Clarke walked to Titus' room and knocked. The guard opened the door for her when Titus called for her to enter.

He looked surprised to see her. "Good evening, Wanheda. Do you require something from me?"

"I'd like to talk, if you have time."

"About?" he asked, and gestured toward the chairs.

She sat down and waited for him to sit before asking, "Will you tell me about the commander spirit?"

"Why?"

"I want to understand."

"I will not share that with you."

"Have you chosen a trainee?"

"No. I suggested Aden, but Heda said his destiny is to be a general."

"Huh."

"Heda said she will choose one from the Natblida."

"How were you chosen?"

"Fleimkepa Aren chose me."

"So you didn't participate in the Conclave?"

"No."

"Did you continue to train?"

"Everyone is trained to fight, Wanheda."

"What else did he teach you?"

"I learned what all Natblida are taught, and the things the Fleimkepa knows."

"Are all the Fleimkepas male?"

"No."

"So it's a judgment call? To pick one with the right temperament?"

"Sha. Must also be smart. Patient. Willing to study. There is much studying."

"To learn the rituals?"

"And history."

"How much history?"

"Everything since the world ended."

"You know all of that?"

"Sha."

"Will you tell me about that?"

"No. Much of it is about the first heda."

"What's so special about the Natblida?"

"The natblid is the mark of a future heda. All Natblida are to come to Polis for training when they are discovered. Only Natblida can hold the flame. It will kill others."

"Do you know that for a fact, or is it something that's been passed down?"

"Long ago, a clan leader killed heda and demanded the flame. It was given to him, and three days later he jumped from the tower."

"So it didn't kill him directly."

"It caused him to jump. Another attempted it later with the same results."

"How many hedas have there been?"

"Eighteen."

"That's like five years each."

"Most did not last that long, and there were years without while we searched for the next."

"So Lexa was an anomaly."

"Anomaly?"

"An exception."

"Sha. She was heda longer than any in my lifetime."

"Do you think Ontari will succeed?"

"Is that your wish?"

"I wish for peace, Titus."

"We have peace, Wanheda."

"Only as long as Ontari can keep it. I ask again, do you think she will succeed as heda?"

"No," Titus answered after a long pause. "She was trained for battle, not leadership."

"You don't think she can learn?"

"She can."

"But."

"No buts. She may survive a no confidence vote, and she may survive a challenge, or many challenges, but it will take much for people to overcome fear of Azgeda. They will not trust her."

"How can we help that to happen?"

"It takes time, Wanheda. You know that."

"Sha."

"Will you be patient?"

"I'm trying to."

"It is not your strength."

"No," Clarke agreed. "It never has been, but I'm doing the best I can."

"You need to do better."

"You, too."

They looked at each other for many seconds. Titus blinked first. "I have much to do."

"I want to be part of the training. I don't care about your religion, but I care about your history."

"No."

"Sha," Clarke answered firmly. "It's not a request." She stood up and left without giving him a chance to respond.

She used the stairs, not wanting to alert Ontari with the noise of the lift. Everything felt like a fight, and she was tired. Clarke tried not to think of what she wanted most, but grief overcame her and she dropped tiredly on the cool concrete step. She leaned against the wall and let tears come.

Clarke heard Lexa well before she heard Ontari's soft steps on the stairs. Ste yuj, Klark. Soon, we will be together again soon. Ai hod you in, Klark. "Time for bed," Ontari said quietly while she put her arm around Clarke.

Clarke let Ontari help her up. She shrugged Ontari's arm from her shoulders. "Not tonight."

Sha, Klark. We will keep you safe. Ontari kept pace while Clarke continued down the stairs to her floor. They went to Clarke's bedroom. Clarke sat on the bed and removed her boots. She laid down and stared at the wall while Ontari settled in bed behind her. For the first time, Ontari respected her obvious desire to be left alone. She stared at the ceiling, steadied her breathing, and closed her eyes.

It took Clarke longer to drift off, and when she did, Lexa pulled her into an afternoon they might have had. Everything was vivid to Clarke, but nothing more than the relaxed smile that reached deep into Lexa's green eyes. She leaned back on her hands and watched Clarke sketch her, smiling at Clarke's focus on her task. It grew whenever Clarke looked up, and became larger when Clarke allowed herself to be distracted. She knew Lexa was humoring her, but they deserved a few hours alone together after tiresome hours of meetings. There would be more of them when this interlude ended.

The next time Clarke looked up, Lexa was inches away. She felt her warm breath, smelled the oils in her hair, the leather of her pants and boots. Ain.

"Sha," Clarke answered and set the paper and charcoal aside. "Ain."

Feva en otaim.

Clarke woke hearing Lexa's voice. I vow fealty to you, Klark kom Skaikru.

Ain = Mine
Feva en otaim. = Forever and always