New World

- - - - - fanfiction fantasy Daryl Dixon

#26
Imahica

Imahica

    Infected

  • Members
  • 36
  • LocationPhilippines

NEW WORLD


A WALKING DEAD Fanfiction


Previously: Daryl had to accompany Rick underground and it was Carl who went to the Carnival with Emyli, Judith and Hope. Later, Teacher took the two children for final rehearsals and Emyli was left alone with Carl.

---


Chapter 6: Two Wounded Warriors


---


“How about this? This looks nice, you want this?”

Carl was able to register in the tournament and the two of us continued strolling around the Carnival. He was insisting on buying me something, but I couldn’t really bring myself to want anything.

He was holding a necklace with a wing pendant.

“Carl, save your tokens,” I told him. The seller frowned. “The Carnival will be here for three days.”

“I know,” he replaced the jewellery on the table, “but you’re here with me now.” He held me on both the sides of my shoulder and turned me so I was looking straight at him. “I didn’t even think I’d get you to myself alone. I mean…this is great! No children, No Daryl….”

I bowed my head, not knowing what to say.

“C’mon, Emyli,” Carl said, I could hear the frustration in his voice. “Y-you know how I feel for you….”

I bit my lower lip, averting his eyes. It sounded like it was the last thing he wanted to say to convince me. And then there was something else…I sensed there was something he’s not saying and somehow, I know it was connected to the worry I’ve been feeling for this Descend; I just can’t quite put my finger on it.

I sighed and finally gave in.

“Okay,” I said. Carl smiled, not believing what he heard. “I think I saw something over there,” I pointed to the direction.

The two us walked amidst the tents, stalls and people. Girls’ heads—with and without wings—turned once they had caught a glimpse of Carl.

“You wanna hold hands?” Carl asked casually. I stared at him, confused. “I want people to think we’re a couple.”

I curled my lips to a smile. “What, you want the scorn of these women to fall upon me? I’m fine looking like your sister.”

Carl stopped on his tracks and I had to turn and go back for him. He had this silly grin on his face.

“What?” I asked him.

“I don’t know about women’s scorn but I’m sure I can handle Daryl’s.” Carl took my hand and cuffed his hand over mine. He walked ahead and I couldn’t do anything but follow.

We walked to another stall that sold jewellery.

“Hi,” Carl greeted the female stall owner, then he looked at me. “Which one do you want?”

I looked at the table and its sea of trinkets and adornments.

“That one.”

Carl took it and smiled as he looked at the chain. “An anklet?” he asked the owner to be sure; it sure was longer than a bracelet. It was a silver bangle with charms of pencil, easel and paintbrush. He kneeled in front of me—his long, thin ponytail slipped through his shoulder to his chest. He tapped my left ankle; I stepped it forward.

“This is perfect,” Carl said as he put the anklet on me. “Subtle…and hidden. So Daryl won’t see it.” He stood up.

“I thought you could handle his wrath?” I teased, narrowing my eyes on him.

He smiled his mischievous smile. “I can, but I would prefer not to.” Carl looked down at the anklet. “Oh, I feel like a real ‘other man’.”

Carl paid for the bangle with his tokens. Before we left, the lady gave us a small card.

“These are from the plains?” Carl muttered. “I thought the plains only have farms, how did you get so much jewellery?” he asked the seller curiously.

The lady shrugged. “We have traded them with our crops for this market,” she answered casually. She leaned closer to us and whispered: “We heard Landers from the capital colony and Flyers like fancy things.” She stared at us as if we have sinned.

“Let’s go Carl,” I told him. He pressed his lips together and studied the lady; I nudged him on the arm and he finally turned. He took my hand again as we walked away.

“Brazen Steppe,” he read the card. “The farm on the steps of a hill, right?”

I nodded. “The hill where Moony Moors is on.”

“Where Mischonne is,” Carl realized. “I wonder how she is. Isn’t she supposed to be here?”

“She hasn’t written back for two years already,” I answered with a sigh. “Our messenger said someone else always takes letters for her.”

We were silent for a while. We reached a relatively quieter spot on the Center where benches were placed. Landers and Flyers were there to rest. We sat and ate the bread we bought along the way; we ate in silence.

I tried to study Carl through my peripherals; I’ve been sensing that something was terribly wrong. It was definitely on Rick’s and Daryl’s faces earlier. Carl seemed to be acting normal—but his pauses and the silence in between his speech told a different story.

“Carl, is everything alright?” I asked him in a very serious tone.

