A/N: The first chapter outside of Liones! Yes! I'm so excited to finally type it all up. I've missed the silly shenanigans of the group while they were on the road, like Ban accidentally causing Elizabeth to cut her finger and King and Meliodas getting drunk on spiked cookies... *sigh* Those were the good times...
Anywho, my other fic for Seven Deadly Sins (I Thought I Knew You) is nearly a year old! I'm so happy and proud, although super bummed that I've left it sitting around for so long. But to celebrate a year since its creation, I'm gonna update it and try to keep doing so regularly. So feel free to check it out.
Also thanks for 50 followers and over 10k total views! That's a huge, really, really HUGE number to me TwT. Thank you so much everyone, I really appreciate it. REALLY.
KitsuneYoKai26 - Thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely use it :)
CarBarrier - As always thanks :)
Till next time,
D.L.D
The atmosphere was quiet. It was too quiet.
Merlin could hear the pulsing of her heart within her chest, the tireless organ seeming to beat a rhythm that only distracted her all the more. Small hands ran through her raven hair, a terrible, sticky sweat forming on her smooth brow as she let out a sharp exhale. The action caused a little pain, her chest feeling tight and taut like a stretched rubber band, even though she was at peak health. In fact there was nothing wrong with her. There couldn't be. Merlin knew that she was fine and well.
But the constant whispering in her head said otherwise.
It was a low and hissing voice, similar to a vicious whisper blown into a frightened ear. The voice owned a smooth and yet simultaneously sharp tone, a bony, cruel finger always seeming to trace the Boar Sin's spine whenever she heard it. Whenever it whispered into her mind and poured it petty pestilence within. The same pestilence that had killed and withered them away, causing the young girl great trauma and grief.
Trauma and grief...
The death of that person was what made Merlin who she was today, their negligent nature still somehow having influence. In fact Merlin was sure that their cruel nature was what made her so cold and analytical - what made her so...data-based. All Merlin bothered for was figures, facts and numbers. Sometimes she would have a moment of emotion or humanity, but then it would be washed away by the dark temptations of her insatiable crave for knowledge. Her unquenchable thirst for omniscience.
And yet...
"Why are you doing this?!" Merlin cried as she suddenly tossed everything from her desk onto the carpeted floor. Books, papers and feathered quills fell to the ground, a few ink pots shattering from the sudden and violent attack. "You're putting them in danger!"
Unknown tears leaked from her golden eyes, ragged breaths coming from her tiny form. Once olive skin was now tinted with a slight rusty hue, a hand quickly swiping at her thin yet scattered locks as they fell into her gaze.
"It's for the advancement into Chaos," Merlin's jaw tensed at the familiar voice, ignoring the terrible chill that crept up her spine. Tiny fists balled, a low growl emerging as the ravenette glared at the wall. "You know that very well."
The voice was beginning to piss her off now. It was something that was hindering her progress and success rate. In fact the voice was the thing keeping her up at night, its sinister tones always snatching away sleep before Merlin could even get a chance to grab at it. No matter when or where Merlin went, she'd always hear the same voice whispering into her ear. She always heard the familiar sound that brought back the artificial chill and sleepless night.
The voice, her now childlike state, this whole situation! It was like a personal nightmare tailor made for the mage, all of it perpetually bothering her no matter where she went.
But it didn't make any sense.
Why was it bothering Merlin now? For the past three thousand years she had barely felt anything towards doing things like this. The Boar Sin saw what she did as crucial for the advancement of knowledge. It was all needed to make sure the world knew the truth and facts about itself.
However now Merlin wasn't so certain about her usual analytical coldness. With the reappearance of her childlike state and mentality, she had noticed the small changes. Merlin had noticed how she'd become more like...how she used to be.
Maybe that was why she kept on trying to win an impossible battle.
"I may know the truth, but even so I cannot send them out like that!" Merlin spoke out into the empty room once more, wiping away her tears of rage and frustration. A foot then stomped down on the ground, a tiny finger pointing to the wall. "I'm sending them to their graves and you know it!"
