A/N: Congratulations, ya bastahds - I caved in to peer pressure.
I have no idea how long this fic is going to be, but for the sake of my own sanity I'm going to try to limit it to approximately 1500-2000 words per chapter. I can only proofread so much before I get sick of it, and I have to proofread a lot.
Chapter 2
"You're a difficult man to find."
Ban looked up from his pint with a frown, and then looked down to see a kid with green eyes and messy blonde hair staring up at him with a wide grin.
"That's kinda the point~" he drawled, going to take another swig from his pint and stopping. "Should they really be letting kids into this joint?"
"I provide the ale," the kid said, "I set up shop here because I heard you had been spotted in the area, hoping that you would show up!"
"You're a true detective~" Ban responded. "So, whaddaya want? In case you haven't heard, I've retired. Not that an "ale provider" could afford my usual price~"
"I think I could," the kid said.
"And what makes you say that?"
"Because I'm Meliodas. Crown Prince of Barren."
Ban spout out his beer, dousing the kid.
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"So, let me get this straight…" Ban said slowly, Elaine sitting beside him with her arms wrapped around one of his, patiently watching the exchange between the two men. "You want me to be your bodyguard?"
"At least until I can prove that my brothers want to kill me," Meliodas said with a nod.
"Why don't they just make one of your brothers the king? I get the impression from you that you don't really want the throne~"
"One of the members of parliament sent me a message saying that having a runaway son take the throne will make it look better to the citizens and might quell some of the rioting," he responded. Ban scrutinized him for a moment before smirking.
"You don't want the throne~" Ban said, "you want a girl who's involved with the throne~" Meliodas sat across from the couple with his arms crossed and a blank look on his face; Ban didn't feel threatened, but Elaine held his arm tighter as his eyes flicked between the two of them.
"Whoever takes the throne of Barren has to marry a princess from a neighboring kingdom to quell the uprisings," Melliodas began to explain, "and that leaves Almora and Liones. Unfortunately, the princess of Almora recently went missing. King Harlequin has put out a large price for anyone who can bring him news of where he can find her - a barony for anyone who can bring her home, safe and unharmed." His eyes went to Elaine and Ban's whole body went tense, his hand slamming down on the table.
"You wouldn't fucking dare -"
"-You're the one in love with Elizabeth." The two men looked to Elaine to see her stating intently at Meliodas. "I'm friends with her. We write to each other. She told me about a man who sold ale - he let her stay with him in his caravan, gave her hiding so she was always on the move... she ran away from home because she didn't want to marry the mad king, either."
"So let me get this straight…" Ban said slowly, "The thing with marrying the mad king… it was about satisfying the citizens? Because that sounds like bullshit~"
"It was to gain control of at least some portion of that country's army," Meliodas said. "The mad king was going to use any portion of the army he could get from either country to stamp out the country's rebelling populace. If either one of my brothers inherits the throne, I have no doubt that they'll do the same."
"And if you inherit the throne?" Elaine asked quietly before Ban had the chance.
"I'll marry the woman of my dreams and let her make the decisions," Meliodas grinned, folding his arms behind his head.
"Sounds lazy to me~" Ban declared.
"I think it sounds smart." Both men looked at Elaine again. "Elizabeth is very kind, and selfless. I think running away from home was the first selfish thing she ever did. She always sacrificed so much of herself to learn and understand her kingdom and its' people." Ban dragged his free hand down his face.
"Can Elaine be kept safe while I help you?" Ban asked.
"Ban -"
"-Elizabeth has already said she would be glad to host the runaway princess," Meliodas said, grinning at Elaine. "And Liones is probably even safer than Almora."
"They do have a stronger army," Elaine whispered to Ban, who made a muted growling noise.
"You've got a deal~" Ban said, stretching his arm across the table; but before Meliodas could shake his hand Ban held up a finger, "On one condition-"
"Elaine will be kept safe, at all costs. At the first word of her being even remotely in danger, I will release you from your service so you can go to her," Meliodas told him, "I swear on my life."
"Alrighty, then~ Guess we have a deal~" Ban sighed, shaking Meliodas' hand.
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"So, the story is that you're a traveller who found the princess being held captive by some thugs on the Almora-Liones border," Meliodas explained as they approached the capital city of Liones, "you took them out, and after sufficiently threatening them you found out that they were with the kingdom of Barren, hoping to incite a war between the two other kingdoms in hopes of forcing them to provide a princess to marry either the king, or one of the two princes."
