Rigidly she sat there until Wes informed her that Clarke requested an audience.
Hastily she collected herself, donned her armour and approached the girl, unconsciously staring at everything wide eyed, like it didn't exist.
Clarke looked up and frowned. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Lexa mastered her emotions better. "What did you wish to see me about?" she asked, knowing the answer already.
"I've been thinking, Lexa..." Clarke began, saying the same thing she had said yesterday...and the day before.
"We cannot force the issue, Clarke," she replied as she had done the first time. "It takes as long as it takes to come to a consensus."
"And what happens if we never do?" Clarke countered a bit hotly, taking a step closer.
Using all of her height difference to intimidate she said, "Then I will have the final say." They faced off for a moment longer until Clarke backed off.
Lexa ordered the leaders to assemble and within an hour they were arguing over war strategies, the same strategies they had previously fought over but apparently didn't remember doing so. She barely paid attention, absentmindedly staring at the map before her, willing herself to remain level headed.
She was jarred out of her mantra by Quint slamming his hands into the war planning table.
"All you offer is no, girl."
"Quint," she warned.
He apologized soon after and went on about their sizable army, about all of the people who had died at the Maunon's hands, and finished with, "She says she has a plan. I say waiting for one man is not a very good one."
"I agree with Quint," said Wes. "We have an army, let's use it."
"We will," said Clarke. "After Bellamy lowers their defences, turns off the acid fog." She became more impassioned and Lexa couldn't help but stare. The sunlight was streaming through the cracks in the ceiling, hitting her just so, making her look even more angelic than usual. "I don't care how many men you have. If you can't get to your enemy, you can't win."
The two proceeded to have their face off about his dead brother. Lexa told them to cut it out. Quint said he couldn't be in an alliance with the sky people.
She eyed Quint dangerously, wishing she could simply slit his throat here and now. Instead she let her gaze flutter from leader to leader. She could see that most agreed with Quint. Her sight settled on Clarke. The vibrant girl looked back impassively.
"I agree with Clarke," she said calmly. Lexa enjoyed seeing the slight change in features; a soft, barely discernible surprise - and a smile threatened to break out, so she turned her gaze to the others. "We will continue to prepare our army for invasion. But as long as the sky boy lives, we will wait to strike."
There was a fair amount of muttering at this declaration. Quint became enraged, tossed some unlit candles and papers to the ground, and stormed out of the bunker.
Wes made to follow but she said, "Leave him be. He has just forfeited any say in future battle plans."
Lexa knew saying this made her a hypocrite. When Clarke had left after not getting her way, she hadn't publicly barred her from future input. But Clarke was considerably more pleasant to look at, no matter how obstinate she got.
"Once Bellamy gets inside," Lexa continued, "he can release our people, give us a fighting chance from both sides of the mountain."
She could see that the clan leaders were more receptive to the idea now. And unless they could recommend a better option, this is what they would go with.
"That's brilliant, commander," said Clarke, looking at her keenly. "I can't believe I never thought of that before!"
Lexa smiled to herself privately, not feeling guilty at all for stealing her idea.
They discussed various war strategies for another hour and then she dismissed them. All of the leaders filed out, save for Wes. Clarke caught her eye across the large table. She dismissed Wes too. Clarke's guard, Byrne, remained.
"Thanks for standing by me, Lexa. I really appreciate it."
"Don't thank me, Clarke." I stole your idea. "I chose the most logical path." The only path. "The last time a commander took an army towards the mountain, most perished in the acid fog and the rest were gunned down at the entrance. That commander was my predecessor. I don't intend to make the same mistake twice."
And perhaps a different decision will end this day.
After a brief contemplative silence, Clarke moved closer towards her. "I was going to get something to eat. Do you want to join me?"
Rather than question this too much, Lexa just dipped her head once, eager to spend more time with the girl in hopefully more pleasant circumstances than the last time.
Side by side they walked up the crumbling stairs and out into the fresh air, Byrne trailing behind. As they threaded their way through the buildings and over to the meat house, she noticed Quint watching them, looking meaner than usual. She itched to dispatch of him for daring to harm Clarke, but until he made a move against them on this day, her hands were tied. Killing him for no apparent reason would not be good for morale and could possibly even lead to a revolt by his clan. No, she would have to bide her time and wait, just as they intended to do with the war. Equally disheartening, but necessary.
Because she was the commander, she didn't have to wait to be served. Her people scrambled out of the way, allowing her to take the choicest cuts of meat for herself. She wished they wouldn't do this, wouldn't treat her as being better than themselves, but this was the nature of her circumstances and had been for a long time. She was used to it by now and so had accepted Faori's home graciously and without question. To do otherwise would have been a grave insult.
With the knife on hand, Lexa cut off two strips of hanging dried deer thigh, placed them on the metal plates present and sat down across from Clarke on the tree stumps expressly made for this purpose. Without asking, two cups brimming with water were offered to them. She took a polite sip and then placed it beside her on the dirt. Clarke did the same.
