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Chapter 6 – Reunion
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Gentle voice woke her up along with a pair of hands shook her body gently "Bella... Bellatrix... wake up".
Mordred immediately woke up and sat up "mom!".
No, it was not.
It was her twin sister who blinked her eyes and stared at her with her dreadfully blank face. For heaven's sake, just if she could move the time backward, she would want to cancel her word just now.
Next second, Arthuria only ruffled her head "sorry to disappoint you, but it's not mom. It's only me".
Again, Mordred felt like she screwed it. Next second, when she tried to apologize, Arthuria turned her back and flopped down the bed, telling her to just clean up herself while she tidying the bed before they went to have breakfast together.
"now with mother's gone, as the oldest daughter, I have to take the responsibility of the household. Yup, I can do it. I can learn from Lady Merlin or other adult women. Just watch me from above. Mother. I will take care of father, my little sister, and brother in your stead", Arthuria lifted her fist with determined eyes before tidying the bed as she was deep in her thought "first of all, I know how to clean the house, but for wash, etc. especially cooking, I have to learn it. Hopefully, I can learn it from someone. I doubt I can learn about it from Lady Merlin. The counterpart of my master seemed like someone who most likely would use magic or just let it be, typical of practice and scientist. Just if there's someone I can rely on to... Bedivere! I should ask him later".
Mordred's voice seemed to snap her out of her reverie "sister".
Arthuria turned her head to Mordred "yes?".
"Sorry to interrupt your training of thought, but where is Lady Merlin? I only found Oliver sleeping on the couch in the living room beside the dining room and the twin brothers just finished their bath. They even helped me to bath Tristan".
Arthuria stuttered "you... don't tell me you have taken bath with them?".
Mordred blinked at that "I did. What's the matter?".
"Leon! Marlo! Get your butt down here!", Arthuria squealed with a red face. When the said twin brothers arrived, she ordered them sternly to sit in front of her along with Mordred, picking Tristan from Lancelot's hand before scolding them "sister, I don't want to hear any protest of you again about this matter and don't make me scold you twice about how improper it is for a woman like us to take a bath with man bla bla bla—".
Although Arthuria scolded them sternly, what Mordred, Lancelot, and Gawain thought of, it was the very same nostalgic things "yup, this... This is it. This is how our King/father used to be...".
After she was satisfied with the scolding and earned the furious nods from three people in front of her, Arthuria realized an absence of her Knights "speaking of which, why would Oliver sleep on the couch?".
Mordred pouted and puffed her cheeks "why should sister care on him like that?".
Gawain lifted his hand and explained "before Lady Merlin left, it was only me and Oliver who had woken up. She asked us to stay at the house while she took care of several things before she picked us. So, I cleaned the house while Oliver was cooking. Seems like Oliver has deprived sleep due to nightmare last night".
Mordred commented, "how lame".
"Bella, don't be so mean", Arthuria snapped her fingers to her forehead before sauntering to the living room "let's eat. Hunger is one of our utmost enemy. We can't fight when we're starving".
Mordred and Gawain chorused "agreed!".
Lancelot only shook his head "...seems like they needn't a long time to get along well again".
After Merlin's sudden arrival on the throne room where King Baltra discussed his future vision (about how Seven Sinners were gonna be the protectors of their Kingdom) with the Great Holy Knight Zaratras and Meliodas, more Holy Knights were coming, led by Dreyfus and Hendrickson because they felt the incredible unfathomable magical power.
"ah, what a coincidence. What if we just discuss about something else?", King Baltra asked all Knights in this room to leave, leaving the King with Zaratras, Meliodas, Merlin, Dreyfus and Hendrickson "now, Lady Merlin. I have one more 'Vision' last night. It's also the reason why I called Meliodas too".
Well, King Baltra could talk about this only with Zaratras, but because he had several things he wanted to ask Meliodas, he asked his presence too. Not to mention this mysterious young man, who had he found carrying his now-third-daughter out of Danafor Kingdom, was the most powerful Knight in his Kingdom right now.
