Love Is Weakness

The Return

The next few days passed in a blur, the time going by so quickly as I tried to keep myself busy with training and Trigedasleng lessons.

I could barely keep my mind focused on what I was doing, barely avoiding the slowest attacks much to Indra's displeasure. She had growled angrily after disarming me for the fifth time in a row, quickly bringing the session to an end when she ran out of patience.

'Clarke!' a sharp voice spoke, piercing through my thoughts and bringing me back to the present.

I was in Lexa's tent for a lesson in Trigedasleng, it had been less than an hour but I couldn't remember a single thing that had been said. I looked over to where Lexa was sat on her bed, taking great care over sharpening her knife as I tried to unscramble my thoughts and think of an acceptable response.

Lexa sighed and sheathed her knife, turning her focus to me.

'Clarke you haven't heard a word that I've said have you?' she asked and I shot her an apologetic loo, not bothering to deny it. She would see straight through me.

'You've been all over the place the last few days, Indra has been telling me all about your training lessons' she told me with a smirk, of course Indra would run straight to the commander.

'This is because of returning to the Ark tomorrow isn't it?' she asked. I nodded slightly in confirmation, I felt so anxious about going back and was almost tempted not to go at all.

'I don't know what to expect, everything's going to be so different and then there's the meeting with the council' I admitted, rising from the chair to stretch my cramped muscles.

'Nou get you daun' Lexa replied, telling me to stop worrying as she watched me pace. I didn't answer, knowing that as much as I tried I wasn't going to be able to stop.

'I could go with you' she offered, my pacing coming to abrupt stop as I considered her words.

'You would?' I asked tentatively, turning the idea over in my head. I hadn't expected it though the prospect made me feel more at ease.

'If you would like me to' she replied, leaving it entirely up to me, giving me the chance to refuse. I was touched by her thoughtfulness, recognizing the gesture of support.

'Thank you, I would like that' I said, smiling at her gratefully. I would be a lot more confident entering camp with Lexa by my side. She returned my smile with a rare one of her own before she got back to business.

'Now, let's get back to the lesson' she said and we resumed our session, this time I felt more focused and we made good progress, I was a quick learner and I was picking up the language fairly quickly.

The next day I woke early, giving me plenty of time to get ready but also a chance to reconsider my decision to return. Hearing the camp come to life around me, I left my tent to find Lexa and see when she wanted to leave.

I was saved the trouble when I immediately saw her in the middle of camp, fully clad in her in best armour, hair braided neatly down her back and her war paint freshly applied.

'You're up early' I said as I approached, not that she was ever a late riser.

'I had a feeling you would want to leave as soon as possible so I made sure I was ready' she replied, watching the Grounders go about their duties. Over her shoulder I saw that a group of Grounders were already waiting with the horses, ready to go at a moments notice.

There were eight of them that I assumed would be riding with us. We walked over and jumped on our horses, the other Grounders following suit.