I think this may have been my favorite chapter to write. Mainly because of the Ereri starting to take form. Enjoy~ and reviews are welcome. And thank you to those who have followed or added this story their favorites!
...
AD 64
"Erwin, take your soldiers and spread out around the city. Any of the dead we will have to leave for now. For all the citizens you find alive and without homes, direct them to stay at the palace."
Erwin departed into the crumbling city with his soldiers without a second thought. Emperor Nero tried to control his body which shook with terror at the sight from his palace. Rome, his Rome, was in utter chaos, engulfed and bathing in flames. The fixtures and all of churches, buildings, homes, roads, and people were burning.
This was the end of Rome.
Not if Nero could help it.
He ran to the streets just as he did in his youth, but this time not as the mischievous boy he once was. He wouldn't hurt anyone this time; Rome needed him. Amongst the screams of agony, Nero navigated the streets and sent people to seek shelter within his palace. The fire was all around, but the safest part he found was his own home and he could lead them all there.
The further into the the city Nero went, the more his heart sank. More buildings crumbled and the flames seemed to grow hotter; he felt as if he were entering Hell. Sweat began to drip down his face when he heard a small child crying in the distance. Nero edged closer and the wailing became louder when he entered the run-down house, avoiding the falling debris.
Under a mangled woman's body the child lay wailing and crying. The mother's weight crushed him as he tried to wiggle free from her. She had been killed from a blow to the back of the head by the falling wood while trying to carry her son to safety. Nero grimaced when thoughts of his own mother passed through his mind and a stinging pain grew in his chest. Without knowing why, his anger for the child swelled and he had an impulse to leave the boy to die of suffocation until something caught his eye.
The boy had curly blond hair and blue eyes, just like his late daughter Claudia. She had only survived for four months before her illness displaying the titan's syndrome took over. The healers didn't know what to do with the poor girl and in the end they had to let her go before she fully transformed into a titan.
Nero's painful memory became even more vivid when the child reached out to him, pleading to be saved. It was like Claudia was speaking to him, Claudia had been reborn into this boy. Nero pulled the boy from his mother's body and ran out of the building before it groaned under its weight, collapsing with a hot wind. The child sobbed into his arms and Nero could feel a warmth inside of his chest spark when the boy leaned into him.
"Ssssh," Nero cooed as he walked back to his palace. "You are safe with me now, young one."
...
AD 68
"I. WANTED. A. WOLF!" Renatus shouted from the top of his lungs at Reiner and Bertholdt. The kid snatched the Italian sparrow the boys were holding and squeezed it until it made frantic squeaks. Worried, Bertholdt took the small bird away much to the boy's dismay. In retaliation, Renatus grabbed the nearest object from the mantle, a gold lined piece of tableware, and threw it in the soldiers' direction where it made a horrifically loud crack on the wall. "Father never gets me what I want!"
Reiner and Bertholdt looked at each other, afraid, as they were still not used to dealing with the small boy's temper after only a few years with him. Eren's lips were red as he hit bit down on them, trying not to laugh. He should have felt bad for the soldiers, but he just couldn't bring himself to do that. The child may have been more dangerous than Nero if he had been given a blade.
It had been a couple of days since the festival that sent Commander Pixis off to Crete and Eren was (forcefully) assigned to train Renatus. As Eren could barely fight himself, he was tripped every time in combat against the boy much to the latter's disappointment. Luckily, Mikasa was secretly there to assist him and give a few pointers on fighting though she looked like she really didn't want to. Probably for Eren's sake, even if Renatus did laugh at him for taking advice from a girl. Eren had to stop Mikasa from ending the boy's life on the field as it would bring them needless trouble where Annie stood guard.
The kid was quite lethal as Eren could still feel the pain in his sides where the boy had kicked him relentlessly. What else should Eren have expected from an heir trained under the general and the emperor himself? He knew his skin would most likely be bruised the next day from dealing with the insolent brat, but right now Renatus was Bertholdt and Reiner's problem. At least the situation beat having to fight in the stadium as entertainment for the time being.
"Your father said a wolf is too dangerous, young master—" Reiner tried but was cut off by another flying plate, this time only barely missing his head.
