The Commander and The Girl

Chapter 21

CLARKE POV
I wake up being picked up by someone. I don't have the energy to see who it is as I'm set onto my bed. I feel a fur get draped over me and snuggle deeper into the blankets.
Once I feel comfortable in my spot I finally relax letting exhaustion take over. Someone leans down and kisses my forehead gently.
"What happened to us?" I hear a soft voice say.
I stir, conscious enough to tell it's Lexa, however I don't dare move.
"I lo.." my breathing hitches. I open my eyes and feel my heart reverberate through my bones.
"I'll always protect you Clarke."
I hear her stifle a cry. She moves across from me leaving my room. I watch right before she leaves my vision becoming blurry. I close my eyes and lay on my pillow, feeling a heavy tear glide down my cheek.
"What happened to us." I murmur drifting into a haze.

I didn't dream much when I wake to the smell of food. I sit up and lean against the wall.
"Breakfast already?" I nag.

"Actually it's almost noon." Octavia chuckles.
I fully open my eyes and she is right. The outdoors is vibrant with noise and the sun is already out.
I groan standing out of my bed. Realizing I'm still wearing my clothes from last night, I  go in the bathroom to change. My face is crusted from dry tears and I try to wash away all remnants of last night, but it's no use. I take a deep breathe. I will make this right, no matter the cost. I've got all the time in the world, plus I am her prisoner, it's not like I can leave her.
I look through the armoire Lexa's given me and choose plain black pants with a loose white top.
I try to brush through my hair, but in the state that it's in I might as well go the Indra route and shave it. Happy with my appearance I step out to greet Octavia again.
"Took you long enough." She huffs with a smirk.
I grab a piece of meat from her plate and snicker.
"So, I saw that Lexa came into your room last night."
I freeze trying to not show emotions.
"Hey Clarke it's fine if you don't want to talk. I know all that's happened between you both."

"No it's fine," I mumble trying to keep up my facade.
I shudder a breathe before beginning.
"Lexa, she's scared of losing someone again, like she had Costia, and I guess too caught up in helping her people.
We're fine talking alone, we've come to understand one another. It's just during meetings we're practically enemies. I don't know how to act like myself anymore. I've been holed up in a room for two weeks and now I'm Wanheda, Leader of Skaikru, Prisoner to Lexa com Trikru, Commander of 13 clans. It's like my life has been constantly bouncing off of walls. I've never really had a moment of serenity, and here, in Polis, it's almost ten times worse. I've got meetings and side eyes and for god sake Titus!"
Octavia listens allowing me to get everything off my chest.
Her eyes widen a bit at Titus' name, but he has that effect of anyone.
"I get how it's hard stepping back into your position," she takes a moment to process what she's going to say, "but you have to realize you don't have to fake being Clarke."

"I'm not sure who Clarke is anymore."
I mumble trying to focus on cutting a slice of meat.

Octavia opens her mouth, but thinks better of it grabbing a grape off the platter.

"Hey I was going to propose Lexa should go to Arkadia and announce the treaty there. Maybe I could ask for you to come with?" She suggests.

"No it's fine, I'll ask her." We both eat in silence.

"Thanks for trying to act like you enjoyed consolidating me  O." I smirk.

"Thanks for noticing. You know as hard as it is trying to tell you to be yourself, I have to change to do it."She laughs.

I finish my food as Octavia tells me about what it was like staying back with Indra and Lincoln.
The door opens and Lincoln walks in.
"Speak of the devil." I whisper earning a pointed glare from O.

"Hey I just wanted to say Lexa is training the Nightbloods later today. It would be a nice chance to teach you how to fight." It's strange to see how warmed up to Octavia he's gotten. His eyes are warm when he sees her.
I hesitate in my response.
"Cmon Clarke! I promise we won't kill you, and maybe we could find a spot where the Nightbloods wont see you."  Octavia pries.
I look at her confused.
"So the Nightbloods don't make fun of you." She explains.

"I thought they were only kids? How much better can they be?" I know they were trained from the time they got here, but it's not like they could actually kill a man. Right.

