Chapter 30

Palla sat in the common room on the couch. Ferre was beside her. Lex and Sprite were playing with some toys on the floor. She watched them and smiled. Ferre reached out and took her hand.

"Don't be mad at Clarke for this, Sor. She's worried about you and her people. You can see it in her eyes that she is grateful for what you've done for her people, especially Octavia."

"I know that. Madi has said as much as well. She is beyond grateful, but she also understands why Clarke is hesitant about things. If I had been through what they have, I would be, too. She is still doing everything that she can to make sure that her people survive."

"And you?"

"I am, too," Palla answered.

"You are still sacrificing yourself though."

"I know. I don't know any other way. I would bear it all, so she doesn't have to when she gets older, Ferre. It isn't fair for her. It isn't fair for any child that is to become Fio," Palla told her.

"Has Balt started her training?"

"No, I won't let him. I know that she needs it, but ..."

"You are still thinking about your promise to Tamma?"

"Wouldn't you? I promised that I would never take the mantle. If I won't do it, why would I submit Lex for it. She is my daughter. Sure, she isn't Tamma's, but I can't help but think that Tamma sent her to me," Palla answered. "That hasn't stopped Balt from trying though. I know that he keeps her after Schule to work on things with her. She's smart and quick witted. She's perfect to be Fio, but I don't want her to take the mantle either. It is a lonely life. She shouldn't be punished for her blood."

"She won't be. You know that most in the village love her like their own. They are happy that you have her, though, Sor. You know that everyone in the Village loves her. I know that it surprised them that you took her in. It is known that the Fio takes all the foundlings, but you'd lost Tamma. I am glad that you took her. You are so good with her, but Clarke was right," Ferre told her.

"How so?"

"You need to spend more time with her," Ferre urged.

Palla looked like she'd taken a hit. She knew that they were both right, but things lately had been so chaotic that she wasn't sure what to do. She loved Lex. She always had, even when she was a little toddler running around the farm. She was scared for her, though.

"I am afraid that she'll be a target, Ferre."

"I know. I know, Sor. I know that is why you keep sending her to us. She looks enough like us to be ours, but if the Praha attack, we both know that won't be enough. Hrathgar and I will defend her like she is our own, but the Praha won't care. You know this. They are merciless when they attack."

"That is why I want her as far away from this as I can keep her. This shouldn't be my life, but it is. This isn't going to be her life if I can help it," Palla stated.

"I know that, Sor."

Lex looked up at her with her bright green eyes. Palla closed her eyes and prayed to Eligius that whatever was coming wouldn't touch her. She knew that Clarke and Madi would help defend them, but she wasn't sure that she had the right to ask them to help with a new war. She smiled down at her daughter.

"Thetos?" Lex asked seeing the worry in her eyes.

"Yes, Lexi?"

"Everything okay?"

"Yes, Lex, it's good," she lied.

She had no idea how things were going. She'd spent too much time at the barracks because she wanted Clarke and her people to be settled quickly. She hoped that Imber and Balt were still preparing the Village for winter and whatever else she asked for, but she wasn't sure that they were keeping up with it. And, now with the attack on herself and Octavia in that clearing...she tried to push the thoughts from her head. She was afraid that war was on the horizon and she didn't want one. She'd fought enough and long enough to have the peace they shared. She could only speculate what was to come and she didn't like it. If it did come to war...

She heard doors open and close outside her apartment. She turned and looked to the wall, glancing at clock on the wall. It had been a few hours since Clarke sent her up to spend time with Lex and her little family. Indra and the hunting party should be back by now. Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought. She looked back at Ferre and then wanted to slap herself for being so naive.

"She rode without me, didn't she?" Palla asked Ferre.

"If she's anything like you, yes, she did," Ferre answered.

She let out a sigh and looked at her daughter. She closed her eyes again and prayed that Hrathgar was protecting Clarke and whoever she took with her. Ferre reached over and placed a hand on her knee.

"Go see Raven or Madi. I am sure they know what is going by now. Clarke isn't a fool. I am sure she took a comm with her."

Palla shook her head and then asked, " Are you sure?"

"Go. We'll have dinner here, together, tonight. And, tell Hrathgar, he'd better make it, too," Ferre stated.

Palla stood up. She leaned down and kissed her daughter's head. Then, she reached down and ruffled her hair.

"I'll be back for dinner. I promise. Be good and help Aunty Ferre, Lexi. And, keep Sky out of the kitchen. I'll bring him a treat later," Palla told her.

Lex jumped up from where she was sitting. She wrapped herself around Palla's legs. Ferre could see how much Lex loved Sorcha and when Sorcha leaned down to pick up her daughter, she saw the love in her dark eyes.

"Love you, Thetos," Lex told her as she hugged Palla around the neck.

"Love you, too, my little foundling."

Palla gave her a big squeeze and held her. Ferre could see her take a quick sniff of her neck. It was something that she did with Sprite. It helped her remember why she fought so hard to keep the water flowing for the Village. Sprite was the picture of innocence and her reasoning for making things better. She absentmindedly rubbed her stomach. And, so was the coming of Tammon. She saw the tears forming in Sorcha's eyes as she lowered Lex back to the floor and head for the door. Palla and Sorcha, while being the same person, were just a juxtaposition of emotions that Ferre wasn't sure that Sorcha would survive it if something happened to Lex.

