Lexa set out once again on the tiresome road back to the Ark Trading Post, with Bellamy Blake trotting next to her. As happy as she was to have found her soulmate, a privilege not many experienced, she was prone to road weariness, and secretly wished that she had at least gotten a whole day of rest before having to come right back on the seven or so hour journey. She had taken her typical three riders with her, Gustus, Indra, and Anya, who also must have been exhausted of the constant trips.
It was three in the afternoon when they had arrived, and everyone was excited to see the Commander in the camp so soon. The Grounder traders, who were doing their part in keeping their Heda's newest project alive flocked over to share brief praises to her. She thanked them for their words like any grateful leader would, but made sure to ask for the Skai Leader.
They ushered her to the dropship. Right when she was about to pass through the shrouded doorway, she realized that Bellamy was nowhere to be found. Relieving her guards of their watch, she ordered them to rest by the doorway.
"Clarke?" she asked, stepping inside, intrigued by the interior of the ship. It resembled that of a metal home, and Lexa wondered if the Mountain Men lived in a similar way.
There was a quick rustling in a hatch above her, and down the ladder came her soulmate. The blonde woman smiled genuinely, reaching out to embrace Lexa in a warm hug.
"I'm so glad you came," she said, "but you've missed two radio correspondences."
"I traveled as fast as I could," Lexa said, "it is quite a journey, I'm sure you remember."
"Yes, of course." Clarke nodded, and delicately reached out for Lexa's hand. "Are we alone?" she asked before entwining their fingers together.
Lexa's heart pounded furiously in her chest. "Yes, we are. But my riders are just outside."
"I'm afraid the Ark is suspicious of you," Clarke began. "I did what I could to remind them that you are good, but all signs point to the thought that you are not going to let them lead us at all in the long run."
Lexa was prepared for this, on account of Bellamy. She reached out to tuck a soft strand of blonde hair behind Clarke's ear. "Any leader would not be pleased to hear that their people are taking orders from someone else. I will do my best to reassure them of my motives when I speak to them, but Clarke, you must also remember that I have my own people to protect to. I can only give your Council so much power without giving them the power to hurt my people."
Clarke nodded once more, understanding everything. "Will you be staying the night?" she asked, changing the subject. Her voice was always so delicate when she wasn't around other people, and it appeased Lexa.
"I would like to," the Commander said, "but there is something I must discuss with you."
"Of course, what is it?"
"When Bellamy came into my office to notify me of the radio, he spoke about your people's relationship to your government," Lexa began. Clarke's lips pursed for a second, obviously not expecting this. "He said that everyone here in this camp is a criminal to your government, is this true?"
"It is," Clarke responded truthfully, yet uneasy. "But in all fairness, our crimes would not seem like such if you reviewed the testimonies and charges. Some of the people here were arrested for stealing medicine to save their families, or food to save a child. Some were arrested for failing to keep up with citizen paperwork, and some were arrested for young dumb jokes. Octavia is here just for simply being a sibling. We have population control on the Ark that forbids more than one child per family. We're not criminals because we're evil or dangerous or lack moral grounds, we're criminals for things that shouldn't be crimes."
Lexa listened to Clarke's lengthy defense, but continued her questions to get the clarification she sought. "But you?" she asked, "Bellamy told me you were going to be executed for committing treason."
"Not against my people. Treason for exposing the government's horrific agenda." Clarke's body language was stiff, and she had let go of Lexa's hand. "The government wasn't going to tell us that we were going to die because the life support systems were failing. Why is it that a government abandoning its people doesn't count as treason? My 'treason' was doing what my government should have done themselves."
"Law is interpreted and exercised by the ruler, and no one else," Lexa stepped forward, trying to remain neutral to Clarke, wanting to avoid upsetting the young woman further. "I am not asking to judge you, Clarke…"
"I didn't want you to know. I didn't want any of your people to know." Clarke explained, not moving when Lexa placed her hands on her shoulders.
"Clarke," Lexa whispered, touching their foreheads together gently. "I am not ashamed of your past. We've both done things for the good of our people. I still accept you as my soulmate. I simply ask because I am worried for you. What will your people do to you when they arrive?"
"They have promised to pardon us after processing," Clarke answered, eyes closed, enjoying the closeness.
"Do you believe them?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
Clarke pulled herself away from Lexa, raising her eyebrow. "You're starting to sound like Bellamy."
"His paranoia may be right this time."
Clarke sighed and turned away from Lexa.
"Clarke," Lexa tried to keep a soothing tone. "If your government so easily condemns people to death, why would they easily forgive? Even if you have undergone atonement. I just want you to be safe. I do not want them putting you back in prison, or worse. I want to keep you safe and out of their grasp."
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Clarke asked, still facing away.
"Maybe I'll just take you home with me," Lexa said, pressing herself into Clarke's back in a comforting embrace.
"Oh yeah?" Clarke asked, a smile forming on her lips. "I don't know how they'll feel about you just stealing me away like that."
"They are going to have to accept it. I will not lose you, Clarke." Lexa's words had started out playful, yet they ended on a somber and real note.
Clarke relaxed in Lexa's arms for a moment longer, enjoying the silence that was mingled with their breathing, before suggesting they contact the Ark.
"They call every day at noon, but they did tell me to contact them when you arrived. Would you like the opportunity to speak to them?" Clarke asked.
Lexa let go of Clarke and straightened up. "Of course, I will gauge them from here. Please, contact them."
Clarke nodded and walked over to the radio, turned on a dial, and reached for the handle.
