Raven seemed incredibly determined to have some time alone with just the original members of Skaikru. Niylah watched in amusement as both Klark and Octavia were dragged off to who knows where by an over eager Raven.
She even gave a little wave to Klark who struggled against her kidnapper's grips looking at her with those mystical blue eyes begging her for help. The betrayed look Klark sent her made her laugh into her hand disguising it as a cough. She knows Klark will act all annoyed with her later about this.
Well, this and how clueless everyone around them seems to be. An astute acknowledgement she will agree to. Seemingly everyone in this camp has agreed upon ignoring all aspects of her and Klark's relationship in the romantic sense.
How that's possible is something she cannot fathom. Not to the point that Klark can't but it's still pretty close. And while the whole thing drives Klark to the brink of insanity, she can't help the laugh at it.
Though she would prefer to be able to go to bed a night without Klark needing to vent her frustrations over the day.
Deep down Niylah understands why the whole thing the whole thing bothers her so much. Even when Klark tries to deny it. Wells was Klark's best friend before his death. The one person she could always rely on. Someone she trusted more than anything. With his passing, she looked for that same closeness with others. Bellamy, Octavia, Raven, Monty. But there was always some sort of conflict happening between them for them to really become close.
Bellamy was her best friend on the ground. Her fellow leader the heart to her head she used to say. But there were times that even he turned on her. That everyone turned on her just as she had turned on them.
But throughout all of that, they still cared about each other. Enough so to be able to open up with each other. Now Bellamy is dead, and this camp is made up of people she has known for years yet not one of them understands Klark. Apart from her of course.
Them failing to recognize their relationship rolls into Klark's dark mindset. The one she had fought so hard against for years. That Klark's friends were never really her friends. That Klark was just their leader to them who bailed them out of tough situations then bailed leaving her to pick up the remains of her tattered heart.
Talking to Klark about her time on the ground and her role as leader made Niylah realise just how much everything affected her. Well, that and the nightmares. The way she used to wake up crying or screaming was sort of a giveaway to how she was really feeling while acting like the strong leader she was. It all ate away at her until there was barely anything left of Klark remaining.
She herself didn't truly realise just how much Klark was suffering until Madi accidentally told her. It was an innocent question on Niylah's behalf. Back when they were preparing for war with the Eligius prisoners, before Madi was made to become Heda Klark had asked if she could watch Madi for her while she and the others tried to stop the brewing war.
Not Klark's exact words but she knew that is what she meant. Looking after the daughter of Wanheda would have been seen as a great honour among her people. For it was more the assurance of unspoken trust between the two that she took more pride in.
She and Madi had been in her makeshift library when she noticed Madi frowning and staring off into the distance. She had decided to ask the girl some questions. Maybe if she was honest with herself, she wanted Madi to admit what she was to her. That if Madi told her she was a true Natblida she could advise the girl to tell Octavia before the issue was forced as Klark refused to budge on the matter.
So, she had asked the girl what it was like living in Eden with Klark. She had expected to hear about her Klark, but the way Madi described how Klark was with her for those six years as a vastly different person to the one she had fallen in love with.
Yes, there were moments when that person flickered through. When she saw a glimpse of what Klark might be like to live in a world without the burden of leadership weighing her down. How she had tried so hard to draw that person out of Klark when she could savouring each time Klark let one of her walls fall revealing more of the woman underneath.
But to hear six years' worth of that person was something she was unprepared to hear. To know that during those six years, Klark was constantly stress-free, laughing, joking, messing around and sounding simply happy hurt.
It hurt her in a way Niylah wasn't prepared for. Klark had flourished on the surface. Sounded happier than she had ever believed Klark to be possible of being. And she missed it. She missed the happy carefree Klark. Missed out on being the only person able to drag that out of her.
Each time did before it felt like an accomplishment. Like she could do something that very few could do. Now to hear that for six years Klark lived in that state without her killed her a little. The reminder that Klark didn't need her to be happy stung.
That Klark could have so easily moved on with her life without Niylah around, yet it took years for her to be able to function the same without Klark's comforting presence.
Of course that wasn't true. Klark had told Niylah of how she suffered without her for all those years and all the little things she did in a way to keep her close to her heart. But at the time she didn't know that.
Hearing everything Madi said she could do nothing but smile through the pain and assure the girl that soon Klark would deal with their enemies and they could all go back to how they were. Yet it was Madi who tilted her head in confusion. Asking what she meant by that Klark would deal with them.
