Who We Are [Bellamy Blake]

Chapter 22

                Birds chirped and the sunlight poured through the sheer tent fabric. When Athena stirred awake, she shifted awkwardly due to the pain she felt throughout her entire body. It felt as though she was covered head to toe in bruises, and her head ached. Seeing where she was, she felt mild panic course through her as she racked her brain for information; where was she and why was she there?

                Somebody stirred beside her, “Hey, you alright?”

                Her eyes met with Bellamy’s. She sighed, “Yeah.”

                “I have a lot of work to do.” Bellamy said, “I’ll need that information today.”

                Athena nodded her head, feeling uncomfortable, as if she were a traitor. If she spoke anything of Anya’s tactics, she would be. She would be putting the lives of her own fighters at risk, but what they were doing was wrong. If she could just speak with them, have them return to the mountain, she could be at peace with knowing her soldiers would not be dying because of her. She had no doubt that Anya would put them in the vanguard again. She was cruel that way, and wouldn’t risk one of her own being blown up.

                “You should stay in here today, the others think you are under guard.” He explained.

                “Can you not be honest with them?”

                “I don’t think they’d understand.” He said, “I haven’t exactly been previously peaceful with your kind, and they may have taken my lead in that… disliking.”

                Athena rolled her eyes, but she knew that one more day of rest would be good for her, and if need be, she could fight on the morrow. She propped herself up on her good elbow and leaned forward; the blanket slid off of her body, covering only from her hips down. Bellamy looked at her, his eyes caressing her skin in the daylight for the first time.

                “What?” She asked, “Never seen a woman before?”

                Bellamy cracked a smile, “Usually the woman I’m with aren’t as comfortable, uhm, after the fact to show themselves off.”

                “Your people are shy?”

                “A little more… modest?”

                “Why should I be modest in front of you?” Athena forgot about the worry as she toyed with him.

                “You definitely should not be modest in front of me, ever.” Bellamy knelt down and ran his hands through her hair, kissing her lips.

                “Go, build your mines. I’ll give you information when I am ready.” She looked down at her body, “And modest.”

                Bellamy chuckled and left the tent, leaving Athena alone to her thoughts. The moment he was gone, she rolled onto her back and sighed deeply. Pulling the blanket up to cover her, as it was quite cold these mornings, she shut her eyes and fell back asleep for a short while. By the time she finally rose, her body having gotten the rest it needed, she found some gauze in one of Bellamy’s bags, and began to peel off her soiled wrap. The wound was healing, but it was red around the edges, hinting at infection. Glowering at the wound, she wrapped it again with the new gauze and made a note to get some herbs if she made it through the next two days. Dressed in her pants and one of Bellamy’s shirts, she slipped out of the tent.