SPOILERS IN THIS CHAPTER: Up to episode 08 of Season 2 – "Spacewalker".
ALLIANCE – CHAPTER 2
Bride's Day
"I need you to trust me on this one, there's no time to explain", whispered Clarke as she lead Octavia and Lincoln around Camp Jaha, trying her best to not get everyone's attention. Good thing most of them were still digesting last night's events: some were walking alone, deep in thought, some were laughing and drinking as if they had won a battle, some were sleeping and a few others were packing to leave to Tondc with the expedition group to burn Finn's body.
"Clarke, what's going on?" Octavia wasn't satisfied by her colleague's mysterious request for a mission in the woods. "We don't have time for this; the Grounders are leaving soon!"
"They won't go anywhere before this is through, believe me."
Before Octavia could bring up more questions, Clarke made a gesture for them to wait and left the couple near the southwest exit to the forest, as Lexa had requested before. She walked back to the fallen ship, careful not to run into her mother, and proceeded to hunt her target.
"Kane!"
The councilman turned around as he heard the girl's voice, looking a little surprised to see her there.
"Clarke! Are you okay?"
"Yeah, but I'm running out of time", she said urgently. "I need you to come with me and my mother absolutely can't know about this."
Kane clearly got apprehensive about this request, but it wasn't unusual for Clarke do things behind her mother's back.
"You'll need to at least tell me what this is about."
"It's the alliance with the Grounders. Finn's death wasn't the only price to pay for it, but I found a way to guarantee it once and for all."
The man still looked puzzled, but he let himself be guided by the blonde's urgency and confidence. It wasn't the first time she was right about something, and if anyone would have the key to peace with Grounders, this person undoubtedly was Clarke Griffin.
OOOOOO
With Kane's help they didn't have a hard time on getting outside camp without drawing attention, but as soon as they reached the forest the questions began to burst out of Octavia's mouth again.
"Clarke, seriously, what's going on? You're acting really strange."
"You'll know soon. Just trust me."
The blonde looked concentrated on something and barely looked at her companions. She was trying to find Lexa's trail, which would obviously be very discrete. Maybe so discrete that not even the bride would be able to find the way to her own wedding.
"Are you looking for this?"
Lincoln was holding some sort of sharp tooth, a little yellowed by time and dirt. He exchanged a knowing glance with Clarke, and proceeded to lead the way into the forest, following the trail left by his Commander.
"What is it, Lincoln?" Octavia wasn't going to rest until she got some answers.
"This is a code. We are following a trail made by Heda."
Clarke got a little surprised; Lexa must have known that she would choose Lincoln as one of her witnesses, otherwise she would never let behind a trail that could only be found by a Grounder. Good thing my future wife already knows me so much, she thought with bitter irony.
Octavia must have been satisfied with the information for now, because she kept quiet until they reached their destiny a few minutes later. Lexa was waiting with the same look as always, war painting still plastered around her eyes. By her side were two huge men – one was Gustus, a member of the guard, and the other was Niko, the healer. But there was no sign of that woman who was always by her side – Indra, was it?
Clarke had seen the way Lexa talked to Indra and she clearly trusted the older woman a lot. She probably didn't bring Indra for the same reason Clarke didn't bring Bellamy – they were likely to do something heroically stupid and try to save them from their fate, stopping the wedding before it even began.
The forth member of Lexa's group was an old woman dressed on a long dress and several necklaces made of teeth, leather, feathers and seeds. She must be the priest who celebrates weddings on the Tree People's clan.
"You're late", said Lexa sharply as Clarke approached the group.
"Not exactly an easy trail you left behind."
"Let the ceremony begin. Our time is running out."
Gustus, Niko and Lincoln didn't show any sign of surprise, since they must have realized what was happening when they saw the priest. But Octavia and Kane were very confused by the scene unfolding before them.
"Clarke, will you please tell us what's happening", demanded Octavia. "What kind of ceremony is this?"
