First things first, I'm sorry this took so long. I mostly blame the wait on the fact that I came down with a nasty sickness (mono ain't no joke, you guys), but I promise that I'll do my best to post every week from here out! Thanks to everyone who stuck around, I really appreciate it!
I'm planning on keeping pretty close to the manga, and so those of you who are caught up know that some major shenanigans are about to go down! Before we get to the heart of that, though, I wanted to do something a little more light hearted chapter.
Apologies if there are any mistakes in this chapter, I'll probably be revising it at a later date. That being said, please enjoy!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Celeste, dove, it's time to wake up."
The voice, though gentle, was firm enough for Celeste to force her eyes open. Judging by the sunlight streaming through the window, it was well into the morning- but Celeste felt as though she could sleep for another few hours.
Secret meetings would do that, she supposed.
Pulling herself up to a sitting position, Celeste glanced back at Levi. Despite it being only two weeks since she rescued him from Kenny (and only three days since she announced her pregnancy to the court- claiming Erwin as the father, of course), Levi seemed fully recovered. Having been reappointed as Celeste's personal guard, the older man was almost constantly by her side.
"The doctor should be arriving soon, so you need to get ready." Levi's voice was abrasive, but still offered her a hand to help Celeste get down from the bed. "Maybe he can give you something for the excessive fatigue."
"I don't sleep that much."
Levi looked at her skeptically, but did not push the issue. He watched in silence as she disappeared into the closet, coming out with one of her looser blue dresses half-on a few minutes later. A glimmer of annoyance caused a crease in Celeste's brow when she emerged, although Levi knew it wasn't directed at him so much as the dress.
Furtively, Celeste tried button the back. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Celeste turned to face Levi with a mix of embarrassment and anger turning her cheeks a light pink.
"Do you think you could close the back for me? Usually I can do it myself, but Anna must have washed it in hot water and shrunk the thing."
The look in Celeste's eyes told Levi that it would not be wise to argue that point- although he was sure that the dress wasn't the one changing in size.
"Of course, Celeste." Levi replied, confident in his ability until he tried latching the buttons closed himself. Humanity's Strongest Soldier glared intimidatingly at the little button, yanking it tightly towards the loop on the other side of the fabric.
A smug look shone in Levi's eyes. "I think I got it-"
RIP!
"Levi!" Celeste shrieked as the button came flying off, clanging on the cold tile floor and rolling under a heavy wooden armoire.
Levi blinked, placing a hand on Celeste's shoulder when she turned to look at him. "Maybe you need some larger clothes." He said offhandedly. "You've gotten too big for the ones you have-"
"It's only been 10 weeks, Levi, I shouldn't be growing out of anything yet!" Celeste fumed, inspecting herself critically. Levi brushed some hair out her face, pressing a kiss to her creased brow. "Calm down, darling, I'm sure you're fine-"
"Fine?! I'm not fine, I shouldn't be showing yet! Do you think it's because I ate so many rolls yesterday?"
"I guess that could be it-"
"But I only had six! How could that be it, huh?!"
Celeste's rant was quickly silenced when Levi kissed her passionately, taking full advantage of her open mouth. His hands were tangled in her hair, and after Celeste got over her initial surprise she wrapped her arms around him. The nervous, hysterical feeling she had bubbling up in her chest melted away as Levi's tongue explored her mouth, causing her to sigh in contentment.
When Levi finally pulled away, she could see the gentle patience he had towards her shining in his gray eyes. After brushing a thumb across her cheek, he spoke once more. "There's nothing to worry about, darling. Your condition isn't a secret anymore, and we can have some new clothes made for you in an instant."
"You're right, I was being ridiculous." Celeste said, sighing once more as she smoothed down his uniform before pulling away. "Walls, Levi- I don't know what I would do without you."
Just then, a sharp knock echoed through the royal chambers. Celeste's countenance changed immediately, the young woman assuming her more regal persona as she answered.
"Who is it?"
"Dr. Chandler, Your Majesty."
Celeste took a deep breath, quickly grabbing a shawl to cover the open back of the dress as Levi opened the door. Just as she re-entered the main room, Celeste nearly feel over in surprise.
"Erwin?" She asked, not bothering to mask the shock she felt when she spotted the king enter behind an older woman in a white lab coat (Dr. Chandler, she assumed). Erwin smiled at her, although Celeste knew him well enough now to know it was entirely fake.
"I know I have been caught up with work recently, my dear wife, so I wanted to make it up to you. If you don't mind, I was hoping I would be able to stay for your first checkup." Erwin said in response to her questioning look. Celeste's eye twitched, but she forced a smile on her face in response.
If Erwin wanted to play games, then she wasn't going to back down.
"Of course. Feel free to stay." Celeste said, her cheerfulness forced. She could practically feel Levi bristle behind her, but to her relief he stayed silent.
The doctor cleared her throat, setting down a small black suitcase on one of the tables. "If I may be so bold, Highness," She said, although the sharp look in her eyes told Celeste that she wasn't really asking to speak. "It would be best if I was alone with the Queen for a short time. If the both of you would wait outside the door, it would be a great help."
Both Levi and Erwin seemed surprised at Dr. Chandler's biting words, glancing between one another. The woman clucked at their hesitation, and made a shooing motion with her hands.
"This is business between women, and the last thing an expectant mother needs is to be stressed during such an important evaluation."
Levi was the first to speak, looking affronted at the doctor's words. "As her bodyguard, it is my obligation to make sure the queen is safe at all times. I don't know you, let along trust you, enough to be alone with her."
