Lady Elizabeth Liones stood outside of her father's door with her heart in her throat and trembling hands as she braced herself for the conversation to follow. The princess had gotten up even earlier than usual today to prepare for this meeting, the sun barely haven risen above the castle walls yet. She hadn't told the other Sins what her plan was knowing they would try to stop her from following through. What other option did she have? Sitting around waiting wasn't going to work and this seemed like the best option given the tense circumstances throughout the country. Sacrificing one life for the greater good of the people was the best the princess could do for Liones. She just prayed she wasn't about to make the biggest mistake of her life. With a shaky breath in, she knocked.
"Enter."
The door swung open and she stepped inside slowly, twisting her hands nervously in the fabric of her dress. Her father's personal knight, Slader, bowed to the princess and she quickly returned a curtsey before focusing on her father sitting at his desk. Stacks of paperwork filled the normally sparse space, the mountain nearly burying him but he immediately perked up seeing her and with a wave of his hand, dismissed the knight from the room. Elizabeth stopped just shy of the couch settled to the side of the desk, swallowing hard as she looked down at the king.
"Father," She curtseyed lowly, hoping he didn't notice her quivering with nerves.
"Elizabeth, what is wrong? You are acting as if you are afraid," Baltra spoke quietly as he stood from his desk and moved towards her, concern etched into his face. "Is there something bothering you, my dear?"
"I…" How was she supposed to explain this to him? "I wish to speak with you…regarding the matter of the Celnair Keep treaty, if I may."
"The treaty? The one that I keep denying due to Lord Havenworth's proposal?" The king stopped short of his daughter, looking at her with an arched brow. It was odd that she was bringing this up now and judging by how she was acting nervous, he had a sinking feeling why she was asking about it. "Elizabeth, what exactly do you want to talk about regarding the treaty?"
"I feel…it is in the best interest of Liones if I were to…" Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears from falling and blurted out the rest before she chickened out. "I feel it is in the best interest of Liones if I were to marry Lord Havenworth of Celnair Keep in order to form a strong bond between kingdoms."
Baltra had to grab the corner of his desk to steady himself as the words hit him. What he had always feared was coming to fruition sooner than he had anticipated. "What made you come to that decision, dear? Did he force you into this? Has anyone swayed you to an agreement?" He was slightly panicking now. She had vehemently denied his advances as well for years yet why was she suddenly agreeing to the proposal? There had to be a reason behind it and he was going to find it.
"Liones would be safer from attack if our kingdoms were united by treaty and I am positive Lord Havenworth would assure safety for our people." Elizabeth recited the speech she had practiced for hours beforehand in her mirror though there were no tears streaming down her face this time. "Our country is about to go to war and the more unification we have—"
"Elizabeth, hold on for just a moment," Baltra stopped his daughter with his hands on her shoulders. "I know this is not what you want, it is not what your heart is telling you to do."
Elizabeth shook her head slowly, knowing all too well this was the least favorable thing she wanted to happen. "It is what my mind is telling me to do, what is most right for the kingdom regardless of what my heart is telling me right now. Meliodas…"
The king gently sat his daughter down on the couch as the tears finally fell, her hand wrapping tightly around his when he crouched in front of her. She was absolutely heartbroken over what happened to the captain and he fully understood her feelings of losing someone you loved dearly, but it made him wonder if she was doing this solely on the belief that Meliodas wasn't coming back. "Do you believe he will not return to you?"
"N-no, I know he will," Elizabeth let the tears fall to her lap as she kept her head down with an aching heart. "I know he will find me wherever I am as he promised, yet I feel as if I could be helping my people instead of sitting around here waiting. I want to be able to help any way that I can while I await his return."
"Does he know anything of this plan?" Baltra felt his heart breaking at his daughter's tears, feeling helpless to stop them. The sacrifice she was trying to make was for the benefit of the people, yet it wasn't what she wanted. It wasn't who she wanted.
"He knows of the high possibility of it happening," Elizabeth hiccupped as she finally swiped at the tears with cheeks bright red. "I would not marry Lord Havenworth for love, merely for a beneficial treaty between two territories."
"Elizabeth, if you marry Lord Havenworth there is a chance you will be stuck with him for the rest of your life. Separation within castles is a very difficult and long process that could take years to nullify if even approved by the councils. You would not be able to legally marry anyone else unless that kingdom became completely destroyed and there were no remaining heirs. Liones does not require their assistance in this upcoming war, I do not want you to be miserable for the remainder of your years. Are you positive you want to go through with this?"
Did she really want to do this? There was always the chance of retracting her choice and resuming the safe, familiar lifestyle she had in Liones, but she felt a strong obligation to her people and ensuring their happiness even if it meant losing her own. "Yes, Father."
Baltra let out a heavy sigh as he stood, offering his hands to his youngest. "If that is what you so wish to do, then I will support you willingly Elizabeth. I just want what is best for you. I would like to send a handful of Holy Knights just in case and I expect a letter when the date has been set."
"Diane," Elizabeth suddenly spoke up, earning a curious look from her father. "I would like Diane to accompany me."
"The Serpent's Sin Diane?" The princess nodded quickly. "I see, you have grown close to her, have you not? Very well, I will assign her to be your personal knight from now on. I know she will protect you well."
"Thank you, Father."
"When do you plan to leave? Surely you would like to send a messenger first?" The king asked lightly as his inner emotions turmoiled like crashing waves. He had to keep it together for her sake. She was already starting to crumble within as was he but as her father and King of Liones, he had to put on a brave front for them both.
"Lord Havenworth has already received my answer and will be sending a carriage to arrive tomorrow morning." Elizabeth spoke quietly, keeping her gaze down as she twisted her hands into her dress. "The…faster this is over, the faster Liones will have more allies for the war. I am sorry Father, I acted on my own without consulting you first."
