Levi knew something was wrong the second he walked into the kitchen. First, Kenny was at the stove making scrambled eggs. Second, Zeke was sitting at the table with his chin in his hand. Third, they were both dead.
"What the fuck?"
"Oi, Levi! Yah shitty li'l run, set yer ass down for a while." Kenny was still dressed in his old clothes, that blood-stained coat and the wide-brimmed hat. The grizzled old man sneered into the pan at the eggs he was scrambling. "This's gonna be shit."
"Your uncle, I presume?" Zeke drummed his fingers on the tabletop. "His vocabulary is as colorful as yours."
"What the fuck are you two doing in my house? You're dead," Levi snapped, waiting for them to concede the obvious point. Kenny just rolled his eyes.
"That was always the problem with yah, Levi. No imagination." He killed the fire and slid the eggs onto a plate. Then he set it before Zeke, who stared at them like he'd never seen food before.
"Where's the balloon juice?" Zeke sounded deeply hurt.
"Get yer own, yah fuckin' hairy ape." Kenny started banging through the cabinets, looking for something and muttering under his breath. Levi realized that sometime in the last thirty seconds Kenny had put on a frilly apron.
Slowly, Levi sat down at the table as Zeke proceeded to pull balloons from out of thin air and pour them all over his plate.
"This is a dream, isn't it?" Levi asked.
"Better fuckin' hope so, 'cause Petra won't be thrilled otherwise." Now Kenny was upside down on the ceiling.
"Levi. I've decided that I won't take my murder personally. You have plenty to deal with as it is." Zeke threw the balloon eggs out the window.
"Look, whatever weird reason my brain spat you both up, could it get to the point?" Levi grumbled.
All of a sudden, the sun went down. The three men were in a pitch black kitchen, except they could see one another perfectly. Zeke scratched the tip of his ear. His hands were real hairy.
"Fine. We're here to remind you, Levi." Zeke's glasses became points of light, like a car's approaching beams. "It has to be done. You know it does."
"What does?"
Why was his heart pounding like this? Why did he feel ball-shrinkingly terrified of Zeke and Kenny as they watched him in the darkness? Kenny's eyes were red and glowing, like a rat's.
"Yah can't be selfish, midget. Gotta face it like a man."
"Face what?" Levi snapped.
"Sooner or later, the bill comes. When it does, you have to pay it. And tip well," Zeke said, pulling a very solemn face.
Levi realized then that he was dressed in his Survey Corps uniform again. Blades in his hands, he swiped at the phantoms on the other side of the table.
"Get the fuck out of my head!" he shouted.
Like a light, the sun came back on. Birds sang outside the window. His blades vanished. Kenny and Zeke were normal again.
"Tch. Yer problem's that yah were always too damn touchy." Kenny spat a line of tobacco juice onto the tiled floor. Levi burned to clean it up.
"I know what this is." Levi clenched his fists. "You." At Zeke. "I feel guilty 'cause this whole war could've been avoided if I'd let you and Eren touch that night. I don't know what other kind of freaky plan you had, but I know whatever it was had to be better than where we are now. But I'm not sorry I killed you. Bastard."
"He really is so highly strung." Zeke pulled a hat out of his mouth. He handed it to Kenny, who ate it. "Remember what I said about the bill."
"Be a man," Kenny said. Levi stood and slammed his hands on the table.
"Both of you get the fuck out of my house!" he shouted. Zeke and Kenny exchanged looks. Kenny sneered.
"Prissy little bitch," he said. Then he climbed into the sink and disappeared down the drain.
"Well. I've got my singing lesson, anyway," Zeke said in a hurt tone. His body turned into that of a bird. His human head remained. "Don't forget the custard!"
Zeke-bird flew out the window.
Levi sat up in bed, heart pounding, sweat making his shirt cling to his torso.
"Mmm? Levi?" Petra shifted beside him, yawning as she awoke. "What's wrong?"
"Eh. Bad dream. That's all," he muttered. She didn't like hearing about Zeke or Kenny at the best of times, and something about what they'd said to him, 'you have to do it', the bill, all that shit…
Put him in a bad mood.
"Good morning, Mr. Grumpy." His queen hugged and kissed him. Tch. Even with rumpled bedhead, she was the sexiest thing alive. Petra wore a clinging little pink silk negligee. He loved it when they were on vacation and she could dress in all the frilly things that were impractical back home, with kids running down the hall and vomiting at two AM.
