p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa thought Clarke was asleep, but Clarke's soft, "You worry too much," proved otherwise./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You should not have done that."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Who else was going to shut him down? He wasn't listening to you."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He will not be satisfied."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"That's his problem." Clarke moved closer so she was partially on top of Lexa. "And I don't wanna talk about him."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Klark," Lexa sighed./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Uh huh." Clarke kissed Lexa's shoulder and continued, moving up her neck./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa turned her head so they could share a kiss and shifted to bring Clarke closer. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Two hours later, they both slept deeply./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="center"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Despite the long night, Lexa woke early. She and Clarke were still tangled together. Times like this were rare, and Lexa used it to catalog the changes to Clarke's body. While she was still soft, Lexa could feel muscles whenever Clarke moved. Roan's idea to train her to fight was another thing she would thank him for. Until last night, she worried less about Clarke's safety./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa knew Lander, though. He was petty, vindictive, and misogynistic. He would certainly seek some kind of revenge for Clarke embarrassing him before his peers. She could only hope Clarke would take the threat seriously. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Everyone else in the room had treated Clarke, Raven, Murphy, and even Abby with respect. Not the barely concealed disdain they usually had for Skaikru, but true respect. Lexa wondered whether they noticed. Murphy probably did, but the others were unlikely to see the difference. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She hadn't asked Fair about Clarke, but the girl volunteered a great deal and it was obvious Fair admired her for refusing to back down to Titus. Fair knew now why Clarke acted as she did then, but at the time, with Lexa gone, she was the only one to stand up to him. Lexa didn't hear him through the chip; she silenced him by telling the others what he did. Titus now skulked in the shadows and tried unsuccessfully to curry favor with them./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The rest of the Natblida were different now, too. Lexa was sorry she didn't see their deep unhappiness while she was alive, but they held no grudge against her for that. She could see that they were happy now despite the difficulty of their physical and mental training. The biggest difference between Lexa and Titus was that she remembered they were children and allowed them time to play and grow. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Things were easier because the peace she made still held. Ontari held the Coalition together. Although Ontari gave credit to Roan, Clarke, and Marcus, she made the choice to listen to them. Lexa wondered whether she would ever know what was said to get Ontari to abandon the cruelty that was all Nia taught her./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke began to wake and Lexa smiled. This was as close to free as they would get. They would always owe a duty, would always serve, but together it was easier./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="center"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Skaikru filled the hall. It was time to vote and they spoke quietly to each other while they waited for Miller to finish his speech. "Hands up to leave," he concluded, counted twice, wrote the number down. "Hands up to stay."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He wrote that number down, too, looked around, nodded. "I'll let Clarke know. Get breakfast and get to work."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="center"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Raven rested comfortably in Ontari's arms. Since she returned, their relationship solidified. Raven was happy. It felt good after so much drama and uncertainty. The only thing that truly annoyed her was her leg. No matter how many times she visited the healers, it always hurt. The brace was as comfortable as she could make it, but it was heavy. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She read and reread Bekka Pramheda's journal while she tried to make her decision. She knew the nanites multiplied in Clarke's blood until she became one of the natblida. She'd seen Clarke heal nearly instantaneously from small injuries, but there was nothing that indicated whether a pre-existing condition could be healed. Raven was leaning toward accepting Ontari's offer to find out./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Awake so soon?" Ontari asked softly./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Apparently."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Is something wrong?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Do you really think your blood will help?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I would not offer otherwise."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"OK."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"OK?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"After breakfast."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"OK," Ontari agreed with a smile./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 - 100 - 100/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy was surprised to see Clarke at the training ring. He thought she might take the morning off, given the night before. She was yawning when she saw him, shrugged, and apologized. Murphy waved it off, and they went to work. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Alba continued to direct them, and the three of them were too busy to notice the sudden crowd around the ring. Murphy was first to see them. "Son of a bitch," he muttered, and alerted Clarke and Alba. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They subtly looked around, and Clarke growled when she recognized Rock Line gona from the designs on their armor. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They ignored the audience and continued to practice. When they finished, Clarke made a sarcastic bow toward them. The guards parted at the gate, and Lander marched in. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke wanted to roll her eyes. If Lander thought he could intimidate her, he needed to think again. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I demand an apology," he announced./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke looked at him. Murphy and Alba each took half a step back but stayed at Clarke's sides. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You," Clarke pointed, "made an ass of yourself last night. Your apologies were false, and no one cares about your demands. Move."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You do not know who you insult, girl."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke laughed, and heard Murphy suck in a breath. Although she couldn't see him, she was certain his hand was on the hilt of his weapon./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lander lost his temper and charged Clarke, drawing his sword as he approached. Alba and Murphy stepped aside. While Murphy watched Clarke, Alba watched the crowd. