The Capitol was more or less a large brick building with tents surrounding it. Clarke immediately recognized that there seemed to be no separation of clans among the tents, flags of different clans flying on the tents sat next to each other. However, there was separation of warriors and leaders with the tents of leaders sitting closer to the building and warriors farther away. A man walked over as they dismounted, Lincoln and Octavia took the supplies and horses as the ten warriors with them started working on setting up tents.
The man started speaking in Trigedasleng but Lexa merely put up her hand, silencing him immediately. She merely looked at him as he bowed his head slightly. "I assume all Heda are meeting at this time?"
"Sha Heda." The man looked up finally, "shall I escort your consort to visit with those of the other clans."
"I am not Leksa kom Trikru's consort." Clarke spoke firmly and the man looked at her slightly taken aback. "I am Klark kom Skaikru, Skai Heda."
The man sunk to his knees and looked at the ground, "my profuse apologies Heda, I can do no other than to allow you to pass judgment for my actions."
Clarke merely rolled her eyes and walked past him, "get up before you make a fool of us both."
Lexa let a short-lived smirk go as Clarke made her way to Octavia, talking to her quietly. The man still stayed on his knees before Lexa. "Your Heda demanded you stand so why are you still on your knees or do you wish to stay on the ground forever?"
He stood immediately, "shall I take you and the Skai Heda to meet with the other Heda?"
"Immediately." She moved over toward Clarke and Octavia but turned suddenly. "What is your name?"
"Aaron."
She walked to him and he took a step back, no doubt fearful for his life. This meant messenger or attendant not warrior. "Aaron, have it known to all warriors and Heda alike that to harm Klark kom Skaikru is to harm Leksa kom Trikru, to strike her is to strike me and I will create war if she is touched."
"Sha Heda." He nodded and looked down. "The Heda meet in the Central Room."
Only after her nod did he disappear from sight, clearly scared for his life. Turning Lexa found Clarke brushing her horse, a small look of annoyance on her face. "You're creating another target for yourself, possibly another war."
"They will test your strength by attacking and having not been trained, they will kill you." Lexa stated, taking the mare's head in her hand to pet the animal's neck. "I've seen it once before, I failed to issue the threat and she was gone before I knew her missing."
"So you think I'll be like Costia, someone who knows your secrets and who they will use to know them?" Clarke looked her straight in the eyes, their subtle flirting midday forgotten as heavy underlying statements were made in concern to the elephant in the room: their attraction to each other and the future it could bring.
Lexa circle the animal's head and looked at the blond with a soft yet haunted look. "You know my secrets, discovered them despite me burying them and staying silent. They do not know this yet and I pray if they do, they leave you alone because you won't meet Costia's fate. I won't allow it."
"And if I do happen to meet her fate, it would be deserving after what I've done." Clarke turned back to her horse, "besides, what makes us different to them beside the threat of war."
"She was a healer and you are Heda kom Skaikru."
Clarke nodded and turned back to her horse, "I hope they heed your warning, for all our sakes."
Lexa merely brushed past her to her own horse. "The attendants will arrive soon with appropriate clothing, I hope you have no objection to dresses."
"I've never actually worn a dress." Clarke watched a slight smile cross the Trikru leader's face as she heard what was said.
"Then you shall have the best of the selection." Lexa watched as Clarke started to object. "I shall make it a command if that is necessary that you comply."
"You cannot issue commands to me, I am your equal."
Lexa placed her hand on the one Clarke had placed on the horse's spine. "Then take it as a request."
It was hard for the blond not to smile at the commander, the subtle flirting from midday had be forgotten moments before during a heavy conversation yet within seconds the flirting was back. It was a pattern Clarke often saw between them, they'd harmlessly flirt, fight, flirt again before finding something yet again to argue over. It didn't escape her notice that no one dared to contradict or question the woman on fear of exile or loss of life but Clarke had done it too many times to count with only questioning eyes and a reply in return. No one else could go and come from the commander's tent without permission yet each night the guard at the door didn't even look her way as she slipped inside to talk to Lexa, to learn Trigedasleng and discuss what talks were like.
The commander spoke true, she knew her weaknesses of wanting to love but denying herself out of fear to the secrets of strategy, physical health and how one could get close enough to strike at the woman. Clarke knew without a doubt that she was a target that any rival would want but Lexa's determination, the leader's threat to the others through Aaron made her aware that sacrificing her was not optional. It made the betrayal of Mount Weather ease slightly knowing Lexa would start wars to keep her loyalty to the one she'd betrayed once before.
Octavia's groan followed by Lincoln's chuckle, most likely at Octavia's actions, made both look over at the warrior. She threw up her hands, "stand there all day oblivious to the world why don't you. The attendant is on her way as we speak." She held out a hand and Lexa turned her head to see a woman walking ahead of two men who carried a trunk. "Try not to cause a scandal in the tent while changing."
"Octavia," Clarke looked at her friend. "Shut up, that's an order."
