Estarossa stands up as Meliodas stands next to Ayano with his arm around her waist.
"I apologies for calling you a coward" Estarossa says laughing "You are without a doubt, thee Meliodas. The son whom the current Demon King still speaks of, the demon whom even the four archangels fears and the older brother whom I looked up to"
"Don't give me that crap, Estarossa! Even you accept him, I won't! I absolutely will not!" Zeldris shouts trying to stand up "Meliodas! The only reason you even want the Demon King's power... Is so that you can dispel the curse that's been placed on you and that woman, isn't it?!"
"That's right. That's why I came here, to take the power that our father, the Demon King, had lent to you" Meliodas answers "It's what will make Ayano happy as well as myself. Though, just now, I realized.. I hadn't expected it.. But even if I took that strength you've borrowed, it wouldn't have the power to free this curse"
"Shut up..." Zeldris punches the ground still trying to get up "Shut up!" He gets up and goes to attack Meliodas "The one that's going to be Demon King... is me!"
Ayano puts her hand out and a barrier forms, knocking him back.
"You were already suppressed" Ayano says "don't further make a fool out of yourself"
Meliodas goes behind Zeldris, grabbing his right arm, placing it behind his back with his sword, "Zeldris.. I know the reason why you're so obsessed with becoming Demon King"
Ayano watches curiously as Meliodas whispers something to him before letting go of Zeldris.
"..Fine" Zeldris crosses his arms "I suppose I'll help you"
"Aya" Meliodas walks over and pulls her into his chest "don't worry, we're gonna break the curse"
Ayano smiles and hugs him "I know"
Meliodas nods and holds her with one arm before facing his brothers "When our father, the Demon King, decided to bring the vast, chaotic demon world under his reign... He split his own strength in half and granted it to his servant with the plan to take control all of it at once, but the power was so great that it could even threaten his own position.
So our father devised a much more efficient method of controlling the demon world without ever granting any one person too much power. He split that power into 10 fragments and granted it to 10 warriors" Meliodas explains "Those warriors became the Ten Commandments"
"..not including me right?" Ayano asks
"Of course not" Meliodas replies "don't be stupid
Ayano looks annoyed
"Zeldris, Estarossa... I want you two to go recover all of the Commandments. With all of the commandments recovered, I will be able to gain power on par with the Demon King," Meliodas commands
"Ooo" Ayano looks bored "a shortcut"
"Is something like that even possible? Recovering the commandments?" Estarossa asks
Zeldris calls for the any recovered commandments and holds three commandments balls in his hand, "I've already collected the commandments from the traitor Gowther... Gloxinia... and Drole" he makes them disappear.
"Seriously! Lemme see!" Estarossa runs up like a child going for sweets. He leans into Zeldris, "How interesting... Hurry up and tell me how to recover them, too," He says and Zeldris looks at him frowning, "What's that face for? It never hurts to have more help around, right?"
Zeldris walks to Meliodas and Ayano
"But what are you planning to do, Meliodas? Gowther wasn't loyal to the Demon King, and neither were Gloxinia and Drole, so those were special cases, but, everyone else has sworn their fealty to the Demon King and has great loyalty to him... If they refuse, you won't be able to just take it" He says
"Hey..."Estarossa thinks "...What if they're killed? Can we take them still?"
"What?!" Zeldris snaps
Ayano laughs
"Errr sorry... My wording was kinda harsh. You know what I'm tryin' to say, right? I'm just saying if by chance they happened to be killed by someone or something," Estarossa corrects his wording
"hm?" Meliodas puts his hand to his chin
"Technically if the embodiment of the commandment is killed the commandment itself doesn't die, it's still in the vessel waiting to me removed and replaced" Ayano explains
"Right and currently, there are three who still have commandments that have gone missing, Galand, Melascula, and Greyroad," Zeldris says
"Not counting my commandment" Ayano adds "my commandment isn't a power granted to me by the king, it's a title like how I have the title of princess since i'm Meliodas's fiancé"
"right" Meliodas confirms "so Greyroad was defeat by Merlin of the Eight Deadly Sins" he holds his arm out "Admonition" the commandment symbol appears in his hand, "I took this from him specifically for this... Well, unfortunately, I have no clue as to Galand and Melascula current whereabouts. I want you to do what you can to find them," Meliodas says.
