Clarke is sitting in Lexa's room just relaxing with the young leader. Lexa had fallen asleep some time ago and Clarke had found herself drawing her looking so tranquil.
Clarke looks up during her sketch at the sound of Lexa mumbling in her sleep and she smiles wondering what she is dreaming of. All of a sudden the brunette jumps and startles awake eyes wild as she looks around. Clarke quickly abandons her sketches and moves to comfort Lexa.
"Hey, it's okay it was just a dream, you're safe." Clarke tries to comfort her as best she can.
"That wasn't a dream." Lexa states breathing deeply to try and calm herself.
"What was it then?"
"I can hear the voices of the other Commanders that came before me and they tell me things or give me warnings of things to come."
Clarke laces her hands with Lexa's giving it a firm and reassuring squeeze. "What did they tell you?"
"Wanheda is near." Lexa shudders at the name.
"The Commander of death?" Clarke questions and at any other time Lexa would be proud of Clarke's progress with trigedasleng but for now she's just trying to get her heart rate under control.
"Yes, the Commander of death."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know, sometimes they are vague messages that serve as a warning and nothing else."
Lexa stands from her place on the couch, she's overwhelmed by the message from the other Commanders and Clarke's proximity. Looking over to where Clarke was seated she sees papers on the floor and picks them up. The first piece of paper is a drawing of her and she turns to look at Clarke.
"You drew me?" she asks her eyes running over the image once again.
Clarke is on her feet taking the papers out of Lexa's hands before she can see the rest of them. "it.. it's not done yet." she stammers.
Lexa simply smiles at her. "You're very talented Clarke, I anticipate the finished product."
Clarke blushes slightly and is spared a response as there's a knock at Lexa's door.
"Enter." she calls and the door is pushed open to reveal Titus, the fleimkapa and Lexa's most trusted advisor, he eyes Clarke for a moment before turning his attention to Lexa.
"I'm sorry Heda, I didn't know you were busy." He bows his head in respect.
"It is alright Titus, what is it?" Lexa responds.
"Ovrik is here and requests an audience with you, Heda."
"Let him know I will see him in the throne room."
"Sha Heda." Titus bows again before leaving the room.
Lexa turns back to Clarke with a small smile. "Duty calls."
Clarke nods her head. "I should probably go find Anya so we can practice a bit more before the hunt tomorrow."
"I will see you at the evening meal." Lexa says and Clarke nods once again before picking up her papers and leaving the room to find Anya.
Titus is not happy and Lexa knows he doesn't agree with her on this decision. He'd known what was happening as soon as Ovrik, Lexa's personal blacksmith, had arrived with a special order for her.
"I understand your displeasure, Titus, but my mind will not be changed." Lexa challenges his argument.
"Love is weakness, she will cloud your judgement, just like Costia." He snaps.
She knows what he is trying at but Costia is still a sore subject and Lexa loses her composure. "Do not talk about her!"
"You have a duty to your people!" Titus raises his voice in challenge.
"The Ice Nation tortured her, cut off her head and had it delivered to my bed!" Lexa roars. "I still let them into my coalition. I am more than capable of separating my feelings from duty!"
Titus shrinks back at her ire. "I am sorry Heda, I did not mean to offend you."
"Yes you did, Titus," Lexa speaks more calmly than before. "I know where you stand on the matter, but this is happening and I would hope you would be happy for me, teacher."
Titus let's out a deep sigh and finally relents. "I just worry about how losing her would affect you. We have come so far and you are special Heda, you deserve an equal."
"Clarke is my equal, my spirit feels it, Titus." Lexa defends. "She has been here for eight moons and she has survived so much. She has learned so much and she will continue to grow, her training will ensure her survival."
"If her spirit calls to yours, then I cannot find reason to argue." The elder finally gives in.
"Mochof Titus." Lexa thanks the man glad for his support.
The evening meal is finally over and everyone is retiring back to their quarters for the night.
Lexa accompanied by one of her guards makes her way down to Clarke's room in the tower. She'd been assigned that room as soon as she was well enough to travel to Polis and Anya had declared she wouldn't be a danger to Lexa. Even so Anya slept in the room directly across from Clarke and had her best guards assigned to watch the sky girl.
Holding the gift Ovrik had delivered in one hand, Lexa knocks on Clarke's door and waits till she hears a muffled "Come in." from the other side.
The guards open the door and Lexa walks in, only to stop in her tracks at seeing Clarke in a flowing blue nightgown, her hair freshly washed and the scent of fresh flowers, an indication of her recent bath, in the air. The girl is breathtaking and Lexa nearly fumbles on her entrance.
