Chapter Text
Clarke was woken by a tickling feeling on her face.
She immediately recognised the soft brush of familiar lips, but the other sensation… Clarke’s brows furrowed and she slowly fluttered her eyes open. The room was dim with candlelight and Clarke knew it had to be morning, even though it was clearly still dark outside.
She abruptly paused her scrutiny when she was met with Lexa’s stunning face hovering above her. Clarke stopped breathing to capture the moment and commit everything to memory.
They had electricity, but Lexa still preferred candlelight. Clarke loved the way it made Lexa’s skin glow and her pupils grow impossibly wide and alluring.
Lexa lifted The Flower up between them and Clarke remembered and beamed, before she reeled herself in and bashfully accepted it.
Ever since their second anniversary, Lexa had taken to offering Clarke The Flower as though she was renewing a commitment and re-establishing their vows each year. Though Clarke had appreciated it every single time, that year, with the Conclave and all that had happened because of it, the gesture felt so much more significant.
“Good morning.” Clarke whispered, eyes taking in the fact that Lexa was fully dressed and a blinding panic rose unbidden.
Clarke fought the urge to clutch onto her, so that she wouldn’t leave again.
“Morning, Steltrona.” Lexa murmured back and gently kissed Clarke’s lips.
Clarke’s eyes fell shut but her heart was hammering loudly in her ears. She honestly had no idea what was going on. Well, she knew, but everything couldn’t possibly just be alright, right? Did Lexa forgive her? Or has Lexa decided that they would just have one day of no worries and go back to avoiding her the next morning?
Clarke’s heart wouldn’t survive that.
“What’s happening?” She confusedly voiced her thoughts.
Lexa smiled, and god, Clarke had really missed her face.
“I thought we could go somewhere today. Where we can be alone…” Lexa offered with a lopsided grin and Clarke wondered why she was even questioning this miracle.
She wordlessly nodded and Lexa’s grin grew, before she lithely jumped up from the bed. Clarke still carefully held The Flower in her hand as she sat up and watched Lexa who already had supplies gathered on the couch and coffee table.
Clarke slowly got out of bed, still unable to process.
“Are you sure it’s safe for us to leave?” Clarke tentatively asked. Not wanting to mention Aiden or the Conclave for fear of breaking whatever truce they’d settled on, but needing to know. She’d been irresponsible enough.
Lexa stopped wrapping up food packages and shoving them into her saddlebags and looked at Clarke.
“It’s still early, and I hadn’t been sure last night whether,” Lexa stopped and rephrased. “The kids will be safe here at the house. We won’t be taking any of the family guard and will remain within radio range. Grunt will keep an eye on Aiden and I was going to ask Onya to spend the day with Jake… I had hoped – before – that we could spend a few more days away, but given circumstances, I’m sure we can manage to be back by sunset…”
Clarke guiltily bit her lip and nodded, wondering what Lexa’s original plan had been; what else she’d messed up.
“Okay.” Clarke murmured and tacked on a smile as to not ruin even this for her.
Lexa studied Clarke for a moment and then walked closer.
Clarke felt the urge to run.
“I’m going to inform Grunt and Onya of our plans… Maybe you could get dressed while I’m gone?” Lexa hesitantly asked, almost awkwardly, like she thought that for some insane reason Clarke’s answer would be anything other than a resounding yes.
“Leks,” Clarke started, they needed to talk, they were in this mess because they hadn’t talked to each other. “Not that I'm not happy and won’t follow you wherever you want to go... And I’m very appreciative of the romance and the sex…” God, the sex that night had been phenomenal. “But I don’t think that it's very healthy for us to pretend that nothing happened...”
Clarke fiddled with The Flower, staring at the white petals, feeling more than seeing Lexa stepping closer.
“I thought we could speak later. Away from,” Lexa motioned her hand around the room. “Everything,” she continued. “Just the two of us.”
Clarke nodded. “Okay.” She tensely laughed and abruptly stopped at the cringeworthy sound. “Yeah. We’ll talk later…” She nervously gulped, growing even more anxious as Lexa continued to stand there looking at her.
Logically, Clarke knew that Lexa wouldn’t spend the night making love to her and then take her somewhere else to ask for a divorce. She knew that Lexa wasn’t petty like that. And yet, Clarke dreaded whatever talk it was they would be having ‘later’.
“I was going to apologize.” Lexa suddenly said and Clarke’s brows slammed together and she started doubting her own sanity and whether Lexa was actually there in the room with her, because what did Lexa have to apologise for?
“For not coming to talk to you.” Lexa confidently spoke as though she’d been thinking about it for a while. “For staying away. Pushing our children away and our family. For not discussing with you why I forbade Aiden's entry in this Conclave and simply expecting obedience. For thinking I had a right to forbid him in the first place. I made mistakes too, Clarke, and you had apologised for yours. Will you accept mine?”
“Wha-?” Clarke was stunned, she’d been preparing to grovel and beg. “Yes.” She settled on. Apparently, they were going to talk right now.
Clarke didn’t think that Lexa had taken to heart what she had to say after the Ilian incident, but she clearly had. Of course she had…
“I noticed that Aiden was distracted after you announced the Conclave.” Clarke carefully started to explain. “We discussed his intentions and he asked me not to tell you and yes, we knew you wanted him to wait until he was older, but he asked me for time, to give him the opportunity to prove to you that he was ready and I agreed to that, because I thought he would change his mind and part of me wanted to see whether he was ready too.”
Lexa was still looking at her, not the Commander, so Clarke felt comfortable to continue.
“My intention was always to tell you, but I waited too long and I knew you would be mad at me, and I had selfishly used you as a back-up plan to say no to him, because I didn’t have the heart to, and I’m sorry for that too.”
Lexa chuckled at that and Clarke really wasn’t sure what to make of Lexa’s behaviour that morning.
“Then you said no… And I had prepared myself to back you on that, but you shut me out, which I understand, but that only gave me time to myself to think and make the wrong decisions. And you know that I’ll always choose you, Leks. I always have and I always will, but shouldn’t our children come first? Shouldn’t I fight for him, like I would fight for you?”
Lexa nodded and Clarke barely registered it as she continued to let the words out. “So I spent more time with him and realised how much he genuinely wanted to do this and admittedly, I allowed old insecurities about myself and Mom to influence me, but even though I was wrong in going against you like that, I felt that the right thing to do in that moment was to support him in his dreams and isn’t that my job as his mother?”