"So what, Meliodas? You plan to just sit back watching from up on high while you have us do your bidding?" Estarossa questions
Meliodas folds his arms over his chest looking at his younger brothers, "Do you honestly believe that any of them are just going to quietly hand over their commandments to a person that betrayed the demon clan? That's why I have to leave this to you two... It's in your hands"
"don't mess it up" Ayano sticks her tongue out at them
The two younger brothers leave the castle to carry out their task. Meliodas walks up and sits on the throne.
"You know this seems more comfortable then I'd imagined" Meliodas chuckles
"Of course it's comfortable" Ayano walks up towards her throne "who doesn't love being in a position of power"
Meliodas reaches out and pulls Ayano onto his lap.
"This is my Queen's spot" Meliodas says kissing her cheek
Ayano smiles and lays her head on his chest.
Elizabeth approaches them "Meliodas you should rethink think, you and Aya can't become the demon king and queen"
"I will do whatever I have to" Meliodas replies darkly
'you know I think Meliodas is acting a bit different.. maybe taking his emotions were a bit drastic.. oh well father-in-law has them now so their's nothing I can do'
"If you break this curse.." Elizabeth begins "You might be able to save me, but I might also lose my memory... Besides, you of all people would know what would happen if you and Ayano became Demon King and Queen, right?! You.."
"The Demon King's power is too great. Which means I will most likely not able to stay in this world, Britannia, anymore" Meliodas says
"Then what would be the point in breaking this curse?!" Elizabeth asks "If Ayano becomes the demon Queen their would be no hope to restore her to her goddess position"
"Have you ever considered what I want Aunty?" Ayano questions
"..you want to go home don't you?" Elizabeth asks "and be back with my mother and sister, your grandmother and mother"
"My grandmother abandoned me when I became a demon against my will" Ayano looks at her "why would I want to go back?"
"..cause it's your home.. our home" Elizabeth answers sadly
"My home is wherever Meliodas is" Ayano lays her head back on his chest "that place stopped being my home when they turned their backs on me.. they didn't even try to save me"
Meliodas tightens his hold on her waist and uses his other hand to rub her head.
"..but I also.." Elizabeth trailed off
"You also love Meliodas" Ayano finishes for her "sorry Aunty.. but I won't give him up.. cause I love him"
"And I love you too" Meliodas looks down at her before kissing her
Days have passed and Elizabeth had disappeared, Zeldris and Estarossa kept coming back empty handed. Meliodas seemed back to his normal demon self but the more Ayano was around him the more she felt suppressed. She was loved yeah but she was loved before this too, she seemed to always expect some kind of perverted comment to come from him, but it never did.
Slowly.. she started missing her Meliodas. This Meliodas wasn't the same, he didn't make her laugh or flirt with her as often. Meliodas was always serious and hell-bent on becoming demon king. Sure Ayano wanted to become demon queen, but was it really worth it.
"Aya"
"huh?" Ayano looked up at him
"You're quiet again" Meliodas says
"Just focusing on this book honey" Ayano replies "don't worry"
"Alright" Meliodas walks away
"...I made a mistake" Ayano stands up and runs out of the throne room
She runs downstairs and places her book down on a stand before drawing a symbol on the floor. She chants a spell and the symbol glows red.
"..wait how do I get back" Ayano mumbles to herself before disappearing
Ayano opens her eyes to see herself in the middle of darkness, she was in purgatory, in her same demon form.
"Shit" Ayano curses to herself "I should've thought this through"
"...Nd Live... For Ten... Drink one mouthful... years longer... Drink it all... Eternal Life~" she heard someone sing
Ayano turns to where she hear the voice, it was a black fox creature.
She stares at it "...Ban?"