A/N: This is so random and I doubt many of you will even like it but I've gotta get it out of my head so I can finally get back to my other stories.

Anyways, this is set during S4Ep5-Tinder box. There will be spoilers, so if you haven't gotten that far in the 100, you have been warned.

/

"We need to talk."

Roan had never known such a fear as the one that gripped his heart when he saw her standing there. Even as his right hand captain bit out that they had been ousted—'they knew we were coming'—his mind didn't even register it.

Wanheda…

Was she a fool?! Coming here out in the open like this, she would get herself killed! And for what? To talk? Didn't she know they were long passed that now? There was nothing more he could do; if he stalled for her now, it would be the end of his reign as king. Chaos and anarchy would ensue and everyone would die.

He could do nothing to help her… no matter how desperately he wished otherwise. He had been powerless against her bravery, her passion and determination—she'd literally fought her way into his heart without even knowing it and now, he was still just as powerless only this time, to save her.

"Just give me ten minutes, that's all I ask, Roan, please!"

Even with the neon green target lasers on his back, it wouldn't have mattered either way; he couldn't refuse her, choice or no. But he kept calm, his harsh, indifferent exterior did not waver, even as he curtly relented and dismounted. He couldn't afford to let even a sliver of his inner feelings be known—otherwise, it would surely be the death of her at the hands of Azgeda.

"Eyes sharp! At the first shot you hear, loose your arrows and be ready to climb!" Echo's harsh command to his warriors, followed his back as Clarke lead the way to the neutral zone—a nearby cave—and the Ice Nation king clenched his fists until the nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.

Clarke was truly foolish; she was going to end up dead before this day was even over.

The taste of dread was bitter on his tongue.

"Are you that eager for death that you would come to greet the grim reaper at the door?!" He snarled once they were officially alone.

"Roan, I didn't have a choice! What the hell is going on? We had an agreement!" she whirled on him, tiny fists clenched and blue eyes alive and fiery—he cursed her for looking so entrancing, even now.

"You—are the most foolish woman I know." And yet, here he was, ready and waiting to hear her out.

He grit his teeth, arms crossing over his powerful chest as he eyed her sharply.

"Start talking."

/

Unbeknownst to the two leaders, dissension was already brewing amongst their own as one of Arkadia's gunman-Riley—went missing. Bellamy managed to convince a reluctant Echo to aid him in his search, but by then, it was too late.

By the time, they spotted him, it was obvious who his target was as Clarke and Roan were seen returning from the cave.

Riley's scope had the king in his sights and even if Echo took the shot, it wouldn't matter.

"CLARKE!" Bellamy screamed her name in a last ditch effort, hoping his partner would take cover—instead, she did the unthinkable.

Hearing Bellamy's desperate cry of warning, Clarke's blue eyes snapped up to the ridge, catching sight of Riley laying in wait, sniper rifle poised for the kill. Her blood ran cold and she knew what would happen next if she didn't act now. Suddenly, the world around her moved in slow motion; she heard another cry from Bellamy and then her head snapped around, catching Roan's icy blue stare with a horrified look of her own.

He looked back at her—something she'd never seen before, flashing in his eyes for a split second before it was gone.

He knew.

He was going to die in the next few seconds, right before her eyes and she knew she couldn't bear to let that happen.

Turning to face the inevitability of her choice, she placed herself in the line of fire, arms spread out to the side as she shielded Roan from harm.

Some of Roan's warriors arrived at the scene after hearing shouts, and when they beheld the sight of Wanheda shielding their leader, they looked on in awe.

"Riley, no! Please, I know what you've been through but please don't hurt him!" Clarke's desperate, tear-filled cry echoed through the valley just as Echo's arrow was loosed, hitting Riley in the back of the head. "Echo, no!" Bellamy screamed. In a split second, Roan saw it and just before the gun went off, he reached for Clarke, his eyes blurring with rage and fear. "NO!" Was the Azgeda king's cry of despair, as he barely managed to get his arms around her waist, shielding her with his own body, before catching a bullet to the back. He grimaced against the fiery burn of sulfur and gunpowder scorching his skin, but one look at the unharmed terrified woman in his arms, proved it was more than worth it.

