Carved by the Gods

The Good Deed

The sounds of hooves trotting along a dirt road woke me up from a welcomed rest. My eyes were still covered with the ripped cloth of my old, tattered dress we had tossed away, somehow the red of the sun still beat through it, leaving strange visions dancing behind my closed eyes.

"Bellamy?" I croaked. We had been taking turns with guiding the horse, of course it proved difficult with me needing to stay blind, for protection and for the safety of Bellamy and others. We'd been traveling for a little over three days since we had saved Raven's temples and the city from the Kraken. Since the King offered me to his son without even bothering to ask me. Thank the Gods I had the right mind to refuse.

"Yes Clarke?" His voice called. I sat upright and stretched, the cart was more comfortable than the ground, but the wood still left aches and pains in our backs.

"Where are we?" I asked taking in the sounds. Birds chirping, a small stream, and the wind was howling like we were up high, it blew in gusts, making the cart creak and move.

"Somewhere I think you should be." He mumbled. Slowly I took off the cloth covering my eyes and was blinded by the light for a brief moment, when it cleared up, I could see we were on the edge of a mountain, climbing higher and higher, the valleys below were bright green, I could see the sea in the distance, a few scattered camps and villages, and birds flew and chattered overhead. No clouds in the sky, the rocks on the side and ground of the mountain were turning blue.

"Are we-?"

"Yes. We're going to your father." He said. I turned and looked at him, he'd changed his tunic since we'd left, like me, he wore white with green accents, and a bronze woven belt, the colors of Raven. I forgot how nice clean clothing was, after being stuck in my dirtied chiton for so long. I didn't know how to respond to him letting me know we'd be seeing my father, the man who had disgraced our name for doing the right thing. I just didn't know how. Everything came flooding in at once as I realized this would be the first time seeing him since I was a child, would he remember me? Or fear me?

"Don't worry." Bellamy called, he rested a hand on the horses back and gave her a pat.

"Easier said than done." I deadpanned. My thoughts raced as I tried to remember my dads face last I saw. He always had stubble on his cheeks and chin, his hair reminded me of dishwater, and his eyes were like mine, clear and blue. Always full of mischief and defiance. I didn't want to say it out loud just yet, but I was a little scared to see him. After all this time carrying the sky, what could it have done to him? Did they feed him? Give him water? What kind of torture have they inflicted upon my poor father? We got higher and higher as my mind raced with the pains they might've inflicted. Each worse than the other. Maybe...maybe it would've been better off had they just killed him then and there. But I could say the same thing for me.

"Do you think...things would've been better had I just been...smitten?" I asked Bellamy.

"Aren't you though?" He laughed. I realized what I had said a little too late. He thinks I mean the prince.

"Not like that you heathen." I laughed.

"Then like what Snake Princess?"

"Snake Princess? I don't think so." I giggled.

"Princess then. It suits you, you're regal enough, a hero, and that king wanted to court you to his son. Princess."

"I have a feeling I'm going to hate this new nickname." I smiled, it faltered when the thoughts raced through my head again. Maybe if Lexa just killed me instead of cursing me...had she just gotten rid of me maybe he would've been better off. The weight on my head grew heavier, heavier than it had in the time that these snakes had been there. The heaviness in my chest felt as if there were boulders crushing me, it hurt to breathe. Hurt to exist. Everything felt like that now.