Chapter 46

"Jesus!" King Ezekiel exclaimed, his deep, sonorous voice echoing in the large auditorium. He sat upon a wooden throne centered on the stage, a staff in one hand and chains that leashed a rather large, predatory cat in the other. "It pleases me to see you, old friend!"

"It pleases him indeed!" Jerry raised his left arm in exultation.

"Jerry…" the king cut a chastising glance at his personal guard before setting a warm smile on the long-haired and bearded man before him, examining the group of new people at his back. "You have brought me new allies, yes?"

"I am pleased to see you as well, your majesty." Jesus bowed slightly before turning to Rick and the other Alexandrians briefly. "I have, your majesty. This is Rick Grimes of Alexandria and a few of his members. They have come on your behest but with a request of their own. Although, I'm sure you will find that your decrees are very similar."

"Doubtlessly similar," King Ezekiel chimed, rubbing the neck of his chained tiger, Shiva, as he studied his new acquaintances. "I am no stranger of the circumstances you wish to find a resolution to. Jesus has informed me of your quest for such. Step forward, weary travelers. Let me gaze upon you."

The group did so, spreading throughout the multiple rows of the theater. The striped animal by the king's side gave a monstrous growl, one of suspicious impatience, which hindered any further movement from Rick and his group. They looked to one another dubiously, hints of fear on all of their faces, when a stern, but quiet voice pulled their attention back to the stage.

"Shiva," King Ezekiel admonished with a quirk of his lips and a quick pat on her head. She settled down next to her master, tediously placing her head between her paws and puffing out a short sigh as her green eyes remained on the potential feast before her.

Noticing their expressions of unease, the Kingdom leader raised his staff to beckon the new group forward again. "Do not fear the beast, my friends. She is naught but an oversized house cat. However, considering her size, her idea of playful teasing can be rather…intimidating."

"You're telling me," Michonne whispered under her breath to Carl.

"It's okay. If she pounces, I can out run you," he replied, a whimsical glimmer in his blue eye.

"Not if your clumsy feet get caught up on my boot, you won't." She squinted back at him and bumped his shoulder with hers. "Brat."

"Ezekiel," Rick pronounced loudly, stepping forward to Jesus' side. "King Ezekiel. I want to thank you for allowing us passage into your home. It means a lot to us that we can come together in our time of need…as allies."

The king smiled with a light nod of agreement. "Yes. I see no better opportunity for us than in this moment when we both struggle to draw air into deflated lungs. Pray tell, what is your story, Rick Grimes of Alexandria? I have heard tales, but its origin will be pure from the mouth of its father."

"Well," Rick drawled with hands on his hips, "I'm not familiar with how you lead your kingdom, but I ain't one to share roles with someone who doesn't want to share back. In reality, it's been more…takin' than sharin', and I think you know what I mean by that."

King Ezekiel dipped his head once more, a signal to Rick that he understood.

"Negan, the Saviors, they didn't ask for our alliance. They didn't offer us a fair trade. We tried to neutralize the threat before it became a problem, but we were unaware of what they were… We took out one outpost, thinking there might be a bit more to it, but we were not prepared for what happened next. They came back with a vengeance and stole more than half of what we had, killing too many of our people in the process. Good people… Their names were Glenn, Abraham, and Spencer. Two more they stole from us." Rick took a moment to gather up his emotions before he spat them out in an uncontrolled garble of words. "We were given no choice but to comply. All of our weapons, even kitchen knives, gone; they took it all. We have no way to defend ourselves against Negan and his thieves…. Or we didn't until recently, but we'll need your help; us and the Hilltop. Together, we might have a chance to win our freedom back."

King Ezekiel held up a hand to express he'd heard enough and Rick complied with silence. The monarch was processing the information as he glanced back and forth between his guards and top soldiers that surrounded him on stage. The answer was already present within him. It was finding the courage to speak it aloud that he was waiting for.

"The same predicament is plaguing us. We, too, have lost people to the violence of the swine herd that has dubbed themselves the Saviors." King Ezekiel let out a curt laugh. "The Saviors! Oh, the irony is so strong it turns sugar to salt on our tongues. But what is this I hear? Your town was pillaged, your defenses stripped from you, yet you have found some subsidiary means?"

"You are correct," Rick said. "We were able to find guns, ammo, and other forms of artillery at a village called Oceanside. It's not much, but it's a start."

"Were the people of this village Oceanside complimentary?"

"Maybe not at first," the former sheriff answered honestly. "But we did offer them protection and their weapons back once the war is over. We also promised not to reveal their part in providing the guns to us."

