Disclaimer: I own nothing
The next morning they decided to go to the training ground and watch the others train. They had organized clothes and shoes for all for the wedding. The venue and food was all organized and catered for. Although she had no idea about a cake and quite honestly didn't want one, she thought it a bit frivolous. As far as Clarke knew she just had to turn up and knew Lexa had a coach for them to be taken in.
As they topped a hill next to the training grounds the first thought was that the view of the ocean from the hill was magnificent. What a place to train. The next thought was how the hell were they going to find Lexa on the huge grounds and with a mass of people.
"Over there" Echo pointed to where a large group of people were watching some training.
"How can you tell?" Clarke squinted, not able to make out anything.
"Because Heda always draws a crowd" Echo smiled and ushered them forward, hurrying through the grounds. It had been a long time since she held a sword and suddenly had the itch to train herself. The others hurried after her, pushing through the crowds of onlookers until they reached where sword fighting was in progress.
Clarke raised a brow when she saw Lexa, Octavia, Jayde and Luna all taking on several other warriors at once. Lexa had her sword, Octavia too while Luna used some sort of long stick striking with both ends. Jayde used her bow like Luna used the stick and they were all indicating death blows with strikes to the side or blade held to the throat. Lincoln was standing back indicating who should go fight next.
He saw Echo standing watching and picking up a training sword moved towards her, handing it over. He had no idea how well the grounder formally of the Ice nation fought but he was about to find out.
"Octavia you fight Echo next" he called and Octavia finished off her latest fighter and turned to Echo, stance defensive. Echo too was defensive as they circled each other, Echo faked a move, Octavia countered and the fight was on. It was unbelievable to watch, neither girl giving an inch. Even the others stopped to watch it as it continued for long minutes. Sweat started pouring over faces but neither could strike a telling blow and finally Abby could see Echo was waning. She needed to stop; she had only just recovered from the Mountain. She hurried to Lexa.
"You have to stop it Commander, Echo does not need to relapse"
"I cannot. Echo would consider it offensive. One of them must concede" Lexa quietly told her "she is weakening though; I will make sure she does no more training after this"
"Thank you" Abby nodded, flicking a look at Jayde before hurrying back to Clarke still too embarrassed she had fallen asleep in the other woman's arms last night. When she woke this morning she had been alone, a cushion for a pillow and a rug thrown over her. She didn't know what to think now.
Bellamy watched his girlfriend weaken under his sister's relentless attack. He too knew that Echo wasn't fully healed from months in the mountain. It had been a few weeks now but no one got over that depravity quickly. Finally a hard blow from O knocked the sword from Echo's hand and a blade was held to a neck.
"You fight pretty well Echo. Maybe I will take you as my second" Octavia teased.
"Shof op" Echo growled breathing hard.
"Well done Echo, we will need to look into getting you a new sword so you can fight once healthy" Lexa nodded and everyone saw how proud Echo looked at that moment. Bellamy went to his girlfriend and gave her a quick hug.
Lexa looked over the rag tag group of Skaikru and made a decision with a nod.
"Skaikru pick your weapon. You will all learn the basics of sword fighting today. Your weapons are only good until the bullets run out." She nodded to Lincoln who hurried forward with a collection of swords. Some seemed keen to have a go, some seemed to grumble.
"Echo you have had enough for the day" she ordered and received a nod in deference "Maya your immunity is too low still, we can't have you being hit accidentally. You and Echo go with Jayde and do some archery"
"As you wish" Jayde nodded then turned her back and walked towards the archery fields. Echo and Maya shared a quick look and hurried after her.
"Clarke with me" Lexa ordered and Clarke merely rolled her eyes and followed her wife. Apparently she was going to be taught by the best and the best was Lexa. She found out how serious she was when goofing around Lexa had snapped and shouted "Pay attention, I will not have what happened to her happen to you because you think this is some joke"
Clarkes jaw dropped in shock, everyone around them stopped and stared and the serious green eyes that stared angrily back at her were also full of fear and pleading. Clarke felt like shit and to show she had been listening but not taking it seriously she immediately dropped into the position she had seen Lexa take on numerous occasions and was now trying to teach her.
"Better. Again" she snapped and Clarke realized her wife was a real drill sargent on the battle ground.
By midday those from the Skaikru could barely move, they were exhausted. They had all enjoyed it though, even Abby admitted it grudgingly. She could now block, parry and counter thrust. If she needed to she could maybe defend herself until help arrived. If she wasn't carrying a gun, she would still prefer that. Or none at all, she was a doctor a preserver of life, not a taker.
They had all been ordered to take hot baths with the baths salts provided and be ready for lunch and an afternoon in Polis.
