Disclaimer: I do not own The 100.
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Chapter 9: The Start of Phase Three
Clarke didn't sleep that night. Not because she was not with Lexa, (though that was a definite downside,) rather because her mind wouldn't stop racing long enough for her to drift off to sleep. She was raking her brain trying to figure out where and when she had seen Titus before. She had to have seen him somewhere before, in order for him to be staring in her dreams. How else would she be seeing him so vividly?
Your dreams were a way for a person to work through troubling things. The nature of the dream wasn't hard to figure out. People die around her. People she loved, people she cared for, people who helped her, and people who just were trying to survive the same as her. Death followed her wherever she went. Wanheda was a fitting title for her, even though the grounders viewed the name as a god send, instead of a curse. It was easy to realize that she was worried about getting Lexa killed.
There was a deeper meaning behind the dream though. It felt less like a dream, and more like when she would experience a sense of Deja vu. Even more so with the realization, that she had never met Titus before. An unsettling feeling settled deep in her stomach.
She longed to rise from her bed and go join Lexa in hers. She felt that having Lexa next to her, cuddling with her, would finally make her mind shut up. She forced herself to stay. Lexa had extended the offer for Clarke to join her, but chose to sleep in her own room. She wanted to be strong for Lexa. Clarke realized that she had begun to rely on Lexa just a little too much. She needed to learn how to sleep and deal with her dreams alone, so that she didn't fall apart when she was away from Lexa.
She was feeling much better than she had been. She was still nauseous, but that was a recurring feeling for her. She was also tired a lot more because of the nightmares that disrupted her sleep. She had to learn how to not show the effect of this when among other people. She had to give the appearance of being strong, even though she was feeling weak. Like she had after she killed Finn.
He had plagued her dreams then too. Hell he had haunted her while she was awake, but she didn't let it show. She had to be strong for her people and she was. Now she had to find the same strength, despite the people of the mountain haunting her dreams. She had to find a way to come to terms with what she did, so that she could move on. Maybe then, she would stop having these horrible dreams about Lexa.
She was desperate to stop those images. Each time she dreamt of Lexa dying, she could feel her heart ache more and more. She only wanted love in her heart for the woman. Not dread and remorse. Just love.
Alas, the images did play in her troubled mind, along with an array of new questions. Titus, being the biggest question of them. Who was he? What did he do for Lexa? Why would he want to kill her? Why would he think that killing her would make Lexa start a war? Why would he want to start a war? Where would she be going, and why was she being forced to leave?
Then there was the overwhelming feeling of dread settling in her chest. When she had the dreams in Ton DC, she always had Lexa lying next to her to reassure her that it was just a dream. There was no real threat to it, just her grief stricken mind manipulating her demons, and playing on her fears. Now however there was a real sense of fear. The man in her dream had been a mystery figure. Just a crazy man her mind summoned from somewhere to play the villain. The man was real though. He was real, and he caused an unsettling feeling to reside in her chest. There was no rationalizing the dreams away this time.
There was one thing that Clarke could do to put the dream to rest. To prove to herself that it was just a dream, and not the crazy notion of it being a prophetic dream. That thing was Lexa. Before Titus cut into Lexa's neck, Clarke had seen a symbol tattooed there, laying over a long scar running down her neck. Clarke was positive that she had never had the chance to see Lexa's neck. The woman always kept her hair covering her neck. If she could see her neck then she could prove that it was all a trick of her mind. After all, how could she possibly know about it?
Clarke relaxed into her soft bed, after resolving to discreetly check Lexa's neck when they began their day. She didn't sleep though. Her mind drifted over the faces of the mountain people, trying to put as many names to the faces as she could remember. One day she may be able to forgive herself for taking their lives to save her people, but she vowed to never forget. To forget would be spitting on their sacrifice.
Lexa's people had help to ease the guilt slightly. Hearing who they lost, and in some cases who had been rescued, had cemented in her mind the good that came from her tragic decision. It didn't resolve her from the guilt that she rightfully deserved, but it did make the healing process easier.
