Chapter 3: Visit
The garden is filled with strong full-grown trees. The leaves sway as the wind kisses each of them. The various flowers gaily face the sun as it warms their blooming faces. Hidden beneath the plants are four young ladies who delightfully exchange news and jokes with each other. Sasha is sitting in an Indian way on the grass as she munches a freshly baked potato. While the two princess sit side by side each other on a bench. Hanji is lying on the grass floor while enjoying the various shape that the clouds make.
"I am really glad to hear that your kingdom is already fine. What's more! You will stay here for three days." Petra clings into the black eyed princess' arm.
"Thank you, but it is all thanks to your kingdom that we are able to recover that fast." Mikasa smiles at her as she touches the hand that clings into her arm.
"Let us change our topic. I am more curious as to why King Pixis wants to talk to Levi. Do you have any idea?" The four eyed brunette shifts her gaze from the clouds to Petra.
"I do not have any idea." The princess apologetically replies.
With her mouth still full of potato, the other brunette joins the conversation. "Isn't it obvious? My instinct tells me that it is about king Levi and princess Petra's coming of age."
The auburn haired princess waves her hand to deny the statement. "There is no way that it would happen. Really, Sasha! You should stop teasing me already."
"It may actually be true! When it comes to Sasha's instinct, it is usually 98% accurate." Hanji immediately sits up and looks at them with a big smile.
"Well, why don't we just wait for their conversation to finish." Mikasa grins.
Meanwhile, inside the throne room...
"You sent too much, king Pixis? Do you think that we are weaklings to let those damn bastards turn our kingdom into rubble." Levi crosses his arm with his face filled with sourness.
"My...My...Levi. I didn't mean to make it sound that way." The king laughs, obviously amused that he has made the youth twitch his eyebrows in irritation.
"Oh, king Pixis. Stop teasing our king. He has a very short temper. Besides, he only means to say thank you. Right, Levi?" Erwin smiles to the king then turns to young royal whose face turns more sour.
King Pixis smiles back and then faces Levi sternly. "Yes, I know. I am just fond to see him like that. Before I forgot..."
As the three royals are having their conversation inside, three other men are busy loudly chatting just outside the throne room. These three are comfortably talking in their position, not even caring whether they may be heard by those in vicinity. The golden eyed boy named Connie sits on the floor near the side of the door while the taller guard, Jean, presses his back on the wall near the other side of the door. On the other hand, Mikasa's butler rests his body on the door itself.
"Marriage? Between king Levi and princess Petra?" Eren surprisingly repeats the words of Connie as he looks to the men at his sides.
"Are you deaf? There are rumours that before king Levi's parents die, they asked king Pixis if their children could be married when they are already in the right age." Connie explains to the bewildered butler.
Eren just stares in the thin air, too surprised to absorb his friend's statement.
"But I heard that king Levi is a grumpy man. Others said that he has a very short temper as contrast with our princess." The shorter guards comments but is suddenly hit by Jean in the head.
"Oi. Do not speak ill of princess Mikasa's brother. Ah, Mikasa! Just saying her name makes my heart burst in happiness." Jean once again enters his world for fantasizing Mikasa.
Eren just looks at him with disgust and continues with the issue at hand. " Well, I heard that the two are childhood friends. Princess Petra is very kind, cheerful, understanding and all positive traits that I may associate but king Levi... He is a living demon. He is slave driver. Nothing good comes out from his mouth. Imagine, he hit me..." When the door behind him suddenly opens and there sending daggers of glare is no other than the Levi himself.
"So who is the living demon? Huh? Yeager?" Eren terrifyingly looks at Levi only to be welcomed with a hard slap on his head. The two guards look half-terrified and half-pitifully for their friend.
Levi, then, immediately walks away from the throne room. He is followed by the old king from behind and seriously informs him. "I am giving you the chance to accept or reject that. Petra does know about it yet. I hope you and also..." He looks at the three guards threateningly. "The three of you will keep it as a secret for a while."
He is walking with no direction at all. His mind is clouded with various thoughts. He would be the happiest man in the world if he could have Petra as his wife. Of course, he wants to accept it but...He feels that he is not worthy for Petra. Aside from the fight that the two of them had back then, his personality and character does not suit the princess. What Eren said is true. He is comparable to a demon. He is foul-mouthed. He has a very short temper. He can easily inflict pain towards others. What's more? He has killed thousands or maybe millions with his own hands, without considering those that may be affected by his actions. He does everything if it is for the good of their kingdom. He is a bad man whereas, Petra's heart is full of kindness. She puts the sake of others before herself. She always smiles, tries to understand everyone to the utmost of her mind and heart.
