The branding process was quick. Clarke was unwilling to cause any sort of pain to her friends, and so, once her knife was glowing in the flame, she pressed it twice into Lincoln and Octavia's foreheads, leaving small crosses directly in the center before immediately pulling away, as if she as well were the one burned.
"I guess no symbol would be more apropos for a healer," Marcus joked quietly as Clarke immediately set to work making a paste out of some of the herbs she always carried with her to rub on the burns. Both Lincoln and Octavia were remarkably stoic, hardly grunting as she had pressed the blade to their faces, and Clarke fought down the urge to vomit at the idea of what she had done.
"From now on, you will go by O, and L," she whispered as she rubbed their wounds. "You will stand by me, and provide me with advice and support should I ever need it."
"Your will be done," the newly dubbed L replied bowing his head while O simply stared at her, understanding shimmering in her eyes that made Clarke's chest ache as part of her wished she could go back to being hated.
"We need to move," Baldur announced as he suddenly appeared beside Clarke, making even Lincoln jump. Many of the former reapers Clarke lived with had quickly grown in skill when it came to stealth, as the threat of Clarke being injured should they be caught stealing or hunting too close to the city was an even greater motivator than when they were the ones who would suffer the punishment. Clarke elbowed him as he smirked at them, and he continued. "There are a group of warriors looking for you. It seems L was seen entering the city, and Heda has sent a party to find and capture him."
Nodding, Clarke turned to the shadows near the edge of the fire and spoke. "Echo, you and Isole need to get back to Polis so that you aren't seen with me. The rest of us will go out first and meet the hunting party."
There was a subtle shifting in the shadows, telling Clarke that both women understood what she was asking of them before she turned and held out a hand to O and L, who both accepted her help and stood up beside her.
"Don't worry," O reassured her. "We'll wear them with pride."
"I'd rather you didn't wear them at all," Clarke muttered as she led the way up the stairs towards the woods, squinting in the early morning light as she avoided Raven's accusatory glare.
"It is what it is."
It didn't take long for them to find the group Lexa had sent out to find them. To Clarke's surprise, Indra was the one leading the group, and she instinctively reached down to grab O's hand when she saw the look of rage on the general's face.
"I should have known you would be where he was," Indra said lowly.
"Can I help you, General?" Clarke asked as she stepped forward, firmly placing herself between Indra's group and the others while Juno lumbered over to stand with her.
"I have orders to bring Linkon and Oktevia kom Skaikru before Heda where they will be judged and executed for treason."
"The people you're looking for no longer exist, General," L said as he stepped forward, the small cross on his forehead distinctive in the morning sun filtering through the trees.
Indra's eyes widened before her face twisted in fury. "You've gone too far this time, Wanheda. The Commander will have your head for this betrayal."
Clarke's eyes narrowed as she walked towards the woman, ignoring the warriors behind her taking cautious steps backwards while Indra subconsciously swallowed in discomfort at the cold fire roaring in the Sky Girl's eyes.
"Your people would know all about that, wouldn't they, Indra?" Clarke muttered lowly. "Tell me, do your warriors tell stories of you around the fire? Do they talk about the mighty Indra kom Trikru, greatest of generals, and wisest of teachers? The woman who could take a simpering child from the sky, and turn her into a fierce warrior with only a few weeks of instruction? Do they talk of how you took the girl as a Second, only to force her to decide between her teacher and her brother? Do they talk of how you left her within the bowels of a beast that haunted your people for generations? How the great general turned tail and fled as soon as she was given permission, ignoring the supposedly sacred bond a First has with their Second?"
"You dare –" Indra hissed, sweat beading on her forehead. Somehow, in the months since Mount Weather, the Sky Girl had become even more overwhelming with her sheer presence alone.
"Tell me, Indra, had I not burned the Mountain Men with a mere flick of my wrist; had I failed to save my people, what would you have done once you had returned to TonDC? How would you have stopped the enemy when they became able of leaving their fortress without fear of being hurt? How would you have stopped your people from being hunted all over again as they decided to claim more and more of your land?" Taking another step forward, Clarke smirked in victory when Indra took a one back. "O and L have devoted themselves to me, as is clear by the brands they wear with pride. If your Commander wants so badly to see them, she knows where she can find me." Without another word, Clarke spun in place and started marching back towards Polis. O, L, and the others followed her in shocked silence. They had all seen Clarke's ability to stand up to the leaders on the ground before, but now, there was a weight to her presence that wasn't related to the monstrous bear at her side. As L watched her enter the old warehouse and slouch against the Forest Mother, he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that they had just felt an inkling of the weight of nearly a thousand lives that threatened to crush his new master every second of every day.
