The Cards Your Dealt

I'm Sorry

With a great cheer resounding throughout the room, dancers began making their way to the center of the great hall as the heady beat of drums started and the many people began filling their plates with food. 

Lexa watched from her seat as Clarke was ensnared by the dancer's performance. The fast and sharp movements of their fans and silk, white dresses flowing through the air. The snap of hips to the beat of the drums. Lexa made sure to remind Clarke to eat when she spent too long watching.

As the songs changed from one to another, slow and sensual, to fast and heavy, Lexa found herself grudgingly able to appreciate the beauty of some of Azgeda's culture. Though now that she is to be married to Clarke, she will need to learn how to love every part of her intended. 

While she does not like most aspects of Azgedan culture such as their ritual scarification and military action, watching the dancers and listening to the heady music had her wondering how much she has neglected the people of Azgeda. She may not like their Queen, but the people are not a reflection of Nia. That point was especially clear judging by the way Nia sneered at a few of the warriors who were getting more lively.

Anya was for her part was watching the guards along the walls and those warriors that paid more than a passing glance at Lexa. While Anya was reasonably sure Nia wouldn't try anything during the celebration, she wasn't going to leave it to chance. 

Her lips quirked as she watched Lexa remind Clarke to take a bite. The blonde absently took a bite out of a roll with mashed potatoes. Anya was glad The princess was enjoying the performances. When she first came into the room she could see the apprehension in her shoulders.

The music quieted and the dancers gave a bow to Nia before doing the same to Their table. Anya could see Lexa's jaw flex imperceptibly at the slight to her station. And judging from the way Clarke flinched, she knew just how offensive it was to give respects to anyone before the Commander.

As the dancers made their way out of the hall, Nia stood, silencing many of the people, A few getting elbowed before the hall was completely silent.

She stood for a few moments, looking over the hall to make sure she had everyone's attention. "I remember when Clarke first held a blade. She was so hesitant at first as some of you can attest." A few chuckles went around at that and Clarke sat rigidly in her seat, her eyes distant. "Before long she was swinging a steel blade with ease, her strength grew so rapidly I couldn't have been more proud." A cheer rang through the hall, many warriors banging on the tables in agreement. 

"It was plain to see that she was stronger than the others her age, being able to best some Sekens three summers her senior through brute strength alone." Lexa and Anya could see some of the warriors blushing, though unlike what they expected, none of the others seemed to ridicule them for it. "Before she was even twelve summers she had forty nine kill marks. By the time she was fifteen she had over three hundred, and now, no one knows how many she has." 

The hall exploded with cheers, whistles and shouts. Looks of awe and reverence being directed at Clarke who sat unmoving in her seat. Lexa put her hand on the blondes knee to try and keep her calm. Anya shifted her weight in her seat, leaning slightly towards the younger blonde to show her own support.

"My daughter, the great Wanheda." Nia looked over to Clarke, taking in her rigid posture and blank face. A wicked glint lit her eye. "Not only did I make sure to train her martial prowess, I made sure whomsoever would marry my daughter would be well looked after." 

The crowd sat in silence as that statement, but both Lexa and Anya's jaws flexed trying to keep their rage under control. Roan's entire body flexed, his neck bulging in rage.

"And Heda Lexa." Lexa prepared herself, her fist clenching under the table and holding Clarkes thigh a little tighter. "Despite all our past... misunderstandings, I'm glad to set in a new age of prosperity for Azgeda and Trikru."

Despite the cheer of affirmation, Anya couldn't help but notice quite a few ruffled feathers in the crowd.

"Now," The crowd quieted immediately, most sitting at rapt attention as if not hearing the next words would cause them to lose their heads. "This next dance is in honor of our two clans coming together." 

Drums began playing, a slow beat at first every few seconds. Two dancers walked into the hall, one dressed in white furs and died leather with light blue accents. Her face painted to look like a sheet of ice. The other adorned in reds, oranges and yellows. Her eyes rimmed in fiery red while the rest was painted black.  

The drums began speeding up with the two dancers movements. The two locked in a battle for dominance. 

Clarke was only half paying attention, still stuck in her mind. Lexa wasn't paying that much more attention to the performance than Clarke, more focused on the blonde herself. She gave Clarke's knee a squeeze to remind her of her presence and to try and keep her grounded. 

Anya marveled at the dance, almost letting out a gasp as the flaming dancer spewed fire from her mouth. The snow dancer retaliated with some glittering white powder she blew from her hand. They both continued to dance around each other, gradually slowing down until finally...

Both Lexa and Clarke jumped slightly as the dance came to an end with a final, deafening gong of the drums. Both dancers were caught in an embrace, their faces only inches apart. Their chests heaved from the exertion and slight trails of sweat cut across their painted faces.

The hall shook with cheers as both dancers bowed to the queen, than Heda's table. This time Lexa wasn't surprised, why she was the first time she didn't know.

As the dancers made their way gracefully out of the hall, Nia stood and turned to look towards Lexa. "And now, for the final event of the evening. Let the bedding ceremony commence!" By far this was the loudest the hall had been the entire evening. 

Handmaidens came from one of the doors at the back of the hall behind Nia, all dressed in white sheer cloth. Lexa looked to Clarke as they were both guided to stand and was met with an expression of sheer ice. Where before she could pick up the barest hint of emotion from her expression, now she could see none. Not that Lexa blamed her as her own was the perfect picture of stone. 

Lexa was torn between her concern for Clarke and her boiling rage over the barbaric custom as they were led into a small bedchamber. Her rage almost exploded as Nia and her elite followed them in and entered a small chamber in the side of the room. The only things stopping her were her aforementioned concern for Clarke and the fact there didn't seem to be any windows they could actually watch from.

The handmaidens began to remove Clarke's clothes. Her fur top was gently pulled over Clarke's head, her pert, grey breasts. Lexa looked on in surprise and mounting desire as she noted Clarke's nipples were black as both their blood. 

If she wasn't anticipating it, Lexa might have not been able to control her reaction as the entirety of Clarke's body was laid bare, the handmaidens moving over to leave silently through the door. The scars didn't stop at just what she could see when Clarke walked into the great hall. Her breasts were heavily scarred, teeth marks around her nipples and the inside of her thighs. Lexa could picture the grotesque grin Nia must be sporting now imagining her reaction to them.

Her lust was tempered by Clarke's absent expression and cloudy eyes. Her heart broke as she was forced to shed her own clothing, displaying her own much less scarred, but battered body. She raised her hand and gently laid it against Clarke's cheek, sighing at the complete lack of reaction. 

She gently nudged Clarke down so she could lay on the furs of the bed. Slowly, Lexa crawled her way over to kneel above the other woman, she leaned over to press a light kiss to Clarke's cheek. "I'm sorry." Clarke twitched, and as Lexa pulled back she could finally see some life in Clarke's eyes. "I only hope you will forgive me." 

A tear escaped to trail down into Clarke's hair, her hand coming up to mirror Lexa's earlier gesture. "I do." She croaked, pulling Lexa down to meet her lips with her own.

Lexa truly hoped that was true.