Lexa nodded again and Clarke wanted to slap her, because she’d been beating herself up over this, having sleepless nights and anxiety attacks and sat weeping in her studio a few times and Lexa was just suddenly okay with what happened?
“I never meant to undermine and disrespect you.” Clarke tried to remind Lexa of what she’d done, but Lexa remained maddeningly neutral. “In my mind, it didn’t feel like I was choosing him over you. And yeah, that’s exactly what I did, I know, but my only thought was that he asked me to believe in him and I couldn’t not do that. And yes, you disappeared on us, but I knew I could find you and I stopped myself from doing that, because I was certain that you would talk me out of it.” Clarke dryly chuckled. “Living through this horrible Conclave is just proof that I should’ve just spoken to you, but I was worried too, of losing him if he didn’t get this chance... I was worried how it would impact our family if we denied him the one thing he’s been passionate about all of his life. He’s so stubborn,”
“Just like you.” They said at the same time.
Lexa laughed and Clarke smiled. “But he’s also so very brave and honourable and good… Just like you.” She softly told Lexa. “And I want to give our children everything. I especially want to support them in the things they’ve worked so hard to achieve.”
“I do too.” Lexa lovingly murmured. She loved their children. Clarke had thought she’d gotten lucky in the wife department, she had no idea how great a mother Lexa would be too.
“I heard you two talking, after the second round of battles. In Aiden’s room.” Lexa confessed.
“You did?”
Lexa hummed. “I think we’ll need to spend more time together in the forest as a family.”
Clarke bewilderedly stared at her, because what? Was Lexa high? Did Abby give Lexa drugs from the hospital to push them toward reconciliation?
“Our son has clearly been influenced by your Skaikru space-upbringing and I will need to show you both what wood is and how it comes from trees that grow from the ground and doesn’t have the chemical properties to stop soundwaves from going through it.”
Clarke grinned widely and just barely managed to resist the urge to kiss Lexa’s pretty face off.
Lexa grinned back, but then sobered into a soft smile.
“He was right. I would’ve been even more against him entering had I known that he wished to do it to prove himself to me so that I wouldn’t worry. Especially since he needn’t prove anything.”
“I know that, Leks.” Clarke answered, grateful that Lexa easily accepted that fact. “Maybe he’s trying to prove something to himself too.”
Aiden seemed to have inherited from Lexa that annoying quality of doing things with a complex set of well-thought out reasons and motivations. And here Clarke had thought he was all her. He definitely was, but with a lot of Lexa’s awesomeness added in too.
“He and I also know that by saying ‘no’ to Aiden, you were only trying to do what was best for him.”
“And so were you.” Lexa smiled and Clarke felt like laughing and crying because they’d both wanted the same thing for Aiden and still got it so completely messed up.
“I was very hurt by how you went about doing that.” Lexa admitted, her face flooding with a storm of emotions and Clarke tensely thought that this was it, they were finally going to hash it out. “And then I was angry. Angry and hurt and disappointed, and that’s never good, so I stayed away because I wasn’t sure what I would say to you if we were to talk then.”
Clarke ruefully lowered her gaze but looked back up at Lexa’s next words.
“But I’ve had time to process and to listen and to try and understand, and I do forgive you, Clarke. I’m no longer angry.” Lexa inhaled shakily. “And I don’t want to hurt anymore.” Her eyes glistened and Clarke’s heart splintered apart. “And when I take those feelings away, all I feel is scared...” She bit her lip like she was trying to stop it from trembling. “I'm so scared, Clarke, and I need you. I need you with me and our family needs us together. Aiden needs us, and I need us to be a team again. I won’t be able to get through this without you.”
Clarke let out a sob and flew into Lexa’s arms, hugging her close.
“Oh, thank god.” Clarke cried into her neck. “I was falling apart without you.”
“Don't let me be that stupid for that long ever again.” Lexa rasped into Clark's hair.
Clarke let out a choked laugh and hugged her tighter.
“I won’t go behind your back ever again. I don’t even care what the stakes are. I’ll make you talk to me and I’ll listen to you instead of ever doing something like that again.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you.” Lexa husked.
“I’m sorry I hurt you too. And you were trying to deal with it on your own because I made you feel that you couldn’t trust me. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”
“No, I will never mean that.” Lexa sombrely answered. “You're not very pretty when you cry, so I try very hard to avoid it.”
Clarke threw her head back and laughed, before she kissed Lexa’s gorgeously grinning face.
Clarke watched Lexa finish saddling and packing her stallion in the stables. It was strange. She still couldn’t seem to let go of the feeling of dread that had plagued her for weeks, even as her heart felt light with happiness that they’d finally made up. And it wasn’t just anxiety over Aiden’s participation in the Conclave.
After securing Clarke’s bag, Lexa licked her lips and dark eyes settled on Clarke.
“You packed an extra set of clothes…” She rasped and Clarke fought back a smirk. She was wearing her gauntlets and dressed in the same light armour Lexa was wearing, their respective sets of dual blades already fastened to the saddlebags.
“I did yes, for if you’re feeling like it later.”
Lexa stilled for a moment, her eyes clouding over. Clarke patiently allowed Lexa her thoughts and innocently smiled when Lexa eventually shook herself out of it.
Lexa gave her a stiff nod and mounted the horse. Clarke nimbly climbed up behind her. Her hands brushed across Lexa’s firm abdomen and she pressed her face into Lexa’s hair. Breathing her in as Lexa walked them out of the stables and toward the back of Polis.
The entrance that used to be secret had been fitted with a metal door that remained bolted up and guarded.
The guards on duty bowed to Lexa and greeted Clarke, before they swiftly opened the gate to let them through.
The sun was only then starting to rise and Clarke already felt like it was the best morning she’s had in a long time.
As they passed the foliage and the sun gradually lit the forest, Clarke recognized the path they were on and knew where Lexa was taking her. She smiled and kissed the back of Lexa’s head and gave her a tight squeeze of appreciation.
They’d been to the cave a few times over the years. Usually they stayed a couple of nights and hunted together. But that day, they only cleaned up the entrance at the cave mouth and unpacked their things.
Lexa unfurled a bedroll and blanket so that they would have a soft place to sit, while Clarke secured her swords on her lower back and climbed down the cliff’s edge to wait for Lexa on the ground.
The Commander followed shortly after with her katanas strapped to her back and stopped a few yards away.
“Stretch first.” Clarke ordered and bent down to touch her fingertips to her toes.
Lexa rolled her eyes, but obediently followed suit. Clarke was very aware of the green eyes glued to her body and tried her utmost to be both sexy and thorough in her stretching.