But after that dream, he wasn't feeling particularly sexy anymore.
"C'mon. Ass outta bed. We're heading back to Valle and I don't want to miss the plane." Levi got up and threw open the curtains. He looked down on Liberio's main boulevard. It was a breezy summer's day. Sometimes he liked the more arid climate up north. Valle could get too muggy in the summertime. Kids must be sweating balls at that camp by now.
"You're the king. Planes wait for you." Petra stretched.
"I don't like hearing that. Don't lose your discipline, brat."
But he couldn't stay grumpy when he had a warm, sexy woman beaming up at him from his bed.
Levi smiled out the window as Petra came up behind him and hugged him around the waist. She nibbled at his neck and jaw, and he started to get hard. She could make even nightmares shrink away into nothing.
"Is there time for some morning exercise before our flight?" she asked. Petra took his earlobe between her sharp little teeth. Levi grinned.
"Only if you're gonna be efficient and work hard. I expect to be satisfied."
"Yes, sir."
He picked her up and carried her to the bed. He placed Petra so that her legs hung off the edge and, still standing, wrapped her thighs around his waist. Levi easily freed himself from his boxers and slid into her. Fuck, she was ready even without foreplay. He loved how horny for him she was. As his queen murmured and writhed, her pussy clenching around him so beautifully that he almost came too soon, the shitty dreams faded. Everything got a little easier in the morning light with Petra tight on his dick.
By the time he climaxed, Kenny and Zeke were long gone.
They showered together, then dressed and packed. Levi hated having servants do anything for him unless it was absolutely necessary. The Liberian bells chimed nine o'clock by the time they'd had breakfast and were out the door. They'd been staying in Willy's Liberian house, the 'small' estate. Fucking thing was almost the size of Levi's apartment building.
How many homeless could this one building have housed? Levi really wasn't meant to be a king, thinking about shit like that.
They'd flown up to Liberio about an hour after sending the kids off to camp. It was a business/pleasure trip, a couple days of just them. No parents. No kids. No clothes. Levi had only had to make one evening appearance, and Petra had contrived a way to get him out of the gala after an hour and a half. She got an extra orgasm for that.
He rode back to the airfield with his queen cuddled against him. He couldn't stop staring at her. She was gorgeous in the morning, wearing a soft yellow dress with a string of pearls. Levi knew she looked beautiful wearing nothing but the pearls, too.
But she was a tough girl. Toughest woman he knew in a lot of ways. He loved both qualities, the sweet and the rough. That was Petra, that rare combination.
"Hope Pieter and Ingrid haven't burned the place down," he said as they boarded Willy's private plane. Being friends with a king had its perks.
"Mama and Papa went to the midlands for that winery tour. Remember?"
Right. Both Rals and Ackermans had leapt at the chance for a vacation that the kids' absence provided. Levi looked out the window as they buckled up and the plane took off. Today was Friday. Hange should be leaving Paradis in a couple hours, then fly to Valle to debrief him and Willy and Petra. It'd be good to have her home. Levi hated the idea of Erwin Smith keeping anyone he cared about trapped behind enemy lines.
When their car pulled up in front of the apartment building, Levi felt ready for a late morning nap. He got strangely lethargic these days, probably due to being forty-fucking-six. More gray in his hair than black now. Sometimes he wished he could grow a full beard and look a distinguished middle age instead of a withered kid. Ah well.
First a nap, then tea, then more sex. Then a bath. Then more tea. Maybe more sex. Then dinner. Vacation was amazing.
They entered the apartment and he took the bags to their room. No sooner had he set them down than the phone rang.
"Yeah?" He picked up as Petra hummed, unpacking their clothes.
"Mr. Ackerman?" It was Benito. "Sir, you got about twenty-five messages from the same place over the last day or so."
Levi frowned. "From where?"
"The lady said her name was Teresa Gambini at the Adventure Youth Camp."
Instantly, Levi's heart crashed into his stomach. He felt the earth moving, felt himself falling and falling.
"What's wrong?" His heart was liable to explode. Petra came over, looking concerned.
