Chapter 4
-Leave Crossbow behind-
Rick's group had decided to meet her people but he made it clear they weren't committing to going inside. Initially he had wanted Archer to take him and Tyreese up to the fort, leaving the others behind, but she insisted that they all go.
"It's a process. They don't have to go near, they just need to be in visual range. I'll take two of you in to speak with Cap, two of my people will wait outside with the rest of your group while you're in, like a trade of sorts. Then we'll switch back and you'll get to decide if you all want to proceed with the trial week. If not, we'll respect your decision."
Rick did insist on choosing the route that they used to get to their destination. So she showed him the map and pointed to where they were headed. "It's unmarked in case one of us gets taken."
There were other locations marked on the map and he asked about them. She explained to him about the clearing zones they had littered around their territory.
"Don't worry, they're just there to trap the walkers. Most of them are pits, but some of them are just lines of stakes and wire. The walkers get tangled up in them and our crews just come down clean them out."
The path Rick chose took them by one such trap, a metal sign swinging over a deep pit in the ground. There wasn't anything in the pit but there were signs that someone had been there recently and cleaned it out.
When they began their trek, Rick had given her back her pack but kept her knife, maps and flares. She had little use for all but the knife, and didn't particularly like being without a weapon. She was decent with a pole, so she kept her eyes out for any long branches that might do. Finding one that would suit, she grabbed it up and proceeded to use it like a hiking stick. Daryl lifted an eyebrow at that, but she just shrugged and walked on.
When they hiked, she walked next to Rick. He peppered her with questions, often asking the same thing twice to see if her answers changed. She talked to him a bit about "the process" as her people called it.
There were some questions she refused to answer, like their exact numbers and how they defended themselves. Some things, she explained, he would learn over time. As the groups learned to trust each other, they'd share more details of the operation. He seemed to understand that.
She did ask him about their border crossing and the cities that they had come across. From what he told her, things still hadn't improved.
They made good time and could have arrived in the safety of her home before sundown, but Rick had wanted to arrive in the morning. So she led them to a small farm where they could make camp for the night. The farmhouse and barn had burned down a few winters ago, but the old fruit trees were still there and there had been more than enough apples to fill their bellies.
Archer sighed, not looking forward to spending another night outside. She gave her tensile tent and thermal sleeping bag to the Judith and Carl, stringing it up in between two apple trees. It was unlikely that she'd get much sleep anyway. Rick didn't give her any direction as to where she should sleep and didn't seem inclined to tie her up.
Daryl had set up his bedroll apart from the rest of the group. She sat down nearby, ignoring his scowl and wrapped Carl's sleeping bag around her shoulders. She turned her attention to the woods and waited for dawn.
She must have dozed a little that night, because dawn seemed to come more quickly than she anticipated. Daryl awoke with the birds and vanished into the woods with his crossbow with just a nod to Glenn and Maggie, who had switched off watch with Michonne and Tyreese sometime that night.
Too many restless nights were catching up with Archer. God, she so badly wanted to be warm again. She was up and pacing around the camp when Daryl came back with a rabbit. He's been gone a long time, she suspected that he had been scouting ahead. Her suspicions were confirmed when he disappeared back into the woods with Rick and Tyreese.
She tried to act like she didn't notice.
To avoid pacing, she spent time climbing the apple trees, tossing whatever she found into her back pack. When hers was filled, she started filling up one of theirs. She was halfway done when Rick finally gave the order to move on.
They had been walking for less than an hour when they arrived at their destination. Archer sighed in relief as she stepped out of the trees and onto the grassy field. It was so nice to be home again.
She pointed up at tall grey walls on top of a long grassy slope. "Welcome to Fort Charles!"
"Fort Charles?" Glenn raced up from the back of the group. "Holy Shit. It's a FORT!"
"No Shit." Daryl spat onto the ground sounding unsurprised. "Goddamm Fortress."
She shaded her eyes and peered out at the battlements, trying to see who was on watch. "The original Charlie was built during the war of 1812 to protect the canal and river passage from the Americans." She looked back at Rick. "I don't think we're so concerned with that now. What you see now was built around the 1830s. Charlie has multiple stone walls, a dry moat and two layers of gates. We've been adding some biter-specific fortifications on the outside of the fort." She pointed to some pike lines and pits on the lawn outside the fort.
