Lexa stands side by side with Clarke above the crowd of grounders awaiting an announcement in regards to the week long deliberations taking place in the middle of Polis. The hundreds of people pressed close together were buzzing and shifting around, anxious for the news. As she looked just above their heads at the last pile of snow hidden below an evergreen a gentle breeze brushes against her cheeks and she can't help but think how much she loves the early spring. The pile of snow not yet melted protected in a tree's shadow always made her think. It would linger for months past the winter, when the weather was no longer freezing. The sun never reached it, so it stayed cold protected by the darkness. Sometimes Lexa wondered if the sun would ever reach her through her own.

Focus, Heda. They were finally going to have peace. She had done right by her people. The weight of the world was a little lighter on her shoulders today, even then it had been recently with the presence of the Sky Prisa. Clarke had helped ease her load, Lexa couldn't figure out how but she was beyond grateful. The girl's light seemed to reach even through the vast shadow covering her heart.

"We, the leaders of the coalition, and I, Heda, welcome the sky people into the coalition. Our 12 clans have become 13. We will thrive together with their help and trade with not only goods but knowledge and technology. With the Mountain gone we will finally have peace - real peace. We can live now." She quickly shifts her shining green eyes to Clarke and nods her head only slightly, never losing her composure. No emotion. "We can thrive!" A cheer erupts from the crowd. Lexa's raised hand quiets them as she continues. Clarke swallows the lump she didn't realize was forming in her throat. "As tradition stands any person apposed can challenge me to a duel - a fight to the death - in question of the Skikru's position in the coalition."

"Skikru does not belong here, Heda." The crowd pressed up to the platform with the 12 clans' leaders lets out a gasp and part around the man. A man Lexa recognizes steps forward a spear in hand. A murmur rises to a roar in seconds only to be quieted by the simple, lazy, rise of Lexa's hand. Her expression locks on dark eyes of her challenger, unchanging and completely void of emotion despite her annoyance. Couldn't let it go, could you?

"Very well. You shall have your duel Roan." She steps down from the platform, the blond following shortly because her place is not on the platform with the rest of the leaders, not yet. The crowd backs up into a large circle, the two fighters at opposite ends of the gap.

"Lexa," Clarke whispers as she straightens the commander's armor her eyes locked Lexa's as they snap from where the warrior was adjusting her dagger at her hip. The blonde can't help but wonder how she can be so good at allowing no emotion to show. It is unsettling. Maybe that's what Bellamy meant when he said she had changed as he looked at her and pleaded for Clarke to talk to him before she told him there was noting to say. Let me in. He had begged. Please.

"Clarke," Lexa allows a small smile to reach her eyes trying to calm the nerves of her counterpart only visible in the slight tremble of her usually steady hands upon her armor. She was equally proud and saddened at her improvement in controlling her emotions. It came at such a cost, but that was the cost of leadership. Lexa just hoped that Clarke's heart was not yet cold enough for the ice to stick, she knew she had more then enough darkness to hide it. "this is not my first duel. We shall be in coalition within the hour. You and your people have noting to worry about." I've got this.

Clarke removes her hands from the metal atop the commanders shoulders and moves to take her place next to Cain on the inside of the circle. "Just be careful, ok? I still need your spirit to stay where it is." She mutters with a small smile just for Lexa to hear. The leader only nods in response before turning around and taking a step into the center of the ring to her waiting challenger. Get this over with.

Roan stands across from her, jaw flexed tight and eyebrows furrowing in determination. "I'm doing this for our people, Heda. I do not trust the Sky people." His breath reeks of the Ski drink and the circles below his eyes hinting toward his lack of sleep are his only sign of weakness.

"They returned you from the red. They brought you back from the dead. I am doing what is best for my people." Lexa sneers at him, his words from earlier echoing in her mind. No one should have that power, they should have let me die. Angry and annoyed she prepares herself to fight.

The man lunges at Lexa as she takes her stance she quickly side steps the whirling spear. The two circle each other a moment taking in small details of their oponet. Lexa will have to be quick and smart, this man is fast and smart but somewhat predictable. He fights angry, with calculated ferocity. He stabs at her chest and in a moment of forgetfulness Lexa blocks the jab too slow as he cuts through her shirt just grazing her skin. Focus, Heda.

