Chapter 9: A Night to Remember
Sticky, globs of darkness slime over my skin. The open flower field before me falls away as if the ground is crumbling under me under the muck. Night bleeds over the day too quickly to be natural and I struggle to pull free of the black ooze. The ground cracks and falls into the night. I have to move, to get to higher ground before the shaking earth under me starts to break open too.
But, it will not let me go.
I spin, digging my heels in to heave with my thigh muscles but the Star of the Night is there and I'm caught in terror. A twisted, circle of black with tendrils cracking across the sky moves nearer. It's the source of the taint in this world. The glob takes advantage of my seized limbs, climbing higher and my feet are taken too. It eats me, climbing up with sick slime, leaving me cold. I can't feel the limbs it's swallowed but I can hear the crashing of crumbling earth behind me.
I'm useless. Why fight it?
The time comes for me to submit but I... won't. Something inside of me snaps. I root my stance, tugging and trying to purify the darkness to evaporate or at the least to make it leave me alone. The star cracks larger, its points growing longer and I silently struggle. 'This too shall pass.' I chant to myself, but the globs are at my neck. Just before it takes my face, coming forward like a jelly, I inhale a breath to hold as it pulls me under.
I gasp, waking with a start, sitting up tense as my racing heart redoubles its rhythm as I forgot where I am. This isn't my bed, this isn't how my castle smells and suddenly I'm uncomfortable with the world being still under me. I am used to floating, being buoyant, and thinner air. Without much thought, I rise, pulling my blanket and my pillow from my bed, bunching them in my arms. I leave behind my grey room, rushing across the hall as if ghosts are lapping at my heels having escaped from under the bed.
'You are a grown woman!' I chide to myself yet when I reach the door to Meliodas' room, I twist the knob as silently as possible and creep in on my tiptoes to shut the door as quickly as I can while being quiet. Inside, I already feel better, my twisting stomach relaxes and my racing heart slows. With a spin, I look around. His room is the same as mine, only all the furniture is facing the opposite way. It is like walking through a mirror and coming out reversed.
Meliodas is on his bed laying on his side over the covers with one pillow mashed under his arm and another squished under his head. He is shirtless, a pair of black pants over his hips and I flush when I look over his back, torso and naked arms. It must be all the fighting, his muscles are deep valleys and my fingers twitch from want to feel them. I shake my head, stepping toward him but stopping at the rug alongside the bed.
The floor will be fine. I set my pillow down and as quietly as possible I spread out my blanket. I kneel about to lay down when a gruff voice calls out, "What are you doing?"
"Eep!" I flinch, my wings blooming into existence and I raise off the ground in alarm. Slowly, I lower my feet to the floor and I shake, my wings blinking away. "I don't want you to think I'm a child..." I start, flushing as I know that's exactly what I am thinking about myself.
"I don't," he gruffs, moving to a seat, pushing the pillow from under his arm out of his way. His bare chest steals all my attention and I marvel at his dark nipples, contrasting against all... that... flesh. I shiver, looking away.
"I've never been overnight anywhere," I explain. "I have this bad dream often and I had it tonight but I don't have my usual way of letting go of the feelings, the terror." As if I would get in a bathtub here to try to drown the darkness out by screaming into the abyss to leave me alone. 'Drama much, Elizabeth?', I shake my head at myself as I come to sit down on the blanket I spread out on the floor. "Can I sleep with you?" I ask.
"Why not go to your sister?" Sir Meliodas puzzles, his voice is still husky with sleep and I frown, upset I woke him.
"She... hadn't crossed my mind," I admit, my voice dropping to a whisper when I add, "Gilthunder is there with her." I don't think my face can handle this much heat as he chuckles softly. With my bangs between us, I look and he's scratching the side of his head, smiling at me. He stands, pulling first one and then the other pillows from his bed. "What are you doing?" I question, as he steps towards me.
"You take the bed," he demands, snagging my pillow and throwing it over his shoulder to plop on the bed. "Up, or I toss you too," he jokes, I think, and I scramble to a stand in case he's serious.
"No, I can't!" I tell him, but he's gathering my blanket. "I'm already intruding and-"
"You get the bed," he insists, firm and when he turns he reaches for me.
