Bellamy had said something about cancelling training, then helped Clarke to her cabin despite her many protests and disappeared. Clarke sighed and put her med kit back on the cabinet. She looked at the drawing on the cabinet and sighed again. Clarke groaned and rubbed her torso, the throbbing pain still pulsing through her body. She reached under her mattress and grabbed the bag of herbs she'd hidden there. Clarke dug out the painkiller and tore off a few leaves before returning the bag to its hiding place. Clarke quickly, well as fast as she could, walked to the kitchen to find something to boil some water in, instinctively bringing her sketch pad and pencils with her. Clarke grabbed a pot and poured some water in it, then stuck it in the fire pit to heat up.
She confessed, making a fire was harder than it looked, but after a few tries she figured it out. While she waited, Clarke started to chop up and grind the leaves. When the water was boiling, Clarke poured it into a mug and tossed in the crushed leaves, making a makeshift tea. She stirred the water with her finger, wincing at the heat, and then gulped down the concoction. Her face scrunched up as the nasty bitter tasting liquid passed down her through her throat. Clarke shuddered and stuck her tongue out and made a disgusted noise.
"That doesn't look appetizing." An amused voice called. Clarke turned around, startled, but relaxed when she saw Octavia propped up against the threshold. Clarke could tell that Octavia had spent her night crying and not sleeping, based on the redness of her eyes and bleary gaze.
"It's medicine. It's not supposed to taste good, that's a requirement." Clarke muttered wryly, recalling all the herbs and concoctions her Master had made her drink to understand their effects and what she was putting her patients through. The corner of Octavia's mouth twitched up, but the girl's eyes displayed her true mournful feelings. Clarke fought the urge to draw the beautifully sorrowful profile Octavia made as she leaned against the wooden threshold. It was that moment when she noticed that she'd brought her sketching supplies with her, and Clarke mentally slapped herself. She knew that the little booklet could blow her cover, since it was filled with sketches of the palace and even royals and nobles. For some reason, Clarke wasn't all that worried. Octavia was one of her closest friends, ever, even though Clarke had only known the girl for a few days.
"Hey Octavia, do you mind if I ask a question?" Clarke asked hesitantly. She wanted to know more about the crew and their current rescue mission, but didn't want to ask the obnoxious Captain, who would probably just laugh her questions off and say she didn't need to know.
"Sure, shoot." Octavia said, pushing herself off the wall and sitting down next to Clarke on the bench.
"Where's the captured crew being held? And how long have they been there? Do you know if the Captain is going to rescue them soon?" Clarke asked, rapid fire style.
"Woah, woah, woah. One at a time." Octavia said. Clarke smiled apologetically and waited for the girl to respond.
"What I do know, is that about a year ago, some of the crew were taken on a job and imprisoned in a prison camp. It took us forever to find out which one, but we found out they're being held at Washington Camp. Bell doesn't share a lot about this- since he treats me like a baby, the bastard, but I do know that in a couple of weeks we're going to be right next to the island the camp is on, and that Bell is planning on launching a rescue mission." Octavia explained.
Clarke breathed a sigh of relief. They were at Washington, that wasn't a bad camp to be at, compared to what Clarke had seen and been through. Some of the scars on Clarke's back ached just thinking about what had happened in one camp she "visited."
Right after her father died, Clarke had gone through a "rebellious phase," which included digging through some files and information she shouldn't have. As a result, she'd went undercover at a camp she had read about, thinking she was such a badass and would bring justice to her father's death. How wrong she was. The camp she decided to check into was Walden, and it was absolute hell. For the year she'd spent in that hellhole, she endured endless torture. Walden, at that time, was a camp where the wardens perfected torture techniques, and tested gruesome weapons for wartimes. Until her mother had finally been able to free Clarke from Walden, she'd learned the truth about the kingdom she would inherit and decided to run away and find a way to topple the corrupt system.
