Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
-Shakespeare
Barely stirring, her eyes fluttered open. Taking in the sunlight as it shone into the vehicle, the sound of birds chirping up ahead and the scent of the little girl's hair that tickled her nose.
She resisted the urge to sneeze, afraid she would awaken them. And so, she lay still for a few minutes in awe, admiring the children she held in her arms. None of them favored her in hair color, though they all had her eyes- even the one not from her womb. On either side of her were the two youngest, Augustus and Aurora who with their eyes closed resemble their father- thick black curls, constellations of freckles spread across their noses, and full down-turned lips.
Next to Aurora, slept Madi, holding onto her sister. The sight melted her heart. She turned her head to the other side, planting a kiss on Gus' head- knowing full well that if she kissed her daughter, then she would awaken instantly- she was like her father in that way- light sleeper. Sure enough, just in that little movement, Aurora opened her eyes, finally showing the resemblance to her mother with pools of blue drowsing. She sat up and turned to look around the rover "Dad?" She softly asked in her sleepy voice.
"Shh, you'll wake your brother and sister up." Clarke put a hand to her lips, softly coaxing her daughter to fall back asleep, "your dad is where he always is. Go back to sleep, little one."
She nuzzled the girl's nose affectionately, and Aurora giggled.
Just as fast as she had woken up, Aurora fell back asleep. And Clarke could finally wiggle out of the rover. Stretching her muscles and inhaling deeply, the fresh smell of forest coming in strong after yesterday's rains. Filled with gratitude at everything she has,. sShe sat sits on top of the hood of the car, admiring the greenery that stretched ahead. Bellamy had snuck out at the crack of dawn, to gather and if they were lucky- hunt. She rested back, waiting for him.
It has been 6 years since that fateful day and she couldn't be more grateful for everything it had brought on. Her life had sprung from the ashes of world's destruction. All she ever needed was right there in her hands, still ,that didn't stop Clarke from looking up, and wondering, sometimes looking down and hoping.
Their family lived in Eden, their found village. The kids, however, had nagged Bellamy about taking a ride around. Of course, sleeping within the first few minutes, which allowed Bellamy and Clarke some alone time, where they sat up watching the stars with her head over his chest, listening to his beating heart. It was heavenly. And just the rest they needed after a long day of the children running around- not Madi of course. Oh no, Madi was going through that maturing phase, breaking their hearts a little. Feeling too tired to return home, both decided to just crash into the rover for the night., Tthe way they were crammed up withand his feet dangled outside of the vehicle, you'd think they would be too uncomfortable to sleep, but in each other's arms they found rest like none other.
The rustling of air on such a calm morning startled Clarke out of her stupor. And she jumped up, running forward when she spotted something in the sky. There was no way. With her hair blowing back from the roar of the engines. She rushed back to the rover, and climbed inside fully attempting to awaken the children this time.
Gently stirring them, Clarke spoke in Trigedasleng "wake up my little darlings," her hand caressed Madi's head "hey my little nightblood..."
Madi, first to stir, mumbled with eyes still closed in the same language. "No lessons today."
Clarke glanced up when the engine rumbled louder. Madi's eyes snapped open and she sat up. Followed by Aurora and Augustus who rubbed the remnants of sleep from their eyes with chubby dimpled hands- looking around confused.
"Took you long enough."
Excited, the children scrambled up and ran to get a better view of the spaceship, their promised friends were returning.- Ffor the longest time, they were all each other had, and whilst they adored one another, the concept of seeing others, especially ones their parents had constantly told them about in their stories, was something they wanted very much.
"I"ll will get your dad, wait here." Clarke called out from behind them, "Madi, take care of your siblings."
But when Madi said, "I thought you said the ship was small." Clarke stopped in her tracks. Her eyes brows rushing together in a frown. She stepped forward, next to the children, to take a closer look., Sand sure enough, this didn't look like the spaceship their friends had left in 6 years ago.
"Madi, go get my rifle. Now." She ordered.
"Mama, what's wrong?"
"It"ll will be okay, baby." Clarke assured Gus, even though her eyes remained locked to the sky.
As soon as Madi handed her the rifle, Clarke looked through the scope- spotting the details of the ship. 'Eligius corporation' she read, right below it was written 'prisoner transport.'
Worried their friends wouldn't find them, and still unaware of her mother's worries, Madi began to call out. "We're here. We're here." waving her hands frantically up in the air. The twins began to imitate her as they often did.
"Stop. Get down." Clarke commanded, pulling her children down. "I want you to back up the rover. Get it out of sight and load the guns.."
"All of them?" Madi, who the speech had been directed towards, asked.
"All of them." Then she turned to Aurora and Augustus. "I'll will get your inside the rover, and stay quiet." They did so.
