Goodbye beautiful // King Roan

Chapter 4

Once again I was sitting in the woods, just outside Polis, waiting for Octavia or anyone else to find me. The fire in front of me was slowly dying and I took another bite of the bread. It had been a couple of boring days now. 

Suddenly I heard someone calling my name. Straightening up I listened closely and recognised it as Clarke. Packing my things into my satchel and killing the fire I grabbed the trident and put it on my back. Leaving the small camp I called back and not long after I found her and Octavia by the three lines.

"Hey, we need to go, we'll explain on the way." Clarkehurriedly said and I nodded. We began walking towards Polis while they explained what happened. Everything about Alie and that she was defeated, that Lexa and Lincoln were dead, the story of Ontari who was now dead, radiation would kill us in 6 months and everyone was blaming Skaikru for bringing the chips. So it was kind of chaotic. But I didn't let myself grieve Lincoln and Lexa, I knew it would just get in the way and I wouldn't be able to think straight. Not now with the end of the world coming.

I was so caught up in their stories and the problem we now had at hand that I forgot to ask why they needed me, something I would regret later.

We were currently standing in the elevator and I drummed my fingers against my thigh, cramped spaces like this one always made me nervous. The doors then opened and Octavia led the party to the throne room. She pushed open the doors and I froze a few steps in, seeing who was sitting in the throne. A scowl was present on my face but it was just masking the fear creeping in my insides. Not again. I had been at his hands for too long. I refused to be his prisoner again. But the fear was overshadowed by the anger that started blooming in me. Clarke and Octavia knew that I hated him, had heard the story and still they brought me to him.

Clarke must've seen the look on my face. "Lida, please, just-"

"Wasn't I clear enough that I didn't want anything to do with him?" I asked coldly, betrayal seeping through in my voice. My gaze never left him. His blue eyes met mine challengingly. Looking around the room I saw Azgeda warriors along the walls and guarding the doors. Ontari had been Azgeda, of course he would be on the throne now. The pathetic crown on his head was new, guess he really was a king.

"We know but he wanted to speak with you. Please Lida, he wouldn't have honored Lexa's coalition and protected Skaikru unless we brought you to him." Clarke explained, she was begging me. I clenched my jaw, I didn't want to talk with him but I also couldn't betray Skaikru like that. But at the same time I wanted to roll my eyes at her, she always thought of Skaikru before anything else. Before me.

I shook my head and took a few steps back. "You don't understand..."

"Lida, please." Octavia begged me and stepped up to me, her eyes pleading. "We didn't have a choice. Without his protection Skaikru will be attacked. The other clans will kill us all otherwise. Arkadia is your home too. Please, just talk to him."

I looked from her to Roan, still suspicious. Arkadia meant much to me, they took me in and gave me a safe haven for as long as I wanted. But I wouldn't call it home, though. Octavia and Clarke meant too much to me to just let them die. I would hear him out. I owed it to them.

"Fine." I gritted out and forced my body to relax. I walked forward and stopped a short distance from the throne. A defying look in my eyes. Roan was as indifferent as always, watching my every move.

"I want to talk privately with her." he just said and looked back at my friends.

"No." Octavia and Clarke said at the same time.

"It's alright." I said over my shoulder. "I'll be fine." I heard their retreating footsteps and the door closing behind them. Some of the guards had left too, it was just the girl to his left that stayed. She was brown haired with brown eyes, glaring hatedly at me.

"What do you want?" I asked and crossed my arms. I stopped myself from scanning the room, looking for an exit. I already knew that the only exits were the door behind me and it was heavily guarded or the window behind Roan. Though it would lead to a certain death.

"I want to make a deal with you." he proposed.

"Not interested." I replied and turned on my heel, heading for the door.

"If you take this deal, I will promise you full immunity from Azgeda. You won't be hunted for being Westari." he said behind me. I stopped and looked over my shoulder at him.

"I'm listening." I said intrigued, but no emotions played on my face.

"No one from Azgeda, not even me, will be allowed to kill you." he told me and shifted in his seat. "That is, if you work for me."

"No thanks." I responded, even though it was tempting not being wanted anymore. But the price to pay was too great. How could I possibly work for the man who ordered his armies to kill my people?

"If you don't take this deal I'll break the deal with Skaikru. I'll tell the other clans that it's open season on Skaikru." Roan growled behind me and I twisted towards him.

"You wouldn't."

"Watch me." he bit back and stood up from his throne, slowly walking towards me. "Perhaps I should begin with Octavia and Clarke. They're after all right outside."

"Wait!" I stopped him before he brushed past me. He slowly twisted his face towards me, the smell of blood and ash hitting me. "If I take the deal I won't be killed and Skaikru will be safe?"

"Correct." he purred and I saw a ghost of a smile on his face. He knew exactly what he was doing. He had me cornered, had led and manipulated me into taking the deal.

"Fine, I'll work for you." I sighed frustrated and clenched my jaw, knowing that it was the worst decision in my life. Knowing that I had to work for the enemy, be around him everyday. But what else could I do? Let my friends and I die? I wasn't that heartless. But at least I could make life hell for him. He wouldn't be able to hurt me, no one from Azgeda would.

Roan took a dagger from his belt and cut his palm while saying. "We bind ourselves with blood."

Taking the dagger from him I repeated the phrase, cut my palm and shook his hand. This was officially a deal.