The One Who's Fallen

Chapter 15

Lexa and Anya separate quickly after their swords clash together, eyeing each other. Lexa twirls her swords in her hands, a move I'll have to get her to teach me.

Their bodies move fluidly, swords just glints in the light of the low sun as they try to gain the upper hand. The rapid clinking of metal hitting metal fills the air.

Lexa and Anya part for a moment, breathing heavily. I try not to watch the drop of sweat slide down Lexa's neck (I've found it surprisingly difficult to keep my eyes off of her). Anya's grinning cockily at her, making her let out an annoyed huff.

Anya resumes their deadly dance, barely missing grazing Lexa's cheek before she deflects her effortlessly. I let out a quiet gasp when Lexa retaliates by swinging her leg through the air, almost getting flayed by Anya's swinging swords and kicking her straight in the chest. It's a bold move, and it works. Anya stumbles back, her grip on her swords faltering. Lexa, her leg still midair, twists and kicks one of her swords from her grasp. Lexa lands back on her feet as one of Anya's swords hits the ground, smirking at Anya (it's an annoyingly attractive expression on her face, she's so gorgeous it's almost unfair).

Anya grins, twirling the sword still in her hands, making no move to get her other one back. They come together again, Anya holding her own surprisingly well, though Lexa has hit her armor a few times.

They stop only when a large man I recognize from when he was guarding Lexa's tent comes into the ring. He murmurs something to them quietly an they nod to him, breaking apart. Lexa resheathes her swords and Anya gets her other one from the dusty ground.

Lexa makes her way toward me and I try to subtly straighten my stance. A barely visible smile tugs at her lips and I know I wasn't completely successful (I'm not the best at subtle).

She pauses in front of me. "Apologies, Clarke. Time got away from me. It is time for us to prepare ourselves for the feast. I will see you there. I am certain Artigas knows when it will start and ensure you come on time."

With that, she gives me a small smile and strides away back toward her tent with the alarmingly large guard by her side.

Anya nods to me before heading in the direction of her own tent.

"Clarke?" Artigas asks. I jump, not realizing until now that he's behind me. "You should get ready, as well." I begin walking with him back to my tent. "There is nothing to do for your clothes, your armor is fine. I would suggest wearing your hair in a braid if you would like me to do that for you."

"Sha, mochof." I respond, sitting in a chair once we reach my tent.

Artigas silently begins braiding and I try to move as little as possible, so I don't mess up his work. I check the various straps and buckles on my armor, making sure it's on correctly and won't fall off. Once I'm satisfied, I sit back and relax, closing my eyes and letting the rhythmic feeling of Artigas braiding my hair calm me after such a hectic day.

"Heda likes you." He murmurs.

My eyes flash open. I did notice that she was looking openly at me while I practically drooled over her when I first saw her, but could she really...? No, no. She's the Heda, the Commander, the Great Uniter, the leader of the twelve clans. There's no way someone like that could like me that way. Maybe he means platonically or something.

"She does not smile often. I have not been around her often, but I know that after everything she has gone through, everything she has done, she does not smile as often as she used to."

I want to know what exactly she went through, what's been weighing on her heart but I know Artigas won't tell me and I'd rather hear it from Lexa.

"I'm sure she's just interested to hear about what it was like in the Ark." I say quietly.

"Maybe so, but I can tell it is not just that. Heda is curious about you, just like you are curious about her."

Of course he just knows I wanted to ask him about her. It's amazing how well he knows me, considering the fact we haven't really known each other for that long.

I can feel him putting the finishing touches on the braid. He steps back after a moment. "It is finished. The feast will start soon. And a warning: there will be drinking and most likely people will be rather rowdy."

I sigh, "It looks like Nyko and I will have a few injuries and many hangovers to help with tomorrow."

"Hangover?" Artigas questions as he holds the flaps of the tent open for me.

"You know how after a night of drinking, especially if they heavily drink, people wake up with headaches and stomach aches, among other things? That's a hangover."

Artigas nods understandingly. "I have seen that with some of the other warriors."

"Not with you?" I ask as I follow Artigas (I'm not really sure where the feast is).

"I do not drink often, it impairs my ability to fight. When I do, I only drink a small amount. Our alcohol is quite strong if it is not watered down. Do you drink often?"

I shake my head, "There's an age limit for drinking on the Ark. We aren't supposed to drink until we turn twenty, but some people break that rule. I wasn't much of a rule breaker, and I was locked up for a year before I was sent down here."

"This will be your first time drinking?" Artigas asks.

"Sha."

We're at the center of the town, a long table running down the middle of the street. As we near it, I notice that it's made of a bunch of different tables all shoved together.

"This will be your first time drinking alcohol?" A familiar voice rasps.

I look to see Lexa standing next to me. "Sha, Heda, it is."

"I will make sure you do not have too much." Lexa promises, her face as stoic as ever but there's a gentleness in her eyes that fascinate me.

I manage to choke out a "mochof" as she leads to the head of the table. She gestures for me to sit to her right. Anya is sitting across from me, staring at me, intimidating as ever. Indra is seated next to me, I realize with a jolt. I don't know much about this kind of thing, but if I'm closer to the head of the table, Lexa, than her does that mean I outrank her? Or that Lexa wants me close to her?