"I can't let anything happen if you don't explain what this is", said Kane, looking worried.
The blonde took a step closer to both of them, trying to remain calm so she could talk objectively. She sensed Lexa's impatience from where she stood.
"I'm going to marry Lexa so we can make this alliance official. It's the only way it'll stand even if we both die."
"Are you out of your mind?" Kane raised his voice, taking a step towards the girl. "Your mother will never agree to this!"
"That's why she isn't here", explained Clarke, "but you are. I know you have the authority to marry people during war times because you're a member of the council."
"Clarke, this is a very serious matter that should be discussed back at our camp, with your mother and Jaha."
"There is no time for that", she stated firmly. "We leave to Tondc in a few minutes. The Grounders are just waiting for their Commander to return so they can start marching. Lexa and I must be married before we leave; we need to be united under the laws of our people, as well as theirs."
Kane still looked reluctant, but at least he was hesitating in silence. Clarke took the opportunity to reach for Octavia and Lincoln's hands, because she knew she would get some empathy from them. They knew better than anyone why she was doing this.
"If anything happens to me, I need you two to tell everyone at Camp Jaha that I was married, so this alliance never breaks in my absence."
"We are living very dangerous times", announced Lexa, addressing to everyone in the circle. "Very unstable ones. Our people won't take this union well just now, so that's why we need to give them some time before we reveal the marriage. This is a secret ceremony. Only those who stand here will know, until we say otherwise. I hope all of honor the trust that is being invested upon you."
There wasn't much time left. Clarke quickly took her place by Lexa's side and let the Commander take both her hands, beginning the ceremony.
"Let's do both at the same time so we can save some time", asked the Commander, looking at Kane. He just nodded; there was no time to think but he would have to trust Clarke for now and deal with Abby's fury later. It wouldn't be the first time, though.
As Lexa and Clarke faced each other, Kane and the old woman stood side by side, in front of the pair, each one starting their rituals simultaneously.
The priest made a speech in Trigedasleng, her voice changing pitchs like a chant while she held her arms open. She put her hands over the girl's heads and closed her eyes, speaking faster and faster.
At the same time, Kane spoke the words of marriage of the Ark, trying to be as brief as required.
"Today we come together to celebrate the union between Clarke Griffin and Lexa of the Tree People under Article 7B of the Ark's Marriage Law, valid during times of war", he stopped and frowned a little, "which is valid on Earth from this moment on, since this is the first wedding we perform on the ground."
Clarke shot a warning look at him, but her attention was caught when the priest threw one of her necklaces over her and Lexa's head, urging the girls to get closer. She could see the Commander's green eyes fixated on her, cold as always, but their hands never left each other.
"May this union be valid under all circumstances and in all territories that we live in and that we are still about to discover – on Earth, other planets or in Space."
This time Lexa looked at him with a dangerous glow on her eyes. She was never going to leave Earth to float on some metal box among the stars. But it was good to know that she would still be married if that day ever came by.
"Commander Lexa, do you take Clarke Griffin as your legal companion from this day on?"
Lexa was taken aback by the question, since no one was ever asked anything during Grounder ceremonies because for them it was obvious that they were getting married by their own will. But she just rolled with it.
"Yes."
"Clarke Griffin, do you take Lexa of the Tree People as your legal companion from this day on?"
"I do."
"Then I, Marcus Kane, member of the Council, by the powers invested in me by the legislation of the Ark in times of war, now pronounce you two married."
The priest shouted some chants to the sky, hands still on Lexa and Clarke's heads, and finally finished the ceremony by taking the necklace back.
"Our souls are now joined", stated Lexa coldly, breaking the silence.
It was so quiet in the middle of the forest that everyone was able to listen to Octavia's whisper to Lincoln.
"Aren't they supposed to kiss?"
"Let's go", said Lexa, obviously ignoring the suggestion. "We have a long march ahead."
And so she left, quickly followed by the others. The last one to move was her brand new wife.