"She said she needed to speak with you directly. She didn't want this information in the wrong hands." Benito sighed. "Sorry, Mr. Ackerman. I kinda worried and called the king's offices, but they wouldn't say where you'd gone."
No. A way of ensuring enemies couldn't know where Levi and Petra were. Only those who truly needed to know were privy to the Ackermans' whereabouts.
"Give me the number." Levi wrote it down, then hung up and redialed. His fingers almost trembled on the numbers.
"What is it?" Petra had gone white.
"The camp called twenty-five times. That's all I know." He was terse, emotionless. Petra gasped as someone picked up his call.
"Amalfia Adventure Youth Camp, how may I direct—"
"This is Levi Ackerman. Teresa Gambini called me," he said.
It didn't make him feel great that the woman only gave a hushed 'right away' and put him on hold. If everyone knew what was up, this had to be serious.
"Oh god. Levi. What?" Petra moaned.
"Not yet," he said, and then the phone clicked in his ear.
"Mr. Ackerman?" a hesitant woman's voice asked.
"What's wrong?" Cut to the chase. Always good.
"I…" He could hear Ms. Gambini trying to put her thoughts together. He couldn't take this shit.
"Are my children hurt? Are they dead?" he asked emotionlessly. Petra made a horrible noise.
"No, sir. They're missing."
He tried to get his head around this. "Missing. For how long? Where'd you last see them?" If she'd called yesterday, they'd been gone a while. Maybe they'd gotten lost in some nature trail. Fuck, he'd let two city kids wander into the jungle like an idiot—
"We discovered they were gone yesterday morning." She spoke carefully.
Discovered.
"When did you last see them?" Now his skin felt real tight.
"As far as we can tell, their luggage arrived without them."
"As far as you can fucking tell?" he snapped.
"Levi. What?" Petra looked ready to collapse.
"They were on the bus when it entered the marina. We have confirmation of that. But…it appears they may not have gotten onto the boat for Amalfia with the group."
"How the fuck could you let that happen?" he barked. Petra continued to hiss and tug him and beg with increasing fervor to let her in on what was happening. While Teresa stammered apologies and explanations, Levi's mind spun. They'd made it to the marina. Fuck. Had someone taken them? Kidnapped them?
But if that'd happened, why not contact him or the embassy?
Had the children been killed by insurgents? He almost blacked out at the thought. But the same point: why not take credit for it?
Had they run away? Maybe Kuchel had been sweet that last night together because she was telling him goodbye? But why would Oruo go with her?
The marina…the marina…
And then, in a flash of yellow lightning, an awful thought spelled itself out. He felt his whole body go cold.
"Ms. Gambini," he said lifelessly. "Do you know if that marina had a departing boat for Paradis Island?"
At that, Petra walked away. He heard her slam the bathroom door. Then he heard her start to scream.
Kuchel wished she could take a shower. She felt so grimy and gross. She hung onto the railing and watched the island come into view, getting bigger and greener the closer the ship came. She felt all tingly in her stomach. Soon she'd see Armin and Uncle Erwin and everything would be all right.
"Oi." Oruo appeared next to her. His black hair was an even bigger mess after a couple days without a bath. He handed her half of a sticky bun. "I got some lady to give me her breakfast."
"Got?" Kuchel frowned as she took a bite.
"I took it when her purse got knocked over." Oruo sniffed. "I knocked it over."
"Papa would say that's just like Uncle Kenny."
"Tch. He said Uncle Kenny was tough." Oruo sounded proud as he hung on the railing. He was smaller than Kuchel, and could barely reach the bar. "How we gonna find Uncle Erwin?"
"We'll just tell the people at the dock to call the king and say that we're here," she answered primly. She knew her uncle would be so glad to hear that Kuchel had arrived.
"You sure this was a good idea?" Oruo frowned.
"Little late to ask that now!" They'd spent the last couple days hiding out in the boiler room at night and wandering the ship's deck during the day. Kuchel was pretty hungry and tired. She wanted some hot food. "It'll be fine. Why'd you come if you're worried?"
"'Cause you could get in trouble."
"I'm the one with the powers and the training." She didn't mean to make him feel bad, but it was the truth. "I'll end up having to protect you."
Oruo's face got red. "No you won't. I can take care uh myself!"
He raced away. Kuchel rolled her eyes. The ship steamed nearer to the docks. She could see people waiting down below, and soldiers in uniforms waiting to meet everyone as they got off the boat.
