A/N: Alright here we go! Chapter four!

Warning: This chapter contains sexual content between Clarke and Lexa, so please don't bite my head off if it displeases you... also feel free to skip if you don't want to read it.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or plot to The 100.

The mystery man rolled his eyes and placed his hands up in a mock show of surrender, "Is the great Wanheda going to shoot me?"

"I might."

"You won't," the mystery man, Roan, said, "because that gun would draw attention to this spot and you don't want that."

Clarke refused to lower the gun, but she did agree, "You're right, I don't want that, but how did you know who I was? What were you doing here?"

"Your hair is the most noticeable thing about you, therefore, anyone looking for you could use that."

"So you were just wandering around, saw my hair and decided to put me in a chokehold for my protection?"

Roan laughed one of those strong belly laughs. "You're feisty, I like it. If you must know I saw you wandering and thought it peculiar that a servant was out this late and had hoped to be able to woo her into my bed tonight."

Clarke lowered the gun with caution and scrunched her face up, "That's disgusting."

"A man's gotta fuck to live darling." He found a bench and plopped himself down and motioned for her to join him. He was incredibly amused when she kept her space and remained standing. "For someone who is held to such high esteem you're not very smart are you girlie?"

"My name is Clarke."

"Which I already knew," he groaned as he stretched out in his seat and his eyes twinkled with mischief, "everyone knows who you are Klark kom Skaikru."

"I'm flattered." she bit out sarcastically, "are you one of the assassins that's going to kill me?"

"Not unless someone can outpay the commander, which is doubtful, I'm unfortunately under strict orders not to turn you into my mother. Prince Roan of Azgeda, at your service." He even added in a mocking bow at the waist for her amusement, only she was far from amused.

Clarke blinked in surprise; "You're Ice Nations' prince?"

"More or less," he shrugged, "either way my loyalty is to the coalition."

"So Lexa hired you to what? Babysit me?"

"Well if you're going to wander off on your own in the middle of the night then yes. If you can manage to stay put for a while then no. My job is to make sure that nobody tries to sabotage the initiation. Believe it or not there are a few clans that are dissatisfied with Lexa's insistence on your protection."

"Considering your people were willing to annihilate a bunch of unarmed kids I am not shocked."

"That's where you mistake me. It's not your people that the ambassadors are weary of, it's you."

"Because of Mount Weather…"

Roan shook his head, his eyes were cold, "Because you're unpredictable and desperate. You judge my people for our response to your falling from the sky but you burned three hundred warriors to death, watched TonDC burn and then eliminated the entire mountain. All in the name of your people."

"I don't need any reminders of my actions from you."

"Perhaps not, but maybe you need a reminder on consequences." He stood and proceeded towards her. "You see, everything you did for survival created this power, you created Wanheda. The only way you'll be able to stop it is if you make different choices, create a different ripple in the pond."

She stood chest to chest with the stranger, the man known as Roan and glared up into his eyes, "What are you saying?"

He lifted a finger to twist a strand of golden hair; "I'm saying that if you want to prove you value life then you'll need to be prepared to make much, much harder choices. You can't get out of everything by blowing people up Klark kom Skaikru."

She pushed him back and away from her, "Don't touch me! I'm going back to my quarters, do you have to follow me back to make sure I don't make trouble?"

"Even if I tried to stop you I doubt I could." He pondered and then looked around the grounds once more, "You didn't create trouble on your way down here did you?"

"No." Then she thought about the boy with the curly hair and cringed, "Well I bumped into someone, but they clearly had no idea who I was."

"When was that?" Roan asked, teasing gone from his voice as he began to think through any possibility that followed. "What did they look like?"

She rolled her eyes, "I doubt he stuck around. He was dressed plain but had curly brown hair and he was taller than me. He didn't even get a good look at me though."

"Well that's his loss, you must have bumped into Bellamy, he had been on a patrol tonight. He's one of Ice Nations' representatives." It amused him how easily he could spin a lie.

"Regardless of who he is, I need to get back before my guards switch."

