The army dropped to the floor simultaneously, shrieks of pain sounding from all around the room. Murphy took in the scene before him in shock- here and there he recognised people- this Azgaeden warrior, or that member of Trishanakru, the occasional Skaikru member, Jaha- wincing in pain, Echo- yeah, that was her name, looking sheepish and muttering something about needing to find her king. And there was Octavia with a blade in Pike's stomach- no doubt avenging Lincoln, he couldn't blame her- he'd do the same if it were-

NO!

Murphy raced towards the figure huddled on the ground. He'd recognise her anywhere, and not just for the obvious reasons. He took in how she cradled her arm to her chest, the pain in her eyes as she shook with sobs. He quickly moved to kneel next to her on the cold stone floor.

"John?" Emori asked with a pained look, "John, I'm so sorry."

Murphy shook his head as he pulled his soulmate into his arms, rubbing her back gently.

"You're injured," Murphy noted as he noticed her blood-stained sleeve, he quickly pulled back the sleeve to reveal a deep wound.

"It needs stitches, doesn't it?" Emori said wearily as Murphy tried to hide his fear. The wound was at least an inch deep, Emori…

"Yes," Clarke said as she joined them, "How did this happen? This isn't a gun wound and Octavia knew not to…"

"Lexa," Emori said, before looking away quickly from Clarke's questioning look, "I… the version of me in the city of light, she tried to stop Ontari and Lexa from reaching the kill switch. She tried to pull Ontari back, Lexa didn't want to, I could tell. Clarke, I'm so sorry, I should have known better than to get caught up in all of this."

"Hey," Murphy said, as Emori rested her head tiredly against his chest, "It's all going to be ok."

Clarke nodded, with a smile, although Murphy could tell that the girl had been taken aback by what Emori had said. Lexa, in any form, Clarke wouldn't have minded, and if Lexa had been in the city of light… Murphy wondered if Clarke might have decided to not pull the kill switch after all, if she'd been given the choice.

Murphy held onto Emori as Clarke retrieved her mother's medical kit. In that moment, he felt a strong sense of gratitude towards Ontari and Clarke and Abby, without them Emori wouldn't be free, without them she would have been gone forever.

"In the city," Emori began with a sob, "In the city, I couldn't remember Otan. If Clarke had gone there she might have forgotten Lexa, or her mom. I shouldn't have tried to stop Ontari, I should have known better. I hurt you…"

"No," Murphy said, "None of this is your fault. My people, the Arkadians- they are going to need us now. I know you won't be able to stay in Polis for now, but my people, they won't mind. Pike is gone, the others were just following Bellamy but now he's changed sides, they will too. And Abby or Kane they'll become the next chancellor, so you'll be safe…"

"John," Emori began with a sad expression, "Will we really be safe now? With Ontari as Heda? And your people, they've kicked you out, let you be tortured."

"They are not all bad, Emori," Murphy argued, "And we both need a home."

Emori sighed before looking at him with tear blurred eyes, "I'm scared, John."

"I know," Murphy replied, "But not all of them are bad. Not Clarke, or Raven or Monty, Harper. And I'll always be there. I'll protect you."

"And what if Ontari orders them to cast me out?" Emori worried, "What will happen if she applies the same rules that everyone else follows to Arkadia?"

"She won't," Clarke promised as she started to stitch up the wound, "I won't let her. Murphy's right, you need a home, and you have one at Arkadia. And Murphy said you know a little about tech, I'm sure Raven will happy to have someone helping her."

Emori smiled slightly, "Yeah, I could try, I guess."

Clarke smiled, before a tall figure joined them.

"I'm sorry Wanheda, but Ontari, Heda, requests your presence," Roan said to Clarke, before turning to Emori and Murphy, "She requests all of us. Even the fr- even Emori."

Murphy nodded in understanding as he helped Emori to her feet, before ripping some material from his shirt to make a bandage, which he then tied around her injured arm.

"Hey," he said, placing a hand on her cheek, "Everything will be ok, I promise."

BREAK_BREAK_BREAK_BREAK

Ontari winced as Echo helped pull her up into a sitting position. Her vision was a bit better, still blurrier than normal but at least she could see, and she could tell who each of the individuals in the room were, even if they still mostly resembled blobs.

"Too much wine, not enough meat," Echo chided as she placed the furs around the young commander.

"You know you can't speak to me like that anymore," Ontari said, with what she hoped was a grin, "Now that I'm Heda."

"My loyalties are to Azgaeda and Azgaeda only," Echo replied, "You know that."

Ontari sighed. Echo and Roan were the only people in the world who could tease her or insult her, anyone else who had tried had usually wound up in a pool of blood. But now, now Ontari felt bad for treating others like that, and, there was a part of her, a large part of her that simply didn't care anymore- and that frightened her. She didn't know whether it was because she was Heda now, that she could feel safe to be above everyone's opinions or if it was part of how her injury had changed her. Either way this wasn't something she could question now- no, now she had official business to attend to because well…

The world was dying.