His daughter seemed so small and fragile standing there like a child in trouble, her hands anxiously entangling themselves into her dress. With a single step he gathered her in his arms, holding her tightly to purge her negative feelings away. She responded immediately, hugging him back tightly as the waterworks kicked up once more. "Do not apologize my dear, you are an adult and can make such decisions on your own. I am not here to control your life, merely to guide you in the best direction that I can. The day always comes when you have to let your children go off on their own and pave their own paths. Know that this will always be your home, Elizabeth, no matter where you are in the world."
A knock on the door interrupted them and King Baltra scowled at the door before sighing, knowing it could be one of the generals with new information. "Enter."
"Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesty, Your Highness," Gilthunder bowed to them both as he stepped into the room, two sealed envelopes in his hand. "I received a letter this morning from Isengard, a village to the East near Camelot. There is no name marked but I have a suspicion it is from the Captain. I have also received a similar letter from King Arthur."
"What does it say?" Baltra pulled back from Elizabeth and turned towards the Holy Knight, anxious for some good news. Elizabeth perked up immediately and looked at Gilthunder with hopeful eyes, the knight giving her a small smile.
"Captain states that they never arrived in Danafor and were taken far out East instead per Lord Havenworth's orders to be…" The knight glanced uneasily at the king before motioning his head slightly to Elizabeth. Baltra nodded, squeezing his daughter's shoulder for comfort. "Executed by men he sent. No injuries were reported by either knight and he further states that they have sent one of the remaining assailants back to Celnair Keep with a warning. He continues with that they are headed towards Camelot to join up with King Arthur before traveling to…uh oh."
"What is wrong, Gilthunder?" The king demanded as the knight suddenly looked uneasy, clearing his throat as he tried to continue reading.
"Captain writes…that they are headed to Celnair Keep to confront Lord Havenworth for his crimes against Britannia and all of the kingdoms he has collapsed. It ends there."
"What does he plan on doing? There is already a delicate thread holding the country together from collapsing and he wants to dance along it." Baltra groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. "No carrier will reach him in time to stop it and I have no spare knights to send out that way without raising suspicions or leaving Liones unprotected."
"Father, I can find him there," Both men looked at the princess as she interjected into the conversation, eyes shimmering with excitement. "How long does it take to reach Celnair Keep from Camelot and how long does a letter usually take to travel to Liones, Sir Gilthunder?"
"Approximately four days or so, depending on how hard you ride and I guess about two days for an urgent letter to reach the castle." The knight calculated in his head, tilting his head in confusion. "Lady Elizabeth, why would you be travelling to Lord Havenworth's castle?"
"This is to remain under wraps, Gilthunder, but she has decided…to accept Lord Havenworth's proposal for the sake of the treaty between us."
"Seriously!?" The knight blurted out in horror, quickly correcting his manners by bowing and apologizing. "Lady Elizabeth, are you sure about this? He is known to be a fairly hostile man even to his own staff."
"If it is for the sake of my people then I will sacrifice my own happiness. It is about a days' worth of travel to reach his castle, Father, I can make it before they arrive if I leave tonight." Elizabeth briefly curtseyed to Gilthunder before swiftly moving around them, making a beeline for the doors. King Baltra and Gilthunder stood there frozen as they tried to process what was happening. By the time the king had snapped out of it, Elizabeth was pulling the door open.
"W-wait, Elizabeth!"
"I am sorry, Father, but this is something I need to do. I will grab Diane and depart immediately. Please give my regards to Veronica and Margaret." The princess rushed out before giving them a flash of a smile and disappearing into the hallway, the door shutting softly behind her. Silence and disbelief filled the expansive office until the Holy Knight cleared his throat to speak.
"Your Majesty, what just happened?" Gilthunder asked slowly as he turned back to his king. "I—Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
Baltra sat down heavily on the couch before breaking down into tears, sobbing loudly into his hands. The knight placed a hand on his shoulder and crouched down beside his king, looking mildly concerned at the sudden breakdown. Normally the ruler was always composed when it came to unfortunate circumstances yet there he was sat bawling like a child whose toys was stolen.
"My baby is leaving! I am not ready for this! What am I going to do without her? How do I tell the other girls their sister just ran off to be married to a tyrant king who wants to start a massive continental war?" The king blubbered out and Gilthunder let out a small empathetic huff. Of course. Elizabeth was the baby of the royal family and the last to be wed off. Not that a marriage at sixteen was uncommon, it was just the fact that she was willingly choosing a maniacal tyrant who wanted to burn Britannia to the ground. Risking such a thing to protect the kingdom. She certainly was like her father.
"I believe she will be just fine, King Baltra." He looked over at his knight with a tear stained face, sniffling loudly as he tried to stop the snot from leaving his nose.
"How do you know, Gilthunder? She is my precious child who has no experience in the real world and does not know of the dangers out there."
"Lady Elizabeth is a very determined young woman who wishes for nothing more than the happiness of her kingdom and its people. You may still see her as a young girl who needs protecting, but she is now a young woman who will do anything to protect those she cherishes. Besides," The knight pulled a handkerchief from the belt around his waist and handed it to the king, grimacing as he blew his nose loudly into it. "If Meliodas is there waiting for her, then there is no need to worry about Lady Elizabeth, right? We both know he would gladly lay down his life for her no matter the situation. If Ban and King Arthur are there as well then she has some of the strongest knights on the continent to protect her. While I cannot understand the feelings of a child leaving home, I can understand why she is doing so and it is worth feeling pride over."
