Chapter 16

Raven was sitting at the table eating breakfast. She didn't know who made it, but she didn't really care. It tasted good and it was so much better than rations. She was just finishing up and washing her dishes when Palla came in. She watched the older brunette as she grabbed some bread and some sort of spread. She smiled at her.

"Morning," Palla addressed her.

"Morning," Raven answered.

"Hey, there is a set of rooms just next door. I think we labeled it with an 'E' and then the room across the hall with a 'C.' I need you to look at something for me."

"You want me to look at something?" Raven asked her.

Palla reached into her pocket and pulled a set of keys. She tossed them at Raven, who caught them with her wet hands. She looked at the keys and then back at Palla.

"What are these?"

"Keys to those rooms."

"Keys?"

"Yes, they allow you to lock the rooms and you now are the only one with full access until you make more keys."

"I know what keys are, Palla, but why?"

"I think you'll figure it out when you check out 'E.' Everyone else should be in soon for breakfast. I'm heading to the 'Pins.' You can join them if you want, but I think that you'll like what you find behind those doors, Raven. Have fun with it and don't be scared to just be. In a few weeks, I'll need you to buckle down. For now, just do what you want with what you have," Palla said grabbing her toast and leaving.

Raven stood there staring at the keys in her hand. She cocked an eyebrow and smirked as she saw the rest of the group coming in for breakfast. She put the keys in her pocket as she put her dishes in the drainboard. She didn't wait for them to sit and eat. She merely nodded and said some clipped greetings as she walked out into the breezeway. She stood in front of the door labeled "E." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the keys. She tried one in the door and it unlocked. She slowly pushed the door open.

"Hell, YEAH!" she shouted as she stepped into the rooms, not bothering to close the door.

She walked over to a desk with tools laid out. There was tech and stuff everywhere. There were plenty of things for her to tinker with. It was an Ark mechanic's dream. She pulled out a stool and grabbed a tablet. There was so much stuff here she didn't know where to begin.

Indra looked more tired than normal, but she didn't say anything as she sat next to Madi for breakfast. Clarke and Octavia were in the kitchen pulling something together for them all. Echo and Bellamy sat down together. Looking over at Indra, they began to ask her about people from Wonkru that would be good for guards. Madi couldn't help but smile. They were going to make this work.

They all stopped when they heard Raven yell from somewhere else in the building. Abby came shuffling in and sat down, looking them all over. They seemed happy and relaxed. She couldn't find fault with anything that she'd seen or read yet. But, like Clarke, Abby was waiting for the other shoe to drop. She didn't want to get too comfortable only to end up suffering horribly later. This wasn't the Ark. This wasn't Earth. And, they still didn't know how everything worked.

"YES!" they all heard Raven yell from the set of rooms next door. This time they all, but Madi, got up to investigate. Echo lagged when she noticed that Madi didn't move. She turned to look at her only to find Madi eating with a very smug smile on her face. Realizing that the little Heda wasn't in danger, she followed the rest of them out of the mess area to find Raven behind a door labeled with an "E."

"Raven?" Clarke asked as she came inside and stopped just behind Raven at the desk reading a letter.

"This is all mine?"

"What?" Clarke inquired looking at Raven like she had two heads.

"Palla gave all this to me," Raven told her as she handed Clarke the note that Palla had left on the desk.

Clarke quickly skimmed the note. Palla had given Raven a whole area to tinker in and things to tinker with. The other set of rooms had computers and it was set up to be there command center. Palla had given her first dibs to play with everything. It would be another way for them to talk to the ship and prepare for everyone to come down. It would also be where they would plan out things for their settlement. Raven hadn't been in the other room yet. She was too excited to see what all Palla had managed to get her to play with in her "Engineering Bay."

"She's already set up engineering?" Clarke asked as she looked around the room at the tools and all the stuff.

"Seems that way," Raven answered as she dropped a tool and stood up to grab another one.