"I DO NOT CARE!" Renatus screamed. He crossed his arms and slid down against the wall with a prominent pout. From the opposite end of the hallway, a soldier Eren was not in the mood to see, strode towards them with his familiar blond servant as his side, carrying what appeared to be stone tablets.
"Oy, Renatus, what is the commotion?" Jean mused, his eyebrow rising.
"Father will not give me a wolf," Renatus's mouth dramatically stretched into a deeper frown.
Jean laughed and pat his blond servant on the shoulder roughly, which emitted a squeak from him as he almost fell over. "You remember Armin, Renatus? Well, he is pretty smart and can find you a wolf in no time! Can you not, Armin?"
Jean turned his menacing gaze to the servant boy, Armin, who sputtered in a shaky voice, "Y-yes, I believe so." Armin looked over the dangerous soldiers and the heir until his eyes met Eren's. Jean tugged at Armin's rags and gave Eren a dirty look which was well reciprocated.
"We will find you that wolf, Renatus, but first I must deliver these tablets to Marco for etching," he said as he left the hallway. Eren felt odd as Armin stared at him until he was out of sight, very sure the servant's curiosity for him was growing with every passing step.
...
Eren was running through dark narrow alleys in the city and his heart pumped frantically because he felt like he was being chased.
He was led down another dark alley when he heard the voices of the three women. "Do not run, Eren. We need you, Eren, save us, Eren. Help us, Eren. Help us."
He was trapped down the side road with the glowing eyed Krista, who pointed behind him once more.
When he turned around, the soldier was there holding the blade above his chest as he thrust downward.
Eren gasped, accidentally inhaling a small amount of water into his lungs which made him cough violently. He had somehow fallen asleep in the bath and now his heart was racing. Before he had come to Rome, he never had such dreams and that was the second time the menacing soldier had appeared and Krista had glowing eyes. It was starting to unsettle him.
After Eren finished his bath, he went back to his quarters. Nero, thankfully, did not require his presence any longer as he was trying to catch a couple of bandits with a few guards out in the markets that evening. He was tired and fully prepared for relaxation, but stopped in surprise to see Levi laying nonchalantly on his bed.
"You bathe for too long," Levi stated as if to simply answer why he was there.
Flustered, Eren covered his body with his tunic as much as he could. "What is this? You cut my hair once and then it is fine to intrude on my privacy? Sincerely, Corporal, please exit my room now-"
"Hurry up and dress, I need to take you somewhere," Levi said, clearly ignoring him. Eren simply shut his mouth and he gave up. It was obvious the man was not going to budge from his post anytime soon. He noticed the man threw him darker cloths that greatly resembled his. When he went to put on the tunic he noticed the man's eyes were still on him.
"Well?" Eren asked, jutting his chin out. Levi mockingly rolled his eyes and turned away from Eren.
"Probably not much to see anyway," he scoffed. Eren grumbled as he dressed in the clothes and prepared his sandals. Krista was not at her post (and he was a bit thankful after that disturbing dream) as Eren had become used to navigating around the Golden House and dressing himself. She usually only came around to Eren's room to tell him of specific events or pretend she was working so she wouldn't arouse suspicion from other guards. Reiner seemed attracted to her though, which she often found troublesome, especially when he gave Eren dirty looks after seeing the two together.
Once Eren finished dressing, Levi cautiously led them around the hallways of the Golden House until they reached the peristyle corridor that hosted the artificial lake in the distance. There was complete silence between them and Eren didn't know how much longer he would be able to stand it. He thought of saying something to break their tension as he followed Levi to their destination, but the man was barely paying attention to him. Finally his wondering brain was caught by two whispering voices around a corner.
"Jean, I love you dearly, but we cannot hide away like this anymore," said a soft voice. Eren peaked around the edge as his curiosity defeated his willpower once more. His eyes widened as he held back a gasp from what he did not expect to see.
"Marco, I… I love you, too, but Nero—" Eren heard Jean say, his voice opposite from his usual arrogant tone, shy and unsure. The annoying soldier's face was soft when he stood in close proximity with a boy who had neat dark hair, freckles, and a kind face. Jean leaned in close for a passionate kiss on Marco's lips and Eren had to rub his eyes to see if his vision was correct.
