A/N: Another week, a new update! Well it's been a couple of weeks and I'm really sorry for that, but life's a pain in the ass. This week was so long. I'm honestly really tired, but glad that I have some time off now - which means (hopefully) a couple quick updates! Also after this chapter the group finally leaves Liones! So yay for that!
As always, thanks for all the support everyone. The count's at 39 Faves, 46 Follows and 60 Reviews! That's a huge number to me, so thanks a bunch. It really makes me feel happy :')
CarBarrier - Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter.
Till next time,
D.L.D
Smokey cafes. That's what the drawing room was akin to tonight: a smokey cafe. Lavish furniture, boasting of fine and exotic status, was spread about the room. Plush seats, patterned walls, even the simple bookshelves and things that just filled the space were pretty to look at. Fine details and trinkets were littered all about the room, the occupants of it only drawing more attention. The occupants sat about the space, their voices mixing into a pleasant hum as they gestured and speculated. Some were helping themselves to the tea and late night finger food that had been left out for them; others were just enjoying the peace and quiet, complaining about the odd stiff shoulder or how the children had been so draining as of late.
However the drawing room was akin to a smokey cafe as the people within it were like customers. Each person was in their own little group, their mind knowing what they wanted to get out of this meeting, but still having to go through the process of 'buying'. This process included dealing with a particularly slippery 'seller', the seller themselves being nothing more than a child. A very tricky child at that.
As a result it came to no surprise when Margaret took charge, her voice ringing clear and precise as she gathered everyone's attention.
"Is everyone here?" The princess glanced about the room, brown eyes filled with thought as she tried to think of all that had to be present. As far as she remembered, all those who were required to come were present. But the princess still couldn't feel as if everyone was here, a niggling feeling playing at her mind as Veronica gave a frustrated huff.
"Yes, everyone's present," Veronica nodded curtly, partly annoyed at the fact that her sister had asked so many times before. The only difference was that she only bugged Veronica about it, her polite and professional demeanor forcing the elder sibling into pestering the younger. As a result the younger princess was slightly miffed, the ramblings of Howzer also not helping as he sat directly across from her. In fact the knight was really pissing her off.
"I've got the kids to finally settle down," Jericho beamed proudly, a hand held over her heart as she looked up from a tray. A small grin was spread across her usually frowny features, the usually stern Jericho looking a little more girlish and excitable. "It took a lot, but they're finally asleep."
A small wave of chatter followed that, many of the adults sharing Jericho's happiness at the fact that the children were finally asleep. They were the major cause of trouble these days, their antics often causing all sorts to occur. Plus this meeting was serious, meaning that they had to get it done without any kids pressuring them into certain decisions or making them not think on it properly. This was a serious thing. Life and death were hanging in the balance; they had to make sure they got it right.
"That's a relief," Guila sighed slightly, her brow relaxing as she took a small sip from her teacup. "They can be quite the handful."
The knight was no longer in her armour, a sky blue dress worn instead along with a pretty white headband. She looked quite the lady as she sat upon the divan, teacup balanced on a saucer. No-one would think Guila was as deadly as she is on the battlefield - especially when her brother was involved.
"A very big handful," Howzer nodded with vigour, cream on his cheek from what was presumably from his new 'coping mechanism'. Like most in the room he had ditched the armour for something more comfortable, easily sinking into the cosy atmosphere of the room. However that didn't mean he wasn't deflated at the fact that he'd signed up to babysit again, the task seeming all the more daunting as the conversation steered towards it once more. "I can't believe I agreed to do it all over again..."
A hearty laugh came in response to that, a hand ruffling and flattening Howzer's prized dark, blonde quiff.
"Well it is your duty as the new Grandmaster," Griamore chuckled, his features taking a more amused expression for the evening. "You were bound to be in this too."
Howzer only grimaced as he did this, arms folding across his form as he huffed slightly. First he realises that he agreed to babysit, and now his prized quiff was flattened and ruined. Not to even mention how he got turned down by that cute maid who was in the hall. Talk about a terrible evening.
"That's only because Hendrickson and Dreyfus turned it down!" The blonde huffed, moving frantically to swat Griamore's hands away. His tone then took a more pronounced and regal turn, his expression slightly smug as he fixed the ruined quiff. "Plus that means I should be here more than going to venture with a group of snotty kids."
A round of laughter went around the room at that, each of the adults finding a small part of humor in Howzer's sulky attitude. Not just that, but it made things seem a little more normal for a little longer. It made it seem like the average evening before the Sins had crashed into Liones to reveal they were children again. That they were just hanging out in a warm and cosy environment, enjoying the beverages and commodities of the meeting. That they were just normal adults doing normal adult things.
