Clarke met Murphy in the training yard in the morning. Alba waited for them, as usual, and resumed working on their foot work. It was muddy and chilly and by the time they finished sliding around and falling in the mud, they were both ready for a hot bath.
Clarke knew she didn't have time for that, and quickly cleaned up and dressed in the rooms she shared with Lexa. Lexa was gone and Clarke had no idea whether they would see each other during the day. She hurried to the Azgeda suite, ordered food, and burrowed into the pile of papers that never seemed to grow smaller.
Murphy joined her for breakfast. "Quiet this morning," he observed while sitting across from Clarke.
"Uh huh," she agreed.
"Any good news in there?"
"Haven't found any yet." Clarke put down the page she finished reading and picked up her mug of hot tea. "It's just the usual stuff."
"Anything from Roan?"
"Not yet. I expect a message that he's on his way here."
"Maybe he'll let me go back with him."
"Tired of me already?"
"Not you. Your mom, absolutely."
Clarke snorted. The guards told her that Abby had come to see Clarke and wasn't happy that Clarke wasn't in this suite. They hadn't told her where Clarke was, either.
After three sharp raps on the door, Murphy got up to see what the guard wanted and returned to Clarke. "Speak of the devil, and my sign to clear out." He filled his plate and took it and two mugs to his room while Clarke went to let Abby enter.
"Good morning, Mom."
"Where were you?"
"Busy. There's plenty of food if you haven't had breakfast."
"I didn't come for breakfast, Clarke."
"What do you need?"
"Yesterday," Abby began.
"I'm not talking about that any more."
"But"
Clarke cut her off. "No buts. It's finished."
"Clarke"
Clarke stopped her again. "Mom, I have a lot of work to catch up on. I'm sure you're needed at the hospital. I'm not going to talk about any of it with you."
"Are you mad at me?"
"Yes. You called me crazy for months. You did everything you could to impede me from doing what I had to do. You keep acting like I'm a child. I don't have time for your bullshit. Please go."
Abby stared at Clarke. Clarke picked up the next dispatch from the pile.
The guard rapped on the door again. "Wanheda, Heda requests you join her in her quarters."
"On my way." Clarke emptied her mug before standing up. She put the paper she'd been reading back on the pile. On her way to the door, she took Abby's upper arm and brought her along.
In his room, Murphy grinned and quietly said, "Way to go, Griffin."
Clarke left her mother in the hallway and headed for the stairs.
100 – 100 – 100
Ontari's guard opened the door for Clarke. Ontari and Lexa sat at the table, and Clarke couldn't hold back a smile when she saw them
"Trouble?" she asked as she approached.
"No trouble," Lexa answered with a returning smile. "The clan leaders will be here soon."
"And?"
"We cannot decide whether to deal with them one at a time or all at once."
"Are they all coming?"
"Sha," Ontari said. "Have you not read your reports?"
"Still catching up and my mom interrupted," Clarke answered with a sigh. "Uh, how long until they're all here?"
"Four days, five at the most," Lexa answered.
"What do you want to do?" Clarke asked Ontari.
"Go hunting," Ontari answered. "But I cannot." She sighed. "They will have questions."
"I don't want to keep answering the same ones," Clarke said.
"We must," Lexa said.
"Why don't we do what we did with the ambassadors, except after supper or something?"
"We will still have to speak to them individually," Lexa said. "They seek confirmation that I am who I say."
"Yes, and you can do that, but the rest of the story can wait until they are together," Ontari decided.
"As you wish, Heda. I will make the arrangements," Lexa said.
"Anything else?" Clarke asked
"Meet us for sanch," Ontari said. "The Natblida wish to see you. We will be in their quarters. I will send a guard."
"I'll be reading," Clarke said and stood. She kissed Lexa's cheek before leaving.
100 – 100 – 100
Clarke barely had food in front of her before the Natblida deluged her with questions. She looked pleadingly at Lexa, who cleared her throat to cover her chuckle. Lexa raised her hand and the Natblida were instantly silent. "Allow Wanheda to eat. She will answer your questions."
"I will," Clarke affirmed. "But one question at a time."
As soon as she pushed her plate away, the questions resumed. Clarke answered them the best she could, explaining Titus' ongoing disapproval of her actions. She was exhausted long before they were finished. Lexa saw and stopped the questions. Clarke promised to do it again. Ontari erased their disappointment by reminding them that Raven's workshop was next.
Lexa hung back when Ontari led the Natblida away. "It is how they learn," she said apologetically.
