Chapter 11

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Lexa decides to head to the market, the fresh air and the smell of the food and spices filled her nose. She slowly walked through the stands, Gustus by her side to protect her from anything she could not see.

Her people greeted her respectfully and many offered her their finest products, but she never bought anything.

She was passing by a traveling tradesman's stall when she spotted something familiar—a book. Her mind quickly went to Bambi as soon as she gazes upon it and moved to speak to the trader. She could feel Gustus' stare as she traded one of her daggers for the thick old book.

She said nothing to Gustus as they made their way back to the tower, her nerves slowly creeping up on her. Would Bambi like the gift? She always has books or scrolls in her room or spends her time in the library.

Lexa opened it and scanned the contents inside. It was a book of poems, the ones she felt Bambi would enjoy.

... She couldn't give it to her...

She places it on the table in her room as her nerves have finally hit her hard, convincing herself that the gift was a foolish idea that would get her laughed at or Bambi rejecting her gift.

The book stayed on the table for days, though not always in the same spot. It would get picked up, only to be placed back down just as quickly.

Except one day, Lexa had gathered enough courage to grab the book and go towards Bambi's room in her nightgown—hopeful this time—and knocks on the door.

Bambi opened the door and smiled brightly when she saw Lexa. "Lexa! Come on in."

"I have something for you—a gift." Lexa brought out the book, the cloth hardcover color faded over time and some of the thread was tearing off, but it was intact.

"A book!" Bambi gasped excitedly. "Wait, is this the book that was in the marketplace a couple of days ago?" At Lexa's nod of confirmation, Bambi laughs. "I thought it was lost forever." She opens it and sees that it is the same poem book.

Touched by the gift and the fact that Lexa had thought of her, she throws her arms around the Commander in a hug. She had seen it but had nothing to trade for it, so when she went to go get something to trade for it, it was gone.

The hug throws Lexa off and she blushes as she feels Bambi's body against hers. Her warmth giving Lexa goosebumps and her cheeks grow warm.

Bambi pulls away when she remembers something. "Oh! I have something for you too!" She rushes to her bed and grabs something off the furs. "Surprise!" Bambi holds it up as she comes closer to Lexa, who is surprised. In her hands was one of Lexa's favorite pieces of clothing—a soft sweater that had gotten ripped when she was training with the Nightbloods.

"Why did you fix it?"

Bambi shrugged. "You wear it a lot and you looked upset when you had one of your handmaidens throw it out. On the Ark, we had to re-use everything we got since there was no way to get new things. So I got use to fixing things up that seem unfix-able, with Bellamy and his mother's help."

Lexa is flustered as she thanked Bambi, who shrugs with a smile saying that it was no problem.

Lexa is flustered as she thanked Bambi, who shrugs with a smile saying that it was no problem

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