Commander's Redemption | Clexa

Chapter 25

"What would you like to drink?" Lexa asks gently, leaning in closer to Clarke to make sure she is heard over the loud noises of the other patrons talking and laughing.

Clarke, who is slightly huddled as she sits in her chair with her back facing the wall, raises her shoulders even further before letting them drop back down. The universal signal for, "I don't know", "I don't care", or "leave me alone".

Lexa searches the blonde's face for a moment, then pushes herself up and says, "Alright, I will be back in a second," and walks over to the bar.

She can see Niylah laughing with her patrons while she pours them cups of amber-colored liquid and foamy pints of beer as she gets closer.

"What can I get..." the bartender starts brightly, still looking at her previous customer with a big smile on her face, but her smile falters as soon as she notices who is standing in front of her and her tone changes into something that could be interpreted as accusatory as she finishes her sentence with, "you... Heda."

Lexa couldn't fault the bartender for reacting the way she just had. Not only was she her Heda, which could be uncomfortable in itself, but their last meeting hadn't exactly been calm and friendly, which Lexa realized, was entirely her own fault. She wouldn't apologize for it though. It had brought her closer to finding out what happened to Clarke, which made it necessary, useful, and completely worth it in the end.

"How about two meads, one of whatever you're drinking, and some conversation if you have the time?" The Commander says while vaguely waving her arm in the direction of where Clarke was currently sitting, her head propped on her arms on the table, her blank stare focused somewhere near the door.

Niylah looks over Lexa's shoulder and her smile returns to her face, although not nearly as vibrant as it had been moments before.

"Sure. It's on the house," she says when Lexa starts pulling out coins from somewhere in her cloak. But Lexa shakes her head and immediately responds, "No, I insist. You are providing us with drinks and your time." Silently, inside her own mind she added, "And I suppose one could say I owe you."

Niylah looks over the Commander appraisingly, then hesitantly reaches her hand out to accept the coins Lexa was already raising her way.

"Just give me one moment, I can't leave my bar unmanned or unwomaned rather."

Lexa nods her head curtly and walks back to the table carrying her two cups of mead. She places one down carefully in front of Clarke, whose head is still laying on the table before taking a seat on the chair next to Clarke rather than across from her.

Clarke sits up and stares at the cup, spinning it around and around in her hands without taking a sip for a while.

Moments later, Niylah walks towards them, a large mug of beer in one hand, her other outstretched towards Clarke, and a huge, jovial smile on her face.

Clarke looks up at her and sits up a little bit straighter when her eyes meet Niylah's and a tiny smile pulls at the corners of her mouth, but Lexa notices with a pang in her heart that it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Clarke! I am so glad to see you here, I have been so worried about you!"

Niylah places her own mug on the table before reaching her hands out to Clarke, who uncertainly places her own in Niylah's. The bartender smoothly pulls the other blonde to her feet and wraps her arms around her in a tight embrace.

Lexa almost jumps up to angrily pull the bartender off Clarke when the latter flinches, but she remains seated, taking a big gulp from her drink when she sees Clarke tentatively wrapping her own arms around Niylah and breathing out deeply.