Blood Earth

Blood Earth Chapter 7

Pairing: Clexa

Rating: A-okay for Kiddies (K)

Clarke picked at the furs under her restlessly. It had been three days since she had woken up. She was bored as hell. Lexa had been able to keep her company rather often surprisingly. The brunette had explained that it was because the camp had already been set up and everyone was rather self-sufficient in their duties once they were established. The Commander only really needed to do a round of checks about once a day and everything else was fine unless an emergency happened. Unfortunately, it was now during the time where Lexa had to go check the camp. She generally brought food back with her, which was a plus, but that didn’t stop the blonde from feeling the urge to repeatedly slam her head against the wooden post holding up the tent while she was gone. She needed to get up, go somewhere, and do… something. Just something that wasn’t sit idly and slowly go insane.

Granted, the last few days with Lexa had been nice. They’d talked about everything and nothing. The brunette would tell her small things she’d seen while out and about, although nothing substantial. Things like how Raven and a few other Skykru had finally started moving around outside, how Octavia had commandeered Lincoln as her primary mode of transport while she was too weak to walk, and how her mother had been able to go back to helping, although with little things like grinding herbs.

In their conversations, they’d share small things about themselves, like Clarkes love for art, and Lexa had shared that she enjoyed swimming when she had the time. Clarke had asked about the large amount of candles she had seen in the other girl’s room. Lexa had blushed and looked away, mumbling that she enjoyed how they smelled.

The blonde was drawn out of her thoughts as the sound of the tent flap being opened distracted her. The tent had a wooden floor placed underneath it, seeing as it was meant to be relatively long term, and the stomping of boots on the boards drew her from the sectioned off sleeping area. While she was still weak, she was able to get up and walk around for short distances if she didn’t rush. Lifting the partition, Clarkes eyes landed on Lexa, hair and coat slightly damp from the drizzle of rain that had started outside. The older girl was hunched over, attempting to take her boots off to spare the floor the mud they would surely track in. In one hand she held a burlap bag. Steam as well as the scent of cooked meats wafted off the sack, making Clarkes stomach rumble softly.

She watched her for a moment, unseen and unnoticed. The older girl struggled with the boots leather ties, balancing on one foot gracefully, the muscles in her leg flexing subtly under the fabric of her pants, fitted snuggly to her frame. Her face turned down to the floor; the light from the candles dotting the tent sharpened the lines of her face, but further softened the already gentle curves. An overwhelming desire to draw the beautiful sight that was before her washed over the blonde, but was quickly interrupted as another low rumble came from her stomach.

Crossing over to her quietly, Clarke drew Lexa’s attention by taking the bag from her, freeing her other hand, and over to the table, now cleared of maps, in the centre of the room. Returning to the brunette, who had managed to get her boots off, the blonde helped her remove the damp and heavy jacket from her shoulders, and placed it over the back of a chair near one of the braziers that had been brought to help ward off the encroaching chill of Autumn.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed, Clarke.”

Lexa mumbled. She had been out a bit longer than usual today and was obviously tired. Clarke rolled her eyes and gently guided the brunette to the table. Sitting down, they served themselves. Delicious cuts of thoroughly spiced roasted meat, had been wrapped in cloth, along with juicy steamed vegetables and a loaf of soft warm bread. Along with the entire ensemble was a corked clay bottle of some type of juice. When she drank it, the flavour splashed over her tongue deliciously. It tasted as though it were a mix of late summer strawberries and blueberries.

“You were out a bit longer than normal, everything alright?”

She asked while still trying to concentrate on her food. She didn’t want Lexa to feel pressured to answer her. The gentle sounds of a knife cutting meat slowly stopped, making her lift her eyes.

“Lexa?”

The brunette shook her head.

“Everything’s fine, a few warriors got into a disagreement on how best to cook the meat tonight. Somehow it escalated to the point where I had to deal with it and not a Captain or a General. As much as I love my people, I sometimes wish they could deal with things themselves.”

Lexa slowly went back to eat, but Clarke watched her for another few moments. She was obviously troubled by something, but Clarke was unsure what. Lexa had opened up to her in the last few days, even more than before Mount Weather and she didn’t want that to stop now. She still felt some strong emotions, anger, betrayal, at what happened at the Mountain, but in time she anticipated that they would fade so long as they remained honest with each other. It made Clarke happy that the brunette trusted her enough with her feelings, and gave her hope that their strained relationship would become more stable in time.

“Lex, talk to me, what’s wrong?”

She didn’t want to push her, but she also didn’t want the older girl to stew in negative emotions. The brunette clenched her jaw, looking like she was warring within herself. Clarke rested a hand on Lexa’s clenched fist, removing the knife from her grasp and setting it aside before entwining their fingers.

“Lex?”

The brunette swallowed and looked away before answering. Remorse seemed to slough off of the other girl in waves. So strong that Clarke was certain that others outside the tent must feel it as well.

