Previously...
Lexa watches horrified as she takes in the scene of Clarke, standing alone, behind enemy lines, mere feet from the edge of the cliff. She hasn't turned around; she's focused on something in front of her.
And when she sees just what it is, Lexa's heart drops.
Right along with the body.
Followed by Clarke.
A few minutes earlier...
Clarke runs full tilt towards the hut the mysterious old woman had directed her to, unsure why exactly she finds she trusts her direction, her silent urgency. Clarke pushes her feet faster, a weird sense of time starting to weigh on her, the sting of the woman's walking stick still fresh on her mind and ass.
Everything seemingly, to imposing an unknown time limit.
She forces her mind to focus; she blocks out all but the hut before her, letting her instincts drive her. Trusting herself, trusting Wanheda, like she knows she should.
Clarke kicks down the wooden door before bolting inside, sword held at the ready, prepared to attack or defend.
"Hod op!" She shouts, stretching out an arm, when she sees the thin face of a hooded woman bolting through the back door, carrying something in her arms. "Stop!" Clarke shouts, dashing into the hut and out the back door after her.
As she exits, Clarke leaps over a barrel and then some crates the woman knocked over. She runs, light on her feet as she has been taught, swiftly hurdling more objects meant to slow her down.
The woman takes a sharp right, then a left. Unable to shake Clarke's pursuit, she bolts straight into the chaos of the fight.
Clarke follows the woman, diving through the wall of Warriors, avoiding errant blades and arrows as she moves after the woman.
She's forced to stop and step back as a particularly pissed off woman lunges at her screaming her title and drawing more attention to her. Clarke slashes her sword down so hard she cuts her arm clean off, the woman's sword falling uselessly with the severed limb. Clarke doesn't have the time to end her life, the sense of urgency driving her forward again after the woman.
She hurdles a fallen warrior and then another, before ducking two spears and cutting down the Warriors wielding them. She spins and deflects another sword before hurling fire to create some space. She darts forward into the thick of the fighting, this time, stopping for nothing and no one.
And then all too soon Clarke understands why Ontari warned her to beware of the cliff.
Breaking through the enemy lines in a ball of fire and fury, Clarke is forced to pause, to stop dead in her tracks, feet from the edge of the cliff.
The hooded woman is staring her down, wild eyed and feral looking, her back to the edge of the cliff, heels dangerously close to the edge.
And a raven-haired baby in her arms.
"Hod op!" Clarke shouts, pleads. "Don't do this!" She lowers her sword as if held at gunpoint, slowly before dropping it. She raises her palms to indicate no threat, her eyes darting from baby to the woman.
Each flicker of her eyes, each tense second, chilling her blood a thousand times over.
The woman's eyes darken, her right arm flashing and a small severely sharp dagger pulled from the folds of her hood.
"Beja!" Clarke's voice breaks out of fear and desperation, just as the woman holds the blade against her neck.
And then, Clarke's eyes close for a second at most as she hears Lexa's voice ring out across the village, her waves of energy sensed as if she caused them herself. She can breathe for this second and this second only, the briefest relief before she opens her eyes and the woman moves.
"For Ambrose and his child, I am the only nomon he shall ever know." The woman slashes her own throat sloppily and topples backwards over the cliff.
"No!" Clarke shouts, entire being leaping after her, the woman's garb flapping in the wind, echoing off the cliff as she falls, baby still clutched right to her chest.
Clarke descending right behind her.
What the fuck am I doing?
Clarke fights the wind in her eyes as they begin to burn in protest, focused on the bundle clutched in the woman's arms. She tightens her body, streamlining herself to fall faster. Darting downwards at breakneck speed, the wind shooting in her ears, wiping her hair back so hard it hurts, the ground hurtling towards her.
Finally close enough, Clarke grabs hold of the woman clothes, her feet landing on her chest, the woman's blood from her neck, dense and hitting her in the face as they fall. The woman fights her, and Clarke reaches forward, flame igniting into the woman's face before she finally lets the baby go and she hears a sickening splat of body meeting earth.
Clarke manages to clutch the baby to her chest before attempting to use the flames; she turns her head to see the rush of the ground feet away from killing them both.
She's too late.
And just as she is about to meet her fate, a force like a drop ship hits her in the side, blinding whight light taking over her vision before it falls to black.
Lexa sees Clarke fall.
Watches, paralyzed for a split second as she witnesses her heart falling from a cliffs edge.
