Elizabeth sighed into the cupped hand against her cheek as she stared out of the large window in her bedroom with overwhelming boredom having reached the one and a half week mark of being isolated. Shortly after the ball held for her fourteenth birthday had ended, the princess had fallen ill and was promptly thrown into her room to prevent the spread of the unknown sickness. She completely understood the reasoning behind it but she was going to go insane without human contact for much longer. Medications and food were brought into the room and quicky left it next to the princess before the servants retreated, quickly shutting the door behind them. Masked physicians examined her nearly every day, poking and prodding, taking notes and humming to themselves without actually telling her anything.
The first few days had been the worst with a raging fever and rattling cough along with body aches and chills. She didn't leave her bed unless absolutely necessary and even then it was a chore to get up and make her way into the bathroom without succumbing to the heavy dizziness. One evening she found herself on the floor just beyond her bed with no recollection of how she got there or what she had even been doing, but she just kept her face pressed against the ground as it soothed her burning head and slipped back into a deep slumber. By morning she had been returned to her bed with a cold towel on her forehead and the blankets pulled up to her chin. The staff denied having anything to do with it and the princess wondered who it could have been.
Glancing down below she noticed more activity than usual, and she pressed her hands against the glass to get a better view. It seemed to be a crew of gardeners preparing the shrubbery and other plants for yet another harsh winter expected to hit within the next few weeks or so. A frown adorned her face as she realized that no longer could she and the Captain could meet in the garden for their near daily talks. Nearly three weeks had passed, and she hadn't seen or heard a single word from him, her heart aching dully at the sudden lack of contact. It had been the most wonderful night of her life dancing all around the room with him, laughing at his corny jokes and his terrible Lord Havenworth impressions. She hadn't meant to be disrespectful to the prince, even though his impersonations were fairly accurate, but it slipped the memory of his constant creepy advances from the night of her birthday from her mind. Lord Havenworth had been pursuing her for nearly two years now, constantly swinging by to chat her up and attempt to persuade her father to let him have her hand in marriage. Thankfully, her father shot them down every time yet that didn't stop the prince from trying to constantly woo her via other methods. By the end of the evening, as they were bidding farewell, the mysterious man finally caved and gave her the first letter of his name, a game that had been started after months of her pestering for his name and something that made the princess ecstatic, and with a kiss upon her knuckles he was gone.
With a heavy sigh the princess moved from the window seat at the rapping on her door and slipped on a heavy shawl, shuffling to the door with a shiver. The fire had begun to die hours ago yet she just didn't have the energy to rekindle the wood currently, her mind too deep in thought to care. The doors creaked as she pulled them open expecting it to be her father or sisters, but when she saw it was an armored knight confusion flickered across her features.
"Lady Elizabeth, forgive me for the intrusion but King Baltra requests your presence in his office. I was tasked with escorting you there." The knight bowed deeply, his voice ringing inside of his helmet. Elizabeth made to step through the door when something odd caught her attention and she stopped, staring at the knight with inquisitive eyes. Why was the knight wearing his helmet indoors? The Holy Knights avoided wearing them due to the decreased peripherals and security reasons. Unease settled in her stomach as she stepped back, nervously gripping the handles tighter. Her father had taught her to look out for warning signs of an imposter in the castle and this knight was beginning to fill the description. Besides, the Holy Knights closest to her never called her father by his royal title around her.
"I would like to freshen up first to look more suitable for a meeting with my father." Elizabeth raised her head and stared down at the knight with as much authority as she possibly could. She could feel the gaze from within studying her, weighing whether or not she was telling the truth. If he suddenly lunged for her…
"I'm afraid time is of the essence, Lady Eliz—"
Elizabeth slammed the doors shut in the knights face and swung the heavy lock bar over the handles, locking him out. As soon as his mannerisms changed she knew he wasn't one of the kingdoms knights. He began beating on the door, yelling for her to open up or he would bust it down. She wrapped the shawl tighter around her shoulders while she ran for a pair of travel shoes as the pounding on the door grew louder and hastily threw them on, nearly stumbling over her own loungewear. With a quick glance back at the heavy doors, Elizabeth's eyes widened as she saw the wood begin to splinter, other voices filtering in through the cracks. Time was running out. She quickly flung the wardrobe doors open and pushed aside her expansive collection of dresses to crawl inside, closing the doors behind her before slamming down the latching bar with a painful pounding against her ribs. It wouldn't hold them off for long but all she needed was a few minutes head start. Hands blindly ran across the back wall of the large armoire until fingers felt the edges of the hidden panel and pushed hard. The panel silently popped out before sliding back, revealing a dimly lit secret tunnel that led to the stables, a horse always ready for her to escape. A loud crash startled her and she began sprinting down the stone stairwell with panicked breaths. She still hadn't fully recovered from being sick and her lungs protested loudly with each intake of air. It would take her approximately fifteen minutes or so to reach the stables, less if she kept going at the pace she was. Where were the Holy Knights and why weren't they stopping the intruders? There were hundreds of soldiers under her father's command yet somehow they were still infiltrated. It didn't make any sense. Tears stung in her eyes and she quickly swiped them away. She prayed her father and sisters were safe as she traversed deeper into the tunnel, long maroon dress clenched tightly in her grasp.
A few times she stumbled in the darker sections of the stone corridor, the wall thankfully catching her and after a while the princess nearly let out a cry of relief as she spotted the door that opened up behind the stables. She paused to catch her breath as she doubled over, coughing mildly. She knew she should still be bed resting but these intruders wanted her for some unknown reason and it usually never ended well for all of the other captured princesses. If she could just reach her horse then she would escape to a small hut in the woods outside of Liones that housed plenty of food and water until the Holy Knights retrieved her. Voices echoed down the stone walls behind her and she quickly straightened up with a wheeze, reaching for the doors handle. As soon as her hand connected with the thick iron handle, it scorched her palm and she jerked it back with a cry of pain.
The voices were growing closer and Elizabeth hissed in pain as she held her throbbing palm close to her chest. A fire must be burning on the other side of the door, her eyes going wide at the realization. They must be burning the stables to prevent anyone from escaping! With no more time to lose, the princess yanked her shawl off and wrapped it tightly around her good hand before grasping the handle once more and pulling with all of her might even as the heat began seeping through the material. The door slowly creaked open and released a blast of smoke and heat into her face, her lungs burning as she choked through the toxic air while pulling the door open enough for her to squeeze through. She stumbled through the doorway and hit the ground hard as flames licked all around her, threatening to burn her alive. Battle cries and clashing swords rang out through the clouded air as she began crawling along the brittle and burnt grass in the direction she thought the stables were.
