of this laptop for the last two and a half hours ironing out the kinks in this one and being really picky to get it right haha :) I really enjoyed this one, it's been one of my favorite to write and I would really like to hear what you guys think of it! So please review, love you guys x

"Heda I don't know if I can do this." Aden whispered doubtfully, as Lexa spoke to him just outside of the council room.

She placed a hand on his shoulder supportively, "Aden, I trusted in you during my battle with Roan, that if I fell you could lead our people well after my death. This is much easier by comparison, I am just asking you to look after our people until I return." Lexa examined his expression carefully, "If you truly feel you aren't ready then you can tell me Aden, and I will stay in the capitol, but I need you to make your decision quickly."

After a seconds hesitation he nodded decisively, "If you trust that I can do this then I will."

"Thank you Aden." Lexa sighed in relief, "I really didn't want to have to tell Clarke that I was changing our plans at the last minute."

He laughed lightly as she smiled at him softly, her eyes crinkling slightly at the edges, "You're welcome Heda."

She squeezed his shoulder lightly and then straightened up to push on the doors, causing them to swing open to their fullest extent as she strode in, taking her seat in her throne as Aden took a place standing on her right side.

"Ambassadors of the Thirteen Clans. It is good to see you all back in those seats now that your Clan Leaders have departed to go back to each of your lands. I trust that the coming months will be plentiful and peace filled for us all."

They nodded back at her in greeting as she smiled at each in turn.

"As you will have no doubt realized, King Roan of Azgeda has remained in the capitol. And Aden, the most promising of my night bloods at present, is here at this meeting. This meeting, which I have called for to make an announcement. Tomorrow morning, Wanheda and I will travel to the home of Skaikru and better organize their people and ensure their continued obedience and loyalty to my coalition, then we will travel to TonDC for Octavia kom Skaikru's formal initiation into Trikru."

Lexa paused as her eyes rested on Roan for a moment, who was staring back at her calmly, "Aden will lead in my place until our return. We do not expect conflict so there should be no complications, and if any arise I will ride straight to the capitol. In celebration of our fresh peace with Azgeda after Nia's blood soaked reign, I have requested that Roan remain to act as Aden's General whilst I am absent. As you are all aware it is customary for the Commander's General to be their clan's leader, but as Aden is of Trikru and I need Indra for the ceremony at TonDC, alternate arrangements had to be made and Roan has most graciously agreed."

Moving slowly and purposefully she stood from her throne and stepped to the side, motioning for Aden to take her place. His eyes flickered back to the door for a split second, as though he wanted to bolt, but Lexa smiled at him encouragingly and he swallowed his nervousness and took a seat on the antler throne confidently.

Lexa inclined her head towards him and then turned to face the ambassadors, "I am due to leave within the hour so I am afraid I must leave you, Aden will conclude this meeting after you are done. Roan?"

The King stood up smoothly and took a place on Aden's right side, standing proudly beside the boy and bowing to Lexa. "Until you return Heda."

"May we meet again." Lexa said softly, a small smile playing across her lips as she spoke the Skaikru words. Then with one final supportive look towards Aden she glided from the room, her long coat flaring out behind her. Straining her ears she just heard as Aden addressed the ambassadors, asking for the reports from their lands, a prideful glow lifted her mood even further as she realized the man Aden had grown into.

Her walk through the city was peaceful, early enough that the market stalls were just setting up but the streets weren't teeming with people. Along the way she stopped off several times to collect some last minute items, before hurrying along to the gate where Skaikru were already preparing to depart.

"Heda." Kane bowed his head respectfully as he noticed her, "We're nearly ready to depart. Clarke said that you're not planning on bringing any of your guards?"

Lexa smirked at him, "Do you think I need them?"

He looked slightly flustered, as she laughed lightly, "Of course not Heda, I only meant that-"

"Relax Marcus of the Sky People, I trust that your people know better than to attack me. Did Clarke tell you about our additional companion?"

He shook his head in the negative as Lexa tilted her head thoughtfully, "No matter, it must have slipped her mind, you will see soon enough I suppose."

She moved away without another word, ending up sat comfortably against the base of a solid oak tree as she waited for the last few members of their party. Clarke, Octavia and Ontari were still to arrive, Lexa wasn't concerned though, she had arrived early and so they weren't technically late yet.

