Who would've thought that Knights could be bad guys?
-Me the last two years.
Life got easier to accept within those first two years traveling with Meliodas.
Over time I got used to my new daily life. Meliodas taught me all about this new place and all the strange wonders of it all. He taught me about the politics, the way people live, and the dynamic of the way everything operated here. In exchange I told him about my home, my family, how things were run in my home place, and about my home life with my family. We talked about his old team, The Seven Deadly Sins, which he put me in charge of finding information about. He told me about Merlin, one of the greatest mages to ever live, and how she might be able to help me. While I was beyond scared that I would never find my way home I was also relieved to have met Meliodas who was beyond patient with me learning all the workings of my new life.
One of the things I found most interesting was that Holy Knights were a thing here. Knights in shining armor, who would've thought? Who would've thought that those same Knights would be the bad guys too? After hearing of all the terrible things they'd done in secret I had grown very disturbed that they were still worshipped by the common people. Looking back in my own history I could see how things would be mixed up. People follow the leader.
Luckily over time I assimilated to the new life I was now living. That time also healed my knee, which still did give me troubles now and again. With the exercise I've taken to starting back up again it has gotten stronger than it may have been before the accident.
Together we settled into a routine of semi-normalcy in the Tavern. Most mornings I would wake up and go for a short run before coming back and doing a small workout. Sometimes Meliodas would join me but everytime he did, he would smoke me like we were in a race and quadruple my routine. He still surprises me more than once everyday. After that I would clean up and put on comfy clothes, leggings and long t-shirts. Then I would go down to the bar to cook us breakfast. We'd eat together and talk about where we were going next and what the plan for the day was. After that, if we were opening the Tavern for the day, I would begin baking and prepping food for the customers. It hadn't taken long before we decided that my food was much better than his and that I should take care all of the cooking, unless I was busy that morning. It was a very good choice. Slowly The Boar Hat got a reputation for having exotic food which was really surprising, who knew alfredo could be considered exotic? After cooking I would go get properly dressed in something more suitable for the day, usually consisting of jeans and a nice shirt, sometimes you just gotta keep it simple. We'd usually start the business day after noon. Some days were really slow and I would take up time by cleaning, talking with customers, and reading my old books or new ones that I'd buy in the towns we'd visit.
While I didn't necessarily get paid he did give me a place to stay, food to eat, and basically treated me like a little sister, so I wasn't upset. I did make 'tips', which I basically created here, so that helped me out financially. After a few customers wanted to get grabby in my first couple months I began to teach the customers everywhere we go that if I get touched in a way that I most certainly do not want to be touched, that everyone had to pay me two silver pieces but the person who touched me had to pay one gold. I even made a nice sign that hung over the center of the bar! It was a pretty good deterrent for most but once in a while a couple men decide to be funny. Those nights I make a lot of money before Meliodas gets to kick them out. It sounds really terrible that I even had to make that rule but honestly, It makes me more money that I would like to admit to.
It was during those two years we were together Meliodas bonded fairly well. While I still only knew the basic details of his life before meeting me I knew deep down that I could trust him. We had our own inside jokes and it was good. It was exactly like what having an older brother would be like. I wasn't stupid. I noticed that he could do things that were out of the ordinary, even for a strange place like this. He was crazy strong, super fast, and I had no doubts that he could fight beyond what was considered good here, especially after hearing him tell me about the Sins, their standing as ex-Holy Knights, as well as the stories I hear from the customers coming in and out of the Tavern.
All in all it wasn't terrible and I learned a lot around the bar. Drunk men have zero filters so they'll tell you anything and everything if you ask the right way. This is escpecially true if you're 'exoctic' as some put it. Basically if you dress like the average girl from 21st century America and wear make up you're a 10, which I will never understand. Usually after we closed up for the night we would compare notes of what we'd learned throughout the day. We never heard too much, just about good and bad things the knights do, and recently rumors of a rusty Knight had begun to pop up. I'd always play dumb when customers told me things that I already knew, afterall drunk men really do love them a good dumb woman.
Not long after I made that realization Meliodas and I came up with these alter ego I would use when I worked with different customers. It worked better than we would like in the end. Melioda would usually start off their order, tell me who I was going to be, and I would serve them in full character. It was really odd at first but after a while It lowkey felt like I was a spy working for a secret agency to save the world. Very extra, I know, but doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it any less. It was like some weird thrill that I didn't get the chance to feel while at home and I always wanted more.
It wasn't until just after the mark of my second year there that we had our first real lead.
It happened right after that rumored Rusty Knight wandered into the tavern and collapsed. At least I'd gotten my tips collected first.
The whole day has been absolutely insane. Between everyone in this new town freaking out about this rusted Knight and the crazy influx of customers we've been receiving, we'd been running around like crazy. After hearing so many rumors Meliodas and I had decided to start keeping tabs on the knight and we'd traveled all the way to Cain to do it.
