Chapter 16 - We'll Get It Right, Worth The Fight

"Let me through." She said to the guards standing outside of the room that held her mother and Kane.

They mumbled back to her in Trigedaslang as they bowed to her. One pulled the door open as she moved in closer. She heard Kane's voice reassuring her mother; she walked forward as they turned around. Her mother rushing over to her to hold Clarke's hands in her face.

Clarke gave her mother a moment to look her over before she put her hand on her arms to pull them away from her face. "I have something to tell you, and we don't have much time."

Before Clarke could open her mouth again, Abby interrupted. "Wait a minute. Just let me look at you."

"We'll have plenty of time to catch up once we get back home." Kane soothed. Clarke winced a little bit before she could meet Kane or her mother's eyes.

She pulled back further from them. "The Commander's changing the terms of the summit."

"Is this because of Mount Weather?" Kane asked.

She raised her eyebrow at him but shook her head. "This is because of the Ice Nation. They want Bellamy dead. They want to take over the coalition."

"That's Bellamy's concern, not ours." Abby sounded frustrated. Clarke noted her mother's arms unconsciously reaching for her.

"No, Abby. If he falls, the Coalition shatters, and there's no way we avoid that war." He put his hand on her mother's shoulder, stroking his thumb over her back, soothing Abby. He turned to Clarke. "You said there were new terms?"

"Yes, we become the 13th Clan." She hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to tell them the rest.

"13th Clan? What does that mean," Her mother scoffed. "that we follow Bellamy?"

She nodded. "Yes, but there is more."

"More?" Her mother's look mirrored the look she gave Clarke when she was little and in trouble. But she didn't fear her mother any longer. She only feared her people getting hurt. "We came here to negotiate a treaty."

"This is our Unity Day, Mom." She shrugged. "You can be the 13th station, or you can be the 13th Clan."

Kane spoke up, agreeing with her. "Clarke's right. I've seen the Ice Nation army, and we don't stand a chance against them. We need to do this."

"So, we become the 13th Clan. Then what? What's gonna stop the Ice Nation?" Her mother asked resigned.

Clarke closed her eyes for a moment before looking back at them. "Wanheda."

"No, I won't risk you, Clarke." Her mother shot forward, grabbing her arms.

"No, you don't get to make that choice for me any longer, Mother." She pulled away from her mother. Her eyes narrowed at her mother. "But, as I was saying before, there is more. I'm going to marry him. The terms are set and agreed upon, He could no more turn us over to the wolves that he could his sister or his clan."

Her mother's hands shot up to her mouth, her hands trembling as she stared at Clarke. "Clarke, No! No, I won't let you do this."

"It's done, today we will become the 13th clan and within a fortnight I will marry him, and we will be one people. He will have Wanheda at his disposal." She couldn't stop the shake from hitting her words. "It will strengthen him for them to see me bound to him and no one will dare attack him or us after our union."

Tears leaked on to her mother's cheeks. "But Clarke, what about you? What about falling in love? That is what marriage is supposed to be. Why do you have to do this?"

"Because it can be no one else." She turned away; they didn't have much time and she told them as much again. "You will need to process this quickly. It will be announced at the assembly this evening and I can't have you throwing a fit when that happens."

She could feel Kane's sad eyes on her back and her mother's desire to run after her almost overwhelmed her. She closed her eyes briefly, locking away her desire to just be a kid again. To be the Clarke that she was before her father had found the problem with the oxygen system.

XXXXXXXXXX

Clarke was a vision when she walked in. Her hair done up in intricate braids, pulling her soft face into focus. Her blue eyes heavily lined with kohl. The tight leather showed off her curvy form. She moved closer to him as all the eyes in the room followed her; his eyes unable to leave hers as she approached.

His mind raced as his eyes traced over her. He would get want he wanted with her and none of the commanders could see fault in her logic. The rest of his people could not see this as a weak move towards her. He would own her completely and they would see him command the commander of death. It wouldn't be the way he wanted. He wasn't her chosen, but the rest would remain the same.