"well, well, well, just spit it out, Baltra", Meliodas tilted his head, asking as if he could read his mind "what is it you wanted to discuss with me, till you called me too?".
King Baltra narrowed his eyes in disbelief as if asking his sanity when he asked this "...first of all, do you have children?".
Zaratras laughed and waved his hand "Your Majesty, it's funny. How could you possibly say that Sir Meliodas—".
"well, I do have", Meliodas cut him off, lifting three of his fingers "two biological daughters and one adopted son, to be more precise".
Dreyfus, Zaratras and Hendrickson snapped their head to carefree Meliodas who whistled and casually tucked his hands behind his head "YOU WHAT!?".
"told you", King Baltra flatly said as he narrowed his eyes "I saw that you indeed have children but I have no idea about how many kids you have".
Hendrickson cautiously asked, "excuse me, Sir Meliodas... but your wife...".
"passed away on Danafor", Meliodas closed his eyes when he answered it. He quickly turned to Merlin "Merlin, I have a favor too—".
"if you want me to ask to find your kids, don't worry", Merlin smiled reassuringly "they're in my house, safe and sound. I brought them to my house right away because they needed medical attention".
Meliodas was relieved to know that his children were still alive but knowing they had needed medical attention, the usual calm young man turned pale. Knowing Merlin, obviously, his children would be in good hands but he wouldn't be able to calm if he didn't know they were okay or not "let me see them now?!".
"easy, one of the kids that I saved from Danafor, Oliver, he is a Druid, he is the one who helped to heal the other kids including your daughters", Merlin lifted her magical orb "now I need you to see something".
Merlin showed them her observation as long as she went to search Meliodas' children on Danafor that day. Merlin's magical orb showed the vision of each children's conditions in different circumstances, starting from where Arthuria got separated from Mordred, Tristan, and Sir Loire. It was continued to when Arthuria saw what happened to 'Liz' and what she had done to her mother's murderer. After her temporary transformation as Goddess had stopped, blood came out of her head which Arthuria collapsed forward, only to get caught by Bedivere who smiled down to her, somehow nostalgic and bittersweet. Arthuria cried on his chest and cried herself to sleep on his arms. Carrying unconscious Arthuria on his arms, Bedivere lifted his silver right arm and a translucent sword made by water and air. Despite his young and soft appearance, Bedivere could fight ferociously against the monsters on Danafor in his way to get out of Danafor. The next vision showed the twin brothers, Lancelot and Gawain. When it started to rain, Lancelot was using elm tree branches as a medium to create two Sacred Treasure, two liquid sword which the other one he handed over to his twin, Gawain. In the halfway, before a monster could attack Lancelot, Gawain activated his magic power, fire wrapping around the liquid sword and miniature of sun appeared on the tip of the sword. After Gawain threw the mini sun to the monster, the monster was gone along with the sword in his hands, leaving the burns on his palms. Lancelot scolded him for being careless, lifting his hand above his twin's injured palms. The water of rain gathered above Lancelot's palm before it seemed to heal the burns on Gawain's palms. From the far direction, they saw Mordred was using Clarent to destroy the monster who hurt Sir Loire. After the red sword in her arm vanished back into Mordred's body, Mordred approached the dying Loire. When Mordred intended to leave with Tristan in her arms, surprisingly the twin brothers carried them before the four of them ran as fast as they could to the valley on the outskirt of Danafor.
Mordred wandered, carrying Tristan on her hands and looking around, ignoring her tears that freely streaming down her face "sister! Answer me, where are you?".
After Mordred wiped her tears, sobbing silently, Merlin appeared and the rest was like what you knew.
"as you see, Alexandria was brought by the druid, Oliver. Bellatrix and Tristram were brought safely by the twin, Leonhard Eleodore and Douglas Marlow. Including your children, the twin sisters, they are prodigy child and I believe they will become the dependable Holy Knight in the future, as long as we guide them down the right path", Merlin introduced three other kids who saved Meliodas' children and for the times they had known each other, Merlin smirked "I know perhaps you would want to just adopt them all, Meliodas, considering they have saved your children's lives. However, you are a single-parent now and while I will gladly help you to raise them, those kids deserve to be raised by dependable Holy Knights like Sir Zaratras, Sir Dreyfus or Sir Hendrickson here. Of course, if the King and Holy Knights here don't mind with it".
