I'll Risk It All For You

[Echo]

Echo was a scout and spy for Nia (which was ironic because she was also spying on Nia for others as well), so it was rather easy to leave alone and without explaining where she was going. Echo was a trusted one. Nia trusted her with more then the others, and this gave Echo some freedoms, and she abused the hell out of them. It took her a day to get to the care, and she didn't take a horse because she knew it was too easy to track. Once in the tunnels (not that reapers were less of an issue) she was able to travel to him faster.

Him. Recently she had sought out Belomi, and made sure that he knew she had not wanted to leave him there, and gave him information on the Ice Nation. He had the job of mapping out the north, so she often met him to help him and to make sure that he didn't run across the Ice Nation warriors. Echo go to the cave where they often met, and saw she was there first. Moving to the shadows, she wanted for him. Over the past meetings, and in the mountain, they had grown close. Nia's hate wouldn't allow them to be openly friends, but for him it was wroth the risk.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Bellamy didn't give overly elaborate excuses. He told the others -- or those who needed to know -- that he was going to map out the North. Asked for approval to be armed. Told them he wanted to go alone. Fired up the Rover. And went. He had his own reasons for wanting to go alone; ones that remained unspoken. Unrevealed the others. He would have to endure the lectures of how it was dangerous and he should take someone. But he always rejected the logic. And told them that he didn't need to before setting off. Stubborn was his nature and in this case, it worked in his favor. Most of these times -- hell, all of these times -- it was to go see Echo. She was offering them information that could, and did, protect his people.

He never disclosed a source or even fully acted on it unless it was necessary. He would not do anything to jeapordize her life, for he knew the risk it would pose on her. Today he brought a few things from the ark for her. He couldn't give her anything that she took with her out of the risk of discovery. So instead, he brought things that could be consumed. A special drink that consisted of a mixture of berries, minus any alcoholic content to it. And some food that was made from their freshly grown crops, prepared by their cooks. He knew it was hardly anything, but perhaps better than anything stale she brought along for her journeys that he knew were long.

 Parking the Rover a little ways away, and concealing it as best he could, he walked through the heavily wooded area until reaching their meeting spot. A small, inconspicious cave. Entering, the first thing he did was take his weapon off and set it to the side, knowing that guns made her people uncomfortable. He then did the same with his pack. Seeing a shadow start to emerge, he quickly turned to see her reveal herself. "Hey," he greeted with a slight smile. Remaining crouched by his pack, he pulled out the drunk and food that was wrapped in a cloth. "Just in case I kept you waiting long," he said almost jokingly, but with truth attached to his words as well.

[Echo]

Echo watched him walk in, and after making sure he was alone she walked out of the darkness and over toward him. When he looked at her she felt a stiring, but she had spent her whole life thinking that showing any sort of emotion was a weakness, and didn't give into it. Still, she was pleased to see him and keeping her smile from her face was impossible when he offered her a gift. "Thank you," she said as she pulled the top off and smelled it first. Habit. She wanted to know what she was drinking. Not from distrust, but because she had learned that Sky People didn't often know what was safe and what was not. She had heard from the Tree People about the nuts they didn't know make them see things.

After drinking some of it she looked over at him. "Your people are learning how to use the fruits quickly." It was a complement, the drink was good. Not one her people had right now. Pity. She couldn't take this back, but perhaps one day. When Nia's rule was offer. Walking closer to him she knelt down beside him, and looked at his face. "How long do you have?" He didn't have the freedoms she did. If he didn't go back his people would come looking for him. They risked everything for one life--it was a concept that was hard for her to understand but she was coming to admire it. Her people would assume her dead; his would begin a manhunt.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Bellamy watched her take the drink, smell it, and then sip from it. He couldn't help but let a slight smile form on his lips. An expression that he never thought possible after Mount Weather. Yet he had found some sort of companionship in Echo that he couldn't quite explain. Whatever it was, it was helping him cope with the horrific things he had done. It made him feel all the more drawn to him, as if these moments of escape from the rest of the world, these stolen moments . . . served as a temporary sanctuary for him.

