Chapter Seven: Something Old and Something New
When Lexa's eyes flickered open, it surprised her to find Clarke already awake and watching her. It happened so rarely and never without good reason. Clarke beamed at her. As Lexa became more alert, she felt herself returning the grin as the reason for Clarke's being wide awake came back to her. It was their wedding day.
"Morning," Clarke spoke, her voice still raspy from sleep.
"Good morning, my heart."
There was a pause and Lexa watched as Clarke bit her bottom lip. Then she spoke again. "You know, on Earth before the war it was considered bad luck for the couple to see each other before the wedding ceremony."
Lexa raised her brow at this tidbit of information, "How impractical."
"I know. And rather impossible to achieve on the Ark. Besides, I like this, having this quiet moment together before we get swept up in the hullabaloo."
"Are you nervous, Clarke?" Lexa asked. She was concerned and she knew CLarke could hear the worry in her voice because her lover reached out and cupped Lexa's cheek.
"About marrying you? Never. About the entire city watching me say my vows? A bit."
Lexa let out a breathy laugh, "You know, the ceremony would have been a lot shorter if you hadn't of insisted on vows. The Trigeda wedding is a simple affair."
Clarke rolled her eyes, "I know, I know I've probably shot myself in the foot. But there's some things I want to say. Things you need to hear today." Clarke sighed and rolled onto her back, throwing her arms over her head. "Besides, I've driven all the other healers in the city to distraction practicing them at work. I can't just decide not to do them now."
Lexa rolled over too, so that her torso was hovering above Clarke's. She gazed into Clarke's eyes a moment, before dipping her head for a kiss. It was slow, languid. For once this morning, Lexa felt like she and Clarke had all of the time in the world.
Since saving Polis from nuclear annihilation, the Sky people had opted to stay in the capital a little longer. It was at their Chancellor's urging. At first Lexa had assumed Abby wanted to give everyone a chance to breath and take stock after a major panic. To some degree it was. But then Abby had suggested that Lexa and Clarke shouldn't postpone the wedding longer than necessary. The threat of a bomb strike certainly motivated you to keep moving forward.
The event took little planning because Trigeda wedding customs were so simple. They would go to the meeting place and there they would be married by a general. Still, they had had to wait another fortnight. Lexa had sent riders to request Indra's presence. She wanted one of her most esteemed General's to have the honour of marrying her to Clarke. So they had had to wait for Indra to arrive and in that time, life in Polis had returned to normal again. Lexa had completed negotiations with the desert nation. Clarke had returned to work as a healer. Lexa was always amazed at how quickly they could settle into their routine, even after all they had been through. She hoped it was a skill that they would maintain throughout their lives together, however long or short they may turn out to be.
Lexa finally stopped kissing Clarke and opened her eyes again. She smiled down at her lover. Clarke gave a scoff.
"Look at you. Completely unfazed. I bet you have your own vows memorised perfectly. Just like one of your speeches," Clarke guessed.
"I wouldn't say unfazed, Clarke." Lexa admitted back. Truthfully, her heart was racing. There were more butterflies in her stomach than she could ever remember feeling before.
"Ha. Tell me, have you ever hashed up a speech?"
Lexa thought for a moment and then grinned, "Not a speech exactly. But I did once refer to Gustus as 'Uncle Gus' in a war meeting, not long after I became Commander."
Clarke laughed out loud and Lexa relished the sound. She felt as Clarke wrapped her arms around her neck and tugged her down into a hug, their torsos meeting.
"Lexa, you really are something," Clarke spoke, her breath tickling against Lexa's ear. Lexa shivered.
"Yes. Unwise. For giving you such ammunition against me." Lexa joked,
"I promise I won't tell anyone what an idiot you really are, babe."
Lexa gave a hum. "Be careful. You'll be making more big promises today. Don't overdo them and lose track."
Clarke giggled again, "Yes. Of course, I am going to forget that I married you."
Lexa rolled her eyes, though Clarke could not see her do it.
"No. To remind us both that after today we will in fact be wives, I will always refer to you as 'Mrs Griffin' whenever I'm at a meeting with you."
Lexa picked herself up out of the hug and glared down at Clarke, "I don't have to invite you to any meetings again, you know. And you are going to be 'Heda houmon'."
Clarke gave Lexa an incredulous look. Lexa sighed.
"Fine. I'm going to be 'Mrs Griffin'."