"Oh!" I back up, clambering up on the bed and I freeze, on my knees in his bed. I've never been in a man's bed before. Meliodas plops my blankets beside me, then he sits on the floor. With no preamble, he falls back, head on his pillow and he looks up at me as if waiting for something.
"Thank... you..." I whisper, still not able to move my body. I shouldn't have come here. My eyes pinch closed as I realize the position I put us both in. Will I sneak out in the morning? I need to go and I frown, about to say just that when he speaks first.
"What was your nightmare about?" He hushes, "When my mother was alive, she told me the only way to escape nightmares is to talk them through." I grab my blanket, pulling it to cover myself up, wiggling to lay down close to the edge so we can still look at one another.
"What was she like?" I ask and he shrugs.
"I was a child when she died. I... remember she smelled like sawdust. Isn't that strange?" He questions and I smile.
"No. I was young when my mother died and all I remember is her hair would tickle my nose when we hugged." I smile, softly. "Do you think of her when you smell sawdust?" He nods, "I think of mine when my nose itches in a certain way." I shrug, moving closer to the edge of the bed. It's quiet, the moon sending a glow through the room but neither of us shut our eyes.
Silence spreads, but it feels nice with company, with Meliodas.
"Tell me about your dream," he whispers, low. I frown, knowing I won't be able to explain it well enough for him to understand.
"It's... abstract," I start, and I really try. I go on about the Star of the Night, it cracking, and the encroaching darkness. "Like a rolling storm, reaching for me and I feel... this overwhelming dread like nothing will ever be right in the world." I start on the globs and the world falling away and how sometimes I'm overtaken. The vacuum of space is hard to articulate, I stare at the decorative vase on the thin table on his far wall as it is easier to describe it without looking at him. When I finish, I turn to him and he is wide-eyed, staring up at the ceiling. "Are you okay?' I ask and slowly he nods.
"Would you draw the star shape for me?" He asks and I nod, telling him 'later' as this spot over his blankets is warm. It must be terribly uncomfortable for him. The floor, only two pillows and nothing to cover up with. I sit up, looking over his still tucked blankets under me over the mattress. I move over, taking my pillow with me and leaving my covers. I pull the top corner free and slip under, arranging myself. This might work.
"Okay," I hush, out loud to my own thoughts and I take a deep breath. "We can share, just... stay over the covers." I whisper and in a flash I hear a 'hup' from his effort to jump up. He is in the bed in a blink. His pillow is under his head, another under his arm and he's on his side, facing me before I even finish my sentence. I tuck farther under the blankets with his intent stare, his face is blank and I find that harder to deal with. When I try to close my eyes, I can feel him still looking and I peek. He is still staring at me and I bite my lip, nervous. "I've never shared a bed with a man before," I admit.
"Hmm," he hums, a lazy smile spreading across his face. I close my eyes, feeling safe and every time I look to see if he's closed his eyes, they are locked on me. "Go to sleep," he hushes so softly it's like a caress down my spine. I shiver, nodding and I grip the tight blankets trapped from it's tucking around the mattress. This would keep us separated.
Sleep claims me, and it is a gentle tumble into unconsciousness. As if I am lowered into a warm bath inch by inch. Meliodas' steady breathing lulls me into a safe slumber.
︵‿︵‿୨ ୧‿︵‿︵
I feel like I've slept for days when I awaken. I'm hot. My head is rising and falling slightly, making my sleepy brain confused as beds don't move. It smells so nice, like musk and soap. Slowly I crack open my eyes and a smooth jaw greets me. Meliodas?
I realize then what my body has done. My arm is across his chest, my head on his peck, my leg is hiked up on his hip with my nightgown twisted up. I detangle myself to a side sit by his hip, looking him over. He stayed on his part of the bed, over the covers, he'd fallen asleep on his back... and I had come out from under his covers? I flush, hot. I've touched his chest and I don't remember it. I glare at my hand, envious.
His face is relaxed, more so than I've ever seen and he appears young, younger than usual. I watch his chest rise and fall, his abs are eye-catching and I try not to take advantage of his unconsciousness but I can't seem to look away. His shoulders are rounded with muscles, his biceps look so strong and the more I stare at the dips and valleys of his muscles the more I want to touch. Just once. My hand rises on its own but I force it down.