"I'm gonna adopt Oliver", Zaratras raised his hand with an excited smile "he's a Druid like me, so it'll be easy to handle him and I believe my son will be pleased to have an older brother".
Before it was decided that Hendrickson and Dreyfus would adopt which one, Merlin interrupted "oh, considering Leon and Marlo are twins, I believe they will not want to get adopted separately. Most likely, Leon I guess".
King Baltra suggested "well then, how about we ask them ourselves? I believe it will only be fair if we ask those kids as well, about who they want as their adopted parents".
Meliodas nodded his head "I agree. Merlin, send them all here and now".
"as expected of the wise King Baltra", Merlin smiled and snapped her fingers "here we go".
Deep down in his heart, King Baltra wondered what did it mean, the Vision he had on his dream. When the kids arrived here though, Meliodas raised his eyebrows "...seriously?".
Arthuria lowered her head further "I am no longer a King".
"no, you are not", Bedivere agreed and smiled wryly "because you are gonna be the Queen".
At that, Arthuria seemed like she lost her patience, she snapped her head up "why should I? They betray my mother, all of them! So just give me a reason why should I have to resurrect the Goddess Clan!".
Surprisingly, Bedivere accepted it "you don't have to be the King of Britannia or the Queen of Goddess Clan if you don't want it, Lady".
"but if I don't, your existence will be meaningless and you will die, right? Do you think I don't know about it?", Arthuria gritted her teeth and clenched her fists before she looked up, cupping his cheeks "you know it already that you could die, so why...".
"because I still remember your smile that day, my King", Bedivere smiled fondly before dropped one knee in front of her with one arm crossed in front of his chest "Lady Arthuria Pendragon, I am your Sword. Use me so you can live. For that alone, it is a reason for me to live".
"How could I let it be? I don't want you to die... I want you to live...", she looked like she was on the verge of her tears before she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. It seemed like the gentle gesture had startled him, but she didn't budge "I need you to live... you have to live, Bedivere... don't you dare to die... you are not allowed to die before me!".
Wordlessly, Bedivere wrapped ane arm around her shoulder to hug her back. With a single tear cascaded down his face, Bedivere complied "...as you wish, my King".
Gawain waved his arm above Bedivere's face "Ollie~ wake up, sleeping beauty~".
Bedivere blinked his eyes once. Twice. Before he abruptly sat up and his head bumped into Gawain's chin. Both Bedivere and Gawain curled into a ball, squirming in pain.
"Are you okay, Oliver?", after climbing up the couch, Arthuria sat in front of him, rubbing his forehead "you look pale".
"good morning, Lady", Bedivere offered a fond and warm smile to her, rubbing his head "please, don't worry about me. I'm alright. I just have a nightmare, that's all".
Laying on the floor, Gawain moped "yeah, just forget me here as if I'm invisible".
Arthuria and Bedivere squawked in unison "Leon!".
Lancelot waved his hand, crouched his hand in front of him "don't worry, we don't forget you, brother".
Mordred narrowed her eyes with a mischievous smile "yeah, I just pretend that you don't exist".
For instance, Arthuria sat beside Mordred and she pulled her cheeks "Bella, don't be so mean towards the older ones, respect them. Remember what I told you before?".
Mordred opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water "Horry (sorry) sis...".
After they were feeling full, Mordred laid Tristan down on the floor "now, let's dress you before I brush your hair, okay?".
"let me brush and do your hairdo, Bella", Arthuria sat behind Mordred with a brush on her hand "usual ponytail style, right?".
Usually, it was their mother who would brush her hair and tied it into a ponytail. Mordred blissfully said, "yes, thank you, sis!".
Bedivere sat behind Arthuria, running his fingers on her hair "then I will braid your hair as usual".