The woman snorted, her hands on her hips. "I've delivered more babies into this world then you could count, sir. I've handled many noble pregnancies, and I know how to read the body language of the women I take care of. If you care about the wellbeing of the queen, then you'll kindly let me do my job."
"Do I truly stress you that much, my dear?" Erwin asked pointedly, assuming Celeste wouldn't back down from the silent challenge in his words.
Celeste shrugged, finding courage in the stern face of her doctor. "If it's what Dr. Chandler thinks is best, dear husband, then I must agree with her."
A pause fell amongst them, with neither man moving to leave. Finally, Celeste broke the silence with an exasperated sigh.
"Leave. Both of you." She said, her voice just sharp enough to break through the stubborn look on the faces of the two men.
With reluctance, Erwin left the royal chambers. Levi was soon to follow, making sure Erwin was already at the door before he followed.
"Just call out if you need anything, my queen." Levi called, closing the door behind him a bit sharper than necessary.
OOOOOOOOOO
"I wasn't expecting that." Erwin said tensely, more to himself than Levi. Both men leaned on the wall beside the door, refusing to so much as look at the other.
"Oi, didn't you investigate this woman at all before you hired her?" Levi asked abrasively, annoyance of his own simmering within him.
Erwin sighed, finally glancing at his subordinate. "I did. The other noble families said she was the best when it came to expectant mothers, but made no mention of her… personality." He adjusted his jacket absentmindedly, staring back into the dark hallway leading up to the rooms. "I suppose that her sharp tongue doesn't mean much in the long run, if it means Celeste will have the best treatment available."
If Levi was surprised at this sentiment, he didn't show it. "I would have figured you would get the worst doctor available, Erwin."
"Believe it or not, Levi, I hold no animosity to you or Celeste." Erwin said, and Levi couldn't contain a snort of disbelief. "That's a complete load of shit, Erwin."
Erwin turned sharply towards the captain, a seemingly sincere look on his face. "You know me better than anyone, Levi. You know I'm a pragmatist above all else." He said, and Levi faced him with a skeptical look in his eyes.
"How pragmatic was it to allow Kenny to nearly kill me, Erwin? Or to pretend to rape the woman I love?" Levi shot back, the dangerous aurora around him growing. "I'm surprised I haven't' killed your stupid ass yet, if I'm honest."
Erwin held his hands up, as though to calm the young man. "I locked you up because you were a threat to my reputation in a time when it was critical I be without fault, Levi. If anyone found out that my queen of not even three days was having an affair with my closest ally, then I would have been stripped of my power one way or another and all of this would have been for naught." Erwin crossed his arms over his chest, the cold look in his eyes looking completely unapologetic as he met Levi's deadly gaze. "And, as you said, I only threatened to hurt Celeste. I would never actually do it, Levi, you know that. You caught me when my emotions were high, as they were the day Celeste retrieved you. You know that I never make a move without careful consideration of the pros and cons, Levi- and I promise you, sincerely, that I can't see any benefit in continuing this animosity between us."
Levi blinked, trying to comprehend just what Erwin was implying. "You're telling me that you want things to go back to how it was before."
"Yes."
"Fuck off."
Erwin masked the frustration he felt at Levi's stubbornness well, and pushed on. "Think logically about it, Levi. I knew about what you were doing to Celeste for months, and I never made a move to stop it. I fully planned on you being the one to marry her. In the time you were gone, I never made any romantic advances towards her." Erwin glanced at Levi critically, his blue gaze evaluating. "And, despite what treatment you received from Mr. Ackerman, you seem in perfect health now. To be completely honest, the man blindsided me as well. I specifically ordered him to keep you in good shape, because I need you for the upcoming mission."
A pause fell between them, and Erwin could sense the slightest change in his subordinate's hard expression.
"I need you to be my right hand now more than ever, Levi. I need someone I can trust, for the sake of the Survey Corps and for the sake of Humanity." Erwin said, leaning towards Levi with an expectant look on his face. "And, if you aren't convinced of my sincerity, I do have a way to prove it."
This piqued Levi's interests. "What are you taking about?"
"Many noble women have trouble producing children, Levi. Due to many years of inbreeding, if the ones I have encountered are any indicator, but the issue is still there. Pregnancies fail more often than they succeed, from what I've heard." Erwin said, his voice lowering to the point that Levi had to strain to hear him.
The raven-haired man's eyes narrowed, trying to decipher what Erwin was telling him. "Is that a threat, Erwin?" He finally asked, but Erwin was quick to shake his head in denial.
"Not at all." Erwin said, and the corners of his lips pulled upward. "I was telling you so you would understand why it is such a common practice for highborn women to go into bedrest at a very early stage. Some even leave to a country home, hoping the clean air will help with the process."
It dawned on Levi all at once, the man standing up straighter as he considered Erwin's words. "You'd allow me to keep Celeste to myself once more, for the duration of her pregnancy?" He asked, unable to allow the slightly incredulous note out of his voice.
Erwin nodded, a triumphant look on his face. "Exactly. It would work out best for both of us- You have your woman back, and I'll have my second in command back. Agreed?"
Levi blinked, opening his mouth to answer before a thought caused him to close it once more.
Erwin stood, walking few paces forward before turning back to Levi. "Think about it, Levi. I expect an answer by nightfall."
Levi watched his former commander go, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind. As much as he was inclined to doubt Erwin's words, the lingering desire to keep Celeste to himself was dangerously tempting.
She would be upset.
Levi knew that to be the case. Celeste hated her last stint in captivity so much that she poisoned him. And did he really need to lock her away to keep her to himself?
