Notes: This takes place the same night of the festival, and it told mostly in flashbacks. Everything in italics is a flashback.

Notes: For those who don't remember, Peregrine is a gifted Seer/Shaman. She basically foretold Clarke's coming. She is also Clarke's friend, and she was the one who did Clarke's braids for the fight.

Raven yawned and rolled over, wincing as her leg caught in the furs. She rubbed her eyes, blinking away the sleep as much as she could. She wasn't sure what time it was but judging from the lack of sunlight filtering through the rough shingles covering the window, she figured it was still night. She'd turned in earlier than she'd intended during the festival, the loud music and rush of people disconcerting her more than she'd thought possible.

And after the main entertainment in the great hall, there had been something almost anti-climatic about the rest of the night. Or perhaps it was when Peregrine had left her side, and she'd suddenly felt herself alone, almost lost in the hundreds of swarming and dancing bodies around the great fires.

She carefully swung her legs over the side of the cot, pushing the fur to the floor. She glanced around the suite she'd been given. It was simple, just two rooms, but it had everything she needed: a bed, a chest, a table with a bowl and pitcher, and even a small room at the back used for bathroom needs. She guessed it was one of the few suites that had a hand pump for water. And she was grateful it meant she wouldn't have to haul her own water from one of the lower floors.

She pressed her face into her hands, shoulders slumped. She could still hear the music and murmurs of hundreds of voices. The festival would last long into the night, and she guess it was probably only around two or three in the morning. She'd only slept a couple hours at the most, which had become her new normal in recent weeks. Ever since she'd caught Wick with two grounder girls. She shouldn't have been surprised. She knew that he cared about her, probably more than most people, but he'd admitted that he wasn't particularly good at monogamy. And at first, that had worked, it was enough, until it wasn't. It didn't matter, her feelings for Wick had been fading for a long time anyway. He was just one more person she had clung to, because she had no one.

She reached out, fingers blindly fumbling for the small sealskin pouch. It was waterproof and held matches. The pouch was from the Azgeda and the matches were made with the sulfur mined by Sebastian's clan. They were hard to come by, but she had successfully traded for them in the market, offering the woman one of the small penlights she'd found deep in The Mountain.

She struck the match, mesmerized when it flamed into life, flickering and reaching, searching higher. She watched it until it burned down to her fingers, and she quickly dropped it in the small jar of oil. Another Azgeda treasure, oil from the whales they hunted.

She sat in the darkness, the small flame illuminating her space and the surface of the stand the jar rested upon. The light caught the curved edge of something just beyond her reach. She shifted closer to the edge of the bed, her fingers quickly finding the smooth stone.

Unionidae. Latin. She was sure of it. She wondered why this word hadn't been transformed into Trig. Perhaps they couldn't find a more perfect word. She rolled the stone between her fingers, holding it to the light. It was a murky white with traces of pink and blue and green. It was iridescent.

Pearl.

"It's a pearl," she muttered as she let it rest in her palm. She remembered watching strong, slim fingers pull the steaming shell from the pot, prying it open only for the small pearl to pop out.

She smiled as she shifted on the log, leaning slightly closer to the fire. She could feel Peregrine's thigh warm against her own, and it felt safe, reassuring. Peregrine had found her wandering along the edges of the fires, staying far enough away for many to not notice, but still close enough for her to see enough in the dark to pick her way along the walls.

She'd simply wanted to leave behind the laughter and cheers, the loud bonging of drums and hundreds of stamping feet. She'd sat at the head table on the dais with Clarke and Lexa, but it was obvious that the two had eyes only for each other. They had graciously accepted the gifts given to them by the clans, as part of the symbolic union of the 13th clan.

And once they had made their toasts and speeches, she had excused herself to wander the festival, to visit each of the fires that had meat and soups and stews slowly bubbling. It was part of the festival to visit the fires and indulge in the delicacies offered by each clan, to remind each other that they were all the same, and each clan had something unique to offer the coalition.