*(OoO)*
Lexa waved off her guard as she was forced to a stop at the entrance to Clarke's home by two familiar faces bearing marks on their forehead.
"So it is true," she muttered as Lincoln used his impressive frame to block her way.
"There are no weapons permitted in here, Heda," he said respectfully.
"So I've been told," Lexa replied coolly as she waved off her guards with the instruction to wait outside while removing her sword from her belt. Unfortunately, her way remained blocked as Octavia seemed to pluck up her courage and face the Commander.
"We can't allow you entrance until you've taken off all of your weapons, Heda."
Hiding her growing frustration, Lexa shed her long coat before removing the twin sashes of throwing knives wrapped around her torso, followed by the knives strapped to her forearms and boots, and lastly the small blade woven into her braids. Finally, she was granted entrance, and Lincoln directed her to a small room towards the back of the massive building. Walking through the building, Lexa was unnerved at the fact that some people did little more than nod to acknowledge her presence, while others ignored her altogether. Entering the room at the back, Lexa forgot whatever was on her mind as she stumbled across a fitfully sleeping Clarke, shaking in her bead as she mumbled in fright.
"I'm sorry," she called. "Please! I'm sorry!"
Dashing across the room, Lexa moved on instinct as she sat on the bed and pulled Clarke to her, stroking her hand through blonde tresses as she whispered soft reassurances in her ear. She kept her grip strong as Clarke's whimpering died down, and gently repositioned the girl so that she could lay on her back with Clarke's ear against her chest. As she held her, Lexa looked around the room, taking in the various medicines and notes along the walls, as well as multitude of drawings, more than one of which of her. Finally, her eyes fell on the Forest Mother, curled up on the other end of the room, watching her warily. She could see the silent warning in the spirit's eyes and nodded in acknowledgement as she continued to stroke Clarke's hair.
She could tell when Clarke had awoken by the tension returning through her body, even as she attempted to bury herself even further in Lexa's embrace. Lexa said nothing as she took several deep, shuddering breaths before pushing herself away, hiding her wince as one of the cuts on her body stretched.
"Why do you insist on taking the punishments for them?" Lexa asked quietly.
"Because I can bear it," Clarke replied, not looking her way as she shed her shirt and reached for another, revealing several slashes along her skin in varying states of healing. "You already know how I feel about your people's system of crime and punishment."
"So you allow criminals to go unpunished as some form of protest?"
"Seeing her in pain is punishment enough, Heda," a voice said as a truly massive, bearded man entered the small room. "Fisa Klark, may bear the physical pain, but we all hurt whenever she accepts the cuts."
Clarke smiled and embraced the man. "How are the repairs going, Graham?"
"The last of the holes should be filled by the end of the week," Graham replied.
"That's good. Could you find Hudson and tell him I'd like him to accompany me to Hieri's? I was hoping he could help me with teaching Lindo."
"It will be done," Graham said before nodding to her and tossing a piece of fish over to Juno, who caught it out of the air and started lazily eating.
"You are a teacher now as well?" Lexa asked, as Clarke inspected her various herbs and supplies before setting to work packing a bag.
"Without his leg, Lindo won't be able to help Hieri as much on the farm. That doesn't mean he's useless, though."
"How so? He won't be able to work, or fight, or hunt. How will he provide for himself and his family?"
"There's plenty he can do with only one leg," Clarke countered. "Among other things, I plan on getting him started with learning to read and write, as well as counting. As for fighting, isn't that what you and your army are for? Defending those unable to defend themselves?"
"Fair point," Lexa conceded.
Her bag packed, Clarke turned to face Lexa, and for the first time her expression was unguarded – or not as guarded as it normally was, in any case – as she seemed to stare right through all of Lexa's defenses.
"Why are you here, Lexa?" She asked.