She would be safer, away from this. And you could be her whole world once more. She wouldn't talk to those shitty cadets anymore, or Erwin, or her sister.
Levi felt torn, the choice ahead of him difficult. A few months ago and he wouldn't have even considered letting her stay at the castle. But things were different now. She loved him, so much that she rescued him from Kenny. She was pregnant with his baby, even. What more could he ask for?
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"You're saying that the morning sickness will go away if I take a capsule of this every morning?" Celeste asked incredulously, examining the pill with amazement. She was laying on her bed, wearing a thin hospital gown as the doctor worked.
"Not completely, I'm afraid, but it should help. Wait at least thirty minutes before trying to eat, though." Dr. Chandler said calmly, although Celeste couldn't help but notice the woman's brown eyes narrow a bit as she felt Celeste's sides.
"You said that you were 10 weeks along, right?" The woman asked offhandedly. Celeste nodded, thinking nothing of it as she went back to staring at the capsule in her hands.
"And there is nothing in this to harm the child, right?"
"Of course." Dr. Chandler said, a crease appearing on her stern brow. "And you're certain, Majesty? Absolutely certain?" The woman grabbed one of Celeste's hands gently, an unreadable expression in her eyes. "Anything you tell me, Your Majesty, will remain between us. I am sworn to absolute secrecy."
Celeste's eyes narrowed, the confusion she felt growing. "I promise, I am absolutely sure the baby was conceived then. There is no way it could have been any earlier."
The doctor nodded, a considerate look on her face. "As I suspected. Allow me to check one thing, Majesty."
Worry gnawed at Celeste's nerves as the doctor worked, and the anxiety she felt only increased when the doctor finally looked back at her with an apprehensive expression on her face.
"What is it, what's wrong?" Celeste asked, the worry she felt causing her tone to rise. The doctor quickly made a few calming noises, taking Celeste's hands in her own once more. "Hush now, Majesty. It's nothing horrible, I promise."
"Just tell me, please." Celeste pleaded, and Dr. Chandler nodded in acceptance. "My dear, you are not expecting a child." The doctor sighed, squeezing Celeste's hands gently. "You're expecting two."
Celeste blinked, the words taking a moment to fully sink in. "You… you mean… twins?" She asked, her voice faint.
Dr. Chandler nodded, rubbing the shocked woman's shoulders gently. "Calm down, Your Majesty. It's nothing to worry about, plenty of women have twins naturally. Modern medicine has come a long way with this, and you're in capable hands."
Celeste nodded listlessly, not truly hearing the woman's words.
"Do you… what can you tell about them, at this point? Are they identical or fraternal?" She asked, and the doctor shook her head. "I can't tell you much, not now. If I was to guess, however, it would be fraternal. I've had a few cases of women who have an irregular cycle after coming off military-grade birth control, and I suspect your situation is similar to their own."
"And you're sure?" Celeste asked, her voice gaining strength as the reality of her situation dawned on her. "That it's twins?"
The doctor nodded, standing up from the bedside. "As certain as one can be, Majesty. You can dress in your regular clothes now, if you wish."
As Celeste slipped back into the blue gown, she watched the doctor pack up her things. Before exiting, however, she turned to Celeste once more with the serious look returning to her aged face. "This development means that I will need to visit you more often than I thought, especially near the end. You will get through this, Highness. Try to remain as calm and stress-free as you can, for the sake of your babies."
"Yes, I will try. Thank you, Dr. Chandler." Celeste replied, sitting down on her bed. "And please, keep this to yourself. For now."
"As you wish."
Celeste's mind raced as the woman left, her hands clutching together tightly.
How will Levi react when he finds out?
Good, probably. Celeste suspected he would be pleased, knowing that their family would grow two times over instead of one.
Until he found out about how dangerous it was. You know how the man is- once he finds out, Levi will want to keep you locked up somewhere for the next two trimesters.
Celeste sighed, pinching her nose as she thought. She couldn't afford to be away from the castle, not now. Not when she had the new mission already planned out- she needed to be there, to finalize the logistics of it. Armin, Hange, Eren were all counting on her, along with the rest of the Survey Corps and even a few members of the Military Police.
I have to stay here, even if it means lying to Levi. I have to keep it a secret-
"How did it go, dove?"
The monotone voice of the father of her unborn child- children- snapped Celeste out of her thoughts.
Celeste looked up to meet his gaze, forcing herself to smile as genuinely as she could. "Great, Levi! All goes well, according to the doctor."
Levi walked over to her, promptly sitting beside her on the bed. "What's this?" He asked, picking up the prescription bottle on her bedside and inspecting it. Celeste glanced over at it, the smile on her face becoming more genuine. "It's to help with morning sickness. Hopefully I'll be able to stomach breakfast now, huh?"
"That would be great," Levi said, placing on the table. "I'll get it tested for poison first, though. I don't trust doctors."
Celeste sighed, although not entirely surprised at his paranoid behavior. However, something about him seemed… odd. He was staring at her with an evaluating look, and Celeste wasn't quite sure she trusted the purpose behind it.
"Is there something wrong, Levi?" She asked, her head tilting as she watched him. Levi met Celeste's inquisitive gaze evenly, and pressed a kiss to her forehead before she could stare too long. "Nothing at all, dove." He said, and Celeste looked as if she believed him.
Yawning tiredly, Celeste stretched her arms out and settled against Levi's side. Resting her head on his shoulder, she grabbed his hand with her own and examined it as she spoke.