"Thank God. They're only at Washington, that's a baby compared to some of the camps." Clarke breathed. Octavia gave her a strange look, and raised her eyebrow questioningly. Crumbling under the pressure of one single eyebrow the girl possessed, Clarke spilled her thoughts.
"I've sorta, been in Washington? So I know what it looks like and how it runs. It's a long story," Clarke explained quickly. She had actually visited Washington as a Princess inspecting what she believed to be the generic punishment system she would run when she became Queen, boy was she wrong.
"What the hell? You've been in a prison camp?" Octavia shouted. Clarke shushed the girl, and looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear.
"Not just one, but that's a story for another time. I think I can help you guys get your people out of there." Clarke said quietly.
"Bellamy! You better get your ass out here!" Octavia screamed, pounding on the door to the Captain's quarters, her hands on her hips. Clarke looked around cautiously, not wanting to disturb the rest of the crew. It was still relatively early, even if Clarke had taken an impromptu nap. Right as Octavia was about to begin her loud onslaught again, the door swung open to reveal a very disgruntled Bellamy. He glared down at his sister and crossed his arms.
"What on earth do you want? I should float you for making so much racket on a mourning day." Bellamy growled.
"It's important, move." Octavia said stubbornly. She pushed against Bellamy's- bare, chest and pulled Clarke into the cabin with her. Clarke tried to keep her gaze away from Bellamy's muscular torso, but she had to admit that although the Captain was a total ass on the inside, he was pretty hot on the outside.
"Like what you see, Princess?" Bellamy teased as he pulled on a shirt.
"Eh, I've seen better. Looks like you're getting a bit flabby, oh Mighty Strong Captain." Clarke shot back. Bellamy just glared at her and turned to his sister.
"What's this about, O?" He asked. Clarke looked around the cabin, noting that it was surprisingly sparse and neat. She'd expected a pigsty based on what she had seen of the Captain so far. There was a small bed and some cabinets for storage littered around the room. A large desk covered in papers and maps took up most of the floor space, and Clarke gravitated towards it out of curiosity.
"Clarke here has been to Washington." Octavia said smugly. The captain's eyes widened and he looked at Clarke in shock.
"You were in a prison camp? You?" He asked in astonishment. Clarke nodded, not wanting to tell him that she'd been to the worst of them and survived.
"I know the inside and outside like the back of my hand. I can get us in, and get your people out." She said. Bellamy nodded pensively and leaned his arms against the desk, looking over plans.
"Tell me." He said simply.
For the next hour, Clarke sketched out the floor plans and guard rotations, explaining how the scheduling worked and how they could sneak in and out.
"Washington is the pretty boy of the Camps, all kinds of nobles and Royal Ambassadors go there to make sure Arc isn't up to no good. Because of this, the prisoners are decently cared for, although it is definitely not a five star inn. Your people should be mostly alright, except for some malnutrition and maybe some sicknesses. The wardens only punish the really mischievous and rebellious ones with a few lashes or a beating." Clarke explained. Bellamy and Octavia exchanged a silent conversation, and Clarke sighed.
"I'm guessing that your people are the rebellious ones." Bellamy nodded and his face lit up with a proud smile.
"We've got five people in there, Jess, Monroe, James, Finn, and Raven. Raven's definitely going to be a bit beat up." He said. Clarke nodded and continued to formulate a plan with him, pointing to the general areas she guessed some of the prisoners would be based on how they would behave.
"Alright, now how are you gonna get us in, Princess?" Bellamy asked, giving her a challenging look. She glanced nervously at Octavia, not sure if she wanted to reveal herself just yet.
"I'm technically a noble, and I should be able to get us in pretty easily. I'll just need the proper…equipment." Clarke murmured. Bellamy's eyebrows rose, and Octavia squealed.
"I knew it! There's no way you were a common thief! What house are you from? What's it like being a noble?" Octavia asked excitedly. Clarke knew she wasn't lying, just understating the truth a bit.
"Maybe I should start calling you milady." The Captain teased.