He would be lying if he hadn't noticed her hesitant attraction to him. Maybe once they were married, he could prove to her that he would love her, and she could trust him with her heart. For now, he would have to settle with just having her attraction and a politically advantageous marriage. His thoughts trailed slowly down the rabbit hole of his desire as she bowed before him.

When her head pulled back up and her eyes met his he was forced to draw in a steadying breath before he could turn to address the rest of the room. He noticed that the rest of the room had also kneeled at some point while his eyes were locked on Clarke, His Sky Princess. "Hail warriors of the 12 Clans." He greeted the room.

"Hail, Commander of the Blood." The room chanted back to him. He lifted his hands and allowed them to rise to their feet. Clarke stood up and moved to stand behind him in the place where a person in power's chosen would traditionally take. There was a murmur of surprise that shook the room.

"We welcome Skaikru to our halls in the spirit of friendship and harmony, and we welcome Clarke kom Skaikru, the Legendary Wanheda, Mountain Slayer. The reason for this summit has changed. We are not here to negotiate a treaty with the Skaikru, but rather to initiate them into the coalition. And also, to announce that Wanheda is submitting to a union with me. In a fortnight we shall be wed as our ancient covenant dictates with warring clans." The clamoring got louder, some stunned and some excited. "To symbolize this union, the leader of Skaikru must bear our mark."

Clarke's mother looked to Marcus, allowing him to take the mark of the commander. He moved forward towards Bellamy. "Present your arm." He told Marcus who pulled up the sleeve of his shirt.

The smell of burnt flesh had barely cleared the room when a commotion outside the hall was heard and Wells, Monroe and some other people from their camp rushed through the door. Clarke's questioning voice hit his ears as she called out to Wells.

"What is the meaning of this?" Titus shouted as he crossed in front of Bellamy and Clarke.

"The summit's a trap." Wells looked at Clarke, Bellamy followed his line of sight to her. "We need to get you out of here."

Clarke turned to look at him, her eyebrows nearing the middle of her forehead. "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know." He said as he turned back towards the group that had intruded, weapons in hand.

"It's the Ice Nation." Wells said as he lowered his gun to his side, looking around the room.

"These allegations are an outrage." The new Azgeda Ambassador stepped forward. "The Ice Nation never stormed this summit with weapons, breaking our laws. That was the Skaikru."

"We're right about this." An older black man stepped forward, an angry glare on his face. "The two guards you left behind are dead already. We need to go now."

"How did you come by this information?" Bellamy asked.

Monroe turned to examine their party. "Where the hell is Echo?" She asked turning back towards Wells.

Kane stepped forward to pull the gun from Wells hand. "Stand down."

A grainy feminine voice came across the radio strapped to Wells' hip. "Wells, come in. The Grounders attacked Mount Weather."

"What are you talking about?" Wells asked pulling the radio towards his mouth.

"It's gone. It's gone." The tinny voice sounded like it was crying. "They're all gone. Sinclair and I are the only ones left."

The Azgedan Ambassador moved, drawing his eyes. "You should have never moved your people back into Mount Weather." He taunted. "The Ice Nation did what Bellamy was too weak to do."

"This is an act of war. Sentries, arrest the Ice Nation delegation, including the prince." He shouted. Bellamy turned to Abby and Marcus when they express their fears of who might be next. "Go. Marshal your forces. We'll avenge the attack together. Clarke will be safe here under my protection."

Wells turned to Clarke and looked like he wanted to argue but her soft voice saying, "I have to stay." turned him away with a snap of his jaw before he exited.

Titus called out to Bellamy as he turned to leave the hall. "Come on, Heda. We must convene the war council immediately." Clarke tells him that she will join him shortly after he brushed his fingertips lightly over her's. He saw her hug her mother and she quietly offer some words to Marcus before Wells draws her off to the side for a moment. He has barely left the room when Clarke moved back to his side, her fingertips brushing his just as lightly as he had brushed her's earlier.

