A/N: Is anyone actually still reading this? lol...

This is about the halfway point I think, and I hope you continue to enjoy this story. Thank you for sticking with me.

.o0o.

The Great Holy Knight

Elizabeth hurried inside her father's receiving room. She gave an unsure curtsy as she entered, and hovered near the door, waiting for him to acknowledge her. He looked up and gave a huge smile, calling, "Ellie, my dearest! Come in, come sit down!"

The princess smiled nervously and took the seat to his left as he waved away the servants clearing away his breakfast. "You wanted to see me, Father?"

The king wiped his mouth with a napkin and waited for the rest to leave the room. Once they were alone, he continued, "I wanted to congratulate you on the good work you have done dealing with Marakia."

Elizabeth's mouth popped open in surprise. "Th—thank you, sir," she stammered, completely taken aback. "I didn't realize you even knew that I had been meeting with them."

"Of course!" he laughed. "It's my duty to know what is going on in my own kingdom, isn't it? Now, I want you to tell me everything you have learned."

Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Well, Father, I've been meeting with Prince Lucius to discuss Liones withdrawing from our shared border, and assisting with their recovery from the sanctions the Grand Masters had instituted. The prince has insisted on taking over the border security, which I certainly don't blame him for—"

"Yes, yes," he interrupted, waving his hand. "That's all well and good, but I want to know about the Marakians themselves."

Elizabeth frowned. "Well, Prince Lucius seems pleasant enough. He may be arrogant at times, but when he puts his wounded ego aside, he is gracious. I believe he genuinely wants peace with Liones."

"What of his generals? His army?"

"Everyone has been respectful," she answered. "And the army left three days ago."

Baltra nodded, leaning back in his chair. "So it's true that only the prince remains at this point," he said thoughtfully. "Am I to assume it's only a few advisors as well?"

"About a dozen, I suppose," Elizabeth answered.

"Excellent. That is what I had supposed."

Elizabeth frowned. "Why are you asking? Do you want me to fetch the details of the treaty?"

The king looked over at her and smiled warmly. "My dear, you have done an excellent job keeping the prince occupied, and I cannot thank you enough."

"Keeping him occupied?" she asked, suddenly unsettled. "What do you mean by that?"

"You won't have to worry about your little treaty anymore," Baltra continued, as if he hadn't heard her. "After tomorrow, there will be no more Marakia to worry about."

"What?!" Elizabeth cried, jumping to her feet. "What are you saying? You are going to attack them?"

The king answered calmly, "I told you before, Elizabeth, that a country that makes an act of aggression against Liones would be considered an enemy, and their actions an act of war. I am only defending—"

"But they only want peace! You—you can't do this!"

Baltra's smile faded. "I am the king, and if I were you, I would mind my tone." He stood then, regarding her coldly. "This is already done, my dear. Now you are dismissed."

Elizabeth clenched her fists, trying to keep herself from saying something she would regret. Her father's expression had chilled her to the bone, and for the first time in her life, she was afraid of him. She made a quick bow and fled the room.

She flattened herself against the wall of the hallway, her eyes squeezed shut, taking deep breaths. Elizabeth willed herself not to cry. Her mind raced with images of the two kingdoms in battle, and the destruction and lives lost that it would bring made her stomach churn and her head pound. Her hand went inside the collar of her dress, and she pulled out the little chain that held the coin Meliodas had given her.

Elizabeth looked at it in her palm for a long moment. He had told her to use it if she had trouble and needed him. She wanted nothing more than to press the coin and call him to her, and leave all this to his strength to handle. It would be such a relief to see him again… But Meliodas was on his own quest, he had said to her. Could she really call him away to come to her aid once again?

No, she thought. I can do this. Elizabeth replaced the chain under her collar and decided to find Margaret first. The princess practically ran to the throne room, looking for her, but it was empty.

She hurried through the hallways, looking for her sister, but found Diane instead on her way to the bedrooms. "Elizabeth! What in the world?"

"Diane!" she cried, clutching her friend's arms. Elizabeth pulled her inside an adjacent room and closed the door before whispering, "I need to find Margaret. The king is planning something horrible. Where is everyone?"

