Would You Still Love Me The Same

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

vallier | bellamy

AI LAIK WAMPLEI

They had just walked through the gates that entered them into Arkadia. He was well aware of the horrible situation he had put his family in. Both families in fact. Octavia, Marcus, Echo and Rosa. He, Echo and Rosa had been forced to flee when rumors began to spread, all too aware of Nia's wrath that would befall them if she were to find out. He could not protect Octavia and Marcus from over there. Nor could he protect Echo and Rosa from over here. This wasn't easy, none of it, and he knew that right now . . . it was especially hard for Echo.

She was forced to leave the life she knew. The placed she had called home since the day she was born. A world that they had both intended to raise their daughter in. Now, she was in the territory of the people she had believed to be the enemy. The ultimate nemesis . . . well, apart from the Trikru that is. He could help but wonder . . . she had fallen in love with Vallier. Could she love Bellamy? Because the line between the two identities were blurring, slowly merging into one person. Into who he was.

He remained very close to Echo as he quickly greeted those who came to welcome him. He knew now was not the time to talk to them all or to do the introductions. Echo was protectively holding Rosa and she had every right to. Instead, Bellamy just lead her to their quarters within the Ark. It wasn't until they were inside and he closed the door that he could properly look at her to see what emotions her expression held. Warriors often suppressed them, but he and Echo had seen each other in their most vulnerable of times. All he could do was look at her, waiting to see what her initial thoughts would be . . . feeling that any questions regarding how she was doing or feeling right now were futile. This wasn't fair to her, and he damn well knew it.

[Echo]

Each step that Echo took was full of rocks, and felt heavy on the ground. Vallier walked beside her and her daughter was in a sling that allowed easier movement while being held to her chest. To say that she was displeased, would be using a word that wasn't powerful enough. The warrior she had fallen in love with was no warrior--was not of the clans! He was of the Skykru! He was one of them them! Worse--he was one of the ones who had burned 300 warriors alive. His name had been known, and all thought him dead. But he was not. He had been with the Ice Nation, and they had embraced him. Trained him. Called him their own. He had become a favorite of Nia's and his name had spread over the land.

Nia was humiliated, and in a rage from this unexpected insult. While unplanned on Vallier's part, the Ice Queen still held him responsible for this. If she could find a way to get revenge on any, she would take it. Which was why she was now watching the iron gates approach with each step. Her hands moved up to her daughter, and she held her close. They greeted him by the foreign name, and she stood there silently while they did. Unmoving, and unyielding. They looked at her with fear, and anger, and distrust.

Vallier led them into the iron mountain, and Echo felt the hairs on her neck stand. The air was too still, and she could hear too many unknown sounds in here. Her own foot steps sounded loudly--echoing off the walls. Still she remained unflinching until they reached the room that would be theirs. Walking in the grey box she looked around, and tried to figure out how he could have lived here once. Nothing looked real, everything had a fake appearance to it. Too clean, and . . . grey.

Lifting Rosa out of the sling, Echo held her up to let her stretch, before walking to the window and looking out of it. "You can't hear anything." She said, watching people down below bu having no idea what was happening because they made no sounds through the walls. Turning only her head she looked at Vallier--no . . . no not Vallier.

They called him Belomi. That was who he was now. He looked like Vallier, but there had been changes in him, and she wasn't sure what that meant. Warriors were not supposed to have doubts, but he wasn't a warrior any longer--and now she wasn't either. She was a wastelander for she too was homeless, and peopleless now. She had been one of Nia's favored, and now she was hunted by the ones she had called friend. And the ones she had not. Roan. Nia was send her most ruthless for them. The iron gates were now her cage, because she could engage Roan and protect her daughter. She was trapped in a grey box.

Echo had spent her whole lift making sure she gave nothing away in her face. Even now she looked at him and she made sure nothing was given away. He had taken this from her, and she couldn't even hate him. Because she loved him. Whomever he was. "They will make you weak." She told him in their her language. "Roan will come. The Skypeople scare easy. He will use this." If he expected this to work, he would need to train his people to be stronger. He still looked like Vallier, and it hurt to look at him and know that once she would have already pressed his back tot he wall. Now she wasn't sure who he was. She wasn't sure if he was one of them or the warrior she knew.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

vallier | bellamy

AI LAIK WAMPLEI

Bellamy remained silent, watching their daughter as she took in the new sights. The place that would be her home; a far safer home now that Nia had put a target on his back. He didn't say anything when Echo spoke of how they would make him weak; of how Sky People scared easy. It had never been clearer to Bellamy . . . how truly little Azgeda knew about Sky People. About the Arkers. For the past year and a half, he had embraced the notion that they were the enemy, believing whatever he had been told about them without having an actual encounter. Now that their memories returned . . . it revealed just how wrong Echo and all the Azgeda warriors were about Ice People.

