Echo of Victory

[Deleted]

if i'm a danger to myself Just think what I could do to you tagged Costia

Every inch of Lexa's body was bruised and littered with cuts. The blood of the slain nightbloods coated her hands and arms, though she wasn't sure who it belonged to. She was Heda. The commander's spirit chose her, and she wouldn't disappoint. She didn't flinch when Titus slit a narrow opening and slipped the flame into her neck- nor did she show pain as the spirit fused with her own. It was so strange when it happened... She heard everything, felt everything... She understood experiences she had never had to endure. She learned lessons that she never had to learn on her own. Every memory, every emotion was fused with her own in a matter of moments... They drowned out the horror of the conclave, the fear in Luna's eyes before Lexa let her yield. She slayed the ones she grew up with-- and it was tradition. Now she was alone with her thoughts, and the memories of every commander before her.

Quietly, Lexa waited for Costia in her new room. She had seen so little of her lover since the conclave began, and the ceremony took place without her, but she had sent for her earlier that evening. This tower was hard to navigate at the best of times... It was strange. Even though she was far from alone, she was lonely. Lexa swore that if the commander's spirit chose her she wouldn't let their relationship slip, which meant this was their home now... As she waited, Lexa cleaned the cuts with a warm cloth. If she thought too hard about those she killed, the memories were haunting. She wasn't the only commander who had felt this way. It gave her some comfort. As the door opened, Lexa set the cloth down and looked up. "I was starting to think you weren't coming..." she said with a small smile.

OWL

[Costia]

News of the Commanders death had come as a shock to Costia, she'd expected to have more time with Lexa before she was called to compete in the conclave. Instead Lexa, like all of the nightbloods in Polis, had to fight in the conclave against the other nightbloods to determine which of them would be chosen by the Commanders spirit. The hours that followed were the hardest the young warrior had, had to endure in her life. With no way of knowing whether Lexa had died in the conclave or had been chosen to be the next Commander, Costia could do very little to distract her mind from going to some very dark places. The odds were stacked against Lexa making it out of the conclave alive, she had to fight against eight other nightbloods, all had been trained for this very moment and they'd all grown up together. She knew that this would not only challenge their physical strength but also their mental strength by forcing them to slaughter the children that they'd grown up alongside. 

The relief she had felt when the guards had approached her and told her that the Heda wished to see her had been immense. It meant that Lexa was alive... But it also meant that she was now Heda and Costia didn't know what to expect when she next saw her. If Lexa would be somehow different after the ceremony. Even if Lexa remained completely unchanged a lot of other things would be different. Following the guards down the hall, she almost didn't notice when they came to a halt in front of a large set of double doors. Looking to the guards she watched as they each gave a slight nod of their heads in answer to her silent question, they'd arrived. The door opened slowly and she stepped into the room, hearing the door close behind her she glanced backwards reflexively but there was nothing to see. "I was starting to think you weren't coming..." she heard the familiar voice and froze, turning her gaze to scan the room. A relieved smile appeared on her face as she caught sight of her lover but it quickly disappeared and turned into a frown of concern "are you hurt?" she asked, not really believing that the new Heda would be left alone if she was seriously injured. However, there was a lot of black blood on her and Costia was unsure about how much of it was hers. She could see several cuts and bruises on the girls body from where she was and although she wanted nothing more to go to her, she was hesitant. "I came as soon as I heard..." she muttered, her hands curling into fists at her side as she watched her lover. She didn't know what she had expected to find, Lexa certainly looked like Lexa... She looked exactly like she had the last time Costia had seen her, apart from the obvious signs that she'd been in a recent battle.

Finally as if something had snapped inside of her, Costia moved. Crossing to stand in front of Lexa, she reached out tentatively and took her hand looking at the cuts on her arm. Wincing at the dark blood that oozed from the wounds. None of the injuries looked too serious, nothing that she should really be worried about and Lexa didn't look as if they were bothering her too much, but still she fussed. She knew that she was lucky to be standing there with Lexa at all, she'd never expected to see the girl again, she had complete faith in her capabilities as a warrior, but she had barely dared to hope that the girl she loved could take on eight other warriors in a fight to the death. Especially when the stakes were so high.

amber3