Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 28: Seken Chances

"Indra's offered to make me her Seken," Octavia says.

Lexa looks up from the map she was staring at, busy plotting the best way from Polis to the expected drop zones for the Ark. She must take into account areas with many thieves, weather (and Mount Weather, for that matter), the border between Trikru and Azgeda, and what Azgeda towns are more likely to react well to their intrusion.

She's sent two messengers to let Nia and the villages in the area know of her arrival. She does not entirely expect them to return. It twinged a little to send them to what might be their deaths in the icy north – but she knew that if she didn't, then when Nia accused her of entering her lands without giving warning, no one would be able to vouch that messengers had indeed been sent. She did also send them with verbal messages for Titus and Gustus, so if they find one of her people first, Nia will not dare to kill them as there will be proof they arrived safely. That way, she will not be able to claim bandits killed them before they reached her. That is the best Lexa can do for them.

"Spechou, Octavia kom Skaikru," Lexa congratulates her, wondering why the girl has interrupted her. She is out in the forest, avoiding TonDC in case of missiles, and cannot have been easy to reach. It's surprising her scouts even let Octavia through. "That is a great honour."

"She says that you recommended it," Octavia says bluntly.

"You show promise," Lexa keeps her voice cool. "If that is it -"

"I – no." Octavia swallows. "I'm here because... I apologised to Clarke, for being so harsh to her. I should probably apologise to you too."

Lexa quirks an eyebrow. The Octavia she remembers would never have apologised to her. Perhaps the girl's dislike in this world is not so firmly entrenched as she had thought. Or perhaps Clarke has asked her to do this. "I see." She looks at Octavia expectantly.

After a long pause, Octavia realises what Lexa's waiting for. "I'm sorry, then," she grits out.

"Mochof, Octavia," Lexa says politely, wondering why Octavia looks annoyed. Perhaps it is the simple act of admitting her fault, or perhaps Lexa has stepped on the Sky Person's feelings. It will not be the first time. She decides to throw the girl a bone. "I look forward to commanding you as a gona."

Octavia looks mulish for a second, no doubt at the thought of being commanded, but then her face straightens out. Already showing more discipline. "I'll try and be a good one, Heda."

"I know you will," Lexa says, still impassive. They stare at each other.

"I have trouble obeying orders sometimes," Octavia admits eventually. "I didn't have a great history with authority on the Ark." Perhaps she's trying to explain why she was so hard on Lexa and Clarke, so unwilling to believe they could have good reason for any of their actions. Lexa doesn't know if she's trying to explain herself or excuse herself, though. "I'm not very good at trusting people."

"Then that is something we have in common, Octavia kom Skaikru en Trikru," Lexa says softly.

Octavia lets out a crack of laughter. "Probably the only thing."

Lexa notes that the girl isn't intimidated by her, not as she was in the other world. A little, but not as much. Perhaps spending so much time around Lexa – eating with her, training with her, arguing with her – has robbed her of her fear. She's unsure if this is a good thing. "Probably," she agrees.

"I just don't..." Octavia looks at her like she's trying to figure something out. "I don't get you. You're always so cold, except with Clarke. Even with her if I hadn't overheard it I might not have realised you were together. And with everyone else... you didn't seem to care when those gonas died. When Murphy and Drew were taken."