However they all knew that those times were no longer and the laughter soon ended, a lingering, stale feeling settling in the air. Silence cloaked the atmosphere, the soft crackling of the fire being the only thing to create any noise. Everything else was still and reflective, odd movements or shuffles being made as many avoided eye contact with each other. Eye contact that would reveal that they knew that things were far from normal now.
"Need I remind you those kids are also the Seven Deadly Sins," Veronica spoke quietly as she broke the silence, taking a small sip from her cup of cocoa. She was now stood up, leaning her back against a wall as she glanced at the blonde Grandmaster. "They're one of the few hopes we have at beating the Commandments."
"That's even if we can restore their natural ages," Jericho sighed, a tired hand sweeping over her face.
It was then chatter began once more, the eerie silence forgotten as the adults all began to pick apart at this new subject. The subject of whether the kid Sins would truly help to defeat the new threat to Britannia. And it sat quite well with them, the stale feeling from mere moments ago being forgotten with the warmth of the conversation and night as they all gathered around each other once more. It was only Merlin finally arriving that brought back the feeling, all eyes turned to the bewitching child as she stood before them.
"Ok, ok settle down children," A smirk quirked at the child's lips, her pose seeming to seep confidence and certainty. Despite being a lot smaller than the adults, Merlin held herself as well as any of them. In fact she held a challenging look in her eye, hazel orbs seeming like a dangerous amber fire as she held a single vial in her hand and placed the other on her hip. Raven hair fell into these burning eyes, the loose strands bringing more attention to them as well as her rosy cheeks and mischievous grin.
However the arrival of Merlin had called a stir in the cosy atmosphere, all of the adults feeling a slight disturbance as she casually strolled into the centre of the room. The vial in her hand wasn't too assuring either, every wary of the thing as they spotted what looked like a tiny serpent within. Most likely the same serpent that tried to kill them all. As a result it was no surprise when they did a double take of the child, unsure of what exactly was going on.
"Who are you calling a child?" Howzer frowned slightly, aware that Merlin was in no position to call anyone a child. Especially when she was one herself.
"You," The Boar Sin answered simply, a smile still on her lips as she played with the vial in her fingers. The adults watched with baited breath as she twirled it about, the poor snake inside slipping and sliding as the glass container tilted. "And technically speaking, you are to me. So please pay attention to what I'm going to say."
Attention was turned from the vial, all eyes fixed on the forward child as she returned their expectant looks with her own. Once she was satisfied it was being returned, Merlin then nodded slightly as stilled the vial, a grateful smile stretching on her features.
"Thank you," The girl sighed slightly, golden eyes still blazing slightly. "Now I understand you're all concerned about the mission to rescue Gilthunder. Well after some deliberation I have decided to share more about it with you..."
Two children walked along the little passageway in tranquility, one leading the way while the other followed. A small hand run along the stone wall, grazing the material as the owner remembered how many she should pass before turning. The other was able to see pretty well without a guide like that, his mind instead focusing on the feeling that had returned to him. The feeling of impending doom and dread that just wouldn't go away no matter how hard he tried. So when the girl began to speak, he almost missed her voice.
Just almost.
"I remembered something important..." Elizabeth trailed off, a small hand pausing its grazing of the stone wall as she halted. "Something that I'd forgotten."
She glanced over her shoulder and spotted that Meliodas had stopped, a look of genuine curiosity upon his features. One of his blonde brows were raised, green eyes showing interested as he tilted his head ever so slightly. The look wasn't too odd to see upon him, but was still not comforting when she thought of what she had to share. It always caused her heart to start beating erratically, some sort of strange force overtaking her as her voice seemed to become lost. Every time the princess tried to bring the subject up, it always failed. She always chickened out at the last second.
But now she figured she had to share some sort of insight with Meliodas. She had now seen something that he deserved to know about, and she also had to take the chance before she couldn't. Elizabeth had to say it before it was too late.
However nothing with this situation was helping. Her being a child, these dreams being unexplained, and even the oddness of everything made no sense. It was all just too much for her to process, let alone share. So the anxiety could be justified, Elizabeth accepting these reasons until Diane kept pressing her to do this. Hence why she was now in the secret passageways, trying to complete the dare while also trying to tell Meliodas about the weird visions she'd been having.
