Never Surrender

[amber4]

TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: Bellamy Blake

It had been three days since Bellamy had left, and Niylah knew that Skaikru was still scouting her land. She paid more attention to the scouts. She even saw some of them testing the land around the herbs her family had grown near the river. They were planning on taking her land and she had been preparing herself. She set traps, she littered the earth in toxins and she knew that she would die protecting her land by the way they reacted when they saw her. Nobody had taken the shot, but she knew they were going to take the land they wanted by force. Many would either die or harm themselves in the process. When she heard the rover, she knew that it was coming to an end. The road was clear; a frontal attack was imminent-- but the woods were cluttered with all kinds of nasty obstacles designed to kill wolves and panthers that stalked the grounds around the post.

Niylah hadn't packed a bag of belongings. She wasn't ready to run, despite telling Bellamy she would to appease him. Truth be told, besides Bellamy she had nothing left worth fighting for besides her home. Bellamy was with them though, so she had to make a decision. Her only items of value were on her person now. A lock of her mother's hair was braided into her own and a heavy brass necklace her father wore was dangling around her neck. Tokens of the dead. Slowly she drew a breath as she heard the rover come closer. She tried to listen for footsteps. There was only one rover, which meant there couldn't be more than ten warriors. She didn't stand a chance, really, but she had homemade bombs ready to go the moment she touched them to the flame, so in a way she was baiting them to enter. She would die if she set off the fires, but so would they.

Still, she only heard one set of footsteps when the rover door opened.

OWL

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: amber4

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Bellamy had tried, but it was to no avail. Pike wasn't going to back down, and Bellamy had no other choice. Niylah had said she would leave, and now was the time to make sure she did. Because they weren't going to hold back. Bellamy could understand Pike's reasons, but he was not one who could condone them . . . especially where Niylah was concerned. This was personal for Bellamy. She was perhaps the only Grounder that had shown herself to be different from all the rest. And he didn't take that lightly. He hopped in the Rover and it was quite literally a race to get there.

He hadn't told Pike he was going to warn her of course. The Chancellor would have him arrested for treason. Instead, Bellamy had taken matters into his own hands. He went as quickly as the vehicle would permit him to. Once there, he practically leaped out of it and hurried to her home, not bothering to knock as he pushed open the door. "Niylah!" He called out, turning around to make sure that no one had followed; that there would be no surprises.

When he saw her he quickly went toward her, everything about him indicating that time was crucial, and there was none to waste. "We have to go. Now." We. Because he was making sure she got some place safe. He wasn't going to just have her wander off somewhere. While he was fully aware she was capable of protecting herself, he cared too deeply about her to just hope that she would make it. He needed to be there with her to ensure it. "Get your bag," he hurriedly urged, turning his head again to glance outside. He didn't hear the other Rover but that didn't mean that they hadn't sent scouts out. It was only a matter of time.

[amber4]

TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: Bellamy Blake

When Bellamy stormed in, Niylah tensed and stared. He was urgent, which was a clear indication that he had failed in his attempts to sway his leader. Violence would be their first move, and Niylah had expected no less. She didn't expect him to come for her right before the attack though. "You shouldn't be here," she said with a frown as she took a few steps back. He should be with them. His people. Whether he agreed with it or not she doubted that his leader would approve of him being here now. "I don't have a bag Bellamy I told you I am not going anywhere. You need to go before they get here and see you..." She walked towards the back door where she glanced through the chipped plastic window. She was looking for any signs of scouts. She hunted so often, she knew what their mentality would be. She was the first stop between the village and Arkadia. They'd be coming. "How close are they?" 

She ignored his haste and instead focused on the surrounding woods. When she did turn away, a sharp cry tore through the air and she knew one of them had fallen victim to a sharp metal trap. She growled a little; like an animal protecting its den as she grabbed her knife. "Leave," she hissed at Bellamy-- more aggressively this time. No she wouldn't harm him but she was terrified that they would. They were coming. The first set of traps weren't far, but there was rough terrain between them. It would take them a while to get down the steep slopes. "Jok," she hissed as she barred the door. "Please, Bellamy-- go. You can still get out of this before they get here... They'll see you as a traitor." He knew all this so why was he even here? The idea that he somehow valued her over his own people baffled her... she couldn't let him throw away his life this way. 

OWL

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: amber4

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

She told him that he shouldn't be here, continuing on with her refusal to leave. "You need to go before they see you," he countered, using her same words but referring to her. They both needed to leave. Him being a traitor wasn't as bad as losing her. It was worth the risk, just to make sure his people didn't do what they did to Grounders that were perceived as a threat. Perhaps it was because he knew Niylah -- on a rather intimate level -- that disallowed him to accept that she was a threat to them. Her question of how close they were only fueled his urgency."Close," he answered. "Which is why we can't waste any time." But before he could continue on, a cry filled the air and Bellamy turned his heard towards its direction.

