After

"Thanks for waiting! Here! Five large steins, gentlemen," Elizabeth said cheerily.

I smiled at her and looked back down to the bottle of ale I was wiping down.

At least she wasn't tripping every time she rushed over to a table anymore. She'd really gotten used to her waitressing. And her new outfit was much more tasteful than that other awful one. Of course, I'd had a hand in helping her come up with it, but I could see she had an eye for fashion.

Elizabeth rushed back over to me then. "Is the Apple Pie ready?"

I lifted it from where it sat and handed it over to her. "Be careful, it's pretty heavy."

"I got it, Prelialduis," she smiled. At least I'd gotten her to drop the 'Lady' business, it was kind of awkward.

"Apple-ish pie for our guests at table number three! Thank you so much for waiting!"

I placed my hand on my hip. She really had outdone herself, becoming quite the waitress.

Turns out I'd spoken too soon. She tripped over a cobblestone and landed flat on her face, the pie flying through the air and onto the customers' faces.

I winced in second-hand embarrassment.

The customer was pretty nice about it, though. "It's okay, these things happen."

"We're fine. So just do your best," the man next to him said, smiling awkwardly at her.

Elizabeth stood energetically. "Right! Thank you so much!"

And before you ask, no, I didn't threaten to cut anybody's head off if they weren't nice to her. I think maybe they pitied her for trying so hard. She really had.

Slowly, the Boar Hat began to empty out, and when everyone had left I moved to the kitchen to clean up.

While I washed the dishes, I hummed a tune to myself. I found it helpful to occupy myself with music most days, but the tones fell flat today, so I gave up altogether.

Suddenly Elizabeth burst in.

I jumped. "Elizabeth, you scared me!"

"Sorry," she giggled. "Just grabbing my soup."

"That tastes like horse shit, no offense."

She giggled again and walked out.

I looked down at the remaining dishes I had to clean, then sighed and walked out of the kitchen.

I looked up as the man we'd found passed out the day before spat out the soup he'd just put in his mouth.

"Just like Meliodas'," Hawk said, and I ignored the pang I'd felt for a second. "While they might use different techniques in the kitchen, Elizabeth is a natural when it comes to making food that tastes like real crapola. I'm so happy we have Prelialduis here."

Elizabeth looked bashful. "Sorry. Don't worry about finishing it, okay?"

Hawk began licking the table of the man's spit up.

"Oh, no, it just caught me off guard. Now that I know what it tastes like, it's not so bad that I can't keep it down," the knight said kindly.

I approached the three of them. "So, Golgius—"

He spat out his soup again, this time directly at Hawk.

"Look, sucka! Don't you spit in my face!" Hawk screamed.

"So you know who I am," Golgius said.

"Once I catch a whiff, I can't forget someone's scent," Hawk replied.

"That's disgusting, Hawk," I sighed.

Golgius stood, his hand going to his weapon behind him. "Then why did you save me? I'm your enemy! Tell me the truth. And don't give me some nonsense about helping everyone in need, whether they're adversaries or not."

He eyed us suspiciously.

"Just wanted to help, dude," Hawk said, his ear up in salute.

Golgius dropped.

"That's just who we are. I'm sure Sir Meliodas would've done the same," Elizabeth said.

Still hadn't convinced her to drop the 'Sir' in talking about my brother yet.

"You wasted your time saving me. All roads in my life lead to a bad end. Don't you see? The Demons have won, there's nothing we can do!" Golgius said.

Tell me something I don't know.

"As long as you're alive, not only can you continue fighting to protect someone, you can also be there to share that person's suffering when things get rough," Elizabeth smiled.

"I don't even know you, but I know if Meliodas were here he wouldn't hold anything against you," I added.

The knight released his grip on his weapon. "Such sentimentality is ridiculous. You and I have completely different ways of seeing the world we live in."

He moved to leave. "The meal wasn't appetizing, but thanks anyway. Farewell. I'm sure we won't meet again."

And with that, he opened the door and left.

