Ephemeral - Alia Dixon

28

I smile as we prepare everything for our newcomers. The Kingdom needs help, they can't keep it together anymore. So, I was willing to take them in. Currently everyone's sleeping inside the house since the trailers are too cold to live in at the moment. The weather has been crazy. It's freezing outside. And we have to fire at all times to keep everyone warm. 
"Alia, where do you want them?" Earl asks, holding up the blankets for me to see.
"Uh, place them over there by the sofa" I say with a smile before placing my hands in my hips. Everyone has been helping to get this ready for Ezekiel and his people. 

"They're coming" I hear Henry say. I bite my lip in excitement as I rush outside to greet my guests. I climp onto the watch post, seeing them walking towards my gates. 
I wave at my dad excitedly, him hesitantly waving back making me chuckle. I climb back down and wait for my gates to open. Slowly they move to the side, revealing the Kingdom and a few volunteers from each comunity to help them move their things.
"Hey" I say with a huge smile, hugging my brother tightly. He had sent me a letter a few days ago regarding the move from the Kingdom to here and how he's going to help. I let go of him again before hugging my dad. I hope he's going to stay now, though, I don't really think he will. 
"Alia" Ezekiel says with a huge smile, making me smile at him in return. He hugs me too before looking around a little. Proudly I fold my arms over my chest. "Thank you for letting us come here" he says, making me chuckle.
"No problem" I say, then moving and greeting everybody else. 
The people start unloading their things, looking at me expectantly. "Uhm," I say, clapping my hands together. "You can move your things inside, into my office for the night. Sadly all the bedrooms in the house are occupied at the moment but we're going to make room for you as soon as possible. Follow me" I say, walking infront of them as they follow me. I hold the doors open for them, pointing at my office with my hand. Jerry smiles at me as he carries a huge box inside. 
I smile as his children run inside.
"Hey! No running inside" Nabila says to her children, making me chuckle. 
"It's fine. I like the activity in the house" I say, her smiling at me in response. 
As soon as we've got everything inside, I close the doors again before someone shovels the snow away that got carried inside. My office is packed with people now, all of them getting comfortable. 
"Uh, if you need anything you can always ask any one of us. Blankets are over there, fire wood is there and my room is on the top floor to the front" 
"Thank you" Carol says, hugging me tightly. 
"It's no problem, really" I say, before I notice her look. She's looking at Henry as he talks with Lydia. Her eyes are sad but full of gratitude.
She looks at me again. "Thank you, Alia. I wouldn't know what we had done without you" she says.
I smile sadly, remembered of the day a few months ago when I saved Henry. The loss here in hilltop was big and we mourned together before we eventually had to move on. We made sure to cherish our lost ones though. The wall in my office is covered in paintings now. Paintings of the ones we lost. Enid, Hershel, Glenn...
I miss Glenn and the positivity he always spread. How he never failed to show us the way. How to do the right thing. 
I like to keep their faces on my walls now. Showing me the right thing at all times, watching over me. Watching over us and making sure we're safe. 

...

Winter has been tough but we managed to get through. All the people from the Kingdom have gotten their own trailer now or their own bedroom in the house. We've been managing great together and Ezekiel and I are mostly sharing the responsibility for our people. He didn't want to intrude at first but I made sure to tell him that he isn't. The people from the Kingdom are his people not mine. Well, sort of but he's still their King. Jerry wanted to talk me into naming it the Kingtop which I obviously immediately shut down. He's still trying from time to time but never am I going to change the name of Hilltop. 

Right now we're not there though. A lot of us are in Oceanside, keeping everything clear of walkers and looking out for all the people here. It's almost like vacation actually. A few people obviously stayed back at Hilltop, making sure it's safe. Safe from walkers and safe from Alpha. 
We have been holding in our part of the deal religiously, which was why I was absolutely pissed when Michonne came back and told me that they were on our side of the border. Well, we have been on theirs too but it was an emergency and only for a short time. The skins were fucking camping on our side, making me boil with anger. If it weren't for Hilltop and all the people there I would've already started war with them for what they did. Remember how I wanted Dwight's and Negan's head on a stick infront of Alexandria? Well, now I want Alpha's and Beta's infront of Hilltop.