AN: Some scenes from the manga, some I made up myself. Enjoy!

Looking back, he has no idea how he heard it.

Everything was so loud. The rain, the pounding of his heartbeat, the quaking earth, his own cries of agony.

But he did. He heard the little whimpers. Gasping he whipped his head around to try and find where the whimpers were coming from. Oh goddesses, there's still someone left. They must be the only one who hasn't run or died.

As if in answer to his thoughts, the whimpers became full blown cries. He glanced one last time at Liz, brushing a brief kiss across the crown of her head, before dashing away to the source of the wails. It's too late to draw my powers back in. Even if I could, the damage is done. My powers are out of control. Danafor is going to be obliterated.

"Where are you?" he yelled, trying to dodge falling debris as he ran through the ruins of his city. But the person just continued to cry and the debris was falling harder and faster. Shit, Meliodas thought as a large piece of stone scraped his head. If I don't find them soon we're not going to make it out of here.

Miraculously, just as he finished that thought he rounded a corner and found where the cries were coming from. A home half torn away. This is Corbenic's home, Meliodas thought to himself. Corbenic was one of the most honest and good hearted knights Meliodas had ever known. If anyone deserves to survive this slaughter it's him.

Unfortunately, it was his body that Meliodas stepped over first in what must've been the front hallway. Gritting his teeth Meliodas moved swiftly into the house where the cries were louder. Maybe Corbenic's wife then. Avalon was exactly like her husband, she had a heart of gold. But it would be a lot harder to get her out of the crumbling city given that she was heavily pregnant.

But when Meliodas arrived at the bedroom the wails were originating from, he froze with confusion. The sounds were clearly coming from Avalon, but her mouth was frozen and her eyes glazed over. As were the two other women in the room.

Meliodas drew closer quickly and though the body was still warm, there was no pulse. It was then he realized the cries weren't coming from Avalon, but from a small lump of sheets tucked between her body and the wall by her bed.

Meliodas' eyes widened. The baby! He thought gently picking up the bundle. The stress of the attack must've forced Avalon to go into labour, and she hid and shielded the child with her body when their home was attacked! Goddesses, she must've given birth less than an hour-

His thoughts suddenly ground to a screeching halt at the same time the infant's cries did. Looking back at him were crystal blue eyes with a tuft of silver hair, set in the most beautiful face he ever knew.

"Elizabeth," he whispered reverently. Then the ground quaked it's hardest yet. Shielding his precious bundle with his body as best he could he ran out of the house to see the ground collapsing in a growing circle from where he had left Liz. Gritting his teeth once more, Meliodas ran as fast as he possibly could out of the city.

Just as he escaped the border the entire kingdom exploded in black and purple. In a matter of seconds, all that was left of Danafor was a massive crater.

Meliodas shook as he clutched the baby to his chest as tightly, and gently, as he could. Distantly he heard shouting, but he was still trying to pull himself out of his world of grief, anger, and guilt. Pull yourself together Meliodas. Elizabeth needs you right now.

"Over there! I see a boy!" he heard a voice exclaim. He snapped his head up to see a small group of knights on horses. One of the men in front with silver hair was pointing at him. Slowly, Meliodas began to walk towards them. "Hey! What on Earth happened to this place?" the same man shouted.

Meliodas didn't bother to answer him. What wasn't obvious was none of the man's business.

"Hey you! You're seriously hurt!" the knight exclaimed, scrambling off his horse and reaching his arms out. "You should lie down. Give that baby to me!"

He had already reacted before he could process what the man had said. "Don't touch her," Meliodas snarled slapping the man's hands away harshly. "Keep your paws off my woman!"

"W-woman?" the knight was clearly baffled.

"Young man." Meliodas instantly whipped his head around to glare at the other man standing next to the knight. "My name is Bartra," he continued kindly, with gentle and warm eyes. "I am the king of the kingdom Liones. May we assist you both? We can give you shelter and help you recover from what happened here."

Meliodas scrutinized him. After three thousand years of life, and being the crown prince of the Demon race, he was pretty confident in his ability to spot both liars and the trustworthy. After a tense moment he replied, "Elizabeth stays with me."

"As she should," the king said easily. "Here we have an extra horse. We can hasten back to Liones and get you both looked over and taken care of."

After another sweep of the gathered knights Meliodas nodded once. "You got yourself a deal Bartra."

Some of the knights spluttered at his lack of honorific, but the king waved them off with a roll of his eyes. "He has just suffered a great tragedy, I am not his king, and I introduced myself as Bartra, not King Bartra. Stand down." Meliodas felt his lips twitch as he swung himself up onto the extra horse. He liked this guy.

