Ontari knocked on the door and waited for Raven to answer before opening the door. She looked up from the papers in her hand and smiled. "Hey, Commander, wasn't expecting you until later."

"I thought we could discuss what you've learned over supper."

"Sounds good." Raven gathered her papers and began to move like she was getting out of bed.

"Has Nyko cleared you?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "He hasn't been here yet."

"Then you stay in bed. I will move things to make it easier for you."

"Don't you have people for that?"

Ontari shrugged. "I will be right back."

She returned a minute later with one of the tables from the common room. She slid it up Raven's bed so it would be comfortable for her, then pulled it toward the center of the room so there was room for a chair. She moved one there and took a seat. "Food will be here soon. What have you learned?"

"I can do what Clarke wants. I need some things from Arkadia, though."

"You will have them. I will send riders tomorrow."

"They won't know what I'm looking for," Raven protested.

"Who will?"

"No one. I need to go."

"We can send Murphy."

"Murphy doesn't know his ass from his elbow when it comes to tech."

"Your assistants," Ontari suggested.

"I need to go. If the machines I need aren't still there, I'll need to scavenge what I need to build them."

"You will have guards."

"If you insist."

"I do. You must be safe."

"I'd like to visit my friend Octavia, too. She's with Trikru."

"You may send a messenger."

"I'll leave as soon as Nyko lets me out of bed."

"We will speak with Klark first."

"Right," Raven sighed. "What's the end game here?"

"End game?"

"What is it that's supposed to happen when all of this is done?"

"Heda Leksa says that she will return from the City of Light with Klark to be Fleimkepa."

"What?"

"That is what she says, and what we work toward."

"You know that sounds crazy."

"Is it possible?"

"I don't know," Raven said after a few seconds.

"You read the words of Beka Pramheda."

"Yeah, but there's nothing in there about resurrecting the dead."

"Perhaps what you need is at the City of Light."

"Maybe."

Two raps on the door halted their conversation. Ontari went to the door, and stood back to allow their food to be delivered.

They were nearly finished eating when Nyko came. He stood and waited. When they were finished, he and Ontari moved the table so Nyko could examine Raven and massage her leg and back. When he finished, he told Raven, "You may return to work tomorrow as long as you do not overexert yourself."

"Thank you," Raven said. "Can I get up now?"

"Sha, but not for long. You still need to rest. Heda, I will help you return the table."

"Mochof, Nyko."

Together, they returned the table to the common room without anything moving from it. Nyko gathered the dishes and took them when he left. Raven came out to find Ontari setting up the chessboard. They were deep in a second game when Clarke and Murphy returned. They both said good night to the women at the table and retired to their rooms. When the game and the subsequent discussion of it was over, Raven and Ontari, too, went to bed.

100 – 100 – 100

Clarke and Murphy went to training the next morning and spent two hours attempting to beat back the attacks of the warriors Alba recruited to work against them. They had the occasional success, but spent much of the morning being beaten to the ground. Neither of them talked on the slow walk to the Tower when they finished.

Clarke dropped into a seat at the table while Murphy went to clean up. It took him longer today, but he left as soon as he was able. Clarke spent longer than usual in the tub, and Ontari waited with breakfast and the morning's work. They went through the pile of messages together. When they finished, Ontari told Clarke some of what she and Raven discussed the night before. "Raven says she must return to Arkadia. I will accompany her. She says there is still much tek at Arkadia."

"What does she need?"

"I do not know, but she was adamant that she must be the one to go."

"Before she goes, we need to talk."

"Tonight?"

"I need to talk to Skaikru tonight."

"Tomorrow, then. She and Murphy can stay so we can talk, and you and I can do what we must after."

"Sounds like a plan."

"I must go. The Nightbloods wait."

Clarke smiled. "Have fun."

Ontari smiled back. "We always do."

When Ontari left, Clarke sat with a pen and paper. She started by writing her regular report to Roan. That finished, she got a fresh sheet of paper.

"We owe you so much. I owe you so much, yet I must ask for your help again. Skaikru needs a place to call its own. Arkadia is not safe. Trikru does not trust us. The goodwill earned from the end of the Mountain was destroyed by the massacre of their army, and I doubt Skaikru will ever be welcome in their lands again.

"A second piece of the Ark landed in Azgeda. I think Skaikru could make a home there, if you are willing to give them some land. There aren't many of us left, but it's important that we stay together. Ontari said she will allow us to leave Polis and relocate if you approve.

"That's what I'm asking, that you give Skaikru a chance. The people in charge there will be my people. They aren't interested in anything except having a home of their own. If there's something you want in return, we'll do our best to provide it."

Clarke read what she wrote before signing it. She sealed it and placed it with her other report so the messenger would get it. She sat at the table for a few minutes before deciding she needed some air.

Clarke quickly walked to the stables. Her horse was ready a few minutes later, and she and two guards left through Polis' main gate. When the traffic on the road cleared out, Clarke gave her horse its head and leaned forward as they raced down the road. For a few minutes, she had nothing on her mind except the freedom of her ride. It was wonderful, but all good things end. The horse tired and slowed, and Clarke's thoughts turned to what she had to do. Everything could go wrong, moment by moment and it would take only one of them to bring everything crashing down.

Clarke realized, finally and for the first time, that she was alone in this. Everyone around her, everyone with her, couldn't make the decisions she needed to make, wouldn't agonize over the choices. The weight of Skaikru's trust, of Lexa's belief, of Ontari's reliance and Roan's faith was heavier than her other burdens. Any one of those things could take her to the ground.

She took a deep breath, and another, and one more before she turned her horse back toward Polis. She had things to do, and they waited long enough.