Chapter Eight: The Plan

Oh yes, we are time fliers, so, and I
I knew who you were way before...
Way before I even knew my own name
There's no clue, but I'm sure, I swear

Oh we are time fliers
Dashing up the steps of time now
No more playing hide and seek with you and time
And always coming just short

Meliodas was a strange mixture of sobbing and laughing and touching Elizabeth's breasts when Veronica burst into the room. "Oh no not again—"

She was promptly cut off when he looked up, his eyes watery and nose dripping. "Her sister!" he cried, scrambling across the bed. "It's you! It's really youuuuu-!"

Veronica shrieked and ran, the door slamming behind her.

Quickly he dressed, hurrying down to breakfast. When he arrived in the dining hall, his sisters were there, along with an unexpected selection of Liones nobility. He skidded to a halt and composed himself, not wanting anything to seem out of place. This must be before the comet, he thought to himself as he headed towards where the other two princesses sat together. There's still time.

As he slid into a chair next to Margaret, Veronica leaned over and whispered loudly, "Careful, she's losing it today."

Margaret looked at him strangely, but before he could protest, they were joined by the Grand Master. "Your Majesties," he said in greeting, and the girls gave a respectful hello.

"Everyone excited about the comet then?" said Hendrickson smoothly, his smile not reaching his eyes. Margaret murmured her affirmation, but his eyes landed squarely on Meliodas. "Princess Elizabeth, may I speak with you a moment?"

Meliodas cleared his throat, trying to think of an excuse; but when none came, he nodded and stood. The knight led him to a quieter corner of the room, out of earshot of the others milling about, talking and eating. "I wanted to compliment Your Highness that—"

Suddenly Hendrickson peered at him closely. "What's this? You're not actually Elizabeth, are you?"

Meliodas gasped. "What—How did you—?"

"The way you've been behaving lately has caught everyone's notice." Hendrickson narrowed his eyes. "There are legends about the goddesses possessing the bodies of humans. Is that what you are?"

Meliodas' eyes widened. He thinks I'm a goddess? The irony was almost laughable, but he decided to play the charade. "That's right," he said, as menacingly as he could, although in Elizabeth's voice it didn't have quite the same effect. "I know what you are planning tonight. You won't get away with this."

The Holy Knight stared back at him for a tense moment; then he burst out laughing. "Of course, Your Highness!" he replied. "How foolish of me. However, despite being possessed by a goddess, I can see you have no power. So if you'll excuse me, I need to see to the arrangements for the viewing this evening."

He gave a bow, and with a final cold smile he walked away. Meliodas grit his teeth, wanting nothing more than to kick him squarely between the eyes; but Hendrickson was right. Elizabeth had no power, and despite knowing how to fight, using her body to do so would be… well, it wouldn't be as effective, that was for sure. If he was going to stop the massacre, he needed a plan. "There's no way I'm going to let everyone die," he said to himself.

Meliodas tossed an excuse to Margaret and left, heading out in a run towards the training fields. He needed friends first, and there were only two people he trusted in the entire castle. When he found Jericho and Howzer, they were getting ready for drills, the dozen or so apprentices in their group helping each other with their armor.

They both gaped at him as he ran up and panted, "I need your help. Now."

"Now?" Howzer straightened up from where he was buckling his shin guards. "I don't know if we can get out of this, it's being assessed—"

"Listen to me!" he hissed. "Tonight, when the comet is going over Liones, the Grand Master is going to unleash a demon, and everyone is going to die!"

Neither of Elizabeth's friends gave a reaction, both simply looking completely confused. "What happened to your hair?" Jericho finally asked.

Unconsciously Meliodas ran his fingers through it, surprised by the short locks. But there was no time for wondering. "Nevermind that!" he snapped. "If we don't do something about tonight, we're all going to die! It's up to us to save everyone!"

All of the other apprentices had stopped what they were doing, now looking over at the princess from her outburst.

Meliodas glanced around before leaning in to the two friends. "I need your help. Let's go," he hissed.

