Natblida

p r o l o g u e

Clarke lied with Bellamy, her head nuzzled against his warm chest with a soft smile peaked along her dry lips. Both their bodies were sunken into the large bed that once belonged to Becca Pramheda, the first Grounder Commander. The two of them had both been dealing with so much back at both Arkadia and Polis, they decided their little family deserved a break, especially with a new addition on the way. The stress had been getting to Clarke, and when she was in her third trimester of pregnancy, it wasn't something that she needed. She was normally a very anxious person, but this pregnancy made her even more irritable and uneasy.

The door to the master suite cracked open and Ophelia, their eight year old daughter creeped into the room on her tip toes. The light from the hallway sweeping around her with a heavenly glow. Her dark brown eyes pulling the moonlight to her like a magnet. A cotton nightgown curled around her ankles, tickling her on every other step. "Daddy?" She whispers making her way to the large bed, climbing up and curling beside him. Tears falling down her face she grabs on to her Father's hand. "Daddy..." she whispers again, this time more of a whine, but nonetheless scared to wake her mother. Clarke moans, turning over to her side which causes Bellamy to wake up. "Dad, are you awake?" Ophelia shakes him slightly, his eyes cracking open to see small tears beading along her cheeks. Bellamy wrapped his large arm around her, immediately settling her.

She was the spitting image of the both of them. Ophelia had big eyes like her mother, but they were a deep passionate brown just like her fathers. She had Bellamy's cheeky grin and her nose was exactly like Clarke's, dressed with freckles. Her skin softly sun kissed. Bellamy pushed his lips to the top of his daughter's head. Her skin was soft, and smelt like the lavender body cream Niylah had created. "What's wrong, baby?" He mumbled groggily, but holding his child tightly in his arms. She whimpered and Bellamy wiped away her tears with a single stroke of his thumb. "Did you have another bad dream?"

Ophelia nodded her small head curling into Bellamy's chest. A sniffle escaping her small body. Her freckled nose curled up. "They're bad again, daddy. They're really scary. Make them go away!" Her voice was soft and angelic even through so much pain. For the child of Skaikru chancellors and the niece of the Commander she really had another thing coming. Though she was of eight years old she was wise and more mature than her years.

"What was this one about?" He moves the curly blonde hair out of her eyes. "You can tell me." Bellamy says lovingly, tilting her chin up so he can match her small gaze.

Ophelia wiggles her lips trying to find the big words from her little body. Tears well up in her dark eyes. "The other Natblida's," she started, "they found out I was one too..." her lips quivered and another tear fell. "They wanted to kill me, daddy."

When the words escaped her, Bellamy immediately pulled her close and held her tight. Her tear stained cheeks pressed into his chest as she snuggled into him. When she was in her fathers arms it was like the entire world fell around her. And for those moments, no one could even touch her. "Baby, that's not going to happen. I promise." The thought of his daughter so scared shut Bellamy down immediately and make him weak. She was his pride and joy. Everything in his life he had ever worked up to. All those cold nights at the drop ship when the rain washed away everything they worked for. When he risked his life to save his friends in MT. Weather. When he went up to space to keep his people safe, despite leaving Clarke on the ground. When he left her on the ground for six an a half years. And when he landed, she ran into his arms and he begged for her to marry him. Everything, and every fight he had ever went through was for the family he would one day have. His world revolved around his people, Clarke and Ophelia at the very centre of it.

When Ophelia was born, one of the first things that came to attention of her love struck parents was her blood. Black. So black that when wiped from her skin was opaque and solid. A pure Natblida. Clarke and Bellamy knew the future of their daughter. If she were to openly be a Natblida, if the grounders found out, she would be taught and trained to kill. She would one day, have to assassinate her peers, or even worse, be murdered herself. Grounders found pride if they were to bear a Natblida. They were honoured. But those children, they were not children. They did not know what being a child felt like. They didn't play with branches, they fought with metal swords sharpened to the tip. If you looked at it for too long it could slice you open. For the safety of their daughter, and to the thanks of Abby and Jackson, Clarke and Bellamy were able to keep the colour of her blood a secret. There were pros to having a mother and friend in medical. No one other than the five of them knew. Not even Bellamy's baby sister, the Commander of Wonkru, knew any of the sorts.

The fate of his child laid within his hands from the moment she was born, and it was possibly the only thing that scared him. Losing his family was definitely the only thing that would make him break. "You're strong, Ophelia." He whispered so confidently that it ran through her entire body like a forest fire. "You're smart and you're strong. That won't happen, baby. I won't let it happen." He soothes while her tears begin to evaporate. "Let's get you back to bed." He lifted her up, her tired body limp in his arms. Her legs wrapped around him and her head lying against his shoulder.

Bellamy walked her down the hallway and into the next bedroom. It was a big bed, for a small child, and not even the luxury of that could excite her. For all eight years of her life, she slept in disheveled beds with sheep skin as her blankets. The feeling of sheets itched her skin and made her shiver at the touch. He laid his daughter down in the oversized bed, her eyes fluttering open. "What will they do to me if they find out." Ophelia whispered, you could hear the hurt in her voice. The fear sinking around them.

Bellamy kneeled at the side of the bed, running his hands through her messy hair. Her skin soft like silk. The sparkle in her eyes thanks to the tears that are hiding in the disguise of a transparent shield. Bellamy cupped her small angelic face in his hands, kissing her forehead lightly. "Remember the story about auntie Octavia? And how she used to hide in the floor?" Ophelia nodded, sniffling slightly. "She never wanted to do it, but she did because she had to. She was scared, we all were, daddy included. But her bravery outweighed everything else and look where Auntie is now.... she's Commander of all thirteen clans. All of WonKru."

"What if I don't know how to be brave?"

Bellamy manages a smile. "Ophie, you were born out of bravery and strength and love. That's all you're made of. It's okay to be scared. But the love in your heart and the bravery in your bones, you have nothing to worry about. Your blood is just further proof of that."

Ophelia takes a deep breath, exhaustion running through her. "I love you, daddy." She whispers, her eyes giving in to the temptation of slumber. Bellamy rubbed her small little face and as she fell asleep right in front of him. He couldn't help but smile at the beautiful creation him and Clarke had made. Such an incredible miracle he couldn't have ever dreamed of.

"I love you, baby." He whispers, holding her head as his lips touched her forehead one last time before his feet scuff the floor making his way back to Clarke.

Bellamy snuck into the bed, pulling the covers over his body. Clarke immediately snuggled up to him and a tear fell against his shirt from her eye. "What if we made the wrong choice?" Clarke's voice quivered, he hadn't even realized she was awake.

Bellamy looked down to Clarke and she nuzzled into him further, grasping at the t-shirt that hugged his body. "Babe..."

"What if this baby is a Nightblood as well, what if they find out. What will they do to her? What will they do to us?"

Bellamy licked his dry lips. "This isn't the Ark, Clarke." He whispered into the mess of her blonde curls.

"You're right." She shuffled, "it's worse."