𝒲𝒶𝓇𝓂𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝑜𝓊𝓁

16: First Things First

"Still no sign of him?" Jericho asked as she walked with Hawk and Elizabeth through Liones.

"It's unlike Meliodas to disappear like this," Hawk said. "He wouldn't just up and leave, right?"

"Of course not, Hawk!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her face instantly reddening at her volume. She calmed herself. "I'm sure he's just on some super important mission."

Jericho hummed, putting her hands behind her head. "If you say so."

Princess Elizabeth was worried and rightfully so. It had been a few days now that Meliodas had up and vanished. She hoped he was O.K., and honestly, knowing him, he was. Meliodas knew how to handle his own yet she couldn't help worrying for his safety.

A pair of girls stormed past, not paying attention at all to where they were going and the taller of the two bumped into Jericho roughly. There were shouts as the women got defensive, looking through Jericho with vicious eyes.

"Hey, move it, idiot!" The tall woman yelled in her face then stormed off.

The friend smirked, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she looked both the princess and knight up and down again. "Watch where she's going," she said making Jericho roll her eyes as the girl continued on her merry way.

"No need to be so rude!" Hawk shouted after them and got a colorful string of words in response. Hawk's mouth dropped at some of the things he'd been called. "Wonder what's got them so huffy."

"Guess these demons just have everybody really on edge," replied Jericho as she still looked in the direction they walked off in.

Elizabeth looked down at her feet. "I really hope Sir Meliodas comes back soon... we need him now more than ever."

"Why don't we go look for him?" Jericho offered.

"Ban and Merlin have already tried. No sign of Meliodas or Escanor." Hawk puffed out his cheeks as he pondered. "What if he died again?"

"Hawk, that's enough!" Elizabeth became hysterical and let out a small whimper. Her hands went to her head. She didn't want to hear anything like that. She'd already seen him die and couldn't handle it if something had happened to him again.

"Sorry, Elizabeth. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know, Hawk. It's fine. I just... let's stay optimistic, O.K.?"

Jericho linked her arm with Elizabeth. "He'll come back. I know he will. He loves you."

Elizabeth couldn't help smiling. "I just want Sir Meliodas to be safe and sound with the people who love him."

"Sorry, Elizabeth, but there's still no sign of Meliodas anywhere," said Merlin. She walked up with Ban, Gowther, King, and Slader.

"Surely there's somewhere you haven't looked yet!" Elizabeth said.

"I haven't been able to sense his magic or Escanor's. Wherever they are, it's far away from here."

"Oh, hello, Jericho. It's been a while," greeted Gowther. He pushed his glasses up as he waved.

"You're out," Jericho said plainly. She still wasn't a big fan of his since he exploited Guila and tried to kill Escanor.

"Yes, well, I'm having a very watchful eye kept on me at all times per the king's request," he replied and gestured to Slader.

Jericho couldn't help her irked expression. "Is that so?"

"Following Gowther around has been... interesting to say the least," said Slader.