Time to Return

Once they were finished, Lexa wasted no time before she went straight to the point. She was too curious and preoccupied with what was happening with her people to be okay losing more time in being put up to speed on what has been going on in her absence so she promptly turned to look at Gaia once the four of them were in Car's kitchen sitting by the table and asked her, "Very well Gaia, we have trained, we have eaten. Now, I want to know why are you here? What news do you have on my people?"

"I was hoping I would be coming back here to give you a good report on things but unfortunately that is not the case. I am here because the news I have to tell you are not good Lexa. In fact they are as bad as they could get," Gaia said to her grimly and Lexa couldn't help but tensed at that.

"Well, if it is so bad then don't waste time. Just tell me. What is going on?" Lexa asked her.

"Well, first of all, the news of the destruction of the Flame did not reach everyone thanks to the lie Roan told. Since for those that have heard of it there was no way to prove who was telling the truth, a bunch of Trishanakru people or the King, the people believed in the King or chose to believe him, to believe that the Flame was still intact and safe so he was able to keep himself in power without having to use his forces inside the city to do it so there was no more deaths in Polis," Gaia told them and Lexa sighed relieved.

"Well, that definitely count as good news, doesn't it? Maybe the Azgeda King is not so bad after all," Vernon said out loud shrugging as Lexa nodded.

"Despite what the people might think of him, Roan is different than his mother which is why I trusted him and named him King. He is an honorable man, he is loyal to his people and unlike her, he would not do the atrocities she committed in her people's name. He strongly disagreed with her actions and positions but it would be unwise for me to completely trust him now. I have to consider the possibility that he will be a threat to me," Lexa explained.

"From what Gaia told us and what you have said so far about him, Roan seemed to be pretty content to follow your rule when you were alive and to keep you Coalition in place when you were presumed dead. He went as far as protecting Clarke just because you cared about her. Why would he be a threat to you now?" Cara asked her, not quite grasping what her sister was thinking in concern to the Ice King.

"He probably kept the Coalition in check because if he didn't, the other clans would attack Azgeda and then Skaikru and he didn't want that. He is not that selfless to do everything out of the pureness of his heart and he probably saved Clarke not only because of some debt he might have felt he had to repay Lexa for but because he was hoping it would mean that if the time came, that Clarke would ally herself and her clan with him," Gaia said to them.

"You are both right. He did do what you said Cara and it might be for the reasons you said Gaia. But that is not what I was talking about. As much as I think he is a good ruler, or at least better than his mother, it is very different being the ruler of your people to being the ruler of all the people. The power I hold is not for the weak of mind, Cara. It can be poisonous and destructive. it can get a hold on you if you don't have your values of right and wrong straight and strong within you. The amount of power I have as the leader of the Coalition, it can corrupt anyone that is not strong enough to resist its temptations," Lexa explained to them.

"And you are unsure if it has corrupted Roan or not already. You are worried than when you return, he will not want to give up the throne back to you because he wants to keep the power he has now for himself. Is that it?" Vernon asked his sister and Lexa nodded.

"Yes, that's exactly it. I wouldn't hold it against him if it did. Hardly anyone wouldn't be tempted by the chance to control everything and everyone. Even fewer wouldn't fall prey to it. I can only hope that he isn't one of those people. That he is more honorable than her and not as power hungry as she was either," Lexa explained and they all nodded.

"Well, you know him better than any of us. What do you think he will do once you return to claim what is rightfully yours?" Gaia asked her and Lexa leaned back against her chair and crossed her legs as she thought about it.

"Roan is a little of a mystery. He is different than Nia and Ontari which is why I made him King. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't think I was trading one evil for another so I believe that might count for something. Unlike his mother, he had always cared more about the well-being of his people than he did about being the most powerful leader there is," Lexa said to them and they looked at her.

"He should know that it was your support of his claim to the throne that helped him to be accepted after being an outcast for so long," Gaia said to her.

"I believe he knows that and he is grateful deep down for the fact that I spared his life. He seems to be much more honorable than Nia so if I had to bet, it would be that he won't be a problem especially because he had never been a leader before and more than tempting, ruling the Coalition is a consuming and tiring, never ending job and being from Azgeda and not a Commander, the clans must be making ten times harder for him than it was for me. However, my job is to consider all possibilities and he refusing to handle me back to throne peacefully is one of them and not an impossible one," Lexa said to them.