"It seems they did not provide anything to you but rather you took from them as others have taken from you." King Ezekiel's smile had fallen into a straight line. "It is no bother now. You have already secured these armaments with nobility or not. I will not condemn you for one fault but repeat it and I shall. If we are to be allies, you must not operate in similar fashion to the enemy. Otherwise, what will we truly be fighting for?"

"Excuse me, your majesty, if I may." Jesus stepped forward and placed a placating hand on Rick's shoulder. "The acquirement of guns from Oceanside was not an easy one. Yes, we did take from them, but not before attempting to ask for them first. Their leader, Natania, is bitter and afraid. Without these weapons we would have nothing, but we left on good faith. I promise you that."

"I see," King Ezekiel mused. He pursed his lips as he studied the people before him once more, their faces hopeful. "I assume they did not relent willingly?"

"Not at first as Rick said," Jesus continued. "But when we saved their village from an attack against the soulless, they allowed us to leave peacefully. No one was hurt."

The king thought this over, clearly not impressed with how the Alexandrian's conducted their business. In the end, however, he decided that these people were not to be deemed a threat. They were desperate and scrambling on broken knees. He believed Rick Grimes and the people of Alexandria would make amends when the occasion arose, and Jesus had nothing but good tidings of their honor to regale his majesty with.

"My king, you saw what they did," Richard spoke from King Ezekiel's side, beseeching him. The soldier's eyes moved between his ruler and the one of Alexandria. "We cannot think to live with this tyranny any longer. We must act before it gets worse, and the time is now. We have weapons, and if we strike first, we could defeat Negan and his Saviors easily."

"You speak freely, Sir Richard. Perhaps not without vigor," King Ezekiel mused, his free fingers drumming on the arm of his throne. "Very well. I did not invite you here to test my conviction, but rather build an alliance, and fair people of Alexandria, I have come to a decision. From here forth, we shall be united against the common enemy that is known as the Saviors. We will fight in arms, one a protector for the other. We will not turn our backs on the greater good, but persist in the face of death until defeat possesses our breath and leaves our hearts hollow. We are brothers and sisters and side-by-side we shall remain until the great war is done."

"Until the great war is done!" Jerry announced enthusiastically, his arm in the air once more.

"Jerry." The king met his bodyguard with a look of annoyance.

"Let's discuss our plans, shall we, your majesty?" Jesus asked, an amused grin scratching the corners of his mouth.

A few days had gone by since my return. Things were gradually going back to normal, but I still felt disconnected, like I wasn't always inside my body. I only felt that way when I remembered being in the woods or seeing Ben's rabid face above mine. It was no help that Rachel spent nearly most of her time with me, following my every footstep. I was very sorry for her predicament, and I didn't fault her much for her odd behavior, but it did leave me uneasy, and I was growing discontented with her company.

Thankfully, she hadn't shown up to my usual post in the supply room which gave me the entire day to breathe. Since Negan's arrival, she'd done nothing but ask questions about him or sneak shy smiles his way as we knelt on the ground. I was starting to think that she was growing fascinated with him, perhaps even infatuated. It was a creepy thought, but I didn't put much effort into trying to control her. Rachel had already made herself clear on her feelings toward Negan. She was grateful to him. He had rescued her and given her a new home. In her eyes, he was the perfect leader; he protected and provided for his people. There was nothing more she could ask for…

"Everly!"

I gasped, jumping slightly and tensing my still sore shoulders. Rachel bounded up to my side, a sweet smile on her face as she looked up at me.

"I've had such an amazing day. You'll never guess what the guys showed me!"

You're right. I won't. The words scrolled in my mind, but I carefully chose the ones that came out of my mouth.

"What happened?"

"Okay, so, there's apparently a place downstairs where people go to drink, play games, and generally go to shoot the shit after the days done. Jared invited me to go with him tonight!" She let out a giddy squeal. "He said he'd teach me how to play foosball and that Laura would be there. He even said I could have something to drink and Negan might show up."

"I don't think it's such a good idea that you go there, Rachel. Especially not with Jared," I said, a look of concern creasing my brow.

"Why not? Everyone goes there. It's not like I'll be raped again." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Rachel," I sighed, exasperated. "I wasn't implying-"

"But you were," she accused. "These people are good, Everly. They look out for each other. They take care of me unlike you. I know I annoy you… That's the only reason I talk to you anymore."

A quiet scoff left me, but I felt embarrassed. I guess I wasn't as good at hiding my moods as I thought.