But she'd walked away from each fire until Peregrine had found her, gently grasping her hands and coaxing her along, assuring her that what she would experience next would be worth giving up her solitude. And she supposed that Peregrine had easily seen through her charade, the lies that fell from her lips when she said she'd eaten too much and was tired from traveling, just needed her bed for the night.

Peregrine had no doubt seen the shadow of loneliness that had trudged along Raven's side, her constant companion, growing bigger every day. They said Peregrine was a shaman, this girl with the golden eyes could see that which no one else could, and it should have frightened Raven, except it was a relief. Finally…maybe….someone who could see her.

"Raven? Raven?"

Raven startled at the voice whispering in her ear, and when she turned her head, she was shocked to see dark golden eyes so close to her own. They reminded her of the swirls of hardened honey wrapped around the thin sticks that she had traded for at one of the stalls. She almost pulled back, but there was something almost hypnotizing about Peregrine's eyes, the way the light caught each soft eddy. Her eyes fell to her lips, and she didn't know why she stared for those few seconds, drinking in the slight pink sheen of her mouth.

She remembered too late and pulled back, praying the shadows around the fire would hide the blush she could feel burning across her cheeks. "So-sorry…uh…just got a little lost in thought, I guess."

Peregrine cocked her head, a small smile playing about her lips. This girl from the sky had consumed her thoughts since the moment she had heard of her. Clarke had been more than happy to indulge Peregrine's curiosity, and when Peregrine had finally met Raven, had reached across the space to lay her palm on Raven's arm, she felt as if she already knew her. As if she had been waiting her entire life for her.

And the emotion, the fluttering deep in her belly, when Raven turned her dark gaze to Peregrine's was enough to confirm what she already knew. Fen Dal had been a childhood fantasy. She'd dreamed of Fen Dal, believing it meant something else, only realizing later that her role in Fen Dal's life was to simply help her find her way back to Lexa, to herself, and to Mordecai. Because even if neither knew it yet, their paths were already merging into one.

And Raven? Raven was a gossamer thread, interwoven with her own. She could see it plainly, their lives intertwined, just as she saw the threads of Heda and Clarke intertwined. It was a heady feeling, a rush that consumed all of her, and yet she knew that Raven was not ready to hear of such things. So when she had found the sky girl in the dark, gingerly picking her way along, wary of the fires, the sudden clenching in her chest had salted her eyes, and Raven had blurred before her gaze.

"There is no need to apologize, Raven." She picked up two wooden bowls and held them out to the large bearded warrior bent over the large pot, stirring the contents with a wooden ladle. Once he'd filled their bowls, she carefully set one on Raven's lap.

"Give them a few minutes to cool down." She settled her own bowl in her lap and then grabbed a small lemon slice from the wooden tray near their feet. "Here…" she squeezed half of it into her bowl and held it out to Raven.

"It adds a bit of a kick, it helps cut down on the salt that N'eas added to the pot," she nodded her head at the big man who simply shrugged, a small smile curling at his lips.

Raven carefully squeezed the rest of the lemon into her bowl, making sure to squeeze the drops between the partially open halves. She gingerly picked one up, noting that it was at least two inches long, mostly black and curved, not quite an oval. There was something vaguely familiar about them. She was sure she'd seen a picture of them in one of their Earth lessons.

"What are these?" She watched as Peregrine open the shell the rest of the way. "Unionidae. We harvest them from the mud along the rivers. The Boat Clan…" she nodded her head in the general direction of those seated around the fire, "they dig them up along the rivers but also from the mud in the ocean. Those Unionidae are smaller. These come from near the river." She pried the thick flesh from the shell and popped it into her mouth, smiling as she chewed.

It took her a minute to manage to pull the flesh from the shell, and once she slipped it into her mouth, she was surprised by the flavor. It had a thick, almost smoky taste, but it was still milder than what she had suspected due to the smell from the pot. She licked her lips and smiled.

"Good?"

