Chapter 35:
Clarke arrived at her bedroom after the long, laborious walk. She saw Lexa lying there with Atami passed out in a chair and was glad that the favored healer had survived the day. She woke her and told her to stay the night and got her set up in one of the other rooms. Wick had explained that the water ran on power so there was no hope of taking a long, hot shower so she just crashed into the bed, but did so carefully so as not to wake Lexa, who needed all the rest she could get.
She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep when she felt Lexa's hand grazing her cheek and slowly opened her eyes.
"We survived another day." Lexa greeted her.
"We survived another war." Clarke felt the need to correct.
"And now we can do more than just survive." Lexa leaned in and captured Clarke's lips for a kiss. Clarke could feel her trying to move closer, but her leg was wrapped with something, so she was unable. She decided to climb on top of her instead and continue kissing her, carefully trying not to hurt her already injured leg. It seemed like only seconds ago she was worried she'd lost her forever and now she could stay on top of her and kiss her forever. She heard Lexa wince and lifted her head.
"Did I hurt you?" Clarke looked down at her leg, but couldn't see anything through the wrap.
"I'm okay. It was worth it." Lexa's arms wrapped around Clarke's back and she pulled her back in. Clarke kissed her gently this time and then hovered over her.
"What are we going to do?" Clarke asked her.
"Get through it like we do everything else." Lexa replied and ran her hand through Clarke's hair.
"We can't take showers anymore." Clarke reminded her.
"You forget, Clarke of the Sky People that I am Lexa, Commander of the Tree People and the alliance."
"So…"
"So, we've never been able to take showers or cook on stoves like this. We had no heat other than the fire and our furs. My people are used to this. We can help your people adjust while we work to repair everything."
"The weather will get colder and we have a lot of injured people."
"We'll do the best we can to save them, but they knew the risk they took in coming here." Lexa told her.
"What about the people back at the capital? Wick told me the planes are just like the cars. They won't fly. We can't go get them."
"Then, we will wait until they do fly. We will find a way to let them know that we will send for them when we can." Lexa paused and brushed Clarke's back with her hand. "They are used to the weather and I will instruct my people to help your people get through the winter if we must wait until the thaw to retrieve them."
Clarke kissed her again.
"I'm so glad you're okay. I couldn't do this without you."
"You did do this without me." Lexa reminded. "You stopped York and Brooklyn without me. You ended a day of bloodshed without me. Clarke, I don't really want to bring this up again, but you stopped the mountain men without me. You don't need me to help you lead. You lead all on your own."
"I do need you." Clarke rolled off of her and faced her. "The decisions I had to make…" Clarke trailed off.
"Remember, Chon yu bilaik en chon yu gaf in bilaik na kik thru, emo laik tu krei noseim diyo." Lexa stated.
"I don't know that one." Clarke expressed.
"It means who you are and who you need to be to survive are two different things, Clarke. The decisions you had to make were to save the right people. If that meant that the wrong people had to die, then so be it."
"I didn't kill them though."
Lexa took in a deep breath and then slowly let it out.
"And you shouldn't have." She stated and witnessed Clarke's surprise at that comment. "They deserve to die. Both of them and everyone that helped them."
"The Ice Queen, for example?"
"What will their deaths bring?" Lexa asked and rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. "We should kill them. It will bring us safety from whatever they might try to throw at us in the future, but perhaps keeping them locked away is a better punishment for all of them."
"What about your people? They expect executions. Blood must have blood."
"When I am well, I will explain it to them."
"The alliance?"
"I will present the options to the alliance in time. If the success of the alliance depends on whether we execute a few people, the alliance was never going to be successful."
"We lost." Clarke said with defeat obvious in her tone.
Lexa looked at her with confusion.
"No Clarke, we won." She leaned in and kissed her lightly before pulling back. "We lost people, but that is war. We may lose more before this day is out, but we are not defeated. We will rebuild what we have lost. Our people will survive because of what you did today. Because of what you've done all along." She slid her hand down Clarke's bare, but dirt covered arm. "We won. We are together."
Three days later, the alliance met with Lexa almost recovered and able to walk on her own with a limp and Clarke feeling more rested despite the long hours she'd put in at the hospital helping the injured and in the city helping to locate victims or clean up debris.
"We have three options." Lexa shared before the group that sat in one of the now abandoned government buildings that had not been hit by a bomb.
"We have one option." One of the clan leaders offered the group. "They must all die for what they have done."
"My brother is dead." Another leader said. "Her sister, his daughter." He pointed at two other members sitting in the circle.
"We can execute them all." Lexa stated. "We can also leave them where they are; locked up with no chance of getting out or we can banish them from the city."
"And what?" Patrol the border? What if they come back with an army of their own?"
"There are more people out there. We know that now." Another leader agreed. "Other clans, cities. They could bring a force back and-"
"That is true." Lexa acquiesced. "That's why it is an option and not an order. We should discuss all options." Her face paint was black and across her eyes. She was wearing a shirt that revealed part of the tattoo on her chest, revealing her connection to Clarke, but otherwise was dressed in her regular battle clothes.
"We will discuss nothing!" A leader shouted and then stood.
"Silence!" Indra yelled from her position behind, but between Clarke and Lexa. "The Commander is speaking."
The room fell silent and Lexa stared at each person sitting in their chairs and their seconds, which stood behind them.
