The Tribute (Clexa)

Chapter 14

Two weeks had come and gone, and Clarke was slowly beginning to feel like Earth was her home. Her fear of the others had mostly receded, and she was getting stronger. The strength in her leg was improving, and she was able to walk with her new and improved brace, and without the crutches. She was feeling more comfortable with Lexa, and more importantly, she was feeling better about herself.

When she looked in the mirror, she wasn't quite as scrawny, and the haunted look in her eyes was fading. She wouldn't go so far as to say that she was happy, but she wasn't unhappy either.

She touched her cheek and was amazed at the woman that was staring back at her. Her cheeks weren't so gaunt anymore, and her skin had a glow to it that she couldn't remember ever having seen on herself before. For maybe the first time in her life she was healthy, well maybe not healthy, but healthier. She wasn't hungry all the time, and she wasn't flinching every time an alpha walked into a room. Okay, she might still flinch sometimes, but it was getting less and less frequent, and usually only happened when Anya and Lexa were fooling around. Their antics still made her nervous. She didn't like it when they rough-housed with each other, but she liked it very much when Indra gave them an earful for doing it.

It still astounded her that a beta could bark at a couple of alphas, and they would fall in line.

"Are you almost ready, strik bzza (little bee)?" Lexa called from the other side of the bathroom door.

Today was the day that they were going to go to her small dropship.

Clarke wasn't sure why she wanted to go, but something had been pulling at her. There was something she needed to see or find, but she didn't know what. It was a niggling feeling at the back of her head that she was missing something, and whatever that was, it was in the pod. She knew she wanted to look for her father's watch, but there was something else.

"Almost," Clarke said. She straightened out her top. She tucked the necklace Lexa had given her under her shirt. She never took it off now. With one last look in the mirror, she left the bathroom.

When she stepped out, Lexa was right there. "I have something for you."

"No, Lexa, I don't want anything. You have all already given me too much." It was true. Clarke now had a pile of clothing, two pairs of boots, her own toiletries which included a hairbrush that didn't pull at every tangle when she brushed her hair, and art supplies to go along with the tools Lexa had already given her.

Every night when the day was winding down, Clarke would get out those supplies and sit quietly, and alone, at Indra's kitchen table. She drew or painted pictures of the things she had seen and the people she had met. She penciled stunning likenesses of her parents, and Lexa had put them on the wall of her bedroom for her.

She smiled thinking of her bedroom. She never did have to clean it up. Indra had done it although she had made Lexa pay for the new mattress and pillow. She had also made the alpha carry the mattress in by herself which was no easy task.

"This is a necessity," Lexa replied, drawing her out of her thoughts. "The day is chilly, and the ride is long. This will protect you from catching a cold."

The alpha produced a long coat of dark brown leather and a matching pair of gloves.

The gifts were exquisite. When Clarke touched the leather, it was soft and supple, but she could also tell that it would be warm and protective.

"Mochof," Clarke said as she allowed the alpha to help her into the coat.

Lexa beamed at her. "You are learning our language."

"Hardly. A few words here and there does no mean I have learned anything." Clarke took the gloves that Lexa handed over, but she didn't put them on. She hid them away in the pockets of the coat.