No. Not falling.
Leaping!
"Clarke!" Lexa screams in pure shock, her body seizing before instinct launches her forwards.
Striding into a full sprint, Lexa panics, she feels Clarke's matching her own.
No! She insists to herself, she promises to Clarke. No, this is not how this ends!
Lexa knows the fall will kill them; saw that the woman still lived as she fell despite her attempt to cut her own throat. Amateur. Lexa knows they don't have time, she doesn't have time, and too much time has passed already.
She feels her energy react to the moment, letting it guide her, letting it take her.
Her mind, her soul, and every beat of her heart, focused on Clarke. Hell bent on keeping Clarke safe. Alive.
She vanishes mid run, flattening her body horizontally like a linebacker from the old world game of football, blinding light encompassing her before it falls to black.
Lexa is weightless for a split second, right before she has wind whipping her face and ringing in her ears. She sees Clarke as their bodies collide in thin air and Lexa's desire, what feels like her entire beings sole purpose, to protect Clarke flies into effect.
Energy swarms, flames emit and light encompasses them, as the ground doesn't disappear, it breaks.
Lexa's shield braces their fall, it shatters the ground, creating a crater of her very own. The surroundings tremble and shake as much as her wife in her arms as the tremors ring out and begin to split the cliff they fell from.
"Lexa," Clarke definitely sighs, praises even, as she braces against her wife's chest, encircled in her strong arms, her protective warmth and light saving her life once again. The immense relief of safety and protection taking over her.
"Clarke," Lexa sighs back, clutching her despite the danger of imminent death being gone.
Silence rings out except for the ground settling.
And then a baby's coo brings them back.
They both look down to see deep yellowish green eyes staring back at them from a bundle of furs, tiny hand grasping on to errant strands of golden hair. "Ow," Clarke says after a painful tug, "you're strong aren't you little Natblida," she pokes at him playfully.
Lexa smiles at the warmth shown from her wife; unsurprised in the affection she both feels and sees.
"Little Natblida? He has no name?" Lexa pokes a finger into his space and he grabs it, as strong as Clarke implied.
Clarke shakes her head against her, "sounded like he hadn't received one yet. Like she was waiting for Ambrose to return..." Clarke trails off, glancing at the indescribably grotesque image of his dead mother, pancaked into the earth.
Another tug on her finger causes both Lexa and Clarke to break the moment of tension. "He's so strong. He reminds me of someone."
Clarke feels Lexa stroke her arm lovingly as she watches the boy grasp at her finger, "Sha…" she says softly…"What about Lincoln? Or Gustus?" Lexa suggests both names lovingly.
Clarke turns her head to beam at her wife as the baby coos again and kicks his tiny feet. Lexa, her entire attention on the beauty of her wide, watches as blue eyes fall on the child again. The instant she heard his name she knew that is who the baby reminder her of.
The very man who gave his life for Lexa immediately before Clarke almost did the same.
"Hey Gus," Clarke coos right back at the baby fondly; his little yellowy green eyes shining back at her. "Hey, little man," she rocks the babe against her like she's been doing it her whole life.
Lexa smiles fondly as she strokes back a tear that fell from Clarke's eyes and landed on her cheek, "come on, this is not over yet."
Her light emits as Clarke sinks further into her chest. Lexa carries them back up to the village.
They are greeted with silence when they reappear, Lexa's light fading and revealing the Heda's and the child. There is a moment of shock, followed by quick relief, as the villagers begin to understand what occurred.
And then they fall to their knees in the presence of such purity. In surrender, in allegiance, to those that would sacrifice - that would risk - such a death for a mere baby.
Yes, fear plays a big role, it has its place and time, but it is their hearts will inspire loyalty.
That will inspire devotion.
And it does.
Just like mob mentality can spread like wildfire, sparked by one can infect so many, so too can the good, the mentality of 'for one and all', one good gesture, one good deed can cause the next.
And in this case, Clarke and Lexa's efforts triggered what happened next.
Every member of Bluecliff's flagship village, that still retains the ability to do, so bows.
Lexa stands proudly beside her wife as they swear to her, to them. Clarke watching, voice stolen from the events, she's overwhelmed.
She just wants them to go home.
Heda speaks to the people, requesting knowledge of what befell the previous leader before Ambrose and who wishes to be put forward for consideration to lead their clan. Clarke hands the child off to Octavia and Bill to look after while she helps tend to various wounded.
