Chapter 7: Take Me Away
Time goes by so slowly as I have something to eagerly anticipate. My father leaves for the human kingdom, expressing a need for another trade agreement. Zaneri takes over most of Jelamet's tasks over the next two weeks and I know she's been training to replace her, but I still hate it.
When the time finally comes it almost feels back to normal. Jelamet helps me get ready while grumbling about the mess I leave after a bath. She sits in a chair, and I on the floor, while she does my hair partially up. "Why must you thrash about?" She asks and I try to explain the dreams, suffocation and the Star of the Night. "I don't want to be afraid... so I try to face it, and all I have to emulate it is the water." Jelamet clicks her tongue as she smacks my head with the hairbrush.
"Ow." I mutter, but she doesn't say anymore, pinning and curling my locks. With my hair partway up, the open back of my dress is teasing when I move rather than a constant show. I pass on the necklace opting instead for smooth skin but I do pick small dangling diamonds for my ears.
I'm packed and ready far too early to be expecting Lord Meliodas anytime soon. I walk Jelamet back, she's panting so we stop in the great hall, in front of the massive star doors of the throne room. She leans on a warrior statue, complaining about her back and I rub it, glowing my healing into her. "When I'm gone, girl, you don't let any of these men boss you." Jelamet commands, turning to take my hand in hers, squeezing it as if to make her message stick. "Women have all the power. When you realize that, you'll accomplish things great men can only dream of." I flush under her words, knowing deep down that I need them. I don't have much time to consider them as a moment later the doors open to the outside.
Meliodas is speaking to a fully armored Dale, seemingly used to this occurrence and I wonder if he's had a guard escort every visit until I look Sir Meliodas over causing those thoughts to die. He'd chosen gray to pair with the red, I had expected black but find this much more appealing. The nice lines of his mid-thigh length overcoat draws the eye. With the silver buttons of his vest and matching collared shirt under them both, he is beyond handsome. Inside the pocket at his left breast is the splash of red that matched my dress and I giggle, filling the room with the sound because... Sir Meliodas is wearing red pants. Grey shoes complete the ensemble but as I look at them, they freeze in place. His foot still in the air and I rise my gaze up him, confused as to why he stopped moving.
His face is frozen, lips parted and eyes blown wide. Dale slaps at his shoulder with a chuckle and Sir Meliodas snaps out of it, his feet lowering to the floor just to rock on his heels. His eyes lazily roam over me and I flush, my arm coming around my middle. Jelamet asks Dale for some assistance to her room and the man laughs, agreeing. "Not too much fun now, kids." He warns and Jelamet scolds. "Have all the fun while you're kids!" She contradicts and I flush all the deeper.
"Elizabeth," Sir Meliodas speaks, as the two others hobble down the hall away from us. "You are exquisite beyond words and I fear it'll be like breaking my own fingers to look away from you." He steps ever closer and butterflies burst from their cocoons in my tummy. "I'll take the pain for such a reward as this..." His voice dips low and I hear something plop to the tile. I look, noticing his overnight bag cast aside. I freeze, afraid suddenly at what his next move will be.
He stops too and for a moment I feel like I am staring down a dragon, one wrong move and I'll be eaten alive. I stay, rooted, trying to cull the fluttering of fear inside me to a manageable level. "You... look very nice... too," I admit, flashing my eyes up to meet my blue to his cloudy green. He is blank, struggling with something before he swallows.
"Our mage should be here within the next thirty minutes." Sir Meliodas notes, his voice hoarse and I nod.
"Let me get my bag." I turn to escape him and in my retreat I hear him wince, low and tortured. I stop, looking back, anxious, but his hands are covering his face while his fingers dig into his eye sockets. That has to hurt. "Are you okay, Sir Meliodas?" I question. He drops his hands to his sides as if he hadn't just been trying to rip his face off.
"Of course." He chokes out, clearing his throat and trying to smile while keeping his face blank, which seems to conflict with itself. I nod, turning to the stairs and gathering my skirts to head to my rooms. I have a grey shawl, it looks like it will match and I want to bring it in the hopes that it does. He is early. Before his mage even. That means he likes me, right? I frown. Would we have liked each other, romantically, if this hadn't been pre-arranged by our fathers? Are my feelings tainted with the knowledge that he is a preset path I must take? I shake my head, that thought doesn't matter anymore, it can't, I had to make it not.
I gather my bag and my shawl, wrapping and tucking it into the loops of my bags as I make my way back to Meliodas. There are voices in the entrance hall, a woman I don't recognize and Sir Meliodas'. Have I taken that long? It hadn't felt like it. I glance over the railing when I reach the balcony that leads down the steps and Sir Meliodas' eyes find me right away. I smile.