When she was done, Clarke drew her blades and crouched into a defensive position.
Lexa stopped mid pyramid pose and straightened. She then slowly slid her katanas from their sheathes while flashing Clarke a devilish smirk.
Clarke twitched between her thighs.
She knew that she would need to make the first move, so Clarke twirled her swords and rushed forward. Her stomach excitedly flipped when their blades clashed, the sound having turned into an aphrodisiac over the years.
They sparred frequently. Usually at the back of the stables. Always alone. It had been a long time since Clarke had fought anyone other than Lexa and she’d never felt more competent as a warrior because of it.
It had been the best feeling when Lexa had stopped giving Clarke instruction, and it had become Clarke’s mission in life to try and beat Lexa someday. Lexa didn’t go easy on her anymore and that just added to the exhilaration.
Clarke bent backward, away from a lightning fast swing and felt her shoulder guard slip off, realising that Lexa had taken her first piece of armour. They paused for a moment, Clarke panting in excitement and both stepped away from the armour to crouch in defensive positions.
Clarke attacked again with a wild grin.
She’d discovered Lexa’s little fetish one crazy afternoon on a secluded beach in the Boat Clan. It was a combination of too much sun, alcohol, and happiness, that had led Lexa to dice the clothes from Clarke’s body with the Heda’s knife. Clarke wasn’t sure which one of them liked it more, but they’d incorporated it into their sparring sessions after much persuading from Clarke.
Sometimes Clarke felt as though Lexa knew what she would do before Clarke had even decided to make her move. Lexa was a great warrior because of how intuitive she was during battle, but it was especially true when she fought Clarke, who had trained for years and whose style she knew by heart.
Save for a few scratches Clarke had convinced Lexa to overlook with great difficulty, she’d never been seriously injured. The intention had never been to inflict critical damage, so the sparring was as safe as can be, given the calibre of their weapons. Clarke also trusted Lexa with her life and had never felt threatened into having the Little Pauna rise and do something unpredictable that would most likely get herself really hurt rather than give her an advantage.
But there still remained an enticing element of danger that heightened all of Clarke’s senses in an almost intoxicating way.
Lexa deftly removed all of Clarke’s armour, stripping her down piece by piece, until she was only wearing her gauntlets, a shirt and pants. Clarke felt the way Lexa changed the pace of the battle and their positions with subtle movements of her own body. It felt like when they danced together and Lexa led them around the floor and ignited an instinctive urge for Clarke to follow.
With swift and purposeful strikes of one or both katanas, Lexa directed Clarke toward the cliff wall, gradually increasing the force of her attack until Clarke could do nothing but retreat until she was cornered against the rockface.
Clarke was spent. Drunk on adrenalin and unbelievably horny. She was barely able to hold her swords and was easily disarmed. Maybe Clarke helped a little with that. Any other time, Lexa would’ve scolded her for giving up so easily, but Lexa seemed unable to stay apart as much as Clarke did and dropped her katanas, drew her knife and had it at Clarke’s throat an instant later.
Clarke stood pressed up against the rock, breathing hard and rubbed her thighs together. She whimpered pathetically when Lexa roughly kissed her while the sharp blade kept Clarke in place.
Usually Lexa would tease Clarke until she was ready to explode. But that day, Lexa only trailed the tip of her knife down Clarke’s throat and cut her shirt down the middle, baring Clarke’s torso. Lexa then dipped the knife’s tip in between Clarke’s skin and the hem of her pants, just above her groin. The cool metal burned against Clarke’s heated skin and she bucked forward on instinct, despite knowing better.
“Nou step au, Little Pauna.” Lexa growled at Clarke not to move, causing Clarke to shudder as she watched Lexa lower down onto her knees.
Clarke’s breaths deepened and she couldn’t tear her hooded gaze away from Lexa; her nerve-endings sparking electric with excitement. And with seemingly just a flick of her wrist, Lexa cut the front of Clarke’s pants open with a garish tearing sound, exposing her groin to the soothing breeze of the Trikru forest.
Lexa gripped Clarke’s still clothed thighs, opening her up wider, and Clarke gasped and pressed her hips forward right into Lexa’s warm and waiting mouth.
Clarke moaned loudly and freely and wove her fingers into Lexa’s hair. Her hips eagerly rolled forward, her head lolling back against the rock and her eyes rolling into the back of her head.
Maybe she’d never beaten Lexa in battle, but Clarke always won in the end.
They sat on the bedroll, Clarke dressed in her alternate outfit for the day. The other lay in tatters. Beneath the fabric, she was covered in numerous bruises and scratches. Lexa was too. It was just what Clarke had needed and she hoped from the happy grin that hasn’t left Lexa’s face, that she’d paid her back in kind.
She placed a piece of fruit she’d taken from one of the various dishes spread out around them in her mouth. Clarke wasn’t even sure what it was she was eating, because she was distracted by Lexa and how it felt like they weren’t quite done making up. Clarke was still uncomfortably aroused even whilst being blissfully sated. Lexa’s full lips were glistening with fruit juice and Clarke committed herself to refuel and hydrate so that they could hopefully get back to reconnecting some more, soon.
In an attempt to stop herself from jumping Lexa, Clarke focused on what they were celebrating that day. They’d agreed a long time ago not to exchange gifts on their anniversaries. Instead, they would give each other time together. No work. No kids. Just the two of them. They liked to travel, not always on the day. Sometimes before, sometimes after, but they made sure to go on a trip alone every single year.
Clarke though, wasn’t as effortlessly romantic as Lexa was. She needed to work at it. Contemplate it. Second-guess herself five million times, even while she knew that Lexa would appreciate anything Clarke did for her. But Clarke had wanted to put in an effort that year and give Lexa something special. So she leaned over to the small bag she’d packed with her clothes, and pulled out a little box, wrapped in brown paper and a green linen ribbon tied around it.
Lexa looked delightfully surprised as she accepted the gift with a stunning smile.
“Mochof, Clarke.” She whispered, before she’d even seen what was inside.
Clarke watched and waited while Lexa neatly opened the packaging, used to the compulsive precision, and held her breath when Lexa removed the rectangular device, about the size of her palm.
Lexa’s head tilted as she picked up the accompanying set of earphones too and then questioningly looked to Clarke.
“It’s a tiny tablet computer?” Lexa wondered.
Clarke grinned. Lexa was extremely advanced technologically, probably more so than Clarke given her close working relationship with Raven, but even Lexa couldn’t know what she didn’t know.