She grinned. Soon, everything would be okay.
The coughing was getting worse.
Erwin felt the rattle in his chest as he coughed into the handkerchief. He frowned at the black-and-red wetness left behind on the cloth.
"Feeling okay?" Hange, opposite him in the train compartment, looked quietly sympathetic. She knew what was happening.
He had weeks left. If he couldn't make the deadline, he'd give his crown and power to Floch. But he had to make it. Historia had to yield the fruits of their labor soon, for her sake as well as his. He doubted her body could take much more.
"Fine," he said stiffly. They began to slow as they neared the southern docks. He glanced at Hange again. They'd had two days of negotiations, meeting over tea or dinner, discussing in a conference room with other military brass. Little had come of it. Erwin had refused to sign a treaty ensuring that he would take no hyperfusion action against the rest of the world. He insisted that Levi and Petra come to negotiate such terms with him, which Hange had said was impossible. The best they'd done was agree that a massive hyperfusion attack would be in no one's best interest.
But they also agreed that without the "true" king, there could be no declaration of peace or negotiations.
So Hange was headed back to Marley to see about getting Levi on a plane and over here.
Erwin hated to admit that over the last two days he'd had moments of enjoyment. His oldest friend was home. Even after her total betrayal, he'd yearned for her company. The fun they'd used to have playing chess, or debating her findings late into the night. Levi could not give Erwin intellectual companionship as she could. There was a difference between being intelligent, which Levi was, and being intellectually curious, which he was not. Hange and Erwin both thrived on curiosity.
Perhaps that was what killed Erwin the most about this plan of conquest. He was a man who yearned to see and experience and understand, and he had become a butcher instead.
For Siegfried, though, he would be a monster.
"How long until your term's up?" she asked. Bold of her.
"Today's the twenty-seventh of June. Three more weeks exactly," he said. It would be thirteen years to the day since Shiganshina. "Counting down the hours, Hange?"
"What's your plan for when time runs out? We didn't discuss succession."
"There won't be a succession." He would live. He would live a long time.
"You know you can't promise that."
"I do. Have you ever known me to submit, Hange?"
She looked at the bloody handkerchief. He turned to the window angrily.
"Even you can't fight your body," she said.
"That's what you wish to be true. It's not fact."
The train pulled into the station. Hange's personal guard had stood outside the compartment during their journey down. They followed the king and the ambassador as they made their way off the train and into the waiting vehicle. Hange looked so much older. Her brown hair had liberal streaks of gray now. Her mouth was heavily lined. Her eyes had bags.
How did we all get so old?
Erwin had died young and strong and dashing. He had returned to life only to mellow into deep middle age. It wasn't that much fun.
They drove down to the port, both of them utterly silent. Hange crossed her arms and frowned.
"How is this supposed to end?" She sounded honestly curious now.
"All Marley has to do is submit," he said quietly. "I don't want a pound of flesh. I've even stopped using Eldian children to…" He couldn't finish that horrible sentence. "Just agree to my rule, and the pain will stop."
"Levi's the king. Not you."
"Yes. Levi will undoubtedly lead Paradis and Eldia into a bold new age," he muttered. Hange was uncomfortably quiet. She knew the same thing that Erwin did: Levi did not want to do and could not do what came so naturally to Erwin. Erwin, hateful as he had become, had saved their world when it hung on the brink of destruction.
Levi could never have done that.
"Willy's supportive of him."
"He's Willy's puppet now."
"No. They're friends."
She could not have said anything to hurt Erwin more. He winced as headache knotted at the back of his skull. He coughed, and brought up more blood and brackish fluid. Shit.
"You'll all have a good time when I'm gone. That's what you're thinking," he snapped.
"I haven't had a good time for a while now." Hange gave a weary sigh. All her bright energy had dissipated. She looked exhausted. They had that in common.
The car stopped at the port. A new ship had just steamed in, one escorting those Paradisians who'd been stranded for almost a year in Marley. Erwin smiled. It was good that they'd wanted to come home. He appreciated loyalty. He and Hange walked with her guard, headed for the plane at the opposite end of the port. They'd created a decent airfield, enough for one aircraft to land and take off at a time. Now Hange was bound for Valle. For Levi.
Erwin envied her.