"There's a lot of things to forget," Meliodas shrugged, following along the darkened path but also keeping rather alert. He was pretty sure something bad once happened in these passageways, although he couldn't name exactly what. However that paired with the feeling of dread was enough to make him wary, the blonde not taking a single chance as he followed Elizabeth through the dark corridors. "What makes you think it's important?"
"It's something to do with you Sir Meliodas," Elizabeth answered simply, her voice not wavering at all as she paused at an intersection of paths.
Light was emanating from one path, the pale yellow thing seeming extremely bright from the more darkened tunnels. The other two were still rather gloomy, only one supplying a low whistling noise. A slight breeze could be felt, seeming to confirm that theory and gently pushing the pair's hair and clothing as they halted at the crossing.
Anyone could take the silence as Elizabeth thinking of where to go next. They could say that she was thinking of which path was the right one to get to the particular spot the adults were gathered in; but sadly the miniature Sin Captain knew better. He knew the silence wasn't because of thought, nor was it because she was trying to remember something. The silence was because Elizabeth was waiting for a response, her anxiety seeming tangible as he stood beside her.
So of course the blonde felt conflicted with what to say. He knew that it'd be great to say certain things, but at the same time they'd do more harm than good in the long-term. Equally there were terrible things to say, but they could also cause some good while also causing bad. Therefore Meliodas couldn't say the first thing that came to his mind. Meliodas couldn't say anything at first. All he could do was stand there and curse internally, knowing that what Elizabeth said was most likely linked to the horrible sense he had been feeling - the lingering, sinking dread.
So what else could he say in response but what he did?
"That's not possible," The blonde answered, shaking his head. "We didn't meet that long ago."
A silent sigh seemed to leave the princess at that, the girl immediately continuing on the path that was illuminated by light. She made sure not to walk away too fast, but didn't go at the same pace as before. It was more urgent and rushed, as if she felt silly for even mentioning such a thing. That was evident from the slight blush on her face and Meliodas couldn't help but feel bad for having been the reason for that.
"No we didn't," Elizabeth frowned slightly, sinking into thought as the words left in a soft murmur. However the frown didn't last for too long, the young princess smiling slightly. She still had a spark of hope after all, and that meant she could still try to get somewhere with it. "But - there's something going on. I keep seeing things and- "
"What are you two still doing up?" Merlin frowned, her head popping through what looked like a square cutout of the passage. Her brows were furrowed, hazel eyes filled with the authority that the group had branded as their 'mother duck's'. Therefore both children jumped slightly, Elizabeth more so than Meliodas, but he was still wary of Merlin's accusatory stare. Not to mention the brow raise she gave him, suggesting something very...suggestive.
Despite the hard gaze though, Merlin snuck a short, soft glance at Meliodas. A look that simply said 'we can talk about it if you want to'. However she noticed that he was a little occupied with something else, most likely something that'll distract him from the memories or what Elizabeth might have been telling him about. Merlin had always told Meliodas that it was pointless to try and ignore it all. To brush it aside and act as if it didn't all bother him. But Meliodas never wanted to talk about it, so Merlin left it closed. It was sadly better that way. But that still didn't mean she didn't sympathize with him; she knew how hard it must be for both of them.
Even if Elizabeth was oblivious to it all.
"I could ask you the same," Meliodas countered, a playful grin sat upon his features. "You're a kid too right?"
The mage rolled her eyes at that, a frown sat upon her features. She made sure to smile at Elizabeth, showing that she was more miffed at Meliodas than the princess herself. However it was still a little more authoritative, Merlin wanting to make a point.
"Yes, but I'm the most mature of us all," The ravenette raised a brow, her tone coming out mature and slightly smug.
'As well as the most stable,' Hazel eyes darted between the pair, mind already working on what could have transpired. 'Good thing I came in time...'
"So off to bed!"
"But - "
"Bed! Now!"
There was no arguing with that and so the children left, both looking a little dismayed from Merlin's unwanted interruption.
"You all shouldn't be awake."
Elaine sighed as she entered the room, a candle holder in her trembling grasp. She had been hoping for it to be a little quieter, but then again she should've known better. Ban was never one to be quiet, neither were many of the other Sins, so it was pretty inevitable for them all to be so rowdy. However Elaine hadn't expected to walk into what was essentially a mini-party, all of the children seeming to be bouncing off the walls when she first opened the door.
"Elaine!"
King and Ban rushed to the fairy's side, causing a brow raise of confusion between the rest of the children. Both boys hugged each of her legs, secret raspberries being blown as they glared at each other behind her back. However Elaine ignored the obvious rivalry and instead hugged both boys properly, putting aside her fragility to properly embrace her sibling and lover. Although her lover was reduced to being a child...