XXXXXXXXXX

The war council drug on for hours, they seemed to be talking circles around each other as they tried to define the best course of action. Bellamy kept turning his eyes to her as if looking for her input on their suggestions, to which she had none. She was not well versed in war, though it had probably looked that way from the outside. She could offer nothing without more information on what Queen Nia had in place already.

Almost as if reading her mind, Bellamy dismissed the rest of the room with a quick, "Let me know as soon as the scouts come back."

She turned away from the table and moved off to the window to stare out at the stars in the sky. She heard Titus mumble something to Bellamy as she felt his eyes drag over her back in a condescending manner. Either Bellamy didn't reply, or it was quiet enough that her ears didn't catch it. She did, however, hear a pair of feet leave the room and the low thud of the heavy doors closing before another set of feet moved closer.

Clarke turned around to look at Bellamy as he moved in closer to her. She noted that they were alone for the first time since they both agreed that a marriage would give them both the security they needed. "I keep asking myself, "how did the Grounders know there was a self-destruct mechanism inside Mount Weather?"" She said just to fill the silence.

"We'll get the answer soon, Clarke." His hand came up to brush an errant hair off her cheek before cupping the back of her neck. His voice dropped into a whisper. "Thank you for staying."

"I stayed because it was the right thing for my people." She shook her head denying that this was for him. Though if she allowed herself to examine her confused feelings for the man in front of her, who captured her eyes and kept her from turning away, she couldn't deny she didn't want him to be hurt because of her.

"Our people." He corrected. "They will our people."

"If you betray me again" She started to warn but wasn't sure how to finish the sentence.

"I won't. I can't." He promised. She watched him drop down on his knees in front of her. His head bowed as hers had been earlier. "I swear fealty to you, Clarke kom Skaikru. I vow to treat your needs as my own and your people as my people."

Clarke's eyes stung at the honesty in his voice. She couldn't get her mouth to spit out any words, but her hand moved to gently tilt his head up to look at her. His hand moved over her's as their eyes embraced, dragging it to press a light kiss to the center of her palm. He stood, moving in close to her as he pressed her palm back to his cheek.

"I know this marriage isn't what you want, Clarke." He towered over her but for the first time she didn't feel like he was attempting to intimidate her. "But I do promise to treat you and your people well. I know that we have to be strategic about how we present ourselves to our people in public, but this will be a real marriage for me. A partnership. I don't want to take more from you than you are willing to give."

"I know." She said, brushing her thumb over his cheekbone from under his hand that still pressed hers against his face. "I believe you."

They stared at each other for a moment before she rose up on her toes to gently brush her lips against his before pulling back. His own chasing her's as she retreated, his eyes drooping as he pressed his lips back to her's. His hand traveled slowly down her arm to the back of her neck as his other hand came up to rest against her lower back. She moved both of her hands to the back of his neck gently scratching her nails against the nape of his neck.

The kiss was gentle, there was no rush of nervous passion that had been present the last time she had tasted his soft lips. He pulled back, resting his forehead against hers, sharing his breath with her. Her whole body shivered at the wrecked expression on his face.

"I'm so sorry, Clarke." He breathed against her lips before he placed another chaste kiss on her lips, his nose gently bumping her's. "So, so sorry."

She nodded allowing her nose to trace his as she did. "I know."

He pulled back to look in her eyes. "Clarke?"

"I forgive you, Bellamy." The relief he felt swept over her, stumbled her. Had he not pulled her against his chest her legs might've gave out. He rocked them gently for a moment, laying his cheek against the crown of her head. She whispered. "I don't want to be Wanheda anymore. After this war with Azgeda can we just take a break?"

