You Are Ours As We Are Yours
Lexa woke up to Clarke whimpering and squirming under the furs.
“Clarke… Clarke… Wake up… It’s just a nightmare, I’m here…” Lexa soothed sitting up and rubbing the distressed girl’s back. Clarke shot upright, wide awake and clung to Lexa, sobbing softly into her shoulder.
“Ai niron… What’s wrong?” Lexa asked gently.
“Th-The Mountain… I burned them all… I killed hundreds… for less than a hundred of my people… There were children… I burned them…Murdered them…” Clarke gasped.
“Clarke… They were murderers. Living off the blood of my people and killing yours in their greed. There were no innocents in that mountain.” Lexa told her firmly. Clarke shook in her arms and Lexa held her, pressing kisses to the top of her head as she waited for Clarke to calm.
“Th-There were thirteen… Th-Thirteen kids… No older than ten…” Clarke whispered.
“I’m sorry… It’s ok… Breathe Clarke.” Lexa soothed.
“I counted… When I left… I went back and counted…” Clarke continued. Lexa held her close and waited for the blonde to come back to herself, calling to Britt and Trei and telling them not to allow anyone near the tent. Finally Clarke calmed and sat limply in Lexa’s arms. She weakly pulled at Lexa’s shirt with her fingers to ground herself.
“I’m here.” Lexa promised softly. She felt Clarke nod against her chest.
“Commander. Octavia kom trikru demands entrance.” Britt called softly into the tent.
“Is it ok if I let Octavia in?” Lexa asked gently.
“O…” Clarke rasped.
“Let her pass.” Lexa replied. Octavia pushed the flap of the tent open and at the sight of Clarke and Lexa, dropped to her knees in front of where Lexa cradled Clarke against her chest.
“Hey.” Octavia greeted softly.
“O…” Clarke repeated. Octavia took Clarke’s hands in her own, rubbing soft patterns against Clarke’s knuckles with her thumbs.
“What happened Clarkey?” Octavia asked softly.
“Th-The Mountain… The bodies…” Clarke whispered. Octavia nodded, understanding.
“No one blames you for that Clarke… You saved their lives. The forty seven were so worried when you didn’t come back with us.” Octavia soothed.
“B-But…” Clarke tried to protest.
“No. No buts.” Octavia told her firmly. Clarke nodded.
“Gather the forty seven and Raven. We’ll meet you guys soon.” Lexa ordered softly. Octavia nodded, kissing Clarke’s knuckles before hurrying away.
“We’ll speak with them and then I must go to Tondc for a few hours today. I’ll go again tomorrow too.” Lexa told her.
“Can I go with you…?” Clarke asked softly.
“When I ride for Tondc tomorrow, you will be by my side but today you’ll stay here. Britt will remain with you. I’ll return at sundown.” Lexa promised.
“If you don’t want to be around people, hide in here and I’ll tell Britt to make sure you aren’t disturbed while you are in the tent.” Lexa suggested. Clarke nodded and they got changed to face the day. Clarke led Lexa to the sky box where the others waited.
“Clarke! Commander!” Many voices chorused in greeting. Raven and Octavia silenced them again.
“The commander is on our side! Tell her what’s been going on here! Tell her what you all told me yesterday!” Clarke called out. The others called out one by one, telling Lexa what Clarke had already told her. Lexa was fuming silently by the time they’d finished.
“This will not continue. Clarke and I WILL deal with your council. Trust me.” Lexa began.
“Sha Heda.” They all called back in unison.
“I have a matter I need to address with you all, please listen.” Lexa continued. She felt Clarke look at her confused and waited for the voices to die down.
“At the Mountain, I took a deal and potentially left many of you to die. I know that was wrong and for that you have my apologies, you owe me no loyalty for that. However, Clarke still took the mountain with the help of some of you. She rescued you all, her people, but at a heavy price.” Lexa paused, collecting herself.
“She left to try and find herself again but Clarke still feels she failed you. She is still haunted by the mountain.” Lexa pressed on. Many voices of protest rose from the group in front of them.
“No!”
“Never!”
“You saved us Clarke!”
“Even before there mountain you kept us alive! Even if we didn’t always listen!”
“You could never fail us princess!” Bellamy’s voice called the loudest and everyone agreed with him. Lexa saw Clarke tear up next to her.
“You are her people as she is yours. I must ride for Tondc today, though she will have a guard, will you protect her?” Lexa asked.
“With our lives! Wanheda ou* Wamplei!”The commander of death/Clarke or death. Octavia answered loudly.
“Wanheda ou* Waplei!” Everyone in the room echoed. Lexa nodded her approval. Everyone got in a line and hugged Clarke, promising she didn’t fail them and telling her only positive things. Everyone nodded to the commander as they passed before heading out the door.
“Y-You didn’t need to do that…” Clarke sniffled, still crying.
“I did. They are your people. You are their leader. We share our burdens to unite under them.” Lexa told her. Clarke nodded, pulling her into a kiss.
“A-Ai hod yu in…” Clarke mumbled, clinging to Lexa.
“I love you too Clarke. You will be safe while I’m gone.” Lexa promised, holding her close. Clarke walked Lexa to the horses and watched as she and Trei rode away.
“You can hide in the mechanic bay with me, for a bit.” Raven offered softly, coming up next to Clarke.
“Muchof Rae.” Clarke mumbled.
“Pro.” Raven smiled, leading her into the Arc. Britt stood guard outside while Raven sat Clarke down in a corner full of what Clarke assumed to be every surviving pillow on the Arc and quite a few soft looking furs.
“R-Raven..?” Clarke asked confused.
“O and I built the corner for the forty seven. Whenever things get to be too much, they’re safe to hide here and cry or scream or just rest. Call it a mental health day.” Raven explained getting Clarke settled among the pillows. Raven sat with her back against the wall and let Clarke lay down with her had in Raven’s lap.
“Rest Clarke. Britt will guard outside and I’m here. You won’t have any nightmares here.” Raven promised, pulling a fur up to Clarke’s shoulders. She and Octavia had long since brought the softest ones in Arcadia here for the corner. Clarke drifted off to sleep as Raven stroked her hair.