"Do not let them escape! Strike down the enemy where they stand! For Liones!" Someone shouted over the roaring of the fire and Elizabeth attempted to call out to them only for her throat to close up from the smoke as another coughing fit began and she stumbled to her feet knowing she wouldn't be able to get up again once it winded her.
A panicked horse's cry caught her attention and she knew by heart whose it was. "H-Hawk! Here!" Elizabeth hacked out as she blindly made her way towards the noise, hands reaching in front of her for anything solid. The horse neighed again closer this time, the frantic breathing getting closer.
A hard object suddenly bumped into her and she grasped around to feel what it was. Hot breath snorted onto her face and she sobbed with relief as Hawk began nudging her forward, whinnying loudly as he pranced anxiously. Her good hand caught his reins as she lifted her foot up to the stirrup, the holder slipping away from her on the first attempt. Elizabeth was growing weary from the smoke as she took a moment to catch her breath before trying again, her foot connecting and sliding into the enclosed foot support. Hawk whinnied again as she haphazardly tossed herself up and over, the saddle connecting hard with her bottom and jerking her bones.
"Hawk, go! Ha!" Elizabeth snapped the leather straps down hard and jolted backwards as the mighty steed took off at a full run.
Hawk pushed himself through the smoke with determination as he instinctively knew where to head, his ears constantly flipping back and forth as the battle raged on around them. Though it was still broad daylight, the skies were darkened with thick, rolling clouds of black smoke that suffocated anything within its grasps. A slight wind picked up and the princess held her injured hand up to her face to shield her eyes as the smoke drifted past them. The main gate appeared through squinted vision and she could barely make out a very one-sided battle occurring in front of them, the assailant knocking back multiple knights at once. The man towered over the fallen soldiers with a massive battle axe resting over his golden armored shoulder, the crest of a lion adorning the shoulder plate. His head turned at the sound of horse hooves and his ginger eyebrow raised in questioning.
"Don't let the princess escape, we need her!" A man shouted from her left and not a moment later an arrow whizzed by, narrowly missing her throat. Elizabeth ducked down with a scream as she approached the man guarding the gate, wide eyes sending him a terrified plea.
"I understand. Go princess, we shall handle things here while you escape." The knight rumbled as he dropped his axe to a protective position as Hawk shot past him. "You all shall feel the wrath of the Lion's Sin of Pride Escanor, for daring to attack Liones and attempting to bring harm upon our princess. Cruel Sun."
An explosion sounded off behind Elizabeth and she flinched against the saddle, too terrified to lift her head up. Hawk suddenly changed course and the princess jerked upwards as she attempted to keep control of the scared horse as they sped through the cobblestone streets of the city. The horse regained his footing and pressed on at full speed as she looked back to see what had spooked him. Multiple knights were charging after her on their steeds, their shouts lost to her ears as more explosions sounded off within the castle walls. Debris lined the streets as she urged Hawk to go faster, the knights slowly but surely catching up to her. Terrified citizens scattered out of the way as she shot by, their panicked faces mirroring her own while they fled for safety. Elizabeth needed to lead them out of the city and far from the vulnerable citizens, even if it meant becoming captured and tortured she would save them.
Two knights stooped atop a high rooftop watched as multiple men on horses were chasing down a single rider through the city streets, the distance between them steadily closing. The redheaded one shielded the sun from his eyes as he leaned down to get a closer look at the front rider. The other merely stood casually beside him with a bow resting against his back.
"Gowther, is that…?" The redhead asked as he squinted down at the lead rider. His purpled haired associate nodded in response.
"Princess Elizabeth Liones? Yes. It seems she has made some new friends." Gowther stood as he slid his unique doubled bow, Herritt, from his shoulder and notched an arrow. "Shall we say hello to them as well, Harlequin?"
"You took the thought right out of my mind. Fifth Form: Increase. Fight Fire with Fire!" King shouted as he unleashed a shower of kunai on the knights below while Gowther drew the bowstring back, his arrow sparking with electricity.
"Twin Bow Herritt: Blackout Arrow!"
Hawk skidded around a corner just as an explosion sounded off behind them, the shockwave throwing the horse slightly off kilter as Elizabeth struggled to stay upright. She clamped her legs down as hard as she could to remain seated but it was becoming more difficult with the horse haphazardly running around. With the smoke cleared Elizabeth could see the main gates to the city and she prayed she could make it before any more assailants attempted to stop her.
"Come on Hawk, almost there!" The horse jerked his head in response, singed mane flying wildly from his once neat braid. "We need to get to the safe house!"
Closer and closer the gates became within reach and Elizabeth was sure she would be able to make it out in time. That was, until a man stepped from behind the gates with a sword in his hand, dark gaze focused completely on her as he gripped his blade tighter. It would be too sudden of a turn for Hawk to make and she yanked on his reins, urging the horse to stop, but he didn't. He slowed down a bit but refused to stop with a shake of his head as he began moving the slightest bit diagonal back and forth. Elizabeth wondered what on earth he was doing when it struck her and she dropped the reins and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, tensing her body in preparation. He had always been a wild stallion from the beginning, always kicking knights off and being overall aggressive, yet there were only two people in the entire kingdom who were able to calm him enough to ride him. Herself and the Captain of the Holy Knights. In case of an emergency, the captain had trained Hawk to do a spin maneuver that knocked an enemy from his path if he was ever carrying Elizabeth to safety.
So as Hawk got within range of the knight he began sidestepping as his flank spun around and with a mighty, painful sounding kick, sent the knight flying into the stone wall that secured the down the gates.
"S-sorry!" Elizabeth called back to the presumably knocked out knight as they left the city entirely, Hawk snorting at her call. "It did sound like it hurt…"
Glancing back, the princess watched as the flames and smoke rose high into the sky above Liones, her kingdom that was now crumbling. Tears trailed down her soot covered cheeks as she turned away from the horrific sight, her good hand covering the quiet sobs slipping from her lips. She only prayed her family managed to escape in time as Hawk slowed to a trot as their journey continued on.
"How did they manage to get in?" King Baltra demanded as Meliodas escorted him down the corridor where Holy Knights fought off the imposters. "Where are my daughters, Meliodas?"
"Veronica and Margaret have been accounted for, we haven't found Elizabeth yet." The Sin replied tightly, the grip on his sword nearly imbedding the hilt into his flesh. Elizabeth was cunning and he had all the world's faith in her abilities, but this was no ordinary attack. This was planned, down to the very last placement of the knights. The question became who and why.
"King Baltra!"
