Chapter 43:
Clarke pulled the trigger.
Her plan had worked. She was right to send her friends out Roan's escape hole in the tent to watch and react when Clarke made her move. She had then waited alone by the opening of the tent for the man to drag her out. Luckily in his haste he didn't stop to really look at the tent, he didn't notice that Clarke had put her sword back in her scabbard. It had taken every ounce of strength in her to not move before then, to not burst out of that tent and kill anyone close to Lexa. She had to wait; the moment had to be perfect if they were to get out alive.
She stared at Lexa while the Queen fell dead to the ground. Lexa had her war paint on but Clarke saw Lexa not Heda. Clarke smiled before she grabbed Lexa and pulled her to her side and Clarke raised her gun. She shot two warriors rushing at them. She felt instantly better with Lexa at her side. She heard Lexa kill one of the men rushing Clarke from behind saving her life. Clarke had her eyes peered out looking for any other threats. Shooting again and again as the warriors came at them and letting them fall to the ground in one shot each. The gun no longer felt heavy, it felt powerful as Clarke used it to defend her love and the people she cared about.
She watched as Roan and Lincoln fought side by side. She watched Roan kill three of his own people trying to help his new friends. She watched Bellamy reload and begin blasting his gun at the warriors charging them. She watched as he fended off a warrior who sliced his arm open, he knocked him down and shot him twice before moving on to the next. She saw Octavia appear and disappear as war cries came out of her mouth and warriors fell in her wake.
There were bodies falling everywhere. Lexa had picked up her sword, now carrying two and remaining at Clarke's side and watching Clarke's back. Clarke could feel her reaching out making sure Clarke was still there as she fought off the attackers. Clarke emptied her clip and dropped her gun letting it fall into the dirt she smiled. She took out her katana grabbed Lexa's shoulder and pulled her forward with her.
All they needed to do now was escape. Clarke looked around wildly, "We need to go, NOW!" She pulled Lexa along with her as they fought their way forward. Clarke didn't know which way to go. She hadn't been paying close enough attention, she never in a million years believed she'd get out of the camp alive.
"Clarke! This way," Lexa grabbed Clarke's free hand and pulled her left towards the darkness. "MOVE OUT!" Lexa ordered and Lincoln sounded the retreat on his horn.
Clarke looked back and stumbled, she felt Lexa's strong arms swing around her waist and hoist her up, "Run Clarke!"
And Clarke ran.
She held on tight to Lexa's hand the two running step for step into the night away from the fire, away from the warriors. She saw Lincoln and Octavia dash ahead of them. To her right was Bellamy breathing heavily and holding his right arm, she watched as he would turn and fire more shots at any Azgeda following them. Clarke saw other warriors flee into the woods to her left and right.
They ran until they found the horses. All of them breathing heavily as they mounted up. A few of them had to ride together. Lexa hopped up behind Clarke and spurred the horse further into the night not waiting for the others.
Clarke leaned back into Lexa on the horse. She felt Lexa lean in and hold her tighter. She felt Lexa's arm pull her close around the waist while the other controlled the horse. Clarke held on to the saddle with one hand and wove her other into Lexa's on her waist. Clarke could feel her breathing come back to normal and slowly their chests began to fall into sync with their breathing. She felt Lexa nuzzle into Clarke's neck and place soft kisses on her skin. Clarke smiled and squeezed Lexa's hand. She wanted nothing more to stop their fleeing and properly embrace her. She heard soft whispers escape Lexa's lips, soft promises that she'd never let Clarke go and that she loved her. Clarke was unsure if it was more to Clarke or herself.
She smiled until the moment she fell asleep in the rocking of the horse and Lexa's arms.
"Clarke, wake up."
Clarke opened her eyes. It was daylight. Lexa was still hanging on to her firmly, her breath on Clarke's neck. She placed a few soft kisses on her bare skin. Clarke looked around. There was no one around them, Clarke peered out realizing the sun was setting. They had rode through the night and into the next day. "We've stopped to camp, there's a cave Lincoln uses below us," Lexa whispered softly, her voice dripping with sleep.
