Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 38: Not Only the Good Die Young

It's only just past dawn when Lexa extricates herself from the blankets and Clarke's arms , careful not to wake her. She pulls on some of Clarke's old Skaikru clothes , and avoids the toughest outer layers of her own armour except for a couple of pieces. She's had an uneasy sleep, filled with her waking fears, and the nagging sensation that she should talk to Clarke about everything. She doesn't like keeping things from Clarke, but she hates arguing with Clarke even more, and she can recognise when they will not agree on a subject and it is better to be avoided.

When Clarke had asked her what they should do about Pike the night before, Lexa had found herself shrugging, telling Clarke it could be decided later.

Well. Technically, this is later. And she has decided.

The guards outside start to follow her, but she quietly orders them to remain protecting Clarke. She picks only four to follow her. Then she walks to the station, them surrounding her.

The gonas she has picked are all over six foot, bristling with muscles and weaponry. It is not that she needs them to look fierce – it is that in comparison, she needs to appear harmless. Few people look to the unarmed, smallest, physically weakest person in a group to find the most dangerous.

"Good morning," she says to Pike, who is at the door to the station. It can't be closed – damaged in the fall – and her gonas have reported that he remained there all night with a gun, guarding his people from the 'savages'. There's another man next to him who looks more awake, and nudges Pike with the butt of his gun to wake him properly too.

He blinks, seeming to wake up from a daze, and raises his weapon immediately, pointing it at the gona on her left, who scowls at him. "What are you doing here?" He nods at the other Skaikru man, and the man disappears inside, presumably to get more people.

"I wished to speak to you about your people," she says, letting some nerves show in her voice. She looks at him, young and naïve and foolish. "I... you said some things about crops. If our land is not good for that -"

"I'm not speaking to you," he says, glaring at the gona next to her.

Lexa blinks. "Oh! Of course!" she turns to her guards. "Please, we will go for a walk so we cannot be overheard. You must stay here." She looks at Pike again. "I have no weapons, and we may walk in whichever direction you would prefer. Unless you would like to go inside -" She moves slightly towards the open door.

She can see his brain working. Taking her inside will let her see exactly what they have in there. How many gonas, how many weapons. "No," he says gruffly, "I'm not talking to you wherever." He raises the gun again threateningly.

"I just," Lexa lets her voice go a little higher-pitched, as if he is really scaring her, instead of mildly annoying her. "I wish to know what my people may do, to reach an agreement with you. A – what did Clarke call it – an accord, I think? You can bring more people if you wish. As many as you like."

He looks at Lexa, visibly harmless and young. Wearing Skaikru clothing. Very short compared to her guards, eyes wide, nerves palpable. She sees him weigh the opportunity here – to bully the young girl into giving him the land and respect he wants – against his distaste for her people. Then he looks at her guards, a pace back, all intimidating. Clearly, he needs to leave people behind to stop them from entering. "Jay?" he calls back.

The other man appears again, this time accompanied by two more, all with weapons that they point half-heartedly at Lexa's guards. "Yeah?"

"I'm going for a walk with this young lady," he tells them. "She's the Grounder princess or something."

"I don't know, perhaps one of them should come as well," Lexa says anxiously. "There are many dangers on the ground – animals, bandits, Maunon -"