I AM SO SORRY! Life got crazy and then I had an awful case of writer's block. Rest assured that I am still alive though!
So, is anyone else disappointed that there are only 4 episodes (so far?) for season 2?
…
"I sent riders out almost two weeks ago. How hard can it possibly be to locate a giant green pig wearing a tavern!" huffed the King in exasperation.
Veronica was silent, her eyes still puffy from two weeks of guilt induced crying. "I-I'm s-so s-sorry father!" she suddenly wailed before dissolving into a fresh round of tears. The King had forbidden his middle daughter to go with the riders he sent to look for the Seven Deadly Sins and so she was left with nothing to do but worry over the safety of her younger sister and berate herself over having been so foolishly jealous.
Bartra sighed softly before shooting his eldest daughter a look. Margaret quickly understood and moved to stand beside her sister. "Veronica, you know father doesn't blame you and neither do I" she said softly. "You really must stop beating yourself up like this. Besides" she continued, "as you yourself stated before they left, Elizabeth couldn't possibly be any safer than she is with Lord Meliodas. He would protect her with his life" she finished with a gentle smile as she wrapped her arms around her younger sister. The middle princess sniffled but it seemed that her crying had stopped.
"You've been cooped up and miserable in your room for two weeks! Take Griamore and go down to the training yard" Bartra smiled in relief, "you know you always feel better after you've beaten up on that poor boy!" he finished with a laugh. Veronica ducked her head to hide the blush and mumbled her agreement before quickly leaving the room.
The King sighed again before turning to his other daughter. "Do you think they're alright?"
"They've survived far worse, father" she quietly pointed out.
"True" he grudgingly admitted. After a brief pause, the King stood up and turned to Margaret. "Have Griamore come and see me. I want him to keep a close eye on Veronica. I don't want to have to worry about two of my daughters…one is stressful enough!"
Understanding that she was dismissed, Margaret left the study and after relaying the message about Griamore to one of the servants, went off in search of Gilthunder. The past couple of weeks had been hard on everyone and at that moment, she wanted nothing more then to be in his steady, ever comforting presence.
…
She probably could have ignored the knocking a bit longer however, it was beginning to get on her nerves and, knowing exactly who it was, her curiosity finally won out. "If it will stop your incessant knocking, then come in!" she snapped. The door to her laboratory opened and a shaggy blonde head popped around the edge.
"Hey" he began warily. Merlin raised an eyebrow and, crossing her arms, stood in expectant silence. "Ugh, fine! I'm sorry I lost it like that on you earlier" muttered Meliodas.
"Elizabeth made you come up here and apologize, didn't she."
"Possibly" he said as he tried not to grin at her.
The Boar Sin looked at the Captain and began to laugh but when she realized that Meliodas wasn't laughing with her she stopped and stared at him curiously.
"I'm just trying to figure out if it's a good laugh or one of your scary laughs where everything seems ok and then suddenly you're impaled against a wall with invisible spikes, wearing nothing at all and not quite knowing how you got there" he said, giving her an appraising look.
"I see that you've been speaking with Ban" she smirked before they both began to laugh.
"Ok, I'm sorry that I was so intent on inspecting the Princess. I probably should have been a bit more tactful, considering that I know how you tend to get with regards to her.
"Gee, you think?" he said as he raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to stop, are you?" he continued with a sigh.
Merlin did not say anything but merely crossed her arms again.
"Well, I suppose you're in luck then. Elizabeth is willing to let you examine her."
She looked at him in mild surprise but Meliodas could see the underlying smugness. "No need to look like the cat that ate the canary" he muttered. "However" he continued a bit louder, "I have to be there for all of it. That is my main condition."
"There are other conditions?"
"Do you want to examine her or not?" he said with a grin.
"Fine. What are the others?" smirked the Sin of Gluttony as she rolled her eyes in mock exasperation.
…
"He sure has been up there a long time" Diane said with a worried frown, "maybe we should go see if he's ok?"
"Diane, he'll be fine. It's not like they've never argued before. Besides I think Ban pissed her off more than the Captain did" King finished as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"What the hell did I do?!" Ban said as he came out of the kitchen carrying a large platter of sandwiches.
"What did you do! I can't even believe you even need to ask…you can't possibly be that dense!" King yelled at him.
"All I did was laugh. You have to admit, it was pretty funny and I know you guys want to see her knocked down a peg or two as much as I do!"
"Ugh, I can't believe my sister likes you" King grumbled as he walked towards the window.
"She doesn't just like me, she loooves me" the Fox Sin sang with an evil toothy grin. "Did you know, she's does this thing when she's kissing…"
"AGHHH" interrupted the Grizzly Sin with a look of horror, "She is my sister! I am NOT listening to this…LA LA LA LA LA" he yelled as he placed his fingers in his ears and turning around, quickly floated out the front door.
"Well, that was easy" Ban smirked before turning back to the platter in front of him. "You are such an ass" Diane hissed at him before grabbing a few sandwiches and storming out the door after the Sin of Sloth.
"Do I want to know?" Meliodas said as he came down the stairs in time to see Diane slam the door hard enough to rattle the shutters.
"Not sure, maybe a lover's quarrel" smirked the Sin of Greed. "Sandwich?" he asked, pointing to the platter.
"Sure" he replied as he shoved one in his mouth.
"So, where's the Princess?"
The Dragon Sin swallowed and sighed appreciatively before grabbing another sandwich. "She's reading upstairs with Hawk"
Ban suddenly got quiet. "Um, there's a packed picnic basket for you guys in the kitchen" he mumbled as he began to pick apart a piece of lettuce.
To say that Meliodas was surprised by the sudden change was an understatement. The only time Ban ever mumbled was when he was drinking – and even then, it more slurring than mumbling. "Hey man, are you ok?"
Ban sighed and slumped back in the chair. The Sin of Wrath raised an eyebrow and didn't say a word as he got up and grabbed some ale before sitting back down and pushed one of the mugs towards Ban. "Ok, what's going on?"
"I don't think I can stay here."
"Why?"
"Captain, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am for you. But" he paused to breath before rushing on, "you have everything I want! I have to bring Elaine back. I don't want to be alone for the rest of eternity" he finished desperately as he quickly swallowed the remaining contents of his mug, putting it back down on the table only to find Meliodas watching him.
"Ban, you don't have to do this on your own. We'll help you! After we figure out what's going on with Elizabeth, that'll be our new mission."
"What's our new mission?" grunted Diane as she dragged in a huge dead animal through the door. "What?" she said defensively as she saw the looks on their faces "I needed to blow off some steam. I brought dinner."
"Yeah, for the rest of the month!" grumbled Ban.
"So anyway" she said, glaring at the Fox Sin, "what's our new mission?"
"Well" Meliodas began with a grin, "after we figure out what's going on with Elizabeth, we're going to go find King's sister" Diane's eyebrows got lost somewhere around her hairline as she stammered "w-why?"
Ban tensed and quickly glanced at the Captain. "Well, we need something to do and if I have to keep hearing King whine and moan about how his sister's death was all his fault and how much he misses her, I swear I'm going to put him on dish detail forever!" The Captain noticed Ban's shoulders relax out of the corner of his eye. "Anyway" he said as he got up and subtlety placed a hand on Ban's shoulder, squeezing gently before addressing Diane again, "I have to go." She watched in confusion as Meliodas walked into the kitchen.
"Every time I think I have him figured out, he does something to surprise me. I know he cares about us but I didn't think he'd suggest something like this!"
"Neither did I" said Ban softly as he stared at the kitchen door as it swung shut.