It had been two weeks since Clarke walked away from Camp Jaha. Lincoln and Octavia had come and gone several times without success, but were not giving up.
Abby and Kane, not to mention the remainder of the delinquents, were constantly looking to Bellamy for advice and guidance, plans and direction. Bellamy just wished he had answers for them all. No, he wished he had Clarke there with him so they could figure out the answers together. Like they always had.
Instead, Bellamy found himself struggling, doing the best he could. He was frustrated and exhausted. And he was lonely. Not that he'd let anyone see those things.
Every time anyone came to him about anything, he'd have to remind himself that this was his burden to bear now, that he needed to sort out any situations that came up on his own. He'd put on his stoic mask and remember just in time not to glance around for Clarke as if nothing had changed, as if they were going to deal with whatever the new challenge was together.
At night, it was nearly impossible for him to sleep. And when he would finally pass out, he often woke in a cold sweat, gasping for air after having vividly relived the torture he'd suffered in Mount Weather. If it wasn't that, he'd dream of coming across the little Lovejoy boy who, rather than smiling up at him openly and excitedly, would accuse him of killing his dad, taking his life and then the lives of everyone else in the mountain as well.
Bellamy made sure that no one knew about the mental torment he was going through day in and day out. He was irritable, sure, but that was to be expected with the strain of responsibility he'd undertaken since their return from the Mountain. At least, that was what Bellamy hoped everyone was assuming. Unless everyone in camp was just too intimidated to confront him about his attitude...
'Where's Clarke when I need her to pull my head out of my ass? She's never been intimidated by me.'
It was true. Clarke wouldn't have hesitated to call him on his shit. It wouldn't have mattered to her how much stress he was under. She still would have expected him to be civil. But she was gone. And that hurt more than he cared to admit.
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Colored pencils and journal in hand, Clarke was seated on a boulder along the shore of the Tomac River sketching the scenery around her and thinking. She sighed in what could almost have been called contentment, inhaling deeply as she closed her eyes and tried to imagine the area as the archives had once described it.
The time she'd spent in the village by the river had, so far, been just what she needed. The people were respectful, and almost fearful, of her. They'd heard the explanation that Echo had given their leader for how and where she knew the former leader of the Sky People and now they kept their distance from her.
That suited Clarke just fine. She had no desire to tell stories or answer questions or be responsible for anyone or anything but herself. It was a nice change from her time on Earth thus far and she was starting to wonder if she'd ever be able to bring herself to return to Camp Jaha.
Just as she thought it, the image of a sad and forlorn face flashed before her eyes. She flipped the page in her sketchbook absent-mindedly and began to draw Bellamy exactly the way he'd looked the last time she saw him. With the gates of Camp Jaha in the background, his gaze lost, hurt, and confused, tears glistening in his eyes.
Her own eyes filled with tears and she bit her lower lip to hold them back as she brushed her fingers lightly and tenderly over the face of the man she trusted more than anyone in the whole world.
A sob caught in her throat but she swallowed it back and just like that, she knew she'd go back some day. Even if only to find out if Bellamy had managed to move on with his life after the Mountain, to find happiness for himself, or at least peace. He deserved that, whether she ever found the same for herself or not.
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Peace was the last thing on Bellamy's mind at that moment. He was dealing with a fight that had broken out among several of the remaining delinquents while trying to problem-solve their lack of building tools to get themselves prepared for winter. They had plenty of materials, but for all their technology and weapons they were severely short on things like hammers, saws, shovels, nails. He had just been about to suggest visiting a neighboring clan to trade when the fight broke out.
"What seems to be the problem?" he asked as he stepped between the teens and forcibly pulled them apart.
Before he separated them, he hadn't seen exactly who was going at it, but now he frowned, eyes narrowing as he caught sight of the instigators: Miller, Jasper, and Monroe. Jasper was still snarling and the other two looked ready to take him down again.
None of the three was willing to openly express what they had been arguing about or what had caused Jasper to lose it and attack the other two, but Bellamy could imagine.
"Never mind," Bellamy said roughly before adding authoritatively, "Take a break. Step away, Jasper. Miller, Monroe, come with me."
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While Clarke was off sketching by the river, Echo had gone to her clan leader with a request. They had spoken at length when Echo and Clarke had first arrived, at which time Echo had relayed the glorious and victorious tale of Clarke of the Sky People who had taken down the Mountain Men nearly single-handed.
She had not, however, told the more personal story of how Belomi kom Skaikru had saved her, how she owed him her life. It was not that she had no desire to tell what had happened but more that she was wary of speaking about it in front of Clarke. Echo was still unsure of what Belomi and Clarke's connection to each other was and she did not wish to burden the younger woman with her tale when she was so clearly broken herself.
So she quietly observed as Clarke sketched, over and over, the sad face of the man Echo eventually came to learn was her co-leader. And when Echo spoke with wounded warrior of the Sky People, it was both the words she said, as well as everything she didn't say, that convinced Echo of Clarke's deep attachment to this man. The same man who had freed Echo from her cage in the mountain. The man to whom she now owed an enormous debt.
Echo wondered, however, if the attachment was mutual. Did Belomi kom Skaikru feel the same way towards Clarke?
After two weeks of Echo watching and waiting, trying to learn more, she came to the conclusion that if she were to receive any answers to her questions, she must see Belomi interacting with Clarke for herself. Because, she thought, If he was not committed to Clarke in that way, Echo knew she wanted to pursue Belomi for herself. A strong leader, a brave warrior...they could forge an unbreakable alliance between their peoples.
As soon as Clarke left the village that day, saying she would be back by sundown, Echo went with determined footsteps to the new heda's tent and requested an audience.