"Sha." She smiled again and looked back down at her bowl, the shell still in her hands. She pulled it apart carefully, her brow winkling when the small hinge broke and a piece lay in each palm. She held them up to the light, gasping softly as the light caught the shimmering white of the inside of the shell. It reminded her of a dying star reflecting off a mirror, except warmer, shimmering slightly.

"It's so beautiful," she murmured unaware she had spoken out loud.

"Sha. It is." She turned her head, surprised to see that Peregrine was looking at her, and not at the shell. And something warm stirred in her belly, and her breath caught in her throat, causing her to choke slightly. She coughed, stiffening and then relaxing almost immediately when she felt Peregrine's hand on her back, patting carefully, her face bent towards Raven's.

And she marveled at the sudden cold she felt when Peregrine removed her hand. She set the shell aside, not wanting to lose it, wanting to keep it to remind her of the night when she sat among the boat clan eating unionidae, her thigh pressed against Peregrine's, her body warm from fire, warmer though from Peregrine's shifting body next to her own.

Raven reached across the small table again and wrapped her fingers around the shells. She held them in her hand with the pearl, carefully touching them with a hesitant finger. Peregrine had given her the pearl. Those seated around the fire had oohed and aahed when Peregrine had pulled it from the unionidae. She'd held it aloft while the others had congratulated her and laughed.

But they'd stopped laughing, stopped talking when Peregrine had held the pearl out to Raven and whispered "unio."

"Unio."

Raven stared at her for a moment, unsure what to do, not fully understanding what was happening, but judging by the sudden silence around the fire, it was important.

"Unio," Peregrine held the pearl between her fingers, offering it to Raven, waiting with baited breath. She knew the sky girl didn't fully understand the significance, and even if she chose to take it, it didn't mean anything other than Peregrine wanted her to have it.

"Unio?" Raven carefully took the pearl from Peregrine, her head jerking up slightly when she heard the collective sigh of those around them. She was vaguely aware that they had started talking again, laughing. She could hear the wood popping in the coals, the wooden ladle banging against the pot, as N'eas scooped more of the steaming shells into bowls.

She had simply held it between her fingers, staring at it, watching the light catch each cloudy shimmer, until Peregrine had wrapped her fingers around Raven's and gently squeezed.

"It is yours now. To keep as you will." She'd squeezed her fingers one more time, before releasing them and turning her attention back to the fire, laughing in the language of her father's father.

And Raven had tucked it into the pocket of her pants and had drunk the mead offered to her. And later she'd carefully put it on the little table next to her, while she'd fumbled with trying to take off her boots. She was vaguely aware that Peregrine had knelt before her, her sure fingers unlacing the boots and pulling them off her feet. And she clearly remembered the press of Peregrine's lips to her cheek as she'd pulled the fur up to her chin.

Raven sighed and stood, wobbling slightly as she tried to maintain her balance. She groaned and took the two steps to reach her pants pulling them up and then strapping her brace in place. She didn't bother with shoes, only pulled a shirt on, before pulling on the heavy door and peering out into the hallway.

She saw two guards down the ends of each hallway, and she wrinkled her nose as she leaned against the doorframe.

"I know she said she was staying in the tower," she rubbed her forehead trying to remember which room Peregrine had told her was hers.

She sighed and limped down the hallway to the right, stopping after she'd passed three doors. She was too tired to figure it out on her own, so she waved one of the guards towards her. Relieved when she recognized Malachi.

"Malachi, hei." She greeted him, before waving at the doors. "Which is Peregrine's?"

Malachi stared at her for a long moment before shifting his weight, and then pointing his spear down the hall way. She nodded and turned back around, carefully limping her way past her own door to the second door from her own.

She took a deep breath and knocked on it. She waited, shifting from one foot to another. She knocked again, but when she heard nothing, she turned away but stopped.

"Fuck, Raven, don't do this," she muttered even as she turned back and grasped the worn metal door handle, pushing upwards to unlatch it.

"Peregrine?"