"We have people who are experts in growing crops and then others who can prepare them." With the rest of the Ark tht came down, so did those within each field and trade that allowed them to build a sustaintable lifestyle. He kept his eyes on her when she asked how long he had. "Maybe a couple hours," he revealed. It was getting increasingly difficult to make excuses to go along and to draw out the time he was gone. "What about you?" He wondered, hating that their time was so limited. But then . . . maybe he was growing more attached to her than he should be.

[Echo]

Echo liked it when he smiled. He was a awarrior she knew, and he didn't often smile or show emotion. He was like her. Echo didn't know if this was who he was or who he was after he had killed so many; but when he smiled he seemed another person. He said he had a few hours, and Echo nodded. "My people will not coming looking for me. They don't even know where to find me." Because unlike his, they didn't risk all for one. Unless Nia willed it, and Nia would not do anything more then be annoyed with her for dying.

No one would care when she died, and Echo knew that way was best. His people risked too much for one. Still, she liked the way they did it. It fascinated her. "Why do your people risk so much to find you?" She asked, "They will risk the lives of ten to look for one." Echo had never asked him, but she wanted to understand him. Wanted to understand his people. Her eyes roamed over his face, while she thought about how she had tried to get back to the mountain for him. She would have gone back in to help him fight. Risking her life for his one. Honor. But maybe something more now.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Roma Bragg

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Bellamy was at least relieved that wouldn't have to worry about a Grounder search party setting out for her. But then again, they seldom ever had to worry about that. The grounders were different than his people. More willing to sacrifice, as past actions showed. As if coinciding with his thoughts, she asked him why they risked so much to find him. His immediate response was that they shouldn't risk anything to find him . . . but even if he knew how worthless his own life was, he wasn't oblivious of the fact that the others would look for him if they believed something had happened to him. Just as he wouldn't rest until he found one of their one who was missing.

But how did one explain that kind of loyalty and dedication? Grounders were loyal to their leaders above all else. Their people tried to save every life. It was a concept that greatly differed in their cultures. "Our people value every life," he began to explain. "Not just people of high rank or position." It wasn't an insult to her culture, despite his disagreement of the way their Heda governed. "It's better that we all work together. It's how our own leader is chosen. By others voting on who they believe will be the best and most effective." He paused, continuing to look at her with a small smile remaining on his lips. "Politics," he said with a light shrug of a shoulder. "We can't sacrifice the few for the good of the many." Something that their commander clearly believed in after what she had done at Tondc.

[Echo]

Echo watched his face as he explained, and she wasn't sure if she agreed or not but she was fascinated by that idea. If she was trying to gather information to bring his people down then that would be a down fall for them. But she wasn't. He trusted her not to go to Nia with anything she use use against him and his people; and she wasn't going to betray that trust. Even if this friendship could never be long term (unless Nia died), Echo would still hold true to that.

"That is not how it is done here." She told him, but then kept thinking about how she would risk it all if he was taken by her people. Echo wasn't sure which was the better way any longer. She looked down at his weapon, before looking back at him. "There is many differences between my people and yours." Weapons, politics, and event he foods they ate. Echo had never touched a gun before, and she never would. It took away the effects of the kill. Made it too easy, and killing wasn't supposed to be easy. "Nia will never let there be peace." She said it off highhandedly, and almost regretful. Echo wanted the peace, and this he knew.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Bellamy listened to her, silently agreeing with all that she said. There were so many differences . . . there would never be peace. He wasn't naive enough to believe that this ceasefire would last, despite how the others believed it. Despite their believing that this was real peace. It wasn't. They were still at war, perhaps they always would be. The thought was discouraging, for Bellamy didn't want to spend the rest of his life fighting. He wanted to live, not just survive. His family had never known what that was, for every day was a battle in its own. And at the end of the day, if they were alive . . . then they were victorious. The ground hadn't changed that. They were still fighting to survive without truly living. This was the closest they had come, but it would end soon enough.