Lexa took them away from the main square and instead along the waterfront where they took a nice stroll. They passed a small fish market and curious they went in to look at all the fish and other seafood that had been caught that day. It was only a small portion compared to what Luna's fleet could catch but it was fresh daily and vendors for tonight's festivals were already there buying up big.
Luna explained the difference between different fish, which was the best tasting, and also the crustacean and squid and octopus. She warned against eating the crustaceans if they feared an allergic reaction. Death could be fast and painful.
They continued walking south along the beach front, enjoying the sea air until they reached what seemed to be a popular place. It was a busy harbor with docks and boats of all sizes, some new some from the old world that had been salvaged. All around the docks were shops, bars and restaurants.
There was one restaurant that Lexa was heading to, she was extremely nervous and felt almost sick going there, especially with Clarke, family and friends. Luna and Jayde seemed to recognize where they were going and shared startled gazes.
"Heda are you sure?" Jayde questioned just as Lexa opened the door to let the others in. Clarke looked at wife and good see the slight distress in her eyes even though she did not show it outwardly. Once everyone was in Lexa made her way to the front of the group and the room suddenly became quiet. All that could be heard was shouting from the kitchen.
Soon the door opened and an older lady stepped out, yelling back into the kitchen as she carried out plates. She turned, took one look at the group that was standing in the doorway and dropped the plates in shock. Several people came running out of the kitchen to see what was going on and they too froze in shock.
"Leksa?" the first woman whispered almost hopefully taking her in. Clarke watched her wife nod before there were many screams of joy, excitement, disbelief as they all ran forward to embrace her.
"Um can someone tell me what's going on, before I decide I need to bust some heads" Octavia stated.
"Costia's family" Luna spoke quietly "Lexa hasn't been back since her death. Thought they blamed her, despite their constant pleas to the contrary"
"Oh" Clarke murmured, realizing that when Lexa had closed herself off from love she had not only done it to romantic love she had done it to friends, family and family of previous loved ones. Oh Lexa you fool.
They could do nothing but stand by as a reunion was held. Clarke felt a hand slip into hers and looked over at her mother. She couldn't help but smile and squeeze her mother's hand.
Finally the commotion stopped and everyone took a deep breath. She could see Lexa and the woman who dropped the plates talking; it was in hushed whispers and very quick Trigedasleng. Then all eyes turned to her and Clarke looked at her wife who offered her hand.
"Come here houmon" her wife requested and carefully, Clarke did so, encouraged by the smiles on the other's faces. She took the offered hand of Lexa who introduced her to Costia's mother. Before Clarke knew it she was engulfed in a big hug and could do nothing but hug the woman back.
"Thank you Skaiprisa. Thank you for bringing Leksa back to us"
"I honestly did nothing" Clarke smiled as she pulled back "I didn't even know where we were going" she shrugged and Lexa smiled.
"She meant for teaching me to love again and leading me back here" she informed and Clarke blushed.
"Oh" she looked at Costia's mum and shrugged "I didn't really have a choice. It was too powerful for both of us." She looked at her wife and there was no denying the look of love that passed between them "it was quick and powerful and a little scary"
"But well worth it" Lexa smiled back and took her wife's hand again to introduce her to Costia's father, aunts, uncles and cousins. Then Clarke introduced her mother and her friends.
Lexa apologized to the table that the food belonged to that Costia's mother had dropped. She informed them she would pay for their meal and after initial protests they accepted. They were seated at the back, away from prying eyes as they read over the menus.
The Skaikru chose the safe option of an assortment of fish or squid dishes. The Trikru chose items like garlic prawns, seafood baskets, chilli muscles and seafood skewers. Clarke kept a close eye on her wife who seemed to have calmed considerably and was looking relaxed. Lexa noticed her staring and looked across at her.
"Everything ok?"
"Yes. I'm glad you brought us here." Clarke admitted "If I had known Costia's family was so nice and you were ignoring them I would have made you come sooner"
"I'm here now" Lexa sighed, looking up at Costia's mum who hovered, never going far from the table.
"As you should be, I'm not worried love. They are important to you" Clarke insisted and Lexa could only stare in awe and wonder what she had done to deserve this girl.
"Thank you Houmon"
"Well you did ask me to heal you" Clarke winked and seeing Lexa's confused look added "At the pond, when you fevered"
Lexa thought back but couldn't remember saying it, obviously she had been feverish but she liked the sentiment.
"I'm not there all the way yet Clarke but you have helped me heal, me and my people. We owe you a lot" Lexa reached out to take her hand and they shared a loving gaze until laughter brought them back to the group. Clarke looked around at all her friends and for a first time in a long time realized they were happy. Even her mother who was sitting next to Jayde and smiling as she talked to Raquel who sat opposite her with Luna.