They remain there for hours, tending to wounded, voting on the proposed leaders and selecting the delegation. It is long after nightfall before they return to the lights of polis.
"When will they return?" Kai asks excitedly to Raven.
"They are due before nightfall, if everything goes to plan," Raven tells her as she is handed Kai's parchment. She has the kids doing human anatomy this afternoon with the healers, completing a test of sorts. Raven looks over the paper briefly before tilting her head to look at Kai, "You missed one."
She hands back the paper and Kai frowns, "No way?" She says it like it's impossible and Raven cocks a brow.
Raven chuckles, "See if you can find it." She kicks softly at her butt, "If you need my help just holler! Go sit down and try again squirt."
Kai huffs angrily as she snatched back her paper examining her work and trying to find her mistake. She grumbles, in a way that reminds Raven of Clarke and Lexa, the entire way her way back to her seat.
Raven smiles fondly after her before looking at the window and judging the time based on the sun's position…
"When will they return?" Kai asks excitedly to Raven.
"They are due before nightfall, if everything goes to plan," Raven tells her as she is handed Kai's parchment. She has the kids doing human anatomy this afternoon with the healers, completing a test of sorts. Raven looks over the paper briefly before tilting her head to look at Kai, "You missed one."
She hands back the paper and Kai frowns, "No way?" She says it like it's impossible and Raven cocks a brow.
Raven chuckles, "See if you can find it." She kicks softly at her butt, "If you need my help just holler! Go sit down and try again squirt."
Kai huffs angrily as she snatched back her paper examining her work and trying to find her mistake. She grumbles, in a way that reminds Raven of Clarke and Lexa, the entire way her way back to her seat.
Raven smiles fondly after her before looking at the window and judging the time based on the sun's position…
And when that sun sets and it falls later into the evening, Raven's fears come to life; she knows things have not gone to plan.
She stands on the balcony of Clarke and Lexa's room, her optical device in front of her face scanning the direction they should be returning from.
Five hours later than expected, five tense hours of silence, Raven finally sees the sign of the party returning.
Her eyes fall immediately to the smaller wolf appearing in the screen of her device. A breath she had held since Octavia left escaping her finally.
They're almost home.
Raven races down the tower, wakes Kai and Aden like she promised, and brings them out of the tower just as the company calls for the doors to open.
Kai and Aden rush forward to meet Lexa and Clarke in relieved smiles and long hugs when they dismount. Lexa carrying a slumbering baby, wrapped in her Heda sash and furs, kept close to her body.
Raven makes no point to hide her happiness as Octavia morphs mid run to human form and Raven clutches to her, wrapping a cloak around her naked form.
"Are you okay," Raven says giving her a quick once over before she grabbed her. "Welcome home," Raven whispers relieved in her warrior's ear, her hand woven in her brunette hair.
Octavia sighs against her, holding her just as tight, grinning. Happy to be home. To be in the arms of Raven. They breathe as one, a moment to themselves, reveling in each other's grace.
"You sound like you weren't expecting me to return," Octavia says leaning back after a second, a tilt to her voice and head. Looking for the break, the crack in Raven's tough exterior, waiting to observe the gummy bear within.
Raven doesn't put on a brave face, she doesn't hide anything, not her fear, her worry, not her joy or relief, she lets the tears flow down her cheeks and into her smile.
"I'd be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind," she manages to chuckle. "You're late," she scolds.
Octavia's grin fades as she reaches out to wipe Ravens tears, "Hey, we're all okay. Everything's fine. I'm right here. We all came home." She tilts her head to maintain eye contact when Raven tries to glance away, Octavia knowing how hard it is for Raven to show her softer side. To be left raw and open for her or anyone to see.
Without another word she kisses her cheek, lingering her lips lovingly as she grabs her hand, nodding at Clarke when she catches her eye and pulling Raven inside. Taking her to their room, giving her what she needs; holding her through the night, bodies entwined, few words spoken and tears of fear and relief dried on bare skin as soaked into damp hair.
Hours later, Raven tilts her head from the crook of Octavia's arm to smile at her, "hey," she calls.
"Hey," Octavia sighs pushing back hair for Ravens face.
"I love you, you know that?"
Octavia beams and laughs, "Yeah Rae, I know that. You know I love you too, right?"
Raven grins and winks before settling back down against her chest, "Of course I do, I know everything."
