silence and sound → the 100 ²

[ 029 ] i fight for death.

— CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE,
i fight for death.

ON THE BALCONY OF THE THRONE ROOM, TWO LEADERS STAND SIDE-BY-SIDE. Ruby and Roan stare out at the active city before them.

Ruby has always appreciated the beauty of Polis despite how the world crumbled nearly a hundred years before. Despite the bombs, and the chaos of that time, Polis remains standing. Despite the many wars its seen in the past many decades, Polis remains standing.

Soon, it will no longer be here. The tower and the building won't be able to withstand the sheer power and force Praimfaya is producing. Death Wave.

"I'm going to fight," Roan says suddenly.

Ruby tears her eyes away from Polis, "of course you are. You're their king."

"And you will not be fighting." He says without looking down at her.

"What?" Her eyebrows dip in. "Why the hell not, Roan?"

"Because I don't want to kill you, my friend." He finally looks to her. "You're much to important to me for me to kill you."

"I would kill you if I meant the bunker was for my people." She informs him with a shrug.

"I know you would." He nods, lips tugging upwards slightly at her blunt confession, "and that is another reason why you will not fighting."

"Because you know I'd win." She smirks as she nudges his arm with her own. He rolls his eyes with a scoff.

The two fall into another comfortable silence.

It lasts for several minutes until Ruby speaks up, "you put a blade to my neck earlier."

"Only an act, Ruby." Roan replies, "the people do not need to know of our friendship."

"Friendship. . . with the king of my enemies." Ruby huffs, "I never would've seen this shit coming."

Roan laughs, "I sure as hell didn't."

"Neither did anyone else. Everyone is questioning if our friendship is more than that," Ruby informs him as she looks back out at Polis.

Roan's brows furrow, "who?" He questions.

"Well, my people did—" she starts.

"I know of them. Who else?" Roan asks.

"Trikru has been whispering about it ever since we showed up together at the bunker and you got all protective over me. Echo has been wondering about it as well." Ruby explains. Tree Clan.

"Echo? How do you know that?" Roan's continues to interrogate her.

"Roan, I've barely left your side since we arrived, you made sure that your warriors didn't take me as a prisoner, and you've had me as company in all of your war meetings. Echo is very curious as to why the hell a Skaikru leader has been attached at the hip of her king." Ruby shrugs. "I would wonder the same thing." Sky People.

"You're disgusting. I would never want to be with you." Roan says dismissively.

She hits his arm, "I haven't been the one saying those things!" She exclaims.

"We don't have to worry about it for too long," he states as he turns to look back out at Polis. "Tomorrow this will all be a battlefield."

"It has been for days." Ruby shake her head.