Clarke awoke a little while later and for the first time in what felt like forever she didn't have a nightmare. With Lexa's arms wrapped around her, Clarke felt protected and safe, and her mind was able to relax. Clarke picked her head up off of the sleeping brunettes chest and couldn't help but stare at her peaceful features. She felt so much love for the sleeping woman, her heart shattered in her chest at the fact that they wouldn't get to be together.
Clarke sighed and shook herself out of her melancholy thoughts. She slowly rolled out of Lexa's embrace and off the bed. The brunette whimpered and rolled over into the spot Clarke had just vacated and she wrapped her arms tightly around the blonde's pillow. Clarke smiled at her actions and walked throughout the room gathering her scattered clothing and dressing herself. It was early afternoon and Clarke would need to return to her room soon in case anyone came looking for her.
When she was fully clothed, she walked back to the bed. Leaning down, she kissed Lexa on the forehead. "I love you so much," she whispered. "I'm so sorry that Nia is doing this. I will make her pay one day, and no matter what I will never stop loving you."
With that, Clarke walked out onto Lexa's balcony and climbed back down to the room she shared with Roan. Roan was seated in a chair with his back to her. As she approached she noticed a book in his hand, more specifically her sketchbook. "See something you like?"
Roan nearly jumped up to his feet and he slammed the book in his hand closed. "Shit! You know I hate it when you do that," Roan said, setting the book down on the table. He turned around to face a smirking Clarke and took in her appearance. "I guess your goodbye went well."
"What makes you think that?"
"Your hair is a mess and you smell like sex," Roan explained.
Clarke reached up to her head and tried to smooth out her hair. "I don't know if I would feel right saying that that goodbye went well. I love her, and I'm never going to get to be with her, I'm never going to get to tell her that again."
"I know," Roan said softly, moving closer to the heartbroken blonde. He knew what she was feeling. He loved Nadia more than anything and knowing that he would never truly get to be with her was devastating. "I'm sorry."
Clarke swallowed and nodded sadly. "Yeah," she whispered, trying to keep her voice strong. She was going to continue speaking but a knock on the door silenced her.
"Min yu op," Roan called. The door opened and a few handmaidens entered.
"Wanheda, we are here to help prepare you for tomorrow," one of them said.
Clarke nodded and made her way to the door to leave with the handmaidens. "I'll see you later Roan," she said and she followed the servants down the hall and into another room.
Clarke spent hours in that room learning the rituals and cleaning herself up for tomorrow. It was a lot of information. Clarke not only needed to learn the rituals for her bonding, but she also needed to learn some for being initiated into Azgeda's royal family. It was a lot of information, and Clarke's head was starting to hurt.
After spending hours in that room, she met Roan and they spent some time talking about tomorrow and eating. Then they decided to make their way down to the sparring pits.
By now, Clarke felt good as new and she was back to her old training regimine. Roan wasn't back to one hundred percent, but he was close, and he was used to pushing through injuries, so he wasn't concerned about his condition.
They entered the starring pit and both stretched momentarily before they started circling each other. They decided to go hand to hand and they weren't allowed to take any shots up near they face, Nia required that they look perfect for their ceremony tomorrow, and they began their match. It felt good for Clarke to be fighting again. It was one of the few experiences where she actually felt free and in control. The only other time she ever felt that way was when she was around a certain brunette. She used her thoughts of Lexa and her anger towards Nia to spur her on and she put on a show of skill with Roan.
/
The azgeda soldier entered the gates of Polis quickly. He was stopped by the guards at the gates and told to slow down, but he was allowed to enter with no issue. He slowed his horse as ordered but still moved quickly. His journey from Saipan to Polis had taken a few days and he needed to speak to his Queen as quickly as possible.
He entered Polis Tower and rode up to the floor where the Azgeda delegation was staying. He was searched by the two guards standing outside Nia's door and then he was allowed to enter. He walked into the room and immediately dropped to a knee.