The taking of your spouse's second name was another Ark wedding tradition that Clarke had described to Lexa. It, like the wedding vows, was a pre-war tradition that had survived with the people on the Ark but not those on the ground. Of course, Lexa would not formally take Clarke's surname, there was no need for one. But she wasn't averse to the idea of them using it together like this, like a little in-joke.
Lexa looked down at her wife-to-be a moment longer and then sat upright in the bed. "We should make ourselves decent. Your mother will arrive soon. And Aldrin will be ready to help me dress."
As if on cue, a knock came at the door.
"Clarke, Lexa? It's Abby, are you awake?"
"We'll be with you in a moment, Mom!" Clarke shouted at the door.
Their peaceful moment had come to an end.
Once they were both dressed, Lexa and Clarke made their way to the stable, along with Abby and Aldrin. They mounted up on their own horses. They had decided that Abby and Aldrin would guide the beasts by their reigns. Or rather, Clarke had made the suggestion. She had told Lexa how it was common for a parent to walk their child 'down the aisle' to give them away to their intended. It seemed a strange custom to Lexa. A parent had responsibility over their child, but not ownership. A person gave themselves away. Clarke had laughed at Lexa's assessment and agreed. Still the tradition had remained as a sweet gesture between parent and child. As a sign that the parent was happy to see their child find their happiness with someone. Clarke was keen to give Abby that moment. But Trigeda wedding had no aisles and no altars to speak of. So letting Abby and Aldrin lead them to the meeting place was the best adaptation they had thought of.
Lexa gave a nod to Aldrin as he took the reins of her horse. She felt her breath hitch when she could not stop the image of it being Anya, or Gustus perhaps in his place. One of the people that had raised and protectedd her leading her to her wedding ceremony. She could almost imagine them arguing playfully over who got to give 'their Lexa' away. She pushed the images aside and focused, settling herself in the saddle. She turned her head towards Clarke, took in the sight of her intended sat on her own horse in fresh clothes and her healer's coat. Trigeda couples often married in the garb of their professions since that was such a large part of their identity. Clarke had prefered this over the idea of having a dress made, though Lexa had offered to have it done. Clarke had called that a waste of good fabric. A view shared by Trigeda culture. You had clothes to keep you warm and to help you do your job. Not as decoration.
Aldrin and Abby tugged on the reins and began to lead the two horses forward. The generals had arranged themselves into two lines. As the horses passed, each one drew their sword and then pointed the sharp end towards the ground. It was a sign that today was a peaceful celebration. Most of the generals stayed looking forward. Some glanced up at Lexa and offered brief congratulatory smiles. Lexa bowed her head back in thanks for their well-wishing as she passed by.
The gates into Polis opened and Lexa was met once again with the sight of streets lined with crowds. A great cheer went up as the gates opened to reveal the horses and those standing closest to the gates beamed up at their Commander. Abby and Aldrin both paused, perhaps taken aback by the number of people. But then they spurred the horses forward again, leading them and their riders in a gentle trot towards the meeting circle.
Lexa listened. Amongst the general noise of cheering she could pick out a few phrases. "Congratulations," "Good luck," "Fate bless you both," were all sentiments being shouted out. Just like the victory celebration just over four seasons ago, as they passed, the crowd began to walk behind them. Lexa let the palpable sense of collective happiness wash over her. She felt blessed that so many of her people wanted to share this day with her, with their Commander. That they were seemingly as invested in her happiness as she was in securing theirs.
Lexa glanced over at Clarke and, sensing her gaze, Clarke turned to her. The love in Clarke's eyes was overwhelming and without hesitation, Lexa reached out her hand. When Clarke took it the cheers of the crowd turned into a cacophony. Lexa laughed as Clarke's eyes grew wide at the noise. Lexa squeezed Clarke's hand in reassurance before she let it go.
When Lexa looked forward again she saw that they had almost reached their destination. The meeting circle was already surrounded by people. Abby and Aldrin had to move slow, leading the horses the rest of the way through the congregation to the very edge of the meeting circle. Clarke's closest friends were waiting inside its perimeter, along with Indra. Aldrin held her horse steady as Lexa dismounted. Her eyes immediately settled on a young boy who was fighting to see into the circle from behind the adults. She put a hand on his head and he turned and looked up at her in wide-eyed wonder.
