Within the next days, the surrounding villages and towns got attacked by freed demons and their leaders, just like expected. So far, they haven't gotten close to the capital but it is only a matter of time. Meanwhile, our situation hasn't changed at all. Meliodas is still unconscious and King and Diane are still in the forest of the fairies. But even though we're clearly outnumbered, we spend every spare minute to protect the kingdom.

Another day begins and I walk down the stairs to see no one but Merlin in the tavern. "Good morning, Yami. You look tired" she greets me.

"Lovely. Great start in the day" I answer sarcastically but Merlin is right. I'm exhausted from all the fighting and all the worries. "I'm just glad that everyone is back safe." Because every day Meliodas' friends come back safe is a good day.

"About that..." she begins but I already know what she wants to tell me, so I nod to cut her off.

"Yes, I know. I'll tell them today."

Now Merlin nods. "And about the princess..."

"I know that too, Merlin. I'm gonna take care of everything today, okay?" I say a little too fretful. "I'm sorry. I'll take care of it" I sigh.

"Do you need any help?" she asks and I can sense a hint of worry in her voice.

I pour myself a glass of beer and sit down at one of the tables. "I'll be fine."

"It's early morning and you 're already drinking" says Merlin and raises an eyebrow at me. I just shrug.

Her doubts are justified. Today isn't an easy day for me. Everyone is overtired from the lack of sleep because there are coming more demons every day. And even we keep them in bay, they are still coming closer to the kingdom. In other words, even though we are already outnumbered, it is time to split up to have a better possibility to contain the danger.

But there is more. I had promised Meliodas that I would look after Elizabeth and since he is still unconscious, there are only two options for me. Either I stay at the Boar Hat with them and stay out of the fights or I hide them both and am finally able to help protecting thr kingdom. But to be honest, staying out of a fight is no option for me anymore. And as long as Meliodas is unconscious, his comrades need someone to take care of that fights with them. Someone who knows about the demons and the danger that comes with them and that understands what happened in the Holy War 3.000 years ago. Merlin would be an option for that but she's more of a right hand and fullfills this task very well.

I knock on the door of Meliodas bedroom, where the princess is watching over him. She hasn't left his side for days, waiting for him to finally wake up. I have to admit, it's not just Elizabeth that is more worried than before. I am, too. Meliodas has still two hearts left and it shouldn't take him that long to rest. He should've woken up days ago and it's scaring me that he hasn't. But I can't show his friends how worried I actually am because they need someone to be strong for them.

Together with Hawk, who always seems to be at mine or Elizabeths side, I enter the room, shortly after I have announced the news about our split up to everyone.

"Lady Yami..." Elizabeth greets me with a broken voice, filled with worry. "You're here to see Meliodas, right?"

"Kind of" I say and walk over to his bed and look at my friend with a smile. I move my hand through his blond hair and then stroke his face. I would do everything to hear his enthusiastic voice again and whenever I see him like that, I miss talking to him even more. But then, I look up at Elizabeth. "I wanted to talk to you before leaving" I say.

"Will he really wake up? I'm really worried about him" she asks me and I can see in her eyes that she hopes for a positive answer.

"Elizabeth... You probably can't remember this, but I can assure you that Meliodas will wake up soon. He promised you a long time ago that he will always return to you."

The princess looks at me surprised. "How do you know?"

"Meliodas is my best friend. There's hardly anything I don't know about him... And... He promised me something, too" I say and remember his words from over 3.000 years ago.

"I'll never leave you. Whereever I'll be going, you're coming with me."

"Most importantly, Demons have seven hearts. I don't know if you heard that. That is why I could stand a change against Estarossa in first place. And that is why Meliodas will come back to us very soon. He still has two hearts left. He's just badly injured." I take a pause to give the princess a moment to process the informations and then continue. "Nevertheless, I have a favor to ask of you." I think about the conversation I had with Merlin just right before as she's the only person I put my trust in with this.

"I know what's on your mind" she said to me.

"Then you will certainly tell me what to do."

"I've never told anyone what to do."

"Oh, really? And what about Arthur?" I asked and giggled. When I first set foot in Camelot, Arthur wasn't even born yet. Merlin was supposed to help me control my powers back then and even then she was the same Merlin as she is today. I could observe how she changed after she found Arthur and the way she raised him. Hardly any other person could touch Merlin the way Arthur did. And as much as she loved him, she cared for him as well. That is, if Merlin gave clear instructions to anyone, then she did mostly give them to Arthur.

"I think it is not the time for jokes right now" she said sternly but I could see exactly how she was holding back a grin. She doesn't have to keep her composure when she's around me.

Sighing, I laid my head on the table. "Oh, Merlin. What shall I do?" I murmured.

"Whatever you think is right, of course." Unexpectedly, I suddenly felt her hand on my shoulder and looked up at her. "Elizabeth's powers have grown. She is capable of healing him. There are no risks. But Meliodas might wake up finally."

"I don't want to pressure her."

"If there's anything the Princess can do for him, she will."

"What can I do for you?" Elizabeth asks me curiously.

"I want you to heal Meliodas again" I say and hear Hawk gasp.

