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It had been 2 moons since Clarke and her family had been staying in Dante's home. Clarke's father left frequently to attend to business, sometimes disappearing for days at a time. During those days, Lexa found herself seeing less of Clarke. Her mother always seemed to need her on those days and Lexa suspected it was to keep Clarke away from her.
"Lexa. Focus!" Anya commanded, swinging a spear at Lexa, which she managed to barely dodge.
Lexa grunted as she swiped, knocking the spear away from her before spinning and hitting the spear again, constantly pushing Anya back little by little.
"Better!" Anya called as Lexa swung again and hit her spear.
Lexa let out a growl as spun and hit the spear with all her might, splitting it in half and wedging herself through the gap, cutting her sides in the process. She knocked Anya's legs out from underneath her and held her broken sword to her neck.
"Excellent. Did you have to cut yourself though?" Anya asked as she eyed the dripping blood.
Lexa glanced down and stared at the red liquid.
"Lexa! Get yourself to Abigail and Clarke." Doctore ordered. Lexa nodded before helping Anya stand and then departing in search of the mother daughter duo.
"Clarke." Lexa stated in greeting, causing the young woman to glance up at her and smile brightly. She felt her heart flip in her chest and returned the smile.
"Lexa what are you- oh my gods, you're injured. Sit!" Clarke commanded, forcing the brunette to sit down. "Remove your armor please."
Lexa glanced to Clarke and nodded, grunting a little as she unbuckled and lifted the armor from her chest. She blushed as she caught Clarke's eyes roam over her half naked body. Her breasts were covered with a cloth that was wrapped around her chest and she watched Clarke's eyes rest on her torso.
Clarke glanced up at Lexa, their eyes locking before Clarke cleared her throat and grabbed a wet cloth. She carefully cleaned Lexa's wounds and wiped the excess blood away before applying a salve to help the healing.
"How did you manage this?" Clarke asked, her eyes glued to Lexa's wounds as she worked.
"Anya and I were sparring. I broke her spear in two and pushed through with my body."
"That was reckless, Lexa." Clarke scolded as she began to wrap a fresh cloth around the wounds.
Lexa shrugged and looked to Clarke. "Perhaps, but it allowed me to see you."
Clarke paused her motions and looked to Lexa, her blue eyes piercing green.
"Lexa-." Clarke began.
"Clarke? Oh… Lexa." Abigail said, a frown on her face as she entered the room and witnessed the moment her daughter was having with the Champion.
"Abigail." Lexa greeted with a nod of her head.
"What brings you here?" Abigail asked, her lips tight in annoyance.
"Lexa was stupid and got her sides cut while sparring." Clarke answered before looking back at Lexa. "And she shall take it easy the rest of the day so she does not reopen the wounds. Correct, Lexa?" Clarke asked, giving the gladiator a look that clearly said 'listen'.
Lexa nodded, a small smile playing on her face as she picked up her armor and stood.
"My thanks. I promise I shall try to do as you instructed." Lexa replied, a wide smile on her face before she turned to Abigail. "Abigail."
Lexa nodded her head before leaving the room and heading back to the training grounds.
"Clarke." Abigail began. "I do not care for you spending time alone with Lexa."
"Why mother? Because you believe her barbarian nature will surface?" Clarke shot back bitterly as she cleaned her supplies.
"Clarke, it is not like that."
"Then what is it? I know that when father leaves for his business you constantly find things for me to do to keep me away from Lexa." Clarke replied.
Abigail sighed. "Clarke, Lexa is a slave. She is beneath the status of our family and-."
"Enough." Clarke cut in, shooting a glare at her mother. "If it is not the barbarian excuse it is the status, if not that it is because she is a woman, and if not that it is because she is not Roman."
Clarke glared at her mother before storming from the room.
"Clarke, where are you going?" Abigail called after her, frustration evident in her voice.
"I'm going to see Lexa." Clarke spat without turning around.
"You are a tough woman Lexa." Gustus said with a grin as he slapped Lexa on the back.
"I think she is crazy for doing that to herself." Anya added as she bit into her bread. "Although I am sure she just did it to see Clarke."