After the hug, Ban excitedly dragged the blonde fairy towards the circle of confused children. They sat with Elizabeth between them, their conversation drawn to a halt as they looked at the magical being. To Elizabeth, Elaine looked like a magical princess, her dainty features and graceful ways reminding her of the ones she read about in tales; Diane saw her as someone she didn't know, King hugging her causing a lot of suspicion; and Meliodas felt as if she looked slightly familiar, although he couldn't place it exactly.
However despite this, Ban eagerly began the introductions as he was practically waiting for ages to introduce Elaine to the others. So he had been prepping for this day, happy to introduce the light of his life to the people he had found to call his 'family' of sorts. Cause that's what the Sins were right? A giant, dysfunctional and yet happy family. Even if it wasn't by conventional terms, or through what people would call 'family' Ban felt they were.
Cause the Sins were his family, just as much as Ban was theirs.
"Guys this is Elaine," The Fox Sin grinned as she gestured to the blonde. "The woman of my dreams."
"She's also my sister!" King rushed up to the pair, his face reddened as he'd rushed to catch up with them. He had a slight frown, annoyed that Ban had so easily whisked Elaine away when the two siblings hadn't spoken in years. When he thought she would at least be happy to know that he didn't abandon her. That King did care, but when he came back it was too late. Everything was too late. And now the fairy king lived with the consequences of it.
The oh so lovely consequences...
"Your sister?" Meliodas raised a brow, the dots actually connecting. Well connecting and then forming a question. "Didn't you say she was your side chick?"
"My what?!"
"His what?!"
All three looked shocked, Ban and King now setting into an even deadlier glare down and Elaine flushed a deep shade of red. Diane had fixed her venomous glare on the fairy, her fists balling, while Elizabeth placed a calming hand on her shoulder. Meliodas only looked on in a sort of innocence, aware of the trouble his statement had caused but still not aware of how it really played into the scheme of things. Although he did have an inkling of what might be going on.
However the looks of the three children made Elaine pale, the redness fading as she tried to clear her throat to explain the situation. The very normal situation once it was explained properly.
"W-We're siblings," The blonde fairy choked out, a full blush breaking onto her porcelain skin. She then looked directly at the blonde Captain. "Where did you get - "
"It was just a silly mistake," The mini Captain shook his head, grinning dopily before he hooked Elizabeth by the waist. "But we're a thing if you wanna know."
"S-sir Meliodas!" Elizabeth stammered, her own face turning as red as a ripened tomato.
After the 'almost-confession' of the dream things, Elizabeth had felt there was a strange shift in Meliodas. She didn't know exactly what, but she could feel it. She could sense it. This seemed a bit too forced, no not forced, more distracted. Like a way to try and forget something bad settling within you, and she couldn't help but convey that as she met his emerald eyes with a concerned gaze. A gaze that was returned with a smile.
"It's alright I guessed as much," Elaine giggled slightly as she joined the circle of children. She sat between Ban and King, both boys seeming to want to spend the most time with the fairy. She found it rather adorable, the way her brother and lover fought like this, but still it was rather worrying. After all, they should know she'd love them both. She'd always will.
"You're never far away from one another," Elaine giggled slightly, a wistful look upon her face. "The same with my brother and Diane. But let's not divulge, what are you all doing up so late?"
The same look went around the circle, a look of being well and truly caught. However instead of looking ashamed, the group were rather happy and bright. They were even getting ready to tell her of their exploits, each of them seeming to have a story prepped for just this occasion. As a result the fairy was rather stunned by the excitement, expecting a sea of puppy-eyes and guilty expressions instead. Sadly the Sins were the opposite of such conventional children.
"Well we were playing games," Diane began, a smile on her lips and all signs of wariness gone. "But we can do something else. I'm sure you want to know about your brother's wedding."
Elaine flushed once again, her voice seeming to have evaporated, "H-his what?"
"Wedding," Diane answered with a giant grin. She then clasped her hands and let out a dreamy sigh. "I'm so glad you're my sister-in-law!"
Elaine then received a mighty hug from the brunette, the act almost knocking the wind out of her. However the frail blonde managed to easily capture Diane and return the gesture, the act looking much like a caring older sister consoling her younger one. An act that many of the kids wanted to experience as they were kids again, the memories of such times seeming a lot closer than before. That was if they had such memories though, since some had terrible childhoods.