"I'm not sure. What is going on?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "He didn't tell me exactly. But I know he's going to do something terrible to Prince Lucius. I need to stop him."

"Okay." Diane paused to think for a moment. "I think Gilthunder is at the Southern Tower, where the training center is. He might know where the princess went."

Elizabeth nodded and the two quickly made their way through the castle and out. The princess was conscious that they might be watched, and tried to keep a smile on her face, as if they were two friends on a walk. Diane kept her senses heightened, trying to discern any threat that might arise towards the princess.

The guard let them into the center, and Diane led the way through the building. They found Gilthunder and Howzer standing together, watching a group of soldiers bringing equipment inside. "Gilthunder!" Elizabeth called, running over.

"Princess?" The two knights exchanged a glance as she and Diane approached. "What is it?" Gilthunder asked.

"I need to find Margaret," Elizabeth said quietly. "Do you know where she went?"

"She's in the city today, visiting the hospital, I believe," he answered. "Is everything all right?"

Elizabeth shook her head and Gilthunder took her by the arm, leading them behind an alcove and out of sight. Howzer and Diane crowded around either side. "What is it?"

"The king is going to attack the Marakians," Elizabeth told them. "He said they would be gone by tomorrow. We can't let him do this! They are here as guests. They are not a threat to us."

"Why would he do this?" Howzer asked. "Attacking the prince will only start a war with them."

"The king has not been himself for many weeks," Gilthunder said gravely. He clenched his jaw. "There hasn't been an order from him yet. He must be using one of his own groups."

"Dawn Roar is not in the city," Howzer said. He looked at Diane. "Neither are the Seven Deadly Sins, for that matter."

"Then he's using lower ranking knights," Gilthunder said.

"Well, how do we stop this?" Diane asked.

Gilthunder shook his head. "If the king commands the knights to attack, I don't know how we could stop them without a fight."

"The Grand Master could stop them." The three looked at Elizabeth, who was frowning in thought. "The king can only do this because the order to attack would normally have to come from the Great Holy Knight." She looked up suddenly, her cheeks flushed. "There needs to be a vote. Today. Margaret can make a nomination. There has to be enough knights left in the city to name a new Grand Master."

Howzer and Gilthunder exchanged a look. "Only Ruby rank or higher can vote," Howzer said. "We'll need to bring in everyone in the area to have a majority."

"Then do it," Elizabeth said. "This needs to happen as soon as possible, and it needs to be secret. If the king hears—"

"I'll take care of it," Howzer said, nodding.

Elizabeth turned to Gilthunder. "Can you find Margaret? You need a nomination from the royal family. Bring her here and tell her to put your name forward." He shook his head and started to protest, but she insisted, "There's no time to argue! If you don't want the appointment, you can resign later. You're the only one she will trust enough, you and I both know that."

"She's right," Howzer said. "You're also the only one here that has a high enough rank for the position."

"Where will you be, Elizabeth?" Diane asked.

"I need to go and warn Prince Lucius. He trusts me."

"Then I'll go with you."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Help Howzer to get all of the Holy Knights here for the vote. We can't let the king give the order. I will be back soon." She turned and hurried away before any of them could stop her.

"Come on," Diane said. "Elizabeth gave us a job to do."

"You know that you can't vote," Gilthunder said to her. "Technically, you and the rest of the Sins are no longer ranked Holy Knights."

Diane bristled and was about to snap back at him, but Howzer said heatedly, "Diane may not be ranked, but the Holy Knights respect her. Many of them will listen to her before me, or even you." He glared at Gilthunder for a moment before continuing, "Let's go, Diane. As you said, we have a job to do."

.o0o.

Three hours later, Gilthunder led Margaret into the Southern Tower. He kept his hand on the small of her back, steering her to the large hall they used as a meeting room. As they neared the door, Margaret stopped. "I don't know if I can do this," she said tightly.

The Holy Knight put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. "You are the daughter of a king," he whispered to her. "You are the first princess of Liones, and Liones needs you now."

She let out a shaky breath. "How do we know this will work?"

"We don't," he answered. "But I swear I will protect you, and protect this kingdom." Margaret nodded, and took a deep breath. She squared back her shoulders and entered the hall, her serene expression masking her nervousness.