"Shof op Onya." Lexa said in their native tongue as she smacked the woman's arm, a small smile playing on her face as she bit into her own bread.
"Speaking of the Roman." Gustus said as he gestured to the angry blonde storming towards them.
Lexa perked up and turned around, her eyes landing on Clarke. A frown graced her face as she saw the less than pleased expression.
"Clarke. How are you?" Finn asked, stepping in front of the blonde and causing her to look at him.
"I have been better. Do you need something Finn?" Clarke asked.
"Just wanted to talk to you. Thank you for patching me up the other day. You have very skilled hands." Finn said, a smirk on his face as he let his eyes roam over Clarke's body.
Lexa heard the comment and gritted her teeth, her legs carrying her to the two in an instant before pushing Finn out of the way.
"Clarke, is everything alright?" Lexa asked, her eyes searching the blonde's. Clarke was about to speak when Finn interrupted.
"What the fuck Lexa." Finn spat out.
"This does not concern you Roman." Lexa replied angrily.
"Lexa." Clarke warned, her hand reaching out and touching the woman, attempting to ground her.
"I was speaking to her first, so it does. You filthy Gaul." Finn spat back.
Lexa was on him immediately. She grabbed him by his armor and threw him out onto the sand with a thud.
"What did you say!" Lexa demanded as she ran at Finn and kicked him in the stomach, hard.
He spat up some blood and Lexa waved to Anya to give her and Finn wooden swords. She tossed it at his feet.
"Pick it up." Lexa demanded as she readied herself. Finn crawled to his feet, sword in hand and prepared himself to fight.
He lunged first, his attacked easily blocked by Lexa.
"Stop!" Clarke called, hoping that this nonsense would end, but instead Anya pulled her to her side and silently commanded her to let them fight.
Lexa swung at Finn, narrowly missing him as he dodged.
"I was in the Legion, Lexa." Finn gloated as he swung. "A roman soldier, you honestly think you could beat me?"
"If you were so unbeatable Finn, why are you not Champion?" Lexa asked as she spun around and met Finn's attack. "You are nothing but a murderer and coward."
Their wooden swords met again in sharp blows.
"Maybe I did not have something worth fighting for." He replied, his eyes drifting to Clarke. "She does have a tight body."
Lexa felt jealousy flood her body and she roared and attacked him.
Finn's eyes widened in surprise at the ferocity in Lexa's eyes. Their swords met blow for blow once more as Lexa waited for an opening.
Her eyes lit up as she saw it and she cut her sword upwards and smacked Finn's hand, making him hiss with pain as the sword clattered to the ground. She swung once more and smacked Finn on the side of the head, knocking him to the ground as a wound opened near his temple.
"Stay away from her." Lexa said, her voice low and unwavering as Finn panted heavily on the ground. Lexa tossed her wooden sword back to Anya and walked to her room, not bothering to spare a glance at the other gladiators before she disappeared behind the safety of her doors.
She placed her head in her hands and gritted her teeth, annoyed at how easily her feelings for Clarke clouded her judgment, how protective she was of the blonde.
She is not even yours, you are being ridiculous.
"Lexa." Clarke said hesitantly, her head peeking around the corner of the door.
Lexa lifted her head at the blonde's voice.
"Come in Clarke." Lexa replied, her voice low as she stared blankly at the wall.
"You're bleeding." Clarke pointed out. She pulled a clean cloth from the pouch at her side and moved to Lexa. "Let me help?"
Lexa eyed the blonde a moment before nodding and beginning to remove her armor, tossing it aside as Clarke sat down next to her on her bed.
"I am sorry Finn talked to you in such a way." Clarke began. "He is hot headed, just because he was in the legion."
Lexa remained silent as Clarke tended to her wounds.
"You fought very well though. What did he say to you that made you so angry? You were very focused and then I believe he spoke and you attacked him like an animal." Clarke explained.
"You think me an animal?" Lexa asked, her voice and face showing no emotion.
Clarke looked at her as if she had three heads.
"Of course I do not." Clarke replied adamantly. "I just meant that you fought with purpose and anger. I wish to know why."