Roan laughed sarcastically, "So you do have guards!"

Clarke ignored him as she redonned her hood and began to make her way out of the garden. To her disdain Roan had continued to follow. Once they approached the concrete connected to the tower he fell silent and Clarke knew that if she turned around she wouldn't be able to see him anymore. She assessed the conversation once more in her head; Roan clearly hid bits of information from her. Though her gut instincts didn't scream at her and she could tell he told most of the truth. She wondered how they could have missed him on their way in. It wasn't like he blended in, not with his unruly long hair and scarred face. Then again, he wore nothing that signified a clan party and even though he dressed lightly Clarke had no doubt he managed to remain armed. She snuck her way back up and into her respective room with nothing more than a raised eyebrow from Murphy. She had just settled back into the mound of furs when she heard Wells ask how everything was. She hadn't been tired, not initially, but soon she drifted back to sleep.

Her nightmares started just at dawn. She startled awake and took a moment to collect her frantic breath. Moments later her door was being pushed open by Murphy. She started the day with the smell of burnt flesh stuck to her nostrils.

The people of Arkadia were treated to fruits and grains for breakfast. There were protein options available in meat and nuts, but Clarke (and a few others) indulged in the sweeter and more filling options. The start of the meal had been tense; both parties remembered the last meal shared. The way that Augustus had poisoned the cups and laid the trap to frame Raven was still fresh in the minds of Miller and Clarke. It must have been fresh in the minds of Lexa's advisors as well, for they taste tested almost everything before allowing Lexa -or anyone else, begin the meal. Marcus had gone on to explain that he was invited to participate in the preparation of the meal, a show of goodwill and trust that nobody tampered with anything.

Lexa had made her place next to Clarke almost instinctively. She had hoped it served a two-fold purpose; for one she wanted to make sure that everyone gathered understood her standing with Clarke hadn't changed and two she wanted to discuss the night before. Roan had reported to her at the crack of dawn that he had found Clarke in the gardens late last night with no escort and only a gun as protection. It was simply unacceptable! Luckily Roan had been there, although Lexa didn't trust him anymore than she trusted anyone from the Ice Nation, but he insisted that nothing happened. He had done his job. The young commander hoped that it would be the only time his presence was truly needed.

"Sonop you." Lexa greeted easily as she accepted a plate full of colors and smells from the servant, she then turned to Clarke and said much softer, "It means good morning."

"Well then, sonop you." Clarke said back, she kept it light and peaceful with a hint of a smile on her face, but that was all.

"Did you sleep well?"

Clarke nodded as she picked up a piece of her fruit, "Better than expected, thank you." she said and immediately popped the fruit into her mouth. It hadn't been a lie, she had slept well -much better than in the camp of Arkadia, but she hadn't been up for much conversation. "Everything tastes wonderful this morning."

Lexa smiled and agreed, "Each clan has its own vegetation and on the occasions where we all come together it's customary for them to bring pieces of their crop. They bring other things to trade as well; items of value or traditional pieces they'd like to share."

Clarke wondered what they'd be expected to bring to these gatherings. It wasn't like they had a particular crop or vegetation, they simply ate what they found. She began to question the balance of having her people within the coalition. It was clear that it wasn't just an alliance of convenience, it sounded as if they had routinely meetings or gatherings and representatives and ambassadors were expected to attend. There was nothing that the sky people could give the grounders! Nothing that they'd value, unless…

Clarke snapped her head up and looked over at Lexa quickly; "My attendance wasn't required because you value my input as a member of my people."

In her defense, Lexa looked truly perplexed at the outburst, "What? Of course it is, you're essentially their leader Clarke and any clan that's joined the coalition needed their leader present."

"Except that our chosen leader is my mother." Clarke turned to fully face Lexa. "You knew that from the beginning."

"Yes, but it wasn't your mother that was in charge of our negotiation against the mountain. It was you that made all the decisions and moves, therefore it was you my council wanted present to seal our alliance."

"Don't bullshit me Lexa."

