There Is No Darkness Without Light

Chapter 7

"Lord Meliodas!" A guard called out as Meliodas reached the gate of the castle. Meliodas groaned as he turned around on the spot. He was hoping to avoid anyone till tomorrow morning.
"What? Can I help you?" Meliodas growled. He didn't have the time nor the patience to deal with this. It was late and he wanted his bed.
"My Lord. Your father wishes to speak to you. Again" The guard pointed to the castle. Meliodas rolled his eyes.
"What could he want now?" Meliodas ran a hand down his face.
"I do not know My Lord" The guard shrugged. Meliodas walked forward and then turned back to the guard.
"Did he make you wait outside for me?"
"Yes, Sir" The guard nodded.
"How long have you been waiting?" Meliodas cocked his left eyebrow.
"Only a few hours"
"A few hours?!" Meliodas exclaimed. He looked at the ground. It showed signs of rain "You've been standing here in the rain"
"I'm fine with it. I don't mind. It keeps me out of the castle"
"That I can understand" Meliodas nodded his head "Very well. I shall head over there. Now go and take a break" He then flew up into the air and flew quickly to the castle.

"Once again, You are late!" Meliodas's Father once again bellowed as Meliodas kicked the doors open to the main hall. For once, It was brightly lit. His Father as well as his younger brother, were at the other end of the hall "Can you ever do anything on time?" Meliodas groaned.
"Geeze, Would you chill out? Try saying hello before shouting at me"
"Do not speak back to me like that"
"Whatever" Meliodas rolled his eyes at his Father.
"Why are you late back? You were supposed to be back at sundown"
"I was out looking for the child" Meliodas crossed his arms.
"Any luck?" The Demon King sat a little more upright.
"I arrived at a town somewhere in the south. I heard rumours that She was there. There was a Goddess Patrol there" Meliodas lied easily.
"Was the Child with them?"
"No. I followed them to make sure"
"Was she with the group?" Demon King drummed his finger on the chair. Meliodas knew who he was on about.
"She was the main reason I was late. I was on my way back when I saw her speaking to a young child. Naturally, I thought it best to investigate, but it turns out that the child was a midget who lived among the Humans" Meliodas lied. Again.
"Why didn't you kill her? Turn the battle against the light in favour of the dark" The Demon King glared.
"I wasn't about to kill a Goddess in front of a random human. If we can show them that we don't always start the fight, We might be able to convince some of them to join our cause"
"Your love of humans will be your downfall" Zeldris spoke up. The Demon King agreed with him.
"It ain't just that, Most of our food sources come from them" Meliodas put two fingers up at his brother.
"Most food they have, We grow ourselves" Zeldris folded his arms.
"I wasn't just on about food. You lot eat souls. We need to keep some humans on our side so you lot," Meliodas twirled his fingers in a circle "Can keep up your strength" Most Demons ate human souls. Meliodas was considered a vegetarian in his race as he refused to eat souls. Animal or Human. He claimed the essence didn't agree with his stomach.
"Can you two shut up, Giving me a headache" The Demon King pinched his nose "Leave me! I wish to be alone" Zeldris bowed and walked off. Meliodas stayed on the spot "What do you want?"
"I want to go to The Human Realm. Spend a few weeks among them" Meliodas dropped his hands to his side.
"Why the Humans?" The Demon King narrowed his eyes at his oldest Son. Even Zeldris frowned.
"Father, We have checked The Fairy Realm, The Giant's Realm. The Vampire's Castle. We even check The Child's hometown. I just spent all day in The Goddess Realm. No sign of her. All that's left is The Humans"
"And why do you want to go? I could easily send a squad to check the realm out"
"Most of the guard refuses to put their darkness away. It would create gossip among Humans. Word will spread and if the child is in the realm, She could end up doing a runner" Meliodas paced up and down in front of the Throne "There aren't many of our race that can walk freely among them and get away with it" The Demon King clicked his tongue before turning to Zeldris
"Lord Zeldris, What do you think?"
"I don't like the idea of Meliodas going by himself. Especially since she is flying around" Lord Zeldris turned his back to Meliodas.
"We both know that he is more than capable of fighting" The King looked past Zeldris towards Meliodas "But Meliodas is the best tracker we have. The Humans will be comfortable around him. For some reason, People listen to him" Meliodas pouted before moving behind Lord Zeldris.
"Yeah, Thanks for talking like I wasn't here" The Demon Prince clenched his fists. He turned back to his Father "Allow me to do this. As you said, I am more than capable of fighting" The Demon King paused for a few minutes.
"Very well. Search the Human Realm. When is the latest you can leave?"
"Tomorrow, Midday. The most I will be gone for is a month at most. I might even try and kill some Goddesses while I am at"
"Very well. Now, Get out of my sight" The Demon King waved Meliodas away. Meliodas bowed and walked calmly out of the room. Once he was out of earshot. Meliodas did a kerching. He was over the moon to be spending a month at most away from The Demon Realm. More importantly, A month away from his Father's eye.