"He made implications about you and he." Lexa said.
"He can imply all he wishes, it does not mean something will happen or is happening." Clarke replied with a smirk. "Why did that bother you though?"
Clarke hesitantly looked up to Lexa's face, watching as her eye twitched and her breathing changed.
"You deserve to be treated with more respect." Lexa said, her eyes finally turning to look at the blonde. "Not like a piece of meat. I see the way he looks at you, he desires you."
Clarke's eyes bored into Lexa's. "He can look, but he cannot touch me. If he does, you will be the first person I go to."
"I will not let that happen." Lexa replied immediately, a blush covering her cheeks at her quick response.
Clarke finished cleaning Lexa's reopened wounds and re-bandaged them, her eyes glancing up to meet Lexa's once more.
"Why did you come earlier?" Lexa asked, suddenly remembering the look of irritation on the blonde's face.
"My mother made me angry. You were the only one I wanted to see afterwards." Clarke replied with a sigh. "She is so infuriating."
"She is your mother, she is concerned for your safety." Lexa said. "She fears I will harm you."
"But you won't." Clarke stated, her voice unwavering. "I trust you Lexa, you will not harm me and I trust that you will not allow anyone else to as well."
Lexa looked at the other woman, her eyes glancing down at the soft pink lips of the blonde.
"No. I will not." Lexa replied softly, her eyes glancing back up to Clarke's. They stared at each other a moment longer before Clarke began to lean in.
They paused, just a hair away from the others lips. Their breath mingled and their lips remained just a breath apart. Lexa raised her hand, bringing it up to softly rest against Clarke's cheek as the blonde leaned in to close the gap.
"Lexa!" Dante yelled, causing the two women to spring apart at the approaching footsteps. The almost kiss, forgotten.
"Yes Dominus." Lexa responded as Dante entered the room. She bowed her head in respect.
"You bow your head in respect to me, yet you attack a fellow gladiator beneath my roof!" Dante yelled, his eyes angry.
"It is my fault Dante." Clarke began, immediately coming to Lexa's defense. "Finn made… implications towards me and Lexa only defended my honor."
Dante looked between the two. He knew that the two women had feelings for each other, but watching them dance around those feelings was becoming exhausting for him to watch.
"Are you two together, Clarke?" Dante asked suddenly, his eyes looking between the two.
Lexa's eyes widened as she looked to Dante and then at Clarke.
"Um… no, Dante." Clarke replied hesitantly as she swallowed thickly.
Dante nodded. "I could understand her aggressiveness towards Finn if you two were together…"
Clarke went to interject but Dante cut her off. "However, I can also understand why she defended your honor, especially when I made it clear that my gladiators were to treat you and your family with the utmost respect."
Clarke breathed a sigh of relief and Lexa visibly relaxed.
"Lexa… this behavior will not be tolerated again, unless a similar incident happens. Do not think that just because you are champion, you can beat the shit and piss out of your brothers."
"He is no brother of mine!" Lexa growled out.
"He is your brother!" Dante replied angrily. "This is a brotherhood and I expect you all to act like it."
"Yes Dominus." Lexa replied with a nod of her head, her eyes still angry.
"Clarke, your mother is looking for you. She wants you to help her tend to Finn's wounds." Dante said, watching as Lexa visibly tensed. "I will accompany you and supervise."
Lexa relaxed slightly but it was clear the idea made her stay on edge.
"Lexa, you will be performing in the games tomorrow morning. I want you to rest and allow your wounds to heal." Dante said seriously.
"But Dante-." Clarke began to protest. "Her wounds, they will reopen."
"Do they require stitches?" Dante asked.
"Under normal circumstances, no. But if you wish her to compete tomorrow then the stitches might be best." Clarke explained, her eyes turning to Lexa and lingering on the covered wounds.
"Lexa, come with Clarke and I. We will stitch you up." Dante said as he turned and exited the room, Clarke and Lexa trailing behind.
"I cannot believe he wishes you to fight tomorrow." Clarke said, her voice low so Dante would not hear.
"You are worried." Lexa stated, her green eyes searching Clarke's face. She noticed the worry lines beginning to show.