"Don't call me anything! I have a name." Clarke spat. Both the Blake siblings quieted at her outburst.
"Sorry, it's a long story." Clarke groaned, rubbing her temple.
"I'm starting to get the feeling that it always is with you." Bellamy muttered to himself. She ignored his comment, and made sure he understood the plan so far.
"So what exactly do you need?" Octavia asked eventually.
"I'll need the fanciest and nicest dress you guys have, and some very expensive jewelry." Clarke directed the last part to the captain, knowing that he would have a stash of stolen jewels hidden away somewhere. Bellamy stared at her blankly for a few minutes.
"You're telling me. To get my prized jewels. And just, let you borrow them?" He exclaimed. Clarke rolled her eyes.
"Obviously. Chop chop, if you want to rescue your crew." She replied. Bellamy gave her a stubborn look before sighing and banging his head down on the desktop.
"I'll get your damn jewels. But you better give em back, and I'll be with you while your wearing them. Plus, you are definitely not battle ready if this comes to a fight." Bellamy said, running his hand through his hair.
"I'm not some spoiled, useless brat. I know what I'm doing." Clarke spat.
"I'm not saying that, your highness, I'm saying that even though I'm a pirate, I'm not going to let someone- noble or not, die while trying to help me." Bellamy said through gritted teeth. Octavia smiled, looking between Clarke and the Captain expectantly. Clarke blushed, and looked down at the plans, clearing her throat.
"Well, then you better teach me how to fight then. Cause I do not plan on dying anytime soon." Clarke muttered in reply.
"So, we really do have a princess on board. Looks like my little name wasn't that far off," Bellamy grunted as he parried a left swipe of Clarke's sword. Panting, Clarke quickly stepped out of range of Bellamy's next attack and the two danced around each other for a minute.
"I'm not even that important in the grand scheme of things. Just a third born daughter of a low ranking family." Clarke lied. She was having a hard time keeping up with the Captain's brutal training regime, and yet he had barely broken a sweat.
"Still, a noble is a noble." Bellamy smirked. Clarke rolled her eyes and swiftly spun to avoid the slash of his sword, and quickly ducked, feinting a swipe to his legs and then lunging upwards and thrusting the sword behind Bellamy's sword arm and against his throat.
"Better watch out, Captain." Clarke said challengingly. Bellamy just lifted an eyebrow, then with a flick of his wrist sent Clarke's sword spiraling out of her hand and onto the deck a few feet away.
"Don't hesitate, Princess. When the time comes, do what you have to do." The captain said darkly. Clarke just gritted her teeth and nodded, leaning against one of the main mast posts and slowly lowering herself onto the deck to sit and rest. After going over the plan with Miller and Murphy, the first and second officers of Bellamy's crew, the captain had dragged her back to her room to rest for the day. Clarke only agreed if Bellamy agreed to begin his training anew the next morning. Despite Clarke's injury, she agreed to be beat around in order to improve in the short two weeks before landing on Washington Island.
Bellamy slumped down next to Clarke and handed her a jug of water. She gladly accepted it and drank deeply. The cool water refreshed Clarke's exhausted mind and muscles.
"You are getting better. Not by much, but still." Bellamy commented.
"Gee, thanks." Clarke replied sarcastically. She took a few deep breaths and groaned.
"I never knew my body could be so sore, and that's saying something. One time, I had to dig myself out of a collapsed mine just to survive. That was really rough, and even-" Clarke clamped her mouth shut. Unknowingly, she had begun to spill about one of her trials in Walden. Clarke quickly handed the water jug back to the curious captain and stood up.
"Well, let's get back to it." She said in an attempt to change the topic of conversation. She avoided looking at Bellamy and walked over to her fallen sword, picking it up and twiddling with the handle anxiously.
"I don't know how a noble got into a prison camp, but whatever happened to you, I can promise will never happen again. Just trust me." Bellamy said gently. He wrapped his hands around Clarke's shaking ones and held them for a minute in his warm grasp, then shifted her fingers into the proper hold for fighting.