"The fort was abandoned around the turn of the century, but brought back into use during the world wars as a containment center for POWs. It was restored in the 1940s and turned into a living museum. You'll be happy to hear that they upgraded the plumbing and wiring around 2005." She sighed "They were working on adding Wifi when everything fell to pieces… "
"You a fuckin' tour guide or somethin'?" Daryl snorted.
"Actually I was. I led tours here all summer when I was in University."
"So what now?" Rick asked.
She could see some movement on the battlements and was reasonably sure they'd been spotted. "Well, now we follow the process. We walk to the gate and wait for the welcome wagon."
Rick looked uncertain.
"Look" She continued "we can be flexible here. You don't want to bring everyone up to the gate, that's fine. Just stay here where you can be seen. My people will want to get a look at you. Soon as they see that I am here, they're going to send someone out."
As if on cue, she could hear a hoof beats coming down from the fort. A mounted rider on a dapple grey mare came around the corner of the wall and trotted down the slope and a leisurely pace. The rider came to a stop on the grass halfway between the group and the fort.
"That really you Archer?" He hollered casually.
"Hey Sal. I've got some people to introduce to Cap. Can you send out place holders?"
"Sure thing." Sal pulled a short range radio out of his pocket. He was too far away from them for her to hear what he was saying. He lowered it and shouted again. "Sheila wants to know if you'd like lunch."
Her stomach growled. "Yes please, something easy on the stomach."
Sal nodded and went back to the radio. He waved then and turned the horse around, heading back up the hill at a leisurely walk.
Archer turned to Rick. "It'll be a few minutes. When they come out, we'll be expected to meet them midway on the field. They won't be armed, but you're welcome to bring your weapons with you." She turned to the rest of the group. "I'm not sure who they'll send out, but try not to be too threatening. You can ask them any questions you want." She looked at Daryl, "Just be polite ok?"
She was rewarded with a scowl.
"Someone's coming." Tyreese advised.
She turned and saw two people walking around the corner of the fort with what looked like heavily laden bags. The small blonde haired woman was easily to identify at this distance. Svetlana often got sent out as a place holder. She had an easy smile and keen eye for details. The broad shouldered guy in the plaid coat was one of the French brothers. It was probably Guy, since his English was much better.
"Okay, so who's going to come with me to meet Cap? I need a man and a woman."
"Why a woman?" Glenn asked.
"In mixed groups, we prefer one of each gender to go." She shrugged. "Cap feels that women pick up on different things. I'd suggest Maggie go, but you can choose."
Rick frowned. "Michonne and I will go."
"Fine. How do you want to do this? Do you want me to walk ahead or stay beside you?"
"Stay between Michonne and I. We walk shoulder to shoulder."
"Got it." She turned back to the others. "Look, this usually takes a few hours. I'd get comfortable if I were you." Some of them nodded, most of them were still eyeing the fort suspiciously. Archer turned back to Rick. "We'll go when you're ready."
On his indication they walked forward to meet the others in the field. Archer could feel the stress radiating off Rick and Michonne. When they met with the others, she introduced them. Svetlana and Guy (it was indeed Guy) set the bags they were carrying on the ground and invited Rick to inspect them for weapons.
Sveltana was apologetic. "I hope it's enough. We threw whatever was sitting in the kitchen into the bag. It's mostly oatcakes and jam."
Guy smiled at Archer "I am glad dat you are 'ome. Michael haz been worried. Sal hid his saddle so 'e could not sneak out to find you."
Before she could respond, Rick finished his inspection and gave Sveltana and Guy the go ahead. She continued her walk up the hill and around the bend to the main entrance. Michonne whistled when she saw the large iron gate and drawbridge. Two men were standing guard with guns. She had already told Rick to expect them and explained they were there for the walkers, not for him.
They walked through the portcullis and emerged into a large square, surrounded by walls and lined on two sides by long on- story stone buildings. There were a few horses and goats wandering around the open space, but otherwise it appeared empty.
"This used to be where the workshops for the fort were. People who weren't military but provided services for the fort lived and worked here. In later years, these buildings held gift shops and restaurants. We don't use them for much now."