"I know," Bellamy lamented in a quiet voice. "And if its not Nia, its someone else." Lexa had the power to create peace, but she didn't. Her actions had created an entire ripple effect . . . now causing the hatred between Azgeda toward Arkers to fuel. "Which is why I can't tell you enough, how much I appreciate this. What you're doing for my people." For him, but it was bigger than just him. He looked at her, realizing his gaze was quite intent on her, taking in her features . . . almost like the way he had after she had saved his life in Mount Weather, and he looked into her eyes through the bars of the cage. Then, just like now, he uttered the same words. "Thank you."

[Echo]

The commander was who Nia hated, and the fact that Lexa put the sky people o high above the others, plus with how Lexa had been unable to defeat then was what made Nia hate them even more. Nia wanted the Ice Nation's rule and she had a plan in place to do it. She hadn't expressed this to Bellamy yet, because for right now, Nia wasn't using the nightblood. One day she would, but right now he was looking at her, and thanking her, and Echo didn't want his thanks. She wanted something that she knew she couldn't have.

She wasn't doing this for his people, she did it for him. Her people and his were fighting, but Echo believed he had honor. She would not replay honor with betrayal. Her eyes stared at him, while she was silent for a long moment. Only looking into his face and wishing that they were both of the same people, and this was simple. But they were not, and this wasn't. "I don't do this for your people," She told Belomi, "I do this for you." Because she had come to care for him more then she did her Nia and the Ice Nation. "Because I will not let your honor be repaid with Nia's hate." Because she cared for him. Words she couldn't say.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

She did this for him. The words washed over him, as he found it impossible to reply. The sentiment so damn strong, that he wondered if she realized just how much what she said meant to him. She did this, for him. He wasn't used to that. For somoene to take such a risk, for someone to go against their people because of honor . . . as a favor, to him. He didn't deserve that. But the fact that someone would do it . . . there were no words. His life was dedicated to others, his actions done to save those. Condemning himself so that a friend wouldn't have to go through something alone, only to be repaid with abandonment. But Echo, she didn't take his actions for granted. She didn't allow herself to just move on and forget what was done. She did this . . . for him. He wanted to tell her not to. That she should stay safe instead. That he wasn't worth the risk.

But no words left him right now. Only the flood of emotions that poured over his heart. He already knew his feelings for her were growing far stronger than they should each and every day and this . . . this pushed him over the edge. He wasn't sure how long he was just gazing at her, the words continuing to process . . . before he acted, instead of spoke. He leaned forward, closing the distance between them as he closed his eyes, his lips pressed against hers. The kiss was light, tender, but held emotion. It wasn't a lustful, need driven kiss.

 It was more dangerous than that: for it was one of genuine affection and care. His hand rested on her cheek, his tumb gently caressing her skin. Time seemed to stand still for the moment, and yet, something snapped him out of it. Something strong enough within him to realize what he was doing. He slowly eased out of the kiss and drew his head back, his hand falling back to his side. "I'm sorry," he apologized in a low voice, his eyes falling to the ground as if unable to brace himself for her reaction. He could have ruined everything; mistaken his reasons for wanting her here. Stop seeing him. But he had done it. He had kissed her. And whatever the outcome . . . he couldn't regret it, because he had never felt so strongly for another in such an embrace.

[Echo]

He moved closer to her and kissed her. Unlike the other kisses she had been given before, this was softer and less passionate--it was emotional and she'd never been kissed like that. It was an odd thought but the kiss wasn't odd. It made her breath catch and for Eco to want more. But he apologized. He didn't want this? No, he must. He looked at her the way she looked at him. They looked at each other like they wanted more but knew it couldn't happen. "Don't." She told him, "Don't apologize for that."

Echo leaned forward and kissed him first this time. She wanted this. She wanted to feel close to him, even if it was just once. Everything she did had her lieing to someone--everyone but him. He was her selfish part. The one she didn't lie too. She wanted to leave everything at the opening of the cave and come here just as Echo, and just as Bellamy. Pulling from the kiss she looked into his face. "I shouldn't want this, but it's all I think about. Of when we meet next. Of the stole hours in the cave." And she didn't want to leave but she had too. Nia could attack at nay moment and she was the only thing keeping it from happening. Making sure his--and his people--were forewarned of everything Nia did.