Hi guys,

Sorry, but it's one of the shorter chapters. Another one from Lexa's perspective, including the first real Clexa meeting!

Enjoy!

Chapter 3

It was already late into the night when Lexa arrived back at the room the nightbloods resided in. She silently slipped through the door and moved towards her bed. All of the others were already asleep, even Olev whom liked to stay up late reading.

Lexa had spent the rest of the day catching up with Anya. Since she permanently lived in Polis with the nightbloods the times she had seen her First had been rather scarce. Anya's responsibilities as a leader and her own responsibilities as a child of the blood made it hard to see each other. Though Anya always said that she had taught Lexa everything she could. Lexa was a fine warrior, deadly within reach of any weapon and even without one, the brunette nightblood could easily hold her own against someone twice her size. Even if Anya never mentioned it, Lexa knew that her First was proud of her and she'll do everything to honor Anya's efforts by giving all of her for her training as a nightblood.

Still, Lexa was sad to hear that Anya would be already leaving Polis by first sunlight again.

The brunette's eyes fell on the body lying on the bed next to her own which usually was unused. The girl she had seen entering Polis with Anya and her guards slept soundly with her back to Lexa's bed, wrapped protectively in her covers, blonde hair spreading out wildly on her pillow. The girl's hair shone brightly through the night as the moonlight fell upon her, letting Lexa muse one more time how it was possible to have such a bright color of hair. If she hadn't seen Anya escorting her to Polis she would've thought her to be Sankru with the girl being the symbol of the clan herself.

Silently Lexa got under her covers and faced the cold stone wall, her back towards her brothers and sisters. As much as she didn't want to, she cared about them. Some of them she had known almost all of her life. Lexa didn't like to spend any more time with them as she had to out of precaution. Getting any more attached than she already was would only result in pain. She didn't want to, but she knew the day would come were they would all be enemies and kill each other. Sadly, she knew that day will come sooner rather than later.

With that thought she closed her eyes, leaving her worries for when she would wake up again.

As always Lexa was the first to arrive at first meal. It had become a routine for her to wake before dawn, having made the peaceful time before Polis would awake to its prime her time to run through the streets. She loved the cool morning air running through her hair while her feet dragged her along the many paths throughout Polis while the capitol still slept.

It didn't take long though for the others to arrive, their chattering carried along the hall towards Lexa. A pang of nostalgia hit her as she thought back to the time she was with them out there, filling the hall with their words. When they had been younger they had spent all their time together, training, learning and, in their free time, playing pranks and causing trouble. They had been a wild bunch of kids, giving Titus quite the hard time. It had only been in the last four years Lexa had excluded herself from the others, fearing the future that will only bring death to them. They were doomed from the beginning, destined to kill their family members when the time would come. By separating herself from the others Lexa tried to lessen the impending hurt.

Her skin tingled when she thought about it.

The first to enter was Khalan whom nodded to her in greeting. Just like her, Khalan had become rather silent in the last few years. He had always been her partner in crime back then. He was the one whom always lifted her up the tree for Lexa to pick apples for them. They had pulled pranks on the vendors at the market, one distracted the merchant while the other carried out the prank. They had always confined in each other.

Things changed around the same time Lexa distanced herself from the others. Khalan had always a smile on his face, living life as it came. They had been training outside in the inner yard. Khalan had been paired with Tremot while she had trained with Illiams.

Out of the corner of her eyes Lexa had observed their fight. They had been deep into their training, both aiming to come out on top. Tremot and Khalan had always been competitive with each other, though Tremot was like that with every one of them. After some time Tremot had managed to disarm Khalan, yet he didn't stop. Tremot had swung his sword back one more time, striking the now defenseless Khalan who had tried to avoid being hit by jumping to his right. Still, Tremot's sword had drawn blood that day and Khalan wore the scar on his face that will remind him forever of this day.

Since then he had become more silent and serious. He had realized that their future was already coated in blood. Death was on its way.

The face of Tremot came into few behind Khalan, just like always showing no emotion. Tremot had never really integrated well into their little group. Even as child he had always been a loner. He was probably the most ambitioned of them all, his only goal was becoming the next heda. Being social with the other nightbloods was never on his mind. They were all only obstacles for him. An annoying presence in his life, reminding him that he wasn't the sole candidate for the position of heda.

The both boys were followed by Nadora and Olev, both nodding at her. Nadora was just as driven as Lexa was, engaging in other things in their free time from time to time all the while never losing their focus on their main goal. There had always been a silent understanding between them, a mutual respect. They were both direct and honest, even if their words hit some nerves.

