I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew the sun was high in the sky. I was exhausted, my eyes swollen from crying myself to sleep. I didn't normally let myself cry, but this morning had been emotional. I had survived, Bellamy called off the execution. It was a little easier to breathe knowing I had twenty four hours left on this earth. Somehow that granted me access to my tears and they wouldn't stop once they started. I pulled the covers closer, a countdown already starting in my head.

I had been granted one day, twenty four hours. I had to use them wisely. I had to find a way to take down the monster before he executed me. He had been entranced in my story, but that wouldn't hold him for long. I ignored the image of him and his tired eyes, the soft light they held as he watched my mouth form words. I wouldn't feel soft for him, he was a monster. A monster who must be stopped.

I opened my eyes slowly, a brown haired girl staring back at me. She had huge brown eyes, her hair falling down her shoulders. She was smiling, watching me as I took in her presence. There were secrets hidden behind her eyes, those secrets made her strong. She held herself upright, her gown a hand me down I'm sure. Still she was a survivor, I could see that in one glance. Something about her reminded me of Octavia, a pain hitting my heart. I missed my sister, I wondered if she would ever forgive me for leaving the way I did.

"Hi," her voice was cheerful given the circumstances we were meeting, "I'm Raven. Bellamy asked me to be your handmaid."

She was tidying up my room, my cheeks flushing as I realized she saw Bellamy's belt on the floor. He must have forgotten it last night. I cleared my throat, about to tell her my name, but she kept talking, "I have to say I was excited that he chose me to meet you. It's not every day that the queen survives the night. When we heard the news, that you were still here sleeping, we all wanted to meet the amazing woman who survived the king's wrath."

My blush got darker as I sat there staring at her. I pushed my hair out of my face, her hands busying grabbing one thing or another, "I'm Clarke," I finally said as she set a dress down on the end of the bed. I assumed it was for me, "where is my husband?"

The word felt weird on my tongue, like a spicy food my mouth was rejecting. My heart picked up speed though, something I took note of. I wouldn't let him get under my skin, I wouldn't care about anything other than taking him down. Someone had to answer for the deaths of his former brides. Harper deserved justice, even if I had to die giving it to her.

She smiled again, coming to stand beside the bed, "he has business to attend to."

"Right," I nodded feeling stupid for asking the question. He had left this morning, I shouldn't have expected him to be here when I woke up. He probably didn't expect me to be here either, "I'm sure there's a lot of business to go through since his guards didn't get to strangle me this morning."

Raven's face paled as she took in a breath, "like I said the castle has been buzzing with the news of you since Bellamy charged down the steps with Finn on his heels telling him this was a bad idea. We haven't had a real queen in a very long time."

I groaned, standing up so she could make the bed. I knew that's what she was waiting to do. I rubbed my eyes, grabbing the dress and heading for the changing curtain. I took in a deep breath, trying to form a plan in my head as to how I would find a weakness when my husband wasn't around to watch. I pulled the dress on, leaving my robe on the floor.

Raven was finished making the bed, she followed me to the vanity. I sat down in front of the mirror and her eyes met mine, "you know he's never actually spent a night with any of his brides," she weaved her fingers through my blonde hair, "he's never touched them, never cared enough to get to know them. That's what made this all so easy."

I raised an eyebrow as she looked away, her voice was soft, "is that so? Well maybe he wanted to know why I volunteered. I mean, no one has done that either. Not when they know becoming Bellamy's wife means certain death."

She nodded, "this is true. Still, he's never looked twice at the brides, it's like he's trying to forget it happens after the wedding," she shook her head, "I've known the king for a long time now, I've never seen him ask the guards to leave him alone in the room of a stranger."

"Really?" that was interesting. The guards would've been in our room last night had Bellamy not told them to stay put, "so do you know why he kills his brides?"

She shook her head again, "I said I've known Bellamy a long time, that doesn't mean I understand him. I just know that whatever his reason is, it's not what you think it to be. He has been through a lot, but that doesn't mean he's soulless."

I had to hold back my snide comment. Bellamy couldn't have a soul, because a person with a soul couldn't watch his brides die every single morning without caring that their families would mourn long after they were gone. I bit my lips, realizing I needed to use my extra time to study my husband. Maybe he wasn't the monster I thought he was.

Raven was watching me process what she said. I thought about to this morning, he hesitated when the guards knocked. Even before I asked him for another day, he didn't want to let them inside. My heart sank, my brain pushing out the logical reasons. He didn't hesitate for me, he hesitated because he knew what was to come.

