Levi and Eren headed to the courtyard that was holding most of the villagers, a few standing on the steps, waiting for the emperor's explanation on the events of the previous day.
"Emperor Levi will now speak." Erwin announced, any talking automatically hushed. Armin and Mikasa were standing next to Erwin, the Commander looked uneasy, but comfortable none the less.
"That sounds so damn weird." Levi said, causing Eren to give him a soft smile that would have been a giggle is this wasn't an important matter. "Alright, let's cut to the chase. I've married a Kitsune that is currently pregnant with my child and prefers to walk around as male." Many questions were thrown out, as well as outrage. "Quiet!" And it was. Levi then explained everything from the beginning, as well as explaining Mikasa's origins, and the nature of his father's death and what he plans to do with Kiku.
"Demons have been attacking us for years!" A villager yelled once Levi had finished.
"Have any of them actually killed anyone?" Levi asked, knowing the answer was no. No one answered. "Exactly. And we have been killing them without second thought. Some of them wonder into our village without meaning too. Sometimes they are mourning, sometimes they are passing through. And we just attack and kill them."
"So you want us to allow those who want to destroy us to do so?" Another asked. Levi sighed.
"No. Obviously not, we will kill those that mean us harm." Levi said with a slight eye roll. Not very emperor like, but he really didn't care.
"How can you tell the difference?"
"That's where the Kitsune's and my sister come in. Once Armin and Eren train Mikasa's demon powers a bit, the three of them can sense demons and their malicious... what is it?" Levi asked the blond Kitsune.
"Demonic aura." He said, smiling wide that he was able to freely speak without getting yelled at by everyone.
"How can we be sure they won't just allow them to take us out?"
"Because-" Levi began.
"I have vowed to be a guardian of my husband's house, long before we wedded, or he knew my true nature." Eren said, voice full of the regality you'd hear from a noble, but the determination of a villager. "I will protect the family I have married into, and since Levi is now to rule this land, that means that I will protect it's people to the best of my ability!" Eren said, standing straight, almost like one of the hunters.
"Prove it." A villager said. "Prove to us that you are not just here to kill us all." Eren just cocked his head.
"I'm male, and have lived the last few months in another body, in order to bring an heir to the royal family and be with the man I love. I have already killed many demons that threatened the land before my pregnancy alongside my husband. I have also alerted him of demons coming into the forests around the palace." Eren froze then. Ears perking and twitching, tails freezing before he turned, teeth bared as he began a low gekkering.
"Eren, what is it?" Levi asked.
"Basan." Armin said. Eren's tails lit as he continued to gekker. "Eren, you are in no condition-" And Eren was gone. The villagers looked astounded by his speed, and Levi automatically felt dread. Armin sighed as he went after Eren after ordering Levi to stay put and Mikasa began evacuating the villagers away from where the two Kitsune went.
Eren found the Basan. The giant chicken was breathing fire onto the forest, causing destruction as it pleased.
"You have no right being here. This is not your territory." Eren said in the demonic tongue. The fowl turned to him.
"The villagers of this place have destroyed my home, and I shall do the same to theirs." It responded. Eren growled low in his throat.
"You will not!" Eren said, tails lighting as his foxfire went and consumed the Basan's flames, putting them out and keeping the fire from spreading. "If you wish to keep your life, you will leave this place. You have entered the territory of a pregnant Kitsune, you are smart enough to know the implications of this." Eren growled out.
"There you are." Armin said, panting slightly before looking up and looking between Eren and the large bird-demon. "Basan, why are you here?"
"The humans here have destroyed my home to the east." The Basan responded. Armin listened and went straight into thinking.
"The eastern bamboo groove? I thought a group of Oni had gone through that area and destroyed everything." Armin said. Then something seemed to spark in his head. "It was the Oni from the eastern part of this forest!" Armin turned to Eren. "News of your husband's plans to end the war between humans and demons has spread like wildfire among demon and humans alike." Armin then turned back to the Basan. "I'm afraid you are mistaken. The emperor of these lands has yet to successfully make this decree, and even so, Oni are not the type to pass up the opportunity to kill a human, and will not be allowed to thrive in this land. So the so called villagers you are looking for are nothing but Oni. Probably smaller ones that had more human appearances."
"Are you sure?" The Basan asked. It was obviously the beast would believe the words of a three-tailed Kitsune than the words of a two-tailed.
"I am. And I promise that the ones responsible will be dealt with. In that time, allow me to help you find a new groove to reside in." And so Armin and the Basan left, and Eren returned to the palace.
"Eren!" Levi said once he saw Eren. "What the hell-"
"The Basan has been taken care of." Eren said. The villagers, who didn't really get too far since they all mostly ignored Mikasa and Erwin, looked to him.
"You killed it?" Eren shook his head.
"No, Armin, the blond Kitsune, spoke with it and took it away after I had dealt with the flames. Some smaller, human looking oni had destroyed it's bamboo groove and it thought that we had allowed demons to live among us already." Eren sighed. "But Oni would never be able to do so. They are one of a handful of demons that will not be able to live with us peacefully."
"So... you protected us?" One of the villagers asked. Eren smiled wide.
"Yup. Kept the forest from burning down too." The villagers were quiet as they stared at him with awe.
"See." Levi said, gesturing to Eren. "Not all demons are bad. And last I checked, you all love my sister, who is half, and her mother, who was full. We have lived peacefully with a few demons. Ending this constant war with them will only bring good things." Levi said. "However." Levi continued, voice going cold. "I will not tolerate treason, and though I hate to begin my reign like this, it must be done. Lord Kiku's actions have been nothing but harmful to our land. As such, he will be used as an example to what will happen if anyone does so."
"What are you going to do to him?" One of the nobles asked.
"Behead him." Levi said, not missing a beat. The courtyard was quiet then, and that's when Eren cut in.
"Let us think of more joyous things... like tea!" Eren said with a smile. "I'm sure Inari-Kami would be gracious enough to allow a bountiful harvest of tea leaves and rice this year."
"And sake!" One villager yelled from that back. Eren smiled wide.
"That too! Let us think of happier things to come."
"Lady Eren... um... Lord Eren..."
"Just Eren." The Kitsune said to the villager.
"Eren." The woman tried again. "What will happen once Emperor Levi dies? Will you rule over us until you pass?" Eren smiled a little with a blush.
"Actually, in demon terms, since we are mated, Levi's life has been expanded to match mine. The only catch is that as a Kitsune mate, when one of us dies, so will the other... so Levi and I will be around a very long time, but may chose to pass the roll of emperor to our child, and they can continue as such, the two of us only stepping in if one of our children or grand children are not able to be in power." Eren explained.
"Wait, if Lord Kiku's assassin had succeed in killing you, Emperor Levi would have died too?" A villager asked. The courtyard was quiet again.
"That man has four accounts of treason on his head." Levi hissed. "I don't think anyone here has a problem with his execution." There were no objections.
So yeah... next chapter I think will be the last chapter...