When Lancelot offered Mordred to help her for wearing the clothes on Tristan, Gawain whispered right beside his ear "you indeed have Galahad as your son, but I don't think you know how to raise a child?".
True, it was Merlin who helped him and those words enough to ignite another fight between Lancelot and Gawain, as usual. Unbeknownst to them, Merlin snapped her fingers at this very moment and they were all teleported to the throne room of Liones Castle.
Meliodas and the rest of the people in this room didn't know if they had to feel amused or confused, considering what they had seen right in front of their eyes. Thankfully, Tristan had worn his clothes just in time for Mordred who thankfully just finished to put the clothes on him.
(Yeah, thank you, Mordred. You are a good girl deep down in your heart, we know it)
Arthuria blinked in surprise, perhaps, considering how her pupils dilated as she brushed Mordred's hair and tied it into ponytail hair-style. Bedivere, more or less, showed the same reaction as he too brushed Arthuria's hair and tied it into bun-braids. Lancelot, on his part, blinked his eyes in shock as well, as he locked Gawain's head in his arms. Gawain blinked too, despite the fact he choked due to Lancelot's headlock.
Merlin was amused "what is it? Quarrel again, twins?".
"more or less", Lancelot quickly released Gawain, looking around "where are we, Lady Merlin? Who are these people?".
"ah, my head is safe", Gawain clutched his neck and sighed in relief before turning to Merlin with his trademark broad, bright smile on his face. Lifting his hand, he cheerfully greeted Merlin "thank you, Lady Merlin!".
Mordred instantly burst out into cry and reached out her hands, running to Meliodas "Dad!".
Mordred cried for a while on Meliodas' arms. When her tears had subsided and Meliodas handed her to Merlin, Meliodas turned to his oldest and crouched in front of her "hey, Merlin told me everything, including what you saw. Forgive me... because you have to see...".
"it's alright, father", Arthuria, being a timid and calm child, only smiled reassuringly to him, her father "I know it will be hard for us, now mother's gone... but I'll try my best, so we'll be alright and mother will not be worried sick about us above there on the Heaven. Even if mother is no longer by our side, we still have each other, so it's gonna be alright, everything's gonna be better".
Her reassuring words, it felt as if she tried to convince herself.
"idiot", Meliodas closed his eyes slowly before patting her head and cupping his cheek "don't force yourself too hard. It's alright even if you cry".
Meliodas' words felt like breaking the tenacious fort in her heart as tears started welling from her eyes "but... even if I cried... mother's not gonna back, right? Not only me who lost... that's why...".
"you surely have held yourself, huh? thank you, for survive and come back to my side...", Meliodas ruffled her head before hugging her "welcome home".
It felt like the tears she had held back for the sake of the others, her father, her sister, and her brother was flowing freely now. It had been a long time ever since the last time she had cried like this, although she had cried for her mother too on Bedivere's arms on that day of tragedy under the rain. Meliodas carried her on his arms, stroking her back reassuringly and patting her head as long as she hysterically cried on his chest, curling into a ball on his arms. Mordred cried again, this time on Merlin's arms. The twin brothers, Gawain and Lancelot, also Bedivere teared up as well. Even Zaratras and Hendrickson also cried while Dreyfus tried to calm down these two grown-up, adult men.
Back to their main business, the kids other than Meliodas' kids (Bedivere, Lancelot, and Gawain) had been informed that they would be adopted by Zaratras, Dreyfus or Hendrickson. It was final decision, that Bedivere would be adopted by Zaratras. About the twin brothers, just like Merlin had predicted, the youngest one, Gawain refused to get adopted separately with his twin brother.
Wrapping his arms around Lancelot's shoulders, Gawain shook his head "I don't want to get adopted separately with my brother!".
Merlin smirked in amusement "see?".
Well, considering Hendrickson was still single while Dreyfus had a wife named Anna and a son named Griamore, it would be more convenient if it was Dreyfus who had been experienced with kids to adopt them, so yes, Dreyfus would talk about it to his wife and son beforehand, though he had a hunch feeling that his wife would most likely accept them as their adopted sons.