Diane also made a huge point of it too, pointedly giving a smug smile. As a result all of the kids wanted in with cuddle time, the group dashing towards the pair to join in with the fun. So Elaine was soon overpowered by the group of kids, the group hug seeming like a stifling prison. It also happened just as Jericho opened the door to check on the cheeky minors.
"E - "
"Why don't we have a story time?" Elaine spoke quickly from the hug, somehow separating herself from the clingy kids. "That sound good?"
An answer of squeals supplied the response, each of the children running towards where they would be cosiest. King quickly floated towards the window seat, easily prepping Chastiefol and spreading himself upon it like a sleepy cat; Diane and Elizabeth shared one of the nursery beds, both girls giggling as they were snugly tucked; Meliodas had a whole bed to himself; and Ban was sitting in a chair by the small grated fireplace.
"Ok, now all of you get tucked up nicely," Elaine continued in a more motherly tone, glancing at Jericho to signal that she had everything under control. The knight nodded at that and them promptly left the room, glad to have washed her hands of the task.
That left Elaine to tell her story, hoping that it would help to calm down the hyper children. However if that failed, she could use a little of her magic to send them into a soothed and tranquil state. At least then she wouldn't have to worry about them interrupting the meeting or being very tired the next day.
"This story is something passed down between fairy folk," The blonde female smiled slightly, golden sparks appearing in the shape of a girl. "It's about a girl who was trapped."
Once upon a time there was a couple who could bear no children. They were both very poor, working all day and often at night to rear their cattle and land, the owner of their home and fields being very strict with rules and payment. Despite being good people, their lives were very terrible. So terrible that many today would say that such good people did not deserve such a fate. As a result the fairies became involved.
There was a special type of fairy, a wish granting fairy, who could grant any one wish for those with a pure enough soul. So when they heard of the terrible lives of the couple, they came to aid them and give them one wish to make their terrible lives just a little bit better. They told the fairies of how they had been trying to have a child for years, their one greatest wish being that of to have a child.
And so the wish was granted.
Within days the woman became pregnant, her bump seeming to grow at extraordinary rates. This led to her hunger growing, work of the fields being too taxing for her and even sleepless nights in which her husband would spend ages trying to find a particular thing for her cravings. It was no surprise when couple then fell into a tremendous debt, the wife's inability to work and the husband's constant rushing after her causing their field to fall into neglect. They couldn't meet the quota they need to pay their landlord, meaning they could end up homeless - and with a child no less!
Everything was going to go wrong and they knew it. Everything was worse from how it had been at the beginning. So the wish-granting fairies were called once more, the couple pleading with them to grant a second wish.
"Please we'll do anything!" The husband pleaded, his wife holding a concerned hand on her swollen abdomen. "Anything at all!"
The fairies all shared a silent glance at that, uncertainty wavering between them. They knew the rules were to only grant a single wish. They had to had to make sure the wish was the only one the person in need had, but still they could tell the couple were in a dire situation. As a result they came up with a sadly cruel ultimatum.
"You will give us the child," The head fairy fluttered forward, their blue wings seeming to sparkle. "Trade the child for a wish and we will ensure her safety."
"You can't be serious!" The wife jumped from her tranquil state, shock clouding her features as she protectively cradled her stomach. "We want this child more than anything!"
"Then we cannot grant your wish," Another fairy stated sagely, their silver wand resting in their hand.
The couple shared a look at that, knowing that they had no other choice. They could give away the child and know she had a good upbringing, or not take the wish and become destitute with a child that could die or become a street rat. The second outcome was something that they could not let happen, so they agreed with the fairies terms and decided to give up their child. Their child that they had given up so much for, but ultimately wanted the best for.
"We will collect the child in three days," The third and final fairy fluttered forwards, beautiful white sparks radiating from her form. "Consider your wish granted."
The fairies then left in a gust of wind and leaves, pretty flower blossoms left in their wake along with the despairing couple.
.^.^.^.^.
True to the fairies' words the child was collected three days later. The wife had given birth, happiness radiating from the couple as they looked at the face of their one and only child. The child that they would not know, but love with all their hearts. However they didn't get to enjoy that small moment for long, the child whisked away by the faeries and taken to the Sacred Tree. There she would grow and blossom into a beautiful young woman, her curiosity fueled by the lonesome days spent in the forest.
However one day news had reached that an intruder had managed to sneak into the Fairy Realm. The fairies labelled them as a thief, telling the woman to avoid the human as they were not to be trusted. Yet the woman could not feel wary as she was fascinated by humans, something about them interesting her as she found she was very alike to these wingless beings. So she ventured into the thinner parts of her home, watching as a man strode along the pathway.
