Kingdom of Rivals - The 100 [5]

Chapter 2

Venus's POV, 3 years after Praimfaya

"Look Momma, look!" I watched my daughter run down the hall, her little legs propelling her forward. It seemed like just yesterday I held her in my arms, barely a day old. But now I looked at her and smiled. Since that day long ago when she first came into this world, she had grown so much. Her brown hair never lightened to my reddish blonde or Apollon's pure blonde, but we agreed she must have gotten it from my father. Her green eyes were the exact same shade as my own, with only the shape and wide set nature of them remaining a 'mystery'.

Despite her appearance, she was the perfect combination of Apollon and I. She was smart and a quick learner like me, but also had that stubborn streak that seemed now to run through my family – my mother, me, and now her. Even with her brains, she seemed to drag her feet when it came time for her sit down studies. Like anything else, she learned them quickly, but she made it well known how much she didn't enjoy it. Liv preferred to be up and running or training in combat, like Apollon – something I had begrudgingly agreed to let her do. I was alone in my thinking that she was too young.

She was running back to us now, her small fists pumping through the air with the effort. I knelt down, arms extended to catch the little girl in a hug as she neared us. I held her close and kissed her cheek, feeling her little lungs pump deep breaths in and out, but controlled after her run.

"Did you see how fast I ran? I was really fast!" I looked at my daughter, and saw it wasn't me she was looking at, but Apollon next to me, still standing having made no attempt to kneel down to Liv's height. I joined her in looking at him. He still wore his old guard uniform on days he was working, and he stood tall above us in it.

"Very fast." He offered a smile to the little girl. I had expected more affection from a father to his daughter, especially considering how excited he had been to become a father. But that small smile was all Liv needed from him.

"I can run faster, watch!" Before I could stop her, she was off again. I stood up as I watched her go.

"You know," I began, "it wouldn't hurt you to give your daughter a hug or a kiss."

"I do give her kisses."

"Only at bedtime."

"We can't coddle her, not down here."

I took my eyes off my daughter and looked at him, dropping my voice down to a whisper. "She's three-years-old Apollon, she-"

"We're not starting this now." His voice was firm and final, but as Liv made her way back over to us, he smiled at her again. Despite the lack of physical affection he gave her, I could see in his eyes the pride he felt for this little girl.

"How was that, Daddy?"

"Better."

"Just watch, one day I'm going to be the fastest person in Wonkru!"

A fourth voice spoke from down the hall. "Well you certainly are the fastest three-year-old in Wonkru." Our little trio looked behind us to where the voice was coming from. A little way down the hall, a figure approached us.

"Gunther!" Liv pushed past Apollon and me, and ran to meet Gunther. He picked her up and swung her around, sending her giggles echoing through the halls.

I had first met Gunther when I was still pregnant, long before the doors to the bunker were closed. I had stupidly eaten a batch of poisonous mushrooms while we were on the run from our own people turned zombies by Allie's chip. Gunther found us and saved mine and Liv's lives. It took me a while to realize it – not until over a year later – but I owed him our lives. Down here in the bunker, he found us at least a couple times a week, spoiling Liv with goodies and stories of the outside world. After Apollon, Gunther was the next person Liv looked up to.