The two turned at the voice and waited as Slader rushed over with his gigantic, sawed blade resting over his barely armored shoulder. "Your Majesty, the rest of the Holy Knights are cleaning up the outside intruders and working their way through the rest of the grounds and city. Escanor has reported a woman resembling Lady Elizabeth escaping on a horse, shall we go after her?"
"She escaped then," The King sagged in relief, both knights swiftly moving in to support him up. "Meliodas, please, find Elizabeth and make sure she is safe. She should be headed towards the safehouse a few miles from the city limits, deep in the woods. Hawk knows the way."
"I'm on it. Slader, watch over Baltra!" Meliodas ordered before sprinting down the hallway, quickly slicing through any enemy that tried to stop him.
"Your Majesty, let us go to the safe room where Margaret and Veronica are waiting." Slader readjusted the weary king and swiftly moved him out of the heat of battle while silently wishing the Sin the best of luck.
Meliodas tore through the castle with an unrivaled fury, slicing at every enemy along the way with impeccable speed and accuracy, blood spraying wildly into the air and coating his armor. He knew the Holy Knights would take care of the situation as quickly as possible in order to take back the castle grounds and city. His team was also ensuring no one escaped as they had preplanned locations scattered throughout Liones in case of such an attack, though he'd hoped Elizabeth would be safe inside the stone walls with her family and not travelling alone to a safehouse miles away. They had just arrived back from another mission of clearing out raider gangs from terrorizing rural farmlands and villages when they saw the thick rolling clouds of smoke and flames tearing through the city. Gilthunder and Griamore had whisked away the princesses while Baltra unsheathed his sword to defend his kingdom alongside the knights he commanded. Meliodas had managed to clear most of them from their path into the castle and the King took down a handful as well before more knights arrived to defend them.
He wasn't sure how long Elizabeth had been gone, it couldn't have been more than a few hours, but if she and Hawk made it out of the city practically unscathed then they should arrive at the safehouse within half an hour. His jaw tightened as he kicked down an imposter before piercing him through the throat in anger. Meliodas would hunt whoever planned this to the ends of the earth if anything happened to Elizabeth.
"Cap'n, West and North wings are cleared. Diane is leading a squad to clear the East. South is handled by Escanor. King and Gowther are cleaning off survivors in the city. Merlin is treating the wounded." Ban slid alongside his friend with ease, slicing at the enemies to his left while Meliodas took the right.
"Are there any horses left on the grounds?"
"Couple, yours has been moved to the sparring ring since he spooked from the fire. Lady Elizabeth?" The Sin questioned as he slit the throat of a knight coming at him, the man gurgling in a fountain of his own blood before collapsing.
"I'm going after her, Escanor watched her escape." Meliodas slid beneath the legs of a knight ready to strike one of the Holy Knight apprentices and quickly sliced the backs of his knees before Ban pierced him through the neck. "I don't know if she's injured or not but for the sake of whoever is attacking, they better hope she's not."
"I'll leave it to you then. Bring her back safely, Cap'n." Ban gave a cheeky grin before throwing himself fully into a large group of fighting knights, their cries ringing out as he slashed and pierced them.
Meliodas sprinted through the castle doors and placed his fingers against his lips, releasing a sharp, high pitched whistle. His ears picked up on a responding neigh and his white steed quickly appeared, albeit a bit soot covered, seemingly unharmed. Not slowing down for a moment as the horse came galloping to him, the captain expertly jumped up and caught the horn of the saddle, swinging himself up and into the seat with ease.
"Ha!"
With a loud slap of the reins the horse took off through the castle grounds, fluidly dodging battles and the bodies littering the ground. He could see the knights beginning to clear the slain enemies from the main path as Howzer barked out orders, taking temporary command over the scattered unit. The man noticed him approaching and gave him a quick salute, Meliodas briefly acknowledging it as his horse tore through the castle gates and into the city. He couldn't calm his heartrate down as they clacked down the cobblestone streets, worry overtaking every corner of his mind. Did she make it to the safehouse unharmed? Would Hawk get her there as fast as possible? Were there more enemies waiting for them in the forest? The Sin gripped the reins tightly in his palms. He would make them pay, make them all pay for incurring the wrath of the Dragon's Sin and for daring to harm Elizabeth.
"Captain! Over here!" Meliodas slowed the horse down as King and Gowther flagged him down, his nerves screaming at him to keep moving. Even his horse seemed impatient as it snorted while walking to a stop.
"Lady Elizabeth, has she been found yet? She ran through here a while ago and we weren't sure if she made it back." King asked as he jogged up to his team leader, a bit dirty but seemingly unharmed.
"I'm on my way to the safehouse to get her. Did you see if she was injured? Have any knights gone out after her?" Meliodas demanded as he shifted in his saddle, his armor shifting uncomfortably. Damnit all, he was wasting time standing around when she could be injured or actively pursued by intruders.
"No one has left the city as far as we know. A small squadron sealed it off after she escaped but we do not know if anyone was waiting outside of the city for her. I am unsure of visible injuries but she seemed terrified." Gowther explained as he adjusted his dirty glasses slightly. "We have been cleaning up any stragglers and helping the citizens in the meantime. Do you have any new orders for us, Captain?"
"Keep doing what you're doing, if I'm not back by nightfall prepare to send a search party in the morning." Both Sins nodded and Meliodas kicked the horse off.
The sun was beginning to hit late afternoon by the time the Sin reached the edge of the forest and he quickly slowed his horse down in order to weave through the dense woods. The safehouse was good distance back, nestled deeply in the trees so no passerby's would stumble upon it or see it from the main road. It had been built as strongly as the castle with thick stone walls and a secret entrance and exit in case it became compromised as well. A snorting noise caught his attention and he slowly unsheathed his blade, eyeing every shadow surrounding him. It happened again and his horse perked up his ears, grunting lowly in response. Without warning his steed began pushing forward, determined to find the source of the noise as Meliodas kept an eye out for any enemies. A clearing slowly opened up and through the slim amount of light filtering through the treetops he noticed a horse resting on the ground outside of the safehouse entrance, its nose sniffing at something against its other side. Meliodas' horse let out a whinny and the horse looked up, ears swiveling in recognition. A pale pink clover marking on the flank of the light brown steed caught the knights attention and he immediately dismounted.
"Hawk? Where's Lady Elizabeth?" Hawk snorted with a shake of his head before nosing something against his hidden side.
Fear gripped his heart as he sheathed his blade before circling around the horse, eyes widening at what he saw. Elizabeth was slumped against Hawk with her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling shallowly. Her dress was torn and covered in ashes, a shawl wrapped loosely around one hand while the other was resting concealed against her lap. He swallowed hard as he noticed her entire palm was blistered and burnt, trails of dried and fresh blood marking down her soot covered flesh. Sweat sheened over her pained expression as Meliodas popped his gauntlets off and pressed the back of his hand against her forehead, grimacing as her forehead burnt from a strong fever.
