Disclaimer:

Carol Peletier, Sophia Peletier, King Ezekiel, Henry, Jerry, Shiva, and any other recognizable character or plot of The Walking Dead belong to AMC Network and Skybound Entertainment, Image Comics and Robert Kirkman.

This is a work of fiction and in no way is the author claiming to own any of the characters, nor is there any economic/monetary gain at any time. The author is extremely respectful of the original creators and is willing to take down this work of fiction if requested.

No copyright infringement intended.

Original characters are the property of the author.

He notices the tip of the hat that the Highwayman sent Carol's way but he doesn't see any reaction come from her other than a tiny smile. Right away Carol takes a step forward, ready to meet with her family and Ezekiel knows that he has a very small window of opportunity to tease the hell out of his wife. Their marriage has always been truthful but playful in their banter and he isn't one to pass the opportunity to tease her.

He sees the opportunity when Carol turns to look over her shoulder, her eyes connecting with his, her smile growing and reaching her eyes.

"What?" She asks as her steps falter and she stops to let him catch up to her.

Ezekiel sends a grin her way before wrapping his arms around her. Carol tilts her head back, puckering her lips slightly to entice him to kiss her. He quickly closes the distance between them, catching her lips in a passionate kiss which ends with Carol giving him the tiniest bite on his lower lip.

God, he'll never get enough of her happiness.

"Did my Queen not catch the favor sent her way by our ally, the leader of the Highwaymen?"

Carol pulls her head back just enough to narrow her eyes at him. "The nod?" She asks incredulously. "Yeah, I noticed." She answers as she takes his hand and starts walking once more.

He follows behind her, interlacing their fingers and bringing them up for a kiss. "What do you say, my Queen?"

"That it was nice but I'm not interested." She promises as she turns to look toward him once more.

"You aren't?" He teases. He's never doubted their marriage, not for a single second, not when she first said yes and not when the Highwayman tilted his hat at her. He is still going to tease her about it, though.

"Nope." She gives his hand a squeeze as she guides him closer to the fair booths. Once they reach the border of the fair she stops once more and pulls him towards her. There's absolutely no space between them, as there usually isn't, but even then he pulls her as close as he can, pressing their bodies together and gently swaying with her.

"No?"

"Nope. I'm not interested."

"Why?"

Carol grins at him before shaking her head and standing on the tip-top of her boots. "I am not, because I have the most handsome man in this apocalyptic world as my husband, who loves me and makes me happy, who kisses like sin and who holds me like he will protect me from this whole world."

"You do?" Ezekiel can't help but grin as his fingers caress her back. "He sounds like a dashing fellow."

"Oh, he is." Carol grins before pressing her lips against his once again. "He also happens to be the father of my handsome boy, whom I cannot wait to see, and the King of this joint."

"Then I better be at my outmost behavior." He teases, pulling back and letting go of her hand. "I mustn't land myself on the wrong side of the King's favor."

He takes a couple of steps ahead, unable to stop grinning for he knows that she will catch up to him and put him in his place.

The fast footsteps he hears approaching tell him he wasn't wrong at all.

"Hey!" She calls after him before he feels her hand catch his. "Are you mad?"

That stops him right away. He quickly turns to look at her with a confused expression. "No, I never could be." He knows, even now, that sometimes her ex-husband visits at the worst time and that she defaults to protective mode. He knows that she's not reacting to him and their relationship, not exactly. Instead, she's reacting to the situation and what she's lived before. All he can do is remind her of his love and his support and the fact that he would never treat her that way. "Never at you, my..." He stops himself before he says the term he knows she isn't partial to.

She tilts her head slightly before giving him a raised eyebrow. "Your what?"

"My... my love?"

Carol blushes bright red and rolls her eyes before pressing herself against him, her lips connecting with his in what could only be described as a smooch.

She pulls back and shakes her head. "Try again."

"My beloved."

Carol shakes her head once more. "Again."

"My moon and stars."

"Not quite."

He grins at her before fully wrapping his arms around her. "My Queen" he declares.

Carol grins and scrunches her nose before giving him a tender kiss. His hands raise to cup her face, losing themselves in her soft hair before he presses his forehead to hers. "Your Queen. You better never forget it."

"I wouldn't dare do such a thing."

The sounds of the first caravan arriving pulls them apart. They both grin, knowing their son is a couple of steps away from an embrace. "Come, let us welcome our son back home."

She gives him a nod, one last kiss, then starts walking ahead of him, their fingers still intertwined. She turns to look at him over her shoulder once again, her smile making his heart beat a mile a minute.

He might be the King of The Kingdom, but it is Carol who reigns in his heart, and he wouldn't have it any other way.