"Of course I am. You were just injured earlier today and now I have to give you stitches because you went and defended my honor." Clarke said angrily.
"Would you wish I hadn't?" Lexa asked, taken aback by the blonde's anger and visibly hurt.
"I am glad you did Lexa… I just wish you had not injured yourself further." Clarke explained with a frown.
They entered the medical room and Lexa forced herself to not punch Finn in the face again. When the man saw Clarke a wide smile broke out on his face.
Lexa immediately moved closer to Clarke's side and Clarke turned her head to look at the Champion.
"Relax Lexa." Clarke soothed, her hand brushing the gladiators before guiding her to a nearby table.
"Lexa really did a number on you didn't she?" Abigail asked Finn as she stitched the wound on his face.
Finna merely grunted in response, his eyes following Clarke as she gathered the supplies to stitch Lexa's wounds.
Lexa had to fight to restrain herself. This is absurd. She is not yours Lexa. Calm yourself.
Clarke came back and unwrapped the bandages, immediately setting to work and stitching the wounds closed. Lexa gritted her teeth as the needle pierced her flesh, a small whimper escaping her lips.
"Shhh." Clarke soothed, her hand gently rubbing Lexa's side before going back to her task. Lexa relaxed as best as she could as Clarke almost finished the first wound.
"I assume Lexa will be punished for attacking Finn." Abigail stated out of the blue, causing Clarke to pause her stitching and whirl around. Her eyes burned holes in the back of her mother's head.
"Actually, Lexa will not be punished Abigail. She was defending your daughters honor, which my other gladiator seemed fit to speak ill of." Dante explained, glaring at Finn. "Lexa's fight with him was his punishment, and I will not tolerate any such behavior again."
"Yes Dominus." Finn said, his voice low as he glared at Lexa.
Clarke resumed her stitching, quickly finishing the wounds. "You need to relax for a bit, do not try and move just yet."
Lexa nodded and offered Clarke a soft smile, watching as the blonde cleaned her instruments before moving over to Finn.
"He will need stitches here." Clarke said as she examined a deep wound on his right shoulder. "How did you manage this? You did not fight with steel."
"I caught him in the shoulder with the tip of the sword." Lexa piped up.
"Ah." Clarke said with a playful glare at Lexa. She gathered her clean instruments and began to stitch up Finn's shoulder. Her mother moved away to clean her own utensils as her daughter finished her work.
"Your hands are soft." Finn remarked quietly when he noticed Dante and Abigail speaking and paying no mind to the gladiators.
Clarke merely hummed in response, intently focusing on her stitching. Lexa heard the comment though and gritted her teeth once more.
"If you ever need someone to practice your skills on, I would be more than happy to help." Finn commented with a smirk, his head turning to look at Clarke.
Lexa was about to pounce from her table when Clarke spoke.
"I get more than enough practice with Lexa." Clarke replied as she finished her work, her blue eyes glancing to Lexa as she offered a smile.
"Finn is finished. They are both free to leave." Clarke began. "And rest." She said pointedly at Lexa.
The Champion smirked as she watched Finn leave the room.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of Rome." Clarke's father began as he addressed the crowd. "Today, marks another fine day of games in the arena. Today, I wish to present the Champion of the house Lannisius from Capua. Indra, a Gaul from Gallia. A fierce warrior."
A cheer went up from a portion of the crowd while another portion booed the foreigner.
"Facing her, is our own Champion from Rome from the house of Dante… I present to you, the Gaul, Lexa!" Jake announced as Lexa entered the arena.
Clarke watched from the box, her breath catching in her throat as she took in Lexa in all her glory. She looked fierce in her armor, war paint smeared around her eyes and a sword and shield on her person.
"She is truly a force isn't she?" Jake whispered to his daughter, watching as his daughter blushed. "I heard about what happened yesterday at the Ludus. I believe Lexa would be a suitable partner, Clarke. We just need her to earn her freedom."
Clarke looked to her father with shock. "You believe that?"
"Yes, of course. I know your mother disagrees… but Lexa clearly cares for you. She will protect you and care for you." Jake said as he watched the two warriors circle the arena, garnering praises.