"You said he doesn't usually come to his brides," she stopped short of the vanity and turned back to open the blinds, letting the warm sunlight into the room, "why?"

She sighed, "he hates what happens," her voice was hard, "I know you think, he's this king locked away behind the castle doors murdering innocent young woman for fun. But that's not true, it's taken a lot out of him. He shuts himself behind these doors because he can barely stand to look at his reflection."

I nodded slowly, "he seemed pretty okay with himself last night."

Her eyes were narrow, "he likes honesty, he always has. You're the most honest, quick tongued person here. I can see why he broke the rules for you."

"He broke the rules for me?" The question came out slow, I raised an eyebrow at her.

She shook her head, putting her hands in the air, "I don't know anything. All I know is that I'm usually not cleaning the queen's room while having a conversation with her. Usually I'm getting it ready for the next girl."

I turned to face the mirror. Raven clearly knew more than she was letting on. Or else she knew the right things to say to make it seem that way. Whatever the reason, I wasn't going to get the answers I wanted and so desperately needed from her.

I let out a slow breath. I took a different approach, "how many wives has he had?"

She clicked her tongue hard, "I haven't been keeping track. Around sixty or so."

I nodded, "right. Okay. So the rules state he must kill each one."

"There are no rules!" She raised her voice pulling the brush out of my hands, "Clarke Griffin you are going to get yourself tortured before they finally string you up if you keep up this questioning. I thought this would be easy."

"Nothing worth having comes easy my dear," her eyes lined up with mine in the mirror. She shook her head, trying her hardest not to smile as she sighed loudly. She was trying to look angry, but it wasn't working.

I laughed, her anger subsiding, "I understand now, after this conversation, why the king likes you. Obviously he's found a match in someone as frustrating and stubborn as you."

I wondered if she was right, maybe the monster had finally met his match with me. I liked to think that was the case. I was still making up the plan as I went, but I knew that when the time came I would take him out. I would make him pay for all the girls, even the faceless nameless ones he had long forgotten by now, got their justice.

Raven was brushing my hair slowly now, all the anger and tension gone from both of us. I had no reason to be angry with her, but I could tell she was afraid. I knew she would face punishment of some sort if she gave me the answers I wanted. That's why I couldn't just ask Bellamy himself. Although I knew if I did ask him he wouldn't answer me anyways. Just like I wouldn't answer him as to why I volunteered.

"How did you do it? How did you get him to agree to another day?"

I looked at this girl who had been suddenly thrusted into my life, my heart racing. This could be a trick, Raven could've been chosen for a reason. He might have done his research and found out about Octavia, whom I sent far away. She was with Wells, she was safe with him and my father outside of the kingdom.

Still, no matter what she says, she might be a spy looking for my weaknesses to report back to the king. I wanted to trust her, but there were so many reasons I couldn't. I was in his house, the house of the monster.

He took away my cousin, I couldn't trust anyone here.

"A lady is allowed to have secrets too," I smiled, watching as she started to braid the front of my hair. I saw her give me a smirk, her eyes telling me she understood my hesitation, "so what do you suggest we do on my very last day?"

Raven bit her lip as she worked on my hair, "let me show you around the castle. Maybe we'll run into your husband and I can see how adorable you two are together," she smiled brightly as she tugged a band into the end of the tiny braided headband, "I think he's already pretty taken by you."

I rolled my eyes, "I doubt he is capable of any form of love. He's a monster."

She looked at me surprised, her hands running down the rest of my hair, brushing it off my shoulders. The dress I was wearing was a light blue, it brought out the color of my eyes. Even without makeup I didn't look half bad, I wondered what Bellamy thought. I pushed that crazy notion out of my head before I thought about it too hard. He didn't care about me, there was no way he cared about anyone but himself.

What kind of man killed innocent children? The children who were supposed to population his kingdom. He was supposed to care about his people, not slaughter their daughters before their very eyes.

"If you think the king is such a monster, then why did you volunteer to marry him?"

I turned around in the chair and looked at her, my silence stretching for a moment too long. She had finished my hair, her brown eyes searching mine for her answer. It was the same question Bellamy had asked me time and time again last night. I refused to answer him, because my reason wasn't one he wanted to hear. But I wanted to believe I could be honest with Raven. I was desperately clinging to the idea of us becoming friends.

Maybe I couldn't trust her, maybe I could. I would have to learn today. Still I took in a deep breath, a smile forming at the corner of my mouth, "someone has to slay the dragon."