Clarke giggles at Lexa's stumbled entrance, not used to seeing the usually graceful and sure footed Commander falter in her steps. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, your beauty is just all encompassing at times." Clarke blushes at the compliment.
"Uhm, thank you." She manages through a shy smile. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"
Lexa pulls her hands from behind her back revealing an intricately carved box. "This is for you, for your hunt tomorrow." She says as she hands it over, her eyes not meeting Clarke's an indication to the blonde that there's more to this gift than meets the eye.
Clarke takes the box and sets it on her bed before opening it. Inside are two newly made daggers with ornately carved hilts and sheaths to hold them in.
"Lexa, these are beautiful thank you so much." Clarke says touched by the gesture.
"I know you have been looking forward to tomorrow for a long time and a hunter should always have their finest blades at the ready." Lexa is happy her voice managed to come out strong.
Clarke wraps her arms around Lexa and places a soft kiss on her cheek. Lexa quickly reciprocates the now familiar action.
They both pull away from the hug, although a bit hesitantly. "I hope they bring you success in your hunt."
"Thank you so much Lexa, this means a lot to me."
Lexa smiles slowly and Clarke can tell there's more she wants to say. She takes the leader by the hand and pulls her towards the bed and sits with her.
"What else is on your mind?" She asks her hand running softly over Lexa's forearm.
Lexa takes a deep breath enjoying Clarke's ministrations. "Well, as you know our spirits are connected," she pauses and looks into the depths of Clarke's eyes. "and I feel our connection has grown over the time we have spent together."
"I feel the same way." Clarke agrees.
"It is the way of our people to give gifts to express their interest in an intimate relationship with another person." Lexa continues on determined.
"So you're saying you want to be in a relationship with me?" Clarke asks.
Lexa nods. "Yes Clarke, I would like that very much. If it is what you wish as well."
Clarke raises her free hand to cup Lexa's cheek and leans in to kiss her. Both women lose themselves in the kiss only pulling away when air becomes a necessity.
"Yes that's absolutely what I want."Clarke answers before kissing Lexa again.
The two spend the night in Clarke's room, but don't go beyond kissing as neither want Clarke to miss out on her first hunt.
It's late in the day when the hunting party finally returns. Lexa is looking on at the gates from her tower as each member of the group that had gone out walk in with victorious grins on their faces, dragging or carrying in their kill.
Clarke is the last one to come in, dragging behind her a big black panther, with an excited smile on her face. The villagers all cheer for her and Anya pats her on the back as they make their way through the town center to the meat markets.
Once everything is settled the group splits off to get cleaned up before the evening celebrations. Clarke is bouncing with too much adrenaline and excitement from her first hunt to contain herself, she bursts into Lexa's room and plants a firm kiss on her lips.
"I take it the hunt went well then niron"
"It was amazing, so exhilarating and thanks to your gift, I managed to take down a panther." Clarke smiles before kissing Lexa again.
"After I get cleaned up we are so celebrating." she tells Lexa before leaving the room and going to the bathing chambers.
"If she gets so excited about her first kill with those daggers, I can't wait to see what she does when you give her the sword." Anya's amused voice pulls Lexa out if her daze.
"That is still awhile off for now." Lexa has to bite back a smile at the thought of having a binding ceremony with Clarke.
"Not too far off though." Anya counters and Lexa doesn't even deny it, because she knows that Clarke will someday be her houmon.
"How did she do on the hunt?" Lexa asks knowing that Anya would spare no details.
"You would have been proud she took all her training to heart and used all the instincts she learned," Anya praises, but Lexa knows there's more so she nods to her General as a sign for her to carry on. "The panther put up more of a fight than expected, it took her down and she somehow managed to get on her back in enough time to drive the daggers through it before the animal could maul her."
Lexa's heart clenched at the information but she holds her resolve. "What are her injuries?"
"Very minor there was a deep scratch to her shoulder, but she insisted it was nothing to worry about. I stopped by the healers on the way here to get some salve for the wound." Anya answers handing over a vial.
"Thank you, Anya." Lexa says sincerely and receives a rare smile from her stoic friend before she takes her leave.
Lexa makes her way to the bathing chambers and sees Clarke stepping out of the floral bath, she quickly averts her eyes from Clarke naked back.
"You're late if you were hoping to join me." Clarke teases and Lexa turns around to see the girl wrapped in a towel.
"I brought you something for your shoulder." Lexa responds lifting the vial.
"Anya told you didn't she?" Clarke asks with a raised brow. Lexa merely nods her head.
Clarke shakes her head and makes her way to her bedroom taking Lexa's hand on her way out. "You can help me apply it once I've dried off."