"Be sure to radio and tell us what the "king" is planning," he said. Erwin glanced left at the crowds of people as they filed through customs. "I can make no promises or pledges without Levi here in front of me."
"He's not crazy enough to show up here." Hange looked ready to collapse. Erwin knew it was more than physical exhaustion. Her soul was simply weary.
"Pity." Erwin heard a child's high, shrill voice. Sounded excited. "Pass my regards to Petra and the children. When—"
Erwin, Hange, and both their guards stopped. He listened in amazement as that little girl's voice called…
"Uncle Erwin! Uncle Erwin!"
Impossible. Erwin and Hange turned to find, at the front of the line, a little black-haired girl jumping up and down, a small, scratchy looking boy huddled at her side.
Kuchel and Oruo Ackerman.
"What the—?" Hange looked ready to fall over.
"Let them in!" Erwin shouted, hurrying over to the customs line. The soldiers let the kids through, and Kuchel flung herself into his arms. Erwin gave a shocked laugh, strangely happy. Sight of the child always lifted his spirits. "Kuchel! Sweetheart, what are you doing here?"
She was dressed in yellow shorts, a white shirt, and a denim jacket, but the child also looked grimy. There was no way in hell that Levi and Petra were with their children. Erwin's mind spun, trying to arrive at an explanation.
"Uncle Erwin, please don't kill anybody."
Kuchel had appeared perfectly fine before. Now, whatever type of strain this child had been under caused her to collapse into tears. Erwin held her close as she wept against his shoulder.
"Hush now, angel. I'm not going to do anything to hurt you." While Kuchel wept, Erwin glanced down at Oruo. The small boy glowered up at him, his little fists at his side. Uncanny. He was the perfect image of his father. "Hello, Oruo."
When Erwin reached down for the boy, Oruo backed up.
"What are you both doing here? Where are your parents?" Erwin asked. Kuchel wiped her face, still weeping.
"Uh, um. They don't know that—"
"Kuchel. Oruo. Get away from him."
Erwin turned. Hange and her own personal guard had weapons out and aimed at Erwin. Meanwhile, the king's Paradisian Guard lifted their own guns, ready to blow the threat away.
"Don't fire!" Erwin bellowed. Kuchel clung to him, whimpering at the sight of all those adults with weapons. "Hange, put the gun down. Do it! I don't want any harm to come to these children!"
"What the hell are they doing here?" He had never seen the woman so terrified. Or so angry. Erwin realized that she believed he'd manipulated these events. "What did you do to Petra and Levi?"
"Nothing. Put the guns down now!" he shouted.
"Aunt Hange, Oruo and I came on our own! Mama and Papa don't know!" Kuchel shrieked. Erwin held the girl close. Sure enough, the sight of all those guns trained on the princess caused Hange to return to her senses. She ordered her soldiers to stand down. Erwin ordered his to do the same.
"Kids, come here." Hange extended her hand. When Oruo started for her, Erwin grabbed the boy's shoulder. "Erwin!" Hange bellowed.
"It's okay!" Kuchel cried. She squeezed Erwin around the neck. "Aunt Hange, Uncle Erwin's not gonna hurt me!"
"Kuchel." Hange appeared dizzy. Erwin did not envy her. Hange had to be borderline out of her mind with fear. "Oruo. Your parents would want me to take you home. Come on, let's get on the plane and call them."
"They just arrived," Erwin said. Hange shot him a filthy look, but already his mind was spinning up new ways to turn this situation to his advantage. "They're in no danger from me."
"Don't be an idiot, Erwin. Kuchel, Oruo, come here!" Hange shouted.
Erwin held up his hand when his own Guard threatened to lift their weapons.
"Anyone who raises their gun right now risks the prince and princess. Do that, and you'll answer to me," he called. That at least got everyone to calm down. "Hange, come with us. Let's return to Mitras and wire Levi and Willy and Petra. We can discuss this calmly."
"Like hell we will!" Hange's eyes widened with fear. Anger. "You know damn well Levi wouldn't want his kids here."
"Aunt Hange, please just come talk. Please?" Kuchel started to cry again. Oruo hovered at Erwin's side, unwilling to move forward without his sister. Good boy. Erwin patted his head. Oruo snarled in reply.
"Erwin, give me those children right now!"