He looked rather handsome for a human, sharp features being something different from the youthful looks of the fairies. He also owned blood-red eyes, his bluish-white hair styled into a spiky do. He carried a couple of items she did not recognise, the metallic weapon he carried seeming very unfamiliar to her. In fact everything about this person was strange to the woman, making her curiosity all the more powerful.
"Halt where you are, human," The woman spoke from her spot in a tree, golden eyes narrowed on the man. "You're trespassing on Sacred grounds."
A whistling sound came in response to that, a heavy chain wrapping around her foot and causing the woman to fall from the tree. This led to her hanging upside down from the branch, the chain pressed against her foot and anchoring her to the branch. As a result her skirt fell from her legs, revealing the undergarments hidden beneath and causing a furious blush to rise to her cheeks. It didn't help that the man walked up to her, easily removing his metal contraption from the tree but leaving her foot wrapped in it as he hoisted her over his shoulder.
"Unhand me you fiend!" The woman struggled in his arms, not at all pleased at being caught or having flashed her underwear. "This is no way to treat a fairy let alone a woman!"
"A fairy?" The man chuckled, a snort seeming to escape as he effortlessly continued down the path. Red eyes glanced at amber ones, the owner seeking amusement from this strange woman. "I'm pretty sure you're as much human as I am."
The woman huffed at that, folding her arms across her chest as she puffed her cheeks, "And what makes you say that?"
A short silence filled the air, however it wasn't uncomfortable. It was one of timing and comedy, the tone coming from the man not at all helping with the woman's already sour mood.
"How about the lack of wings?" He raised a brow, shifting the woman slightly. "Or even how you can barely use magic from the looks of it?"
Red erupted onto the woman's face once more, a fat pout sitting on her lips as she resigned to being carried around by this strange person. It's not like the fairies would let him get far anyway, he was a trespasser and trespassers often suffered terrible fates.
"I'm a late bloomer," The woman grumbled, her warm cheeks seeming to cool.
"Whatever floats your boat, girlie," The man shrugged slightly.
The two continued on in silence, the woman sulking as the man continued down the path while he simply whistled something. Soon the whistling turned into mumbling and she couldn't help but notice that he was babbling about the Fountain of Youth. The fountain that the fairies told her to never let any trespassers near as it gave the whole forest its life and vitality. As a result she began to struggle again, determination managing to fuel her attacks.
"What's riled you up now?" The man groaned, halting his walking as he felt light kicks and punches being delivered to his form.
"Your selfish nature," The woman growled as she continued to squirm and struggle. She even tried to use her magic to manipulate a plant however it failed terribly. "You want to take the fountain for your own needs."
"Well yeah, they say it gives you eternal life," The man answered simply, a grin on his lips.
"Well what if I told you it gave the whole forest life?"
The man sank into silence at that, red eyes seeming thoughtful as he paused along the path. The chirping of crickets and the running of water danced in the air, the music of the forest seeming like all that was needed to fill the empty space. It didn't help that the trees rustled ever so often, their branches seeming to reach towards the woman to save her, but they were always too short from the man to even grab her properly. So she just waited.
"I won't steal it then," The man gave a grin, a wicked idea seeming to light up his eyes. "There's better things to steal anyway. Like the magical sword in a stone!"
"What - but - !" The woman's eyes widened as he dropped her from his hold, surprise clouding her features. "Didn't you want to steal the fountain?"
"Yeah, but then I'd be killing this place," The man chuckled slightly, a sheepish hand scratching the back of his neck. "And it's pretty cool here."
"You're nothing like the faeries said..." The woman breathed, slightly in awe as she looked at the man.
However that awe was broken as some of the fairy guard arrives, armour and weapons ready to deal with the trespasser.
"Stay away from her human!"
The man then dashed away, his smirk and wink leaving a lingering blush as the woman watched after his form.
.^.^.^.
So the meetings continued. The woman would find the man at the most random of times, his constant breaching of the barrier causing her to wonder how he always got in undetected. At times he'd come when she was foraging in the south, others he'd appear when she was nurturing in the north and most he would come when she was relaxing in the clearings in the west and east. The man would always find the woman and when he did he'd amaze her with tales of the outside world.
Dragons, villages, even simple tales of things like farmers and the odd merchant amazed the young woman, her wonder always being satiated and amazed by the man's tales. Sometimes she'd ask him directly about his home, or about what he had done before he met her; other times they'd discuss her upbringing or the fact that she had never left the forest. In fact both found it odd that the woman had never left the forest, especially when she was definitely no fairy. She was more alike to these people.
