A week had passed since that night.
This left Clarke with time to rest and rehabilitate her body. Now, the girl was able to walk around without needing anyone to lean on. She had kept busy over the last couple days working closely with Nyko. She healed many people that came to them. It was Clarke's own way of giving back to the community that allowed her to stay amongst them.
Clarke was cleaning a gash on a warrior's head when she saw a troop come walking through camp.
He mumbled something in Trigedasleng that Clarke couldn't make out.
"What was that?"
The man looked to Clarke, "The commander and her troop have finally returned. We were worried and for good reason."
Clarke stopped cleaning and looked up anxious, "Worried?"
"Sky girl knows nothing?" He questioned and mocked her.
She pressed hard into the gash on his head until he winced and yelped a little.
She smirked, "Why were you worried again?"
He rolled his eyes and let out a breath, "Because the people they were trading with were said to be possible traitors against the alliance of twelve clans and might act against the commander. We have not made a trade with them over many, many moons. However, they claimed to be deprived and desperate of supplies."
When they caught a better sight of the men walking in line, Clarke knew she would be busy for a better part of the night. Most were stumbling through and had clear injuries and wounds. The ones that were unharmed carried the dead and suffering on stretchers.
The commander held her head up and walked valiantly behind them.
Nevertheless, if it weren't for Clarke's medical and healing skills, she would have never noticed that Lexa too was injured. Somewhere she must have been hurt because Clarke noticed the tiny shuddering of the commander's eyes every time she stepped on her right leg.
Indra, amongst many other generals came to their heda's side and followed her into the war tent.
Nyko called to Clarke, "Sky girl, we have work to do. Finish up." And she did with haste.
XX
Clarke and Nyko worked through most of the day.
They both stitched deep open wounds, set bones back into place, and performed minor surgeries on those who needed it.
She listened to the warriors speak of an ambush and their commander taking charge and saving them. During some of their procedures, she heard the men pray to those they lost days before and on their journey home.
A knock at the entrance came and it was a general of Lexa's. He went by the name of Abner. Clarke remembered talking war plans with him before Mount Weather. He looked intimidating and had these dark mysterious eyes that towered over people like spotlights. She also remembered the respect he showed her. He looked beyond their differences as two diverse clans. Clarke hoped he still believed that since their alliance was no longer.
"Clarke kom Skaikru, Heda requests your presence in her tent."
Nyko ran over to continue the work she was doing on an injured warrior.
"Thank you Abner. Let me wash up and I'll be their shortly."
He bowed his head and left.
XX
Clarke slowly made her way to the commander's tent. She was trying to collect her thoughts and compose herself. She didn't know what to say to Lexa but she knew she was excited to see her.
She entered the tent.
Lexa was still dressed in her battle outfit with her armor draped around her tightly and war paint marking her face. She seemed busy looking at a map and tracing lines and placing marks on the paper.
Clarke cleared her throat, "You wanted to see me?"
Lexa stopped what she was doing and turned around. "Clarke, I did not hear you come in. I hear you are feeling better?"
Clarke thankfully, "Yes I am. I'm feeling 100 percent!" She smiled.
Lexa showed no emotion and just nodded her head. Clarke disregarded the little action and watched as Lexa bunched her fist tightly and walked toward her throne-like chair and sat down. Clarke figured she must be clenching her hand due to the pain.
"I trust that you and Nyko have been working closely together trying to save our warriors?"
"Yes. We have been working since you arrived back earlier today and so—"
Lexa cut her off, "That's great to hear, but I need to know if any of the men that survived the journey have any life threatening injuries. I can't afford to lose anymore warriors."
Clarke just let her mouth stay open. The blonde was taken back by Lexa's interjection. "Uhh, no." She ran her fingers through her head and crossed her arms, "The ones that survived the trip back will eventually heal. They will need some time."
Lexa sat and nodded once again and looked as if she was contemplating and then finally, "We certainly have no time to waste, but we will have to make most of what we have for the coming winter. Everyone will have to just work harder and exceed their potential. I can't afford to lose anybody due to the lack of food or incredulously low temperatures that are to come. We have much to rebuild by spring."
The commander attempted to stand up quickly so Clarke wouldn't notice something was wrong. If it were anybody other than Clarke she would have seemed believable, but the blonde was no fool. She saw the pain that lingered in the brunette's eyes.
Lexa crossed her hands, "Well Clarke, I will let you return to Nyko. Please take care of my men."
