There Is No Darkness Without Light

Chapter 10

"What are we going to do with you?" Meliodas speaks. The man begins to shake with fear. Meliodas looks at the man "Are you scared, little man?"
"Look, man...I ...I just wanted a shot with her" The man points at Elizabeth. Elizabeth rolls her eyes.
"Sorry but you are not my type" Elizabeth dismisses the man's advances. This comment seems to anger the drunk. The man stumbles towards Elizabeth.
"Look Lady, I don't like being told no. Now be a good little wrench and come with me" The man went to grab Elizabeth but Meliodas stands up, pushing him back to the wall. His mark is out in full on his forehead.
"The lady said no. Now run along before I reach down your throat and ripped your spleen out" The man stumbles over his feet and runs out the door as soon Meliodas smiles at him "That's what I thought. Chicken shit!" Meliodas shouts after the man. He sits back down next to Elizabeth.

After a while. Elizabeth finally relaxes.
"So are all men like that when drunk?" Elizabeth asks. Head tilted to the right side "Are they all sleaze balls that can't wait to be in bed with a woman"
"Some men are. Like 90% of the male species" Meliodas raised his eyebrows.
"Are you?" Elizabeth quizzed.
"Well ain't you an inquisitive Goddess?" Meliodas says almost in a very sexy tone "Would you want me to be?"
"I don't know yet" Elizabeth replies. Hearing Elizabeth speak fascinates him. Elizabeth blushes as Meliodas suddenly stares deep into her eyes. He takes a deep breath as he fights with himself not to smile with every word The Goddess speaks. Meliodas then coughs.
"So urm, Anything else you wanna know?" Meliodas ponders as he downs his Ale.
"So is it easy to turn your eyes on and off?" Elizabeth stutters. Trying to change the subject.
"It can be as easy as just blinking" Meliodas blinked a few times. His eyes changed with each blink.
"What about the dark purple swirl thing you can do? How easy is that?"
"It's not easy with this jacket on" Meliodas pulled at his collar "The only thing I can show you is the swirls on my arms" Elizabeth lent closer to Meliodas as she ran a finger along the Demon's arms "Does my darkness not hurt you?"
"It tingles but that's about it" Elizabeth traced the swirls "Do you have to be a Royal Demon or a commandment to control the purple stuff?"
"The darkness is just another part of our DNA" Meliodas explained.
"Can it cover every part of you?"
"Every part" Meliodas nodded. Elizabeth was still blushing.
"And it doesn't hurt?"
"Nope," Meliodas shook his head "I will admit that I prefer wearing my darkness to that Royal uniform my father makes me wear. That stuff feels horrid. It itches like hell" Meliodas admitted as he shudders. Elizabeth chuckled. She then yawned.
"Apologies"
"It's alright. Come on. Let's get back to the Inn, The music is quite daunting, is it not?" Meliodas points to the stairs leading outside. Elizabeth raises an eyebrow at him "Do you trust me?" Meliodas gazes into Elizabeth's eyes. She thinks about her words before she makes her choice.
"Yes, I trust you" Elizabeth's eyes soften at Meliodas. It was true, She does trust him.

Meliodas leads them both back to the Inn. Meliodas walks closer to Elizabeth, His hearts beat faster. Her smell intoxicates him. They started to make their way to their room when they were pulled to the side by the Innkeeper.
"Sorry to say this but I need to move ya two to a different room" The Innkeeper spoke.
"Why?" Meliodas demanded.
"The river rose higher than normal this morning and your room got caught up. Your stuff is fine but I thought it best to move you in case it flooded again tonight. The only downside is that the room has only one bed" The Innkeeper scrunched half his face up. Meliodas ran a hand through his hair.
"It's fine. Where are we staying now?"
"Go down that hall, Past the double wooden doors and it's the first room on the right. No other rooms near ya" The innkeeper said as he threw a set of keys on the desk "Sorry again"
"No need to keep apologizing. You can't stop mother nature" Elizabeth insisted.
"By rights, I have to. Plus, It's cheaper by at least 10 coins" The man shrugged as held the key out for the pair.
"Cheers, Mate" Meliodas took the key and guide himself and Elizabeth to the room.

