Rise Up

Chapter 18

We eventually made it to their gates and was astounded at what was on the other side of that gate. So many plants. Fruits and vegetables growing all around. And there was a decent amount of people. More people that we could get to fight on our side. By the looks of it, the place seemed to have been here for a while.

"They have the numbers," Michonne said once we stopped to take it all in.

"But can they fight?" Rosita asked.

"Oh, they can fight," Jesus retorted.

"Maybe," Daryl said.

"We can teach them too. Just like the people at Hilltop," I said.

"Morgan?" Tara said.

We all turned at her mention of him. He was here. If he was here, then Carol must be too. She had to be. Tara went ahead and gave him a hug. I made my way over to him.

"It's good to see you," I said embracing him.

"You too," he said.

"Hi," he said when Sasha came up to him.

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

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

"Well, the King is ready to see you," Richard said.

The group followed Richard inside but Rick, Daryl and I stayed back with Morgan.

"Did you find Carol?" Rick asked.

"I did, yeah," Morgan replied.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" Daryl asked.

"She was here, and then she left," he replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"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. It was just a graze, I got her back here. They got doctors. They're good," Morgan said.

"Was it them?" Daryl asked.

"It was," he replied.

"Those sons of bitches," I said crossing my arms.

"She had crossed some of them, and 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," he said.

I looked over at Daryl. He was hurt. I went over and grabbed hold of his hand.

"It was a good thing you found her when you did. We're all grateful that you brought her here," I said to Morgan.

He nodded and we made our way inside. We reached the rest of the group and they were all frozen in place.

"Jesus! It pleases me to see you, old friend," the man at the center of the stage said.

We were in an auditorium.

"It pleases him, indeed!" a man to his right announced.

"Jerry," the man I assumed was Ezekiel said.

My eyes then caught sight of the reason everyone was not moving. There was a tiger right next to the King.

"Oh sweet, a tiger," I whispered moving forward.

Daryl and Rick held me back.

"Tell me, what news do you bring good King Ezekiel? Are these new allies you've brought me?" he asked.

Jesus was closer than we were.

"Indeed, they are, Your Majesty. This is..." he said as he turned around.

He caught the expression of everyone's faces. He'd forgotten to mention that one little detail.

"Oh, right. I forgot to mention that..." Jesus started.

"Yeah, a tiger," Rick said cutting him off.

The tiger then roared.

"Wow," I said smiling.

Everyone looked at me. I cleared my throat and looked down.

"This is Rick Grimes, the leader of Alexandria, and these are some of his people," Jesus continued while we all made our way forward.

We split into the rows of seats that surrounded us so that we would all be looking at the King.

"I welcome you all to the Kingdom, good travelers. Now, what brings you to our dair land? Why do you seek an audience with the King?" Ezekiel asked.

"Ezekiel...King... Ezekiel. Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom...all three of our communities have something in common. We all serve the Saviors. Alexandria already fought them once, and we won. We thought we took out the threat, but we didn't know then what we know now. We only beat one outpost. We've been told you have a deal with them, that you know them. That you know they rule with violence and fear," Rick said.

Ezekiel looked over at Jesus.

"Your Majesty, I only told them of the..." he said.

"Our deal with the Saviors is not known among my people...for good cause. We made you a party to that secret when you told us of the Hilltop's own travails, but we did not expect you to share..." Ezekiel said cutting Jesus off.

"We can help each other," Jesus interrupted.

"Don't interrupt the King," Jerry said sternly.

"We brought you into our confidence. Why did you break it?" Ezekiel asked.

"Because I want you to hear Rick's plans," Jesus said.

"And what plans have you, Rick Grimes of Alexandria?" Ezekiel asked looking at Rick.

"We came to ask the Kingdom, to ask you, to join us in fighting the Saviors, fighting for freedom for all of us," Rick answered.

I looked up at Rick in awe and pride. He was no longer the man that Negan had broken down back when we first met the asshole. He was his old self again. But stronger.

"What you are asking is very serious," Ezekiel said.

"Several of our people...good people...were killed by the Saviors, brutally," Michonne said.

I then started to think of everyone we had lost to them.

"Who?" Morgan asked.

We all looked at him.

"Abraham. Glenn. Spencer, Olivia. Eugene was taken. They took Daryl. He escaped. Every second he's out here, he's a target. You're gonna say you were right?" Rosita said.

"No. I'm...I'm just real sorry they're gone," Morgan said.

"Negan murdered Glenn and Abraham. Beat them to death," Rick said.

The image of the two of them came across my mind and I closed my eyes. I gripped on tightly to the seat in front of me. I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Excuse me," I said.

I made my way out.

"Amelia," Rick called.

But I kept going until I was outside.