Hunger

Chapter 1

Tall, eroding, and broken skyscrapers overpowered us, while eyes with curiosity and fear stared us while we entered the city. A city filled with sand, behind us a river and forest, and in the desert ahead, in the distance, a lonely statue of a head of a green woman with seven spikes, now four as the other three are broken, protruding from her head. I had only seen her in the textbooks we read on the ark. Her name was Lady Liberty. So, this must have been New York City, but now it's home to the Sankru.

Two men on horses stopped us. "Why are you here?"

"We are the thirteenth clan, Skaikru, we come in peace." My mother said.

"Did Commander Lexa send you?" They asked.

"No" my mother lied.

"Yes" I interrupted, stepping in front of my mother, in front of my people. "But... Commander Lexa is dead... Azgeda Took over Polis. We are not safe."

"How?"

"Azgeda had a secret night blood, Ontari, and she murdered the night bloods the night before the conclave." Both Horsemen glanced over at each other. Their masks hiding their identity even showed their worry.

"Come." The horsemen turned around and we headed towards the last building. They guided us into a tall great room. In the back a large painting of the world map, the setting sun lit the remaining colored glass in the windows creating rainbows stripped across the surfaces. Rows of bench seats filled the room and on the ceiling a huge mural of angels above still intact after 100 years.

A man faced away towards the map, hands on the table and a tall, broad man with shaggy hair stood with intimidation in his eyes.

"Kane." They said nodding to each other for acknowledgment and respect.

"Skaikru, what an unexpected surprise, what can I do for you?"

"Commander Lexa is dead and we're not safe." I said in a hurry. His eyes went wide to my words.

"Are you sure of this, Clarke Kom Skaikru?"

"...Yes, Titus accidentally killed her, it costed him his life. Azgeda has taken over Polis, it's not safe for us."

"I see. Commander Lexa planned for us to all be united under her and I swore oath to her words. We must unite to make us stronger, and if Azgeda comes after us, they will be mistaken." I felt relief release through my lungs to his words.

"So, Tonight we shall unite our two clans in marriage of two leaders! Clarke Kom Skaikru and my son and second in command, Bellamy Kom Sankru!"

My stomach dropped to his words, but it was a sacrifice I would make happen in order for my people to live peacefully here. My eyes glanced over to him. His had found mine. His facial expression the same as mine.

"But! She... She can't!" Finn blurted out through the crowd, coming up beside me grasping my hand. I glanced down at our hands intertwined. He was trying to stop this.

Kane walked towards us glaring at Finn. He came face to face to him.

"If you want to survive and live with us, you have to abide by my rules, Boy. It is our way when two clans unite, the two leaders unite under unbreakable marriage. Do you understand, Boy?" Finn gulped at his words. I kept my eyes shut.

"Yes."

I stood in a room while women dressed me in a simple, ivory, chiffon dress with a long slit running up my leg. One woman braided my hair and another painted my face a light blue across my eyes and the arch of my nose that faded to my cheekbones.

"Clarke?" I looked up to see my mother. I gave her a small smile. "Oh, Clarke... You look beautiful."

"Thank you." I said looking down at the dress.

"You can always back away from this. Clarke, you shouldn't have to do this. We can find an alternative-" She rambled before I stopped her words.

"Mom, I'm doing this. I have to... I want us to have a home where we can be safe. This is the only way."

"I never imagined your wedding to be like... This." She said putting her hand on my cheek.

"Me neither, especially an arranged one." I said frowning, looking down at the dress, trying not to show my disappointment to my mother.

I stood next to the man I was going to be with for the rest of my life and I was terrified. He never once glanced at me and that made me more insecure. We had our arms stretched out towards Kane; palms facing upwards. He brought over a hot branding iron. He grasped my right hand, pressing the iron onto my palm. I bit my left hand in between my thumb and my index finger, trying to not to succumb to the pain of my skin burning. When he let go, I immediately retook my hand and gripped it, protecting it. Bellamy looked to his left and looked down at me, noticing the worry painted on his face. I watched as Kane did the same to Bellamy's right hand, but Bellamy never screamed out in pain or bit his hand, all I noticed was his jaw clenching and once released, he put his hand at his side acting like it was nothing and that he was used to pain and didn't want to look weak in front of his people, but I just showed my weakness and they probably think I'm too weak to be a leader uniting the two clans. I looked at Kane, standing straight as I tried to look unbothered and powerful, but I knew I wasn't.