"They need food and rest. There will be time to decide what to do back at the palace. And I'm certain they'd like to see their brother." He hugged Kuchel. "Would you like that, darling?"
"Yes! I want to see Armin!" Kuchel's eyes brightened with eagerness. Perfect little creature.
"Come with us, Hange. We can have a much more frank conversation with Levi now, can't we?"
Hange's eyes appeared strangely dead. She looked at him like he was nothing. At least before the attack on Hybernia, Hange had been disgusted with him. Now, she seemed to believe he was past all form of concern. Past saving. Erwin looked away.
"Give them back. Now," she growled.
"If you raise arms against these children, I will be forced to kill you." Erwin walked off, holding Kuchel in one arm, grabbing Oruo's hand. The young boy squirmed but could not free himself. "Come along, Hange. Don't be a hero. It's not your role."
"My role?" Her voice pitched higher with fury. "My role? Fuck you, Erwin!"
He quickly placed Kuchel into the back seat of his armored vehicle. A servant lifted in a struggling Oruo. Erwin turned and faced Hange across the field. She had never appeared so small as she did now. Never before had he seen such terrifying ferocity in her face, or the curl of her lip. She hated him.
Hated him.
"Hange," he said in warning.
But it was too late. She lifted her sidearm, ready to fire through his neck, or his brain. To finish him entirely.
A soldier collapsed on top of Erwin, bringing him down to the earth for protection. He landed hard on his stomach, the wind knocked from his lungs. Erwin watched in horror as—
The Guard did not fire on the Marleyans; Hange and the Marleyans did not fire on the Guard. Erwin gasped, mind reeling with relief as the Marley soldiers spoke with Hange. They must have explained the situation to her, because she slowly lowered her weapon. Yes. She was going to allow a conversation. She still looked disgusted with Erwin, but at least she was now unarmed.
A shot rang out. Hange jerked backwards, a spray of blood arcing into the air as a bullet slammed through her brain. Erwin watched, his mouth open, as his friend crumpled to the ground, dead before she landed.
Hange. Hange was—
He sat with the gangly young woman at dinner. She had a short bob of brown hair and the largest, happiest eyes Erwin had ever seen. The girl beamed up at him, a kind of eccentric joy shining in her expression.
Erwin knew he would like this girl.
"You were brilliant today," he told the new recruit.
"Me? Wow, thanks!" She tossed her hair from her eyes. "Let me tell you, I've got some ideas—"
Half a lifetime later, she was dead. Erwin felt as if an invisible thread connected this moment with the first one. That no time at all had occurred between these moments of greeting and parting.
Hange. His Hange. She was…
Kuchel screamed. Erwin watched in despair as she banged her palms against the car's back window, sobbing hysterically as the two sides opened fire on each other.
"Aunt Hange!" she wailed. Cursing, Erwin let the soldier help him up and into the vehicle. Since it was armored, the bullets could not get through. They slammed the doors shut. In the back, Kuchel and now Oruo were sobbing and shrieking. Erwin felt his head start to burst.
"Go. The train. Now!" he roared. His driver instantly threw the vehicle into the proper gear and they sped towards the station. Erwin looked back as they drove away, watched the last of Hange's entourage as they were gunned down. He could not take his eyes from that lone, limp figure.
Hange Zoe. His friend. His best friend.
She was dead and gone. Erwin slumped in his seat, listened to the children keen and grieve. He could only see the moment when she'd jerked backwards and the bullet sliced through her brain.
I damned myself for your sake. His hand tightened to a fist. I gave up my soul to save you. His temples throbbed. His vision blurred with tears. Hange. You can't be gone. You can't be gone.
As Kuchel and Oruo gave great, heaving sobs, Erwin collapsed internally.
"How can you be certain they took the boat to Paradis?" Willy asked. They were seated in the king's office. Petra had her head in her hands. Levi paced back and forth, desperate for his energy to go anywhere useful.
"I know my kids. Kuchel loves her "Uncle Erwin." She probably went there to, I don't know, talk to him or some shit," Levi snapped.
"Have we been in radio contact with the boat?" Willy asked. He looked like he had a bad headache coming on.
"One was supposed to be arriving this morning. They'll check the passengers when they arrive. We couldn't get in contact with the boat itself," Petra said lifelessly. Levi gripped her shoulder. He could feel how tense she was. If his kids had gone on their own, he was going to murder them both. For doing this to their mother if nothing else.
