~~~
I glare menacingly at my husband-to-be. He's a goddamn idiot. If he'd stop trying to one up every male that gives him lip that'd be fantastic. Seriously, why is my taste in men so shitty? What do these two knuckle heads not understand about respecting the sacrifice I'm making?
"Bellamy, go to medical and for the love of all that is holy stop trying to piss off the King of Azgeda."
I spin around, once I'm satisfied that Bellamy is following my orders, to face Roan.
"Ai na deal kom Yu later."
(I will deal with you later.)
I attempt to tug my husband to the side, but Roan is having none of that. He stubbornly sticks right beside me, I can almost feel him breathe with how close he is to me, while I deal with Pike.
"Have you lost your mind! This is not how allies treat each other! As unimpressive as your morals are, I would've thought you'd at least protect your second who you treat like the son you never had."
Chancellor Pike glares at me and starts forward as if to intimidate me with his much larger frame before he stops suddenly. Pike takes one look at the no doubt pissed off Azgedan King by my side before changing tactics. The man hides his fear and anger by putting on his swarmy political mask.
"I understand you're angry Clarke, but I was only complying with your... Husband's wishes. After all, you're sacrificing so much I'd hate to be the one to, shall we say, make things difficult."
After speaking his peace and making his image once again favorable to the public, the Skai Heda retreats to his office with his guards once again surrounding him.
I turn to Roan with my face twisted in a furious expression before ordering him in Trigedasleng to take me to his tent. Being the intelligent man he is, my beloved keeps silent and leads me back to where his people are camping, just outside the gates of Arkadia. Roan leads me to a luxurious yet practical tent.
A large cloth tent draped with fur pelts and leaves. Primitive lanterns illuminate the entrance and a thickly woven rug just outside the king's tent. Inside there's a large bed covered in warm blankets, soft pelts, and pillows. A leather chest at the foot of the bed holds weapons, currency, and clothing. There is a makeshift throne as well as two bedside tables, one holding parchment, writing utensils, and ink while the other simply holds another lantern. I march inside carelessly and pace while Roan slides onto his throne like a little boy awaiting punishment.
"Chit yu don Yu don dula? Dula op Yu even get in ha hard Disha has been gon Ai? Ai laik giving up ething gon Ai kru. Ai laik binding myself gon Yu raun drein au gon kep klin emo. Yu get in Disha, Yu get in chit em ste gon givnes gon emo. Krei beja, tell Ai chomouda yu laik making Disha mou difficult gon Ai? Ai gaf Yu Roan kom Azgeda. Kos ait nau ai laik alone trana desperately gon kep klin everyone. Yu na na Ai houmon en Ai na na bilaik houmon. Does dei de mean eintheing gon Yu? Na't Yu ai op dei de Ai gaf bilaik support raun Disha?"
(What have you done? Do you even know how hard this has been for me? I'm giving up everything for my people. I am binding myself to you in blood to save them. You know this, you know what it is to sacrifice for them. So please, tell me why you're making this more difficult for me? I need you Roan of Azgeda. Because right now I'm alone trying desperately to save everyone. You will be my husband and I will be your wife. Does that mean nothing to you? Can't you see that I need your support in this?)
I scowl as I yell at Roan in Trigedasleng. I'm so angry I'm struggling to fight back a wave of tears. My husband-to-be sits on his makeshift throne watching me with narrowed eyes. When I'm finished with my furious tirade he stands, once again I'm reminded of how big he is. I'm forced to tilt my head back to meet the eyes of the man, a full head taller than me, with the body of a vicious warrior of the north.