"I'm not!" Lexas' voice held a tinge of desperation even though it remained whisper level. "I don't understand where any of this is coming from."

"You know that my people can't offer anything to your traditions. We have no crops and we have nothing that your people value, but we do have what your people fear."

"Do you really think that I'd form an alliance out of fear?"

"Your chance to stand beside us a testimony of your word and peace disappeared the second someone gave you an out, so yes, I think it is fear."

Lexa rolled her eyes; "And what is it that we would fear so much?"

"Me."

Lexas' mouth dropped open before she could control it and Clarke had her answer. The blonde shook her head and pushed away from her seat and excused herself from the meal. She felt a couple pairs of eyes on her -no doubt they watched the entire interaction between her and Lexa, and she nodded to them subtly. A reminder that she too could be aware of everyone in the room. She had just made it to the stairwell when Lexa caught up with her. She felt the pull to her arm as she was spun around and pressed against the wall; "I do not fear you Wanheda."

"You just fear what I'm capable of doing." Clarke kept a steady gaze into Lexa's eyes. Her right arm was pressed above her head and her left had been free to wander. She trailed her fingers up her captors arm until it rested at her shoulder. "You were going to use me, for this alliance, weren't you?"

Lexa let her gaze drift towards Clarkes' lips, only for a second, before she met the clear blue eyes she had dreamt of the night before, "I could never hurt you Clarke." she whispered as she inched closer. Instinctively she felt Clarke push up against her body, a natural response to the tension between them. "I never intended to hurt you." She whispered once more before her lips claimed Clarkes' in a moment of heat and passion. Soon she had freed Clarkes' right arm and instead gripped her face gently between both her palms. Clarkes' hands fisted into the shoulders of Lexas' top and their kiss proceeded to get heavier and hotter as the seconds moved by. Their hands wandered each other loosely and their lips trailed each other's necks, Lexa gripped Clarkes' hair and pulled back firmly. The subtle mark that Clarke had left just below her partner's left ear was still damp from her mouth and she couldn't help but mew at the tug to her hair and at the heat in Lexas' eyes.

"Come with me."

And Clarke went.

The pair moved quickly to Lexas' chambers and then they slowed down. It was passionate and it was raw. Both women had prior experience, Clarke had Finn before and Lexa had Costia, but this was nothing like that. The way that Lexas' eyes trailed over Clarkes' body as she stripped the blonder sky warrior of her clothing -of her walls, ignited a warmth that spread throughout Clarkes' body. In return the excitement and anticipation that clouded over her normally electric blue overcame Lexa and she removed her own clothing erratically with no pattern, no sense of stopping. Their touches opposite of each other; Clarkes' tentative, but firm while Lexa's were controlling and purposeful. Their sounds of pleasure meshed perfectly and filled the empty space of the room while their bodies responded naturally to each other's motions. Lexa had pulled back from her worshipping of Clarkes' breasts only long enough to trail her hot mouth along the pale body below her before she took her tongue to Clarke's center. With no warning it left the girl below to jump up and gasp.

Clarkes' hand gripped Lexas' ponytail, messing it up and loosening it, but she needed something to ground herself, something to cling to. She felt her hips buck and she moaned heavily as she felt a single and then double digit enter her. Lexas' eyes strained to see Clarke with her head thrown back and her hair wild, her ears fixated on the wretched sounds that escaped her lips. She could feel the physical build of Clarkes' orgasm, the way her walls clenched the way her nails scraped against her scalp. Her torment of oral play ended with a rough nip at Clarkes' clit and a bruising bite to the inside of her thigh, but as she crawled her back up -like a panther stalks its prey, she guided Clarkes' free hand (clenched around a fur) to her own body. "Touch me Clarke."

And Clarke did.

She played freely with Lexa's body, taunted and teased each nippled, dug her nails into her ass and then finally let her fingers drift over Lexas' own opening. Lexa let out a moan and increased her own ferocity with her fingers and Clarke took the encouragement to explore further. It felt like the world had paused with Lexa as she ground against Clarkes' hand and Clarke moved in response. They both were inhibited in their moans and sighs and sometimes shouts. Lexa had lowered herself so that her body covered Clarkes' entirely, like a shield, and she panted against Clarkes' ear; "I'm gonna' cum, I'm gonna' cum… fuck Clarke!"

