Promise

Chapter 13

"Hi mother," Clarke said as she walked into medical. Abby was stitching up a woman's arm and her facial expression turned to concern when she saw Clarke. What kind of news did she have for her, good or bad?

"Hi honey, just give me a moment to finish this," she said motioning to the needle and thread in her hands. "We'll talk then, okay?"

Clarke nodded and then made her way over to other beds. She may as well check on some of her patients while she waits for her mother to finish.

She changed a few bandages and cleaned a few wounds before her mother announced that she was finished stitching. Clarke sighed and then finished what she was doing before walking over to her mother.

"So," her mother looked at her expectantly. "What--"

"I'm not pregnant," Clarke blurted out, catching the attention of a few women in the room. Abby closed her eyes and then nodded.

"Okay," Abby said calmly as she stroked her daughters arm. "This might not be definite, so i want you to try something that might help you get pregnant." Clarke swallowed hard and she felt tears prick at her eyes. "So, about eight days after the bleeding stops, you need to try again. As many times as you want and if you still seem to be infertile after that, thats when we need to start taking things seriously."
Clarke nodded slightly at her mothers words, a silent tear falling from her eye. "Oh honey," Abby said as she wiped the tear away with the pad of her thumb. "I'm sorry, I didn't even ask if it was okay for us to talk about this. Was this too soon?"

Clarke wiped her face and then shook her head. "No, mother, it's fine, I'm just. . . What if I can't have a child? What's going to happen to the kingdom? Our people? Us?"

"I'm not sure, but. . I know that Bellamy will protect you."

"What about you? What about our people?"

"Clarke, honey. Stop thinking about what might happen, all you need to focus on is trying for a child. But just know that if you can't, nothing that happens from then onwards is your fault, okay? Our people love you, and they will stand by you and support you through everything. All that matters is that you're safe."

"I'm not sure that I'm ready to have a child. . . And father is going to be gone before i give birth, what happens if it is a girl?" Clarke had too many questions, many more than Abby was capable to answer. "It takes nine months to have a child. Father is going to be gone in three--"

"Clarke, stop stressing," Abby said as she caressed her daughters face. "Everything is going to be fine, like your father always says, 'love will find a way.'"

Clarke thought for a moment. "But what if I can't fall in love with Bellamy?"

Abby gave Clarke a small smile. "Look, i have to get back to work. Are you going to be okay?"

Clarke nodded. "Yes mother."

Abby kissed Clarke's forehead and then made her way over to a patient that had just come in, he had a stab wound to his leg. Clarke contemplated staying around so thats she could help out, but in that moment she wanted to find Bellamy.

She left the room in a hurry and as she was walking our towards the courtyard she pulled on a large cloak so that she didn't freeze in the winter weather outside.