“Sort of.” Clarke murmured, reaching over and taking the device. “It only plays music. Just like your tablet, but smaller.” She explained as she switched it on.
“Just over a year ago I told Raven what I wanted and asked her to make it. They’re so busy at Arkadia, I needed to give them some time to gather the materials and put it all together. It took so long because here at the back,” Clarke turned the device to show that it was a darker, glassy material. “It can be charged via solar energy.”
Lexa’s eyes widened excitedly as she took the device back to have a closer look.
“It probably won’t be mass manufactured any time soon, so this is only a prototype.” Clarke continued to explain while she fondly watched Lexa examine the device and then scrolling through the multitude of songs. “Ironically, the ear buds took the longest to make as they had to specially synthesize the rubbers to efficiently protect your ears.” Clarke connected the earphones to the device while Lexa still possessively held onto it. “They made it compact, so you can carry it around with you wherever you’re travelling, even if there’s no electricity to charge it. I've had it preloaded with songs I know you’ll like and compiled a few playlists of your favourites.” She leaned forward and gently inserted the plugs into Lexa’s ears.
Clarke paused as her eyes met Lexa’s striking green gaze, staring at Clarke in that way Clarke had thought Lexa would never look at her again.
Clarke blushed and looked down to scroll across the touchscreen while Lexa still held onto the device.
“I thought you might like this song in particular...” Clarke made sure the volume wasn’t too loud, before she pressed play and Lexa's eyes sparkled with glee.
Clarke could faintly hear the sound of a guitar strumming and a woman singing and gave Lexa time to acclimatize, knowing Lexa could still hear her over the music.
"It's called Songbird.” Clarke sheepishly informed. “It was the cheesiest song I could find that I actually also liked. And I know how much you love guitar acoustics..."
Lexa didn’t take her piercing gaze off of Clarke the entire time and Clarke had to fight the urge to look away, feeling the way her face flushed under Lexa’s stare. Then Lexa moved forward and tenderly kissed her, in that languid and appreciative ‘I-just-want-my-mouth-to-be-on-your-mouth-right-now’ kind of way that was definitely in Clarke’s top ten list of amazingly wonderful things Lexa could do with her lips.
Lexa pulled away and removed one ear piece. "Thank you, Clarke." She said in that genuine heartfelt tone that made Clarke feel warm all over and like she’d just won something rare and special. "Do you want to listen too?" Lexa asked, already offering her a bud.
Clarke nodded eagerly, not caring as much about the music as she wanted to be closer. Almost breathing in each other’s air, they rested their heads closely together while they listened.
They were quiet until the song finished and another slow love song started playing.
"I keep on thinking of all the things I haven't been able to do, and how they might never get done after I retire." Lexa softly murmured as they remained sitting close together.
Clarke barely heard the music as she basked in the intimacy.
"I keep on thinking of all the things you have done, and then I have to stop so I can live my life because the list is that long." Clarke retorted.
Lexa’s mouth tilted with a charmed smile, but Clarke knew that Lexa focused forward and hated leaving things undone.
“Just make a list, Leks. Give it to the clan leaders, have them bully the new Heda into doing them." Clarke was careful not to mention Aiden or Ilian. Content to remain in their bubble of bliss for as long as possible. "You probably have a list already, so what are some of the things you absolutely need them to finish?" She asked to make sure Lexa remained distracted from the upcoming battle.
Lexa, predictably, didn’t have to think about it long.
"The clans have grown exponentially in population size over the last two decades. We're finding it difficult to differentiate between everyone. Too many bear the same names while hailing from the same clan.”
Clarke nodded. “Yeah, keeping patient records is a nightmare. If we didn’t religiously document family members in patient records, it would be impossible to keep track of who’s who.”
She’d complained to Lexa about that numerous times before.
"I've been thinking that people will need to start taking family names. Since at this very moment, there are thirty-four girls and seven boys named Leksa in Polis alone."
Clarke laughed at that. Their children had amusedly mentioned having heard of a few of those Lexas.
"Surnames would be a great idea." Clarke agreed with a smile, getting lost in the soft way Lexa looked at her, eyes shining with affection Clarke had missed so fucking much.
“We would need to organise so many people to document the population, though. People who can read and write to perform a census. It’s not a difficult task, but it would be time-consuming and we would need somewhere to keep the records that is safe. Not everyone has access to computers yet, and who do we entrust with that responsibility? Could such information be used for fraudulent purposes? Do we need to collaborate with healers who document births and deaths? Should they be responsible for keeping the records? Are we supposed to erect record-keeping offices in each clan? Do we document marriages too? Would it be easier just to assign everyone identity numbers, because surnames would only alleviate the problem, not fix it entirely? And how will we then identify them if we assigned them these numbers?” Lexa listed the reasons why she hadn’t just done it yet and though Clarke was intrigued, she didn’t want Lexa stressing about that right now.
“What do you want our family name to be?” Clarke smoothly interjected once Lexa took a breath.
Probably something derivative of Trikru, Clarke thought to herself, maybe a type of tree to honour Lexa’s heritage. Clarke Douglas-fir it popped into her head and she almost burst into a fit of giggles before she noticed Lexa bite her lip and glance away.
“I had thought…” Lexa trailed off and smiled bashfully before she looked back at Clarke. “I thought that we already had a family name…”
Clarke’s brows furrowed and she tilted her head in question, wondering what she was missing.
“I’m your wife…” Lexa murmured. “I thought that meant that I would take your surname…”
Clarke’s eyes widened and her chest seemed to expand and tighten simultaneously. And fuck, her heart. Clarke wasn’t going to make it passed forty. Lexa was going to be a young widow. A young Mrs. Fucking Griffin.
“Leksa Griffin…” Clarke reverently whispered. She hadn’t even known that that was something she wanted. It hadn’t once even been a thought. It was just a name. Clarke had forgotten she even had a surname. It shouldn’t matter and yet somehow it meant so much.
“Clarke and Leksa Griffin.” Lexa grinned back, looking happy and pleased.
Clarke tackled her to the ground and kissed her pretty face off.
Twenty. Fucking. Years.
They managed to make it back home just in time for dinner. They wouldn’t have bothered, but Clarke and Lexa wanted to re-establish some consistency for Jake. Their youngest and Anya were outwardly elated at both their attendance and Clarke couldn’t regret the difficult choice she’d had to make to move out of Lexa’s arms at their cave.
The rest of the family seemed to be wary and more inwardly happy. Abby was suspicious but couldn’t quite hide how pleased she was to see them together. Aiden wasn’t there, but Clarke was certain Anya would inform him of the latest developments, they were like two peas in a pod.