"Let's get back to it." He said with a cough. Clarke smiled in thanks, and the two attacked each other again.
"Ughh. I am so sore…why me?" Clarke groaned. It was the evening of her third day of hardcore training. Her injury was healing nicely, even though it still ached and caused her more pain than Clarke would like. But Clarke didn't have time for the stupid hole in her stomach. She had a kingdom to change.
"I gotta tell you, I feel for you, Clarke. I don't think I've seen anyone work as hard as you have these past few days." Octavia mumbled through the roll in her mouth. Both Clarke and Octavia were sitting next to each other out on the deck eating their dinner rations. Octavia had helped Clarke train too, teaching her more sneaky techniques and dirty tricks to use on her opponents rather than the honorable ones Bellamy taught Clarke. Clarke found her current situation amusing, since the suave pirate Captain was trying to make her into an honorable fighter while his little sister was teaching her how to fight like anyone else trying to survive.
"Yea, but not enough. I have to get better now." Clarke huffed.
"Slow down, girl. It's not like you don't have time. All you gotta do is get us into the camp and then get out. That's it. It's not like you're going to be in a war any time soon." Octavia laughed. Clarke forced a smile, thinking how wrong the girl was. Clarke tore a chunk off of her stale, bland jerky and sighed.
"What, this not a five star dinner? Well I'm so sorry my lady, we are pirates after all." Octavia chuckled, thinking Clarke didn't like her rations.
"This is better than no food at all." Clarke replied softly. Her mind wandered back to her year at Walden, and the man who had helped her survive. Clarke forced the memories out of her mind, wondering why she kept thinking of that year and that man. He was dead to her. That's all that mattered.
"Oh! I almost forgot to tell you! Earlier today, while you were busy, I actually went into the armory, and guess what I found? It was that bastard…" Octavia rambled on about some drama happening on the ship, and Clarke relaxed, nodding and making aghast noises every so often to keep the girl satisfied.
"Clarke! Come here." A deep voice called. Clarke looked up to see the Captain standing outside his quarters and gesturing for her to join him. Clarke shook her head and raised her food as if to say: I'm eating. Leave me alone. Bellamy just rolled his eyes and glared at her. He raised an eyebrow in reply, and Clarke sighed.
"…but then, they grabbed-hmm?" Octavia looked up, stopping in the middle of her story to give Clarke a questioning look.
"The-Oh-Great-And-Powerful Captain is trying to starve me and keep me busy." Clarke snarled. Octavia looked between her brother and Clarke, a smile on her face. Clarke strolled over to where Bellamy was waiting, taking her own sweet time to look around the deck as if it was her first time ever on a ship and eat her food slowly.
"Get over here, god dammit." Bellamy growled, stomping into his cabin angrily. Smiling to herself, the princess strode into his cabin, expectant curiosity clear on her face.
"I've got those jewels you need." Bellamy said quietly, after checking around to make sure nobody was listening in or peeking. Clarke rolled her eyes.
"Really? That's what you brought me in here for?" She scoffed. Bellamy just curled his lip and brought out a velvet bag from his coat, and Clarke was starting to think his coat was endless on the inside. He untied the bag and emptied the contents onto his desk. Clarke raised one eyebrow, impressed at the scope of his stash. She brushed aside some emeralds and a few uncut rubies, and grabbed a diamond necklace on a gold chain. The necklace was simple, but elegant. A large diamond was the centerpiece of the necklace, and smaller diamonds and interlocking gold chain as well as some other precious stones spread around it like a web around a spider.
"Well? Pretty good, right?" Bellamy asked smugly. Clarke glanced at him, then chuckled to herself, thinking back to the royal crown jewels locked away in her palace vault, or even lying on her dresser. The rings and bracelets she had carelessly littered across her vanity in her youth were much more valuable than the captains entire stash combined.
"It'll do." She said, running her hand through her hair anxiously.