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"When Lander was close enough, Clarke took half a step to the left and stuck out her foot. Lander went down and scrambled up, swearing as he did. Clarke didn't need to understand the language to know what he was saying. Before he neared again, Clarke asked, "You sure you want to do this?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I will kill you, bitch."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Get in line." Clarke raised her sword and beckoned him to attack. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke used every trick she had learned to keep him at bay. Lander's rage made it easier, as he did not think clearly. They were on their second trip around the ring when Ontari ordered them to stop. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke was willing to end this peacefully. All she had done so far was parry his attacks, but when he ignored Ontari, she stepped up her game. Lander was soon on his back, his sword far beyond his reach, the tip of Clarke's at his throat./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Wanheda," Ontari warned./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke removed her weapon from Lander's throat and took a step back. He reached out and grabbed her ankle, tripping Clarke, and attacked her with punches and kicks. She did her best to return the favor from her side as Murphy and Alba separated them. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Ontari was furious. She marched to Lander, who was restrained by Alba. A quick glance showed her that Clarke and Murphy stood out of the way but close enough to help if they were needed. She would not. After a slight nod, Alba released Lander. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Explain yourself," Ontari demanded. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lander said nothing and mulishly looked at Ontari. She had not yet proven herself to him, and he would not acknowledge her. Ontari waited, staring intently at him. A minute passed, and another. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Fine. For your disrespect before all and because you attacked Wanheda, you are banished."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Angry mutters came from the Rock Line warriors. Ontari turned her attention to them. "One more sound and you will go with him."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke approached Ontari. "Heda, Lander is a fool, but he has done nothing to deserve banishment." She lowered her voice. "He has no heir. Rock Line will destroy themselves trying to find their next leader."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Ontari didn't acknowledge Clarke. "Murphy, Alba, take him to the cells. Wanheda, with me."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The Rock Line warriors sullenly let them pass. As soon as they thought they couldn't be heard, they began talking./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa intercepted Clarke and Ontari when they neared the Tower. She saw Murphy and Alba roughly marching Lander around the Tower. "What happened?" /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Nothing," Clarke and Ontari said in unison./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He attacked you," Lexa guessed. "Are you hurt?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I'm fine. But he's a problem, and now there's a detachment of pissed off Rock Line gona here."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I banished him," Ontari volunteered./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa groaned./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I told her," Clarke said./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"So what do we do?" Ontari asked./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I don't know yet," Lexa answered. "We will discuss this over supper."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Return to the Natblida," Ontari instructed./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha, Heda," Lexa answered, inclining her head toward Ontari before leaving. She glanced at Clarke, worry on her face, as she turned to go./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"As soon as they were alone on the stairs, Ontari asked, "What happened?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He showed up when Murphy and I finished our morning routine and tried to start more crap. I wasn't having it."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Ontari sighed. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I didn't do anything except keep him from hurting me."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You were within your rights to kill him."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"It wouldn't accomplish anything positive."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Ontari sighed again, and they continued to the Azgeda suite in silence. Clarke greeted Roan before heading to bathe. Ontari sat at the table across from him. Murphy came in and looked from one to the other. "Clarke?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Bath," Roan answered./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy nodded and took a deep breath. "Lander fought going into the cell," he told Ontari. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Does he live?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha, but he'll have a sore head."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"What did he do?" Roan asked./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Attacked Clarke in the training ring."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Roan guffawed, and Ontari threw him a dirty look./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"My apologies, Heda," Roan said. "He has always been an impulsive fool."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke says removing him will cause problems."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"And Lexa?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She said we will discuss it at supper." Ontari sighed again. "I will be glad when they are gone."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Roan hid a grin behind the report he was reading. "What are your plans today, Heda?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I had none until this came up."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Do not worry over it," Roan counseled. "Lexa knows him. She will find a way to settle this."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy heard Clarke exit the bath and excused himself. By the time he finished, breakfast was spread across the table. He tried to leave, but Clarke asked him to stay. Ontari, still annoyed, left them with Roan in favor of breakfast with Raven in their quarters. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Tell me what happened," Roan asked Murphy while they ate./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy told Roan how the gona showed up first, how Lander tried to make Clarke attack him, and how she embarrassed him in return. "Clarke two, Lander zero," he finished./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I'd like to think he's smart enough not to return for round three, but I doubt it," Clarke added. "And Lexa is pissed at everybody, so that will be fun later."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I didn't do anything," Murphy protested./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I'll tell her," Clarke assured him. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You should not have done that."