140AD - The Rise to Empress || [GxG] ||

Chapter 20

Once Clarke awoke from among the most peaceful slumbers she had ever had, she finds her bed cold and empty. In the haze of sleep, she reached over but did not find the woman that whispered sweet nothings into her ear the previous night.

At first, she was disappointed but figured it was for the best. Nevertheless, she was looking forward to waking up to Lexa's beautiful face, but perhaps she will one day and that was enough to drag her out of her short-lived somber state.

The smell of scrumptious food filled her senses and that was more than enough encouragement for Clarke to get out of bed for she was starving. "Since when do you barricade your door? Were you feeling unsafe or are you perhaps taking part in questionable activities?"

Clarke clutched at her chest dramatically, getting a fright from her maiden Raven that comes from the backroom. "Good morning to you too, I do love to start my mornings with your interrogations." The Empress indulged in the sliced fruit first, saving the meat for last. "Don't ask questions you don't want answers to."

"Oh, but I do, why else would I ask? Who is the lucky suiter? Have you finally given in to your husband-to-be?" Clarke snorted at Raven's presumption. She would never give in to Bellamy even if he was to change his mind about her sexually. Raven already knew who was in Clarke's room but she wanted the Empress to admit it.

"No one you should break your head over." Clarke says simply, pouring herself a cup of the hot tea shipped all the way from her homeland. She crossed her one leg over the other as Raven took a seat at the table as well; a smirk on her lips and a challenge in her eye.

Raven plated some food for herself as she would each morning when she and Clarke would speak and pick each other's minds. "You know, you should tell your suiters to exit more quietly and perhaps not in broad daylight." She poured herself a cup of tea as well, taking a sip of it as she stared at Clarke who grinned back at her.

"You know, that look on your face says it all. You have an erotic perversion for the Gladiatrix and you do a terrible job at hiding it. Although, I do not blame you. As you are fond of Lexa, I am fond of Octavia. These fierce women are just extravagant creatures."

Clarke quirked her one eyebrow playfully, setting her cup back on the table. She could hear the busy city bustle since her balcony door was open already. "That is one way of explaining it. Did you see Octavia is back?" Clarke's eyes widened; no wonder the city was so particularly loud today. "Oh gods, the games. Are we late? I don't want to miss it."

Raven watched as Clarke shot up from her seat, making haste toward the back room to take a bath. "No, Clarke. They start in two candle lines, we have more than enough time to get you ready, slow down and let me eat."

Clarke was quiet while she undressed and walked into her bath. She descended the steps slowly, indulging in the water's perfect temperature. Raven followed shortly, a plate in hand as she ate her food ridiculously slowly. "The arena ... it looks different I presume. I saw them carry in a lot of things yesterday and if you have not noticed, it has also stopped snowing. The sun is out, burning as hot as ever. It seems the gods approve of the Emperor's final match-up."

"What do you mean it looks different? It's round and covered in sand, how can it change in a single day?"

Raven shrugged her shoulders, placing her empty plate on a nearby table, still chewing on the last piece of meat. "I don't know, they carried in large stones, marble, and wood. Perhaps they constructed something to fit more spectators, who know, I suppose we'll see later."

Clarke accepted the body oils Raven held out to her; she was deep in thought. She was wondering how they could possibly change the arena on such short notice and if they were constructing more seating, where would they place it if they were not making the actual sandy arena smaller.