A/N: Hey so you know how I said I had a plan for the next chapters...well I went off script...yes that's right...my plan lasted one day. Anyway! Here is something that has been a long time coming. And thank you, once particular review actually moved me to tears from last chapter and I am sure that you know who you are. Please enjoy and as always please let me know your opinions. Love you guys! xxxx
Clarke was grumbling all the way back to the tower, twisting round to show Lexa all the bruises she had gained from Aden each time he had sent her crashing to the ground. Her bid for sympathy may have gone over better if said boy wasn't busy giggling away beside her, along with Lexa, at her expense. Clarke tried to be mad, she really did, but the scene was so domestic feeling that she found herself just rolling her eyes and demanding that Lexa better be about to provide her the finest meal ever to make up for the wounds she had suffered because she had truly thrown her into the deep end with training.
Lexa smirked knowingly, "I don't know about the finest meal ever Clarke, but Octavia has demanded our presence for a meal when we return from training."
"Am I allowed to join you Lexa?" Aden asked hopefully, his eyes wide and pleading.
Lexa smiled at him and nodded, "I believe Ontari and Raven are invited as well, and if they are attending then I have no doubt they will be bringing Cal, I'm sure that you will be more than welcome as well Aden."
Clarke grinned at the happy look on Aden's face, waiting until they stepped into the tower before she jumped onto Lexa's back, "Carry me."
"Clarke you're a grown woman." Lexa laughed, adjusting quickly to settle Clarke on her back securely.
"You know," Clarke mused, "This reminds me off something." She said pointedly, waiting for Lexa to catch on.
"Of course." She grinned, quickly glancing to Aden who looked slightly confused about what they were referring to, "Aden, go and fetch Octavia, Lincoln, Raven and Ontari and bring them down here immediately."
"Sha Heda." He answered immediately, scurrying off to do as she had said.
Clarke leaned her head against the top of Lexa's, "You forgot Cal."
"No I didn't." Came the answering grin. "He is a permanent attachment to Ontari now, I doubt you could separate them with a battering ram."
Laughing Clarke wrapped her arms around Lexa's shoulders, clinging on burying her face in her shoulder as they patiently waited for the others to arrive.
As soon as Octavia walked stepped off the elevator the realization dawned across her face as she saw Clarke clinging to Lexa's back like a monkey and Lexa very pointedly looking toward the start of the steps up through the tower.
"Shit."
It clicked for Ontari next, a smug smirk spreading across her face as Octavia's own fell.
Lincoln soon caught on as well, rubbing his girlfriend's shoulders sympathetically.
Raven's realization came a moment later, laughing aloud as she swooped Cal up into her arms and quickly whispered down his ear to remind him of the bet he had won for Ontari just before they left Arkadia.
"You lost a wager Octavia kom Trikru, it is time to pay your debt." Lexa intoned commandingly, the dramatic effect being completely ruined by the gleeful grin she was wearing, that perfectly matched Clarke's, who had jumped off her back to stand next to her.
Aden looked between all of them, failing to understand all of it, finally he held up his hands in the middle of them, "Can somebody please explain what is happening?"
Everyone but Octavia was laughing and Lexa quickly filled him in on what had happened with the wager, the price being that the loser had to carry the loser all the way up to her throne room. It wasn't long before Aden was laughing along with them.
Octavia rolled her eyes and walked to the base of the stairs, taking a deep breath before beckoning Ontari over to her, who kissed Raven on the cheek and ruffled Cal's hair before doing just that.
Raven quickly excused herself, taking Cal along with her, heading straight up in the elevator to wait at the finish and laugh at Octavia then. She didn't want to miss anything but it would put too much strain on her leg walking all the way up behind them, not that it really mattered as she was sure that Ontari would describe each hilarious step before they fell asleep that night.
Once Raven and Cal had left, Ontari quickly jumped up on to Octavia's back, who grunted and quickly got a firm grip on her legs before moving to the stairs determinedly. Taking the first step, Lexa found herself rather impressed at the girls resolve as she quickly climbed the first flight of steps, seemingly her tactic was just to get it over and done with as soon as possible.
"She's going too fast isn't she?" Aden's quiet voice sounded from Clarke's right as she walked side by side next to Lexa behind them, Lincoln having chose to walk in front and provide encouragement to Octavia who was attempting to hide how much she was already struggling.
"She sure is kid." Clarke whispered back, "There's no way she can keep this pace up."
