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.
In no way is the author claiming ownage of 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.
To Wed or Not to Wed
When Ezekiel asks her to marry him she stares at him as if he's grown another head.
With a chuckle he proceeds to tell her how he has slowly fallen in love with her starting from the moment she was wheeled into his court, staring at him much like she was doing at the moment, and how he feels extremely lucky she's even interested in him. He promises to always protect her but to step aside when she needs to fight and protect herself and her loved ones, he promises to make her happy for the rest of their lives, however long that may be, he promises to hold her at night even if she can't sleep and let her wander around at night when she desires, to listen to her and stop pretending and be real with her.
She narrows her eyes as she tries to figure out why he even wants to get married. "I'll think about it."
It takes her a couple of days to answer his question; not because she doesn't want to marry him but because she's trying to find reasons not to. She loves him; her love for him having crept on her without warning, bonded over their mutual love for Henry. But marriage in the apocalypse? It was frivolous and unnecessary because they were committed to each other.
It's very Ezekiel, even she has to admit it. A wedding would bring the communities together, would remind them of the old days, of what they were fighting for, and give them a reason to celebrate, to be happier than they were now. It would be a show, no doubt, but something that would make them smile. She can't help but let her lips curl slightly at the thought.
"Yes." She whispers as they lay together, snuggled, one of the times she needs to be held. "Let's get married."
He breathes out a sigh of relief then reaches for a box near his side of the bed. Carol rolls her eyes. "Not a ring."
Ezekiel shakes his head and chuckles. "Not that, baby. " He says, letting the act slip for he wants her to know it's him and not the King that asks her to marry him.
Instead, he pulls out a cord with a smooth circular pebble, a hole in its middle through which the cord passes. "For my Queen." He says, but his voice is not holier than thou, not full of the grandeur of the King. He is simply Ezekiel and she is simply Carol.
They marry privately at that moment but a wedding is still to be held.
She never goes a day without wearing her necklace, showing to The Kingdom that she will soon become its Queen, but more importantly showing to Ezekiel that she was his Carol.