"Clarke, I know that name hurts you to hear, but you earned it because you are unbelievably strong. I will never forgive myself for putting you in that position, but you deserve that title, if only because the strongest among our people ever get it, and you are the strongest in all of our history." He whispered against her head. "Our people will always see you as a beacon of hope against our enemies and that is what we are to them. Do not let the regret we feel keep you from owning your title, even if you never put it to use again, and I hope you never have too."

She gripped him tighter as he spoke, she still hated the title, but she understood it more and maybe in time she wouldn't hate it quite so much. For the first time in over a year she let someone else make her feel secure, make her feel safe.

XXXXXXXXXX

The next days were a stressful series of meetings. The Queen had finally been captured the evening before and she was to arrive in Polis any minute. Bellamy knew he had to be on his game, but his mind kept straying to the night of the assembly, the last time Clarke and himself had been alone for more than a moment.

He couldn't stop the goofy grin that leapt to his face whenever she caught his eye. Her own answering grin was just as wide, but it still held that hesitant edge to it. He schooled his face once again as he heard someone at the door of his room. He stood up at the sight of his sister. "O?"

"Bell, Queen Nia is here. She will be in the throne room in time for the meeting today." She moved in to hug him. He wrapped his arms around his little sister, giving her an extra squeeze before he pulled away like he had done when they were children. She raised an eyebrow at him before giving him a broad smile. "Someone is in a better mood. This wouldn't happen to be due to a certain blonde princess would it?"

"O." He admonished gently, but unable to deny it.

"See, I told you it would work out." She bumped her shoulder against his. "And you are getting married in just over a week. I heard from the gossiping women that it's going to be beautiful. Though I suppose I should not be surprised. The commander and the commander of death. It is not often that our people would get to see something like this. Though, I have no idea how you are managing to plan this with the brewing war with Azgeda."

He chuckled at her. "Fishing for compliments are we, Octavia?" She chuckled back. "Thank you for doing this. I know it is short notice, but we need to rebalance this power quickly before any other clans believe that taking her power and taking my head are the only way to correct it."

She nodded at him. "Your bride is going to be beautiful. We got to look at the design for her dress this morning."

"She already is, O." He said before the sound of Titus entering his room pulled them out of their revere.

"It is time Commander. The ambassadors are to be in the hall in less than 30 minutes. We must make our way there."

He nodded to Titus. "Make sure that Roan is present. If he is truly not supporting his mother, I want to see how he reacts to her words. Octavia can you please be present. I need extra eyes on the room."

She nodded as she followed him out of the room; Titus taking the lead. His nerves started to claw at him, but he swallowed it before they started to show on his face. When he entered the room, he saw that an extra chair had been placed for Clarke. He locked down the soft smile that attempted to lift his lips at the thought of her.

He closed his eyes after sitting on his throne, dropping into his seat at the commander's table while he waited for the rest of the attendees to fill in. He was greeted by Lexa and a few of the other commanders.

"Do not soften against them. Azgeda will try some tricks, but if you can get her to agree to soulou gonplei then you can snuff out her rebellion before it gets worse. If you can get Roan on the throne of Azgeda you can have your unwavering ally. Clarke respects him. Maybe you should as well."

"I find him frustrating, but I do respect him. He was able to do in a week what others hadn't been able to accomplish in a month." He sighed. "But you are right. She is going to try something today. Will you all please stay present but try not to yell so loud and all at the same time so I can concentrate on what she is doing."

Lexa nodded. The sound of the doors to the assembly room closing drew him back to the present. Titus had taken his place to Bellamy's side and Clarke had taken the seat set closest to his throne. He offered her a quick quirk of his lips before addressing the rest of the room. "Ambassadors of the Coalition, today we honor our covenant. The clan that stands against one of us stands against us all."

