Chapter 25... Shock and Sadness
It was noon the following day when Octavia found them. She rode into the clearing, finding the four tied to trees.
"Where's Bellamy?" she frantically asked as she untied Lincoln. Who then helped her untie the others. Monroe had her face buried in her hands as soon as she had them free.
"I'm sorry," said Marcus the pain clearly etched across his face.
Capt. Miller had his hands on Monroe's shoulders.
Octavia screamed at Lincoln," Where's my brother!" as she knew it was bad, Lincoln held on to her as she screamed and went weak in her legs. He helped support her. She looked at Marcus "Do something!" she screamed at him. Lincoln tried to calm her. She hit him, punching and slapping, crying until she was exhausted and couldn't fight anymore, collapsing into his arms, sobbing.
The horses had all wandered off except two that were still in the area. Lincoln and Octavia rode together, Miller and Monroe together, and Marcus rode alone. They rode in silence, each one replaying what had unfolded, remembering Bellamy's struggle, his fighting to get away from the fate that awaited him. Each wondering if he suffered the same fate as Gustus had at the hands of Lexa's people, when he tried to plant the poison on Raven.
Lincoln held Octavia, still in shock, sitting in front of him. She was silent, only tears, that would not stop, every now and again she moaned in agony as she thought of never seeing him again, and thinking of him suffering an agonizing death. Flashes of his memory, through their childhood, as he cared for her their entire life, her guardian, her protector, her best and only friend. She wouldn't accept he was gone. She couldn't make herself believe it.
Marcus replayed the events in his mind, wondering what he could have done to save Bellamy. Thinking of the savagery this world was. Taking the life of a young man that had fought so hard for his people was going to be hard on the camp, the kids that looked at Bellamy as their leader, would be another devastating blow.
They rode into camp. No fan fair, no one was there to meet them except the gate guards that were on duty. Two of the horses had wandered back to camp. Bellamy's black stallion was still missing.
Lincoln took Octavia into their tent. She just crawled into her bed and silently cried herself to sleep. Lincoln was unsure how to comfort her. He was at a loss at what to do.
Monroe and Capt. Miller went into the barracks and let the kids know what happened. Monroe hardly said anything, she tried to tell what happened but couldn't finish without breaking down.
Marcus slowly made his way to medical. He talked to Abby. He would need her help with Clarke. He knew Clarke would need Abby. He sat across from Abby and told her everything. She was horrified. She knew Clarke was going to be devastated.
Clarke had confided in her the night before about her and Bellamy, told her mother that Bellamy had proposed and Clarke accepted. Clarke had never been happier, she and Bellamy were in love. Abby was afraid this horrible news would destroy her daughter, she was afraid Clarke would never get past it.
Together she and Marcus went to Clarke's room, they were about to bring her whole world crashing down.
Two days later, three grounders stopped at the edge of the forest and threw a spear. It had a red scarf attached. Tied inside the scarf, was a large lock of black hair. Bellamy's hair. Proof of his death, a grounder ritual. Final proof.
It had been three weeks. She still would not leave her room. Raven tried to get her to leave. Monty and Jasper kept coming also, trying to convince her to get fresh air. Clarke just stayed in bed, hardly eating. She was wasting away. Finally Abby forced her to medical. She gave her an IV , Clarke was weak. She clutched the lock of hair that was Bellamy's. Abby had to find a way to make Clarke start getting past her grief, knowing what loss felt like, she had lost Jake her husband, but Clarke was giving up.
"Clarke, you have to think of more than just yourself," Abby told her." You have to move on."
Clarke knew she was right. She just didn't know if she could face a future without Bellamy, but she knew she had to.
Raven, Wick and Monty had finished the ring Bellamy had asked for, just hours before they heard the news. It had been a blow to them, unsure whether to give Clarke the ring that Bellamy wanted. They chose not to. Seeing how hard she had taken his death, the ring would have been a sad reminder of what she had lost. They each had worked hard on it, all three adding a special touch of their own. They packed it away in the top of a vacant locker, safely hidden, thinking one day they may give it to her, when the pain wasn't so raw.
The camp was quieter, as if the heart had been taken from it. Octavia wanted to leave. Everything a reminder of her brother, places he sat and talked to her, the guards and their uniforms, the same that Bellamy had worn. She couldn't walk past his empty room. Everything was a reminder. Lincoln convinced her to stay for Clarke. Clarke was supposed to have been her family and although they didn't have the chance to get married, Bellamy would want them to stay close. She stayed, but hunted more often, a lot like Bellamy had after Mt Weather. Grieving in solitude, that was the way of the Blake's.