"Have you given any thought about what you want to be called?" She asked, and Levi glanced at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Papa, or maybe daddy?" Celeste questioned, and she could practically feel the happiness the thought gave him.
Making a noise of consideration, Levi brought their joined hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to them. "I'm not sure yet. Either would be agreeable to me."
"Can you imagine it, Levi? In less than 7 months, we're going to be parents." Celeste said, before tugging her hand free in order to ruffle his raven hair out of place. Levi's face scrunched up, and he grabbed her wrist with a mix of confusion and annoyance in his eyes.
"Oi, stop that."
Celeste giggled, making a move to do it again before Levi stopped her with a serious look on his face.
"Celeste, I need to ask you something important." He said, sobering Celeste's mood considerably as she saw how serious he looked.
"What is it, Levi?"
"If you had a chance to go back to the way things were before all of this, would you?"
Celeste's eyebrows raised at his question, and a tremor of fear ran through her as she thought about just what he was implying. "Do you mean when you had me stuck in the cabin?"
She noticed Levi's stoic features flinch at the harsh way she spoke. "Would you be happy with me, Celeste? Would I be enough for you?" He asked, grabbing her hands only for Celeste to pull them back quickly.
"I love you, Levi, but it can never be like that again." Celeste said, her words firm despite the fear that Levi could see in her eyes. She breathed deeply, stress obvious on her features as she stared at him for any sign that he was being sincere. "You don't mean it, right? Levi, I think I proved that I am strong enough to take care of myself. I saved you, remember?"
Levi placed a hand on her back in an attempt to calm her. "Celeste, you were happy-"
Celeste pulled away from his touch as though she was burned, standing up and walking a few paces away from him on the bed. She couldn't pretend to miss the hurt in Levi's eyes at her immediate aversion to the idea, but at that point Celeste didn't care.
"I need to be here, Levi. Humanity needs both of us in order to end this chaos with the titans. I need to be close to a doctor. You can't kidnap me again, not when the stakes are this high." Celeste said, her voice raising as he stood and took a step closer.
"Calm down, Celeste. It isn't good for you to get this upset, remember? Stress is bad for the baby." Levi replied, his calm voice masking any anger or pain he felt over her immediate rejection. Celeste's eyes narrowed, and she backed away further. "Promise me you won't even consider it, Levi. I don't know how you would even be able to pull a stunt like that, and you'd likely end up getting us both killed."
Levi held up his hands, taking another few steps closer to her. "I promise, Celeste. I meant nothing by it, there is no reason for you to worry." He said soothingly, before pulling her into his arms. Celeste struggled against him initially, but when it became clear that Levi wasn't letting go any time soon she calmed.
"I love you." Levi said quietly, wishing more than anything that Celeste would stop shaking in fear and return his embrace.
"Levi…"
"Just pretend this conversation never happened, okay?" Levi asked, but even as he said it he knew that he wouldn't be able to forget her immediate revulsion to the idea.
He couldn't mask the fact that he was cut by her reaction, but Levi knew now that he wouldn't have to ponder Erwin's proposal for much longer.
"How about I grab the tailor for you, darling?" Levi's voice was soft as he ran a hand up and down her back. "You can get some new dresses made, and I will leave you with another guard during that time. Would that be okay with you?"
Part of him was hoping that she would ask him to stay with her, but all Celeste did was nod in agreement.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"No? Are you sure?" Erwin asked, unable to contain the look of surprise in his blue eyes. "I'm surprised at you, Levi. I thought that you, more than anyone, would have wanted to keep Celeste out of harm's way."
Levi bristled, but refused to let Erwin's jab get under his skin. "She wouldn't forgive me if I tried, Erwin. She was hysterical at the very mention of it." Levi sighed, leaning back in his chair as he gazed at Erwin from across the desk. "But that doesn't mean that I don't accept your offer. The sooner the war is over, the better, and we can accomplish much more working together."
Erwin nodded, a pleased look coming to his face. "I'm glad to hear it." He said, pulling a file out from under his desk and sliding it across to his subordinate. "I had a different plan for wiping out the titans, originally. But after hearing the plot Celeste pulled together, I decided against my original designs. Now, as you will see-"
"Celeste coordinated an attack?" Levi interrupted, unable to hide the surprise and confusion in his gray eyes. Erwin nodded, an eyebrow raising skeptically. "She didn't tell you? Celeste's been having meetings with our senior officers and some of the Military Police for a few weeks now." Erwin tapped his fingers on the top of the file, glancing at Levi with a strange expression on his face. "If it makes you feel better, I only just discovered her plans. It seems as though she was trying to keep it a secret from both of us, but one of my most trusted agents was able to scope out a few of the more recent meetings. Even if Celeste was underhanded when dealing with this, it's still an excellent plan."
Levi, although internally seething, snatched the file and examined it's contents.
"Oi, Erwin." Levi said distractedly as he read the contents, his eyes running across the pages of strategy. "I think I've changed my mind. This is the last thing Celeste needs to be involved in."
A nearly-invisible smirk tugged at the older man's lips. "I agree. After we're done discussing the plans, I'll go over the logistics of your new… living arrangements"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Celeste stood in front of the full-body mirror, trying not to wince as the tailor stabbed her in the side with a needle once again.
"How much… ugh… longer do you think it will take?" Celeste gritted out as evenly as she could. The tailor, after apologizing profusely, promised that it would take only a few more minutes.
"You should see your face, sister!"
Celeste caught Historia's giggling expression in the corner of her mirror, and she stuck her tongue out at her. "Don't sass me, young lady!" She said, although she couldn't contain a smile from breaking her comically-serious features.