"Lies!" The voice hissed, a firm hand seeming to grasp Merlin's shoulder. "We both know they shall live. The Sins have always defied the odds."
Hazel eyes peered down to see a terribly withered hand, the outline of the bones revealed by paper thin flesh. Dark marks, almost like burns, adorned the wrinkled flesh, the gnarled nails of the hand digging deep into the navy cloth of Merlin's clothes. Her heart leaping into her throat, the girl jumped backwards as she let out a slight yelp.
That hand... she's seen it before - no touched it before. That hand... it was one she never wished to see again. In fact Merlin was sure that hand had been banished to the back of her mind, the very image of it bringing her back to all the terrible parts of her early childhood.
That hand...
"It's cruel to do such a thing!" Shaking her head, Merlin somehow found her voice to confront the now invisible hand and voice. The Boar Sin spoke with bass in her voice, ignoring the shaking of her little legs as she balled her fists once more. "We both know well enough that we're doing the same as the two powers we hate."
A echoing laughter then filled the room, dark and sinister as it wrapped about the frightened yet determined Merlin. Candles flickered slightly in their holders, the dropped papers from the desk rustling as a slight breeze picked up in the air. Of course Merlin knew that if she was being bothered she could simply use Perfect Cube. It was trick she could still manage to sustain, to keep at a safe level, without draining herself completely.
However as Merlin went to activate the cube, she froze. She couldn't move, not even as she willed her legs to shift or even slightly twitch. All the mage could do was stand there and gawk, a gelid realisation washing over her as he laughed.
As he laughed right in her face.
He was facing her directly, ancient and eroded yet standing there anyway. His own hazel eyes looked into the girl's, the scars of time tracing his burn-specked skin only making the meeting all the more terrifying. Clothes that looked oh-so-familiar and yet also foreign filled Merlin's gaze, her hand coming to clutch at the bodice of her dress as that was all she could do in his presence. It was all she could even think to do in his presence. Especially since she was a child once more...
"Oh fickle emotions," The crippled man spoke, his voice now smooth and sinister. "Cruel is never a thing in the world of knowledge. The only thing you can be is dull..."
Merlin then let out a ear-piercing scream, her little legs carrying her out of the study as fast as they possibly could.
The day had rolled by quite quickly, the initial bumpy start with the Sins swiftly soothing itself into a gentle ride. For most of the afternoon, the children had been extremely helpful. In fact they were all very mature for their outward ages, many of them volunteering themselves to help out with the list of tasks each adult had been given. As a result the large group had been split into smaller ones, each unit tasked with completing certain things.
But of course that meant some groups didn't get along.
"I don't see why I can't have a turn," Ban groused as he stomped into the tavern, easily sliding into a seat. "Damn Cheerio always gets all the fun."
The boy had been helping Jericho tidy up the storage hold on the top floor, the knight having a very strict rulings for the usually mischievous Ban. It didn't help that a bunch of junk was scattered about up there, much of it being the new additions of the knights' clunky armour. As a result Ban had worked his little ass off, ending up being covered in dust, some cobwebs sticking to his spiked hair and grubby face.
But even so the Fox Sin didn't seem to care about that. No he didn't mind a little hard work and getting messy, although hard work was a pain in the ass at times. What Ban minded was the fact that Jericho had banned him from touching a lot of things, saying that he could break or even accidentally activate magical items.
So being the mopey little fucker he is, Ban announced that he won't help and will instead go to grump.
That brought the boy to the tavern, letting everyone hear is terrible whining as the urge to drink a nice, cool ale became all the more tempting. Hell, Ban was even considering the shitty side-effects, the boy feeling himself swallow deeply at the thought of tasting the fragrant and rich flavour of his favourite beverage.
"I think you're just jealous, Ban," Diane stuck her tongue out as she passed through the room, a crate balanced in her tiny arms. She was helping Howzer count the stock and clear a few things, her unique strength being handy for the task. "I bet you wished Elaine was helping you instead of King."
