Promise

Chapter 14

1 week later.

Clarke always had a love hate relationship with this time of year. It was the middle of winter and there was so much to be done in the kingdom to ensure that they stayed alive throughout it. Towards the end of winter was when the sicknesses started, last year, Arkadia lost 12 people to it. A few years before that was when Clarke's grandmother died as her immune system wasn't strong enough to fight it.

Clarke was afraid that her father would catch it this year, he was already sick so it wouldn't be hard to do so. Clarke and Abby insisted that he stay inside for as long as he could, possibly until winter was over. But Jake had other ideas, he didn't listen, he had a kingdom to run.

Clarke was pestering him about staying inside and all Jake could do was shake his head as he walked out of the building. Clarke wasn't done, so she followed him.

"Mother and I don't want you to be out here, you're sick enough as it is."

"Clarke, honey. Please change the subject. I understand that I'm sick and I'm tired of hearing it. . ." Clarke sighed and then nodded her head. "So what are you going to wear to the dinner tonight?"

"I'm not going."

"You're going."

"But i dont want to go," Clarke complained as they walked through the courtyard.

"Clarke," Jake said as he turned to face her. "When was the last time you saw Raven? Or Wells? Or Finn?"

"But--"

"No buts, you are going to that dinner, all your childhood friends will be there. Plus, it will give them a chance to get to know Bellamy."

"I bet Bellamy doesn't even want to go," Clarke protested as she kicked her boot into the snow.

"Nonsense," Jake stated. "I talked to him this morning, he was more than happy to escort you to dinner tonight."

Clarke's head started to spin. "Since when do you two talk?"

"Remember, Clarke, i knew him before you did. You're going to that dinner."

Clarke rolled her eyes. "Fine, but only if Octavia can come as well." Jake gave her an unsure look. "Come on, she deserves to be accepted here, she's Bellamy's sister."

Jake sighed. "Okay, she can go."

Clarke giggled as she kissed her father on the cheek. "Take it easy, I'll see you later, bye," she said, walking towards the building so that she could get ready for tonight.

Dinner on this specific night was an annual event for the Skaikru kingdom. Clarke was always so excited when it came around every year, but this year she couldn't help but dread it. Whether it had to do with being married or just because she had grown out of it, she just couldn't get herself excited this year.

It was a night where all the young adults in the kingdom got together and celebrated the success of their kingdom for another year. This was Clarke's fourth year of attending, it was Ravens fifth. Raven being the one to have pressured Clarke into attending the first year. Clarke was sure that the only reason Raven was so excited to go was because she was always seated next to the handsome, Finn Collins.

Raven had had a thing for Finn for as long as Clarke could remember and she loved gossiping with her best friend about him. Clarke could see where Raven was coming from, Finn wasn't bad to look at and he wasn't bad to talk to either. He was charming, probably a little too charming but that just went with his personality. And above all he was just easy to talk to.