Author's Note: I still do not own Shingeki no Kyojin or its characters.
Some other notes: Letter in italicizes format are for thoughts and flashback of the characters. (ex. "Blah blah blah")
Chapter 3: The King's Invitation
"I don't really fucking care Erwin!" A sharp voice disrupted the lazy morning Monday sky. "That brat may excel in using 3DMG but that doesn't mean that she can start being all cocky and risk the lives of my troops!"
Erwin sat on his chair. His elbows were propped up and resting on the smooth surface of the wooden desk in front of him. His hands were intertwined, pressing against his mouth.
"But Levi, no one got hurt in this mission. Don't you think it was rather more of a success for us, even if it was just a bit reckless?" Hange spoke up.
"Just. A. Fucking. Bit?" Levi turned to his fellow captain with glaring eyes.
"That's enough." Erwin stood up from his chair. He then turned his gaze towards the right where the topic of their conversation stood with a straight face. A small sigh escaped his lips, "I have to agree with Levi. You may all leave, I shall have a discussion with Miss Bismarch's attitude during your mission."
With that the squad leaders began to depart the room one by one. As soon as the door had been shut closed Erwin returned his gaze to the small girl.
"Hallinor, do you care to explain?" Erwin asked.
Her grey eyes then shifted to Erwin with a scowl, "What is there to explain? I practically made this mission a success."
"I know you did but that's not what I wanted to know." Erwin chuckled.
"Erwin!" She groaned. Her serious expression fading into a more relaxed one.
He raised his hands. "I know, I know. But I really did mean when I said I agreed with Levi on that one."
A small grunt exhaled from her lips as she crossed her arms.
He chuckled again as he placed his big hand over her head and gave it a little pat. "You know what I mean. True there were no casualties but what you did was reckless. You could've risked the lives of the soldiers out there."
"But I didn't!" She retorted out loud as she threw her hands up in the air in frustration.
"You could've risked your own life." Erwin said seriously with a face to match.
Hallinor casted her eyes down, a frown still evident. "You know me very well already Erwin. Titans don't scare me."
"I know." He said. "And that scares me."
A long pause of silence now enveloped the two. Hallinor still kept her eyes to the ground as Erwin sighed with his arms across his chest.
"Enough of that." Erwin broke the silence. "While you were gone the king gave me this. It was due five days ago." He reached in from the breast pocket inside his uniform's jacket. A white envelope with the emblem of the king was pulled out.
Hallinor's eyes widened, "Is it that time of the month already?" She questioned as her hands shakily took the thin piece of paper. Truthfully she already knew the answer. Slowly, her candle-like fingers cracked the wax seal of the envelope. She pulled the note inside and began to read it silently.
After a long pause, she looked up at Erwin. Dread filled her glassy eyes as she searched for a solution from the tall blonde man.
"I told him you were outside the wall for a mission. He insisted for your presence once you had come back from the mission." Erwin said in a tone that indicated he was also not too keen about it.
"Y-You are coming with me right?" Her voice shook. The girl who stood strong just a few moments ago, crumbled back into the girl he had seen ten years ago. His heart ached.
"Of course." He said calmly but his feelings inside begged to differ. "I have to report to a meeting tomorrow with the other Commanders at the palace."
A sigh of relief escaped her mouth as she placed on a weary smile.
"But, I can't be with you while you meet with the king."
And with those words her face drained out any traces of color. She looked at Erwin with her grey eyes, shaking violently. "Y-You're kidding me Erwin, right?" She mumbled with a forced chuckle. "That's not very funny!"
He frowned even more, "I'm sorry. I'll try my best to get out of it early but I can't promise you. But don't worry, I had asked Hange to accompany us tomorrow."
"What?" She contained her voice from rising. "I don't want other people there. I don't want people knowing Erwin, you know that!" Her fingers wrangled the hem of her shirt making it all crumpled.
"I know." He simply said. "Would you rather have Hange there with you or be alone?" Erwin asked as he raised a brow. Concern filled his face as he watched the girl have an internal battle in her head as she weighed down each choice.
Hallinor looked at Erwin straight to the eyes. "Fine, but tell her she is not allowed to question anything she sees."
A tiny feminine figure stood there at the horse stables. It was a cold misty morning. A look of impassiveness graced every contour of her face as she stroked the horse's nose bridge. On the outside she looked like nothing was bothering her but on the inside her head was in turmoil and her heart felt heavy with discomfort.
"Hallinor." A gruff voice beckoned for her attention.
Her body tensed up. Without giving him a glance she bowed her head low, "Yes?" She replied.