Ban grimaced at her words, turning away from the brunette as she hit the nail right on the head. Ban was a little pissed that King was spending time with Elaine. In fact he was downright sour about it, the Fox Sin being extremely petty over the fact that King got to have Elaine all to himself. After all, Elaine was Ban's to steal - she was his treasure. But even so King still won and got to spend the whole afternoon with the recently resurrected fairy.
Talk about lucky.
"Damn right I do," The Fox Sin hissed slightly, sharpened canines bared, before he let out a loud groan. Ban then slumped at the table, his chin resting on the smooth edge. "It's just not fair!"
The sound of a tongue clicking displayed Diane's disappointment, the girl shaking her head she glanced at the moping Fox Sin. He really was a whiny little bastard in this childlike state.
"Life's not fair Ban," The giantess sighed as she walked out the room. "That's why it's called life."
Ban only rolled his eyes at the brunette's words, flapping his lips as he mouthed her words while pulling an exaggerated expression. Once Diane was out of sight and earshot, Ban then slid from his seat and headed into the kitchen. However once he got there the boy stopped in thought, a small frown forming on his little lips as blood red eyes scanned the room.
The Fox Sin was certain that he had a secret store of ale somewhere, Merlin's little 'allowance' act giving Ban the perfect opportunity to stash for occasions where he'd get the familiar itch of needing a good drink. In fact he knew he did, the boy only acting like a complete tool to make others have low expectations for him. However the problem Ban faced here was the state of the kitchen.
As expected the adults had meddled with Ban's old system. Places that once held his meticulously placed spices and herbs were now filled with preserved meats, grains and potatoes. Where the meats, grains and potatoes where, all sorts of other things were placed and vice versa. In fact Ban was sure everything had moved into the wrong place, all of his hard work to make the kitchen into a nice environment gone to waste.
Just great.
A few minutes passed with Ban opening cupboards or digging in corners, his hands pushing items aside in search for his prize stash. The little nook by the oven, the tiny ass alcove that wasn't really an alcove but a widened hole Ban had secretly placed into the wall, even the damn bin was checked in his quest to find his stash. But even with all the effort Ban supplied, his precious, thirst-quenching ale wasn't anywhere to be found at all.
In fact it was like it had just upped and walked away, his whole crate of ale going to waste. The whole crate he could've drunk that day Merlin let him drink instead of wasting it for the greedy thoughts of another day.
"Can this day get any worse?" Ban growled slightly, his little fists balled as sharpened canines set into a tense jaw.
As if answering his question, Elizabeth came into the room carrying a box of something that looked suspiciously like a treat. It was a white, square box, a pretty blue ribbon tied around the box's width and a little note attached to the lid.
The princess hummed as she walked past the Fox Sin, a small smile on her features as she opened a draw. She then got out a small plate, soft, tiny hands working to untie the ribbon of her little gift.
"Hey Ban," Elizabeth gave a slight smile to her 'big brother' as she looked up from her task. "Are you ok?"
A small blush coated her cheeks, the princess feeling odd for having dropped the honorific of 'Sir'. Ban was a knight after all and Elizabeth had been trained from a very young age to address such noble and brave people by their titles. There were rarely any exceptions. Nevertheless Ban had insisted that she didn't need to call him 'Sir Ban', even going as far as to say that she can call him Big Brother Ban. Being the sweet little thing she is, Elizabeth had said she'll attempt to, the prompt gaining a small pat on the head from her 'big brother'.
But even so Ban was still rather concerned for his 'sister', a small frown spreading as her presence reminds him of that. She has been acting rather off recently...
"Mmm I'm fine, Kilia," The Fox Sin hummed slightly, ruffling the girl's hair in thought. His red eyes then landed on the white box, intent on the care that Elizabeth takes when opening the lid. "Whatcha got there though? It smells good."