Thankfully, Jericho and Howzer scrambled up and followed him. Meliodas decided to head towards their normal lunch spot, and began to fill them in as they walked. "Hendrickson is planning something," he said. "Tonight, he's going to invite all the important nobility in Liones to the castle, in order to get everyone in one place. Then he is going to unseal a demon."

"What?" Jericho grabbed his arm, stopping them both. "How do you know this?"

"I—heard things," he explained. If he went into the whole body-switching-thing, who knew how long it would take to explain! So Meliodas decided to keep things simple. "He's been drinking demon blood, experimenting with it."

"So that's what's been going on," Howzer muttered, frowning deeply with his hands on his hips. "I've seen them. The New Generation have powers that don't make any sense. They must be using the demon magic for it."

Meliodas nodded. "That's exactly it! But when he unleashes the demon, it's going to use Purgatory fire to kill everyone!"

Both of his friends looked shocked, but then Jericho held up her hands. "Wait, why are we even worrying? The Holy Knights will fight it," she assured him.

Meliodas shook his head. "No, he's going to send them out! There won't be any knights to save the people."

Howzer gasped. "You're right! This morning the rounds came out. I heard people talking, everyone is stationed in the city, but none in the castle."

"See?" Meliodas looked back and forth pleadingly. "Please, believe me. I need your help. If we don't do something, everyone is going to die."

There was a brief pause, and then Jericho said, "Of course we believe you. Just tell us what to do."

Howzer agreed, and Meliodas breathed a sigh of relief. They might not be Merlin and Ban, but they would do well just the same.

After splitting up briefly to gather information, the three met an hour later, huddling together in a secluded spot off of the castle grounds. Both of his friends looked troubled as they sat in a tight circle at the bottom of a set of stairs, out of sight of the guards. "I got the list of who is invited," Meliodas said, laying a roll of parchment between them. "Do you recognize these names?"

Jericho read it over, nodding as her eyes moved back and forth. "You were right, these are definitely the top dignitaries. Members of the royal family, officials in the guard and their families, nobles, members of the councils… everyone who serves the king directly is here."

"You were right about the Holy Knights," Howzer added. "I checked the schedules in the main office and the only people on duty tonight in the castle are New Generation."

"Staff too," Jericho sighed. "I know some of the footmen and a couple of housemaids. Everyone has been ordered out." Meliodas nodded, remembering the chef's words, about how the servants had been dismissed for the night on the pretext of letting them see the comet. "It doesn't make any sense! Even the stables, the kitchens, the medics? There won't be anyone here tonight."

"Why though?" Howzer asked. "If Hendrickson wants to set a demon on Liones, why pick and choose who will be there for it?"

"So he can rule," Meliodas said slowly, realization starting to dawn. "He needs subjects when he makes himself king. He'll unleash the demon, lead the Holy Knights to victory, and then when the dust settles and the government is gone, he can step in and take over in their grief." His hands shook a bit at the idea. "But it's too dangerous. People will get hurt. His plan will only work if all these people are gone."

His prediction hung in the air as the three contemplated this. "So what do we do?" Jericho finally asked.

Meliodas thought silently to himself. Take out Hendrickson, or try to stop the demon? It was a risk either way. Hendrickson was a powerful knight, and armed with no magic and two apprentices, he had little chance to survive a fight. He had never thought to try his own Full Counter while in Elizabeth's body, but there was a distinct lack of the familiar electricity inside of him, so he doubted it would work anyway.

"I think it's obvious," Howzer said, and both Meliodas and Jericho looked at him in surprise. "We have no hope of stopping Hendrickson or this demon. We're only a couple of apprentices against a Grand Master and his hand-selected group of mega demon magic knights."

Jericho grumbled, narrowing her eyes sharply at him. "Way to keep positive there, Howzer."

The knight gave her a sour look. "If you would let me finish," he muttered with a roll of his eyes. "We can't stop this thing from happening, so we need to focus on saving everyone. To do that, we have to keep people out of the palace."

Meliodas' eyes widened. "That's it! You're a genius!"

