3. As A Scream

The thunder was deafening. Servants cowered in the corners of the castle, horses screamed, soldiers and knights running everywhere. Their cries were for the king, for the Grand Masters, for God, for anyone to save them from the threat of the Seven Deadly Sins. To deliver them from the evil of the traitors and murderers were were now attacking the city.

Through it all, above the screams, the thunder rolled.

Margaret, the first princess of Liones, sat in a chair and listened to the din. The sound of the thunder shook her to her soul, because she knew that the magic was not coming from the Seven Deadly Sins. Just like she knew that the Sins were not the traitors and murderers they had been branded. Like she knew that right at that moment, her love was going to die, and it was all her fault.

There was another crash, and her stomach rolled.

Slowly the princess stood. She blocked out the shouts surrounding her and walked through the halls of the castle, and in the chaos no one thought to stop her. Margaret could feel the shadow following her, the heavy presence just outside of her vision that had been there for a decade. The reason for the fear and the fighting that was raging just outside of the castle walls. The reason for the crash of thunder and the flash of lightning that was sending the kingdom into panic.

This was all her fault. Margaret had chosen to live the life of a coward, and now she refused to continue. She was no better than those that had killed Zaratras. They had killed the father; now she was killing the son.

Her heart tightened and her feet picked up speed. Someone shouted behind her to stop, but she paid no attention. The presence was getting closer, pricking her skin like a mosquito. But the sorceress was occupied, wasn't she? Right now, she was fighting alongside of Gilthunder, trying to kill the one that she had hoped would save them. Not that it mattered; Margaret no longer cared.

For ten years, she had cared so much, too much, her fear of death and of being torn away from her family and of causing Gilthunder more pain keeping her immobile. She was the first princess, the daughter of the king, heir to the throne of Liones. She should have been a beacon for her people. She should have been the touchstone of kindness and generosity for the kingdom.

Instead, she was a shell. A pretty face, a few pleasant words, and nothing more. Everything was dangerous, everyone a suspect. One false move and the sorceress would know. Her enemies would know. Then it would be over.

Sometimes she had longed for it, like she did now. The freedom to move and to breathe, to say what she thought, to curse at those who hurt her, to whisper her heart into Gilthunder's ear. Margaret felt so many many things: hate and love and jealousy and desire and the urge to run and laugh and cry at it all. She would watch her fiery sister Veronica and her spirited sister Elizabeth and feel the pit inside of her growing, aching to be filled. But the only thing she had to fill it with was more fear.

"No more," she gasped, the sky exploding with another attack. The wind was whipping everywhere, her hair a mess of tangles behind her. The hair on her arms stood on end from the electricity in the air, and she could feel a buzzing inside of her. When Margaret realized it was excitement, it spurred her on to the staircase ahead.

As she climbed she remembered that day when they were little, when Gilthunder had promised on his heart and swore as a knight to protect her always. The emptiness inside of her twinged in an unfamiliar way to think of it, and she nearly gasped as she continued up the steps. It was that promise that had been his undoing, his oath that had tied them together in a nightmare. It was all her fault.

"You didn't realize it," she said aloud. The stone of the wall was cold under her hand as she gripped the side as she climbed. "You've been killing your own heart for ten years. I've been killing you."

Margaret reached the top, her lungs burning and her face flushed. She crept to the edge of the wall and looked down. From her spot she could see almost the whole city, the turret serving as a lookout on any other day. But this wasn't any other day, was it? The Seven Deadly Sins had arrived to infiltrate the kingdom. The Holy Knights were locked in fearsome combat with them to protect the king and the city. Men and women were giving their very lives at that moment, and that moment was a lie.

"I will free you," she whispered. It was easy to spot the pink hair and the flashing armor, although the movements were so fast an untrained eye like hers could barely keep up. He moved with a blur of blonde, the magic exploding in bursts of energy that left her ears ringing and her heart racing. "Please, be free of me!"

The last thought she had as she looked down was that she had not cried. Not a tear had been shed in ten years. So many people had remarked on her calm demeanor, as if it was a credit to her to be so cold. As if not being able to cry was a trait to be admired. Margaret wanted to cry, wanted it desperately, but how can someone with no soul cry? Even now, staring at the cobblestone below that would soon be red with her blood, the urge to cry was not there.

There was another crash, a louder one this time, and her eyes snapped up. The dust was settling, and she could see that Meliodas was injured. The three were circling him, their magic swirling around them for one decisive attack. Gil is going to kill him, she thought, and it was then that the silent princess shouted.

"Gilthunder!" she yelled. "Please, stop!"

But he did not stop, he did not even turn around, and so Margaret acted. Quickly she scrambled up onto the stone wall and jumped. "Gil! I love you!" screamed the princess, but the air swallowed her cry as she fell. It was then, only then, that a tear fell; time seemed to slow as she watched the drop float above her vision, and she prayed he would understand.


A/N: Just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has been reading! And please make sure you are following the works by BettyBest2 and woundedowl. They are both knocking it out of the park with this prompt! I gotta step up my game in the upcoming chapters...