Lexa strikes back spinning away from the impact and cuts the baggy clothing hanging in front of the mans torso exposing a small piece of skin. He glares at her and swings the spear like a staff. The two fight neither landing another blow as they spin with the momentum of their weapons and bodies in a circular fight. Lexa sings her sword to strike but her shoulder catches still not healed from a few weeks ago giving Roan enough time to strike. He pops her same shoulder with the blunt end of his spear spinning her against her body and kicks her leg to drop her to the ground for a moment.

Switching the blade to her left hand she swings up catching the side of his face with the but of her sword knocking him off balance enough for Lexa to disarm him. She slashes his leg open with a cut but the man stays on his feet. He doges a swipe to detach his head from his shoulders. A dagger retaliates a similar blow to Lexa's thigh, it's deep - she's had worse, but a foot connects with her hand knocking her sword from her grip. Quit messing around. End this.

She expertly doges the frantic swipe of his knife catching his arm and sending a strong knee to his ribcage. With a grip on his head she sends him to the ground pinning his arms under her legs as she works punches to his face unable to reach the knife in her boot. Roan shifts his hips upward a move she was expecting but his strength below her sliced leg gets an arm out. He grips her arm at the elbow pulling her off balance and his other arm is free. She sees his arm fly to her temple too late. A rock collides with the side of her head with a sickening hollow sound It throws Lexa further off balance but she keeps her consciousness. Her head is pounding and her thoughts of what to do next go foggy. The fight will be all instinct now.

There isn't but a second before she feels a rough tug at her arm cranking behind her back untaturally. Her elbow reaches her opposite shoulder blade as he throws it behind her back with a loud pop and a stifled growl from the commander.

Lexa feels the pain behind her eyes ad it shoots down her arm now stuck behind her back and not responding to the commands to her muscles. Her breath though growing more rapid from the fight was under control until that moment. Fight. You are Heda. You do not lose.

He is sitting on top of her now fist pounding her exposed ribs in the same spot. Once they both feel the crack he places his hands at her neck strangling her. Reaching with her free arm she reaches to her hip catching the knife hidden below her sleeve on her belt to pull it free from it's sheath. He doesn't notice it hit the ground. Lexa wraps her fingers loosely around the handle and stabs into his ribcage, twisting the knife in his skin before pulling it out.

The man flinches down but it is too late. Lexa's hand has slipped under his arm and stabbed his opposite shoulder again twisting the blade so he removes his hands from her neck. With a knowing finality she whispers "Yu gonplei ste odon." and slices his throat. Blood splatters on her face as he falls to the side helped by Lexa pushing him off of her into the dirt.

"It is done." Lexa somehow manages to stand on her own, utterly exhausted dark spots dance behind her eyes and the gash in her leg making her nerves scream. Her arm falls limp at her side. Digging her teeth into her lip she rolls her shoulder back gaining some control back. The rip of pain up her nerves forms in a grunt in the back of her throat to be swallowed with the blood seeping from her lip.

She wipes the blood from her knife on her pant leg before placing it back in it's place inside its sheath on the inside of her forearm. Fighting the shivers and the wobble she can feel starting in her limbs she stands steadily, her eyes slowly scanning the ring around her not really seeing anything. "We and now joined in coalition. Thirteen clans together for peace."

The crowd roars and begins chants of Heda. Lexa turns slightly and nods to where she knows the leaders of the clans are standing the dots still plaguing her vision. "Heda, you dragged that one out." The familiar voice of Indra and the outline of the women in front of her chides. Her hand grasps around the fading young leaders arm in a hand shake that is retuned with shooting pain from her shoulder.

"Shof op, Indra." Lexa warns as her arm is released.

Clarke who is now in front of her does the same gesture but searches her eyes a pang of worry churns in her gut. Lexa's eyes are missing some of the light behind them. Small beads of sweat settle below her nose and between her eyes. Clarke can see the pain in the corners of the commander's fading consciousness. A loosened grip on her arm hints to Lexa of Clarke's discovery. Not here, Clarke. She pleads silently. Thankfully she doesn't say a word.

Seeming to ignore the commander the blonde steps forward and accepts the dagger offered to her taken from the dirt next to Roan. Lexa had explained to her earlier of the blood sacrifice needed to finalize the coalition. Clarke pulls the blade against the palm of her hand. The cut stings as it slices through the skin she works to keep up her mask. Lexa didn't stick around to watch. Clarke is a leader, she can do this on her own, so she snuck out while the eyes were on the beautiful women raising her hand dripping in blood and pressing it onto the heart of those lined up before her to receive the mark on their clothing symbolizing becoming one.