#cusack

When her firstborn, Meliodas, came into the world, Ygraine was overcome with joy, though tinged with sadness. Having a child meant she had to give up her responsibilities as the Commandment of Love—a frustrating reality. Yet, the thought of caring for the child who had grown inside her for months made her feel radiant. Her joy only grew as the Demon King himself often visited to check on her and the baby. Sometimes, he’d even stay in her chambers, sitting silently as Ygraine cradled little Meliodas in her arms, singing lullabies she made just for him. The Demon King never held the baby, only watching from a distance, but for Ygraine, these moments were precious. The mere thought of the great monarch sharing these small, intimate moments with her and her son filled her with immense happiness.

These sweet moments lasted for years, through Meliodas’s infancy and early childhood, until Ygraine became pregnant with their second child, Estarossa. His birth, however, brought disappointment to the Demon King, who felt no demonic power emanating from the boy. The monarch’s disgust for his own son was no secret—whispers and laughter spread through the Demon Realm about the “useless” prince. Many believed the Demon King would discard Ygraine for birthing such a defective child. Yet, he didn’t. Out of love for Ygraine and her devotion to Estarossa, he silenced every rumor and allowed the boy to live.

For Ygraine, it was different. From the moment she first held little Estarossa—or “Rossa,” as she lovingly called him—she was utterly captivated. The boy was a perfect blend of her and the Demon King, a sight that made her fall in love with him instantly. His small, fragile form awakened a protective instinct in her. She vowed to shield him from anyone and anything—even his father and older brother if necessary.

Now, Ygraine found herself in a quiet, desolate corner of the human realm with her youngest, Estarossa, while Meliodas trained under Chandler. Taking advantage of their solitude, she stepped outside with her baby to enjoy a bit of fresh air

The wind brushed against her face as the sun’s gentle rays warmed her skin. It was calming, a brief escape from her worries. She felt the soft, insistent tug of Estarossa feeding, occasionally biting down lightly, sending small jolts of pain through her. She chose to ignore the discomfort, focusing instead on her baby’s sweet face.

“You know, Rossa,” she began, her voice gentle, “I talked to your father, and he’s agreed to give you a little bit of demonic magic to make you stronger. Isn’t that amazing?”

The baby paused his feeding to stare at her with wide, curious eyes. He didn’t understand her words, but seeing her happy made him giggle, trying to mimic her smile.

“Yes, my love, it’s wonderful,” Ygraine laughed softly. “You should smile about it too. It took a bit of convincing—your father’s so grumpy, you know—but I’m sure, deep down, he loves us.”

She chuckled at her own words, her voice light and warm.

“I think you get me, don’t you? I’m sure you do. So maybe I should stop calling your father grumpy—he’s just… tough, that’s all. But don’t worry, sweet boy. Mama’s here, for you and Meliodas. To protect you, to spoil you both so much that you’ll forget how grumpy he can be.”

A now older Estarossa rested on his mother’s lap as Ygraine shifted to make herself more comfortable, her growing belly making it difficult. She lovingly stroked his hair, listening attentively as her son excitedly recounted what Meliodas had taught him. He spoke with wide-eyed admiration, his voice filled with awe.

"Then my big brother took his sword and sliced that nasty goddess clean in half, just like that, without even trying! And after that, all the others around her ran off scared!" Estarossa exclaimed, his small hands gesturing dramatically as he described the scene.

He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Oh, and he told me not to tell you about it… that he took me to see him kill that goddess, 'cause you might get mad."

As the boy kept talking, realization dawned on him. His words had spilled out too fast, and he’d let something slip that he shouldn’t have. Panic flickered in his eyes, and tears began to form. The thought of disappointing his older brother filled him with dread, and he looked up at his mother, his expression wavering between guilt and fear.

Ygraine fought the urge to laugh. The situation was amusing—her sweet little Rossa, so used to sharing everything with her, had accidentally revealed too much and was now on the verge of a meltdown. Though she was genuinely annoyed that Meliodas had exposed her younger son to such violence despite her warnings, there was something endearing about Estarossa’s childlike honesty and the way he was now drowning in nerves over betraying his brother's trust.

