Thanks very much for the reviews and constant support; it means the world to me! Here's the next chapter to the story. This chapter goes in a bit of a different direction than I had in mind, but that's mostly to remain realistic. If Clarke truly hurt her ankle, she wouldn't want to be cooped up in a tent for a month, she'd stubbornly want a change of scenery. As usual any talk in Trigedasleng will be in italics since I don't know the language all that well
Fans of my other story, Transformation, I am in the middle of writing the next chapter; I've been having a bit of a creativity jam with that story as of right now because I'm not entirely sure in what direction I want to go for it. However, you can expect a chapter update within, hopefully, the next couple days
A week had come and gone with Clarke still recovering.
Due to the condition of her ankle she was forced to remain bedridden and her anxiousness to leave the confines of the tent grew by the hour. Basically she wanted a change of scenery instead of remaining cooped up in the yellow-orange tent that only had––besides the bed of furs the blonde herself was laying in––one chair and two small wooden tables for furniture.
She truly missed the little things she began taking for granted after she landed on Earth, like breathing in an abundance of fresh air and feeling the rays of the sun kiss her face. She hadn't felt the sun on her skin in a week or been able to marvel at how exquisite the sky looked with the stars shining bright and happy in the sky.
It was torture for her, and of course it soured her mood. No matter how frequently Lexa visited or how friendly she tried to be, Clarke practically bit her head clean off each and every time. Likewise when Nyko showed up several times a day to check on her ankle, healing cuts, and her as a whole.
At first Lexa assumed Clarke's erratic behavior towards her was in association with the outcome of Mount Weather and the Commander's part in it. However, yesterday when Lexa was heading into the blonde's tent to give her her nightly meal, she noted quietly to herself that Clarke was equally brash towards her healer, as well. At that point everything started to make sense.
The next day Lexa ensured her schedule was completely free before donning herself in a rustic tunic and comfortable fitting pair of pants. She planned on taking Clarke out, though she hadn't quite worked out the logistics of how she was going to accomplish that without hurting the blonde's healing ankle.
"I would like to take Clarke out today. She is no doubt getting frustrated having to remain steadfast in her tent. However, I have not worked out how to do so without reversing what progress has been made on her ankle," Lexa confided to Nyko when she spotted him. Normally she would have to find a solution on her own, being the Commander, but Nyko was her most trusted healer and a friend. Their friendship, after all, had begun before the Commander's spirit chose her to lead their people.
"I see," Nyko answered, but remained otherwise silent for a moment before turning to face Lexa. He knew the brunette sought him out as a friend, not as the Commander. He took the moments of silence to articulate his response.
"She is stubborn and will probably refuse help, but it is very important that she does not put any pressure at all on her ankle. Even the slightest bit could reverse the healing that has occurred so far," Nyko stated the obvious gently before continuing. "Perhaps I could carry her? We do not have many wounded right now and those we do can be tended to by the other healers," he suggested.
He knew that Lexa had grown very close to the blonde and genuinely cared for her, despite how guarded she forced herself to remain majority of the time. There were many things he would rather do with his time than breach the privacy of the two women, but he also knew that Clarke was ruthlessly stubborn and blinded by ghosts, so his presence as a healer would help in case she attempted anything stupid.
Lexa mulled over the healer's suggestion for the briefest of moments before giving him a solemn nod. "Yes, that would work well, thank you, Nyko. I will go inform Clarke of today's plans and will return to get you afterward."
In response Nyko merely nodded and gave her a smile before turning back to shift his workload off to the other healer's in the camp.
Lexa filled the disgruntled blonde in on the plans for the day. Clarke's mood significantly improved upon hearing she would finally be leaving the damned tent she'd grown to detest, even if it were only for the day. Although she wasn't too happy with the idea of having to be carried everywhere, but she didn't argue. Beggars couldn't be choosers, after all.
Thereafter the Commander went to retrieve Nyko and relieve him, officially, of his workload for the day. The healer had already taken the necessary steps to reassign other available healers his patients that way no one was unattended. Once that was fully taken care of, Nyko gathered his medical bag and, upon Lexa's orders, added a large canteen of water and a smaller satchel that contained some food for the three to eat throughout the day, as well.
Nyko and Lexa made idle chit chat as they trekked back to Clarke's tent to retrieve the blonde. The healer mostly spoke of the patients in his care and the growing frequency to which he and other healers needed to restock their herbs. Apparently the new warriors in training were getting nicked with their sparring opponents swords all too often.
"Perhaps we should have them train with wooden swords and staves longer," Lexa mused with a smirk playing at her features as she pulled back the tent flap and entered, Nyko in step behind her.
"I don't even think that would help them, Commander," Nyko stated with a light chuckle. "They are too used to the wooden weapons and the lack of injury being hit by them gives."
