*I apologize in advance for the lack of plot development in this chapter. I just really needed throw in an a bit of an explainer. Please don't stop reading, a better update will follow.

*Also, there is a bit of a vulgar part at the end of this chapter, which contains coarse language. I hate these characters myself but they are necessary to the story.

Bellamy and Kayden walked side by side through the camp. Bellamy explained how the camp was laid out by order of importance and necessity.

"The idea is, if we're ever attacked, we can retreat into the camp and sacrifice any land or buildings that aren't immediately necessary in an emergency," he explained.

Kayden was grateful for his explanations. She didn't really have anything to say and they filled the gaps of awkward silence that frequently occurred between them in the short time she'd known Bellamy.

"So, the armory, infirmary, and food supply storage are close together, behind the living quarters." He pointed it out to show her. She saw guards filing in and out of the black cabin which she assumed was the armory. Her people didn't normally use weapons, warriors of her kind often had natural abilities which were useful in battle, but this part at least felt familiar to her. She was immediately nostalgic for her fellow soldiers, but swallowed down her feelings and continued listening to Bellamy as they walked.

"Here, past the living quarters is where all the basic establishments are. The food pavilion is over that way. There are 3 meals a day usually with one snack in between lunch and dinner." He paused. "I…uh… I asked my buddy in the kitchens to help you out though if you ever need anything." He rubbed the back if his neck with his hand. Kayden could see he was uncomfortable.

"Thank you," she said. She wanted to ease the tension between them so she added, "That was very… thoughtful of you."

"You're welcome," he said, looking at her for a moment before continuing the tour.

"Over here we have the wash house. It's hooked up to our electrical, so there's hot water most of the time. It's public but, men and women are separated." She nodded to show she understood.

"The rest of the camp is pretty standard. There's a gathering area, that's where everyone was last night. Uh… there's a creek down that ridge over there where we do laundry. There's-"

Suddenly Bellamy was cut off by a group of kids that came running down the pathway after them screaming his name. "Bellamy!" they all shouted, excited and giggling. Kayden watched as he turned and smiled a big, warm smile for the first time.

"Hey guys," he said to them familiarly.

One kid grabbed his arm. "Bellamy are you gonna tell a story tonight?" he asked. "Yeah! We've been waiting all week!" another added. A little girl tapped him on the hand. "Yeah, Bell," she said. "Tell a story!"

Bellamy obviously knew the kids well. Kayden couldn't help but stare. He was handsome when he smiled like that. He looked up to find Kayden staring at him and they made awkward eye contact. Kayden turned away before he could see her blush. Bellamy became visibly uncomfortable. He exhaled nervously.

"Sorry guys, but I'm a little busy right now. We'll do story time later, OK?"

A chorus of "aws" and "boos" came from the children. Then they ran off to go find something else to do. Kayden turned back to Bellamy. She nodded delicately.

"They seem to really like you," she observed. She offered him a small smile and he returned the sentiment, but didn't say anything. They stared at each other for a moment before Bellamy looked away as if he'd remembered something.

"Look, it's um… it's almost lunch. So I'm gonna head back to the… the cabin to change." She could tell mentioning their shared home made him feel as uncomfortable as she did. He continued. "But I can walk you down to the dining pavilion if you'd like. Or you could come back to the… or I could… I mean, if you want. I mean, if you need anything or…"

Kayden saved him from his own shaky thoughts. "It's fine. I can find my own way there. I remember."

He looked at her like he wasn't sure what he'd just heard was right.

"Are you sure?" he asked, puzzled.

She nodded. "You can go if you need to," she said. "I'll be fine."

He nodded back at her and then spun on his heel in the opposite direction. She looked up at the sky, squinting in the bright sunlight. It was almost noon. She turned and made her way to lunch.

Bellamy sighed as he walked down the familiar roads alone. He couldn't help but think that maybe it had been a bit rude to leave her by herself on her first day. He briefly thought about going back, but an intrusive thought entered his mind.

