It's been a year now since Rhea found a place in the Sanctuary. She hesitated a long time before accepting the proposition. They told her that she could keep her horse as long as she took care of him but she had to give them her bow and arrows. She knew she could take care of Helios but she didn't really want to give up her weapons. But her younger brother needed to find a safe place for his daughter and right now, the Sanctuary was the safest place they could find.
So, it's been a year that Rhea and Jules have been working for points to get some kind of a life, for them and for Octavia, Rhea's niece. The woman was working in what was supposed to be the gardens, but there was just some corn, tomatoes and a few apple trees while Jules worked as "seller" in the Saviours' market. For now, they earned enough points to buy the necessary but the days were long and hard for everyone and sometimes, Rhea wished she never took this Simon's offer. If she hadn't, she'd be out there, scavenging with Helios and her bow on her shoulder, not her nose in the dirt with a burning sun above her head. But in a way, she knew that Octavia wouldn't sleep in a proper bed if she had declined the proposition.
So, she worked. Hard every day to keep her niece alive and safe. And as the days went on, the points became harder to get and the dead on the fence weren't very healthy for the workers. A lot of them contracted diseases and Rhea prayed so that Octavia do not falls ill. But one day, her niece couldn't even get out of bed.
« Are you alright, honey? » asked Jules to his little girl.
Octavia just frowned.
« I'll see if I have enough points to buy something to calm this fever down. »
Rhea took her bag and almost ran to the "medicine shop", where a huge line of people was already waiting for their turn. The woman stamped with impatience when a metallic "clang" echoed in the room. She turned around, to see Negan standing on the balcony, Lucille in hand with Dwight right behind him. Everyone in the room fell to their knees and Rhea did the same. She hated that she had to kneel in front of a single, simple man. But it was the rules and she knew she didn't have to like them. Just to respect them if she wanted to live. She didn't see Negan much, just enough to know that he knew how to be respected, and that he could be freaking dangerous.
But the next second he was gone and everyone went back to their business. After thirty long minutes, Rhea got her turn.
« Do you have something for the fever? » The dark-haired woman asked.
An old woman held her a little transparent box filled with only three pills.
« Thirty-five points for those. »
« What the hell? There's not enough for one day! And how do I know it's not just some shitty vitamins you're giving me?! » almost shouted Rhea, knowing she had just fifteen points left.
« You take it or you just go away. Don't block the line. »
Rhea crashed her fist against the metallic table before making her way to the gardens. She took her shovel and started digging a trench between the corn and the tomatoes. She had to get those points for Octavia. If she didn't get those medicine, the little girl wouldn't survive another day. And as Rhea continued digging, a hand touched her shoulder. She quickly turned around, to see Dwight, a rifle in one hand and… her bow in the other. But before she could ask anything, he spoke:
« How fast you and your horse can run? »
« Fast? » answered Rhea, confused.
« Well, there's a frickin' huge herd of walkers making its way to the Sanctuary. We need everyone, even the boss is coming. »
He threw her her bow and arrows before walking back to wherever he was coming from.
« Gather your shit, meet you outside in ten. » he said without turning around.
She didn't really think at first, she automatically walked to the little stable of fortune she made for Helios. On her way she saw a few other workers gathering their stuff, weapons in hands. But then, she thought that, maybe, this was her chance. If she manages to fight bravely, maybe she could get just enough points for Octavia. With that idea in her mind, she literally jumped on her horse's back and galloped up to the parking lot. All the Saviours were already gathered and the few armed workers jumped on the back of trucks.
« Hey, you! Pocahontas! »
Rhea turned around, figuring she was "Pocahontas", to see that it was Negan himself talking to her. She made a few steps, to close the gap between them to listen the orders.
« Since your riding your horse, you go through the woods with D over there, he'll show you the way with the others. »
The dark-haired woman watched Dwight and his team of motorcycle riders, before nodding to Negan and as the engines roared, she put Helios at a gallop, going through the woods as fast as she could, trying to calm down her horse, scared by the bikes.
They slowed down when they heard the walkers in the distance, seeing the trucks not far away. Dwight stopped his bike to explain the plan.
« Okay, so the thing is, we gotta lead them to a ravine in the North from here. Our job is to keep in the way those who go in another direction, is that clear? »
There was a general "YES!" before Dwight sent a signal to the other team through a walkie talkie. Rhea saw the trucks getting closer to the herd as the motorcycle riders separated in two groups, encircling the walkers. Rhea followed the left one, galloping as fast as she could to keep up with the bikes.
Only a few seconds later, groans echoed in her ears, and people were shouting to draw them to the ravine. She kept a certain distance between her and the walkers, dreading the moment where they would make Helios fall and her with him. But before she could even think about it, two of the trucks flipped, making several barrels as the people in the back just fell violently on the ground. And then the gunshots started. People screamed in pain as walkers scratched open their skin and ate their flesh. A red headed man was on his back, trapped by one of them on top of him. Rhea didn't think twice: she made a knot at her reins, nocked an arrow on her bowstring, released and the tip of the arrow hit the dead right in the skull. She repeated the action several times, trying to save as much fighters as she could, when Negan appeared about thirty feet in front of her, swinging his legendary bat in the middle of walkers. The woman nocked an arrow, shot one of the dead in the head and led Helios on another, and the chock made the monster fall, giving Negan the time to deal with the others.
But when she looked back, Rhea saw that he couldn't get out of this mess alone. She stopped her horse, made a roll back and galloped again, putting her bow in her other hand and extended her arm for Negan to take. Oh, she knew he did awful things, but he gave his people hope, and some kind of a life. And for that, he deserved to live. In Rhea's eyes at least. For a moment, she thought he hadn't seen her, but at the last moment, he took her hand, and she had to use all her strength to get him on Helios' back. As bullets flew, she knocked an arrow again, ending every walker that was too close from the vehicles.
« Let's move out! » She heard Negan shouting behind her.
People on foot were jumping on the back of motorcycle or other trucks. They couldn't just go back to the sanctuary. It would be only a matter of time before those walkers come at the doors. Rhea looked around, seeing a gas station, just on the other side of the road, on the opposite of the Sanctuary. The woman made her horse suddenly change the direction, heading to that station.
« Hey Pocahontas, what the hell you think you're doing? » Growled Negan behind her.
She felt he wasn't comfortable on the horse but it wasn't like he had a choice.
« I'm gonna need your gun! » She shouted back.
« You really think I'm gonna give ya' a gun? »
They were getting closer to the station and didn't have much time.
« Fine! Then shoot those gas tanks! »
For a second, she thought Negan was about to bash her head with Lucille for giving him orders, no matter if she was the one "driving" the horse. But he seemed to understand her idea, pulling out his gun and shooting four bullets when they got close enough but at a safe distance.
The explosion echoed in the whole valley, driving the walkers to the flames as the saviours and the workers left made their way back home.