She stepped into the room, chastising herself for being that kind of creepy person, invading Peregrine's personal space, but she couldn't forget the way Peregrine's lips had lingered on her cheek or the way she had smoothed the hair back from Raven's brow, as if she was special, as if she meant something.

"Raven?"

"Oh fuck. I'm sorry, Peregrine. I'm so sorry. I know I shouldn't have…" she wrung her hands together, nervously pulling at her shirt hem, even as she stepped further into the room, her eyes finally adjusting to the darkness.

She was unprepared for the sight of Peregrine sitting up, furs pooling at her waist, while she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stepped onto the floor to walk around the side of the bed toward Raven, only stopping ten feet from Raven. Peregrine hadn't bothered to light a candle, and it didn't matter, because the moon shining through the window bathed Peregrine in a white glow, and splashed across her collarbone, dipping down between her bare breasts

The moonlight chased away most of the shadows, and Raven felt her heart stutter in her chest, her breath catch in her throat. She swallowed hard, her tongue slipping across her dry lips. She pressed her clammy hands against her thighs, digging the tips of her fingers into the scratchy cotton of her trousers.

"Oh…." She barely whispered the word, drawing in a shaky breath.

"Your…you're beautiful."

Peregrine smiled, her heart fluttering rapidly against her ribcage. She hadn't expected Raven to appear in her room so suddenly. She stepped closer to Raven, reaching out slowly, until her fingers brushed against Raven's hands, where she was still gripping her own thighs.

"And so are you." She gently clasped Raven's hands in her own, stepping even closer, until their breasts almost brushed against each other. She leaned in slightly, letting her nose brush the fine line of Raven's jaw. She licked her lips, wanting nothing more than to press them against the warm, soft skin under Raven's chin.

"I…I…I'm sorry…I shouldn't have come." Raven willed herself to pull away, but she couldn't. She felt as if her feet had taken spread and taken root into the very floor.

"You are always welcome here, Raven. Wherever I am, you are always welcome."

It sounded like a promise, like something holy, burdened with the weight of untold wishes. A covenant. And it was too much, too fast, and yet the pull to simply give in, to let herself take that small step forward was finally enough.

So she stepped forward, pressing their bodies together, sighing in relief at the way her body molded to Peregrine's as if it had done it a thousand times before. She let her head drop to Peregrine's shoulder, tucking her face into the dark, warm space between Peregrine's neck and shoulder.

Peregrine wrapped her arms around Raven, one hand tenderly cupping the back of her head, the other wrapped around her waist, supporting much of her weight. Raven was solid and warm against her, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of her body.

They stood for long moments, neither speaking, their breath evening out and falling into cadence with each other.

"Unionidae? Why did they all stop talking when you gave me the pearl?"

Peregrine smiled and turned her head, pressing her lips against Raven's temple. "You are tired. Come…lay with me, and I will tell you about unionidae."

She chuckled at the way Raven jerked in her arms, smirking at the way the other girl's breath fluttered harshly against her cheek. She pulled back a little, her lips quirking, her eyes light, "not like that. There is time for that someday."

She smirked again at the blush that blossomed across Raven's cheekbones, and she stepped away, gently tugging on Raven's hand until Raven fell into step with her. She pulled the covers further back from the bed, helping Raven climb into the bed and situate herself, before she climbed in after her.

It only took a moment for them to find their place in each other's arms. And Peregrine told her about the unionidae.

Clarke put her elbows on the table, watching with rapt attention as Lexa tossed another shell onto the heaping stack in front of her. She had to admit the unionidae would good, not what she had expected. But she had been surprised by how many Lexa ate, as if she was on a mission. It didn't seem like Lexa was even really enjoying the unionidae, she seemed more intent on searching for something.

But before she could contemplate it further, she heard a gruff voice behind her calling for her attention. She turned in her seat, smiling at the two bearded faces that loomed far above her.

"Ryder, Nyko!" She smiled and moved to stand, but Nyko waved her back down, while Ryder fidgeted next to him. "Wanheda, you are looking well. Healing?"

