Chapter Text
They meet in a bookstore of all places. Who would have thought, a princess and a Hollywood actress, meeting for the first time in a old book store hidden in the narrow streets of London. Not Clarke, that's for sure, but that’s exactly what happens.
Clarke is in town for an interview on the Costia Taylor Show promoting her new film but she decided to stay for a few weeks to make a trip out of it, after all she is between projects.
It’s the day after her interview and the few amount of friends she does have in London are all busy, so she finds herself tugging on a baseball cap and a pair of dark sunglasses and hitting the streets. It’s not her best incognito look, she’ll admit, but it’s all she has so she goes with it.
She doesn’t mean to find the bookstore. If she was cheesy and poetic she might even say that it found her.
But really she winds up there because, of course, she gets lost. A sensible person would just look up directions on their phone but Clarke is not sensible, she forgot to charge her phone the night before and now she is lost in the streets of London. Not that she minds all that much, she likes to explore, she likes the adventure.
Clarke isn’t quite sure what makes her go into the quaint little bookstore, she’s ashamed to admit but she hasn’t picked up a book in years, not one that doesn’t have something to do with her latest film at least. But there’s something about the shop, how even from the outside Clarke can tell that it’s almost bursting at the seams with books, tall stacks piled up high, practically reaching the ceiling.
When she steps through the door she is immediately met with the smell of old books and some kind of incense, a soft bell chimes with the movement of the door. The inside is exactly what Clarke expects, there’s even a corner or two with huge plush chairs to sit and immerse yourself in another world.
Clarke takes her baseball cap off her head, tucking it into her back pocket, she slides her sunglasses off her nose, draping them on the collar of her shirt. She smiles at the old man behind the register, he nods back at her but doesn’t say anything. It's one of the things she finds most surprising about England, how a shop employee isn’t immediately asking how she is, how she can be helped, and if she’s being honest she almost prefers it this way.
Clarke glances around, but doesn’t really know where to start, so she finds herself wandering through the stacks, gazing at titles and authors and wondering which one she should pick up first.
Eventually she chooses up a random one, it’s lost its cover, now just a blank hard back. She likes the mystery that comes with the blank cover, that there are so many possibilities of what could be inside. It's bound in navy blue material and it somehow feels rough and soft under her finger tips all at the same time.
Flipping open the first page, she begins to read. She doesn’t get two paragraphs down before her foot catches on a stray book, fallen from its pile. Clarke clenches her eyes shut, expects to join the book on the floor but then two strong hands are grasping her biceps, holding her steady.
“I’m so sorry!” Clarke says in a rush, “I didn’t even think there was anyone else in here.”
“I t’s alright, are you hurt?”
The woman’s voice is so soft yet so strong, and Clarke feels her heart rate pick up before she can figure out why. She looks up then almost gasping when she realises who it is, because it’s Alexandria Woods, or Lexa as she is more commonly known as.
Clarke may be American but even she knows who the second in line to the throne is.
She’s even more beautiful in person, is the first though that crosses Clarkes mind, before she is scrambling to right herself. She takes a quick step back, dropping her book in the process.
“Your Majesty! Is that even what you’re supposed to say? Oh my god this is the most embarrassing moment of my life,” Clarke mutters the last part to herself, though Lexa definitely hears her.
The princess doesn’t look fazed however, if anything she looks amused, a small attractive smirk on her lips. She crouches down, picking up the fallen book and handing it back to Clarke who takes it wordlessly, still in shock.
“I’m almost certain it’s supposed to be your Highness,” she says. Clarke opens her mouth to correct herself but is cut off, “but please you don’t have to call me that.”
“Oh, okay...”
“Lexa,” the princess supplies.
Clarke nods, not quite believing what is happening right now.
“Lexa,” she repeats. “I’m Clarke. Sorry again for almost falling on you,” she feels her cheeks burn at the reminder.
“It was nothing,” Lexa assures. “So what is a famous American actress doing in a place like this?”
Clarke’s pretty sure her jaw drops then.
“Wait you know who I am?”
Lexa chuckles and it’s like music of Clarke’s ears. She nods, “Of course, I don’t live under a rock.”
“Oh I didn’t mean-“ she cuts herself off when she realises that Lexa was teasing her, she blushes again. “Right, that was a joke. Sorry I’m normally not this… weird, I just wasn’t expecting... this,” she says gesturing in Lexa's general direction.