"What do you mean, 'it'll do'? These jewels were fucking hard to come by, and each could buy a castle!" Bellamy exclaimed. Sighing, the blonde separated the necklace and a bracelet along with a few more scattered jewels into one pile and shoved the rest back into the velvet bag.
"These are the only ones that'll work." Clarke said as she handed the bag back to the captain. Stunned, the man took the bag wordlessly and slipped it back into his coat.
"I can use these little jewels as a hairpiece and try to make them into a crown of some sorts. But I don't know… what if they aren't enough?" Clarke rambled. The captain sat down in his large ornate chair and rubbed his chin, watching as the girl across from him grabbed a spare paper and a pencil and started to draw out a design for the smaller jewels. Her teeth caught her lower lip, worrying at the pink flesh. Bellamy forced his gaze away from Clarke's lips and at the girl's face. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, and she held some of her hair away from her face, not quite pulling back all the strands. Bellamy resisted the urge to lean over and brush the golden strands out of her face.
"…just a crown, or a tiara? I don't…how would I…just need something…" Clarke mumbled to herself, looking between the spare jewels and her outlines.
"Why would a noble need a crown?" Bellamy asked darkly. Clarke froze, realizing her mistake. She tried to calm her breathing and gulped.
"Just to emphasize my importance." She lied smoothly. The captain held her gaze, his stare unreadable and his brown eyes dark and threatening.
"Did I ever tell you about what happened when a member of my crew lied to me? To my face? No? Well, it's a great story. You see, this particular scumbag tried to take more than his share of a deal. Now, I'm a greedy bastard, but I'm a fair greedy bastard. I didn't take too kindly to his theft, but I'm sure the fishes and the sharks sure did enjoy him after I tossed him overboard with a cannon strapped to his back." The captain said threateningly. He got up as he spoke and started moving towards Clarke. She stood her ground, and resisted the urge to run from the towering frame of the captain.
"An honorable pirate? I've never heard of one." Clarke stuttered.
"Very funny. I don't like it when a member of my crew lies to my face, Princess." Bellamy scowled. He was toe to toe with her now, and Clarke gulped. She could see how he had become such a successful Captain. She refused to be too intimidated, however, and raised an eyebrow challengingly.
"Like it or not, Captain, I'm only on your ship for myself. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't seized that ship I was on, so it's not like I had a huge choice. Sure, everyone here is amazing and I will get your people out of that camp, but only for my own reasons. You are just going to have to trust that my own reasons are as powerful as you feelings for your crew." Clarke snarled. She held his gaze for a few more tense seconds, then walked away and slammed his door behind her.
Octavia quickly left the group she was chatting with and jogged over to Clarke.
"So, what did my brother want?" She asked cheerfully. Clarke scoffed and shook her head, muttering an answer. Octavia stared at the somber blonde as she disappeared below deck with a worried look.
"Bellamy, what the hell did you say to Clarke?" Octavia yelled after storming into her brother's cabin. Bellamy was seated at his desk with his head in his hands, and he lifted his head to gaze at his sister.
"The truth, which she apparently isn't willing to share." He growled. His dark eyes glittered dangerously and Octavia tensed. She knew what happened when Bellamy made that face; it meant he was serious and would find out what he wanted to know eventually, no matter the cost.
"Bell, you've gotta admit that she has a right to keep secrets from us. I mean, we did technically steal her along with the rest of that treasure." Octavia said reassuringly. She sat on the bench across from her brother's desk and leaned forward to grab his hand. She smiled gently. Bellamy just looked at his sister, and sighed in defeat. He knew she was right, but that didn't make him any happier.
"O, you didn't see the look on her face. She knows what it is like in one of those camps, and not a 'nice' one like Washington. She's not just some noble." Octavia tilted her head thoughtfully and opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again.
"I think that Clarke has had a bad and painful past, like us. She'll tell us when she's ready, or at least she'll tell me." Octavia said after a pause. Bellamy blinked.
"What makes you think she won't tell her captain?" He asked blankly.
