Her Loyalties

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Lexas POV

"...by one of the grounders!"

I knew he was talking about one of my people. My whole body froze and I looked at Clarke. She was looking as panicked as I felt. Abby froze too - for a split second - but then grabbed a bag and bolted off. Clarke and I were left alone.

"Oh no." Clarke whispered. "Lexa...this could ruin everything." She was right, if one of my people attacked a guard, our alliance could be shattered. 

I ran after Abby, with Clarke right behind me. When we reached the gate, Abby was bent over a guard that had a gruesome wound over his face.

"...a man." I heard another guard say. "A grounder man. He came to the gate and demanded his Heda back. We told him we didn't know what a Heda was. He attacked him and then left."

"What did he look like?" I interjected. The guard looked at me.

"Why should I tell you?" He said.

"Because I am the Heda he was looking for."

The guard grunted but told me anyway.

"He was tall, with a long beard. A tattoo along his face." The guard ran his hand over one side of his face to show me what he meant. My breath faltered and I shook my head.

"Lexa?" Clarke asked, sounding worried. I turned to her and her eyes widened at the look on my face.

"I know who it was." I announced. Everyone stopped moving.

"Who?" The man called Kane said.

"Gustus." I said. "He thought you had captured me."

Clarke gasped as she realised that I was right. Abby turned her attention back to the guard lying on the ground.

"Jackson!" She commanded. "Get this man to medical!"

A man stepped forward and motioned for help. A group of people assembled themselves and carried the gaurd away. Kane turned back to me.

"You need to stop this Gustus." He ordered me. "Either you stop him, or our alliance is broken."

I knew it would come to this. I had to make a choice now - my advisor, or the one alliance that could save my people. And...if I chose to leave, I might never see Clarke again. I looked Kane in the eyes and spoke my descision.

"Gustus will die for his crimes." I said. "I will make sure of that. May I have my weapons back?"

Kane nodded and motioned to a nearby guard. The guard ran off and returned a moment later with the weapons that were confiscated from Clarke and I. I strapped my weapons to my body and then turned to Clarke. Kane turned away and left.

"I want to come with you." Clarke said before I could speak.

"Clarke." I sighed. "It's too dangerous."

"Lexa, please." She pleaded. "I can't, what if you get hurt?"

"I'll be back in a day or two." I tried to reason with her. "You need to stay and make sure that the alliance holds. Clarke, for me?"

I saw her waver and then she sighed sadly.

"Okay." She mumbled. "I'll stay." Over her shoulder, I saw Abby come out of the medical tent and look around. She spotted Kane walking away and headed over to talk to him. I refocused on Clarke.

"I love you." I mumbled. "I'll see you soon."

Clarke hesitated, looking over her shoulder at her mother. She seemed to decide something, and turned back to me.

She kissed me, and I made a noise in the back of my throat, surprised. I didn't object, kissing her back as one of her hands held me close. When she pulled back I saw the sadness in her eyes.

"I love you too." She murmured. I smiled, trying to ignore the growing sadness building up inside me. I fought it back, telling myself that I would see her in a few days.

After a second, I forced myself to take a step back. Clarke let go of me and watched as I turned away. I walked to the edge of the forest, and then couldn't help looking back. Clarke hadn't moved, and I saw her nod at me. I nodded back, and then turned and walked into the forest.

*

Clarkes POV

As Lexa disappeared into the trees I realised what I had just done. I had kissed her in fton of most of the Arks remaining population. In front of my mother. As I thought about her, a hand landed on my shoulder.

It was mum, of course. 

Her face was hard, an expression she only used when I was in serious trouble. I had known the risks that mum would flip out, and I didn't intend on telling her like this. But Lexa had looked so sad when we said goodbye, I just had to.

"We need to talk." Mum said. I didn't dare talk, I just nodded and followed her. She led me back to our compartment and closed the door as I uncomfortably stood in the middle of the room. We hadn't spoke at all on the way, and I was scared of what she was going to say.

"Mum, I..."

"Clarke." Mum sighed, cutting me off. She suddenly looked so worn, and I knew how hard this probably was on her. "We used to tell each other everything."

"I know mum, I know. But this wasn't just my secret to tell, not this time."

"Why her?" She whispered, and I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Clarke, I can understand that you're..." She didn't seem to be able to say the word. That made me mad.

"Mum, you can say it. Bisexual." I said. "It's not a disease."

"I can understand that you're...bisexual." She said hesitanty. "But what I can't understand is why, why it's her."

"Have you got a problem with her?" I folded my arms over my chest. "Because no one chooses who they fall in love with."

At the expression on her face, I realised that I had spoken the wrong words. Her eyes widened and I saw her hands ball into fists.

"You're...nevermind. What I mean is that why does it have to be her. She's, she's dangerous. I know she's a murderer."

"She's their Heda." I defended her. "Of course she's a murderer. But she only kills her enemies. And how do you know that I'm not the same?"

"You're not a murderer." She said, before looking at my face and faltering. "Are you?"

"That's beside the point." She took that as a yes, I was a murderer.

"She's bad for you Clarke. I know how this will end. She'll hurt you badly, I know she will. There's something sinister about her that I don't like."

"If you have a problem with her, then you have a problem with me!" I snapped, suddenly losing it. "Because I love her mum, and nothing you say will change that."

We didn't say anything for a long minute, just stood and considered what the other had said. Eventually, mum sighed and slumped into a nearby chair.

"I don't trust her Clarke." She mumbled. "She's not good."

At her words, I stormed out of the room. I heard her calling for me to come back, but I ignored her, running out of the compartment. As I burst out of the main door and out into the open, many people stared at me but I just ignored them.

I headed for the gate, and the remaining guards straightened as I approached. My weapons that were brought for Lexa still lay on the ground. I scooped them up and kept going, scooting around the guards. 

One of them grabbed me, and I spun around.

"Where are you going?" He demanded. I didn't answer, just twisted out of his grip and kept going. Suddenly, something was slammed against my back and pinned me to the ground. I struggled, but then felt the familiar stab of a needle in my back.

Everything went dark.