"Lady Elizabeth, can you hear me?" He asked quietly, pushing her soaked bangs from her eyes. She barely stirred from the touch. "Elizabeth, I need you to wake up. Can you hear me?"
Elizabeth gave a soft moan as her eyelids fluttered open, her blue eyes glazed over from the fever. "Hm?"
"I've got you now, okay? I'm going to get you inside and get you cleaned up. Can you hold on for a few minutes?" Meliodas felt his heart squeeze as she slowly looked up at him with knitted brows, seemingly confused.
"Who…are you?"
It's just fever-induced, he thought. "It's the Captain, remember? Of the Holy Knights?" She slowly shook her head and he froze up. Had something else happened to her or was it just the fever talking?
"Sorry…cannot remember…" Elizabeth slurred as she leaned further against Hawk, the horse sniffing her head lightly as her eyes closed once more.
Meliodas abruptly stood and began making his way around the massive boulder resting beside Hawk, pushing through the dense bushes acting as a barrier to reach the stone. Cutting the branches down would potentially alert any passerby that something of value could be near and it was a risk he usually didn't take but desperate times called for desperate measures. He unsheathed his Holy Knight issued sword and began making quick work of the bush, creating a hole large enough for him to squeeze through with Elizabeth. He still had to clear out the shelter in case someone had broken in, but since the bushes were vastly overgrown it seemed an unlikely scenario. Snapping the last branches off with his hands he kicked the pile to the side before turning back to the horses.
"Waldo, Hawk, keep an eye on Elizabeth for a few minutes. I'll be right back." Waldo bobbed his head and laid down beside Hawk, resting up against his friend to protect both he and the princess.
Satisfied they would protect her, Meliodas searched for the handle along the side of the boulder. It was very well disguised, just enough of a gap to grip the door and pull it open, invisible to the untrained eye. He vaguely remembered the location of the handle and as he ran his hand down the side, right below the center of the boulder, his fingers dipped into the opening. With a solid pull the door creaked open to reveal a dark tunnel with damp stone stairs leading further into the safehouse. Rummaging around in his travel pack, Meliodas pulled out his flint and grabbed a few branches, tying them tightly together with a strip of string before sparking the rock against his armored forearm. After the third strike it created a spark large enough to begin burning the branches and with one last look at Elizabeth, he grabbed the torch and descended into the darkness.
He half expected the place to have been ransacked by thieves yet as he went around the room lighting all of the wall sconces everything seemed to have been in its respective place with an added few layers of dust. The hearth sputtered to life and Meliodas moved to the bed to shake out the blankets. He yanked the material from the bed and made to move away when two pieces of parchment fell to the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust. Shifting the blanket over his arm, he crouched down and picked up the envelopes, twisting the top one over to read the front. Margaret, Veronica, and Elizabeth's names were written on the front in a neat cursive, one that he hadn't seen in many years. The second one was the same way though his name was written across the front.
"Queen Caroline…" Meliodas muttered as the familiarity hit him. She had written him a letter when he was young, telling her during a royal visit in Danafor that he wanted to become a Holy Knight for the kingdom someday. Two weeks later and the parchment arrive, the queen expressing how glad she was to have met him and that she hoped to see him one day in Liones as a Holy Knight. Not long after that she passed away in a sudden attack on the castle grounds, Gilthunder and Griamore's mothers perishing in the fight as well.
He would look at them both after Elizabeth had been brought in and treated. As fast as he could he cleared the shelter and removed what dust he could, opening the ceiling ventilation latch to let the smoke out from the hearth and the one single window that overlooked the backside of a hill surrounded by a dense wall of trees and stone with a small creek running by. Satisfied everything had been cleared of as much dust as he could get and that no one was hiding in the shelter, the knight unlatched his breastplate and rerebraces first then removed the rest of his armor after a brief debate, setting them on and against the table. It would be uncomfortable for Elizabeth to carry her against the roughened armor. Meliodas turned and headed back up to the surface, taking the stairs two at a time. Daylight was still barely visible once he reached the top, both horses resting on the ground in a protective wall against Elizabeth. She was shivering as the sun began to dip lower, the treetops slowly bringing more darkness to the forest floor.
"Elizabeth, I need to move you now. Are you injured anywhere else besides your hands?" The knight asked as he crouched down beside her, grasping her shoulder lightly. It was the slightest movement of her head back and forth that gave him the okay to pick her up.
Delicately as he could, Meliodas slipped his hands behind her back and underneath her legs, ensuring her hands were still resting against her lap before standing up. Elizabeth's body felt like it was on fire as he held her tightly. Hawk huffed as he stood, intending to follow the knight as Waldo remained on the ground, waiting patiently while swiveling his ears all around him.
"I'll be back, you two go wait out back." Hawk protested by stomping his hooves into the dirt, his wild side resurfacing and he nudged the knight in the back, nipping at his clothes. Waldo finally got to his feet before walking over and yanking on Hawk's reins, jerking them to the side. The two horses seemed to share a look that Meliodas often interpreted as a parent warning an uncouth child. Hawk backed down with a shake of his head, looking away from the white steed with a pout.
Normally the situation would amuse Meliodas but the girl in his arms was the highest priority as dictated by his duty as a Holy Knight. He made his way back down the stairs once more, paying careful attention around the corners so she wouldn't hit them and carefully set her on the bed, tucking the blankets up to her chest and rested her arms on top. With a quick rush back up the stairs, Meliodas double checked the area for any items left behind. He grabbed his gauntlets and had made it back through the bush, in the process of closing the door from the inside when he heard a branch snap in the distance. The knight froze and strained his ears for any voices or breathing as he shut the door a little faster. Another snap resounded closer, followed by a few other branches breaking, and he knew immediately it wasn't an animal doing it. As soon as the door closed he lowered the iron bar over the back of it and made sure it was secured tightly. Unless the person, or people, following them knew exactly how to enter the safehouse, and get past the iron door latch, there was little chance of someone getting in.
Still, he had to be careful when making noise in case someone was scoping out the place in an attempt to enter. He couldn't shut the hearth vent otherwise it would smoke them both out but he could leave the back window open with little worry. Dousing the fire was normally a good idea though Elizabeth needed the heat to help sweat out the fever. Meliodas rubbed at his face, his fighter instincts screaming at him to go eliminate the threat. Under normal circumstances he would sneak out and survey the area in search of the intruders, but this wasn't a normal safehouse visit. The horses would be safe at the back of the property, a good ten minute rough journey through the trees and uneven terrain just to reach the spot they were trained to enter. The saddles would need to come off, be stored in the house, and the horses would go to their covers on the side of the safehouse where no one could see them. Sending them back out like usual was too risky to do now with people lurking around in the area so he backtracked on the idea of removing the saddles just in case they needed to make a run for it. He almost wished he'd brought backup.