"Come on, Bell, it's not like you're the most welcoming of people! The first thing you did when she got here was beat her up, and you haven't even officially welcomed her here! Half the crew doesn't even know who she is." Octavia laughed. She knew her brother was dense, but still, this was a new level of thick-headedness.
Bellamy zoned out, as if he were trying to remember when he actually did, rather if, welcome Clarke to the crew. He hated it when his sister was right, she would never shut up about it now. Octavia laughed again and rose from the bench to leave, looking back at her brother one last time.
"I expect something later on, Bell." She said arrogantly as she strode out his door. Bellamy sat back in his chair, still trying to think of a time when he actually did something remotely welcoming for his newest crewmember.
Clarke stumbled into her room with a curse. Why did she have to be thinking about Walden? Or about him? Her legs shook and she slid down her door and curled her knees up against her chest. Flashbacks of her year in hell flittered across her mind, and Clarke tried not to scream, and instead quick panicked breaths were the only sound she emitted.
"Daddy? I had a bad dream. Is it alright if-" A young girl, fresh into her fifteenth year, asked softly as she pushed open the large door that lead into her fathers room.
"Clarke? Sweetie, you have to go! Now!" Her father cried. Clarke stepped into the room, her lip trembling.
"W-why? I just wanted to-" She stuttered, crying out as her father grabbed her arm and pulled her into a tight hug. Clarke's nose poked into her father's chest, a feat she had been proud of earlier. She was going to be as tall as him one day and rule the kingdom like he did.
"It's too late now. I love you so much baby girl. Remember that okay? Now quickly. Hide here and stay quiet." The man dragged his daughter over to the far wall by his dresser and pressed something the girl couldn't see. She gasped as a section of the wall slid away to reveal a crawlspace big enough for her to hide in.
"Daddy, what's happening?" She asked frightfully. Her father pushed her into the crawlspace and gently slid the door closed, leaving just a crack for some light.
"Daddy wants you to be strong. Something is going to happen, and I need you to stay here and be quiet, no matter what. Be strong for me, my little princess." He said, holding his hand against the crack, as if reaching for his daughter one last time. Clarke nodded, curling up in the dark crawlspace.
"I'll be strong." She whispered. She saw a glimpse of her father's face, and was shocked to see his eyes filled with tears. She had never seen him cry before.
"I'll be strong. I'll be strong." The girl chanted softly, her voice trembling. All she wanted to do was run out and hug her father, to feel safe in his arms once again. The girl fell silent as the sound of glass breaking hit her ears. She cringed at the loud sound and pressed her face against the crack in an attempt to see what was happening.
"Sorry about this, I really am." A familiar voice said. Clarke saw her father standing in the middle of the room, the light of the moon shining on him through the broken window. A dark figure approached him, and the girl wanted to scream for her father to run away from the bad man.
"We both know that isn't true." The girl's father said. The figure laughed and the girl's eyes widened as she saw him draw a blade from within his cloak. She held her hand against her mouth to keep from screaming. The man lunged forward and the blade struck her father's heart, and the girl's as well. Silent tears fell from her eyes as she saw her father fall to the ground lifelessly, and the figure stabbed his body again and again and again and again.
"I will be strong. I will be strong. I will be strong." The girl chanted in her mind. Even with her vision clouded by tears, she could still see the red staining the blade and the floor. The man in the cloak sighed, and wiped his blade on the comforter of her father's bed. He left the same way he came, and Clarke cried silently in the dark crawlspace for a few minutes. After she was sure the assassin was gone, she rushed out of her hiding place and ran to her father's side.
"No no no no no! Daddy! No! You can't leave me! Don't leave me alone! I don't want to be alone again!" Clarke sobbed, clutching her father's robes in her hands. She shook his lifeless body, as if it would bring him back to life. Her training with the Healer made her sure that he was most definitely dead, but her heart refused to accept it. Her hand crumpled something hard inside his robe, and the girl drew it out with shaking hands. A thick envelope fell out of one of the robe's inner pockets, and Clarke saw her name written in her father's handwriting on the envelope. She tore it open hastily and a golden locket fell out onto her hand. The girl looked at the locket, recognizing it as her father's. The family locket with the royal crest engraved on it. She clutched the charm to her chest and pulled out a letter.