"And because we were closer to Liones, I'm bringing her here~" Ban finished, looking at the castle as it appeared on the horizon.
"Yep," Meliodas nodded before grinning at Ban and telling him, "you're smarter than you look."
"Again - it helps with the job~" Ban smirked. He looked back over his shoulder into the caravan, smiling affectionately at Elaine, sleeping on a pile of blankets and pillows.
"So, what made you hesitate?"
What?" Ban looked up at Meliodas.
"I figured you met when you were sent to kill her, right?" Meliodas smiled at him out of the corner of his eye. "So, why didn't you?"
"I -" Ban stopped and sat straight, folding his arms over his chest. "She was crying~" he said softly, "and she didn't bat an eyelash when I levelled my gun at her forehead - she leaned into it~"
"So it wasn't sympathy that stopped you from killing her, but curiosity." Meliodas didn't have to phrase it as a question, it was already obvious.
"Yes~"
"So why did you kill the king of Barren, instead?" Ban glanced at Meliodas out of the corner of his eye.
"This isn't some secret operation to kill me out of vengeance, is it?" He asked.
"No, I'm genuinely curious," Meliodas said, glancing over at him. "Keep in mind, my father tried to have me killed when I suggested we allow the farmers in the countryside to keep some of what they grew."
"That's why you ran?" Ban asked. "All of the rumors said it was because of a failed coup~"
"Nah," Meliodas said with a shrug. "It was faked."
"Hn~" Things were quiet between them for the following hours, until Elaine yawned and sat up in the caravan, leaning into the seat to kiss Ban's cheek.
"It's bigger than I remember," Elaine said gently as they reached the city gates.
"You mentioned that you were about seven when you last came here~" Ban pointed out, smiling at her. Elaine smiled and blushed, most likely at the fact that he had remembered something that she had said in passing.
The gates to the city were wide open for the free flow of travellers and farmers, so they entered the city easily and made their way to the castle gates.
"State your business!" One of the guards at the gate demanded, faltering when Meliodas stood up with the reins to the horses in one hand and his other hand on his hip. "L-Lord Meliodas! We'll let you in immediately!"
"Lord?" Ban said out loud as the gates were opened for them. "They already know who you are?"
"The king has hosted me in secret since I ran from Barren," Meliodas said casually as they entered the castle grounds.
"Is it much of a secret if the guards know who you are?"
"Meh, I don't question it," Meliodas said, garnering looks of disbelief from Ban and Elaine.
"Lord Meliodas!" Called out a voice as the caravan came to a stop, Ban taking Elaine in his arms so he could dismount and gently set her on her feet. Meliodas was the first to greet the woman who ran towards them, stopping short of his arms. "I'm glad to see you're back safely," she said quietly, her eyes glancing passed him and stopping on Elaine.
"Elizabeth!" Elaine cried out with joy, running forward to hug the princess.
"Oh, Elaine! I was so worried when I heard the news!" Elizabeth exclaimed, hugging her childhood friend.
"You were worried? Imagine how I felt when you disappeared all of those months ago?" Elaine laughed, tearing up as she and Elizabeth embraced. Elizabeth looked up passed Elaine and faltered at the sight of Ban.
"Are you the man who rescued Elaine?" She asked, standing up straight. Ban merely nodded. "Thank you," she said, curtsying to him.
"I don't want any thanks, your majesty~" he said, smiling and bowing to her. "All I want… is the princess' safety~" Elaine smiled and blushed, a reaction that did not go unnoticed by Elizabeth.
"I see…" she said quietly, a knowing smile on her lips. "Well, my father will want to honor you -"
"-Sorry to interrupt, your majesty, but none of that will be necessary~" Ban assured her. "I'm not the type to enjoy big, extravagant things~"
"Then you aren't going to like what he has planned for us," Meliodas muttered, making Ban perk up and glare at him.
"What does he have planned, then?"
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"A whole cadre of knights?" Ban deadpanned, looking over the six knights on horseback.
"Bartra said something about a proper escort?" Meliodas chimed, mounting his own horse - the one that usually pulled his caravan, a massive thing from the north called Hawk.
"They won't take it as a threat?" He asked, frowning and swinging himself onto the horse that was provided for him.
"Fingers crossed."
"And so, onward to Barren~" Ban muttered, constantly looking back at the castle to watch Elaine fade in the distance. "I'll come back for you, Elaine~" He murmured, "I promise~"