"Bring in the accused." Titus called out to the guards at the back of the room who nodded before moving to collect the queen. Two guards held the ropes that attached to the metal collar around her slim throat. Her smug smile matching Roans was turned on Bellamy as Titus continued. "Queen Nia of Azgeda has confessed to the destruction of Mt. Weather, resulting in the death of 49 members of Skaikru. Wanheda, what say you?"

Clarke's eyes met his and he nodded softly to her before she spoke. "Skaikru demands justice."

"Ice Nation does not answer to this girl." Nia spat out, tugging at the ropes binding her wrists.

"Silence." Titus demanded. "The punishment for your crime is death. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Nia laughed. "I need no defense. She does. Today is judgement day. I call for a vote of no confidence."

"Take this queen to meet her fate." His voice rising in an effort to hide his panic. Bellamy just sat in his throne attempting to not react to her words, though her threats towards Clarke pierced his insides.

The Podakru Ambassador stood as the guards started to move in on the queen. "Not so fast. Nou Heda noumou."

Two more stood and offered the same. Titus ordered them taken away too. Bellamy stood as the guards moved in towards them. "Wait."

"Bellamy, please execute these traitors-" Bellamy raised his hand to stop Titus telling him only to let her make her move. The rest of the ambassadors stood and offered the same as the Podakru.

Clarke turned to him and he could hear the fear in her voice as she begged him to deny her concerns. "Commander, what is this?"

"This is a coup." He said as he turned solemn eyes on her.

"This is the law, his law." Nia boasted as she stood. "A unanimous vote of the ambassadors or death are all that can remove a commander from power."

"It's not unanimous." Clarke said, shooting up out of her chair, moving slightly closer to him.

"We don't recognize the legitimacy of Skaikru." Nia bit out, the other ambassadors tittering nervously behind her.

"We do." Titus grinned wickedly as he moved in on Nia. "Four days passed, Skaikru took the brand. They are the 13th clan. This vote of no confidence fails. All these coup plotters will suffer the exact same fate as the Ice Queen."

"She won't take our heads because she knows our armies will retaliate. None of us here want war." Nia grinned, unphased.

Bellamy moved down towards her. "We both know what you want, Nia. If you think me unfit to command, issue the challenge and let's get on it with."

"Very well." Nia nodded. "You are challenged."

"And I accept your challenge." Bellamy said. Lexa offering a soft praise as he said the words.

"So be it. Soulou gonplei. Warrior against warrior to the death. Queen Nia of Azgeda, who do you choose to be your champion?" Titus sounded resigned to the fact that Bellamy would not move against them any further than he had already.

"My son Roan, Prince of Azgeda." The look of frustration on Roan's face was not whole unexpected but Bellamy felt better for it. Nia looked pleased with herself as Clarke's face was filled with terror, just as Nia wanted.

"Heda, who will fight for you?" Titus turned to ask him.

"I'm the Commander. No one fights for me." He said before dismissing them. He had work to do before the fight tomorrow.

XXXXXXXXXX

Clarke could feel the fear tremble in her body. Octavia had come to her after the meeting telling Clarke exactly what would happen tomorrow. That Bellamy would be risking his life because of her. He had invited her to his throne room to see something he would not explain. She felt her frustration building on top of her terror as she opened the door. The sight of him surrounded by children had not been what she had been expecting.

Titus stood off to the side, looking as frustrated as she felt. "Talk her out of it yet?" Clarke asked as she moved to his side, her eyes watching Bellamy talk with the kids that lounged around him, his eyes bright.

Titus shook his head. "No, but maybe you can."

"I don't understand." Clarke said, turning to look Titus full on. "The queen's not fighting, why should he?"

"The queen's strength is not in doubt. Thanks to you, Heda's is." He said as he turned to look at her before he called out to the kids, ushering them out of the room.

"Aden, stay." Bellamy called to a boy with bright blonde hair as Clarke moved towards him. "Clarke, this is Aden. Aden is the most promising of my novitiates. If I should die today, he will likely succeed me. Clarke worries about our people. Tell her what will happen to them when you become Heda, Aden."