The morning sun began to peek through her windows, signaling the start of the day. Clarke rose from her bed, and padded around the room to pick out an outfit for the day. Her room was littered with gifts from Lexa's people. Zita, one of the two keepers who were assigned to Clarke, had put all of Clarke's gifted clothing into the wardrobe. There she found a pair of jeans, and a nice black long sleeved shirt. There was also a brand new pair of brown leather boots sitting at the bottom. She dressed quickly, and exited her room.
The guards at Lexa's door looked at her in mild shock, but said nothing as Clarke knocked on the glass doors. She didn't know why she was shocked when Lexa opened the door, wide awake, and dressed in a long sleeved, floor length black robe.
"Good morning, Clarke," Lexa said, and move to allow Clarke in.
"I'm sorry I'm here so early," Clarke said, standing awkwardly to the side.
"That's okay Clarke," Lexa smiled, and then moved close to Clarke. She tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind Clarke's ear, and then leaned down and placed a tender kiss onto Clarke's lips. "You are welcomed in my room at any time."
Clarke looked at Lexa shyly. "What are we doing?"
Lexa looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Clarke shuffled her feet. "You promised me time, and then I kissed you. I like kissing you. I like being around you. I like being with you. I just want to make sure that we are both on the same page."
Lexa smiled, and then gently grabbed Clarke's hand. "I have not felt this way about another person since Costia. You make my heart feel lighter."
Clarke smiled shyly. "I don't want to promise you something that I might not be able to give you," she softly replied.
Lexa smiled softly at Clarke and then captured her lips in a soft gentle kiss. "You don't have to promise me anything Clarke. Just having you with me is enough. I will accept whatever part of you that you are willing to give me, and nothing more."
Clarke nodded her head, and then leaned forward and captured Lexa's lips. The kiss was just supposed to be a simple kiss. Chaste but full of her intent to be more. It quickly escalated into something more primal, into something needier. Clarke gently pushed Lexa backwards towards her bed. Lexa's knee's hit the bed, causing her to break apart from Clarke and plop softly to the bed. She looked up at Clarke, and marveled at her beauty. She scooted backwards a little, giving Clarke room to crawl on the bed, straddling her hips.
Clarke leaned over, and kissed Lexa with all the feelings she was too afraid to express. Her hands traveled to the rope that held the robe closed, and untied it. In her desperation to feel more skin, she neglected to remember that Lexa preferred to sleep naked. Why this slipped her mind was beyond her, but she got a shock when she opened the robe.
With the light flooding into the room, Lexa smooth bare skin was illuminated. It caused Clarke to halt her movements and stare. Her eyes shifting over Lexa's breast, down over her ripped abs, and finally landing and her bare mound, just inches away from her own covered privates.
Clarke was broken out of her trance by a knocking on the door. Fear crept into Clarke's heart, and she sprang from the bed like she had just been caught doing something. Lexa smiled up at Clarke, with amusement dancing in her eyes. She stood up, and closed her robe. She gave Clarke a reassuring smile, and then yelled for the knocker to enter.
Titus, walked into the room with poise, but his steps faltered when he saw Clarke standing by the bed. "I'm sorry, Heda. I didn't realize you had company." His tone was slightly clipped, which lead Clarke to believe that he didn't approve of her being there.
"It is fine, Titus," Lexa said, dismissively.
"Heda, the natblida's are waiting for you in the dining hall along with a few Skaikru," Titus said.
"Thank you Titus," Lexa formally. "Please tell the cooks to prepare my favorites. I wish to share them with our guests."
"Very well, Heda," Titus said. He bowed, then exited the room.
"He doesn't seem to like me very much," Clarke commented.
"Rumors of our closeness have spread to Polis," Lexa said. "Titus is a firm believer that love is weakness, and does not approve of our growing relationship."
Clarke's mind flashed to the dream briefly. The words, "I'm leaving," rang out in her ears. She couldn't help the overwhelming feeling that the dream was real, and that she had to figure out what events lead to that moment. "Do we have anything to fear from him?" She asked tentatively.