Lexa smiles then, a full on smile that Clarke is sure could match the sun in its brightness.
“Well I wasn’t expecting to meet the Clarke Griffin today either. Looks like we were both thrown for a loop.”
She knows my name.
“Your Highness,” a low and gruff voice interrupts and Clarke startles realising that there is a man standing behind Lexa. Not a small man either and she wonders how she hadn’t noticed him approach at all. “This was supposed to be a short stop,” he reminds.
“I am aware Gustus,” Lexa replies. She purses her lips for a second then looks to him, “Two minutes.”
Gustus nods, then walks back around the corner, disappearing from sight but most likely still nearby.
“I took up all your time,” Clarke realises.
“I don’t mind,” Lexa tells her. “I came here to find something interesting and I cant say I’m disappointed.”
“Still, I feel bad. Uhhh here,” she thrusts out the book she’s holding, Lexa takes it in careful fingers. “I don’t really know what it’s about, but the first paragraph and a half were pretty good.”
“Thank you, Clarke.” Lexa says, smiling gently. “Do you not want to read it yourself?”
“Nah, I’m sure you’ll get better use out of it. I’ll try and read it another time," she says, though Clarke has a feeling that they both know it's a lie.
Lexa nods, “Very well, thank you,” she says again. “I have to go now, or Gustus will have my head,” she jokes. She starts to leave but pauses halfway, “Actually Clarke.”
“Yes?” She asks curiously.
Lexa bites her lower lip, just for a second, before asking in what Clarke can only describe as a timid voice, “Do you think you could do me a favour?”
Clarke nods straight away, “Yeah sure.”
“Don’t tell anyone you saw me here, okay? I come here to well, get away from everything,” she says vaguely, “and-“
“I get it,” Clarke cuts her off before she realises that it's impolite. Of course she gets it, she has her own secret places she likes to hide from the public eye, she can’t imagine what it’s like for a literal princess. “Your secret is safe with me.”
A puff of air leaves Lexa’s lips in a relieved sigh. “Thank you.”
“Of course.”
“Lovely meeting you, Clarke.”
“You too.”
And then Lexa is gone. She hears a brief conversation between Lexa and the man behind the register, followed by the soft chime of the bell.
Clarke brings a hand to her mouth in disbelief.
“Did that really just happen?” she asks out loud.
.
“Clarke. Clarke.”
“Huh?” Clarke snaps her head up, having been staring at her plate as she pushed her food around.
Across from her sits her old friend Lincoln Comer, they had met on the very first film set she had been on, Clarke as the sister of the lead and Lincoln as an extra. They had got to chatting one day in between scenes and the rest is history. Now Clarke is a house hold name and Lincoln is steadily making his way to the same status.
They are sat in Lincoln’s lavish kitchen eating dinner, a half empty bottle of red wine on the table next to them.
“I called your name like five times,” he says with a laugh, what’s got you so distracted?”
“Nothing,” Clarke says, but it’s clear that she’s lying. Lincoln just arches an eyebrow at her, sending her a pointed look. “Fine, but you have to swear not to say anything about this to anyone ever.”
“Dramatic. I like it.”
“I might have… met Princess Lexa today.”
“What?! Where?” He asks.
“I can’t say. I promised her I wouldn’t tell.”
“It was somewhere kinky wasn’t it,” he jokes.
“No!” Clarke exclaims and Lincoln bursts out laughing. “She just asked me not to say and I’m not about to break a promise I made to a princess.”
“I kidding, I’m kidding,” he chuckles, “So what’s she like?”
“She was, I don’t know… really sweet.”
“Sweet?” Lincoln repeats, surprised, “Are you sure it was her? You know she’s known for being cold and quiet.”
“Yes I’m sure it was her you asshole. And she was really nice. I made myself look like an idiot and she didn’t even comment on it.”
That has Lincoln laughing, “Of course you did. What did you do?”
“I might have fallen over.” Lincoln wipes a tear out the corner of his eye. “She caught me.”
“Holy shit.”
“And then I’m pretty sure I just sounded like an idiot for the rest of the conversation.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
Clarke picks up her napkin and throws it at Lincoln’s face. It hits its target but Lincoln doesn’t care, if anything it makes him laugh more.
“God you’re frustrating.”
“I know, you love it though. So she was nice, what else?”
“She was so well put together, so well spoken. And she was beautiful, of course.”
“Beautiful huh, have a crush on the princess, do we?” He teases.