All the humour drained away though as he turned back to glance at the hole that was now Danafor. Liz…

A coo brought his gaze back down to the infant in his arms. Elizabeth had managed to wriggle an arm free and was reaching up to him with a wide smile. He immediately felt his own lips curve up in answer as he leaned down far enough for her hand to touch his forehead. "I love you Elizabeth," he whispered to her. "Please don't leave me again. I don't know how much more my heart can take."

The little girl beamed and patted his head as she started to gabble at him.

"Alright darling. Let's see what Liones has to offer us," he said as he flicked the horse's reins.

"Reporting for-"

"Sir Meliodas! Thank the goddesses!"

Meliodas raised an eyebrow at the clearly flustered queen as she scurried over to meet him. Her tiara was askew, her hair in utter disarray, and her arms just barely containing a squirming one year old.

"She's been demanding you all morning. Do you mind spending some time with her?" the queen practically begged.

"It'd be my pleasure Your Majesty," Meliodas said grinning. "After all, how could I ignore the request of such a beautiful and charming princess?" he said as he swept the little girl from her arms and swung her up in a circle.

"Mel! Mel!" she shrieked delightedly. Well it sounded more like "Mehwel," but close enough.

"Good morning Ellie!" he exclaimed settling her on his hip. "What do you think of playing in the courtyard today?"

Elizabeth clapped her hands excitedly and babbled at him. Meliodas laughed. "Ok, say goodbye to Mommy then." Elizabeth continued to babble but turned to look at her mother before immediately going back to him.

It could be true that in a small, dark part of him he felt a kind of savage glee that she was more excited to spend time with him than her mother. And that his name was her first word, before 'Mama' or 'Papa'. Even if it was a shortened and garbled version of his name. But in his own defense, he was a demon. If that was all he felt savage glee over, that was perfectly fine with him.

He chatted back and forth with Elizabeth throughout the castle and down into the courtyard. As much as one can chat with a child whose only word is part of a person's name anyway. Not that it really mattered to him as long as he got to spend time with her. "So I hear you've been practicing walking?" Meliodas said to her as they stepped out into the courtyard. "Do you think you could show me?"

Elizabeth just smiled at him. "Ok," he chuckled as he put her down. Then he backed up a few paces and knelt down with his arms out. "I'm ready Ellie. Come and get me!"

Elizabeth giggled before she toddled towards him. His grin widened when he saw how much she had improved from the last time he saw her. "A little bit more," he encouraged, restraining himself from reaching out further to her. Finally she tipped over into his arms. "Great job Ellie!" he said.

The toddler just giggled again before reaching up and kissing him on the cheek. "Mel."

His grin softened as he hugged her tight. "I love you Elizabeth."

Meliodas was sure his expression must be thunderous if the reactions of the palace staff were anything to go by as he stormed down the halls.

The closer he got to his location the louder it became and the more his blood boiled. I swear to everything that's holy, if she's not alright-

He quickly cut off that train of thought.

Not even pausing to knock he wrenched the doors to Elizabeth's room open and marched into the awaiting mess.

"Elizabeth," he growled.

Instantly the whole room froze. The three year old in question turned her head to look at him slowly horror filling her expression.

He walked up to her slowly, the nursemaids and knights in the room parting like the Red Sea.

"Give me the knife now," he demanded holding out his hand. She meekly handed him the kitchen knife she had been waving around. The whole room breathed a collective sigh of relief. "Get down from the chair." She slowly clambered down to the floor.

"I have told you twice not to play with knives," Meliodas began.

"We've said it far more than twice," one of the nursemaids muttered.

Meliodas felt his teeth grind and his eye twitch. "So Elizabeth. Explain to me why I just had a frantic knight come running to tell me that you were standing on a chair, while playing with a knife. Again."

Inwardly, he flinched as he saw her clutch her hands in front of her chest and her eyes fill with tears. But she was going to get hurt if this continued, and clearly no other approach was working.

"I'm sorry Mellie," she whimpered.

He held onto his anger for another moment. Then he closed his eyes and sighed. "Then why, why, did you do it Ellie?" he asked as he knelt down.

"I wanted to be more like you! You're so brave and strong and you always protect me and take care of me and I just wanted to protect you too!" Elizabeth rambled scuffing her foot on the floor.

Meliodas sighed and hung his head. "You ridiculous woman."

"Mellie? Are you mad at me?"

"No," Meliodas replied reaching out and hugging her to his chest. "But I was very, very scared."

Elizabeth's eyes were as wide as saucers. "But- but- you don't get scared Mellie!"

"Oh yes I do," he chuckled bitterly. "I'm terrified of losing you. My worst nightmare is you getting hurt or being in danger. And you could get very hurt playing with knives Ellie."

"But you carry a sword and wave it around all the time!" she argued.

