Her Loyalties

Chapter Twenty

Clarkes POV

"Mum." I whispered as she walked through the gate.

"Clarke!" She called, and then I was running. She scooped me up in a hug and I clung to her as she rocked me in her arms. "Oh my baby." She murmured against my hair. I straightened out of her arms.

I stepped back slightly and then Raven crashed out fo the dropship. She gaped at mum, and then hugged her tightly.

"Abby." She whispered. "Thank god." Mum smiled widely and hugged her back. Then she stiffined and her eyes locked on something behind me. I turned and saw Anya and Lexa.

Anya had her sword out and was pointing it towards us. Lexa had her hand close to a dagger but wasn't holding it.

"Anya." I called. She looked over and I shook my head. Gritting her teeth, she lowered her sword but kept it in her hand. Lexa relaxed too and I gave her a grateful look.

"Clarke." Mum took my wrist. "Who are these people?"

Raven spluttered and I glared at her. I turned back to mum.

"Umm..." I didn't know if Lexa wanted me to introduce her by her name or say she was tthe Heda. I decided on the latter. "The one without the sword is the Heda, she's the leader of the people that live down here. And that's her second in command." Anya had made a point of telling me this when she was teaching me Trigedasleng.

"That's not all though Clarke." Raven muttered under her breath, but mum didn't hear her. I knew what she was talking about, but I wasn't going to tell her that I was in a relationship with Lexa until I talked to Lexa.

Looking behind my mum, I saw that there was a huge crowd outside the gates. There had to be hundreds, maybe a thousand of them.

"Mum, what is this?" I asked, bewildered.

Mum glanced behind her.

"Everyone that survived the landing." She said. "We brought the Ark to the ground." Raven gasped and I frowned.

I shook my head, deciding to ask more about it later. Crossing the clearing to Lexa, I stopped in front of her.

"What do you want me to tell her?" I asked. "I could..."

"I think we should wait." Lexa cut in, talking quietly. "If your mum knew about us too soon it could ruin everything."

I nodded, sighing gratefully. This was what I hoped she would say. Motioning to Lexa and Anya, I started walking back to mum. They followed me and stopped a few steps away.

"Mrs Griffin." Lexa said, surprising me and Anya. "My name is Lexa. I am the Heda of the twelve clans that live here." She held out her hand. Mum took her hand and shook it once. I saw Lexas confused eyes as she did this - she had probably never seen a handshake before.

"Call me Abby." Mum said, almost reluctantly. "Clarke said you were called the Heda?"

"Yes, that is what I am called in our language. It translates to commander."

Mum nodded and then looked at Anya. Anya made no move to greet her and mum flinched away from her stony glare.

"Heda, oso beda gon we kom nau (Commander, we should leave at once)." Anya said.

"No." Lexa said. I looked between them, unsure of what Anya said. I had not learnt enough of their language to know. Lexa shook her head at me and I knew that if I needed to know, she would tell me.

Mum looked bewildered, as she didn't know their language at all. I gave her a reassuring smile.

"Abby." Marcus Kane came up behind her. "We cannot stay here. We have to go back to the Ark, it's big enough for all of us to live in."

Mum nodded and then turned to me.

"Clarke, come with us."

"I will, but let me talk to Lexa first." I said. 

"Okay." Mum sighed. I led Lexa a little way away, around the corner where mum couldn't see us, and then focused on her.

Lexa looked at me sadly.

"What?" I asked. Lexa blinked hard and then shook her head. She motioned with her hand for me to speak first.

"I need to go with them." I started, but stopped when a tear fell from her eye. "Lexa, what's wrong?" Pulling her closer, I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her close. She buried her face in my shoulder.

"Moba (sorry) Clarke." She mumbled. "I did not mean to cry." Her voice broke and I stroked her hair.

"What's wrong?" I pulled away slightly and pressed my forehead to hers. "Whatever it is, you can tell me." Her eyes blinked furiously as she tried to fight off more tears.

Lexa wiped her eyes with one hand and tooke a deep breath.

"Your people are afraid of me. If I come with you, it might make things worse."

I pressed my lips together, I knew she was right. Even though it would be horrible to be apart from her, it was probably for the best.

"Lexa" I whispered. "I...I know that we have very different responsibilities. You should go back to your people. They need you. But I will come back, it's only for a few weeks."

Her eyes slid closed.

"I know Clarke. But I don't want to be apart from you."

"I know." I stroked the side of her face. "I hate it too. I'll be back, I promise."

"Okay." Lexa opened her eyes. She quickly pressed her lips to mine. When she broke away I stepped back. After Lexa wiped the tear from her face, we headed back to mum. I nodded at Raven and she smiled sadly. She knew that Lexa would not be coming with us.

"Anya." Lexa mumbled to her. "We will go back to Trikru. The skai (sky) people go their own way." Anya's eyebrows shot up but she nodded. Marcus Kane nodded and stepped back outside the gate, motioning for everyone crowded there to start walking.

Before I left, I stopped in front of Lexa. Mum paused, waiting for me. I held out my arm to Lexa and she grapsed it.

"Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim (may we meet again)." I told her. I had asked Anya how to say this days ago. Lexa smiled and let my arm go.

"May we meet again." She said.