“Huh?” he uttered, startled. “Yeah, why?” He smiled.

I sighed. I realized he is not gonna tell me everything without pushing him to. I resorted to using old memories. “Remember when I asked you about the time you felt happiest?”

“Yeah, of course!” he answered lively. “I wouldn’t forget that because that was the first time I hugged you.”

I nodded but kept my straight face to let Carl know I’m being serious. I continued: “I told you that it’s alright to feel…that it’s so much better than making yourself numb.”

Carl lost his smile. I thought he knew where I was getting at. “Yeah,” he answered softly, averting my eyes. “But you also told me to guard my heart. Not to wear it on my sleeves.”

“Yes,” I agreed, “and that if you’re scared, you hide it and control it so it won’t control you. I told you to use fear to calm and guide people, not to create panic.”

Carl looked to me with a dead serious stare, making him look more like the warrior he really is.

“Carl, you can tell me,” I told him slowly. “You know I don’t panic easily,” I added a curt smile. “So calm and guide me now. What am I worried about?”

He took and released a deep breath. What he said next was not what I was expecting.

“Would you go steady with me?”

It took me a few seconds to process what he said.

“W-what?” I stuttered.

“C’mon, Emyli, this is important!” He stood up in front of me. “I want your answer. You promised you’ll answer me. Well, I’m all grown now. I know what I feel.”

I bit my lower lip as I recalled: He remembered. Of course he did. Carl told me he loves me about ten years ago—when he was still thirteen and I, twenty-three. I had told him that I’ll hold off my answer when he demanded a response to his confession; that he must grow old first and meet other girls so he could be sure about how he feels for me. I had told him that if he has grown and he still feels the same for me, he can confess again and I’ll give him an answer. Back then, it felt like the right thing to say to an infatuated, little boy. I was so sure the feeling would fade. I was so sure Carl and Beth will get together in the end. They kind of did—but then….

“Does this have anything to do with Beth?” I asked him in haste.

Carl looked hurt. His shoulders fell and he bowed his head. “Everyone thinks everything about me afterwards is because of her death,” he scoffed.

I regretted bringing in Beth to the conversation but I was too disturbed by Rick’s, Daryl’s and Carl’s grim expressions and with my own blind worry that I just had to know what’s happening.

“We were never official, you know,” Carl explained still looking down; there was bitterness in his voice. Then he looked at me with mocking eyes. “Just like you and Daryl.”

“Carl….”

Beth died three years ago, just before the first Descend. Carl succumbed to deep sadness back then and no one—not even me—could talk to him. It was like he was surrounded by shadows repelling people, scaring and pushing us away. Then a month after, to my surprise and worry, I started getting letters from him—happy letters; letters that never talked about Beth. It was like a sudden rainbow to a storm and I knew it was dangerous abrupt shift. I knew he’s keeping his regret inside him; bottled and sealed. And perhaps until now he has not set Beth free completely.

“I’m sorry.” I stood up too, to somehow show him I feel him and we’re now on the same page with this. “I shouldn’t have brought her up so suddenly. It’s just that, we never really talked about Beth and…I’m just confused with the fear I’m feeling right now. I can see it mirrored on your eyes—on Rick’s and Daryl’s….”

Carl nodded his head slowly. “We…” he whispered then fidgeted. I was literally hanging on to his words. “We may be on a brink of war.” The words tumbled out of his mouth swiftly in slur—as if the words will lose its truth if they were said quickly.

I just stood there staring at Carl’s pretty face. Then I breathe a sigh of relief. He looked at me unbelievingly.

“Everything makes sense now,” I told him. My unexplained unease, Rick’s and Daryl’s grave faces—and what Carl said earlier, asking me to go out with him, it was the kind of thing someone will do once they learn that the world is ending; perhaps I was wrong about Carl’s lingering depression over Beth’s death.

“So what’s your answer?” Carl demanded.

I closed my eyes. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to say anything that could hurt him further.

“Don’t tell me this is about our age,” he said exasperatedly. “You never treated me like a kid, even when I was a kid. You always told me the hard truths…you never tried to keep me in the dark through lies and promises that everything will gonna be alright.” He held me on the sides of my shoulders. “So please, Emyli? Don’t look at me like I’m a kid now.”

“About that war….”

“Look, that thing, they can tell you that,” Carl said hurriedly. He let go of my shoulders. “Dad. Or Daryl. But only I can say these things I want to say— we might not have much time—so please…I want to know your answer.”