"If she doesn't slow then she will most likely burn out before we hit floor twenty." Lexa chimed in, keeping her voice low.
"How many floors are there?" Clarke asked curiously.
"Fifty one to my throne room, and we are now on floor three." Lexa came back, amusement coloring her tone.
Octavia pushed on until ten before the first obvious sign that she was struggling when she asked Lincoln how far she had left to go and he replied with forty one floors. The answering groan was almost pitiful and had them all laughing again.
Hearing their laughs she only became more determined to reach the top without trying to weasel herself out of the deal along the way.
By floor twenty she was breathing hard, Lincoln's encouragements falling on deaf ears as she just focused on placing one foot in front of the other. She was lucky that Ontari was so considerate or she knew that she would be finding it even harder, the Azgeda was being very careful to stay as still as possible and was holding herself on Octavia's back to relieve the strain on her arms.
They got to floor twenty five and Octavia made the mistake of congratulating herself on getting halfway, the moment her concentration wandered she missed her footing and they both went tumbling to the ground on the landing between floors, all the breath being knocked out of her.
The small group cracked up again as she just lay there groaning and glaring at them all.
"This is why you shouldn't make bets with ridiculous consequences for the loser." Lincoln grinned as he pulled her up, "You have no one to blame for this but yourself."
Octavia was distracted quickly by the look on her face, who she could see was about to call the whole thing off now that she'd gotten a proper look at the strain it was putting on her friend, but it had become a point of pride now and Octavia wasn't willing to give up. Quickly she bent her knees and gestured to Ontari to hop on again, which she did after a moments hesitation and a small shrug from Lexa to say that if Octavia wanted to continue then she might as well.
Feeling slightly better after the short break in the never ending pattern of steps up and round, Octavia started forwards again confidently, still being shadowed by the others who now no longer found it so amusing and where instead rooting for her and providing encouragement as she pushed herself to keep going.
Fifteen floors later, Clarke forced them to a break on the landing between forty and forty one.
"Ok you have fifteen to go, but if you don't take a break right now I think you might pass out." She said worriedly, as she forced water down Octavia who was attempting to insist she was fine, but nonetheless gulped it eagerly once it had been placed in her hand.
"Ok." She smiled tiredly as she stretched her neck and arms before nodding to Ontari again, "If we don't get going again now then I don't think I'll be able to."
Clarke gave her a quick once over and agree that she'd make it the rest of the way now as long as she didn't try anything stupid, like running it or any dumb move like that.
The next ten floors passed as in nearly as much time as all the rest combined, with Octavia having to fight with each step, the whole thing becoming as much of a mental ordeal as a physical one at this point.
She nearly cried in relief as she saw the top of the last flight come into view, a last minute burst of energy allowing her to push herself to the top, where Raven and Cal were stood, staring wide eyed at the red raced Octavia who was being cheered on eagerly by the rest of their friends.
As her feet touched the landing Ontari started to slide off, but Octavia quickly tightened her grip on the other girls legs, "No." She gasped out, "The bet was to the throne room."
Lexa quickly walked over and unhooked her fingers, allowing Ontari to jump down and stretch her own legs which were starting to cramp up, "The throne room was only used to distinguish the floor you had to get to. It's over now, you can rest."
Octavia literally melted in relief, falling against Lincoln who quickly scooped her up when it became clear that her own legs had ceased to function entirely.
They all congratulated her until she reminded them that the meal she had organized was going to be cold if they didn't arrive soon, so they all laughed before starting down the corridor to the room they had taken to dining in.
Lincoln kissed the top of her head proudly as he carried her, "Are you pleased with yourself?"
"Very." She sighed, "Although no more bets for me, I don't think that I could survive another one."
Lincoln chuckled, "You think you can really stick to that?"
"Absolutely." Came the resolute response.
"Hey Blake!" Raven shouted to her as they walked into the room, "Wanna see who can eat the most of this?" She grinned pointing to a roasted boar that was decorating the center of the table, as Ontari stared at her in wonder of how she expected to contain all that food within her slim body.
"You're on Reyes!" Octavia called back instantly, "Loser has to try and feed Lexa's horse a carrot tomorrow."
"Deal!" Raven said, as Lexa tried to protest that that would most likely result in the loss of fingers before Clarke just shook her head to tell her to leave them to their childish antics.
As Lincoln took his seat, he shook his head, lovingly staring at the girl he was going to spend the rest of his life with and falling in love with her even move as she debated with Raven how to judge the latest competition.