The lid was popped off, revealing the savory and yet sugary smell of the treasure within. Ban was pretty sure he caught a whiff of cinnamon mixed in with the ever-present apple and chocolate. In fact he was sure that a little ginger or nutmeg had to have been sprinkled with the sugar, the rich and aromatic scent of the golden pastries being too good to not have those things.
"It's a treat my sis - the princesses gave me," Elizabeth quickly covered up her slip up, a small smile spreading as she took out a few pastries and set them upon her plate. "They said they came from another kingdom overseas. You can have some if you'd like."
"Don't mind if I do, sis," Ban smirked slightly, quickly snatching a flaky pastry from the box. He lifted it to his eyes, amazed at the flaking and yet still soft and not crumbly thing. Unlike pie it had a soft and pressable crust, but unlike cake it was too firm to push down completely. Instead it was right in the middle, being melty on the tongue yet also chewy as the Fox Sin took a big bite.
"Is it any good?" Elizabeth raised a slight brow, her little lips pressed with apprehension. Blue eyes blinked slightly, their cerulean irises bleeding into a crimson stain as the Fox Sin slowly stopped his slight blissful smile.
Silver hair darkened into a slightly bluer shade, its long length cropping itself into an uneven ponytail. A soft nose sharpened ever so slightly, the chubbiness of her cheeks thinning out to emphasise the unnatural lines of her protruding cheekbones. Dirt streaked her face and hair, the once clean and porcelain skin turned into a dirty, tanned and bruised coat. Blood dripped from her neat brow, the material of her dull and grubby clothing doing nothing to hide the jutting bumps of ribs beneath.
She looked just like her - No she was her. Ban was sure of it. His brain was just playing tricks on him. Yeah, it was the stupid spell messing with his mind. This girl was Kilia - she had to be. There was no way this girl couldn't be his sister.
And yet...
A small grimace formed on the boy's features, Ban having to swallow deeply as the pastry felt cold and sticky in his mouth. He couldn't tell what was real anymore, the image of a bloodied, starving and shrunken girl being the complete opposite of the cheerful, bright and safe one he was regarding now. In fact Ban was sure he was just acting a little crazy from his withdraw, the affects of always being an alcoholic finally getting to him.
Yeah it had to be that. It had to be the cravings for a nice cup of frothy ale.
"Yeah...it's pretty good..." Ban replied with a slight smile, however it doesn't reach his eyes. He takes a sad bite from the pastry once more, watching as Elizabeth lit up with joy.
"That's great news!" The princess beamed, eagerly picking up her plate and stepping closer to the Fox Sin. "I was scared that they were going to taste terrible like those chocolates Margaret gave me once!"
Ban's expression only darkened at Elizabeth's nostalgic laughter, a sour taste sitting in his mouth and making the once sweet pastry seem stale. Very stale. There was something so...familiar about this. It seemed a lot like something he should be able to recall, like something he's experienced before. Images of a laughing girl with red eyes and a bright, toothy smile flashed before him, her wide grin painted with joy as he heard his own voice announce that he had stolen them enough for a big midnight feast.
The girl seemed so happy. So...serene. However those happy and serene moments were tarnished as the first vision appeared once again, her scarlet eyes now dull and once happy smile a ghostly gape. His own voice seemed stuck in his throat, a terrible feeling spreading through his body and yet rooting him to the ground as he could only stare at her face.
Her paling, bloodied face...
A lump forming in his throat, the Fox Sin sunk into thought once again his idle chewing catching the attention of the princess.
"Hey Ban?" Elizabeth's voice snaps him out of his daze, the princess' brows creased with concern. Her lips are pressed slightly, the plate she was once holding pushed aside as she nudged the Fox Sin slightly. She wears a kind smile, blue eyes painted with sympathy as her little hand grips his shoulder.
"Yeah?" His own voice surprises him, the once nightmarish daze he had now seeming nonexistent as he raised a brow. The pastry is still held in his hand, parts of it floating to the ground from the tight grip he'd given it.
"Do you wanna play a game?" Elizabeth asked, her voice seeming innocent and lively as she regarded the Sin. "I've finished my duties for the day and Veronica did say I can play a little."
