Brave Princess - A Bellarke Story

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Clarke:

His words leave a dull ache in my chest. But I have a job to do, and I can't stay here and listen to his apology. I'm not entirely sure I would even if I didn't have to go find Octavia. As I push aside the tarp and walk to my tent, I realize that I am the one going after his sister. He may or may not come with us, but if he does, he'll only get into our group through force.

It's what he always uses. I suppose I can understand why he puts up a stoic front, but that doesn't mean that I appreciate it. I don't even know what happened to him. He just burst, and took his anger out on me, the one who loves him.

The thought makes me shiver. Do I love him? Should I love him, even after this? My mind drifts to Finn. How can two completely different individuals, who are never at ease around each other be so similar? Why are they both so comfortable with hurting me?

I try to shake the thoughts out of my head as I gather supplies - pack, knife, food, water. I count what I have twice before slipping out of the tent.

Without me even noticing it, my eyes find Bellamy in a few seconds. He's talking to Miller, and probably giving Miller charge of the camp in our absence. Yes, Bellamy must be going. He slings his pack around himself and turns around.

But I don't give him the chance to see me staring. I don't look at him. Instead, I walk over to Olivia, who is standing with who I must assume is her tent mate.

"Are you both going?" I ask them.

The other girl, whose name I have forgotten, nods. "She's our friend."

I press my lips together and nod, and then raise my voice above the voices of the others in camp. "If you are coming with us, please come to the gate right now. No one has to come. This is purely a volunteer mission."

There are a few noises from the crowd that let me know that they heard me. I make my way to the gate. As I wait for everyone to get here, I admire the walls. What Bellamy and I have been able to accomplish--no. No more Bellamy. I push all thoughts of him out of my mind, and focus on the mission.

But his figure approaching out of the corner of my eye distracts me for just a second. Just a second.

I turn away, and lead our people out of the gate.

-

It's an hour before we hear the first snapping of a twig. My head turns quickly toward the source of the noise, and I hold out my hand to the group. We stop and listen. The air is tense, as if grounders could be watching us. I swallow. Of course they're watching.

And then there's a scream.

A terrible mass of fear drifts over us as we sprint toward it. We move as one, a collective consciousness. Bellamy moves in front of the group, and speeds up as the scream pierces the air again.

I push the branches out of my way as I run. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, fueled by fear and desperation. And as I turn a corner, I see her.

Octavia is pinned to a tree by a grounder. It only takes a few seconds, and Bellamy is on top of the grounder, trying desperately to pry the sword out of his hands. They groan as they struggle for dominance. I turn away from the fight and head over to Octavia, the noise behind me alerting me to the presence of the rest of the group.

I'm not yet there, but I see it. There's a grounder hidden in the trees above, a spear in hand. Of course the grounder wrestling with Bellamy wouldn't have come alone. It would have been foolish, and grounders are anything but that. Suddenly, he lets the spear fly, heading straight on a path toward Octavia.

I don't think. I just run, heading straight toward Octavia. Octavia barely recognizes my presence until I'm almost on her.

My first thought is of relief. Octavia is safe. But my second thought is only of pain. White, blinding pain, starting in my side and spreading through my torso.

Someone screams in the distance as reality shifts. The forest floor trembles and shakes, turning as my hands come in contact with the ground. I try to stay awake, but the pain is electrocuting.

It only takes me a second to realize, as the voices around me fade into nothing, that the voice belongs to me. I am the one screaming. I slowly look down and all I see is red.

I slump to the ground, the spear in my body bouncing with the movement. My eyelids flutter. I can hear my name in the distance, somewhere far off.

Is this what it's like to die?

My fingers grasp for something-anything - to hold on to. There's a warm liquid pooling from my torso. Blood.

The word seems strange in my mind, like some half-forgotten memory resurfacing. But this isn't a memory, or a dream. This is real.

And reality is pain.

Blackness covers me then, drifting over the warmth of my blood and weighing my eyelids down. In some corner of my mind, I think to myself, is this where I will die?

It isn't the worst place to die. Here, my fingers and brain are occupied, feeling the steady flow of blood. My hands are warm.

But death is painful, and slow. Not quick as I expected it to be.

Warmth surrounds me. And then nothing.

AN: Hello!! I have to apologize again for the shortness of the last chapter I updated. I know the writing quality was awful, but I hope that improved in this chapter.

What did you all think of the cliffhanger? Feedback?

Thank you to all of my new readers! This story now has, as I upload this, 4.56K views. That means so much to me! Thank you again, everyone!