The group settled into pace soon, and marched in silence. Lexa was at the head of the group, with Costia, and her soon to be appointed personal guard, Clarke and Indra. Raven,Octavia, Lincoln, Finn, and Bellamy rode just behind them, followed by the Arkadian elders and Luna. The army comprising of NouKru, Arkadian and Trikru warriors marched on behind their Commander. The group would have a stopover at TonDC which was at a day's riding distance from Arkadia. Then they would pick up speed and ride for Polis.
Clarke tried to keep her eyes open, looking ahead and on the trees for any kind of danger. She tried her best not to look sideways where Costia was riding beside Lexa, trying to make small talk.
Lexa looked calm and impassive as always, but once or twice Clarke saw her mask slip and falter as they looked at each other. Lexa was the Commander everyone feared, loved, respected, or hated. And then there was a Lexa that was for Clarke's eyes only. And Clarke loved that Lexa. And she knew that whatever happen, that Lexa would always be hers alone.
As evening fell, they unanimously decided to stop at TonDC for the night. As Clarke neared the gates, memories came flooding back.
Lexa became restless as they neared the village, and Clarke ignored the fleeting gazes that Lexa gave her. Lexa watched her as if she was fragile. As if she would break any second, and that irritated Clarke to no end. As they rode side by side, Clarke finally snapped and said in a slow voice, "What?"
"What?" Lexa asked, perplexed.
"Stop looking at me like that!"
"Like what?"
"Like I'm going to break or something."
"Clarke, I wasn't-"
"I'm not weak ok? So stop looking at me so concerned."
Lexa smiled. "Clarke, you're not. You're beautiful. And back here, in TonDC, I can't help but replay the memories of us falling in love."
"Oh" Clarke blushed a little. "You're beautiful too, Lexa. You're amazing and cute. "
" I'm not cute!"
"Excuse me! You are adorably cute."
"Clarke I'm the Commander! I can't be cute."
"Oh yes you are," Clarke laughed at Lexa's indignation. "Cute and amazing."
"Who's amazing, now?" Costia suddenly said, having caught up with Clarke and Lexa. Lexa immediately stiffened. Clarke gave a small smile and said, "Your fiancé, Costia. She is an amazing Commander."
Lexa felt a sharp stab at the words, though Clarke showed no emotion on her face.
"Well, she hasn't given me a chance to find out yet," she smiled seductively at Lexa. "Maybe you can come over to my tent tonight and tell me more about yourself, Commander."
Clarke suddenly felt sick."I have..talk to Octavia.." she mumbled, and slowed down her horse immediately, trying not to notice Lexa's guilt ridden eyes.
"She getting too close to your woman for comfort?" Octavia asked, as Clarke slowed down her horse and fell back a little to ride with her friends.
Clarke sighed. "I don't blame Costia. She doesn't even know...Doesn't have a clue...She's doing what's best for her people."
"That's the fucking problem with this place!" Octavia exclaimed. "Everybody is doing crazy shit for their people. No one does anything for themselves."
"What do you do for yourself Octavia?" Raven smirked.
"I screw Lincoln" Octavia smirked back. "Trust me that's the best I like to do."
Raven and Clarke groaned.
"Shit... This place is still...the same..." Clarke said as they got down from their horses and walked in through the gates.
"Does Gustus still live here?"
"Polis," Octavia said. "He's a disgrace now, to be honest. Heda banished him for 3 months after the incident with you...so you will basically be taking up his post which has been lying empty so far."
"So how came baldy is still around?"
"He's the fleimkeepa. They're irreplaceable." Raven said. "Mumbo jumbo in my opinion. They have some weird story about the City of Light and shit like that. You should see what he worships. It's a broken part of the Ark!"
Clarke half listened to Raven blabber, as she watched Lexa and Costia get down from their horses. They walked towards the central building at TonDC together, along with the other Council members.