"Would that help?" he asks. "She's healed him before and he's still not awake!"

I see Merlin join us as well from the corner of my eyes and am happy for her support. She just stands aside silently to not disturb the conversation between the princess and me. "It would be somehow different this time" I say and look into Elizabeths eyes as I try to explain her my plan. She has to dig deeper and connect with Meliodas' soul. I know she's able to do so but she needs to trust herself as well. When I'm done explaining, Elizabeth just nods.

"I'll try my best!" she says confidently and I look at her thankfully.

Elizabeth shrinks back from Meliodas' body, startled. "Elizabeth! Are you alright?" I ask anxiously as it seems like something went wrong.

The princess turns to face me and her eyes are wet with tears. I look at her surprised but she just nods and looks down to Hawk. "I need a moment of fresh air. Hawk, would you come with me, please?"

"Yes, of course!" Hawk says euphorically and yet slightly worried and the two leave the room, leaving me and Merlin behind.

"Something's wrong here..." I murmur and look at Merlin, worriedly. She walks up next to Meliodas and me and examines our friend.

"His state has become much better. But I admit... Something seemed off."

I look down at Meliodas and wonder what has happened, when we hear Hawk shout our names just shortly after. His voice is filled with worry and fear, so Merlin and I rush downstairs just to find Elizabeth standing next to Hawk and nothing seems wrong here. Elizabeth then turns around to look at us and I can see the sign in her eye and know that I was wrong.Nothing is fine anymore...

"Elizabeth..." whispers Merlin her name when she sees the sign in her left eye as well.

"Merlin, is that really you? You've grown a lot!" says Elizabeth softly and walks over to Merlin to have a closer look. "Are you okay? Why don't you greet your big sister?"

"BIG SISTER?!" Hawk and I exclaim together and look at Merlin in shock, who's clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

"Elizabeth... What happened?" I ask worriedly and hope to understand what made her memories come back. I take her hands in mine softly to get her attention and she looks at me in confusion, then smiles at me as well. "You're Meliodas' friend, right? I haven't seen you in a very long time" she says and then passes out but Hawk catches her in time.

"Meliodas is going to kill me..." I whisper as I look on the princess before Hawk brings her upstairs.

"What happened to her?" asks Hawk worriedly whilst we place her down on an empty bed.

"Something that shouldn't have happened" says Merlin when she joins us.

"I asked for too much, didn't I? I asked for too much of her powers and now her memories are coming back." I dug my face into my hands and try to hide the tears that I can't hold back anymore.

"What do you mean 'Her memories are coming back'?" asks Hawk alarmed.

"It's all my fault" I cry into my hands but then feel Merlins hand on my back, trying to comfort me.

"It wasn't your fault, Yami. The captain's healing could not have triggered this."

"What's going on, you two?" asks Hawk as he gets impatient. "We just stood outside when Elizabeth told me through tears she remembers everything. What does she remember?"

I try to catch myself again and look at the pig through tear-veiled eyes. "Hawk, I think I have a very important job to do for you" I say as firmly as possible and try to focus on the actual plan.

Then, I tell him everything about Meliodas and Elizabeth and how they got to know and love each other. How they fought side by side in the Holy War and were cursed for loving each other by the Demon King and the Surpreme Goddess and what this curse means for the both of them.

Hawk looks at me through teary eyes as he tries to stay strong. "So, when Elizabeth wakes up, she only has one month to live?" he asks.

"Maximum" I answer him. "The curse only says that Elizabeth will die within 30 days. How long it really takes, varies widely. One of Elizabeths reincarnations died on the same day, another one three days later. But after a month the latest, she will perish. And that's only because she fell in love with Meliodas" I explain and sniff.

Hawk sniffs too. "What do you want me to do?"

"I asked the princess to watch after Meliodas and hide in the forest of White Dreams."

"Yes, the place where we found Diane."

"I want you to still go there. Now that they're both unconscious, I fear you have to look after them. I can't stay with you because I need to protect the kingdom."

"Sir Hawk, do you think you're able to do that on your own?" asks Merlin.

"Merlin, have you forgotten about my powers? My power level is so high, even if someone dares to attack us, I'll put any enemy on the run!"

I can't help but chuckle and then hug the pig as new tears fill my eyes. But that's fine because Hawk sheds tears as well and so we just stand there, holding onto each other, crying silently.

◊ ◊ ◊

"Seems like it's just the two of us" I say a little later. I'm standing with Merlin on the terrace of the Boar Hat, ready to say goodbye. The rest has left already.

"Don't worry, we'll see each other again very soon."

"You will keep an eye on the three of them, right?" I ask and tilt my head towards the building.

"Of course" she says, smiling at me gently. I am grateful to her for dropping her tough facade for me for at least once. "But you will come back every few days."

"Can't I still worry?" I grin at my friend. "I wish I could stay with them but I can't hide forever."

Merlin puts her arms around me for a hug and I gratefully return this unexpected closeness. "We'll see each other soon!" she says.

I nod. "We'll see ach other soon" I say, unfold my wings and leave the Boar Hat.