I Couldn't Stop Caring

Chapter 2

"I will inform him ahead of your arrival" Jayden ducked his head as he quickly took off through the gates towards the towering building which was home to Lexa, and the representatives of the 12 clans. He was certainly aware of the punishment, and was not ready to die. Not for something so shamed. He made his way to Lexa's throne room, where he found Titus standing absently outside. Jayden only assumed that Heda was in a meeting. Titus frowned at the young warrior.

"What is the meaning of your presence?" he questioned, his hands lacing together as he examined Jayden.

"I apologise, Titus, but Wanheda is here. Gustus brings her now." He said, directing his gaze to the ground.

"You are sure it is Wanheda, Jayden kom trikru?" earning a slight nod from Jayden "Then in that case, bring her in once she arrives. I want her on full guard. She does not move a muscle against the commander. Is that understood?"

Again, all Jayden could do was nod as he watched Titus swing the doors open, interrupting whatever was occuring inside to bring the news. Gustus soon appeared with Clarke's wrists bound tightly together, her weapons now removed and hanging from his own belt. She was awake, her eyes wide open as she drank in the small amount of light which poured through the holes in the bag. Her fingers ran along the rope that bound her hands together, trying to come up with a break to break free from it.

She saw Jayden's shadow, immediately taking it as a threat, and began to struggle against Gustus. Her elbow connected with his ribs and he grunted, retaliating with twice the force. He brought his knee up and hit with a well placed kick to the stomach, knocking the air from her lungs as she slumped against Gustus. The door to the throne room opened, and Jayden grabbed one arm while his first grabbed the other as they dragged her inside.

Clarke gasped, trying to replace the absence of air in her lungs as they forced her to knees. The cold concrete flooring dug into them as she landed. She let out a slight growl in protest, but they turned deaf ears to such a thing.

"Remove the bag, Gustus." Titus ordered. That was when the bag moved to reveal the blinding light, and a shadow stood at the top of the short steps in front of her. As her eyes came to focus, Clarke began to wish all too soon that she stayed with Niylah.

"I thought I said that no harm would come to Wanheda" Lexa said as she made her way down the steps from her throne with uneasy but graceful strides. Her signature red sash flowed from her shoulder to the ground, and she rested her palm on her sheathed sword as she stared.

"Even after she handed herself in" Gustus mumbled "she did not come easy. She carried several weapons. I believe she intended to-"

Lexa raised a single hand, and silence flooded the room with her short gesture. Her gaze fell up and down Clarke, examining every cut, every bruise. Every change. She took notes of her recent changes, one being the change in her hair. Clarke met her eyes with a chilling glare.

"Remove her gag" Lexa ordered, and Jayden's long fingers swooped down and pulled the material from Clarke's mouth "I apologise for such a welcome. Know that there will be no more harsh treatment falling upon you unless you appear as a threat."

Clarke tilted her head, knowing fine well why she came in the first place. She came to be that threat. She came to see Lexa fall.

"Then why are my wrists still bound, Commander?" she scoffed. Lexa peered down at her, her hands clasped tightly behind her back. She frowned before turning to the men behind her.

"Remove her bonds" she said, pausing before adding "Then leave us"

"Heda-" Titus began to protest. To let Lexa know that this was a dangerous idea. But she didn't listen, and interrupted already knowing what was about to be said. She had heard it all too many times before.

"Remember your place fleimkepa. And remember mine. I am perfectly capable of protecting myself" She responded. Titus nodded, glaring at his feet before leaving soon after releasing Clarke's wrists. Wanheda looked over her shoulder as she heard the remaining footsteps fall behind a closed door.

She knew that she was alone with the commander, and it was her best chance at killing her. But as Lexa approached, worry evident in her eyes, something stopped her. Lexa dropped her hand down, offering it to Clarke to help her back to her feet. It was the same look of pity as the one she tried so hard to hide beneath her warpaint and commanding mask at mount weather. Clarke's eyes hardened and she stood on her own. She was left to defeat the mountain alone. Surely she could stand by herself.

"I apologise for your treatment" Lexa says, retreating her rejected hand to behind her back again "Surely your intentions weren't violent"

"Your's were" Clarke pounced on the opportunity to speak "When you sent bounty hunters out, and slaughtered innocent people to find me"

Lexa stopped mid-step as she heard the news "I do not send bounty hunters, Clarke. I send warriors. And I most definitely do not kill my own people"

"Then why did I kill two bounty hunters to protect a woman from being murdered by them?" Clarke hissed. Lexa felt the harsh tone and she turned towards the commander of death.

"Azgeda are the ones who hire bounty hunters. I simply trust my warriors well enough to do their job correctly. However Azgeda find themselves in a very different situation. I am glad you came here when you did. If your life would have fallen into the hands of Azgeda, they would have your head."

Clarke's hands balled into fists "I won't let anyone else will die for me. Even if it means they have my head."

"Nobody will have your head. I will announce that you are staying here with me as a guest, under my own protection. Any attempts on your life will be taken as a serious crime and the punishment will be death. The murders will be ceased by the Ice nation as they gain new knowledge of your whereabouts." Lexa stood tall as she watched Clarke.

"I am no guest to a woman who betrayed me, Lexa" Clarke spat "I'm simply here to stop the killing"

"And it will stop" Lexa said before calling in her men "But if you are not staying as my guest, then I have no other choice to make you stay as my prisoner"

Clarke was hoisted back once again, and she let out a growl of disapproval as she was dragged away from Lexa. She suddenly wished she had ended the commanders life while she was weak. But as Clarke was dragged through the halls, she also realised. As much as she hated to admit it, she was weak too.

"You need my help Clarke. As I need yours." She heard Lexa call as she sat back on her throne. That was when Clarke lost every strength she had used to cling to her humanity. She kicked, lashing out at the grip of the men who led her captive.

"You will never get my help again!" Clarke screamed "you back stabbing bitch!"

"Take her away!" Titus ordered "She has clearly lost her mind!"

"Why? You don't like what you see? You wanted the commander of death" she hissed "well, now you've got her"
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