Chapter Text
Lexa kom trikru, the first Prisa of Polis fixed her warrior gown as she waited for her mother to announce the news. She had been schooled in this her whole life. How to stand. How to move. How to talk in public. What to do with her hands and yet all her lessons slipped away like quicksand as she wondered why on earth she had ever agreed to this.
An arranged marriage had always been her expectation but to someone she had never met or even seen was quite the gamble. For all the rumours about her fearsome reputation she was more concerned about the marriage than she was the prospect of war. War she was used to. In Polis all royals were expected to be fighters, just as in Azgeda where Queen Nia ruled with ice sharp ruthlessness.
"Her Royal Highness, Lexa kom trikru of Polis announces her engagement to a suitable daughter or son of Arkadia. King Jaha's own son has declined and so a candidate will be put forward in his place to seal our victory in the war."
Arkadia and Polis had been in bitter wars for over a decade. The land which had previously belonged to Polis had been occupied some time before by immigrants from another land. They had been there for several generations and refused to leave.
The casualities had been terrible but Polis had been stronger and had more allies amongst the other clans. They had united in their grievance over the stolen land and Arkadia had lost the war and had been forced to surrender. Polis warriors now occupied their lands, banning all weapons.
Of all the people Lexa had imagined she would be married to, an enemy was not one of them.
Wait... son?
Lexa balked at the thought. If they thought her willing to be a submissive wife they would be sorely mistaken.
I don't think so she thought to herself.
"Arkadia have three days to put forward a candidate. After which if they don't," her mother commanded, "they will forefeit the peace treaty and will be punished accordingly."
Lexa side eyed her mother, Queen Ella. Though she admired her mother, she felt very distant from her. Most of her life had been lessons, training and preparation for leadership. She barely even knew who her mother was they had spent so little time together.
"Let it be known that Polis was not weak in the face of victory and demanded Arkadia pay the price of peace for remaining on our lands with one of their own. They will bear the burden of Arkadia's future relationship with the clans."
Lexa bowed her head, keeping her shoulders firm and her posture tight. She had to appear confident and commanding but submissive to the Queen at the same time. Polis was not a land that allowed disobedience. The Queen was the high ruler of all and was to be given the utmost respect.
Lexa glanced into the crowds and saw just a sea of faces, not one of them a friend. They were just strangers to her. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like if there was even one person in the crowd who knew her, who really knew her.
As she remained there until the end of her mother's speech she wondered how on earth she was going to do this. She had barely even had any experience with dating. Marriage was so far beyond her comfort zone. What did she know about having a wife?
Or husband?
She shuddered at the thought. Her tastes did not lie with men. That much she knew.
This was going to be difficult.
"You can't do it."
Clarke brushed off Finn as he followed her through the palace of Arkadia.
"Someone has to. This has to stop."
Finn took her arm and spun her.
Clarke stopped and rolled her eyes haughtily, annoyed at having to explain herself.
"Is this about what happened? Because Raven and I are over and..."
"I don't want to talk about that," Clarke said, snatching her arm back. "It happened. It's over. Raven got over it. I got over it."
"We could still make it work. We could try..."
"We're over," Clarke said in a firm voice. "I can be your friend but even that's difficult. You cheated Finn. I get it but that's it."
A hint of shame flashed in Finn's eyes but it wasn't enough. He had still done it. Clarke couldn't forget.
"Don't do this. You don't have to prove anything."
"This isn't about proving something," Clarke said. "If we don't send them someone for the Princess, we're done. Do you understand Finn? Arkadia will be destroyed. We've lost so much already. Wells isn't willing and there are no other heirs. I'm the only one with any ties to the crown at all."
Clarke turned her head. Her father had been a cousin of the previous ruler. It was a tenuous link at best. One that Jaha had feared could be used against him, given that he wasn't more than a cousin to a former royal himself. Still Jaha hadn't been the one that had killed him and it was the only option they had.
"Jaha has already approved. He knows that this is something that has to happen. He'll give me a formal title and talk up my history. It'll be fine."
"It's forever Clarke," Finn said. "You are being sold off for peace."
"No, I'm making a choice," Clarke said. "I won't watch anyone else I care about die because of this idiotic war. My mind's made up."
Finn didn't say another word. He didn't have to. Clarke could see that he was unhappy with her decision but she couldn't think about that. She'd had enough of feeling helpless. This would achieve something at least. This would be end the war and save countless lives.
She only hoped that rumours about the Princess' love for violence had been exaggerated. She had a reputation for her battle prowess. Clarke couldn't pretend that it didn't concern her.
And there was the expectations. Would she have to consummate the marriage. What if she didn't want to? Would the marriage be unrecognised and Arkadia at risk.
Clarke pushed aside her fears and became more determined than ever. Whatever happened she would face it. She could do this for her people.