"Yu na na Ai houmon. Bilaik drein au, bilaik hod daun, bilaik medo, bilaik keryon na belong gon Ai. Yu na na Ain. Ai kep in klir chit ste Ain. Yu fig raun Ai nou support Yu? Yu fig raun Ai nou get in bilaik laudnes? Chomouda dula op Yu fig raun Ai gaf in Yu hainofi kom Skai? Ai get in bilaik value Houmon. Ai chose Yu kos Yu givnes gon an undeserving, ungrateful kru. Ai respect bilaik givnes en Ai understand ha far Yu are willing gon gyon au gon emo. Kos Ai na dula op same. Ba dula op nou expect Ai gon stand en ai raun emo flosh klin Yu piece by joken piece! Yu are Ain Wanheda. Ai would let emo Ogeda fleim au taim ai thought Ai could still kep in Yu. Emo breathe kos Yu hod in emo en Ai gaf in Yu."
(You will be my wife. Your blood, your mind, your body, your soul will belong to me. You will be mine. I protect what is mine. You think I do not support you? You think I do not know your pain? Why do you think I want you princess of the sky? I know your value Wife. I chose you because you sacrifice for an undeserving, ungrateful people. I respect your sacrifice and I understand how far you are willing to go for them. Because I will do the same. But do not expect me to stand and watch them destroy you piece by fucking piece! You are mine Wanheda. I would let them all burn if I thought I could still keep you. They breathe because you love them and I want you.)
I stare at him in shock. I thought this was all political. I never expected him to... Well, I'm not sure exactly what he wants, but the heated look in his eyes tells me it's not friendship. Suddenly, I'm reminded of how vulnerable I am, alone in a tent with a man I barely know who is twice my size. I don't know how to do this and I'm terrified. Politics, torture, surgery, genocide even, I know how to do that, all of it. It's difficult, but so was watching my Father get floated at sixteen and I survived that, mostly. I've only been with one man; Finn Collins. And that was a brief crash and burn. He lied to me, we had sex, he brought me little trinkets, then he lost his mind and slaughtered a village and... And then I gave him a merciful death. What do I do with a beast of a man eleven years my senior? A man that looks the way he does surely has had his pick of women, has known the best of pleasure. I'm so out of my depth. Roan must read something in my expression, the irritatingly perceptive man, because he sighs and gives me a decidedly gentle look before tucking a strand of my blonde hair behind my ear.
"Ai get in dison laik hard, ba Ai promise Oso na get through em together. Em ste late. Oso should sleep nau Houmon. Moron ste a brana deyon."
(I know this is hard, but I promise we will get through it together. It is late. We should sleep now Wife. Tomorrow is a new day.)
Roan guides me towards the bed before he starts stripping until he's down to his black boxers. He checks under his pillow for something before he puts it back and slips under the warm blankets. Roan gives me a pointed stare before I relent despite my nerves and slip off everything except a threadbare tank top and standard issue black panties. I mentally thank a deity I don't believe in anymore for giving me the foresight to shave last night. After I'm safely tucked in bed against his chest and one muscular arm wrapped possessively around my waist, Roan blows out the candle in the lantern. A blanket of darkness covers us, the silence is tense before my husband starts to sing an Azgeda lullaby, voice pitched low. And before I know it, I'm asleep in the arms of a stranger.
Hush Strik gona,
Nat ste azen,
Ba Yu are warm,
Wolves scream,
Drein au raun graun,
Ba Yu are klir en laud.
Darkness found Yu,
Ba fir in nou,
Goufa kom Ain,
Death na nou touch Yu Nat.
Hush,
Hush,
Hush,
Listen gon bilaik nomon,
Ai swis ste sharp,
Ba Ai arms are warm.
Close bilaik eyes,
Hod in kom Ain,
Gon daun kom bilaik kin,
Glory gon azgeda,
Hofli snowflakes fall,
En chilnes fig au bilaik Keryon.
(Hush little warrior,
Night is cold,
But you are warm,
Wolves scream,
Blood on the ground,
But you are safe and sound.
Darkness found you,
But fear not,
Child of mine,
Death will not touch you Tonight.
Hush,
Hush,
Hush,
Listen to your mother,
My knife is sharp,
But my arms are warm.
Close your eyes,
Love of mine,
Fight with your kin,
Glory to Azgeda,
May snowflakes fall,
And peace find your soul.)