"Ro-Roan?!" she cried, tears loosing from her terrified sky blues that were fixed worriedly on his face. He dropped to his knees, overcome by more than just the wound in his shoulder, and found himself pillowed against her as Clarke caught Him in her arms.

Then, all hell broke lose.

His warriors descended upon the few Skaikru Clarke had brought with her and he knew under Echo's command, they would not relent.

Shots rang out and that was when Kane and Monty appeared at their side.

"Take her and go!" He commanded gruffly. "There is nothing more you can do here."

Bellamy and Harper weren't far off, guarding their flank yet knowing better than to join in the fight; Riley's recklessness had caused this, not them.

"N-No, you can't, you're wounded, Roan, I can't just -"

He knew she would protest; she always put everyone above herself. She always made the horrible choices so no one else would have to bear the burden, and here she was again, defying the world and even the fact that some of her own were being slaughtered by his warriors—all because she wanted to save him. And cursed be Skaikru and Praimfaya, he loved her for it.

But now was not the time; it would take much more than a Skaikru bullet to stop him but she had to go now so that she could live to fight another day— live, so that he might see her again.

Gripping her shoulders harshly – with arrows and bullets flying overhead—he shook her hard, freeing her hands from their grip on his clothes. "Damn it, would you stop trying to kill yourself for everyone else?! I WILL NOT LOSE YOU, Wanheda!" He screamed at her, all chaos around them forgotten as his icy blue orbs pinned her with a look that was both harsh and pleading.

A few tears escaped from her terrified sky blue eyes and again, he was struck with the thought: she is so beautiful.

Casting her into the arms of her friends, he forced himself to his feet and turned his back. "Leave now. The one who caused this chaos is already dead and my warriors witnessed how you protected me; they will not follow you but I cannot guarantee it. Now go!"

Kane uttered a meaningful thank you and with that, the few remaining Skaikru escaped, dragging away a distressed Clarke and Roan forced himself to ignore her desperate cries of his name as he leapt into the fray.

/

Two weeks had passed and a tentative peace had settled. But the remnants of the 100 knew it wouldn't last and resolved to throw themselves into the final preparations for withstanding Praimfaya. Clarke had made a run to Polis to meet with Indra and Octavia to see just how dire their situation could become. Indra assured her that their safety was secure; word had spread of Clarke's bravery in protecting Azgeda's king and because of it, Roan had been able to rally the majority of his people behind him, strengthening the alliance between their two clans. There were still some who disagreed and of course, other clans had not recognized Roan's rule… but things were better than they had been in weeks and Clarke nearly cried in relief.

The majority of her relief was of course, hearing that Roan was alive and well recovered. She had an inclination as to what lie within her heart regarding Azgeda's king, but she still refused to fully acknowledge it. She was still confused; his parting words to her on the day, had given her a peek inside his heavily-fortified heart, and what she saw therein, terrified her. She'd loved before, and it had been ripped away from her. Yet what she saw in Roan's eyes that day was somehow a thousand times more intense than what she'd felt from Lexa. Lexa was calm, calculative, and warm. She and Lexa had been a slow-burn—something that grew steadily over time and solidified in the wake of their reunion.

Roan was so different. He was violent, chaos, hot-headed and brilliant. He ruled with a fiery, reckless passion she could see in his eyes—she admired that about him—but it was that same passionate fire that also terrified her; it had been in his eyes that day when he'd looked at her…his passion was directed at her, and she'd been shocked senseless and unable to breathe. What she felt for him and from him, had crashed over her like an ice cold wave that turned got, consuming her and leaving her blindsided, breathless and gasping. She'd never seen it coming.

She didn't know what it all meant… and yet some small part of her did and she just couldn't face it. Not now.

