Clarke looked at Octavia's thin frail body sitting on her bed, shivering. She looked nothing like the loud and cheerful girl Clarke had left behind in her opposite cell. She looked tired, weak, and broken even.
Clarke remembered the day the guards had dragged Octavia to the cell opposite her's. Defiant as always. She had been caught stealing morphine for her mother, Stella, who had been suffering from terminal bone cancer. Abby had tried to protect her, but in vain.
"Clarke, I-" Octavia began.
"It's ok, O" Clarke nodded. "Bellamy told me everything."
"Bellamy? He's here?"
"No, I'll tell you everything later. Right now, I'm just so glad that you're okay," she said, and engulfed Octavia in a hug.
"Me too Clarke" Octavia smiled, relieved. "Me too."
"What about Raven?"
"She's biding her time. She and Monty were planning something when I left."
"We've to get them out, Octvaia, soon," the worry was etched on her face.
"You're close, Clarke," she said. "The Commander is already here...they were calling that girl, Heda...You're almost there!"
Clarke gulped.
"Yea I guess," she nodded gingerly. Octavia stared at her. "I'll do it...whenever Lexa is alone...I mean...she's the Commander. What? Stop staring and creeping me out."
"Lexa? Hmm. What do I smell here, Princess?" Octavia raised her eyebrows.
"What? And stop calling me that. "
"A story, that's what." Octavia said. "You forget, I know you better than I know myself at times."
"There's no story, ok. Just this thing that happened." Clarke wondered how to tell Octavia the whole story without making the other girl feel betrayed. She was supposed to be working for their freedom, not falling- definitely not the word- not making friends with the Commander. Yes, that's what it was. Friends. Close. Maybe a little too close.
"Clarke?" Octavia asked, a smile creeping up on her tired face. "Do I smell what I think I smell in the air?"
"What smell?" Clarke looked around, confused.
Octavia gave a wicked grin. "I can smell your gay-ass heart burst into rainbow confetti."
"Excuse me!" Clarke narrowed her eyes.
"Excuse you! Holy shit! Is the princess doing the dirtaaaay with the Commander?"
"Octavia! Shut your trap!"
"Ohkay, ohkay. I was just kidding. You called her Lexi-"
"Lexa.. Alexandra," Clarke corrected her automatically.
"Hey not my duty to remember YOUR wife's name. I just wanna touch that guy's abs. The one who caught me." Octavia grinned.
"I'll stuff spiders in your pillowcase again, if you do not shut up about Lexa and I," Clarke warned. "And his name is Lincoln, you're welcome."
"Ohkay,ohkay" Octavia conceded. Clarke's threats about spiders had come true twice before, and she did not want to take the chance again. "So there is nothing going on between 'Lexa and I'? Nothing at all?"
"No. Look, I met her at the forest, and she didn't tell me she was the Commander. So we...we became friends of sorts...and then I get to know that she's the damned Commander. And yes, that. So no more...friendships of any sort."
"You hypocrite" Octavia shook her head, and joked. "No more 'friendship' , huh?"
"None at all. Mark and hunt." Clarke said.
Octavia smirked, "Then why, dear Princess, is the Commander's warpaint on your face?"
***
"So yeah, that's what happened," Clarke finished telling Octavia the whole story of how she met Lexa in the woods.
"So let me get this straight," Octavia concluded, "I was risking my ass out in the woods, and you were busy kissing the hot Grounder Commander?"
Clarke narrowed her eyes and said, "Remember, spiders."
"Oi not judging you. I want some of that Grounder Pounder Lincoln too!"
"And Raven is going to apparate over here on her own, is she?"
"Can't a girl make a joke! Sheesh. Yeah, so problem."
"Damn right you are. I have to kill the Commander. And I swear I tried last time, and ended up kissing her. I'm freaking out, O!"
"Ok Clarke," Octavia said with a straight face, "Are you crazy, or are you crazy?"
"I definitely AM going nuts. I've never seen her fight, but I'm sure she's awesome at it... I mean have you seen her biceps! She's super fit. And very agile. So unless I drop a boulder on her while she's sleeping..."
"Ok. Rambling alert!"
Clarke stopped, looking dejected.
"I have to find something out first," Octavia said.
"What?"
"Ok, close your eyes. Good. Now imagine the Commander sitting down, with her back towards you."
"O what-"
"Just shut up and listen to the only wise one here, ok? So, yea, she's sitting. Now imagine your dagger is in your hands."
"Technically it's hers."
"And technically I should slap you across your tonsils the next time you interrupt me. Now imagine you're creeping up from behind her, dagger in hand."
"Hmm."
"You have to save your friends. She hears you, and turns towards you. You get ready to strike her down. What do you see?"
"Green."
"Green? You're jealous of her?"
Clarke opened her eyes, in sudden realisation. "I can't do it."
Octavia smiled."And I'm wise beyond my years."
"And I'm the most selfish person ever. My friends are rotting in a cell."
"You're not going to take one life to save another. Who are you to judge between the value of the two of theirs' lives, Clarke. You're not Pike."
"What do I do?"
"Where's Bell?"
