Blood Must Have Blood (Clexa Fanfic)

Can't Pretend

Clarke's eyes narrowed, fixing on each of the weapons poised on her in turn. She barely registered one of the soldiers dismounting the horse as she was far too focused on the razored edge of the dagger glinting from beneath his sleeve.

"Get back." She growled, looking up to his face now, her gaze letting him know that she'd seen his concealed weapon. He just stretched his broad shoulders and pouted.
"Don't make this difficult Wanheda. The sooner you give in, the sooner your head will be on the Queen's wall." He taunted and took a step closer to Clarke, holding his opposite arm outwards to warn the other two warriors not to approach. Clarke reached her hand behind her, feeling it press to the tree that she was backed against. She dug in her nails and pulled, feeling her fingertips bleed against the strain before a piece of bark came free, hoping that the very audible snap hadn't been heard by the three soldiers.

It was clear not as the one with the blade moved forward, giving up on trying to reason with Clarke and lunging at her instead, his blade humming as it sliced the night air.
He was fast, she had to admit, but she was faster and with one fluid motion she had manoeuvred out of the blade's path and brought the bark upwards into the man's arm, smiling as it pierced through flesh and he backed away.

The howl of pain caused birds to stir in the trees and the other two soldiers to look between each other in disbelief as they tried to realise what Clarke had done.
"Yu gonplei ste odon.." She whispered softly and the man's ears pricked at the familiar sounding words which translated clearly to: "Your fight is over.."

Clarke grabbed the man's hair before he could so much as look at her, pulling it back to expose his neck. She heard grunts from the other two soldiers as one of them notched an arrow to his bow, pointing it at Clarke and daring her to kill the other man. The horses they were sat atop shuffled nervously, clearly sensing the tense atmosphere as they whinnied.

"Kill her and I'll make sure you never see the light of day again.." A harsh voice snapped and Clarke's eyes widened, looking up from the man whose hair she was still holding to settle on who had spoken. Her eyes rested on Lexa and she was holding back a sharp intake of breath from the shock of seeing her. Lexa held a sword at the second Ice Nation soldier whose bow was aimed at Clarke and her brow furrowed menacingly.

The third soldier looked startled, unsure what to do whilst the situation played out. Clarke noticed his hands shaking as he gripped his sword, wondering if he should intervene but Lexa shot him a look.

"If you so much as breath wrongly, I'll kill you myself. Stop this, all of you. You're only asking for war." Lexa now looked to Clarke, showing that she was also talking to the blonde-haired girl.

"Let go of him Clarke. No one needs to die here but don't think I won't hesitate if you try anything." Clarke almost felt her jaw drop at Lexa's words, obviously shocked by the serious nature of them. Lexa had just threatened to kill her? What the hell was going on?

The blonde girl's grip loosened on the man's hair, although she was surprised at herself. It was more from shock than from listening to Lexa that made her let go. Although she was greeted with a curt nod from the Commander who now turned her gaze to the soldier holding the bow, pushing the sword into his back.

"Lower it." She snarled, her voice rasping like a growling wolf as the soldier sighed deeply.
"You're rather bold aren't you Commander?" He said with a small smile, keeping his weapon in place, aimed at Clarke. It was clear that Lexa was getting angrier at the soldier and she lowered her head so it was level with him.
"Lower it before I make you lower it." She threatened and he raised his eyebrows at her, glancing at the other warriors. Although the one in front of Clarke was unable to return the stare as he gripped his arm where the bark was still embedded. Clarke, being a healer herself, could clearly tell that he needed medical attention but she was in no mind to give it.

After a few moments the soldier who was challenging Lexa turned his horse, facing her now and moving his weapon away from Clarke. For a brief moment it looked as if he was about to concede before he instead brought it up and pointed it at Lexa.

"Then make me lower it Heda." He grinned and before Clarke could scream, he let the arrow fly..

"Lexa!" Clarke cried, closing her eyes tightly as she expected to hear the sound of the girl's body falling from the horse and not wishing to see the arrow buried deep inside her chest.

It took quite a few moments before Clarke opened her eyes, confused when she didn't hear the expected thud. She looked up cautiously and her eyes widened as she saw Lexa, still sat on her horse. Her body hadn't moved and there wasn't an arrow in sight. However, the face of the soldier was white as he looked at Lexa in shock, his pale blue lips trembling as he tried to form words.
"H-how..." He whispered and for the first time, the Commander's soft lips perked into a smirk.

"Jus drein jus daun." She spoke clearly and firmly and the soldier coughed up blood, his eyes wide before he toppled from the horse. The blonde-haired girl thought hard, trying desperately to remember the translation for the Commander's words but shaking her head as the body hit the ground. Clarke looked at the body and she noticed Lexa's sword was buried deep in the man's chest, his bow entangled with the corpse. It made sense but there was still one question that Clarke asked herself. Where did the arrow go?

She looked up at Lexa as she slumped in her saddle slightly, her hand resting against her side. The other soldier yanked the reins on his horse, kicking it off as he left his wounded comrade behind and made his way back through the forest and away from the two girls. No doubt to tell the Queen what had occurred. It didn't bother Clarke, not right now. Instead, she made her way over to Lexa's horse, glancing over her shoulder at the injured man who clutched his arm which was bleeding heavily.

"What should we do with him?" Clarke asked in concern as she looked to Lexa for an answer, although she felt ice course through her veins as the Commander's face was ghostly white.
"Lexa?" Clarke asked, reaching a hand up to try and get the girl's attention before Lexa met her gaze and the blonde girl gasped, seeing a drop of blood trickle from the side of Lexa's mouth. She wobbled a little and coughed, her arms barely gripping the reins as she whispered softly:
"Jus drein jus daun.." before her eyes finally closed and she dropped from the horse, her body limp.

That's when Clarke fully noticed something in Lexa's side and she tried to turn the girl over, crying her name as she shook her, forcing the Commander to keep her eyes open.

It was fully visible now, the arrow buried in Lexa's ribcage. From such a close range the arrow had pierced straight through and was almost fully buried into her body, making it seem invisible to the naked eye. That's when finally, Clarke's mind focused and she realised what the Commander's words meant.

Jus drein jus daun. Blood must have blood. A life for a life..

Clarke's eyes looked over at the dead man's body and for the first time she felt terrified. Terrified of the events that had just occurred. Terrified of Ice Nation's imminent retaliation. But most of all...terrified of losing Lexa. There was so much blood pouring from the wound now and Clarke tried frantically to stop it, ripping her shirt sleeve and pressing it to the injury.

"No. I won't accept that Lexa, stay with me..." She said and after a few moments Clarke's face felt hot as she realised to her own despair that she was crying.