I'd been drawn to him in my sleep. I can't buckle while awake too.
Sunlight is bleeding through the curtains and I wiggle my nightgown down over my legs, careful as I slip down across the mattress to step off the foot of the bed. I move around the bed, tiptoeing. Both of his arms are raised over his head and he has little tuffs of blonde hair under his pits. I follow the lines of his torso up to his neck and face. He's very attractive.
He's a prince, eventually going to take the throne and with a body like his, he can have anyone... He's been so kind to me. I have to guess what he truly feels for me, but after tonight, with all his staring and stolen innocent touches... I think he likes me. He's told me I can touch him whenever I liked, which is a good indicator that he wants more from me, but I won't without him knowing I am doing it.
Still, my thoughts swirl. Did he hold himself back so much in the beginning because our union is pre-arranged? I had been so scared to meet him but now... now I worry how this demon feels about me, and me being a goddess. "Why do you like me?" I ask, just above a whisper and that's when I flinch back, looking to the door as I hear my name and a knock across the hall.
Margaret!
I tiptoe to his door, opening it just enough to sneak out and I shut it behind myself. It clicks and I turn to see Gil and Margaret both looking at me in surprise. They are dressed, ready for the day and Gil has two bags in his hand. The hallway is lit but no one else is here.
"Elizabeth!" Margaret mutters, scandalized as she looks around to make sure we aren't being witnessed and I flush, waving the unspoken accusation away as I walk across the hall and open my own door.
"It wasn't like that!" I hiss to them both, "I was scared." I explain, honestly.
"We were next door, you could have-"
"I know. I made my choice." I tell them, she's frowning but I shrug. Opening my door to stand in my doorway. The three of us are quiet until she sighs.
"Your sister wouldn't lie," Gil comes to my defense and I smile to him, glad he knows me well enough to make that leap. "It's good that she turns to him," Gil meets my expression and mirrors my smile. "Would you like to accompany us for breakfast? We can wait for you to dress."
I nod, spinning to go into my room, changing my mind, and turning back. "Ask Meliodas too, please," I look between the two and although Margaret frowns, she relents. As soon as she accepts it, Gilthunder grins, turning to walk across the hall. When he knocks, I shut my door. In a rush, I gather up my things to put inside my bag, pulling out my clothes. My nightgown is tugged off, my teeth brushed and my hair pulled up into a messy updo when I put my day dress on. Ready in a few moments.
My bag is in my arms when I step into the hall and realize I don't have shoes. Margaret and Gil are there as I crouch, opening my bag to rummage until I find one, shoving past my nightgown and dress to find the other. I drop them to the ground, closing my bag and as I'm slipping my first shoe on, Meliodas comes out.
His hair is a mess, his bag slung over his shoulder and his pants are loose gray slacks that cover most of his gray shoes. He has a shirt on and I frown at him from the loss of all that skin. All the ridges I know are under that thin cloth. His easy smile fades into his blank zero-face and I frown harder as I pick up my bag again. Both of my shoes are in place and I face my sister and Gil.
When Sir Meliodas reaches my side, he bends, grasping the handle of my bag and I release it. In an easy swing, he adds my bag handles to his. "Good morning," his lips tip and I greet him back with a soft, "Good morning," my arm looping through his without him offering. He adjusts, bringing his arm to a bend to accommodate me.
"How did apprehending Twigo go last night?" Gilthunder asks and I curse myself. That should have been my first question but I had such faith that Meliodas would handle it, I didn't need the reassurance. Now, I want to know too and I turn to him. I'm not surprised that he's already looking at me. After a beat, he turns from me to look at my brother-in-law.
"He's been taken care of," Sir Meliodas quips, final. Margaret sighs wearily and she steps forward, hand coming up to grasp Meliodas' hand of the arm I am holding.
"Thank you," she chokes, her tawny eyes filling, "You've put an end to one of our dark shadows stalking in the night." Gil's arm comes up to wrap around Margaret's thin shoulders and I notice they are shaking. I drop Meliodas' arm, stepping forward and I touch her face with both my hands. Her tears spill over and I kiss her forehead, sending my healing energy through her with a soft glow and I can feel her relax in my grasp. She falls into me and I whisper to her how much she is loved and how blessed I am to have her as my sister.