"You are right," King Baltra dabbed at his nose once more with the cloth before offering it back to the knight who grabbed the barest corner of it and quickly moved to throw it away with a shiver of disgust. Used tissues were not his forte. "I knew this day would come yet I did not think it would happen so quickly. I will trust your judgement, Gilthunder."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have a letter from King Arthur as well. He states that Camelot will aid Liones with whatever we need in preparation for war. He mentions as well that Meliodas and Ban arrived in his city, the three departing for Celnair Keep as soon as possible. His rankings were infiltrated but thankfully his generals are taking care of it and imprisoning every suspicious person within the castle walls. His informant wishes for you to know that the residents of Danafor believe it was a lantern accident that blew up the city and not Meliodas and Ban. They do not believe it was intentionally set."
"So, Havenworth had been lying this whole time in order to remove my highest ranking knight," The king gruffed as he wiped at his face with quivering hands. "I believe in my daughter's judgement though I now worry due to the unraveling of Lord Havenworth's true character. I am thankful King Arthur did not have his kingdom fall to those sneaky enemies and I will accept any help he wishes to offer to us. I will need to reinstate Meliodas as captain upon his return to Liones along with issuing an apology."
"I believe he knows it was not by your choice to be imprisoned while awaiting trial. He will not harbor any ill feelings towards you, Your Majesty, I assure you." Gilthunder spoke reassuringly to his king.
"Will you…stay with me for a bit longer? I am embarrassed to say that I would like some company for the time being. Once I have regained my composure we shall gather the generals and begin forming a battle plan." Baltra sniffled as the tears began drying up and the Holy Knight gave him a small smile.
"Of course, Your Majesty, whatever you need me to do."
~B~
Elizabeth sprinted down the hallways with her dress clenched in her hands as she hurried to find the Sin of Envy for their abrupt departure. It was still early in the morning and the princess hoped they would arrive just before dark, her nerves pushing her to move faster. She would be able to see Meliodas again! That thought alone made her giddy as could be as she rushed past servants doing the morning cleaning, oblivious to their confused stares. The Sin had told her she would be waiting in the garden for their morning tea after her meeting with her father and as she looked out through the large corridor windows, noticed the knight waiting by the fountain.
Diane hummed cheerfully as she waited for Elizabeth to meet up for their morning tea session in the castle gardens, swinging her legs back and forth while sitting on the bench. It was beginning to get colder now that fall was transitioning into winter and she was thankful her armor kept her toasty for such occasions.
The Holy Knights were ensuring the citizens had everything they needed before the cold grip of winter struck so that left the Sin of Envy to watch over the princess while the other Sins patrolled the castle. She didn't mind in the least considering they had grown close over the two years of knowing each other thanks to Ban having the knight accompanying her back to Liones after the attack, but she knew it didn't make up for the fact that the captain wasn't with her. After their two week imprisonment below the castle, they were finally released to be taken to Danafor and Elizabeth had shut herself into her room shortly after his departure. For the first two days she refused to leave and refused any food and drink, telling everyone she wanted to be alone. It was on the third day that Veronica had finally kicked in her door and dragged the princess from her room while chewing her out for worrying so many people over a stupid boy.
"Diane!" The knight turned towards the voice and stood with a smile.
"Good morning, Elizabeth—"
"We need to depart immediately!" Elizabeth panted out as she doubled over in front of her friend, struggling to catch her breath. "Pack a few days' worth of clothing and grab your weapon, we need to leave!"
"H-hold on a minute, Elizabeth! What are you talking about? Where do we need to go?" The Sin stood and helped the princess upright. "Just take a moment to—"
"Celnair Keep! Meliodas will be heading there and we need to intercept him before he reaches Lord Havenworth!"
"W-what?! How do you know he's going there?" Diane grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a little shake to focus. "Elizabeth, why would Captain be going there when he was supposed to be heading to Danafor? We need to tell the others about this, it's game-changing information."
"Sir Gilthunder received a note from Meliodas saying they were never taken to Danafor, they were sent far East and some men attempted to kill them but they survived and made their way to Camelot. Now they are travelling to Celnair Keep with King Arthur in order to confront Lord Havenworth and if we can get there and intercept them then—"
"Elizabeth, stop!" Diane cried as she lightly placed a hand over the princess' mouth, distress flickering across her features. "You need to slow down and we need to talk about this, we can't just barge into Celnair Keep and wait for the captain! There is no reason to go to Lord Havenworth just to wait and hope we encounter him, it's too risky of a move to do." Elizabeth slowly nodded and the Sin removed her hand with an apologetic smile.
"Well, there is a reason Diane…" The smile slid from the knight's face as her friend glanced away nervously, fingers pushing and bending apart slowly. "I…have accepted Lord Havenworth's proposal for the sake of strengthening and protecting Liones and its people, nothing more."
Diane stood there for a solid minute just staring at her friend with a blank expression. Was she serious? They had been ordered to keep that slimeball away and now they were going to just drop the princess off at his front door? "Elizabeth,"
"Y-yes, Diane?" Elizabeth could feel the explosion about to happen and took a step back, clutching her hands against her ears as she prepared for the blast.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" Diane screamed into the frigid air with her hands tugging her pigtails hard. "Our job is to protect you from that slimeball and you want to go directly to him?! Did you hit your head or something? You can't be serious right now, Elizabeth!"
"What's with all of the shouting so early in the morning?" A tired King yawned as he slowly shuffled towards the two women on his daily rounds. "Oh good morning, Lady Elizabeth—"
"King, Elizabeth accepted that slimeball's proposal and is going to become his wife! She says we have to leave now!" Diane exasperated to her fellow knight, his eyes instantly alert at the news. "Please tell her why it's a bad idea!"
"L-Lady Elizabeth, did you truly accept…?" Elizabeth nodded her head with brows knitted in concern, Diane still ranting about how stupid it was and how psychotic Havenworth was. "May I ask why you came to that decision so suddenly?"