"So, what you plan to do if that does happen? I mean, if he refuses to give the throne back to you peacefully?" Cara asked her and Lexa looked at her sister.

"We will have to fight once again, only this time I will be forced to kill him. As much as I wouldn't want to do that because I do believe that he can be the change Azgeda needs to turn away from their ruthless ways and actually, with time, become a collaborating and willing clan. But the throne is mine and so is the Coalition to rule. I have to get it back for the sake of my people, to stop things from escalating or worse, revert to the way it was before. That cannot happen," Lexa said firmly to them and Cara smiled.

"You seem overly confident in your abilities that you will get it back. You can lose in a fight against him. Don't forget. Arrogance can be your downfall if you let it make you underestimate your enemy little sister," Vernon said jokingly and Lexa gave him a small smirk.

"I am not being arrogant, Vernon and don't worry I haven't forgotten that lesson. I am simply speaking the truth. Roan is an excellent fighter, I have seen it and been on the other end but I still can beat him just as I did before," She told him and they both knew it was true.

"Unfortunately, that is not the only news I bring to you and this one is the real reason why I am here." Gaia said and they all paid attention to her, "I heard whisper from reliable sources within the Tower, faithful followers of the Flame that the King is facing a difficult enemy, an enemy he isn't sure he can beat on his own and that he is scared for his people."

"And what enemy would that be to inflict such doubt and fear onto him? Roan isn't a coward," She asked Gaia intrigued about who could possibly irk the man so much and one thing she didn't know was that she was not ready to hear the answer but it came.

"The enemy seems to be a group called the Rebels. They have attacked the Ice Nation and the Sky People if I am not mistaken," Gaia answered the question.

Lexa and Vernon both tensed every single muscle on their bodies after hearing that name. It couldn't be, "What did you just say?"

"Exactly what you've heard, Vernon. When I went to visit these sources, they told me that about a month ago, a group of Sky People was taking a healer back to their camp when they were attacked by a group of these so-called Rebels that wore black clothes with the Azgeda symbol and a red X over it. They beat the guards with her, one even died," Gaia told them.

"The healer? The Skaikru healer? Is she okay? Did she survive?" Lexa asked her worriedly and Gaia nodded her head in affirmative.

"Yes, she did. From what I could gather, she was the only left untouched by them," Gaia said before she furrowed her brows. "Why? Do you know her?"

"The healer you were talking about from the Sky People is has to be Clarke's mother, Abby. She is their chief healer and must have been in Polis," Lexa explained to them.

"And then what happened? You know after the attack?" Vernon asked Gaia.

"Then, nothing. Somehow the King has managed to keep it a secret but my source revealed to me yesterday that they heard a talk of the King with his right hand where it was said that four more Azgeda villages had been wiped out in the past month so apparently the King will finally let the Coalition know about it but he is afraid. The Rebels are sending messages through these attacks that those who stand by Azgeda will die along with them so they have two choices, leave them to fend for themselves or die for them," Gaia explained as she continued speaking,

"And I think we all know that without a Commander to truly unite everyone, especially given the history the clans have with Azgeda, that they will choose to step aside and let Azgeda deal with the Rebels alone and once Azgeda is wiped out which these Rebels guarantee they will, the other clans will surely turn to Skaikru next and some are even talking about a new beginning of the Great Wars. According to my mother, Trikru is already preparing for it as are the other clans," Cara said to them and Lexa banged her hands against the table.

"That is not going to happen again," She said firmly with her jaw clenched tight as she looked straight at Gaia. The others were a bit scared given how angry she seemed to be.

"All I know, Lexa, is that once again you're the only one who can stop the Great Wars from destroying our people. With the weapons Skaikru have at their disposal and with Wanheda by their side, they will not go down without a fight and the number of dead will be much higher than it has ever been before. Some whispers amongst the people are even going as far as saying that the clans will undoubtedly destroy each other this time around if these wars start again. People are terrified, ever since Azgeda took the throne, they have known this day might come and been preparing for it," Gaia told her truthfully.