With interest she studied the members of the Skaikru already gathered. Abby seemed to have gotten a hold over whatever madness was causing her to stubbornly challenge Lexa and Clarke and she was deep in discussion with Raven over one thing or another. The boy that had lost his temper and insulted Octavia and Ontari both was stood slightly to the side, arms crossed over his chest like a sulking child, Lexa didn't understand him and that made her uneasy. He was still alive so he had obviously not followed Pike, but their attitudes were too similar for comfort, not for the first time, Lexa made a mental note to keep a close eye on him until he settled down or was dealt with by Clarke.

Indra and Marcus Kane interested Lexa greatly, Indra had always been reserved and stoic, the perfect warrior. But around Marcus she was relaxed and joked lightheartedly as they waited for the final few to arrive. It was a side of Indra that Lexa had seen only in the presence of a few, and not since she lost her family to the Mountain, but then Kane did somewhat resemble Indra's lost brother in his gentle, peaceful outward demeanor with the inner strength that blazed through in protection of his people and those he cared for.

Lexa was jolted out of her musings by the arrival of the three girls, who arrived together laughing at a joke that Octavia had made but what the joke was Lexa didn't quite manage to catch.

Clarke brightened when she spotted Lexa and she came straight over to her, "Hey! How did the meeting this morning go?"

"Good I think. Aden will do fine and I trust that Roan will guide him well if he runs into any difficulties."

Ontari soon followed Clarke over when Octavia moved towards Indra.

"Heda." Ontari greeted Lexa respectfully.

Lexa smiled at her in return and then looked up when she heard the muttering of several Skaikru members standing behind them. Octavia just rolled her eyes in irritation from where she was standing beside the Trikru Leader and swung herself up into the saddle of her horse.

Kane, ever the peacekeeper, stepped forwards towards the two leaders and the Azgeda warrior who were staring at the group impassively, "Clarke, are we being joined for this trip?"

Ontari nodded at him and offered her arm which he clasped without hesitation in a warriors grip, the motion having become second nature through all his interactions with the Trikru, "Wanheda has invited me to visit your camp with herself and the Commander."

Clarke lowered her voice so they couldn't be heard by the rest of their people, "We need to start healing the rift between our people and the other clans. Everyone at Arcadia is still distrustful of Azgeda and it is my hope that Ontari will prove that we have friends amongst their clan on this visit."

Kane nodded thoughtfully, "It might just work Clarke but I think we should be very careful on this trip."
Lexa smiled at him, "We knew we could count on your support Kane, you have been a great friend to my clan and the coalition."

Unseen, Clarke squeezed Lexa's hand once before breaking away to stand in front of the rest of their group, "Ok listen up everyone. We are going to ride straight to Arcadia without stopping. Myself and the Commander will be in front followed by Kane and Ontari. The rest of you will ride in pairs after them, the order doesn't particularly matter but everyone rides at the shoulder of someone else. Then if Indra and Octavia can ride at the back as rear guard?" Only the last part was a question, directed to Indra to show respect to the Trikru Leader, who nodded once to acknowledge the request.

There were a few questions shot back at her, but she waved a hand quickly to silence them, "I have given my orders and you all need to just follow them. If anyone has a serious question that is nothing to do with our travelling companion from Azgeda then you can ask, but why she is joining us isn't any of your concern." As she spoke she did her best to channel Lexa's Heda voice, speaking firmly without shouting at them.

She walked straight to her horse when they all stayed silent and swung herself up, followed quickly by Lexa who brought her horse around quickly to be close enough to speak privately to Clarke.

"That was much better Clarke, even the most troublesome one thought better of pushing." She said approvingly.

"I doubt that it will be so easy once we get to Arcadia." Clarke sighed as she dug her heels into her horses side to urge it into a steady walking pace once the rest of their people had mounted up.

Lexa smiled grimly, "No it won't, but if you win their respect now I promise you it will become easier in the future."

Clarke nodded seriously and then pulled back on the reins to move her horse back on a level with Ontari and Kane, leaning over she quickly ordered them to maintain a steady pace towards Arcadia and then pushed her horse into a trot, nudging Lexa's leg with her own before going into a full on gallop along the path. She was soon followed by the Commander who chuckled at her despairingly as they rounded a corner and moved out of sight of the rest of their party. Lexa expected Clarke to slow down but she didn't, if any thing she sped up pushing her horse to go faster to stay ahead of her.