"From Titus? No. He may at some point voice his opinion, but he is loyal to me," Lexa said. She moved to her wardrobe and pulled out clothing for the day. She was trying to bide herself some time to gather her thoughts. She had told Clarke just days before that there was no reason for her to be concerned about Azgeda, and while she hadn't outright lied to her, she also hadn't told Clarke the whole truth. Nia wasn't a treat at the moment, but there was a very real possibility that she could become a treat in the near future.
She turned back to Clarke, and placed her clothing on her bed. She looked at Clarke with a strong look. "As rumors of our closeness spread, those who wish for my removal may use our relationship as a valid reason to do so."
Anger flared inside Clarke at the admittance of words. Anger that somebody would dare try and hurt Lexa, but also at Lexa herself. "So you lied to me the other night."
"No," Lexa said confidently. "Azgeda is not a current threat."
"But…" Clarke pushed.
"But Queen Nia could use this as a way to insight the war she has been eager to wage," Lexa told her. "When she murdered Costia, she had no say in what happened in the Coalition. Azgeda was the last to be brought into the fold, and it was only to stop a devastating war. I did what was best for my people. Costia's death started the war with Azgeda. They had been pillaging villages for months, inciting acts of war, but I had been reluctant to declare. I wanted to bring them into the alliance. It was better to have Nia as an ally, then an enemy. Azgeda have a great deal of resources that can benefit the rest of my people. So I held off on declaring war until I was sure that there was no other option."
Lexa paused, and took a deep breath. "Costia was a healer, and went to a village to aid with the injured children. She was gone for a month when I retired for the night and found her head resting on my bed. In the commotion of the pillaged village, nobody noticed that she and her guards were missing. The village assumed that they had returned home to Polis. I declared war the next day, and within the year Nia conceded, and was entered into the alliance. She has been pushing for a reason for years, but I have not given her a legit one."
She looked up at Clarke with a stony look upon her face. "Many believe that it was Costia who halted the start of the war. They believe that she made me soft. That she made me weak. I fear that once word of our growing relationship spreads, there will be war."
"I don't want to be the reason more people die," Clarke said adamantly. "Why pursue this, if the risk is so high?"
"Because I know in my heart that Costia didn't make me weak. That my love for her didn't make me weak," Lexa said strongly.
"But you said…"
"I know what I said Clarke," she said with a clipped tone. "And at the time I believed it. I believed it because Titus choose that moment to finally convince me of his mantra. He choose to exploit me during a moment of weakness. I believed him then, but it was you who showed me that he was wrong. You love your people, and it is that love that makes you strong. It is that love that gave you the strength to defeat the Mountain, and it was my love for you that gave me the strength to defy the deal, and enter the mountain after you."
Clarke looked at Lexa sharply, her face full of shock. "You love me," she sputtered.
Lexa stood like a rock, as the realization of her own words washed over her. "I…I feel deeply for you, and I can feel them growing into something much more."
Clarke shuffled her feet for a moment as she debated what to do about the information she just received. Finally, she stepped forward and pulled Lexa into a passionate kiss. Lexa was stunned for a moment, but quickly relaxed. She pulled Clarke closer, and threaded her fingers in Clarke's soft hair.
They broke apart when the need for air became necessary, and stared into each other's eyes. "I know I asked for time, but I think that I'm ready. You make what I did easier to deal with. I don't need time to heal. I just need you."
Lexa smiled softly. "I wish for us to have a happy life together." A serious look crossed her face. "We must be careful. Nobody can know about this until my people have gotten to know your people better. Once they can see that Skaikru are not bad people, and they accept my decision to bring you into the Coalition, then we can introduce them to this."
Clarke looked surprised. "You want to bring us into the Coalition?"
"Yes," Lexa said. "It is the only way my people will accept our relationship, and I believe that your people will be a great asset to my people. You have technology that could be useful to us, as well as knowledge that my people lack. Like Raven's knowledge on bombs, and your peoples healing."
"I'm going to assume that my people joining will not be as easy as you make it sound," Clarke said.