Everyone had known they’d spent the day together and that it was their anniversary, so it wasn’t that big of surprise. Clarke wondered how many had thought they’d gone to argue in the forest and would return worse off rather than reconciled.
Fuckers.
That didn’t matter, dinner was lovely. After Clarke informed Lexa of Abby’s distress at her absence, she went to spent some time with her beloved nomon. Clarke decided to draw her a warm bath for when she returned, because she still felt as though she’d gotten off way too easily considering everything. The more time she spent without Lexa, the more anxious and uncertain Clarke grew.
Lexa entered the bathroom as Clarke lit the last of a horde of candles and flicked the lights off. Lexa immediately started undressing and Clarke couldn’t help but watch her gorgeous naked body reveal itself.
“I’m gonna go clean my swords, do you want me to do yours too?” Clarke distractedly asked while her eyes lingered on Lexa’s breasts.
She realised far too late that Lexa hadn’t answered yet and looked to her face to find Lexa frowning in intense contemplation.
“You’re not joining me?” Lexa finally questioned.
“Oh, okay. Yeah.” Clarke mumbled and started clumsily pulling her clothes off because Lexa was still frowning and studying her and Clarke would’ve wondered why things were so awkward between them after their great day if Clarke didn’t know that she was the one making it so.
Lexa took mercy on her though and went to climb in the tub. Clarke was thankfully naked by the time Lexa’s back was leaned against the porcelain and she’d stretched out, taking up as much of the massive bathtub as her lean physique could manage.
Clarke walked closer and stood at the edge, considering where she should position herself when Lexa opened her arms and legs and Clarke timidly smiled and climbed in between Lexa’s limbs and sighed contently once her back was pressed against Lexa’s front and her head rested against Lexa’s shoulder.
She was welcomed by Lexa’s lips pressing a loving kiss against Clarke’s temple and her arms briefly squeezing Clarke in a comforting hug.
They were quiet for a while as Lexa tenderly washed the front of Clarke’s body in a way that was meant to soothe rather than titillate. Clarke closed her eyes and blanked for a while, softly sighing her gratitude.
“Better?” Lexa murmured next to her ear and Clarke could only hum an affirmative.
“Whether it be now, or ten years from now, we would still be scared to lose him.” Lexa softly stated, but the words hit Clarke like a sledgehammer to the chest and she startled in Lexa’s arms, but Lexa just shushed her and held her close until Clarke had somewhat relaxed again.
“I still can't stand at his side,” Lexa continued as though she hadn’t just delivered a suckerpunch when Clarke had finally forgotten for a while. “Because I am Heda, yes, but also because that is what Aiden wants.”
Clarke nodded, she’d figured as much. They were fine, but Lexa and Aiden had still drawn their lines in the sand.
“So he will continue to count on you for emotional support, Clarke, and I will need you too.” Lexa rasped and Clarke covered Lexa’s hands on her stomach, showing her that Clarke was there and willing. “And if you can’t forgive yourself and allow us to be us again, who's going to be there for you?”
Clarke’s eyes shot full of tears, not because she was scared, she was, but because Lexa knew her so well. Knew why Clarke had been so awkward to be alone with her again in their space and that she was doubting whether she deserved Lexa’s forgiveness. Whether she even deserved Lexa at all.
“I'm a better friend than Ekko, remember?” Lexa continued and Clarke could hear the soft smile in her voice and nodded her agreement as she thickly swallowed, pulling Lexa’s hands to rest on her aching heart. “I want to be there for you too, Clarke, so we can take care of each other, okay? Just like always.”
“I love you so much.” Clarke shakily husked, blinking away her tears before she turned around and kissed her wife.
The morning of the final battle arrived far too quickly.
Clarke and Lexa had woken long before the sun. Clarke had held Lexa from behind and though they knew that the other was awake too, they hadn’t spoken a word.
They’d showered together and dressed together and Clarke had braided Lexa’s hair before she helped fasten the Commander’s ceremonial armour. The design was the same as it had always been, but the new metal of the pauldron was sleek, shiny, and pitch black, and her signature sash flowed down in a waterfall of the finest red silk the clans had to offer.
Clarke had no official reason to wear armour that day and had picked out a simple, black, dress to match with Lexa.
The winner of the Conclave wouldn’t be Heda. That choice was still up to Lexa. The Conclave was merely to decide a successor and give all the clans a chance to have thrown their hat in the ring. Lexa could still choose Heda Solou Gonplei and that was something Clarke thought about almost as much as Aiden’s battle.
“You need to go to him.” Lexa murmured when Clarke stood in front of her with a jar of black kohl in one hand.
“Soon.” Clarke answered just as softly, before she reached up to apply Lexa’s warpaint.
Clarke ran into Anya in the hallway close to Jake’s room and instantly wrapped her in a hug.
“Honey, I don’t know what I would’ve done without you throughout this Conclave.” Clarke murmured, clinging on a little longer than necessary. “I probably would’ve lost my mind entirely if you hadn’t picked up the slack and been there for Jake and Nomon when I couldn’t.”
Anya patted Clarke in comfort and Clarke finally released her. “That’s what families are supposed to do, Mom.” She answered and Clarke bit back her tears because it was going to be a long day and she couldn’t start crying already.
“Whatever happens in this battle, Aiden is going to need us.” Clarke tentatively stated and Anya resolutely nodded. “The way you love us…” Clarke trailed off. “It’s something beautiful, Onya. And it shows how beautiful you are…”
Anya sheepishly glanced away.
“But your wants matter too.” Clarke stated a bit more sternly than intended and Anya’s eyes snapped back to her in surprise at the tone, before she softened and smiled.
“I know, Mom.”
“I need you to promise me that like your brother, you’ll fight for what you want, because we’ll support you through that just like we’re supporting him right now.”
“I promise.” Anya smiled indulgently, like she’d known that already, and Clarke was slightly mollified though also vowed to herself that she would make sure that Anya achieved whatever she wanted in life.
“Your Grandma says that you have a surgeon’s hands and you’ve done excellent in the pig labs. Steady with a blade, were her exact words.” Clarke proudly grinned. “She might have you do a hernia repair soon.”
“Maybe I will become a Spymaster too…” Anya smirked. “Every Heda needs a Spymaster they can trust in, or they’ll lose their minds dealing with the egomaniacs.”
Clarke tightly hugged Anya again.
“I will kill anyone who so much as thinks of hurting you.” Clarke vehemently swore out loud something she’d known she’d do for a very long time.