"It's me and Veronica that are lucky," Margaret grouses, voice thick. "You bring us all together, so special and pure." I flush under her praise and she pushes a stray piece of hair from my face, my hands falling from her as she smiles again, and the strong sister I know she is returns.
After a moment, she inquires if we want to eat and we head that way. Margaret takes my arm and I smile as I bump into her. We take our time, stopping to look at things. An entire wall is a cloth mural of a blood beast bursting from purgatory. It is made of colored threads and I edge closer to it, amazed at the detail. "It's the story of how the first vampire came to be," Sir Meliodas explains and when I smile at him, his eyes flash lighter.
I stop to look out of the stained glass window, dropping Margaret to look at the world through colored lenses. Someone pieced this together, one shard of glass at a time and I marvel at it. We pass vases, armor, artwork and even a hall of panels with etched screaming faces draw my attention. Margaret leads the way, telling us of the last time she visited Gelda and how well she knows the castle from her childhood sleepovers. Through our moving around to look, I've ended up walking beside Sir Meliodas again.
The dining room is full. I flush, peering around. I am used to my own empty table back home but here, servants take plates, men and women chat with one another and I gaze around at the wall of windows shining the sunlight on the life being lived here. Lord Izraf is at the head of the table, he rises when he sees us, walking around the table where every servant moves out of his way. "Prince Meliodas!" He calls out, loud, "We're to be family! My dear, darling daughter and your brother."
Margaret catches my eye and I can tell from her subtle tense eyes that she doesn't like Lord Izraf. I stay at Meliodas' side as Margaret and Gil are lead to their seats by a tan smocked man who bows very low. They speak for a moment and plates are brought.
"To think, it's exceedingly rare for a demon to have a mate and the pair of-" Lord Izraf is boastful in his tone and Meliodas snaps, "that's enough, Izraf." The lord abides, mouth flapping silently but he recovers to jovially slap at Meliodas' shoulder, the force seeming like a lot with Izraf's swing but Sir Meliodas doesn't budge an inch. "Of course, you'll want to feed your lady and get back to your own lording. Take a seat, the both of you. Thank you for coming!" He gives me a nod, looking down his nose at me but I smile, kindly.
Sir Meliodas leads us to a table, setting our bags down under his chair to pull out mine. I sit. We're across from Margaret and Gil but I don't know the man at Meliodas' side. He takes his seat, blocking my view of him and as he slides in, his knuckles brush along my leg under the table. My spine straightens as a servant asks what I would like from the food table. I stutter, asking for fruit, flustered. Sir Meliodas chuckles and I glower at him as he rattles off eggs, sausage, toast, and at the end of his long list, he asked for a strawberry tart for me.
He remembered.
The four of us eat, Gil and Meliodas hit it off. The pair of them laugh and I grin. Gilthunder doesn't have a royal background, he doesn't have a family name but it seems as if Sir Meliodas likes him most of all the guests. I look around the table, wondering after Zeldris and when I ask, Meliodas shrugs.
"Haven't seen him," Meliodas notes and I furrow my brow. "He's probably overwhelmed right now, it's very emotional to find your mate... Powers awaken, I hear it can take some time to regulate," he blankly tells me, adding, "Don't worry, they'll be fine."
Margaret and Gil say their goodbyes, telling us they are going to find the mage to return home. They stopped to speak to Lord Izraf and I watch the Lord give Margaret a pat on the shoulder with his overly large hand. He ignores Gil and I frown, looking to Meliodas. His face is blank but his nose flares when I give him a meaningful expression but as he doesn't react I turn back to my strawberry tart.
A few other guests speak to him, the nicer ones including me in the greetings and partings. The topics always turn to his brother's pairing with Gelda. The royals all aflutter of 'another lord taken' and one man exclaimed loudly, "Why would he pass up Ren in all her naked glory to choose Gelda? The Demon Lords' tastes are strange." Sir Meliodas ignores him, asking if I am ready to go and at my nod he takes my hand, pulling me from the conversation, grabbing our bags under his feet in a woosh.
