The King's Storm [Bellamy Blake]

22: Stronger Together, Weaker For each other

"Jaha knew, everything. He always did" Bellamy nodded slightly before continuing.

"He asked me to walk with him, and I daren't argue. I picked up my bag and we made our way out of the training room. 'You're only young Bellamy, do you understand the feeling of love?' Jaha asked, I shrugged slightly and looked up to him. 'I love my mother' Jaha nodded, patiently. 'But what about the love between a man and a woman?' I knew then what he was getting out. 'You cannot tell Emmerson, I am trying so hard to be professional' Jaha looked at me shocked at the outburst. He smiled widely and placed a hand on my shoulder. 'Mr Blake, you should not suppress your feelings. I know as a guard you need to detach for your work, but you are not a guard every moment of the day" I smiled, Jaha was always telling me the same thing, he wanted me to lead with my emotion as well as my reason.

"Jaha told me 'I was not speaking of your attachment, because I didn't know of it Bellamy. I knew that it would happen eventually but I thought it would be in your 20s or 30s. I was talking about the screening process, Storm was designed, her parents specifically selected in a way to create a new breed of guard. I'm sure you've seen how she is. I know you watched her as a child' I was so embarrassed that he knew, but Jaha didn't seem to see the problem. 'And like her parents, we screened every new guard member, our explanation is that it is to ensure that you are suitable guards, but really, it's to find the matches that make the best guards, and will have better children'" Bellamy opened his eyes and looked to me, sighing lightly.

"I was a bit offended, that they had tested me to use me, but also thankful because it finally brought us together" I nodded and smiled, he turned back and closed his eyes again. "I told Jaha that I understood and he continued 'you and Storm are a perfect match by the books. Obviously, that doesn't mean you would fall in love. But Storm is a strong-minded person, and she only talks to me. She finds trust very difficult to build. I knew she would never tell you herself, but she came to me this afternoon. I knew something had happened. But honestly, I was surprised when she told me' I was so embarrassed by it, and honestly a little betrayed you left and went straight to Jaha" I bit into my lip and took his hand in mine, squeezing lightly.

"'you kissed a girl I consider my daughter Mr Blake' He changed quickly, going from pretty casual to terrifying. 'I am not mad, don't get me wrong, I am happy because she was, but you cannot just kiss her and leave it. Mr Blake if you truly feel about her the way you say that you do then you need to show her that, because she never had her parents around. I am not enough, she needs someone to love, to communicate with. Storm needs security because even though she is so strong and hard on the surface, she isn't inside' Jaha was very right, you needed strength, and someone to trust" He squeezed my hand gently and I laced my fingers with his.

"Jaha and I talked for a while, about you and my feelings for you. He told me not to rush anything and ask you to commit to me, but to tell you how I felt, so you would know. So, you knew where my loyalties and what my intentions where" I nodded, closing my eyes, and picturing myself back on the ark as Bellamy explained his view. "He left me at your quarters door, but not before knocking and running a while away before chuckling and walking off. I couldn't believe the chancellor would do that so I stood, stunned until you opened the door, you were out of uniform and sportswear, just in your adorable pyjamas. Your hair left down, it was so long and pretty, I wanted to comb my fingers through it. 'I need to talk to you' I said so awkward and flatly. But you let me in nonetheless, I was amazed to see your room, the books that lined the walls, and how neat it all was. Truly a room cleaned by a soldier" I laughed and nodded, remembering the hours I spent cleaning and ensuring everything was neatly aligned.

"You sat on the bed and crossed your legs. I think that was the first time I had ever seen you in shorts, and I couldn't believe how pale you were. Like a porcelain doll, I didn't want to break you. 'well?' you asked. I remember stumbling over my words, wondering why I was in the room, why I was doing something so... so likely to ruin everything I had ever wanted? 'I- I just spoke with the chancellor' I stumbled out, I remember your face falling, eyes wide open. You knew he told me, and you looked terrified. 'what? He wanted to talk to me about my training... and he got me thinking' I saw you relax then, and I knew I could tell you. You always were comfortable with me, and I was with you" Bellamy ran his hand over my cheek and I remained still.