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“He offered me a deal.” Lexa says once, quite a few days after the destruction of the mountain. “Leave your people to die, in order for mine to live.”
Clarke stumbles over her own feet, just managing to grab onto Lexa’s shoulders before she can fall to the ground.
“Oh?” Clarke inquires. She feels her heart beat heavily beneath her chest, feels herself grow uncomfortable even thinking of Lexa betraying her like that.
The corners of Lexa’s lips tilt upwards. She gives a nod, grabbing onto Clarke’s arm to pull her further back into the tent.
“I cut his head off before he could finish his sentence.”
Clarke sits herself down on Lexa’s bed and Lexa sits next to her. She grabs Lexa’s hand carefully, avoiding touching the cuts marking Lexa’s skin.
“I’m afraid that if I had let him finish what he wanted to say, I would’ve taken his offer."
“Oh.” Clarke breathes. “Oh…”
“Clarke, you know I care for you, yes?” Lexa turns her head sideways to look her in the eyes. Clarke finds them full of withheld sadness.
“Yes.”
“But my people always come first, no matter what.”
Clarke gets it. She really does. But she still feels the sting in her heart, the sadness behind her eyes.
“I think I would have done the same.” She says, because it’s all she can think of, and because it’s the simple truth.
“After-” She takes a deep breath. “After what we did. Pulling that lever. I realized that I would do everything for my people, no matter the costs.”
Lexa smiles again, though somber, and presses a kiss against Clarke’s cheek. “That’s being a leader, Clarke.”