"So wait, you've really never been with anyone else, other than me and Costia?" Clarke asked, toweling herself off as the rain pelted down outside, loud enough to be heard through the stone walls. Lexa remained perched on the edge of the draining tub, watching her.
"No," Lexa admitted, amused by Clarke's disbelief. "Up until I met you, I believed love was weakness."
"Even with Costia?" Clarke asked, more as a reminder than anything else. She pulled a nightgown over her head.
"Especially with Costia!" Lexa agreed. "I knew then that what I was doing was wrong. She would always get me into trouble, especially when it came to Titus. But that didn't stop me from loving her- in fact, I think it made me love her more."
Clarke grinned at the prospect of a younger, more mischievous Lexa.
"You almost made me believe love was weakness," Clarke admitted. "After Finn, when you first told me about Costia, I thought you had a point."
She stepped towards Lexa, who circled her arms around Clarke's waist by instinct.
"Luckily, your counter points were very convincing too," Clarke added, brushing her nose against Lexa's before kissing her.
They stumbled along until the backs of Lexa's knees bumped against the edge of the bed. She tugged so that Clarke tumbled down onto the furs with her. Clarke stared down at Lexa, tucking her wet hair behind her ear, and in the moment of distraction, Lexa rolled her over so that she was on top.
Lexa took a moment, staring and scrutinizing every detail of the girl beneath her. Clarke grinned, almost breaking into a laugh when Lexa's lips crashed down onto hers, their teeth gnashing together due to their wide grins, which just caused Clarke to laugh more. Lexa's lips wandered to the corner of Clarke's lips, and then along her jaw, and down to her neck.
Suddenly, a clap of thunder was heard outside, causing Clarke to jolt a little under Lexa. The older girl paused with her displays of affection and gave Clarke a quizzical look.
"The mighty leader of the Skaikru is afraid of thunder?" Lexa pondered, raising her eyebrows and leaning on her elbows over Clarke- who was suddenly realising why Lexa warranted so much reverence from her people. From this close, Lexa truly was threatening, even though Clarke knew that Lexa would never do anything to harm her.
"I am not," Clarke insisted. Lexa was relentless. "Okay, maybe a little."
"There's nothing to be afraid of," Lexa contended, tenderly tracing the line of Clarke's jaw. "You're Skaikru, if anyone shouldn't be afraid of thunder, it's you."
"I couldn't hear the thunder from the Ark when it was in the sky," Clarke protested. "I know it's silly, but I'm just not used to it. And besides, as of late, I feel more like Trikru than Skaikru."
Lexa looked at her with an astonished, but pleased expression. Her lips parted slightly in a fond smile. She pushed herself up so that she was sitting, and drew Clarke into her lap. Her arms wrapped around Clarke's stomach.
"You could join my people someday," Lexa said, her words hitting the shell of Clarke's ear so softly that it tickled. "Octavia is essentially one of us now. Don't tell her that though- Indra likes to use it to her advantage."
"Maybe when we're married, I'll assimilate into your people," Clarke agreed, smiling.
"You wouldn't be my people," Lexa corrected. Her head rested on Clarke's shoulder. "You would be my person. We call it keryon."
Clarke grinned even wider, suddenly unconcerned about the storm that raged outside.
"I like the thunder," Lexa admitted. "Watching the lightning is neat as well."
"The first storm I saw was when I was on my own," Clarke elaborated, staring at her own hands in her lap. "I watched some lightning strike a tree and set it on fire."
"That rarely happens," Lexa assured. "And we're safe here. The stone walls of Polis will not catch on fire."
"What are you afraid of?" Clarke dared to ask. Lexa stiffened a little.
"Plenty of things," she admitted finally. "I just don't let it get in the way of protecting my people."
"Like what?" Clarke pressed further, intrigued.
"The pauna are scary. And as were the Mountain Men," Lexa elaborated. "And I'm scared of losing you."
Clarke turned around in Lexa's arms. Of course she would be afraid of losing loved ones, after what she had been through with Costia, Anya and Gustus. She felt horrible that she hadn't considered it.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to push you-"
"Clarke, don't worry. I'm not upset," Lexa assured.
"I'm scared of losing you too," Clarke admitted. "We need to find whoever shot you."
"I've been talking to some people who were there," Lexa agreed. "No one seems to know who it was- or they don't want to tell me."
"Can we narrow it down to people who were closest to the shooter?" Clarke asked, feeling like she was grasping for straws.
"I already asked the guards, but it's unlikely. It was so unexpected- everyone was watching Pike," Lexa explained. "They're canvassing everyone who was in attendance that day. In a week or so, we'll be able to narrow it down to a couple of suspects."
Clarke turned around once again, covering Lexa's hands with her own. A week was a long time, and every day was a risk, but in the meantime, Clarke was just happy to be the little spoon for once.
Clarke was present when Lexa was informed of who shot her. Various witnesses confirmed it, but it still didn't sound convincing.
Understandably, Lexa was outraged when she heard of such betrayal.
"Titus, is this true?" Lexa asked, her voice an eerie calm whisper. Clarke didn't know what to do, she couldn't put a reassuring hand on Lexa's shoulder, and the right words wouldn't come to her lips. The bald man hung his head in shame, restrained between two guards. "Explain yourself."
"I wasn't aiming at you, Heda," he muttered, and suddenly, all eyes were on Clarke. Clarke's stomach dropped and she felt a little sick. Lexa's eyes were wild and furious, and she only looked at Clarke for a moment before turning back to Titus.
"I cannot believe this," Lexa said. "I have told you time and again that she isn't an issue, and yet, you will not listen! You accuse the Skaikru of causing problems, and yet you continue to perpetuate the unease between our people! And furthermore, you reprimand me for my feelings getting in the way of my duty- and yet, your own prejudice against the Skaikru has gotten in the way of yours!"
She paused, and the room became so silent that a pin could be heard dropping on the floor. Feeling as though she was interrupting something private- Clarke motioned to make an exit. However, Lexa's hand fisted in the sleeve of Clarke's shirt, preventing her from leaving. Clarke moved back to her original position beside Lexa, and neither of them said anything about it.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Lexa asked, her voice becoming threateningly quiet once more.
"What will become of me, Heda?" he asked, still not looking her in the eye.
"You will train a new Fleimkappa at once. When you have passed on your duties, you will be executed," Lexa said matter-of-factly.
"How could you side with Pike?" Clarke demanded, interjecting. The guards looked at her, alarmed by her outburst, but Lexa didn't seem to mind.
"I do not agree with his actions," Titus admitted. "I worked with him for a different reason. He wanted you gone because with you out of the way, he could easily manipulate his people. I want you gone because Lexa cannot be impartial when making decisions that affect the Skaikru, at least as long as you're alive."
"Enough!" Lexa roared. "Guards, get him out of my sight! Take him to the dungeon until I find him an apprentice."
"Lexa, you can't give him an apprentice," Clarke pointed out, enraging Titus. Before he could insist on carrying on tradition, she added, "he'll instill his intolerances into anyone he trains."
Lexa's jaw worked.
"Heda, the only other who knows of our traditions is you," Titus pointed out in a defeated tone. "You must train them yourself."
"Very well. Then tonight, you will die," Lexa declared solemnly.