She leaned over and tinkered with her brace, slightly. She tested it and shrugged and then dropped the tool back on the desk. Stepping away, she moved towards Madi, who was in the doorway just smiling.

"Mochaof, Little Queen," she told her.

"I didn't do anything."

"You've been talking to her. You told her things. She's trying to help us by giving us things we miss. I am going to have so much fun in here."

"Do me one favor, Raven, though," Clarke told her as she actually felt herself smile.

"What's that?"

"Try not to blow us all up," Clarke replied.

"Come on. We need to eat and then find Palla," Octavia told her. "She has more for us."

They all went back into the mess and ate. Bellamy and Abby stayed back to clean up. Madi ate quickly because she wanted to see what other surprises Palla had for them. Octavia wasn't sure she was ready for anything. She still didn't feel like she deserved it. Clarke had been talking to her at night, just as much as Palla and Madi had tried, but for some reason, it made more sense coming from Clarke.

"Where are we supposed to meet her?" Madi asked.

"The 'Pins'," Octavia answered.

"What are the pins?" Echo questioned.

"It's their training ground," Clarke said with a worried look on her face.

They made their way out of the barracks building and down the walk to a big grassy field. The left of the field was a large building. It looked just like the barracks building but it was only open on the ends. Next to it were some fenced off areas, but they didn't see Palla there. Continuing towards the building, however, they noticed another field pinned off. There was no grass and just some split rail fence closing off the area. As they all approached, they could see Palla standing in the middle of the area.

She wasn't wearing her tank top any more. Octavia could see it laying across a fence post. She was surprised at the brightness of the red sports bra Palla was sporting until she realized that she had taken off her boots and socks. They were leaning against the same post. Her hair was down. It was the first time that any of them had seen it that way. Octavia couldn't help but understand why she had it cut some dramatically underneath the layers of braids and ponytails that she usually wore as Palla's thick and wavy locks flew around her head with her movements.

Her eyes were closed. Her movements precise and fluid. There was a rigidity to them, but it wasn't robotic or forced. It was smooth and transitional. Her feet moved across the earth as if she was part of the ground. Her hands swayed and twisted like she was tree in the wind. The sun caught the very subtle red highlights of her dark hair as it kissed her pale, freckled skin. And for the first time, tattoos were visible as she continued to almost dance to a non-existent song, but possibly to the song of nature that only she could hear.

Raven had finally come out of her rooms and joined them. She stopped at the rail as gobsmacked as they were. Palla was beautiful and kind, but to see this side of her, they didn't know how to process it fully. Raven looked across the fence line and saw the small tablet like phone that Palla always carried with her. And, Raven being Raven, hacked into it to find out that she was listening to music. Raven cut the feed to the earpieces that she must be wearing and turned the volume up, before she found out there were speakers hook into the building beside them. Then, she rerouted the sound there, just loud enough to broadcast for them to hear it at the "Pins."

When Palla heard the music beyond her ear buds, she took them out and placed them in her pocket. She turned to find them all staring at her. Octavia had taken the initiative and jumped the rail. She taken off her boots and her own shirt, leaving her in a tight tank as she approached Palla.

"What was that?" she asked quietly.

"What was what?" Palla replied.

"That movement that you were doing?"

"Show me," Palla demanded.

Octavia tried her best to mimic some of the movements that she saw. Palla watched her with a smile. She reached out and corrected Octavia a few times. Always nodding when she got it right, she pushed her further and further until Octavia had a series of complex moves perfect.

"Good. Again," Palla told her. "Don't stop. Continue from one into the other."

Octavia did as she bade. Circling her arms and moving her feet as she had seen Palla do. This time once, she realized that Octavia had the movements, she moved closer to her and took up an entirely different stance. Octavia wasn't sure what it meant, but she kept her eyes on Palla as she moved.

"Again," Palla instructed.

This time as she moved, Palla attacked.

"Don't stop."

