The Commander of The Founders: Book Two

Chapter Thirteen: Praimfaya

Bellamy sat in the upstairs room. The wall sized window was behind him overlooking the lab. Blue high tech lights lit up the room. A globe produced white light by the gray couch. A red armchair was beside the couch. A glass table was in front of the couch.

Bellamy had an old white radio on the table. Didrika sat on the couch beside him as he leaned over the radio with the microphone to his lips. Didrika leaned against the arm of the couch. Her knees tucked against her chest. Her feet barely not touching Bellamy's thigh. Her fists rested on her knees and she had her eyes closed. Bellamy had his free hand dangling off his thigh. His feet were planted on the ground and he stared intently at the wall in front of him. The radio crackled and a voice sounded from the receiving side.

"Five years. Can you really survive up there?" Octavia's voice asked.

"Raven says we can. As soon as it's safe, we'll find a way back down. We will meet again," Bellamy said.

"I'll be waiting. Under the floor," Octavia said sweetly.

"You're not that little girl anymore. What is it, O?"

"Is Didrika there?" Octavia cracked.

"Yeah. She's beside me. Here," Bellamy said.

Didrika sat up and turned so that her feet were flat with the ground. Bellamy handed her the radio. Didrika smiled at him in thanks and took it. She cleared her throat and lifted the radio to her lips.

"O, what's wrong?" Didrika asked.

"I'm not sure I'm up for this, De. They look at me like I know what I'm doing just because I won the conclave," Octavia said waveringly.

"No leader knows what they're doing when they first start. They make mistakes. They make the wrong calls. They may even get people killed. Leaders know this when they take the position. I didn't throw the authority at you, because I knew I wasn't coming back. I gave it to you, because I know you're still learning. You're still learning your dark side. You're still learning to be a leader. That's what makes a leader. The eagerness to acquire knowledge about themselves and their people. You've got this, O. I may not be there to guide you, but you've seen me lead before. If you start questioning yourself, ask Indra questions, ask yourself what would Didrika do. You'll find in time that you can't move forward and it's giving you too much time to think. Lexa taught me that you can't tire yourself with questions already answered. You'll learn, O. It's a learning curve. As with every student there's a time that you let go of the teacher and put the responsibility on yourself. Don't try to do what I would do. Do what you would do. I trust you, O. You'll do great," Didrika said.

"I'm not ready for it all," Octavia said.

Bellamy put his palm up and wiggled his fingers. Didrika saw the gesture and handed Bellamy the radio. He clicked the button and raised the radio to his mouth.

"O, they look at you like that because you saved them. But it won't last. Now you have to lead," Bellamy said.

"How? I'm not a leader. I wasn't trained to be a leader like Didrika. It should be you, or Clarke, or-" Octavia said.

"O, stop. Neither of us could've done what you did, and it wasn't just winning the conclave. You gave people hope when there was none. You're. You're Prometheus, stealing fire from the gods and giving it back to the human race," Bellamy interrupted.

"Prometheus got chained to a rock so that eagles could eat his liver," Octavia stated.

"Thanks for ruining my metaphor, O," Bellamy chuckled.

"I love you, big brother. I love you, De. Guess it takes the end of the world for me to say it," Octavia said.

"We love you, too," Bellamy told her.