He waves to Lord Izraf at the other end of the table and I do the same as the Vampire stands as if to follow us but Sir Meliodas is too fast. My feet move quickly to keep up when he pulls me along. "I want to show you something," Meliodas says while still jogging, we turn down halls, passing through doorways and servants move out of the way as if they aren't phased with our barreling. Another turn and he slows, stopping before black, plain double doors. "We had to take the long way so as not to spoil it," he explains as he drops my hand and pries open the left door.
I know its empty from the echo, no sconces are lit as it is just the rays of sunlight that bleeds into the hall from the door. I peer in, tentatively walking forward into the room a few steps to look around. It's a hall of weapons on pedestals, a straight walk through the trophies to a big square window with a seating bench just inside the windowsill. Of all the things that run through my mind, this hadn't been one of them. He does like fighting, I remind myself as I study the barbed whip in a case, a card in front saying, "Vampire Hunter: Hershing."
My footfalls echo as I walk on, looking up at the arched ceiling painted with battles, blood splattering on every vampire face above. The enemies are all screaming in wide horror. I look away at the sight of a child viciously bleeding from the mouth, over her victim with a gaping throat at her feet. The next weapon is a crossbow another nameplate, "Vampire Hunter: Jane Goall". I didn't like this room. I hold myself, arms folded over my chest and I flinch when his fingers grip my elbow.
"Come on." He speaks softly, seemingly so his voice doesn't echo, and I let him manage me. We walk by another weapon, a mace stained with old blood, but I turn from the pedestals to look at the side of Sir Meliodas' face. He's blank with smooth lines and I flush hot when his tongue pokes through from between his lips to wet them. They glisten in the sunlight and when we stop I hurriedly gaze away. "This is what I wanted to show you," he claims and I catch the wave of his hand in my peripheral vision.
I look up, out the window and my breath rushes from my lungs in a woosh.
"I've noticed you aren't impressed with gifts or things," Meliodas states, "so I thought to give you this." I take in the view. The mountains tipped with white, the village of little houses down the valley, the trees and the wild flowing river. I move forward, my knees bend to rest on the bench seat and my hands' press to the cool glass. For long moments, I look, taking in how beautiful the world is on the ground.
The water twinkles in the sun. The trees sway in a wave of motion and I can almost see the wind. A flock of birds erupt from the center, the lot of them move in a v shape across the pale blue sky. Sir Meliodas sits at my side and he watches with me, a quiet peace between us.
"We should go," I whisper and I see Sir Meliodas' reflection nod his agreement. We don't move. Leaving means this little getaway is over and I know all I'll be going back to is my empty rooms and long waiting. A melancholy opens in my chest and it squeezes like a familiar hug, embracing me after too long away. "Let's go," I rise, turning to Sir Meliodas and he's blank as he nods, gathering our bags once more.
The pair of us walk side by side as if Jelamet is with us, slow and meandering. He asks if I want to look at things and I smile, knowing he wants to prolong our time as well. Down the last hall, I spend a long time looking at a portrait of a little boy I don't know and I laugh when Meliodas points to the frame as if it is fascinating. He chuckles too, the both of us sharing a moment in understanding as we are both being silly. After that, we walk at our normal pace to the main hall where a mage is sending guests home this morning. He grabs my hand as we get in line and I step closer, my other hand wrapping around the one in mine.
It's our turn, the mage is thin, her orange hair curling and short around her ears. Her eyes are a strange color of red-brown, her skin pale and she's pretty in a mousey way. She gives us both a long once over, staring at our hands before her soft voice asks, "Where too?"
Sir Meliodas directs her, asking her to get us as far from the entrance gates of my floating city as possible so we can walk the distance. I smile to him just as I hear a finger snapping and the sound vanishes just as the world does. We're floating in black for a long second, my heart racing and I grip him harder until we're standing on the edge of my city, the buoyant island greeting me.
"Our time away has come to an end," Sir Meliodas hushes morosely, his voice gives away how he feels more than his face. "Did you have a good time?" He steps toward the city gates but I stay, our hands detaching, and he looks back, curious.
"Yes. You've shown me the first taste of the world Meliodas, thank you." He seems pleased at my answer but a wiggling thought has invaded my mind and I refuse to dismiss it. I need to know for sure, not only about how I feel, but about him and his feelings. He zeroes out so often, I have a burning flame of doubt that tells me often, 'you were one of those girls asked to perform and due to the two sides of the war our fathers decided for us, he's obligated to be at my side. He's just making our inevitable marriage easier.'