"Sure," Red eyes met blue, the Fox Sin grimacing for a split second before cracking a wide grin. If this was what he thought it was, then this would prove that these images are just that. It would prove that he's not going mad and that it's all the stupid spell placed over him by Vivian. "What type of game?"
The princess hummed slightly at the question, tapping her chin slightly before brightening with a smile. A wide smile that made Ban grin in return, the horrible dread in his system slowly being flushed out by excitement and relief.
"How about I-spy?"
"Alright," Ban smirked slightly, easily cracking his knuckles as he stretched. He and Kilia used to play that all the time, the elder often using it as a distraction while he robbed the local merchants and vendors of the town. She had loved that game dearly and always begged to play it when she followed him about, the big brother always agreeing just to light up her face. "But I'm warning you now, Kilia, I'm a total pro."
"Well so am I," Elizabeth gave a toothy grin in return, erasing all doubt from Ban's mind.
The sound of horses hooves and the steady rhythm of carriage wheels turning was unmistakable. The constant clop, clop, clop, slurring rotation and occasional snapping were the only sources of sound within the small box of the carriage. Everything else was silent, the occupants stuck in their own little words as they fixed their attentions of everything but conversation.
The pair had left a little late in the afternoon, Merlin saying that she wanted to have a nap when Escanor had come to question her on the matter. Her face had been slightly pale, hazel eyes seeming to dart about in a frantic and yet calculated fashion as she sat at the window seat. Little hands had been tightly clasped around a book, their slight trembling not going unnoticed by the Lion Sin at all. In fact he noticed how the knuckles had gone pale with effort, a sort of strain entering the fragile joints.
But even so Escanor did not press on it. He did not press on how Merlin's sudden frantic state irked him a little bit. He did not ask anything about why she may possibly be so spooked or easily frightened. he did not even inquire as to what had made the usually calculated and certain Boar Sin so jumpy and apprehensive. Even if Escanor wanted to take her shaking hands in his and tell her everything was alright, the Lion Sin didn't do such a thing. He didn't console Merlin nor seek for the sudden cause of her state. Instead Escanor had simply complied with Merlin's request, telling himself that she would tell him everything with time.
However time had passed and Merlin was still oddly quiet. Instead of carrying her usually witchy and mysterious demeanour, she seemed glassy and fragile. The cat-like smirk was replaced with a slight grimace, her normally animated hands resting a tense jaw as her golden eyes stared out of the carriage window. Merlin didn't even stir as the carriage jostled slightly, causing her to shift as clusters of her raven hair fell into her face. In fact the girl did nothing to move nor disturb it all as she continued to stare.
Stare, stare, stare.
Escanor couldn't help but swallow thickly, a terrible sensation forming in the pit of his stomach.
This new Merlin was really beginning to unnerve the Lion Sin. She was too quiet, too reflective and definitely too detached. Even if Merlin was normally quiet, observant and extremely distant, it wasn't like this. She wasn't so solemn and glum, so irked and shivery: she was calculating, sure and never showed when she was quivering in fear.
So for her to be like this now, so...vulnerable. Escanor didn't know what to do. Especially when she always seemed to brush away his attempts to help or comfort her.
"Miss Merlin are you alright?" The boy raises a brow as he breaks the deathly stillness, his concern evident as sky blue irises softened. They connected with golden hazel, Merlin quickly turning away as a small dusting of pink tinged her chubby cheeks.
But even with the lack of eye contact, Escanor still stared. He still waited for a response, his usually cowardly persona being replaced with a sense of duty as he silently pressed for Merlin to respond instead of brush him away like she normally does. He stared with all the expectancy he could, some sort of hidden inner strength entering his normally spineless daytime state as he refused to not accept an answer.
As a result Merlin frowns slightly as she closes her eyes, her voice coming out in a somewhat irritated huff.
