For the most part, Clarke Griffin's wedding goes according to plan, it's as exactly perfect as one would expect for the wedding between a newly crowned King and the Princess of a neighbouring kingdom. The gravity of the occasion escapes no one, this auspicious day would be remembered as one on which two nations with a long history of war forged a permanent peace through a marriage that would merge them into one great nation. It was meant to be the greatest achievement of their lives, and as such it was to be shared with as many people as possible. Instead of performing the wedding in the cavernous chapel behind the palace, the couple said their vows from a platform constructed atop the palace wall, allowing the thousands of citizens of Arkton to witness. Throughout the crowds footmen with megaphones relayed the vows so that everyone could hear.

Following the wedding, the royal couple would mount up to lead a parade through the city. Hundreds of troops dressed in the colours of both nations stood in the crowd, ready to force them back to make a path. Following the parade, the nobility would retreat to the palace for a great feast, whilst wagons bearing bread, skewers of grilled meat and barrels of wine rolled out into the streets to feed the city.

It was to be the greatest party in recorded history, one which the amalgamated council for the new nation assured them would appease the voices of dissent through the city. For as much the people wanted to see an end to the decades of war, uniting under one banner with the same people their fathers and grandfathers had fought and died against was a difficult proposition for many.

Clarke sometimes felt similarly. Her father King Jacob Griffin had died a year ago in one of the last battles of the war. King Jacob had been an advocate for peace, but when that failed to come about he led the Griffin army from the front and died as a result. Her mother had begged him to stay in the rear, protected by his guards. But Jacob refused to send men to die in his name if he wasn't also prepared to risk his life for the same cause.

It was for Jacob that Clarke ignored her mother's wishes and reached out to the Jaha family to forge this peace accord. Clarke had gone to negotiate the peace herself with Prince Wells Jaha. Whilst privately the Prince had expressed his desire to see peace, his father would accept nothing less than surrender. Clarke had ridden away from the talks feeling despondent, having failed to bring about her father's dying wish.

But a week later King Thelonius died, poisoned at his own table. Initially the Griffin kingdom was blamed, but the subsequent investigation found the culprit to be a cook in the Jaha palace kitchens. The woman had lost her husband and two sons to the war already, and her third son had just been drafted into the army in preparation for the renewal of hostilities.

After a three month period of mourning, King Wells Jaha rode into the Griffin kingdom to negotiate a lasting peace. There, he and Clarke decided that the best way to ensure peace beyond their time was to merge their kingdoms through marriage. Though she did not love Wells, Clarke liked and respected him for his like mindedness. In time maybe they would find love, but a marriage built on friendship was certainly more than most girls could lay claim to.

So Clarke left the Griffin kingdom, escorted by her own guards and a contingent of Jaha's soldiers led by Captain Bellamy Blake. Through her ladies in waiting Clarke learnt that Blake was highest ranked soldier to not come from a noble family. He'd made his name in the fighting as a ruthless leader, in his first battle against a Griffin army five years ago, his company was cut off and with many of its officers killed, Bellamy had taken command and fought back the enemy until reinforcements arrived. In the end, a hundred soldiers walked away from a battle in which they'd been outnumbered six to one.

Following that battle, the survivors were rewarded. Bellamy was made an officer and the entire company was transferred to the King's personal bodyguards. It wasn't enough to save Thelonius though, Clarke wondered if that was the reason why Captain Blake always looked so angry and bitter.

During the wedding planning Clarke remembered Bellamy fiercely opposing the location of the ceremony, and the parade afterwards. He called it an unnecessary security risk, insisting that the King did not have to risk his safety so that a bunch of peasants could bear witness. The peace would stand regardless. Wells had overruled Blake, dismissing his grave assessment of the unrest throughout the capital. They were about to make peace with their greatest enemy. The people wanted this, Wells insisted.

All these thoughts rushed through Clarke's mind in the moment her wedding was ruined.

One arrow was all it took.

One perfectly aimed, perfectly timed arrow. Just as Wells lowered his head to kiss his new bride, the arrow sailed through the air and through the King's neck, coming out his throat. Clarke stared at the arrow head that was literally right before her eyes, as the King's lifeblood splashed out over her wedding dress. Wells made no sound, but by then he was already dead, Clarke didn't need to look up at his vacant eyes to see that. As the King fell forward two armoured hands reached out and grabbed her arms, lifting her out of the way of the body. She was not set down, instead the arms carried her off the platform and down the makeshift stairs she'd just climbed minutes ago.

