In hangar B Richard inspected the two fighters belonging to him and Tyreese. The third ship was towed aboard by Margaret. It was a newer model, much more agile and smaller than the older ships. The computer systems and the AI in the newer models were equipped with were said to be more accurate by his engineers. Richard laughed to himself. No design or computer could replace the instincts of a great pilot. Sitting through hours of flight training did not help him win the biggest battle of his life. Yes, flight was in his blood. Flight was his sole identity for the first half of his life. It was his first love that served as a bridge to his next love.

Lorelei.

Her family wanted to personally meet with the pilot who orchestrated and defeated the great threat from their very own son. The king and queen threw a grand reception for nineteen year old Lieutenant Richard Grimes and the rest of his squadron. Their superiors accompanied them, or more accurately chaperoned and warned them that any boorish behavior would be severely punished. As they dressed in their formals that night they were balls of frenzy, mocking all of the aristocracy that they would meet that night.

He and Tyreese were standing outside of their room in the palace gardens to escape the antics of their comrades.

"I would rather go another round up there than go through this." A nervous Richard confessed as he pointed up at the stars.

Tyreese laughed. "Get it together. You are guest of honor."

"I just did what I was supposed to do."

Tyreese looked at his friend grinning sheepishly. He shook his head and laughed again. "Get it together. You will live!"

Richard remembered most of the evening being uneventful. The king and queen received him, he mingled with dignitaries, and dined at the most extravagant table. Then he saw her.

A girl his own age entered the room and everyone rose to their feet. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Her long dark hair fell around her bare shoulders. The light blue gown she wore flowed perfectly matched her majestic gait perfectly.

"Who is she?" Richard asked, leaning over and whispering to Tyreese.

"Do you see her crown? Their daughter. The sane child."

Richard nodded.

"I am sure they are getting ready to marry her off to some prince or over the hill king."

But it was not a prince or an over the hill king who captured her heart.

They did not dance but spoke intermittently throughout the night. Both knew to keep it discrete. Although Richard came from a prominent family and was now a war hero all of that did not matter.

So they started their affair in secret sending each other encoded holographic love messages. Lorelei even had her handmaidens smuggle her out of the castle to meet with him. Richard eventually felt as if he was dishonoring the princess and begged her to arrange a meeting with her parents. After her fear subsided Lorelei agreed.

Richard told no one, not even Tyreese. He prepared himself for the worst knowing he was not a suitable partner for an eventual queen regent. It would have almost been a relief if the king and queen rejected him. But their jubilation was his biggest curse. His new family loved him. They trusted him with their daughter and kingdom. Yet they seemed to want a replacement son for the one whom they banished years ago. The son who had just been defeated in a galactic war he started to reclaim his birthright.

Richard picked up his headset from a table of tools. He pulled the attached visor over his face. The infrared visor lit up, aiding him in seeing inside the ships' mechanisms. The diagnostics downloaded into his field of vision. The fuel plasma was running a bit rich into one of the engines. If his mechanics found him in here they would admonish him for doing such menial work. They only knew him as a king but this was his true identity. Once upon a time all that was required of him were to blast things out of the sky. Now he had children to keep alive. His extended family needed him to be strong: Hershel, Margaret, Sasha and Tyreese they would lay down their lives for him and the children. Carl and Judith needed to be protected at all costs but he would not allow them to die all for their failure of a king.

Phillip was still out there. Hopefully with the concession of his kingdom to Phillip he would not pursue them. Hopefully. The stress of that very real threat would be part of his life forever. They could hide on Kabi but for how long? The planet was inhabitable but devoid of civilization. In this life, in these trying times you still needed people.

He wanted to find them all a new home. Richard knew that eventually his family would discover his actions but they needed people. He needed...well his needs were secondary.

Richard gritted his teeth. He continued to read the diagnostics on his visor and slid on his robotic glove to guide him to make the repairs to his ship.

How much longer, my lord?

Startled, Richard tapped his visor after seeing the question run across his field of vision.

You will be safe here. Your children will be happy. I will help you.

He had forgotten what it was like to feel like a whole man. This strange voice was reminding him of how exhilarating it was to feel desire and to be the desired.

Who are you?

Silence.

Who are you? Richard asked again. This time he saw his question flash in his visor.

You are waking me from a deep slumber, my lord.

And you have woken me.

Unburden yourself. The being urged.

A leader's life is not meant to be easy.

Attach your yoke to mine. Our burden will finally be light.

I cannot lose another.

I am able.

I cannot love another.

My king, you already love another.

Richard paused. He lifted up his visor and continued to work. He tried his best to ignore what had just happened. Surely he was going mad.

And you are worthy to love again.

Taking off his visor futile. Like on the mountain back home and in his quarters on the ship he began to hear the voice. Richard growled. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Why are you doing this to me?

Because you have always been worthy of a queen's love.

I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is knocking.
"Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of the night."

I had put off my garment;
how could I put it on?
I had bathed my feet;
how could I soil them?

My beloved put his hand to the latch,
and my heart was thrilled within me.

I arose to open to my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with liquid myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.

I opened to my beloved,
but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he spoke.
I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer.

I adjure you, daughters of my land
if you find my beloved,
that you tell him
I am sick with love.

Please come to me Richard.

He was so overcome, he could barely stand. He climbed into his cockpit and relaxed. Richard surrendered himself and again the words came freely:

Your breath is like the fragrance of apples and your mouth like the finest of wines.

Under the apple tree I woke you,
in the place where you were born.
Close your heart to every love but mine;
hold no one in your arms but me.
Love is as powerful as death;
passion is as strong as death itself.
It bursts into flame
and burns like a raging fire.
Water cannot put it out;
no flood can drown it.
But if any tried to buy love with their wealth,
contempt is all they would get.

What is your name, my queen?

Silence.

Richard could sense her uncertainty. He eased his head on the headrest to steady his breathing.

Michonne.

He finally had a name. He said it out loud.

Michonne.

Richard smiled.

"Who the hell is Michonne?"

Margaret's voice broke Richard from his trance. He peeped over the edge of his open cockpit and saw Hershel, Tyreese, Carlton, Maggie, and Sasha looking up at him. Richard jumped to the ground. Instantly he noted the dismay in his family's eyes.

"You had me thinking that I made miscalculations. You had me questioning myself!" Tyreese angrily barked.

Hershel looked away. Richard knew they had discovered what he had done.

Tears were welling in Sasha's eyes. You have probably killed us all, Richard. Why?"

Before he could answer Margaret struck him in the temple with a closed fist. Richard grabbed onto the wing of his fighter to keep from crashing to the ground. Hershel ran to his side to steady him but all Richard could do was look into the eyes of his son. Carlton turned his gaze to the ground. His disappointment in his father was completely evident.