Anya just laughed and escaped Clarke’s arms again.
“I’m going to get Jake and take him to Nomon so we can go to the stadium together.” Anya announced before she kissed Clarke on the cheek. “I love you, Mom.”
Fuck it. Clarke was crying. “I love you too, Ahn.”
Aiden was a lot calmer than Clarke, and she suspiciously wondered whether it was his mask or not. She hadn’t realised how quiet she was being until she finished adjusting his armour and Aiden spoke, seemingly in an attempt to soothe her.
“I don’t believe that Ilian is the type of man to dishonour his clan and his King.”
Clarke stilled and stared at him.
“Even if he still bears a grudge against Nomon, I’ve prepared all I can and will adjust in battle as needed. If I can’t beat him, I shouldn’t be Heda. It’s as simple as that.”
“You know about Ilian? Did Onya tell you?”
Anya had agreed that she wouldn’t say anything for the same reason Lexa had stated they shouldn’t tell Aiden. No matter how close the siblings were, when Anya gave her word, she stuck to it. To a fault sometimes.
Aiden shook his head.
“I’ve been part of Heda’s delegation for as long as I can remember.” He continued to speak in that calm, confident, tone Clarke still wasn’t sure what to make of. “I’d made it a goal to learn as much as I could and made as many trusted contacts as possible. People also tend to say many things when they think you aren’t listening. Sometimes you hear seemingly irrelevant half stories that only become significant once you collate them all together.”
Clarke was honestly impressed. Aiden’s job had been to lurk in the background as part of Lexa’s personal guard, unnoticed by everyone unless Lexa pushed him forward into the spotlight. It was the perfect opportunity to gain information and study people. It was a trick Clarke and Lexa often employed. The Commander would theatrically distract and Clarke would look and listen for the truth.
"You really did learn a lot from your Nomon." Clarke smirked.
"Information is the most powerful weapon you can wield.” Aiden nodded. “That I had learned from my other mother."
Clarke was ready to burst with pride and turned to fetch the warpaint Aiden had placed on his desk, to hide her grin.
“Nomon has a list in her desk drawer.” Aiden stated and Clarke paused and turned to him again. “A very long list of plans and strategies to implement that will benefit our people. Over the past two years, I’ve watched her as she balanced preparations for the Conclave, travelling to the clans, and tried to scratch as many things off of her list as she could.”
Clarke nodded that she knew about the list. She had noticed how extra busy Lexa had been and had helped where she could, thinking Lexa was just tying up loose ends before her retirement.
“She hadn’t even come close to halfway done,” Aiden reverently continued. “Not because she had failed, but because she just has so many great ideas that she kept on adding to and simply not enough time to execute them.”
Raven has joked that if they could only clone Lexa and make her immortal, the world would be restored to an even better version of what it had been before the bombs had dropped, in no time at all. Clarke loved that thought, for reasons that had nothing to do with the betterment of their world.
“As Heda, I will continue where Nomon left off.” Aiden resolutely declared. “I couldn’t risk having another Heda step in and push back Nomon’s plans or undo what she’s done for our people. The clans are prospering because Nomon works hard on maintaining that, as much as she focuses on integrating new strategies. I don’t think anyone who doesn’t live in this house truly realises how much she does and how much she knows about everything.”
Clarke nodded. No disrespect meant to anyone else in the clans, but Lexa understood so much about politics, war, technological innovations, trade and industry, that any new Heda would fail to sustain the clans simply because they wouldn’t know enough yet. The time it would take them to learn, could prove disastrous and set them back years of progress. Clarke and Lexa had discussed that possibility endlessly. Lexa couldn’t be Heda forever. Not with the risk of Heda Solou Gonplei looming over them. Their family needed Lexa, she’d sacrificed enough for their people and shouldn’t have to give her life on top of that. It was time for someone else to step up.
“It’s the main reason why I couldn’t wait till I was older.” Aiden continued to explain. “Nomon has taught me enough to be able to keep the clans running as they are, while I continue to learn more. I want to finish Nomon’s list in her lifetime and have her witness all of her plans come to fruition.”
Fuck. Clarke was going to cry again.
“I’ve spoken with Onya and she has agreed to become my advisor and Spymaster. I trust her more than anyone and we will protect each other, just like you and Nomon have done.”
Clarke’s heart clenched and her lip trembled.
“I can’t speak on whether Onya wants children one day, but if we can’t finish the list, I will have as many children as I can and hope that one of them – or one of Ahn’s - will want to take over from me.” Aiden grinned that lopsided boyish grin of his. “Perhaps that child won’t be Heda, but instead a fairly elected President of the United Territories. And will make sure that our people will all be educated enough to make an informed decision in a democratic election, as Nomon has always wanted for them.”
Yeah, Clarke was definitely crying. And smiling. It was the first time that her mistake felt worth all the pain it had caused.
“We will maintain the legacy of Leksa kom Trikru. Of Aleksandria Griffin.” Aiden smirked and Clarke laughed with watering eyes.
“You know about that too?”
Aiden nodded. “I hadn’t wasted my time these last few years, Mom, and Nomon had shared much with me. The more I watched her, the more determined I became to follow in her path. Her goals became my own.”
Since Aiden had told her that he wanted to enter the Conclave, Clarke’s main focus had been for Aiden not to die. But since the Conclave started and she discovered a side to her son she hadn’t known existed, Clarke actually wanted him to win. She believed that he could and that he deserved to be Heda.
Clarke finally picked up the two small tubs of warpaint Aiden had selected. He’d never been to war, so had never worn any. Well, that wasn’t entirely true.
When he was five years old, he'd begged Clarke to put kohl on his face, the same as Lexa’s, before he’d jumped up onto the Antler throne and started yelling 'leave us' at the guards who amusedly obeyed him. Clarke suspected that it was because he would spend countless hours with Indra who freely told him stories about Lexa as a young Commander.
“How do you want your paint?” Clarke gruffly asked and he explained that he just wanted two thick lines from one temple, crossing over his eyes to the other.
“Red for Nomon.” Aiden murmured as Clarke drew the first thick stripe below his brow as steadily as she could.
“And blue for your eyes.” He cheekily grinned once Clarke had finished the other.
She scoffed, but amusedly chuckled, wondering what all Echo had told Aiden of that day. She knew her best friend was the culprit.
Aiden grew serious again.
“Today I fight for you too, Mom.” He earnestly vowed. “And I want to say how thankful I am to you for always believing in me. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you.”