"Indra came to me, early this morning," Lexa began, only to be interrupted as Clarke's own walls came back up and she rolled her eyes while turning away.
"You've seen their brands, Commander. O and L are with me."
"Many would see this as a coward's method of avoiding death," Lexa challenged as she rose to her feet and followed Clarke outside.
"I honestly don't care," Clarke replied with a weary sigh. "That being said, so long as you're here, there are people here who would like to meet with you."
Lexa followed Clarke to a far corner of the large warehouse, where several sky people were sitting around a small fire.
"Marcus Kane," Lexa greeted as the man sprang to his feet.
"Commander, thank you for providing us with safe haven within your city," Marcus said as he bowed to her.
"I have done no such thing," Lexa replied, taking note of the flashes of panic on all of their faces. "Though I am not above doing it now."
"But Clarke said she vouched for us," one of the boys said, his somewhat slanted eyes wide with fear.
"Then you are under her protection, not my own," Lexa said evenly.
"I see," Marcus said slowly. "Be that as it may, we've come with dire news from Arkadia."
Lexa turned to Clarke, only to find that she had seemingly already left. Containing a sigh of frustration, she turned back to Marcus and gestured for him to continue. News of the Sky People reclaiming Mount Weather under the influence of the one they called Pike made Lexa's blood run cold. She could still remember the heat from the missile that had been launched at TonDC.
"Luckily, Raven was able to disable the missiles before we left," Marcus said. "And the acid fog was permanently neutralized by Bellamy during his infiltration."
"And the facilities with which the Maunon turned my people into ripas?" Lexa asked.
"When we tried to go inside, we found all the entrances into that section of the mountain locked down," Marcus explained. "When they finally got through, the entire facility had been set on fire. We were forced to abandon it, as it was unsafe. We have no idea who would have done it, though."
"That was Fisa Klark," Baldur said as he walked over. "She told us of her self-imposed exile. According to her, the first place she went was Mount Weather, where she destroyed any remaining evidence of the experiments that turned us into monsters while burning the last of the red."
"I see," Marcus replied. "Well, I suppose she did us all a service in the long run."
"I'm not sure what it is you expect me to do, Marcus of the Sky," Lexa said after a long moment. "If the Skaikru are going to become a threat, they will need to be dealt with."
"I've come to ask that you keep in mind that the actions of a few individuals don't reflect the thoughts of us all," Marcus explained. "Enough innocent blood has been shed already."
"You're wasting your breath, Kane," the one Lexa knew to be called Raven sneered. "She's the one Clarke learned everything she knew about slaughtering people from. Right down to abandoning those that need her."
"You'd do well to watch your tongue, Sky Girl," Baldur growled as a tension suddenly fell upon them and everyone within the warehouse stopped what they were doing to glare at them. "Fisa Klark has vouched for you – taken you under her protection. Despite the fact that each of your faces bring the kripas she battles to the surface, she and Trimani Nomon have sworn to keep you safe in this city of snakes and politicians while you seek Heda's counsel."
Raven seemed to settle for the time being and Lexa turned back to Marcus. "I well send word to TonDC and the surrounding villages to be vigilant of any hostilities," she offered. "But you know as well as I do how my people handle those that attack us."
"I understand," Marcus said tiredly. "Thank you, Commander."
Lexa nodded and made her way to the door where her guards were waiting. Deciding to take care of some her less pressing duties until Clarke returned from her work around the city, she quietly entered the lower floor of the Tower, and made her way to the Hall of Memories. Inside the massive room, piles upon piles of tomes and scrolls from the Old World covered the floor. Generations of Commanders and Flame Keepers had slowly tried to make their way through the accumulated knowledge from Before, sorting them based on their utility. However the process was slow-going and not even a single shelf had yet to be filled. Lexa herself had only contributed a single volume to the collection: a thin tome, presumably for children, about a conflict between two peoples concerning which side of their bread on which they preferred to spread butter. Suffice to say, she had decided to find a better way to spend her time since then.