Lexa stepped away from Clarke, dropping her robe as she moved. She began to dress, as she finished her conversation. "I have already began preparations. In the end, it is my decision on who is a part of the Coalition, but there may be resistance. My hope is to create enough connections between your people and mine so that the resistance is minimal."
"How are you going to do that?" Clarke asked, as she continued to look away from Lexa.
Lexa, who was now fully dressed stepped up behind Clarke, and gently placed her hand on her shoulder. "You don't need to worry about that for now. You have enough to worry about already. I will shoulder the responsivities for this, and when the time comes, I will explain everything."
"Are you sure?" Clarke asked. "Isn't there anything I can do?"
"The only thing I need you to do is be yourself, and enjoy the festival," Lexa said, and then placed a kiss on Clarke's neck.
"Octavia knows about us," Clarke sighed.
"I had gathered as much. Raven also knows about us," Lexa said, shocking Clarke.
Clarke turned around in Lexa's arms, and gave her a confused look. "How?"
"I may have let my feelings for you slip slightly as I was speaking to her yesterday, and she guessed. I think I may have found an ally in Raven."
Clarke smiled at Lexa's definition of her relationship with Raven. "You mean you may have found a friend in Raven."
"I do not have friends," Lexa said. "I have subjects."
Lexa's statement made Clarke sad, because she knew it to be true. The only people Clarke knew Lexa was close to were dead, and everybody else acted like Lexa was their leader, and not their friend. "An ally is a good thing to have, but a friend is better. Don't shut yourself off from that happening. Raven is a good friend. She's been through a lot, but she's strong."
"On that I agree," Lexa stated. "If you believe that I should do this, then I will accept Raven as a friend if she is willing. I am sad to say that I do not know how to be a good friend."
"I don't either. I guess you just have to figure it out as you go," Clarke offered.
"You look tired," Lexa observed. "Did you sleep okay?"
Clarke smile weakly. "I didn't sleep at all."
"Nightmares?"
"Yes and no. I've been having this one dream all week, and I spent the night trying to decipher it. I just couldn't shut my brain off."
"Perhaps we could take a nap after breakfast," Lexa offered.
"Is that a good idea? If we don't want anybody to find out about us, then we shouldn't share a bed while here."
"You are right. During the night it will look suspicious if you are in my room, but during the day, it will be fine. Nobody will think twice about me keeping Wanheda near."
"Then a nap sound heavenly," Clarke said.
"After I speak with Raven then," Lexa said. She gave Clarke a soft kiss. Together they made their way down to the dining hall.
Raven wheeled herself into the dining room, tiredly. It was too damn early for her liking. With the war over, and having no responsibilities, she took a liking to sleeping. That was something that she had not been allowed to do since crash landing on earth. She was up now though, and she wanted to do her second favorite downtime thing. Eat.
A week in Ton DC had given Raven a new appreciation on life on Earth, and Ryder had given her a new appreciation on the people of Earth. Ryder was quiet most of the time, but he avidly listened to her, and answered any question she had. She had a lot of questions. He had also been teaching her Trigedasleng.
Ryder did his best to treat Raven as a person, and not an invalid. He acted as though toting her around everywhere, was an honor. She appreciated that. It made her time in Ton DC relaxing, and made her enjoy the simple things about Earth. Like sleeping forever, and eating the marvelous food.
As nice as her time in Ton DC was, she was eager to get back to work. Lexa had given her an amazing task to complete, and it was calling her. Sleep be damned. One of the keepers saw her leaving her room, and directed her to the dining hall.
The nightbloods were already sitting at the long table, along with Octavia, Lincoln, Bellamy, and Indra. There were three other people sitting at the table as well, but Raven didn't know who they were. She wheeled next to Octavia, who moved the chair out of her way.
"Morning," she mumbled tiredly.
Octavia chuckled, and then poured her a mug of something steaming. She took a sniff and her eyes widened at the smell. "Is that coffee?"
"Yup," Octavia said. "They don't call it coffee though, and they don't make it like they do on the ark. It's sweeter and creamier."
Raven took a tentative sip, and moaned at the taste. "Is that chocolate?"
"Yes."
Raven looked at Indra in shock. "How? Coffee and chocolate weren't native to this part of the world."
