Cupid's Arrow | Daryl Dixon

𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚍𝚎 𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚢-𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚛 - 𝚠𝚑𝚢?

𝙴𝙿𝙸𝚂𝙾𝙳𝙴 𝙴𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚈-𝙵𝙾𝚄𝚁 - 𝚆𝙷𝚈?

𝙽𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕

It had gotten dark and the group decided they had to spend a night at the Kingdom and wait till the morning for Ezekiel to come to a decision. Everyone hoped that he agreed. The communities needed to come together and form an unstoppable army to defeat the Saviours.

Daryl and Madelyn were given a room to spend the night in. Once Madelyn had freshened up, she found Daryl sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the ground. She smiled a little and went to sit next to him, placing her hand on top of his.

"Everything okay?" She asked after leaving a kiss on his jaw.

"Yeah....just wondering what the king will say tomorrow." Daryl lied. That wasn't at all what he was thinking about but he wasn't going to tell Madelyn. Why was Madelyn still supporting him after everything? Why did she still want to stand by him?

"I'm sure he'll agree to help us. The Saviours are horrible people. Plus, with his people, we'll have more people than Negan. Maybe we will win." Madelyn said.

"Yeah...." Daryl trailed off, confusing Madelyn.

"Okay, what's really bothering you?" Madelyn asked.

"Nothing, just tired." Daryl mumbled. "Thinking about my time at the Sanctuary."

"What happened?" Madelyn asked.

Daryl sighed. He explained everything. Being locked in a cell with that stupid song blaring twenty four-seven, his attempted escape, Negan's three offers which he denied, the fact that Negan had multiple wives and when Carl got caught by Negan. He left out everything that Dwight said to him, especially about Glenn's death.

"God, that's.....I don't even have the words to describe that." Madelyn said once she had taken everything in. "I'm so sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I feel sorry for those Saviours who think they're not gonna die." Daryl said. "We're going to win this. We have to, for our little ass-kickers."

"Of course we will." Madelyn smiled before kissing him. Their fingers intertwined as they kissed, not wanting to let go of each other. They had been separated for over a week and it was the hardest week of their lives.

"I missed you." Daryl whispered when he pulled away but barely as their noses were brushing against each other. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you even more." Madelyn whispered before closing the gap between them.

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It was the next morning and Richard was showing the group around the Kingdom a little while they waited for Ezekiel. Madelyn hoped he would agree. They needed all the help they could get.

"This is life here, everyday." Ezekiel said as he approached the group who were watching a few kids practising to use a bow and arrow. "But it came at a cost. I wanted more of this. I wanted to expand, to create more places like this. Men and women lost their limbs. Children lost their parents because I sent them into battle against the wasted when I did not need to."

"This is different." Rick said, trying to get Ezekiel to come around. "The dead don't rule us. The world doesn't look like this outside your walls. People don't have it as good. Some people don't have it good at all."

"I have to worry about my people." Ezekiel said. Madelyn sighed. She knew what was coming.

"You call yourself a damn king. You sure as hell don't act like one." Daryl said as Ezekiel approached him.

"All of this came at a cost. It was lives, arms, legs." Ezekiel said.

"Please, Your Majesty. I want a safe place to raise my kids. Alexandria won't be safe as long as it's under the Saviours' rule." Madelyn said, making Ezekiel's face soften.

"I'm sorry but the peace we have with the Saviours is uneasy. However, it is peace." Ezekiel said. "I have to hold onto it. I have to try. Although the Kingdom cannot grant you to aid your desire, the king is sympathetic to your plight. I offer our friend, Daryl, asylum for as long as he requires it. He will be safe here. The Saviours do not set foot inside our walls."

"How long do you think that's gonna last?" Daryl said before walking away, followed by the rest of the group.

"We're making them stronger." Richard said as he walked with the group. "The more food we give them, the more arms, the more everything, every day any of us give them something, they become harder and harder to beat."

"All right, open it up. We're gone." Daryl said before the gate opened.

"You're not." Rick said to Daryl as everyone else walked out.

"I'm not staying here." Daryl said.

"You have to." Rick said.

"He's right. Ezekiel said no Saviours step foot inside the walls. They'll come looking for you at Alexandria. You'll be safer here. I'll stay with you." Madelyn said.

"Yeah, try to talk to Ezekiel. Or stare him into submission. Bring up your twins. I saw his face when you mentioned that, Madelyn. He felt sorry for you. Use that to your advantage. Do whatever it takes." Rick said. "We'll be back soon."

Daryl and Madelyn nodded and watched as Rick walked out the gates and it closed. "I know you don't like this but you know it's the right thing to do." Madelyn said, making Daryl sigh.

"Yeah, I know." He said.

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It was a little while later into the day and Daryl was talking to Morgan whilst Madelyn was with Richard, helping with his aim with his bow and arrow but he wasn't doing so well.

"Here, look." Madelyn said, helping Richard hold the bow and arrow correctly as they aimed it at the target in front.

"What are you doing?" Daryl asked as he approached.

"Madelyn's helping me practice. I'm not doing so well but I'm gonna have to start using these more." Richard said. "The Saviours are smart enough to know I shouldn't have a gun around them. Morgan said both you and Madelyn are good with bows."

"You think you can teach him? I'm getting a little tired." Madelyn said as Richard held up a crossbow for Daryl. Daryl looked at the crossbow before taking it.

"Why not?" Daryl said.