A/N - New chapter! This one was hard to write, although that was mainly because of the amount of work that is also piling up for college haha, but I promised an update a day and I don't break my promises! Anyway I just wanted to give a quick shout out to Kaytlyn who reviewed on the last chapter but it was a guest review so I couldn't reply personally :( You said please don't stop (writing) but you know that every story has an end. Well I just wanted to let you know that the end is very much NOT in sight! :D As long as you guys keep reading and reviewing I don't intend on stopping any time soon, I love writing this story and I love the feeling I get why I wake up each morning to check my emails and see the stack of reviews waiting for me. So please review on this chapter, let me know what you thought, what you think will happen next, what you want to happen next, and anything else. I read every review and I reply when I can, just know that I love you all so much and I am so glad that this story has helped people with the aftermath of the stupidest tv decision since Tara on Buffy haha. See you next chapter xx

Ontari had been told that Lexa wanted to see her as soon as she had dressed and eaten that morning, which is how she found herself in the corridor outside the council room at less than one hour past dawn whilst most of Polis was still sleeping.

Hesitantly Ontari knocked on the door of the council room lightly, straining her ears she heard a murmured, "Come in." As she slipped inside she caught sight of Lexa standing on the balcony behind her throne, in simple clothing and face devoid of any war paint.

Unsure of what to do she moved towards Lexa until they were stood side by side, overlooking the city.

"Usually I teach the night bloods all together but your training is significantly behind as a result of Nia's selfishness in keeping you away from Polis."

Ontari shifted slightly, "Heda I-"

Lexa smiled and held up a hand to quiet her, "I'm not saying you're not a great warrior or that you're not worthy of your night blood. But what I am saying is that you have not had the same opportunity to be taught the meaning and base tenants of our line." She tilted her head slightly at the other girl, "That's why I have decided to tutor you in private until you are ready to join the others in their usual sessions."

"Mochof Heda." Ontari replied quietly, bowing her head to the Commander.

"No." Lexa smiled, reaching out tapping her chin lightly, "In private the night bloods call me by name, and when I teach I expect to be questioned. If I should fall it will most likely be yourself or Aden who succeeds me, I want to be assured that my legacy is secure as I take my final breath."

Ontari looked up into Lexa's eyes properly, "Sha, Lexa, so what is the first lesson?"

"The three pillars of being Heda. Three things that you should strive for in everything you do. Wisdom, compassion and strength."

Looking at her in surprise, Ontari gestured generally back to the empty council room, "Compassion? It's just always seemed like that wasn't a major concern. Strength and wisdom I understand but why compassion?"

Lexa turned her gaze back to the city, "Without compassion how do we make the choices that are best for our people?"

"I'd have thought keeping a clear head would make that easier, rather than letting emotions rule our judgements."

Smiling, Lexa nodded softly, "You make a valid point and that is the dilemma I face every day. I must have enough compassion towards our people to make me work for what they deserve and need in everything I do and to the best of my ability, but equally I must have the wisdom to know when to step back and accept that what I want to do isn't necessarily the right choice for them after all."

Ontari joined her leaning against the wall, "The Mountain?"

"Not quite." Lexa's expression was pained, "Although I suppose in some ways... Ontari if you are ever faced with a choice between one person and thousands, the choice is already made, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. I wanted to stay, but that was Lexa speaking, not Heda. My people needed me to make the choice that would save the most lives and so that is what I did."

"Clarke is that important to you?" Ontari breathed, for a moment she thought she had overstepped but then Lexa sighed and turned away from the city, leaning her back against the edge of the low wall instead.

"Clarke was... special from the moment we met. She challenged me as an equal every step of the way, and even though her people nowhere near matched up to mine in numbers, the strength of will they marched with was enough for me to stop and take notice even if it was just for a moment at first. I thought I had the upper hand in our dealings, but with every move I made I found her already right in front, and she wasn't even aware of how infuriating it was."

Lexa paused and looked at Ontari curiously, "Tell me, have you ever been in love?"

Ontari swallowed slowly and nodded just once, "Nia didn't approve of me doing anything besides training and when she found out... Well let's just say that she didn't react very well."

"I'm sorry." Lexa's voice was quiet but Ontari smiled slightly in acknowledgement. "I am sure you were present to bear witness when Nia took Costia from me?"

She waited for the reluctant affirmation before continuing, "After that I swore I would love only my people and never let anyone close enough to allow a repeat of that pain. But Clarke forced her way past every barrier I had put up, and she did it without even trying. The point I'm making is that to be Commander, you have to be willing to sacrifice everything, I had fallen in love with Clarke and I left her anyway, not expecting to ever see her again once I turned my back. Titus would have had all night bloods cold and detached but I disagree, loving someone is only weakness if you allow your heart to rule your head at the wrong times, otherwise it is the greatest strength a person can have."

Her voice had trailed off and Ontari got the sense that Lexa had almost forgotten that she was still standing there, shaking it off Lexa turned back to her, "We seem to have gotten rather off track." She grinned wryly, "But nevertheless, do not forget that you are a part of something bigger than yourself now. Your night blood gives you purpose Ontari and a place in Polis for as long as there is breath in your body. You are one of my people and I take care of my own."

Lexa was met just outside the market by Clarke, who smiled happily when she spotted her, "How did the lesson go?"

Smiling Lexa just shook her head, "It seems my mind wanders when I am not surrounded by children clamouring for my attention all at once."

Clarke laughed as they started walking, "And to what does your mind wander Commander?"

"To what is always occupying it of course Clarke...whether my horse is being cared for sufficiently." Lexa smirked as Clarke's grin widened, lightly hitting her in the shoulder with the back of her hand.