"Clarke Kom Skaikru and Bellamy Kom Sankru. You are now combined as one, just like the mark on your palm. The combination of the Skaikru symbol and the Sankru symbol; Together. Only till your last breath." I looked at my hand, noticing our two symbols together and created as one different symbol. "Put your marked hand over your beating hearts and nod to each other." In sync, we placed our marked hand over our hearts and nodded slowly to each other both looking into each other's eyes. "Now we must celebrate the two clans United as one and the couple." The mention of "couple" Bellamy and I kept our gaze to each other wondering what we were thinking of each other as this was the first time we actually looked at each other, our minds memorizing features of each other's face. Everyone clapped and cheered.

The celebration was in the middle of the sand filled street. The sun has finally set and was disappearing over the horizon. Candle chandeliers hung on ropes that were connected to buildings and ran across the street, lighting the streets. Food was prepared and drinks were served and musicians played their instruments. Bellamy had walked beside me before departing in a different direction to the opposite side of the party. So, I decided to stay on the side I was on with some Arkadians.

My hand had ached the rest of the night. I drank along side my people and the Sankru. Bellamy had kept his eye on me while he had drank next to a man his age with a tattoo stripe down the middle of his head. I watched as people danced to the rhythm of the drums. I smiled as I watched for the first time, my people dancing. It had been so long since I've seen their worries disappear. I decided to dance with the clans in the crowd. I swayed my hips to the beat and raised my hairs in the air, twirling around as my hair went wild as well. I closed my eyes, letting the alcohol settle in my mind and body while I kept swaying to the music with the crowd. Before I knew it, unknown hands slid their way around my hips, frightening me. I whipped my head to see who had touched me.

"Finn. What are you?-"

"Dance with me Clarke." I could smell the alcohol on his breath, too much of it.

"Finn We can't. You're drunk." I started feeling uncomfortable.

"Hands off." Two guards intervened putting a hand between Finn and I. I looked seeing Bellamy in front of me, glaring at Finn.

"It's okay. He didn't hurt me. I'm fine. Please." I said trying to ease the tension between the guards, Bellamy and Finn.

"It is not okay. A man does not touch another man's wife. It is the greatest dishonor, Clarke Kom Skaikru." He said turning around facing me.

"I'm sorry. He won't do it again. I promise." I said reassuring Bellamy. Bellamy nodded at me and nodded at the guards, as they took Finn away from the crowd and he stumbled over to a table in defeat, slumping over.

The crowd danced around us to the music unknowing of what just happened. Most of them too drunk to notice. Bellamy looked back at me, holding out his hand for me to take. It felt like instinct as I slid my hand into his and up his arm feeling his muscles underneath. He held my right hand lightly trying not to hurt it. We swayed to the music. Neither one of us looking at one another. We just let the time pass.

"You can call me Clarke." I said as we swayed.

"What?" He asked.

"You called me Clarke Kom Skaikru when you told me about a man touching a woman that is not his. You don't have to call me that every time." I said glancing up at him as he looked down at me.

"You have many names. You're Clarke Kom Skaikru, you're Clarke Griffin, Clarke, my Wife and that you're mine. So, I'll call you all." He said.

My heart stopped at the mention of him saying "mine." But we never stopped swaying to the music.

The celebration was coming to an end. I was surprised that Bellamy had stuck to my side this whole time. I thought he'd stay far away from me as possible because of this whole arranged marriage and the fact that we knew nothing about each other and we were practically strangers, but strangely he didn't.

The celebration came to an end. Some music still played, but many of the musicians packed up their instruments and left. Many people passed out on tables and chairs from drinking too much; including Finn, but Jasper threw his arm over his and helped him get home. Home. 'Where was my home?' I thought? 'Where were we to live as husband and wife?' I

Bellamy kept his hand around my waist as we walked with the crowd. Many stopped to congratulate us on our marriage as we passed by. We continued our walk to the very edge of the city, looking straight out to the desert only the head of Lady Liberty statue ahead with a long board walk, lit with torches, that entered the mouth of and two guards at each end.