The room itself was cosy and just like the Innkeeper said, There was only one bed. The window had a view of the countryside. You could just make out The Cloud Distract in the background.
"Here we are," He says, as Elizabeth enters. She nodded and sits down. Meliodas walks over to a nearby dresser where there was a pitcher of water "Do you want a glass of water?"
"Oh yes, please. Thank you" Meliodas serves Elizabeth the drink, Taking a glass for himself. He then proceeds to sit down next to Elizabeth. He drinks the water quickly and stands up. Her eyebrows raise in surprise "You seem nervous"
"Do I?" Meliodas cocked his head to the left.
"It seems like you are" Elizabeth fiddled with her hair "Do I make you nervous?"
"Far from it" Meliodas scoffed "We've been sleeping in the same room for two weeks now. Nothing makes me nervous"
"Then what is on your mind?" Elizabeth tilted her head at the Demon.
"I'm just wondering how the sleeping arrangements are gonna work out" The Demon shrugged.
"Well the bed is big enough for the both of us, We could share?" Elizabeth tucked her hair behind her ear.
"I've never shared a bed before" Meliodas chuckled.
"Me neither" Elizabeth looked up at Meliodas. He was at the dresser, Staring at the glass in his hand "There is something else on your mind, Isn't there?"
"You gonna hate me" Meliodas muttered. His hands gripping the dresser.
"Try me" Elizabeth scratched her nose.
"I wasn't completely honest about why I came here. Yes, My Father sent me to look for the child. Like your mother did but what they don't know is that I know where the child is" Meliodas mumbled under his breath. His gaze was still on the glass in his hand.
"You do?" Elizabeth was a little taken aback.
"Yes," Meliodas look up and out the window. Elizabeth sat upright and sat on her knees "Elizabeth, You have to believe when I say that I wanted to tell you"
"So, Why didn't you say anything beforehand?" Elizabeth played with the hem of her dress.
"My father and your mother are going to kill her" Meliodas sighed "I thought it best to send her to The Druids"
"Is that why you wanted to come to The Human Realm? Is she here?"
"Yeah, 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 Druid's problem"
"Ain't the Druids loyal to the My Mother?" Elizabeth fiddled with the bottom of her dress.
"I didn't think of that" Meliodas sat up "I don't really know who I could leave her with"
"What about Sir Drole and Sir Gloxinia?" Elizabeth clicked her fingers.
"I highly doubt they will trust me. I've killed way too many of their clans" Meliodas shook his head.
"I could take her to them. They trust me"
"If we can find the Beastman then we can go from there. Besides, she might not even want to leave them" Meliodas sighed "Elizabeth, Were you ever told how old the child really is?"
"I was told she was 11"
"That was what my Father told me too but did you know that the child stopped ageing at 11?"
"How old is she then?"
"She is nearly 21. Well, will be in a month" Elizabeth's mouth dropped "That's when her spell runs out. While she is a child, She is easily sensed but as a fully grown adult. She can hide all by herself"
"What is her name?" Elizabeth quizzed.
"Merlin. At the minute she is about yay big" Meliodas held his hand to his chest "Black hair. Goldeyes. Beauty spot on her cheek"
"So why can't you leave her with The Beasts?" Elizabeth tilted her head.
"It was only a temporary situation" Meliodas shrugged.
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I didn't trust you" Meliodas looked at the floor.
"I see"
"But I do now" Meliodas spun around to face Elizabeth. He dropped to one knee in front of Elizabeth "I still don't quite understand it"
"Meliodas" Elizabeth looked at Meliodas with soft eyes "I understand"
"You do?"
"Meliodas, I didn't trust you either, Remember? I thought you were going to kill me when we first met and had the same thought on our second and third meetings. Part of me still thinks that one night, I will find you standing over me with a dagger in hand"
"Elizabeth, Please believe me when I say that I will never hurt you. I can't explain what you do to me. I want to know more about you" Meliodas sat back on his heels "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about Merlin"
"It's fine"
"It's not. I should have been honest with you from the start"
"Yes, But you had your reasons. As long as she is safe, Then that is all that matters" Elizabeth crossed her leg over her other leg "So what do you wanna talk about?"