“I wish sometimes that my people could care for themselves, but… I feel like I’m betraying them when I think that. It is my duty to care for and serve my people. To think otherwise feels like a betrayal to them and my duty as Heda.”

Lexa’s eyes were filled with sorrow and uncertainty, making Clarkes heart constrict in her chest. The brunette had been called to lead when she was young, selflessness and servitude to her people had been literally beat into her throughout her long years of training, leaving her with a deep sense of guilt whenever any of her thoughts even suggested against it. It made Clarke feel a stabbing sadness for the other girl. Bringing her other hand forward to wrap around their entwined ones, she urged Lexa to look at her and tried to offer reassurance.

“It is not betrayal to want your people to have self-sufficiency. If anything, it shows you want a better future for them. Don’t feel guilty for believing that they can do better.”

The brunette gave her a sad smile, looking not entirely convinced, but it was a start. Before either could say anything else, a deep voice called in Trigdasleng from outside the tent.

“Heda, I bring news.”

Separating their hands, Lexa straightened, her face becoming indifferent and stony. The transformation saddened Clarke, despite its necessity.

“You may enter.”

A warrior entered the tent quickly, shaking rain from his body and hair. It was the warrior that she had sent to investigate the man, Jaha. He must be here to make his report. Lexa stood to meet him.

“Julius, have you come to make your report?”

Julius bowed.

“I have, Heda, and I believe you were right to worry.”

Straightening, he caught sight of Clarke, still sitting at the table.

“Heda, maybe we I should give you my report in a more private setting?”

The Commander turned to look at Clarke briefly, then turned back to her warrior responding in English.

“No, you may make the report in front of Wanheda. It concerns her people also.”

At the mention of Wanheda and the sudden switch to English, Clarke stood. Walking slowly over to stand just behind Lexa, she felt a tinge of worry shoot through her.

“As you wish, Heda.”

Julius straightened, hands behind his back and stared respectfully ahead.

“Three days ago, you ordered me to watch and investigate the man known as Thelonious Jaha. He was an anomaly to the other patients, looking sickly and paler than normal, just like the rest of them, but walking around and acting as though he were unhindered. In the coming days I watched him, his routines, and the people he talked to. He seemed to be preaching at times, he mentioned the City of Light, about taking away pain. Thus far no one has listened. He offered them small stones called Keys. Tonight I finally managed to get a hold of one, and I believe you should see it, Heda.”

Julius held out his hand, showing a small translucent blue chip, an infinity symbol printed on both sides. Clarke looked at it in confusion, taking it to get a closer look. Meanwhile, Lexa had stiffened beside her.

“Why is the symbol of the Commander doing on these ‘Keys’?”

Julius bowed low.

“I do not know, Heda.”

The Commander clenched her jaw and instructed her warrior.

“Detain Jaha and confiscate any more of these ‘Keys’ that he may have, as well as send for Titus. He should have more knowledge on this matter.”

Julius quickly left the tent to follow his orders, leaving Clarke to look at a visibly worried and tense Lexa.

“Lexa, what is the Symbol of the Commander?”

To Clarke, it looked like the symbol of the Thirteenth Station, Polaris, that she’d seen in the history books they’d used on the Ark for school. It was so long ago that it made her heart ache, but she pushed it away to focus on the matter at hand.

“The symbol is that of Becca Prim Heda. The first Commander, who descended from the sky while the world burned.”

Clarke nodded, making her way back to sit at the table. Despite being stronger, she still tired easily and she was feeling it as the small rush she had gotten from hearing some form of news died down.

“The symbol looks a lot like the one used by the Thirteenth Station before it was destroyed, and this also looks like a computer chip. Do you think it could be of the old world?”

Lexa came to sit at the table as well, picking up her knife and fiddling with it to calm her nerves, just as she had when they first met.

“Possibly. Could it be from this Thirteenth station of yours? Maybe it crashed like your Ark?”

The blonde shook her head, turning the chip over in her palm.

“No, it was destroyed. There was a video recording that they showed in class.”

Lexa nodded her head, not understanding what a ‘video’ was, but trusted that what Clarke said was true. Trying to think of other possibilities, she began to pace. After a few moments of discarding ideas, she paused and sighed.

“Well, it is late and we can’t do anything without more information. I suggest we sleep. Titus will be here by the end of the day after tomorrow if he takes the fastest horse available.”

The blonde nodded, feeling her eyes begin to droop in tiredness. Standing and stretching, she padded over to the sleeping area. Placing the chip on the table next to the bed, she prepared to sleep, slipping off the outer sweater she had taken to wearing to ward off the cold. Leaning just out of the curtain she called to Lexa.

“I’m going to bed.”

The brunette had yet to move, twirling the knife between her fingers distractedly as she stared into space, thinking.

“Alright, good night, Clarke. Sleep well.”

The blonde watched her for a moment, knowing she was thinking about the chip. For a moment, Clarke considered breaking her from her thoughts, but another wave of tiredness pushed her to lay down on the furs piled atop the bed. Breathing deeply after sipping her medicine, she soon slipped into sleep.