Clarke sat astride her horse, watching as warriors assisted the builders in laying the foundation of the fortress; she'd ordered built on top of the front entrance into the mountain. She was going to secure this territory before she left. It was a massive project. "Raven, is that the last device to cut the eyes of the mountain?"

"How do you do that? Like are eyes in the back of your head part of your magical spirit powers?" The girl asked as she stepped up to the front of her horse and scratching its nose.

She huffed, it was a losing battle to inform the mechanic that approaching, let alone touching her horse without permission was a massive breach of protocol. She found the girl's brazen nature amusing. "Your footfalls are still loud and my guards alerted me the moment you approached."

"Huh, you should just say it's a magic power. Helps with the whole mystical leader thing." Raven said placing her hands on her hips. "Yeah, you can take the last camera's out with this." She pulled out a small tube. "Kind of excessive though. They can't even open their front door and the other entrances are blocked. It's not like they can actually do anything." She made a gesture of an explosion. "With the damage Lexa did to their food supply I doubt they will be surviving in there for much longer anyway. Not to mention the damage she would have done with the explosion in the armory."

Clarke considered the girl. "In your opinion they have died by now then?"

Raven looked faintly sick for a moment. "Depending on how much food was salvageable and how much damage was done by the explosion in the armory, there might be some people still alive in there. Still, I doubt they could survive too much longer if Lexa set off the explosions properly, which I'm sure she did."

"So, they have likely starved within their own walls by now and if they have not already then they will soon?" Clarke repeated slowly.

"Yes." Raven replied.

She nodded. "Good then we will blind them, should any remain. They do not deserve to have windows that look out from their tomb. Let them die in darkness surrounded by their bleak walls." Looking at the girl's face she saw how this was affecting her now that she had time to think about what she was doing. It was always different when you knew what it was you were doing. Reaching out, her hand she gave a command out of kindness. "Hand it to me."

Raven placed the cold tube in her hand. "Are… are you going to press it?"

Clarke ignored the question. "Is this location acceptable to take out the last of the cameras?"

"Yes." Raven said automatically.

Without flinching, Clarke hit the button. The tube sparked slightly in her hand. She tossed it back to the mechanic. "You should work with the builders. Help create something. It will help."

Pushing her heels into the sides of her horse, she turned it around back towards the village. Her guards fell in with her as they moved. Already, the beginning of a road was forming between the village and the fort from the carts and heavy traffic up and down the mountain. The sound of cantering from behind caused her to pause her party. She relaxed, realizing it was Roan. "What is the king of Azgeda doing up here?"

He trotted his horse up beside her. "Surveying the new fort. It will be impressive if the foundation they're building is any clue."

"If I wish for the betterment of our people new work should be continued. New buildings, larger farms, better roads, and more running water." She looked over at him while letting her shoulders slump. "The work of Heda is never done."

Roan hummed as they began to ride back together. "How is Polis for when we announce the truth of our bond?"

She stared at him with a raised brow. "How do you think? I'm the Heda who forged the coalition, conquered the mountain, and claimed those who fell from the sky. They won't challenge me."

"You're leaving out some of your accomplishments in there. You conquered and forced three clans to bow to you at the point of a sword. Don't forget shutting down a rebellion inside your own territory." He let out a sigh. "We've accomplished our goals. What is left that you wish to accomplish is possible. Azgeda would be relieved to have an heir who wasn't half Trikru honestly."

She raised a brow. "Found yourself a queen to give you that heir already?"

He barked out a laugh. "No, who would dare encroach on the bonded of Heda? The women are too terrified of you to so much as imply they think I'm handsome."

Clarke felt her face warm as she thought of Lexa doing a bit more than implying she was interested. Which… she was going to have to address that. She would have already if Lexa hadn't been the equivalent of a ghost since the tunnel.

"Really?" Roan asked in surprise. "You found yourself a boy before me? Who had the courage to approach you?"

"Girl actually." Clarke remarked. She had been aware of her leanings of course, she wasn't ignorant of her own inclinations. After all, to be Heda was to control yourself, and control dictated understanding.

He kicked at her foot. "Who dared approach you?"

