Disclaimer: I don't own The Walking Dead

Sickness was not a term heard very often nowadays. People were either dead or bit, but she knew very well it was still an occurrence. Briefly her thoughts shifted to the days when she had lived in the prison, during a time when many of the group had started to come down with something that slowly spread. She recalled trying to handle the matter by burning the bodies to prevent further contamination, but it had backfired.

As she looked at Richard's face, fear began to invade her heart. Could the Kingdom have experience the same sickness outbreak?

"Sick? How, how bad is it? Did it hit everyone?"

Richard looked away momentarily.

"A couple of people were getting sick. The doctors had their hands full, but we did lose two." He stopped to allow a moment of silence. "The ones that made it are recovering. Ezekiel was the last to get it."

"How bad Richard?"

"He wouldn't have gotten it if he'd stayed away from them, but that's just the kind of person he is. He needed to be by their side, making sure they were going to be alright."

"Richard. How bad?" Carol demanded. She needed him to stop skirting around the question.

Richard stared her in the eyes looking hopeless.

"Bad."

Carol stared back, not knowing what to say. It was the last thing she expected to hear. It would've been better to hear that the king had finally taken her request into account or had just forgotten she existed. Instead, it was a sickness that had kept them all away. Yes she had wanted them to leave her be, but not like this.

She considered asking for more information on how serious it was, but was afraid to know. Besides that, Richard didn't look like he was comfortable enough to broaden the details.

"I'm sorry."

Richard nodded.

"I went out to try and find meds. Hope a few bottles of aspirin can help…but, it's the best I could find."

Again Carol didn't quite know what to say or do. The situation was out of her hands and when it came down to it, the Kingdom wasn't her concern.

"Well you have good doctors," she started. "They saved me, so they'll be able to help him."

Though she was reminded of the fact that he mentioned they'd lost two. Richard didn't seem to find any comfort in her words, but he nodded nonetheless.

"Take care Carol."

Richard motioned for his horse to continue onward. Carol opened her mouth to say more, but no more words left her throat. She was left watching him leave, while an intense urge gripped at her core.

Carol stood in the road, kicking herself for not going back with him. She kicked herself even more as she turned in favor of heading home.

She sat before the fireplace that evening as images of a horribly sick Ezekiel plagued her mind. She didn't know why she was so worried. The Kingdom had good doctors, and the king was much too strong to be taken out by some simple illness.

"Idiot," she muttered as she thought of the man, smiling at her. He was the leader of that great community. He couldn't afford to catch something so serious and so she cursed him for not being careful; cursed him for caring too much. She shut her eyes and willed the images away.

That night, she dreamed of a tiger wandering through the woods, making noises that indicated its distress at being completely alone.

By morning, Carol was peeking out of her window, expecting or rather hoping Richard or someone from the Kingdom would return to give her an update. She tried to get other things done in the meantime, a little chore work and some more reading.

By lunchtime she was standing outside looking in the direction of the Kingdom, waiting.

No one ever trotted by.

"Damnit Richard."

There was no denying the pounding in her chest. It was becoming too much now.

With a sigh she headed back inside to arm herself up and prepare for the journey back to the Kingdom.

When she made it to the gate, she noticed even the guards on watch appeared affected by the state of their king.

"Carol," the guard questioned upon recognizing her.

"I came to see Ezekiel." She gave her request a moment to sink in. "How's he doing?"

The guard looked torn at answering her and instead opted to open the gate. Carol forced the stress aside as she entered. The guard stepped down to meet her. He looked as worried as Richard had appeared when she saw him.

"I don't know if it's a good idea for you to, be here right now."

"Look, I know I said I didn't want anyone seeing me, but-"

"Ezekiel wouldn't want you to get sick."

Carol stared at him. She could imagine Ezekiel wanting such a thing for her.

"Carol?" She looked around to see Richard coming towards her. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think? I'm here to see Ezekiel."

"I told you he was sick."

"Yeah, and I came to see him."

She didn't blame him for appearing surprised.

"Carol, I don't think it's a good idea for you to-"

"Please. Just, take me to him."