Fear filled his heart, pain over the possible loss of one of their people. He turned back to face Niylah. "What did you do?" He asked her in a low voice, not one that held accusation but . . . worry. For his people. Just because he was hear, just because he had warned her . . . didn't mean he wanted to see his own dead. "Niylah, please. Don't make me fight my own people." Because he would. To protect her. Not to kill but . . . he couldn't entirely say they would hold back against him. Kill or be killed. That was the philosophy that Pike had been leading them by.

Bellamy just feared its application and relevancy when it came to their own people against each other. He moved closer to her, his hands now going on either of her upper arms, looking intently into her eyes. "They'll kill you." His words were blunt; holding the brutal truth of this situation. "And I can't . . . let that happen." He couldn't lose her. Not like he lost all the others. With their now close proximity, he had another plan if she continued to reject his pleas. One that would require her removal by force but . . . she would have her life. "Please," he urged, his eyes begging her to depart from this place before the others arrived.

[amber4]

TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: Bellamy Blake

Niylah couldn't help the flash of guilt that crossed her features when Bellamy asked her what she'd done. She didn't expect him to be here and she hadn't thought she would have to face someone who could have lost one of their own. Especially when Bellamy was trying to help. His loyalties were all over the place and she could see it... Whether he wanted her to be safe or not, the possibility of having lost one of his own was painful. "Bear trap," she said quickly. "If they get him back to Arkadia he'll recover." If he stayed there, he wouldn't make it through the night. Then he grabbed her arms... He looked into her eyes with so much desperation that saying no again was too difficult. She didn't speak at first. She returned his intense gaze before leaning in to kiss him softly. Her fingers curled into his hair gently for a moment as her tongue lightly ran over his lower lip; savoring the taste for the last time before she looked up at him.

"I can't expect you to understand... This is my place. Trikru doesn't run from an attack. I'm not a coward." In some ways, maybe she was. Dying here honorably was less painful than living with the guilt of fleeing from this place. Niylah never handled guilt well. Unlike most of her people she could never shake it. "I'm sorry Bellamy. I don't want you to fight your own people I want you to go back to where you belong; with them. You're Skaikru-- you owe me nothing..." The feeling of pushing him away was painful... The situation was so tense, emotions were running high and she couldn't stomach leaving him. It was for different reasons, though. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, one last time. "You can't change this Bellamy. It's not your fault... but you can't stay."

OWL

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: amber4

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

A bear trap. She had set up traps in the area. While there was some relief that the man would be alright, it hardly remained with her saying she wasn't going to leave. It was becoming abundantly clear that he wasn't going to be able to change her mind. As she leaned closer toward him, he closed his eyes, taking in her taste, the sensational feeling of her lips against his. No. He couldn't lose her. Losing her was bad enough . . . but his mind was not void of their last encounter. Of the morning. Her sickness. There was a suspicion within Bellamy, a gut feeling that he could not shake. A possibility. One that was strong enough for him to be unable to just let her remain here in harm's way.

He didn't dare move, just taking in the feeling of her touch. Her words were not what he wanted to hear, but nor were they ones he would so easily accept. He remained silent, her arms wrapped around him while one of his hands moved to her waist, then around her back, wrapped around her. He nestled his head in the crook of her neck, lightly kissing her skin for a moment before his lips went to her ear. "I'm sorry too," he said in a whispered voice. In one quick motion he pulled out the reaper stick and injected it into her neck. The effect was instant, his arm around her allowing him to hold her so that she didn't fall to the ground.

 He picked her up in his arms and carried her to the Rover, setting her comfortably in the back. He then returned to her home, recalling some of the things she had listed last he was here. He grabbed the clothes she had, furs, and anything else that they could take with them. Once that was done, he fired up the car and sped off . . . able to hear it the not so far distance, the sounds of the others. Fortunately, they weren't detected. Bellamy had no intention of stopping any time soon. He needed to get her far away from this place, and for as long as the dose would last . . . Bellamy would continue to take her away from the now dangerous location that was formerly her home.

[amber4]

TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: Bellamy Blake

There wasn't enough time for Niylah to think or process his apology, or how it was a warning in itself of what he was going to do. She knew he would try to stop her, but she never thought he would do something like this. There was a brief moment when her legs gave way that she could understand what had happened, but before she could put any thoughts on it, or resist, she'd already blacked out and fallen limp in his arms with nothing more than a confused whimper. The rest was darkness... Even as he loaded her into the rover and packed what he could find, she was gone. Being taken like this... against her will, halted everything that she had planned. There was no honor in running... When she did finally wake, the surroundings confused her. The roar of the vehicle was unlike anything she'd experienced before. Even with the familiar scent of home clinging to the furs and the clothing she was laying with, it instilled a healthy dose of fear.

