The One Who's Fallen

Chapter 20

"Hodness laik kwelnes (love is weakness)." Lexa states confidently.

I stare at her, mouth slightly open. "Do you really believe that?" Lexa stays quiet, but the look in her eyes speak volume. "Well, you're wrong."

"What?" Lexa blinks, surprise on her face.

I know she's Heda, the big Commander, but this is something I will speak up on. I'm guessing she's not used to being argued with or having many question her and her decisions.

"Hodness nou laik kwelnes (love is not weakness). Love gives us something worth fighting for, something worth dying for. Even more, something or someone worth living for. Without it, everyone would only fight for themselves, for their own gain and greed. With love, you fight for your friends, your family, your clan, or your clans. Lexa, you want peace for all the clans. Not because it benefits you personally, but because you love your people. You can claim love is weakness, but if that's true then everyone is weak."

"You are very good at arguing, Clarke." Lexa admits, a small smile lifting up the corners of her lips. "You will make a good advisor, and I bet you would make a good general as well."

"Huh?" How did we get to this subject? She wants me to be her advisor?

"If Anya has not cast you out and made a lesser warrior train you, you must be good. I look forward to seeing you prove me right."

"How did you get 'she would be a good advisor' from us arguing about love?" I wonder aloud.

"You make it sound as if we were having a lovers' quarrel." I feel my cheeks flush at her words. "You are not scared of me, Clarke. Well, perhaps you are, but it does not show. You fight me, argue with what I say. There are not many who have the guts to do so. You would be a good advisor because of that, Clarke. We have not known each other for very long at all, but you already know me almost as well as Anya and Indra do, and they have been by my side since I was a child. If I have a decision to make and you are by my side, I know you will make sure I make a decision based on what is best for my people."

"Is this flattery your way of asking me to be your advisor?"

Lexa's smile grows, and I try to focus on her words as she speaks instead of how beautiful she looks when her face is lit up in a smile. "That was not flattery, Clarke, merely the truth. And yes, I would like you to become my advisor. I will have to tell you many things Anya neglected to mention. Perhaps after tomorrow, which I assume you will spend working with Nyko." She waits until I nod and confirm. "Then the day after that, in other words in two days, we can go hunting. I can both see your skill and tell you about our enemies and what is going on. If you would like to go, of course. We can simply have the discussion in my tent, or while we train another time. It is up to you."

"Hunting sounds good. I haven't gone in a while."

"Very well. Would you like to start your training today or has everything today been tiring?"

I can't help grinning at her evident concern. "It's fine, we can start today. Just nothing too difficult, I'm going to need my muscles to be not sore when we go hunting."

Lexa slides down off the fence, her feet hitting the ground with a little "pap".

It's odd what a contradiction she is. She's so strong, brave, highly intelligent, and from what I've heard, ruthless. But she's also this girl who has been hurt, who's lost people she loves, who works for her people to be as safe and happy as possible. She's quite frankly adorable, and undeniably extremely beautiful. Lexa may not advertise these parts of herself, but she's kind and-

"Clarke? Are you sure you are alright? We do not have to start now."

Float me, I've been staring at her while I thought. "I'm okay, I promise. Just got lost in thought."

"Was it about becoming my advisor?" She asks curiously. "You did not give me an answer on that. Just know that whatever you choose, I will not be offended. We will still go on the hunting trip, and I will, of course, still tell you what is happening here."

"I'll become your advisor." I say, making a snap decision. It can't be too horrible, being around a pretty girl all the time and getting to tell the most powerful person on the ground whether her decisions are good or bad.

"You think I am pretty?" Lexa sounds amused.

Oh crap. Float me, I spoke out loud? I hope I don't do that often, or she'll realize I have a crush on her.

"Uh. You heard that?" I question, my voice slightly higher in pitch than normal.

"Sha. Mochof." I notice with satisfaction that she's blushing. "It is not just telling me what to do, or what to decide, Clarke." I love the way she says my name. I shake my head as subtly as possible. Dammit Clarke focus. "You will become a highly respected figure in our culture. You will be recognized as someone I trust enough to get advice from. And there will be dangers as well. This is not an easy job, helping make decisions. Sometimes, there are no good decisions and we can merely speculate on which might be the least bad one. My enemies will become your enemies. You will know valuable information, sometimes things that maybe no one besides you and I know. We may have to travel on perilous roads, and any assassin after me may come after you too."

"You're doing a really bad job convincing me to become your advisor considering I already said yes." I deadpan.

Lexa chuckles, a unique and beautiful sound I want to hear again and again. "I want you to know what you are getting into. Do you still want to be my advisor, Clarke?"

"Yes."

Lexa's smile turns into the biggest I've ever seen on her, and it takes my breath away. We grasp forearms, Lexa's smile never dimming even as we part.

She heads into the ring, looking at me with a warm gaze. "Ready to start training?"

I had no idea where this chapter would go, but I'm loving what's happened. Thank you all for your amazing comments and support! Stay awesome!