Warrior ‣ Bellamy Blake

Sixty-Seven

Slow updates are going to be a little slower (how is that even possible, right?) because I'm back to working full-time again and will be writing on my days off. Just explaining my impossibly slower update schedule. Thank you for reading!

BOLD = Trigedasleng

***

How many times has Aella Kane faced Death before and asserted, "Not today"? Surely, more times than she can count on one hand. The thing is, one of these days, Death will take her by the arm and tell her, "Today is the day" and not allow her to object. It's only a matter of which unlucky day.

Sitting in the dark room with one hand chained to an old pipe, Aella wondered which day. Was it going to be today? She doubted it because even if Octavia was a different person now, she would never be able to forgive herself if she killed Aella. If so, what day? Is there some finite date circled on a calendar and if so, would she want to see it?

Aella was certain that there was no way she'd be dead by the end of the day. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because this had happened so many times and she just figured at this point she was next to invincible. That she and Murphy were really two peas in a pod or, more appropriately, two cockroaches that refused to die. Or maybe because the definition of insanity is repeating something over and over and expecting a different result, according to Einstein at least.

So she didn't try to pry the restraints off nor did she put much thought into what her final words were going to be. What the last thing she said or will ever say to her loved ones is. Because she was not going to die today.

Well, maybe of boredom.

She sat in the room all alone and stared at the ceiling, wondering if it was possible to die of boredom. How interesting it would be to survive what she had and just perish because she was too bored.

The boredom was vanquished when the door opened. She saw Indra open the door with Madi, Clarke, Archer, and Bellamy in tow.

"Mom!" Archer exclaimed, running into her arms.

"Hey," Aella greeted, wrapping her son in a hug as best as she could with one arm still trapped in handcuffs.

"I think he was about ready to tear this place apart if he couldn't see you," said Bellamy.

Clarke and Madi then stepped forward and gave Aella and Archer a hug, leaving Bellamy standing beside Indra.

"Thank you," Aella said, kissing her son's cheek before she turned to Indra. "Do you know what Octavia's verdict is?"

"She's sick," Madi said. "They say she might not wake up."

"Okay, Madi," Indra said. "That's enough. We can't risk the children being seen here. They're safe."

"Okay," Aella said. "Thank you."

Clarke, Madi, Archer, and Indra quickly left, Indra telling Bellamy, "Be quick."

The door shut behind her and Bellamy, unsure of what to say, said, "You didn't seem worried."

"I mean, I've been alive this long," Aella said, sitting down on the ground. "And I still believe Octavia's in there."

"You know, I'd figure you'd be the last person to think that," he said. "Considering everything she's done."

"Do you still believe she's in there?" she asked.

"I hope," he answered.

"What's this about her being sick?"

He didn't answer.