Can I have Your Daughter?

Chapter 16

Mama Hawk had landed on the level plains high in the northern mountains. After spending the day and night traveling as quickly as she could, they had arrived to the hidden summer palace of the northern kingdom of Direneth.

Ahead of them was a castle situated in rocks, a single narrow path leading from the snowy plain all the way up to the main gates was the only entrance.

Meliodas stood on Mama Hawk's large nose, looking out over the soon to be battlefield. Even though they weren't attacking yet, he could feel the presence of many low powered energies surrounding the castle and guarding the entrance to the path. They would soon attack, and the sins would give them one hell of a fight.

King floated nearby, examining the terrain ahead while Ban yawned at Meliodas' side. He knew they were all prepared to fight. They had been since seeing the castle in the distance.

"Captain, how did you know that the person who took Elizabeth was from Direneth? We only just found out before coming to bust you out." King asked a question he had been wanting to ask for the last twenty-four hours or so.

"I saw the royal Direneth crest on his cloak. It's not the first time I've ever seen it, so it was pretty easy to figure out." Meliodas pointed ahead to a flag flying high above the castle displaying the same crest as the one he had seen on Atlas' cloak before taking Elizabeth. Just the mere flash of him touching her was enough to boil his blood.

"And how did you know he wasn't going to take the Princess to the castle in their own capital?"

Meliodas raised a brow to that one, giving a smile that said the answer was obvious, "Don't be stupid. The guy swooped in and kidnapped Elizabeth right in front of the Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins. He'd have to be an idiot to go somewhere so obvious. He would expect that I would come looking for her."

"Make's sense." Ban shrugged.

Diane came around the side of Mama Hawk, having returned to her normal height. Merlin and Gowther stood not far away.

A thought suddenly occurred to Meliodas and he turned to his team. This was something he needed to get out of his system before all hell broke loose. "By the way, which one of you was it that told Elizabeth anyways, how did she get the ring?" His voice was even, and even held a bit of playfulness.

All of the other's eyes went wide, some lingering on Ban before quickly turning away.

Ban rose his hand, though, taking responsibility, "Yeah, that was me. My bad," grinned, having no remorse in his voice or face.

Meliodas shook his head, rolling his eyes, "Yeah should have figured it was you." He sighed, "Thanks, man. I probably would have stayed in that cell and never known this guy was such bad news."

Ban's brows shot up curiously, as did everyone else'.

In a split second, though, Meliodas had unsheathed the blade that Liz had given him and Ban was torn in half. His body fell, and he started laughing as he began to pull himself together, having recovered from the initial shock. Everyone else, save Gowther, watched Meliodas with wide eyes.

"Next time, when I say captain's orders, I mean it." Meliodas warned, with his usual grin in place. And he meant it. They were rogues of the kingdom now, and even though he trusted them with far more than just his life, he needed to know that they would follow his orders, even when they didn't have an obligation to do so anymore. Though, he had to admit he was glad it had been Ban. Making an example out of him was far easier a task than any of the others. He HAD promised to kill the person who spilled the beans. So, keeping his word, without losing any of his team was preferred.