Things really go crazy right in the middle of the afternoon rush when a few of the customers tried the meat pie, made by Meliodas after I'd gone into town this morning, and they'd tipped over the table and knocked the food all over the floor. I could tell that Mel found it funny but with Hawk on scraps patrol it was a quick fix but it didn't actually change the fact that they were rude. They'd been quick to change their attitude when they saw the sword hanging off Mel's back. I knew better than them, that the sword didn't even have a blade, but it sure was fun to watch them scurry around when they take notice.
To top off this crazy day off, one of the men had ignored my warnings on touching and straight up smacked my behind as I was walking past his table. Everyone in the bar has seen, or heard, it so they'd let out a collective groan. As I walked around to each of the tables collecting my shiny new coins, which I knew was going to use to buy a fresh set of materials for creating my own makeup, I saw a man bust in through the door screaming that the rusted Knight was here. Insane, but it was a lead and I'll take one where I can get one.
Meliodas and I shared a look as I continued collecting the money and serving new drinks to the customers as I went through. He took charge on talking to the flustered man while I stayed to the back of the Tavern, observing like we'd always agreed on. After all, you always notice more things when you're an outsider looking into a conversation.
With Hawk joining into the conversation, I listened to him blabber on while I began cleaning off tables for anymore incoming customers. It wasn't too much later that the doors flung open and the Rusted Knight we'd been tracking stumbled right into the doors. Well that was a lot less work on my part.
The customers lost their minds, screaming and making a mad dash for the door, while the Knight mumbled about the Seven Deadly Sins. There were a few moments of silence as the last customer stumbling out screaming about the Sins.
Huh, funny how it was looking for Mel while we were looking for it. Right after it finished saying the Sins' title, it collapsed and the helmet came rolling off, revealing a very pretty girl with long white hair.
I watched Meliodas's face as he seen the girl. He honestly looked more shocked than I'd ever seen him look, almost like he'd seen a ghost. After a second or two, I rushed over to the flushed girl, checking to make sure she still was alive. Crouching down I took notice that she seemed to be okay, a little sweaty if anything, but still alive and semi-well.
Well if this is any indicator that life's about to get a little more interesting then I honestly don't know what is.
Almost immediately after she collapsed, we decided moved the girl up into my room to rest up. Meliodas took to moving her while I locked up the bar. Once I locked up I grabbed a glass of water, knowing that she was likely dehydrated, but when I came into the room Meliodas was.. Groping her?
"Meliodas Marie! You stop that right now you little freak!" I fumed, walking over and boxing him up the side of the head. He didn't stop, just deadpanned at me as he continued, but moments later she shot with a squeal. I took a couple steps back and stood in the back feeling completely dead inside as they looked at each other, with him still squeezing at her.
"Your heartbeats doing fine!" He announced, taking a step back to stand beside Hawk and I. She looked around the room confused for a few moments before asking where she was. Is she serious? I would've knocked a man out cold if I woke up to that.
"Oh you walked into my bar and then passed out cold." Meliodas said with that same blank face he likes to wear. Deciding I needed to step in because this was getting beyond weird, I rolled my eyes and walked towards the girl. I sat on the edge of my bed, holding out the glass of water I'd brought up for her.
"Drink this please, You look a bit dehydrated so it should help out." I said, giving her my best smile. " Do you mind if I make sure you're not running a fever or anything?"
She shook her head so I put the back of my hand to her forehead while she took a sip. From behind Meliodas was explaining that she's at his bar, the boar hat, which surprised her. Looks like I'm not the only one who couldn't believe his ownership. To this day I still don't believe, or know really, how old he is.
She surprised me by asking about his sword, but she flinched really hard when he pulled it out to reveal just the handle, explaining that it was a good deterrent from people skipping tabs, which he was absolutely right about.
"It's the people who pay for your cooking and not Bean's that I feel bad for."He sniffed. The girl shot up really quick and almost knocked me over to get to Hawk, hugging him and gushing about how she'd always wanted a talking pig but never got one. He introduced himself proudly as always, but I was still surprised that she recovered that quickly.
"Hey are you hungry? I could whip something up for you if you want?" Meliodas asked causing Hawk and I to damn near have a heart attack. I stood up as fast as I could and went straight for the door to make it to the kitchen before Mel. I stopped in the doorway and turned back to the small group who'd watched me make the dash.
"Listen girl you do NOT want ya boy cooking for you. You made it all this way for whatever reason and I can promise that you don't want to die over his cooking. I'll cook you whatever you want, just do not eat whatever he makes, like ever." I rushed out glaring at Meli. He knows better than to mess with my kitchen without permission and he's already been in there once today. Once was more than enough. She looked concerned but asked if I had any ham hawk, which I thought was lowkey rude but I'm getting the vibe that she might still be out of it.
I swear I could feel a sweatdrop on the side of my face looking over at Hawk who snapped at her to watch it. Time to salvage this to make it the least awkward experience moving forward.
"Sorry bud, Hawk and I came to the conclusion that this is a Ham free zone. I can make you damn near anything else though." I said taking another step backwards out the door. She looked to be in thought for a moment before telling me to surprise her. I nodded, thinking of the simple ravioli that I had started to make earlier before I'd gone into town, but hadn't trusted Mel to finish.