She softened her expression, placing a gentle hand on his cheek to calm him. "It’s okay, my little Rossa. Your brother won’t be mad because I won’t tell him you told me, alright? So don’t worry—this will be our little secret. Do we have a deal?"

She pulled the young boy into her lap fully, resting his head against her chest as she ran her fingers through his soft silver hair.

"Are you sure, Mommy? Please, don’t tell him! If he gets mad, he won’t take me with him anymore," Estarossa whimpered, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I promise, my love," she said warmly, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. "It’ll be our secret. You know your mother keeps all your secrets, no matter how strange or unexpected they are."

Without another word, Estarossa threw his arms around her, clutching her tightly in an embrace full of love and gratitude. Ygraine smiled softly, holding her son close, her hand gently stroking his back to soothe him.

"Don’t you worry, my little Rossa," she whispered. "You’ll always have me to protect you."

Meliodas

His father had truly beaten him this time. The great monarch had apparently decided that Meliodas was now strong enough to train directly with him and put him to the test. Summoning his eldest son, the Demon King launched relentless attacks—using different forms of magic and striking from all angles. At first, Meliodas managed to block a few blows, but the sheer intensity quickly drained him. Even as his energy faded, the attacks didn’t stop, leaving him battered and bleeding with deep wounds scattered across his small frame.

"I thought you were strong enough to defend yourself. Chandler praises you too much. Go heal yourself," the Demon King’s booming, weighty voice echoed across the training grounds.

Meliodas, still barely more than an infant, had only begun the second stage of his life a few months ago. Though he was strong enough to venture into the outside world, the harshness of his father’s words shook him. His small hands trembled as he forced himself to stand, his body aching.

"Yes, Father. I’m sorry I’m not strong enough," he replied, his voice wavering as he held back tears. He knew crying would only make things worse.

From the sidelines, Ygraine had watched the entire ordeal. Her heart ached with every blow her husband had delivered to her sweet boy. Ignoring the Demon King’s attempts to speak to her, she fixed him with a glare and rushed to Meliodas. Without hesitation, she scooped him into her arms, cradling his small, injured body close to her chest. Her steps were quick as she made her way back to their chambers, her mind racing with worry.

"YOU WENT TOO FAR THIS TIME!" she shouted, her voice laced with both anger and fear. "You need to let Meliodas rest! I’ll train him myself."

The Demon King, unbothered, frowned as he replied, "You spoil him too much, Ygraine. He’s my heir—he must be strong, no matter the cost."

"Please," Ygraine pleaded, desperation in her voice. "Just let me train him until he’s healed. That’s all I ask."

Her words hung heavy in the air. For a moment, the Demon King seemed to weigh her plea before sighing, his tone sharp with irritation. "Lately, all you do is beg me for things—ever since Estarossa’s birth, it’s been one ridiculous request after another. But fine. This will be the last time I give in to you. Train him yourself until he recovers."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and left. Ygraine wasted no time, hurrying back to her chambers with her son limp in her arms.

Later, she lay on her bed, Meliodas’s small frame resting on her chest as she gently ran her fingers through his blonde hair. Her magic flowed softly into his body, easing his pain and helping heal the wounds left by his father’s brutality. Beside them, little Estarossa slept peacefully, curled up with his head resting against her side.

"My sweet boy," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Mama’s going to protect you from your father, even if it costs me my life. I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe."

Half-conscious, Meliodas stirred, his small hands gripping her tightly as he mumbled in a fragile voice, "D-Don’t say that, Mommy… I’ll get really strong, and I’ll protect you. And I’ll protect Estarossa too."

Ygraine’s heart swelled at his words, though tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She kissed his head softly and replied, "Of course you will, my brave boy. But for now, let your mama protect both of you."