Nia was seated in a chair in her room, the leaders of Blue Cliff and Podakru were there with her. "Rise and tell me why you have come," she ordered.
The man rose to his feet and took a deep breath to calm his nerves before he spoke, "My Queen, there was an attack in Saipan. It was an attempt on the branwada Emerson's life."
Nia raised an eyebrow, her anger simmering low in her gut, "Who led this attack? Were they successful?"
"It was Trikru and a few Skaikru my Queen. They were not successful. Emerson escaped into the woods with guards just as you prepared," he reported.
Nia knew what this meant. There was no way that anyone would find out about Emerson without being told, and the only person who would talk and get the support from both Trikru and Skaikru, was Clarke. She had talked. She had been quiet all this time, followed Nia like a good little soldier for months, and now she decided it was time to disobey her orders and attempt to kill Emerson. Nia needed Clarke alive, but this would not go unpunished. "Wanheda has disobeyed her clan, her Queen. She seems to have forgotten who is in charge here. I think it is time we remind her."
The other two clan leaders grunted their assent and the three leaders, their guards, and the messenger from Saipan all left the room in search of the blonde.
Nia was angry. Clarke had tried to disobey her. Her plan was so close to being a success, now was not the time for Clarke to try anything. She could feel her teeth grinding as she considered her options. She couldn't kill Wanheda, at least not yet, and she needed to send a message. And she had just the plan.
She was angry at the situation yes, but she was also excited. Excited to prove to everyone that she was in control of Wanheda, the Commander of Death, and that any treason committed against her or her clan would be met with severe consequences.
/
Clarke rolled under a punch headed for her gut and shot back up to her feet. She dodged a few more hits before she grabbed Roan's wrist, flipped him over her body and wrapped him up in an armlock. She pulled back on the arm, earning a grunt from Roan, and quickly after that he tapped her leg to call for release.
Clarke let go of her hold and popped up to her feet before helping Roan up. "Impressive," he complimented. "You finally beat me."
"You're not one hundred percent. It doesn't count," Clarke replied.
"A win is a win," Roan said heading to the edge of the ring to put his shirt back on and drink from his waterskin.
"In a real situation that would be true. In a sparring match it's not. I'll beat you one day, and I will rub it in your face all the time, but you will be at your best when I do."
"Fair enough," Roan said as him and Clarke left the sparring pit.
It was dark out at this point and the two would need to return to their room soon. They walked silently for a little while before Clarke spoke, "So this is it. In a little while we'll go to sleep. When we wake up we're going to be bonded together."
Roan turned to look at Clarke, who kept her gaze straight ahead and he nodded his head. "Lexa's proud of you."
Clarke froze in her steps. "And how would you know that?" She asked. She didn't believe for a second that Lexa would be proud of her. She had given up, and maybe it was for a good reason, but she had still given up. That wasn't something to be proud of. Plus, if she ever found out about Clarke's other identity, pride is the last thing she would be receiving.
"She would be," Roan continued. "She knows how to lead well, and she told you you would be a good leader. This sacrifice you are making, that is what a leader would do. You have so much strength Clarke, more than anyone I know. I see it and she sees it. She's proud of you."
Clarke swallowed down her feelings that were threatening to spill over and cleared her throat. "Nadia would be proud of you too. So would Kai. You have given him someone to look up to, someone to model himself after, someone who is going make a difference in Azgeda one day. This definitely isn't the life that either of us wanted, that either of us deserve, but I'm honored to call you my friend Roan. We are going to find a way to stop your mother and bring peace to Azgeda. I'm honored to be by your side for it."
"Wanheda, Roan," a voice snapped them out of their moment.
Clarke turned to see Nia and a few others approaching. They were standing in an empty area of the streets of Polis and were the only people in the area. Clarke and Roan both bowed their heads. "My Queen," they both said in unison.
Clarke and Roan both looked up to meet the eyes of the Queen, who was staring daggers at Clarke, "Wanheda, it has come to my attention that there has been an attack in Saipan. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?"
