My Sweet Freedom

Two

"What's your name?" Meliodas asked. I picked up the blanket and unfolded it.

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Liones." He smiled, nodding.

"Elizabeth Liones, it's nice to m-meet you!" He stuttered, shaking his head. I laid the blanket over top of him, making sure to cover his bare feet. Meliodas only smiled in response, but it was enough for me.

He yawned, his eyes closing ever so slightly.

"Tired?" I asked, making Meliodas nod in response. I stood up, walking behind him and sitting down again.

"Here, lay your head down and sleep. You must be exhausted." I offered, leaving him with no other choice. He shifted to his side, laying his head down in my lap. His eyes were fixated on the stars above us, glowing like emeralds in the moonlight. It made me smile and my heart was warmed even though it was freezing all around me.

I ran my fingers through his knotted hair, humming a soft lullaby. This made Meliodas' eyes close, his face relaxing. I smiled. Hopefully when those officers get back they'll leave him be..

~~~

I woke up relevantly warm. It took me a moment but then I remember what happened last night with that Elizabeth.

"Here, lay your head down and sleep. You must be exhausted.."

The words still rang in my ears. It made my heart skip a beat at the thought that she let my lay down on her thighs. My blood raced every time it crossed my mind.

The sun shone down on my face, warming my back. The two officers never came back after I tripped Renald. I laughed underneath my breath. That was the best part of last night.

I looked around at the people on the deck. Hoards of kids were looking overboard at the rushing water. Mid summers heat caused every passenger to be dressed as if they were in the desert. Still, even though it was more than warm outside, Elizabeth Liones was wearing a dark grey dress and black dolly shoes. Don't get me wrong, she looked stunning. But something about the outfit made her stand out from the rest of her family.

Elizabeth reminded me of....the ugly duckling, except she's not ugly. She was different from the rest of her whole family. She didn't even look like her mother or father.

While her mother (I assume it's her because she looks older than the other girls) has a violet-ish hair color and her father has a more of a brown-ish hair color, Elizabeth had a silver head of hair. She was also the only one out of the family with blue eyes. It made me smile a bit, knowing that she was unique.

I waved in her direction, calling out her name. She twisted her head around for a few moments before looking my dead in the eye. I smiled, receiving a sweet smile as a reply. After a few more moments of looking around, she picked up the hem of her dress and quickly walked over to me. Elizabeth sat down beside me, tilting her head.

"Hey Meliodas. How did you sleep?" She asked in a singsong tone. I shrugged my shoulders to the best of my ability.

"Better then a tossing ship. What about you kind Miss?" I said fancily, earning a laugh.

"I had a good night." Elizabeth replied, giggling. I nodded, flashing a cheeky smile.

We sat and talked. Talked about anything, almost everything. Well, not everything, but we talked. We talked all day for the most part. She left to go get lunch at around noonish and came back with a tray of food to share. She did the same thing a dinner too. And somehow, she went unnoticed by her whole family.

I peered up, seeing Elizabeth walking towards my with a food tray and a glass of water.

"You know what's crazy? I have this big fantasy that when we reach America, I'll become a librarian. Isn't that stupid?" Elizabeth said as she sat down. I raised an eyebrow at the statement.

"How is that stupid? I think it is an amazing dream that you can live out." I replied, grabbing her attention. She smiled, picking up a piece of bread and helping me take a bite.

"You really think so?" I nodded, enjoying the warm loaf.

"Absolutely." I replied after I swallowed. I watched her as she ate, her head tilted down and her expression sad.

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth looked up at me, wiping her lips with a napkin.

"Oh me? I just..something's been bugging me a little." I nodded, scooting closer with an intent gaze. "You know how that tag says your a thief? Well, I've just had all these questions welling in my gut and I don't want to be disrespectful."

I tilted my head, giving her and odd gaze. "Asking a few questions won't hurt. Go on, throw them at me."

She nodded, setting down her fork.

"Well, for starters, what did you steal? Was it valuable? Do you still have it with you? Are you on this boat for punishment? Who did you steal it from? Did you receive a sentence? Why do they put the tag on you when it's clear enough with the cuffs?"

I chuckled, shaking my head.

"First, I didn't steal the golden bracelet in my pocket, I was framed." I replied calmly, answering three of her questions. "Yes, I was drafted on this boat for punishment. I don't know who the bracelet belongs to and that's why I couldn't give it back, I didn't receive a sentence, and the tag is just a big reminder to people that I made a mistake of putting my trust in a fool."

Elizabeth nodded as I went off about Quinten (cwen-tin) and how he picked me up off the streets. Like, she listened listened. No one cared enough to even hear my side in so long that just gave up.

"And the worst part? I actually saw him as a father figure. He would get me food, put me to bed. I believed in him because I never had a family. My parents left me to die when I was seven but he was there. He was there when I needed him but he still blamed me to get away from his wrong doing."

My eyes were burning and welling with tears but I held them back. I never liked crying in front of people. My biological father told me that crying in front of people showed them that you were weak, and I'm not some weakling. I'm not some boy that cries when his pet dies. No, I'm one year from being a man, and adult. Then I'll be free to do whatever I want, whenever wherever.

"Meliodas..." I raised my head to look at Elizabeth. She was crying, wiping her tears with the sleeves of her dress. I laughed a little, furrowing my eyebrows together.

"It's not that bad." I said calmly. Elizabeth shook her head, placing her hands in her lap.

"Yes, to you. But to me it is. I don't know, maybe I'm just really emotional." Elizabeth smiled, one last tear trickling down her cheek. I saw the bruise she had. It was still there, all because she was trying to defend me. I never saw it like that until now. Maybe it was all my fault that this fragile girl was hurt.

My nose started to burn, my eyes filled with tears that I couldn't hold back anymore. I can't cry in front of her, I can't. I won't. I won't drive her away like all the other kids, I won't.

Elizabeth placed a hand on my shoulder, a smile forming on her lips.

"It's getting late. I have to head back now." I nodded, watching as she picked up the tray and walked off. Once she left, I let it go. I let myself cry. I let my weakness show, the hurt I felt. I hadn't done so in such a long time, I'm afraid I had forgotten how to.

I watched as my tears drenched the knees of my old pants, causing the fabric to be a darker shade. I sighed, closing my eyes.

She forgot one tiny detail.

I can't reach the blanket.