It was still dark when Clarke awoke, a soft heaviness in her head from the flowing wine of the previous night. Her lover was still deep in sleep, buried in the fur quilt that fended off the cold air through these long, winter nights.

Clarke carefully slipped out from under the covers and moved silently across the room, shutting the door gently at her back. She squinted into the darkness and stifled a yawn as a young attending woman appeared like an apparition from the servants quarters.

"Wanheda," she whispered, dipping her head respectfully. "Can I help you with anything?"

Clarke politely requested for a bath be prepared, knowing that the steaming water would soon wash away any remnants of last nights festivities. The dark haired woman nodded and hurried away to dutifully complete her task.

A steaming hot tub of water was soon tempting Clarke into its depths and she thanked the women for her assistance before gratefully sinking into the luxurious heat. It was barely light outside, the suns rays a faint glimmer in the sky as they began to challenge the dominating darkness.

Resting her head back, she let the heat get to work on releasing the knotted tension in her muscles. It was just what was needed. A light sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and let her mind wander freely. Her primary focus these days was the dream unfolding before her - the upcoming marriage to her lover. In less than a week they would take part in a formal ceremony to express their love for each other. It was aa dream becoming reality.

Overwhelming adoration filled her for the stoic leader, a woman who had saved her in so many ways. It would be an event like no other. Lexa had insisted on arranging everything to perfection, allowing Clarke to merely relax and enjoy the occasion. She didn't mind this, but was determined to surprise the Commander with a thoughtful gift, although she was yet to decide on something meaningful.

Clarke drew herself out of the tub once the water began to cool, drying quickly and changing into fresh clothes. It was still early, but she found it refreshing to be awake before the rest of the world, only a brief time before the ensuing madness could catch up with you.

She retreated to her old room so as not to wake her lover. It had minimal contents, comparatively sparse now that most of her belongings had been moved into the Commanders chambers. The only visible sign of occupancy was the large table by the window which acted as a work station, filled with any scrolls and documents that were in need of reviewing.

A sketchpad rested on the table where she had left it the previous evening, a slip of paper marking the page that had been left incomplete. Clarke tucked her legs underneath her and used the faint light of the rising sun to illuminate the current project.

It was an idea that Lexa had proposed; to combine the two symbols of their clans into a meaningful depiction of unity.

Clarke had been intrigued by the prospect and had since been testing multiple designs, some more successful than others. The challenge was in making the two symbols merge almost seamlessly whilst still being able to identify them for their individual meaning. A taxing challenge to most, but a welcome one to an enthusiastic artist.

Clarke worked the charcoal pencil along the page, smudging lines with fine precision and extending others as the intricate image in her mind came to life on the paper. Time passed almost unnoticed as the woman became increasingly engrossed in the project, her head bent over the sketchbook as she concentrated on the careful pencil strokes and flourishes that made all the difference upon close inspection.

The creation continued to grow as the sun rose higher and a more intense light streamed in through the large window on the far wall. It signaled the beginning of the day and Clarke made her way back to their shared chamber to check on her lover, clutching the sketchpad lightly in one hand.

The door shut with a click as she entered, easing the Commander out of her slumber. Still half asleep, the brunette reached out an arm to the other side of the bed, eyes cracking open when the warm body wasn't where she expected.

"Clarke?" she murmured, lifting her head to locate the other woman, a crease of concern already visible in her expression.

"I'm here"' the blonde woman replied with a smile, gently carrying the sketchbook to the bed, taking care not to crease the pages.

"Where have you been?" Lexa proceeded to stifle a yawn and propped herself up on one elbow to better see her lover. The blonde hid a smile at how cute the fearsome Commander could appear first thing in the morning. Quite the contrast with her usual image presented to her subjects.

"Working on a special project," Clarke said proudly, unable to stop the smile infecting her features as she perched on the bed and displayed the artwork for her lover.

Lexa was in awe of the design, lightly hovering a finger over the detailed depiction of the Trikru tree roots that enveloped the circular shape of the ark. "It's perfect."

They admired the artwork for a moment longer until the brunette snaked an arm around the blondes waist and planted a small kiss against her neck. "There's something I've been meaning to speak to you about."

Clarke leant into the touch and hummed a response.