Clarke felt her blood run cold and a lump formed in her throat. She averted her eyes and swallowed to try and clear her throat, "My Queen I-"
Clarke's words were cut off by a punch to the jaw from Queen Nia. "Now look what you made me do," Nia said motioning towards Clarke's now bloody lip. "Now there is a mark on your face before the ceremony tomorrow. I guess it won't hurt now to add a few more." Before Clarke could respond she felt three more punches to the face and a knee to the gut. "I told you what would happen if you disobeyed me, yet you chose to do it anyway," Nia growled as she continued her assault.
Clarke needed to think of something to say or something to do and fast.
/
Octavia and Indra pushed their horses as quickly as they could through the trees. They were late. They were supposed to make it back to Polis yesterday but due to the weather and harsh terrain of Azgeda, it took longer to get to Saipan then expected and they lost some valuable time. Rosco's betrayal also cost them a bit of time and now they were late.
Octavia was starting to panic. Not only were they late, but they had failed. They had to go find Clarke and the Commander and warn them that their attempt failed and that there was no way to stop the bonding ceremony from happening.
It was late out. The sun had disappeared and the moon had taken its place by the time they reached the gates of Polis. The guards recognized Indra immediately and didn't bother to stop them or check them before letting them enter the city. "Octavia, go find Clarke. It is likely that a messenger was sent from Saipan here and he could have gotten a head start or known of a faster path to get here. We can't let Queen Nia found out about Clarke's betrayal."
"I'm on it," Octavia replied to her first and then she launched herself from her horse in search of the blonde.
Indra rode her horse all the way to the towers entrance before dismounting and quickly making her way to the throne room.
Lexa was sitting in her throne, Luna and Titus were in front of her. They were discussing the ceremony that was to happen tomorrow and if they could find a way to stop it. Titus didn't seem interested in preventing it or slowing it down and he provided little input. Luna was trying to help come up with something but there really wasn't anything that could be done.
Lexa was racking her brain trying to come up with some reason to stop or at least postpone the ceremony, but her mind kept drifting off. She couldn't get the images of the morning she had spent with Clarke out of her head. She had finally found someone, finally opened herself up to love again, only to have it ripped away again by that evil ice bitch.
Lexa was quickly snapped out of her thoughts when the doors to her throne room burst open and a tired looking Indra entered. "Indra what happened?" Lexa asked, sensing something was off.
"Heda I'm sorry, but we failed. Emerson knew we were coming. He got away."
"How?" Lexa snarled.
"Rosco. He betrayed you Heda. He is working for Queen Nia, has been for a while it seems," Indra replied.
Lexa stood slowly from her throne and glared at Titus, "I had you question my staff. What did he say to you? Did he give away anything that you could have overlooked."
Titus stared at Lexa wide eyed, "Heda...I-"
"Spit it out Titus. What did he say to you?" Lexa questioned.
"Heda, I… I don't remember," Titus replied weakly.
"What do you mean you don't remember," Luna spoke up.
Lexa kept her gaze fixated on Titus and she realized something. "You didn't question him did you?"
"Heda, he has been loyal to you for years. He saved your life more than once. There was no need to question him. The accusation from some filthy Azgeda scum was not trustworthy," Titus replied.
Lexa stepped down the dais of her throne and stalked towards Titus. "Heda, please there is no time. We must find Clarke, she is in danger. If Nia finds out what happened, she could be killed for her betrayal," Indra interrupted.
The danger to Clarke snapped Lexa out of her rage. "You will pay for your insolence," Lexa growled at Titus before storming out of the room, Indra, Luna, and Titus on her heels.
When they reached the bottom floor and exited from the tower, they were met by Octavia, "Heda," she started. "You must come with me. Queen Nia knows. It's not good," she said before taking off down one of the roads of Polis, leading everyone towards Clarke.