"Yes, I'm fine," The words are croaked out, a small hand coming to her sore throat. Delicate fingers brush over the perfect skin, seeming oddly shaken as they wrap around the airway. "I'm just fine..."
The Lion Sin gave a slight nod in response, watching warily as Merlin turned back to stare out of the window. Even if the words sounded genuine, Escanor knew that was a lie. He knew it was very clear and dismissive lie.
Melodious little voices filled the tavern, the adults who were awake watching as all of the children merrily interacted at the table. Many of them sloshed their little cups in the air, singing along to whatever song came next as they made a little performance out of their meal. Tiny legs stomped under the table, while voices belted out in a cacophonous harmony of on-key, shouting and off-key singing. Smiles, chuckles and giggles were shared, many becoming very daring when the adults didn't do much about the cussing. Knives and forks were even banged against the table at particularly good songs, the kids seeming to have a little tradition of performing while at the table.
"Alright, alright now for the next one!" Ban chuckled, a red hue clouding his cheeks as his crimson eyes squinted slightly. The Fox Sin's words slurred together, his sharp teeth glinting in the light. "It's called Cheerio's a great big shithead! Repeat after me kids!"
The Fox Sin then launched into a full verse filled with a lot of vulgar language that should not be repeated. In fact most of the children fell into silence, red filling their chubby faces while others coughed as they went back to eating. Only a few egged Ban on, one with a look of mischief while the other unknowing of how vulgar Ban was being.
"Oh yes that was brilliant!" Gowther exclaimed, his usually monotonous face breaking into a wide grin. His avid applause filled the silence, small hands creating rather loud connections. "I loved your particular use of the words 'bastard' and 'strumpet'. Especially when you - "
"Ok that's enough," Veronica grumpily coughed, interrupting the doll. Her lips were pressed into a frown, her nose scrunched slightly. A magenta brow raised in silent warning to the Fox Sin, Veronica's caramel eyes seeming to blaze in fury. "Ban...such language isn't polite."
The princess' words were met with agreement at the adult table, the three other parties nodding. Guila sat across from Veronica, a cautious expression on her features as she cut into a loaf of bread; Margaret looked more than exhausted as she simply nodded, a hand swiping at a loose strand of lavender hair; and Howzer was slightly triumphant at the sight, glad that the troublemaker of the group had finally been caught in the act.
But even with the scrutinizing judgement of the adults, Ban didn't care. Why should he? He lived to be the public enemy and so he made it clear as he gave them a wide, shit-eating grin.
"Polite, schmite," The boy blew a raspberry, red eyes glimmering. "Polite or not, every word's true."
The words hung heavy in a thick silence, the once merry atmosphere of the bar seeming a little more tense. An unspoken sensation spread through the small group, each of the children now cleared of their previous merriment and the adults seeming to be alert as attention was drawn to the oddly slurring Fox Sin. In fact Ban had been acting a little off all evening, his evil cackles being heard from within the kitchen after most of the group had suggested he cooked (with supervision of course).
As a result not much had been seen of him during the evening, Ban making the kitchen his natural habitat. But now that he was out in the open, his shift had been exposed with the presence of the other children. Well, more like his sudden state of intoxication.
All eyes pinned on the smirking Fox Sin, watching as he forcefully grabbed a drumstick and viciously bit into it. Sharp canines left two punctures within the meat, Ban simply maintaining his grin as he hummed slightly. His red eyes met with every gaze, the minor enjoying the show and living it up with every second. He even dared to lick his lips salaciously, giving everyone a great display of his cunning nature and fox-like expression.
"You sound awfully drunk, Sir Ban," Margaret breaks the silence, her expression and cinnamon eyes carefully guarded as she takes a gentle sip of her tea. "Could you perhaps tell us why that is?"
The boy immediately snapped to attention at that, a slight hum leaving his throat as he dropped the drumstick. He then pushed away from the table, a crafty grin on his features as he knew exactly what had caused his suddenly terrible demeanour.
