Chapter 11

The gates opened, but they didn't move. Clarke was a little frozen to the spot. She wasn't sure how she would be received if she moved. She knew that being Anya's wife would be seen as a prestigious thing, but there was also all the death that she caused to get to this point. She closed her eyes and waited. She wouldn't move until Anya did.

Anya was stock still. It was like she was in disbelief. She couldn't believe the voice she'd heard. But, she knew that hearing her voice mean that word had gotten to back to Polis about the Ring of Fire, the Mountain Men, and her supposed death. Honestly, she wasn't even sure how long they were in the Mountain before Clarke got them out. They'd weathered the storm only to come back to a slightly disheveled TonDC. She was expecting Indra, a good hazing for dying and coming back to life, and the want to start a plan to attack the Mountain and Skaikru together. What she was getting was Lexa, sad and confused, standing there in wonder at Anya's mere presence.

As soon as their eyes locked, green and golden brown. Anya knew that her sekkon had been in mourning. Her presence was a shock and now, Anya hoped to use that to their advantage. Daring to glance around, she saw that Lexa was gearing up for a war, but she didn't know who against. Sighing, she hoped that she would be able to talk to Lexa alone, with Clarke, and explain what they knew and their positions. She hoped that it would calm Lexa's need for blood and battle, at least for a little while.

"Fos?" Lexa questioned, sounding so much like the little girl that she'd been when Anya started training her.

Clarke could see it in her eyes. Anya had always been one of the ones that Lexa loved, completely and without reservation. Her death hurt Lexa to the core, even if she couldn't show it. She knew that Lexa had felt it sharply, and Clarke was glad that this time, she wasn't giving her Anya's braid. She'd returned her home to her people, alive, very much alive and angry. When Lexa turned to face her, she had to catch her breath. She saw the anger and the hatred that had been directed at her people so many times directed right at her. Life was definitely a cruel mistress to Clarke, but she knew what she had to work with and she knew that they could conquer the Mountain. Lexa was their only true obstacle at the moment. Clarke held her eyes, and her stomach turned. She finally bowed in deference to Lexa, making Anya believe that she automatically realized who she was. Clarke didn't move. She waited until Anya pulled her closer.

"Lexa, we need to talk," Anya said quietly and she watched as Lexa's eyes moved from Clarke back to Anya and back again.

She nodded and turned away from them. Anya reached back for Clarke, and they both know that it wasn't unseen by those in the village. No one said anything though as they followed Lexa into some hut to speak. Clarke didn't bother to care which hut it was. She wasn't even sure that Lexa would even look at her, much less listen to anything she had to say. She knew that Lexa had no reason to believe anything that she had to say. She just hoped that having Anya with her would help.

They move around the hut, but Anya didn't seem that upset by Lexa's stoic behavior. They both knew that it was because she was trying to reign in her emotions. She was heda, and heda wasn't allowed to be emotional. Anya pointed to a seat at a table for Clarke to sit and she does. She moves around the hut and finds some watered down wine and three cups. She pours them and hands one to Lexa first. The second goes to Clarke and she keeps the third for herself.

She sits down slowly. She can tell that Lexa has something to say, but she is looking for the words. Anya knew that Clarke being with her would be a surprise, but she could never have imagined the state that she's found her sekkon in. Clarke fidgets beside her. They are both uncomfortable, and part of her knows why.

"Leksa," Anya started.

"How?"

"How what, sekkon?"

"How did you survive?"

"Survive what? The Ring of Fire from Skaikru? The Mountain Men? Or, the Mountain?" Anya asked her in reply.

"You were in the Mountain?"

"We both were. She saved me. I saved her."

"Why is she with you?"

"I was going to bring her to you as a prize. She is a prisa to her people. She is worth something to them besides being the leader of the goufa they sent here."

"And, now?" Lexa pushed as she turned to face Anya more fully, her eyes harder than Anya has seen them in quite some time.

"Em laik ain houmon nau," Anya answered.

"She's your what?"

"We've bonded," Anya replied.

Lexa was across the room and jerking Clarke up. She grabbed for the blonde and pulled up her shirt to expose her hip. There was nothing there, and Lexa glared at Anya harder. She spun Clarke around and practically threw her back in the chair she'd been sitting in.

"Watch yourself, Leksa. I can still best you. She is my wife. Do not think that means that I won't defend her, even from you."

"How can you care for her?"

"Because she's proven herself to me," Anya answered.

"You've been missing for weeks, presumed dead, and you come back with a houmon. I don't understand, Onya. How? How did this happen, Fos? What spell has she put you under? Is this the work of the Maun? Did they do something to you?" Lexa questioned as she backed up, seeing the fire in Anya's eyes, knowing she meant what she'd said.

Lexa moved around the table and paced a few times. Clarke had seen this look before. It was what Lexa did when she was thinking, hashing out plans in her head. When she stopped to turn and look at them, Lexa brough her hand up. She rested one hand across her breast and the elbow of the other on her hand. The raised hand was by her face. She looked a mixture of pissed, puzzled, thankful, stoic, and ready to burst. Clarke cocked an eyebrow at her, waiting to see which version of Lexa she was about to get. She didn't have to wait long as Lexa moved back to the table and unceremoniously plopped down into a chair.