"That was really rude, Rachel."

"Then that makes two of us." A snarky smile graced her lips. She flicked up a brow as she looked me over. "Still not sleeping well, I see."

"No," I growled, grinding my teeth.

Be nice, I warned myself and squeezed my fingers in my palms. She's a victim of abuse. This isn't her fault.

"I'm having nightmares and…panic attacks. So, you could say sleep is rare and fleeting."

Daryl had been staying with me since I'd gotten back. Waking up to him the past few mornings had been great. It would've been perfect had the both of us been well rested each time, but I was waking up constantly during the night screaming, crying, or unable to breathe. He'd hold me and stroke my back until I calmed down, but it left us both exhausted. I felt bad being the reason he was missing out on so much sleep. Daryl insisted on being with me, though, no matter how much I told him I'd be okay by myself.

I smiled thinking about him, but Rachel's whining voice broke it.

"Aw, that's too bad. I don't give those fucks a second thought unless you bring them up. I do like to remember what it looked like when Negan killed them, though."

"I can't say I blame you." I tried to sympathize. "I don't like to remember it, but people get through trauma in different ways."

"I guess." She lifted one shoulder, having the decency to look ashamed. "We're just different."

"Rachel, if you do need someone, you know I'm always here…even if we don't necessarily see eye-to-eye."

She nodded, a humble look ghosting her childish features. "Okay."

"Please, don't go tonight. You don't need to be down there messing with all of them. I know you're starting to look up to the Saviors, but there are better role models here."

"I was invited, I'm going." Rachel's face hardened again, and defeat overwhelmed me. I didn't want to try anymore.

"Whatever."

"Find something that distracts you."

"What?"

Rachel blinked up at me with a smile. "You'll get through what happened more easily if you can find something that holds your attention longer than thirty seconds. It's always worked for me and it's so much easier to do it with people who have your well-being in mind."

With a flip of her hair, she turned on her heel and pranced out the door. She was so bubbly and optimistic. It was hard to place her as the same girl I found crying and screaming in the woods earlier in the week. But it made me realize that what happened didn't have to control me. Rachel was special in that she took what life handed her and made it into her own. She didn't let it mold her, she molded it. And maybe that was another fault of mine, too. I didn't take enough control.

That was something I promised myself I would work on. It may take a while, but I felt capable, and with Daryl by my side it would be that much easier. I pined to see him. I didn't like not being with him constantly, but it was impossible here. We had obligations, and Negan certainly wasn't going to give me any downtime. Not that I minded much as being by myself would only serve to drive me into madness faster.

Once my shift was over and Suzanne wished me a good night, I headed to the showers, ready to rinse off the day and, with enough self-control, sleep well for once. It was as I was heading in that direction that I saw her, and I couldn't stop the scowl that marred my face.

Roxanne was dressed in her usual get-up: not much. She clacked down the hallway with a purposeful stride; the halter top and skirt she was wearing not doing a whole lot to cover what bits they were supposed to. Her gaze was icy as it settled on me but I gave no indication that I recognized her or that I knew what had happened between her and Daryl. I shifted my eyes to a door at the very end of the hallway and focused on it intently, trying to stop my lip from twitching into a snarl.

"I need to talk to you."

The hardness in Roxanne's voice has me looking at her again as she came to a stop in front of me.

"I don't need to talk to you," I replied as lightly as I could. When I attempted to step around her, she moved in front of me, blocking my path again.

"I'm not asking."

She was taller than me but mainly because of the high heels on her feet. She was slimmer if not more well-endowed, but if it came to a tussle, I was sure I could out maneuver and overpower her. She looked like she hadn't lifted anything heavier than a fake designer handbag in her life.

"Move out of my way," I responded through clenched teeth.

"No." She placed her hands on her bare hips. "I have some things I want to say to you and if I don't do it now, I probably never will."

"Then spit it out so I can be on my way."

"Not here," she whispered, looking around. "Where were you headed?"

I huffed in irritation. "To my room."

"Perfect." Roxanne smiled tightly. "Keep walking there. I'll be right behind you."

"No way," I snarled. She might already know where my room was but I didn't want to take the chance of her finding out if she didn't nor did I relish the thought of being alone with her. "I was going there to get my stuff to take a shower. Meet me in the locker room instead."

I pushed roughly past her, not giving her a chance to respond. I walked briskly to my room, throwing glances over my shoulder and taking a longer route just in case she decided to follow. Once I had what I needed, I vigilantly trekked to the locker rooms, making my way inside and putting my stuff down on a bench. Instantly, she was by my side, a frown on her face.

