Our First Fall (Melizabeth)

10. A Little Defiance

I couldn't go back to sleep. I missed him. It had been less than twenty minutes and even though my body was tired I didn't want to skip a moment of our time. We were from different clans, both a hair's breadth away from another hundred years of death, battles, and hatred. It had been going on my entire life and this truce is the first taste of peace, of happiness, I've ever had.

The blankets were warm but I slipped out of them, grabbing my shoes from under the bed and I step from my room. If I was quiet and quick, I may be able to leave here without anyone's notice, so I could wait at the gate for Meliodas.

I knew my body was not fully recovered when I reached the doors to leave and hadn't spotted Lady Graelle until it was too late. I had been too involved in my thoughts, going over what Meliodas had done to my body not hours before.

"Oh, dear girl, do you still have a fever?" Lady Graelle's concerned, coming forward to touch my forehead. "Oh, hot as a boiling pot." The kind old lady wraps her arm around my shoulders but I resist her guidance.

"I'll lay down after I walk with Meliodas," I tell her, smiling at her in an attempt at reassurance.

"Oh, he can get on without you." She insists, perhaps trying to reassure me. Again, she tries to guide me back toward the way I came. Her long floor length dress hung from her shoulders loosely and her slippers poked out when she walked.

"No." I put my foot down, turning from Lady Graelle's embrace with a speed I didn't know I had. She huffed, her eyes wide in shock before a little smile graced her lips, as if proud.

"I'll blame that on the fever, young lady." She chides, miffed but I wave bye to her and head down the street to the main gate. I had to hurry if I wanted to be there when he arrived. I hadn't brought a companion with me so I did get a few long confused looks. Since Meliodas and I had our first lunch together on the steps of the compound I've gotten plenty of strange expressions directed at me.

The sun had risen. Above, the sky is clear and I wanted to fly up but I hadn't put on pants as I hadn't been the one to dress myself today. I grew warm, thinking of it but stayed low to the ground to keep my panties from being shown off. When I reached the flower-lined path, I turned, heading toward the gates.

Up ahead, they were still closed and I dropped to the walkway. The wind blew through the bars. I breathed in, closing my eyes and turning to the sun to soak it in. I felt tired but, good, better. My wings stretched out and I fluttered them as if shaking the rain from them. I felt him, his aura and I grinned in anticipation as he and his companions dropped to the platform. With joy swelling in my bosom I opened my eyes and turned to my special friend, away from the sun to something better.

"What a beautiful sight, Elizabeth." He admires, just on the other side of the gold bars. I gave him a once-over, thinking he looked pretty good himself while flushing, pleased at his words. He'd buttoned his shirt but his cloak was gone, having kept the same clothes on from before but a pale blue cloth was in his breast pocket. The little bow familiar to me.

Oh. Ooooh! "You give that back right this instant!" I demand, jumping to the gate's bars and reaching forward to grab at my dirty undergarment. He must have found them on my floor! I'd kicked them off before I'd given myself that scented bath and it wasn't like I had time to clean them before his arrival.

He laughs, laughs! Skidding back just out of reach and I glare.

"Meliodas!" I scold, weaving my arm back through the gate and crossing them under my breasts with a huff. "When this gate opens..." I warn and it's like my wish was heard and granted as the gates separate.

"Oh, don't be angry with me." He soothes, still chuckling so any sympathy I may have had didn't rise.

"How can I not be!" I explain but realize Zeldris is looking between us in confusion. "Hello again, Zeldris." I say, giving him a wave and then greeting Chandler and Cusack. The two elders barely gave me a head nod but Zeldris was polite today. Walking with Meliodas each morning meant I also walked with them.