That's Why I Love You

Chapter 27

Clarke

I stepped back with Lexa, blocking her as she advanced toward me. She smiled when I sucessfully did so, and continued to press foward until my back was against a tree. She nodded.

"Good." She whispered as we tried to catch our breath.

A week had passed since I received my threat. Nothing else appeared, but Lexa still kept an eye on me. She posted extra warriors at our door when she thought I wouldn't notice, and had warriors trail us when Raven, Octavia and I went out to the market. She was doing well with not being too protective, and I appreciated it. I know how fearful she must be after Costia.

Lexa stepped away and swung her staff around in her hand. I smiled, knowing she was just trying to show off in front of me. She walked over to her horse and slid both her swords out of their holster. I swallowed. Was she planning on using those?

She walked over to me and handed me one. She was planning for me to use them?

I shook my head. "Uh, no thanks."

Lexa rolled her eyes. "You're ready, Clarke."

I shook my head. "No. No, I'm not. The Nightbloods have been training for years and they don't use swords."

"They don't use swords with each other, but occasionally they do with me." Lexa said. She tried to give me the sword again and I glanced down at it. "Clarke."

"I don't want to hurt you." I said quietly.

Lexa took a breath. "You won't." She said surely.

"You don't know that." I said, stepping away from the sword.

Lexa paused and her eyes softened. "I trust you."

I wanted to smile, but I couldn't given the situation. She had told me she trusted me before Mount Weather, but I wasn't sure if she really meant it. If she did, it was partial trust. It was trust that I wouldn't kill her, or that I wouldn't betray her. But now--it was something else. Now she trusted me with the Nightbloods, with her life. She trusted me enough to fall asleep by my side, knowing that I was watching over her.

I thought about what she did before me. Did she go to bed worried? Did she fall asleep nervous, knowing that she couldn't sleep too deeply? If she did, someone might come in and kill her in the night. Had she ever really slept, or just rested? My heart broke at the thought of her constantly being on her guard.

I looked back up at her. Her eyes were silently pleading with me. This wasn't about training anymore. Sticks wouldn't do me any good if there was an attack. That's why I was graduating from staffs to swords so much earlier than the Nightbloods. Not many people wanted the Nightbloods dead--everyone worshipped them, knowing they could be the future Heda. But everyone wanted me dead. Lexa knew that. I could see it shining in her eyes, beneath the fear that she tried to hide.

I sighed and gripped the handle of the sword. I could feel indentations in it where Lexa's fingers had held onto it. I smiled at the thought of holding onto her sword. I wondered if anyone had ever used it before me.

"Am I holding it right?" I asked.

Lexa nodded. "Move your hand up."

I did so and she nodded. Lexa swung her sword at me slower than she swung the staffs. I lifted my sword and blocked hers, knocking her sword to the side. She regained her grip and smiled at me proudly. Feeling a rush of energy, I stepped toward her and clashed my sword with hers. I swiped past her face and she leaned back. We went back and forth for a minutes, and I loved the way the sword felt in my hand.