"Indeed, and their complacency awards them with painful scars until they learn to adapt," Lexa remarked, her face still alight in a grin.
"Well, it certainly keeps us healers on our toes," the healer deadpanned before busting out into a song of laughter. Lexa's grin grew to a full blown smile.
Clarke witnessed the conversation because Lexa and Nyko were arriving to her tent at the time, although the blonde's Trigedasleng wasn't good enough to pick out more than a handful of words at most. What didn't go unnoticed, though, was the playful smirk on the face that she had really only seen emotionless and a mirrored expression on the healer's face.
The injured blonde sat on her bed of furs with a clear mix of confusion and shock on her face at the sight of Lexa, the Commander of the twelve clans in the coalition, with something less than a fierce or impassive look on her face. She also couldn't help but notice the beauty of the woman's features as her lip curved upward.
"I didn't realize you were capable of lightening up," Clarke commented, the look of surprise still very evident in her features. The more she looked on at the spectacle in front of her, the more she realized that Lexa almost looked relaxed, like her and Nyko were good friends or something.
"You have not seen me during times of peace, Clarke," the brunette replied factually, a rather tranquil look upon her face.
"Apparently," the blonde sneered back, regretting it the moment it left her mouth. She knew a lot of her foulness had to do with being in the same tent for well over a week without a remote change of scenery, or even location. That didn't make her feel any less guilty for being a bitch, though. Lexa, and Nyko, had clearly gone out of their way to give her a break from the dimly lit portable canvas shelter.
Lexa, who looked rather unaffected by the hellish comment made by the blonde, glanced sidelong at Nyko. The poor fella looked wickedly uncomfortable, almost as if he regretted subjecting himself to a whole day of crazy women. Nyko shot a questioning glance at the brunette leader, his eyes wandering back to Clarke, as if to silently query whether or not he should pick her up or wait for a verbal command of sorts. Said brunette caught onto what she was mutely being asked and simply nodded in his direction, nonverbal consent.
"It's important that you not put any pressure on your ankle," the tall, built man declared as he closed the gap between himself and the injured blonde. "I will be carrying you today to ensure you do not hurt yourself further."
Clarke sighed dramatically before muttering, "So I was told."
As the man built like an ox picked Clarke up bridal style, he shot her an apologetic look before schooling his features. Lexa waited for the blonde to be comfortably in Nyko's arms before throwing a bag over her chest and whirling on her heels to leave with the healer trailing in step behind her.
None of them spoke as they made their way out of the small camp. Because Clarke had been passed out on her way to the camp in Rhett's arms and been thereafter confined to her bed to heal, she had no idea where they were and didn't really think to ask. It didn't really matter one way or another, she couldn't physically get herself out of bed let alone out of the tent to look and asking would just make her curious.
Nevertheless, she noted that they were in TonDC, or more accurately, what was left of it. It was in the process of being rebuilt. The little village was vastly different from what she remembered after the missile strike, so it was clear to her that the Grounders were putting huge amounts of efforts into ensuring it would be rehabilitated as soon as possible.
Despite the fact that the center of the village truly looked like ground zero, nothing more than a massive, ruined hole in the earth, normalcy could be spotted on the outskirts around the wreckage. Young men and women were training with wooden swords off to the left and further yet was a gaggle of slightly older and more vetted combatants with real steel blades of various sizes and shapes. On the right Clarke could see recently built homes and business establishments. As the trio walked out of the camp, hushed whispers from villagers could be heard, some gawking or wide eyed with recognition.
In an effort to ignore it, Clarke leaned her head back against Nyko's arm and stared up at the sky, relishing in the feeling of the sun beating down on her skin. She drew in a deep lungful of fresh air and a wide smile broached her face. Oh, how she missed nature.
Even though she was walking ahead, Lexa was still able to steal a couple of glances back at the blonde and couldn't help but appreciate the look of awe on the woman's face as she took in the gusto of mother nature once again.
Perhaps a day walking in the woods and down by the lake would do her wonders after all.
Half an hour passed as the three made their way out of the village and into the woody lands. Clarke had asked at least a dozen times where they were going and Lexa's vague responses made apprehension bubble in her stomach. Eventually she resigned herself to the fact that the brunette had no intention of spilling about what the day entailed, so she simply shifted herself in Nyko's arms and appreciated the beauty all around her.
"We're here," the Commander announced happily. The blonde looked up towards the brunette, who had shifted herself to the side so she could look over at Nyko and Clarke. Bewilderment was the first thing emotion that flickered across Clarke's face as she stared out at an expensive, but beautiful lake. The water was a beautiful saturated shade of blue that when the ray's of the sun hit on it caused an alluring cascade of shimmering light.
"It's beautiful," Clarke marveled, her eyes taking in the scenery. She wanted so badly to run into the water and feel the cool, freshness of it against her skin, but she supposed Nyko wouldn't appreciate her harming her ankle.