Clarke sighed and moved away. A small group led by Indra had already moved ahead, and being the village chief, prepared a dinner of roasted meat and local mead.
As the army began to eat and drink, Clarke moved away, to sit down a little further away from the crowd, on a log. She remembered the day Lexa brought her here, and how devastated she had been to learn her true identity. And now, soon she'd be swearing on and dedicating her life for the very woman she had been sent to kill. The irony.
Amidst all the noise and homecoming songs by the Trikru army, Clarke's eyes never left the door of the chief's building. She knew Lexa would only be there, discussing political issues, but she somehow couldn't stand the idea of her being in one room with an overtly eager Costia. She would have to get used to this and a lot more, she reminded herself.
"Won't you have dinner?"
Clarke looked up to see her mother standing there with a stick of roasted meat.
"No, I'm okay, thanks for the concern." Clarke said, and looked the other side.
Abigail sat down beside her.
"What do you want, mom?"
"To know how long are you going to push me away, Clarke?"
"As long as I think that my own mother literally sacrificed me for political gains, Abigail Griffin."
Clarke felt a tinge of guilt as she saw Abby grimace. To Abby's credit, she did not react. She had been preparing this for days.
"Clarke you might be in denial, but you know very well that I had no choice. Can't you see how little say I have in things anymore? They just keep me there in the council like a sideshow now...it's a miracle that Costia decided to go ahead with my idea..."
Clarke looked up sharply.
"Mom? What idea?" she asked, dreading the answer.
"The whole marriage idea of course!" Abby beamed. "Your mother still had it in you see? I suggested it and at once Costia loved the idea!"
"You did what?" Clarke asked, horrified.
"Why? Don't you agree it was a brilliant idea? Look how cute they look together" Abby beamed. "I must say I quite like the Commander...She's nothing as I had expected. She's almost your age... She's a child!"
Clarke felt a horrible sinking sensation in her stomach. Her own mother had been unknowingly responsible for taking away the love of her life from her. Her own mother.
"Clarke, are you alright? Clarke, listen, you must learn to forgive me for what happened with your father and you...I had agreed to send you on the mission just so that they don't kill you once you're of age. I had to save my baby girl somehow...I know things happened here at TonDC, but I don't know what... You have to let me in...I am your mother."
Clarke wasn't listening. She felt her eyes burning with fresh hot tears. She was relieved when she saw Octavia walking towards them.
"Hey mama Griffin... Hey Clarke... Clarke... Is everything alright?"
Abby smiled, "Good to see you as the second Acting Chief here, Octavia...All my kids are growing up...Looking at Costia and all these wedding preparations... I must say you and Lincoln make a lovely pair."
"Yeah" Octavia said half-heartedly, as she looked at Clarke concerned. "Clarke?"
Clarke looked up, fighting back her tears. "You know Octavia, my mother is a brilliant strategist. Why don't you ask her how she got the idea of getting Costia and Lexa married?"
Octavia looked from Clarke to Abby, realisation setting in. She looked taken aback. "You...you did what?"
"Why is everyone so horrified at the idea... I know you kids are basically Grounders now, but Costia is a good kid, believe me. You have nothing to fear for your Commander."
"Abby," Octavia said slowly. "You have always wondered what happened to Clarke here, right? The Commander happened to her here, Abby. Clarke and Lexa fell in love here, and then Clarke sacrificed everything to save us... Me...Raven...That's what happened here. Clarke and Lexa happened."
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A/n: Hello people. This was a slow chapter I know. Next chapter will have plenty of Clexa I promise. And my alltime favourite Clexa scene which I will be rewriting for this story.
Also, how many of you hate Costia? She hasn't really done anything wrong yet from her perspective, you know. She doesn't know Lexa and Clarke are together. And how do you feel about the Abigail reveal?
Let me know... I'd love to hear your suggestions for this story. What you like and what you hate. What you want to see more and what you want to see less.
Keep reading and commenting. Comments are honestly the biggest motivations to write and share here. :)