Clarke could tell that even Anya was surprised by the gesture, but she was wise enough to say nothing about it. Lexa might have been her sekkon at one time, but she was now heda. And, while Anya would tease her when they were alone about being her fos, she would never do it in a formal setting. Even Anya had her limits, and Clarke understood. Lexa was heda first and Anya's sekkon last. She knew that Anya would give her more leeway and vice versa just because of their previous statuses to each other, but they knew what it meant when others were around.

"She's cast a spell over you somehow, Fos."

"She isn't a witch, Leksa. She's a healer and a good one," Anya told her. "She is a prisa to her people. She holds weight amongst them."

"She is from the Maun. Listen to her words. She lies," Lexa pushed. "If you hadn't dressed her up like us, she would still look like them. She is the enemy."

"Not anymore," Anya countered.

"I just don't understand, Onya. How? How did this happen?" Lexa pouted and stared hard at Clarke.

Clarke didn't care. She knew that Lexa didn't like her in the beginning in any life. She was the enemy. She was like the Mountain Men. She used tech and other things to survive. She wasn't a warrior. She didn't know how to fight, but she still managed to kill over three hundred of Lexa's best warriors. She was a paradox that Lexa didn't know what to do with and now, Anya was forcing her hand because she bonded with Clarke.

"I know that this is confusing, Leksa, but this is good for us. I know that she isn't of the clans or one of our people. She's trying though. She's asked to learn our words. Her own friend is with Linkon. She is trying to learn our customs."

"She doesn't bare the marks, Onya. No one will believe you," Lexa argued. "And, what will Skaikru do when they learn we have her. They'll attack."

"They won't. She'll talk to them, but we have to show that we aren't a threat to them anymore. She didn't want to fight us, Leksa. She was defending herself from the unknown," Anya explained. "Her people are like goufa. They don't know the ways of Earth anymore, because the Earth their ancestors knew no longer exists. We can win them over. We need them to help attack the Maun. Her people are in there, too."

"What does that even mean? Our people are alive in there? Onya, what are they doing to our people?" Lexa demanded.

"Klark would be better to answer that," Anya replied.

"You said she is a healer?" Lexa questioned. "Does that have something to do with our people inside the mountain? Is that why she's important to you/"

"Leksa, no, and yes. She saved me from the Maun-de and Maunmon. She understands why our people are becoming Ripa. Let her explain, please, Sekkon. She doesn't understand all our words and customs, yet. She's trying though. Speak to her as you would me, Leksa, but use Gonasleng," Anya told her.

"She is not your equal, Onya," Lexa protested.

"No, she's yours, but she is also my houmon. Give her some respect. She'll return it."

"She cannot be your houmon. She's doesn't bear the marks. Until then, she is my enemy and I will treat her as such," Lexa spat out.

"Then so am I," Anya replied evenly.

She stood, not waiting for Lexa to dismiss them. Anya was tired and aggravated that her former Sekkon wouldn't see reason. She reached for Clarke's hand and took it. Clarke stood and Anya pulled her into her space.

"I'm not going to sit here and let you insult her without reason," Anya stated, holding Clarke close. Clarke may not know what they were saying, but she could tell that they were both upset with each other. "I'm going to my hut. When you've calmed and want to speak respectfully, I will listen. Until then, I'm going to my my bonded to our home and welcome her properly into Trikru."

Anya started for the door. She knew the move was petty, but she also knew that Lexa could totally order her to stay. She wouldn't, but she could. Lexa would think about the little that Anya had given her. She'd brood over it and then calmly demand to talk to Anya again. She knew that even Lexa knew they wouldn't get anywhere if all they were going to do was argue about Clarke. Clarke followed her to the door and stopped.

Whispering to Anya, "Let me say something and I'll meet you outside. I'll follow you to wherever you're going. Besides, I need to look at your wounds again." Clarke waited a beat for Anya's nod of approval. Anya stepped out and Clarke turned to face Lexa. She sucked in a breath. Face to face with her again, and now as Anya's wife, Clarke wasn't sure what she was going to say, but she knew that she needed to say something. She couldn't have Lexa and Anya fighting, especially about her. She wanted peace for their peoples, and it looked like she was going to have to start with Anya and Lexa.

Shrugging, Clarke turned a little more to face Lexa. She knew this wasn't her Lexa. She took a few steps towards her. She could see both a mixture of fear and anger in Lexa's green eyes. She locked onto that as she took another stop.

"I don't want war between our people, Lexa. I never have. Both sides have done things in the name of survival and war. I know that it doesn't excuse it all, but we need to come up with something before we go to my people."

"And, why would I need your people?"

"Because we have and use tech," Clarke answered.

"We don't need tek," Lexa hissed.