Whatever it was that he felt, whatever she felt—it would end in nothing but sorrow and she couldn't take that. Not again. If losing him meant that he would be safe, then sobeit; she would bury whatever feelings she had, deep inside herself and that would be the end of it. It was for this reason, she politely refused when Indra informed her of Roan's desire to have a meeting with her before she left. The fierce woman was greatly perplexed by Clarke's refusal and more than just a little alarmed. "Clarke, this is a request from Azgeda's king." Octavia prodded. She was equally baffled at her friend's dismissal, though she had a hunch as to the reason behind it. "He may have 'asked' but that doesn't mean it's a good idea to just refuse!"

"Tell him I'm sorry. Really, I'd meet with him if I could but there's a lot to get done and I have to get back." With this, she prepared to mount her horse, when a deep, gravelly voice froze her.

"That's what I expected you'd say – so I came here instead."

It was Roan. She knew his voice like the back of her hand, as if it had been echoing in her mind every waking moment since she met him.

Perhaps it had, in a way.

Her back was to him – her hands gripping the saddle of her horse, white-knuckled, but she couldn't even move. Something in her snapped and every instinct inside of her screamed fight -or-flight… it was ironic really. Two weeks ago, she'd been begging him to let her stay, fighting against Kane and Monty's hold just to get to him. Now, every fiber in her wanted to run as fast and as far away from him as she could – being near him after what she had admitted to herself, was just too much and she was suffocating…drowning.

"I understand, there is much to be done, but it will only take a moment so perhaps we could -"

In a flash, Clarke had hauled herself up on her black mare, and took off like a bat from hell.

"Clarke, what -?" Octavia's words were cut short, when Roan's voice thundered after Clarke just as she flashed out of Polis' gate, "Wanheda!"

The Azgeda king wasted no time. Whirling around, he stalked towards Indra's black stallion. "Indra, permit me the use of your horse." It wasn't a request but the Trikru warrior nodded anyways and once the king mounted, he took off at a grueling gallop after Clarke.

"What – just happened?" Indra turned bewildered eyes to her protégé but was only further baffled when she caught the beginnings of a mischievous grin glinting in the young woman's eyes.

"Heh. So the chase begins."

/

Clarke had barely made it into the woods when the sound of another horse's hooves thundering after her, reached her ears. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder –expecting Octavia—but was shell-shocked to see Roan bent over his horse's neck, riding hard after her. His blue eyes caught her and darkened with a look –a look she knew to well. As if confirming her fears, his voice broke out over the closing distance between them. "Wanheda, running is a foolish mistake!"

She pushed on, even knowing that it was futile, yet unable to resist the furious pounding in her heart that pushed her onward. She couldn't face him. Not now. Not yet.

The trees grew thick and she veered off, hoping to catch another more viable route of escape, when his powerful voice thundered—this time closer than before.

"You can't escape me and you know it. Stop this now! Clarke!"

He shouted her given name, and she faltered. It was only then that she realized he had chased her into a ravine; steep cliffs boxed her in on three sides, too high for her to even attempt a climb herself, much less with her horse. The waterfall thundered down from above, feeding the river that cut a rugged path off to her right.

She was trapped. No way out but to surrender and face the Azgeda king her heart had been running from for weeks.

Eclipse eased to a final halt and Clarke felt minor regret at pushing the mare so hard. Dismounting on the side opposite Roan, she looked the reins loosely across the saddle and let Eclipse wander to the edge of the steam for a drink. Roan's fierce stallion skidded to a halt and he slid from the saddle, smacking it's hindquarters and the animal joined Clarke's at the riverbank.

His eyes were fixated on Clarke and he noticed the tension in her shoulders; her whole body was pulled taught like a bowstring—she was ready to run. "Don't. You already know running from me is futile. What I want to know is why did you try?"

"You already heard. I had to get back."

"And that is why I came to Indra's to speak with you but you didn't even give me the chance."

"I didn't notice you'd arrived." She lied.

"That's bullshit, Clarke; you knew I was there. Your entire body stiffened when you heard my voice and then you took off like a demon from hell."

Her eyes dropped from his and she crossed her arms over her chest –a defense mechanism when she felt cornered.

"And now you're closing yourself off."