"It must be so strange having people just doing things for you all the time, no questions asked."
"I have become accustomed to it. And so will you."
"Me?" Clarke responded, taken aback.
Lexa eyed her closely. "Despite a lack of proper title, you are your people's leader, are you not?"
"Yeah, I guess so." She played with her piece of meat. "I didn't ask to be though."
"Neither did I."
They shared a look for a moment, Lexa unabashedly taking the opportunity to enjoy her lovely features.
Finally Clarke said, "So, I suppose now that we have a plan of action...or I guess inaction, I'll need to go back to Camp Jaha in order to make contact with Bellamy and keep tabs on his progress."
Nodding, Lexa swallowed a morsel of meat. If Clarke had faith in the sky boy, she would too.
"I'll also see what Raven can do to help us out." She frowned. "Assuming of course, she will actually help us out..."
"From what you have told me, Raven is a highly intelligent girl, she will put aside her hatred towards us in order to save her friends."
"From what I've told you?" Clarke said quizzically. "What do you mean? We've never discussed Raven before."
Lexa clamped her teeth together, annoyed at her slip of the tongue. They had discussed Raven's impressive mechanical abilities before, but that was during their two mile hike back to Tondc...something that never happened for Clarke. It saddened Lexa a bit that their terrifying bonding experience was so one sided.
Clarke was still staring at her strangely and Lexa filled the silence by glancing away, taking another sip of water. She noticed Quint watching them again and involuntarily her hands balled into fists. Would he follow Clarke when she left and attempt to do what he did last time? There was no doubt in Lexa's mind that he would. She put aside her dish, and strode over to confront the bald menacing warrior, who was partially obscured by the side of a building.
He glared at her defiantly, not even bothering to pretend to be doing something other than he was.
"What is the meaning of this?" she said sternly, hands behind her back.
"How could you choose that girl over your own people?!" he said gruffly, barely managing to keep his voice at a normal volume. "She killed my brother. She-"
"I killed your brother," interjected Lexa. "I ordered the attack. I underestimated the sky people. I alone am responsible for Loki's death."
She was purposely trying to goad him into doing something foolish, and while he looked close to snapping, to Lexa's disappointment he didn't.
"If you attempt to harm her in any way," she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, "I will kill you too."
Quint bristled at that and stomped off again, muttering rude Trigedasleng under his breath.
"Follow him," she said to her shadow, Wes. Stealthily, he took off after the disgruntled warrior.
Perturbed, she went back to finish her meal.
"Trouble in paradise?" said Clarke.
"When you leave here, Clarke, be wary of Quint. He is hot tempered and prone to folly."
How he became clan leader, she would never know.
"I'm not worried. I get the impression that he's more bark than bite."
What was it with the sky people and their strange sayings?
Lexa stared her down. "Do not underestimate Quint. Doing so may be the last thing you ever do." She looked over at Major Byrne, standing at attention a short distance away. "If he threatens you in any manner, you have my permission to shoot him."
"Yes, commander."
"If he's so dangerous," said Clarke a little uncertainly, "why don't you just deal with him?"
"There is a large difference between hostility and action," she said simply, thinking of Gustus. This alliance is fragile enough as it is. And perhaps my warning will be enough to sway Quint this time.
"I'll be careful," Clarke said sincerely.
Thank you, Clarke. She nodded faintly and picked at the remainder of her food, an uneasiness growing in her stomach.
By the time Clarke was set to leave, Lexa was so anxious that she ordered Quint to be brought to her. Having eyes on the past traitor would make her feel a lot better.
A few minutes later the man she had sent for the job came back empty handed.
"Find Wes then."
Once he left, she desperately wanted to do the same, but she also didn't want to let Clarke out of her sight until Quint was.
Clarke and her guard were now horse bound and Fabin had yet to return. Ignoring the strange looks she was getting, she took off like a deer into the forest along the path to Camp Jaha, agile and silent. Before long she had passed by the two meandering travellers. Lexa's eyes were peeled for anything out of the ordinary down the line.
When she found it, it was too late.
The steel tipped arrow easily pierced through her side armour and lodged into her ribs, nicking her lungs. The pain was excruciating. Her momentum carried her forward a bit before she roughly fell to her knees.
Quint stepped out of the trees cover, notching another arrow as she feebly reached for her dagger. This motion sent a spasm throughout her tiny frame and she collapsed, coughing up blood. Through her laboured breathing and hazy vision, she thought he looked quite deranged. The blood dripping from his sheathed dagger only enhanced the effect.
I'm sorry Wes, she solemnly thought, closing her eyes.
"For my brother," he said, releasing the second arrow into her head.
She came to in her bed again, thankful that the pain had come to an end.
She gonna be so pissed this coming day...haha, should be fun!