Shadows

21) The Kingdom

"It's called the kingdom?" Rick remarked as they got out of the van.

"Yeah." Jesus nodded. "I didn't name it."

Alicia just laughed. "How much farther?" She asked.

"Well, technically we're already here. I mean we're always here." Alicia furrowed her brows at this answer. "But, here we are! At the kingdom- well its outer edge."

Daryl poked his head out of the van, looking at the three. "What the hell are we waiting on?"

"Waiting for them." Jesus pointed a few yard away, and the sound of hoof beats reached their ears.

Two men on horseback rose up to them. "Who dares to trespass on the sovereign land of- oh shit! Jesus, that you?" One of them began in a medieval sounding voice. Alicia had to restrain from rolling her eyes.

"Who are all these people pall?" The other man asked.

"Hi Richard." Jesus smiled. "Nice to see you."

"Good to see you to." He nodded. "Your friends... who are they?"

"This is Rick Grimes." Jesus introduced him. "He's the leader of a like-minded community. These are some of his people. That's Alicia and Daryl Dixon, and that is Michonne." He introduced the rest of them. "We would like to request an audience with King Ezekiel."

Richard got off of his horse, walking over to them. "Get out of the car." He ordered the rest of the group. "You say they're a like-minded community? Like-minded how?"

"We live, we trade, we fight the dead. Sometimes others." Jesus answered.

"Line up."

Daryl scoffed. "Ok, this is a waste of time. Let's go."

"Maybe you're right." Richard nodded. "The king is a busy man, and it's a dangerous world. We don't usually allow a pack of strangers to walk through our door."

Michonne spoke up. "We wanna make the world less dangerous. And we are all here to show the king how serious we are about that."

Richard nodded. "The car stays outside. You gotta hand over your guns."

Rick nodded. "We only have two."

Alicia laughed in her head. They all thought there was only two, but she and Daryl both had guns tucked into the waste-band of their pants. It was a habit they had picked up after Jordan was born.

Speaking of Jordan, Richard looked at Rosita who was holding her and asked if the baby was hers.

"No." Rosita smiled and shook her head. "She's there's." She pointed at Daryl and Alicia who smiled fondly at their daughter.

"I see." He nodded. "You brought your kid with you to meet people you've never met yourselves. You trust us?"

Alicia's smile dropped. "Not yet... but don't give us any reason not to trust you." Daryl just rolled his eyes at his wife's antics and took their daughter from Rosita.

After Carl and Rick handed over their guns, they followed Richard to the Kingdom. Inside was beautiful. There were gardens everywhere and people smiling and laughing.

"They have the numbers." Michonne said happily.

"But can they fight?" Rosita asked.

Jesus smirked, nodding. "Oh they can fight."

"Maybe." Daryl grunted. They continued to look around, smiles resting on their faces as they saw the community.

"Morgan?"

They all turned, their smiles growing wider as they saw the man who had left to look for Carol.

"Hey." He said, hugging Tara and Sasha. He looked over at Jordan, smiling at the young girl. "Hello to you to."

"How do you know each other?" Richard asked.

"We go back to the start." Rick said.

"The king is ready."

Rick Alicia and Daryl walked towards Morgan. "Did you find Carol?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, I did." He answered.

"Where is she?" Daryl asked.

"Is she ok?" Alicia asked rather happily, glad that he had found her.

"She was here and then she left." He sighed. "You know she wasn't too happy, me following her. She wanted to get away from us. From everyone. But when I found her she was shot. Just a graze, I got her back here, they got doctors. They're good."

"Was it them?" Daryl asked.

"It was." Morgan nodded. "She had crossed with some of them. One of them followed her, tried to kill her. But I stopped him. I killed him. I had to. Carol was here. She got help, now she's gone."

Alicia and Daryl shared a look. They knew better than to try and look for her. Of Carol didn't want to be found then she wouldn't be found. That's just how she was.

As they followed Morgan into the place where the king was, Alicia grabbed Daryl's hand. She knew it was hard on him, having Carol gone.

"She'll be alright on her own." She smiled reassuringly up at her husband.

Daryl nodded, forcing a smile back. "I know... but you know I worry."

Alicia chuckled, nodding her head. "That I do know."