Haunted By You

Chapter 17 Home

As the early morning light began to filter into the room, Clarke sighed happily. She was content where she was and hoped they didn't have any meetings for a while so she could just lay there. Her naked form was half on top of Lexa's, and her ear was resting gently over the brunette's heartbeat, the steady rhythm calming the blonde. Lexa lazily ran her fingers through Clarke's golden hair, the feeling keeping Clarke on the edge of sleep.

Clarke turned her head and kissed Lexa's chest, "Do we have to get up, Hodnes?" Lexa chuckled quietly at Clarke's small whine. "Not for a while yet, my Love." Clarke smiled contently at the name and returned to her previous position. Neither girl said much after that, wanting to simply exist in their peaceful space and wrapped tightly in their love.

Clarke was drawing patterns on Lexa's skin with her fingertips when there was a sharp knock at the door. Clarke pouted and moved to get off of Lexa, but Lexa's arms tightened around her and held her still. Lexa drew up the furs to cover them decently before she called out, "Enter."

The guards outside the room opened the doors and Titus stalked into the room, his robes swishing on the floor behind him. He suddenly stopped walking when he noticed Clarke lying in bed with Lexa. He glared at the blonde and Lexa heard Clarke groan softly and hide her face against Lexa's chest. She could feel the heat of the blonde's blush against her cool skin.

Lexa had pardoned Titus after debating his execution for a few days. She ultimately realized that his job was too important. He was her mentor, yes, and he had betrayed her. But he was also the only Fleimkepa they had. And as much as Lexa hated the idea of forgiving him for trying to kill Clarke, as Heda she needed him.

She had forgiven him, but they were never going to be the same again. They would not on good terms and they never would be again as far as she was concerned. And currently, Lexa was not liking the way Titus was looking at her Hodnes.

Lexa clenched her jaw and spoke sharply, "Titus. What is so urgent this morning that you need to interrupt us?"

He bowed his head and gazed at the floor. "Heda. There is to be a meeting with the ambassadors today to discuss Skaikru's plans of the Mountain." Lexa sighed, she was dreading this meeting. "Very well. We will be in the throne room shortly."

Titus once again bristled. "Heda, this is not wise. She-" "Enough!" Lexa snapped. "I will not hear this again." Titus bowed before turning. Just as he was about to leave he turned again and spoke softly, but Clarke still heard. "I beg you to remember my teachings, Leksa. Wanheda will bring you nothing but pain and death. It is all she knows." With that, he slipped out the door.

Lexa had made sure that the name Wanheda was never used in Clarke's presence unless during a meeting or formal ceremony where she was to be respected. She knew that the name brought with it a lot of dark memories and pain for Clarke and she was worried about how Titus' words had affected her.

She tried to get Clarke to meet her gaze, speaking gently, "Clarke." But the blonde on her chest wasn't moving at all. She didn't look to be breathing either and Lexa would have been alarmed if she couldn't feel the quick gasps against her skin. That didn't do much to calm her, however, and she tried again. "Ai Hodnes?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pain. Death. Destruction. Wanheda. The name swirled around in her head, violent and angry. The Commander of Death. Three hundred warriors. TonDC. Mt Weather. Masacre. Descemation. Tris. Finn. Maya. I'm so sorry. The names and faces of those she couldn't save, their expressions twisted in agony. Their voices were broken and screaming in agony. She didn't save them.

And faintly, a heartbeat. Lexa. The one she had.

As the voices faded and the heartbeat stayed steady in her mind, Clarke started getting a handle on her emotions and took in her surroundings. Lexa was holding her face in her hands, thumbs brushing over her cheeks. "Ai Hodnes, please."

Blinking slowly, Clarke looked up to meet Lexa's worried eyes. Nodding she breathed out, "I'm okay."

Lexa kissed Clarke's forehead sighing, "I'm sorry, my love." Clarke took another deep breath repeating, "I'm okay." She took a few more moments to bask in Lexa's warmth before groaning and sitting up, moving off of her, "Come on. We have to get up."

Lexa rose from the bed far more quietly and gracefully than Clarke had, and crossed over to the wardrobe. She felt arms circle her waist from behind and smiled as she pulled out both sets of armor.

"Clarke?" Lexa laughed as the blonde kissed a trail from her shoulder to her neck and the underside of her jaw. "Hmm?" "If we are going to get ready and make the meeting on time, we must get dressed." "And?"

Lexa chuckled as Clarke continued to invade her senses. But still she held strong, "And, my love, we cannot do that if you do not let me go."

Clarke pouted, retracting her arms and stepping from behind the brunette to beside her. "Fine." Lexa turned, and seeing the cute pouty look on her face, reached up to cup her cheek and kissed her lightly.

They helped each other dress in relative silence, both minds full of thoughts of the meeting to come. Clarke broke the silence as she finished braiding the brunette's hair. "Is my mom going to be there?"

Lexa stood and motioned for her to switch places with her on the bench in front of the mirror. She spoke only once her fingers were slowly twisting through sunshine hair.

"Your mother is the ambassador for the 13th clan. She must attend. And as this is a matter directly concerning Skaikru, I believe Kane will most likely be there as well, as Chancellor." Confused, she asked, "Why? Is something wrong, Clarke?"

"No." Clarke answered softly. "It's just that-" She broke off. Lexa let her organize her thoughts, simply staying silent and finishing off Clarke's braids and placing her hands lightly on the younger girls shoulders.

Finally the answer came, "I haven't seen her since Kane accepted the Mark of the Coalition. She asked me if I was going to come back to Arkadia. She asked if I was ever going to come home."

Lexa wasn't sure how she felt about this new information. "And what did you tell her?"

Blue eyes met green through the mirror.

"I told her that I was home."