The last time they had made the journey to Arcadia Lexa had been recovering still and they had had to cut their race short but now Clarke was taking full advantage of their good health. After a while she realized that she couldn't hear hoof beats behind her anymore and she glanced back in confusion, looking forwards again just in time to see Lexa fly out of the tree line in front of her. Lexa laughed freely as she wheeled her horse round to block the path, forcing Clarke to slow so she could stop in time to not knock her fiancée out of the saddle.

"I grew up in these trees Clarke, I promise you that you will never win a race here against me." Lexa's eyes were shining as Clarke stopped beside her, and her mouth was stretched into a dazzling smile as she gloated. "Now why have we abandoned your people to race through the woods like children?"

Clarke grinned sheepishly and raised her arms helplessly, "I really wanted a rematch of our last race, and I wasn't exactly happy at the prospect of moving at a snails pace the whole way to Arcadia because some of my people are terrible riders. We're leader, I thought being able to delegate was one of the few perks?"

Lexa shook her head, the smile not dropping from her face, "And if your people try to murder Ontari?"

"Then she will kill them in self defense and I will be minus several trouble makers." Clarke laughed lightly, confident that between them Octavia and Kane would be able to keep the pace, and Raven and Abby were also present to back them. "None of them are carrying weapons on the journey except for two guards that are both trustworthy, and then Kane and Raven have a gun each as well."

"You've clearly thought this through." Lexa stated, moving closer towards her to lean over and press a kiss against her lips, "Maybe I am still underestimating you Clarke."

"Only when it comes to finding more ways of spending time alone with you Lexa." Clarke smiled happily as she leaned across and bumped their shoulders together, "Now come on, if you know these woods so well, show me something interesting."

For the next hour they essentially circled around the main group, with Lexa showing Clarke her favorite spots in the forest as they moved, or telling stories about the games she used to play as a child in those very woods when she would sneak out from the orphanage she grew up in to roam. Clarke chuckled disbelievingly at times but Lexa would turn to her with serious eyes and insist that she really did try and kill a pauna when she was six, almost getting eaten in the process, and Clarke would stop chuckling, suddenly doubting Lexa's very sanity in her youth. And then Lexa would throw back her head and laugh loudly at how Clarke had fallen for the story she had been spinning.

As the group arrived at the flat grassland leading towards the gates of Arcadia, Lexa and Clarke reluctantly fell back into place at the head of the group, moving through the gate quickly and dismounting. The Skaikru who had remained at the camp had all gathered when they heard that the party was returning from the capitol and so there was several hands available to take the reins from their hands and lead the horses to the rough corral that had been set up when Octavia has insisted on having horses in the camp as well as their jeeps.

Soon everyone was dismounted and stood at the entrance to the camp. There were shouted greetings and questions but Clarke ignored them for the time being and headed towards the main building, hoping to get inside without incident. They were less than twenty feet away when someone finally noticed Ontari and put together that she was Azgeda.

"Clarke brought the Ice Nation here!" Someone yelled from the back and suddenly there was dead silence as everyone waited for anyone else to react. Someone towards the front of the crowd moved their hand towards a gun on their hip and Clarke marched forward immediately seizing the hand of the man, making him pull the weapon from it's holster, moving her hand down to his wrist she made him point it into the air and firing a single round.

"That was the only gunshot that will be fired whilst we are here, do you all understand?" She said fiercely, pulling the gun roughly from his hand and then spinning slowly in a circle to catch the faces of every person in the crowd who was angered by the Ice warriors presence. "Ontari kom Azgeda is here at my request, as a friend of our people, and the next person to reach for their gun without provocation will not like the consequences."

Spinning on her heel she stalked inside and followed the corridors round to the council room, which seemed suffocating after the openness and natural light of the council room in Polis. Sighing she sat down in the nearest chair as Lexa, Kane, Ontari, Octavia, Raven, Abby and Indra followed her in, each taking a seat around the table after a quick motion from Clarke.

After a moment she threw the gun into the center of the table, glaring at it hatefully, "Raven are you still making ammunition for the guns?"