"Captain never went to Danafor and now he's headed towards Celnair Keep to confront the slimeball!" The Sin of Envy interjected before Elizabeth could open her mouth to answer. The princess meekly nodded at King's wild eyes darting between the two waiting for confirmation.
"E-eh? Captain never made it there? Then where did he go?" King glanced between the two with quick head jerks and flapping hands. "Wait a minute, if he never went there then that means—"
"Havenworth lied about Danafor wanting justice for ten years ago." Merlin appeared with Escanor and Gowther at her side, crimson lips pursing as she took in the chaotic sight. "Lady Elizabeth, did you know about the captain being there before or after you sent that letter of acceptance?"
"Sir Gilthunder just received the letter this morning and brought it to my Father as I was speaking with him," Elizabeth supplied quietly while King tried to calm the raging Diane. "They were sent East and Lord Havenworth attempted to have them killed but it failed so they made their way to Camelot. It will probably take them two more days to reach the castle. A carriage was to be sent by tomorrow morning to pick me up."
"This just keeps getting more and more interesting, doesn't it? Well, considering I am one who constantly yearns for the more intriguing things in life why don't I accompany you as well? We can make it a girl's trip."
"Merlin, you can't be serious! We'd be playing right into his hands!" Diane protested at a lower volume as a few staff members peeked their heads out to see what the commotion was about. "Even if Captain shows up there, who's to say we'll actually find him? What if we get caught and have to fight our way out of there? Elizabeth would be put in danger." Merlin tsked and lightly shook her head, a finger coming to rest upon her lips as she gazed at the auburn-haired girl.
"Diane, what is your duty as both a Holy Knight and Seven Deadly Sin?"
"To perform my responsibilities to my utmost ability in honor of the kingdom of Liones," Diane recited from memory while fiddling with her hair and pouting. "And to protect those whom I have sworn to defend against any and all threats."
"Your duty right now is to protect Lady Elizabeth, correct? This will not be the first fight nor last you will be a part of Diane, even with the higher stakes. Whatever she decides, we are to follow wholeheartedly and protect her with our lives. I for one am looking forward to a little vacation away from the castle." Merlin smiled as she stood beside Elizabeth and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Diane, I am sure everything will be fine if Meliodas and Ban are also at the castle." Elizabeth reassured the Sin as she grasped her hands and held them tightly. "I wish for you to come along as my personal guard with Merlin, if you so desire to do so."
"Of course! I'm just afraid something will happen to you and I won't be able to forgive myself." Diane teared up as she looked at the princess.
"There's only one way to find out then ladies, let's head out to Celnair Keep." Merlin deduced as she grabbed the two ladies and began ushering them away.
"Wait, what about us?" King asked with confusion, the Boar's Sin stopping to look back at him with a questioning eye. "Are we just supposed to stay here while you three go off into the enemies territory? Only Diane can really fight…"
"Of course. You are to resume your duties as normal and if King Baltra asks, tell him we all took a little trip with Lady Elizabeth here to meet her new husband to be. Any problems, handle it. Escanor is to keep an eye on you two."
Escanor chuckled under his breath as King stood there, unsure of the next step to take as the women left leaving the three remaining Sins by themselves. Gowther waved farewell to the ladies before moving to stand in front of the still Sin of Sloth, studying the redhead with a tilted head.
"You do not wish for Diane to leave?" King spluttered indignantly as he attempted to respond, face rapidly heating up. "Why is your face so red, King?"
"N-no reason, Gowther!"
"There will be time for talking later men, we have patrols to continue." Escanor rumbled at his comrades before turning and walking away. King quickly used it to rush away from a prodding Gowther, attempting to hide his face beneath his helmet.
Meliodas stared at the twinkling stars above him with his hands interlocked behind his head and let out a silent sigh, attempting to have a peaceful moment. They had been riding hard for over two days already and they were nearly three quarters of the way to Celnair Keep. Arthur suggested they rest more than they were, a mere few hours at sunset before continuing on, but time was of the essence and Meliodas swayed his decision with little protest. Havenworth could launch his attack any day and if they could just get there in time, they could stop it and potentially save thousands of lives. Ban was snoring loudly not too far from him and Arthur was mumbling in his sleep about meat pies, hence why the Sin was currently awake. He let his mind wander back to Elizabeth, something that happened fairly frequently throughout the day and he wondered how she was doing. They had been gone for nearly a week already, the last time seeing her was as he was leaving the gates of Liones with a brave face barely concealing her internal distress. The others would protect her no matter what yet that didn't stop him from constantly worrying.
The thing he was most worried about was Elizabeth actually marrying Havenworth just for the benefits of the kingdom. He was a ruthless man who had killed countless others in duels and possibly an even more exorbitant number the Sin didn't know about. Marrying a prince like that could spell disaster for the princess and he felt his heart skip a beat at the thought. What if…she did end up marrying him? Getting out of a royal marriage was nearly impossible unless the kingdom fell and there were no remaining heirs to carry on the name. He wasn't opposed to crippling that asshole's kingdom to the ground and making sure he never got up again, but he knew Elizabeth would frown upon the unnecessary measure. If it came down to his life or the princes'…he would do it, to ensure he never again hurt anyone else.
A shuffling noise caught his attention and he slowly sat up, scanning the area for any movement. No enemies had appeared for the past two and a half days but since the castle was nearing, the knight had no doubt extra security would be enforced around the area. The horses' ears perked up, swiveling around warily. A twig broke nearby and he was on his feet, borrowed Camelot blade in hand. Ban had stopped snoring and even Arthur was beginning to stir from his slumber, rubbing his eye sleepily. With a quick shared glance between Sins, they jumped into action. Ban taking one side while Meliodas ran straight into the tree line, circling around to close in on the nearby target. As soon as he passed the outer scattering of trees he saw the briefest glimpse of a shadow dart to the left and he readjusted his path, dodging around trunks and under low branches with the target just barely in his sights. A larger shadow shot past him and moments later heard the squeal of an animal.