The ship was coming in closer and Clarke remained frozen, she wanted to get Bellamy but couldn't risk the children being alone. As she pondered her options, her husband's voice called out. "They're back."
Clarke turned round abruptly. Concern etched upon every feature of her face. His smile, a fish still on hook, and the sack in his hand all dropped- berries and roots tumbling out. Instantly, he was by her side. "What's wrong?" He re peated his son's I I'll be almost in question.
"It's not them." Clarke responded in a shaky voice, handing him the rifle.
Looking inside the scope, Bellamy's heart dropped. Whoever was on that ship wasn't simply an unknown, worse, they would be criminal unknowns. They stared straight into each other's eyes. Fear glistening inside. "Where are the children?" He hastily asked Clarke.
"In the rover, I told Madi to back it up in the forest."
"Good call" he nodded, "let's go."
The trees rushed by in a blur-merging together, as the rover sped down the bumpy ground. Bellamy grabbed tight to the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white, with Clarke sitting by his side- her lips tight into a straight line as she stared right ahead. The youngest children, huddled together in the back of the vehicle, asked why they were leaving their friends.
"Those aren't our friends." Bellamy answered. In their three years of living, Aurora and Augustus saw their dad as their hero. He always made it seem like nothing could bring them down, and that together they could conquer anything- like bad dreams and monsters under the bed. They felt safe whenever he was around. He turned back for a beat offering his children an encouraging nod, but Clarke saw right through it. The fear lingered behind his eyes.
"Who are they? Why are you so scared?" asked Madi, her voice small with fear.
"Dad's not scared of anything." Gus raised his head proudly, and Bellamy forced a smile.
"None of us are." Bellamy responded.
"We won't let anything happen to you." Clarke spoke determinedly.
"Dad, slow." cried out Aurora. Afraid of the speed at which they were going.
"I am sorry, baby. We're almost there."
"Come here." Clarke reached out into the back, pulling Aurora and then August into her lap. "Everything is fine, mom and dad are here." She whispered.
"Maybe they're friendly?" Madi tried. She took that from Bellamy, always seeing the best in people.
Clarke whispered, "maybe."
"Until we make sure, I need all of you to hide in your secret spot."
"No," objected Madi.
"This is not up for discussion, Madi." Clarke said firmly.
"Bell…" She tried to appeal to the one who softens up quicker.
"Clarke's right. The flame keeper's scouts never found you there. Neither will they."
Home was nearby, and in a few minutes they arrived- the rover stopped. Letting out a sigh of relief, Clarke addressed her three children, "promise me, you'll will stay in the hole."
They opened their doors and jumped out, walking towards the house.
"I' will be back as soon as I can." Bellamy assured. "Take care of them."
Clarke wasn't sure she had heard him correctly, blinking a few times- dumbfounded, "Wwhat?!"
"Don't come out until I get you. Please, Clarke."
"Wh-what? Wait. You want me to leave meyou.? That is not happening. I am coming too."
Bellamy sighed, pulling her away from the children.
"Don't start with me, Bellamy. You're out of your mind if you think I'm letting you do this alone."
His face softened, and his hands went up to caress her cheeks, "and if something happens to both of us. What then?" Before Clarke could protest, "I know that we'll be okay. But we can't leave them alone."
Tears glistened in her eyes, "we face things, together."
"Always, but we both know that survival makes us do crazy things." his thumb moved to wipe the tear that had fallen astray, "not as crazy as love does."
"We could hide them well, Madi can take care of…" Clarke started stammering.
Bellamy gave her a lopsided grin "... since when did you become the heart and I the head?" he joked.
Clarke made a noise somewhere between a whimper and a laugh. "The heart and the head." She repeated.
He nodded, tears shining in his own eyes. "We' will be fine." He turned towards the three children, and called, extending his arm which they ran into "Mads, Roar, Gus, listen to your mother. Don't come out until I' am back." He handed Clarke a gun.
"Dad, don't go." Aurora's tiny hand wrapped Bellamy's finger.
Picking her up, Bellamy pressed a kiss against her cheek, after he pulled Madi and then Augustus into a hug- closing his eyes and relishing into their closeness. Everything about his embrace screamed goodbye. And Clarke wanted to fall to the ground, sobbing and screaming.
"I have to go and see what's happening. The four of you have to stay here, because I need you to be safe" he choked out, glancing at his family. Then he tried to arrange his face into something of nonchalance, "besides, I got this." "
When he begrudgingly pulled away from the children, Clarke pulled him into a deep kiss- saying everything she couldn't put into words. He shut his eyes tight, committing the feeling her lips pressed against his, the scent of berries coming out of the colored strands in her hair, and the soft touch of her fingers against his neck to memory.
"Come back to me." Clarke whispered.
"I promise."