/
Clarke took another fist to the jaw and dropped down onto her knees. "Mother please, you must stop," Roan tried. "Now is not the time nor place for this."
"Stay out of it boy," Nia roared before returning her attention to a bloody, beaten, and bruised Clarke. "You know the price for your betrayal Clarke. You along with Skaikru will suffer for this," Nia growled and she delivered another punch to Clarkes face.
Clarke was on her knees. Blood was pouring from her nose, mouth, and a gash from above her eye. Her torso was burning, her ribs had to be badly bruised, luckily not broken, and she could feel the sting of a few slash marks across her arms. She wasn't doing anything to stop it. She learned a long time ago not to fight back when receiving a punishment or it would only get worse.
Clarke right now was at a loss. Her entire body was aching and there was nothing she could say or do. There was no lie she could come up with about Emerson. There was no way to explain the attempt on his life. There was no way for her to stop this punishment or likely the punishment that Skaikru was now destined for. She had failed them.
Another punch to her temple sent her body toppling over to one side. Her arms were weak and shaking but she used them to push herself up off the ground. She was going to stand tall for her punishment. She would not risk angering Nia further and putting Skaikru in more danger and she would not lower herself and look weak in front of Nia or the small crowd that was gathered around her.
She pushed forward, making herself look as strong as possible which, in her condition, wasn't very, and she waited. She was prepared for more threats, another punch or kick or cut, but she was not prepared for the voice she heard instead.
"Nia no mo," Lexa ordered. Running up to the clearing with Indra, Octavia, Luna, and Titus.
Nia held up her fist, but didn't bring it down on Clarke, "Commander, the internal affairs of my clan are none of your business. She has committed treason. She deserves a much worse punishment than this."
Lexa looked at her badly injured love and barely held herself back from killing Nia where she stood. "I said, no more," the Commander bit out through clenched teeth.
Nia lowered her fist and started laughing. It was a dry, haunting, humorless laugh and it made Clarke cringe at the sound. "You are weak," Nia said directed towards the Commander. "You let your feelings for this girl control you. You know you have no right to stop this, yet here you are. You failed to protect Julius kom Sankru from the threat of an assassin, and if not for my guard, you would have failed me. Your biggest failure was the mountain. You led an army, an army that would have won, but instead of fighting like a true warrior, you cut a deal and ran away with your tail between you legs. If not for Wanheda, the mountain men would still be alive, and likely would still reign terror on our people. You are young and foolish. You are weak."
"I did what I did on the mountain to protect my people. I do not regret that decision and I do not need to defend myself to you," Lexa said, taking a menacing step towards the Queen.
The clan leaders from Blue Cliff and Podakru took a step closer to Nia along with her guards, showing they weren't afraid of her. "I am the Commander of this coalition. You bow to me, and you would do well to remember that."
"Well maybe it shouldn't be your coalition," Nia said with a smirk. Finally, an opportunity. This is what she has been waiting for.
"You can't call for a vote of no confidence. You would lose," Luna stepped forward, one step behind the Commander. "You would not have the support of Flokru, Trikru, Skaikru, and others."
"Who says I want to call for a vote of no confidence," Nia smirked.
"We both know what you want Nia," Lexa growled straightening out her back and glaring daggers at her greatest enemy. "Issue the challenge and lets get on with it."
"Fine," Nia said. "You are challenged.
"And I accept your challenge," Lexa said without a moment's hesitation.
As the staring match between the two continued, Titus stepped in between them. "The challenge has been made and accepted. Heda who will fight for you?"
"Ai laik Heda. Non na throu daun gon ai," Lexa bellowed, eyes glued on Nia.
Titus swallowed, "Nia, who will fight for you?"
Nia's eyes swept over her guards and landed on her son. She kept eye contact with him. "Wanheda," she announced looking away from her son and down to the bleeding blonde.
"I will take her place," Roan spoke up. His mother turned to him amused and raised an eyebrow. "We are to be bonded. It is my job to protect her. I will fight for her."