"Yes, but not when I was three," Meliodas said gently. He had actually been five, but then he was also the eldest son of the Demon King. "And I fight so that you don't have to. I would rather an enemy have to step over my dead body before you have to pick up a sword."

"But I don't want you to die!" Elizabeth bawled into his shoulder.

Meliodas stroked her hair. "I'm not going to," he pushed her back slightly so he could look her in the eye. "Who's the best knight in the kingdom?"

"You are," she sniffled.

"Has anyone else ever beaten me in a sword fight?" he asked. She shook her head. "Even Grand Master Zaratras and your Uncle Denzel?"

"No," she smiled. "You always kick their butts."

"Exactly," he bopped her on the nose. She giggled in response. "See? I'll always protect you and I'm not going to die doing it. Ok?"

"Ok," Elizabeth said.

"And I don't want to hear about you playing with knives or putting yourself in danger again. Deal?"

"Deal," she agreed throwing her arms around his neck. "Sorry I scared you."

"It's ok," he said petting her head. Then quieter he mumbled into her hair, "I love you Elizabeth."

"What'd you say Mellie?" she asked pulling away.

He quickly put on his signature grin. "I said why don't you go find your sisters and play with them for a bit?"

Elizabeth's face lit up. "Ok!" she said scrambling out of his arms. Then she dashed out the door screaming, "Ver! Mar! Ver! Mar! Vermarvermarver…"

Meliodas shook his head and chuckled.

"Sir Meliodas! Sir Meliodas!"

Meliodas' eyes snapped open.

Throwing the covers off himself he quickly went to his bedroom door where someone was shouting and banging.

"What's wrong?" he asked the young page. Because he could sense it, there was something horribly, dreadfully wrong.

"It's Princess Elizabeth," the page said dismayed. "She's been kidnapped."

Meliodas' world froze. No…

Then he snapped into action. He quickly threw on a shirt and grabbed his scabbard, not bothering with the rest of his equipment. "What happened?"

"Sir Pelles went to relieve Sir Launfal of his shift guarding the princess's room, but when Sir Pelles arrived Sir Launfal was dead and Princess Elizabeth was gone. The kidnapper left this," the page said quickly, holding out a piece of paper.

Meliodas snatched it out of the boy's hand.

If you ever want to see her again bring ten sacks of a hundred gold coins to the house two doors down from the blacksmith's shop in the village of Barforth by sunset. Leave it in the house and the princess will be returned tomorrow. If you don't, she dies. Or worse.

Meliodas shook with rage. Keep it under control. You won't be helping her by losing it right now. "Does the king know about this?" he ground out.

The page nodded. "He sent me to get you. The army can't march on Barforth because it's within the borders of the kingdom of Malachia. The peace treaty with them is so thin at the moment that marching the army across the border will be seen as an act of war, no matter the reason. Even sending a small group is dangerous."

"Tell the king to do nothing," Meliodas said brushing past him.

"WHAT?!" the page exclaimed.

"I'm going after her. Alone. Malachia won't take notice of one man. Tell the king I won't come back without her," Meliodas shouted behind him. Then he ran outside, calling on his demon powers for the first time in four and a half years.

He felt the darkness surround him, swirling over the right side of his face. Concentrating his pushed his power to his back and felt his wings unfold. Then he shot into the sky speeding north.

It took him the better part of the night, but his feet touched down on the outskirts of Barforth just as the horizon began to lighten with the rays of dawn. Stealthily he crept down the main street keeping an eye out for the blacksmith's sign. He quickly spotted the sign, and the house two doors down, and cast out his senses looking for Elizabeth's energy signature. I thought so, Meliodas thought grimacing. That house is completely empty. But they must be nearby so they can keep an eye out for their ransom.

There was a home down the street with lights spilling into the street and loud laughter echoing out of it. Meliodas' eyes narrowed as he crept closer, casting out his senses again. Five men, slightly more powerful than average, and one gentle four and a half year old princess.

The demon in him howled, begging to be released on this scum. But he kept a tight leash on it. Plan first, then rampage, he told himself peeking in the window.

"A toast boys! By this time tomorrow, we'll be filthy stinking rich!" a voice crowed from inside the house.

The five men were all gathered around a table in the main room with large steins in their hands. It clearly wasn't their first drink of the night.

"Are we really gonna take the brat back if they bring the money?" another asked as he slammed his ale down.

"Of course not," a third voice snorted. "We were lucky to get in there the first time. There's no way we'd get away alive a second time if we went back there."

Calm, calm, calm… Meliodas chanted to himself. He tried to focus on Elizabeth's presence upstairs.

"Besides, the little thing's way too pretty to just let her go without having some fun first."

Fuck calm.