Clarke felt the way Lexa's whole body trembled with her orgasm and the rush of heat filled her fingers delightfully. She pulled her hand away from Lexa and teased her own lips with the taste of the woman above her. It only lasted a second before she felt Lexa's fingers hook up within her and soon she too felt her own orgasm rush through her. She gasped and hissed, "Fuck!" and then went limp as her breath continued to escape her.

She remained breathless even through Lexas' form of aftercare. Quiet words of reassurance and praise. Gentle hands working at tight muscles. Soft playful kisses that trailed along Clarkes' shoulder, up her neck, under her jaw, against the span of her face. She felt herself relax as the deadly commanders' fingers worked through her tangled curls and her eyes fell for moments at a time. Clarke hadn't been aware of how long they laid wrapped up in each other for, but all too soon the moment had lifted and both women had sat up. They were sweaty, but satisfied as they stared at each other in post sexual bliss. Clarke didn't want to ruin the moment, but someone had to make the first move.

She began to gather her clothes, much to Lexas' dismay. She dressed herself, taunted Lexa with each new article of clothing. She smirked as she pulled the dull pair of panties over her ass and bent over with exaggeration as she reached for the flimsy bra. She continued to move deliberately and even though her back faced Lexa she knew she had her full attention. The little sounds that came from the warrior behind her were a sure indication as well. Once she was completely clothed she turned her head back towards her partner; "You should get dressed Heda."

Lexa grinned wickedly, "You should get undressed."

Clarke shook her head softly and walked towards the door, her hand rested on the handle, but before she made her exit she spoke, "If it comes down to it, you can't choose me over my people, understand?"

And Clarke walked out.

She walked past the Fleimkepa, Titus, without a second thought. She didn't notice his contempt when she passed him and she hadn't felt his eyes on her from behind. To her credit, Lexa hadn't noticed his presence in the hallway either. However, Titus knew what he saw and the implication of Clarke sauntering out of his commander's room left a sour taste in his mouth. He would not and could not stand to have the holder of the flame tainted by someone like Clarke. True she was a fierce and devoted warrior for her people, but her position and legend could lead to turmoil within the coalition and he could not in good conscience let Lexas' (and the flames) hard work fall apart. He reminded himself that it was better to face his commander head on rather than go to the other members of the council. With that he knocked on her door.

Peace negotiations with the ambassadors of the twelve clans started just after the noon meal. Marcus had confidently introduced himself to the other ambassadors and stood tall and proud as he produced the terms and conditions of his people. He answered all the proper questions and asked his own when necessary. He had felt confident that his diplomatic duty to the sky people would be fulfilled with no bloodshed. Since his position on their council was tentative to their vote he was required to stand for the duration of their regular meeting. At least, it felt like a meeting to him. Even down to the way they handled decisions felt oddly diplomatic in comparison to the eye for an eye militant style of leading he witnessed months prior.

"Commander," the ambassador of the Shallow Valley rose from her seat to speak to those around her, "forgive me for my indifference in these regards, but there are a few of us here that wonder why you want the sky people to join our ranks."

"Obviously it's her own personal gain."

Lexas' eyes snapped towards the ambassador of the Delphi People, "And what personal gain is that?"

Shallow Valley's ambassador spoke up in response to the commander's question, "Some of us are concerned that this alliance is one-sided. It didn't seem like much of an issue until the stories about the Commander of Death were brought up."

"Exactly!" Ice Nations' ambassador, Link, exclaimed, "Some of us are concerned that you'd like to bring the Sky People in as the thirteenth clan so that you can be the one to control the powers of Wanheda."

"That sounds like a personal challenge to your commander."

"Not a challenge, just an observation."