"He's around. Tracking us."
"Awesome. Now take me to your girlfriend."
"Excuse me!"
"Yea, you're not smitten by her, and I'm a zombie in Fear the Walking Dead."
Clarke rolled her eyes.
"Old earth serial. They have prints of it in the archive. You should watch it. One of the leads looks like your girlfriend."
"Octavia."
"Yes?"
"Shut up please, and let's go to Lexa."
***
Lexa was sitting in the miniature throne room replica, TonDC had, for the Commanders' visits.
She was tired of listening to Indra and Gustus' tirade against the Arkadians. And it was only going to get worse once Titus returned. Personally, she had heard the whole story about the young prisoners from Clarke, right when they had met, and wasn't perturbed by Octavia's sudden appearance. Except that maybe she could have come a few minutes later. Thinking of that evening suddenly made her feel very vulnerable.
"Commander, the two girls are outside, and requests audience from you," Gustus bowed.
"Send them in."
Gustus glared at Octavia and Clarke and gruffly said, "Weapons here."
Clarke took out the dagger and handed it over to Gustus. Gustus immediately recognised the dagger, and gave Clarke a strange look.
He jerked his head towards Octavia," Yours too."
"Just my good looks, grumpy." Octavia winked.
"She doesn't have any, sorry", Clarke quickly interjected, and pulled Octavia through the doors, away from Gustus's murderous glares.
"Clarke," Lexa tipped her head.
"Lexa," Clarke smiled, "Octavia wanted to talk to you."
"I gathered. Go ahead," she nodded.
"Le...Commander," Octavia bowed her head once, "Thank you so much for everything. I would have died out there, if-"
"You have Clarke to thank for that, not me, Octavia of the Skaikru."
"Point..erm Commander, so we have a problem."
Octavia waited for a few seconds for Lexa to speak, and when Lexa didn't say anything, she continued.
"Raven, Jasper, and Money are still stuck there. Raven is sentenced to be executed in a month. We have to get them out and we need your help."
"Why should I help you, Octavia?" Lexa said, looking directly into Octavia's eyes.
"Cause no one else will. And cause someone innocent is going to die, Lexa" Clarke answered from beside Octavia.
"We want out, Commander. We're done being policed every second of our life." Octavia said.
"And do you think this place is better?"
"You don't execute people for trying to save their parents, or trying to build peace, I gather."
"20 men," Lexa finally said. "20 men led by Lincoln and Indra. With someone from the inside and we can get your friends over here safely."
"Bellamy. My brother," Octavia said excitedly. "He'll track us down here as soon as we leave the village."
"But I personally destroyed Clarke's tracker."
"Octavia's" Clarke pointed at her friend. "She has her bracelet on."
Lexa nodded. "I'll call a meet of my warriors tomorrow. We'll decide our course of action, then. You can go now."
"Thank you, Commander." Octavia sighed in relief, a hopeful smile creeping up on her face. She bowed and walked towards the door.
"Clarke, would you stay back for a bit, please?"
Clarke nodded, and signalled Octavia to wait outside.
"Thank you Lexa," she smiled.
"You had me sold on the idea even before Octavia arrived," Lexa said.
"It's not just that... It's...you saved me from something, Lexa. I'll tell you all about it someday. Maybe not so soon, but someday."
"I actually wanted to ask if you...there is a beautiful lake here...and trees...beautiful...would you take a walk with me tomorrow evening? I'd like to show you around, now that you're here to stay," Lexa said, clearly fidgety.
"Are you asking me out on a date, Commander?" Clarke grinned.
"On a what?" Lexa asked, looking confused.
"Date. Which you probably don't have any idea of, I gather." Clarke concluded.
"So?"
"So yes Lexa. I will. Stop being so nervous about it."
"I'm not nervous," Lexa said indignantly, and then smiled.
"You so are! You're scared to ask me out. The great Commander!" Clarke teased her. "Dress special for me, Lex" she winked and began walking out.
"And Clarke?"
Clarke turned around.
"I'm trusting you with all these. With Octavia, the others. Don't let me down, ok?"
Clarke felt a sudden sinking feeling in her stomach. She mustered up a smile and said, "I won't Lexa. Not anymore."
Octavia was grinning ear to ear when Clarke came out of the room."Are you done with whatever you were doing in there? Gusty-Poo's eyes will fall off from all that glaring, honest to God!"
"We were just talking, O."
"Talking dirty? Already?"
"I was thanking her, sheesh Octavia!"
"Thank...spank...whatever floats your boat."
Clarke caught hold of Octavia's arms and started dragging her towards their tent.
"By the way, I know what the 'green' is, now that I've seen her" Octavia said.
"You're so irritating oh my god!"
"And you're such a mushball."
----
A/N: Hello everyone. How's it going? This one was mostly a dialogue heavy chapter. So the plan to free Raven is set. What can go wrong, right? 😈
Also, Titus knows Clarke's motives. Just reminding you, in case you thought Clexa is gonna have it easy.
So how did you like Octavia? Any character you want to see more? Lemme know.
Till then keep reading, and keep being awesome.
Love,
Charlie.