On the short side there was a raised deck, flanked by several large black cannons facing out towards a wide river. "Most of the cannons here were filled in long ago."
"So where is everyone?" Michonne asked
"They're in the main fort, this way." She led them through the fourth side, where a second gate and drawbridge waited for them. There was a man waiting for them there. He was tall and had a salt 'n pepper beard with sharp blue eyes that crinkled in a smile. He extended his hand to Rick. "People around here call me Cap."
After introductions were made, Archer fell silent as Cap took them through to the parade square beyond and gave them a tour of the fort.
There was some activity in the square. A few people were working on the long deep boxes they had built to grow vegetables in. Someone else was working on their irrigation system. A few children were playing at the far end while laundry being hung outside to dry.
Most of the activity centered on the jarring operation as workers preserved what they could of the harvest.
For the most part, Archer's people did their best to mind their own business, but there were a lot of quick glances at the newcomers.
The walls surrounding the square had living quarters, barracks, store rooms, their kitchen and school house. There was a second story to the fort, with rooms that had once held museums pieces and had been converted back into living spaces, storage rooms and makeshift hospital room.
Lastly they toured the top of the fortress walls. The look-outs nodded when they passed by, some people stopping to say hello and welcome the newcomers.
They did not tour the full extent of the fortress, which Cap explained. "There are some places that we don't show to people unless they intend to stay. Our store-rooms and weapons rooms are guarded and you aren't welcome to visit them. If you choose to stay, we'll give you a tour of those places. Your access will be restricted for a little while, until everyone gets comfortable with you."
Rick nodded "Makes sense."
The tour ended in a room on the second story whose walls were covered with hand-drawn portraits. Some of them were in charcoal, others in pencil, a few colored, but mostly black and whites. Some featured images of life at the fort, Rick and Michonne recognized some of the people in the images from those they had passed in the hallways.
"This is where we end out tour" Cap explained. "It's our unofficial chapel. You met Svetlana earlier, she's something of an artist. Most of these pictures say the dates that the people arrived and their names." Cap looked around "Some of them list the dates the people left or died."
"It's our way of remembering them." Archer added, picking up a chalk tablet and writing on it.
"People left?" Rick was interested.
"Yes." Cap said, taking the tablet from Archer, reading it and setting it face down on a table next to Rick. "Some went off to find family members they'd lost. Some got tired of the walls and wanted to try walking the world awhile. Some came back. Some didn't. We end the tour here so that you understand, we're risking a lot to take you on. Especially given how many of you there are."
"I understand. We had to make a similar choice a ways back."
"We appreciate you trusting in us and our Archer here."
"She's been honest with us. It's hard to trust people these days." Rick looked at her. "You've not given us reason to distrust you."
"Before you go back to your group, we do need to inform you of one condition to your invitation to stay with us."
Archer could see the tension in Rick's shoulders. "What would that be?"
Cap leveled his gaze at Rick "You're all welcome to stay, but not Crossbow. He's dangerous and we will not invite someone like that into our family."
Michonne cursed.
"Daryl?" Rick ran his hand through his hair. "You can't ask us to do that."
"Yes we can. He's dangerous."
"He's blood. He has always been there for us. Helped us get food, protected us when we needed it. We trust him completely. Daryl's not dangerous."
Cap didn't flinch. "Maybe not to you."
Michonne looked at Archer. "You've spent time with us. Have you ever seen Daryl cause trouble?"
Archer kept her eyes on the portraits on the wall, she hated this part. "He keeps himself apart from you. He doesn't fit. You're blind to what he is."
"What do you say Rick? Will you leave him?" Cap pushed.
"No." Rick didn't miss a beat. "We all stay, or we all go. We're not leaving him behind."
Michonne nodded in agreement.
"I understand." Cap said.
"Rick, read the tablet on the table." Archer pointed to it. "Turn it over."
With a shaking hand, he flipped it over. In Archer's neat printing it read: We never intended for you to leave Crossbow.
"If you had agreed to leave him, we wouldn't have welcomed you." Cap said. "Go back to your people, talk it over. We'd very much like you to stay, but it's your choice."