"Be careful," Lexa scolds gently as she hands Gus to Kai when they are inside the tower. She has her seated on the couch, Aden beside her, in their room. "Shh, be calm, he's had a long night…" she patiently watches Kai relax and hold the baby with ease, "That's it." She helps her brace his head and neck a little better, receiving a wonderfully light note of thanks from her daughter.
Aden and Kai dote on the baby as Clarke ushers Situ and Zora into the room to greet their blood brother. Zora sits down close to Aden, watching as the young man cradles the boy now. Clarke and Lexa watch fondly as the boy is gently passed around, everyone saying hello and bidding their welcome.
Embracing him despite was his people did to their city, welcoming as their own because he is their own.
That night, the Natblida, both children and adult, in Polis sleep in the same room. Spread out wherever they will fit, in Clarke and Lexa's room, sleeping soundly right up until the baby wakes hours before dawn hungry and demanding.
Then, it's just poor Clarke; left holding the kid while everyone else disappears, Lexa among them. She huffs out air, blowing errant hairs back from her face as she tries to shush Gus.
"Of course you would become my duty once you start crying," she murmurs matter-of-factly to him. He gurgles and stops crying for a moment, an odd look taking over his face right before he spits up all over her chest.
And holding the child out from her chest, face contorted in disgust, is how Luna finds her minutes later.
"I'd appreciate you choking on your laughter," Clarke threatens darkly at the woman as she comes closer to inspect the damage. "Where's Lexa?"
Luna smiles as she reaches out to take the boy, tucking him into her side and pushing Clarke to the bathroom. "She's saving your ass for the second time in less than twelve hours I believe. She'll be back shortly. Now move."
Clarke tries to protest and Luna takes none of it, giving her a spite-filled glare as she gestures to her chest, "That's gross. Move," she scolds as if Clarke could control where the kids vomit landed.
Clarke cleans up and changes while Luna tries to entertain the baby.
"He's hungry," Luna explains as Clarke cringes after a sharp squeal from Gus.
"He's demanding," Clarke says, tossing her dirty clothes into a basket.
Luna laughs as she dangles her woven, seashell bracelets in front of him, "so were we all at his age. To Eat, laugh, be sheltered, sleep and poop, that's all he asks for..."
Clarke watches fondly at the two of them, pondering her words, going over the simplicity, before the door bursts open with Lexa leading and two women following her.
"Mom?" Clarke questions, coming forward when she sees her following her wife.
"Hey, honey," Abby says absently, looking beyond her daughter for the baby, quite excitedly.
"What are you doing here?" Clarke gapes as she's overpassed.
Abby gives her a look over her shoulder, one that says she already should know, but answers anyways as she pulls a stethoscope out to listen to the baby's chest.
"Lexa told me days ago to make sure I was here for today. Marcus and I arrived last night." Abby continues her examination as if no one else was present as Luna holds the baby for her.
Clarke's eyes widen before her brain sort of goes 'duh' and she smiles at the bashful look that appears on her wife's face; the cutest tinge of red on her cheeks that Clarke quickly swoons over.
Lexa shrugs in the company of family, "I had to be sure he was healthy." She grins in a small way at Clarke when she feels the radiating love and affection from her, and for a second, they are both lost in it.
Abby clears her throat as she finishes her exam to break their moment reluctantly.
Lexa comes back long before Clarke, blinking as she does so, "this is Anna," Lexa directs her attention to the second woman that had entered the room; A busty, curvaceous, middle aged redhead, "She's volunteered to be Gustus' wet nurse."
The woman moves to receive the baby and gently guide him to feed.
Lexa doesn't say it but Clarke feels the pang of pain that tells her Anna has recently lost her own child. Perhaps in the attack on polis caused by the very child's father that she has volunteered to feed and help care for.
Once again, an act of good that will inspire many and embolden the belief of those in the room.
The one that suggest, despite the darkness, good will overcome.
Overcome what the baby's own mother tried to force on him. The Commander of Death and the Commander of the Blood, thwarting her efforts.
Together.
Clarke tries to hide her emotions as she watches Gus fight the woman before latching on to suckle. She's smiles through tears as he calms instantly, the candles in the room flicker with her heart beat and Lexa watches her with knowing eyes.
A little later, the eyes have not left her as she's handed Gus.
They fuss over him before Clarke and Lexa leave Luna and Abby to watch him while they begin their day.
