Our First Fall (Melizabeth)

14. Trust

Meliodas took to sneaking in my room each night after everyone's gone to sleep and sneaking out before anyone wakes. After his demon struggled to take control, sparked by Chandlers attacking, Meliodas had kept our time together very sweet. Innocent.

Mael kept me pretty busy once the meetings started. He liked extensive notes, I think it was to keep me from Meliodas as long as possible but I was just so happy to be close to Meliodas, it didn't matter. Sleeping beside him, with his tender embrace and soft serene kisses, it warmed long dormant places inside me.

We didn't explore anymore and to be honest, I missed it.

I reassured Meliodas, even joking that his demon liked me so he shouldn't worry so much, but he never relented. When he asked if I was upset, I told him "I just want to be with you." He had gone all gooey, lazy grinning. One that didn't fade even after he fell asleep. That night though, I wondered, being with Meliodas like this, how could it last? After the last bit of treaty is finalized we would return to our separate clans.

The fighting was over but Meliodas had a responsibility as demon prince. I could have a similar position among my own people if I lived through my fevers. I knew it was foolish to fall for Meliodas but I felt like he could do anything. He'd stopped the war, giving us what we have now. "You're my hope," I tell Meliodas' sleeping face, snuggling closer and his fingers at my back spread out slightly.

Although I wasn't permitted inside the Giants war room, it was only the representative of each clan in the meeting, I knew what was going on. My note duties wouldn't take so much of my free time if I'd been allowed inside but it gave me time to find Dabuzu, make friends and learn about the other clans.

The vampire's' second representative never came out, so I'd never seen him but I heard him speak once, he'd been gone by the time I looked. Gerheade and I got along best, with the human -Rou. He was funny and often complained to us about being stuck where all the feet were while we had wings.

Chandler liked to watch me. I could always count on finding his narrowed eyes following me when I looked over my shoulder. No matter what I was doing or who I was with, I always tried to acknowledge him. A wave, a smile but nothing was reciprocated.

Today, my giant friend Tins asked me to watch his fight. He had come of age, the biggest pre-teen I'd ever met. Among the giants, training and fighting were the most important things in their culture. Dying in battle, or childbirth was revered. I had always seen fighting as a means to kill, but the giants when pitted against one another, only fought until the other was defeated. A death in a battle, against one of their own kind, was pretty rare.

Watching the war, I'd seen blood and limbs flying but that's people going for the kill. Here, the training was sparring matches. The fights were met with laughs and slapped arms when they were over. I had told Meliodas long ago that I didn't want to learn to fight but watching these giants, I was changing my mind. A little platform was made for me, up at the Giants head level and I mirrored their feet positions, practicing sets with Tins and his friends.

They were the ones that told me Dabuzu lived as a Hermit, in the forest of ooze a few hours from here. I didn't know what he did but Tins had explained he was a master craftsman and specializes in magic statues, reliefs and making massive battle arenas using his earth manipulation.

I explained everything to Meliodas first. Even about the picture but he wasn't concerned. "Probably a self-congratulatory commemoration of some kind" and that did make sense. When I'd told Mael he had been so happy, he hugged me.

"That information alone has earned your permanent placement as my second." Mael had looked at me so proud I grew hot under his gaze. Was it really that important? He'd eaten up my assessment of the giant race, my new understanding of humans from Rou and since we've known fairies for some time, I didn't have much else there. Mael had grown cross with me when I didn't tell him about the demons. "So he follows you around like a lost puppy and you have nothing to show for it?" He'd chided. I bore it though, and the next day Mael had told me "that devils probably too smart to let anything slip." As if letting me off the hook for refusing to betray Meliodas.