Clarke sniffed and went to wipe her hands on a cloth and desperately hoped she would make it through the day without passing out from dehydration.
“I wish I could give you the kind of inspiring speech your nomon had given me before my battle against Gregor.” Clarke murmured, feeling inadequate despite Aiden’s heartfelt validation.
Aiden chuckled. “From what Aunt Ekko has told me, that would be very inappropriate, Mom. It would probably scar me for life were you to speak to me the way Nomon did you that day.”
Clarke grinned and gently hit his shiny armour. “We probably shouldn’t have constantly told you how proud we are of you. It kinda takes away from moments like these when it’s all I feel and can think to say.”
Aiden smiled softly. “It’s what has kept me going when I’ve faltered, that need to keep you both feeling proud of me.”
Clarke smiled tremulously, holding back from hugging him while his warpaint dried.
“Nomon would want me to tell you that the outcome of this battle won’t matter to us. That we have faith in you and will continue to support you regardless of whether you become Heda or not.”
Aiden nodded and accepted it with soft understanding eyes.
“I think there’s one piece of advice your nomon gave me that I can share with you today.”
Aiden tilted his head, waiting in anticipation, wanting something from Lexa; from his nomon and his Amin. Some final words of wisdom from the great Commander of the United Territories.
“Don’t die, Branwoda.” Clarke smirked, causing Aiden to burst out laughing.
After Clarke walked into the stadium at Aiden’s side, Roan and Ilian next to them as they waved to the crowds, they made their way to the steps that led down from the dais.
Lexa was already seated and Grunt stood at the mic having announced the final two novitiates to the excited crowd.
Clarke and Roan bowed to the Commander looking indominable on her throne, sending waves upon waves of nostalgia rolling through Clarke’s body as she reminisced on the first time she’d been struck by that powerful image.
Roan thankfully pulled Clarke away from her staring by suavely offering his arm. She accepted with a smile and allowed herself to be escorted up to the Antler Throne. It was unrehearsed and so very charmingly Roan, that Clarke felt guilty for not spending any quality time with their friend as they usually would when he was in Polis. She was sure that he thought it was because both of them were focused on their candidates, when Clarke had avoided him solely to prevent an altercation regarding Ilian.
Lexa rose from her throne and delicately took Clarke’s hand and smiled at Roan when he bowed and went to take his seat. Lexa kissed Clarke’s cheek and they both settled in their seats before looking down at Aiden and Ilian.
They bowed to the Commander, but Clarke’s eyes were focused on Ilian. She couldn’t help but wonder what it felt like for him to bow to Lexa. Lexa was the only person Clarke had ever bowed to, but that was easy. It felt right. What was it like to bow to someone you despised?
Before the final battle, there were a few performances and competitions to entertain the crowds. Clarke couldn’t pay attention to any of the happenings. Her mind was reeling and she just needed it fucking over and done with already.
If Ilian killed Aiden...
Clarke wondered if Lexa would interfere or let it happen as per Aiden’s wants. If she allowed that, Clarke knew that Lexa would avenge their son afterward. Maybe that was what Ilian has wanted all along? He could’ve challenged Lexa to Heda Solou Gonplei though. But Clarke had learned that Ilian kom Azgeda was an intelligent man. Striking down Lexa at this point in time while she was so beloved by their people, would cause him a lot of trouble. Especially with Azgeda being an ally and King Roan a close friend.
But if Ilian killed Aiden and provoked Lexa into challenging him afterward, it wouldn’t seem as an aggressive a play. It would’ve been Lexa who had instigated the battle. But would the people still follow someone who had struck down a grieving mother? Was this even about being Heda to him? Or was Ilian just attempting to destroy their family as they’d destroyed his? Clarke wasn’t sure what Ilian’s motives were, she only knew that she might lose both Lexa and Aiden that day...
Her fingers twitch, her blades lay ready and waiting at the back of her seat. Clarke was already mentally and emotionally preparing herself to follow Lexa in that worst-case scenario, when her eyes caught Anya and Jake laughing at the comedy sketch taking place on the arena floor. No, Clarke needed to remain strong and not do anything stupid again. She'd promised Lexa and she wouldn’t let her children down.
Finally, Aiden and Ilian stood opposite each other, lances at the ready, and Clarke’s heart in her throat. She blindly reached out and took Lexa’s hand, who gripped back tightly even before the first thunderous crack of metal on metal reverberated through the stadium.
Objectively, the match started out intense and sort of amazing. The crowds were going insane. Aiden and Ilian were both so skilled with their weapons that they made it look like poetry in motion. It was spectacular. Artful. And with a hint of danger that had everyone on the edges of their seats.
For the first twenty minutes of the match, they blocked and ducked with an equal amount of style, finesse, and utter effortlessness. Then Ilian feigned right, but went left, so fast that Aiden reacted too late. He received a vicious slash to his knee with the bladed lance, even as he blocked Ilian’s instant and brutal follow up strike to his chest, and wobbled out of reach.
And fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fucking. Fuck. Fuck.
Lexa’s hand had gone slack in Clarke’s, cool and sweaty with anxiety. They both knew what a hit like that meant against a warrior like Ilian. It became painfully apparent when the Azgeda candidate made use of his advantage and started a destructively offensive attack. Ilian landed blow after massive blow to Aiden’s lance, landing too many to his torso and upper arms as Aiden was now too slow on his feet to block them all.
Clarke wanted to close her eyes, unable to watch, but she couldn’t leave Aiden now and kept on looking and hoping. And then Aiden did that Lexa thing, where he stepped fully on his injured leg, shouting in pain even as he attacked. Not expecting the stubborn stupidity of risking permanent damage and potentially making things worse for the remainder of the battle, Ilian adjusted too late and received a booming crack to his left arm.
Clarke gripped onto Lexa’s hand to prevent herself from jumping up and cheering with the rest of the crowd.
Aiden was still at a disadvantage with regards to movement, but the lance was a two-handed weapon and he’d effectively lessened the power Ilian could put behind his strikes.
The next few minutes turned out to be grotesquely cringeworthy, as Ilian and Aiden traded blows to each other’s bodies that left them both beaten and bloodied and visibly exhausted.
It was anybody’s guess who would come out on top until, as though he had caught a second-breath, Ilian let out an almost desperate cry, jumped three feet into the air and violently slammed the blunt side of his weapon against Aiden’s head.
Aiden went down.
Clarke’s heart dropped with him.
Lexa's hand dropped from Clarke’s.
Clarke barely noticed as she stared at the bloodied mess on the arena floor and tried to reconcile it with her son. His blonde head of hair was fast becoming stained dark red.