"It's not just your personal relationship with the girl that concerns us," the elder warrior of the Plains Riders stood to make his point as well, "the location of the Sky People would lead some to believe that you're looking to favor Trikru which puts both Yujeda and Azgeda in vulnerable positions. Both clans you have known conflict with."

The room erupted into chatter, which Marcus had taken as the opportunity to try and redirect the talks. "I assure you, the only reason we've relocated to Mount Weather is to leave your valley borders undisturbed."

"But it is not undisturbed. Your home from the sky is there, your debris litters our fields and your people are split between the two settlements."

"Which isn't intentional! We simply landed there. As for our split settlements, yes at this time that is the case, but we are working with our people to get them on the mountain as well."

"Why not let the surrounding clans absorb these castaways?"

Marcus huffed, "They're not castaways! They're mostly kids that landed before the rest of us and their experience within Mount Weather was…"

"Haunting?" Broad Leaf Clans' ambassador supplied for Marcus. "We've all seen the horrors of the world around us Marcus kom Skaikru and word of what happened in the mountain has traveled fast."

"Then you understand?"

The woman of Yujeda nodded once and then looked around the room before her eyes settled on Marcus once more; "I understand why peace matters so much to you, but I fail to see why becoming part of the coalition is the only solution. There are other ways to broker peace for your people."

"Not in a way that doesn't endanger one of my clans." Lexa demanded the attention of everyone in the room with her voice. Marcus watched as the standing council members took their seats again. He was impressed, although Lexa appeared young -much younger than most of her advisors, they respected her and adhered to her. "The sky people have proven themselves capable warriors and loyal. My decision to add them as the thirteenth clan was to ensure balance remains amongst our people."

"Will they remain in Mount Weather or could we perhaps help them establish a settlement towards the unmarked coastal lines?"

"There will be no need for that, their establishment within Mount Weather would be acceptable. The markings of the mountain men are still standing, the allotted land is already clearly marked and is more than enough for them."

"What about their expansion?"

Lexa looked at Marcus with ice in her gaze; "Do you plan to expand?"

Marcus had been quick to shake his head in denial, "Just naturally, in the sense of marriage and children."

"Then it appears we have nothing to worry about." Lexa reclaimed her seat and opened the floor for the motion of acceptance. The ambassador of the Boat People seconded the motion, but the vote remained even. Just before she could bring forward an adjustment to the motion the ambassador of the Ice Nation stood up.

"I will not vote for the acceptance of a thirteenth clan until you can prove there are no Rights of Favor involved."

Lexa blinked furiously and had started to make a demand until two more ambassadors stood up in agreement. She turned towards Titus and motioned him forward, "Titus can attest to my relations with the Sky People. He has been involved in all talks of treaty and meetings with their ambassador, before and after the mountain."

Titus, an elderly looking man with a large forehead and no hair stepped forward. Though his appearance was less resolute and more anxious. He cleared his throat and motioned for everyone to be seated again and stepped forward towards the middle of the room; "It is true, our commander has worked alongside the sky people for peace and nothing more."

"And what about Wanheda?"

"She has nothing to do with this." Lexa bit out, but Titus had looked at her solemnly. "Titus…"

"I'm sorry Commander, but it is my job to see that the flame is kept in truth and light." He turned back to face the council members, "I did see the personal relations between our commander and the girl they call the commander of death. I'd invite you all to heavily consider the motion presented earlier with the extended motion that the Sky People abolish their ties with Wanheda herself."

"I'll second the motion." Ice Nations' ambassador chimed with his right hand in the air.

"And what happens to Clarke?" Marcus demanded with fury in his eyes, "What happens to the girl that literally solved your Mountain Men problem?"

"Nothing," Lexa insisted, "because this motion isn't going to be voted upon."

"Why not?" another ambassador questioned, "If I were in your position Commander, I'd want to alienate Wanheda and then kill her myself so that the powers of death could be mine. Yet you sit there and deny yourself that chance? You insist that their position within our ranks would lift the bounty off of this girl's head, yet all it does is solidify the power she holds over you."