Clarke nodded but made no movement. She was currently sitting in front of Lexa, resting her back into her chest breathing calmly and looking out over the most beautiful view. She could see for miles, she saw trees on trees rolling out before them, beyond she could see the river and beyond that the mountains of Azgeda. Clarke shivered as the memories of that night came flooding back.
She felt Lexa wrap both arms tight around her in a hug. She buried her face in her neck and Clarke's arms wove onto Lexa's around her. "I thought you were dead," Clarke whispered, now thinking of the dam, "when I saw you fall…a part of me went with you."
She felt Lexa nod against her neck, "I know what you mean. I too left a piece of me with you when I fell."
They remained like that as night fell before Lexa finally let go and led the steed back down from their perch. She dismounted and held out her hand for Clarke. Clarke hopped down and refused to let go of Lexa's hand. She needed to be touching her, she wasn't ready to let go, with everything that had happened she feared she'd never be ready. The thought both thrilled and terrified her in ways nothing else on this earth had as of yet. This was love. This wasn't the puppy love she had with Finn. This was real, risk it all for the one you love type shit, Clarke thought smiling as her heart filled with more love at the thought.
She followed Lexa into the cave where she found Bellamy, Lincoln, Octavia, Roan and few other members of the party that appeared to be injured. The rest must have been set on the perimeter on watch for Azgeda. Clarke pulled Lexa to the first injured woman and began helping her. She made her way to each person bringing Lexa in tow before heading to Bellamy. Clarke let Lexa hang back this time as Clarke went to look at his arm. He tried to shrug her off and she ignored him. She cleaned it and covered it for him before sitting down beside him.
"Thank you," he said.
Clarke nodded unsure of what to say. She hated Bellamy for what he had done. The foolish boy had almost gotten her killed. He had tried to make up for it but she wasn't sure it mattered anymore. Maybe it was too late? She looked up at Lexa. She had forgiven her. She had made the move to understand Lexa, to let go of her anger and hatred. Clarke looked at Bellamy. "I don't know how we come back from this, but I promise we can try."
He looked at her as she saw his eyes well up, "I'm so sorry Clarke. I really thought what we were doing was right…"
Clarke spoke up cutting him off, "some grounders are better than others I guess." She was staring dreamily at Lexa. "Your sister is a grounder Bellamy…I am a grounder. It can't be an us or a them if we want to survive." She shrugged and left him crossing to where Lexa was sitting she reached out her hand to help her up. She pulled Lexa to a corner of the cave not far from Lincoln and Octavia who were snuggled up under some furs.
Lexa pulled out a couple furs of her own from a pack on the ground that had been brought in from the horses. Clarke sat down as Lexa quickly fiddled with some wood and shavings and quickly struck a spark into a roaring little fire beside Clarke helping to break the chill of the night. Clarke laid the second fur over them both as Lexa snuggled in beside her, they leaned back together against the rock. They stayed silent for a few moments before she felt Lexa adjust and lean her head on Clarke's shoulder with a heavy sigh. Her hand slipped over to Clarke's thigh and lay still.
They sat in silence a while longer before Clarke felt Lexa go limp, she smoothly adjust herself as Lexa blinked up at her sleepily, "shhh, go back to sleep, I've got you." Clarke slipped her arm around Lexa and hugged her close allowing the girl to relax more fully into her. Clarke rubbed her back and stayed awake. She looked around. She was surprised to see Lexa acting so much like Lexa in the midst of all these people, typical her guard would have remained up. A small grin came to Clarke's face as she looked down at the beautiful angel. She stroked Lexa's hair off of her neck. It seemed that Lexa had simply given in to her feelings, dropping her guard and letting Clarke protect her tonight. Clarke put her hand on her side and hugged her closer as she placed a soft kiss on Lexa's head, "I love you," she whispered to the sleeping girl.