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Who else was going to shut him down? He wasn't listening to you."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He will not be satisfied."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"That's his problem." Clarke moved closer so she was partially on top of Lexa. "And I don't wanna talk about him."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Klark," Lexa sighed./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Uh huh." Clarke kissed Lexa's shoulder and continued, moving up her neck./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa turned her head so they could share a kiss and shifted to bring Clarke closer. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Two hours later, they both slept deeply./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="center"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Despite the long night, Lexa woke early. She and Clarke were still tangled together. Times like this were rare, and Lexa used it to catalog the changes to Clarke's body. While she was still soft, Lexa could feel muscles whenever Clarke moved. Roan's idea to train her to fight was another thing she would thank him for. Until last night, she worried less about Clarke's safety./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa knew Lander, though. He was petty, vindictive, and misogynistic. He would certainly seek some kind of revenge for Clarke embarrassing him before his peers. She could only hope Clarke would take the threat seriously. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Everyone else in the room had treated Clarke, Raven, Murphy, and even Abby with respect. Not the barely concealed disdain they usually had for Skaikru, but true respect. Lexa wondered whether they noticed. Murphy probably did, but the others were unlikely to see the difference. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She hadn't asked Fair about Clarke, but the girl volunteered a great deal and it was obvious Fair admired her for refusing to back down to Titus. Fair knew now why Clarke acted as she did then, but at the time, with Lexa gone, she was the only one to stand up to him. Lexa didn't hear him through the chip; she silenced him by telling the others what he did. Titus now skulked in the shadows and tried unsuccessfully to curry favor with them./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The rest of the Natblida were different now, too. Lexa was sorry she didn't see their deep unhappiness while she was alive, but they held no grudge against her for that. She could see that they were happy now despite the difficulty of their physical and mental training. The biggest difference between Lexa and Titus was that she remembered they were children and allowed them time to play and grow. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Things were easier because the peace she made still held. Ontari held the Coalition together. Although Ontari gave credit to Roan, Clarke, and Marcus, she made the choice to listen to them. Lexa wondered whether she would ever know what was said to get Ontari to abandon the cruelty that was all Nia taught her./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke began to wake and Lexa smiled. This was as close to free as they would get. They would always owe a duty, would always serve, but together it was easier./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="center"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Skaikru filled the hall. It was time to vote and they spoke quietly to each other while they waited for Miller to finish his speech. "Hands up to leave," he concluded, counted twice, wrote the number down. "Hands up to stay."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He wrote that number down, too, looked around, nodded. "I'll let Clarke know. Get breakfast and get to work."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="center"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 – 100 – 100/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Raven rested comfortably in Ontari's arms. Since she returned, their relationship solidified. Raven was happy. It felt good after so much drama and uncertainty. The only thing that truly annoyed her was her leg. No matter how many times she visited the healers, it always hurt. The brace was as comfortable as she could make it, but it was heavy. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She read and reread Bekka Pramheda's journal while she tried to make her decision. She knew the nanites multiplied in Clarke's blood until she became one of the natblida. She'd seen Clarke heal nearly instantaneously from small injuries, but there was nothing that indicated whether a pre-existing condition could be healed. Raven was leaning toward accepting Ontari's offer to find out./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Awake so soon?" Ontari asked softly./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Apparently."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Is something wrong?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Do you really think your blood will help?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I would not offer otherwise."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"OK."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"OK?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"After breakfast."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"OK," Ontari agreed with a smile./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"100 - 100 - 100/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy was surprised to see Clarke at the training ring. He thought she might take the morning off, given the night before. She was yawning when she saw him, shrugged, and apologized. Murphy waved it off, and they went to work. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Alba continued to direct them, and the three of them were too busy to notice the sudden crowd around the ring. Murphy was first to see them. "Son of a bitch," he muttered, and alerted Clarke and Alba. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They subtly looked around, and Clarke growled when she recognized Rock Line gona from the designs on their armor. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"They ignored the audience and continued to practice. When they finished, Clarke made a sarcastic bow toward them. The guards parted at the gate, and Lander marched in. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke wanted to roll her eyes. If Lander thought he could intimidate her, he needed to think again. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I demand an apology," he announced./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke looked at him. Murphy and Alba each took half a step back but stayed at Clarke's sides. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You," Clarke pointed, "made an ass of yourself last night. Your apologies were false, and no one cares about your demands. Move."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You do not know who you insult, girl."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke laughed, and heard Murphy suck in a breath. Although she couldn't see him, she was certain his hand was on the hilt of his weapon./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lander lost his temper and charged Clarke, drawing his sword as he approached. Alba and Murphy stepped aside. While Murphy watched Clarke, Alba watched the crowd. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"When Lander was close enough, Clarke took half a step to the left and stuck out her foot. Lander went down and scrambled up, swearing as he did. Clarke didn't need to understand the language to know what he was saying. Before he neared again, Clarke asked, "You sure you want to do this?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I will kill you, bitch."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Get in line." Clarke raised her sword and beckoned him to attack. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke used every trick she had learned to keep him at bay. Lander's rage made it easier, as he did not think clearly. They were on their second trip around the ring when Ontari ordered them to stop. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke was willing to end this peacefully. All she had done so far was parry his attacks, but when he ignored Ontari, she stepped up her game. Lander was soon on his back, his sword far beyond his reach, the tip of Clarke's at his throat./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Wanheda," Ontari warned./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke removed her weapon from Lander's throat and took a step back. He reached out and grabbed her ankle, tripping Clarke, and attacked her with punches and kicks. She did her best to return the favor from her side as Murphy and Alba separated them. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Ontari was furious. She marched to Lander, who was restrained by Alba. A quick glance showed her that Clarke and Murphy stood out of the way but close enough to help if they were needed. She would not. After a slight nod, Alba released Lander. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Explain yourself," Ontari demanded. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lander said nothing and mulishly looked at Ontari. She had not yet proven herself to him, and he would not acknowledge her. Ontari waited, staring intently at him. A minute passed, and another. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Fine. For your disrespect before all and because you attacked Wanheda, you are banished."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Angry mutters came from the Rock Line warriors. Ontari turned her attention to them. "One more sound and you will go with him."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke approached Ontari. "Heda, Lander is a fool, but he has done nothing to deserve banishment." She lowered her voice. "He has no heir. Rock Line will destroy themselves trying to find their next leader."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Ontari didn't acknowledge Clarke. "Murphy, Alba, take him to the cells. Wanheda, with me."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"The Rock Line warriors sullenly let them pass. As soon as they thought they couldn't be heard, they began talking./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa intercepted Clarke and Ontari when they neared the Tower. She saw Murphy and Alba roughly marching Lander around the Tower. "What happened?" /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Nothing," Clarke and Ontari said in unison./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He attacked you," Lexa guessed. "Are you hurt?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I'm fine. But he's a problem, and now there's a detachment of pissed off Rock Line gona here."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I banished him," Ontari volunteered./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Lexa groaned./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I told her," Clarke said./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"So what do we do?" Ontari asked./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I don't know yet," Lexa answered. "We will discuss this over supper."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Return to the Natblida," Ontari instructed./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha, Heda," Lexa answered, inclining her head toward Ontari before leaving. She glanced at Clarke, worry on her face, as she turned to go./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"As soon as they were alone on the stairs, Ontari asked, "What happened?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"He showed up when Murphy and I finished our morning routine and tried to start more crap. I wasn't having it."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Ontari sighed. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I didn't do anything except keep him from hurting me."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"You were within your rights to kill him."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"It wouldn't accomplish anything positive."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Ontari sighed again, and they continued to the Azgeda suite in silence. Clarke greeted Roan before heading to bathe. Ontari sat at the table across from him. Murphy came in and looked from one to the other. "Clarke?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Bath," Roan answered./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy nodded and took a deep breath. "Lander fought going into the cell," he told Ontari. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Does he live?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Sha, but he'll have a sore head."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"What did he do?" Roan asked./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Attacked Clarke in the training ring."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Roan guffawed, and Ontari threw him a dirty look./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"My apologies, Heda," Roan said. "He has always been an impulsive fool."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Clarke says removing him will cause problems."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"And Lexa?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"She said we will discuss it at supper." Ontari sighed again. "I will be glad when they are gone."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Roan hid a grin behind the report he was reading. "What are your plans today, Heda?"/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I had none until this came up."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Do not worry over it," Roan counseled. "Lexa knows him. She will find a way to settle this."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy heard Clarke exit the bath and excused himself. By the time he finished, breakfast was spread across the table. He tried to leave, but Clarke asked him to stay. Ontari, still annoyed, left them with Roan in favor of breakfast with Raven in their quarters. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Tell me what happened," Roan asked Murphy while they ate./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left"span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"Murphy told Roan how the gona showed up first, how Lander tried to make Clarke attack him, and how she embarrassed him in return. "Clarke two, Lander zero," he finished./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I'd like to think he's smart enough not to return for round three, but I doubt it," Clarke added. "And Lexa is pissed at everybody, so that will be fun later."/span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I didn't do anything," Murphy protested./span/span/p
p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.1in;" align="left""span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"span style="font-size: medium;"I'll tell her," Clarke assured him. /span/span/p