And people were going to suffer and it was going to be her cross to bear.

She had made that decision, now she had to live with the consequences.

"Ontari," Roan began, before pausing "Erm, Heda. Wanheda, Murphy kom Skaikru and Emori kom…"

"Sangedakru," The girl volunteered, "Sort of."

Ontari noticed Roan hovering, his body language showing he was being cautious, no doubt worrying about her ability to handle the meeting.

"It's ok, Roan," Ontari told him, reaching out a hand towards him, which he took, "But this can't wait. When I was in the city of light, when I pulled the kill switch… see, the thing is…"

"It's ok, Ontari," Echo reassured her, standing diligently and unwaveringly next to her commander, "We can all handle this."

Ontari nodded, wincing at the pain in her head, "The thing is… the world is dying. There are nuclear reactors everywhere and there's this big fiery wave that's coming for us. And we only have six months before everyone dies and…"

"Wait," Wanheda interrupted, "How do you know this?"

"Becca," Ontari said, fidgeting a little- still frustrated that the right side of her body remained paralysed, "We were in her laboratory in space and she was there with Allie. She showed me the world- how a lot of it was on fire."

"Wait, we?" Roan asked.

"Lexa and I," Ontari replied, "She was there somehow, and Clarke- she said that she was sure you'd meet again."

Ontari didn't need perfect vision to know what Wanheda's reaction to that statement would be. She saw the way the girl slumped as if struck in the solar plexus, heard her sharp intake of breath, the way she struggled not to cry.

"I'm glad she was there to help you," Clarke replied in a shaky tone.

"I wouldn't have been able to reach the kill switch without her," Ontari admitted, "And Clarke… I am sorry, about Aden and the others natblidas- I wish there was a way to go back- Aden was good, I could tell from the way he tried to protect you. I…"

Ontari was sure that she noticed Echo and Roan sharing a confused look. Yes, she had never been this nice before, but it was true, somewhere deep down she'd always regretted killing Aden and his friends and now, for whatever reason, she felt freer to say it. She just didn't understand why it was so easy now, but it felt good, whatever the cause.

"Thank you," Clarke replied, "With your permission, I'll go and discuss this matter with my mother, Kane and Bellamy. We need to confirm what Becca told you, and with Skaikru technology we might be able to develop a plan."

Ontari nodded, "Yes, you should talk with your people."

Ontari watched as Clarke walked away and Murphy and Emori began to make their way out of the room too.

"Murphy, Emori," Ontari called out, "I er… I wanted to apologise, the way I acted, before, the things I did and said, they weren't fair on either of you."

"It's ok, well, no it wasn't but, it makes sense," Murphy said, "You were just doing what you had to do to survive. To maintain control, so I wouldn't tell about the flame. If the heads of the clans had found out the truth they would have killed you. And let's just say… I know what it's like to have a mother that hated you."

Ontari tensed at the admission- she knew that Murphy had been cast out by his people, but she didn't know anything about his family. So, his mother had been just like Queen Nia- yes, maybe the reason why he'd supported her, in part, had something to do with his past. Maybe he had hoped that, somehow, he could fix things so she would avoid a lot of the pain he had experienced.

"Emori?" Murphy asked.

"I-," the girl began uncertainly, and Ontari was sure that the girl looked unusually pale, "I don't know what to think. Everything's so confusing. I didn't expect anything like this. First, the death wave, now the commander being so… different. I don't know…"

"I know it will take a long time before either of you will trust me," Ontari said, "And I understand, if you can't forgive me. What I did was deplorable…"

"Yeah, it was," Emori began, "And you should have known better but… I know how a person's childhood can affect them more than they ever thought it would. Maybe we're all just the sum of the monsters we've had in our lives- at least, until we've decided to cast them out."

Ontari nodded, and it struck her just how different her and Emori were, yet how similar their beginnings had been. They had both had parents and been forced to leave them for whatever reasons, and they had found a family where they had least expected to find one. They both were outsiders- although Ontari's blood had given her a valuable social status, and lead to her being sequestered away from the rest of her clan, whilst Emori's deformity had forced her to hide. Ontari had lived a lavish lifestyle for most of her childhood with grand banquets, the finest clothes and tutors, whilst Emori had scavenged for everything she owned, learnt what she could when she had the chance.

Something about deciding the course of someone's life based one tiny little genetic factor like different blood or a different appearance, something about the fallout from that irrational belief system, made her felt immensely nauseous.

"Yes, I think so too," Ontari admitted, "And I do want to let go of my past, which is why- I know you are intending to go to Arkadia but if you want to, you could stay in Polis, if you like. And that offer will be extended to all of your people."

Emori smiled, tears glistening in her eyes, "Thank you, Heda. This is all my people ever wanted."

Ontari smiled in response.

"The commander needs to rest," Roan announced, "Abby's orders but if we're all up to it, tonight, we will feast."

