Chapter One:
Battle of One

"take a deep breath, princess, and remember:
being a queen is not a blessing
it is an act of war
(so keep your skirts short and your dagger holstered, darling;
you're fighting a battle of one)"

From her balcony, Clarke watched her mother escort the Prince through the gardens and sighed. She would never understand why she was being forced to marry somebody she had never met. What if he was cruel? What if he hated her?

She turned to Finn. "You must go now, Mr. Collins."

"Clarke-"

"You shouldn't call me that." Oh, but she wanted him to. Finn Collins was with her most of her days, if he wasn't taking her riding he was escorting her elsewhere. She knew it was odd to have a male escort but the Collins' had been very old friends of her father. Raven Reyes would have been the obvious choice for her escort surely, but she was her favourite Lady in Waiting, and her best friend. Besides, Clarke had been entrusted within Finn's care for so long now it hardly seemed strange at all.

"The Prince is here, isn't he?"

"Yes, and you must go."

He looked resigned, but nodded. "I'll see you at 5:00 for combat."

Finn was looking at her with those eyes she pretended to hate. She loved those eyes but they tore her heart apart. Clarke knew nothing could ever become of them. Finn knew nothing could ever become of them. They hadn't ever discussed them really. But there was something there and it was forever driving Clarke mad. Mad with want and anger because despite always getting everything she could ever want, she could never have the one thing she loved.

Clarke wanted to say something, but as she opened her mouth there was a knock on the door. The guard outside was requesting her presence in the tea room overlooking the garden. She left without looking back.

She slowed her steps as she neared the tea room. She did not want to go in there, but if there was one thing Clarke was, she was brave. She took a deep breath and pushed open the double doors.

"Good day, Princess." he greeted her as she entered the room. He really was handsome...and he was smiling at her. Raven had been right, she should be cautious.

She curtsied gently, "Your Highness."

He laughed. Clarke thought she hated him.

"You needn't continue with such formality's, Princess. We are to be married, after all."

Clarke hated him.

Who gave him the right to waltz into her kingdom, into her castle, into her life, and take her future in his own hands? Aside from their parents combined serious lack of judgement apparently.

Clarke had been engaged to Bellamy Blake since before she was born. His mother ruled the neighboring kingdom and naturally, he was heir. If their kingdoms combined they would be the most influential leaders in the past six generations. But Clarke did not want power, Clarke wanted love...love that she could not have. She did not care about Princes or politics.

"So it seems," she replied.

She took a moment to observe him. He didn't look like a Prince, not exactly. She could definitely see the upbringing in the way he carried himself, and the royal blood in his facial structure, but he looked...rugged. His shoes were scuffed and the buttons on his jacket did not shine. His hair was wayward and needed a cut, and she noticed a small cut on the bridge of his nose.

She may not have liked him, but he intrigued her.

"Darling!" Clarke turned to her mother, she had almost forgotten she was there. "Why don't you show Prince Blake the greenhouses? I know how much you love them, it'll give you some time to get to know one another."

She was quite positive she could have killed her mother in that moment. And she wouldn't have needed the secret combat training from Finn to do it.

Bellamy had the nerve to smile.

"That sounds wonderful, I've been waiting to meet you for so long."

Bellamy watched the Princess as she walked slightly ahead of him. She was definitely not what he had been expecting.

Yes she was obedient and polite, but he could tell she was doing it to please her mother. He saw the contempt behind her eyes when she looked at him, he saw the dress she wore that wasn't quite Princess appropriate.

She was beautiful. And tiny. She reminded him of his sister, Octavia. She had wanted to come with him so badly but he knew this first meeting needed to be something he did alone. He had promised she could come next time and left her with their mother. She had not been pleased.

Much like the Princess striding before him was not pleased. It amused him, the similarities. She may not like him now but he knew he would win her over.

He whistled softly to himself and followed Clarke through the gardens.

A/N: First of all the beautiful poem at the beginning of this chapter is by my lovely friend Michelle, there is a link in my bio to it if you'd like to see the whole thing.
Secondly thank you so much for all the favourites and follows this story has been getting, it really assures me that I did the right thing by posting it here for you all. :)
However...Reviews will give me much more motivation. This is my first fic so I need you all to tell me what you like, what you'd like to see, what you don't like, I want to make this the best I can for you.

I have also found a beta! My other lovely friend Mandy has agreed to take on the task. (And might I just say that she is doing this while completing her first year of university AND betaing another one of my friend's stories so mad props to her) She did not beta this chapter because I wanted to get up more than the prologue today but everything else will be looked over and edited by her so have no fear.

Once again thank you guys so much

- Lauren