Time flies as the three of us try to keep ourselves occupied. Octavia and Lincoln agreed I shouldn't be roaming the city until everyone's gotten used to me being here. Hopefully then I won't be seen as a prisoner. We play cards and once we grow bored I try and teach them how to draw. Lincoln catches on quickly shocking just me by the looks on Octavia's face. Octavia on the other hand is more... abstract. The drawing ends up with Lincoln accidentally smearing charcoal on O's arm and O rubbing chalk onto his forehead. They both agreed to stop after that with sly smirks on their face.

"Ok love birds why don't you get cleaned up." I chuckle guiding them into the washroom. Lincoln looked at Octavia confused, I guess "love birds" isn't a widely used term for them.
"No funny business!" I shout closing the door.
At this I hear him laugh. Strange how many phrases they left and how many we gained. They both come out after awhile and I just smirk at Octavia. She blushes profusely and punches me in the arm before sitting down on my couch.
"So," I start.
"Is there anything else to do?"
Both Octavia and Lincoln look around.
"We could try to get a head start on the Nightbloods training?" Lincoln suggests.
Both O and I shrug.
"If there's nothing better to do."
I say and follow Lincoln out the doors.
I'd forgotten how warm it was in Polis as I stepped out of the tower. I was told to keep my head low, but I couldn't help but look out.
I'd never truly seen the marketplace and every time
I entered I was blindfolded. There are children running amuck and vendors selling food and clothing. I'm contemplating going up to one of them when I feel a tug on my arm.
"Not the time." Octavia says and leads me around the city.
We go on a back trail through the forest. It looks like we're going uphill but it's such a low slope I can't tell. We get to a small clearing and I collapse in exhaustion.
"The Nightbloods do this how often?" I ask.

"Every day." I hear a familiar voice and snap up in shock.

Gaia stands there with all Nightbloods perfectly inline behind her. They all look fine, bored even.
I try to catch my breathe quickly already feeling embarrassed.
"I see you'll be joining the training." She says to Lincoln.

He nods.
"We won't be a bother, I just want to teach Clarke how to defend herself." He assures her.

"Of course, especially with all the ambassadors here we wouldn't want any less." I look at her confused.
Is she implying the ambassadors would actually hurt me?
I try to take my focus off the worry and look at the Nightbloods.
There's 9 of them from the looks of it and they all don't look older than twelve years old.

"These are the Nightbloods?" I ask.
Gaia nods towards them.
"Hello Wanheda, I'm Aden."
I look at the first boy in line. He introduces himself to me first, clearly the most confident in the group.
"You can call me Clarke." I direct to all of them.
"Weren't you the child who Lexa promised would protect my people?" He nods to me. Seeing him again makes me realize how young he really is. He couldn't have been more than 11 when I last saw him. Lexa really tried promising my fate in the hands of his.
I go through the line giving an awkward skate to each of them.
Aden, Claire, Dake, Justin, Taryn, Jay, Casper, Layla and Gale. I try so hard not remember their names, but I know I will. Someday they will all kill each other, and no one will bat an eye.
Gaia nods and steps to the side letting Aden lead the group. Aden looks fit to lead, his head hung high with pride.
Lincoln and Gaia converse with each other while Octavia and I take the rear. I try to look composed, but I can't hide my sweat giving my whole body a glean.
We finally reach the top of the hill and I look out at the view.
"It's beautiful." I say.
The tower's full size is shown perfectly from the height and you can see everyone is the market from here.
I'm gasping for air and looking out at the city as Octavia shoves a water jug into my hand.

"You may want to leave the spotlight." She laughs. I turn around and see all the Nightbloods staring at me.
Blushing I follow Lincoln and Octavia to a small clearing outside of the main training ring. It isn't paved the same as the Nightbloods' arena, but ground has been worn down from others making it easier to fight on.
"Why were they all staring at me?" I ask trying to look back at them.
"Maybe because you're standing where the bloodkeeper is supposed to lead." Lincoln sneers throwing me a staff.

I react too late as it hits my elbow causing the whole arm to go numb. I sigh in pain as Octavia laughs at me. Once I have feeling in my arm again I pick up the staff and stand. This should be a long day.

A/N
ok guys so I love Madi a lot and since at this time she's probably like 3/4 I'm going to age her up a bit. Don't worry she will be here! ❣️