"I am?" Howzer said in confusion.

"Yes! We can still save everyone!" Meliodas jumped up with a cheer, punching his fist into the air. Then he grabbed Howzer around the neck, hooking him under his arm and giving him a tight squeeze. "Nice job!"

"Hey! Quit it!" Howzer choked out, flailing his arms.

Meliodas released some of the pressure, but did not let go of his neck. "What's wrong?" he asked. He and Ban did this all the time. As he frowned, he noticed the knight's flaming red cheeks, and then laughed when he realized Howzer's head was pressed right in between Elizabeth's cleavage. "Hey, what's wrong? You shy?"

"It's not… proper," stammered Howzer, "and you know it." He pushed the princess off of him with a suitable look of embarrassed disgust on his face, making Meliodas laugh again.

"Such a gentleman," Meliodas giggled, batting his eyelashes.

"Anyway!" Jericho interrupted, pushing between the two. "What's our plan to get everyone to safety?"

"We need a reason to evacuate," Meliodas said.

Howzer snapped his fingers. "Jericho, we can do this! Let's make a storm."

"A storm?"

"Yeah! I'll provide the wind, you have the ice." He weaved his fingers together as if to demonstrate. "Together we can make it bad enough everyone will go."

Jericho considered a moment. "I don't know if that will be enough to get people to do more than go inside."

"I can help," Meliodas said. "I'll talk to the king, and see if he can't send an order to evacuate. He's my father, right? He'll listen to me, I'll convince him."

Jericho looked even less convinced, but then sighed. "You both know this is totally a crime."

"Yes," Meliodas and Howzer said together.

"And if we're caught we're done for."

"Yes."

Heaving a sigh, she waved her hand and said, "Fine. I don't really care. I mean, this is just a possibility, right? We don't know for one hundred percent that Hendrickson is going to unleash a demon on Liones? It's just your theory."

Meliodas cleared his throat uncomfortably, but luckily Howzer interrupted, "Theories are based on reality. We know demons existed, three thousand years ago. They fought the goddesses—I mean, that's how Liones was even created!"

"Right!" Meliodas exclaimed, grinning. "That's why there is still the goddess magic! Nice one, Howzer!"

He and Howzer high-fived, a move that reminded him again of Ban, and then both turned and grabbed Jericho. "Let's go save Liones!"

"What on earth are you talking about?"

Baltra frowned deeply, sitting back on his throne as he gazed down at Meliodas. He was obviously incredibly displeased, but he huffed an impatient breath and said, "Like I said, we need to cancel this comet viewing tonight so that no one comes here and—"

"Elizabeth, shut up," the king snapped.

Meliodas gasped as Baltra shook his head. "You're telling me that the Grand Master is going to unleash a demon?" he sighed. "That my own knights will turn on the people, and allow the demon to murder everyone here? That hundreds of people will die, and the castle will burn to the ground?"

Meliodas could only gape at him. "How dare you stand here and spout this nonsense!" he shouted. "If you are serious about this, then you must be sick in the head. This is what I get for taking in a foundling."

The king turned and signaled for a guard to approach. "I'm having you taken to see a mage. You need to be examined. I'll speak to you only when I know you're not under some kind of spell."

The guard walked towards them, Baltra was still shouting, but Meliodas could only stare up at the king dumbfounded. Did he say he took in a foundling? That Elizabeth wasn't his daughter? There were images from before, and he grit his teeth when he remembered one was a crying baby, in his arms, not Baltra's. The king cared nothing for her, and nothing for Liones—he had said as much in his memory! And Hendrickson knew that, and knew how to exploit it… and because of that, Elizabeth was going to die.

"You—" Meliodas stalked forward, moving in a flash. He punched the guard in the face while drawing the sword that hung from his hips, ignoring the flash of pain on his delicate and untested hand, before swinging around. He jumped the last bit to land in front of the king, holding his sword out, the blade an inch from slicing his throat. "You son of a—!"