"This is too public."

"Not my problem," I replied, not bothering to look at her as I got ready to shower.

"If Negan finds out what I'm going to tell you, half my face will be melted off."

I stopped at the revelation and met her eyes, confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, so now you want to hear me out?" She sighed and glanced around before moving in closer to my side, picking up some of my things to examine them. "Have you been with Daryl since you've been back?"

"What any concern is that of yours?" I snapped, yanking the bottle of conditioner from her.

"Has he told you?" She asked, jutting one hip to the side.

"Told me what?"

Roxanne laughed, licking her top lip as she looked down at her feet. "I can tell by how jealous you're acting that he hasn't. That kind of makes this more fun. I wonder if that means something…?"

I squeezed the bottle of conditioner in my hand, ready to chuck it at her head at the wrong words. Her comment regarding Negan melting half her face off made me think she had important information to divulge, but it seemed she just used that line to suck me in.

"Did you really just seek me out to taunt me or do you actually have something significant to say?"

"I'm thinking maybe not so much anymore." Roxanne flipped her blonde locks behind her shoulder, scrunching her nose in a mocking smile. "You're too cute when you're mad. No wonder Negan wants a go at you. Maybe you guys can invite me for a little ménage a trois. That'll be fifty points apiece, though"

"Roxanne?" I smiled sweetly.

"Yeah?"

"Fuck off."

I gathered the things I would need in the shower and stomped past her to an empty stall. I heard her following me, but I took it as an opportunity to work on taking control. The things she said didn't have to affect me if I didn't listen to what she said. And if I did happen to hear whatever bullshit came flowing out her mouth, well, I had a perfectly good left hand.

"You don't need to say mean things," she admonished as I placed all my items in the shower.

I ignored her, turning the water on as soon as my arms were empty. I quickly undressed, putting a plastic bag on my bandaged hand, and stepped into the shower, shutting her out with a swift yank of the curtain. The warm water washed over me as I wet my hair, but coldness pressed over me from behind.

"I didn't fuck him."

My movements halted, water running from the top of my head, over my wound and into my eyes. I couldn't blink.

"I wanted to, and I almost did, but he kept pushing me away. Negan made me. He saw how drunk Daryl was and thought it'd be easy. Offered me 200 points if I could do it."

Her words were a deep chill that ran up my spine, my skin prickling from the sensation.

"Being the giant whore that I am, and the order coming from our fearless leader and all, I couldn't say no. It was 200 points, and I still haven't used them up yet. Plus, Daryl isn't such a bad catch either. I was ready to give him everything I had."

I acted then; self-control be damned. I twirled to see Roxanne's smug face jutting from the side of the curtain and into my personal space. In a flurry of motions, I pulled the curtain out of the way and grabbed onto her with my left hand. She released a strangled yelp as I jerked her inside the shower with me, pushing her against the tiled wall as my left forearm pressed into her chest.

"If I so much as see you near Daryl or even looking in his general direction ever again… I will make the possibility of Negan sticking a hot iron to the side of your face a fucking privilege. Do not test me. Your shit will be so fucked up that not one asshole here will be able to recognize you. How will you earn a living then?"

"Alright!" Roxanne yelled. "Get off of me!"

I moved away, pushing her out of my stall. She landed on the concrete floor with a wet smack, one of her drenched high heels left behind by my feet. All the women had stopped to stare at us and I gave them all a nasty look before kicking Roxanne's shoe at her.

I closed the curtain again in one angry tug and went back to showering, although I was considerably angrier than before. I did feel relieved but it was tailed closely by guilt. I had already forgiven Daryl for his 'transgression' with Roxanne, yet the fact he never slept with her made me feel so much worse. I had told him never to speak about her anymore, and he'd done so willingly despite not being able to reveal the truth. That was my fault, and he'd taken the blame for something he hadn't done, anyway.

"You're too good for me, Daryl," I whispered.

I wanted to grovel at his feet and beg for his forgiveness. More importantly, I wanted to find Negan and finally slap that smug smile right of his fucking face.

Edited by lolasskicker.

Thanks for your reviews last chapter! I'm happy you guys enjoyed the much anticipated Daryl and Everly time. (More to come on that end, too. *Wink wink*)

Things will get worse before they get better, I will say that. Just like the hurricane at my door... Well, it's a tropical storm now, but it's still really windy and wet! Anyone else who's a victim to this horrible hurricane season, stay safe and strong!