Brave Princess - A Bellarke Story

Chapter Forty-One

AN: Do you like the picture of Clarke I drew recently? I'm not so sure if I like it or not. It's the picture at the top of the page. I'm hoping on drawing Bellamy as well.

Chapter Forty-One

Clarke:

A storm is coming. I can smell it on the tense air. I swallow and step closer to the edge of Anya's camp, so I can crane my neck up to the sky.

Gray clouds gather, swooping overhead. Thunder roars. And then a hand is on my shoulder. I jump.

"Relax, Clarke." Bellamy squeezes my shoulder. "It's just me."

I look behind me and manage a small smile. "A storm's coming."

Bellamy nods. "Let's get inside. Anya wants to talk to the two of us about battle strategies."

He squeezes my shoulder, and in those few seconds, I place my hand on his. Somehow my eyes find his lips. We pause, both contemplating. But because every moment must come to an end, this one does too.

I step away. Thunder roars.

---

Anya sits with her legs crossed on her throne, and her body pointed more in the direction of the grounders on her left than Bellamy and I. She doesn't turn her head toward us. Instead, she turns her eyes, cruel and piercing, to our faces.

"We have an army," Anya says, slowly rising to her feet. "What can you give us in return?"

I swallow and suddenly my words are caught in my throat. I turn my head to Bellamy, and his eyes meet mine. He sees the desperation there, and answers for me.

"Our people are engineers. Soldiers. Doctors. We have much to offer you."

My hands twitch at my sides as Anya walks closer. Her steps are even and quiet, her boots making no sound. She stops right in front of Bellamy, and stares him in the eyes.

"Our healers are enough for us," she says, her words biting and fierce.

The muscles in Bellamy's jaw tighten, and his voice lowers. "What do you want?" The words are slow and purposeful.

Anya chuckles slowly. Steps backwards a few feet. And then she turns her attention to me. "Clarke," she says deliberately. "Are you a doctor?"

"I know the ways of medicine." My eyebrows twitch.

She raises her head, looking down her nose at me. "There is a plague, Clarke. It is killing my people from the inside out."

"You want me to find a cure." It isn't a question.

Anya nods. "You must save them, Clarke."

Did the room just get colder? Goosebumps run up my arms. But the way she said it--commanding and desperate--made me feel for her. If I want my people free, then I have to do this.

"I will."

Anya turns her attention away from us at my words, but I can see a flicker of relief in her eyes. I look at Bellamy, and his eyes say the words for him

Time to go, princess.

We step out of the tent into the pouring rain, and his hand latches on to mine.

I run toward our tent, pulling him along with me, while shielding my face from the rain. Our boots disrupt the puddles on the ground.

He pulls me inside our tent, and we stand there for a moment--breathing heavily and dripping.

"Hey," he starts, stroking the back of my hand with his thumb. "You can do this."

"I'm not so sure this time, Bel." My voice cracks.

Suddenly I'm in his arms. Thunder roars overhead, and rain falls faster.

"I know you can do this," Bellamy tells me, holding me closer. "And if you need help..." his voice trails off and he lets me go.

Cupping my face in his hands, he tells me slowly, "I'm always here."

I manage a smile, my heart pounding. I reach up and brush his hair out of his forehead.

"You don't know jack about being a doctor."

Bellamy laughs and pulls me into another hug. When I rest my head on his chest, I can feel his heart beating.

Thumpthump.

"I love you anyway," I tell him, my voice muffled.

He laughs again. "I should certainly hope so. You're stuck with me, princess."

AN: I hope you all enjoyed that! Just so you all know, this story is nowhere near done. I did say that in the last chapter, but I wanted to say it again because it makes me happy. Lol!

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