So one day she couldn't find the strength to say no when the question came up of whether she should leave or not.
It happened on a clear afternoon, the man done from telling tales of the fantastical exploits he had done as of late. As always the woman had listened to every word, storing it all in her memory to think back to and revel in when she thought of the outside world. However the talk continued, the man glancing at her with curious red eyes.
"Why don't you come next time?"
"Next time?" The woman looked at him with widened eyes, seeming to choke with disbelief. "With you?"
"Yeah, why not?" The man chuckled slightly. "It'd be fun."
"Oh but I can't," The woman shook her head, a wistful sigh leaving her lips. "The faeries say I'm not allowed to leave."
"Who cares what the fairies say?" The man raised a brow. "They can't keep you locked away forever."
"No they can't..." The woman murmured, blonde hair flowing in the wind as she sank into thought.
.^.^.^.^.
It was nightfall, pitch black nightfall. The woman had made sure to stay awake past curfew, easily slinking away from her treetop home to the western-most end of the forest. It had taken a little work to get over the river that winded around the centre of the forest, but she had still made it there quite easily. In fact it was easier than expected, nearly no-one passing or catching her as she journeyed through the treetops.
As a result she jumped down to the path relieved. On her back was a bag packed with a few things she needed, as well as a map of what she assumed was the outside world. They had been carefully hidden, as well as chosen, so that the faeries wouldn't know about her plans to leave. She knew that they would disagree with them greatly. As a result the woman had resolved to secrecy, deciding to meet the man in the middle of the night to sneak through the barrier.
A few minutes after her arrival, the man appeared. He had his signature smirk on display, a knowing look in his eyes as he gestured along the path. They easily fell into hushed conversation, passing through the forest floor with ease and relaxation. All seemed peaceful for them, the crickets having settled down and only the rushing of the river filling the still air. Even the leaves and branches had stopped their rustling and moving, their usual creaking and swaying delayed for the night.
So the journey to the barrier was easy, really easy, the pair reaching it quicker than both had expected. However they took it as the fairies being extremely strained from the demon attacks up at the north side.
"Ladies first," The man gave a low bow as he gestured to the gap in the barrier.
"Why thank you," The woman gave a coy smile, easily taking a step towards it. However that step proved to be a mistake.
Out of nowhere the fairy guard appeared, weapons at the ready and aimed directly at both people's chests. The woman looked rather alarmed, even though she knew they wouldn't hurt her, however the man wore a more relaxed expression, fear seeming to be something he was immune to. Despite the lack of fear though, concern could be seen as he glanced at the paling woman.
"Lady of the forest you know of the rules," The fairy king stepped forward, his brilliant red hair standing out against the night sky. Great wings protruded from his back, their pattern similar to a butterfly's despite the rainbow of colors that radiated from it. "So does the human."
"I know but please have mercy!" The woman pleaded, tears pouring from her amber eyes. "He had no part in this it was all me!"
"And yet he still had the audacity to trespass and steal from the Fairy King," The King narrowed his gaze at the human, a terrible storm forming in his gaze as he looked at the man. The man who had clearly poisoned the mind of the innocent Lady of the Forest, the only pure human to really exist. "For that he must be executed."
"Your Grace I plead!"
"Your pleading will do nothing!" The King's voice thundered around the forest as he looked at the Lady. "And if this insolence continues you will be punished as well."
The woman fell silent at his words, tears ebbing down her face but never halting as she glared at the King. He knew what that look entailed, a quick signal being sent to the guard. One acted in time, impaling the man as crimson blood flushed out in a flowing river, but the other failed as the woman whispered the only words of magic she knew.
"Golden spring."
Time then slowed to a stop, all stilled as the woman took in the scene before her. The King looked as if he were in fury, a monstrous look upon his features as he knew that the woman would evade them all after this; his guards were looking dutiful, one about to strike and the other pushing is weapon through the man's chest. The man himself looked as if he were giving the woman a final goodbye, a playful smirk and wink upon his features as he tried to mask the pain of the impact.
However even so the woman couldn't smile at his expression, further tears forming as she thought of what a stupid fool he was. Of how he shouldn't have risked to meet her in the woods instead of after she escaped. At least then he would still be living and breathing, or at least they'd get to see the world together.
But now he was going to die, the fatal blow being served before her as she ran away from the scene.