The window shattered as Meliodas flew into the room and took them out at lightning speed. Between one breath and the next, four of the men were dead on the floor and Meliodas had the fifth pinned against the wall.

"What- what are you?" the man choked out.

Meliodas didn't need to see the man's fear to know his eyes were the deepest black and darkness was swirling around him. "I am what you have to go through if you want Elizabeth," Meliodas snarled. "You took what was mine. You hurt what was mine. You wanted to do vile things to what was mine."

"P-please," the man whimpered. "I'm s-sorry. P-please don't k-kill me."

Meliodas tilted his head. "Oh I'm not just going to kill you."

The man looked shocked. "Really?"

"Really," Meliodas said. Then he leaned closer. "I'm also going to curse you to walk the hell that is Purgatory for the rest of time. After ensuring your death is as prolonged and painful as possible."

Meliodas quickly finished with the man and left him to his fate before thundering upstairs. "Elizabeth?"

He found her tied up and gagged on a small threadbare mattress upstairs. Tears poured down her face and her eyes shone when they landed on him. In an instant he was at her side pulling at her bonds and hugging her to his chest.

"Mellio? Is it really you?" she cried.

"Yeah sweetheart. It's me. I've got you. It's gonna be ok," he murmured, rubbing small circles on her back.

"I was so scared," she whispered into his shoulder.

He squeezed her a little tighter. "Don't worry. I took care of it. They won't ever hurt you again."

After another moment he pulled back to look at her. Overall she looked ok except for her raw wrists. And a large handprint bruise on her cheek.

"Ellie I'm so sorry," he said hand hovering over her cheek.

"It wasn't your fault," she said glancing away. She look almost… guilty? "It was mine. I bit one of those guys."

Meliodas blinked. "You… bit him?"

Elizabeth blushed. "Uh huh. And then I called him some names I've heard the soldiers say that Margret said a lady shouldn't ever use."

Meliodas shook. He really couldn't help it. "Meliodas? Are you ok?" Elizabeth asked tentatively. Meliodas' shakes turn into full blown laughter. Elizabeth huffed. "What's so funny?"

Meliodas just shook his head. "That's my girl. You did great Ellie," he said still chuckling.

Elizabeth smiled and hugged him tight again. "Thank-you for coming to get me Mellio."

"Always," he promised. "Let's go home."

He carried her downstairs (making sure she kept her eyes closed and hugging her head to his shoulder) and down the street. On the outskirts of the town he bought a horse off a farmer who had just risen. Given that he had Elizabeth now and it would be broad daylight soon, it was wiser to ride back to Liones than fly.

Elizabeth laid against him dozing as she sat in front of him in the saddle on the way back. Looking around to be sure they were alone he kissed the crown of her head and said, "I love you Elizabeth." Elizabeth just snuffled and snuggled closer to him. He smiled as they rode back to Liones, into the sunrise.

"Meliodas?"

Meliodas turned to see a six year old princess standing behind him in her nightgown. "Hey Elizabeth. You can't sleep?" She shook her head as tears pooled. Stepping forward he knelt down so he could pat her head. "There now. It's ok."

"Tomorrow you have to start going to work right Meliodas?" she said anxiously.

"Yep."

"But you'll come back won't you?" she asked squeezing her teddy bear.

"What are you worried?" he asked with a soft grin. Elizabeth shrugged and looked at her feet. Meliodas gently tipped her head back up to meet his eye as he continued. "I promise, no matter where I am, I'll always survive and return to you."

"Really?" she sniffled.

"Really, really," he swore. "Now I think it's past your bedtime."

Elizabeth yawned. "Ok. Can you carry me Meliodas?" she asked reaching up her arms.

"Sure thing Princess," he chuckled.

He gently lifted her up and began to walk back down the hallway. He hadn't even taken five steps before he felt her snoring on his shoulder.

She slept the whole way back to her room and as he tucked her back in. Leaning down as he pulled up the covers he whispered, "I love you Elizabeth." Then he pressed a kiss to her forehead and crept quietly out of the room.

Elizabeth felt tears stream down her face. "You've made so many promises to me Sir Meliodas," she whispered looking down at his still face. Smiling she brushed a lock of hair off his face. "I've always believed in you. And I still do. You'll protect me and look after me. And you'll always come back to me. I just have to wait a little bit longer."

Zartras then helped her settle Meliodas back into the bed before he and Hawk went downstairs. Elizabeth puttered around for a bit, tucking him in, wiping his face with a cloth, before she sat beside him.

"I'll be waiting right here for you. Forever if I have to. I love you Sir Meliodas," she said as she pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Then she stood and went to the door. Before she closed it though she looked back at him once more. She promised him no matter what happened she would continue to fight to protect the people of this kingdom. He had made and kept so many promises to her. Now it was her turn.