"Got it, Cap'n!" Ban called out cheerfully, Meliodas slowing to a jog as he reached his friend. With a grin he turned around, dangling a good sized boar from his hand. "Looks like we got breakfast!"
"Captain Meliodas, Ban! Is everything alright in there?" Arthur called out through the trees, the two hearing him stumbling through the darkness in his armor. A thud and a pained groan soon followed to indicate the king had tripped in the darkness.
"Just found some food is all!" Meliodas called back before shaking his head in disbelief. He was beginning to get too jumpy with everything going on. "Alright. May as well cook it up since everyone's awake now, Chef Ban!"
"Gladly. I don't trust yer shitty cooking, Cap'n."
"Is it that bad?" Ban snickered as he shouldered the squirming boar.
"Once was enough for me to never touch yer food again. Puked for hours after that monstrosity." It was Meliodas' turn to snicker, the blonde locking his hands behind his head as they walked.
"At least it looked good."
"Looks can be deceiving and in that case, they were."
Ban made quick work of the boar and rekindled the fire that had extinguished hours ago, cooking the meat with expertise as the two knights waited with growling stomachs. The horses had calmed down and were watching the fire with mild interest. Meliodas wished he had Waldo with him, or even Hawk, just to have some familiarity around besides Ban and Arthur. Not that he didn't enjoy their company, it was just whenever he had either horse things seem to sail a bit smoother.
"What do you think will happen when we confront Lord Havenworth?" Arthur asked quietly, a heavy silence filling the air apart from crackling flames. It was a question that they all knew the answer to. Havenworth was going to pay for his threats against Liones, Princess Elizabeth, the Holy Knights, and the Sins. Throw in Camelot plus all of the fallen kingdoms and he was the most wanted man in Britannia. There would be no escaping punishment and Meliodas would make sure of it.
"He'll probably act all arrogant, say he's already married Elizabeth, burned Liones to the ground, something along those lines." Meliodas replied, giving a small shrug of his shoulders as he dug into the steaming chunk of meat on a stick. "I doubt Liones will fall in our absence and as for Elizabeth…"
"Do you think she would do it?" The king asked softly after accepting his portion. "Would she give herself up for the sake of the kingdom? If she actually marries him, getting divorced would be…"
"Nearly impossible. Unless he's dead and the kingdom has fallen. Cornelius is the only heir to King Everardus so that eliminates any other contenders."
"Ya know she would do it for the sake of the people, Cap'n," Ban finally spoke up, feeling two sets of eyes on the back of his head. "She would do anything if it meant protecting the kingdom and her people, even sacrificing her own freedom. I think Cornelius knows that and will try to use it to his advantage. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an acceptance letter already on its way there."
"The chances of it happening are probably fairly high, so the odds of her being there by the time we arrive is maybe a seventy-thirty shot. If she is there…then we can't be too reckless otherwise we could put her life at further risk. Cornelius will make sure to keep her under lock and key if he found out we were near." Meliodas stared hard at the ground, his brows pinching together. It would be worst case scenario for Elizabeth to be within Cornelius' grasp, the bastard more than willing to lay a finger on every inch of her body. The man was unhinged and dangerous. "I just hope she stays in Liones where it's safer."
"Who knows, maybe she'll pick up a sword and start swingin'!" Ban guffawed as he tossed the knights their second portions, Meliodas catching his with ease while Arthur fumbled with the stick, nearly dropping it in the process. "Just take Havenworth down from the beginning!"
"That'll be the day," Meliodas laughed, ripping off a huge chunk of meat from the stick. It was almost comical to envision Elizabeth swinging a heavy sword but the amusement faded when he realized the princess running around with a sharp object maybe wasn't such a good idea considering her sometimes clumsy tendencies.
"You did teach her how to hold a sword and how to swing it around…and how to…" Ban slowly trailed off, realization hitting both Sins at the same time and they looked at each other with unreadable expressions. "Ah, shit."
"Is that a bad thing?" The redhead muffled with mouthful of food, glancing between the two.
"I hope not, I don't think she would ever raise a sword to someone like that." Meliodas said slowly as he chewed on the last bit of his food. "It was meant as self-defense lessons back when she was younger though this kind of situation could get dangerous in the blink of an eye if she tried to swing a sword at Havenworth."
"She'll be fine," Ban said with a toothy grin and got up to retrieve more food. "Just gotta believe in our princess and she can make it through anything."
"Guess we'll soon find out," Meliodas mumbled to himself, missing the concerned look the King of Camelot was sending his way. "Let's get moving after this since we're all awake now."
"Roger, Cap'n."
"Of course, Captain Meliodas!"
Meliodas prayed Elizabeth was safe wherever she was.
"So, you finally managed to convince Lady Elizabeth to take your hand? I do not know what you have done to deserve the grace of her pure soul, Cornelius, but if you lay a single hand on that girl you will regret it deeply." King Everardus growled at his only son as they strolled towards the dining hall for their evening meal. "I will be watching you every step of the way to ensure her safety is top priority. Do not think you can snake your way around me, boy."
"I finally have the woman of my dreams within my grasp and you believe I will raise a hand to her?" Cornelius growled sourly with a hard glance at his father. The old codger had been chewing into him ever since finding the return letter from Liones and it was beginning to grow old.
"I have seen you raise your hand to many a women and strike them as if they were nothing more than trash. Your anger will be your downfall, son, as I have warned you many a time before."