"There is a clan south of the coalition that trades coffee beans, certain fruits, and cocoa beans for ice, furs, and any services that we can provide. Two summers ago a small group of gonas traveled down by boat to help with bandits who kept raiding their crops. They aren't very good at fighting. In return they gave us enough coffee and chocolate to spread throughout the Coalition."
"There are other people outside of the coalition?"
"Sha," Indra said. "There are many clans outside of our lands. We only deal with a few for trade though. None are close to our lands, and most just wish to be left alone. So we do."
Raven didn't know what to say about that. The possibility that there was any life left on Earth had never crossed the minds of her people, and here Indra was telling them that there were more people out there. She didn't even know why she was surprised by that.
She looked across the table at the children. They were watching her with curious eyes. She realized that this the first time she was getting a good look at the kids. They looked much younger than they had the night before.
"We are waiting for Heda," one of the younger boys said.
The girl next to him added, "She asked for the cooks to make something special for you."
Titus, who was standing in the shadows, bark out something in Trigedasleng that she couldn't understand. The words didn't have to make sense for her to understand what he just told the children. The two nightbloods who had spoken to her suddenly sat in their chairs straighter, and they shared a meek look. The rest of the children looked down at the table with a disciplined look on their faces.
Raven looked at the man who had moved out of the shadows with distaste. She didn't like the way he was looking at the kids. Like a disapproving father, but they hadn't done anything wrong. The kids were just being nice.
Thankfully, Lexa and Clarke walked into the room at that moment, saving her from having to analyze the man further. She eye the couple carefully, noting the space between them, and the stoic looks on both their faces. They were being subtle, and she admired their acting skills. She watched them carefully throughout breakfast, looking for any signs that they were giving themselves away. Beside a few lingering glances, they were both very convincing. If you didn't already know that there was something going on between them, you wouldn't have been able to tell.
Her only question was how far into their feeling were they? Did Clarke know that Lexa cared for her, or was it one sided? From the glances Clarke was giving Lexa, she assumed that Clarke not only knew about Lexa's feeling but reciprocated them. Since she had correctly guessed that Lexa cared for Clarke in a romantic way, she figured that she was correct here as well.
She would have to get her answers out of her when they met later on. Along with warning her that there was somebody else who was watching them closely. Titus had been watching the pair throughout the meal with a glare on his face.
Once the food had been consumed Lexa stood and asked for Raven to follow her. Lexa led them to the elevator, and rang the bells in the correct code. Lexa pushed Raven into her quarters, which surprised her.
"We won't be overheard here," Lexa said, and wheeled her next to the couch. She parked Raven's wheelchair, and then sat down on her couch. "How are you feeling today?"
"The same as every other day you've asked," Raven chuckled lightly. "A little better because of the soft bed I slept in last night."
"Good," Lexa said. "I would like for you to see my healers while you are here. They might have creams or herbs that can help."
"That'd be great," Raven said. She eyed Lexa carefully. The woman was sitting on the couch stiffly. Her hands were crossed in her lap, and there was a slight twitch to her legs. It was very subtle, but Raven could see that she was uncomfortable. "What's up Commander?"
Lexa shifted slightly. "Clarke and I made a decision this morning. She has agreed to be mine, and I hers."
"So she has the same feelings," Raven stated.
"Yes," Lexa said slowly.
"Why are you telling me this?" Raven asked confused.
"Because part of my plan involves my relationship with Clarke," Lexa said confidently. "Nobody can know about our relationship until after my plan is successful. Clarke's life could be in danger if my people were to find out."
Horror struck Raven at the realization. "So how do you plan on stopping that?"
"With the help of your people," Lexa said. "I want to offer Skaikru a place in my Coalition. My people will do as I wish, but there may be resistance to this. They are fearful of your weapons, and are angry because of war your people unintentionally started. Once my people get to know you a little better, then the resistance will be minimized."
"So I get my friends to make nice with the grounders, and then you can swoon over Clarke in public," Raven said. "Sounds easy. What's the next step?"