"What are you talking about?"

"You always cross your arms like that when you want to keep someone out. What are you hiding now, Wanheda?" he cocked his head to the side, blue eyes narrowing as he scrutinized her closely.

"Stop it. Nothing. I have to g-get back."

The tremor in her voice gave him pause and he started walking towards her, noting her every move. "Enough with the excuses, Clarke. What are you hiding?" he was ten feet from her and closing. It was getting harder to remain calm and she could feel her heart racing as he drew nearer.

"Roan, please it's -n-nothing." She forced her arms to her sides, attempting a brave front as she straightened her back and met his penetrating stare.

That's when that something flashed in his eyes again and her own pupils dilated in alarm.

Her breathing had quickened and the way her eyes looked at him, he could sense fear but it wasn't the kind anyone had ever regarded him with before.

"I know you, Wanheda; you have never feared me since the day we met, yet your eyes are wide with a terror that tells me it is your heart that is afraid."

The hitch in her breath and dilation of her pupils was all the answer he needed and slowly, pieces were coming together, forming a truth he'd never dared hope to be true.

Dare he hope now?

"What is wrong? You have never hidden anything from me – even when it risked the lives of your people – yet here you are, fighting so desperately to escape me when I just want to talk."

She wasn't looking at him and her feet shuffled backwards as she began to turn away. "So talk then."

"Not until you look at me."

Another hitch in her breath was heard and this time, he caught a telltale shimmer in her eyes just before her golden tresses shielded her face from view.

Something unsettling dropped in the pit of his stomach – he recognized it as dread—and without another word, he surged forward and grabbed her by the arm. "Enough. Look at me." He commanded sharply, gripping her chin and forcing her eyes to his. It briefly occurred to him that this was the most intimately he had touched her, yet the sheen of tears in her eyes and the pain etched into her face, erased those frivolous thoughts and for the first time since knowing him, Clarke heard his voice soften. "What is it? You are terrified; I see it and it worries me." He confessed honestly, his eyes showed his concern as they bore intensely into hers.

"Ple-please don't, Roan." And she shook her head, tears spilling over and pressing her lips together as she struggled against her feelings. "I can't – I can't do this again." She shook her head more vigorously and when he finally caught her eyes again, he read her heart instantly – just as she feared he would. Roan was cunningly perceptive and she'd learnt long ago, his ability to read peoples truest intentions, was his greatest strength.

He was unfathomable and no matter how ardently she'd fought against it, her heart had fallen into his hand, captive.

Her voice was a weak and shaky tremor now as she spoke but she didn't have the strength to care. "I can't – I can't d-do this again! I've already lost too many people, I—everyone I ever love, gets taken away -"

The Azgeda king felt his heart pitch to his throat and suddenly, his battle-worn, blood – stained hands were cradling her face, wiping away her tears with a tenderness that not a soul in all of Azgeda, knew him to possess.

"Wanheda-"

But she shook her head, small hands gripping his wrists with a strength he hadn't known she had. "No. No, you don't understand, Roan, I cannot do this again. I can't…I can't lose you too! I can't bear that. Not again! Not after-!"

"Shhh, Wanheda…" he murmured softly, dropping his forehead to hers.

Her fear was even clearer to him now but it was the confession of her heart that had his own soaring to the pinnacle of elation.

Ah. So this is what true happiness felt like?

"As I told you that day on the battle field, Wanheda—I will not lose you."

She closed her eyes, brows furrowed in anguish. "Roan, you can't promise that."

"Are you defying me?" he challenged, a bit of the icy harshness she knew so well, had returned to his voice and against her better judgement, her eyes opened, locking with his steely gaze.

"I did not ask for this, Clarke – but I know myself better than anyone. I know my own heart better than anyone, because you—are the only one who has fought her way through and got in."

This admission actually brought a tiny smile to Clarke's face, though it was slightly tinged with sadness. Yet, it was enough for the Azgeda warrior and a smile of his own formed as he uttered, a bit mirthful, "You are in my heart and in my blood, whether you like it or not, sky princess."

