Several lifes

When love is all that matters...

She was still working when a murmur, followed by a wave of bows, went through the room. The blonde looked around in astonishment when she saw Lexa coming towards her. She quickly followed the others and bowed. If the situation were less public, the brunette would smile, but if the situation were actually different, protocol would not require this gesture.

Drying her hands on a tea towel, apron and flour on her face, Raven approached the Commander. "Heda, how may I be of service?"

"Good evening, Raven. I need Clarke on an urgent matter." She phrased it like a question, but the chef couldn't refuse anyway.

"Of course." She looked at the blonde and nodded at her.

She looked questioningly at Lexa. What urgent matter did the brunette need to speak to her about? Bellamy gave the two women a skeptical look, but remained silent and returned to his work.

Clarke was wearing an apron like Raven, her hair a little white from all the flour and her arms up to her elbows in dough. She hurried to the sink, which was supplied with running water by a pump, and began to clean herself as best she could.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting." The two women were still being watched, but instead of making a joke of the situation, the brunette merely nodded.

As soon as they arrived in the hallway, Clarke couldn't stand it any longer. "What kind of urgent business is this?"

Lexa grinned. "I could answer that my hunger was unbearable, which is true, but then Raven probably wouldn't have let you go."

Now it was Clarke's turn to laugh. "You know she can't refuse you anything." Worried that she might be overheard, the blonde stayed true to the rules, even if it felt strange now.

"Being the commander does have its advantages." The brunette's grin widened and looked a little embarrassed at the same time. "The truth is, I wanted to see you. It's been a few hours and a few weeks since we last dined together. My body, however, stayed in our rhythm and my stomach growls at 7pm on the dot."

"I missed you too... all those weeks apart... It wasn't easy." Clarke's words were no more than a whisper, she seemed far more concerned about potential listeners than the brunette was. She lost herself in the desired togetherness and, after the day that had passed and the stoic mask that was always required, felt the need to be more than just the commander.

Finally, they arrived in the dining room. The room was filled with burning candles, a few rugs and a table that could have seated far more than just the two of them.

Lexa closed the door behind her and looked at Clarke seriously. "Then come with me next time. Why the separation if we both don't want it? It seems like a punishment we both don't deserve."

"On what grounds? It would be too easy to see through, and as long as Nia hasn't been sentenced, too risky." The words slipped from Clarke's lips with difficulty and felt painful, which only got worse when she thought of the consequences.

Lexa, on the other hand, knew she was right, but that didn't make the circumstances any easier for her. "Then we'll discuss it afterwards."

"If there is an after," Clarke thought to herself, but didn't say it, now wasn't the time. So she nodded in response. But Lexa knew that the blonde didn't say everything that was on her mind, but they had time and so she tenderly squeezed her hand and breathed a kiss on it. It was her way of saying that they would manage everything together. "I hope no one from the kitchen is bringing the food." Clarke felt a little guilty for putting down her work by saying the wrong thing and indulging herself instead.