"That is the next phase," Lexa said. "We need to get our people talking and getting along. Like they were in Ton DC. The feast last night went well, but there was a noticeable gap between our people. The nightbloods showed them the games, and our dances, but none of my people joined with your people like during the feast in Ton DC. We need to figure out a way to create bridges."
That's going to be tricky," Raven said.
"I think the key is for the Skaikru to show my people your strengths, and for your people to see the softer side of mine. Not all of us are warriors. It will be good for you to see those who build our homes, cook our food, and make our weapons and clothing. There will be lot to see."
"So how are we supposed to show our strengths," Raven asked, unable to catch onto Lexa's train of thought.
"I was hoping you could tell me that," Lexa said innocently.
Raven snorted. Of course the great Commander would be stumped over how to exhibit the Skaikru's strengths. "What do you think my people's strengths are?"
Lexa allowed her façade to drop completely, and showed Raven a smile. Clarke's strengths filtered through her mind.
"Stop thinking about Clarke, and concentrate," Raven chastened lightly, amusement playing in her voice. She enjoyed seeing this side of Lexa. Sure, she was still a bit stoic and proper, but there was subtle ease to the woman now.
"I find it very hard to not think of Clarke, but you are correct. I must concentrate," Lexa said, looking somewhat sheepishly at Raven. "I have seen a great deal of amazing things from your people. I think your greatest strength is the knowledge your people possess that mine do not. Like turning reapers back to men, and your ability to blow things up."
"I do enjoy doing that," Raven joked. "Those things are not easily showcased though."
"No, but a demonstration on your healing is," Lexa said, her mind drifting to a potential solution to their problem. "Perhaps your people should sit with the healers during the competition next week. That way my people can see how you heal."
"That's a good idea," Raven said. Her eyes suddenly widened as a thought came to mind. "What if I can record the competition onto film?"
Lexa looked at Raven in confusion. She had no clue what half the words Raven spoke meant.
"It's like that picture Clarke found on the mountain man. The one of you and her, only instead of just one picture, we have a device that capture a moment as it is happen. Like this conversation. It's called a camcorder. If I was film us having this conversation and then reviewed the pictures, we would see us talking and moving just as we are now."
Lexa's eyes widened in shock. She had never heard of such a thing. It sounded amazing. "And you could do that? You could film the competition?"
"I sure can. I just need a few things from Mount Weather and Camp Jaha. If they have it, I might even be able to stream video of the competition on a bigger screen so that everybody can see the action take place."
"My people are weary of the mountain men's technology," Lexa said.
"All the more reason to show them the good that it can do. Technology isn't the evil. The real evil is when people who use it to hurt others. If we can show them that we can use the same technology that the mountain men did, but that we use it differently. Maybe they will like us more."
Lexa nodded her head, and then said, "Make a list of what you will need, and I will send a rider to Camp Jaha." She stood and walked to her book shelf. She opened a draw and pulled out a stick of charcoal, and a book of loose papers. She handed them to Raven.
Raven took the items and inspected them. Paper was a rare commodity on the ark, as was charcoal. They only used charcoal for sketching. As she began to write the list for Wick, she asked Lexa, "How do you keep track of who is winning the competition?"
"Each clan has a different flag," Lexa told her. "When an event is won, the clan's flag is put in the slot for that event."
Raven added a few things to the list, and then handed it too Lexa. "Have the messenger give it to Wick. He'll know what to look for."
Lexa took the paper and folded it three times. She poured wax onto the seal, and then gave the letter to one of her guards at the door, with instructions on what to do with it. She returned to Raven. "So we have your healing knowledge, and a show of your technology. That will not be enough. My people view physical strength higher then everything else. If you cannot fight, hunt, and craft then how are you to defend your family and clan?"
"You're not suggesting that we join the competition, are you?" Raven asked skeptically.
"Yes. That is what I am suggesting," Lexa said.
Raven looked at her like she was crazy, and then threw her head back and let out a loud, boisterous laugh. Lexa clearly was a crazy as her people thought.
Lexa looked a Raven as though she had lost her mind. "I do not understand what is so funny," She said.
