For all that Lexa wanted to immediately return to Polis, she acknowledged that she physically could not. She worked toward that goal with Clarke beside her every second. At first, everything exhausted her and Lexa spent a lot of time sleeping. While she slept, she learned all that she needed to know from the other fleimkepas, but deliberately stayed away from Titus.

Clarke was loathe to leave Lexa, even when she slept, but slipped out to get updates from Raven about the City of Light. What Raven told her stunned Clarke.

Digital versions of everyone who accepted a chip were stored there. The dead went about lives they no longer had, even the ones that were killed in their visit. The others acted as they had under the influence of the chip. Raven talked about the facilities present and absent in that world. Despite Raven's efforts, A.L.I.E. broke free and tried to rally her digital army. It was a futile effort, given how few of her followers still lived in the real world. Raven controlled the drones and kept them flying a patrol that would give them plenty of warning of anyone's approach.

"What happens if we shut down all the servers when we leave?" Clarke asked.

"We lose the ability to bring anyone back."

"Why wouldn't we want to do that?"

"There's no one you want to see again?"

"The only ones there are people who took the chip, right?"

"Yeah."

"I need a list of everyone that's in there, and we'll decide what to do after that."

Raven picked up several sheets of paper and handed them to Clarke. "Figured you'd ask that."

"Thanks." Clarke took the papers. "I'll be back later."

Clarke walked into the other room, where Lexa was finishing her physical therapy. She was stronger now, able to sit, stand, and walk short distances. Clarke watched her work with improvised weights, holding them and moving her arms in different ways.

When Lexa finished, she drank a glass of water before approaching Clarke. Clarke always smiled as she drew near. "What is that?" Lexa asked.

"We'll talk about it outside," Clarke said.

They walked at Lexa's pace, which increased each day. Outside, they didn't go far. There was a small alcove out of the wind that still received sun, and they sat there, Clarke's back to the wall, Lexa between her legs.

"I am still weak as a newborn foal," Lexa complained.

"You're getting stronger. A week ago, you couldn't walk out here with me."

"I wanted to. I missed the sun, almost as much as you." Lexa picked up one of Clarke's hands, turned it palm up. She pressed the heels of their hands together, turned Clarke's hand again so she could see that her fingers were still a bit longer than Clarke's. "Your hands hold much power. You do so much with them that others cannot."

"Oh?" Clarke leaned forward and lightly rested her chin on Lexa's shoulder.

"You draw beautiful things. You help those who are injured or ill. You set my body aflame."

"We won't talk about what yours do to my body until you're strong enough to do it. Deal?"

"Sha, Klark. I am happy to be in your company. It is what I missed most."

"Me, too," Clarke answered and turned her head to kiss below Lexa's ear. "You're starting to smell like yourself."

"Hmmm." Lexa pressed back a bit more. "You have not mentioned the papers yet."

"It's the people in the City of Light."

"May I see?"

"Sha. I need to decide whether any of them should come back."

"You would do that?"

"If necessary." Clarke skimmed the first page. "These are all Skaikru. No." The second page was Skaikru, as was the third. On the fourth, Clarke saw Emori's name, and names from there on were grounders. When she finished, Clarke folded the pages in half. "There's no one we need. Raven can shut it down. Want to walk?"

"Sha." Lexa got to her feet. It took longer, but she managed it on her own, and when she looked to see why Clarke hadn't risen, saw her smiling. Lexa held out her hand and Clarke took it.

100 – 100 – 100

Lexa grew stronger every day. She did all the exercises Abby prescribed, and when they were finished, walked, ran, and trained with Clarke. She pushed herself, but Clarke prevented her from pushing too hard.

At night, they lay together and talked about the return trip to Polis. Neither wanted to speculate about what might happen. In any case, Lexa and Ontari had settled the basics long before the voyage to the City of Light began.

After two months, Lexa decided and Abby agreed that she was strong enough to travel. Murphy and Clarke spent most of the last days there helping Raven shut everything down. To ensure there was no way for A.L.I.E. to resuscitate itself, they shut down power at every breaker box and removed the individual breakers. There was no way for any power that went to them to be re-routed anywhere.

Raven took one last walk through the building to make sure she didn't leave anything behind. Her guard waited patiently at the entrance. When she exited, they closed the doors together and walked down to the pier.

Clark hopped from the boat to the dock when she saw them coming. Raven got on board with a bit of help, her guard behind her. Clarke untied the bow line and tossed it aboard and hurried down the pier to free the stern line. She tossed it and jumped on the boat.

Clarke, Lexa, and one of their guards stowed the lines while Murphy got the tug underway. That job done, the guard went to his bunk. Clarke and Lexa joined Murphy in the pilot house.

100 – 100 – 100

The trip back to Polis was more sedate than the trip away. Raven and Abby had come to an understanding, so there were no arguments. The weather made it miserable, though. They sailed through rain, sleet, snow, and rain again. Everything was damp, all of the people chilled.

Clarke and Lexa split piloting time with Murphy so they didn't have to look for places to dock at night. They sailed close enough to shore to see landmarks. The few clear nights were bitterly cold, but their continued movement through them meant they would return sooner.

100 – 100 – 100

When they were close enough, Clarke scanned the dock with binoculars, but saw no one. "That's weird," she said softly.