But she wouldn't run in vain, nor would she let the man die in vain. Instead she'd spread awareness, she'd warn those not to trust the fairies. The one day, one fateful she would get vengeance. One day she when she had seen the outside world, she will burn down the very forest that had caused her so much pain.
Elaine finished her story to see that all of the children had fallen asleep, the sounds of snoring and soft breathing filling the room. It was probably better that they had fallen asleep, the ending of the tale was rather sad and reminded the fairy of her own tale. However still it was an important story in their culture, many people telling the tale to warn younger fairies about the meddling of human affairs.
That's why the wish-granting had ended many years ago...
"Sweet dreams, little ones..."
Shaking her head at the thoughts, Elaine smiled softly as she closed the door, watching as the children all slept happily.
Reality's Revelations
Time seemed to pass at a snail's pace now. Days stretched into months and months stretched into years; years themselves seemed like millennia. Seasons changed and the warm summer heat had long dissipated and died into a cooler autumn shade. The dried out leaves had fallen from the trees, their boughs and trunks bare, skeleton and naked. The sky even seemed to have darkened too, clouds often obscuring any possible sunlight.
Even so I still waited. Every. Single. Day.
It had been a long time since I had last seen Meliodas, his disappearance unexpected and unexplained. At first I thought that he was perhaps held up with something important, his royal duties being something that came before our silly meetings; but as time passed I could only grow more and more concerned. It wasn't like him to be so silent and not show some sort of sign of why he had gone missing. Sure Meliodas could seem cold and demeaning at first, but after getting to know him I found that he wouldn't neglect things like that.
He would've me a sign by now.
I don't know what, and I don't know how, but I would have something that told me Meliodas was alright. It's been too long now without having seen, heard or received anything from him. Even if he had just abandoned the meetings altogether, I would've expected something to show that he was done. But nothing had come for a while...
So all I could do is listen and wait. Wait and listen, hoping that Meliodas was ok.
I couldn't deny that somehow the blonde demon had wormed his way into my innermost thoughts. I had never thought it possible, but he did. At first it was silly notions, like I wonder what he could be doing right now? or I wonder if he'll ever come back; But soon those thoughts began to be something more than simple and idle questions.
Sometimes I'd wonder aloud, or think of how he would react at certain things. Sometimes I would remember certain things or see images of his face. The funniest of those was definitely when I gave him one of my own cakes to try. I was never graced with cooking or baking skills and so I know that my food is highly inedible, but as a challenge I agreed to try his cooking if he tried mine. So a swap of dishes and it was decided that I was the worst cook.
My best achievement yet.
A slight smile stretches at that, lips curling lazily as I rest my head upon my knees. It was a nice memory; a memory that matched with the sunset I was watching right now. Golden hues meshed with orange and pink, white clouds tinged with hints of grey and pink. The sun itself was now sinking below the horizon, its blazing light fading as a cool evening breeze took over. I should be heading home now, my mother being extremely strict on having me back home by dusk. But I can't bring myself to move. Not yet.
I want to stay just a little longer. Just a little longer to bask in the memories before I have to push them aside for my own 'royal duties'. Just a little longer to hope that today would be the day I see Meliodas once again.
But as the sun fully dips below the horizon, I know that the day has ended. I know my time is up. So with a sigh as I get up from my spot, wings spreading as I reluctantly carry myself away.
Laying awake in bed is always the time where thoughts succumb you. It's the only time they can fully blossom and bloom, your mind too tired and fitful to even protest to their greatest niggling and gnawing. As a result my brain couldn't stop at all. It kept skipping over thoughts and memories, a deep frown forming as I think of the many possible outcomes and meanings. As I wonder how odd this predicament I find myself in is.
It was odd for Mael to be the way he was. It was also odd for Meliodas to have not given a sign. And it was odd for me to care so much. I shouldn't actually care so much after all. He was simply a demon of whom I had grown used to the company of. We simply met out of idle curiosity and shared interest.
And yet everyone describes me as a lovesick puppy as of late. Always pointing out how dismayed and lonely I appeared these days...
Lovesick... Love! That was what it was! Why I was so worried and why I cared so much. It had to be. There's no other reason for my dejected mood and even Jelamet has noted it as of late. She was always telling me to get my head out of the clouds about this mysterious person I always visit. I had always pegged her scolding down to a bad mood or jealousy. But perhaps it was just her knowing the truth before I did.
Staring at the ceiling, trying to sleep instead of think, I then realised that I'd grown attached to someone. I'd grown so attached I'd even call it love.
Love...
Is that what I'm feeling?
Love.