Baltra sighed, leaning back heavily against his chair. The ongoing property disputes at the southern border were proving to be a much bigger problem since the fall of Dezier. For three years now farmers at the edge of his land and those on the side of Danafor had been in constant conflict. He and King Frederick had tried to restore order by sending knights and soldiers to reign back the conflict, but so far it had proved useless. He had even resorted to sending Sir Cain, one of his best Holy Knights to try to stop the riots. For a time there had been peace, but it had been three weeks now since Cain reported back to him. Balta had sent a fresh scouting party to see if the conflict had escalated.

It would understandable if, in the midst of a riot, Cain had been unable to send a message. Even so, Cain had always managed to report regularly before. It made him uneasy. Baltra's latest vision didn't help. He couldn't make sense of it. A dark shadow spreading from Danafor and a girl's anguished scream. He had assumed it meant new conflict on the border, but that didn't explain the voice. He normally didn't hear voices in his premonitions, but her scream had pierced his dreams and waking mind. Perhaps it was—

"Your Majesty!"

Baltra started up, jolted from his musings, as a young knight barged into his personal quarters.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Apologies my lord," the boy gasped. He was nearly doubled over, his hand braced on the king's work table as he regained his breath.

"I-I've just come from a patrol of the Southern border. It's D-Danafor, sire. It's gone!"

"Gone?" Baltra rose from his seat. "You must be mistaken. There has been some conflict, certainly, but I would have received word if Frederick's kingdom had fallen."

"With all due respect, I know what I saw, My Lord. Danafor didn't simply fall; it was destroyed. By the time we arrived in search of Sir Cain, nothing remained but a crater and some residual magic energy. The Holy Knights in our party said they had never felt a presence so powerful."

Baltra sat back in his chair, afraid he might collapse if he did not.

"There was truly nothing left?"

"No, My Lord. The other members of my party will say the same. Not even ruins remained."

The king ran a hand over his face. So many had just lost their lives. Danafor, a kingdom that had stood for centuries, was gone. And the thing that had destroyed it, a creature capable of wiping out entire countries, was on the border of his own kingdom.

"There were no survivors," Baltra stated. A magical force like the one the lad had described was on par with the goddesses and demons of 3,000 years ago. There was no surviving that, so there was no point in asking. He was surprised then when the young man said,

"Yes, Sire. There were two. A knight of the realm and a child."

The old king's head jerked up to meet the knight's eyes. He wasn't sure how many more shocks he could take this evening.

"How did they survive?"

"We don't know My Lord. The knight was almost feral when we found her. None of us had the courage to ask."

"Do you know any more of her?"

"Only that she was very protective of the child. She refused to let any of us care for him and insisted that he remain with her for the entire journey. She was wounded too, sire. She looked as though she had fought some sort of monster, but she wouldn't tell us much about what had attacked. She did make one request though…"

"A request?"

"Yes. She asked for the boy to be protected here. And that she may become a Holy Knight of Liones and be permitted to watch over him."

"Where is she now?"

"She is down with the rest of the party. Shall I send for her?"

"Yes, I wish to meet with her, and the child she brought as well."

"Yes Sire." The knight bowed and made to leave the king's quarters when Bartra called him back,

"Wait! What is this knight's name?"

"Elizabeth, Sire. Lady Elizabeth."

—

Minutes later, a young woman in armor stepped into the king's chambers. Her silvery hair was tied back, but a few strands fell loose across her face. When the king met her eyes, they were not cold or fierce as he had been expecting of the wild creature his knight had described. They were simply sad. Terribly sad. This woman had just lost her home, no doubt her family. It was to be expected.

There was, however, just a spark of joy in her face as a tiny, chubby hand reached out of the bundle in her arms to tug at a loose strand of her hair. As Baltra rose to greet his guest, he too couldn't help a smile upon seeing the baby.