"As a wedding gift, I would be honored if you would accept a tattoo, one that will symbolize unity of our people and marriage."

Tattoo's in Grounder culture existed as a way of identifying an individuals clan, achievements and culture. They could be personal and meaningful, with some expressing their whole lives through the art.

Clarke could not think of a better way to celebrate their marriage. "That would be incredible, what would I..."

She smiled after a short hesitation and dropped her gaze to the artwork in her lap. This had been in the making for months.

"None could have designed it better than you," Lexa offered, resting her head on the blonde's shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"Now?" Clarke intoned, although she had nowhere else to be.

"Why wait?"

Four hours later and the tattoo was in place, situated on the back of Clarkes neck in the traditional manner to demonstrate her clan allegiance. She had been urged to take a break half way to which she had relented, but she refused to postpone it until the next day, gritting her teeth and suffering through the needlestick pain as it pierced the skin repetitively.

It had been more bearable with her lover present, although Lexa had been more amused with anything that the woman was discussing formal politics of their clans throughout the process to occupy her mind. It had been enlightening all the same and they had proceeded to discuss how Skaikru's recent endeavors with self-sufficiency could improve practice's within other clans.

As important as the conversation was, Clarke was relieved when the process was finally finished, and stared with wide eyes at the final piece that was reflected to her in a mirror.

"It's perfect."

The dark ink held more than words could express, a symbol of both their personal and collective journey as two clans. It was a step forwards, a unity that would change the future of the alliance for the better. At least that was the intended message, it was yet to be seen whether the clans themselves would continue to maintain the state of current peace. It was an optimistic thought.

Clarke found herself floating through Polis tower that afternoon, her new tattoo dressed and cleaned as she eagerly attempted to find an activity to occupy her.

"I should have more responsibility here in Polis, especially once we are married. I understand the system here now, I could help you with duties!"

Lexa clasped the armbands into place as she listened intently, dressing into her more formal attire to commence the Audience with her subjects. It was not a task she enjoyed, but one that was necessary to maintain peace within her land.

"You have been sparring with the Natblida, and been involved in many vital decisions with me."

Clarke scoffed, turning on her heel with a raised eyebrow. "I am no match for the nightbloods, it is more my training than theirs!"

The woman was clearly unsettled with her contribution to the never ending duties within Polis and Lexa grasped the blondes arm as she swept by on yet another lap of the room to pull her close.

"Listen to me, you are not obliged to carry the weight of the alliance on your shoulders. It is a duty that I have been committed to for a long time. Believe me, it is not a simple endeavor but it is one that I have become accustomed to."

Clarke frowned and opened her mouth to argue but she was quickly hushed as the Commander continued with her speech.

"However, if it is more responsibility that you are looking for then we can easily arrange something. There are several important documents that need assessing and reviewing, you would be saving me precious time if you could start this for me?"

Nodding without hesitation, the blonde was eager to begin her task. "I want to help as much as possible, especially now that you have our wedding to organize."

Lexa kissed the woman's head before retreating to pull on a dark pair of boots. She would not be late to begin the Audience. "I will send Indra to guide you through the documents, I will be back soon."

It was an optimistic statement. Sometimes the event could drag out for a whole day if people's grievances could not be settled in a timely fashion. Clarke hoped that it would not be long, it was a draining task for everyone involved.

Indra arrived shortly after the Commander's departure, skeptical and irritable in equal measures at being summoned. Her description was detailed and thorough, dropping a mountain of scrolls on the table before demonstrating the quickest technique of combing through the relevant information. There was no fond farewell when she left, not that Clarke had expected one. The powerful warrior had a lot to contend with as War Chief, organizing her soldiers and expeditions over the land.

There was no time to waste and Clarke got stuck into the tedious task, grasping the first scroll on top of the pile and flicking her gaze over the scrawled words and drawings. The scrolls were filled with a variety of information, many were official documents sent from throughout the land detailing village progress and updated maps. Others contained information on warrior deployment or inventory of supplies.

Clarke allowed herself to relax back into the chair almost an hour after beginning the tedious task, playing with the long sleeve of her shirt through her thumb and index finger absentmindedly as, not for the first time, she considered whether this was truly how her time in the city would be best spent. Regardless of the current peace, sitting and pondering the subject was not going to get anything done.