Raven entered the clinic. Madi and Abby looked up at her from the back room. Madi could see it in her face. Something was bothering the engineer, but she wasn't sure if she should tell them.

"Where's Clarke?" Abby asked her. "She's supposed to help me process some cultures from Octavia's blood samples."

Raven looked wounded as she slowly continued to move. Madi could see it then in her eyes. Clarke had gone off to do something, probably out of her sense of duty or just plain stubbornness, but there was something more. She looked down at Raven's leg. She was hobbling more and dragging it a little more. Madi didn't say anything. She knew that Raven would say something when it became a real problem. Madi assumed that it was from the way they were all taking turns staying with Octavia at night. Madi had learned to curl in the chair to doze a little, but Raven didn't have that luxury with her leg and the brace. Raven met her eyes. Madi just cocked her head, but she nodded, knowing whatever Raven was going to say was going to upset them both.

"She rode out with Hrathgar and Echo," Raven told them.

Madi shook her head in acknowledgement. At least, Clarke had taken protection. And, she was sure that if Raven knew where they were going that Raven also made sure that Clarke had weapons on her and some sort of communication device.

They both watched as Abby took Octavia's vitals. She placed her hand on Octavia's forehead in a motherly gesture. Then looking back at Madi, she gathered some things and left them to the room alone.

"When while they be back?" Madi asked her.

"She hopes tonight."

"And, Bellamy and Indra?"

"Caught an elk and are dressing it for smoking to store it for winter," Raven said as she continued to the small room Octavia was in.

Madi nodded along. She could see that Raven was in pain, but that she wanted to tell them news. She watched as she looked back at Octavia. Raven was worried about the warrior.

"She's strong, Raven," Madi told her.

Dark eyes met blue. "She is."

"She'll wake soon enough. Her body needs rest. But, she is strong. She will wake and then she will want to beat us all for worrying so much about her," Madi stated.

"She will," Raven said as smile crept on her face.

"Sit."

"Huh?"

"Sit, save your leg. You're favoring it again. Have Abby look at it," Madi told her.

"It's nothing."

"Raven..."

"I have nerve damage, Madi. Nothing has changed. I have to live with the pain. The brace helps."

"But, it isn't enough," Madi commented as she gave her a pointed look.

Raven was about to answer when they both heard Octavia moan. Their attention diverted, Raven moved slowly towards the bed and took a seat. She reached out to touch Octavia, but as she moaned again, she pulled her hand back not wanting to hurt her. She could still the wounds. They were healing, but they were still oozing. She couldn't imagine what Octavia was going through at the moment.

"O?" she questioned as she leaned forward.

I can hear you, Raven. Gods...why does it burn so much? Get Abby!

"I'll go get Abby," Madi told her as she got up and walked out of the room.

Heda!

"I really want you to wake up, O. I can't keep Clarke inline by myself. And, don't even get me started on Bellamy. Clarke would have killed him if she'd been the one to beat him. It was a blessing that she Echo."

This is my punishment for everything. This burning fire in my blood. AHHHH! ABBY!

"Come on, O. Stop scaring us and wake up. You should have seen what Clarke let Indra do to Bellamy. It wasn't pretty, but I have to say that he deserved it. I pretty sure that Clarke would have done it herself if she wasn't so worried about getting to you. As it was, Palla didn't let her go."

Clarke? Make it stop. Please, I'm sorry. I forgave you and you forgave me. Why does it burn so bad?

"I want you to know that as soon as I see your beautiful green eyes I am going to tell you how angry I am for running off. Don't you remember how well that worked for Clarke. You know that running doesn't solve anything. Neither does pushing us all away. I forgive you, O. I forgave you a long time ago."

Raven...where's Abby? Please, get Abby. Help me.

"I am sorry that I never told you that. I am the reason that you were alone. We promised each other, all of us that survived the drop ship, that we would always look out for each other. And, then I went and got myself stuck in Becca's lab. It's my fault. I blame myself for it. If I hadn't called, if I hadn't been such a pussy and faced death like I should have, you would have had us with you..."

I forgive you, Raven.

"Damn it, O. I love you, okay? You can't leave us. Not like this. You have to fight. You have to wake up."

I am fighting, Raven. I've never stopped. But, the fire burns...

Madi came back in the room. Abby was following her. They could all hear the moans that Octavia was making. They were getting louder. Abby immediately reached for a needle of painkillers. As she administered the does, Madi leaned closer to Octavia ear.

Instead of whispering the words in to her ear, Madi told her loud enough for everyone to hear, "Yu gonplei nou ste odon. Ste yuj! Yu laik Okteivia kom Skaikru en Trikru en Wonkru. Beja nou bants. Beja Gonplei. Yu laik mi gona. Yu laik Wanheda sekken. Gonplei!" (Your fight is not over. Stay strong. You are Octavia of the Sky people and the Tree People and the One Crew. Please, don't leave me. Please, fight. You are my warrior. You are the Commander of Death's Second. FIGHT!)

"What do you say?" Raven asked her.

"I reminded her that it was her duty to fight because I command it. Her fight is not over and I want her to live. Octavia is a loyal soldier. She will fight. She will live," Madi said as she looked at Abby.

"She will live," Raven stated.

"She will, because I will not stop fighting for her," Abby told them both.