"Just wait until you jump in." His eyes flash in delight before he blanks, turning his back to the city gates to face me, ever patient. The cloud covered ground under our feet blankets the sprinkling of green growing on the rock out here. The fog wisps lick at our ankles and obscure the edge of the world around us, like a snow globe. The clouds relax me. I feel protected in the mists.
"Would you like a standing tea date, Meliodas? Every seven days or... if that's too much we can continue every two weeks, as that seems to be what we've fallen into." I start, shy as I glance at the bottom of my dress fading into the white.
"Every three," he counters and I flush hot, the flame of doubt lashing at my insides, hurting as if a physical ache.
"Every three weeks, then," I agree with my tummy clenching painfully and my arms crossing over my chest to comfort myself. Had I pulled him away from his duties too often? Hadn't Zeldris mentioned Sir Meliodas canceling something important, and for something as trivial as tea?
"No, three days," he corrects. I snap up, shocked, meeting his eyes with my wide ones. With his soft and relaxed face the ache in my stomach eases. A few butterflies flutter, as if testing for flight but not taking off.
"You... want to see me that often?" I ask, nervous.
"Yeah," Sir Meliodas' voice is throaty as if in confessional and his eyes are intense in something deep. We stare and I feel a coil writhe inside me, uncomfortable under his gaze. I grow too warm and my nerves start to waver.
"Close your eyes," I command and there is a flash of surprise as he does the opposite, eyes growing wide for a fraction of a second before he complies, his lashes resting over the very top of his cheeks. Without his intensity, I breathe a little easier. I step forward, the tips of our shoes touch and I reach, detangling my bag from his grip and he allows it, keeping his own handle. "It would be silly, to walk me to the castle, just for me to walk you back here to the gate..." I whisper, soft, his face peaceful before mine.
His lips appear smooth, touching together and I lean, my hair falling forward, touching his chest and arm. I exhale, shakily as I grow closer, and as if he knows he angles his head to me. He smells intoxicating, my heart races and I close my eyes as just looking at him, waiting, sparks so many sensations I can't process them all. The anticipation as I pause centimeters away snuffs the flame of doubt out and for a moment, I feel sure of my own feelings.
Take away our obligations, our forced companionship... at the bottom of it all, I like him. The reasons flash in my mind, for his patience, his gentle explanations, his care in my needs and for taking care of Twigo. Sir Meliodas has followed through with each of his promises, has been reliable in our tea dates when no one else has. He's saved me from my endless monotony and works to release me from my stifling, suffocating castle. But most importantly, he's never lied to me or manipulated me like every other person in my life.
I close the gap and our lips brush, a feather's caress, like the sliding of rose petals. His lips part in surprise against mine and the movement, it's like all my adrenaline rushes through my veins, my stomach floats up into my chest and I fear I am going to rise off the ground with how light I suddenly feel. I step back, grasping my bag before me and I'm glad he hasn't opened his eyes. He isn't breathing and with his slackened jaw paired with his serene face and stance, I think he liked it.
He likes me, or wouldn't he be putting me in my place? Wouldn't he explain how wrong this is in his kind way? The knowledge that our budding feelings are mutual changes me. My spine stiffens and I grow so hot I fear I'll pass out with the sudden head rush. If he feels the same, I shouldn't have shared a bed with him so early. I tuck my hair back, closing my eyes with a pinch.
"Goodbye, Meliodas," I'm too shy to look, stepping toward the gate with quick footfalls, just under a jog as I don't want him to think I am running away. Although, that's what I do. The golden gates open at my approach, the fog obscures the guards on duty until I arrive there and I greet them, quickly and nervously before looking back.
Sir Meliodas' outline is still there, in the cloud fog, his bag still dangling in his hand and I know he hasn't moved. A wavering smile forms, I am feeling full and I couldn't be happier with how my first outing has gone. Perhaps I can still find my own corner of happiness with Meliodas? Hadn't Izraf said mates are extremely rare? He might not have to leave me and falling in love the slow way sounds delightful. I walk through my city to my home, literally and figuratively floating on a cloud, not giving any thought to the various stares that follow me.