The blonde woman sighed and shuffled her chair closer to the table, spreading the two scrolls in question out before her to continue making the careful comparisons between them. She had to remain focused to avoid missing important details. She was almost three quarters of the way through the arduous task when the door opened, so quiet the entrance that it almost went unnoticed by the woman focusing so intently on her work.

Clarke's head lifted at the soft click of the door shutting and Lexa approached almost silently over the partially carpeted floor.

"How did it go?" the blonde inquired, noting that the tight expression that resided on Lexa's face. The Commander's return was a welcome distraction from the array of scrolls laid out on the table, as well as her own personal conflict about her contribution to the city. Such a job was normally distributed to those trained in administration, however certain documents were for the Commander's eyes only.

"As well as can be expected," Lexa replied vaguely, hurriedly changing out of the formal attire into something more comfortable. "The same people complaining about the same problems."

The Commander eventually drew up a chair on the opposite side of the table, relaxing back against the wooden support as she momentarily distracted herself from the endless list of woes that her people presented with.

Over the hour or so that Clarke had been pouring over the paperwork, her thoughts had not yet stopped circling the concept of her role in the alliance and she did not want to delay speaking further on the matter.

"Perhaps I could come with you next time, to offer any advice or take over on the more trivial matters that are presented?"

It wasn't beyond reason that she could help to resolve disputes over a stolen chicken, an accurate example of some of the complaints that reached the Throne Room. It could not be denied that severe issues did of course reach the Commanders attention, however it was always surprising what some people deemed to be of relevance for these events.

"We could arrange something. Don't worry, I will have you working endlessly throughout the city if that is your desire," Lexa teased, although her voice was tinged with fatigue after the onslaught of subjects demanding her firm hand of consequence.

Not wanting the paperwork to extend into the evening, Clarke returned her attention to the scrolls, glancing up in surprise when Lexa retrieved the closest two and slid them over the table towards her.

"We will be finished twice as fast," Lexa explained, already working her eyes over the text. There was no use arguing, she would not be deterred. She was also correct, and barely an hour later they were almost done, eager to retire for the evening and schedule events for the following day.

Lexa stretched back in her chair as she made the final adjustments to the scroll in front of her, looking up at the blonde in time to see the deep frown crease across her forehead as she hovered a hand over the black ink.

"Is something wrong?"

Clarke double checked the entry, ensuring that she was reading it correctly.

"Lincoln has been redeployed,' she finally said, finding that her eyes were not deceiving her. "To Azgeda territory."

Lexa nodded slowly, not surprised by the decision.

"It would make sense, he's skilled in communication and we don't need any hostility flaring up with the Ice Nation."

The logic may have been sound, but it still wasn't good news for Octavia.

"That's not just a short walk away and Octavia would have to remain here as Indra's second."

"It won't be forever," Lexa reasoned, "Virtually every warrior has loved ones Clarke. Family, friends, a lover. They all make sacrifices and we cannot show leniency to a select few."

"I know,' Clarke said with a defeated sigh, not having expected anything more. "Octavia might not take it well though."

Lexa stood, her chair scraping sharply in the silence, reaching down to neatly place the scrolls into an ordered pile. They both knew all to well how volcanic Octavia could be if she felt that she had been wronged.

"That's a problem for tomorrow. I'm sure she will understand. In the meantime we should discuss your responsibilities here in Polis."

Clarke wasn't as certain. The hot headed warrior could take the news either way, though the blonde knew how devastated she would feel if it were Lexa going to the distant reaches of Ice Nation territory without any idea when she might return.

Shaking her head free of such thoughts, she gathered the completed scrolls together alongside Lexa's and decided that her lover was right, it was a problem for tomorrow, and they had discussions of their own to resolve.

Thank you for reading the chapter! I hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought in the comments. I really appreciate your support! :D New chapters will be uploaded soon, many have been written in advance so will be update more regularly.

I am pleased to say that I have also been working on a second story in sequel to Guardian's of Light, I had an unexpected bout of inspiration and have been updating chapters to release. It delayed this story slightly but I have several chapters ready to be published, thanks for your patience :)