Author's note: I only know about Ezekiel from other fics I've read. I'm not a comic reader so if he's out of character, that's why. He seems nice though. Can't wait to meet him and Shiva.
Short chapter, more to come.
Ezekiel was disappointed. He'd been watching Carol and Daryl dance around each other for weeks in the Kingdom and he honestly thought that Daryl would snap and corner Carol one day, but instead he had left. Daryl was more heartbroken that he'd let on apparently. Ezekiel had met a lot of strange people throughout the years and Daryl was definitely one of them. Now he saw Carol sitting under the tree with the bench, looking pensive and so very alone. He steered himself and Shiva towards her. Carol tensed up when she saw them coming. Ezekiel wasn't sure if it was because of him or the tiger, maybe both, although she was well acquainted with both of them now. Carol had been a godsend gift to his kingdom and Ezekiel always valued her opinion on important matters. There had been a time when he thought that maybe there could be something more than business between them, but then Daryl had showed up, barely alive, and he had seen Carol's reaction. So no, he wouldn't pursue her. She belonged to someone else, but neither involved parties seemed to be fully aware of that.
"Good evening, my lady", he greeted her with a bow. Carol gave him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "How are we doing this wonderful fall evening?"
"I'm fine, thank you." Ezekiel studied her. She wasn't fine. That was as clear as the September day.
"May we sit with you?"
"Of course." Ezekiel sat down next to her and Shiva laid down on the ground and started licking her paws. They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the setting sun of their faces. It was a warm and calm night. Eventually Ezekiel couldn't hold it in anymore.
"You sure you're fine?"
"Yes, why do you ask?" Carol answered with feigned surprise. She was holding on hard to her mask tonight, Ezekiel noted. As an old amateur thespian he knew those masks well and the only thing breaking them was the truth.
"Carol", he said sternly. "I can see something is bothering you. Quit the act, talk to me. I'm your friend here." Carol stared into space. Ezekiel decided to push some more.
"I know you miss him. It's okay to do so." She flinched hearing those words and looked down in her lap, her eyes watering. After a moment, she started talking quietly.
"He gave me a flower once. A flower in a beer bottle, when the world's gone to hell. Who even does that?" Carol shook her head and chuckled through her tears. "He picked it while looking for Sophia. My Sophia. Said it was blooming for her. It was the sweetest thing someone had ever done for me. He did so many nice things for me."
"Sounds to me he cared about you a lot."
"Yes, and I cared about him. He was so lost but he found home with us."
"I think he found more than that, Carol. I saw how he looked at you, like you're the ocean and he wants to drown in it. That man loves you." Carol looked up at him, tears spilling over now. She wiped them away angrily.
"Yeah, and I broke his heart…" Carol looked away again, trying to contain herself.
"Hearts can be mended," Ezekiel said calmly. Carol whipped her face towards him again.
"Can they? Can they really?" She questioned and then sighed. "It's not like I'm gonna see him again anyway so..."
"Yes, Carol, they can, and I have a strong feeling he'll be back."
"How do you know?" There was hope in Carol's voice now.
"Oh, I've seen the ways of a man's bleeding heart before. He's not done with you yet, beautiful." That managed a small sincere smile out of her again. It pleased him.
"Oh, stop it, Ezekiel. You know I'm old and worn out."
"Aren't we all? Love makes you younger though."
Carol nodded. "I felt young, when we were at the prison."
"Because you felt loved," Ezekiel concluded.
"Maybe, but I don't deserve it."
"Oh that's where you are wrong, my dear," he said and reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.
"I just can't forget what I've done."
"And you shouldn't. You should accept it, embrace it."
Carol snorted. "Then I'm embracing a monster."
"Man is a monster. Man is an animal. But man also has a conscience and that's what part us from animals. You are not a monster, Carol. I see how your past is haunting you every day. Do you think it haunts men like Negan? Do you think he lies awake at night and thinking about all the lives he's taken? Not a single second, I promise you. But you, you're hurting and that is healing, that's human. You're a human being, Carol and you're doing the best you can. Not everyone does, but you do."
"But I'm so tired of all the pain. I just want to forget it all. I just can't go on."
"And yet you do, you're still here, trying."
Carol made a face. "He said that to me, once."
"Smart man. He's a keeper for sure." Carol chuckled through her tears some more. Ezekiel meant what he had said. What he had seen of Daryl so far, told him he was indeed a smart man but also a very sensitive man. And Carol was in a sensitive place, mending her heart and it was so easy for things to break then. "He'll be back, you'll see."
"I really hope you're right, Ezekiel," Carol said and gave him a teary smile.