For every movement that Octavia did, Palla was there. Each time that Palla would start to attack, however to counter Octavia, Octavia would block and counter first. There was a strange ebb and flow in their movements, almost like a dance as they continued to move around each other, striking and blocking.

"Holy shit!" Raven stated.

"What?" Madi asked.

"She's turning a fight into a dance. She's teaching Octavia how to fight their way, but it looks like a dance. Like all she was doing to the music was fighting something that wasn't there."

They all looked on in awe. Palla and Octavia kept moving. And, for a split second, Clarke could see the old Octavia coming thru. She no longer felt the weight of the bunker on her. She was free to be the warrior and the woman that she wanted to be.

"Good. Good," Palla called out to her as they kept moving. "Keep up your guard. Don't drop your hand or your leave an opening to get hit."

Octavia didn't take her advice and on the next set of moves, Palla landed a punch. She immediately dropped out of the dance they were doing and moved to Octavia's side. She turned her head and examined her jaw. She touched it and made sure that it was broken.

"Will you teach me?" Octavia asked her.

"Sure," Palla answered.

"Does it help fight off the darkness?"

"Every morning at sunrise," Palla quipped with a smirk.

Octavia knew what she meant. It helped. And, she was to be in the "Pins" at sunrise for practice.

During there small exchange, they didn't notice Echo and Clarke jumping the fence to get to them. Madi, Indra and Raven were soon to follow. Clarke came up short and turned Octavia's head. She looked at her jaw and then into Octavia's bright green eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, Clarke. Let it go. She warned me about dropping my guard. It's my fault."

Clarke just looked at Palla. The darker haired warrior just stared back. She'd pulled the punch somewhat when she realized that Octavia wasn't going to block it. She hadn't meant to hit her in the face, but she couldn't stop the attack completely. But, she was glad that Octavia learned from it.

"Are you ready for your gift?" Palla asked Octavia.

Octavia gave her a strange look, but nodded. She motioned for her to follow. They walked, still barefoot, across the dirt to the building. Palla reached out and opened four doors, that they couldn't make out in the paneling, to reveal four caballos.

"I can't give back time or people, but I hope that this helps you find the freedom you seek here," Palla told her as she moved to the red caballo in the middle of the four.

"Her name is Fotia."

"Fo te ya?"

"Close enough," Palla said with a quick laugh.

"What does it mean?"

"Fire."

"Does it fit?"

"Oh, yes, she is one of my prized war caballos. She's served me well. She has a hot temper and loves a good fight. That's how I know that she'll be perfect for you."

"For me?" Octavia questioned as she moved closer to the caballo.

"Yes, for you."

"Why?"

"I know she isn't Helios, but she does have the same fire."

Octavia reached out and touches the caballos nose. As she tries to hide her smile from the all, Octavia is watching Palla. She can tell that there is something in her eyes that she recognizes. There is something behind her friendliness that is deadly and Octavia wondered if she should be worried.

"Listen. Don't worry. She is yours. I just ask that you help me care for them all."

"Sha, sha," Octavia replied quickly. "Yes, I will help care for them."

And, that was when Clarke saw it. Palla was truly accepting them as part of her people. She could see it in her dark eyes. She wasn't just trying to make them comfortable. She was trying to make them feel like that were at home.

"And, Echo," Palla started as she moved down to the next caballo. "This is Svathimmel. And, he shall be yours."

"Thank you, Palla," Echo stated as she moved up to the horse. "He is beautiful."

"He is magnificent. Don't worry, the rest of you will get caballos soon. Hrathgar will be bringing some more by the end of the week, with more supplies. But, first we must address who is coming down next and who will be going to fetch them."

"How many gifts are going to give us, Palla?" Octavia questioned her.

"As many as it takes for you to believe that you are here, now, at peace. That you are free. That this is your home and you can be whatever you want to be."

"Thank you," Octavia told her barely above a whisper, but it was enough for Palla to hear it.