Clarke stands up, swiping up her wine glass and the bottle, “Ok I’m doing talking to you about this.”
She leaves the kitchen, soon followed by Lincoln, who asks that she at least refills his glass before she goes.
.
Lexa is sat in her office, the one she has in her flat at Kensington Palace. It’s a large room, way too big considering she only ever sits at her desk. She is replying to several email’s from various charities, when she hears a knock on her door.
“Come in Anya,” Lexa calls.
The door swings open and her older sister strides through. “How did you know it was me?”
“You are the only one who has a key other than Gustus. It was either you or an assassin, and I’m sure that an assassin wouldn’t take the time to knock.”
“What about Gustus?” Anya asks, as she sits down in the chair in front of the desk.
“He always calls first,” Lexa explains without looking away from her computer.
“Come on Lex, stop working for a second and catch up with me.”
“We saw each other yesterday.”
“And it’s been so long,” Anya states dramatically. Lexa resists rolling her eyes. “So how has your day been?”
Lexa pauses for a moment, then says, “Eventful.”
“Oh?” Anya asks, intrigued.
“Yes, you know the normal meetings,” Lexa dismisses.
Anya smirks, “Then what’s that smile for?”
It’s then that Lexa realises she is in fact smiling. It’s small, but Anya is her sister, and best friend, and so she can pick up on those kind of things. Lexa immediately schools her face back to it’s normal unreadable expression.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Ok, if that’s how you want to play it.”
Anya crosses one leg over the other, setting Lexa with a stare. Lexa just looks back, before breaking a second later.
“Fine. I met someone.”
“Who!?” Anya asks, excitedly. “Was she pretty?”
That comment does sooth Lexa’s heart somewhat, because her sister is the only person in the entire world that knows her deep most secret. No one else knows that she’s gay. She can’t imagine the kind of scandal that would come about if her secret ever got out.
She isn’t ashamed of who she is, but she knows that her family's image is important, and she never wants to be the one to ruin it. But it’s these moments of teasing from Anya, of acceptance, that really help her stay strong.
“Not like that,” Lexa says, and Anya looks at her like she doesn’t believe her. “Do you know who Clarke Griffin is?”
“Of course. So she is pretty! How did you meet her? There wasn’t anything scheduled was there?”
“No, no. It was at my bookstore. I’m not even sure why she was there.”
“That smile from before, what was that about?”
“She was interesting,” Lexa says, settling for the word she used when actually talking to the actress earlier. “She gave me a book.”
“Very romantic.”
“Anya.”
“I want you to be happy Lexa.”
“I am happy,” she insists.
“I mean really happy. Have you ever considered coming out? Our parents wouldn’t care.”
“How did we even get onto this topic?” Lexa deflects. “And you know I can’t.”
“Don’t you want to fall in love?” Anya asks.
“I want you to leave my office.”
Anya sighs. “Lex, I’m sorry. I won’t push anymore.”
“Thank you.”
“Just know, that you coming out, wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. It’s 2018, the world is a new place.”
Lexa just sighs, because she knows that what Anya says does hold some merit, but it’s a lot easier said than done, especially when she had the whole nation’s opinion to worry about.
“So I actually did come here for a reason, not just to catch up,” Anya says, “I need a rundown of the fundraiser.”
“What do you mean? I’ve been CCing you in all the emails.”
“Why read emails when I can get it straight from the source?”
“You’re terrible, the fundraiser is in three days,” Lexa says in disbelief. “You’re an awful princess.”
“Shh don’t tell,” Anya winks.
Lexa sighs but chuckles, because this is such an Anya move. Though the fundraiser is more of Lexa’s thing, so it really doesn’t matter that Anya hasn’t been keeping up to date.
“Fine, but this is the last time. You have to read the emails next time.”
“Of course,” Anya says innocently and Lexa already knows that definitely isn’t the last time.
.
The fundraiser is in full swing. The money raised from it will be split evenly to the charities that she and Anya support.
Lexa glances around the ballroom as her good friend Octavia Blake speaks to her, she eyes all of the wealthy men and women that have gathered for the evening, happy with the turn out.
The evening consists of mingling followed by a dinner, and ending with an auction which is set to raise the majority of the donations. The evening has just begun and so far everything is going smoothly, she just hopes that it stays this way.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she notices Anya walking towards her. Her pace is faster than normal, not rushed, but enough that it ignites a bad feeling in Lexa’s stomach. She sighs, she didn’t expect something to go wrong so soon.