"Go on and stand in the circle," she said in Trigedasleng, loud enough for the adults who had been obstructing his view to hear her. They quickly moved aside and let him pass. The meeting circle comfortably had room for a few hundred people. Of course Clarke's friends came nowhere close to that number. Whilst Clarke busied herself dismounting her own horse, Lexa stepped into the circle so that she could be seen. She held up a hand to silence the crowd.
"I would like to invite all Trigedakru children to be my guests of honour today. Please let them through into the circle." Lexa said in Trigedasleng.
There was a lot of shuffling about as the children came rushing forward at the invitation. They quickly filled up the meeting circle. Lexa had to motion with her hands, ordering the crowd to step backwards to make more room at the front of the gathering. Finally the crowd settled again after the reorganisation and Lexa was satisfied.
She waited for Clarke to stand beside her and then they walked forward together to where Indra was waiting. When they got there, Lexa turned to Aldrin and offered him a smile. They clasped arms and Aldrin gave her forearm a friendly squeeze,
"Congratulations, Commander. My friend."
"Thank you," Lexa said back. He nodded, let her arm go and moved to stand with the children in the circle..
Clarke and her mother were sharing a long hug. Lexa could see that tears were already forming in Abby's eyes. She let her daughter go and sniffled. "I am so very proud of you, Clarke. My baby girl all grown up," she said. Then she glanced towards Lexa. "Look after one another," she said and then she turned and moved to join the group of Clarke's friends.
"Are you both ready?" Indra asked as she came to stand before them. Lexa and Clarke looked to one another and shared a small smile.
"We are," Lexa confirmed.
Indra put up a hand to bring silence and then she began the ceremony with an introduction in Trigedasleng. Lexa had arranged for Lincoln to translate to Clarke's friends.
"People of the Trigeda." Indra spoke, loud and clear; "We are gathered today to witness the union of two people in marriage. Love is a precious thing in the harsh world that we live in. It is to be treasured and celebrated. It is to be respected. The promises that these two lovers are about to make to one another can be broken by no other. Their declarations will be spoken both to one another and to you, the witnesses. So that all may know that these two souls are bound together. Today, may we share in their happiness and tomorrow and each day after that, may we be inspired by their devotion to one another." Indra paused and looked from the crowds to Lexa and Clarke. She gave a rare smile, "If the couple would clasp arms."
Lexa reached out and clasped Clarke's forearm with her hand. Clarke did the same. Their eyes met and never looked away.
Indra looked to the crowd again. "Witness this, the union of our Commander, Lexa of the Tree Nation and Clarke Griffin of the Sky Nation. Lovers, make your declarations."
Lexa took a breath. She began the customary Trigeda vow; "I Commander Lexa of the Tree Nation pledge myself to you, Clarke Griffin of the Sky Nation. From this moment, we are bound in mind, body and soul. What's mine is yours and what's your's is mine. Fate allowed us to find one another and now I make you a promise to stay beside you, to protect you and to love you. May we be blessed with many happy days together in these bodies, until it is time for our souls to move on. May the happiness we forge together give my soul peace and may it linger as lasting strength in every life after this one. Our souls are entwined. From now I am yours, until my fight is over." Lexa kept her voice even and clear, although the look of adoration on Clarke's face made her heart ache.
Indra regarded her and said; "You have made your declaration, Commander Lexa of the Tree Nation. Do you promise to honour it?"
Lexa smiled and gazed deeply into Clarke's eyes; "I do."
She waited for Clarke to repeat the vow back.
Clarke took a moment and then began. The Trigedasleng sounded more natural than ever coming from her mouth. "I Clarke Griffin of the Sky Nation pledge myself to you, Commander Lexa of the Tree Nation. From this moment, we are bound in mind, body and soul. What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. Fate allowed us to find one another and now I make you a promise to stay beside you, to protect you and to love you. May we be blessed with many happy days together in these bodies, until it is time for our souls to move on. May the happiness we forge together give my soul peace and may it linger as lasting strength in every life after this one. Our souls are entwined. From now, I am yours until my fight is over." Clarke's voice was hoarse by the time we finished and Lexa squeezed harder at her forearm.
"And you have made your declaration, Clarke Griffin of the Sky Nation. Do you promise to honour it?"
Clarke smiled and spoke; "I do."