Richard eventually moved, leading the way while Carol did her best to keep her emotions in check.

Richard led her up the stairs of a well-established house. It didn't scream mansion, but it was decorated with sayings and a few random exquisite looking items that fit with royalty. Carol didn't give it much mind as her thoughts were on something else altogether.

He paused before opening the door, and when he did, Carol couldn't help the small gasp that left her lips. There the Ezekiel laid, in a four poster bed, covered in a thick blanket and looking so unlike the tall king he'd made himself appear to be. He definitely had the air of sickness about him with his pale and sweaty skin.

Next to him stood Jerry whom he was quietly conversing with. Neither had noticed Carol. She turned her attention to the usually happy-go-lucky man. It was bizarre not to see a smile on his face. She turned her attention back to Ezekiel and started to move forward, but Richard held out a hand, keeping her back. He cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Your majesty, Carol is here to see you. I know you might not feel up for company right now…"

He trailed off as Ezekiel turned to look at him. Slowly his eyes fell on Carol.

"It would be…," he stopped and fell into a fit of coughs. "My apologies…as I…was saying…it would be best if you stayed away. I would prefer you did not fall ill as well."

"I think I can handle it," Carol assured him.

He raised a hand, signaling it was alright.

"Jerry…could you…" He fell into another fit of coughing, but Jerry understood what he was trying to say.

"Sure thing boss."

Upon passing Carol, he clapped her on the shoulder and forced a smile. Carol returned it then took his place by the king's side. Richard too took his leave, closing the door behind him.

"How very fortunate I am. I did not expect…you to visit."

"Just because I didn't want you to come to me, didn't mean I wouldn't come to the Kingdom."

"Well, it pleases me nonetheless." He did his best to turn away as he started to cough heavily.

"Richard said you caught it by hovering around the sick."

"I had to make sure those that were suffering, would be well soon. Unfortunately, I have lost two."

The sadness in his eyes from mentioning the lost made her heart ache.

"I'm, sorry. How are you, holding up?"

He gave a faint smile.

"It really…is not as bad as it, looks."

"You can't bullshit a bullshitter remember," she stated as she rested a hand against his brow. "You're burning up."

She looked around and discovered a bowl of cold water with a cloth. She grabbed the cloth, squeezed out the water and laid it on his forehead.

"You have medical experience I see," Ezekiel commented quietly.

"No." Her thoughts shifted to a time from long ago that she had put aside. "I had a daughter. Whenever she had a fever, this was the most I could do for her. That and, tell her stories."

"Well, feel free to share a tale."

"Aren't you a little old for bedtime stories?"

They both smiled at the humor of it, then settled into silence.

"I'm sorry about your daughter," Ezekiel said after a moment. Carol gave a nod.

"How's Shiva doing?" she asked, eager to move away from possible discussion on that part of her past.

After a few more coughs, he answered.

"She's being well cared for, by Jerry. She will always have someone to look after her, should I not be available."

"Don't start talking like that. You're going to be fine. Shiva's gonna need you. The Kingdom will need you."

"What about you?"

"Me?"

"What do you need?"

Carol knew what he was getting at, but wasn't quite sure how to answer.

"I don't know. I thought I wanted to be alone. Thought that if, I wasn't around people I cared about, it'd be easier…and I wouldn't have to kill anymore. But when you stopped sending your knights to check on me, and when you stopped coming yourself, I missed it."

"There are many ways to find peace Carol. And if the way you have found it is not working, there is always another option."

"You mean come back here?"

Ezekiel smiled warmly.

"The gates will always be open for a fair maiden such as yourself."

Carol smiled then took the cloth from his forehead to rewet it. Though she wasn't set on the idea of joining the community, leastwise returning to her own in Alexandria, she couldn't deny that it was appealing.

"I'll think about it, but if I did come back I won't be keen on the idea of living in a palace."

King Ezekiel laughed while Carol felt a nice warmness surround her heart.

I hope you enjoyed the fic. I know Carol and Ezekiel pairing isn't really popular in fics, but I'm still glad I wrote this.