I Thought Love was Weakness?

CHAPTER FOUR

The sun was rising as Clarke made her way to the gates of Arkadia. There, thousands of grounders stood, awaiting departure for Polis. In the front of the group, the Commander waited for Clarke.

Clarke made her way to the Commanders horse.

"I'm pleased you decided to make the journey with us, Clarke of the Sky People."

"Thank you for allowing me this opportunity, Commander."

"Please, call me Lexa."

Clarke let out a small smile and nodded her head. Lexa.

In that moment, a large horse was brought out, and the reins were placed in Clarke's hands. The commander must've sensed Clarke's unfamiliarity because she asked,

"Have you ever ridden a horse?" She smiled slightly at the question, having overlooked the fact that she was from space.

"I'm sure I can figure it out." Clarke dropped the reins and put her right foot into the stirrup. In a first attempt to hoist herself onto the horse, she failed. She fell backwards into the dirt but continued to try again. This time, she put her hands on top of the saddle and pulled herself up, draping her entire body over the horse.

Clarke looked up at Lexa to see her eyebrows raised and on the brink of laughter. Clarke had never seen the commander laugh.

"Here, let me help you."

Lexa effortlessly descended from her horse and stood behind Clarke. She pointed to the stirrup and instructed Clarke to put her left foot in, holding onto her for balance. The commander firmly gripped Clarke's waist to pull her up to the horse's saddle easily.

Still slightly smiling, the Commander pulled herself back onto her horse effortlessly and called out to her army.

"reen out!!" [Ride out!!] She ordered, and the warriors began to march.

Clarke's horse, slightly behind Lexa's was not cooperating with Clarke. Maybe it was because Clarke was shifting her weight constantly and accidently pulling the reins and saddle.

"Clarke, relax." The commander said, not even looking back at Clarke. Lexa could sense the discomfort.

Clarke tried to focus on her breathing and relax. She watched Lexa who rode in front of her. Her long hair traveled down her shoulders and sat just above her waist. There were multiple braids intertwined with each other, and Lexa's war paint was freshly applied. Clarke wondered what she would look like without her warpaint on. She wore her traditional armor and a red sash. Clarke also noticed that she sat proudly on her horse, her back was straight and she was completely relaxed, letting each step move her body slightly.

Clarke's POV-

We were barely 3 hours from Arkadia when we hear yelling in the distance. Lexa's scouts were the first to notice, but soon everyone had a hand on their weapon, including me.

All the sudden 3 men approached the road. They were built like Lexa's warriors but wore far less armor.

"Let fall your weapons en go!" [Drop your weapons and move!] Gustus calls to the circling bandits.

They don't move, instead they look at one another and then to Clarke.

The first bandit charges to Clarke's horse but is taken down by the Commanders warrior. The second and third pull their weapons. Quickly outnumbered, the bandits are on their knees in front of the army.

"Death to Sky People!!" the first bandit calls.

"Commander, my brother was killed by the sky girl. We demand justice." The third one pleads.

"The Sky People march with us now. Anyone who tries to stop that... will pay with their life." The commander threatens, silencing the whispers of the bandits and warriors.

Lexa descends from her horse and pulls her sword. She starts with the third, quickly making a deep gash on his throat, killing him instantly. She them moves onto the second one, pointing her knife straight on, impaling him slowly, only to then rip the knife from his chest. He falls down. Dead. Then the commander pauses when she approaches the first bandit.

Turning to Clarke she says,

"The kill is yours." And turns the handle of her weapon to Clarke.

Having gotten down from her horse, rather slowly, she takes the handle of Lexa's sword and points it to her assassin. She takes a deep breath, in and out.

Clarke finally takes a swing at his neck but misses creating a deep gash in his chest. The bandit screams in pain, begging for it to end.

"Finish him!" Orders the Commander.

Clarke drops the knife and pulls her gun from her holster.

An execution style shot to the head, and the screams vanished.

Clarke doesn't move from her position and instead slowly lowers the gun from its spot, shaking.

"You did well Clarke." Lexa reassures her.

Unconvincingly, Clarke nods.

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It had been 8 hours since the incident and the ride had gone very smoothly since then. Clarke had made light conversation with the warriors around her and had officially mastered horseback riding.

Night was closing in and the sun had begun to set, creating an orange glow on their bodies. Lexa was glowing in the sunlight, and it brought out the natural red highlights in her brown hair.

Like she had read Clarke's mind, Lexa stopped her horse at the clearing they were passing and announced to one of her generals they would be stopping to set up camp for the night.

He then sounded a loud horn, communicating to the masses that they had stopped.