Historia sniffed indignantly, her hands on her hips. "I'm not that young, Celeste. In fact, I'll have you know that I'm to be an aunt in just a few short months."
Celeste opened her mouth to respond, only for the tailor to interrupt.
"I'm finished, Your Majesty." The woman said, bowing deeply. "We'll have your new clothes delivered in just a few day's time."
"Thanks." Celeste said, her gaze following the woman as she gathered her things and scurried out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind them, Celeste joined her sister on the couch.
"Historia, I have something to tell you that you must keep a secret." Celeste said seriously, and Historia nodded.
"Is something wrong, sister?" Historia asked, concern shining in her innocent blue eyes. Celeste took a deep breath.
"The doctor thinks I'm having twins."
Historia's eyes widened, and she clasped her hands together excitedly. "That's wonderful news, Celeste!" She said, a bright smile on her face as she took Celeste's hands in her own. "I can't believe it!" She exclaimed, before a brief flash of confusion crossed her face. "But why do you want to keep it a secret?"
Celeste swallowed, a lump rising in her throat. "Twins can be dangerous, and the last thing I need is for Levi to worry before the big mission." She said, grateful when her half-lie was convincing enough for Historia to buy it.
"And Erwin." Historia interjected, causing Celeste to raise an eyebrow.
"Erwin hates me, remember?" Celeste replied, surprised to see Historia shake her head. "He doesn't hate you, Celeste. In fact, I think you're one of the few people he respects. I got the feeling that Erwin doesn't often get out-maneuvered, and you've already done it twice." Historia's expression turned more serious, and she lowered her voice.
"Have you finalized everything for the mission next week?" Historia asked, and Celeste glanced around out of habit before speaking again.
"Yes. I talked to Hange and Eren, and everything is set in place." Celeste said, and Historia leaned in closer. "Have you told Levi about it yet, then?"
"…"
"Sister!" Historia exclaimed, a reproachful look on her face. "You have to tell him, we've got hardly a week left!"
"I know, I know!" Celeste groaned, leaning back on the couch. "But you should have heard him this morning, Historia. He was saying the strangest things- I'm worried that he's going to try to kidnap me again, or something. If he finds out that I'm going on this raid, then he'll flip out!"
Historia had a thoughtful look. "Why don't I go in your place, then?"
"No way, sister, we need you here. In case everything goes wrong, you're Humanity's only hope." Celeste interjected, flicking Historia's nose. The girl's expression scrunched up, and she swatted Celeste's hand away. "Eren's going, isn't he? From what you told me, I can't save anyone without his spinal fluid or something."
"Yes, and he's the first person I'll evacuate if things go bad." Celeste countered. "Besides, I need to be there in case something goes wrong and we have to adjust the plan."
"I still think you should get Erwin's help. He has a lot more experience with these things."
"Erwin will shoot down the idea. He has his own plans, I doubt he'll want to compromise."
"I wouldn't be so sure." Historia shrugged, before standing up with a stretch. "At least we'll have Hange and Levi. And if Eren's going, then Mikasa is bound to follow."
The name alone caused a shiver of fear to travel down Celeste's spine. "I don't trust her, Historia."
"I'm starting to think you don't trust anyone, Celeste." Historia said, sighing. "She was your friend, remember? And she rivals the Captain when it comes to skills."
Although Celeste knew her sister's logic was sound- Celeste couldn't pretend that she hadn't considered enlisting Mikasa to her aid when she first arrived at the castle. To this day, she didn't know what Erwin used to persuade the girl to join him. If Celeste knew anything about Mikasa, than it had to be something to do with Eren.
Even still… Celeste could hardly stand to meet the eyes of the woman she had once considered to be a friend. All she could think about, at even the mention of Mikasa's name, was that night so many weeks ago.
An event she had yet to share with Historia. And, if Celeste had her way, she would never share it.
"I'll think about it." Celeste responded after a moment of silence, although they both knew she was lying. Historia sighed, and patted her sister on the head.
"You need to relax, sister." She said, a bright smile coming to her face as an idea popped into her head. "I heard that there's a really beautiful spring just outside the castle's gates. Maybe you could visit it?"
"A hot spring?" Celeste gasped, unable to contain her own excitement. "I've only ever heard of those! Just imagine how nice that warm water would feel, especially now that fall has set in!"
"We should-"
The door opened loudly, both Celeste and Historia jumping in surprise as they turned to see Levi leaning on the doorframe.
"Oi, Reiss. I ordered you to guard the queen, you brat, not to sit around and gossip." He said harshly, and Celeste could feel Historia tense beside her.
Sighing, Celeste stood. It was better to intervene now, before things got out of hand. Celeste suspected that Historia was one of the few people brave even to stand toe to toe with Levi, and that was a situation she definitely wanted to avoid.
"I'll see you soon, sister." Celeste said, smiling softly at the younger girl as she offered her a hand up. Historia sent a scathing glare over in Levi's direction, but left the room without outwardly showing her disdain for him.
As soon as the door closed, Celeste sent a reproachful look at Levi. "I don't see why you would feel the need to be so rude to Historia." Celeste remarked, unable to contain the annoyance she felt that the one man she loved couldn't get along with the one living relative she still cared for.
"I value honesty, dove." Levi remarked, his tone harsh. "A concept foreign to you, I suppose."
Celeste's eyes narrowed, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Excuse me? Is there something you want to say, Levi?"