"That's cos I hadda lil drink~" Ban chuckled slightly, easily sauntering up to the princess. He then dropped his tone to a whisper, pointing to the food as he hiccuped slightly. "In fact I slipp'd it in da mash..."
Horror painted the adult's features as everything clicked. The evil chuckles, the patient calculation of what he would do, even the way Ban easily smirked right in their faces as each of the other kids' expressions turned into terrible contortions of pain or they hummed slightly at the weird thrum travelling through them. Guila couldn't help but dash towards the table, stopping Zeal from taking another spoonful of the tainted mash. But even so they had all acted too late.
Ban had gotten there first.
"Oh no..." Guila breathed, her face blanching.
"Oh yes!" Ban snickered.
The adults could only sigh as the moans of feeling unwell filled the air, whilst the more liquor capable kids began to greedily spoon up more and more mash. Elizabeth had hastily dashed towards the bathroom, Meliodas following like a loyal puppy; Diane had begun to eat as much mash as possible, gulping down the mushy substance as if it were liquid, while King was starting to mutter incoherent things about distant lands and flowers.
It was only Gowther who maintained some normality, the doll continuing to eat before he decided to experiment and toss food at the other kids. At first it was small things like tiny pieces of meat, but soon it evolved into spoonfuls of mash, the Goat Sin having a deadly aim with his spoon. Unsurprisingly one disastrous thing led to another and soon the room was covered in sticky mash and other edibles, the adults only sitting in frozen shock as kids ran amok.
"Two for kids, none for adults!" Veronica exclaimed over the fray, marking the point off in her notebook as large cut of meat flew past her head.
"Not helping, Veronica!" Margaret snapped, just as some mash landed right in her face.
A/N: We're nearing the end of these little mini chapters. I think there's three more and then they're all done. Huh... :I
Kind Kiss
Night time is meant to be when I'm asleep. It's the dark hours of the day and named as the time for evil. Darkness roams the lands in the absence of the sun, my clan's powers weakening while the demons seemed to reach their apex. As a result I was always barred from leaving the Celestial Realm at night, my mother and her advisors all agreeing on that one rule. It much safer after all. Therefore night was always a mystery to me as I never got to fully experience it.
That explains why I'm now blindly stumbling through the fairies' natural maze of flora, my vision not yet adapted to the lower lighting of the moon. It seems so weak compared to the sun's golden glare, but even so it is still gentler, its silver rays seeming more tranquil and serene. They feel more like a gentle kiss compared to the sun's cruel touch and despite it ailing my vision I can't help but enjoy its light more than the sun's.
Although I'd never tell my mother such a thing...
I guess I may have been a little distracted by my thoughts as I wandered through the natural puzzle of obstacles, my nightdress constantly catching on small plants. Roots and brambles consistently caught themselves on the smooth fabric, simultaneously scraping at my legs and arms as I'd then try to free the dress from whatever it was caught on. At some point I'd grown annoyed with it and ripped away the lengthy gown, making it into a shorter lower thigh one. The sound of the seams shredding was enough evidence of the word I'd done, the severed fabric being tossed over my shoulder. After all, it was a lot more free and allowing like this than the original dress, easily letting me navigate and traverse the dense underbrush of the Fairy King's forest.
So after ripping the fabric I didn't find it as hard to walk about in the dark. Roots and vines barely bothered me, my eyes adjusted to the darkened land and the brambles firmly dealt with now that I'd shortened my nightgown. As a result I was rather confident as I marched towards my destination, easily pushing through bushes and jumping over little puddles and streams. Sometimes I'd spot a few animals and would watch them in amazement, however I'd quickly remind myself I had places to go. Places to be.
Reluctantly, I would drag myself away from the sight and press onwards. Press onwards with a confidence that seemed to inflate the longer I went without any accident occurring. Therefore I was rather surprised to fall down a steep incline, an ungracious yelp escaping as I fell to the earth. Dirt scraped itself onto my face, my knees and elbows feeling skinned as they stung with the sharp contact of crisp air.