"If I become Heda, I pledge my loyalty to the 13th clan." The young boy said with a small bow towards her.

"Thank you. Now go join the others." He said gently to the boy before turning to lightly grasp her wrist. "See? Nothing to worry about."

"I'm sorry if I'm worried the fate of my people lies in the hands of a child." She said petulantly. "And if you die, I won't wed a child. He will find himself in much the same position as you."

"Then you worry for nothing. I've sent Indra to raise an army from the villages near Arkadia. Your people are protected, as I vowed, they would be." he promised her. "And he will be a new Heda, my sins won't follow him. You won't be required to marry him."

Clarke moved closer to him, pulling her wrists from his hands and placing them against his face gently. "This is not just about my people. You don't stand a chance against Roan." She whispered.

"You've never seen me fight." He whispered back, wrapping his arms around her waist lightly.

"No." She shook her head in agreement. "But I saw him kill three men in the time it took the first one to hit the ground."

"If you're right, tomorrow's the day my spirit will choose its successor and you need to accept that." He said gently. "I will fight my hardest to make it back to you, Clarke."

"Like hell I do." She growled before ripping herself out of his arms storming out away from him. She would do something to save this confusing man.

Clarke stalked down the corridors of Polis for hours avoiding as many people as possible before Octavia caught up with her. "He's really good Clarke. He'll make it back to you." She promised.

"He may be good but he still human." She bit back, frustrated with their archaic and violent rules.

Octavius sighed. "And so is Roan."

"Exactly. "Clarke exclaimed "And I can't trust my people to the outcome of a fight between two humans that are not infallible."

"There is nothing you can do except, accept this." Octavia said, tossing her hands up with just as much frustration as Clarke felt. "You cannot stop this from happening. You have to accept this and support him."

Clarke said nothing as she walked away from Octavia. The growl that followed her driving her faster away from the grounder woman. If she could stop this from happening, she could save her people. Her feet moving faster underneath her as her brain whirled, trying to come up with a plan before she found herself in front of Roan.

Clarke found herself outside of the Polis tower, her hood pulled up over her hair and shielding her face from the people who might stop her. She wound her way through the tent that littered be outside.

The sound of Nia's shrill voice met her ears, pulling her towards their tent. Roan and Nia stood outside of the tent as she held the sheath of a wicked looking sword out to him. Clarke's eyes stay trained on him from the shadows, as they talked about the fight that would happen tomorrow.

Nia moved away from him and Clarke took her chance to move forward closer to him. The sound of the whirling blade stopped her in her tracks she felt the breeze of it ruffle her hood. "Is that death I hear stalking me?" His gruff, irritated voice asked.

Clark lowered her hood and bravely met his angry glare, making note of the smug smirk that lifted his lips as he asked, "Or just the Commander of Death?"

"We need to talk." She said, looking around.

Roan put his sword down as he met her stare again. "We have nothing to talk about. I need to prepare."

"I know you had nothing to do with Mt. Weather." She said in a hushed voice. She shuffled in closer, sparing a glance around to make sure no one could hear her next words. "That's why I didn't tell Bellamy you gave me the knife. This is what your mother wanted all along."

"What do you want? Spit it out." He growled.

Clarke shrugged, "I want you to become the king. I know you've thought of it. She was willing to let you die, willing to let you be banished. I know you just want to go home."

"When I win tomorrow, I will." Roan promised, but she noted that he didn't deny what his mother had done.

"For how long?" She questioned, knowing that she had his attention. He was a good fighter, but he was also mostly only interested in his own survival. She knew that his mother held no loyalty from him, that only his people had it. "How long until your mother finds another reason to cast you out, to sacrifice you? No one can cast a king out of his kingdom."

"I can't do it. My people would never take me back." he said. She turned to leave, frustrated with him before his low gravelly voice met her ears again. "But I can help you do it."