A - Z of Melizabeth
V is for...
Victorious
Thank you to pookiepoodle for the prompt!
How had it come to this?
Elizabeth came to. It took a couple of seconds to realise she was lying down, for a second she believed she was at home. Meliodas lying beside her in bed, silk pillows caressing her, her duvet letting her drift off to sleep. Her eardrums shook as a deafening blow sounded in the distance. Her eyes snapped open, she wasn't in the Boar Hat, or in the castle. She was on the battle field.
With shaky limbs Elizabeth struggled to her feet. Her dress was covered in dirt and blood, torn at the edges, her goddess eye burned. Wincing, she covered it, and it eased the pain a little. A strange feeling began to curl around her feet, she looked down. Deep red blood pooled around her bare feet. A scream presented itself in her throat, but Elizabeth managed to swallow it like bile.
On the horizon, the city burned.
The ground around her was scorched and covered in blood, her owns, perhaps? She hoped it was. Better hers than anyone else's. Flaming trees licked the sky, smoke billowed from the burning city, Elizabeth's home. Tears threatened to fall, but she wouldn't let them, screwing her eyes shut and clenching her fists, she took a step forward, and another. The ground burned her feet, another scream rose, but she swallowed it again and kept walking.
Where was she going? Elizabeth didn't know. Anywhere. To find survivors of the demon attack. To find her family. To find Meliodas.
"Mel-Meliodas?" Elizabeth shouted, her voice cracking, a cough interrupting her. "Meliodas!"
No response. She took a breath, the thick air choked her. Grey snowflakes fell from the sky, although they burned all they touched, rather than cooled it. Molten ash, demon skin, Elizabeth couldn't hide from it. She clutched her arms, moving ever forward.
What was once a rich green field was reduced to a wasteland. She and Meliodas had escaped there many times, to free themselves from responsibilities, from life. To spend some time together, precious minutes that Elizabeth would never forget, and would cherish forever. Lying in his arms, eating picnics together. Sharing lazy kisses whenever they felt like it. Sometimes, on bad days, kissing fervently until neither could breathe. Until the world was forgotten, it all melted away, and nothing else existed but them.
But, God, she wished she had savoured those minutes more.
The demons had been unleashed. With no warning, and no ready defences, they'd been taken completely by surprise. The entire city had been attacked. Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut, trying to push the thoughts from her head. The screams. The shouts. The stench of blood. The clanking of the holy knights preparing for what was, unknowingly, going to be their last battle. Lovers parting. Families saying goodbye.
She had been part of that crowd. It was rushed, but she donned her battle outfit- some upgraded armour to keep her safe, she tied up her hair.
Her father cried, not being able to do much but try to house those unable to fight in the castle. A worthy final mission for a king.
Elizabeth met Meliodas staring out at the city, expression unreadable. She padded up behind him, hugging him from behind, hiding her face in his fluffy yellow hair, breathing in deeply. Almost instantly he relaxes, reaching to hug her arms and ducking his head. His lips brushed her skin gently. An unspoken promise. Everything would be okay.
And yet, here she was...
"DIANE!"
Another cry that received no answer. The land seemed to stretch on for miles, even if she found someone, how would she help? Her goddess powers, maybe, but even they couldn't bring back the dead. Or, at least, Elizabeth couldn't. A hot wind blew smoke and dust into her face, she stumbled and covered her eyes. When the wind stopped howling, she opened her eyes once again.
"King?...Gowther?...Merlin?...Ban?"
Nothing.
Elizabeth stumbled ever onwards. Suddenly she found herself falling forwards, the ground vanishing beneath her feet. She screamed as she lost her balance, flailing her arms and flinging herself backwards onto the ground. Her breath laboured, Elizabeth sat up and crawled over to the drop. As she peered over, vomit rose in her throat. This time she couldn't stop it. Stomach heaving, acid spilled over the dry earth.
Below her lay thousands of bodies lying in a crevice, similar to the one that used to be Danafor, except she could see the bottom.
More vomit threatened to rise, but she pushed it down. So many bodies. She recognised some of them.
Diane was the easiest to spot, lying with a giant wound in her chest. Bans white hair was stark against the red blood, how he was killed, Elizabeth couldn't figure out. He was meant to be undead. Elizabeth thought she saw Oslo licking King's face, hoping to wake up his master, to no avail. Gowther lay next to Merlin, Escanor draped over her, doing his best to save her until the end. No doubt Elaine and Jericho were near Ban, Guila near Gowther, or maybe with her brother. It was difficult to say with all the bodies.
Demon bodies were there too.
The ten commandments, various other demons, red ones, grey ones.
It was only fitting Meliodas lay among them too...
His yellow hair stood out, splattered with red. His armour was shattered beyone recognition, his sword in a similar state. It was too far to see down, but Elizabeth could imagine his green eyes wide open, maybe in surprise, like glass bottles. Perhaps Hawk lay with him. Perhaps he had moved on to see Liz.
It was then Elizabeth allowed herself to scream. Her head flung back, she allowed herself to cry. Thick, salty tears run down her face, dripping onto the ground. From them small flowers sprouted, a signal of hope for the future of Britannia. The demons had lost, the humans had won.
They were victorious
But, God, at what cost?
The End.
A.N. I'm feeling angsty today lmao. I wondered about doing one where Ellie died, but I realised that's usually what happens in my fics. So everyone else did today! :D I promise it'll be fluffier next time. I shall continue to live out my relationshio fantasies through Meliodas and Elizabeth! That way my poor heart can't get shattered further!
I also wanted to make this a little hopeful, so imagine that Ellie manages to salvage the kingdom and lives on in her friend's memories!
Send me a review, I cherish every one! and of course thank you to everyone who's reviewed/followed/favourited so far, it means the world to me!
Lots of love,
- Rachael xxx