Sacrifice (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 6

Title: Sacrifice

Relationship: Clarke and Lexa (Clexa)

Author: ArshuK

Beta:marliane

Lexa gulps but moves to sit on the bedside facing the door. She cannot look at her anymore in that dress, she is not sure if her body can take the torment.

"Commander?" Clarke whispers.

Lexa turns towards her, and finds her looking uncharacteristically shy. She is sitting on the other side of the bed, Lexa eyes Clarke's wrist; where those knots had been tied mere hours ago, tying them together for a lifetime. Then she sees the questioning look in her eyes and recalls that she had been addressed to.

She sighs as she says, "Please call me Lexa. You are my wife. You do not have to be very formal with me."

Clarke intakes a sharp breath and nods. She knows she must be familiar with her but to what level?

"I meant what I said Clarke, I will do nothing that is against your will." She says looking into those sapphire eyes, which she finds boring into her soul.

Clarke gets up from her side and moves to Lexa's side of the bed, sitting close though not touching. Lexa is now her life partner and she is hers. She knows what she has done is inappropriate. Everything she has heard about Lexa through the mouths of the servants and the guests she has met has convinced her that Lexa is beyond infatuated with her but...she never shows it. She is always kind, always gentle, always polite. And Clarke...she has taken advantage.

"I should apologize to you...Lexa."

Lexa's breath hitches as she hears her name fall off Clarke's lips. It feels like rain in a desert. Only a very small number of people dare to call the Commander by her name but she has never loved her name more than now. The sound of it coming out of those delectable lips.

"Regarding what?" She hears herself ask.

"I should not have kissed you...afterwards. After the ceremony. I just thought it was the right thing to do with all your people looking up to...our union."

Lexa gulps and her eyes look down, hiding the rejection she feels. Her words have scratched her but she is not willing to show it. One moment Clarke is soft and inviting, the other she is clawing her heart.

"I understand. It was inappropriate for me to reciprocate, my apologies as well."

Clarke shuts her eyes momentarily. She can feel the pain that the Commander is trying so hard to conceal. Clarke finds it weird how easily she can read Lexa when she is famous for being the most stoic leader. She finds herself hating for what it is saying but her heart is somewhere else, with someone else.

"Please don't apologize. I've actually wanted to talk to you about something. "

Lexa's eyes brighten, if only a little at Clarke's desire to speak with her. She hopes it's a good talk, and one not filled with emotional flame

"You are allowed to talk to me freely, Clarke."

"You have to promise me something first." Her voice pleads.

Lexa looks up in question but Clarke's eyes persist and she nods lightly,

"The informer will not be harmed."

"It depends upon the information, Clarke."

"Please Lexa. I can only talk to you about it if you promise me this."

Lexa sighs in defeat and finally nods her head in agreement.

Clarke takes in a deep breath, closes her eyes, willing the words to fall from her lips.