A little later that day, Clarke has found herself in quite an uncomfortable position.
Gustus stinks.
Okay, like really, really stinks. (You don't understand; the kid smells like he ate a corpse.)
So Clarke holds him, arms straights out, baby dangling like he's going to explode.
She's not convinced he won't.
She's trying not to breathe; every fibre of her being, working to prevent the intake of the putrid fumes emitting from the baby's diaper wrap. Gus makes a funny face before he gurgles a spit bubble through his lips like he was bearing down on something.
She doesn't want to think of what.
Clarke's eyes widen and the smell immediately gets worse. "Oh god," she gasps turning towards Raven.
Her friend has tied a scarf across the lower half of her face in defense of the toxicity, "Nope. Sorry, I did not sign up for that!" She protests hands raised, fingers crossed as if to ward off the devil.
Clarke gives her a pleading look before doing the same gesture to Octavia, "uh, uh..." The warrior stammers, "let's get a bath going! You know bathe ...that -she gestures at Gustus' entirety- uh, away."
"Octavia," Clarke weakly protests as she bolts out of sight and in to the bathroom. Clarke turns when she hears Luna cackling in laughter, clearly not about to offer help.
"The great Wanheda," she cracks, "defeated by a baby!" Clarke knows she's imagining the drinks this tale will buy her in the tavern.
"This kid could kill a village with this arsenal," Clarke points out dryly in defense, gagging on the smell, baby still held like a bomb.
Gus spits and drums his lips together, a clear sign he's bearing down again.
"He's gonna go boom," Raven yelps as she dramatically ducks for cover on the ground beside the bed.
"Octavia?" Clarke screams, wondering if she can just plunge his lower half in a bath and make it all just go away.
She doesn't want to think about what it is.
Octavia appears in the doorway, her hair askew, and her eyes wide in fear Clarke feels on a very real level, "Stop yelling at me! You know, I didn't remove my contraceptive implant for a reason Clarke!"
Clarke can't help but gasp dramatically as she rolls her eyes and ends up coughing as the fumes choke her again. "Oh god, what do I do," she questions aloud, scanning the room. Seeing a potential solution, she runs to the balcony in attempts to let the wind take the smell away.
Fresh air, that's what they need.
Just as she gags again when the wind kicks the smell directly into her mouth, so bad she can almost taste it, Luna and Raven's laughter picks up in the room.
Then, the bedroom door bangs open for them all freeze seeing Lexa staring in the doorway at the scene before her.
Her eyes flicker from her wife to the others before she noticeably gets a whiff of what the issue is. She tilts her head in pity before she quickly strides across the room. She takes Gus from Clarke in a practiced manner, without a word, and brings him to the bed.
With one hand, she rips a pillowcase off one of the pillows and lays it down before gently placing the baby down on top of it. She sighs as she calls for Octavia to bring a basin and two large cloths.
Lexa moves with expert ease to a shocked and silent Clarke, Octavia and Raven, while Luna observes her smugly. Lexa pulls the soiled garment from the boy and cleans him with precision and little difficulty; in fact, Gus giggles and gurgles in joy at her attention.
Lexa smiles and indulges his cuteness, mirroring it with her own, speaking softly only to him, before she expertly wraps and ties the second clothe around his bottom.
She pokes him in the stomach and tickles him, "There. Better?" Lexa continues to coo at him as she is picking him up, raising him above her head as he giggles with joy. She tucks him down into her chest before swiftly walking back across the room and handing the boy to Clarke. There's an undeniable smirk and another tilt to her head when she sees Clarke accept the boy, her mouth still fully agape in awe.
Owning the situation in every movement, Lexa quietly leaves without another word or look to any of them.
The door closes in her wake to shocked silence from all in the room.
Raven blinks, pulling down her makeshift gas mask, "What. The. Fuck. Was. That?"
Luna cackles again, "That is the beauty that is the beast of both Lexa and Heda."
Clarke can't help but agree.
Falling back into sheltering the baby against her chest as she contemplates her wife continuing to astound her in her abilities. She doesn't believe a single heda before Lexa has changed a diaper. Even to what most would deem as simple as changing a diaper, Clarke sees it as a testament to who her wife is as much as Luna acknowledges it.
Just as Clarke is Wanheda, Lexa is Heda, their beauty transcends the physical, overcomes the duty and their power; it revels in their humanity.