The room was filled with dozens of Holy Knights, all standing and talking and shouting. Howzer spotted them and called for quiet as Diane hurried over. "We found as many as we could. It should be enough." She looked around and said to Gilthunder, "Elizabeth isn't with you?"

"No," he answered.

Diane wrung her hands. "She should be back by now. I am going to look for her." The Sin pushed her way back through the crowd.

"Princess Margaret," Howzer called, snapping her attention back to the task at hand. The Knights all bowed as she moved to the front of the room. Howzer stepped aside and all eyes focused on her.

"My good knights," she said slowly. "As you know, the king has yet to name a new Grand Master of Liones. Because of recent events, this task has now fallen to me." The crowd murmured and one shouted, "Where is the king?"

"Preparing for a battle that Liones cannot afford," she announced. The noise grew louder, and Margaret raised her voice. "The king is determined to bring Liones into a war with Marakia. I call on you all to do your duty to our kingdom and protect our people, who will be the ones hurt if this happens. You must choose a new Grand Master who can defend them against the king."

"Your Highness," another called, "what you are suggesting… some would see as treason."

"The king will not name a Grand Master," she said adamantly. "He is going to order an attack on an ally and cause the death of many innocent people. That could also be seen as treason." She turned and looked at Gilthunder. "We need a Grand Master who can stop this from happening. I nominate Holy Knight Gilthunder to be Grand Master of Liones."

The room erupted into talk. Howzer stepped up and shouted over them for silence. "The princess had made her nomination. Now we must vote."

"No need for that." The king strode into the room, and the Holy Knights moved to the sides, kneeling. Margaret clutched her hands to keep herself from trembling. Both Howzer and Gilthunder moved simultaneously to stand in front of her, each placing a hand on the hilts of their swords.

"Margaret, my dear," Baltra said kindly. "You did not need to trouble yourself with all of this." He turned back to the room and signaled for the Holy Knights to rise. "Please forgive my daughter. I'm afraid she's gotten a bit carried away."

"Is it true, Sire?" one called out. "Are you planning to attack Marakia?"

The king's smile remained even as his eyes grew hard. "I am planning on defending Liones against her enemies. I will not be questioned by any Holy Knight sworn to me."

"The Holy Knights are sworn to Liones, not to the king," Gilthunder said gravely.

Baltra scowled at him, but before he could answer another knight called, "Why won't you name a new Grand Master?" The rest voiced their agreement, and the king raised a hand for silence. "A new Grand Master? Is that what you all want? Fine, then. I name myself Great Holy Knight."

There was a momentary shock of silence, and then the knights began to shout in protest. "You can't do this!—We won't stand for this!—The king cannot be Grand Master!"

"The offices must be separate!" a knight yelled.

"Your Majesty is not even a Holy Knight!" came another.

Gilthunder stepped forward and growled, "You can't name yourself Grand Master. No man may have that much power."

"I am no ordinary man." Baltra's hand moved to his sword, and Gilthunder instinctively began to draw his own. The next moment was a blur; there was a flash of fire, and Gilthunder's body was thrown across the hall. He fell in a heap on the floor, groaning and trying to stand. Margaret screamed and tried to run to him, but Howzer grabbed her arm and pulled her back. The king still held his sword in his hand, blocking her path, the blade ablaze with an unnatural fire.

"How?" Howzer whispered, and Margaret shook her head, choking back a sob. Her father had never had such power, and had never raised his hand against anyone before. For him to not only attack, but to take down a Holy Knight as powerful as Gilthunder was unthinkable.

No one moved except the king, who walked slowly back through the crowd. "I am the king of Liones." His voice boomed in the hall. All were silent except for Margaret, who wept against Howzer's arm. "Anyone who dares to defy me will only find death." He reached Gilthunder, who shakily pushed himself up on his hands and knees. "Gilthunder," he said, his voice filled with disdain, "you are guilty of treason and sedition. I strip you of your title and banish you from Liones from this day forward."

"Father, no! Please!" Margaret screamed. Baltra turned and swept his eyes over the room, finally landing on the princess for a long moment. He sheathed his sword, snuffing out the flames, and walked out of the hall.