Chapter Text
Lexa was awake and dressed by the time the sun began to rise. She was outside and strolling through the market as the first few golden ray broke the horizon. She traveled the twisting streets easily and made her way towards one shop in particular.
She called out to the vendor as she neared, "Larkin!"
The young girl's head snapped from her book and she smiled widely, "Heda!"
Larkin was only thirteen winters but lost her parents to hunger during a particularly hard winter the one before last. She had taken over their small farm and opened her own fruit stand to support herself. Lexa always made sure to buy from her and give her a few extra coins.
The redheaded teen stood from her stool and asked, "What will it be today, Leksa?"
Lexa's eyes scanned the piles of fruit expertly, "It all looks wonderful, Larkin."
She blushed, "Mochof, Heda. I have been very lucky lately."
Lexa nodded, "Two of those red apples, two peaches, and...a small basket of strawberries, please."
"Of course, Heda."
Having been handed the fruit and placing it into a small basket she had bought, Lexa paid the young girl. When Larkin tried to give back the extra money, Lexa refused.
"You work for this money, Young One. It is not charity. Keep what is yours."
Larkin bowed her head, respectfully. "Mochof, Heda."
Lexa smiled, "Pro."
As Lexa turned to leave, Larkin called out, "I hope you and Wanheda enjoy the fruit!"
Lexa smiled and blushed thinking of Clarke. "I'm sure we will! See you tomorrow, Larkin!"
Reaching the gate surrounding the outer edges of Polis, Lexa called over to the guard on duty.
"Deirdre."
The dark-haired woman came over to her, "Good morning, Leksa."
Lexa nodded, "It is. How is she?"
Deirdre sighed, "Sleeping. Finally."
At Lexa's questioning gaze, she explained.
"She woke after only a few hours. Abruptly. I called out to let her know I was there, but we spoke no more after she assured me she was fine. She added more fuel to her fire and stayed awake after that. Staring at the flames and unmoving from what I could tell. Exhaustion took over about an hour or two ago."
Lexa sighed. "Alright. Thank you for keeping an eye on her for me. Someone should be here to relieve you soon."
Deirdre nodded. "It was no problem, Heda. I simply wish to help her as much as I am able to. I wish I could have done more."
"As do I. Go on and rest well, Deirdre."
With that, she walked past the gates and over to Clarke's small camp. Flames licked at the edges of a few half-burnt logs, meaning they hadn't been added that long ago. Lexa sat down her basket and crouched in front of Clarke.
She looked uncomfortable, Lexa decided.
Her knees were drawn to her chest, her arms are wrapped tightly around herself, and her forehead was resting on her knees. Lexa reached forward to move some hair from Clarke's face.
The next thing she knew she was on the ground with a knife pressing into her throat.
She looked up with wide eyes and found a cold, calculating expanse of blue. Lexa pushed down her instincts to react and stayed very, very still. She swallowed against the cool blade, feeling it press against her pulse point.
"Clarke." She whispered.
Something flickered in her favorite pair of blue eyes, but it was quickly taken over once again by an angry, detached haze.
Again, Lexa tried to bring the blonde back to her, "Clarke."
When no reaction came, she did something that she knew would break through, at least she hoped it would.
Lexa pushed herself up and into the knife, drawing a few drops of her midnight blood. She could feel Clarke gasp slightly and could feel the girl's hand start shaking. She opened her eyes and was met with tear filled blue. Lexa knew she didn't want to do this. It had simply become Clarke's instinct. Kill or be killed.
Because of her.
"I'm sorry, Clarke."
Lexa knew she was finally breaking through the blonde's walls, tears were streaming down Clarke's face and her grip on the knife was faltering. But Lexa wasn't done, she had carried her guilt for months, worrying about the fate of her strong and stubborn sky princess.
"I never meant to turn you into this."
With a choked sob, Clarke flicked her wrist, sending the dagger into the dirt with a thud. Clarke stood from where she had been crouched over Lexa and staggered back a few steps, the reality of what she had almost done starting to sink in.
