RivaMika Week day 5: Violets
Loyalty
"What does love mean, mother?", Mikasa asks her on a nice summer day, sitting in the warm grass which is mottled with colorful flowers. They sit in the garden in front of their small house, waiting for beloved father and husband to return from work.
Her mother laughs and watches her childs dark eyes looking up to her in deep curiosity. "Love means so many things, my dear.", her mother begins, "To get along well. To make a good team. To be happy when the other feels good. Honesty...But the most important is to be loyal to those you love."
Mikasa frowns. "Is that really true, mother?"
Her mother leans down her chair and picks up some violet flowers which grow everywhere around the garden. She gives the violets to her daughter and smiles.
The sun's weak rays break through the soiled windows and lighten the great court hall sparsely.
It is cold inside the stony walls.
"I'm asking you again, Levi Ackerman.", the judge speaks and his words echo through the hall, "Who helped you with the murder of our beloved king?"
With his hands in iron chains, Levi laughs without any humor from the middle of the court hall. "Beloved king. This is really funny, since none of us needs to kiss his ugly ass anymore."
The judge is not amused by his words and Levi gets to feel it as the member of the Military Police next to him pushes his already hurting head back in a painful way.
"Who? Give me names.", the judge repeats in a deep, calm voice.
"Mikasa Ackerman.", Levi finally hisses.
The judge nods and writes down something. "Who elese?"
"No one else. It were only the two of us."
"And where is Mikasa Ackerman now?"
"She is dead.", the black haired man spits out angrily. "I killed her to make sure she won't
talk."
The judge lifts an eyebrow. " You killed her?"
"I did."
"Where did you hide her body?"
"I burned it."
Silence lays over the curt hall. "So, let me summarize. You're saying you and your subordinare Mikasa Ackerman murdered our king in a guileful way and after that, you also killed your accomplice and burned her body, Levi Ackerman?"
"I did."
"Is this the truth?"
"Yes."
The judge sighs.
"And you two, Levi and Mikasa, you will enter the castle and finish him. After that, you, Levi, take this route to come back, Mikasa, you take this one. ", Erwin says at last, rolls up the maps and ends his plan meeting with Levis Squad. Humanitiy's Strongest nod at each other.
"We will make a good team."
"We will."
"Well, if it's like this, you need to explain something.", the judge turns his gaze from Levi and starts to grin, "Bring her in."
The gate of the court hall opens and two men lead her inside. Levi's heart skips a beat, when the men escort her to the middle of the hall, only a few steps next to him. Her black hair is messed up, her white skirt dirty, even her scarf is gone, but her gaze seems to be calm, while he looks terrified for a second. Why is she here?!
"Are you Mikasa Ackerman?", the judge starts to ask her.
"I am." Her voice is clear, proud.
"This is funny. Because this man said you were dead.", the old man's hand points at Levi, who looks to the ground now. This was not supposed to happen. She should already be outside the now peaceful walls.
"As you can see, I'm obviously not."
"Did you assassinate our king along the side of this man?"
"Yes. I did."
"What happens when we fail, Corporal? When we get caught? This is not about killing anyone. We're about to kill the king.", Mikasa whispers next to him. Hidden in some bushes they are waiting for the best moment. "If they catch us, we will probably die. But they won't. After this, we can go ouside the walls. Seeing the ocean and shit. You brats will be happy."
"I'm still worried.", she confesses.
"I know. That's just the way you always are.", Levi says, squeezing her hand gently for a moment. Then his gaze switches back to what lays in front of them.
"Now. I'll go first. Will you watch my back, Mikasa?"
She picks up a violet, which grows next to her feets and gives it to the man.
"Always."
"Why?", he askes her at night deep down in the dungens of the court. "Why did you do that, Mikasa? You could have made it out for sure. You should be free. Didn't you think of Eren and the others?"
"I just cannot let you go through this alone." She leans against the cold wall of her cell, looking through the iron bars which part them.
"I rather stand alone down the gallow, than next to you." Levi whispers after a few seconds. Then he sees a faint smile on her lips.
"But who watches your back when I'm not there?
The king breathes heavily, captured in a very last wave of panic. He falls down his knees and the blood runs down his throat. After a few seconds it is over, the mans body hits the red carpeted ground. "Come.", Levi says, his voice is dull, when he heads back the window which they came through into the kings chamber. They escape.
A few hours later, sun has already risen, things go bad for Levi. He and Mikasa parted an hour ago to head back to Erwin and the rest by different ways. Levi knew his route was more risky, and when the enemies find him, he has no chance.
They catch him and Levi is relieved because she would make it out.
Her future would be happy.
The day of their execution came fast. It rains when they get escorted by two guards through the growing crowd to their gallows. Levi slowly walks behind Mikasa, watching the people who once cherished him like a hero, before and after the titans were gone. But now they looking at him in deep disgust. "Monsters!", they scream at them, "Traitors!", "You deserve worse!".
Levi only shakes his head and smirks, then he looks at Mikasa walking in front of him. She wears her head high and without seeing her face, he knows it would be stoic, her gaze unbroken. She would always stay who she is.
Levis glances around once more, then he is sure. "Did I ever tell you, what lovely back you have, Mikasa?"
"Yeah, that's why you've always covered it in a fight.", she answers without stopping or lookig at him. But he knows she understands. "Only because you covered mine so relilable."
"Seems that we are a great team."
"Indeed, brat, we are."
Then it happens really quickly. Levi truns around and before his guards can realise, they're dashed in the crowd. Hurriedly he takes their swords and throws one of them to Mikasa, who also sent her guards to the ground.
They get rid of their chains and after a few seconds they stand back to back, ready to fight.
The first guards start to understand the situation they are in and get ready to attack. It are many men to fight and even if they are Humanity's Strongest, they are also weakened and have only two swords.
" At first chance, you leave… I defense your back.", Levi says, covering her back with his own, watching the attackers.
"I won't go without you. Not again." Of course she won't.
He sighs loudly. "This loyailty of yours will cost you your head one day!"
"As long as today is not that day."
They shortly laugh, then the fight starts.