"You are hilarious Commander."

"I always thought so, Anya never agreed though."

Clarke rolled her eyes and paused for a moment to inquire about some new charcoal sticks from a local vendor who tried to offer them as a gift. With a firm smile she shook her head no and handed over a few coins in return for them, thanking the vendor for their service.

"The people feel they owe you Clarke, maybe you should allow them to make gifts of the items you require."

Clarke shook her head quickly, "No, they do not owe me anything, and I will not take their wares without fair payment."

Lexa smiled at her fondly, "Of course you won't. That's why I love you." Her voice was soft, only for Clarke's ears even in the hustle and bustle of the marketplace that morning.

Chuckling slightly Clarke tossed her hair over her shoulder as she looked at Lexa, "Are you sure you don't mean that's why I'm me?"

With her cheeks flushing slightly, Lexa frowned and mock glared at Clarke, "That is not how someone is meant to respond to an admission of love Clarke. My future houmon should not mock me."

They had soon passed through the market and wandered down through the town to the lake on the edge of the city.

"Is it safe to be here?" Clarke asked suspiciously, "Because I seem to remember being shoved into that lake by your partner in crime when we were in the middle of a rather pleasant boat ride."

Now they were clear of the city's eyes, Lexa had no reservations about pulling Clarke close and kissing her eagerly, laughing when Clarke wriggled away and fixed her with a serious look, "I mean it, I will be very upset if I end up in that water again."

"Do you see Aden anywhere Clarke? You're safe I promise." Lexa assured as she kissed her tenderly.

"You're lucky I love you." Clarke huffed as she sat down on the edge of the wooden decking that had been built for fishing, pulling off her boots and dangling her feet into the water, "Go on then, I know you've been waiting to talk to me since Jacobs decided to take a metaphorical swing at Octavia yesterday before she took a very literal swing at him."

Lexa copied Clarke, shedding her boots and sitting next to her, "Your people do not respect you as they should Clarke, I am trying to remain distant so that you can deal with them yourself but unfortunately I cannot turn a blind eye to it much longer. They question you too much and to argue with you publicly is dangerous. If that happens in front of another clan leader you would have no choice but to end the life of the one who speaks out of turn, anything less will be seen as weakness."

Sighing Clarke leaned back on her elbows, still gently tracing circles in the water with her toes, "Roan has pointed out the same and he hasn't see the half of it. I don't know what to do Lexa, I am trying so hard to keep everyone safe but they don't trust me so they keep making things worse. And what about when they go back to Arcadia and Lincoln comes here? The only ones I trust really are Raven and Kane, even my mother's too unpredictable now."

"I think you need to go back to Arcadia Clarke." Lexa said quietly.

Clarke looked up at her sadly, "I know but that means I have to leave you behind, I don't know if I could bare that, and what if-?"

Lexa shushed her gently and laced their fingers together, "Perhaps not, we were planning to take a trip to TonDC for Octavia's initiation anyway. We will go to Arcadia first, spend some time bringing your people back into line. And then we will collect Lincoln before moving onto TonDC and then we will return to Polis, return home where we can then plan our own bonding in peace without the constant fear of your mother picking fights she can't win and dragging me away from you at the crack of dawn."

Laughing lightly, Clarke leaned in to rest her head against Lexa's shoulder, "That sounds perfect. Will it be ok for you to leave the capitol for that long now that Titus isn't here to oversee things?"

Lexa nodded slowly, "It should be, Aden has proven himself in all the tests that I have available to throw at him. A week in command will be a good exercise for him seeing as how Indra will have to travel with us for Octavia's ceremony. In the interests and celebration of our new found peace with Azgeda I can ask Roan to act as his General for two weeks. Between the two of them I am sure the city won't fall in the time we are gone, and I believe that it will be a valuable show of good faith as well, especially for Ontari who still doesn't completely trust that I'm not planning to have her killed to ensure Aden's ascension after my death."

Clarke looked up at her seriously, "Are you?"

"No." Lexa shook her head, "I was at first, but there's just something about her, I get the feeling that there is a lot about how Nia treated her personal Natblida that we still do not know."

Nodding Clarke turned her head back towards the water, "Good, I get the same feeling."

They sat in silence for a while, watching the shadows creeps across the lake as the day went on, perfectly content to just sit in silence in each others company.

As the sun started to set behind them, Clarke bit her lip thoughtfully and sat up straight, "What if we took her with us?"

Lexa frowned at her in confusion, "Take who where?"

"Ontari to Arcadia." Clarke explained impatiently, "One of the major arguments my people have had against the coalition is the brutality of Azgeda. If we show up with one of their clan and show that they can be so much more than just mindless killers then it may help to sway them without the need for me to start ordering the deaths of my own people."

Considering it carefully, Lexa eventually shrugged slightly, "It's your choice Clarke, I think it's a risk whether the Skaikru will react as you say or react badly but there is every chance it could still help either way. If you believe that this is something that you want to do then I will support you. If nothing else Octavia will be glad to spend more time with her, in hindsight perhaps their friendship should not have been so surprising, they do share many things in common."

Reluctantly Clarke started pulling on her boots, recognizing that it would soon be to cold to remain at the lake in the clothes they were wearing, "I do want to do this, and if it doesn't work then I will take more drastic measures to get Skaikru to behave."

Lexa smiled and stood up, offering Clarke a helping hand to pull her to her feet, "Ok then Skai Prisa, we have ourselves a plan."

Clarke groaned with a chuckle, "Please don't, I think I prefer Wanheda."