NOT DEAD YET | C. GRIMES

FOURTY - ONE

"No." Morgan shook his head. "I'm...I'm just real sorry they're gone."

"Negan murdered Glenn and Abraham, beat them do death." Rick said.

"Terrorized the Hilltop, set loose walkers just to make a point." Sasha added.

"I used to think the deal was something we could live with." Jesus said, drawing the King's attention. "A lot of us did. But that's changing. So let's change the world, Your Majesty."

"I wanna be honest about what we're asking." Rick continued. "My people are strong but there's not enough of us. We don't have guns-not enough, at least. Not a lot of weapons, period."

"We have people." Richard spoke up. "And weapons. If we strike first, together, we can beat them. Your Majesty, no more waiting around for things to get worse beyond what we can handle. We set things right. The time is now." The King looked from Richard to Morgan.

"Morgan, what say you?"

"Me?" Morgan asked.

"Speak." The King nodded. Morgan sighed, looking down.

"People will die. A lot of people, and not just the Saviors. It..." Morgan trailed off. "If we can find another way, we have to." Luna held back a sigh, sharing a look with Carl. She could tell everyone felt the same way. "Maybe it's just about Negan-just capturing him, holding him. Maybe...I—" Morgan cut himself off. The King nodded lightly before standing up.

"The hour grows late." He spoke. "Rick Grimes of Alexandria...you given the King much to ponder."

"Well, when I was a kid, my mother told me a story." Rick started, taking a few more steps forward. "There was a road to a kingdom, and there was a rock in the road. And people would just avoid it, but horses would break their legs on it and die, wagon wheels would come off. People would lose the goods they'd be coming to sell. That's what happens to a little girl. The cask of beer her family brewed fell right off, it broke. Dirt soaked it all up and it was gone. That was her family's last chance. They were hungry, they didn't have any money. She just...sat there and cried, but...she wondered why it was still there...for it to hurt someone else.

"So she dug at that rock in the road with her hands till they bled, used everything she had to pull it out. It took hours. And then...when she was gonna fill it up, she saw something in it. It was a bag of gold. The King had put that rock in the road because he knew the person who dug it out, who did something, they deserved a reward. They deserved to have their life changed for the good...forever." The King looked down at Rick, nodding lightly as his eyes scanned around the rest of the group before he glanced at Morgan.

"I invite you all to sup with us and stay till the morrow." The King spoke.

"Yeah, we need to get back home." Rick said.

"I shall deliver my decree in the morn." The King affirmed. He banged his staff on the ground twice before turning, pulling on the chain and starting to walk off the stage.

"Follow me, I'll show you where you can stay." Richard said. Rick looked back at the group, nodding, and they all followed Richard out one of the side doors. It was a quiet walk across the large courtyard, all the way to the other side and into another building. "All down this hall are bedrooms." Richard stopped at a doorway just inside the building. "Make yourselves comfortable, and feel free to walk around." With that, Richard left the group alone.

"Go out if you want to." Rick said. "Just stay close." He, Michonne and Daryl moved away from the group. Luna turned around, looking outside.

"Let's go for a walk." She said quietly. Carl nodded, and they moved outside. They walked in silence for a few minutes before they had ended up in an almost hidden little flower garden. "Wow, it's so pretty back here." Luna let go of Carl's hand, wandering farther inside. "Don't you think?" She asked, looking over her shoulder. Carl was leaning against the side of the building, watching her. "What?"