Chapter 4
Moon of my Life
Clarke wished she'd followed Octavia's advice, but every time she tried, every chance she got, the words got stuck in her throat. And so she watched as Lexa prepared for her departure, and she followed her around like a puppy, eager to please because otherwise, she felt useless. But every time Lexa looked at her, every time she smiled at her, she felt the ground disappearing under her feet, she felt herself falling even more.
The feast in the Princess' honor had brought most of the Westerland's Houses together in Clegane's Keep. The Lannisters had sent an emissary, as had most of the Houses who were too far to make the trip in two days. Kane kept insisting he would have delayed the feast for them to be here, but the Princess needed to return to King's Landing as she had other urgent matters to attend to.
The head table was full. With Kane and Abigail at the center, Lexa on Kane's side and Bellamy beside her. Clarke wondered for a second whether Kane was attempting something with this seating arrangement, but less than ten minutes into the feast it became quite clear that Lexa didn't care at all about Bellamy charming smile. Beside Bellamy was the delegation from Lannisport, the Lord's brother as well as his son and nephew. The two boys were around Bell's age. One of them was leering at Clarke from the other side of the table and she was desperately trying to ignore him, but he was on the same side as Lexa and it was hard to glance at her without having to glare at him first. She was on her mother's side of the table, with Aden and Octavia. The two young women were usually sat together at the end of the table, but tonight she wished they weren't because Octavia kept hitting her with her elbow and whispering to her between her teeth how she should go and see the Princess.
Clarke had decided to focus on her plate, and ignore everything and everyone around her, but she couldn't even muster enough appetite to eat. Her stomach was twisting nervously, in what she'd first taken for a languished knot, her regrets stuffing her and preventing her from eating. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized it was anticipation as if her body knew something was going to happen before it even happened.
She must have lost herself in her thoughts, thinking about that nervous knot, because she only realized she'd been poking at her food since Kane's speech when she heard someone clearing their throat beside her. She pursed her lips and placed her fork back on the table before looking at the person beside her. She really hoped it wasn't the Lannister boy. Her eyes met emerald green and suddenly she wished it was the Lannister boy.
Lexa was standing as straight as usual, her hands behind her back, with a gentle smile on her face.
"Lady Clarke, may I talk to you for a minute?"
Clarke exchanged a glance with Octavia who was barely holding in a smile, then looked to her mother who was talking to Kane and hadn't seemed to notice Lexa's presence.
"Sure."
She quickly stood up, suddenly afraid her legs would give up on her, but she managed to step away from the table and follow Lexa out the door, and into the empty corridors of the Keep. All the torches were lit and seemed to guide their way as they walked side by side. They were so close their arms were almost brushing and yet Clarke had never felt so far from her.
They walked in silence until they were far enough that neither of them could hear the singing and laughter coming from the feast. Finally, Lexa explained:
"I wanted to talk to you before I left."
Clarke was about to reply how she wanted to as well, but instead, her eager mind took control and she asked:
"What about?"
Lexa looked down, suddenly looking nervous. Well, as nervous as Clarke had ever seen her. A bit of her confidence seemed to have shattered in her presence, and Clarke could feel her heart bitting quicker at the realization.
"This fortnight in your company has been a pleasure, my Lady."
Clarke was trying to understand what Lexa meant and decipher her every word, but the blood rushing in her temples made everything harder to hear. Finally, Lexa stopped walking altogether. She looked up, first in Clarke's eyes before her gaze settled on her lips.
"What are you trying to say?" Clarkes asked, wondering whether she should start rejoicing now or if she was reading to much into this.
"Clarke, I'm afraid to leave this Keep because it would mean leaving you behind, and I don't want to. Would you... would you come to King's Landing with me?"
Clarke was stunned for a long minute. Lexa was asking her to come with her to the capital because she could not bear to be away from her anymore? Was she understanding it right?
"I..."
Lexa seemed to sense her distress and instinctively grabbed her hand. This seemed to anchor Clarke enough for her to form a coherent thought.
"I would like to... be with you but what would I do, in King's Landing? What would I be?"
Lexa seemed thoughtful for a minute before she answered:
"Whatever you wish to be. I would do anything to please you, anything to make you happy. And if remaining here in Clegane's Keep is what makes you happy, then I'll let you be."
Clarke wondered if the tug of happiness her heart was feeling was also what had pulled the corner of her lips into a smile.
"I think, as long as you're with me, I would be happy."
Neither of them knew who took the first step, who placed their lips on the others' first, but all Clarke knew was that she'd never been gladder that the feast was keeping everyone occupied and out of the halls. Because it meant she could kiss Lexa, pulled her close and pass her hand in her braid without being interrupted.
