The Bed

"Has anyone seen Christine?" The King's voice rang through the courtyard, clear and precise. A few heads turned his direction and shrugged. Morgan approached the leader of the Kingdom and spoke to him in his naturally soft voice. "I think she is still in her room. I haven't seen her since dinner last night when you introduced her to everyone." King Ezekiel nodded at his new friend and turned towards the building that was designated as the dorms.

The initial meeting between you two had left him intrigued and he wanted to know more about the person that he had invited into his community. From the little she had explained, he knew she had some family that may still be alive, but had not seen since the initial outbreak. That was over two years ago now, almost three if he really thought about it. He also knew that she had been on her own for the majority of that time, taking to avoiding groups, houses, and the general comforts everyone usually sought out. She preferred to not have the hassle of trying to fit in anywhere.

But it only took a little bit of time talking with Christine for her to admit she was tired. Tired of doing it alone. Then she said something that struck him straight in the heart, because it was something that he had realized early on. "You just can't do it alone I guess." She had said it with a sardonic smile, one he could really relate to. He had tried being on his on with just the companionship of his tiger, Shiva. But once he found the area that was now known as the Kingdom, he knew his purpose. He helped to build the community, to make it thrive. As more people came and joined him, the stories of him becoming a leader and how he obtained and trained his large, feline companion grew more and more outrageous. They went from him finding her in the wild and taming her with food to wrestling her into submission where she would obey his every command. He knew the importance of those stories though. They gave people hope, something to look up to. People needed that in the times they were in. And who was he to stop them.

Ezekiel made his way around the side of the dorm to a house tucked away behind it. The house was small, a mere two bedrooms, a living/dining area, and a non-functioning kitchen and bathroom. They hadn't used the house previously because it was not really necessary, at least until now. Most of the dormitory was full, but even with a few rooms available, he had placed Christine in the house. It was one thing to bring her into the thriving community with the protection of Richard, Jerry, and himself by her side. It was something else completely to leave her vulnerable overnight with a bunch of strangers. So he had asked one of the ladies to prepare a bed in the little house so she would be more comfortable.

He knocked gently on the door and waited a moment. From the back of the house came a very, very faint "Come in." Ezekiel couldn't help the small chuckle from bubbling up, figuring she was still in the bed. When he had mentioned last night that someone was preparing a bed for her, her eyes had shone brightly. "A bed? A real bed with covers and pillows and no deadie guts all over it?" Ezekiel had laughed loudly at her enthusiasm and nodded at her, reassuring her there was indeed a bed waiting on her. The smile when he had showed her the shower room in the dormitory and then the house and bedroom was enough to light up the night. It was a smile that Ezekiel found himself wanting to see over and over again. Now he opened the door quietly and made his way down the short hall to the bedroom in the back. He again knocked on the bedroom door to announce his arrival and pushed it open.

Christine was laid diagonally across the bed, covers bunched around her and the pillow tucked underneath her head. Her long, light brown hair was spread across it, tangled as though it was dried wet. Her blue eyes were open and gazing at his approach. Ezekiel's breath immediately caught at her look of innocence. She was a refreshing addition, seeming to have managed to keep her head in a world gone completely crazy. It was amazing that someone who had been out on her own for so long could appear to be so untouched by the trials of their world.

She smiled at him as she stretched, completely unaware of the spell she had cast over the leader of her new found community. Ezekiel tried to keep his gaze respectful, but as Christine sat up and the covers dropped from her torso, his gaze wandered. She was thin yes, but her arms were toned with muscles. His eyes wandered to her stomach as she pulled her shirt down and up to her chest, quickly moving further up to her neck and shoulders. He noticed the redness and a couple of blisters there and frowned slightly. He turned his gaze back to her face. "I trust you slept well?"

Christine smiled at him and nodded. "Yes! In a bed!! You have no idea what this means to me. Really. Thank you, thank you, a million times thank you!" Ezekiel chuckled, once again amused by her innocent enthusiasm. "Well, if only all my subjects were as passionate about a bed as you, there might be more little ones running around here." He gave her a wink as a blush immediately infused her cheeks and she looked down to her lap.

"Honestly it's not even that." Her voice was soft as she responded. Heaving a deep breath, she turned her eyes up to him again. Light brown held bright blue in a connection that was completely natural. "I have been out there, too afraid to make connections with people, too terrified to get comfortable in any kind of setting. It was easier to wander around, to keep myself uncomfortable so I wasn't caught off guard. Whenever I've slept, it's been strapped to a tree or on the floor of a shed, against a door. I just knew if I let myself be in a bed, I would sleep too hard, be too at ease to react properly and it could cost me my life."

Christine looked back down at her lap and tangled her fingers together tighter. "And then three guys ride up to me in the middle of a field on these beautiful horses." She smiled and glanced out the window. "And you spoke to me as a human being, not as a commodity. You didn't immediately ask what I could do for you." Her eyes once again met and held his. "You asked if I was alone, if I need or wanted help. You were patient, offered assistance. It was so much more than anything I had ever imagined I would encounter since the world ended."

Her smile widened as she brought her legs out from under the covers and stood from the bed. She stepped in front of him, tilting her head back. She couldn't keep her eyes from his if she tried. "And then you offered me a bed. It wasn't just a piece of furniture, it wasn't the sheets or pillows. It was the security." She took a breath and then a chance, pulling her hand from her side and placing it against his heart. Ezekiel's breath hitched as she continued to stare at him. "You gave me a place where I can finally relax. I can mourn those I've lost, I can be happy when I think of my brother and extended family. I can take the time to figure out what to do with my life now. That bed is everything to me. I don't think I can thank you enough." She rose on her tip toes and gently pressed her lips to his cheek, lingering just a moment.

Ezekiel was stunned for a moment, but quickly shook it off. He tucked an errant tangle behind her ear, letting his fingers trail down her jaw. He smiled broadly as she leaned just slightly into his touch. "No thanks are required. I knew you would be a perfect addition here from the first moment I saw you wandering around the field." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "We want you here, thriving however you can. I never want you to lose that feeling. Please know that you are valued. This bed is yours, no matter what."

He held her gaze just a little longer before glancing once again to her shoulders. "Now come, let us get some fresh aloe-vera on your shoulders. We have much to discuss and your comfort is my priority." Christine smiled and she allowed the King to place a hand on the small of her back and lead her out the house. Finally, she could find peace and relax. And maybe, just maybe, find a little more.