Grabbing a bucket from a nearby storage room, Meliodas glanced at Elizabeth before heading out back to grab water to prepare the medicine. It was nearly completely dark as he shut the door behind him quietly and headed to the stream that ran just a good twenty feet to the left of him. Years of night scouting had tuned his eyes to the darkness and he had little trouble finding the water, filling the bucket while keeping his eyes and ears peeled for anything unusual. After a few minutes of nothing but the sound of water filling the metal bin, Meliodas relaxed the slightest bit. He couldn't remember the last quiet night like this in months, if not longer. King Baltra was constantly sending him and the other Sins out on missions on a regular basis as uprisings surged from power clashes. They had been gone for a few weeks when they came back to find the castle and city burning from an attack. He wasn't sure how long the enemy had been infiltrated in amongst the knights but he was going to find and hunt down every last one of them once he nursed Elizabeth back to health.
A rustling caught his attention as he stood with his filled bucket and he tensed, ready to hurl anything he could at them before using the blade attached to his hip. Just as he set the bucket down to unsheathe his weapon Hawk and Waldo popped through the tree line and stopped, ears swiveling around as they checked the area. With a huff Meliodas lowered his hand and grabbed the bucket once more. The whole situation was making him a lot more on edge than usual.
"Go to your spots, boys. Keep quiet." He told them softly, knowing they would hear him.
Meliodas made his back to Elizabeth, grabbing a cloth he had found earlier and plopping it into the cold water. She was mumbling about something as she fidgeted beneath the blankets drenched in sweat, hands clenching at the fabric weakly. Thoroughly soaking the cloth in the water, he made sure to wring out the excess before lightly sweeping her bangs aside and placing it on her forehead. She shivered from the cold shock but quickly adjusted and loosened her hands. It could take hours for the fever to break yet there was little he could do with the limited resources stored here. He had grabbed any and all medicinal bottles lying around and gathered them all in the little kitchen nook. Meliodas made a mental note to thank Merlin later for teaching him about basic medical care and potions as he looked over them using the dim light of the candles he found.
"Aches…wounds…venom…respiratory…sickness…here we go, fever." Meliodas triumphantly grabbed the small bottle marked fever and swirled it around. It seemed to have settled a bit yet with a good shaking it was good as new. He had the sneaking suspicion Merlin was the one to create these judging by the unique cursive handwriting on the labels. "Spoon, I need a spoon…"
Sitting down on the stool he had set by the bed, Meliodas gave the bottle another swirl to ensure it was fully mixed before popping off the lid. He scrunched his nose as the smell reminded him of a bar of soap before carefully pouring a small spoonful of the medicine. The bottle clinked as he set it down on the stone floor, turning his attention to Elizabeth. He would need to shift her head up so she didn't choke on the slightly viscous liquid. Shifting the spoon to his right hand, Meliodas carefully placed his left beneath her head and lifted.
"Elizabeth, I need you to drink this medicine to drop down the fever." Her eyes fluttered open and she slowly glanced over at him, eyes watery. The heat from her fever radiating against his hand and he tried to keep a neutral expression in case she picked up on his elevating concern. "One spoonful that's it, okay?"
The princess nodded weakly, raising her hand to grasp his arm to steady herself. Meliodas waited until she was ready before bringing it to her lips and tipping it in small increments, making sure she swallowed all of it. The strange look on her face told him she wasn't a fan of the substance either.
"Wa…ter…" She rasped out, resting her head back against the pillows.
"Just a second," He shot to his feet after grabbing the medicine and spoon, depositing them on the table before searching for a cup. The cupboards were thankfully filled with dishes and he grabbed what he was looking for, dipping it into the water container before returning to Elizabeth. She drank it gratefully with a bit going down the sides of her mouth and gave him the tiniest of smiles.
Meliodas gently wiped the excess from her face with another cloth and made to prepare another cup for himself when something grasped at his sleeve, stopping him. Elizabeth's face was flushed as she looked at him with hooded eyes, the fever rampaging wildly through her body. He waited patiently as she struggled to get the words out, setting the dishware down and returning to his stool, clasping her hand lightly.
"Will you…stay?"
His heart skipped a beat as his eyes widened a fraction. The way she said it in such a vulnerable way gave him no reason to deny the request and he gave her a warm smile. "Of course, Elizabeth, for as long as you need me to."
"I…do not…like to be…alone…" The princess mumbled before her eyes finally closed once more and she fell into a slumber. Meliodas let out a shaky breath as she curled her fingers around his, securing them together. It was becoming harder and harder to ignoring the feelings that kept bubbling up to the surface every time he saw those cerulean eyes or that soft smile but he knew the stars would never align for them to be together.
He came from a rough background of having to steal to survive, fighting to drag himself from poverty while she came from a pampered lifestyle of being waited on hand and foot without the worry of having a roof over her head or food to eat. Elizabeth was too good for him. Far too good for a lowlife criminal who was branded with the mark of a horrendous crime. A mark that followed him every waking moment of his existence, a mark that let others know that he was dangerous and to avoid contact at all costs. Only King Baltra knew of his sins that would haunt him to the grave.
When he grew up in Danafor he controlled the back alleys with an iron fist, beating up thieves and rapists, even corrupt politicians at the young age of nine, earning himself the nickname Dragon's Wrath. He had never known his parents and was ultimately kicked out of the orphanage for his fits of rage that usually left the other kids well bloodied at age five, left to wander the dirty streets of Danafor. The first few years were rough as he constantly got kicked around by the city knights and other scum for trying to find a place to sleep and food to eat.
At one point he had snuck into a households stable and lived with the horses for a few weeks in the dark and damp space until one day the doors opened in the morning and a young girl spotted him, the two unmoving as they stared wide-eyed at each other. Someone called out to her and she whipped her head behind her to answer, turning back to find the mysterious dirt covered boy gone without a trace. That was the most comfortable place he could find so when night fell and the household was asleep, Meliodas snuck back in there to sleep for a few hours. After the third night of sneaking back in, he had just closed the small window after squeezing through it and turned around to find the same girl staring at him from a stool by the hay pile.