"Got it! It should be ready in about 20 or so minutes? Can you wait that long?" I waited for her to nod before I took off down the stairs.
As I cooked I could hear her wandering around the bar while Meliodas cleaned up after the customers from earlier. I tried not to let my thoughts wander around too much as I prepared the food quickly, and soon I had two steaming plates sitting on the bar announcing that it was ready.
"How could I ever thank you two enough? First you take me in and nurse me back to health and then you feed me. I really can't thank you enough." she said grabbing a fork and knife. Hawk propped himself onto the stool beside her to watch her face when she took the first bite. Hawk loved my cooking but he always ate it too fast to really enjoy it, so I think he was hoping that she'll hate it so he could get the scraps.
"You'll really just want to thank Bean after you eat that! She's amazing! His food would've killed you." He announced. She looked super pleased before digging in. From the other side of the bar I observed her while I began eating my own food.
Meliodas leaned onto the bar asking how it was and we were all surprised when she started to cry. Oh no. I can't do tears.
"It's delicious." She said smiling softly. This girl is way too cute and innocent to be wandering around on her own. Her clothing choice was really weird too, which means alot coming from me because the fashion from my home is way different from here. A simple black bodysuit ,which I can 100% acknowledge that I also own my fair share of because I'm wearing one under my sweatshirt right now, but she wore just that? No pants? A cute Skirt? Shorts? Nothing? Was it just something that everyone wore under armor? Note: Ask Mel later.
Meliodas changed the subject pretty quickly while she wiped her tears, asking her what she was doing out here alone. She explained that she was looking for the Sins to which Hawk started to question her on why she would be doing that, because after all they're the bad guys. Sometimes I forget that he doesn't know about Meliodas and what little of his past like I do. Sometimes I feel bad but it's Mel's choice.
Before she could answer there were harsh knocks on the bar doors and a man was ordering us to open up because he knows the Rusted Knight is inside from the reports of the villagers. I took one look at Meliodas who nodded at me. Cracking my neck I let my hair down from the messy bun it had been confined to through the day. I brushed it out with my finger while I took the grey baggy crew neck sweatshirt off to reveal the soft petal pink bodysuit underneath. It had quarter length sleeves and scooped down in the front and back. It complimented the dark wash of my ripped jeans well, as well as cute heeled booties that just pulled everything together so well.
"Full tit or light tit?" I threw over to Meliodas as he told the girl to wait there. He looked at me before nodding. "Full tit. Always full tit." He confirmed coming to my side to help Hawk put on the rusted knight armor. It only took a few moments before we were done and at the door. I readjusted my shirt to show just a bit more cleavage that I usually would, but right now I was just playing a part. Sharing one last look we opened it to reveal five soldiers who looked pissed. They started to yell about the rusted knight but quickly took notice of me. That's one thing I'll never get over here. All the men are so surprised by cleavage, but it worked to my advantage.
"Is there a problem here? I don't really have time for this." I said flipping my hair over my shoulder, putting on my annoyed cheerleader act. It was one of my favorite stereotypes to play here. The one who seemed to be in charge cleared his throat before demanding that we send out the Knight, but he still sported a bright blush and kept stealing glances. Meliodas and I shared yet another look before calling out for Hawk to come out. They began to squabble about over Hawk announcing that he was the Knight.
As per usual Meliodas offered Hawk up to them, saying that grilling him was an option. I chuckled, knowing that he never would actually let that happen. The leader gripped Mel up by his shirt and pulled him up to be face to face with him. He began to yell again, but honestly I was beyond annoyed that he'd gripped Mel like that. With a dramatic sigh I crossed my arms and took a few steps forward until I was at the leaders side, looking up at him?
"Can you just put my brother down now? That Knight already left and quite frankly I don't have time to be dealing with this right now. So why don't you get it together and fuck off yea?" I said, still in full character. He looked flustered and from the corner of my eye I could see the girl making a run for it towards the woods. One of the soldiers also saw and claimed that she must be the knight. The guy threw Mel to the ground and I took this opportunity to throw a quick left hand jab at his face.
He looked stunned for a moment before one of the other soldiers grabbed me, the others taking off and following the girl.
"As soon as we catch the Knight I'll be back for you! As of now you're officially in Custody!" He fumed before taking off towards where the girl ran. I could hear Mel moving to stand behind me and I knew he was going to go after her.
"Hey Mel, I got this. Why don't you go follow our new friend yea?" I said rolling my shoulders, the soldier still pulling my shoulder.
"Hey where do you think you're going?" The soldier yelled as Mel took off towards the forest quicker than I still believe possible, Hawk following closely behind.
I took this time of distraction to turn quickly and throw a full right hook at his face. He looked absolutely stunned before his eyes rolled back and he dropped, knocked out cold. I snickered before looking at the forest, knowing that Mel had the situation in the bag. Shrugging I turned and walked back into the bar, fixing my shirt and fluffing my hair.
This girl was really going to make things a lot more interesting.