"What?" Murphy demanded. He was ready to get off the tug and sit in front of a fire drinking until he was warm.

"No guards." She handed him the glasses and held the wheel while he looked. Murphy handed the binoculars to Lexa when he was done. She slipped outside the pilot house to look carefully at the surrounding area.

Lexa gave orders to all the guards before returning. "I do not like it," she said.

"Everything looks fine in Polis," Clarke pointed out. The flame at the top of the tower burned brightly, indicating Ontari's presence.

"Heda said she would leave a guard," Murphy answered.

Clarke nodded and ducked out of the pilot house. The guards were strategically located around the deck, bows ready for use. She nodded as she passed them on her way below decks. She slid down the ladder and almost ran into Raven.

"Might be trouble," Clarke told her.

Raven sighed. "We'll stay down here until it's clear," she answered.

Clarke nodded and turned around. She went back to the pilot house. As she climbed the ladder, she felt the engines slow. Clarke stayed low as she reached the main deck and hurried to the pilot house.

"No change," Lexa reported.

The atmosphere remained tense as they got closer to the dock. When Murphy slowed the engine to near idling, Clarke returned to the deck. She shouldered the stern line and when she was close enough, jumped from the transom to the pier. She wrapped the line around a post a few times and secured it before jogging toward the bow. Clarke caught the line the guard threw. As she fastened it, she heard a noise and quickly finished.

Something not identifiable sped out of the woods toward them. Clarke and everyone who was armed took aim at it. The thing slid to a stop near the dock with a familiar sound. A small head poked out through the roof, then disappeared.

The thing suddenly grew in size. Clarke held her bow and waited.

The Natblida tumbled out, shrieking in delight, and raced for the boat. Their guards, realizing it was safe, hurried to put their weapons aside. Ontari got out last and approached the dock at a more sedate speed.

Clarke smiled when she saw her, then laughed when she realized that the thing was Raven's rover. In the time it took to catch her breath, the Natblida were aboard the tug. Lexa watched from the pilot house.

"Not gonna say hi?" Murphy asked.

She didn't answer. She was too busy just looking at them, seeing how much they'd grown in the months of her absence. They looked healthy and happy, a little wild maybe, but given what Clarke told her about Titus, it was for the best that they didn't spend time with him.

"Heda," Clarke greeted Ontari, and inclined her head.

"Klark! You are back!" Ontari hugged her tightly. "You look well. Did it work?"

"Dokwocha!" One of the Natblida screamed, pointing at the pilot house.

They all wheeled to look. Lexa took a deep breath, then stepped out of the pilot house. Except for one, the Natblida backed up as one organism while Lexa took the ladder to the main deck. Aden stood in the middle of the younger ones, eyes fixed on Lexa. When she reached the deck and turned to face them, he studied her for several seconds before deciding to trust Clarke.

He made his way through the others. "Heda?" he asked hoarsely.

"Fleimkepa, Aden, not Heda."

He launched himself at her, and Lexa staggered back but remained upright. She hugged him with one arm and stroked his hair. Soon, the others neared, and Lexa went down on the deck from their weight.

Clarke and Ontari made their way around the bodies on the crowded deck and descended the ladder. Clarke stepped aside so Ontari and Raven could have a brief reunion, then climbed the ladder again, Abby following.

Lexa was still mobbed by the Natblida. While Abby got off the tug, Clarke found an out of the way spot to watch from. Lexa looked for her once, gave a brilliant smile when she saw Clarke, and let the Natblida take her attention again.

100 – 100 – 100

Raven was thrilled to see Ontari and happy that she used the rover while they were gone. She sighed as she approached it. "What did you do?"

"Camouflage," Ontari answered as if it were obvious. She turned her head and gave a loud whistle. The Natblida reluctantly left Lexa to answer their Heda's call. They formed up, the smallest in the front rank. "Explain," she said to them.

Aden began, but every one of the Natblida contributed. The rover's color made it too easy to see. They tried paint, but it wouldn't take. Boiled glue did, though, so they used to it attach moss, and leaves to the body. Every one of them contributed somehow to make the rover look like a hulking beast. They looked at Raven expectantly.

She shook her head and smiled. "Good job, junior hedas. Dismissed."

They smiled proudly, but stayed in rank until Ontari nodded her approval of Raven's order.

While the Natblida continued their reunion with Lexa, Clarke huddled up with Ontari, Raven, and Murphy.

"I don't want word of this getting to Titus before Lexa's ready to face him."

"The Natblida are very resourceful," Ontari said proudly. "I am certain they can get her into the Tower without anyone knowing."

"Good. We can meet in my rooms and decide how to proceed."

The Natblida worked so quickly that Lexa was waiting when the others arrived. The Natblida had raided the kitchens on their behalf, and when Ontari arrived, she sent Murphy and one of her guards to bring beer and wine.

What was meant to be a planning session quickly became a celebration. After a few hours of eating, drinking, and congratulating each other, Ontari left and took Raven with her. Clarke and Lexa retired to Roan's room, where Clarke's things still were. Murphy pulled his chair close to the fire, stoked it, and kept drinking.

dokwocha: something that watches from the shadows; a ghost
Definition from trigedasleng dot info