"I know you are recovering from everything that has happened and I know that although you are considerably better, you are still not completely okay and I wish that there was another way, that you could have more time to recover but there isn't. So, I came here to ask you, to beg you, not only as Flamekeeper but also as a part of your people, please, Commander. It's time for you to return home. It's time for you to ascend and lead us away from this darkness that is threatening to consume us entirely once again. You are our Savior. No one else can do this but you," Gaia said as Lexa looked at her.

"There is no need to ask or beg me for that, Gaia. I have made my decision and I will return to my people as their Commander tomorrow at first light. When we get there and Roan gives the throne up, you will perform the ascension ceremony, I will officially take back my throne and I will stop everyone from destroying what I spent years building," Lexa said to them determinate and Gaia sighed in relief.

"Thank you Commander. You have no idea how much hope it gives me hearing you say that. With you in charge, I know the Great Wars will not happen again," Gaia said as Lexa nodded.

"No, Gaia. Thank you for bringing me the news. I see now how urgent my return has become. Get ready, tomorrow we will have a long day ahead of us," She said to them before she stood up and went to her room.

"Excuse me. I will go talk to her," Vernon said to Cara and Gaia before he stood up and went to follow Lexa into her room.

"Is it really that bad as you said?" Cara turned to look at the Flamekeeper and Gaia nodded.

"Yes, bad and urgent. Tomorrow the King will reveal everything and ask for their help and the Ambassadors will not support him. It is possible that the wars will start tomorrow even. She needs to go back immediately or our people will die by each other's hand," Gaia replied and Cara nodded understanding that there was nothing else to be done. Lexa had to go back.

Meanwhile inside the room, Lexa was pacing around the small space as Vernon sat down on her bed watching her. "What is he thinking? Why is he doing this Vernon? Why is he trying to destroy whatever amount of peace I was able to build that hasn't crumbled yet? Why is he trying to work against me? Against our people?" Lexa asked her brother who sighed.

"Since when do we know the reason for anything Kaleb does, Lexa? Ever since he joined the Rebels seeking revenge for what happened to father, he has changed beyond what we could have ever imagined. You know what? I correct myself, he has changed ever since Father died. He is not the same Kaleb we knew and none of us has been able to accept that," Vernon said to her and she couldn't help but agree. Kaleb was extremely close with their father so his death by the hands of the Azgeda changed their brother for the worse.

"If you want my opinion, he has heard of your death and the news that Azgeda took over the Coalition and maybe he thinks they had something to do with it and now, he is trying to wage this war against them because of all the pain he is feeling for thinking that you are dead. You know that when he is angry, the first thing he does is to lash out," Vernon said to her and she stopped to lean against one of the furniture as she looked at him.

"Tomorrow, I will take back my throne and keep my Coalition intact no matter what which will mean that if Kaleb attacks one more Azgeda village, I will be forced to declare war against the Rebels. I don't want to face him on the battle field V, but I cannot let him continue to kill my people because of his personal feelings against the Ice Nation. He must know that if we do face each other on the battle field as much as it will break me to do it, I will kill him if he leaves me no other choice," Lexa said to Vernon who nodded his head at her.

"I know that and I need you to know that I will never blame you if it comes down to that, if you kill him. None of us will. But we have to believe that once he learns that you are not dead and that you are back on the throne, that he will back off once again and respect the deal you made with them all those years ago," Vernon said to her.

"Thank you for being understanding, it means a lot to me to know that. But Vernon, can I dare to hope that once I return, he will come to his senses and stop or are those people he works with poisoning him enough that the knowledge of my return will not stop them now that they have started their crusade?" Lexa asked her brother and he shrugged.

"I don't know, Lexie. I hope it is the first, for all of our sake's but I really don't know. But I guess you'll find out tomorrow," Vernon said as he stood up and stood in front of her, "What I do know is that I am on your side. Always will be. We will deal with Kaleb together when the time comes," He said to her and she nodded at him as he pulled her to a hug and she let him comfort her.

"I love you, little sister."

"I love you too, big brother."