Jean, the egotistical soldier, was in a homosexual relationship. The man who claimed the women of Rome would throw themselves at him. The situation should have been comical, but for some reason Eren could not bring himself to laugh. Maybe it was the pained expression on Jean's face when he took his lips away from Marco's.
"We could always run away…" Marco suggested, his eyes brimming with concern as he soothingly rubbed Jean's forearms.
"I do not wish to hinder you, Marco. You are a scribe and you finally have a home—"
"Eren! Do I have to treat you like a dog?" Levi hissed so only Eren could hear him. He grabbed Eren's arm and yanked him from the corner. Eren had to cover his mouth as he let out a startled yelp that made Jean and Marco jump in sheer terror. As Eren was dragged to the opposite direction down the corridor, he saw them quickly escape down another corridor, but not before he witnessed a swish of blond hair go around the adjacent corner. Eren believed it was probably just Jean's servant boy, Armin, or at least that's what Eren told himself to assuage the brewing pit in his stomach.
Levi led Eren by the arm until he felt a comfortable pace at which he was sure Eren was following. They had at least reached the center of the Golden House gardens, where the bushes surround the artificial lake, its dark deep water reflecting the white moon like gems under the sun. Eren stared harder into the pool and saw specks of white which he guessed were the mirrored stars. His gaze was carried upwards and he nearly gasped for the second time that night.
"Wow…" was all Eren could say as he continued to stare up at the sky. He could have tripped over his feet for all he cared.
"Dammit, what is wrong with you?" Levi asked, his tone clipped and annoyed. He looked at the light reflected in Eren's eyes as he also gazed upwards and groaned. "I told you before, a bug will make a home in your mouth if you keep it open like that."
Eren caught his wondering mind and shut his mouth after murmuring an apology.
"This is just… beautiful," he said softly. He had never seen that many stars in Germania as the land was mainly consistent of morasses and deep forests which made it hard for Eren to get anywhere to see the sky. "There are just so many of them, I have never experienced this before. I know it is silly, you must have seen this dozens of times, I will stop now—"
Eren cut himself off and decided it was better if he just appreciated the vastness of the sky in silence because Levi stared at him with his usual cold expression. A couple of moments of silence passed as they made their way to the outer gates, and Eren heard Levi let out an exasperated sigh.
"Eren," Levi said, "Do you see that cluster of stars over there? That is Orion, the hunter, one of the easiest constellations you can find in the sky."
Eren's ears perked up as the man pointed up and made a rectangular shape at the stars in the sky. As the captain moved his finger to another point in the darkness, Eren had to fight the sensation of his lips tugging into a smile.
"Sagittarius, the Archer," Levi continued then directing his finger at a neat line of stars not far off. "His arrow points at the bright red heart of Scorpius called Antares, ready to avenge Orion, slain by the scorpion's sting."
Eren nodded encouragingly to let Levi know he was still listening though it all sounded like a foreign language to him and he had no clue what the man was talking about. He was just happy they were actually talking and Levi wasn't berating him for once.
"Perseus—"
"—the hero," Eren interjected as if he came to a sudden realization. Levi raised an eyebrow as he stared at Eren in amusement. Eren, somewhat flustered, defended, "My father use to tell my mother and me tales from his travels…that story scared me the most, especially when he beheaded the snake woman."
He laughed uncomfortably as Levi smirked. "You mean Medusa? Well, you are not as idiotic as I thought," he joked and he looked to be more relaxed when he returned his gaze to the sky. "Perseus, the first one I ever learned, cannot be seen during this time of the year."
Eren's chest felt slightly lighter and warmer as they talked more about the stars, without him being insulted by the shorter man, and it felt great. If he wasn't mistaken, maybe Levi was actually human under all the scowling.
"My father always talked about the skies from his travels, but I never truly understood what he meant until now when I am seeing it myself. I have not seen him since I was younger… I do not particularly want to… not after he attacked me and left my mother," Eren's voice was solemn and his eyes shifted to the ground as the silence engulfed them. He looked over to Levi who stared back, something in his face showing slight concern but then a fraction of a second later furrowing to confusion. "I apologize I am speaking too much again."