After that, the feast had been long forgotten, as the rest of the world had been. It was just the two of them, hidden in Lexa's room, sharing their love. All forms of decency had been forgotten. There was just desperation, at the idea that this could be their first and last night, and sweetness, so much gentleness Clarke would have never thought a dragon was capable of.
The moon had already crossed most of the sky when Clarke finally came to rest in Lexa's arms, tired but happy like she'd never been before. Lexa was holding her close, her arms wrapped around her waist like she was never going to let go. They stayed silent for a long moment. Clarke wondered, amused, whether anyone had noticed their absence. Octavia had, obviously. Bellamy probably had, too, and maybe her mother after an hour or so. She tried not to think about the following morning when she would have to face them.
"Marry me."
"What?"
"I asked you to marry me."
Clarke turned in Lexa's arms so she could look at her. There was seriousness in her emerald eyes, the way her jaw was set and determinate. Clarke smiled sadly and placed a kiss on her jaw.
"I can't marry you. I'm a bastard."
"Then I'll legitimize you. Or better yet, I'll give you your own house. I don't care."
"You would do that? Give me my house?"
Lexa smiled, holding her closer.
"I told you, I would do anything to make you happy. If it's a House you want, I'll give you one."
"What would everyone else think?"
"They'll say I'm crazy. I shouldn't marry for love because it never ends well. I shouldn't marry a woman because we won't be able to produce an heir. I shouldn't marry a bastard because it doesn't do anything to help me. But I don't care. So what? You're a Storm and a woman. My mother was Stormborn too, I think she would have appreciated the irony of the situation. My brother and sister can give heirs to the throne."
Clarke stayed silent for a long moment. She rested her head against Lexa's collarbone, feeling her chest rising with each breath she took. She moved her hand until it was resting against Lexa's heart. She felt it beating under her palm. It was calming, allowed her to dream of more.
"I miss Griffin's Roost." she declared.
Lexa smiled and brushed a few strands of blond hair aside.
"I would give it to you if I could, but I doubt your family would let me."
"If you're a dragon, and I am to be your bride then I must be able to keep up with you."
Lexa tried to follow where Clarke was going, but there was only one thing she'd said which had attracted her attention.
"You would be my Queen," she explained as her finger danced over Clarke's lower back. "My Dragon Queen."
"Not a Dragon, a Griffin."
Lexa smiled.
"Is that what you want to be, a Griffin? Then I'll make you a Griffin, I promise you. Tomorrow at dawn I'll go speak to your parents, and tell them of my intent."
Clarke pushed herself up enough to kiss Lexa's lips soundly, before she returned to her initial position, her eyes never leaving the brunette's.
"And if they say no?"
"Then I'll march to war for you. But I must warn you, we Targaryens have never fared well when waging war for love. It would pain me to lose you so soon."
"I would be the one losing you," Clarke noted.
"I will make sure it never happens."
"Marriage...?"
Both Abigail and Kane were stunned. If they'd been even slightly tired from the previous night, as the feast had continued well into the night, Lexa's declaration had woken them up for sure.
"Do I understand correctly, Your Grace? You are asking for Clarke's hand?"
"That's right. I would like to take her with me to King's Landing and have us married within the fortnight, if possible. If not, I suppose a moon would have to do."
The Lord and Lady of Clegane's Keep exchanged a look. Neither of them dared to discuss this in front of the Princess. There were uncertainty and fear in both their eyes, more than there was joy to hear Clarke would become Queen. Finally, they looked back at Lexa. She was in armor, ready to leave, standing tall, the Targaryen dragon on her chest and her hair braided in a sign of victory.
"Clarke is a bastard, Your Grace." Abigail declared.
"I am fully aware of it. As soon as I've returned to King's Landing I will give her her own house, and start reconstruction on Summerhall, to give it to her, as a wedding gift."
She had been so sure of herself, so final in the way she'd spoken, that once again Kane and Abigail were left without an answer.
"You are aware of the many... problems such an alliance would cause?" Kane asked.
Lexa knew he was trying to be as tactful as possible, and asking her whether she'd considered it well. But she was ready to have this talk with Tyrion, so she told him the same thing she was going to tell her Hand soon enough:
"My Lord, I am a Targaryen and a Dothraki. My people conquer, that's what we do. We take what we want. I am fortunate enough to know, from the bottom of my heart, that Lady Clarke wants me back. No, we will not have children, but I never counted on it. When I die my sister will take the throne because it's her birthright, more than it was ever mine. Her children will rule for hundreds of years to come, not mine. But it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make if it means Clarke can be my Queen until the end of my days."