Meliodas made to run when she stopped him, offering him food and telling him he could stay in the barn as long as he needed. The offer was too tempting to deny yet his distrust of others kept him a good fifteen feet away from her as he scarfed down the food. She appeared to be nearly his age with fiery red locks and deep blue eyes, her voice soft and calming as she spoke to him. Said her name was Liz, short for Elizabeth, but everyone at school called her by her shortened name. It took a while but he soon began slowly opening himself up to the strange girl, sometimes almost enjoying having someone to talk to. A year quickly passed and the two had become good friends, Meliodas often accompanying Liz with her market shopping in the evenings or waiting for her after school. The soft spoken girl he met all those months ago had turned into a rough-housing, strong-willed young lady who wasn't afraid to get a little dirty in order to defend her friends. The two were more alike than he thought and it made the blonde smile widely one afternoon when Liz held her ground against two older boys known to bully the city girls and sent them running.
Then she stopped showing up. She no longer showed up at school, was never seen in the market and anyone he asked directly would avert their gaze refusing to answer. It wasn't until he walked past the local cemetery on a dreary morning a few days after her disappearance did he notice a funeral in the process, his hands gripping the iron bars of the fence as he watched in curiosity. There had been no news spread of the funeral around town and he briefly wondered if it was just for a homeless person when a familiar name was sobbed from a woman dressed in all black that dread began to creep its way into his heart.
"Poor girl, I heard the rumors her father had beat her for harboring a homeless person in their barn. It seems he went too far this time." Two well-dressed women watching a few feet down from him whispered to one another, their hands covering their mouths.
"Lord Quinton has always had such a dangerous hand, I was sure her mother would send her to the countryside for safety. Poor thing, to die in such a horrible way."
"W-wait, who is that girl?" Meliodas blurted out as the two women made to leave. He needed to make sure it wasn't Liz, anyone but her. The two looked at him with pity, the one closest to him crouching down to his level with soft eyes.
"Lady Elizabeth, dear child. Was she a friend of yours?"
"S-she died?" Meliodas spoke hollowly as tears filled his emerald eyes. "D-did her father do it? Did he kill her?"
The woman reached out and gently grasped his hands. "Dear, those are only rumors, we are not entirely sure what her cause of death is though her father was known to be a cruel man towards women. It would be best if you went home now."
Meliodas snatched his hands back and took off with tears streaming down his face. There was no way it was Liz, not the person who gave him shelter and food, showed him how to be himself, how to trust others. Rain began to drizzle as he weaved his way through the back alleys to reach the barn where he had met her, hoping it was all a big misunderstanding, but as he stopped just around the corner to check for any potential witnesses, he saw a group of men standing by the barn drinks in hand.
"You went too far Quinton, you should have just locked her up. Now you have to bury your only child." One of the men said somberly as he swirled his drink in his hand. "Why would you not attend the funeral of your only child? People think you are too distraught to leave your home."
"Elizabeth knew the rules and she deliberately broke them. Being higher up in society means strict rules yet she chose to harbor a street rat, claiming he was her friend. God knows what diseases that boy had." Quinton scoffed as he took a swig of his drink. "Marilyn will leave for the countryside after the funeral so I will have the house to myself for weeks. We should have a poker night soon."
"What will people think now? Rumors are beginning to spread that you raised your hand against your own child and beat her to death." Another man spoke up, his arms crossed over his chest. "She was an innocent child Quinton, you stole the very life from her."
"Unless you wish to join her I suggest you keep your mouths shut." The men around him fell into an uncomfortable silence. "In fact, to ensure your own safety you can go around to all of the pubs and spread the word that it was the street rat that did it. What the hell was his name? Melvin, Marcus…"
"You mean that kid nicknamed the Dragon's Wrath? Meliodas?" The first man spoke up once more and Meliodas felt his blood beginning to boil. So, they were going to make him the scapegoat and let Quinton go free? Not on his watch.
"That is the one! He is always causing everyone trouble so why not get rid of him for good? Now get going, go spread the word while I return to my office and…grieve." The two other men shared a glance before departing, whispering amongst themselves with their heads down.
The blonde waited until they were down the street before sprinting across the muddy road and sliding along the backside of the barn. He knew how to access the inside of the house thanks to Liz having sheltered him in there a few times when the servants were becoming suspicious of someone living in the barn. He glared up through his angry tears to see a lantern in the Northeastern side of the house turn on. Talking to Quinton would get nowhere as he had learned years ago from living on the streets, so he would just burn the damned man alive in his own home but he needed help and explosives. Lots of explosives. And Meliodas knew just the man who could get it. With once last glance at the house he turned and sprinted towards the alley he knew the person he needed was residing in, his anger threatening to consume him whole. He treated his daughter like she was nothing more than a piece of trash, something that was easily thrown away and forgotten about. Meliodas would make sure Lord Quinton wouldn't soon forget the wrath of the Dragon.
The sound of a scuffle caught his attention as he turned down a narrow alley, squeezing between the bricks of two houses. A familiar voice reached his ears as he popped out from the buildings and he watched as a tall, scrawny light blue haired kid get picked up by the throat, his legs kicking ferociously in the air.
"I know you stole it, Ban! Return it before I snap your damned neck!" A burly man growled as he tightened his grip on the child, Ban clawing ferociously at his hands.
"Can ya…prove it?" Ban rasped out with a grin, red eyes gleaming tauntingly.
"You damned—!"
Meliodas slammed his foot against the man's leg with an audible crack and he howled in pain, releasing his grip on the child before falling to the ground. "Picking on children again, Dorfus? Didn't learn last time?"
Dorfus whipped his head up to snap back at the retort when he saw who it was a and instantly paled. The Dragon's Wrath stood over him with overwhelming fury in his eyes, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He was extremely intimidating for a child under the age of ten. "N-No, we were just having a little chat. I-I need to go now."
"Yeah, you do. Don't let me catch you going after him again." Meliodas sneered as the man scrambled away with a limp, disappearing around a corner.
"Yo, Meliodas, how's it goin'?" Ban smiled widely at the blonde before him as he wiped the dust from his clothes. "What brings ya—"
"I need explosives, lots of explosives. Enough to blow a large house to the ground. Can you get it?" Meliodas cut to the chase, eyeing the slightly older child with hard eyes. Ban raised a brow in questioning as he stroked at his chin in thought.
"What's in it fer me?" He said with a twang of an accent.
"Whatever you can steal from within the house. I know where some jewelry is hidden behind a painting in an easy to crack safe. A few good whacks with a hard object should break it open." The glint in Ban's eyes told him he was on board. They would have to work fast before Quinton left the house or invited more people over.
"I suppose I have some free time and a few bundles lying around here somewhere. What house ya want blown up? Dorfus'? That asshole from the next couple of alley's over?"
"Lord Quinton's."