She could hear Captain Blake screaming orders to his men over the noises of the crowd and the cries of the nobility selected to witness from the platform itself. After a moment Clarke realised that it was Blake carrying her down the stairs as fast as he could move. He continued to carry her across the courtyard and into the palace. Clarke wasn't even sure her feet touched the ground in the courtyard as she rapidly regained awareness of her surroundings.

When she noticed the way Blake's men violently forced anyone in front of them out of the way she wanted to say something, but she couldn't find her voice. Clarke touched her throat and glanced down at the feeling of wetness, blood. She wasn't even entirely sure it wasn't hers, she couldn't feel anything apart from the grip Captain Blake had on her arms as he forced her into the castle.

Clarke wasn't particularly familiar with the layout of the castle, so she didn't know where they were headed until Miller and Murphy pushed a door open and Blake marched her into her former chambers. 'Nobody comes in here! No one!' Blake ordered, pushing the door closed in the faces of his lieutenants.

'What the hell are you doing Captain, why aren't you out there with Wells?' Clarke demanded as Blake faced her again, Blake snorted in amusement which faded as his eyes took in the blood on her gown.

'I thought you were the healer, Princess. We both know the King died the moment he took that arrow.' Bellamy replied, he had one hand resting on the pommel of his sword as the other hooked over his belt.

'I still demand to know why you dragged me here.'

'Isn't it obvious? I'm interrogating the chief suspect in the King's assassination.'

'You think I killed Wells? That's insane! If that arrow had been even an inch to the left or the right, I'd have been killed as well.'

'Assassins who are that good don't come cheap. But then, I'm sure you could find a way to pay for it, Princess.' Bellamy remarked as he reached out to flick one of her diamond earrings.

'I didn't kill Wells!'

'Did you love him?' Bellamy asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Clarke sighed and backed down into a chair. 'No, but I liked him. Not just because we wanted the same things, he was a good man. I think we could have been happy.'

'How very romantic, epic story for the ages right there.' Bellamy smirked as he took a seat a few feet away from the princess, she watched as he propped his feet up on the small table separating them. 'If you were wondering, I do believe that you are innocent of this crime.'

'Oh, good. I'll certainly be able to rest easy now.' Clarke retorted sarcastically.

'Princess, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that today's events have robbed you of your good sense. But it's actually very important that I believe you, because no one else will and I'm the only one standing between you and a very public execution for High Treason.' Bellamy explained, waving towards the door.

'If I'm killed, the war between our nations will definitely resume.'

'Yes, and my people will lose because the nobility will be too busy fighting each other for the crown to commit their troops to the real war.' Bellamy said, voicing Clarke's thoughts. 'This is why I will keep you alive, and ensure that you live to be crowned Queen of our new nation. We need peace.'

'I'm glad you are able to see sense, Captain.' Clarke replied straightening in her chair. 'I promise you, as Queen I will make building a prosperous and peaceful nation my greatest priority.'

Bellamy stared at her for a moment, before he tossed his head back and laughed. 'Oh, Princess. You will be Queen, but in name only. I'm not going to all this trouble of keeping you safe so I can entrust the future to you. No, you'll sit at the council meetings, and you'll wear the crown. But now I'm going to be running things. You're going to put me on the council as your trusted advisor and commander of the army. When I make suggestions to the council, you will support them. I'm tired of seeing your people destroy mine. I'm tired of watching scrawny peasant boys die in a field because two nobles couldn't sort out their differences like the gentlemen that they claim to be.'

'You can't seriously think that's going to happen.'

'It will, because the moment you decide to try and be Queen I'll announce that my investigation has found that you were responsible for the King's death. Your life is in my hands, don't forget that.' Bellamy stood. 'I'll have your ladies in waiting sent in so that they can clean you up. Then I'm going to inform the council that your coronation will be brought forward to tomorrow morning. Can't leave the nation without a ruler for long.'