Olev had always been the most silent of them. He was surely the smartest of them all, absorbing the history facts as if it was nothing, grabbing any book he could get his fingers on to learn more. In theory, he was the perfect candidate to become the new heda as he had always been the wisest of them. He thought about his actions before carrying them out.

Though, as far as his knowledge reached he lacked the needed fighting skills. Beori and Olev were their youngest ones, Olev having arrived with them only a few years ago. He missed the years of training the others had ahead of him. His parents had tried to hide his nightblood, but as Lexa knew it would always come to light sooner or later. Parents wouldn't do their child any good by hiding them from the people.

The last three nightbloods entered the room, Beori and Pinto on either side of their new addition. Both of them were the most cheery ones of their group. Beori and Pinto reminded Lexa often of Khalan and herself. They had been just as joyful and adventurous as they were. But they still didn't lose sight of their goal. Beori got better and better in their training sessions, keeping up easily with the others, even if she lost more fights to the older ones than she probably liked.

Pinto was the same, working to get better each time they trained together. Though his talent at archery was better than his sword skills. He was an excellent archer, his aim outstanding. He never missed a target. Lexa had no doubt that if he wouldn't be a nightblood, the blonde boy would have become an admirable hunter.

Just like Illiams was one. However he was more often with his First back with his clan than he was here with them in Polis. Though the brunette guessed that with Heda Sanco's steadily worsening state his time with his First will be cut off, Titus will probably demand the boy's presence from now on.

Illiams wasn't the best fighter within them, though not the worst either. He was compassionate and preferred the bow than the sword. However he was the best of them learning Gonasleng. But since Illiams wasn't often with them, Lexa couldn't keep up with his skills and process, meaning that he was a wild card.

Lexa's eyes fell upon the face of the girl she had yet to meet officially. The first thing she noticed were her trademark blonde locks falling flawlessly over her shoulders. The little dimple in her chin was the first her eyes laid upon as they slowly worked their way up. Her thin and soft looking lips were pulled up in an amused smile as she listened to Pinto's tale. Following up her thin button nose Lexa was met with a pair of sky blue eyes. She was caught off guard by their pureness. It was like she was looking up to the cloudless sky with all its possibilities.

It didn't take long until those blue eyes glanced at her and Lexa felt her heart beat faster. She felt like the girl was looking right through her carefully built exterior, seeing all her secrets and emotions without any troubles. Still, Lexa didn't squirm under her gaze but kept her mask firmly in place and stared challenging at her. She would not be the one to break their eye-contact first.

"Hey, Lexa! Where've you been? Did you spent the night in someone else's bed?" Pinto smirked. From time to time one or even more of them spent their nights somewhere else. They may be destined to become the next heda, but they also were teens with certain needs. Much to Titus' dismay, though after some time they learned to cover themselves up. In the last year he had no real evidence of the uncomplete number of nightbloods at night so that he had no real funding for a punishment.

"I turned in very late, but not late enough to miss your loud snoring, Pinto." Lexa replied drily, earning an amused chuckle from the others.

The blonde archer pouted at her statement. "Aren't you funny?"

"She isn't joking. You're always loud. Even while sleeping." Nadora remarked glancing unamused at her nightblood brother.

Pinto flushed, clearing his throat he grabbed a plate and started to shove food on it. "Well, since you came back so late I guess you haven't met Clarke, yet."

Lexa's eyes instantly flew back to the blonde whom just sat down with her own plate next to Beori and Olev. Blue eyes met her green ones again and Clarke smiled slightly at her. Lexa nodded briefly. "Welcome, Clarke."

"Thanks."

The rest of their meal was spent in silence, every one preparing for the events of a new day full of training and learning. Together they made their way towards the throne room for the first lesson of the day. Although Heda Sanco's health wasn't the best anymore he still spent some time to teach the nightbloods, albeit the time they were spending together grew shorter and shorter each day.

Each of them entered the throne room, Titus nodding briefly at them before he left the room and Heda Sanco put his whole attention on them. Heda Sanco was a strict man and teacher, more so than Titus was. He never lied to them and told them the hard facts of life, death and all in between.

Lexa sat a little off the side, listening intently to Sanco as he told them some more about strategies and the different clans. Once and then Lexa's eyes moved to the right side towards Clarke. The blonde girl completely concentrated on their heda, though Lexa noticed Clarke's analyzing gaze on Sanco. No doubt she had noticed his health condition.

At least the blonde appeared to see that the time to learn to survive was limited, Lexa thought as she looked back to Heda Sanco.

If she'll learn quickly, she'll have a chance.

Hope you liked it.

Next chapter will be Clarke's first training session with the nightbloods. And another flashback.

'Til then, I wish you a great time!