"This is Lady Elizabeth," Sir Meliodas notes, his face following me in my path, talking to the dark-haired tall woman at his side. "Elizabeth, this is Merlin. She's the demon clan's mage and one of my oldest friends." I smile at her, and she gives me a nod in acknowledgment. Her eyes are light gold, her face thin and pretty. From her stance and ease at Meliodas' side, I can tell they are comfortable with one another. She's in a long black robe and as I reach the landing, she lifts her hood, shielding her face and I turn to Meliodas for direction.
"Let me take your bag." He offers and I pull my gray shawl free to pass the handles of my bag to him. Our bags match, both black, but mine has a blue bow sewn at the base of its side handles. I wrap the shawl around my shoulders, lifting my hair and clasping the thing around my neck. "Ready?" he asks and I look to the mage nervously.
I've never traveled by teleportation before and when Meliodas steps to my side, both our bags in his one hand holding them over his shoulder, I take hold of his other. He tenses and I release him immediately, apologizing as I move an inch away to make him more comfortable.
"No," he calls, and I look to him, confused. "No, here." He holds his hand up in offering, face a tad frantic. "You can touch me, all you want. Whenever." He amends and I stare at his palm, chagrined that this is unfolding like it is in front of someone I've just met. Merlin though doesn't seem to care, waiting patiently. I ignore his hand and lean into him, hushing as I tell him, "I've never traveled by mage, I was just nervous." I explain.
He nods, eyes lightening and his distressed expression eases but he doesn't drop his offered hand. When I straighten and it's still before me, I reach out, wrapping my hand in his so it won't be awkward anymore. Socially obligated. Yet, as I face Merlin I take comfort in it. I ease a bit closer as Meliodas declares us ready.
She snaps her fingers. The entrance hall vanishing, her voice calling out, "Have fun," before everything goes black and I spin closer as Meliodas is the only thing in the dark. For a flash of a moment our eyes meet and his jaw slacks as I reach for him with my free hand intending to grip the clothing at his chest, afraid he'll slip away too and I'll fall into the nothingness of space. Vaguely like my nightmares.
Then our feet touch down in grass, a new place in the world forming around us. As if the earth moved to us. I flush, embarrassed as I drop my outstretched hand, slipping my other from his grip as I bring them both to cover my breastplate for self-protection over my racing heart. To put some distance between me and my silly reaction, I look around.
We are in a courtyard. The bushes are cut into animal shapes. There is a cobblestone path a few feet to our right and the edge of the castle grounds don't have a wrap around wall like ours does. It goes on, into the distance for miles of green pastures. I step toward it, looking out at a sea of green. I slip off my shoes, forgetting myself and stepping forward, about to take off at a run when a pop sounds to our right. I flinch as another couple comes into view, the lady laughing in a large feathered hat with purples that match her husband's black suit.
Right, I have to act like a royal today. To be worthy of Sir Meliodas' arm. I step back to my shoes, finding them with my toes and I wedge them back on with a frown as subtle as I can muster.
"You really hate shoes, huh?" He asks and I shake my head.
"I just... love stepping on actual earth. The island has a buoyant feeling but here, it's like being anchored and the universe is moving around us instead of the other way round." I explain, leaving out the part about feeling real when I squish my toes in the grass. He gives a little, "huh" sound, looking up at the sky as if really thinking about.
The clouds are so far away up there and I only watch for a moment, turning to look at the castle looming behind me. It casts a shadow across the grass and I can tell that the place is massive. I gasp at the sight, pointing to the reaching tips of towers and then changing my mind to point to a row of gargoyles with long sharp teeth, then the stained glass window lit from the inside with a rose blooming in blue. My hand falls away, wanting to take it all in but finding something new with each angle.
Sir Meliodas steps up next to me, watching as well, ever patient. I grin, feeling as if I've never been this happy before as I turn to my charming friend. "Thank you, Meliodas!" I profess, exuding gratitude, and he's... frazzled. As if he doesn't know what to say. I laugh, looking back to the gothic architecture I've only seen in books.
Another couple pops into existence, she has his elbow and they appear as if they have walked from one place and continued on here, no falter in their steps. I clam up, realizing how improper and ill-suited I am acting and acted as I was nowhere near that graceful with his mage's teleportation. Sir Meliodas' hand brushes against the back of mine and I don't pull away this time, opening my palm for him.
"Madam, Lord." A voice calls to our right and I flinch back, nervous as if we are caught doing something wrong but simply holding hands. A lady in a tan smock bows and I frown, not used to that. "I am here to escort you to the ballroom, I'll take your bags to your rooms." She straightens, coming forward to take the handles from Meliodas and after a beat, he offers them. "Whenever you're ready." The girl turns, giving us her back and Sir Meliodas offers his arm and I tuck my hand through it to rest on his forearm as we follow her lead.