Clarke didn't have to scramble to find something appropriate in black. Only a matter of weeks ago she had still been in mourning for her father. Wells had still been mourning his, he'd been wearing black at the wedding. As the High Priestess continued to recite her prayer Clarke peered out over the assembled crowd through her eyelashes. She hadn't seen this many people in black since her father's funeral. Doubtless she would see even more tomorrow when they buried her husband of thirty seconds.

The weight of the crown made her neck ache and she was suddenly glad that it was only ceremonial. Clarke had to stifle a hysterical burst of laughter at that thought, because wasn't it just the perfect metaphor? A ceremonial crown, fit for a Queen in name only.

Her eyes scanned the crowd until she found the one person who wasn't praying either. Bellamy Blake sat in the front row, staring up at her. The intensity of his gaze made Clarke want to look away, instead she stared right back at him. His mouth curved into a slow smile as the prayers finished and everyone's eyes returned to her. Clarke didn't need to look to see the hostility evident in their eyes, it had been there long before the wedding and nothing that had happened since had abated it.

Usually the coronation would be followed by another parade and a feast, but with King Wells dead for less than a day, no one saw it as appropriate. Instead Captain Blake marched her into the council chambers. He stopped outside the door fixing her with a significant look before she turned and left him there.

Clarke walked around the table to sit in the throne as the other councillors filed in. Clarke sat there and watched them, some like General Shumway were better at hiding their feelings at the sight of her on the throne. Others, like Lord Kane, were not so subtle. Clarke hadn't slept the night before as she considered the ramifications of refusing to bow to Captain Blake's blackmail demands. Sitting there in front of a hostile council, Clarke realised that she needed Blake. Certainly she would not live long without his support. Perhaps with time she would make allies of her own and free herself of his control, but for now it was enough to be sitting in the throne.

'I welcome you all to my council, I know these are dark times but I am certain we can overcome the troubles we are facing, together.' Clarke began, predicably no one present was very impressed. 'As my first order of business, I wish to invite Captain Bellamy Blake to join this council of advisors. I also wish to promote the Captain to the rank of General. He shall lead my armies.'

General Shumway's neutral mask dropped at that, he glared at her as Clarke instructed the footman standing by the door to admit Captain Blake. Clarke went through the formality of offering him the promotion, which he accepted. Blake then turned to General Shumway.

'Pardon my language, but get out of my damn chair.' Blake ordered, battling to keep from smiling. Shumway kicked the chair back and stood, glaring at the new General. 'Shumway when your superior officer gives you an order, you have to salute them.' Blake mocked, as Clarke watched the display she couldn't help thinking that there was definitely some history there. After a long moment Shumway saluted and marched out of the room. Blake sat down and looked to Clarke to continue.

The rest of the council meeting was taken up by the other councillors expressing their various concerns and making suggestions to Clarke as to what she should be doing. Clarke thanked them all for their thoughts and promised answers in due time. It was all very civilised, possibly because General Blake didn't say anything for the entirety of the meeting. The one order she gave in that first meeting was to the General, instructing him to use any and all means to find those responsible for killing Wells Jaha. Clarke then ended the meeting, as the members of council stood to leave, she called on Blake to stay. Clarke waited until the room was empty except for them.

'Was that to your liking?' Clarke asked bitterly, Blake shrugged.

'Now I think about it, I do wish more people had been here to see Shumway get his. Otherwise, well done princess.'

'It's your Majesty now.'

'Of course.' Blake replied in a mocking tone.

'You know, a thought occurred to me last night. Everyone here suspects that I killed Wells because I stood to gain the most. But that's not true. You are the one that has really benefited from his death.'

'Well, you're not wrong about that.'

'I'd have expected a lot more emotion from a King's bodyguard who has just watched a second King assassinated on his watch.'

'Do you have something you want to ask me?'

'Are you involved in Wells' death? Clearly you didn't like him, and you certainly didn't waste time making your moves after his death. It's almost like you knew he'd die shortly after we were wed.'

'I could deny these accusations, but I doubt you'd believe me. Anyway, what does it matter if I was the one who killed the King? It does not change your situation at all. No one will take your word over mine, your Majesty.' With those final words General Blake smiled and walked out of the council chambers, leaving Clarke alone to contemplate the depths of trouble that she was in.

One Shot for now, I don't know if I will continue this.