"True you are to be bonded, but you aren't yet. I am the Queen of Azgeda and my decisions outrule yours. Wanheda will fight," she said, directing her last sentence at Titus.
Clarke winced and she slowly pushed herself up to her feet. She glared at Nia for a split second before bowing her head and turning to face the Commander. "It is settled then," Titus said. "Tomorrow, in place of the bonding ceremony, the challenge will commence."
/
Everything that happened after that was blur for Clarke. She looked into those green eyes that she loved so much and wanted nothing more than to go to her. To tell her she loved her and beg her not to do this, but instead she was ushered out of the clearing and back to her shared room with Roan.
She walked over to one of the tables and grabbed a first aid kit before limping over to the couch. She dropped down onto it with a wince and tended to her injuries. Stopping her face and other gashes from bleeding and wrapping up her ribs as tightly as she could.
Roan entered a few minutes after she was done. He let out a frustrated yell before punching a hole through a piece of wooden furniture. He took his hand out and shook it a few times, relieving the dull ache that started. "Of course she would do this," Roan growled as he started pacing.
"Roan," Clarke said softly, trying to calm him down to no avail. "Roan," she said again more forcefully. "Stop, we knew this is something she wanted from the beginning. I'm not happy about it, but it's not a surprise."
Roan sighed. "You're right. We need to come up with a plan."
Clarke shook her head, "No plan." Roan raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm going to let the Commander kill me."
"What?" Roan practically yelled.
"Come on Roan, what else can I do? Nia knows I talked about Emerson. Her threat if I did that was to blow up Arkadia. You and I both know she will follow through with that. I failed Skaikru, and there is nothing I can do now to stop Nia. The Commander is the only one who will have even the slightest chance of leading her people to stop Nia, and if she can't, she is the only one who will be able to lead them and help them get through whatever Nia throws at them. The people of the coalition need her. They don't need me."
"The Commander would never kill you," Roan argued.
"She will. She's a good leader, the best there ever could be. She will choose her head over her heart. She will do what needs to be done for her people," Clarke replied.
Roan shook his head, "Clarke this is ridiculous. You can't just let her kill you."
"Do you have another idea? Because there is no way to stop a challenge, and the only way a challenge ends is when one of the two warriors is dead. I don't have a say in fighting, considering the fact that there were other clan leaders present at the issuing. If I tried to run away I would be deemed weak, a traitor. The Commander would have no choice but to put a kill order over my head, and I would die anyway. The Commander can't find a replacement because she has to fight for herself to prove her strength to Nia and the rest of her people. One of us has to die and it's better off if it's me," Clarke argued. She closed her eyes and sighed. "After everything that I've done, I probably deserve it anyway," Clarke whispered.
"Clarke-"
Roan was prepared to argue when the doors to their room opened and none other than Nia entered. "Clarke, I won't be here long, you need your rest, I just came here to give you an incentive for tomorrow."
"Why? My people are dead anyway," Clarke replied.
"I'm here to make you a deal Clarke. You kill the Commander, and I will give you Emerson's location and allow you to kill him," Nia offered.
Clarke's mouth hung open for a moment before she pulled herself together, "You would never allow that."
"Clarke, you kill the Commander and I will take control of the coalition. I will give you Emerson, allowing you to end the threat of the missile, and I will allow Skaikru to live in peace. You are their only chance for survival Clarke. If I were you, I would take it," Nia said and she started to walk to the doors of the room. "Also, I'm leaving two guards in here to keep an eye on you both before tomorrow. Make the right decision Clarke. Your people are counting on you."
With that Nia left the room. Two guards took up position beside the door their eyes scanning the room and the shocked blonde and Prince.
"Well that I was not expecting," Roan muttered.
Clarke was frozen in place, her mouth gaping. She was stuck with two choices now. Let the Commander kill her and allow Skaikru to be destroyed, or kill the Commander, the woman she loves, to protect them. Fuck.