He couldn't have been more than a few months old, but already he had a shock of blond hair which fell in soft bangs into his bright green eyes, which grew wide upon meeting the king's. The hand that wasn't tangled in Elizabeth's hair reached out to try to tug at the king's long beard. Baltra chuckled in spite of himself when the baby caught a fistful of his hair and giggled.

"He likes you." Baltra looked up from the child into those sad eyes. "I am Lady Elizabeth, sworn knight of the fallen kingdom of Danafor. I have come to request a position of Holy Knight of this land. I will serve the kingdom and its people so long as this child is protected. If you can ensure his safety, I will ensure the protection of your lands."

Baltra, somewhat taken aback by this blunt manner of speaking, was unable to respond for a moment. Elizabeth looked at him expectantly, adjusting the baby in her arms.

"I—Lady Elizabeth, while I am sure your intentions are—"

"If you doubt my abilities, allow me to demonstrate my skills. I am quite capable."

"I am sure you are, but you must understand that—"

The temperature in the room plummeted as Elizabeth's sword smashed through the window and impaled a red-eyed crow against a tree twenty yards away. Baltra could only gape at the woman as she readjusted the baby so that he was more snuggly wrapped in his blankets.

Nevermind the broken glass at their feet or the snow swirling into the room and catching up all his important documents in the wind. Nevermind the dying squawks of the seemingly innocent crow she had murdered. The woman was completely mad!

"You may want to tighten your security." She still hadn't looked up from the baby. "There is a spy here who may yet do worse things than use puppets to eavesdrop."

She looked up to give the king, if not a warm smile, a sincere one. She bowed, enough to be respectful, but not so much as to disturb the burden in her arms.

"Good evening, Your Majesty. If you wish to find me, I saw an inn on the edge of the city. The Rising Sun, I think it was called. If you will excuse me, we have had a long journey and Meliodas needs his rest."

She breezed out of his chambers as easily as she had come, leaving the room half-destroyed and the king in something of a shock.

It would not occur to Baltra for some time that he never did manage to ask her what had happened to Danafor. He tried on a few other occasions, but even after Elizabeth had warmed to him a bit, he never did get a straight answer.

She never did apologize for breaking his window either. Not even after he named her a Holy Knight, or in the many years she was in his service.

—

Several months into Elizabeth's service as a Holy Knight, Baltra called for her and the child, Meliodas, in her care to meet with him in the gardens. Ordinarily, he would conduct business in the great hall, but there were many large windows in that room which had stood since the time of Baltra's great-grandfather. While Elizabeth had proven to have a decidedly warmer disposition than the one she displayed at their first meeting, and was less prone now to random acts of destruction, he had thought it best not to risk it.

Besides, Meliodas seemed to like the flowers very much. Already, he could toddle short distances, but for the most part he clung to Elizabeth. Once, he released his hold on the hem of her skirt to pick a handful of forget-me-nots and a single blood-red rose to present to Elizabeth. The king chuckled.

"He's quite the charmer isn't he?"

"Yes, he is." Elizabeth was smiling, but there was something wistful in her voice Baltra couldn't place. It was likely she was thinking as he was that she could not stay with the boy forever.

She had always expressed that she wished for Meliodas to find a home that was not with her. She only wanted to stay close enough to protect him, not to be his main care-giver. When Baltra had suggested that she may remain with the child if she wished and have any help with him he could provide, she had shaken her head. She said that, as much as she wanted to be near him, raising Meliodas would be…complicated. Baltra couldn't say he understood her meaning, but he respected his knight and friend's judgement. She had quickly, almost alarmingly, become one of his most trusted confidants. He shared many affairs of the kingdom with her and many of his own personal thoughts. He trusted her implicitly (with anything that wasn't very old or breakable.) He hoped she might trust him now with the same regard.

"Elizabeth."

She looked up from where Meliodas was playing with a little wooden carving of a pig in the dirt.

