Her Weakness

Chapter 31

"I could tell that you two improved your relationship, but this..." Clarke's mother sighs, running a hand through her hair. "Clarke..."

"Mom." She pauses, looking her mother in the eyes. "She will not betray us again."

I grimace at her choice of words, but I cannot help silently agreeing. I did betray them. And I will spend the rest of my days trying to live with that and trying to make it right.

"And how do you know that?"

"Lexa didn't like doing it the first time."

Clarke's mother scoffs quietly. I take a moment, realizing how much being around Clarke has changed me. Before I met her, I would have decapitated anyone who dared treat me disrespectfully. My people may view it as me going soft, but I believe I am becoming more compassionate, less cold. She has made me a better person.

"Lexa saved my life. She helped us get our people back. She didn't have to, but she did anyways."

"I swear on my life, Chancellor, that I will take care of your daughter." I promise I will. I will defend her to my last breath.

"That went so well last time," Clarke's mother snorts.

"Mom!" She is staring at her, outrage and sadness glittering in her eyes.

I sit up, ignoring the stabbing pain in my side. I place a hand on Clarke's shoulder, "its okay." I murmur to her before addressing her mother. "It was my fault she was taken."

"Lexa--" Clarke sounds as though she disagrees.

I cut her off, "I should have stayed by her. Maybe if I had, she would not have been harmed." I take a deep breath and look into her mother's eyes, "I apologize. But your daughter is stubborn and kind. She specifically wanted to find a way out that would not kill anyone. Would you have done the same, Chancellor?" She breaks eye contact with me and stares at the whitewashed floor. "I will not tell her how to live her life or try to control her. I understand why you try, but she is no longer a child and you should not treat her as such. She stopped being a kid the second you sent her down here."

"It was for the best, I had to..." Clarke's mother looks flustered and pained. She walks out without so much as a goodbye.

"I can defend myself, you know." Clarke says, but I know from the warmth in her voice that she is not mad.

"Just because you can does not mean you should."

Clarke chuckles and rests her forehead against mine, "When did you get so philosophical?"

"I do not know what that is," I admit. I try not to focus on our closeness, but my eyes betray me as they flicker down briefly to her lips.

She does not lean forward, though from the smile that lights up her face, I can tell that she noticed. She looks into my eyes and seems nervous.

"Um... Lexa?" She shifts, our noses brushing against each other. I pray to the gods that she does not keep up this torture for long. It is taking all of my self-control not to launch myself forward.

"Yes?" I curse myself mentally; my voice sounds raspy.

"Will you uh... will you go on a date with me?" I stare at her silently, shocked. "Don't feel you have to, I'm just asking," Clarke rambles, blushing. "If this is too fast just let me know because I--"

I cut her off once again with my lips pressing against hers. Her eyes flicker shut a moment before mine do as well. I break the kiss before it can get too much farther, but she still makes a small noise in protest when I pull away.

I smile lovingly at her, "If course I'll go on a date with you."