Ontari, Clarke, and Murphy left the walls to get something to eat. They headed for Raven's workshop. On the grass in front of it, the Natblida were busy eating. Lexa saw them coming and went to greet them. Ontari ignored her to look for Raven.
"Murphy, get something to eat," Clarke said as she walked to Lexa.
He shook his head and asked where the food was. Aden pointed at the baskets on either side of the workshop steps. Murphy pulled out sandwiches, delivered one to Clarke, and settled in the shade. He could see Clarke and Lexa, heads together, Clarke talking between bites, and hear Ontari and Raven's hushed conversation through the window over his head. Raven wanted to be on the walls, and Ontari wanted her safe with the Natblida. He figured it was a tossup as to which one would get her way.
Clarke finished eating and she and Lexa headed into the workshop. Lexa tapped Aden's shoulder as she passed him, and he followed them in.
There was a copy of the map up on the wall with the mines and traps marked. Some were crossed out, indicating that they had gone off. They stood around the map, talking, pointing, planning. Raven and the Natblida would continue to work as long as it was safe. If it became dangerous, Lexa would move them to the Tower. Overnight, Raven and a small crew of warriors would replace what they could in the inner belt.
Ontari sent out scouts, and reports flowed in. The enemy army was still cohesive, but smaller than it had been. One overheard chatter about an overnight attack and returned to Polis at top speed.
When they finished, Clarke and Murphy went to the Azgeda suite to rest. It was a wasted effort. Clarke was too amped up to sleep, and Murphy wouldn't as long as she was awake, no matter how many guards were outside the door.
The third time Clarke got up and paced, Murphy pulled her to the table and sat her down. He poured for both of them and handed Clarke her mug. She downed it in one go and held it out for a second shot. Murphy obliged and they slouched in their chairs to kill time.
A guard summoned Clarke to Ontari's suite for dinner. Murphy followed her up the stairs, half expecting all of the Natblida again, but it was only adults, so he joined the watch in the hall.
When he heard the arguments coming from behind the door, he was glad he wasn't in there. Lexa wanted to fight. Ontari wanted her to protect the Natblida. Raven insisted she would be wherever Ontari was. Clarke reminded Lexa that as Flamekeeper, she was responsible for the Natblida.
"Then you will join me, all of you," Lexa countered.
Clarke wanted to laugh. Instead, she leaned close and put her hand over Lexa's. "You know that's now how it works. You protect the Natblida, Heda protects everyone else."
Lexa looked at her and Clarke saw something that she couldn't define on her face. She glanced at Ontari and Raven, negotiating,
"I will be careful. I will do my best to protect Ontari. Murphy has my back and hers. I will find you when it's over, in the Tower with the Natblida," Clarke finished firmly. She raised Lexa's hand and kissed her knuckles. "I love you and I'm gonna do my best to come back and bring everyone with me."
Lexa put her other hand on Clarke's neck and pulled her head closer, until their foreheads met. "I have never been so afraid before battle before."
"What are you afraid of?"
Lexa eased the pressure on Clarke's neck so they could see each other. "You know."
"I just got you back. I'm not going anywhere." Clarke kissed Lexa quickly.
Lexa nodded slightly, and Clarke kissed her again, then turned her attention to the other couple. They had reached some agreement, and Clarke suspected Raven got her way from the look on Ontari's face. She made a mental note to talk with Ontari after the battle to explain ways she could counter Raven's arguments.
"Is there any coffee?" Clarke asked hopefully. "It's gonna be a long night."
"I have something," Raven said.
"Not those crappy speed pills from the Ark," Clarke said with disgust.
"No, it's tea. Works great, and the only side effect is that you'll crash big time when you stop taking it."
"Crash how?" Clarke asked, knowing Raven's propensity to experiment.
"Sleep," Lexa said quietly. "You will sleep for a day or more."
"I'll take some."
"It is on the walls. Water barrels, tea barrels, like we planned," Raven reminded them. "Two barrels together are drinks. Ammo barrels are single and there are more of them."
Ontari looked out the window. "Two more hours, maybe three," she guessed.
"See you on the wall," Clarke said, and stood up. "I have the south side," she said before Ontari could volunteer on the side from which they expected the greatest assault.
"The Natblida spent the day filling barrels with little throwable goodies," Raven told them.
"Can't wait," Clarke said.
She waited for Lexa, who stood in front of Ontari. "Take care, Heda. There is no one else."
"You as well, Fleimkepa." Ontari stood up and looked Lexa in the eye. As quietly as she could, she said, "If something happens to me, protect Reivon."
"Of course." Lexa smiled faintly. "She is Natblida."
"Mochof, Leksa."
"Whatever you need, Heda."
"Gather the Natblida and get them to safety when it is time."
"Sha, Heda." Lexa inclined her head and turned to leave.
After she and Clarke were gone, Raven demanded, "What was that?"
"What?"
"'If something happens,'" she mimicked.
"I do not think anything will happen, Reivon." Ontari approached her slowly. "You are Natblida, and the Fleimkepa watches all of you."
"I'm not a child, I do not fucking need Lexa kom Trikru to take care of me. I rebuilt the drop pod and got down here on my own. I blew a Trikru bridge and a bunch of warriors to bits. I told Clarke how to burn off the remaining fuel in the drop ship. Clarke, Bellamy, and I tore the fucking Mountain down. Do I sound like I need a keeper?"