"Nothing, darling, just an observation." Levi shot back, but Celeste could tell that it was certainly not 'nothing'. Before she could press him further, however, he changed the topic. "What were you discussing with Reiss?"
"You mean my dear sister, Historia?"
"Who else would I be talking about?"
"Me, or my father-"
"Tch." Levi scoffed, leaning against the wall with a dark expression in his eyes. "I don't see Rod anywhere, and you aren't a Reiss anymore. It's Celeste Smith, remember?"
"I remember perfectly. Celeste Smith, and not Celeste Ackerman, all because you drove me to the point of poisoning you to get free." Celeste stepped closer to him, all her inhibitions thrown to the wind. Her blue eyes burned wildly, the repressed anxiety and stress she had been suppressing for so long coming to a snapping point.
"I thought you learned your lesson about speaking to me so harshly, dove." Levi growled, stepping closer to her. "And you'll have my last name soon enough. You and our baby, and all the children to come."
"Who says I'll want any more kids after this?" Celeste pressed a finger into Levi's chest, refusing to be intimidated by his icy glare. The soldier grabbed her hand and tugged her towards him, but Celeste didn't relent even as he towered over her. "And I'll take whatever tone I want with you. Until you're throwing up every morning from the child we both made-"
Almost violently, Levi grabbed her hair and plunged his tongue in her mouth. Celeste inadvertently let out a moan when their teeth clanged together, a strange mix of pain and pleasure coursing through her as Levi held her possessively.
"Hot springs."
The words were airy and breathless as Celeste spoke them, having just broken from Levi's impromptu kiss. He stared at her, a flash of confusion flickering in his gray eyes.
"What?"
"That's what Historia and I were talking about." Celeste said, running a hand through Levi's hair almost absent-mindedly as she spoke. It was clear that Levi had other things on his mind, and seemed entirely uninterested.
"That's great. Now, I think we should continue-"
"Take me to it." Celeste interrupted, the odd impulse making her feel giddy. "Just us two, Levi. I know where it is, vaguely, and there's plenty of daylight left."
Levi blinked, the lust in his eyes almost completely replaced by a look Celeste couldn't describe other than "I can't believe you're actually being serious".
"No." Levi said, brushing a few curls out of her face. "It's cold, the last thing you need to do is swim. Besides, I need more time to establish a perimeter and set guards."
Celeste, however, didn't seem to listen as she ran into her closet. "We're going, Levi!" She called through the door, her tone indicating that her mind was all but set. "Stress isn't good for our little bundle of joy, remember?"
The queen emerged from her closet, wearing a thick robe and holding a towel. She looked at Levi expectantly, a stupid grin on her face.
"Go on, Levi! Get your bathing suit, we're going."
Levi didn't budge from his spot, and Celeste fought the urge to groan at his stubbornness. Instead, she fixed Levi with the best pleading look she could.
"Please, Levi?" She asked, her eyes wide as her lips quivered ever so slightly. Levi's eye twitched, and Celeste had to contain a triumphant smirk.
"It'll be fun, I promise! Just you, me, and steaming hot water." She urged, and Levi finally sighed.
"We can go, if you really must." He finally relented. "But I'm not swimming."
"Fine!"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo
"Oi, care to tell me why we're being so secretive?" Levi asked, his hand joined to Celeste's own as she pulled him through the halls. The queen glanced back at him, and Levi could see the mischievous look in her eyes. "I don't want anyone to follow us, Levi." She replied, a playful grin pulling at her lips. "Besides, I may have promised some people that I would attend a banquet for the horticulture society."
Levi sighed, resigning himself to simply following his love as she tugged her around. She was illuminated by the rays of golden sunlight, the soft pink fabric of her dress billowing around her. Resisting the urge to tug at one of the loose curls that had fallen out of Celeste's braid, Levi tried to speak once more.
"Do you even know where you're going-"
"Shh!" Celeste cut him off, quickly tugging him behind a corner as a guard passed by unwittingly. Levi stared at her critically as she checked the watch she had tucked in her jacket pocket, noticing the way she winced as she noticed the time.
"We don't have as much time as I thought." Concern was clear in Celeste's voice as she started walking again. "At this rate, we'll never make it to the hot springs before sundown. It's all the way past the gardens!" Levi raised an eyebrow, faint annoyance at being ignored.
"Tch. And you're still set on going to the them?" He asked, and Celeste made a faint noise of confirmation as she scanned the pathway for more guards. There were coming up on an open bridge between the two wings of the castle, and there would be no space to hide.
Distracted by her own thoughts, Celeste didn't notice the glint in Levi's gray eyes as they started across the bridge. A smirk tugged at his lips as a plan came to mind, and he pulled her to a stop.
"If that's what you want, Celeste."
Before Celeste could question the plotting tone in his voice, Levi picked her up and started running towards the edge of the bridge. The queen, too shocked by the sudden action to do more than wrap her arms around his neck on impulse, looked at him with confusion.
"Levi, what in Wall's name are you- DON'T YOU DARE-"
Celeste's shrieks got lost in the rush of wind when Levi hopped off the edge, activating his 3DMG. The palace around them soon became a blur as the couple went into free fall, only for the sudden jerk of the machine to send them flying into the air once more.
Celeste's eyes were screwed together tightly as she clung to Levi, feeling the world pass by them at lightning speed as they shot around the castle. Her stomach was in her throat as the captain maneuvered them effortlessly into a flashy combination of barrel rolls and turns, the sheer speed in which they moved causing adrenaline to course through her system.
Finally, however, she forced herself to look out.