"The warrior who went into the mountain, Lexa." She said, accepting he wasn't going to drop the subject. His advice would be welcome on this issue surprisingly. She was confused by the way Lexa had been behaving. "I'm unsure of what she is about. Before she left for the mountain, she kissed me. Again, as I helped her out of the tunnels. Since then, I haven't so much as seen her. With her injured she hasn't been taking guard duty by my tent but that didn't stop her from approaching me before the mission."

"Huh." He seemed to consider what she'd told him. Then, his eyes glinted as he smirked over at her. "Even before she made an advance, she spent time with you?"

Clarke frowned, Roan had realized something she hadn't. Generally, she was the one who picked up hidden motives first out of the two of them. "She wasn't afraid to voice her opinion or question me. It was… refreshing to have an honest and forthright guard. The usual reverence that I am treated with can be stifling. Plus, as a leader of her people she sought me out to assure the welfare of her people. So yes, she spent more time than was required or expected in my presence."

He studied her face. "Do you want her to be interested in you?"

"That type of an attachment has never been an option." She answered automatically.

"But it will be soon." He reminded her. "You should consider what you want personally. The coalition is stable, we're at peace, think about it. Regardless you should summon the girl to your tent. Put her out of her misery, one way or another."

-TLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLG-

Clarke tapped her fingers. "She wouldn't refuse to meet with me?"

"She went on a suicide mission for her people. Her people who are now yours. She's not stupid enough to ignore a summons or cowardly enough the flee. She'll show." Roan said from where he was lounging on her bed.

Her mouth twitched in irritation at his location. "If you get mud on my furs, I'll make you regret it." Why Roan had invited himself to this conversation, she didn't know. It was driving her mad he knew something she didn't. This felt like the time Garik had convinced their class of nightbloods that Floukru warriors grew gills when in the water.

"She broke her ankle. Give her a bit to hobble over." He mumbled while carefully adjusting so his boots were stretched away from the bed. Roan's face went carefully blank as soon as they heard the sound of crutches approaching.

Clarke watched Lexa as she entered the tent. There was a stiffness and certain tightness to her face she was unaccustomed to.

"Heda." She bowed her head formally.

"Well, that's my que." Roan stood from the bed and stepped beside her throne. Leaning in, he whispered in her ear. "She's quite a beauty, if you choose her I can see why." She glared at him as he swaggered out of her tent. He had come just for the opportunity to humiliate her.

Clarke frowned as she realized Lexa had paled considerably. She bit the inside of her cheek. Lexa was scared of her. Clearly, she had just been searching for a thrill before going to her death. The second had obviously been from the battle fever and relief of the escape from the mountain. Well, that was disappointing but understandable. Clarke wouldn't hold it against her. The fact that it was disappointing answered the question of whether she wanted something to happen or not. "You have nothing to fear. I will take no retribution for your actions."

Shifting Lexa spoke. "I am truly sorry for my actions. I should never have made an advance on you. It was out of line and it won't happen again, you have my word."

"Of course." Clarke was already trying to stuff her hurt deep down to be dealt with later. It hurt that Lexa clearly hadn't meant anything from it. Whether it was a spur of the moment decision, or a last hurrah didn't matter. Heda couldn't let the hurt show. Couldn't let rejection affect her. She probably never should have considered a personal relationship anyway. Being Heda was sacrifice. "I would never hold those actions against you."

Lexa's voice was sincere. "I did not know you were bonded. If I'd known you were married I would never have insulted you or your bond in such a way." She ducked her head. "It is no excuse but no one had mentioned it, and it's silly but you didn't wear the sign of a bonded among my old people. I am not so without honor as to approach someone who is already with another."

Clarke blinked. She thought she was bonded. Of course, everyone did, but it hadn't dawned on her that Lexa might not have known till Roan arrived. Everyone knew. She'd assumed Lexa had approached her regardless. Now that she thought about it though, that didn't fit. The woman would see such a thing as going against her position and duty. After all, Clarke was her charge whom she'd sworn to protect. "You..." This was her moment. If she said nothing, Lexa would leave. The status quo would be preserved. She didn't want that. "Sit."

Standing, she moved towards her table and gestured to the two chairs besides it. Grabbing the pitcher of water, she began to pour two mugs of it and pushed one towards where Lexa had stiffly sat down on the edge of the chair. Sitting across from her, she considered where to start. "The bond I share with Roan is not what many think. I was in a vulnerable position when I first became Heda. Roan and I were forced into a deception."

"Deception?" Lexa cautiously asked.