They knew nothing about them. But Bellamy was not going to argue this. She would find out for herself, and he was well aware that anything he said in favor of them, would just spark an argument. Further push her into defensive mode. He knew her well enough to know that right now, not defending Arkers would probably be best. "Then let him come," Bellamy stated, unafraid of Roan. "We'll settle it like warriors." Just because he was an Arker, didn't mean the last year and a half could be so easily forgotten. If it had been . . . then Echo and Rosa would not be here right now. "They're not cowards." His words were defending the Arkers so much as stating a fact. It was to add reassurance that they were safe here. They had fought off many more Grounders with far less people . . . and they had won. Well, for the most part.

[Echo]

It was hard to know what he was thinking. He was no longer Vallier, whom she might have guessed his thoughts. He was someone else. She wasn't sure how this man though, or would behave. She wasn't sure he he would hide behind the guns of the Sky People or fight with honor like the warrior he had trained to be. She wasn't sure if he would raise their daughter to be one of these people, and forget her blood. Echo wasn't sure what he expected of her here either. Was she to conform? What was she too do?

It never occurred to her that he would not want her in his bed. She was fierce and lethal and had proved she was as good in bed as out of it. The reason she had yet to invite anything between them since he had told her of his past was because he was thinking more like the SKy People now. They saw her people--and all people not like them--as mindless savages. They'd let them think it because it helped them fear them, but it was not how she wished him to see her. Their daughter. His once friends. "Then let him come," He spoke, and she only watched him still. "We'll settle it like warriors." This was her face became more readable. At least for someone who knew her as intimately as he did. It was one of the first signs that he would not hide behind the gun, and he planned to face Roan like a warrior would. With honor.

The news was both welcome, and made her uneasy. She would not dishonor him by showing the fear she felt, but she knew that they were both warriors who had gained favor for a reason. If Vallier fell she---no. She'd not think about things she had no control over. She would be strong in the face of fear, and unwavering. "They're not cowards." The Sky People. Echo kept a watch on his face, her own schooling to cover the emotion that had come out over his last words. "We will see."

She had refused to speak the Sky People's language since he had told her this was were they were to go. Even now she only spoke her language, knowing he was the only one here who'd really understand it. Turning she looked back down at the people from the window. "Which is your father?" She asked, having heard of Marcus Kane before, but never seeing the man's face. While he was not the leader of the Sky People, he was the one who the clans looked toward. He was the only role they really understood. Commander. General. She wasn't fearful of meeting the man, but she knew that he could make this harder or make this easier.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

vallier | bellamy

AI LAIK WAMPLEI

Bellamy was grateful for the subject change, and the fact that she did not completely dismiss his statement regarding the bravery of the Arkers. She asked which was his father and Bellamy joined her, standing next to her as he peered out the window. "The one in the front," he indicated. As there were a small group of guardsmen, Marcus was standing in front of them, probably assigning their stations. Bellamy supposed that had he been here, he would be among them as well. But things were different. He couldn't so readily join the guard just like that.

"He wants to meet you. Whenever you're ready." He imagined not right now as she would need time to settle and Marcus would be respectful of that of course. Bellamy didn't know much about him in terms of the role he played as his father. He knew him more as Marcus Kane than father. "I also have a sister," he stated. "She's not here right now, but should be back by tomorrow." At the latest. He had been told she was scouting. Marcus had previously told him that she was back and forth a lot. Bellamy was well aware he would also need to warn Echo about Lincoln . . . considering the animosity the two clans had. A stronger one than the Arkers and any clan.

[Echo]

Echo felt Vallier come up to stand next to her, and she felt their daughter begin kicking at the sight of him. How long would he still look like one of the Ice Nation's warriors. How long before he looked like one of them and his daughter no longer recognized him? Or would she always know him? Would he start expecting their daughter to be more this then her people? "The one in the front," Echo looked down at the man, taking in the size and shape of him, as any warrior would do upon meeting the general of another's army. What would the father expect from her? "He wants to meet you. Whenever you're ready." Yes, this she knew. Who would not want to meet an enemy they let into their gates? "I will be ready for when you see him next." She told him, not wanting to put it off, nor seek it out before it's time.

"I also have a sister," He had said so before, but Echo had not asked anything about her, having been trying to handle everything he had told her. "She's not here right now, but should be back by tomorrow." Echo lifted their daughter up to him, so he could hold her. Rosa didn't know many faces but she knew her father's, and his voice. She never failed to react to either--like her mother. "Is she one of your father's warriors?" Echo asked, trying to learn more about the people here. The people he had come here to protect.

Turning from the window, she leaned back on it while looking up into his face. Things were so tense between them, and she knew that until they spoke of things it was not going to get better. Even then it would be a long time before they could see what would be happening here. Their worlds were so different, and while he had adapted to her's, she wondered if she would ever be able to do it here. "Will you now be one of his warriors?" He tone wasn't fully accusing, because she knew this wasn't fair to him, but she didn't know what to do with herself here, and the unknown was what she hated. She almost wished the Ice Nation did attack--she'd be of use then.