Clarke pivoted her foot back to leave but stopped herself. "Are you sure that's all you need Lexa?"
Lexa kept a straight, plain face.
"Is there anything I can do for your leg?"
The commander tightened her jaw and covered her leg with the cloth that draped from her coat. "My leg is fine Clarke."
Clarke didn't buy it. She took a step forward insisting, "Well maybe I should just look at it."
Lexa took one step back, clasping her fingers tight, and huffed, "I said its fine Clarke."
Clarke continued to walk toward Lexa and pick up the pace. The commander acted as though nothing was wrong but became increasingly aggravated through the pain she was fighting to hide while stepping backwards.
She raised her voice, "Pleni!" Lexa now had her eyes squinting together tightly and breathing loudly.
It was now Clarke who tightened her jaw and looked disappointed.
When Lexa opened her eyes she saw Clarke storming out of the tent.
The commander limped over to the table where her map was and sighed. She felt bad she ignored the sky girl's offer, but she didn't want Clarke to tend to her like some weak and feeble creature.
Lexa also realized she probably could have been politer with the blonde. She wasn't used to someone caring. She slammed her hand against the table in frustration with herself.
XX
Clarke stormed her way back into the tents that held the injured warriors.
Flushed and shaking her head, Nyko walked over in bewilderment. "Is there anything I can do sky girl? You appear as if something is bothering you."
Clarke snapped, "Wow are all of you grounders this observant and pedantic?"
He raised his hands in defeat.
She sighed, "Oh Nyko…I'm sorry. It's not you. It's your commander. She drives me insane."
Nyko strolled near a bottle that was placed on the shelf. He chuckled and raised the liquid towards the blonde, "This could most certainly take the edge off of demanding and impervious commanders."
She laughed quietly and smiled. This was a medical concoction similar to morphine, just not as heavy and effective. It would definitely take any worry or pain from a person. Many say it makes you feel like you are flying.
She lowered the bottle, "I just wish she wasn't so impossible and stubborn."
Nyko smirked, "Speaks the girl who decided to venture off into the woods for three months unaware of her surroundings."
She too couldn't help but smile and except the truth of his statement.
Finally, something gave way into her mind. She looked more determined than ever. Perhaps she was fed up or maybe she needed to go out on a whim.
She looked at Nyko and held the bottle, "I'm going to need to borrow this."
Clarke then left the tent.
XX
Lexa was still standing over the maps on her table when she heard Indra arguing with somebody outside her tent.
She turned around to see Clarke bursting through the seam of the entrance. Indra chased in behind her and grabbed her arm. Clarke pulled back against the second's grasp.
Lexa raised her hand, "Indra what seems to be the problem?"
"Heda! Clarke kom Skaikru insisted that she enter without the request of you."
Clarke and Indra were glaring at one another.
"Em pleni! Indra, return to your post." Indra walked out in an irritated fashion.
Lexa then let her eyes fall to Clarke, "What was so important that you caused my second to become so flustered?"
Clarke let a noise come from her throat that showed her disbelief and frustration with the commander's attitude and regard. The blonde shook her head and turned to leave instead.
Lexa proceeded to turn around and reface the table.
The sky girl stopped and forced herself back around in the direction of the commander and muttered, "Oh what the hell."
Everything after that happened so quickly.
She briskly walked over to Lexa and grabbed her by the shoulders, flipping the girl completely around to face her.
Clarke saw the face the commander made which meant that turning her so quickly probably caused her pain. A whimper escaped from her mouth.
Before Lexa could say anything, Clarke took action. She quickly placed one hand on the commander's neck and pushed her lips into Lexa's.
It had been so long since the last time they felt each other's soft skin brush one another's lips.
Lexa would never admit it but she was in complete disbelief as much as she was enjoying Clarke's leap of faith technique.
The one kiss seemed to last forever.
Lexa's hands eventually found their way to Clarke's hips. They pulled the blonde in closer. The brunette trying to deepen their kiss was disappointed when Clarke pulled away.
Clarke wished she could have taken a picture of Lexa's shocked face. Rather than poking fun of the surprised leader, Clarke took a step backward. She took the bottle of medicine out of her pocket and placed it on the table and looked at Lexa.
"Take this as needed for the pain and don't be stubborn about it." She turned and walked toward the door to leave and paused, "I'll be by sometime after dinner hours to look at that leg of yours commander. Carry on." And then she left.
The commander was left dumbfounded.