"Well, he was a ray of sunshine," I sighed.

Elizabeth moved towards the stairs without a word.

"Hey," I called. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Just going to check on Sir Meliodas."

She climbed the stairs, and I waited to hear the door to his room close before I sighed and sat down.

"Do you have any scraps, Prelialduis?" Hawk asked me.

"Oh. Uh, there's some in a bowl in the kitchen. Help yourself."

"Thank you." He trotted off into the kitchen.

Though Elizabeth had adapted well, I could see how much pain she was in. She refused to let Meliodas go, healing his wounds and keeping him in his bed, when we ought to bury him.

But I knew grief, and since it was convenient that his body couldn't decompose, I let her take however much time she needed to grieve.

I suppose I also needed to work through my emotions about my brother. Part of me knew I was deflecting confronting my feelings by making myself occupied with Elizabeth's. I used the music as a distraction, and I completely invested myself in anything that I did, so I wouldn't have time to think about him.

The last time I'd been left to grieve after someone died, well...let's just say things didn't go very well.

Of course, that meant I hadn't slept since it happened a month ago. Really, it was no big deal. I had always loved sleep for the sensation, not so much for the fact that I needed it, necessarily. Apparently, Demons didn't need to sleep that much. Who knew?

Or maybe I was the exception, convincing myself that it was true so that I wouldn't collapse one day. I knew eventually I'd have to give in.

But today wasn't that day.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••My head lay on the table where I sat, and I thought about Riane. His doppelgänger was a few miles away, fighting the red and gray Demons, and I'd finally come to accept that he really wasn't Riane, despite the many similarities in looks and personality.

After all these years, I still remembered his face like it was right in front of me. The brown hair I'd lock my fingers in and play with, the clothes I'd always steal, just to frustrate him, the way he'd look at me with those red eyes of his and it was like he saw every part of me, even the ugly parts, and he was okay with them.

Why did everyone I love have to be torn away from me? My brother had mentioned a curse placed on him and Elizabeth, but I rather believed it was me who was cursed. My love, my brother, all gone.

"What's that! Something smells just like iron, and it's headed this way," Hawk said.

My head snapped up. "Iron?"

There had been talk of an iron knight who was bad news. I'd thought it was stupid, but now I stood, my hands going to my swords in case.

"Hawk?" I said.

"Oh, of course. I invite you to fight any evil thing that walks through that door."

I nodded.

We heard armor-clad footsteps approaching, and Hawk whimpered.

"Why do I feel a weird sense of deja vu?"

The door creaked open, and a knight in heavy armor walked in.

"So is this the Boar Hat tavern?" the knight asked.

"What's your business here?" I asked, my eyes narrowed.

"IT'S HERE!!! THE GHOST KNIGHT HAS COME TO MURDER ME!!!" Hawk screamed.

"Hawk! What's the matter?" Elizabeth called, running in.

The 'Ghost Knight' turned. "Ah, Lady Elizabeth! My, look how you've grown."

I raised an eyebrow. "You know this knight?"

Elizabeth walked up to us, squinting at the knight in confusion.

"When I caught sight of you in Vaizel, I couldn't believe it was you, so I was hesitant to approach you," the man said.

"Vaizel?" Elizabeth echoed. Then she gasped.

The knight went to remove his helmet, and wavy gray hair dropped from inside. "I haven't seen you for more than ten years, after all."

Elizabeth's hands went to her mouth. "Wait. No way! It can't be! Are you...Grand Master Zaratras?"

"It's been a long time, Lady Elizabeth. Just look at you. His Majesty must be proud of such a lovely young woman," the man said.

Now that his helmet was off, I relaxed a little. He looked friendly enough, but I still observed him closely to make sure he was okay.

"I must be dreaming. You're right in front of me...but still," Elizabeth said.

"Z-Z-Z-Z-Zaratras?!" Hawk stammered. "The former grand master who got skewered like a pincushion by the other two grand masters ten years ago?"

I looked down at Hawk. "Ah, so he's dead? I was wondering why you were all so freaked."