Cornelius scoffed and chose to remain silent. Arguing with the old codger was just a waste of time anymore. As tempting as it was to eliminate the nuisance, the prince needed his father alive until he stepped down from his throne and handed over the crown. Then maybe he would silence the constant squawking. When he had received the letter that Elizabeth had finally given in and accepted his proposal, Cornelius was ecstatic! Finally, after three years of non-stop treaty banters and proposals, he had her within his grasp and away from that damned Captain Meliodas of the Holy Knights. Oh, how he wanted to see that look of utter heartbreak on the knights face as he stole the princess' first kiss before him, sealing the marriage for the rest of his immortal life. And if the knight attempted to take her back, he would have Liones burnt to the ground just as he did to Danafor ten years ago.
It was pure coincidence that he had been in a pub in the run down city when he overheard two men spreading the word that the Dragon's Wrath had caused the death of some child, his interest becoming piqued instantly. Panic soon spread throughout the town as a house caught fire, the pub emptying to see it for themselves, and thick black clouds plumed into the rainy sky when an idea struck the prince. While it may not be useful in the near future, what if he could use the fall of Danafor to his advantage? It was a heavily corrupted kingdom that often seemed like nothing more than a massive slum apart from the small handful of rich higher-ups. Surely his path would cross with this Dragon's Wrath person once more and he would have an ace up his sleeve when the time came to use it. So, when everyone was distracted by the roaring flames, Cornelius grabbed a tree branch and allowed the fire to ignite the wood. With one last glance at the crowded street, the prince weaved his way through the city, igniting everything he could from houses to shops to even a dead man's body in a back alley. Not like he cared what happened to the rundown kingdom since they were practically useless when it came to forging treaties. As he left to head back to Celnair Keep, Cornelius watched as the entirety of town became engulfed in flames, thick black plumes filling the skies as Danafor fell.
Ten years. It had taken ten years for his plan to come to fruition, but as soon as he learned the identity of the Dragon's Sin of Wrath, an idea began forming in his mind. While his utterly degrading defeats in Grantown and Liones irked the prince like no other, he hadn't come out of it with nothing. Lady Elizabeth had caught his eye the moment after Captain Meliodas left after their fight, giving him the chance to introduce himself formally to the young princess. She had briefly seen him a handful of times when he and his father had dropped in for the occasional visit yet could not remember who he was. The look on Meliodas' face as he brought her hand to his lips sparked a jealous fire within the prince and he knew from that point on he needed to rip Elizabeth from his grasps.
"Your Majesty, a moment of your time please?" A servant quickly bowed as they passed by, the king stopping while Cornelius merely slowed down. He didn't have time to deal with some petty servant's problems albeit he was interested in why she was stopping the king out of nowhere. He was too soft with the servants. They needed structure and discipline in order to perform their duties to the highest expectations. Cornelius made a mental note to remind the servant of her positioning in the hierarchy later.
"Of course, what is it?" King Everardus agreed and leaned in when the woman motioned with a hand, hiding her lips from view as she whispered into his ear. The king's eyebrows shot up in surprise and he looked at her for confirmation. She nodded quickly.
"Father?"
"Continue on Cornelius, I have a matter to attend to. I will return in a short while." The king quickly turned on his heel with the servant following, her hands clutching a tray tightly to her chest.
"Interesting." The prince mused as he continued his now leisurely walk into the dining hall, hands shoved deeply into his coat pockets. Whatever it was, his father wanted to take care of it before Cornelius did. No matter, he would find out what it was sooner or later.
King Everardus hurried towards the main doors of the castle, the servant glued to his side. If what she spoke of was true then he had even less time to prepare than he thought and it filled the old king with dread. Cornelius was sure to investigate his sudden departure in order to satiate his nearly demonic curiosity. A group of servants stood around the massive ornate doors, muttering to themselves as they debated what to do. "Well do not just stand there, open the doors! Do not be rude to our awaited guest!"
Two male servants began pulling on the bronze door handles while the maids lined up on either side, bowing as their king strode by. Slowly light began spilling into the entryway as the doors groaned open and Everardus waited with bated breath, his hand shielding the setting sun as it reached his aging eyes. He noticed the familiar golden winged family crest adorning the doors on the carriage and a smile graced his weathered lips. An armored female knight pulled the reins back and slowed the two horses to a stop before dropping down from the driver's seat of the ride and opening the door, offering her hand to the person hiding within the curtained cab. King Everardus swiftly made his way down the stone front steps of his castle with his hands clasped together in excitement.
"I welcome you to Celnair Keep," He beamed as a young woman stepped onto the pavement with ease, blue eyes shifting to meet his. "How was your journey, Lady Elizabeth Liones?"
"King Everardus, a pleasure to see you once more. Our journey went smoothly, thank you." Elizabeth smiled softly at the king while curtseying when Diane reached into the cab once more. "I apologize for the unannounced notice but I feared unrest would be upon Britannia soon so I decided to arrive a day early. I do hope that is not a problem for you?"
"Of course not, dear, you are always welcome here! I see you have brought some company with you as well. May I ask for your names, ladies?" The king reached for Elizabeth's hand and placed a short kiss upon her knuckles.
"I am Diane, Lady Elizabeth's personal guard and this is Lady Mel, My Lady's personal maid." Diane gave a brief bow while Merlin dropped into a curtsey, pulling the fabric of her maid uniform out with her hands.
"A pleasure, ladies. I welcome you all to Celnair Keep! Please, please, come in before the bitter cold reaches deep into your bones." King Everardus offered his arm for Elizabeth and she took it with smile. Diane and Merlin quickly fell in line behind them while the staff of the castle unloaded their luggage, their eyes scanning over the area cautiously.
"Your room has been prepared on the West wing and we can have one readied for your knight and maid if you so wish." The king chatted brightly while they walked and Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a bit of homesickness already.
"If it is not a problem Your Majesty, I would prefer if both Diane and Merlin were to stay within my quarters. I am most comfortable knowing they are not far from me." Elizabeth replied as they swept up the grand grey and white marbled staircase, her hand sliding up the cherry stained wooden banisters. She didn't have the heart to tell him it was because of his son that she wanted both Sins within arm's reach.
