" I think you should kneel before your king." The big man said to Daryl he'd seen the others kneel and after everything he just couldn't let himself do it not for this, even if this man had a glanced at the king
"With all due respect," Daryl growled and flashed a knife-edge smile, "which is none, you're not my fucking king."
Rick glanced at Daryl surprised these where the first words he said since they got him back and with how angry they where he was also worried so he hissed "Daryl." He didn't even twitch
"No fuck that I ain't doing this again." He walked up to the stage and jumped up on it standing toe to toe with the big man jerry staring him down "move before I throw you off this stage." Daryl hissed softly the man backed up out of Daryl's way and Daryl continued on staring down the big cat who laid down in front of the king everyone was staring at Daryl as he grabbed the king by his shirt and drags him to his knees "now hear me fucker….your gonna help us with anything rick needs you for, you and your people your gonna fight for us, with us but first your gonna tell me where the hell carol went I know you know." Rick smiled so that's what all this was about he was pissed about carol rick was fascinated how Daryl commanded silence how even this King stuttered under Daryl's scrutiny
"said she didn't want anyone there but m-maybe she wants you there I don't know."
Michonne whispered after she stood and walked up the stairs on the side of the stage and touched his shoulder "Daryl let him up he'll take you there."
She turned to the king who nodded "of course yes we can go right away." Daryl dropped the phony king and jumped of the stage and walked out michonne held her hand out to the man and smiled "he's been through a lot you understand don't you." The king grabbed her hand and she pulled him up he nodded "he was taken wasn't he." She nodded "yeah it messed him up even if he won't admit it." Rick stepped closer to the stage "carols his person you know his life the one he can tell anything to… it's best not to mess with that, with him you know."
The king took them to the little house and rick told everyone to stay back in the trees let Daryl have her to his self they all watched as he paused at the gate and they could see him shake his head rick looked at the king next to him as Daryl seemingly kicked at nothing before opening the gate the king smiled "trip wire…can't believe he saw that I never did." Rick watched the door swing open smiling he knew how Daryl knew they where the same person him and carol they would never just give up when he looked closer the first thing he saw was the glint of a gun then they heard Daryl call out "you best not shoot me been shot enough for a lifetime." And boy was that true two different times by people he saved they watched as The Gun sank from the door and carol stepped out of the house and smiled "now I got every right you tripped my wire you coulda been a walker." She snapped back jokingly but they saw the smile on her face
"well now I taught you to hide them better than that so excuse me." He stepped forward one step his need to be closer to her was obvious in his stuttered steps and her adoration for him streamed out as she smiled wider and ran to him.
The king chuckled watching Daryl who had his Arms wide to catch her lifting her off the ground as she buried her face in his neck "I'm sorry, this was stupid of me Daryl I'm sorry." She sobs into his shoulder he sets her back down brushing her hair from her face
"hey don't cry you know I can't be mad at you. Even for this for leaving. cause after what happened this time all that matters to me is you're here your alive." He smiles sadly and carol brushed his cheek "what happened?" He shakes his head "was some bad shit people died…gle-nn died ." He stuttered she gasped "oh honey." She brushes her knuckle across his cheek and he sobbed head dropping to her palm "it's my fault he was out there cause of me." She sighs "you didn't kill him did you Daryl." He shook his head "then it wasn't your fault." She pulled him to her shoulder "thank you." He mumbled into her shoulder and winced "missed you." He mumbled
"could use your help." He moved the shirt and she saw the bandage and grabbed his hand "come inside." Rick stepped out of the trees right before carol turned "carol?" He asked she glanced back "yeah rick." He saw the pain in her eyes "keep him safe yeah." She nodded "of course." Daryl glanced back and rick nodded to him and Daryl nodded back and rick turned away back to the trees and tossed over his shoulder "you two be careful and carol please do something about that." Rick waved at Daryl who was running his fingers over her arm eyeing her face shyly rick watched as carol smiled and Daryl snorted softly moving an arm around her waist tugging softly on her bringing her closer and whispering in her ear "kinda romantic huh." He hums she smiles " inside you now. Rick don't worry about it okay." Rick chuckled as Daryl walked inside carol with a soft smile watched him go in and then turned to rick frowning
"I do know what happened out there but it's clear he's in pain and it wasn't just cause of Glenn." She growled "so what happened to him." Rick dropped his gaze ashamed
"they took him they took him from us and I don't know what after just know kingdom was the first place he said anything since he got back then he yelled at everyone about you and being here with you it's actually the closest to normal he has been in a while." She glanced at the door and sighed
"he was tortured rick starved he didn't say anything because he was ashamed but he didn't give in to them even if he should have for his own sake because he believes in you in what you stand for even if you don't anymore." The door propped back open and Daryl leaned in the doorway arms crossed "well you comin'." Rick smirked then glanced at carol
"you should go he's waiting." She turns to Daryl and smirks "coming." Then she looks back at rick "not done with you." She thumps the side of his head "you could have done something…." He groaned softly "now I'm done." She walked to the house and up to Daryl tapping his chest softly then grabbed his shirt walking past him and tugging him by his shirt inside closing the door rick chuckled turning away from the house shaking his head "I knew it I knew it." The king glanced at rick "what you knew they where a thing." Rick nodded "yup I knew before they did."