"You speak out of term to our commander." Broad Leaf Clan's ambassador replied with her arms crossed as she stared at Marcus. "It would make things easier if your people didn't hold an emotional attachment to her."

"Well, she's not just some girl. She's the reason our people have survived."

"And she's your heda's daughter." Everyone snapped their attention towards the ambassador of Trikru. "Her value to your people is not just in her works for peace and survival. Since it's clear that our commander also values Klark com Skaikru we should want to strengthen her value to our coalition, not destroy her."

"And how do you suggest we do that?"

"Someone's already called the Rights of Favor," she responded with a shrug, "to prove that the Commander is bringing forth this initiation in good spirit she'll be willing to give Clarke up. The clan who wins the challenge, wins Clarke and solidifies an alliance within the coalition."

"Clarke isn't a piece of property to be auctioned off."

"Of course not Marcus, but if our commander pushes forward and initiates your clan it'll just prove that she's making a decision for her own personal gain and not from the guidance of the flame."

"Every decision I make is for the good of my people."

"Then prove it." The woods clan warrior gestured widely with her arms, "Prove to us in this room that Klark kom Skaikru holds no power over you and maybe the legend of Wanheda will be put to rest."

Lexas' nostrils flared and her eyes jumped around the room. Marcus stood with a look of agitation and distress on his face. He could very well decide for his people that peace is not attainable in this way. He could decide to take his people home. He could decide to take Clarke home. In the same thought process if Lexa let them leave then her push for peace would have been for nought. Not that she wasn't already prepared! It had been something discussed thoroughly in the weeks up to the meeting. She took a breath and then met Marcus Kanes' eyes who had remained in the center of the room with his fists clenched and jaw squared. "To initiate the challenge each clan must present me with one representative willing to fight for the hand of Klark kom Skaikru."

"Lexa!" Marcus gasped out, his jaw now slack and eyes cold in fury.

"It is what must be done Kane." She addressed the remaining people in the room with a tone of finality. "You all have three hours to choose."

Clarke waited in anxiety in her quarters with the rest of her people. She had chewed along the side of her thumb for the last thirty minutes or so. The skin was raw and stretched, but it kept her mind on the task at hand. It kept her breathing under control and it only slightly infuriated Murphy. He had only grabbed at her hand twice in the last hour. He grunted at her to stop three times after that. Clarke muttered back, "I don't take orders from you Murphy." and then they repeat the routine.

"It's taking too long." Zoe whispered out, "Isn't it? Isn't it taking too long?"

Wells shrugged, "Maybe not."

"The first time we had peace talks with Lexa it had taken us the bulk of the day."

"Was that before or after you executed Spacewalker?"

Clarke eyed Murphy with a look of cold indifference; "After."

Miller smacked Murphy upside the head immediately afterward, but then it's silent again. It felt like hours had passed, maybe they had, maybe it had been just minutes, but the time passed slowly. Marcus Kane announced his presence and walked briskly into the room and Clarke took one look at him and knew something was wrong. Before she had the chance to demand answers it was Miller who had demanded Kane explain.

"There's a bit of a problem."

"Define a bit of a problem." Murphy snorted.

"There are some clans that believe Lexa and Clarkes' personal…" he paused to look over at Clarke who had averted her gaze to the ground, "... personal relationship is the driving force behind our peace treaty. It's created some tension."

"So how do we resolve that tension?"

"Well," Marcus delayed with a subtle blush working its way up his neck, "the grounders seem to want to resolve that issue themselves. Each clan is to present their eligible persons for a challenge of some kind and then the winner gets, well, they get…" he continued to stumble over words until Miller told him to spit it out and Clarke had been in the midst of reprimanding her friend when they all heard it.

"...well the winner gets Clarke."

A/N: I really am having fun with this whole concept. I'm excited for the next couple of chapters because we begin to finalize this concept and move on to the bigger plot points. I know this story is endgame Bellarke, but I am excited to have Clarke go through normal self-discovery relationship things... and I had such a fun time writing about their passion in this chapter that I can't wait to jump start some of the prompts I have for the Clexa pairing! Let me know how you liked it.