"Anything you would like, dear, this is now your home as well. Though if I may be so bold as to ask," The king lowered his voice just a bit and the princess leaned in to hear a bit better. "You were not forced by my callous son into this arrangement, were you? I would not want you to be doing this if he had used harsh words against you. Cornelius tends to go overboard when his sights are set on something."
"King Everardus, I have decided on my own what would be best for both the kingdom of Liones and Celnair Keep. Lord Havenworth has not swayed my decision nor used harsh words against my judgement." Elizabeth responded kindly and she watched Diane rolled her eyes in her peripheral. Merlin merely notched the corner of her lip upward at the gesture.
"That is most wonderful to hear! I do hope to see some little grandchildren running around here soon enough! I am not getting any younger, you know." He laughed heartily as he led her towards her chambers, oblivious to her disturbed and slightly horrified expression. "You have my permission to roam the castle if you please Lady Elizabeth, do not hesitate to call if you need anything. You both have my words as well, Lady Diane, Lady Mel."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Merlin gave a short bow of her head, shooting a suggestive glance to her armored comrade who returned with a nod. "It has been a draining day of travel, may we have our meals delivered to the room tonight? I do not wish to strain the princess any further in order to preserve her heath."
"Absolutely, anything you need I shall have it brought to you. Do you wish for me to alert Cornelius of your arrival? It can always wait until tomorrow once you are fully rested up. Honestly, that may very well be for the best. His tongue has been rather sharp tonight and I would not want him to use such harsh actions against you, Lady Elizabeth."
"There is no need—"
"Lady Elizabeth, I was not made aware of your arrival an evening early." Cornelius approached the princess with an easy smile, his eyes darting to the knight and maid beside her. Everardus sighed and stepped back from the princess, shooting an annoyed glance at his son before ordering the servants to prepare three separate trays for the ladies. Recognition hit the prince as Diane planted her hands on her hips and smirked, his irritation evident in his tense posture and tight lips. Merlin merely studied the man with burning interest having never introduced herself to him, yet he didn't seem to know or care who she was. It made for the perfect infiltration tactic and the Sin made a note to especially snoop around his quarters.
"Lord Havenworth, forgive me for the abrupt arrival," Elizabeth gave a proper greeting and straightened back up, her eyes avoiding his directly. "I feared for the approaching conflict and left Liones under the guidance of my father. I hope this is not a problem for you."
"Not at all my dear, in fact that will just give us an extra day to talk wedding planning." Cornelius smiled wider as he took her hand, pressing his lips against her fingers. Elizabeth suppressed a shudder at the frigidness and quickly withdrew her hand once he had loosened his grip.
"Boy, they have journeyed all day so leave them to rest for the evening. I have some things I wish to discuss with you over dinner. Lady Elizabeth, I shall have your meals prepared and brought to you right away. I wish all three of you a pleasant evening." King Everardus bowed deeply then grabbed his son by the arm and dragged him away, ignoring the angry protests coming from the prince.
"Can I just say gross?" Diane shuddered in disgust as she ushered Elizabeth into the room, Merlin shutting and locking it behind them. "Seriously, he gives me the creeps, Elizabeth. We can always leave in the middle of the night if you change your mind about this. There are other ways to contact Captain."
"I understand your feelings Diane, but this is what is best for both kingdoms." The princess spoke softly, making her way across the vast, lavishly designed room towards the oversized plush bed. "Even if it means sacrificing my happiness for my people, I shall do it a hundred times over."
"What about Captain? What would he think about you doing this?"
Elizabeth plopped down onto the end of the mattress with a sigh, looking up at the Sins with a pained expression. "I believe he would disagree with me being here yet he knows I would do this solely for my people. There will never be any love between Lord Havenworth and myself, my heart belongs to Meliodas."
"If that letter was correct, then we should be seeing Captain within the next day or so. I'll do my best to keep an eye out for him while you accompany Elizabeth everywhere Diane, even to the chambers. Do not let her out of your sight for the briefest moment or Cornelius may strike." Merlin instructed as she wandered around the quarters, examining anything of interest and making mental notes. "We will have to keep an eye on Hawk and Waldo as well since they instinctively go to him. Maybe taking the two for a leisurely walk the next few days will bring him out of hiding."
"Got it!" Diane chirped as she pulled her weapon from its back holster, Gideon thudding against the floor loudly. It was a large, ornate war hammer with one end pinched into a deadly point and the other a squared surface meant for hard impacts. "Those two do seem very attached to him and only he and Elizabeth are the ones who can handle Hawk. Ah man, I forgot how tiring it is to carry this thing everywhere! I got so used to a sword and now my back is sore."
"Would a bath help you, Diane? You may have one first," The princess suggested as the knight stretched her arms above her head.
"Maybe after dinner first, I'm starving!"
A knock on the door silenced the women, Diane quickly picking her hammer back up and resting it against her palms. Merlin ghosted over to the entry and quickly unlocked it, keeping her foot behind the wood to prevent it from swinging open all the way. The Sin of Envy quickly ducked out of sight before quietly setting Gideon down behind the door as an additional block. No normal person could lift it without strain.
"Your meals for the evening, ma'am. Please do not hesitate to call for us if you require anything else." A servant revealed three sets of silver trays resting atop a cart, her hands resting against her front as she bowed.
"If I could have just a moment of your time for a few questions first?" Merlin replied coolly and waited for the woman to nod in agreement before opening the door wider for her. She quickly pushed the cart into the room, the Sin locking the doors once more, and bowed to the other ladies.
"Oh, that smells so good! Is there roasted pig in there?" Diane nearly drooled as the smells wafted into the air, her fingers itching to remove the lid. Merlin smacked her hand away and gave her a pointed look.
