"My Warrior"

Chapter 13 "The Rainbow Serpent."

Chapter 9 "The Rainbow Serpent."

Clarke's POV

     It turns out that Lexa's parents live on the beach, at the edge of a place called Hope Springs, Australia. It is about nine hours away from Sydney. We have been here for almost two days and it is more beautiful than I imagined. After talking to our parents, we find out that it is not where we spent most of our time when I was here as a child. 

     We spent most of our time about three hours south of Sydney, in a place called Jervis Bay. Lexa's dad has a place there and Lexa has promised to take me there after the wedding. She refuses to tell me much about it though, just that I will have to see it for myself.

     Tomorrow is the bonding ceremony for Lincoln and Octavia. Today though I told Lexa that I wanted to spend the day with her. She has yet to tell me about what happens at the ceremony. I also find myself wanting to know everything about her culture.

     Last night I met Titus, who will be performing the ceremony with Lexa's dad. When I first saw him, I had a weird feeling about him. When I went to sleep last night I dreamed about him. It was like I was there, but it was several different times.

     In one time, Lexa and I were children playing together and he was laughing with us. Another he was crying over Lexa and I as we died. Still the one that really gets me is the last one. He was trying to kill me and shot and killed Lexa instead. 

     As Lexa steps into the room, she walks up and kisses me cheek and asks, "Are you ready, ai hodnes?"

     "I am ready." I told her.

     "It is about a fifteen minute walk to our destination. I hope you enjoy it. It is the most peaceful place that I know of." She tells me.

     "I am sure I will. Tell me about the bonding ceremony, while we walk." I ask her.

     She smiles before speaking, "In someway it is like a traditional wedding ceremony, but in some ways it is not. There are words that will be spoken by my father as Heda and Titus as the Flamekeeper. There are vows that Octavia and Lincoln will share."

     She pauses before she continues, "There is a bloodletting. A small cut made on each of their palms. As they bring their hands together, Titus will bind them together, as Heda speaks again about entwining their spirits as one. So that they may find each other in every life that comes after. They will spend the next 24 hours entwined."

     I take a moment, just thinking, before I ask, "Does the 24 hour thing have a significant meaning?"

     "In our culture, it brings the couple bad luck to untie the bindings too soon. It could impact the bonding for not only the current life but any that come after. And we are here."

     I gasp, as I look up and see a crystal pool of water, steam rising from it, water flowing from a waterfall above it. I am in awe. The beaches in Florida are beautiful, and a few other places in California as well, especially the one in Reyes Point, where I had a date with Lexa once. However, this is breathtaking. 

     I am still taking it all in, when I hear Lexa drop her bag and wrap her arms around me from behind. She kisses my cheek and says, "This is called Heda's hideaway. In the past, only Heda was allowed to use the springs. My great-grandfather made it so that all those in service to the clan may have use of the spring. The clan however, grows smaller every year. Fewer and fewer people use the falls, as the clan is spread out more than it ever has been. I have never brought anyone else here."