Theme 14: 67%

Admittedly, Elizabeth Liones had many dreams about Meliodas.

But she was an innocent princess. Her sisters had gossiped more about romance and intimacy between themselves, Veronica more vulgar and Margaret more blushingly curious. Elizabeth, however, had never had much interest in men nor women before. She understood that men ogled at her as she grew into a young woman, she had been aware to some extent what they had wanted from her. She knew, to a point, what it meant when the flushed men of the Boar's Hat stared at her in her form fitting, too short uniform.

But she didn't dream of men or romance or those types of intimacies until meeting Meliodas. And as she stared, trembling eyes and parted lips, from her seat in her bed to her moonlit window, she thought it must be some sort of dream. Because Meliodas climbing through her window, so many stories high in Liones castle, must not be real. It was ridiculous, and they haven't spoken, and he wouldn't-

And then she was muttering his name out loud, in confusion and awe and ever so slightly laced in something deeper that made her heart beat unevenly and her cheeks warm.

He asks her to walk and the words themselves brush her skin and make her tremble. Oh his voice, she missed it so. She was furious with him. Or was she? She didn't remember. She didn't want to be furious with him, or upset. She wanted loving him to be easy and natural, as it had been since she met him. She loved Meliodas. She simply wanted him to love her. The actual her. Not because she was similar to his lover before. Not even if they were the same person, as he claimed. Even if they were the same, she wanted him to love her.

She wondered briefly, once again, if she deserved to be loved by him. He was powerful, a knight, a hero. Wiser than her, older, more experienced. He'd loved before, while she had never dreamt of doing so.

If Meliodas heard these thoughts, Elizabeth questioned to herself, he'd surely tell me I shouldn't doubt myself so much. So she tried not to. But not doing so was difficult.

All of these thoughts fluttered rapidly through her brain in the moments after he asked her if they could talk. There he was, wide eyed and wet, awaiting her answer in the silence as the rain echoed through the open window.

Elizabeth tried to compose herself, pulling her comforter higher and holding it against her chest. Breath stretched her lungs as she begged her lips not to stutter. "Talk?"

He nods, keeping his eyes on her even as his hands are brushing through his mess of now wet hair, already reverting to its spiky, untamable form, strands swooping outwards.

Elizabeth cast her eyes downwards, wary of herself for becoming so easily distracted when she was supposed to be angry. She was supposed to be angry, wasn't she? Or was she supposed to be upset? Or was she supposed to be none of these things, already over the situation and moving on.

No, she definitely wasn't there yet.

He takes a seat on the window ledge, settling in. So close and yet so distant. He bows his head, bangs a mess covering his eyes as he stares at the ground. Elizabeth takes in brief glances through her lashes, but tries to focus elsewhere.

"I wanted to apologize." He says, very serious.

"For what," she immediately replies, already wary.

He pauses, silent moments passing. "I don't like to hurt you."

"You always hurt me, when it comes to your secrets. You become distant and secretive for the sake of keeping me safe, even when-"

"Your safety is a priority over your need for adventure. Of course I want you around but-"

"There is no need to deceive me. You keep all these secrets and lies and then you let them out in waves. Why do you keep me around, Meliodas? Because I remind you of- of…" She felt the name was forbidden in the moment, biting her tongue. Thinking of Liz made her head hurt, someone that seemed more familiar than simply being the man she loved ex-lover. Her head pounds and spins slightly, and she holds a gentle finger to her temple.

"That's not why," Meliodas nervously cuts off, stopping her spinning thoughts, "I don't… care about you because you remind me of others. I care about you Elizabeth."

The word care held deeper implications that Elizabeth very much understood. Some words were difficult to say. Love was one of them.

Elizabeth held her breath, still tracing the contours of her face as she tried to diminish her pounding head. She longed to believe him, she always believed him in the past. Such absolute faith she'd had in him in every topic. She still did, mostly; except for love. She longed to trust him in that too, but it was difficult. She was still young and inexperienced, easy to trust and fall.

The silence lingers contemplatively, the rain settling outside into a light fall rather than a downpour.

"Everyone back at the tavern misses you," he begins again, "They were worried about me, but more worried about you. They care about you, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth sighs, long and sad. "I miss them as well."

"You," he pauses, swallowing, "You belong with us, Elizabeth. Come home."

Home. The word sounded foreign and confusing. Wasn't she home here? The Princess of Liones? This has been home her entire life. So why did he sound so very convincing. Her fingers tangle with the hem of her nightgown, ever fidgeting.

Meliodas stands, facing her fully, offering his hand. "I know it's hard but… trust me. I'm sorry I lose control sometimes but I'm trying- Trying to keep you safe. I don't wanna hide things from you, but I just need time. Does that make sense?"

Elizabeth slowly nods. It did, though it wasn't the answer she wanted. "Do you… not trust me?"

"I trust you with my life, Elizabeth. Really!"

"Do I deserve such trust?" She ponders to them both.

"Trusting you hasn't lead me wrong yet," he smiles, calm and wistful, green eyes sparkling and looking into long ago as he gazes into the passing storm, far out into the distance.

Elizabeth observes him, wishing she could see what he sees. She has never truly understood him. She had more questions about him than she did answers. And yet… she trusted him. It made little sense, and yet it's what her heart desires.

A hand reaches out for her into her room as he balances on the ledge of the open window. She'd dreamt of this before. Him stealing her away from the monotone of royal duty, a new adventure, his sparkling eyes. "Do you trust me, Elizabeth?" he asks, as if having read her mind. His eyes holds a flint of mischief, but deeper down the question burned.

"I feel…" she begins, slow and meaningful, "that I should know more about you. I'd like to know more about you."

The mischief fades, more serious, his bangs falling into his eyes. Yet, he nods nonetheless. Waiting.

"And yet, I trust you. I believe in you, Meliodas."

No, she definitely did not know him well. His past was a large mystery, and from now on, she'd work to know him seriously. She'd no longer accept his lies for her own safety. This was the man that she chose to love. She deserves to know him. But until then, she trusts him.

She is not healed. She is not fully satisfied. She desires to know more, to be closer to him.

But she accepts that you cannot know someone perfectly in the instant she desires. These things take time. She was part of the way there; for now, shes takes his hand.

I know I have an explanation for taking a long time every chapter. Unfortunately, I have accepted that this is who I am: someone that writes in random waves and then does not! I have fallen out of NNT a bit as I get into other fandoms. But, I do love this story a lot, and I love melizabeth a lot. Seeing you guys continue to subscribe/favorite this story, getting your PMs about updating, and getting reviews always makes me feel really happy, but also extremely guilty that I don't update as much as people expect. So once again, I'm sorry, and as always this story won't be abandoned unless I announce it to be so! Once again, this is not my favorite chapter, but I feel its necessary to get things back on track (a transition chapter of sorts?). Sorry once again, thanks for your support.