The pain in his eyes silenced me and I believed him that all he wanted me to do at that time was to give him the response he had waited for for ten years.

“I’m sorry, Carl,” that was all I was able to muster. He paused and sighed and laugh softly in mockery of himself.

“I love you.” It sounded like a prayer when Carl whispered it. “Not because Beth is gone…but because you’ve always been with me, and you’re here now.” I felt his wings move. Carl slowly raised his white wings; it encircled and covered us so no one can see our faces, so we can see no one but each other. “I know you belong to Daryl, but…” he uttered hurtfully. He reached down for me with his head and kissed my lips. It lingered for a while and I closed my eyes and let him stay there until he’s satisfied. I knew it was the least I could do—perhaps the last if the war he’s talking about would end the world; or maybe I just don’t know what else to do to somehow make him feel a little better.

***

Daryl found Emyli with Carl on the benches. They were sitting next to each other, talking discreetly. It was Emyli who spotted him, quickly, in the sea of people and storm of noises. Their eyes met and locked and when Carl noticed Emyli was looking at him, he stood up and walked towards him.

“How did it go?” Carl asked him.

“Not good,” Daryl answered, still looking at Emyli.

“Are they still underground?”

“Ronnie is. Rick’s on the Center. Some issues goin’ on wi’some Sky warriors,” he told Carl. “Yer old man might need some help. You go. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Nah, I got it,” Carl assured him. “Just…just be with Emyli,” he half-looked at her. “I haven’t told her….”

Daryl nodded at Carl then the younger man stepped back and hugged Emyli once more and ran to the crowd and disappeared.

“Where are ass-kicker and that little boy?” Daryl asked Emyli as he approached her.

She stood up. “At the camp, rehearsing for their song number.”

Emyli walked away from Daryl before he could even get closer. He followed behind. They were leaving the Center; Emyli was leading him to the woods.

“Hey, why don’t we stop an’ talk?” Daryl had to raise his voice as Emyli started to walk faster as they get deeper in the forest. “C’mon, is this about Ronnie? Did Carl tell ya’ somethin’? I can explain!”

“You don’t have to,” Emyli told him without stopping.

“But I want to!” Daryl roared, brisk walking.

Emyli did not answer and as soon as she was out of Daryl’s sight, her footsteps became feather-like—the way they have always been when she’s out hunting. Daryl would not be able to track her using his ears; he could do it easily with her prints, though.

“I know ya’ can still hear me,” Daryl said in his normal voice, keeping his eyes on the ground, looking for Emyli’s footsteps through the darkness. “I mean, with those ears o’ yours.”

“Ronnie. She’s the daughter of the General,” he explained. He wished he had brought a light with him. He can barely see Emyli’s tracks and she’s not making any sound. “I saved her a year ago. Been followin’ me since then. Think she owes me or somethin’. That annoyin’ bitch.”

Daryl stopped tracking. He didn’t have any idea where Emyli is. Without a light, he would not be able to find her. He decided to free his wings, and slowly lift himself up. When he was on the right altitude, he got a good bird’s eye view of the woods. He chose the tree with the biggest shade and flew downwards.

“You couldn’t find me on foot,” Emyli remarked leaning on the trunk of the tree with her blank expression and crossed arms. Daryl landed a few feet from her. “I guess my trackin’s gettin’ rusty.”

“Or I’m getting better at running away.”

Daryl frowned and stepped towards Emyli. “Hey, about Ronnie—”

“I don’t want to talk about her.”

Daryl stopped and shrugged. “Me too.” He rummaged through his satchel. “I bought ya’ somethin’.” He fished out a gold, circular metal band with embedded green and blue and red jewels. Emyli tried to make out what it is: the hole is too small to be bracelet and it was sparkling in the dark. Daryl noticed her curious look and motioned for her to come closer, “come ‘ere,” he said.

Emyli walked towards him. “Turn around,” Daryl said. Emyli turned and Daryl put the golden metal band between his lips and pulled Emyli’s hair, gently, from her ears with both hands. When he had gathered her long, black hair in his palm, he made sure it’s sitting high at the middle of the back of her head, the way he liked it—then he locked it there with the band.

“Happy?” Emyli turned her head sideways to look at Daryl. He scoffed at her as he looked at her face now free of her veil of black tresses. “Very.” Daryl put his arm around her waist and the other, he used to pave his way at her nape; pushing her ponytail through her shoulder to her front.