Everyone was crowding the entrance to the Keep. When the news of Clarke's departure had circulated around the castle everyone had dropped what they were doing to come say goodbye. Clarke had barely had time to pack everything she wanted to take with her. She was glad she'd never owned more than a couple of dresses, and Lexa promised her the finest of clothes would be waiting for her in King's Landing. They were both excited but in a different way.
Lexa couldn't wait to introduce everyone to Clarke. She knew the twins would love her, so would Missandei. Tyrion would be reluctant at first, but she was sure Clarke's wit would win him over. She'd sent a raven ahead earlier in the day, even before she'd met with Lord Kane and Lady Abigail, but she feared Rhaegal would be faster than a raven.
Clarke was excited to see King's Landing and the Red Keep, but she was also worried about leaving her family behind. It wasn't like she'd had many days ahead of her to think about it. Lexa had proposed the previous evening and here they were, standing outside the Keep, her chest entrusted to the Unsullied and ready for Rhaegal to take them away.
Her family was standing by the door, and Lexa was waiting with Rheagal, just a few steps away. Waiting patiently for her to say goodbye, and join her only once she was ready. Her mother had already promised they would all come for her wedding, and Clarke had made her promise.
She kneeled in front of Aden, first, and he launched himself at her, hugging her fiercely.
"I'm going to miss you."
"Me too, little brother. Listen to everyone, alright? And continue practicing, so next time we'll see each other you can show me how good you've gotten."
He nodded, and she parted from him with a kiss on the crown of his golden head.
She moved to Bellamy next, who took her in his arms as well.
"If anything goes wrong, you send a raven and I'll be there at King's Landing in no time." he declared in her ear.
She smiled, keeping the tears in her eyes at bay, but barely.
"You're not going to start playing big brother now, not when you coward against Lexa just a few days ago."
"Send a raven to Octavia, then, but I'll be there anyway."
They parted as she let out a wet chuckle.
She moved to Octavia, who hugged her quickly before she declared:
"I'll be with you soon enough, don't worry."
Clarke could see in her brown eyes that she was telling the truth.
She moved to stand in front of Kane but found herself unsure how to proceed. He wasn't her father, but he'd taken good care of her for the past ten years, and for that she was grateful.
"Thank you for..."
Before she could finish her pulled her into a hug.
"You'll always be welcomed in Clegane's Keep."
"Thank you."
Tears were close to rolling down her cheeks, but they only began to in earnest when she came to hug her mother. Abigail held her close and told her:
"I love you."
"I know. I love you too, mom."
They moved apart, but not before Abigail had kissed Clarke's cheek. Clarke gave them all one last look before she turned around and walked toward Lexa. She tried to brush her tears away, but it didn't seem to work, not until she joined Lexa near her dragon, and Lexa removed the tears from her.
"Are you ready, Yer Jalan Atthirari Anni?"
Clarke smiled and nodded. Lexa placed a kiss on her humid cheeks and let go of her just long enough to climb on Rhaegal. She held out a hand for Clarke to take, and helped her climb atop the enormous reptile.
"I would advice you hold on tight."
Clarke did as she was instructed, hugging Lexa like she would never let her go. Rhaegal roared once, and Clarke looked back at her family once before he flew off toward her new home.
A/N: Hi guys! I hope you liked this story! Yes, this is the end, but if you want more, fear not, I'm already working on a prequel, it's just going to take me quite some time to rewatch the entire show from season 2 onwards, especially since I'm going to be pretty busy this week. So in the meantime, if you want to read something else from me, I posted a thing on Wattpad almost a month ago (I don't know how to describe it. It's not a short story but it's also the longuest prologue ever...) It's wathever. It's a fiction, it's from me, so if you like my writing style you should check it out. It's called A Wanderer's Last Quest, under the same pen name I use here, WhiteravenGreywolf, it's on Wattpad.
Alright, now I would like to thank everyone who's reviewed, followed and favortied the story, and obviously everyone who's read it till the end! So, thank you to Tsuki-HimeDarknessSamuraiYuri for leaving a review! Thank you to B00F21, Beast94, Graymar1, Morbid Crow, Silchas, Tsuki-HimeDarknessSamuraiYuri, anlef, candu and noble117 for following the story! Thank you to B00F21, Graymar1, Silchas, SupergodzillaSailorCosmos, Tsuki-HimeDarknessSamuraiYuri, anlef, candu and noble117 for favoriting the story!
Well, once again, I hope you liked the story, and I hope to see you soon!
