The Commander and The Girl

Chapter 30

LEXA POV
I stand ground watching as everyone awaits for what's to come next. I see Murphy practically drag Clarke back to a tent. He comes out shortly after a look of irritation on his face. He walks to the fire and snags another piece of meat when he thinks no one is looking. I find Lincoln sharpening a blade and walk up to him.
"What do you know about Murphy." I ask him genuinely curious.

"Nothing much, but from what I've heard from Octavia his priority is survival. Nothing else." Lincoln goes back to sharpening his blade as I watch Murphy sit by the fire. Most of the warriors don't pose him as a threat, therefore don't care to watch him. My eyes drift back to the tent Clarke was put in.

"Go talk to her." Lincoln says focus still on his blade.
"No one's watching so this is as good of a chance as any."
I look to him unswayed. Why is everyone either pushing us together or tearing us apart? I walk slowly to her tent and notice Lincoln was right. Everyone's in their own bubble, especially Murphy. I take a breath before opening the flap of the tent and find Clarke passed out on the mattress. A fair smile hugs my lips and I reach out to her. I move a strand of hair from her face and notice her forehead is burning up. I place my forearm against her head and same results. She looks so peaceful, how could she be at such ease?

"Lincoln!" I call out demanding he come. He opens the flap with a loom of discontent.

"Heda." He speaks looking at Clarke.

"She's burning up." I say taking a step back. I try to mask my worry, last time I saw her like this I had thought she died. Lincoln takes a step to her and lifts her pants up. He peels away her bandage to show a sickly purple surrounding the stitches.

"It's infected." He murmurs taking a vile out of his jacket.

"I need a cloth." He demands. I look around the tent and rip a piece off the flap. I hand him the rough material and watch as he soaks it in the vile. He places the cloth over the wound and brings out his blade.

"How do you know how to do this." I ask my eyes never wavering from Clarke.

"Abby taught me." He states putting pressure on Clarke's wound.
We're taught that those who become infected are weak. That once the aggravation grows beyond the few medicines we have, the warrior is deemed untreatable.

"That vile isn't what all warriors have, what is that?" I demand.

"A type of alcohol to clean the wound. I'll need to cut off the infected skin and hope it heals properly."
I don't move a muscle as he heats his blade with the candle lit on a table. He gingerly cuts away the rotted flesh and seals it with a cream meant to subside infections. He lifts the leg and checks the other wound, pleased it's healed properly.

"I don't know much about medicines, but I do know that the wound should heal." He stands up to leave.

"Thank you Lincoln. I'm in your debt." He looks troubled at my statement, but bows his head to leave. I sit down next to the mattress and grip Clarke's hand like a lifeline. My heart races out of my chest. I focus on the small creases in the skin on her hand as my breathing normalizes. I stay there in that spot watching the rise and fall of her chest. Lincoln swore not to tell anyone and no one cares for the Commander at this time. Her fever has begun to waiver and as a result I've put a fur on her against the chill of the morning.
I don't even realized I had fallen asleep when Clarke holds hand back. I jump awake and shift my body to look at her.

"How are you feeling?" I ask standing up.

"Fine, why?"

"Clarke your wound was infected." She reaches down and lifts the cloth. It's a fleshy pink, but doesn't look like it's infected anymore.

"Oh, thanks for that." She mumbles.

"You can thank Lincoln for that. I've set up a horse for you to go back to Arkadia." I fold my arms behind my back trying to maintain my act.

"Lexa, you should come with. Show them who exactly is their Commander. Plus it could help put others in check." She looks to me eagerly.
I smile gingerly, nodding.

"We'll leave once Indra comes back with the assassins."
Clarke has a pained look on her face.

"This has to be done." I whisper. She lowers her eyes and looks back to me.
I head out of the tent and make preparations for the trip. I grab a small pouch and fill it with berries and meat, and pick up a saddle and place it over our best horse.
Lincoln waves me over as a group of warriors stand at the fire pit.
"Any word of the group that left?" I ask. Looking into the fire.

"No, Heda."

I bite the inside of my lip looking into the fire. Those assassins deaths will be the only thing keeping our Coalition alive. There's neighing in the distance and we immediately go on guard. Indra comes into sight with five men tied. She holds their leash and dismounts. I walk up to Lincoln and whisper.
"Make sure Clarke doesn't leave her tent." He nods before leaving to guard it.

"Indra." I greet.
She walks to a tree and ties them all together, gagging them as she does so.

"We will bring them to Polis where they will each feel the pain of 300 deaths." I state to Indra.

"In the meantime Clarke and I will be heading to Arkadia. She needs to let her people know she's there for them, and I must show my place as their Commander." She doesn't respond knowing that I can't be pushed and I go fetch Clarke and I's horses.
I bring them up to her tent and walk in, dropping their reigns.

"Clarke we're leaving now."

"Indra has them?" She asks eagerly.
I nod and open the flap for her. She limps out and looks to the tree they're tied to. One man bashed in his rope, an anger in his eyes that can't be softened. She stares at him, her eyes getting glossy.

"Clarke." He croaks

Clarke jolts back to me.
"We should go."
She stumbles onto the horse with the help of Lincoln. I climb onto the one next to her and look at her.

"Are you sure?" I say softly, so only she can hear.
She nods and starts to trot away on the path to Arkadia. I look back to the camp and to Indra. I give her a stern look and leave, letting her know she's in charge of the camp.

We ride to Arkadia in silence. From what I've heard Kane is taking his title back as Clarke's mother fights to withhold it.
We finally arrive to the gates and I look to Clarke.

"Open the gates!" She shouts.
They shout behind the walls before the gates open up.

"Clarke!" Kane walks up with an air of authority.

"I see you've gained your position back." I say dismounting. I walk over to Clarke incase she needs help, but she shakes her head and hops off, wincing.

"Kane, I came back to show we have nothing to fear of our Commander." She gestures to me and I stand confidently. We walk through the gates and Kane strides beside me.

"I know you want to protect Clarke, but no one can know she's a prisoner if you want to protect yourself." He mutters through a smile drawn for show. I nod looking back to Clarke limping.
I will protect her this time.