Clarke nodded. "Nia wanted us to form a romantic bond but Roan and I had other plans. When we got our tattoos, we secretly chose to form the bond of brotherhood. It's a rarely taken oath and bond, but we needed to secure the alliance between our clans. We needed something strong enough to overcome the hatred between them." She shrugged. "It wasn't a popular match of course but I think it has served our clans well. We couldn't have the benefit without forming some kind of bond but I was fourteen at the time to his twenty-two. Of course, the largest issue has always been children. Nia wanted a romantic bond so that she could control my children. As Heda I am not permitted to have children. I house the spirit of the Commander, a child I bore would be a threat to the authority of my successor. We are not a clan ruled by a family dynasty."

She considered how to continue. Lexa was a leader though, she would understand most likely. "A male Commander may have many children but never acknowledge or claim any of them. After all, you can never be sure that the child is truly his, as the child would not be protected by the implications of a bond. Since bonding is forbidden to the position. Roan on the other hand is the king of a familial dynasty. He must produce an heir or else his clan could descend into a civil war."

"So, you decided to form a false bond? Surely there was an alternative?" Lexa asked her face furrowed in thought.

Clarke shook her head. "Nia, the former kwin of Azgeda, wished to rule everything. She was a dangerous enemy. When I first became commander, I did not have the power to stand on my own. I needed her support and the support of her clan, but I could not risk her plans succeeding. For that she needed a claim to my throne. Her support, and alliance was predicated on my producing her grandchild. We avoided it by claiming the coalition too unstable for the risk required to carry and birth a child."

"But Roan is king now that must mean Nia is dead." Lexa pointed out.

She took a drink of her water. "Yes, and the coalition is more solid than it has ever been. Which is why the perception of our bond as more than that of brotherhood will have to be dispelled soon. Not yet. Your old clan will have to be dealt with first. After that, Roan will need to find a true bonded in the full meaning of the word."

"Why are you telling me this?" Lexa tapped the table. "I have nothing to do with this."

Clarke caught her eyes and held them. "Because if you meant it. If you truly want that type of a relationship with me, then the answer is not no. I can't right now. It's not yet."

-TLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLGTLG-

If Lexa could walk, she'd be walking on air. When she'd gone into the meeting, she'd been half convinced she was going to be strung up for unwanted advances on Clarke. Instead, she had a 'not yet'. That was… that was... It was more than she'd ever expected. Her buoyant mood was interrupted by the sound of arguing. The dulcet tones of Octavia meant she was going to have to get involved. As she approached, she spotted Octavia glaring at a boy who couldn't be more than twelve as they shouted at each other.

"You smug little shit!" Octavia spat.

The boy scoffed. "There isn't any pride in defeating one as weak as you."

Octavia darted forward, reaching for the front of his jacket. She didn't manage to grab hold. The boy dodged before throwing her over his shoulder. Lexa winced in sympathy at the sound of her back hitting the ground. Hopping along as quickly as she could, it wasn't long before she reached them. The kid laughed as he pulled his leg back for a kick. Lexa dropped one of her crutches and caught his foot with the end of the other. She swept it up sending him falling backwards with a sharp yelp of surprise. "Stop this!"

Octavia blinked up at her. "Lexa?"

The kid hopped up glaring at her. "How dare you! Interrupting a spar when you're not a mentor is forbidden!"

She looked down her nose coldly at him. "Kicking an opponent when they're down is forbidden as well." Turning her glare towards Octavia, she continued. "And you, attacking after a spar is finished because you lost?"

Octavia pulled herself up, looking mutinous. "He's an arrogant little bugger. I wouldn't have attacked him if he had kept his mouth shut."

"You have no right to criticize me." He puffed up his chest.

Lexa stared at him. "Who are you that you speak to your fellow seconds like that?" She leaned against her one crutch.

He gaped at her in disbelief. "I'm Josh, second to Ryder and one of the blood."

Octavia was vibrating with fury. "That doesn't mean you can make fools out of us, you little snot."

Lexa spoke slowly. "I was watching the sparring before I was called to meet with Heda. It looked to me like Josh here has been purposely fighting less experienced but older seconds, to make himself look better and then running his mouth? I'm guessing that despite knowing this you still decided to fight him. You then lost said fight, and lost your temper as a result?"

"...Yes." Octavia met Lexa's eyes a bit shamefaced.

