The Demon's Lover (Meliodas)

Chapter 38

Ayano stood inside the tavern looking outside at Elizabeth and Meliodas as they talked.

"Yo Ayano" Ban calls

"hm?" she turns to attention to Ban

"Hey Ban shut it!" King shouts

"Listen to this" Ban laughs "King here wanted to ask me how to propose to someone, you'd think a fairy would know how to do these things"

Ayano giggles "I suppose even the fairy king is weak to his own emotions"

Elizabeth came into the tavern crying and went upstairs immediately.

"I wonder what's up with the princess?" Ban questions

Meliodas walks into the tavern.

"Captain what'd you do now?!" King shouts

"Nothing, she was just asking some questions I can't answer" Meliodas sighs "it's nothing against her, it's just for her own safety"

"don't let it bother you too much sweetie" Ayano smiles "she'll get over it"

"yeah I know" Meliodas drinks some ale

"Isn't it too early for that" Ayano sweat drops

"It's never too early to get drunk" Ban tells her seriously 

"weirdos" Ayano mutters

A bright light comes from upstairs and the others all rush up to find out what it was. Ayano just turns and continues to dry the dishes. She picks up the glass she's working on and stares at her reflection before her eyes glow red, she smirks and goes back to drying dishes.

The next day all of the sins are in their armor while Ayano was still in her red commandments dress. 

"Ayano are you going to be ok fighting in a dress?" Diane asks

"Of course" Gother answers for her "my sister has always fought in dresses before, this will be no different"

"...exactly" Ayano smiles

"So!" Meliodas catches everyone's attention "Just as we went over last night and the night before, our objective is to free the hostages and liberate Camelot"

"Yes... but it doesn't seem like it's going to be all that simple" Merlin says

"nothing fun in life ever is" Ayano comments

Meliodas chuckles before turning back to the others "Currently, Camelot is being protected by a dimensional distortion 100 miles in diameter... We cannot teleport within it, nor will Absolute Cancel work on it. As long as that distortion is there, infiltrating Camelot will be impossible..."

"And? I'm sure you got some plan already" Ban says

"Yes... I've identified the location that is manifesting this distortion 250 miles southeast of the kingdom" Merlin explains

"Southeast... That means we'll be passing through there as well" Gowther says

 Hawk's mama begins to travel and the sins all prepare for battle. Ayano stands by herself near the tavern staring at the sky.

"Ayano" Meliodas walks over to her

"Hm?" Ayano continues staring at the sky

"whatcha thinkin about?" Meliodas asks leaning against the tavern next to her

"Not much" Ayano looks at him "what about you?"

"...I love you" Meliodas says

Ayano rolls her eyes and holds his hand "Meliodas, you're too tense"

"It's just something's been off lately and I have a bad feeling" Meliodas lays his head on her chest "I just want you to know that I love you"

"I know Meli don't worry" Ayano rubs his head "everything's going to be alright" she kisses the top of his head before walking into the tavern

Meliodas turns and stares at the door "..but you didn't say you love me too"

Ayano stands over Elizabeth's sleeping form, she held her hand out over Elizabeth's head and emitted dark power. Ayano's eyes glow red and Elizabeth shifts in her sleep whining. After a bit Ayano's eyes go back to normal and she walks out of the room silently. 

-

Meliodas, Ban, and Ayano stood on top of the tavern staring out at the road ahead of them.

"Elaine is already at her limit... If we defeat Melascula on top of that, it's unavoidable... So at the very least, I want to be there with her in her final moments.." Ban says and Meliodas starts to say that he knows how he feels, but Ban cuts him off, "You know how I feel? Having to let the woman you love die all over again?" 

"hmph" Ayano looks away

Hawk lifts up the hatch "We've got a problem! It's Elizabeth!"

The three of them follow Hawk inside to see Elizabeth being held back by Diane.

"Let go of me, Diane! I have to hurry... And let them know!!" Elizabeth shouts, "Please!! I need to let Meliodas know that Barzad has been bitten by a werefox!"

"What's happened?!" Meliodas shouts running over

"Captain! Elizabeth just suddenly started acting strangely" Diane explains

"There you are Meliodas! The knight have sent word for you... That Barzad has been seriously injured" She says with a smile

"...It can't be... You..." Meliodas says keeping Ayano behind him

Merlin walks over "Let me see her" She takes hold of Elizabeth's chin "Princess Elizabeth, do you know who I am?"

"It's been a long time, Merlin... I hardly recognised you... Looking so young..." Elizabeth says "Are you still living by yourself in Belialuin. Did you come to see Meliodas again today?"

Elizabeth suddenly faints and Meliodas catches her. He walks upstairs to her room and places her down on her bed. The other sins follow behind him looking worried, Ayano stands in the back of the group with no expression.

They all stand in Elizabeth's room, Meliodas kneels beside the bed looking at her.

"Merlin... Do you know the cause of this?" Ban asks

Merlin glances at Ayano before looking at the rest of the group "This is probably the effects of Zeldris' magic from when she freed me from his curse yesterday"

"Does that mean it's moved on to Elizabeth now?!" Diane asks panicked

"No" Meliodas replies "her memories have started to return"

"Y...You mean her past lives?! That's incredible!!" Diane shouts

"Past lives? What are you talking about?" King asks

"This is gonna shock the pants off of you King!" Diane says "Apparently Elizabeth has been reincarnated dozens of time over the last 3000 years, each time losing all her memories of her previous life! That's why she was saying she wanted to get back her memories of her past lives to us earlier."

"Watch your mouth, Diane!" Merlin shouts 

"Captain's the one being mean! He purposely ignored Elizabeth when she tried to talk to him about it and lied to her!" Diane argues

"It's all over now, it won't take long for all of her memories to return and once that happens... Elizabeth will die in three days," Meliodas tells them

"D-Die" Diane stutters "You're kidding right captain?!" she looks at Ayano who looks away

"That is our destiny" Meliodas says "There's no longer any need to keep quiet about it. So I'll tell you everything about the true purpose of my 3000-year journey"