Knowing Bedivere would stay with Zaratras' home as his adopted son and not with them again, Mordred clenched his fist in amusement because no one would annoy her (considering how clingy her twin sister to him these days) while on the opposite, Arthuria was not amused, she even wrapped her arms around his legs like Koala attached to the bamboo tree.
Merlin told the men in this room "oh, I forgot to mention it... It seems Oliver and Alexandria are quite attached to each other because Oliver who is a part of the Druid Clan thinking that Alexandria is the descendant of Goddess Clan that he must protect while Alexandria quite adores Oliver who saved her life, much to Bellatrix's displeasure".
Meliodas twitched his eyebrow "Yeah, count me in, then. I'm not pleased as well".
Merlin chuckled "overprotective father~".
After Zaratras told her that he would let Bedivere visit her house every day, Arthuria seemed in deep thought before she agreed "it's alright, Oliver. You can just come to our house whenever you want to visit. Also, if my father adopted you and you become my older brother, then we wouldn't able to marry someday, right?".
"NO!", surprisingly (not too surprising, though) Mordred and Meliodas burst out in unison before the-overprotective-father mode-on, Meliodas snatched Arthuria from the floor, hugging her and carrying her away from Bedivere, rubbing his cheek on hers "no marriage! You're still too young to marry and I don't want you to leave me that fast!".
"father, I was joking", with the innocence of a child and mischievous glint on her eyes, Arthuria chuckled "though I don't lie about considering to 'marry with Oliver' part. He's a good man and I like him".
Lancelot supported his red-face friend who looked like about to collapse due to overheating "Oliver, hold yourself together!".
"aw, man", Gawain rolled his eyes "still a young maiden, huh?".
Meliodas sternly ordered, "kids, sit down. Line up in front of me and mention how old are you?".
Arthuria clasped her hands on her lap and sat in regal pose (much to adult's awe and confusion before they heard her answer her father's question) "four years old".
"four years old", Mordred still scowled and puffed her cheeks, she had a cute pout as she pursed her lips like that. Settling Tristan on her lap, she had a feeling as if her twin sister was stolen by Bedivere at this point "and Tristram is one year old".
Finally able to gather himself together, Bedivere sat with both hands fisted above his knees though his red was still beet red "...nine years old".
Gawain and Lancelot exchanged glances before said in unison "ten years old".
"that is! My daughters are still four years old! No talks about marriage issues until they reach adulthood so if you still want to live, think twice", Meliodas cracked his knuckles with a dangerous smirk on his usually-cheerful baby-face and dark aura surrounding his body "I'd be pleased to beat those men who not deserve them but still dare to lay their fingers on them~".
Once again, Merlin narrowed her eyes and sighed as she shook her head "overprotective... I doubt your daughters can get married if this goes on".
Arthuria protested at that "Father, you can't forbid us to meet with them. Just like Oliver needs me, I also need Oliver to teach me many things like cooking, household stuff, and swordsmanship. He is the best choice, not to mention I do like him and I feel comfortable as long as I'm with him. I don't want you to forbid me and Bellatrix to befriend all men we meet, not to mention it's unlike we can't defend ourselves".
Feeling like he had no words against her very logical statements, Meliodas moped "...I can't believe the day where I lost against my daughter will come".
Merlin was amused, but still had the sympathy to him as she patted his shoulder "perhaps I should have brought them sooner to you".
Even Mordred joined Meliodas and she moped by his side "I feel like I've just got my sister back but she was stolen by someone else at this point".
Arthuria blinked before she laughed in mirth, patting Mordred on the head and patting Meliodas' cheek "silly, we will stay with each other, we are family after all".
Mordred and Meliodas hugged her in three-ways-hug then.
That day, Baltra felt grateful that he only had three daughters. Zaratras, Dreyfus, and Hendrickson had to remind the Three Misfits for never they dared to lay their fingers on Meliodas' daughters if they still wanted to live.
Oh, how they had no idea of what was upcoming to them in the future from now on.