Eren didn't expect to feel the hand pat his back, rubbing him gently as if to somehow comfort him, and his skin prickled where Levi's hand rested. Levi smirked, "You do speak too much and you never know when to keep your mouth shut, but I will let it slide just this once."
"Thanks for your kindness, oh great Corporal," Eren mocked. They persisted in their slight banter until they reached the outer gardens and Corporal Levi was actually laughing with him.
"Keep your voice down," came a deep voice from when they reached the edge of the garden. The man with the thick eyebrows and blond hair ominously emerged from the bushes donning a dark hood over his head. Levi immediately ceased laughing and as if it were normal for his body to correct it, his face reverted to harboring his usual scowl. This didn't go unnoticed by Erwin, who for a quick second, narrowed his eyes at the Corporal's actions then lowered his hood.
"Levi," Erwin tried to caution as he reached out a hand to touch the shorter man's shoulder, which was promptly shrugged off.
"Let us not discuss this now, Erwin," Levi said coldly. "We should focus on why we brought Eren here."
Erwin begrudgingly nodded as he glanced at Eren with his sharp eyes that made the boy shiver. The general began leading the two of them through narrow passageways of the streets in a heavy, uncomfortable silence. He noticed the man's slight limp and Eren began to wonder what could have caused it. He wanted to break the tension, but he was very unsure of the history between the two men and just left it alone like they had. The quiet atmosphere was becoming unbearable and Eren had no idea how long he would last before they had reached a familiar face.
Hanji stood before them with a jubilant expression and beckoned them over excitedly. She winked at Eren which caused him to slightly blush.
"Long time no see," she chirped. She then turned to Erwin. "We have had some new developments…"
Hanji led them through more crumbling streets where people dressed similar as her, in filthy rags, lie moaning or sleeping in the cold roads. Their stench was insufferable as they passed and Eren did all he could not to clench his nose, not wanting to be rude. Some of the older people slouched and walked slowly as if there were a heavy weight tied to their bodies. Children coughed in a way that hurt his ears and made his chest pang with sorrow. A man with missing teeth and bony arms approached Eren with the same dead eyes that matched everyone around him.
"Please, sir, I need money to feed my children," he begged as he clung to Eren. Eren didn't mean to flinch but it was his initial reaction to someone that caught him off guard. "I will do anything for you, sir, please…"
Hanji immediately came to clasp the man's hands from Eren's tunic and she gently laid the man down on the ground where he continued to speak to himself about his children. Her face was laden with pity as she shook her head.
"He still thinks his children are alive," she said softly, then refocusing on waking down to a part in the village and entered into what looked like a hut. The small building was falling apart with barely any stable ledges for windows. There was hay strewn out upon the floor which made up the beds of the abode.
In the center sat a young boy and girl about Eren's age chattering very excitedly to one another. Just like the other villagers, their bones peaked through under their skin and they wore tattered clothing. The boy had cuts on his shaved head and the girl with pinned up brown hair and hazel eyes also had scars upon her body.
"I cannot believe we barely made it out this time!" the boy said, gesturing wildly with his hands as the girl laughed. "Next, time we will kick their asses!"
They had obviously not heard the group enter the hut until Hanji cleared her throat, and the two immediately hushed their voices to see who had intruded upon their conversation.
"Eren, meet Sasha and Connie, our village's glorious food bandits," Hanji said like she were introducing somebody famous. Sasha and Connie smiled brightly at the unfamiliar face of Eren.
"We just returned from a party one of the nobles hosted," Connie said with a mischievous smile.
"They thought a couple of guards around the dining tables could deter us," Sasha snickered. "I have never seen Nero run so fast—I am just happy most of the children and elders in the village could be fed this time around."
"And we only got a few scrapes from the guards! We are getting better," Connie beamed as they showed their battle scars which may as well have doubled as war trophies with the jubilant expressions they shared. Hanji congratulated them and her face turned serious.