"What about Hange's plane?" Willy stood up.
"We've been trying Paradis. For some reason no one's been able to get through to them," Levi said. He felt so fucking tired.
"Perhaps we should go through official royal Marleyan channels," Willy said. "It might impress upon them that we mean business."
A knock came at the door, and the king's aide came through. She looked paler than usual.
"Majesties," she said. All three sat up. They could tell by the tone of her voice that something was badly wrong.
Levi felt dizzy as he followed her down to the radio room. The operators got out of the way, the women at the switchboard plugging wires in and wires out. Levi stood there, his whole body buzzing as he, Petra, and Willy were left alone, staring at the giant wall of wires.
"Erwin?" Levi said. They'd unplugged the headphones. The White King's voice filled the room with a rumbling, faint static.
"Kuchel and Oruo are all right. They're safe with me in Mitras."
Petra made a low, deflating noise. Levi held his wife as she clung to him, her whole body trembling in his embrace. Levi hugged her, but the world narrowed down to him and the king's voice coming over the system.
"You took them, you bastard."
"I did not. They came to me. They boarded a ship out of Valle two days ago. I'm simply amazed that they made it all the way here without you noticing they were gone."
"They're supposed to be at camp," Petra moaned. Levi clutched her tighter.
"You honestly want us to believe you had nothing to do with this?" he snarled.
"Believe what you want. It's the truth."
"Let me talk to my children," Levi said. Silence on the other end. "Oi, Eyebrows. You want to talk to me? I need to know my kids are there like you say."
Silence. Static. Then, "One moment."
They waited, and then Levi heard Kuchel's high, bright voice.
"Papa?" Her little voice wavered. "D-Daddyyyyyy."
She started to sob. Petra buried her face in his shoulder and gave a long, soft scream. He petted her hair.
"You hurt her, you son of a—"
"Papa? Mama?"
Oruo sniffled. For some reason, that made everything worse. His little boy didn't cry. If Oruo was shaken, something awful had happened.
"We're coming to get you. Oi. Kids? Mama and Papa are coming to get you," Levi growled. He heard them sniffle, and sob, and then he heard them walk away. "Erwin, what'd you do to them?" he barked.
"I did nothing." The king's voice was hoarse. Sounded almost like he'd been drinking.
"Fuck you. Let me talk to Hange." More silence. Levi's heart sped up. "You son of a bitch, where is she?"
"Hange's dead."
Levi'd been ready for a debate, a rumble, but now all his words fled. Petra sobbed. She screamed.
"No," Levi whispered. He cleared his throat. "Fuck you, you lying piece of shit."
"It's true." And this time, the slightest waver in the king's voice told Levi that the horrible, the unthinkable was real. Levi immediately recalled that bright, gangly woman handing Isabel that bag of candy when they'd bunked down for the night in the castle during their first mission. The way she'd beamed and welcomed Levi to the Survey Corps, the first friendly face he'd ever met on the surface. The first person up here who ever treated him like he was a person. Hange had never judged people by where they came from. She'd never hated a person for being a thug piece of shit.
Dead.
"You killed her." Levi choked on the words. Now he struggled to get his breath under control. He fought the tears. "You murderer. You evil piece of shit."
"The children arrived just as I was taking her to the plane. It was serendipity. Fate." Erwin definitely sounded drunk. "She and her escort drew on us. In the chaos, someone fired the first shot. You should be grateful I got the children away."
"Give them back to me." Petra shoved away from Levi. She leaned in and put her lips to the microphone. Levi had never seen such a furious sneer on that beautiful face. "You motherfucker, give me back my children!"
"I am not holding them prisoner."
"Then put them on a boat or a plane and send them back."
"I'm also not going to waste this opportunity, Petra. I haven't gotten to where I am by passing up any good thing."
Levi could feel the suggestion in those words. It conjured up visceral, horrible images of Erwin in bed with Levi's wife. Sweating on top of her, thrusting in and out of her. Petra made a wounded noise and hung her head. She felt the same.
Hatred blinded Levi.
"You'd threaten a couple of innocent kids, you bitch?" Levi growled.