"I have given some thought as to what would be best for Meliodas. What guardian would be best suited to look after him besides yourself. And I…I know that the role of a king is a taxing one and a time consuming one at that. So much so that I never did marry or have children of my own blood, but…I do have two adopted sons who I love and care for very dearly. I love them more than anything in this world. In the past few months I have become similarly attached to little Meliodas, and Gilthunder has always wanted a little brother…"

The king trailed off as he met Elizabeth's glistening eyes. A smile lit up her face with more happiness than he had ever seen in her features, so often lined with sorrows she never shared.

"Your Majesty, I would be forever in your debt if you could give Meliodas a loving home and a kind family. Nothing would make me happier. I will serve you, now and always, if you could do such a thing for him."

Baltra was a bit bewildered by Elizabeth's speech. It was rare that she would speak so formally with him or with such fervor. In the past months, their friendship had become more relaxed, and they rarely referred to one another by rank or status unless it was a matter of great importance. Baltra wondered again at Elizabeth's connection to little Meliodas and her great interest in his happiness; willing as she was to reshape her life for the sake of an orphaned child. While he too had quickly become wrapped around the little one's finger, he couldn't help but wonder at his friend's actions. He had learned, though, not to ask after such things. He would get no answer and only succeed in upsetting Elizabeth.

It seemed now, though, that she could read his thoughts. She smiled softly and murmured,

"If you truly are to be his guardian now, I will explain my actions in time. Not today. But someday. When you are ready."

Baltra was now thoroughly confused, but nodded all the same, and took to watching Meliodas as he bounced from stone to stone, jumping as high and as far as he could. He smiled as the toddler waved his chubby arms up and down between his little hops, only to pout when his feet hit the ground. When he reached the bed of carnations, light streamed between the prickly stems and his hair shone with strands of gold. For a moment, to Baltra's mind, he almost had a halo.

—

"What do you think Papa want's to tell us?"

"I dunno Gil. Pops was being all secretive this morning."

"Do you think it's a surprise?"

"Could be."

"But—But do you think it's a good surprise? Or a bad one? Do you…I mean, you don't think he's gonna send us back do you?"

Gilthunder stopped kicking his feet from where he sat on his brother's shoulders. He didn't want to be sent back to the orphanage. He loved Papa and his big brother. He didn't wanna go back to being lonely.

Howzer lightly cuffed his little brother upside the head.

"Pops isn't gonna send us back Gil. Don't you worry about that."

It had only been three years since Gil had been adopted. At eight years old, he was still afraid of being abandoned. Howzer, at fourteen, knew full well that Baltra would never betray them like that, and even if Pops did, he wouldn't leave Gil to face the world alone. Gil was his brother, now and always, and he'd never abandon family.

Gil hummed softly. He still wasn't sure. He'd been just old enough to remember when his father had left him at the orphanage. It had been just a few months after mama died. He never knew why he'd been left, just that he never wanted it to happen again. In his heart he knew that Papa and 'Zerie wouldn't do that. He just couldn't help being afraid.

His thoughts were cut off as he heard running down the hall. Howzer slowed to a stop just as a girl came barreling around the corner, barefoot and dragging a wooden sword behind her. Tripping over a loose stone in the floor, she plowed right into the king's eldest son, and the three fell to the floor. Howzer, preoccupied as he was with making sure Gil wouldn't get hurt, landed rather heavily on his right arm. Cursing, he rolled onto his side to hear the girl's soft voice apologizing profusely to his brother.

"I'm so sorry, My Lord! I should have been looking where I was going. Veronica and I were just playing. I didn't realize we'd gotten so close to the royal chambers."

"It's okay, Margaret. It was an accident."

Howzer sat up so see the two kids' faces. They couldn't have been any redder if they were on fire. He smirked.

'Goddesses have mercy,' he thought. 'He already has a crush! On the daughter of the Holy Knights' Grand Master no less. Maybe Gil has picked something up from seeing me flirt with all the village girls. Pops is gonna have a stroke at this rate.'

He watched as Margaret helped Gil to his feet and how his brother's eyes lingered on her hand in his. Their hands stayed clasped just a little too long. The blush, which had softened to match the tone of his hair, came back full force and he started stammering and apologizing, like she hadn't just knocked them over. His brother was so awkward around girls. Poor little guy. That didn't mean of course that Howzer wouldn't make this worse for him.