Ban looked at him strangely before busting out laughing. He stopped as soon as he realized Meliodas was dead serious. The kid ruffled the back of his messy locks unsurely. "The knight who works as part of the King's close guard? That Quinton?"
"He beat his daughter to death for helping me survive this past year. They're burying her as we speak." Meliodas turned away as the tears threatened to spill over once more, the child biting down hard on his lip while a lump formed in his throat. He would avenge her death, that he promised to her. The bastard would pay.
"Rotten bastard," Ban spat as he kicked at a nearby can, hands shoved deep into his pockets. "She yer friend?"
"Yeah."
"Alright, I'm in. How much time we got?"
"We need to get it done as soon as possible. His wife is going out to the countryside for a few weeks and he should be home alone. He was still in the house a little bit ago when I was there." Ban rolled the information around in his head, calculating how many supplies they would need. Despite his appearances and rough attitude the kid was pretty smart when it came to theft and demolition jobs. It was almost scary how intrigued Ban was with explosions, the blonde making sure to always stay clear of his hidden stashes.
"Give me a few minutes to get the stuff and find ya there. Only leave one entrance and exit so we can book it out of there. I know they have a stable on the edge of the property, we can meet there afterwards. Keep an eye on him, don't let him leave. Be a distraction if you have to until I get stuff setup. Mark a window with mud to indicate if yer in there. I'll meet ya there."
Meliodas nodded as Ban took off so he turned and began jogging back to the house to make sure Quinton stayed put. Once it was all done and over with, he would go visit Liz and tell her she could rest in peace knowing her killer was dead. The rain was coming down heavier and he hurried down the muddy roads, anxious to get everything over with. He would go in, lock the man in his office, ransack the house and then blow everything into a million pieces. As he snuck around the property once more, he noticed more lights were on than when he left, suspicions rising within him. There shouldn't be anyone else in the house so why were so many lights on? A cracked window on the bottom floor gave him the opening he needed, quickly marking the glass with an X in mud, and with deft fingers Meliodas lifted it up, jumped in, and quietly left the window cracked another few inches open. He snuck around corners and through rooms with ease, no servants appearing to be on the property. As he made it to the second floor, light spilling into the hallway from a slightly opened door caught his attention and he silently made his way closer as a voice drifted through.
"Where did she put those damned deed papers? How am I to sell this shithole without it? And where is the combination to the safe?" Quinton grumbled as he tore around the room, papers flying from the drawers and landing in heaps on the floor. "There is not a lot of time I have to escape this damned place before the knights come after me and she did not bother telling me where she moved stuff?!"
The knights were after him? Were they looking into the death of Liz? Meliodas scooted a little closer and peered through the crack, watching as a frustrated Quinton demolished everything in his path. Shutting the door now could work as he was intently focused on finding the paperwork yet there was something Meliodas wanted to know, something he needed to know. It was a stupid move of course but this could be his only chance to get an honest answer.
"Going somewhere?"
Quinton stiffened with his hands splayed out on the desk, his head slowly lifting up. He kept his gaze against the wall before him. "I was just organizing some documents. How did you get in here?"
"The better question, Quinton, is why did you kill Liz?" Meliodas leaned against the doorway with a dangerous glare aimed at the knight. He knew the man was stronger than him, he was a knight of the kingdom, but he was faster and more discrete. Hopefully Ban was running around setting things up while he distracted him.
"How bold of you to assume such a thing, stranger. I do believe that is none of your business—"
"It's my business now. You killed her for helping me survive the streets of Danafor. I overheard you talking with those two men earlier, before you sent them to spread the word that I was the one to do it."
The man finally turned around, his towering form illuminated by the lanterns soft glow. He seemed to relax a bit seeing as the intruder was much smaller than he was and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the desk. "So, you are the Dragon's Wrath Meliodas. I honestly expected more. You would not understand this child, but those higher up in society are not to grovel to those beneath our feet such as yourself."
"Liz was a kind person, unlike yourself who only cares about money and power. I won't let you get away with this." Meliodas stood his ground as the man slowly walked over to him, a good couple feet difference between them. He kept his hand in his pocket, a sharp knife at the ready just in case. It was very rarely ever used but it was always on hand for emergencies.
"What are you going to do, boy? You are no more than a mere child who can do nothing against a knight." Quinton sneered down at him, resting his forearm on the doorframe above Meliodas.
"Oh, I'm well aware there is a power difference between the two of us, Quinton, I'm not that stupid." Meliodas shrugged indifferently, his hand gripping the blades handle tighter. "But do you know what I can do?"
Quinton jerked backwards as the blade connected with his face, just below his eye, and slipped on the papers beneath his feet. His head hit the hard floor and he let out a string of curses as he curled up in pain. A blade pressed against his throat and he cracked his eyes open to see Meliodas standing over him with a furious expression.
"I can make sure you suffer a fate worse than Liz did. You won't be leaving here alive, Quinton."
"Damned brat!" The knight swung his fist at Meliodas, fully expecting it to connect but all he hit was the hard wood of the chest of drawers against the wall. He recoiled his fist back in pain.
"Having issues, Quinton? Surely a great knight of Danafor could handle a mere child. Unless," Meliodas taunted slowly as he strolled around the downed man, blade twirling effortlessly in his fingers. "you're stealing the title of a Danafor knight?"
"What the hell do you know?" Quinton snarled as he rolled to his side and onto his knees, the room spinning wildly around him. Blood splattered onto the wooden planks beneath him, staining the chestnut color crimson.
"I know enough to put you behind bars for life but I won't let it get to that point. I would hope you'd have at least a little bit of regret left in this life, although you don't seem to be that kind of person. I may not be physically stronger than you Quinton, though I definitely possess more rough living skills and intellect than you've ever known in your life." Meliodas reached the desk and grabbed the lantern from it. It had enough oil left to create a trail to start a fire that would ignite the explosives Ban brought. While resting against the doorframe a familiar head of blue hair popped into his peripheral and gave him a thumbs up, a large sack slung over his shoulder filled with stolen goods.
"You think you will escape without consequences? The fire will draw Danafor knights and you will be thrown in the gulag for the remainder of your days."
"See, believe it or not I did plan for that to happen but alas, there won't be any witnesses to testify or evidence to prove it was me." Meliodas turned the drain valve open on the bottom of the lantern and flung the flammable liquid all over the room, making sure it had a good coating before dripping some onto Quinton. "I've learned a few things here and there yet the most valuable one…the most important thing I've learned in my short life…is that no person who takes another person's life so carelessly for their own greed deserves to live. And I'm afraid you've hit every mark on that criteria, Quinton."