He kissed the back of her neck fervently. Emyli moved her head, giving way to Daryl’s lips. A few moments after, he let her turn around so they were facing each other; his arm was still around her. Daryl brought his head down and Emyli met his forehead with hers. They stayed like that for a few seconds, savouring and just looking at each other. Emyli’s hand found its way to Daryl’s neck. She stroked it with her fingers and felt vertical scars. There were four red lines engraved on his skin, making it obvious he was clawed by human fingers.

“Got those from flyin’ walkers,” Daryl explained taking Emyli’s hand off his neck and to his mouth. “Tell ye’ the story some other time.”

“Just because you won’t turn doesn’t mean you let those corpses rake you,” Emyli angrily told him in a whisper.

Daryl ignored her and started kissing her forehead. Emyli closed her eyes and Daryl kissed each of her eyelids, then her nose and cheek. Emyli knew where he was going to kiss her next so she pressed both her palms on Daryl’s chest and gently pulled herself away from him.

“Hey,” Daryl muttered, confused. He tightened his arm around her waist, afraid that she’ll run away again.

Emyli bowed her head guiltily. “I just…I…,” she thought she better say it looking at Daryl’s eyes so she did. “I let Carl kiss me earlier.”

Daryl let her go, not at once but he did. “It prob’ly made ‘im feel better,” he said more to himself than to Emyli.

Emyli held her silence as she waited for Daryl’s next move. He seemed to be deciding if he should get angry or not. In the end, he swallowed his pride and pulled Emyli back rather fiercely to an embrace; now with both his strong arms wrapped around her waist. Emyli’s cheek was pressed on his chest, her hands found his back. Daryl’s chin rested perfectly on top of her head.

“Do you know how Carl got the scar on his face?” he muttered, not moving an inch. “After Beth’s death, he got himself transferred to Defense troop.”

“Beth died when migrating Vultures attack the Square,” Emyli continued. “The Offense Troop, including you and Rick and Carl were on a mission then. I think he blames himself for not being there when it happened. And that’s why he transferred to Defense.”

Emyli felt Daryl nodded. “When a small flock attacked a few days after, he was so angry, he fought one of ‘em bare-handed. Tha’s how he got that scar.”

Emyli sighed. “He loved Beth.”

“And he loves you, too,” Daryl added. “Must be feelin’ bad for bein’ powerless when Beth and his mom died. Now he’ll be protective of you. But he’s still got ass-kicker—and ye’r mine to protect.”

Emyli had to shift her head to look at Daryl. “You know I don’t need protecting,” she said firmly. “I’ll fight with you. Through this war.”
They let go of each other. They knew their time’s now up and they need to talk of grave things.

“Now tell me about it,” Emyli demanded. “Who are we battling against?”

It was then that the world seemed to collapse to smoke and dust. A great explosion was heard from the Center’s direction. Screams were shouted and the ground shook as streams of people ran blindly in all directions.

“Fuckin’ bastards are here!” Daryl growled.

---


Next chapter: The war begins.


---



Writer's Note:


Hi guys! I was a little afraid for this chapter as it shows two main characters having feelings for Emyli; I hope you wont hate her for it. These feelings, though, are important elements of the story. But let me know what you think :)
  • 0

Visit me at fanfiction.net: http://www.fanfictio...4342900/Imahica


#27
the Walkin Dude

the Walkin Dude

    Roamer

  • Members
  • 1,509
  • LocationSouthern Md. Chesapeake Bay
Really liking it. Absolutely different perspective on the entire ZA. Keep it coming. I posted on your other thread, glad you weren't hurt when you got mugged and had your laptop stolen. Hope all is well and please keep the chapters coming.
  • 1
Roll outta my coffin Drink poison in my chalice Pride begins to fade And y'all feel my malice

#28
Imahica

Imahica

    Infected

  • Members
  • 36
  • LocationPhilippines

Really liking it. Absolutely different perspective on the entire ZA. Keep it coming. I posted on your other thread, glad you weren't hurt when you got mugged and had your laptop stolen. Hope all is well and please keep the chapters coming.


Aww..thank you so much.
Yeah, about that incident. we're actually grateful the robbers didn't hurt me--they had a gun when they took my bag. I just let them take it and didn't fight anymore. Thank you so much for your concern. I'm okay now :)
  • 0

Visit me at fanfiction.net: http://www.fanfictio...4342900/Imahica






Welcome to RoamersAndLurkers.com, the largest walking dead forum and discussion board online. If you are a fan of AMC's The Walking Dead or Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead Comic Book, we invite you to peruse and enjoy our discussion board, and don't be afraid of joining in!