Murphy and Emori nodded before leaving the room.

"Tari," Roan began gently, "Are you ok?"

Ontari nodded but still winced a little, "Yes, I can see now- although it's far from perfect, but it should get better right, Abby said it was just because of the pressure. But the right side of my body, there's still nothing."

Roan breathed deeply, allowing his eyes to close for a moment, in a futile attempt to hide his pain.

"Ontari has always been strong, my King," Echo tried to reassure him, "She will recover."

"Roan-," Ontari began gently, "Whatever happens, I'll be ok."

"Echo, could you give us a moment?" Roan asked, and Echo began to leave, albeit rather reluctantly- they had become a family over the years, but Roan and Ontari had been like siblings for more years and Echo understood this, understood that there were things that they could only confess to each other.

"Yes, please," Ontari added, "Please could you check on Emori too, the cut on her arm is deep, I think she lost a lot of blood."

Echo nodded before departing.

"Ontari," Roan started uncertainly, "I… I don't know what to think about all of this."

Ontari sighed before turning to look him in the eye, noticing the immense amount of pain on his face, "I'm still me, just slightly different. I'm not sure why- maybe it's finally being Heda or the injury has changed me in some way- but, I want to be like this, I feel happier, freer. I don't want to mindlessly hurt others anymore, no, your mother might have wanted to rule that way, and wanted that for me too, but Lexa, Becca, the other commanders, they ruled a different way. They could be ruthless too, but Lexa- with Lexa there was always a reason. Before, before the flame, everything I did was about fear and control- now, now that no one will question me as Heda. Now I can rule in a better way."

Roan nodded, "And I'll help you, of course. You're right, Tari, there is another way to rule, a fairer way. We can honour Lexa's coalition, carry on the work that she started. The other generals might not like it but-"

"If we convince Echo," Ontari said, "Then we'll convince all of them. If you made her the head of your army…"

"Consider it done," Roan replied, "But Tari, I'm not worried about politics now, I'm worried about you."

"I know," Ontari said solemnly, staring at her furs, "I heard what Abby said, but there's still a chance, Roan."

Roan sighed heavily, "A small chance. Ontari, we should plan for possibilities. If you can't walk again or…"

Ontari held out her still functional arm to him and as best as she could, hugged him, and Roan- Roan was immediately sobbing. And Ontari knew he wasn't just crying for her- for what had happened to her in the past week, but he was crying for the three years he'd been banished and all of the pain they'd experienced during those years that he hadn't been able to fix, he was crying for the for broken boy who he'd shoved away for so long so that he could focus on protecting Ontari, he was crying for all the ways that his mother had hurt them… and Ontari realised that deep down Roan had been just as broken as she was, but he'd never let anyone know that, until now.

"We're free, Roan, that's all that matters," Ontari told him, "And if I never walk again, or never fight, then we'll deal with that."

Roan shook his head, "Growing up, all you ever wanted to be was a warrior, you wanted to be the head of the army. Now, knowing you might never fight again…"

"We'll adjust," Ontari told him, "Growing up, you never believed you'd be king, you always believed your mother would find a way to pass the title to Noah, now look, you're King of Azgaeda. And I know you'll do a great job."

"I'm glad you think so," Roan replied, "The people, I haven't been around them in three years- do you think they will respect me?"

"I still respect you," Ontari replied.

Roan raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yes!" Ontari yelled defiantly, before thumping him, "I always did, even before… Look, stop doubting yourself, it worked for me. As soon as I started acting like a Heda instead of hiding away, people started treating me like a Heda- as soon as you believe you can be a good king, then the people will start seeing you as one."

Roan pondered that, "I suppose, whatever happens, I'll have to be a good king, what with the end of the world…"

"We'll figure that out too," Ontari told him, "With Skaikru's help, I know we can figure something out."

"I wish you didn't have to deal with all of this right now," Roan replied, "When you should be resting… it could take months for you to get better… and even then…"

"Hey," Ontari replied, "I can handle this. I know it. Maybe I thought I was born to be a warrior, but actually I was meant to be Heda all along. I mean, there's more than one way to fight Roan, yes, Lexa was an excellent fighter, but it was her speeches, her words, that had the greatest impact, her legacy wasn't her fighting skills, but the coalition- an agreement. And Becca- Becca had her science- she wasn't really much of a fighter at all. Yes, maybe I'm not meant for traditional fighting, but maybe I can be a warrior in the Heda's way."

"And you'd be ok with that?" Roan asked, uncertainly, "I just want you to be happy."

"I know," Ontari said, "You've always tried to protect me, to make sure no one could ever hurt or upset me. And I'm grateful for that- but I'm not a little girl anymore, Roan, I need to take risks, make mistakes. And I'll cope with that, you don't need to protect me anymore. Be free, Roan, make sure you have a good life."

Roan smiled, "You too, Ontari. I know you'll be a good Heda."