Our First Fall (Melizabeth)

7. In the Shadows

Jelamet and I had broken through our first friendship barrier. We were heading to Charity's home to brainstorm with Emilee and I was grateful to have my friend in a happier place. I'd explained that I felt desire too and that I didn't think the boxes this society put us in did women justice. Our options in life were limited.

Our plans? To expand a woman's options to anything a man could do. Not surprisingly, many of the ladies we spoke to supported our ideas.

We wanted to be able to have our own homes if we wanted to live alone. To farm, or be a council member or even join the army if we wanted. Together we had made a formal request to express our want to the council and Lady Graelle sponsored us. She let us do the heavy lifting but told us, on our own that there was a reason she chose to be headmistress rather than take any hand offered her. She humbly told us 'there had been many offers in my prime'.

Naturally, there were those who opposed. A few from the women in our hall of the Temple. "From one extreme to the next, huh Elizabeth?" A goddess said, having been against my opposition to the war as well. Her long blonde hair flipping in my face as she passed. "Just love the attention. It's not enough to draw every eye as you glide by?" I flushed as the friend she was with laughed.

I didn't tell Jelamet, but I told Meliodas when I had seen him next. He told me "It's all your soft curves, no matter how much I look I can't seem to stop." I had been embarrassed at the compliment, having always thought being born of the Supreme Deity had been what drew others eyes to me.

We had played another game of hoop ball and he joked about making it a strip game. I had almost caught fire when he explained if he made a point then I had to take off a piece of my clothing, and the same for him if I made a point. We didn't, at my refusal, but he had taken my hand.

He had no idea what that meant and I shook.

I explained that holding hands, to the goddess clan was a sign of 'intention' and he made me explain what 'intentions' were exactly. I told him 'coupling' and he laughed as he got me to start fumbling through an explanation of laying together before I ended his games of embarrassing me. I had the feeling Demons didn't give many qualms about sharing their bodies with one another and I silently wondered how many had known Meliodas' body.

"Are you even listening, Elizabeth?' Jelamet was flying backward, waving her hands in front of my face. "The Fairies are here!" I turned to where she was pointing and I spotted Gloxinia. Jelamet waved me off. "I'll just meet you there, you'll be fine for the next block or so."

"Or you spotted Davian over there," I tell her, pointing to the man flying up ahead. She had the decency to give me a small shrug. I had been honest, that I didn't agree with her being a side-woman but that her feelings were valid. She deserved to be the main focus. Jelamet flew off after her taken man as Gloxinia spotted me.

We'd met months ago when he'd come to ally with us in the war. Our entire clan's forces had been positioned closer to the fairy's forest for max protection and word is our military main-base is there. Our alliance guaranteed the other clan would defend each other in an attack.

We touched shoulders, a common greeting amongst both our kind.

"You look well." He noted and I spoke a small greeting back, asking after his sister. After a few noted updated in our lives, we glided together with Gloxinia leading.

"What's going on?" I asked after we caught up. The other fairies had gone into the Archangel compound and I started to feel anxious again. The truce had held for over two and a half months. Meliodas and I had met every three days and I feared a spark in the fights for more reasons than I had before. He'd be drawn into the fights and I'd be uselessly spreading my views. We wouldn't see each other anymore. We'd be enemies again just for what we were.