It was only a short fall, much likes ones I'd experienced many times before, but even so I fell a lot harder due to the infernal boots my mother was making me wear all the time. They were heeled and pretty tight like most high heels, their design made for show rather than comfortability. Nevertheless my mother said I must wear them to look presentable, stating that they were something I couldn't ruin with my...childish antics.
Huh...I guess to her I'm still a child. I wish I wasn't. But I don't think she'll ever see me any differently, especially because I'm so forgiving.
I look up from the dirt, clumps of it falling into my lashes as I wipe away at my now grubby face, only to be met by a softened chuckle. It's then I notice that I'd actually taken the right route, my stumble actually being one made of pure overconfidence.
"You need to be more careful," My heart stops as I look at the hand outstretched towards me, a soft smile accompanied with it. The smile matches with oddly green eyes, their shade the purest emerald I've ever seen. In fact they appear even greener than grass, something being entrancing about their colour; but that's probably my racing nerves talking, a terrible blush breaking onto my skin as I can only meet his smile with a stammer.
"I-I've never really been out after dark before..." I trail off slightly as he pulls me up, a hand snaking around my waist. It was a normal action between us, however my heart can't help but flutter as I think of how close we are. As I think about how much I've missed such an action. But even with the thoughts ringing about my head, I ignore it all in favor for looking at the night sky, drawn to the millions of tiny dots lighting up the darkened background.
"It's pretty beautiful isn't it?"
"Yeah...it is," Meliodas easily responds, his tone seeming awfully lost. In fact it sounded rather dreamlike, like he was focused on something else instead of what I was talking about.
I turn to see what he could possibly be looking at, but instead end up directly locking gazes with him, our faces inches apart. My own blue eyes meet gorgeous green like a flowing river meets rolling fields, all words falling short as my brain can't function at all. All I can do is study his features from up close, my mind wondering if I'll ever be able to be this close to him again as it frantically scrambles to memorize them at the same time.
The dip of his nose, the slight curve of his smile - even the way his wild blonde locks fall slightly askew into his beautifully green eyes. Each feature holds a distinct beauty of its own, or maybe I was just realising it now that I'd recognised those feelings bubbling beneath the surface. Those deep feelings that can so easily be looked over and yet still influence every action you make towards another person. Those feelings which are taboo and yet...
Unconsciously, my hands begin playing with the unruly locks, an odd sense of concentration settling as I do. They feel soft and thick, lacking the coarse texture I would've imagined Meliodas to own since his hair always looked uncombed. However like with everything else, he has managed to surprise me. He's managed to do something I wouldn't even predict and this time it wasn't even on purpose. It was by sheer accident. By sheer nature.
"Elizabeth?"
I hum in response, mindlessly brushing back his unruly fringe as I unknowingly lean closer towards him, eyes fluttering closed.
His lips grazed mine at first, most likely frightened of harming me in some way; but when I didn't pull back, when I didn't show any fear, they met fully. It was a slow kiss, languid and passionate as we both expressed those pent up feelings. Those feelings that had been forming and sitting there for what seemed like eternity now.
A sigh escaped as my fingers hooked into his hair, his own hands firmly yet still warmly supporting my waist and back. Meliodas took that chance to deepen the kiss, his actions showing caution and yet skill as his tongue slipped into my mouth.
Never before had I thought that I'd be kissed by a demon. When I had first heard of them, I saw them as creatures that were an abomination from Hell. I was taught that they were incarnations of evil. The demon race weren't like goddesses. Demons were different, strange and evil. They were killers, liars and criminals - but so were goddesses. Goddesses could be evil, they could lie, they could be criminals. So many on both sides had lost their lives, had sacrificed it all for the sake of their supreme leader. No-one thought about if things were lies. No-one thought of why this war had started.
No-one thought to disobey.
But here, in the darkened and overgrown forest of the fairies, I couldn't help but feel more right. I couldn't help but feel as if this was what I was meant to do. I felt perfectly moral in kissing the enemy. It felt perfectly right for the princess of Heaven to give herself to the beast of Hell.