Raven continued to laugh as she attempted to explain that she got a visual of Clarke trying to beat up a grounder, and Bellamy trying to shoot a bow. Lexa thought about Raven's words and allowed the visual to take effect, and smiled. It was a funny picture in her mind.
"Skaikru won't have to compete for real. Just join in on the games to show my people what you can do. For each event you kru will pick the most qualified, and have him or her compete."
Raven looked at Lexa for a moment and then laughed again. "Well at the very least we'll make your people laugh."
Lexa smiled again. She has seen the way the Skaikru fight, and was sure that her people would find then funny. She was also hoping that her people would see Skaikru for what they were, goufa's to this new world. There may even be people who wish to correct the Skaikru's form, and teach them the proper way. It was a win-win situation. She could show her people that Skaikru was not to be feared, while showing Skaikru that her people were more than just hardened warriors.
"What about Clarke? Where will she be during our time here?"
"Clarke will remain by my side, unless she wishes to venture out with your people," Lexa said.
"A word of advice," Raven said. "If you want to keep your relationship a secret, then you both need to be less obvious. You're subtle when you look at each other, but if anybody even suspects that there is something going on between you two, then you will give yourselves away. Your advisor already know something is going on between you."
"Yes. Titus is aware," Lexa said. "I will talk to Clarke about being more careful. For now I just want my people to see Clarke and I together. To get used to us being around each other, that way when Clarke and I do announce our relationship, it will be less of a shock."
"Is there a specific person who you are afraid will find out the truth about you and Clarke?"
"Sha, The Ice Queen," Lexa said, with sadness in her voice. "Many of my people believe that love is weakness. That it clouds a person's mind and can sway decisions. I was taught since I was a child that to be Commander, was to be alone. Nia has been pushing for my removal as Commander since I ascended, and this could give her an opening to make her move. Just as she tried with Costia."
"Then Nia will never get near Clarke without an army of people to protect her," Raven said determined.
"I already have a secret guard watching over her. Nia can't touch her while she is in Polis. It is when she returns to Camp Jaha that frightens me."
The door to Lexa's room opened, and Clarke strolled in with a pile of books in her arms. She froze when she saw Raven sitting with Lexa. "Are you two done talking about me?"
Raven smile cheekily. "Just finished. What's ya got there?"
"Earth survival books. I found dozens of them. There are ones on how to make bows and spears. Simple gardening tips. I found three on how to recognize edible plants, and two on plants that you should avoid. There is even one on how to build log cabins, instead of huts made of scrape."
"Log cabins?" Lexa asked.
"It's similar to the houses your people are building in Ton DC right now, only sturdier. I was thinking that Raven can build us a machine that can cut the trees into planks. Make the process go easier."
"Let me see the book," Raven said, and extended her hand out. Clarke dropped the books onto Lexa's coffee table, and handed Raven the book she was talking about. Raven flipped through the book, and found the page that showed the diagram of the machine."
"If I can find the right parts, and talk to a blacksmith, I can do it," Raven said.
"That's great," Clarke said with a smile. "We can scrounge for your parts during the winter, and in the spring we can build it."
"I'll start looking for the stuff now," Raven said, and then wheeled herself to the door. Lexa stood and opened the door for her.
"Thank you," Lexa said.
"Anytime Commander," Raven said, and then wheeled down the hall.
Lexa closed the door after giving her guards instructions to let nobody in, and then made her way back to Clarke.
"Did you figure anything out?" Clarke asked eager to know of any plans that were made.
Lexa shook her head, and wrapped her arms around Clarke. "I will explain everything later, after I follow through on a promised nap."
Clarke relaxed into Lexa's embrace, soaking up the comfort. "You better follow through," she teased lightly. Lexa lead them to her bed, and laid down on her back. Clarke climbed in, and cuddled into Lexa's side, with her head laying comfortably on Lexa's shoulders.
Wrapped up in the comforting arms of her girlfriend, was the safest place Clarke had felt in years. She drifted off to sleep within minutes of them lying there, and only woke again when Lexa gently shook her. It was the first time she slept without a nightmare since she landed on Earth.