"Why are we going this way?" I asked in wonder, thinking about how easy it could be for enemies to enter.

"Because, this is our home." He said.

'Home.' It felt nice to hear that, but I looked around. So many advantage points Azgeda could enter from.

"But if an enemy comes, they could easily enter." I blurted out.

"Let them try. The sand will eat them before they even reach us."

"Quicksand." I said with realization. It was genius. He nodded with a smile.

"And I have the best guards protecting near and far and invisible to the eye."

"Plus, You have me." He said stopping in his place. I turned to him.

"You are my wife. I will protect you with my life, Clarke."

"That's more like it." I said smirking walking on the boardwalk, him in toe.

I felt more safe with him already than I ever had, than with anyone and anywhere I've ever been and that meant the world to me.

We entered the head of Lady Liberty and walked up a staircase and into a massive round room where the crown was and windows all around and curtains flowing to the floor. There was an iron mannequin displayed next to the bed that had his armor; ready for battle and another unclothed iron mannequin on the other side of the bed. I figured it was either for his significant other, or me. There was a massive bed with animal skins and silk and a massive candle chandelier hanging in the center. A couch facing the Windows. It was breathtaking. In the next room, the bathroom, a copper bathtub in the center and a mirror in the corner with beautiful antique decorations and candles everywhere illuminating the rooms.

Bellamy fetched one his female servants.

"Bring my wife a bowl of cold water, cloth, and start up the bathtub for her."

"Sit." He told me.

I sat on the edge of the bed, wondering if this was the part where the consummation of our marriage start. The server girl brought back a bowl of water with cloth. Bellamy accepted it and headed towards me. I started getting nervous and started to, unknowingly, backed up further into the bed.

"Give me your hand." He said as he squared down at my level and gave him my right hand where it was marked earlier from our wedding. He drenched one of the cloths in the cold water and pressed it lightly to my mark, but the slightest touch stung. I tried pulling my hand away from the pain, but Bellamy gripped my wrist tighter.

"I'm not going to hurt you. The cold water will take away the sting." He reassured me. I just nodded.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" He continued dabbing my palm with cold water with the cloth.

"I just thought, you wouldn't be this open and nice to me. Especially since it's an arranged marriage, when you could've found someone to love and do it the right way, you know, meet someone, fall in love, and then get married; not the opposite."

I rambled not knowing where my words were going.

"We're married before we met and before we even fall in love, but we are married and we might as well start liking each other since we do have to live with each other and be married for life till one of us takes our dying breath. I could've fell for someone and done it like that way, but us leaders don't have that option. And to me I think it was my destiny and I can't oppose it. Even if I don't like it, it's life and I'll make it work and make it the best as I possibly can especially someone else being involved in this." He said looking at me wrapping my hand in the dry cloth.

"Seken, The bathtub is ready." A servant girl said. "Mochof." He said to the servant girl in Trigedasleng.

"Go now, go get cleaned and the ladies will help you with whatever you need and don't get your mark wet, it'll worsen the pain."

"Thank you, Bellamy."

"You're welcome, Clarke."

I walked into the bathroom where it was lit with candles and the copper bathtub was filled with steaming water and accented with floating red rose petals. The servants helped me get the wedding dress off and helped me get into the bathtub and get off the face-paint. The female servants brought over wine for me to quench my thirst, as I soaked in the bath.

Once I was done, I walked back into the room with a silk robe and I noticed Bellamy taking off his shirt. I was entranced by his muscles and the scars on his back from the battles. His skin glowed in the best possible way. He was down to pants and he turned around to me, watching the way his muscles moved with his body. He smirked, until I realized I was staring for a little too long.

"We have a long day tomorrow, lets get some rest." He said, and I was relieved because all I could think about was the consummation. I was also thankful that he kept his distance and didn't push for sex.

I got into bed and I drifted off to sleep in a bed where it would be shared by the both of us for our entire lives together and this home of ours.