Lexa watched her movements carefully, thankful that she had sent the guard home early. She took a step towards the wild girl only when she had stopped moving back towards the trees.
She reached out a hand, palm up, "Clarke?"
"I'm sorry." Clarke croaked, her body trembling from holding her sobs inside.
Lexa took another small step forward, "I'm not angry, Clarke. It's okay."
Clarke shook her head, "I'm so sorry. I-I just-"
Lexa took one final step and pulled Clarke into her arms, "It's okay. I understand."
Clarke just shook her head back and forth, crying softly into Lexa's chest.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Lexa held her tightly, "It's alright, Clarke. It's okay. Quiet now."
Clarke quieted a few minutes later and Lexa reluctantly released her. Guiding her gently, Lexa brought them back to the fire.
"I brought breakfast. Something I think you will enjoy."
Once they were sitting, Lexa pulled out the contents if her basket and chuckled quietly at Clarke's awed expression.
"Clarke? Did you have fruit on the Ark?"
Clarke shook her head. "We tried but it never really worked out. Not like this." She smiled, amazed as she held an apple in her hands.
Lexa bit into her apple, and watched Clarke with a small smile, motioning for her to do the same, "Go on. Eat, Clarke."
She slowly sunk her teeth into the crisp skin surrounding the fruit. The cool, sweet juice filled her mouth and she moaned softly before she could stop herself. She closed her eyes, content to savor the new flavor. She continued chewing, biting off one piece after another, until the apple was gone. Then, she opened her eyes to see green already staring back.
Without a word, Lexa handed her another strange fruit. It was smaller than the apple and slightly fuzzy. Clarke look up at Lexa with wide eyes, but Lexa was already eating hers, and so Clarke did the same.
It was juicier than the apple was, Clarke noted as some it ran down her chin. She heard Lexa laugh at her and she opened her eyes, tilting her head questioningly.
"You have some...never mind, I'll get it."
Lexa leaned over and ran her thumb over Clarke's chin, wiping off the mess. She licked the juice from her finger and smiled at the blonde, who was watching her transfixed. She waited until the peach was gone before she reached into the basket to bring out the strawberries.
She handed one to Clarke and said, "You know how we didn't eat the middle of the apple and the peach?"
Clarke nodded, still staring intently at the small berry in her hand.
"Well, we don't eat the tops of these. And I have a bunch, so you can have as many as you like."
Placing the basket between them, Lexa leaned back, using one hand to support herself and the other to eat some of the strawberries.
Clarke noticed that these were a deep scarlet, and had small seeds scattered over their surface. Lexa said not to eat the top and seeing as that was the part covered in the stem and leaves, she guessed that made sense.
These were sweet as well, and positively addicting. Before she knew it, the entire basket of berries between them was empty. Lexa giggled at the disappointed look on Clarke's face.
"You know, Clarke. If you're ready to try going inside, I can show you where to get some more."
Clarke looked up at Lexa, eyes flickering over her shoulder to the walls of Polis and then back to Lexa. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She opened her eyes and nodded.
"I need to ask you something first."
Lexa was slightly confused, but nodded, "Of course, Clarke. Anything."
She watched Clarke's brow furrow and was surprised by the next thing that came out of her mouth.
"Do you trust me?"
She spoke true, "Of course I do, Clarke."
Clarke shook her head, "Why?"
Lexa wasn't sure where this was going, "What do you mean?"
"Why do you trust me? Lexa, I just tried to kill you. And not for the first time."
Moving to sit a little closer to the blonde, Lexa tucked her legs under and put a comforting hand on Clarke's shoulder.
"I knew you wouldn't do it."
Clarke shook her head again and Lexa could hear the war in her voice, the frustration. "How? How could you possibly know that? I didn't even know that."
Lexa stood and moved until she was crouching in front of Clarke. She held Clarke's face in her hands and made sure to keep Clarke's gaze when she told her, "I know you."
When tears appeared on Clarke's cheeks again, Lexa wiped them away with the gentle pads of her thumbs.
"Please, Clarke. Come inside with me."
"Okay."