The new nickname caught her by surprise and she couldn't stop the unexpected half-laugh that bubbled from her lips.

It was the first semblance of laughter Roan had ever heard from her and thought half-hearted, he reveled in the newness of the sound and the way it seemed to have lifted a weight from her shoulders.

"If I had known how impossibly stubborn you would be when we met, I would've screamed louder to get those Azgeda scouts' attention." She muttered teasingly as she spoke of the day they met when Roan captured her.

At her cheeky smile, the Azgeda king scowled darkly before slipping an arm around her waist and harshly pulling her flush against him. "Hm. And if I had known how often you'd be wasting my time with senseless talking, I would have shut you up long before this."

She balked at him, indignant. "Excuse me?!" but his eyes were pools of fire now and her protests were lost as his mouth sealed firmly over hers. She startled, not expecting such a bold advance from him so soon, but when she felt his strong, battle -hardened hands sliding down her sides, gripping her waist firmly and tugging aggressively against him, she couldn't help but smile against his lips as he eagerly prodded her to respond. For the first time in months, Clarke let herself go. So what if they'd been on the brink of war, countless times? So what if they were now facing a second world apocalypse? So they'd nearly died a hundred times over, and then some. So. Freaking. What! She was tired of always doing everything she could to merely survive and always putting her heart on hold. What about living? What about her and what she wanted? Yes, loving Roan was a great risk, yes it meant opening herself up again to the possibility of pain and loss… but being in this moment now, wrapped in his strong arms and enslaved to his fiery kisses, she knew if she hadn't taken this chance, she would have regretted it for the rest of her life. Winding her arms around his neck, she let her fingers twine into his hair and in the next heartbeat, she let the remaining walls around her heart, crumble and fall away.

For Roan, he felt the moment she surrendered herself fully, as her body sank completely into his embrace. His heart did another violent skyrocket and he in turn let his own control slip away as he lifted her into his arms and pinned her against the solid rock wall.

She was lost in the warmth of his arms and feel of his kiss, until she felt the cool hardness of the ravine's wall, press into her back. She pulled back for a moment, breaking the kiss as she gasped for air, meeting his unwavering heated stare with a timid one of her own.

"Roan, I need you to listen to me."

He shook his head. "No. No, enough of your senseless babbling, Wanheda—you cannot run now and even if you tried -"

She sensed to dread lurking just behind his eyes and she shook her head in turn, framing his face in her hands and looking him squarely in the eyes. "I will never run again, Roan. Not ever. I don't want to."

"Good. There is no need to." He stated firmly.

"But I do need you to understand that I still have an obligation to do everything I can to save everyone. And I mean Everyone, okay? This isn't about 'your people' vs. 'my people' I don't believe that."

He listened intently. "Then what do you believe?"

She looked back and forth from his eyes, knowing that the words burning at the tip of her tongue, would officially seal her fate. But she'd already made her decision, there was no need to fear or hesitate. "I love you. You are my people now and for me, that means your family is also my family. All of you. Everyone is my people, Roan. I won't ever betray that, I promise you and I swear on my life I'm going to do everything I can to save us all. Please believe me, okay? I just – if we're going to do this, if – if we're going to be together, I need you to believe me more than anyone else because I-"

His lips were on hers in the span of a breath, kissing her fervently, feverishly before he was pulling back just enough to murmur ardently, "I wouldn't care if the whole of Polis were to fall this day; no matter where we are or what we must do to fight – I only want you by my side, Clarke. If you will accept me fully, then you needn't worry because I will always stand with you." He set her on her feet once more but his arms kept her close as he combed his fingers through her hair, gazing into her eyes. "You have my heart. And my loyalty. Always."

She tip-toed, kissing him deeply as her arms embraced as much of him as she could reach, holding him close to her heart. "And you have mine, Roan. Always." She whispered sweetly and this time, her smile was incandescent joy.

/

A/N: yeah, this just wouldn't get out of my head sooooooo….. hear it is. Review of you like! Now, let's hope I can get these muses back on track!