Inside, it's just as intricate but I keep pace with the guide. Peeking down the corridors to see statues, paintings and more stained glass and Meliodas chuckles at me. I shift my head, trying to cull my excitement. 'Act like a lady!' I scold myself. Our escort waves to the double doors we are nearing, the voices and laughter inside grow as we near. She turns to the left as we continue on, a woman comes forward to take my shawl and I help her with the task. Once free, the two doormen open the way with a flourish as I hear a voice call out, "Demon Prince heir apparent, Lord Meliodas with his intended, Third Lady Elizabeth of the goddess clan," by way of introducing us.
The noise inside the ballroom lessens to hushes and I think again, our titles don't match. Our pairing doesn't make sense, even for the union of our two nations and I'm sure that's what all these haughty royal faces are thinking. Margaret would have been more his age, the firstborn is always the one chosen. So, why me?
Meliodas leads me in. The ballroom itself is stunning. Dark black tiles shine like glass under our feet, thick ribbons are hanging from the ceiling with dancers entangled in the strips, falling to catch themselves and bending their bodies back to the top with twisted grace. I stare, mesmerized by their scantily clad selves moving so gracefully together in a beautiful show.
The decor is rich, tasteful yet the ribbons remind me of seaweed, waving in the water and with the glass-like floor. I feel like I am upside down on the ocean floor somehow able to breathe. Until the judging faces close in around me. Sir Meliodas guides me and my steps follow on autopilot. Their narrow eyes track me, sneering gazes stealing my capacity for breath. My lungs won't expand fully and when I hear an ill-concealed whisper to my right, 'He's never brought a date before and it's... her? He's had offers from-' The sneer in the man's tone makes my shoulders hunch and I am grateful we move out of his vocal range. This isn't the vast ocean, it is my bathtub, the water holding me down and I turn to Sir Meliodas, eyes wide in fear as my panic grips me from the inside, nowhere to escape.
His hand wraps over top mine on his arm and he keeps walking, a curving circle around the room, ignoring those that call out for his attention. "I should have warned you, I forget sometimes that you've been kept from the ugly side of royalty." Sir Meliodas gives a sheepish smile, brushing against my skin with his fingertips. The sensations distract from the fist of horror still playing with my heart, squeezing. "You see, this is a chess game." He spins us in a circle, his hand leaving the top of mine to wave over the blur of faces.
We walk again, turning with the curve of the room and passing more faces, "Lord Meliodas, may I introduce-" and, "Oh, my dear friend Meliodas-", in our steady path. No matter what is said, he's intent on me and no one dares interrupt any more than the call of his name. Couples are huddling, expensive looking gowns are twirled and tan smock servants had trays with white goblets and black goblets. Is it blood, like my father warned?
"The prize in their game is more power. Everyone has an angle and tonight you are standing in the way of about ninety percent of these vultures means to their goal." I turned from the faces, looking into the green eyes staring into me. "For power, they are willing to sacrifice their own young daughters. Some parade them in front of me, asking them to sing and dance as if they are trained dogs to bark on command." He scowls. "For a father to do that to their child... in pursuit of power. It's a sin I can't forgive."
I flush, my chest squeezing all the tighter and I fumble in my steps. Meliodas straightens, holding me upright and he changes directions but I look at our feet. My shuffling and his sure glides a contrast that amplifies my doubts about us. I lean heavily into him. Hadn't my father been one of those unforgivable men? He told me he used me as his only leverage in the negotiations after the war, of our marriage. Had I been one of those trained dogs, at the age of five? Paraded about? Doors open, cool air tickles at my face and I wish my hair hadn't been pinned back so I can hide my face in its cascade.
The glass tiles underfoot change to stone and I know we are outside, already having to leave the party from that quick roundabout. My breathing eases as I look out at the gardens of rose bushes, towers of rounded shrubs, flowers in patches and marble benches. I stand on my own, releasing his arm and I frown, rubbing my own temples.
"Talk to me," Sir Meliodas pleads.
"I wasn't expecting... so much resentment," I whisper. I pinch my eyes closed, steel in my spine. This is my adventure and I'd be damned if anyone will stop me from enjoying it. "I'm prepared this time," I tell him, stepping to his side and tucking my hand through his arm forcing him to accommodate so we look like a couple again, just as before. "Show me your world, Sir Meliodas, I'll find something to admire."
I expect us to go but he doesn't move and I turn to him, his face is filled with... pride? I flush under his gaze and he smirks to me. "I hope so as all I can seem to admire is you." We re-enter the ballroom smiling softly to one another. I inhale a steadying breath, determined to fit into this part of his life.
Thanks for reading. Please, drop me a line and tell me what you think so far.
Also, I hope you had a wonderful holiday. Thanks for bearing with me as I took last Friday off. :)