The world seemed so small beneath them, washed in the golden rays of the sun. The alabaster stone of the castle and the great green swaths of grass all around it was one of the most beautiful things Celeste had even seen, and for a moment she wished she could be up here forever.
The thought didn't last long, however, as she and Levi were soon back in free-fall.
After what managed to feel like both an eternity and a split second, Levi landed them safely on a large meadow outside the castle gates. Celeste finally opened her eyes again, looking up to see a smug look on the older man's face as he watched her.
"Levi," She said slowly, an ominous tone in her voice as she watched his lips twitch even further into a smile. Levi looked completely unabashed, his nose brushing against hers as he met her gaze.
"What is it, my dove?" Levi asked innocently, his gray eyes shining as he looked down at her furious expression. "I got us here with plenty of time to spare, wouldn't you agree?"
Celeste's eye twitched, and she grabbed his cravat tightly. "Put me down. Now." She shot back tensely, and Levi got a look of fake disbelief.
"What, no reward for all my effort?" He asked, and Celeste's eyes narrowed. "Your only reward will be my foot up your ass if you ever try that again. We could have died, Levi. You could have re-injured yourself!"
Levi rolled his eyes, setting her down on her feet gently. "You were perfectly safe, Celeste. I would never drop you." He tugged on one of Celeste's loose curls, a hint of a smirk on his face. "And if you want to check me for any injuries, I have no qualms against stripping down."
Celeste gave him one last scathing look, but her glare couldn't hold it's intensity and the corner of her lip quirked up. "Careful, or I might have you do that." She said, grabbing his hand once more. "Now come on! We need to find the springs!"
OOOOOOOOOO
It hadn't taken them long to find it- Historia was right, it was rather large to be so well-hidden from the castle's view. She clasped her hands together in excitement after sticking a toe in the water-it was hotter than even she imagined it to be!
Levi sat against the base of a tree comfortably, his legs spread and his arms behind his head as he watched the former medic strip the outer layer of her dress.
"Not that I'm complaining, Celeste, but why are you getting naked?" Levi asked, his gray eyes lingering on Celeste's figure as she haphazardly balled the dress up and tossed it in his direction.
"I'm not getting naked, you pervert." She replied, rolling her eyes at the man as she turned to face the water's edge. "I'm going swimming, and I didn't want the rest of my clothes to get wet."
All the queen had on was a thin cotton shift and her undergarments, but the sun behind her made the clothes as good as invisible from Levi's position. He certainly wasn't going to tell her that, though.
Nearly running in excitement, Celeste stepped into the hot springs with a bright smile on her face
"It feels perfect!" She exclaimed, wading in deeper. The hot spring was relatively shallow, the warm water as clear as the sky above them. Giggling excitedly, Celeste splashed around the bank with a carefree spirit that she hadn't had in months.
"Come on, Levi!" She called, paddling through the water happily as she glanced back at the man onshore. Celeste was surprised to see that his cheeks were tinted pink, but before she could question him on it Levi shook his head.
"No. I can't swim, anyway."
The admission shocked Celeste into stillness, and she cocked her head in confusion. "What do you mean, you can't swim?!"
"Why would I ever need to learn?" Levi replied, his voice indicating he felt that she was being ridiculous. "There isn't any bodies of water in the Underground, and I never learned in the Survey Corps."
Celeste set her jaw, a determined look coming to her features as she pulled herself out of the water and started walking towards him. "I'll teach you, then." She said, ignoring the immediate disapproval in Levi's eyes.
"I need to keep watch, Celeste, and I can't protect you if all of my gear is off." He responded, a flash of paranoia in his voice. "In fact, I'm not sure you should even be swimming. Anything could happen, and if you are splashing around instead of-"
"Nothing will happen, Levi." Celeste said reassuringly, plopping down beside him with a confident smile on her face. "Hange's guillotines cleared this place of titans, we're perfectly safe."
She grabbed Levi's arm, tugging at him gently with a playful look in her eyes. "Come on, live a little." She cooed, before grabbing one of his boots and tugging it off. Levi's eyes widened. "Dove, what do you think you're doing?"
"You don't have a choice, I'm teaching you how to swim." Celeste said, pulling off his other boot before grabbing his arm and tugging at his jacket. "Take off your clothes, Levi."
Beads of water trickled down her body, making her shimmer in the light of the midday sun. Levi reached out and stroked her hair, the mess of blonde curls hanging like rivers of gold down her shoulders. He struggled to keep his eyes above her neck, all too aware of how little her wet clothes left to the imagination.
"Fine." Levi finally relented, standing up and pulling off his jacket. Celeste made a noise of excitement, and made quick work of unharnessing his 3DMG. She then proceeded to unbutton his shirt, and Levi noticed her hands starting to tremble as she touched the bare skin of his chest.
"There." She said, a blush on her cheeks as she handed him his shirt. "At least you'll only get your pants wet, now."
As soon as he placed it on the ground- a lot more carefully than Celeste did her things, Levi noticed- the young woman started pulling him towards the water's edge.
"You're going to love it, I promise!" She said, her bright blue eyes shining with excitement as he hesitantly followed.
As the pair waded in, Levi became increasingly apprehensive as the water got deeper. His thin gray eyes widened slightly as his feet no longer reached the bottom, but his limbs started moving out of instinct and he was able to keep his head above the surface.