"And, how has that worked out for you?" Clarke retorted. "You need us and we need you. Don't believe me. Ask Becca Pramheda and let me know. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go take care of my houmon's wounds."

Clarke knew it was a subtle dig at Lexa. She couldn't help herself though. Lexa did always know how to rile her up and this Lexa was still angry with her, now more so it seems. At least Anya was alive. She knew that dropping Becca's name would also make Lexa want to talk to her alone. She knew that Anya didn't know a lot about the Fleim. And, Lexa was highly protective of the knowledge.

Before Clarke could get out of the hut, Lexa asked, "You know of Becca Pramheda?"

"Of course, she was Skaikru," Clarke answered and then left Lexa alone.

Not waiting anymore, Clarke stepped outside. Anya, thankfully, didn't ask her any questions about what she said. Instead, the taller blond just gave her a weak smile and lead her away from the hut. They crossed through the village with little fanfare until they came upon a hut mostly away from the rest of the housing huts in the village. Clarke could see a small garden that wrapped around three sides of the hut. Everything was dead, and Clarke realized that it was because Anya was hardly ever there.

Anya just walked inside. There was very little but it seemed like someone had been inside while they were with Lexa to air it out. It might have been even before that. Clarke saw the chimney and the lit fire. There was a little kitchen area nearby and a table with four mis-matched chairs. There was a door that led to the back, where the bed was she assumed.

Anya went to the fire, first. She stoked it and knelt in front of it. Clarke could tell that she was upset, and she knew why. She knew she should let Anya pout for a while and get it out of her system, but she really wanted to check her wounds.

"Anya?"

"Sha, niron?"

"Will you please come sit at the table and let me check you over?"

"You aren't going to be happy until you do, sha?" Anya asked her in return.

Clarke smiled and nodded. As she started to undress a little to a more comfortable "Home" edition, Anya crossed the room again. She took off her coat and shirt, dropping them on the table, before sitting down in a chair. Clarke turned from her bag of supplies to find her wife waiting, in just her breast band and pants.

"Thank you," Clarke told her as she moved closer with a smile. "Chof."

"Os," Anya replied quickly. "Pro."

"Pro? Does that mean 'you're welcome'?" Clarke questioned as she looked at Anya's forearm before meeting her eyes. At the nod, she stated, "Os means good?"

"Sha, niron. You are learning quickly. Os. You will sound like one of us soon enough."

"I don't have the same aptitude for that as Octavia has with Lincoln, but I can tell her that I have the same reasoning, now."

"Sha, niron, and what is that?" Anya asked her as she pulled Clarke into her lap.

"You, houmon, you," Clarke answered as she wrapped her arms around Anya's neck and began to kiss her thoroughly.

"That is good motivation, sha?" Anya replied and kissed her again, Lexa forgotten for the moment.

Smiling into the kiss, Clarke told her, "Sha, houmon, sha."

They continued to make out sitting at the table. Clarke finally broke away with a smile. Anya tried to pull her back in, but Clarke resisted.

"Don't pout. I really do need to check your wounds. We travelled a ways and you might have opened something. I don't want it to get infected or something."

"Clarke, you've used your healer's touch on me. It will not be infected. The wound are fine."

"Anya," Clarke said with a warning.

"You really don't trust me about this do you?"

"Have you ever met a warrior that didn't down play their pain and suffering?"

"No."

"Then, you have my answer already," Clarke told her. "I know that you are some big badass general or something for Lexa. I would never doubt your prowess on the battlefield. I've seen it. I've been hit by it, but I'm a healer first and a fighter second. Some of your wounds are bad. I could have made you wait longer, but I knew that we needed to get back to our people. And, I need you to help me convince them all. So, either you let me check your wounds now, or you're sleeping out here, by yourself."

"You would not dare to kick me out of my own bed, Clarke," Anya huffed.

"It is our bed, and try me," Clarke stated and cocked her eyebrow at her to prove her point.

Anya deflated a little bit. She knew better than to Clarke. She knew what Clarke was capable of, so she let her go.

"Do your inspection then," Anya replied.

Clarke smiled and gave her another kiss. Standing, she put some salve on Anya's arm. She gave Anya a pointed look as she moved from her face to her leg. Sighing, Anya stood and let her pants down far enough for Clarke to inspect the wound on her leg. She quickly changed the bandage and backed up for Anya to return her pants to their rightful position. While Anya was redressing, Clarke moved over the fire to burn some of the bandages and such. As she came back over to the table, she wondered what Lexa was looking for when she grabbed her earlier that had upset Anya so much.

"Houmon?"

"Sha, niron?"

"What was it that Lexa was looking for on me that upset you so much?"

"Bonding marks."

Clarke's head snapped back in realization. She wasn't tattooed as Anya's, not Anya as hers. In Lexa's mind, they weren't truly married yet.

"How soon will I need those?"

The door to the hut opened and Lexa walked in.

"If you want anyone to believe that she is your houmon en niron, quickly," Lexa added as she moved across the hut and sat down.