When she was allowed entrance, Echo greeted the leader by speaking her title.
"Heda."
"Echo," the warrior woman, who was several years Echo's junior, responded. "You asked to speak with me. What is it that you have to say?"
Without mincing words, Echo confidently stated, "I wanted to share the rest of my story from the Mountain and make a request."
Giving a nod, the leader said, "Go on."
"There is a great warrior among the Sky People who was in the cage beside mine," Echo began. "He volunteered to be bled in my place. And he freed me before the Commander made the deal to have us released. I owe him my life and I believe I have found a way to repay him."
"And what way is that?" The warrior's ferocity could be heard in her voice but so could the curiosity as well.
Echo replied, "It is my understanding that he and his co-leader are very important to each other. I would like to send someone to the Sky People's camp to make him aware that his co-leader, Clarke kom Skaikru, is here with us and invite him and his advisors to visit our village. I would like to see for myself the nature of this closeness as I am interested in aligning myself with him on a personal level."
A quizzical look crossed the younger woman's features as she asked, "And how exactly would that serve to repay your debt?"
"Because, Heda," Echo answered, a shrewdness in her unwavering gaze, "During his visit, I would like to offer - with your permission - an alliance between the River People and the Sky People. One that would provide open trade of goods and technology between our people and theirs."
The leader looked to her advisors and pondered for several moments before she nodded and said, "Send one of our scouts to their camp to advise this Belomi kom Skaikru as you say. He and his advisers may be invited to discuss an alliance or a trade agreement. The Sky People have technology, correct?"
"Yes," Echo confirmed.
"Good. That will be our wish, then. We will hear their requests and we will ask for use of their technology and the ability to apprentice with them to learn how to create technologies of our own."
"Who should I send, Heda Sigma?" Echo asked.
"Send Delta," Sigma replied. "Delta should not have any trouble finding the Sky People's camp given minimal description of its location. And she will make haste with her task."
Echo nodded her agreement and then said, "I have one more request, Heda. I fear that if Clarke knows that we are attempting to communicate with her people, she will leave. Can we keep our meeting and negotiations from being made public knowledge in the village for now?"
"If she chooses to leave, we will not stop her," Sigma warned, "But we will do as you say and keep things quiet for now."
"Thank you, Heda," Echo said with gratitude. "I will speak to Delta now."
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Less than two hours after Delta left her village, she crossed paths with a Trigedakru pair. The Trigedakru weren't enemies of the River People, but after everything that had happened at Tondc and Mount Weather, their alliance was less than stable.
Cautiously, with her weapon at the ready, Delta made her presence known and asked, "What is your purpose so far from your woods, Tree People?"
It was the man who spoke first while the woman mirrored Delta, spear in hand.
"We have come from Camp Jaha, the home of the Sky People. We are looking for one of their leaders, the one known as Clarke. Do you or your people have any news of her?"
Still wary, Delta dropped her weapon to her side and asked suspiciously, "What do you wish of her?"
A brief but meaningful glance passed between the warrior couple before the man said, "Our only desire is to locate her, assure ourselves of her safety and well-being, and report back to her people when we know that she is safe and well."
Delta debated for several moments as to what she should do. She did not know the exact location of Camp Jaha which meant that sharing information with the two before her could cut a significant amount of time from her journey and allow her to return to her people sooner. It would also mean that it would be more likely for the Sky People to accept her news and invitation rather than questioning or doubting her.
Her decision made, Delta looked the man in the eye and said simply, "Clarke kom Skaikru has been taking refuge with my people for the last fortnight. I have been asked by my heda's second to bring news of this to Belomi kom Skaikru and the Chancellor." She paused for a moment to study the warriors who had glanced at each other sharply as she spoke and continued to communicate with each other silently through their very expressive eyes.
"I have also been instructed to invite Belomi kom Skaikru and his advisors to meet with our leaders to discuss an alliance and trade agreement."
These words stopped the pair cold and it was now their turn to study her. Again, they seemed to have a lengthy conversation in the midst of their silence before the man turned to her and spoke with authority.
"We will take you to Camp Jaha so that you can deliver your message in person and return to your people with the answer you seek."
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"Lincoln," Octavia whispered in urgent tones, "How do we know we can trust her?"
"We don't," Lincoln answered simply, aware of every step the stranger took, every move she made. He was at the ready and he knew Octavia was as well. She was no longer naive to the ways of the ground. He glanced at her and added evenly, "You know this just as well as I do. Why are you questioning your instincts and training now?"
He knew the answer but he wanted to hear her say it. And he did.
"I can't let her get Bellamy's hopes up about Clarke. She may be with them now but that doesn't mean she will be by the time Bellamy gets to her," Octavia said with quiet urgency, her need to protect her brother as much as she could heard clearly in her voice.
"Bellamy can handle himself," Lincoln assured her with a glance, then added pointedly, "But you know that as well."
Octavia's features clearly reflected her conflicted emotions and she sighed, shoulders drooping as she admitted her own perceptions, "I'm not sure that he can. Not when it comes to Clarke."
Lincoln stopped for a moment and turned to face her, drawing her in so that he could rest his forehead against hers.
"Regardless of what happens with Clarke, the Sky People would greatly benefit from an alliance with the River Clan. If there is a chance for that, we must make sure this scout's request is heard."
For the rest of the trip back to Camp Jaha, neither of them spoke more than was necessary to each other or their new companion, but the moment they walked through the gate at Camp Jaha, Lincoln grabbed and squeezed Octavia's hand while calling out, "Where is Bellamy? Our guest has brought him a message."