"Y-you cannot be serious…" The man stuttered out as a foot connected with his ribs, sending him sprawling back to the ground in agony.
"I never joke about these things. Oh but here, I did find what you were looking for. I'll be taking the code to the safe just down the hallway and beneath the family portrait. You can thank Liz for showing me where it was."
"Bastard! I will kill you!" The man screamed as he tried to get up only to slip on the oily floor. The burning hatred in his eyes only made Meliodas smile sadistically down at him. With a flash of his hand he wedged the makeshift knife into Quinton's shoulder, giving it a good twist as he screamed in pain.
"Not before I kill you. See you in Hell, you fucking bastard."
Meliodas tossed the deed to the house at Quinton and stuffed the safe combination into his pocket before turning the lanterns flame up to the highest setting. As soon as he reached the doorway, he tossed the ignitor into the room and slammed the door shut behind him. He could hear Quinton scream as he caught on fire, the sound unsettling to him, but it needed to be done. Liz could rest easy knowing her killer was dead.
"Ya done? I already cleared the house, found some good stuff, moved it out to the stables and got a horse ready." Ban appeared beside him with his hands planted on his hips. He stood over a head taller than Meliodas, even though they were roughly the same age, as he looked up at him.
"Here's the safe combination, let's clear it out and get out of here before anyone discovers us." Meliodas slowly followed after Ban, a sick feeling forming in his stomach as he heard Quinton's screams die down. He wasn't a killer by choice, in fact he had only killed two other people in self-defense yet this…this was just cold-blooded murder. If he was captured then there would be no denying he did it since he entered the property illegally and then murdered the homeowner for revenge. They would have to leave the city for sure just to erase their tracks. Just before he reached the stairs he stopped and looked at the door beside him. It was Liz's room, one that he had been snuck into many times before through the window. With a deep breath in he grabbed the knob and turned it. Everything was in its place since the last time he'd visited and his heart twisted painfully as he looked around. Could she feel she was about to get caught? Did something slip that shouldn't have?
He noticed a sheathed blade resting on her dresser with a note attached to it and his curiosity got the better of him. As he grabbed them both down, he saw his name scribbled neatly on the front of the piece of parchment. Slipping his nail beneath the wax stamp, his eyes quickly darted across the paragraph of wording on the entirety of the paper.
Meliodas,
I remember how we talked about getting you a new blade so here, this is one I took from my father's stash and hid away until I could give it to you. I am sorry to leave so suddenly but father has caught on to what I have been doing and the punishment will be severe this time. Please, take care of yourself and do not mourn my loss of life. Live to fight not just for others, live to fight for yourself. Live to experience life and all it has to offer.
P.S. Thank you for being my one and only true friend, I will cherish all of our times together.
P.P.S. Do not forget to bathe every now and then so you do not smell like Waldo! He is the stinkiest horse I have ever known!
We shall meet again someday. —Liz
Thick tears streamed down Meliodas' face as he finished the letter, anguish gripping his heart in a tight vice. His hand shook around the short triangular blade as he folded the letter back up, tucking it away in his waistband. She knew her father would have potentially killed her for harboring him on the property yet Liz did it anyways to help him. With a heavy sniffle he made to leave her room, stopping briefly in the doorway to look back. As best he could, he smiled.
"Thank you, Liz, for everything."
He met Ban in the stables as the fire began roaring through the two storied house, neighbors beginning to stir from the high flames and heavy smoke. Ban noticed the tears streaming down his friends face yet remained silent, only offering a clap on the shoulder before finishing up loading the goodies. The only horse remaining in the stable was Waldo, Liz's white horse, who perked up immediately when he saw Meliodas. He nudged him against the face with a snort and Meliodas couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the horse.
"You really smell bad Waldo, just like Liz said." Meliodas whispered to the horse, resting his head against his face.
"We need to go, that fire is about to hit the first series of explosives. Come on." Ban hopped up onto the horse with practiced ease, holding a hand down for Meliodas. Making sure Liz's blade was fully secured, he grabbed Ban's hand and hoisted himself up behind him.
"I need to stop at the cemetery first, to say goodbye." His companion nodded once before kicking Waldo to move.
They trotted away from the stables and headed out through the side of the property under the concealment of thick trees. Meliodas watched as the house began crumbling apart, burning boards falling and landing onto the stable roof. The ride was silent, neither really having anything to say. Once the edge of the trees came into the view the first explosion went off sending out a massive shockwave that rustled the trees and spooked Waldo the slightest. Panicked cries rang out in the air and they began moving faster, heading back to the main street as citizens ran towards the house fire. No one batted an eye at the two as they effortlessly began heading to the edge of town. The cemetery came into view and Ban slowed Waldo down, stopping right in front of the gate to let Meliodas off.
"Give me a minute."
"I'll be counting." Ban joked lightly as he scratched Waldo behind the ears, the horse nearly purring in response. Meliodas walked towards the freshly buried grave, a lump forming in his throat. A headstone had yet to be built so a small cross with her name marked the head of the plot. He stopped at the foot of the fresh dirt.
"I'm sorry, Liz," He started quietly as he crouched down, poking around at some dirt clumps with a nearby stick. "If I hadn't come back to the stables then maybe you would still be alive. Maybe you would've gone on to marry a nice man and have a family. I'll always carry this guilt with me even though I know you'll smack me upside the head for being so hard on myself. I…have to say goodbye now, but I want you to rest easy knowing your father got what was coming to him and he won't hurt another soul ever again. I'll take good care of the sword and Waldo…thank you, Liz, for being the only person to like me for who I am. I hope you can rest peacefully now."
Meliodas stood and walked away without another look back as the tears overflowed from his eyes, though the tiniest smile adorned his lips as he knew she could finally rest in peace. Ban helped him back up and the two set off as another set of explosions racked the area, the emergency bells ringing throughout the kingdom. They made it out of town without issue and Meliodas watched as the flames rose high into the skies, thick clouds of black smoke hanging over Danafor.
"Where to, Cap'n?" Ban asked as he kicked Waldo into a run, the cold wind biting at their skin.
Where to indeed? Danafor was no longer their home and they would surely just be homeless in other nearby kingdoms. The nearest large settlement was maybe a weeks' worth of riding away. Meliodas frowned as he thought, trying to figure out where to go. An idea slowly popped into his mind and he sat up a little straighter in the saddle, a determined smile tugging at his lips. It was a place where he knew someone higher up who could help them out with food and shelter, maybe even a job when they were older. So with as much authority as he could draw from his small body, Captain Meliodas gave his first order.
"Set course for Liones."
Not gonna lie, got teary at Liz's death. Hope you enjoyed!