"Yes. Yes, the very same!" Zaratras yelled, throwing his head back.

I tensed again for a second. Damn, he was energetic.

"That fish pie...oh, if only Hendy hadn't offered it to me as a snack! It was piping hot, so rich and flaky and fresh out of the oven! How could I ignore it on an empty stomach after a night shift? I am only human. No one would've suspected that the delicious pie from the Yawning Black Cat Tavern was poisoned. Grand masters get hungry too, you know!"

We all looked at him incredulously.

"Lady Elizabeth, are you familiar with the Black Cat fish pies also?" Zaratras asked, leaning down towards Elizabeth.

"Uh, yes, I am. They taste delicious, and they're my father and sister's favorite food too," she replied.

"Of course they are!"

Hawk huffed. "This guy's got to be an imposter."

I nodded suspiciously.

"No, guys. It's definitely the real Zaratras. And he really hasn't changed at all," Elizabeth chuckled.

"Seriously?"

Zaratras crouched, clenching his fists. "That pie was the biggest blunder of my life! If only I hadn't been so tempted...I could've been there for them. I could've saved Dreyfus and Hendy from the darkness."

"Sir Zaratras..." Elizabeth trailed off.

I took a step forward. "How about you take off that heavy armor and make yourself comfortable? I can fix you something if you'd like?"

He nodded. "Just some tea would be nice. Thank you, Lady..."

"Prelialduis, at your service," I smiled, doing a little bow for effect.

"She's Sir Meliodas' sister," Elizabeth explained.

His eyes widened. "Sir Meliodas...has a sister?"

He watched me closely, intrigued.

"Okay, I'll go work on that tea for you," I said, backing away awkwardly.

I quickly put some tea on the stove, and when it was done Elizabeth delivered it to him, pouring him a cup.

"Thank you. I appreciate this," he said, taking a sip.

"No problem," I smiled.

"Well, as you can see, I've somehow been resurrected. For now, at least," he continued.

Was this Melascula's doing. Ban told me how Elaine had been resurrected, as were those who held vengeance and retribution in their hearts. So did that mean Zaratras had some unfinished business with someone? Dreyfus and Hendrickson, probably?

"Such an incredible thing," he said. "Bestowing a grudge and a physical body on souls that have regrets in this world, then resurrecting them."

"Huh?" Hawk said behind me. "Now hold on a second! Does that mean you were revived so you could get revenge on the grand masters who killed you?"

He turned with an evil smile. "Yes exactly."

Hawk jumped, squealing.

Well, nice to see Zaratras had a sense of humor. I chuckled.

"If only it were that easy," he smiled now, turning back to his tea. "In all honesty, the only grudge I have is against myself, for not seeing that Hendy and Dreyfus were being controlled by a Demon. That's my lingering regret in this world. Sometimes I feel so pathetic I can barely stand myself."

He sipped his tea.

"Please, Elizabeth. Let me punch him!" Hawk said, curling his ears into fists.

I tapped Hawk comfortingly. "Whoa there, Ranger."

"C'mon, give him a break, Hawk. He's much more dignified when he's working," Elizabeth added. "Does Gil know you've come back?"

He turned to Elizabeth with an eerie smile on his face. Then he jumped up at her. I moved to protect her, but I saw he wasn't hostile.

"What can I say to him after everything that's happened?! If he sees his dead father all of a sudden he'll be more than just shocked! And, what if by chance he doesn't even remember what I look like? I was never my son's favorite! Gil was always more attached to Sir Meliodas than me!"

He sighed, done with his frantic ranting. "The more I think about that, the angrier I get. Please, take me to speak with Sir Meliodas. I'd like to give him a piece of my mind."

The hurt I'd swallowed down threatened to rush back up then. Oh, to be blissfully unaware. Elizabeth looked down dishearteningly.

She said nothing, and gestured for Zaratras to follow her up the stairs. Hawk and I trailed behind him as well, and I headed to see Meliodas for the first time since...well, you know.