It was nauseating. Clarke was going to throw up as she sat trembling in her seat.
Ilian was catching his breath, looking barely able to stand upright as he kept an eye on Aiden still face down in the dirt.
Get up, Aiden! Clarke internally screamed.
Lexa rose from her throne and Clarke didn’t stop her.
“Get up, Aiden.” Lexa murmured so softly, only Clarke and Grunt heard, and walked to the top of the steps.
There was no way Aiden could’ve heard her and yet his head slowly rose, face covered in blood and sand, yet he seemed to instantly look up at Lexa who remained rooted in place, not giving a fuck as to what anyone would think.
Aiden nodded drunkenly. Whether in a sign to Lexa, or to amp himself up, Clarke didn’t know, but he shakily began to lift himself up, seemingly drawing strength from his nomon willing him to rise again.
Ilian noticed and instantly stumbled forward to keep his advantage.
Clarke thought Aiden was getting up, but that head injury must’ve been as awful as it looked, because he seemed to only flop down onto his back instead, chest visibly heaving, and was met with Ilian looming over him, Aiden’s lance laying far out of reach.
Ilian didn’t drag it out, or relish in what he was about to do as he instantly lifted his weapon and stabbed the tip of his lance towards Aiden’s head who rolled out of the way at the last second, effectively cutting the scream that was tearing from Clarke’s aching throat off into an aggrieved whimper.
Aiden continued the movement as he kicked against Ilian’s knee and grabbed for Ilian’s lance with one hand, while his other shot out with a lightning fast punch to Ilian’s throat who faltered allowing Aiden to rip Ilian’s weapon from his hand twirling it around and delivered a colossal blow to Ilian’s head. Aiden’s momentum threw him down onto his knees again as Ilian’s back hit the arena floor.
The crowd was going crazy, Clarke was openly sobbing as she watched Aiden struggle to lift himself up again, using Ilian’s lance as a crutch. When he finally made it to his feet, Aiden stilled himself and pressed the lance tip to Ilian’s throat.
Clarke thought that maybe Ilian wasn’t conscious, but her hammering heart increased with relief and joy, when Ilian tapped his hand three times and accepted defeat.
The roar from the crowd was deafening. Clarke didn’t hear a thing as Aiden, dirty and bleeding and hunched over in pain, tossed Ilian’s lance to the side and looked up at Lexa who still stood frozen at the top of the steps.
And because Lexa wasn’t moving, no one else did. Save for Aiden, who started limping his way toward the dais steps.
It seemed to take forever as Clarke clenched and unclenched her fists, wanting to get him down in a hospital bed and check his head injury, but finally Aiden made it there on his own and fell to his knees in front of the Commander. His chest heaved with exhaustion and pain, and blood seemed to blind his eyes as he squinted up at Lexa, who finally started making her way down the steps, so very tentatively, even as her expression remained carefully blank.
Clarke knew that Lexa was ready to burst with emotion, though.
Aiden lowered his gaze, bending his neck in an even deeper bow. The crowd had grown so quiet in anticipation, that Clarke could actually hear the faint ‘Rise, Aiden’ that fell from Lexa lips.
It was a clear struggle for him to get up. Lexa didn’t help him, but Aiden managed to straighten as much as he could, until, even as he was slightly bent over in pain, he towered over Lexa.
Lexa stepped forward and removed Aiden’s armour throwing it to the ground next to them. Clarke wondered if Lexa was checking him for injury and rose from her seat to go help. A low murmur of confusion started up in the crowd, but then the small Commander unfastened the buckle of her pauldron and removed it, before placing it on Aiden’s shoulder. Clarke stopped at the top of the steps and the crowd hushed.
It was a tight fit, even as Lexa adjusted it as much as she could. The armour wasn’t meant to be the new Commander’s, but it was the symbolism behind it. It hadn’t been planned, but Clarke suspected that Lexa needed to give their son something physical, as a way to show their people her own endorsement and belief in him.
“Grunt!” Lexa called up to the dais and Grunt, eyes glistening, rose to retrieve her lance.
Lexa looked up and lifted her hand and Grunt tossed the lance down the numerous steps. Lexa easily caught it as though it had been rehearsed. It wasn’t. That was just Lexa and Grunt being effortlessly smooth and in sync with each other.
Lexa turned back to Aiden and Clarke watched him realise what he was about to receive. Lexa kept the lance horizontally, palms up and presented the weapon her nomon had given her, to her son.
Aiden bared a row of bloodied teeth in an almost delirious grin and accepted the lance. He kept it in one hand, one tip to the ground and then straightened to his full height, pain ignored, as he stood there, dressed in Lexa’s armour, the red sash flowing down his back like a cape.
Lexa took a step back, appraising him for a moment and then she started to lower herself to the ground. Clarke had never seen Lexa kneel to anyone before. It seemed unbelievably wrong for some inexplicable reason.
Aiden seemed to think so too as he quickly stepped forward, wincing in pain but his free arm wrapped around Lexa’s waist and he pulled her into a one-armed embrace instead.
Lexa’s arms instantly flew around his neck and Aiden held her so tenderly, like Lexa was the injured one, that Clarke couldn’t help but weep for the both of them. Lexa allowed herself to be small in his arms and hold him as his nomon.
And this was the change they'd fought for, right? To have a Heda unabashedly crying with joy and pride, in his mother’s arms. No pomp and circumstance; there was no need when there was hardly a dry eye in the stadium. Including Lexa, who finally stepped back, tears streaming down her face, chest swollen with pride as she grinned at her son.
Lexa nodded toward the centre of the arena and Aiden bowed to Lexa before he cast his eyes up at Clarke whose heart stuttered when he smiled at her and brought his fist to his chest.
As Aiden turned toward centre stage, Lexa looked up at Clarke who started walking down the stairs, her teary eyes watching as Roan hugged Aiden where a healer was helping Ilian off the arena floor to get treated.
Before Clarke reached the final step, she looked up to where Anya and Jake were standing with large smiles and motioned them to her. Clarke then turned back and accepted the hand that was being held out to her and sunk into Lexa's side, leaning into the arm that wrapped around her shoulders and the tender kiss that was placed against her temple.
Jake popped up under Lexa's other arm and Clarke wrapped her own around Anya’s waist as they all directed their attention to Aiden standing in the middle of the arena.
Aiden looked back at them, and then, with a mighty warcry, thrusted his lance into the air.
The crowd roared in answer.
Heda! Heda! Heda! Heda!
The End