"Good!" He heard Celeste say from beside him, her movements so much more fluid as she treaded water. "The trick is staying calm and focusing on your breathing. Try to keep your movements in a pattern- See what I'm doing?"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The sun was just starting to set when Celeste finally relented, allowing Levi to return to the shallower waters. A proud smile brightened her face as she stood beside him, her hair fanning out on the chest-deep water
"You picked up on things a lot faster than I did!" She praised, reaching up to smooth down Levi's raven hair. Levi caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm as he stared down at her.
"I had a good teacher." He replied, his stoic face not quite masking how pleased he felt. His other hand wrapped around Celeste's waist, pulling her flush against him. Celeste's cheeks colored, a sudden wave of affection coursing through her as she stared up at him.
Moving more out of impulse than conscious thought, Celeste wrapped her arms around Levi's neck and pulled him in for a kiss.
Levi's warm body and lips burned even hotter than the water around them, and Celeste wrapped her legs around him from underneath the spring's surface. Waves of pleasure coursed through her body as Levi's tongue entered her mouth, his actions assertive and possessive and loving. Everything he did, from how he touched her to how he stared at her when they finally parted, seemed to carry a note of reverence. The brilliant colors of the sunset reflected in his eyes as he stared at her, a toxic mix of possessiveness and protectiveness in his gaze.
"You're mine," Levi's words were a low growl as he nipped her ear, causing her to whimper from a mix of pain and pleasure. Trailing kisses down her neck, he slipped his hands underneath her dress and lavished in the feeling of her smooth skin in the cool water. "You belong to me, Celeste."
Celeste ran her fingers against his hair, relishing in the feeling of love and protection that came with having his arms around her. "My love," She whispered in response, pressing her lips against Levi's jaw as she ran her fingers down his back. "My handsome, brave man."
Celeste felt a smile tug at his lips, and he kissed her lightly in response. "My beautiful, clever woman." He said in response, before grabbing her by the waist and pulling her over his shoulder.
Celeste couldn't contain an amused look as he trudged them out of the water before setting her down gently in the soft grass. The night was getting colder, but Celeste was certain that the weather wasn't entirely to blame when a shiver coursed through her body. Levi, who sat beside her, wrapped an arm around her and pulled Celeste against his chest.
"Are you cold?" He asked, a note of worry breaking through the lustful tone in his voice. He rubbed her shoulders, and Celeste couldn't deny how nice it felt to be in his arms.
"A women in your condition shouldn't be out in this weather," He murmured, his palms lowering to her stomach. Even in the fading light, Celeste could spot the regret in his eyes as he made a move to stand.
"I don't want to go back yet." She said in response, turning in his embrace so their faces were only inches away. Her eyes were half-lidded as she gazed at him, unbuckling his pants. Levi's breathing quickened, and Celeste leaned closer. "All I want is you."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Levi…" Celeste mumbled sleepily as she woke up, burrowing closer to the man's naked chest. She refused to open her eyes yet, relishing in the soft mattress and warm covers for a few moments longer. "Did you carry me all the way back?"
"I didn't want to wake you."
The words rumbled in Levi's chest, and she laughed lightly at how strange it felt. "I suppose I should thank you." She said, finally looking up to meet his eyes. A sly grin tugged at her lips, and she pressed a kiss to his chest. "Any idea on how I should do that?" Celeste purred, trailing kisses lower as she noticed Levi's cheeks turn pink.
A flash out of the corner of her eye made her pause, and Celeste sat up with a start. For the first time that morning, she got a good look at her surroundings.
A cold chill washed over her when Celeste quickly realized they weren't at the royal suites, or likely even the palace. "Where are we, Levi?" She asked, not bothering to mask the tension she felt.
"Our new home, away from the palace." Levi replied, sitting up himself. "Noble women often leave for the countryside during their pregnancies, and as queen it is expected that you would do the same." His voice, calm and even, grated on Celeste even more than his reasoning did.
"That's a load of crap, Levi. I'm not even three months along." She shot back, running a hand through her unruly hair as she tried to think of a way out of this. "Take me back to the palace, and we can just forget about this." Celeste said, as gently as possible. "We can go back to the way things were. You can be my guard, and we can go on outings and attend balls and everything will be fine." She scooted closer to Levi, leaning close to brush a hand against his jaw. "I won't be upset, I promise."
Levi had just a hint of a smile on his face as he gazed back at her, and for a moment Celeste was sure he convinced him.
"I'll take you back, Celeste." He said, and Celeste sighed in relief. "Good. That good-"
"In a week."
Celeste paled, drawing away from the soldier once more. "What do you mean, a week?" She asked, a sharp edge in her voice.
Levi stretched lethargically, looking completely unconcerned with her. "The mission is in a week, isn't it? And I don't want you involved in it. Although Erwin did complement your strategy." He replied, watching as Celeste's face went completely white. "In fact, he wanted me to share a method with you- something about how he expected the alternate plan in a week's time, not two months. Either way, you'll be happy to know that we're going through with it."
"I have to go, Levi!" Celeste fumed, her fists clenched around the sheets she had covering herself. "I need to be there, especially if things don't go as planned!"
Levi shrugged, stepping out of bed and pulling on the clothes he had on a small wooden nightstand. "You're staying here, and that's final. I'm not going to let you risk your life and the life of our unborn."
Celeste bristled, her eyes shining with fury. "You remember how well locking me up worked last time, Levi."
"I do. And I've learned from my mistakes, Celeste." Levi looked at her as he buttoned his shirt, glancing across her barely-covered form unapologetically. "So why don't you learn from yours, and accept your fate?"
Cold gray eyes met a burning sky blue, and Celeste lifted her head in defiance. "I'm going to escape, Levi. I promise you, I'll be at that mission whether you want me there or not."