Darkness covers the whole sky. The light coming from the moon and the stars are the only ones that illuminate such night. King Levi continues to think of plenty of things with regards with him and Petra. These thoughts continue to occupy his mind until he unknowingly reach the palace's library. The youth does not notice that there standing in front of one of the shelf is Petra. The princess is also preoccupied with looking for a book to read so she does not detect the incoming king. Just when Petra is about to turn around to sit on a chair, she bumps into the lost in thought king.
"Sorry." The king blurts out, surprised to see Petra and to realize that he is already inside the library. He holds out his hand to help the auburn haired girl to stand up.
"It is just fine. I am sorry too. I was not paying attention." She says as she holds into the hand of Levi.
"No, it is just fine. My mind is out of this world as well." Levi sits on one of the chairs which gives Petra the thought that she needs to sit and stay with him for some time more.
"What are you going to read?" He looks to his now intertwined fingers.
"I think I have heard that question some years ago and the aftermath of that did not go well." The princess tries to put out a smile as she flips on the pages of the book without paying attention to what she is reading. There is a long silence after that.
Petra is very guilty. She should have not said that to him. She knows very well that the incident is not a very good one. Of course, he would feel bad. She feels that she is the biggest idiot for daring to say that statement. Unknown to her, Levi is also feeling responsible for this very awkward situation. He should have not asked her that question. He remembers that undesirable incident very well. Then, why did he asks that question? Nothing good really comes out from his mouth. He is truly stupid
"Sorry!" Both exclaimed at the same time. Her amber eyes meets the man's black eyes as their cheeks start to turn into cherries.
"For what?" He coldly asks while maintaining his stare at the princess.
"For opening up the topic of our past. And for offending you back then..." The princess does not want to continue the wrecked relationship that Levi and she are having. She wants to fix it all already. Tears starts to fall from the princess' amber eyes. She cannot stop the tears from cascading on her cheeks. This is very embarrassing for her, to let the king see her weak state.
His eyes widened in surprise by the girl's actions. Levi is shocked but at the same time, he feels pain in his heart as he sees the girl crying in front of him. His heart is like being slashed into pieces especially that he believes that he is the one responsible for Petra's tears. It breaks him to see the one he loves is feeling like this. Levi does not know what to do for this is the first time that someone cries in front of him. This is even harder than the fights that he have against other kingdoms and rebels. He tries to retain his calm facade but every muscles on his face betrays him. His eyes softened and look at the fragile girl tenderly. The king tries to hug her but before he could do so, arms wrap his body and his shirt is wet with tears.
"I...uh..so...y...I ...di...nt...mea...nt...o..hu...ttt." She tries her best to make her words understandable for Levi but her sobs are more decipherable. Suddenly, she feels hands caressing her cheeks.
"Hush now, Petra. You don't need to explain anything because in the first place, you did nothing. I am the one who should say sorry. Petra, I am really sorry for saying those things to you. I want to clear out things with you." He sadly closes his eyes and rests his forehead into hers.
"It...is just...fine, Levi. I...forgive...you." She says in between sobs. She looks into Levi straight in his eyes and warmly smiles at him.
The king realizes that their faces is very close with each other. He moves his face a few more inches near hers. He could already feel her warm breath. He could already smell her honey scent. A few more inches and his lips would touch her soft pink ones.
The princess immediately backs away with her face burning in hotness. "I think, we need to go to sleep already."
"Ye...Yeah. You're right. I will walk you to your room." Levi tries to bring back his calm features as he starts to stand up.
In front of the princess' room...
Her hands are shaking as she holds her room's doorknob. Levi is behind her, watching the girl as she struggles to open the door. The raven-haired man touches her hand to help her push the door when suddenly, Petra turns to give the king a peck on his cheek but her lips accidentally touches near the king's lips. Both of them turn red with what happened but the princess is the more embarrassed one. She is just suppose to give him a peck on his cheek to show him how happy she is that they are once again in good terms but, she did not expect another near kiss experience. Petra feels really dumb for doing such action. She cannot handle the situation anymore so she hurriedly bid her farewell."Good night and thank you, Levi." With that, she quickly enters her room. Humanity's strongest man stands there stunned. A slight smile forms into the youth's mouth but deep within, his heart is jumping in happiness. He cannot explain the happiness that he feels as of that moment. Levi returns to his chambers with a smile in his face.
Sorry if I didn't update for quite some time. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this chapter :) Again, thanks to all those who favorite, followed and reviewed my fanfic :)