The Twelve Forgotten Zodiacs (SDS Fic)

Chapter 29

The two looked at her in shock, though they didn't have time to move due to a magic shell surrounding them both. She looked at Griamore, who she could of sworn gave her the tiniest of nods.

"I won't allow you to speak to the princess that way." He said.

"Nicely done." Veronica complimented, then she turned her attention towards the two knights in the bubble. "Now I have no idea what you plan to do, but you and Hendrickson need to be brought up on charges in front of a court marshal."

Brooks looked back at the two princesses, only to watch as Elizabeth turned to run away, clutching the sword, and the gem Meliodas was trapped in her hands tightly.

"Wait, Ellie!" Veronica shouted, starting to run after Elizabeth calling her name.

"Would you like us to assist you in capturing Princess Elizabeth?" Guila asked rfom inside the sphere.

"Save your concern." Griamore responded, "I suggest you worry about your own fates."

"That's quite unfortunate. It's true we were ordered to to bring her back, but if it has to be as a corpse, that would be perfectly fine too."

Brooks tensed at those words. "You bitch." She seethed, her power surging around her as the look on her face seemed to darken. She had vanished in the blink of an eye, and when she reappeared, she saw a bright golden glow from under Elizabeth and Veronica, at the speed of light, Brooks pushed them as much out of the way as she could, but the explosion was bigger than she expected, and both her and Veronica ended up getting hit by it.

"Veronica?" Elizabeth's voice made it's way into Brooks' ringing ears, and she managed to open her eyes, looking in front of her, her eyes widened.

In front of her Elizabeth was sitting on the ground with Veronica latched onto her, her arms loosely around her waist. She had multiple wounds on her body, and her clothes had been ripped. Brooks' own clothes had seen better days too, her belt had managed to rip on the side, and was now only seconds away from falling clean off her waist.

"This can't be happening." Elizabeth said as Griamore and Hawk caught up to the two of them. "Veronica! Wake up. Please. Open your eyes."

Brooks was about to use her remaining magic to heal Veronica, until she saw the princess open her eyes. but they were dull, and it seemed like even that was a struggle. Brooks had lived so long, she knew what was going to happen, and that there was no safe way of preventing it. It took all that she had to prevent herself from breaking down.

"Ellie." She said weakly.

"I'm right here!" Elizabeth answered, the relief and grief evident in her own voice. "I'm right with you!"

"We're you... injured?" Veronica asked.

"No, I'm fine." Elizabeth assured her. "'Cause you took the blast for me. You and Lady Brooks."

"You always did, have a real knack for getting into trouble." A smile made it's way onto her face, "And that's why... I had to... look out for you."

"Like when we both snuck out of the castle together. We fell, but you took the front of it and protected me. I just kept crying while you tried to make me feel better. Ignoring your own pain the whole time." She sniffed, and Brooks realized that Elizabeth was crying, the tears flowing steadily down her face.

"Did I really?" Veronica asked.

"That's right, it made me so happy, because then I knew how much you really cared. Even though the two of us weren't related by blood. That's why..." Elizabeth let out a small sob, "That's why..." She stopped once Veronica placed her hand on Elizabeths's cheek.

"Ellie. None of that matters. Any of it." Veronica breathed out.

"I'm sorry!" Elizabeth said, grabbing onto her sister's hand as she sobbed. "I'm such a horrible... I can't believe I said I hated you. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry."

"I really do... love you... Ellie."

"Me too, I do too!"

"Because through it all, we're sisters, aren't we?" Veronica asked. Her eyes moved slowly towards Griamore, and Brooks could hear that it was a struggle for her to keep breathing. "Griamore?"

"Yes?" He asked.

"This is my final order. Keep Elizabeth... safe." Veronica said, and Brooks felt her heart tear in two.

"Princess Veronica. Don't say such things!" He started, then he seemed taken aback, and Brooks looked from him to Veronica, and she felt what was left of her heart be torn to shreds. I couldn't... I couldn't protect... She reached up and felt that her cheeks were wet. She must of been crying without realizing it. Falling to her knees, her magic energy died down until it was a fraction of what it once was.

"Big sister?" Elizabeth breathed out.

"Princess?" Griamore asked, then he let out a scream of anguish.

Behind her, Brooks heard the movement of armor, and she felt rage fill her every muscle and bone in her body.

"It seems it was a good idea to set the 360 degree ring around town." Guila said. "Of killer minds." She added.

"You two are nothing but filthy swines!" Hawk shouted.

"You bitc-" Griamore started but was interrupted by an explosion.

Once the dust died down, Brooks saw Griamore laying on the ground, along with Hawk, and she watched as the two knights made their way to Meliodas' sword, picking it up.

"Now, princess Elizabeth, let's be on our way home. I ask you cooperate and not offer any pointless resistance."

Looking up at Elizabeth, she saw that the princess was still mourning the death of her sister, and she stood up from the hole she was in, making her presence known to the two girls.

"You Heartless Gorgons." She seethed. "I could of let you two away with only minor injuries, but this. This. Is too far. You've hurt a friend, you've personally injured someone of the royal family, and your biggest mistake." She let out a laugh, and her tone turned to deadly ice, "Is that you've hurt someone who I am connected to. For that. You're going to pay.