She's a captain. She'll be fine.

Thinking about what she'd said reminded him of last night. He went over the events in his head.

He'd been more nervous that night then he'd ever been in his life. Watching her take off her jewelry, knowing what was coming. So many thoughts had entered his head in those brief moments. But when he saw her reaching to take off her dress, it was as if time stopped. He'd realized with undeniable certainty that he couldn't go through with it. Maybe I'm just weak. He'd thought to himself.

It wasn't as if he was inexperienced. He wasn't. In fact, he was just the opposite. Sex had always been a release for him, an escape. Enjoyable. But something about her; the way her hands were trembling, the formality of the affair, threw him off. He couldn't do it. He had to stop her. He had to.

When she'd turned to him, when she'd spoken in that quiet, innocent voice, all he could think was Damn, why does she have to be so fucking pretty. She's just a girl. He was right behind her and he'd swallowed nervously when he'd realized she was even prettier up close. But he'd felt relieved when he'd re-tied her belt; like he'd done the right thing.

Then she'd turned to him, and something about the way she looked at him made him rethink everything. Her eyes changed. All of a sudden, there was that fire he'd seen briefly when they'd first met. Her eyes burned with fierce intelligence, a wild toughness that changed everything about her. She's not just pretty. She's beautiful, was what he thought. Beautiful and strong. And dark.

She'd spoken with such authority that Bellamy couldn't help but just stand there and listen. When she'd told him that she was a captain, all of a sudden he could imagine it. He could imagine her commanding warriors, leading soldiers into battle. He could also now see the resilience in her. The sense of duty. Something in him clicked. He understood her.

What happened next hadn't felt real. It had been automatic. It didn't feel like sex. It felt like strategy. It felt like they were completing a necessary task, doing what needed to be done, not for the good of the few but for the need of the many. The warrior's way. When it was over though, he couldn't bring himself to look at her. He'd turned over like a coward and laid there thinking about it all night.

In the morning, he got up to find that she had dozed off at some point. She'd looked nice, lying there asleep. Peaceful. He'd forced himself to look away though and put on some clothes before heading out the door to get some breakfast.

Barely anyone was awake in the camp, so he hadn't expected to find a group of guys already sitting at one of the tables. He'd stopped in his tracks. He didn't want to talk to anyone. Not now. He'd turned to leave when one of the guys noticed him and called him over. When the others turned to look, they whispered to each other excitedly.

Crap, thought Bellamy. They'll want details. He'd waved at them and reluctantly walked over to take a seat at the table. The second he'd sat down, Joey, one of the guys on his left, leaned in.

"So?" he'd asked intently. "How was it?"

Bellamy ran a hand through his hair like he always did when he was uncomfortable. "Um. It was…fine," he said simply.

"Man, you gotta give us more than that!" said Luca said, slamming his cup on the table.

"Look I don't really wanna talk about it, OK," Bellamy responded.

"That bad, huh?" one of them said.

"No, I just…"

"Well, dude. Come on then. Throw up some deets."

"Yeah!" said one. "Details," said another.

Bellamy couldn't help it. He got angry. "Look I said I don't want to talk about it!" They immediately quieted down. Bellamy had left before they could further badger him.

He'd patrolled a bit around the camp. By the time he got back to the cabin, Kayden had already been awake. He looked into the one-room house now, thinking about his life and how different things were going to be.

"It's just marriage," he said to himself. Yeah, right, he thought.

After Bellamy had left the guys at the table, Joey sneered in his direction.

"See? Guy's a complete ass. Look at him," he said to the others.

"Yeah, but he's got a fine piece of ass keepin' him warm at night," said Luca. The others at the table laughed.

"Exactly. He's cozying up to that hot bitch, the least he could do is offer up some details." Joey sniggered. "I'd like to break me off a piece of that sweet ass, but Bellamy gets it all too himself? Uh-uh, that's fucked."

Some of the other guys added in vulgar comments here and there, and they all laughed as they stuffed their faces like well-rounded pigs.