Meliodas walked the halls of the castle, He looked out of a window. On the other side of the lake was The City of light.
"I wonder what that Goddess is doing?" He thought. It was only the second day of knowing Elizabeth and he was already missing her.
"Young Master!" Meliodas mentally groaned as he spun on his heel. He spotted Chandler running down the hall.
"What now?"
"I just wanted to see if you are okay. You seem rather deep in thought" Chandler stamped his stick on the ground.
"I was thinking about that lot on the other side of the pond" Meliodas waved his hand to the Goddess Realm "I want to know what they are thinking. What they are planning? Do they know where the Traitor Child is?"
"I wouldn't concern yourself with that lot. They are wastes of space. The sooner that they are eradicated, The better off we will be"
"My thoughts exactly" Meliodas fibbed. He didn't want to end The Goddess. Well, he didn't want to end Elizabeth's life.
"Right you better get to bed. You need to leave in the morning" Meliodas went to walk off.
"Oh, If I find you standing over me when I wake up. I'll slice you in half" Meliodas warned the Pacifier Demon.
"Young Master. I only have your best interests at heart"
"Disrupting my sleep is not in your best interest. Now be gone. Your face is bothering me" Meliodas walked off to his room. A shiver went down his spine. Once Chandler had left him, Meliodas had to try not to skip to his room.

Meliodas woke up two hours before he was due to meet Elizabeth. He had to pack for the next month. He knew he couldn't wear the Royal uniform (He hated it anyway. Which is why he spent most of the time covered in darkness) So he wandered to the double wardrobe and picked out an outfit. It was a green crop top with a matching armband. The trouser was green as well and had a chain on the side. He also picked out some white boots.
"I guess this will be fine. I don't get why humans were this stuff but it has to be better than the Royal crap I get made to wear"
*KNOCK*KNOCK*
"That had better not be Chandler" Meliodas grumbled as he stormed over to the door. He made his eyes purple. He flung it open "I swear to the Gods, What do you want Chandler?" Meliodas grumbled.
"Think you need your eyes testing" Meliodas, Little Brother, Zeldris spoke. Meliodas rolled his eyes and walked back to the bag he was packing.
"What do you want Zeldris?" Meliodas looked over his shoulder "And shut the damn door. Don't want Chandler in here. Can't stand that twat"
"Most can't. At Least Cusack ain't a cry baby" Zeldris agreed "Anyway, I was making sure you had everything set for today"
"This isn't the first time I have gone away for a month" Meliodas closed his bag up.
"I'm still gonna ask" Zeldris shrugged. Zeldris walked closer to Meliodas "Do you know where Merlin is?" He whispered as he sat on the bed.
"Yes," Meliodas still refused to look at his Brother.
"Why didn't you bring her in"
"Father was going to kill her slowly. I thought it best to send her to The Goddesses. But when I found out The Supreme Deity was going to do the same thing. I let her go" Zeldris gasped. He couldn't believe that Meliodas was protecting another person.
"Getting soft ain't ya?" Zeldris raised an eyebrow "Is that why you want to go to The Humans? Is that where she is?"
"I left her with the Beastman clan two full moons ago, they are always on the move. Once I find them, I'm taking her to Istar where she will then be the Druids' problem"
"Ain't they loyal to the Goddesses?" Zeldris leant his elbows on his knees.
"I didn't think of that" Meliodas muttered.
"Why not leave her with the Beastmen?"
"Did Father tell you how old Merlin is?"
"He said she is 11"
"He was wrong. Merlin stopped ageing at 11. She is nearly 21. Well, will be in a month" Zeldris's mouth dropped. 
"So why are you protecting her? She is of age to look after herself"
"She still looks like a child. The day after she turns 21, She will grow into her adult body. After that. She can deal with the world herself" Meliodas shrugged.
"You know what will happen if Father finds out, Don't you?" Zeldris whispered again.
"Do you think I care? That bastard is going down. And I will be the one that ensures he does, Even if it takes me a thousand years" Meliodas clenched his fists as he gripped his bag "Now get out. I need to go. Do not burn the place down till I get back"
"I won't be able to. I'm going to the north for a week" Meliodas stopped in his tracks.
"Why?"
"I just am. Do I need to explain my actions?" Zeldris folded his arms. Meliodas turned to face his Brother.
"Hope she is worth it" Meliodas whistled as he left the room. Zeldris gasped as he tried to follow Meliodas. All while screaming at him. Meliodas worked out a long time ago that Zeldris had someone he wanted to protect. Zeldris didn't go from a fun, Caring person to a heartless bastard overnight. Meliodas just didn't know who. Of course, He had his suspicions on who got Zeldris all flustered but Meliodas knew that if his Father found out then, Either Zeldris or his love will be killed. Possibly both. Meliodas didn't accept that. He could not bare to lose another person he cared about. Even if he didn't show it.