Lexa smiled genuinely in Clarke's direction before turning back to face the lake, walking down so she was just inches away from the water that lapped up against the dirt. She sat down and gestured for Nyko to set the bundle in his arms down near where she sat.
The healer carefully set Clarke down in front of Lexa and took several steps away to give the two privacy. He was only the muscle for the day, he didn't want to impose on the two otherwise.
Understanding what Nyko was doing, Lexa gave him an appreciative nod before observing Clarke once more, who hadn't taken her eyes off the lake. Lexa felt a lump form in her throat as she noted the way the sun made Clarke's hair glow a beautiful shade of golden-blonde. She also couldn't help but notice the serene look on the woman's face and the lack of tension that usually had her body as tight as a piano string. It made a rush of warmth flood over Lexa to see the blonde actually look comfortable around her.
"You're staring," Clarke stated the obvious as she stole a glimpse in her peripheral vision at Lexa.
The blonde's statement garnered a throat clear from Lexa, who preoccupied herself by taking the bag off her chest and flipping it open. "Are you hungry?" She asked knowingly. Seeing as she had been the one to give Clarke her meals for well over a week, she suspected the blonde would be hungry.
"Yes," she replied and couldn't help but crane her head back to where Nyko stood, leaning against a tree. Seeing as he did lug her around the least she could do was be friendlier towards him. "Come on, you're probably hungry, too. Got to keep up those muscles if you're going to tote me back to camp," she stated with a playful edge to it. She couldn't help have a newfound respect towards the man.
The healer didn't move a muscle, simply looked at his leader for instruction. She gave him a half-smile and gestured for him to join. Reluctantly he joined, sitting beside the two women as Lexa passed the water canteen she brought to Clarke and unwrapped her satchel of food. Nyko couldn't stave off the smirk that worked its way to his face as he looked on at the way Lexa interacted with Clarke. She definitely fancied the blonde, that became more and more evident.
"What's so funny?" Clarke asked, having taken notice of the spontaneous grin on the healer's face.
Nyko looked like he'd been caught stealing, a mortified expression on his face. Immediately he turned to Lexa for help only to find she had an amused look on her face looking at him. Relenting, he cleared his throat and looked down at the dirt, deciding whether to speak true or play off what happened.
Sensing the distress, Lexa let out a throaty chuckle and leaned into the man. "You're here as my friend today, Nyko. Do not worry." At the look of concern Nyko gave her, she added for his benefit, "You can tell her your thoughts, it's okay. I would be surprised if you hadn't pieced it all together by now anyway."
The healer merely nodded hesitantly before turning his attention to Clarke, who wore a puzzled expression. She clearly didn't understand what was said, but her eyes were begging for someone to translate. "Because of my reluctance to answer, I was reminded that I am here today as a friend and not a healer or soldier and am allowed to speak freely," the man explained simply before uncomfortably playing at the hem of his shirt.
"Alright then, so…" Clarke said, trying to figure out what the hell made the intimidatingly tall man seem squirm.
"I see how the Commander––" Nyko began, only to be caught off by the brunette.
"Lexa. We are not in formal standing right now, Nyko," the brunette leader reminded her friend.
Timidly nodding, Nyko continued, "I have seen how Lexa interacts with you."
Clarke had hoped that Nyko's answer would shine some light on what the heck was going on, but it only made her confusion grow. She let out a frustrated sigh before deadpanning to the two in front of her, "You're making me even more confused, here."
This visibly made the healer shrink as if he wanted to just dissipate from the situation entirely. He knew Lexa since before she was the leader of her people and considered her to be a good friend, but being in the middle of whatever the two women were was immensely awkward. He couldn't help but look over at the brunette for help.
Lexa had to force herself not to bust out laughing at how timid Nyko became breaching the subject of feelings. The same Nyko who she fought bravely beside in wars. The same one who was a magnificent and talented healer. Yet discussions of the subject they were on made him squirrelly.
"He has observed how I act towards you," the brunette said with a bashful smile before handing around the food she packed for them to eat.
All three ate in silence, Clarke digesting and dissecting what was spoken aloud. A week ago when the blonde asked why she was at the Grounder camp, Lexa had confessed how she felt for Clarke and how her enemies could use it against her. To be brutally honest, a big part of her didn't quite believe the brunette after everything that happened between them. Especially her betrayal at Mount Weather. However, it being brought up again and Nyko's mousy attitude basically confirmed that it was not a lie or deceit, but authentic.
They had shared a kiss in Lexa's tent before Mount Weather, but Clarke wasn't ready then. She had just lost Finn and moving on so quickly after that just felt wrong. That coupled with the fact that they were only hours away from going to war, she really didn't take the time to analyze the situation like she normally would. However, after what happened at the mountain, she assumed that was Lexa's way of stating that there was nothing to examine, that she was nothing more than a sky person who was easy to give up when things got tough.