Clarke smiled and nodded, "Yes, the powder from Indigo has amazing healing properties. I've been talking about it with my mother. We are hoping to set up trade with Azgeda to harvest more of the plant."

Nyko nodded and hummed, trying to ignore the way Ryder had stiffened next to him. He was sure Clarke hadn't noticed, but he was attuned to his bondmate's every move, and he knew something had been bothering him for days now.

"Hopefully there will be a good harvest," he said carefully, cocking his head slightly towards Ryder as if trying to hear the other man's thoughts. "I have brought you something. Amia asked me to give this to you, as she didn't think she would be able to make it to the festival."

He pulled a small, wrapped package from inside his tunic and handed it to Clarke, who almost snatched it from his hand. She chuckled and shrugged, "Sorry."

He shrugged, trying to repress a smile, his suspicions almost all confirmed.

"I've just…" she hesitated and scootched forward in her chair, leaning towards them enough that they got the hint and leaned down to hear her. "I didn't know if she could finish it so quickly." She bit her lip nervously, her little chuckle sounding shaky to her ears.

Nyko nodded and patted her on the shoulder. "This is a good thing. Is it not?" He nudged Ryder sharply in the side, making the other man nod before he turned his attention back to the feast.

"Mochof, Nyko." She reached out and clasped his arm and then waved as they walked off. She stayed turned in her seat, her hand cupping the small package. She carefully untied the leather string, and let the cloth fall away. She bit her lip. It was perfect. She carefully tied it back up and slipped it into her pocket, patting it gently, before turning her attention back to Lexa and her ever growing pile of empty shells.

Lexa scowled as she threw the remaining empty shell into the huge pile on the table. She growled under her breath, determined to find what she was looking for, even if it meant eating every single unionidae at the feast. She groaned at the thought.

"Lexa? Maybe you've had enough?"

Lexa shook her head and grabbed her empty bowl, holding it up until a young boy grabbed it. She whispered to him and patted him on the shoulder when he nodded and scampered off into the direction of the Boat Clan fires.

She leaned back in her chair, wincing at the bloated feeling in her belly. She was going to have to stop eating soon, but she had given instructions to the boy to have more delivered to the kitchens in the tower. And even if it took all night, she would shell each one until she had found it.

She turned and smiled at Clarke, shrugging slightly. "This is one of the last big harvests, and since they don't keep very well, we eat as many as we can."

"Ah. I see. So they are your favorite?" Clarke shifted in her chair, leaning slightly towards Lexa, letting her legs fall open so her thigh was pressed against Lexa's. It felt good, the weight of Lexa's flesh against her own. Sometimes it took her breath away, the realization of how much she missed feeling Lexa pressed against her, whether it was simply their shoulders or hands, or their whole bodies. It was only then that she felt whole and complete, like some physical part of her was no longer missing. The holes and cuts in her flesh suddenly filled with the solid weight of Lexa.

Lexa smiled a little and shrugged again, giving a little nod. They weren't her favorite, but tonight was the last night she could find a unio. And while it wasn't completely necessary to give Clarke a unio to symbolize the bonding that she hoped would take place, it was still an old tradition, one that she wanted to honor. For her love for Clarke felt like a unio, a rarity, a gift that she still could not comprehend, but one she held tightly within the cage of her own ribs, terrified it would be ripped from her.

She had already chosen the design for a bonding bracelet, and it was almost complete, but she knew it wouldn't be complete until a unio, found by her was placed within the silver breast of the bracelet.

She waited patiently, her eyes fliting over the crowds of people gathered around the main fire and smaller fires. Their laughter and loud voices brought a small smile to her face. There had been too many years when all she heard were somber whispers around the fires, nervous glances, and scrapes of hard boots against dirt. But today she could hear her people laughing, the sounds of children's feet slapping against the dirt as they ran and played, darting between the legs of warriors and merchants alike.