"Why don't you introduce yourself so we can all get acquainted a bit better." Merlin suggested to the young girl who nodded hesitantly. She couldn't have been more than seventeen at the most, youthful skin and eyes giving away her age to the Sin instantly.
"Good evening Lady Elizabeth, Lady Diane, and Lady Mel. My name is Aya, a servant working for King Everardus of Celnair Keep." Aya bowed deeply to them. She was a slightly thin girl with wide, bright green eyes and pulled back ginger locks, freckles splattered across her cheeks and nose. Diane mused that she almost looked like a female version of King.
"A pleasure to meet you, Aya," Elizabeth said softly as she rose from her bed to better greet the young woman. "There is no need to be nervous around us, we are of no harm to you."
"Hello," Diane gave a small wave as she kept sneaking glances at the food, licking her lips in anticipation.
"Aya, I would like to know a few things about Celnair Keep. Are there any restricted areas within the grounds that are off-limits to anyone but the prince or king?" The girl mulled over the question as she fidgeted, slowly nodding after a minute. "Do you know where it is?"
"I-I sometimes see Lord Havenworth enter into an area behind the stables, when I would take my breaks out there, often not returning for hours at a time." Merlin nodded with the slightest twitch of a smile. She would snoop around when everyone else was asleep, her urge for more knowledge nearly consuming her whole.
"Is the castle usually this heavily guarded? And if not, is there a reason there are so many knights outside?" They had seen dozens of men scattered across the area upon their arrival, instantly setting them all on edge. Some were even wearing different markings on their armor, a heavy indicator they were possibly recently gained allies of Celnair Keep. This was going to make things even more difficult for the captain to sneak onto the property without being caught.
"N-no, Lord Havenworth has mentioned nothing of the matter though he got angry when the servants attempted to talk to them. We were ordered to ignore their presence. They…are not kind knights." Aya mumbled, green eyes darting between their faces and the floor.
"Have they hurt anyone? Threatened harm upon the servants for interfering with their business?" The Sin pushed, eager to get more answers.
"I-I…"
"Mel, that is enough for now." Elizabeth gathered the young girl loosely in her arms, holding her lightly. "We should not push her too hard right now. I apologize, Aya, my maid can be a bit…pushy at times."
"I-it is fine Lady Elizabeth, really," The girl mumbled, face bright red. She'd never been so close to a princess, let alone in ones arms! "I am only a temporary maid for the wedding ceremony to be held soon. I will return to what remains of my village afterwards."
"Remains? Did your home burn down?" The girl slowly nodded and the princess ran a soothing hand over her locks, feeling sorry for the child.
"Did your home fall to conflict?" Diane asked curiously as she inched closer to the trays only to flinch back from Merlin's sharp glance. A deep growl in her stomach had the brunette rubbing at it anxiously.
"Y-yes, the city suddenly fell overnight and some of the citizens managed to escape while others were not so lucky." Aya explained softly as she nestled closer to the princess, a comforting warmth radiating from her being.
The three were instantly suspicious and shared a glance. It was no coincidence that her town had burned to the ground overnight suddenly. With a deep inhale Elizabeth took the plunge and asked the heavy question on everyone's minds. "Aya, where exactly are you from?"
"Arvendon."
A loud knocking on the door startled the four women and Aya quickly pulled back from Elizabeth's embrace, bowing feverishly as she headed for the door with fearful eyes. "F-forgive me My Lady, I must return to my duties now. Have a good evening."
In a flash she was gone, the door shutting quietly behind her and leaving the three alone. Diane finally gave in to her hunger and grabbed one of the trays, scooting out of Merlin's throwing range before digging in with gusto, mumbled words of appreciation spilling out between bites. Elizabeth felt something metal tap against her arm and she pulled from her daze to see Merlin handing her a tray. She took it with a brief smile.
"Thank you,"
"This is all becoming more and more interesting, ladies," Merlin surmised, grabbing a nearby chair and dragging it closer to her comrades before sitting down. "It seems your husband-to-be is hiding quite a few secrets, Elizabeth."
"I…do not like the way that sounds." Elizabeth mumbled in embarrassment, quickly ducking her head to eat as the Sins looked at her with amusement pulling at their lips.
"Would you rather it be Captain as your husband-to-be?" Diane teased coyly and giggled as the princess flushed bright red, quickly setting her tray aside to hide her face behind her hands.
"Now, now, Diane, she has yet to give her answer to the captain so we shouldn't assume." Merlin chuckled.
"I-I…hope that it will happen one day…that it will become reality instead of the nightmare it will soon be." Elizabeth muttered between her fingers, cerulean eyes brimming with tears. "I do not wish to marry a man who does not love me for me and is a cruel person."
"Elizabeth, don't worry," Diane settled herself next to the princess with Merlin taking the opposite side, and put her arm around her in comfort. "We'll make sure the only wedding you have is with Captain and no one else, promise."
"Thank you. Both of you, for supporting me all of the time." Elizabeth sniffled as she wiped away the fallen tears with tender swipes.
"Of course. It's been a long day so why don't we all go to bed now?" Merlin offered with a smile, grabbing the dinner trays and returning them to the cart. She swiftly moved it out of the room and ensured the door was fully locked, even going as far as sliding an iron fireplace poker between the handles before returning to the princess. "Diane and I will take the outer edges of the bed so you can rest easy knowing anyone who dares enter this room will face the wrath of two overprotective women from Liones."
"They won't know what hit 'em!" Diane yawned and rubbed her eye sleepily.
"I have the utmost faith you two will protect me. We shall see what tomorrow awaits us then."
Dun dun duuuuuuun! That's all I got. Thank you for the continued reviews! They encourage me to keep writing the story in a timely manner.