Indra regarded both of them. Usually it would be done, but there was more. "Now, the couple would like to exchange some words of their own. It is a tradition among the Sky people to say their own vows on their wedding day. A tradition that they have kindly agreed to share with us on this special occassion. These vows will be spoken in English, so that Clarke's friends may hear them. I would ask that any warriors in the crowd translate the words to those around them who wish to understand." Indra looked to Clarke, "Why don't you go first. Show our Commander how it's done." Lexa could detect mirth in Indra's voice. It was a special day indeed.
Lexa felt as Clarke's thumb brushed against her arm. Clarke began to speak; "When I came down to Earth, I had no idea what I'd find. But my experiences on the ground have far surpassed any guesses I could have made. Putting it mildly." Clarke paused as the crowd laughed.
"I've done things that I will carry with me forever. Made decisions that I will always regret. But falling in love with you, Lexa, will never be one of those regrets. Actually, calling it a decision seems strange. To me, it feels more like an inevitability. We've had our own obstacles, some almost impossibly high… But we've made it this far.
Never have I met someone who understands me the way you do. Who doesn't even have to think of the right thing to say because with you, words aren't needed."
Lexa grinned at those words, though her stomach felt like it had migrated to the back of her throat and she could feel her cheeks grow hot. But still, Clarke had more to say.
"Though when you do speak, I can hear the respect, the desire to help, the love in your voice. And that is more precious to me than you'll ever know.
We've fought through a lot together. We've seen each other at our best and our worst. And I know there will be plenty more times when our commitment is tested. But if my time on the ground has taught me anything, it's that the best things in life are the ones we have to fight hardest for. So I promise to keep fighting for us, whether it's fighting for one more day, an hour or even another second. Because every moment with you is the happiest of my life. Lexa, I love you and I am going to cherish being able to call you my wife."
Lexa didn't think she had ever felt so moved by someone's words before. That those words had come from Clarke meant everything to her. She felt the tears welling in her eyes and she did not attempt to stop them from falling. She let out a long breath.
"And now it's your turn, Commander." Indra said to her, "Good luck following that," she added quietly.
Lexa laughed. Clarke's practice had certainly paid off and now it was time to see if her own had. Of course, Lexa had not shared her vows with anyone, she had just gone over them herself again and again. Now she almost wished she had opened up, at least shared them with Alldrin and asked for a second opinion. Lexa was more than aware that words were not her forte, especially when speaking English. Still she had promised to share in this tradition with Clarke, so she braced herself and spoke as clearly as she could.
"Clarke Griffin, you have no idea what you have done to me. And I don't think I have the words to tell you. Still, I will give it my best." Lexa paused and made sure to breathe, "I can hardly believe my fortune, that you dropped down from the stars into my forest. At first I thought you were invaders. A misjudgement. But know that the moment that I looked up into your eyes for the first time, I knew that you were going to be someone important. To me."
She paused again when Clarke gave a warm smile at her words. She felt her heart skip, exactly as it had done on the day she had just talked about. Truthfully, Lexa had looked up from her dagger at Clarke's face and fallen for the woman's beauty immediately. When Clarke had dared to talk back to her in that wry, confident tone, Lexa had known she was done for.
"I'm not an easy person to be around." she began again and it felt strange to be talking so openly about herself in front of her people. She felt like she was baring her soul, "I am cold. I am ruthless. I am the Commander. But you had the will and the patience to see beyond that. You saw Lexa. A young woman like you, hidden behind so many walls. Walls that began to crumble the moment we met. I learned to trust you. I learned to let you see past the Commander's facade. And I learned that what was behind those walls was not a damaged and unworthy soul, but one that was strong and ready to believe again. You have given me a second chance Clarke, in more ways than you'll ever know. Thank you. I love you, my beautiful wife." Lexa tried her best to sound as sincere as possible as she said the last eight words of her vows. She thought she must have managed because Clarke's eyes were now filled with tears too.
"Thank you both." Indra said to them. Then she announced to the gathered crowd, "As a General of the Tree Nation I have the authority to declare this union legitimate. The witnesses present today have heard your declarations and your promise to honour those words. Congratulations, you are now married. You may end the ceremony with a kiss."
Lexa and Clarke finally unclasped their hands as Lexa stepped towards her wife. She cupped Clarke's cheek with her hand and leaned down for a gentle kiss. Polis erupted into cheers around them. Lexa pulled away after a while and rested her forehead against Clarke's.
"I love you," Lexa whispered, voice cracked with emotion.
Clarke smiled warmly; "Ai hod yu in sentaim, Mrs Griffin."