Even though Clarke knew in the depths of her heart that Lexa accepting the deal from the mountain men wasn't because she didn't care for Clarke, it was what was best for her people. It was something that Clarke probably would have done had the roles been reversed. Although it did reaffirm that no matter what Clarke did or didn't feel for Lexa, she wasn't and probably never would be one of her people.
"I used to come down here when I was very little with a few of my friends," Lexa said softly, her words cutting through the silence. "We were only four or five years old, just before the age of training to become warriors, but we would wage our own war in the water with fun games and horseplay." A smile danced across her face as she remembered her and those she knew at a tender age play in the water.
"Sounds like fun," Clarke murmured while she thought back on her own time as a child in the Ark. "We didn't have the beautiful water or nature that you have here on the Ark. We had a room that the children stayed in during the day while our parents worked and would find fun to do with what we had around us. Ironically the one thing we all had in common was our desire to land on the ground, to see the wonders we only read about in books. To breathe in the musk of nature and feel the sun on our faces."
"I cannot imagine not being on the ground," Nyko said sympathetically as he looked at the blonde. When the sky people first landed he mused what it must have been like to be trapped in a giant tin container for decades, but he couldn't ever think of himself there.
"What exactly made you all decide to land?" Lexa asked curiously, intently looking at Clarke.
"We were running out of air and supplies, we couldn't sustain ourselves much longer, so they shipped one hundred of us down to the ground to see if it was habitable," the blonde replied grimly.
"So you volunteered?" The healer asked quizzically, trying to figure out how the sky people decided who to launch to the ground.
"No. The original one hundred of us sent to the ground were all adolescent prisoners. They wouldn't float children, so instead they locked them up in jail cells. Even the smallest of crimes were capital offenses," the sky woman replied. Though she spoke civilly, she couldn't help but feel a mountain of anger bubble in her throat like a volcano that had remained dormant for too many years. Thinking back to the reason she was sent to the ground made her mind linger to why she was sent to the blasted cells to begin with.
"Do you miss it? Your home in space, I mean," Lexa asked before she could really think about it. She couldn't help wanting to know more about Clarke and her life before she reached Earth.
"I mostly miss the people, not so much the place," the blonde cryptically answered. She didn't want to go into detail about how she lost her father when she was thrown into a holding cell or how when they landed on the ground she lost her best friend, Wells, not too long after they made up.
"I see," the brunette responded quietly, catching on that it was a tough subject. "Would you like to go into the water when we're done eating?" She asked, changing the subject.
"Definitely. Uh, assuming you don't mind, Nyko?" Clarke asked, glancing at the big guy. If she went in, it would require him to carry her, so she didn't want to get him unnecessarily wet if he didn't really want to be.
"I don't mind," he replied neutrally. Truthfully, he didn't really want to get himself all wet, but he seen the look in the blonde's eyes and couldn't help but cave. Maybe Lincoln was right, he was a softie.
Clarke grinned a little, "I'm glad I can't go in too far or really work this damned ankle. I can't swim."
Nyko and Lexa's heads snapped to the blonde's, a look of utter surprise on their faces. She couldn't swim? However, as seconds ticked by they realized how likely it was that they had bodies of water up in their tin can in space.
"I can teach you one day, if you would like," Lexa suggested casually, though a familiar lump formed in her throat the prospect of spending more time with Clarke in the future.
"Sure, it would probably come in handy the next time I'm jumping off a cliff into water," Clarke mused before rolling her eyes remembering how her and Anya escaped the mountain. Somehow that memory didn't dig up the awful experiences at Mount Weather, only how happy she was to be free of the dreadful place and that she and Anya were on somewhat civil terms.
Nyko made a sound that seemed like a cross between a grunt and a laugh before saying, "I'm sure there's a story behind that?"
The blonde merely nodded in reply, a sheepish smile on her face. She wouldn't bring it up, though, as she knew Anya was someone near and dear to Lexa. Equally she didn't want to risk thinking too long about the mountain for fear that the Mount Weather war would slide into the forefront of her memories.
So instead she took strange comfort in the company of Lexa and Nyko. For the first time since her feet landed on the ground she didn't feel paranoid or afraid or any number of other emotions that often ebbed and flowed through her. Instead she just was herself, no leadership commitments or fighting for survival or looking out for everyone else. She was able to just be.
Please leave a review or private message me with your thoughts on this chapter. They make my day! :)
The next chapter will most likely be a continuation of this one, seeing how the rest of the day pans out. If you have any suggestions on something that could be done during the day or a problem the trio face, I'd appreciate it! I'm mostly going to be winging it, nothing concrete in mind, so suggestions are definitely welcome.