"Are you ready?" Erwin asked. He was already sitting on top of his horse. The green cloak draped around his shoulder, ready for his long journey to the innermost part of the walls.
"Yes." She said almost in a whisper.
Hallinor placed her bag on the strap that connected to the saddle of the horse. Breathing in deep she carefully ascended on the horse.
"Is Captain Hange ready too?" She quietly asked as she swung the green cloth behind her, fastening it securely around her neck.
Erwin looked to his left then to his right, "She should be here any second. I told her not to be late."
"COMMAAAANDER!" A high pitch voice rang earning two heads to snap to its source.
In a short distance they saw the brown haired captain running with one arm extended to the air, waving frantically while her other was latched onto a sleeve of another person, seemingly dragged by brute force.
"Hange! Just in time. Get your horse ready. We are to depart soon." Erwin gave a small nod. Then his eyes traveled to the other person within the vicinity. "Is there something you need, Levi?" He questioned.
His face was sketched in annoyance. Levi's eyes looked deadly enough to kill anyone who would even catch a glimpse of it. He brashly tugged his arm away from Hange and crossed it over his chest.
Brown eyes that gleamed brightly looked at the man on top of his horse. A goofy grin stretched her mouth as drool slowly dripped on one corner. "Commander, there is an experiment on going in the lab. It's almost showing promise, we could gain huge information about the titans!" Hange said in one breath.
"I see…" He trailed off, waiting for more words from the ecstatic brunette.
With hands clasped together, she began to plead. "Please, oh please may I stay Commander! I already asked Levi to replace me for this trip."
Erwin shook his head, "No, I have specifically asked for your company Hange."
Hallinor frowned but kept quiet. She had enough faith on the tall man to force Hange to come.
"But it's my duty to extract any information about them! I have to be there to see it with my own eyes!" She whined. "I asked everybody and Levi was the only one who had nothing important to do."
At this Levi scowled and made a soft grunt, "Asked? You fucking asked me what was I up to, and when I said nothing you grabbed me and fucking dragged me out here all the way from my office."
Hange nodded vigorously at Levi's words. "See! He said 'nothing'! Commander!"
"Enough!" Erwin's voice boomed. For a moment he paused in silence. His head contemplated. Today the Survey Corps had a day off from any missions outside the walls. That meant every soldier had to train and brush up on their skills while the squad leaders were free to do as the pleased.
He softly stole a glance at Hallinor who was sitting quietly on her horse. Then slowly his eyes lingered to the two captains. A sigh escaped his lips. Hange always made a big deal about everything if it was anything concerning the titans but she wouldn't fuss this much if it were nothing.
"A step closer to human conquest or comfort for one girl who is important to me? Which is more important to humanity?" Erwin carefully thought. He knew which was more important and he didn't like it one bit.
With a heavy heart Erwin opened his mouth, "Request granted. Levi, be ready in five minutes." Despite the shocked expression from the girl behind him, he kept his decision final.
With this Hange jumped up into the air and glee. She quickly bid her farewells and scurried off to the laboratory. Levi grunted as he walked off to gather his stuff for the trip.
Hallinor's eyes glared at the man. "What?" She spat. "What do you mean? I thought you clearly said to me that Captain Hange would be riding with us!"
"Yes, I know. But plans change." Erwin said sternly.
"No, I will not take that for a satisfying answer. I demand Captain Hange to come with us." Her voice growled in anger. Her eyebrows furiously knotted in the middle as her cheeks puffed with the hue of red.
With defying eyes Erwin snapped his head towards her, "Miss Bismarch, I am your commander. You will do as I say and accept it." Erwin shouted loudly. When she quieted down she gave a small nod. He then tore off his gaze from the silenced girl.
Hallinor's eyes stared at him widely with disbelief of what she had just heard. Her eyes slowly gazed down to the ground; she knew very well that his choice was final. Hurt tried to seep through her face but she quickly countered it by hardening her expression.
After a few moment of silent tension Levi came back with his bag. Anger still evident in his face and eyes encircled by dark creases of lines. Silently he propped his bag on his horse's saddle then after, he swiftly rode on the back of his horse.
"Good, everything set?" Erwin asked. Levi gave a short nod while Hallinor remained quiet. "Let's get going." He breathed out as he kicked the sides of his horse while the other two followed in his pursuit.
The horses galloped on the cobbled ground. From time to time Erwin would steal glances to his right where Hallinor was riding a few meters away from him.
Inside he was feeling guilty for betraying the young girl but he had to look at the bigger picture.
He was a commander; he couldn't make decisions purely out of feelings. He was taught to put the world before anything else, even before his own life.
And he knew. He knew deep inside that the world was far more important than just one singled out girl.