Hanji beckoned Erwin, Levi, and Eren to sit with them in a circle only illuminated by the candle on a small table in the corner. Levi cautiously closed the doors and makeshift windows before coming to join. The air grew serious and Eren didn't know he was holding his breath until he felt light headed.
"By far Eren is one of the only hopes we have in defeating Nero," Hanji started, staring deeply at Eren. "I have studied titans for years and I have never crossed someone who gained symptoms from the titans and lived to tell the tale."
"The whole situation had me confused as to why the people who were harmed or came into direct contact with the titans contracted their disease, but Eren does not seem to be that case," Erwin said, looking Eren over.
"Along with all this talk of the prophecy crap, and a hero, everybody else's guess to what is happening is as good as mine," Levi stated after crossing his arms.
Everyone in the room turned to Eren as if expecting him to divulge a huge secret. They really wanted to know how he had gained his titan characteristics. He stared dumbfound at the group because he honestly did not know what to tell them. It would be very confusing as he barely believed the story himself.
""Uuh…there were these three women," he started while cautiously watching their reactions. He noticed Erwin leaned in closer with his brows furrowed. "Their names were Maria, Rose, and Sina and they told me Rome was about to fall…or something like that. The next thing I knew, I was engulfed in a bright light and there was cheering and blood, then there were dreams, I died—"
Eren stopped short as he remembered the horror. Levi let out a sigh that, thankfully, didn't seem to be directed at him.
"She was right," Levi stated, his voice heavy. He looked at the group seriously, "This prophecy that the village knows about, involving the boy, Krista told us she believed Eren may be that one from the prophecy. If what he says is true."
"Well, you had not told him the names of the goddesses and I am sure Eren was not born with those powers," Erwin said to Levi. "When Octavia was alive, she spoke of the prophecy in the stone tablets. I was skeptical and I did further research which led me to Krista. Then Krista told us about the boy of the prophecy being brought here to Rome, that boy she believed to be Eren."
"As much as I cannot believe in these 'goddesses', it is all we have got to run on," Hanji settled on the matter. "I wish I could see proof myself."
"It is like when the people pray to the gods to heal their loved ones," said Sasha with a hint of encouragement. "I think you must believe hard and they will come to you, or just have faith in them."
"Yes, but where are our gods? Do they really care about us? The people of the slums are dying in their own filth every day," Connie said, his happier tone from earlier disappearing altogether.
"Maybe Eren could be our god…" Sasha said as if she were stating something of a conspiracy theory.
"Do not become rash, this kid can barely enter a bath without tripping over his own feet," Levi sneered and Eren frowned. "If anything, without this damned prophecy, we could have killed Nero a long time ago if we just took the time to strike."
Levi side glanced Erwin with furious eyes. Erwin ignored his glare and retorted, "The most haphazard thing we could do is strike at the wrong time, Levi."
"It seems that the wrong time has stretched over ten damn years. How much longer do we have to wait, Erwin? Britannicus, Agrippina, Octavia, Poppaea, the citizens, my friends—"
"Levi, do not—"
"Damn Nero to Hell, Erwin! You were not there when I watched him kill his second wife, kicking her to death until there was blood everywhere—"
"Was that the same year the senators plotted to kill him?" Sasha interjected.
"Yeah, but he fed them all to the titans because he was so scared. What a baby," Connie laughed.
"What?" Eren said, his brow furrowing.
"Everyone, calm down," Hanji cautioned, her face darkening. "At least we know where this prophecy is heading and now we can begin."
"The people in the outskirts, our more impoverished regions, are becoming even more restless," Connie added.
"The richer citizens will not see us coming; they are distracted by the shows and the amount of food he gives them," Sasha said. "The lower slum's populace could snap at any given moment and they could take over the city. It is only a matter of time."
"But when it happens," Hanji continued. "Sasha, Connie, and I will be at the front lines to tear down the walls of the Roman Empire."
"Speaking of attacking, why has Nero not killed me yet?" Eren asked. This whole situation was finally sinking in and he was beginning to realize the role he was playing in the fall of Rome. He could feel his palms begin to sweat when he searched around the group for an answer.