"Yeah I am, but we're struggling to pull together enough materials to keep up with the demand. If we're careful we should be able to stretch if out for maybe a year." Raven answered, rubbing her leg slightly as the familiar ache set in after riding the horse for so long.

"I don't want you to be careful." Clarke said, leaning forwards to rest her elbows on the edge of the table, "Burn through our supply as fast as you like, ultimately I want guns out of Arcadia."

Abby laughed nervously, "Clarke don't you think you're being a little hasty-"

"No." Clarke cut her off firmly, "Our people having guns was great when we were actually in danger, but now they just enable bad decisions from our people. Ordering the guns gone would cause a riot but if our ammunition just runs out then there is no one to blame."

"How will we hunt for food?" Her mother tried, in one last attempt to counter her.

Clarke nodded towards Kane and Indra, "I believe the two of you were already discussing trading knowledge of skills between our clans whilst we were in Polis. Our people need to learn to hunt like the Trikru do, in the long run it will prove far better for our continued survival, and really the sooner you guys can decide that and get it started the better." She sighed and stared at the weapon in the middle of them. "Let me put it another way regarding the gun issue, if Skaikru didn't have guns, Pike wouldn't have been able to make his move against the peacekeeping force and the last few weeks would have taken a very different turn. Anyone have any arguments?"

She was pleasantly surprised when they all kept quiet.

Raven leaned forwards herself, "So, do you want me to intentionally speed up how quickly we use up our supply?"

After a moments thought Clarke shook her head, "We need to give our people the time they need to transition to the new way of doing things. Let's not make them run before they can walk."

Lexa smiled from beside her, "I have never heard that phrase before."

Clarke turned to her as though she had forgotten Lexa was there at all, "It's from before the bombs I think, I read it in a few books back on the ark."

Octavia grinned at them from across the table and made eyes at Raven who was also grinning at the two leaders who seemed to have become completely distracted with staring at one another. "Ok then, so get rid of the guns, good plan, what else?" She cut in, causing Clarke to cough slightly and look back at them.

"We need to clear up as much lingering resentment against Azgeda as possible on this trip." She looked at Ontari slightly apologetically, wishing it didn't seem as much like she had invited her just to use her to further her own ends, "I need you and Octavia to flaunt the friendship you have in front of them at every opportunity, and train outside together as well."

Ontari nodded quickly and looked at Octavia, "Ready for round two?" She smirked, rubbing at her hand in the same spot that she had caught Octavia's during the tournament.

Octavia laughed, "Hell yeah, and this time it's going to be me putting you on your ass."

"We'll see." Came the smug reply.

Clarke clapped her hands together, "Ok then, I think that's enough to go on for a preliminary meeting, we can get back in here tomorrow to further discuss things after we've discussed the mood in the camp." She went to stand up but was interrupted by a loud, over dramatic cough from Octavia who she saw was staring at Lexa intently.

When she turned back to see what she was looking at, she found the other girl knelt down on one knee on the floor in front of her.

"Clarke," Lexa started hesitantly, but then was spurred on by an encouraging smile from Octavia, "I promised you that we would include both our people's traditions so I was speaking to Octavia before we left Polis and she pointed out to me that there was a large part of your peoples traditions that I was unaware off. So I had this made for you."

She cracked open the tiny box in her hands to reveal a delicate silver circle with a single blue gemstone embedded in the surface of it.

"Octavia said that I should ask you in front of her because that was important as well, to have witnesses, although I am now realizing that it may very well have just been her excuse so that she could intrude on our moment. But, we are here now and I don't seem to care about how annoying your friends are. Clarke, I love you. So even though we have both already agreed, it's my turn to ask this time, marry me?"

Lexa stared at Clarke, suddenly nervous as though this physical symbol of their commitment would cause Clarke to rethink and change her mind. But she wasn't left waiting long, as Clarke pulled her to her feet and kissed her in front of everyone sat round the table who were watching with wide smiles across their faces. Even Abby, who was running out of excuses to dislike Lexa.

"Of course I will marry you Lexa." Clarke laughed as she pulled back, holding out her hand so Lexa could slip the ring onto her finger, tenderly running her fingers over the stone before she pulled back her hand.

"Now this council meeting's over." Raven laughed, as she started ushering everyone out, leaving the two of them alone in the room together.