Lighting a candle, Lexa grabbed a random text and pretended to read it for several hours, her mind wandering as she considered how drastically her life had changed since a certain girl with hair like the sun had literally fallen into her life. Eventually, she knew she could put things off no longer, and stood, blowing out her candle before rejoining her guards outside. The sun was well on its way towards the horizon, and lit the sky with a blaze of pinks and violets. The air was considerably cooler as she made her way back towards the warehouse near the outskirts of her city. She had no idea that the conditions within Polis could be so deplorable, with several of the buildings missing roofs, or being little more than a skeletal husk supporting a tent. She did notice, however, that there was evidence of repairs on several of them, and figured that a certain Princess was responsible for that as well.
Removing her weapons with a scowl, Lexa instructed her guards to wait outside as she entered the warehouse and was met by the sound of singing and laughing from all over. It warmed her heart to see those the most haunted by the Mountain Men able to smile and enjoy themselves from time to time as she walked through the building towards the room in the back, nodding to several of those who greeted her on the way. Upon reaching the room in which Clarke slept, she knocked on the door and entered without a word. She found Clarke inside, leaning against the Forest Mother as she sketched on a piece of paper propped against her knees.
Maintaining her silence, Lexa took a seat on Clarke's bed and merely watched her. Taking her time, she carefully etched every detail of the girl sitting before her into her mind's eye as she continued with her drawing. Eventually, Lexa sighed, and turned her attention towards the wall opposite her as she spoke.
"I never ordered a party to go after Lincoln."
Clarke frowned and lowered her pad to the ground beside her as she examined Lexa with a critical eye. "What do you mean?"
"I only learned that Lincoln had been spotted within Polis when Indra came to me after her confrontation with you." Lexa smirked slightly. "She was rather disturbed, caught between shame and rage as she told me what happened."
"Nothing I said was false," Clarke replied.
"No, but you applying the brand to O and L has angered more than a few people."
"As I said, I don't care. Lincoln and Octavia no longer exist, your people got their pound of flesh."
"Pound of flesh?" Lexa repeated, confusion evident.
"It's an expression," Clarke explained. "It means something that is strictly or legally required, but is ruthless or inhuman to demand. It's from a classic from the Old World. Though from what I've seen, I wouldn't be surprised if your people used it as punishment for not screaming loud enough in a fight or something."
"I've told you, Clarke, our ways ensure our survival," Lexa said, fighting to stay calm. "Blood must have blood."
"You know there was a saying like that in the Old World as well."
"Is that so?"
"An eye for an eye."
"It seems even they understood how things worked down here," Lexa said, a hint of smugness tingeing her voice. "If someone were to take your eye, it would only be right you take his."
"Until his brother demands your brother's eye, and your brother's wife demands that of his brother's child, and so on and so forth," Clarke countered. "That's why the actual saying is 'an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind'. Jus drein jus daun is nothing more than an excuse to justify revenge while others clamor to be able to watch. It glorifies violence, and you know it. If you didn't, the Ice Nation would never be part of the Coalition."
Lexa froze as she considered what Clarke was saying. Eventually, she sighed and set it aside to address the issue she had come there to discuss.
"Come to tomorrow's meeting," she said, as close to pleading as she could manage.
"No," Clarke replied coolly. The silence was tense as they stared each other down before Clarke sighed and averted her gaze. "I love these people, Lexa. Not just my family inside this warehouse, but the ones I go out to see every day. They took me in, and gave me a second chance. In return, I do what I can to ease their pain, cure their sicknesses, and keep them healthy. "
"If you love them as I do," Lexa began. "Then join me –" She was interrupted when Clarke pressed a pale finger to her lips.
"I can't do that, Lexa."
"Why are you so adamant in your refusal?" Lexa demanded as Clarke turned around. Her patience for this dance was wearing thin. Her position may demand it of her, but she was still a warrior. She'd rather spar with swords, rather than words. "You have the potential to accomplish so much –" She was cut off once more, only this time it was by a fist cracking against her jaw with surprising speed and force.
"Don't think you can manipulate me like one of your generals or ambassadors, Commander," Clarke hissed furiously, cold flames shining in her eyes. "It won't work a second time."
"A second time?" Lexa asked carefully.
"Have you forgotten already?" Clarke demanded. "Leaving me alone in that mountain as you turned your back and walked away."
"No," Lexa replied softly. "I remember."
"So, knowing that, did you really think I wouldn't see through your actions?"