Fearing she had accidentally told the girl Klark was going to wipe them out she tried to explain that Klark would defeat them or make peace with them just as she did with Trikru, the mountain, Allie, Azegda and even Praimfaya. There was nothing that could come their way that Klark couldn't overcome.
Only her answer seemed to confuse Madi even more as the girl narrowed her eyes at her and asked what Klark had to do with any of that. Niylah was stunned into silence wondering just how much Madi knew about everything that happened. Maybe Klark didn't open up about all the things that had happened during her time on the ground. Then Madi informed her that it was Bellamy, Octavia and Raven who had done all that. Not Klark.
Klark had barely included herself in those stories instead making everyone else seem like they were the heroes while she remained to the side and only helped a little. Madi had pushed her for the truth and so Niylah told her everything. The truth of every event and how it was Klark who saved them time and time again. She was the hero in the story. Not the villain she had tried to sell herself as most of the time.
It was that conversation that started to make her aware of just how badly Klark was really handling things. How as things kept getting worse she watched Klark spiral more and more into desperation that she only truly started to understand when it was too late.
Her loyalty to Klark and Octavia was split and the whole fractions thing was tearing her apart. But not as much as it was tearing Klark apart. Looking back, she wished she had reached out faster. That she didn't wait so long to get involved. It wasn't until after the Primes that the two of them really talked about everything. She should have pushed to do it sooner.
Maybe things would have been different if she had.
But there are a lot of what ifs when looking back. Lots of ways to drive yourself crazy trying to think about how everything could have been different. Instead of looking back, she decided to live in the moment. That was how she lived. How she pushed Klark to try to do it instead of drowning in her past actions or mistakes.
Niylah smiles at this moment. Her growing friendship with Echo and Gaia. Two people she never would have befriended before Praimfaya. Now two people she can't imagine not being in her life.
A smile that fades when after some joking Echo asks Gaia out of everyone in camp if she had to be with any of them which one it would be. A stupid question but one that made the three of them laugh.
Right until Gaia very quickly and firmly names Klark as the one she would pick. Going as far as to add on that she used to have a crush on Klark
Niylah's face dropped. Not enough for the others to notice too lost in gushing and laughing over what Gaia just admitted to pick it up. But enough for Niylah to feel it fall. "Wait... Klark." My Klark, she adds on mentally almost saying the words as well in disbelief.
Gaia unaware of the bomb she just dropped nodded happily. "Oh yeah. I had a massive crush on Klark, but Madi caught on and told me Klark was sort of with someone else." Gaia shrugs in a what can you do manner. "I accepted it and moved on. It stung but hey what can you do when the other person isn't interested."
Niylah blinks slowly. The words repeating over and over again in her head.
Echo thoughtfully hums to herself. "I wonder who Madi was talking about. You would think that person would be here with us now." She wonders out loud leaning back and wrapping an arm around her knee contemplating about who this mysterious person might be.
All the while oblivious to the person sitting right next to them lost in thought. Maybe Klark was going over the top after all.
Remaining silent she lets this discussion play out. Gaia also looks deep in thought at what Echo said. "They might have died." She reasonably supplies. Well, reasonable if it wasn't so obvious that she was said person, and they are all just unable to pick up on the very clear relationship taking place in front of them.
A sombre mood flickers over them at the thought.
"Oh..." Echo stammers. "Good point... still I feel like we would have noticed someone new around our group."
Their group has always been a little closed off. Yes, new people come and the time and join them but it is still a pretty small circle and if someone did appear and then disappear everyone would be very aware of that.
Gaia reaches out grabbing Echo in support. "Who in our group has recently died." She poses it like a question but a question she already knows the answer to. "Bellamy and Diyoza."
Niylah's eyes widen a fraction at the insulation. The realisation as to why Gaia is holding on to Echo's land dawns her on. Oh no... That's not good.
"You think..." Echo begins timidly refusing to ask the question the two of them are thinking. Instead, she goes with the second option. "Clarke and Dioyza... I guess that would make a little sense." She mutters more to herself then to them.
Niylah takes this moment to jump in before it can go any further. With certainty, she assures them, "It wasn't Diyzoa. Klark and her were never a thing. Trust me on that. Nor was it Bellamy." She nips that in the bud before it could develop.
Echo lets out a long sigh of relief. One Niylah internally shares with her. "Oh, so you know," Echo asks with a hint of pleading in her tone. To make it real and that the thing she was thinking was just that. A silly little thought.