"Nero is a coward and an idiot," Levi said unafraid. He leaned forward towards the group. "The bastard was dim witted enough to have the 'oracle' serve the 'hero' simply because he does not know the basic information on what is going on. Additionally, if he did put Eren in the arena, other than to showcase him, he would probably be too afraid to have him fight. Eren could win and come at him with a vengeance," Levi shifted his eyes to Eren. "This man is an imbecile, because after you fought in the arena he just thinks the patricians came to adore you, all while under the surface plebeians came to see you as hope for their strife. Nero will never tell you that."
Eren's cheeks became hot, as he was aware that Levi had some faith in his abilities and he felt like the man was on his side, fighting a battle he felt so alone in.
"He also thinks the plebeians do not know of the prophecy, but he has done well to keep it a secret from his upper class," Erwin grunted. "That is why he has a bounty over the oracle's head, because he does not want any more predictions that could threaten his rule. Now that we have Eren, he knows that something is off and he is becoming more erratic."
"This talk of the uprising is nice and all, but when can we kill Nero? He has his Praetorian Guard around him now more than ever before," Levi said feeling annoyed.
"I have Mikasa investigating that tonight," Erwin interjected. "She is following the guards and Nero around the Golden House as we speak."
"Then the plan is in motion," Hanji said, her mouth stretching into a Cheshire grin.
"Who is going to kill Nero?" Eren asked still feeling left in the dark. Everyone had been confusing him for the past few minutes as the conversation mainly dealt with him, but he still felt left out and slightly used. Everyone then turned to stare at Eren in amazement as if he had not caught onto the situation (which they weren't wrong about).
"If the prophecy is correct, Eren, it is you," Erwin stated.
Him.
Eren. Kill Nero.
Eren had never felt his heart jump so fast to the bottom of his throat in his life. How could they all be so sure, resting the fate of Rome in his hands?
Erwin, Levi, and Eren finished their discussion and exited the hut with their hoods on once more.
"Hanji, we can supply you with new cloths if you wish," Erwin suggested, his expression displaying concern.
Hanji shook her head. "That would only isolate me from the people, though thank you for your offer."
She waved them off into the darkness before curiously shifting her gaze between all three of them, nodding at Eren once more, and then disappearing.
The walk back to the Golden House had to be one of the most uncomfortable and tense experiences Eren had ever had. The corporal and the general were not speaking to each other as they walked in silence on either side of Eren. He was uncomfortable being stuck in the middle of the poorly matched duo.
Eren decided to look at the scenery instead of being present in the tension that surrounded him. He nearly forgot to breathe; he was so scared that making any sudden movements would cause harm, like he was trying not to frighten a wild animal.
Erwin was the first to break off of the group before they reached the gates of the back gardens to the Golden House. A part of the man's forearm was uncovered and Eren could see the dark bruises he had seen before on the man's skin during training. Eren looked closer at it, and Erwin moved his toga to quickly cover the mark from the boy's view.
"It was a pleasure to meet you again, Eren. I hope you now further understand the gravity of the situation Rome faces," Erwin stated, his eyes dark. Eren simply nodded, afraid to say anything else. There was just something about Erwin's manner that didn't make him want to step out of line. Erwin then turned his attention to Levi in a somewhat begrudging manner, appearing more reluctant to speak to him. "I am going to fight titans on the outer walls tomorrow near Naples on a deploy mission for Nero. I will be back soon."
"You can depart to your house now, sir," Levi scoffed and immediately began walking ahead of Eren. With a burning feeling of guilt in Eren's chest, he saluted Erwin, and began to catch up to Levi. He swore he heard a deep sigh from the blond, as he headed towards his quarters. Whatever was happening between the two men, Eren did not feel it his place to question. He was sure before he would even get out the questions he had swarming in his head, a blade from Levi would be plunged in his chest. He decided it would be better to leave it alone.
Eren stared up at the stars once more like when they had traveled to the slums. They shined even brighter as it was edging to be in the deepest part of the night... or morning. Either way, Eren was drowsy as a small yawn escaped his mouth and then he squeaked in surprise.
"What is happening?" Levi asked, frantically turning around and taking a blade out from his pocket. He scanned the area for any search of movement.