The nausea she felt was different from the illness that had plagued her. The vehicle; the driving made her ill. As the realization of what he'd done sunk in, anger drove her to clarity. She struggled to sit and held onto the floor and the wall of the rover for support. Through the windows, she could see the forest rushing by. The pines were sparse. They were not close to the post, instead they were south. She knew, because there was enough space for the rover to plow through. "Bellamy," she muttered quietly as she gripped a bar on the ceiling of the rover. She pulled herself up shakily and tried to imagine this vehicle was nothing more than a cart. Being encased in a metal vehicle was a death trap. The way it moved so unnaturally against the ground made her woozy. "Bellamy!" She growled it now; her voice weighted and husky as she recovered from the drug he had used. "What did you do?" a twinge of desperation penetrated her anger as she climbed into the front of the rover. She didn't make any move to attack him but the seat was more secure. The window was bigger and helped with the unfamiliar feeling. 

She desperately tried to figure out their exact location-- how far was she from the post? More importantly how long had she been unconscious. "How could you do this..." she found herself muttering as she realized how far they really were. There was no chance they'd be able to circle back... her home was probably gone; being picked apart by Skaikru while Bellamy drove in the opposite direction.

OWL

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: amber4

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

As soon as Bellamy heard her voice, he braced himself. Though he also couldn't deny the relief he felt upon hearing her conscious, and that she was alright. Well, physically at least. He knew that emotionally . . . well, that was a whole other story. He slightly turned his head, but only for a moment before returning his line of sight to the road. He noticed her from his peripheral vision as she moved closer toward her, questioning what he had done. And how he could do it. He didn't regret it. Not in the slightest. If this meant that she stayed alive, and that no one had to die . . . well then, it was well worth it. "I did what I had to do," he told her, the words all too familiar. It wasn't the first time he had said them, nor acted upon them.

Making a decision that could easily bring into question one's morals. He was faced in these situations more frequently than he would have liked. But it was seldom about his own life; it was more so about those he cared about. And in this case, that was Niylah. "I couldn't let them hurt you," he added on. While it wasn't an underestimation of her skills, it was a confidence in his own numbers of people and weapons that were sent to her post. He didn't want to risk it. He couldn't bear to see them harm her, just as he didn't want to see his own people die in the attempt. This at least avoided that bloodshed. "I'm sorry for the way things had to happen." But he wasn't sorry for taking her from the post and making sure she was safe.

[amber4]

TRY NOT TO RUN FROM THIS FREEDOM ALWAYS HAS A PRICE TO PAY tagged: Bellamy Blake

I did what I had to do. The words echoed so painfully in her ears that she had to shut the sentiment out completely. For a moment her hand flexed as though her body was going to react on its own and hit him for being a moron. That was how she saw it. He was acting selfishly. Protecting her was simply a cover for what he really wanted and that was to do things HIS way. This was HIS idea, and HE was in control and though Niylah knew better, her anger was louder than any empathy she felt and she wanted to hit him. For that brief moment, before her true feelings flooded in, the only thing holding her back from clocking him in the jaw was the fact that she didn’t know how to drive if she seriously hurt him. Instead, she pulled herself into the passenger seat and looked around for the belt that she’d seen him wear. She pulled it tight and took a few moments to figure out that it clipped into the seat. The security made her feel a little safer.

“You had no right.” She spat angrily as she looked out the window. “That place was everything... it was all I had Bellamy and now I have nothing. Is that what you had to do? Destroy everything that I’ve spent my whole life building?” Her voice was thick as she fought tears while memories flooded through her mind. It was where she was born; where she learned to walk and talk... her mother died there. Her father... his spirit was there. That place was more than a home and Bellamy took it from her. Indirectly... but the pain of losing it made it hard to understand that he had saved her life, when now it felt like her life was in that shack. “You always do what you think you have to do but you don’t... think about the lasting effects. Protecting the people you care about means more than keeping them alive Bellamy. What’s the point of living when everything you had to live for is gone?”

She took a long breath, still dazed from the drug as she leaned against the window. It took her a moment to speak, but as the anger faded she realized something key. “You left your people to protect me...” she frowned and looked up at him with confusion. “Do you care for me that much that you would risk losing the people you care about? You can’t... Bellamy... you haven’t thought this through...” her anger evaporated while the hurt remained a dormant pool. Now she was more concerned for him....and what he’d given up.

OWL