Everyone was paired up it seemed except Monty, poor boy, had to get him a lover. Well not that her mum and Jayde were together but she had a feeling Jayde wanted to. She wasn't sure if her mum was in denial or was seriously just friends.
They had a huge feast, spoilt beyond their wildest dreams. So much food was brought out, more than what they ordered. They were careful to make sure there was no shellfish but other than that it was open slather. It was truly a delight.
Clarke's lemon grilled fish with seasoned potatoes was a delight. Lexa had grilled fish with prawns and chips smothered in garlic sauce, Jayde had the seafood delight which took up some of Abby's placing, everyone just stared at the size of it. Abby had a bowl of salt and pepper squid with chips.
Luna and Raquel were sharing chili muscles, which was a messy affair. Most everyone else had either grilled or battered fish of some variety and Lincoln had the garlic prawns. Bread rolls and garlic bread had been provided too.
They rolled out of the restaurant a couple of hours later with much laughter and all promising to come back too.
"If Costia was anything like her family it's little wonder you loved her" Clarke sighed, hugging Lexa's arm as they walked back towards the main square of the city where the festival was to be held.
Lexa took Clarke into a watch repair shop. People of Polis wore watches unlike those from outside the city who went on the position of the sun or the candle marks after it got dark. The repairer was humbled they chose his shop and promised to have the watch looking new again. Clarke asked him to put in a new battery as she feared this one was about to die.
They headed out and walked the town further and Lexa paused out the front of a weapons shop. She remembered promising Echo her own sword and by the examples in the window she could tell they were high quality swords. She led the others inside to find the front of the shop was a display area and the back of the shop was a working blacksmith area.
They rang the bell and had the two men belting red hot steel into shape pausing and looking up. They nearly fell over each other upon seeing their Heda. The man holding the hot steel shoved it into a bath of water and they both hastily bowed. They were large men, grounders not city men. When Lexa ordered them to rise and they came towards them Clarke could tell they both had injuries. Were they former warriors?
"A pleasure Heda" they bowed.
"Thank you. Are these your workings?" Lexa nodded at the swords "They are of good quality"
"Everything you see here was made by us" the official speaker of the two stated and Clarke looked around at the variety of swords. They were incredible. Everything from big heavy broadswords to thin swords like Lexa's. They also had knives and daggers and arm armor.
One display cabinet even had throwing stars and tips for arrows.
"My wife and her friends are in need of good quality swords, knives and sheaths." Everyone stopped and stared at Lexa when she said this "Can you help us?"
"It will be our pleasure Heda" the man looked gob smacked and hurriedly closed the shop to other customers before presenting every sword and knife they had in the place. Two hours later the shop keepers were a lot richer and everyone left with gift wrapped swords, even Lexa who was captivated by a simple but strong blade. It felt right in her hand, had good balance and was very sharp. She wasn't quite sure if she wanted to use it or display it.
Everyone felt weird possessing the swords but Lexa had insisted. Echo got a knife and Clarke got a dagger she thought would come in handy for her role as a healer.
They returned to the watch repairers and Clarke was awed by the work they had done on the watch. Not only had he fixed the glass and replaced the battery he had fixed the fraying band and gave the silver back a good buff and polish. Clarke had been ecstatic enough to hug him much to the amusement of her wife. The man had thrown in a small table clock too, a gift for the new home when they built it. Lexa figured it would be rather handy to know actual time.
They went outside and Clarke, still excited, ran up to her mother to show her the watch. Everyone watched the mother and daughter bonding over Jakes watch, even if it was for a few moments and smiled when they hugged. Even Jayde showed a hint of a lip twitch.
Happy and content with their purchases they made their way back to the Homestead, laughing and joking. Upon entering the house Lexa felt a presence of two more friendly souls and hurried to the greeting room. There she found Rio the Leader of the River Clan and Garrett the Leader of the Swamp Clan waiting for her in Polis clothing and drinking her ale.
"Heda" they jumped to their feet and bowed.
Rio was a tall man with greying long dark hair in several plaits and an equally long plaited beard. His face was weathered but his eyes were kind. Clarke could not tell his age.
Garrett was not much taller than Lexa but he was a solid mass of muscle. He was around Luna's age with chestnut brown short hair and clean shaven. His skin was olive from long days in the sun. His words were kind, and his smile big but his eyes were dead, like Lexa's had been when not blazing with potent fury. He had lost severely.
Lexa, Luna and Jayde remained talking with their friends while everyone else returned to their rooms to freshen up. Raquel was offered a room too to place her purchases and freshen up for that evening.
It was the last festival until after the wedding. Tomorrow was the eve of the wedding and the day after that they would get married for a second time, in Skaikru tradition. In Polis tradition which was very similar. There was still an hour before the festival even started so Clarke decided to lie down. She was achy from the training that morning. Her head
hit the pillow and that was the last thing she remembered.