"No, but you will follow Leksa after my death," Ontari answered firmly.
"That better be a long damn time from now."
"That is the plan," Ontari reassured her.
100 – 100 – 100
Clarke kissed Lexa goodbye on the second floor landing. "I'll see you soon," she promised.
Lexa held her tightly. She wanted more than anything to be on the wall with Clarke so she could protect the blonde. Clarke stayed in the embrace as long as Lexa needed. When they separated, Lexa nodded at her, resolve on her face. She watched Clarke move down the steps, but stopped Murphy when he tried to pass her.
"Watch her, Murphy."
"I will. You stay safe. She won't make it a second time."
Lexa nodded, but whispered, "Neither will I," when he was out of her sight. She took a few seconds to gather herself before heading to the Natblida dorm.
100 – 100 – 100
Clarke stopped in the pub, now open all the time, and got a few bottles of liquor. It was an immediate disinfectant, but more important now, it would settle nerves. Clarke handed two bottles to Murphy. He pulled a flask from somewhere and filled it. He tucked it away and emptied the bottle into a second flask, then handed it to Clarke.
They went up onto the walls and Clarke dropped her load next to the closest drink barrels. The bag was over her shoulder, as it always was, stuffed now with medical supplies. She walked the walls, Murphy behind her greeting the gona he knew, as they looked for Kemp. He was in the middle of the section of walls. "What's going on?" Clarke greeted him.'
"They will come tonight," Kemp said. "They are trying to make their camps look calm and full, but scouts say they are empty."
"Let em come," Murphy said.
"Sha, Murfee," Kemp agreed. "They will not fare well."
Both Clarke and Murphy snorted at the understatement. "Did you explain about Raven's barrels of fun?" Clarke asked.
"Sha, but they do not like like the idea. The explosions made them nervous."
"Those weren't really explosions," Clarke reassured him while Murphy looked away to hide his amusement. "When Raven wants stuff gone, you'll hear it all they way in Azgeda."
Kemp laughed. "We will see. If the others see us using them, they will follow."
"That's all we need." Clarke looked at the darkening sky and hoped Ontari's calls for backup were heeded. She was certain Floukru would come, and the Plains riders, but she wasn't sure where the loyalties of the rest lay. She suspected it wouldn't be sorted until after the battle.
100 – 100 – 100
The new moon meant that they had only the stars and torches for light. Clarke wasn't certain whether Lander was smart enough to order the attack then, but whoever planned it certainly took it into account.
Their warming was a muffled explosion and cries of pain as Lander forced troops through the barriers. Clarke stood, firing arrows, wondering where he got so many soldiers. It had to be his entire army, plus mercenaries. Clarke and the others picked off those who avoided injury through the first barricade and minefield.
As the enemy troops approached the second barricade, Kemp called for the archers to fire at will. It didn't slow the enemy approach much, but the second row of underground traps and mines destroyed those first through. Even through the racket, Clarke could hear Lander exhorting his army to do better. "Fucking coward," she muttered.
Lander's army continued to approach the walls. Clarke heard explosions from the north side, but couldn't pay attention to them. She moved beside a barrel. Murphy on the other side, and started dropping Raven's devices on the gona attempting to raise a ladder under her. Kemp ordered most of his troops to do the same, but held some archers back to keep firing on those advancing from the trees.
When things quieted on their side, Clarke got down and went to check on Ontari and Raven. The army on that side was more cautious, but it did them no good. The traps destroyed dozens. Archers killed many times more.
She gave them a hand for few minutes before Murphy got her attention. "Kemp wants us back."
"Go," Ontari ordered, so they did.
100 – 100 – 100
Clarke left the walls a few more times when things were quiet. The next time, she raced to the Tower. The Natblida were in the Fleimkepa's sanctuary, and crowded around Clarke to hear the news while she greeted Lexa. She told them about what she had seen, kissed Lexa, and ran back to the walls.
The second time, she went to check in at the hospital. Roan was still there, guards outside his door. He was awake, and the first thing he said was, "Your mother is more stubborn than you."
"Yup," Clarke agreed.
"She will not let me out of bed," he continued.
"Think you can stand?"
Instead of answering, Roan pushed the covers down with his feet and sat up on the side of the bed. Clarke stood in front of him. Roan was still heavily bandaged, but he had more range of motion than Clarke thought he would. When she was sure he was steady, she backed away. Roan followed her across the room and back to the bed. She showed him her index finger, asking silently for him to give her a minute
Clarke used that time to go to the door and instruct a guard to return with Roan's armor and weapons. He pushed the door open and pointed to a trunk in the corner, then pulled it shut.
Clarke dragged the trunk over to the bed. Whoever had cleaned Roan's things had packed them into the trunk in the order they would be needed. Clarke laid pants and a shirt on the bed. It took a few minutes but Roan got into them. He gave Clarke no indication of pain, so helped him into a leather under armor shirt.
When they finished, Roan was fully kitted out. He stood without help or wavering at the bedside.
"Let's go before Mom finds out," Clarke said.
Roan was relieved to find Murphy in the hall with the other guards. Murphy bowed his head to Roan. When he raised it, he said, "Good to see you."
"You, as well, but we must hurry." Roan walked away, leaving them no choice but to follow.