"I wasn't trying to –" She was cut off once again as another fist came flying her way. She was getting rather tired of being punched.
"That's bullshit and you know it!" Clarke roared. "Don't you get it? I don't trust you on any level! Not politically! Not professionally! And especially not personally!"
"Is this about me kissing you?" Lexa asked cautiously. Not only was she wary of the unbridled rage rolling off of Clarke, but she was suddenly becoming very aware of the six-foot tall bear standing not five feet from them as well.
"This is about you telling me you care about me, and then leaving me when I needed you most!" Clarke screamed.
"Clarke," Lexa said softly. "I did what I had to –"
"You and I both know that's not what I'm talking about! This isn't about you doing what was right for your people, because I get that! I do! Hell, this isn't even about you going behind my back – even though I probably would have agreed with you – because I get that! This is about you giving me hope and taking it away! This is about you making me think that, one day, I could be happy! Away from the killing and the constant struggle to survive. That I deserved to be happy, when you had no right!"
Lexa was ready for it this time, and caught the wildly flailing limb as she brought Clarke close to herself.
"Clarke," she whispered. "I'm sorry…" She trailed off as she knew there was nothing else she could say. She realised her mistake, though, when Clarke stiffened and looked up at her, somehow angrier than before.
"NO!" She thundered. "You don't get to apologize! You're the Commander of an entire people! You don't get that luxury!" Lexa nodded stiffly, schooling her features as she did so. She deserved everything Clarke had to say, not for the betrayal, like the blonde said, but for toying with this beautiful creature's emotions in the midst of a war where anything can happen without a moment's notice. "Now, after having finally put together a life for myself and starting to work through some of my issues, you're trying to manipulate me into throwing it all away and you won't even tell me why!"
"Well, what do you want me to do?" Lexa demanded, cringing internally as she became defensive. Clarke was justified in her anger, yet Lexa still couldn't stop herself from being on edge whenever the other girl saw through her.
"I need you to be honest with me, Lexa." She said quietly, the fight leaving her voice. "What do you really need of me?"
Lexa sighed and ran a hand over her chocolate braids. "Politically, professionally, or personally?"
"Start with why it's so important I attend the meeting tomorrow."
"There are growing tensions between the Clans. The Ice Queen is looking to start a war, and killing you would be the perfect spark to ignite the flames of battle. On top of that, the other clans are wary of the Sky People colonising Mount Weather. They fear your people will become the next Mountain Men. I need you to help ease tensions between the Coalition and the Skaikru. I need the Ice Nation to see that not only am I not afraid of you, but that I have your support. You're actions both before and after the Mountain have made you a legend among our people. They respect and love you for your warm and caring attitude –something we are not accustomed to seeing in one such as yourself- while simultaneously fearing your wrath and prowess on the battlefield. I need the one who felled our greatest foe to stand by me, especially when the Forest Mother, matron spirit of my clan, has chosen to watch over you."
Clarke swallowed as she listened to Lexa's heartfelt words, trusting their logic more than their sincerity.
"Everyone in Polis knows of you by now," Lexa continued. "Not just for your exploits in battle, but for the kindness and care you show for all people, regardless of rank or station. Many of them already look to you as a sort of day-to-day leader, second only to me. They come to you with their problems looking for guidance, and you show them time and time again that you are more than willing to provide it." She paused and made sure she wore none of the masks she usually did as she tried to speak her next words as earnestly as possible. "You owe these people nothing, and it is not fair of me to ask you, but I need you to be that leader for them."
Clarke said nothing as she turned away and walked back towards the city, considering Lexa's words. She had meant it when she said that she knew nothing was more important to Lexa than her people. Clan didn't matter to the Commander, everyone was her people, and the more she watched them and lived with them, the more Clarke saw them as her people too. She sighed and allowed her gaze to fall on the city stretched out before her and found herself coming to a decision; she loved these people too much to not want peace, but as they approached the gates to the city, her distrust forced her to turn and stare at the Commander once more.
"Alright," She said. "I'll help you."
A/N: So, things are starting to get moving now that I've got some of the setup done, we can get to work on Clarke diving back into her role as a leader, albeit unwillingly, as well as her and Lexa working through some of their issues. Hopefully, you guys like it and tell me what you think! Ta ta for now!
