Our Journey (the Fourth Book in the Her Weakness series)

Chapter 84

Lexa's POV

"Anya?"

A small smile breaks out on Anya's face as she meets my eyes. "Heda."

I resist the urge to pinch myself, not quite believing what I am seeing. Did Octavia and Raven spoke my water earlier with a hallucinogenic drug? I glance over at Clarke, who is looking right at Anya, surprise on her face. So I am not hallucinating. She is in plain clothes, which she does not wear often.

I look back at my old mentor and friend, tears gathering in my eyes. I take a step forward and gently reach up to press my hand against her cheek. My breath hitches when my hand touches soft warm flesh. It is really her, and she is alive.

"Anya. How?" I breathe out.

Anya smiles softly and places her hand over mine before gently lowering it, keeping my hand in hers. "Are you certain you would like to hear that now, Heda? This is a party celebrating your wedding that is tomorrow."

"I am certain. As long as that is okay with you, Clarke." I say, turning to look at Clarke once more.

Clarke nods. "Yeah, that's fine. I'm curious too."

"Then let us sit down and I will explain." Anya gestures to the logs around the fire.

The three of us sit down, Clarke on one side of me and Anya on the other. Anya has not let go of my hand but I do not mind. Especially since Clarke is holding my other one.

"We, uh." Clarke clears her throat after her voice cracks slightly. I squeeze her hand. I have nearly forgotten how Clarke got close to Anya as well, and also grieved her. "We thought you were dead. I watched you get shot. How did you survive?"

Anya lets out a soft breath. "I am not entirely sure. The Gods favored my continued existence, I suppose. Some traveling bards were passing by and saw me. That is what they told me, at least. The next thing I remember after seeing you be taken away by Skaikru was the feeling of being carried and the pain. I passed out not long after I woke up and the next time I woke up, I was in the cave they had decided to stay in. The bullet had passed through me, so luckily that did not need to be taken out. But my wound did get infected and I was very ill for a long time. The bards were very kind and nursed me back to help."

"How often did you threaten them?" I ask, amusement lacing my tone. Anya does not care for bards much.

"Not often enough, apparently, because they kept helping me until I could get up and move around on my own. But it did not take long for me to notice that my body is not quite right. I had lost weight while I was ill, and my muscles were weaker than ever before because I did not exactly have the energy to exercise while recovering." Anya frowns. "My left arm is useless. I cannot move anything below my shoulder. The bards' healer was not certain whether it was the bullet or the illness that took it, but its cause does not change the fact I cannot use it."

"Anya..." I murmur softly, knowing how much she hates to feel helpless. Finding that out must have been very difficult for her.

Anya gives me a sad smile and shrugs her left shoulder, her arm moving with it. "And I know Heda, there is no shame in being wounded. There is no shame in having a limb or body part that does not work as it should. But Heda, I still felt shame," she confesses, lowering her head. "I was a warrior. I was your general, I was your mentor. I taught the great Heda to fight and now..." She lets out a breath. "The bards decided to move on when I told them I was healthy enough to be on my own. They gave me supplies and went on their way."

"But you did not come to find us," I say.

"No." Anya shakes her head. "I did not. I did not want to return until I had regained my strength and learned how to live with my arm. I traveled to a nearby village, where they told me of your exploits. It was after you went crawling back to Clarke to help her with the Mountain after you left her the first time."

"I did not come crawling back," I protest.

"Sure you didn't," Clarke teases, nudging me.

Anya clears her throat. "I had the few warriors that lived in the village help retrain me so I could fight with only one arm. That took many months. By then, you had left on your tour of the clans. I sent a courier to find Octavia and Raven with a letter explaining what had happened with me. I asked them when they thought would be the best time for me to see you again. By then, you had gotten engaged, and they urged me to wait for your 'bachelorette party.' I agreed. And here we are. Congratulations, by the way, to both of you. I admit I was rather surprised at first to hear you two are partners, but after hearing about all you have done for each other, I got used to the idea. And seeing you now confirms that Lexa, you have chosen a worthy houmon (partner, wife). I am glad that you found someone, stri Lexa (little Lexa)."

I laugh heartily. "I am no longer little, Anya."

"You will always be little to me." Anya lets go of my hand and ruffles my hair. I huff in protest, but I smile. "Now come on, it is a party. I will get you two drinks."

"Don't get then from Monty or Jasper," Clarke warns. "They'll give you a drink that'll knock you out and make you forget almost your entire day."

"She is not exaggerating," I add.

Anya looks amused but agrees and then walks off to grab us drinks.

"Wait, how is she going to carry them?" Clarke asks me.

"She is Anya, she is stubborn. She will find a way."

Glad I finished this chapter :D My best friend is coming over in a couple of hours, and I have been deprived of her presence for like three months!! My mom and I are going to get a gift card for her for her favorite chicken place for Christmas! Next chapter, more party! Thank you all for reading and for your amazing comments! Stay awesome!