"You know better than to let people bait you like that Octavia. Grab my crutch. Then you're going to be spending your free time with Raven working on whatever ambitious project she's got going on. Clearly, you can't be trusted to spar unsupervised." Lexa turned to the kid. "And you are going to tell your first what you've been doing and accept whatever punishment he assigns you."

"You don't have the right to order me." Josh snapped while crossing his arms across his chest.

Lexa accepted her crutch from Octavia. "O, go. I have this." She waited till O was gone before returning her attention to the young nightblood. He didn't seem to like being ignored. "I'm not your superior."

Josh brushed the dirt off his black pants from where he'd fallen. "Then back off unless you want me to have you whipped."

"I may not have the authority to order you. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do what I say. I'm sure you'd rather tell your superior how you've been behaving than have him find out through other means." She stared at his face as her words hit home. It hit her then that he looked scared. Lexa didn't know the kid, and she didn't know a lot about what it meant to be a nightblood other than what little Clarke and Jod had told her. Still, he reminded her of the scared kids on the ark. The ones she had tried to cover for so that they didn't get themselves sent to the skybox. "You'd be wise to tell him yourself."

"Or what? You're just another Skai idiot." He turned on his heel to march off. The clear voice of Clarke rang out, halting him in his tracks.

"Josh!"

Lexa snapped her head over her shoulder to see the woman she hadn't heard approach her. Clarke was focused on Josh and her face was open in a way Lexa wasn't used to. It was also shocked and horrified. Lexa hopped to the side so she wasn't in the middle.

"Clarke." Josh bit his lip as he shifted his weight between his feet. "I..."

"I expected better from you." She scolded, her voice was full of motherly disappointment. It sent a shiver down Lexa's spine and reminded her of her own mother scolding her.

He dug his toe into the dirt, his head bowed. "I was just sparring."

"We both know that's not true." She reprimanded. "You have completely disregarded two of the three pillars of the Commander. You have shown no compassion. These Skai children have only been training for a short while. They need to be taught, not humiliated. You have also shown no wisdom. A leader depends on the loyalty of those who follow them. Do you think any of these Skai children you have mocked will come to your aid? Go beyond simple orders to protect your back?"

"No." Josh mumbled while facing the dirt.

Clarke stared at him for a long minute before continuing. "The Skai gona you were just scoffing at is Lexa kom Kongeda. She is the second of Jod. You only just arrived but surely you've heard the title Wangona?" She rested a hand on her hip. "Without her the mountain would still stand, our people trapped inside of it. You dismissed her without a thought."

He looked up at Lexa wide eyed before staring down at the ground again. "It won't happen again Clarke."

"You're right it won't. If I hear of this happening again I will send you back to Polis." The threat rang out. She waited till it had sunk in properly. "For now go and inform Ryder of what you have been doing. Tonight, I expect you to report to my tent where we will be having a long discussion."

He nodded fast as possible. "Sha." Then turned and took off, presumably to look for his first.

Lexa watched Clarke for a moment before speaking. "Thank you for intervening."

She looked at her curiously. "I forget sometimes how new you are to Kongeda. Josh and those who bleed black like him are raised in Polis by the Commander." She gestured at herself. "He is my responsibility. I thought I had taught him better than that."

"Ah." Lexa shifted her weight on her crutches. "They start acting out around that age."

Clarke winced. "Unfortunately. I don't know what got into him. He's never acted like that before."

"He struck me as scared and trying to hide it." Lexa shared. "He's a kid, it'll happen."

"You seem oddly familiar with children's behavior." Clarke remarked looking at her curiously.

She shrugged. "We were packed pretty close on the ark. There were always multiple people underfoot. I used to watch out for the kids. A single moment of acting out and they could end up in our prison if the wrong person saw."

"You protected them." Clarke said.

She nodded. "They were just kids."

"That does not surprise me. You have a protective spirit." Clarke smiled softly at her.

Lexa's heart fluttered at the sight. Clarke really had the most beautiful blue eyes she thought as she stared at them. Her fingers itched to reach out and touch her. The moment was broken by cries of shock. They both turned, trying to see what was happening. Lexa saw it first. She grabbed Clarke's forearm and then pointed up.

Streaking across the sky was the massive structure of the ark. What could have prompted them to bring the ark down? The ark was not built to come to the ground. As they watched in horror, it crashed to the ground.