She herself had once thought the same but both Klark and Bellamy pulled her aside and made it perfectly clear that was not happening nor would it ever. They were best friends and partners. That is it. If anything, Bellamy was more like her brother then a potential lover.
Even saying the words made her shiver with disgust muttering it like Finn thinking about her and Wells like that again. Which prompted her to ask about Wells and learning about the boy Klark called her brother in all but blood.
"Yes," Niylah tells them leaving no room for anyone to disagree or distrust her on the matter.
"Are you going to tell us," Gaia asks eagerly looking towards her for information on who this person might be.
The desire to scream that it's her builds but she manages to push that down. Instead, she calmly says, "When you pay attention is very obvious."
They had tried to ply her for more information but she refused to comment on it anymore then she had done already. After a while, they gave up and the conversation moved on. Still, the knowledge that there was a time when Gaia was interested in Klark that way and neither she nor Klark picked up on it stuck with her.
After dinner, she had all but dragged Klark back to their tent needing to tell her what they learned. Klark had ranted about her own experience with Octavia and Raven and hearing how Klark basically told them they were sleeping together, and it still went over their head did cheer her up.
They might have missed Gaia's feelings which is slightly more understandable then how Octavia and Raven missed that.
Clarke seemed even more taken aback then she was when she first learnt this. "Wait... Gaia liked me... I never picked up on that."
For someone who has worked themselves up so much over other people unable to pick up on them something about seeing Klark now so perplexed over this tickles her. She cannot keep going on about how blind people are if she couldn't see Gaia trying to flirt with her.
Because she had to have been flirting or something for Madi to pick up on it.
She can soundly argue that she and Gaia rarely interacted with each other which is why she never noticed. She has a decent enough excuse for not noticing. Klark on the other hand does not.
Klark's mouth is agape as she stares off into the distance. No doubt going back over as many interactions between herself and Gaia as possible to see how she missed this. "You are bad at picking up when people are flirting with you." She offers in an effort to make Klark feel better about all of this.
More of a pity help but help, nonetheless.
Klark's gaze snaps back to her scoffing at the thought. "Shut up no I'm not."
Raising a single eyebrow, she stares Klark down. "You didn't realise I was flirting with you for months." She says slowly making her point very clear.
Klark shifts uncomfortably at the reminder as she grasps for an excuse of her own. "That was different," Klark argues slipping down to lie next to her entering their hands and holding one to her heart. "I was in the middle of a lot of trauma and complicated feelings for Lexa and Finn and..." Klark trails off for a moment as she nervously flutters over her words, "You."
"Me." Klark was dealing with complicated feelings about her.
A small shy smile pokes at the corners of Klark's lips. "Why do you think I stuck around as long," Klark asks quietly. "I was being hunted. If I was smart, I would have always been on the move. Yet I couldn't bear to leave the area you lived in."
"Was that you trying to flirt with me." Niylah jokes pressing her head against Klark's. "Bringing me bodies of the animals you hunted."
"Maybe..." Klark laughs. "Did they impress you?"
"The panther did." She admits honestly. Seeing Klark dragging the large feline in did have an effect on her. Especially since this was by far the biggest catch the lighter blonde had made in the months of knowing each other.
"Ohhh. That's why you slept with me that night." Klark means it as a joke, but Niylah can see some truth in Klark's words. The hidden wondering about what helped to ignite the
"No..." Though she will admit that did help. But it wasn't that or even the fact that she brought down the mountain and ended the reaping. Though again that did help. But it was all down to Klark herself. From the little conversations they did have beforehand. To her, it always felt like there was something subtle happening between them. The odd flirtation here and there grows each time she visited. Yet nothing ever really came of it.
Klark was always in such a rush that she never dared to try to stop the young woman from fleeing. She had that night delayed in order to spend some more time around her and then the bounty hunters made it, so Klark had to stay for longer. Giving them the chance to properly talk to one another. "I just finally had a reason for you to stay around longer than a few minutes."
"I did always want to stay you know," Clarke admits almost sheepishly. "To talk to you so more."
"Why didn't you," Niylah asks. There was nothing preventing Klark from conversing with her back then. Expect for Klark herself.
Klark shrugs a little. "I thought it might get you killed. Or you would figure out who I was and betray me."
"Never." She vows without prompting. "I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere."
"Promise."
"Ai swega klin ai natshana (I promise, my moon)." She mumbles back before kissing Klark sweetly cementing the promise.