"and i sat in regret of all the things i've done, for all that i've blessed and all that i've wronged." - audioslave

"all right!" michonne shouts, her voice cutting through the rising clamour, forcing everyone to pay attention. i stand aside, next to daryl, glancing at the empty seat at the council table that used to be mine. it feels like a lifetime ago that i sat there, making decisions, trying to keep everyone safe. now, everything's changed.

"is this your mother?" michonne asks, turning her gaze to lydia, who stands close to me. lydia had chosen to stay at alexandria while i left, hilltop being too much for her to bear. she'd finally started to blend in here, no longer getting those harsh glares from people every time she turned a corner. but she'd been quiet, more so than usual, and i couldn't help but wonder if she was upset with me for being away so much.

"no. i don't think it is." lydia answers, her voice barely above a whisper as her brown hair falls over her eyes. "why does she want to talk to us?" i ask, watching her closely. "you crossed into her land. again. you have to answer for that." lydia replies, a slight edge in her tone. it's not lost on me, and i make a mental note to talk to her later—apologies for my absence. 

"we don't have to do anything. we could just not go." aaron suggests from his seat at the council table, his voice carrying a note of defiance. "that's a bad idea." lydia chimes in, and i notice the shift in her behaviour. something's off. i'll have to talk to her, make things right between us. "we're already under attack." a man from the crowd says, someone i don't recognize. "it isn't her. if she wanted you dead, she'd send the horde—all of it. not just small waves at a time." lydia explains, her voice more confident now, trying to make them understand.

"maybe she's trying to wear us down." carol suggests, her eyes narrowing in thought. "or, as i relayed to you in the beginning, there's reason to believe the satellite and the fire—" eugene starts, standing up to make his point. "i don't want to hear about the damn satellite anymore, eugene!" a woman from the highwaymen shouts, her voice laced with anger. "my friends died trying to save yours and ended up with their heads on spikes. the highwaymen want justice!" i roll my eyes at her outburst, feeling the frustration boil up inside me.

"so all i wanna hear from you is that you're gonna take a dozen of us to meet these freaks at the border and that we're gonna take that lead bitch's head off!" she yells, and the crowd begins to stir, their anger and fear bubbling to the surface. "yeah! and then we'll put their heads on spikes!" gage shouts, his young voice full of bravado, and the crowd starts to shout in agreement, the noise growing louder, more frenzied.

i've had enough. i walk up to the front of the table, and as i do, the crowd begins to quiet down, sensing the shift in the air. "how many walkers did we see in alpha's horde?" i ask daryl, my voice cutting through the silence. "tens of thousands." he answers, knowing exactly where i'm going with this. "ah. so... what's your plan for taking them all out?" i ask the woman who had been shouting the loudest. she goes silent, lowering her head, the weight of her words finally hitting her.

"oh, that wasn't rhetorical." i bark back, my frustration clear in my tone. "i don't have one." she admits, her voice now small, almost ashamed. "oh. does anybody else?" i ask, scanning the crowd, daring them to answer, but they all stare at their feet, avoiding my gaze. "if she sends the horde, that's it! right now, all she wants to do is talk. and we are going to listen. now, while we are doing that, everyone here needs to focus on what's coming in from the borders!" i say, my voice carrying the weight of the truth. "everyone's tired. we are all on edge. and it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better, but we are not going to get through it if we do not act as one."

with that, i storm out of the building, my mind racing with the plan that's been forming since the moment i saw alpha. i'll gather alexandria's best fighters, and we'll go to the border. but this time, it won't just be a talk. this time, i'll kill alpha. i'll end this nightmare once and for all. her head will be mine, and i won't stop until it is. 

a couple hours pass, and the sun begins to set, casting long shadows over the land. michonne went over the game plan with me, but i know she can see it in my eyes—i'm not planning to stick to it. the sky is pitch black as we approach the northern border, the spikes marking the threshold like a line drawn in blood. my stomach drops with a mix of excitement and horror, my heart pounding as i clench my knives in my hands.

we scan the top of the hill, searching for any movement, every sense on high alert. daryl tosses his crossbow to the ground, and the others follow, one by one, each of us laying down our weapons. i'm the last to drop mine, reluctant but knowing there's no other choice. as soon as the weapons hit the ground, a gust of wind sweeps through the trees, and the whisperers emerge from the shadows. they move as one, growling together, leading a small group of walkers tightly with them. i clench my teeth, my eyes locked on the group. some of them start to walk forward, while others stay mingled with the dead, watching, waiting.

alpha steps out from the group, pulling off her mask and handing it to one of her people. my hands itch to grab my gun, but i force myself to wait. "there was one rule between our people. one law. stay where you are. yet you disobey." alpha says, her voice low and menacing as she creeps closer. "the fire would've destroyed your land." daryl explains, trying to reason with her. "fire's nature is to burn. we have no conflict with nature." alpha replies, her eyes never leaving mine.

"it could've wiped out one of our communities. we were not gonna sit back and let that happen. you can understand that. we crossed one time." michonne adds, her tone firm but calm. "three times." alpha counters. "during the fire, you walked my land. and during the winter storm, you walked my land. during your search along the river, you and the man with the metal arm walked my land. that's three times. we are always watching." her voice is ominous, sending a chill down my spine.

"what did i tell you about crossing my border? you have to be punished." she says, her breath heavy as her people take guns out of their belts. i reach back, feeling the cold metal of the gun stuffed in my belt, my fingers twitching with anticipation. "but...i consider context. there will be no bloodshed this time." alpha adds, and i slowly move my hand away, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. "so what do you want?" michonne asks, her voice steady, but i can hear the edge of frustration.

"land. the creek that winds into the valley, that is your new southern border. we will mark the new border to the north." alpha explains, her words cut deep. "that will cut off our hunting grounds. we don't have to stand here and listen to this—" i snap, unable to hold back any longer. "isa!" michonne shouts, her voice a sharp warning. "to this...what?" alpha says, creeping closer to me, her eyes narrowing as she stares me down. "to this bullshit." i reply, my expression blank, refusing to show her any fear. "that's it, come on. we're done here." daryl says, walking over and grabbing my arm, trying to pull me away.

"we're not. not until this one lowers her eyes to my feet." alpha says, holding out a hand, a twisted smile on her face. i step forward, walking up close to the spikes, almost face to face with alpha. "fuck you." i spit out, my voice cold and filled with venom. "you should fear me." alpha whispers, her breath foul as it washes over me. "i don't. i look at you and i feel nothing at all." i respond, my voice steady, though my heart is pounding in my chest. "is that right?" alpha asks, a smirk spreading across her dirty face. "the little girl screamed for her mommy just before we took her head."

her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and my face drops. without thinking, i reach behind me, grabbing the gun and aiming it straight at alpha's head. but before i can pull the trigger, daryl grabs me, causing the bullet to fly off course. alpha's people step forward, their weapons drawn, ready to attack. "stop! stop!" daryl grunts, holding me back as i struggle in his grip, rage blinding me.

"i apologize for my friend. we have not slept. and you know what she's lost." michonne says, trying to defuse the situation. alpha's head whips over to me, her eyes cold as she watches me still fighting against daryl's hold. "i forgive you. mother to mother. this is my land now. you better run." alpha says, picking up the spike that once held charlie's head. the sight of it makes my blood run cold.

"come on, let's go." daryl says, pushing me away from alpha, his grip tight as he steers me back toward the group. but as we walk away, my mind races, my thoughts consumed with one thing—this isn't over. not by a long shot.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

new torn apart chapter = new requiem for the accused chapter :)