It felt good, so very good to be doing something. Meliodas had been a Holy Knight himself, in another life, and before that a mercenary, and a soldier, all the way back to the beginning. He was a fighter by instinct and a killer by training, and he knew with a sword in his hand he could make anything happen.

But that wasn't him; at least, this wasn't him, not now. Now, he was Elizabeth, and he gave a little gasp and took a step backwards, the sword still raised and pointed at the king, but no longer grazing his skin. The two stared at one another, father and daughter, and Meliodas watched as a drop of perspiration fell from the king's brow and slid down the side of his face.

"Elizabeth." Baltra's voice was soft, disbelieving, his expression a mixture of shock and fear. Meliodas felt a strange welling of emotion as he stared back, and slowly lowered the sword. He tried to think of what to do—of what Elizabeth would do. What would she say when she learned what he had done, what he had almost done?

"Elizabeth?" the king whispered. He slid closer, right to the edge of his throne. "No," he breathed, and Meliodas gasped. "You're not Elizabeth. Who… who are you?"

The sword clattered to the ground, and Meliodas ran.

Meliodas walked through the courtyard, looking for Jericho and Howzer. He stared at the ground dejectedly, cycling the scene in the throne room over and over in his mind. How could he have done something so stupid? Now the king would never listen to him—and what was worse, he had hinted at their plan to get everyone to evacuate.

He heard Veronica and Margaret nearby and paused, looking around. They were speaking to a few other girls, and as he approached he gave a gasp to hear them talking about the comet. "Don't be late!" Veronica gushed excitedly. "We'll be at the very top!"

"No!" he shouted, rushing over. "No, you shouldn't go tonight! Get away!"

The group looked at him in surprise as Meliodas grabbed the arm of one of their companions. "Whatever you do, don't come to the palace tonight, or you'll die! Tell everyone to stay away!"

"What is wrong with you?" Veronica pulled him away, and the girls hurried off with worried glances.

"Elizabeth?" Margaret stepped into his line of vision, and he looked up at the older girl. The princess took his hand gently. "What are you doing?"

"If I was Elizabeth," he wondered aloud, "would she have been able to convince him? Is this all my fault?"

The princesses exchanged a glance. "Huh?" asked Veronica.

"Margaret! Veronica!" Both girls jumped at his sudden shout. "Promise me you won't be here for the comet! Promise you'll leave the castle right away!"

"What?" cried Margaret.

"Please!" he pleaded. "Take everyone you can and go, otherwise you're all going to die!"

Veronica took a hold of her arms, giving her a little shake. "What is wrong with you?" she shouted. "What are you talking about? And why did you go to Dalmary all of a sudden yesterday?" Meliodas gasped. "You've been acting so weird lately!"

"I went to Dalmary?" He blinked, trying to figure out why that felt familiar.

"Elizabeth," Margaret said gently, "are you all right? Where is your earring?"

"Hey! Princess Elizabeth!"

The sisters turned to see Howzer and Jericho hurrying over. The two knights gave a quick bow to the princesses before turning on their friend. "How did things go with the king?"

Meliodas did not answer, his brow furrowed in thought. "What's wrong with your sister?" Jericho asked the princesses.

"I have no idea," Veronica sighed.

Dalmary, Dalmary, Meliodas thought over and over. That name sounded so familiar, and if everyone could just be quiet, he knew he would remember why. The earring. He thought of the little blue bead that rolled across the wooden table, his hand going up to caress the bare earlobe without even realizing it. The conversation continued, but he turned, trying to find the memory and grasp it. He needed to hold onto something familiar to settle the way his heart was pounding, when his eyes fell on the doorway that led to where the goddesses slept.

"Could she be… down there?" he whispered.

With a shout Meliodas started to run, but Howzer grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?" he cried.

"I need to look for something." Meliodas shrugged him off and took off, his friend calling behind him, "But what do we do?"

Meliodas came to a stop before the door and looked over his shoulder. "Be in position at sundown. I'm counting on you!" Then he pushed open the door and ran down the hallway that led to the steps that would take him down beneath Liones, where the Horn of Cernunnos waited.