"And I her… but we are not together." Clarke replied, a sad smile on her face.
"Might I ask why not?" Jake asked with a light laugh.
"I do not know if Lexa is ready to be with anyone… or if I am." Clarke replied.
"Let the games begin!" Senator Kane yelled, causing Clarke and her father to pause their discussion and watch intently.
Lexa and Indra circled each other cautiously.
"Tell me, Lexa of house Dante… do you enjoy fighting your own kind?" Indra asked as she took fighting stance.
"No. I take no pleasure in this, not like I do in the death of romans." Lexa replied.
"Wan op yuj." Indra said.
Lexa nodded to Indra. "Wan op yuj."
They attacked at the same time. Their swords clashed and clanged as they struck blow for blow.
"What will you do-." Indra began as she blocked one of Lexa's attacks. "If you earn your freedom?"
Lexa blocked one of Indra's attacks and struck with one of her own, catching Indra's arm. The crowd went wild at the sight of first blood.
"Return to my village, perhaps with someone... in a perfect world." Lexa replied, her eyes glancing to the box.
Indra caught the look. "The sky princess?"
Their swords clashed again and again.
Lexa nodded before swinging and catching Indra's thigh. Indra retaliated and managed to catch Lexa off guard, slicing her leg as well.
Lexa hissed in pain before rolling out of the way and readying herself again.
"What about you?" Lexa asked as she charged Indra.
"Return to my village." Indra replied as they met again. They fought blow for blow and the crowd began to grow restless as neither warrior appeared to have the upper hand.
Lexa needed to win this fight. She rolled from Indra's reach and sprung to her feet, immediately charging at full speed. She needed to wound the warrior, but not kill her.
Indra looked confused at Lexa's tactic, clearly assuming the woman had a death wish. The brunette let loose a war cry, spinning on the spot and dodging Indra's sword, her own sword reaching out and slicing the woman's stomach.
Blood spilled on the sand. The wound was deep and hindering, but not fatal. Lexa quickly grabbed Indra by the hair and tilted her head back, placing her sword on her neck and waiting for the signal to spare, or kill.
"Ai gonplei ste odon." Indra whispered as they waited.
Jake stood, being allowed to offer the decision. He looked at Lexa and caught the pained expression on her face as she looked to Indra.
He raised his hand, his thumb horizontal as the crowd awaited his verdict. Slowly, he turned his thumb to the sky.
"Blood as been spilled. The Gods shall be pleased, let us not spill anymore. A good fight!" Jake called and the arena cheered. Relief erupted across Lexa's face.
"Yu gonplei nou ste odon, Indra." Lexa replied as she removed her sword and helped her fellow Gaul to her feet.
They clasped forearms.
"May we meet again, Lexa. Perhaps in Gallia." Indra replied in parting as they exited the arena.
Lexa paused and turned around, glancing up to the box where Clarke sat. Their eyes met and Lexa offered a small smile, raising her sword as a sign of respect to the blonde.
Clarke blushed and nodded, pleased that Lexa was all right.
"She might have wounds that need tended." Jake whispered to his daughter, smiling as her face brightened and she ran from the box.
Clarke wasted no time in rushing to the gladiators holding area, opening the door as war chants were being shouted at Lexa's victory.
"Welcome, Clarke of the Sky people." Gustus said in greeting, a smile on his face as he referenced her families' seat in the box.
"Hello, Gustus. Lexa needs her wounds checked." Clarke replied with a smile as Anya walked to them.
"Patch her up good, Clarke. She will be needed soon again." Anya said seriously, a dark expression on her face.
"Why is that?" Clarke asked.
"Dante just told us that there will be primers held tomorrow. All the best gladiators will be fighting, many that are stronger than Lexa."
Clarke's face fell as she looked to the Champion. Her expression was blank as she turned to face Clarke.
They both knew that there was a chance Lexa could fall.
Wan op yuj- Die strong
Ai gonplei ste odon- My fight is over
Yu gonplei nou ste odon- Your fight is not over
A/N: Thanks for reading guys. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as well. :) reviews are welcomed and encouraged.
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