"It's fine. I understand. Go catch up." Clarke made a shooing motion with her hands.
Lexa stepped closer. "Mochof," she said, and kissed Clarke.
100 – 100 – 100
By late afternoon, Clarke was caught up. She returned to the Fleimkepa's rooms. Lexa and Fair were side by side at the table by the window, their backs to the door. Lexa looked over her shoulder when she heard the door open.
"Am I interrupting?" Clarke asked.
"No, we are nearly finished," Lexa answered. "Join us."
Unsure of what she should do, Clarke stood behind and between them. She put her hand on Lexa's shoulder and waited for them to finish.
As always, Fair had questions. Lexa answered them and stopped her before she could launch a second round. "Enough for today," she told Fair with a smile.
"Mochof, He, Fleimkepa." Fair got out of her chair. "Leida, Wanheda," she told Clarke with a grin.
"Your apprentice?" Clarke asked after Fair closed the door.
"Sha. Because I chose her."
"Does she know that?"
"Sha, we talked about it." Lexa stood and stretched before turning to face Clarke. "It has been a long day."
"Sha," Clarke agreed before kissing Lexa hello. "Nap?"
"No, I would prefer to be outdoors."
"We can go for a walk," Clarke suggested.
"Let's go."
They took the stairs down, and once out of the Tower, Lexa headed for the market. She wanted to be among her people again, and wanted them to get used to seeing her. She surprised Clarke by holding her hand as they walked, window shopped, and spoke with Polis' residents, gently reminding them that she was Lexa now, not heda. Clarke saw the contentment on Lexa's face and couldn't help beaming. This was better than when they walked through Polis before. Although people were still deferential to Lexa, they seemed to accept and welcome her return.
100 – 100 – 100
When Raven didn't return at what Ontari thought an acceptable time, she returned to Raven's workshop to collect her. She found Raven working alone, talking to herself as she soldered circuits on a large board. Raven looked up when the door opened, and grinned at Ontari. "Almost done."
"I was worried."
"Sorry, I'll try to keep better track of time." Raven extinguished the flame keeping the soldering iron hot and slid off the stool with a groan. She stood and stretched for a moment. "Anything going on tonight?"
"No. Things should be calm until the leaders arrive." Ontari held out her hand.
Raven went to her and took it, then quickly kissed Ontari. "That's gonna be a shitshow."
Ontari looked confused for a moment, then snorted. "Klark and Lexa's shitshow."
"Can I watch?"
"Of course." Ontari held the door open for Raven and closed it behind them. While they walked, Ontari kept one hand on Raven's back. "You will need a new outfit."
"What's wrong with… oh, state dinner, right."
"What color do you prefer?"
Raven stumbled over a cobblestone and Ontari caught her. She saw Raven's grimace and the tightness in her jaw as they continued. They were halfway back to the Tower, and Ontari wanted to carry Raven the rest of the way. As if she heard Ontari's thoughts, Raven said, "Don't even think it. I can walk."
"I have been thinking about how Clarke was healed by the natblid."
"Yeah, I'm still not sure I heard the whole story about that."
"You know Clarke goes for warrior training every morning."
"Too early for me."
"She was working with Alba one morning after rain. Clarke slipped in the mud and was badly cut."
Raven frowned. "Cut where?"
"Here." Ontari drew her hand along her side, just under her ribs.
"That's like, 10 inches."
"And deep. While we waited for Clarke's mother, I cut my hand and dripped blood into the wound. By the time Abby arrived, it was well on the way to being healed."
"The nanites worked that fast?"
"Sha. Natblida always heal quickly."
"What were you thinking?"
"Can it help you?"
"I wish," Raven sighed. "There's a bullet stuck in there. Abby says it's more dangerous to remove it than to let it stay there."
"Who shot you?" Ontari demanded.
"It doesn't matter. It was a long time ago." Raven leaned on Ontari a little more as they neared the Tower. "I appreciate the thought."
"Will you try it anyway? It is another way to keep you safe."
"You sound like Lexa. Is that a heda thing?"
Ontari shrugged. "I want you with me for a long time."
Raven beamed. "I want you with me for a long time, too."
"So you will take it?" Ontari asked hopefully as they entered the Tower.
"I'll think about it. I need to re-check Pramheda's journal, make sure there aren't any unintended side effects."
Ontari nodded. In the elevator, she reminded Raven, "You have not told me what color you prefer."
"You pick. You'll be looking at it."
Ontari nodded, a small smile on her face.