With that, she held both her sons close, their warmth bringing her a fleeting sense of peace. Deciding to spend the coming weeks doting on her boys, she closed her eyes, vowing to help Meliodas heal—not just physically, but from the weight of his father’s cruelty.

ZELDRIS

The little Zeldris had only been born a few days ago, but in that short time, he had become utterly attached to his mother, refusing to be separated from her for even a minute. Every time someone tried to take him away from Queen Ygraine so she could rest, the tiny, dark-haired prince would burst into an unbearable cry that would shatter the eardrums of anyone nearby.

Yet, despite the exhaustion and weakness she had felt from the beginning to the end of her pregnancy, the queen didn't seem bothered by it. Even when she felt like she might collapse, the sound of her youngest prince's cries brought her a strange sense of joy. So, she would muster all her strength, trying every method she could to soothe him, succeeding for brief moments before his emerald eyes—the same as her firstborn's—would fill with fear again, only to be calmed by the sound of her voice.

"What is it, Zeldris? Why are you crying like this? Are you afraid of something, my prince?" she asked softly, her gaze warm and gentle. The baby looked at her attentively, as though he were trying to memorize every detail of her face.

"Why do you look at me so intently? I know your mother is beautiful, but you seem to be studying me quite seriously, little prince," she chuckled softly, her voice filled with affection.

"It seems I’m talking to myself, since you can’t fully understand me yet. But no matter. It looks like you still enjoy my voice, don’t you?" she smiled at him, rocking him gently in her arms, hoping to lull him into sleep, even if it was just for a few minutes, so that she too could get some rest.

"Now, let your mommy sleep for a little while. We’ll talk more later."

At this point, Zeldris was around 10 years old, and despite being a small child, he possessed immense magical power that filled both his father and mother with pride. His mother, in particular, was especially proud of her three princes.

She spent every day by his side, as her weakened condition didn’t allow her to do much. On good days, she could barely get out of bed, and even something as simple as helping her little son change his clothes was a great effort. Despite her limitations, she tried to pamper Zeldris, making sure he didn’t feel like she loved him any less. Whenever the young prince came home from training, she would heal his wounds, lying next to him and singing lullabies to help him relax and fall asleep, just as she had done when he was an infant—still the same child who felt lost when away from her.

"Mom, are you really okay? You look so tired. I can heal my wounds myself, or I can ask Meliodas to do it," Zeldris said, his young face full of concern.

"I'm fine, my prince. You know your mom is a little weak right now, but don't worry. I'll take care of your wounds, and then we can go out of the castle to see the animals in the human world," she said, her words strained. Even speaking left her lungs feeling like they were on fire.

"There's no need. I can go by myself so you don’t get tired," Zeldris offered, still worried about his mother’s health.

"No, we’re going together. I’m fine," Ygraine insisted. Zeldris knew it wasn’t wise to contradict his mother, so he finally fell silent, choosing to accept her decision.

However, when his mother left her room to head to her own chambers to change into something more comfortable and fetch her medicine—prepared by the magicians of Belialuin, who claimed it would cure the queen—Zeldris never imagined it would be the last time he’d see her. Hours passed as he waited for her to return, but she never came back. Eventually, curiosity and unease got the better of him, and he stepped out of his room, only to find the entire kingdom in chaos.

Everyone seemed to be in a state of hysteria, even his father, who rarely displayed any emotion. Zeldris couldn’t understand what was happening until he overheard one of the guards whispering to another that Queen Ygraine had vanished without a trace. No one had seen her leave the kingdom, or even her chambers. There was no sign of her, and no one could explain how such a thing had happened.

Hearing this broke Zeldris’s young heart. A crushing wave of guilt overwhelmed him as he thought, If only I had gone with her… if only I hadn’t let her go alone, she might still be here.

From that day forward, the peace and warmth that once existed in the Demon Realm disappeared completely. Even for the king’s own children, life became harsher. The once-distant but tolerable father they knew seemed to transform into someone unrecognizably cruel. Under the guise of "making them stronger," he treated Meliodas, Zeldris, and even Estarossa with merciless coldness.