"One of the stars in the sky fell or something- ow!" Eren said as Levi smacked him in the back of the head. Eren rubbed his injury looking hurt. "What was that for?"
"I thought you saw something important. Do not startle me like that," Levi growled, trying not to sound too perturbed. Levi looked up at Eren and was slightly bemused at how easy it was to entertain the boy. It was like dangling a string in front of a feline.
"I am sorry, it is just that I have never seen these things before," Eren muttered.
"You know," Levi said. "I read somewhere that when one sees a streak in the stars, that means the gods are looking down upon them, and they receive a wish."
Eren looked at Levi as if he were joking and the older man looked back at the sky.
"I do not believe it at all, of course. The damned gods are not real and if they were, they sure are awful for making some citizens live prosperously while others suffer."
He kicked at the grass as Eren watched with a pained expression. They walked in silence for a little bit more; he just didn't know what to say.
"Eren, if you could wish for anything, what would it be?" Levi asked in a softer voice. He seemed dazed, like he were walking mechanically, his feet dragging him.
Eren pondered. "I guess I would wish to see my mother again. The empire took her away too soon," he laughed it off casually and glanced at Levi who raised his eyebrows. He felt a slight pang in his heart to better the mood. "Maybe feed Nero to the tigers, you know, and the courage to tell him his singing is horrible."
"Really now?" Levi teased. "A young man like yourself should be wishing for harems and endless amounts of gold."
"Well, I believe that would not be too bad either," he laughed. "And while I am there, throw in a few titan battles for the public and all the food I can eat." Eren began to dance around with his cheeks puffed and his hands stretched out in an absurd fashion around his belly, which could only be an impersonation of the great Emperor Nero himself, causing Levi to roar with laughter.
"You are going to get us killed out here, you idiot," Levi tried to hiss as he hugged his stomach. It shouldn't have been that funny but he didn't have that much in his life to laugh at lately. Eren tried not to smile as the air between them carried away an invisible weight from inside his chest and replaced it with something warmer. Eren couldn't tell what it was, but he did like the nice feeling of it spreading to his fingertips, prickling under his skin when he heard Levi laugh.
When Levi finally composed himself his tone became the utmost sincere, "Eren, do not let Nero take anything away from you. He has already taken so much away from me. That man will claim anything as his own and he must be taken down. They did not tell you, but after this is all over, Erwin's plans involve making me the emperor. Oh wipe that dumb look from your face— but some things in this city have to change."
Eren silently looked at the man as they had finally reached the back end of the Golden House's dark corridors.
"What would you wish for, Levi?" Eren asked, his curiosity holding onto him again.
"There is no point anymore. My wishes have probably run out anyways," Levi sighed.
"Oh, come on, there has to be something."
"It is not important."
"So you are going to let me go my whole life without knowing? Thanks," Eren said with a sarcastic smile.
Levi smirked and waved Eren off as he walked down the opposite end of the hallway to his quarters. Eren made his way back to his room, for some reason wondering about what the corporal would wish for with a smile still on his lips.
Chapter 4 Notes:
Surprisingly, Nero may have not fiddled while Rome burned and actually did all he could to help the people of Rome survive, even going as far as to let people stay in his house because they were in trouble in the streets.
Nero had a daughter, named Claudia Augustus who survived for fourth months before dying (of course not from the titan's disease).
I'm not sure about this one, but I believe in AD 65, Nero's senators got tired of his antics and tried to have him murdered in what was called the Pisonian Conspiracy. So, of course, he killed them. (Again, we all know, not with titans.) That same year, he may have kicked Poppaea to death as their relationship crumbled and he grew even more psychotic.
Not all the constellations can be seen within one season. Perseus can be seen in the winter in the northern hemisphere, and in the summer it can be seen in the southern hemisphere. Scorpius can be seen in the summertime in the northern hemisphere. Sagittarius can be seen in the northern hemisphere in the summer, and so forth. Those should be correct if I researched it right. Woot, constellations are beautiful! Go look at them sometime.
Patrician – nobleman/aristocrat.
Plebeian – a commoner/peasant like me.
Praetorian Guard – basically the Secret Service/bodyguards of Roman Emperors.