"My Dearest Clarke,
I wish I didn't have to leave you so soon, but something has happened. I want you to take this locket, since it is yours now. You are now the heir and true ruler of Arc Kingdom. I know you will rule wit the kindness and compassion and strength I could not. I regret bringing you into this mess, but it is your duty to take on the responsibility of the evil I have created. The prison camps are not what they seem. I wish I could tell you more, but even now I am being watched. I know my time left with you is limited, but I want you to know that I love you with all my heart.
My special daughter. My little Princess."
The girl sobbed and screamed her grief out into the night, holding the locket against her chest with all her strength. She screamed and cried until she was pulled away by one of the Royal Advisors and taken to wash away the King's blood on her hands. Clarke swore to get revenge and find out who killed her father that night. She cried her last tears as her father bled to death.
"…Clarke? Clarke, you in there?" A voice boomed. A knock on the door pulled Clarke back into herself and she gasped. She hadn't had a flashback like that in years.
"Uhm, hmm, yea. I'm here." Clarke cleared her throat and tried to sound normal. Her hand gripped the locket around her neck and she leaned her head back against the door.
"The crew and I are going to have a celebration, to celebrate Adam's life and stuff. You should come. And meet the crew." Bellamy's voice called through the door. He sounded uncomfortable and she could hear his feet shuffling nervously.
"Did Octavia put you up to this?" She asked in amusement.
"What? No. Of course not. I just thought it would be nice for the crew to meet you officially. If you aren't going to come, you'll miss out on a great party. Monty's even going to bring out his moonshine."
"I might show up. Just a little tired. You beat the crap outta me earlier." Clarke replied, forcing a laugh. She heard Bellamy chuckle and his heavy footsteps disappeared down the hall. She took a shaky breath and jumped up, walking around her room and shaking out her nerves. Clarke pinched her cheeks to make sure she was back to normal, and then left her room to join in on the party.
OOh! Some insight into Clarke's past! I hope you all liked it! And sorry for updating so late! School always drags me down, but I should be able to start updating more regularly when the semester dies down a bit. I've also decided to reply to the reviewers down here, so skip over if you don't want to see them!
SCROLLPIRATE: Thanks for pointing that out! I have trouble with that sometimes. I tried to tone it down a bit in this chapter, and I hope it's better! I'm glad you like it, and I'm trying to write Clarke as she was when she first got on the ground and didn't trust anybody. There will be some character development as she grows more comfortable with the 100!
123A456E: I'm happy you like it! Don't worry, there will be a wide range of reactions when her identity is revealed. Some good, but also a lot bad. Clarke's in for some rough times, that's all I'm gonna say.
DOUBLL: I try to make Clarke as badass as I can, while keeping her in character, since that's how I view her. I like it too!
GUEST: I am gonna keep this going for a while if you all like it!
LIABLAKE: I figured Atom's death was an important moment for Clarke, and for Clarke and Bellamy's relationship, so it just had to be included.
ZARA: It makes me unbelievably happy that you like it! I can't wait either, but I want it to be a slow burn, kinda like the show I guess.
GUEST: THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY ILY! Your mom must be very surprised too. I'm glad you like it!
MORE1WEASLEY: Your wish is my command, I'm glad you like it! Thanks so much!
BLUECOKEANDWAFFLES: I want to write more from his perspective since he's important too, and we never get to see how he feels about Clarke and how his emotions develop in most fanfics.
100: I'm writing, I promise!
GUEST: I'm sorry to keep you waiting! I'm glad you like it, and now you can be satisfied!
Alright, I think that's all for now, so thanks for reading, and I hope you liked it! 3