Ruthless

Broken Jaws & Armies

Zeldris had spent most of that day training. The Supreme Deity hadn't let him leave, and he had been doing the same thing for over six hours. The Supreme Deity seemed perfectly content to just stand there and watch. She only stopped to remove some small children from the field; they were staring and chatting, presumably about Zeldris, and pointing.

Zeldris stood up and tried to slow he ragged breathing. The Supreme Deity had just cast her spell to let him breath. He panted and glared up at the Goddesses' Leader.

"Come now, catch your breath, you're done for today, I know others are missing you." She said promptly with a small hand gesture.

Zeldris caught his breath. "Yeah, I guessed that, considering you didn't let me tell my brother and his wife that I was with you," he snapped back snarkily. "Oh and my lover, who in case you didn't realise, is an emotional wreck and carrying my child-"

"Enough! I will not tolerate this disrespect!" She cut him off in a voice that seemed to rattle through the skies. With one fluid movement, her hand connected with his jaw. Zeldris jumped back in surprise, hand on his sword hilt and one hand on his rapidly bruising jaw. "Remove your hand, Prince Zeldris, now come along, it is nearly midnight in Britannia."

She waved her hand and a portal appeared. She stepped through and Zeldris quickly followed. They walked in relative silence all the way.

When they arrived in the Throne room, Zeldris immediately noticed that it was dark outside. Though in the Goddess Realm the sky had barely gotten dim, you could barely see past the fortress walls in the Human Realm.

"On you go, to your family, they are waiting in you and Gelda's room," The Supreme Deity informed him. Zeldris nodded and headed towards the door. "Oh, and Zeldris? Your jaw is broken, in four places, I think, so it'll take a few hours to heal."

Zeldris muttered "Thanks for that, by the way." And left the throne room. He had to stop himself from sprinting.

Inside Gelda and Zeldris's room, Gelda was sitting on her bed, playing with Barkley. Elizabeth and Meliodas sat at the table. They were waiting for Zeldris to return. Or rather, hoping he'd return sometime soon, but it was getting towards midnight and they were losing hope of that.

So you can imagine their surprise when Zeldris walked in. He didn't look in the best of conditions. Hair messed up; dirty and ripped clothes; bruises on his hands and his legs; bruised and swelling jaw; he looked like he'd been beaten up.

"Zeldris?" Elizabeth asked unsurely and rose from her chair. "What happened to you?"

Zeldris started to explain. "Well-"

A loud, sharp slap echoed throughout the room, and Zeldris stopped talking. Gelda had gotten up and backhanded him across the jaw. Right where it was broken. She glared at him.

"Just where on earth have you been? You just disappear and don't tell any of us, even me, and you didn't leave any sort of message whatsoever?" She yelled, with a stamp of her foot. "Who the hell does that? And then you go away all day, and I have to sit here all day not knowing where you are or what you're doing. Were you fighting? I don't know." Gelda snapped, no trace of her usually quiet demeanor.

Zeldris rubbed his already sore jaw and tried to explain. "Gelda, I-"

"Shut up, I'm not finished." She cut him off scornfully.

Meliodas stood up and took Elizabeth's hand. "Yeah, we're going to leave you two to work this out, come find us once you're done."

The couple left the room and closed the door so that people couldn't hear their argument as well. Gelda could shout when she wanted to.

"-We could have needed you and I wouldn't be able to find you. You can't just disappear off like that. I spent all day worrying about you, and then you just walk in here like nothing happened?"  Gelda shouted. She put her hands around her growing bump and looked down. "I was worried, Zeldris, I couldn't stop thinking about you, about what would happen if- if you never came back." Her voice trembled and her eyes watered. She cursed her pregnancy; it made her emotions go all over the place.

Zeldris wrapped his arms around her and she leaned into him. Gelda was shaking, a result of her outburst. "I will always come back, remember that, okay? And I got dragged to the Goddess Realm by the Supreme Deity, she seemed to think that getting me used to the atmosphere would help me grow stronger." He explained gently.

"Wow, I feel stupid now, I'm sorry I yelled," Gelda apologised sheepishly.

"And I'm sorry if I worried you, can we just forget this whole argument?" Zeldris asked.

"I'd like that." She agreed. Gelda kissed him on the lips.

"So, how is the little prince or princess today, then?" Zeldris asked Gelda with a small grin. He sat down in the bed, but made sure to stay away from Barkley.

She sat beside him and pulled Barkley onto her lap. "Same as always, they're getting big." Gelda replied. "The other day, Merli-"

There was a knock on the door. "Are you two done? We've got a problem." Meliodas asked urgently.

"What's going on?" Zeldris questioned. He opened the door.

Meliodas and Elizabeth rushed in; he had a sword on his back and Elizabeth had her wings out. "Look out the window; what do you see?"

Zeldris gazed out the window. Coming towards the fortress, was a mix of large muscular humans and if Zeldris was seeing things correctly, demons. The thing he really did not want to see.

"The fuck is that?!" Zeldris growled angrily. His hand rested on his sword once again.

"That, brother, is part of an army, and not ours," Meliodas stated grimly. He straightened. "The worst part? From what we can hear, they're after you, Gelda."

"What? Why?" Gelda gasped in horror.

"Or more specifically," Elizabeth said worriedly. "They're after your child."

So, how was that? Even though it was really, really short.

Long time no see, I know. I need to start updating more. Hope you enjoyed!