Clarke woke to Ontari comforting her.

"Shh, you're safe, Klark, it is just a dream."

"I'm awake," she answered hoarsely, and opened her eyes. It was still dark, and the dream was vivid, the dead at Mount Weather around her while she knelt beside Lexa's body. Clarke tried to get out of bed, but Ontari held her tightly. "Let me go. I need some air."

"You need rest. Dawn is still many hours away."

"I don't want to sleep."

"Then rest your body."

Clarke wanted to argue. She didn't want to sleep, didn't want to face whatever her brain dredged up next, but Ontari wasn't going to give in. Clarke tried to relax her tense muscles and regulate her breathing. She stared out the window and tried to think of something that would relax her. The things that once did now made her angry and sad. In their place, she had confusion and uncertainty. She understood the draw of the City of Light. What it offered was tempting. What she was doing now would never stop. There would never be at time when the needs of her people – not just Skaikru, but Trikru and now Azgeda – didn't come first. If she and Ontari succeeded in keeping the coalition together, the other clans would have a claim to her, as well.

What she needed or wanted mattered less than ever. She might find an occasional day to call her own, but her responsibilities would always stay in the back of her mind. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to fix things in Arkadia and come back to Lexa.

Instead, Arkadia was finished, her friends dead, Lexa dead, Raven and Octavia gone. Clarke felt hollow much of the time, stripped to her essentials. It was good that she had so much to do because she didn't know what would happen if she had to feel all of it.

Ontari slept again, but held Clarke tightly. She set off another whole chain of thought and feeling that Clarke had no idea how to handle. In many ways, she was like Lexa, and since seeing and hearing Lexa through Ontari, Clarke wasn't certain how much of Ontari's thoughts and actions were her own. She wondered why Lexa was quiet tonight. She thought Lexa would have something to say about Clarke's visit to Titus, and immediately scolded herself. She couldn't have it both ways. Either Lexa was gone and remained silent, or Clarke had to accept her constant presence. She was still undecided which she preferred.

Ontari shifted and let go of Clarke. She eased out of bed and dressed again. She grabbed her satchel and closed the door behind her.

There was already a pile of dispatches on the table, and Clarke looked through them quickly before she left the suite. She wanted some fresh air, to get out of Polis for a few hours. The stars were beginning to fade when Clarke rode through the gate, two guards trailing her.

Instead of riding toward Arkadia and TonDC, Clarke went the other way. She stayed on the road and turned right when she reached a crossroad. The road soon turned into a path through a forest, and Clarke felt like she could breathe again. She didn't realize until she was in the trees how much she missed just being outside hearing the breeze move through the leaves and the other sounds always present in the woods.

She took a little time to just sit on her horse and listen before turning back to everything that waited.

100 – 100 – 100

When she finished training, Clarke went to her mother's room and knocked on the door. Even though she was dirty and sweaty from the workout, she knew that once she started her day with Ontari, there would be no time to tell her about Raven.

Abby opened the door and when she saw Clarke asked, "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. Harper and Monroe brought Raven to me last night."

Abby stepped aside so Clarke could enter and closed the door. "Is she ok?"

"No, she's not ok. Whatever that chip is doing, it's not good. She said someone called Allie sent her here to find out where the other pieces of the Ark landed."

Marcus entered the room. "Allie is the A.I., Clarke. John told us about it."

"They're holed up in Arkadia, and are going to move to Farm Station soon."

"So it doesn't know everything," Marcus said quietly.

"Looks like." Clarke looked at her mom. "Do you think an electrical shock will have any effect on the chip? I was thinking maybe you could hit it directly with some power and see if it disengages."

"Clarke, that's dangerous."

"Those chips are dangerous. Raven forgot things, Mom. She never forgets anything. Like I said, start with Sora. If you can get those chips out of them, we can use their help. Especially Raven."

"You'll have to help since you don't want anyone else knowing about them."

"I'll find some time, but I don't know when. It depends on what Ontari has planned."

"Meetings with two more ambassadors," Marcus said.

"Clarke, are you sure you know what you're doing with her?"

"I'm trying to keep the alliance alive so we have time to figure everything else out."

"Personally, Clarke."

"I'm doing the best I can, Mom."

"I'm worried about you, honey."

"You don't have to be. I'll be fine. I have to go. Marcus, we'll be in the Azgeda suite if you want to join us in a couple hours."

"I'll be there."

"Thanks. Bye, Mom, I'll find you when I have time."

"Clarke," Abby began, but Clarke was gone. She turned to Marcus. "You see what I see with them, don't you?"

"I do, but you need to let them work it out."

"This was so much easier when she was younger," Abby sighed.

100 – 100 – 100

Ontari wasn't in her suite when Clarke returned, but she was at the table with breakfast when Clarke finished bathing. Clarke sat beside her, and they slowly went through the reports while eating. They were still working on them when Marcus came in.

Clarke and Ontari finished with the reports, and the three of them discussed the day's meetings. They were no different than the others. These ambassadors hadn't asked to meet so Clarke hoped they had no issues. This time, Ontari spoke with Marcus when he reminded her how to handle the meeting. Clarke smiled and Marcus praised her.

The cheerful mood ended when Ontari asked, "Where is the girl who came in last night?"

"Locked up with the rest of the chipped Skaikru," Clarke answered.

"Can she not work with the chip?"

"It's not like the ones you and Titus have. It messes with her memory. All Raven knows now is that she wants to be in the City of Light."

"Why is she here?"

"The A.I. sent her to find out where the other pieces of the Ark landed."

"I can ask the ambassadors."

"No. It's safer if we don't know. Raven did say they're holed up in the Ark right now, and will be moving to Farm Station soon. I suggest you send extra troops to both locations and have them keep scouts on the watch for them. If you can catch them, maybe we can put an end to this idiocy."

"Clarke, if they are captured, we can't let Ontari or Titus near the A.I. Their chips are obviously different than the others. John said she wants them."

"Probably upgraded source code. This is why we need Raven." Clarke looked at Ontari. "I need some time to help my mom try to remove one of the chips."

"We will speak with her tonight."

"I'll talk to her," Marcus volunteered. "How many more meetings after today?"

"Four more krus," Ontari answered.

"So two days."

"Sha."

"On the third, Clarke and Abby can work on getting the chip out of Sora, if that's satisfactory to you, Heda."

"Sha, Marcus."

"I'll tell Abby tonight so she can prepare."

"Have you heard Lexa?" Clarke asked.

"She is angry that you spoke to Titus alone."

"So she's taking it out on you?"

"And you."

"When did you talk to Titus?"

"Last night. He's still a jerk, but he might have listened to me."

"What did you say to him?"

"In the interest of him possibly getting along with me, I'd rather keep that between me and him."