"All clans are united in this new place. Those of us from the ground…" She looked toward Clarke, but did not meet her eye. "And those of us from the sky." She looked back out at the group. "We have an opportunity to start anew. No more war, no more blood lost on the field of battle and no more sisters, brothers or daughters gone because we lived by the motto blood must have blood." She paused for a moment as if to consider her next words carefully. "I too have believed in that and lived by it. I ruled by it, but I have tired of war. I have tired of spilling blood and wish to rule this city-" She cut out abruptly and looked over at Clarke again, this time making eye contact. Clarke smiled shyly at her. "With fairness." Lexa finished. "I wish for all of you to join me and the alliance in this new undertaking as it will be a change for our people, but I understand if you cannot. If you wish, you may leave the city and return to the capital with your people or seek new lands. You will come to no harm."
"You expect nations of warring clans to stop warring?" A second spoke up behind their leader, but the leader waved her hand and her second bowed her head in obedience.
"My clan has seen much death this day." That same leader spoke up. "I fought for this city and have no intention of fleeing." She continued. She paused and Clarke worried she would start a new war with her next sentence. "I too am tired of war. I will accept your terms and recommend fairness for the guilty."
"Ai don sen in chit bilaik ai gaf sen in." I've heard what I need to hear. A leader yelled and stood. "My people will not remain here if this is your choice, Commander. We have fought our whole lives. It is what we know and I will not-"
"You may go." Lexa interrupted. "You and your people may go. Immediately. You're role in the alliance is dissolved. You will be on your way by sunrise and there will be no settlements within 500 miles of this city."
"Comma-" He interrupted her back.
"If you come close to the city again, I will assume you mean us harm and will take action." She stated with confidence. "And make no mistake, Nero." She stared him down. "Even though we will no longer seek out war, we will be prepared if it comes our way. Gon we." Leave. "Anyone who feels the same will receive the same in return so you should leave the city now."
Clarke watched as two other leaders stood and glared in Lexa's direction. They turned in succession and walked out with their seconds in tow.
"Anyone else?" Lexa asked. No one said anything. "Anyone remaining in the city beyond tomorrow's sunrise will be expected to follow the new laws of this city."
"Who makes those new laws?" A clan leader asked.
"For now, we will." Lexa replied. "All of us." Lexa looked at Clarke for help.
"We'll vote." Clarke started. "We'll be a council and we'll vote. We can outline the new government from there. All clans will have representation."
"But Lexa will remain the Commander." Indra stated.
"No." The woman who originally spoke in favor of Lexa's argument stood and stated. "We only got this far because of someone else, Clarke of the Sky People." She finished. Clarke turned toward Lexa not knowing what to say. "It was the two of you together that led us here. You are bonded as one and if there is a vote, my vote is that you rule this new city and its new laws together." She looked around the room.
"You've been doing it all along anyway, so I will agree." An older clan leader with a long, white beard nodded in agreement. There were a few more nods. Some were more reluctant than others, but there were enough nods to make it official.
"Very well." Lexa began. "The first vote of our new city has been completed. Clarke and I will rule as one." Lexa looked over at Clarke. "The rest can be sorted out after we've all had time to regroup. See to your people. Those that need aid, provide it and let Indra and her soldiers-" She stopped. "Her staff know if there is something you are without. She will see to it. Begin seeking out skilled laborers to assist in rebuilding what we lost in this battle. We will need the power restored to regain our running water. We will need farmers to grow the food. We will need healers to assist in the hospital."
"And what of the traitors?" The old man asked. "What's to be done with them in this new society?"
"I have an idea." Clarke stated and they all looked to her. "They will remain locked up until we are able to restore the planes and get enough gasoline to fly them across an ocean. We'll leave them there."
"Exile?" A leader asked.
"Exile with no chance they can return." Clarke responded.
"Shall we put it to a vote?" The old man asked the group.
"No need." The woman replied. "If there's no chance they can return and they have no supplies, they will die anyway and it will undoubtedly be slow and painful. It is the best solution."
"Share this with your people and tell them we will need volunteers to ride to the capital to retrieve those who want to join us. Those who wish to stay may do so. Instead of executions, we will reconvene in a few days and we will have a celebration, a feast for everyone in honor of our new home." Everyone nodded in agreement and began to shuffle out of the room. Lexa waited for everyone to be gone with the exception of Indra and Clarke. "Indra, send your most trusted warriors out in secret. Have them watch the people and make sure the leaders that agreed today truly agreed and aren't planning to revolt. Report back to Clarke and I if you encounter any trouble."
"Yes, Commander." Indra obeyed and then looked at Clarke. "I mean, yes, Commanders." She nodded in Clarke's direction and quickly walked out of the room.
"It is official now. You and I will rule the alliance side by side." Lexa restated.
"And are you okay with that? Sharing a throne?" Clarke asked her, turning toward her.
"You can sit on my lap." Lexa smiled.
"It's nice to hear you joking. It's nice to see you smile." She placed her hand on Lexa's cheek.
"I no longer wish for a throne, Clarke. That is what led Carolina down her path, her quest for more power. Brooklyn and York were the same. Glacia too joined them because she wanted to be in charge."
"You don't want to be in charge?" Clarke asked her.
"We were both born for this. We are the leaders our people have chosen and we will lead together, but we will do so because we must, not because we crave the power that comes with the rule."
Clarke smiled at her.
"I should go tell my mother about this development and the other Sky People too." Lexa faltered on her still injured leg. "But first, I'm going to take you home because you still need to rest."
"I'm fine, Clarke."
"If you're going to be at this celebration you just promised, you need to rest up first. Commander's orders." Clarke joked with her and watched her smile again.
"The power's already getting to your head, Sky Girl." Lexa replied.
"That's Co-Commander Sky Girl to you." Clarke paused. "That still sounds weird. Maybe you're the Commander and I'm the Chancellor."
Lexa smiled and nodded in agreement.
"One an expert in wartime and the other an expert in peacetime. Balance for the people."