“Anya,” Lexa greets her sister.
"Lexa, good to see you. How are you Octavia?"
"Really well," Octavia replies with a practiced smile.
"Do you think you could pardon my sister and I?" Anya asks.
"Of course," Octavia says as if she would ever say anything else.
"Thank you, I'll be sure to catch up with you later."
Anya smiles at Octavia, then takes Lexa's arm and gently guiding her to the side of the room where they have slightly more privacy, her smile never leaving her face.
“What happened?” Lexa asks, worried.
“Don’t kill me, but I did something,” Anya confesses.
Lexa’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. She can’t help but wonder what could Anya have possibly done that would elicit this kind of reaction.
“What kind of something?”
“I… meddled.”
“Meddled in what-“
But then she doesn’t need Anya’s answer, because Lexa sees her. Clarke Griffin stands on the other side of the room, looking just as beautiful as she did that day in the bookstore. A handsome man stands by her side, for a brief second Lexa wonders who he is but her annoyance with her sister overpowers that thought.
“Anya, you didn’t.”
“Okay let me explain. At first I thought it was a good idea to invite her but when I realised I might be wrong it was too late. I had already got in touch with her agent, and then I didn’t think she would actually come so I… didn’t tell you,” she finishes lamely.
Lexa pinches the bridge of her nose, then sighs, forcing herself to relax.
“I can’t believe you right now. But what’s done is done, there is no point on dwelling on it. At least she will be able to contribute to the fundraiser.”
“Wait, you’re not even going to talk to her?”
“Why would I? We have had one conversation Anya. We may be princesses but we don’t live in a fairytale.”
Anya takes a step back, hurt evident in her eyes.
"Right. I know I made a mistake, but I was just trying to help you.”
“No, Anya I’m sorry I didn’t mean-“
But before she can finish, Anya walks away. Lexa watches as her sister approaches a group of people with an enthusiastic greeting and a wide smile, any hurt she felt moments before strategically hidden away.
.
Despite Lexa deciding she wouldn’t speak to Clarke, the universe seemed to have other ideas.
Lexa stands at the bar, the bartender sliding her her usual drink that she has at these kinds of events, water with a slice of lemon.
“A glass of red, please.”
Lexa’s ears perk up at the sound of that voice. Because she knows that voice.
“Clarke Griffin,” she finds herself saying, before she can stop herself.
Clarke looks over at her, smiles. “Your highness,” she says, her voice playful.
Lexa just shakes her head. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“I wasn’t expecting it either. But my agent contacted me about the invite and how could I turn down a good cause,” Clarke says. “I have to admit though, I kind of thought it was you who sent me the invite…” Clarke says with a bite of her lip.
“It was my sister, Anya,” Lexa says, as if Clarke wouldn’t know that, “I told her of our little meeting at the bookstore and I think she got the wrong message.”
“Oh so you don’t want me here, because I could just go-“
“No I didn’t mean- ah you’re joking,” Lexa says stumbling over her words.
It’s kind of terrifying how much Clarke’s presence is throwing her off. Normally she is so put together, so well spoken, but Clarke’s spontaneous arrival has seemed to render her normal self mute.
Clarke laughs and Lexa’s not sure whether to be embarrassed or not. She decides not when she sees the actresses smile that follows.
“You’re stealing my words,” she teases, remind Lexa that Clarke said something very similar to her just days before.
“I guess I am,” Lexa replies. “So,” she clears her throat, “Are you having a good evening?”
“I am, though I don’t really know anyone here except my friend Lincoln.” She gestures to the man she arrived with who was no deep in conversation with an elderly couple.
Lexa doesn’t examine why she feels so much relief at the word ‘friend’, instead she finds herself saying, “And you know me.”
“And you,” Clarke repeats. “You look beautiful by the way.”
Lexa feels herself immediately blush, something she never does.
“As do you, Clarke,” she compliments.
“I’m glad I got to see you again,” Clarke says in a rush, and by the blush on her cheeks, Lexa is sure that she didn’t mean to say that.
Lexa smiles softly, “Me too.”
Almost as soon as those words are out of Lexa’s lips, she finds herself being dragged away by Anya, and despite her efforts, albeit subtle, to speak to Clarke again, she finds that their paths never quite cross that night.
As the fundraiser draws to a close, she just hopes that fate will bring them together again.