Yes, She Can

Negana took a deep breath, stood up straight, and walked out from the tree line.

Immediately she was aware of people stopping whatever they were doing and staring at her. She tried to ignore everybody, just keep her eyes fixed ahead, making sure she kept her head held high and didn’t trip over any guy ropes. As she walked it was as though the sounds of talking, music, eating, all stopped and were replaced by a steady murmur of whispering. Word of her arrival spread quickly: she hadn’t made it far into the camp site before there were throngs of people standing, waiting for her, lining her route to her tent.

She was trying so hard to hold it together, but her heart felt like it might actually burst. Tears welled in her eyes, and she actually couldn’t remember the last time she breathed out. She was shaking terribly, and knew that if she stopped walking she would just collapse to the floor. She desperately wanted to get past all these people silently standing there, just staring at her.

Then it happened.

People started clapping.

Some cheered, some started dancing, and the round of applause grew louder and louder until it sounded as though there were thousands of people celebrating her return. They had all known their queen had been captured, and the battle against the Holy Order was all but lost. But now, here she was. She had escaped from their clutches, she had returned to lead them against all the odds. She was a truly remarkable leader and their hearts soared in the knowledge that after this, victory was certainly theirs. With this one act she had united the Saviours forever.

She looked at the faces as she walked on. They were genuinely overjoyed to see her. Some were crying. Her vision blurred as she came very close to crying, she was still having difficulty holding herself together, only now she swelled with pride and love for her troops.

She was close to the Command Tent now, and Onyx and Amber stepped out of the crowd ahead, clapping and cheering. Gerwald was next to them. God, she was pleased to see those three. As she approached he pulled his tunic off over his head and tried to cover her up. His torso was naked underneath and was, of course, very impressive, but she shook her head and waved the tunic away. She didn’t need his help right now.

She nodded to the two guards at the fence and walked straight through into the large black tent. Outside she heard her army, spirits were lifted, she heard them singing, dancing, celebrating. Music was turned up loud all across the clearing and they toasted their queen with their beer cans.

Amber, Onyx and Gerwald followed Negana into the tent. The Royal Bodyguards rushed over to her, talking all at once, but Negana could not hear their words. As they reached her, out of sight of her army, she burst into tears and collapsed into their outstretched arms.