The rhythmic pounding of the drums was so different from the drums of war, and soaked in each moment, driving away the worry niggling at her mind that perhaps soon the drums of war would bang again. She let her eyes seek out the Azgeda and Desert Clan, noting that there weren't quite as many present as she had hoped. But there were Azgeda children running and playing with Boat Clan and Horse Clan, and that alone told her that the Azgeda would do nothing while their own children were present.

"Heda, worries too much." She stiffened and then relaxed at the voice in her ear. She hadn't heard Clarke lean into her, but she could feel her now, her thigh pressed against her own, Clark's hand on her's under the table.

She turned her head just enough so that her cheek brushed against the tip of Clarke's nose. She wanted nothing more than to turn her head entirely so she could kiss her, but knew that it would be tipping her hand too soon. She was sure many suspected, and those in her own clan knew for a fact, but she was not ready to reveal to Azgeda and the other clans how much Clarke meant to her.

"That is a Heda's dute in life. To worry for her people. To fight for them, to di…"

"Don't say it."

Her voice was firm, even though it was only a whisper. "You're duty is to live for you people." She squeezed Lexa's hand, pressing her thigh harder into Lexa's. "And I will live for you." She breathed it against Lexa's ear, before pulling away, her hand still clasping Lexa's.

Clarke had barely heard her own words, but she knew Lexa had heard them from the way she had gasped and squeezed her hand. She pulled away and turned her attention to more people gathering near her, wanting to give their blessings to Wanheda.

Lexa blinked rapidly, willing the wet salt in her eyes to dry quickly. It would not be good for anyone to see the sheen in her eyes. But her heart pounded harshly against her ribs, and she took slow, measured breaths, trying to tame it within her breast.

"Heda, your bowl."

She smiled and nodded taking the large bowl from the boy who had finally returned. "Mochof, Pia." She squeezed his shoulder and sent him beaming back to his mother, chattering excitedly about how he had run an errand for his Heda.

She frowned at the mountain of shells in front of her, before nodding grimly and digging it. She barely tasted them, barely chewed, just wanted to get through the pile as quickly as possible, and hopefully find a prize within.

"Those are a lot of unionida, Heda."

She barely glanced up, her mouth twisting slightly. "Shof op, Sebastian," she muttered, her spine stiffening as the other woman chuckled.

"Good luck, Heda. I hope you have a bountiful harvest."

She refrained from rolling her eyes, not wanting to give Sebastian the satisfaction. She grabbed another shell, prying it open, and gasping when a small unio popped out into her hand. She frowned as she looked at it. It was small and more yellow than she had hoped. She put it into her pocket, reaching for another shell, prying it open and swiping out the meat with one finger and popping it into her mouth.

It was the third to last shell, when she was feeling more defeated than she wanted to admit, when the unio rolled into her palm. She grasped it tightly, her nerves zinging at the sudden surge of adrenalin ripping through her muscles. She knew before even looking at it, that it was perfect. It burned a hole in her palm, and she dropped her palm to her lap and looked down, carefully opening her hand.

It was bigger than the other one, a milky white with splashes of pink and green and orange. She bit her lip. It reminded her of the fireflies on the ceiling of the tent, tiny little stars glowing and flashing in the night sky. This was it. A star. Fit for the woman who fell from the stars.

She carefully slipped it into her pocket and leaned back in her chair, pushing her bowl away.

"You are done?"

She looked at Clarke and nodded, "I have what I want."

Clarke cocked her head, a small frown between her eyebrows, not quite sure what Lexa had meant. But her confusion was quickly eased when she felt Lexa's hand slide along her thigh to curl around it, tucking her palm under her leg.

So Clarke said nothing and leaned back in her own chair, watching as people danced and laughed around the fires, mothers and fathers holding sleepy children, warriors bragging and drinking too much mead, young lovers wondering away to hide in the shadows.

Her people.

Notes: Thoughts? Unionidae is the latin word for mussles, and I used Unio for Pearl.