"So Gil, you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?"

The kid's face turned deathly pale. Gil met his brother's eyes with a look that said something between, "how could you betray me like this," and "I know where you sleep and I will kill you." Howzer grinned like the devil himself.

Margaret was flushed pink and avoided meeting anyone's eyes as she murmured,

"We have met before Lord Howzer. I'm Sir Zaratross' daughter."

"Oh yes, of course! How could I be so careless? Margaret, right?"

"Yes sir. I'm sorry for bumping into you."

"Oh that's alright! I'm sure Gil didn't mind, did'ya squirt?"

Howzer was fairly certain that Gil's soul had left his body by this point. He would almost definitely be getting a scolding from their father later, as well no small amount of itching powder in his bed, but it was totally worth it.

He thought it might be best if he ended this encounter now before Gil actually did murder him in front of Margaret. Killing your brother in a hallway doesn't make a great impression on girls. Especially if your brother is bigger, stronger, and more handsome than you. Gil would just make a fool of himself if he tried.

"Well, it was lovely meeting you again Lady Margaret, but Gil and I have some urgent business with the king. If you will excuse us. Good afternoon."

Margaret offered a small curtsy as Howzer dragged the catatonic form of his brother down the hall.

—

Gil sulked as they continued to their father's chambers.

"Aw c'mon squirt. I was just joking!"

Gil huffed, crossing his arms in defiance and mumbling something.

"What was that?"

"I said I'm not that little! I'm not a squirt!"

Howzer raised an eyebrow. "You never minded me calling you that before."

"That was before you said it in front of Margaret!"

"Ah, I see. I embarrassed you in front of your girlfriend."

"SHE'S NOT—"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. It's just my job as your big brother to embarrass you, but I won't in front of Margaret anymore."

Gil perked up. "Really?"

"Yeah. Unless it's a special occasion."

Gil swatted his brother's leg. Howzer caught him around the middle and mussed his hair until his brother laughed. Dropping him back to the floor with a grunt, he said,

"You really are growing up, aren'tcha? You've gotten heavy!"

Gilthunder stuck his tongue out at him.

"Eh, but you know, no matter how big you get, you'll always be a little squirt to me."

Gil looked up at him inquisitively. "Even if I grow as big as a giant?"

"Yeah kid, even then."

—

Howzer knocked on the door to his father's chambers before pushing the door open.

"Hey Pops! You wanted to see us?"

"Shhh!" The king was on the other side of the room next to what looked like a little wooden crib. Behind him, Howzer heard his brother gasp. Their father smiled warmly and beckoned them closer.

"There's someone I'd like you two to meet."

Drawing closer to the crib, Howzer could see a chubby baby, fast asleep with his fist in his mouth. Loose tangles of blond hair fell around his face, evidently having moved around in his sleep. Turning over, the baby released his fist and let out a soft coo. Howzer's heart melted.

"This is you new brother, Meliodas."

The baby's face scrunched up and he cried softly, his little hands clenching and unclenching in his bedclothes. He was having a nightmare.

Before Howzer or their father could react, Gil had reached into the crib and softly laid his hand on the baby's cheek, murmuring soft words. Meliodas' eyes opened to the smiling face of Gilthunder. With a burbling laugh, he reached grabby hands towards the other boy, wanting to be held. Looking to his father for permission before picking up the baby, Gil cradled him carefully to his chest. Judging by his expression, he was completely awestruck and terrified of dropping the little one, who was now grabbing at Gil's nose and went nearly cross-eyed trying to look at his own. Howzer smiled at the familiar feelings as he lightly booped Meliodas' nose. Great. Now he had to look after two little monsters.

He looked sidelong at Gil. Meliodas' hand was pinching his nose, so his brother's voice came out nasal when he said,

"Hi, little Mel."

Howzer smiled. He wouldn't be alone in protecting this one. Gil would make a great big brother.