Ruthless

Merlin

"Ban, where are we?" Diane demanded.

Elizabeth, Diane, Gelda, Zeldris and Estarossa were following Ban through town. He kept dragging them through alleys and Diane, being quite tall, kept hitting her head off things. Like plants.

"Shh, just trust me!" Ban shushed her complaint. He led them through multiple more streets before stopping at a round, towering structure. He knocked on the door then just leisurely strolled in. "Hey, Merlin! I need your help!"

"What is it this time?" A voice sighed. "Come on up."

Ban led them out of the waiting room, up the spiralling staircase to a heavy wooden door. He pushed it open and inside was a large room filled with experiments and trinkets and little fiddly bits and bobs.

Merlin stood in the middle of the room. "Ban, what's going on this time? Please, everyone sit."

They all took a seat on the chairs in one corner of the room.

"Well, we got a situation." Ban smirked.

"More information please." Merlin said, then paused and took in the sight in front of her. "Well, what's a Giant, a human, two demons and a goddess doing together?"

"And a vampire." Gelda offered, raising her hand slightly.

"Well, to put it simply," Estarossa started. "Elizabeth's fiancé Meliodas, and Zeldris and I's brother, got kidnapped and is currently being tortured by an unknown person."

"I see." Merlin's eyebrows furrowed. "How do you know about him being tortured?"

"This." Elizabeth showed Merlin her mark.

Merlin started "Well, Elizabeth, I think-"

Merlin was cut off by a screech of pain that erupted from Elizabeth's lips. Elizabeth gripped her right wrist in pain.

Merlin jumped into action immediately. "Estarossa, Ban, put her on the bed." Merlin pointed to the bed in the corner that just appeared.

Elizabeth was placed on the bed. She writhed around in lots of pain. Elizabeth was gripping her arm so tightly bruises formed on her wrist; black and blue and green and yellow.

After fifteen minutes of screams and moans, Diane couldn't take it any more. Diane ran down stairs, tears trickling down her face. Gelda ran after her.

After an hour and a half of silence and screams, Elizabeth collapsed on the bed, a sweaty mess.

"Hey, Elizabeth, you okay?" Estarossa asked, concerned. He had taken a liking to her.

"I-I'm okay..." Elizabeth replied weakly, with a faint smile. "I think I-I'd like to sleep now, is that o-okay Merlin?"

"Yes, princess. You can sleep now." Merlin answered, half concerned half interested.

"Princess... Huh... Funny..." Elizabeth smiled weakly, sounding tired but amused. "Ban calls me that... But then again... I am... Funny..." Elizabeth sounded very drowsy now, almost delirious. "Meliodas... He called me princess once... On the cliff... I miss him... I wonder, I wonder if-"

"Don't worry." Zeldris burst out impulsively, grabbing her hand in a sudden splay of emotion, squeezing it tightly. "We'll find him."

"Thank you..." Elizabeth smiled drowsily at Zeldris. "You're kind... A lot like your brother. Not like the rest of your kind... strange." She laughed a short, tinkling laugh. "It's strange to think that I'm sitting here holding hands with a demon... Nevermind almost being married to one..."

"Sorry." Zeldris said shortly, dropping Elizabeth's hand quickly. He looked away, embarrassed at his outburst.

"No, it's fine..." Elizabeth yawned. She rolled onto her side and whispered "I love you, Mel... Please be alive..." And fell asleep.

"Now, let's talk about our course of action." Merlin said. "I think that we need to find out where he is first. Any ideas?"

"Nope."

"That's not helping." Merlin sighed. "What about who the kidnapper might be?"

"We know that it is a female and it's something to do with revenge." Estarossa replied.

"Well, we have virtually no clue about anything, except it's revenge based and that the kidnapper is female." Merlin sighed again. "Not much to go on."

The door to Merlin's lab was suddenly flung open. King floated in the doorway, Diane and Gelda behind him.

"I know who took Meliodas." King stated.

Everyone jumped to their feet. "Who?!?"

"You won't know who she is." King seethed. "I'm gonna snap that bitches' neck how dare she-"

"Woah, calm it buddy." Estarossa said. "Who is she?"

"Yeah, and how come you are so concerned?" Ban pointed out. "I thought you despised him?"

"That's not important right now." King brushed Ban's comment off. "It's Rhyia."

"No way!" Zeldris jumped to his feet, livid as King. "I should have known." He started to swear, just like King. "That, slimy, dumb, narcissistic, delusional, sick twisted bitch, fuck, shit, fuck fuck fuck-"

"Okay, who the heck is Rhyia and why do you know her?" Estarossa asked, exasperated.

"Okay." King said. "Rhyia was a fairy about my age who, when Meliodas and I were friends, would always be around. She would stare at Meliodas like a lovesick puppy. She wouldn't shut up about him."

"When I was held captive by the fairies, she was a guard sometimes. She would say what she wanted to do to him, marry him and stuff. It was disgusting." Zeldris butted in.

"Yeah. And over the years, she started going insane over him, and got banished from the clan. We have been looking for her for a while now, ever since she butchered a lot of demons and almost broke the "peace" treaty." King said.

"Damn." Estarossa whistled quietly.

"Well, do you know where he is?" Merlin inquired urgently.

"I do!" Elizabeth yelled, sitting bolt up right. "He's in the basement of the house on 46th of Caren Street in a village just ten minutes west of Balance Point!"

"Well, let's go get him!" King yelled.

"Not yet." Merlin smirked. "Escanor?"

"Yes Merlin?" Escanor walked out. "You needed something?"

"What do you say about helping rescue my friend's friend with them?"

"If you want me to." He replied.

"Well, go with them." Merlin instructed. "See that they live as long as possible."

"Yes Merlin."

Everyone stood up. "Let's go." Diane said grimly.

"Wait! Take me with you!" Elizabeth begged.

"No, princess." Merlin said firmly. "You're too weak in this state. And I don't want you giving their position up if he is hurt again."

"I see." Elizabeth said, her eyes watering. She turned to Zeldris and regarded him with tear filled eyes. "You promise?"

"I promise." Zeldris answered. The others looked at them, confused. Merlin raised an eyebrow.

As they were leaving, Ban grinned and called "Are we still having tea on Tuesday, Merlin?"

"Yes." Merlin replied with a smirk. "Assuming you live, that is."