"Hundred to Ark Station, this is Clarke Griffin, over."
There was static response for about forty seconds before there was a reply.
"Ark Station, reading you loud and clear. What is the purpose of your call?"
Lexa kept a cool composure, but underneath it all she was intrigued by this machine.
"I have Commander Lexa here, on behalf of the Grounders, to speak to the Council."
Silence once again. "Standby, Griffin." Said the operator.
"This is Chancellor Jaha speaking," came a new voice on the radio after a few minutes of standby. "With me are a few members of the council, Marcus Kane and Abby Griffin. With whom am I speaking to?"
"Clarke Griffin and Commander Lexa," Clarke replied.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Commander Lexa," said Jaha, "I look forward to our meeting on Earth. First off I would like to thank you for taking care of my people the way you have. It was more than charitable."
"The pleasure is all mine," Lexa replied. Clarke could only imagine how the sound of a Grounder's voice impacted those listening on the Ark. She wondered if they were ignorant enough to believe that Lexa would be a savage with a base understanding of English, only to be taken by surprise at the Commander's educated etiquette.
"Before we get any further in getting to know each other, Commander, I would like to discuss the incident involving Jasper Jordan, a young man who was injured by one of your people."
"A small company and I went out hunting the day the young man was injured. One of my riders was obviously looking for game. Startled by the appearance of this loud group of individuals, who we had no idea were even here, he re-flexed and took his spear to Jasper. My hunter obviously recognized his mistake immediately and brought the injured boy to me, who we brought back to health."
"And if I remember Clarke's story, you had run into Clarke during this time?"
"Clarke was party of Jasper's party, yes, and had run into my band during the panic of the incident. She passed out at the sight of us, so we took her in too."
Clarke smirked at Lexa's attempt to clean up the fact that Clarke had actually been taken hostage and interrogated.
"Here you discussed the camp with her, is that correct?"
"Yes, I could recognize that she, and the others in her group, were simply inexperienced youths, and that there was no harm in them. I decided to help them, in order to maintain peace between my people and yours. I did not want them wandering into certain territories and accidentally committing crimes or acts of war. It was for the best of everyone involved."
Clarke operated the radio as she watched her soulmate deliver her agenda and motives as professionally as possible to the Ark, making the blonde proud of Lexa's composure. It attracted her more to see the leadership Lexa embodied in just her words. She handled herself well, even when explaining adamantly about the petition process, and how she will not relinquish total control to the Council until she knew that the Ark was not a threat to her people. This was going surprisingly well to Clarke's untrained political eye.
And then it was announced: the Ark would land within a week, hopefully within the five mile radius. However, diplomacy would be discussed immediately. Lexa agreed and soon they signed off.
"Did you not wish to speak to your mother?" Lexa asked. "She was present over the radio."
Clarke shrugged nonchalantly. "I wanted to keep things strictly political," she lied, not wanting to tell Lexa of her fragile family. Not yet anyway.
A kiss was placed on Clarke's neck, to the blonde's surprise, as Lexa wrapped her arms around her from behind, enjoying this particular embrace.
"Does it bother you that I touch you?" Lexa murmured, placing another careful kiss on Clarke's nape.
"No," Clarke responded dreamily. "Why would it?"
"Our romance is young," Lexa replied simply, "I can't help but touch you, but I also can't help but feel that I don't deserve such intimacy just yet." Clarke could feel a rise in heat against her neck, recognizing this as the Commander blushing strongly at the statement.
"You feel we're moving too fast?" Clarke asked, bewildered and amused.
Lexa murmured in the affirmative, placing another anxious kiss on Clarke's now-exposed shoulder, since the Commander had moved the collar of the girl's shirt aside.
"We don't have to be too physical before you're ready, there is no rush, really," Clarke admitted, her heart losing control at the simple intimacy of Lexa's kisses.
"Yes there is," Lexa said, her hands traveling down Clarke's ribs to rest on her hips. "I could lose you soon. I have you and I want you,"
This time it was Clarke who blushed violently. She wasn't a stranger to physical love, but the anticipation of finding a soulmate caused a lot of emotional build-up, and Clarke felt like a novice to romance all over again. Lexa had an effect on her that she could not overcome.
Letting her own words resonate in her mind, Lexa found herself wanting to correct her words, "Not… not that. I meant just simply being with you, in general." The Commander cleared her throat and removed herself from embracing Clarke, who in turn turned around to face her soulmate. "I would love to experience love making with you, of course… I just, I really do not know how to express myself, I'm sorry. I'm confusing you."
Clarke was too enamored to be bothered by Lexa's blundering however, and just watched with a rosy smile.
"Lexa, we're meant to be together, but that does not mean that we should force ourselves to be together. I have no problem with waiting until it feels more natural for us. But that doesn't mean you should stop touching me. Express your intimacy as much as you want, please. I would want nothing more than to do the same," Clarke closed the space between them, her breasts pressing into Lexa's own chest as she wrapped her arms around Lexa's neck. "Drive me crazy with your touches and feelings, please, that will be enough pleasure for now, trust me." Clarke said these words so gently, yet seductively, causing Lexa to forget about the entire world and let herself become emotionally enticed by Clarke's invitation of love.
Overcome, Lexa took Clarke's lips with her own, in a passionate kiss that invigorated Clarke's heart. They parted their lips occasionally to become acquainted with each other's tongues, they breathed in each other's scent when it came time to gasp for breath, hands tangled in hair. For that moment, they were lovers removed from the world, lost in their destiny: to love each other with the entirety of their souls.