"It's the other way around, Levi. You have hyperfusion weapons pointed at Paradis, ready to wipe our homeland off the face of the earth. Those weapons are now pointed at your children. All of your children, and Petra's." Levi winced. Armin, too. Of course. "If you want to deescalate this situation, we need to talk."
"We're talking now."
"In the flesh. I'm not leaving the island. Hange was returning to give you this very message. If you want to fix this, we need to meet face to face. You know what that means."
"The king and queen of Eldia are not going to enter enemy territory," Willy snapped. A light red blush suffused the Tybur king's face.
"Willy. I'm not certain what you have to contribute to this discussion."
"You disarmed the Tybur family when your minion ate my…" Willy cleared his throat. "Anything to do with you is now my business."
"Ah yes. You may not believe this, but I'm truly sorry for Giulia's sake that I took your son." The worst part was that Erwin sounded sincere. "I can't imagine her pain."
"Or mine?" Willy looked ready to snap.
"You could have taken the War Hammer and spared your child an early death. You get none of my sympathy, you bastard."
A vein throbbed in Willy's forehead. Levi had to pull him aside.
"Pet. I need you both to leave me alone with him for a second," Levi said. Petra clearly didn't want to, but she obeyed. His queen took Willy outside and shut the door. Levi turned back to the wall of wires and machinery. It was no substitute for Erwin's presence. Even now, Levi wanted to feel the man near him, breathe the same air as the king…if only so Levi could know the pleasure of experiencing the minute Erwin stopped breathing. "Erwin," he hissed.
A deep breath. "Levi."
"I can't go to Paradis. You know that."
"And I can't leave Paradis."
No, he couldn't. "Every minute you hold those kids, you're threatening their lives. This isn't you. Let them go."
"And I suppose you're the innocent champions of justice? Hmm?" Erwin's voice was cold and hard as steel. "If you had surrendered to me one year ago, hundreds of thousands of innocent lives would have been spared. You fought this losing war, and spilled all that blood."
"You're the one who gave us the choice of slavery or death," Levi growled. "Don't you fucking dare come at me and act like this is my fault."
"But it is your fault. This whole nightmare has been your fault, hasn't it?" Erwin whispered. His voice was poison. "You chose wrong in Shiganshina, didn't you?"
That was what Eren Jaeger had said to Petra. He'd told her that in the right timeline, he, Eren, had taken it on himself to destroy the world in order to save their people. That didn't seem like the right timeline to Levi.
If that was the 'right' one, how badly had Levi fucked all this up?
"Like I said. Let me make up for that mistake. Just let me kill you, Erwin."
"No. I won't leave my son an orphan."
"He still has his mother."
"And she should live as his mother. Which brings me to the solution to our problem. You won't come to Paradis; I understand why. So send an envoy in your place."
"No." Levi felt dizzy.
"Yes. Send Petra. I'll accept her as your proxy. She can speak for you. If you send her to me, then whether or not we reach an agreement I will send one of the children back with her. Either Oruo or Kuchel. Your choice. In addition, you have my word that Oruo will not be touched."
Oruo. Levi's son had the active royal blood of a Reiss. His vision blurred as he imagined Erwin injecting his son, tossing that little child into some cold pit and turning him into a monster to be used.
"I can't trust you," Levi rasped.
"You can trust me this much. We both agree I have nothing to gain by returning Oruo and everything to lose. Two sources of royal titan blood are better for my aims than one. But I will literally give away an enormous source of power in exchange for nothing more than another talk. Because I care about your family, Levi. I care about Kuchel; it would break her heart to lose her little brother. I don't want to have to set off my weapons. I know you don't, either. Even if the children were returned to you, you could never rest easily knowing you had killed Paradis Island. Don't look at this as a checkmate. Indeed, I have as much to lose here as you. Let the children's coming be a way to put an end to this destructive war once and for all. If you agree to these peace talks, I'll make all necessary arrangements. If you don't?" Erwin hissed. "Well. I have my hyperfusion arsenal. You won't dare attack Paradis, but Paradis can attack you with impunity. And I make no guarantees for your son's safety."
Levi knew that the correct strategic move would be to count his children as lost and forge ahead with whatever plan came to him. It was a choice between two kids and the entire world. As a king, he needed to make the right choice for his people.
But as he'd told people over and over again, he was no kind of king. His babies were in danger.
Levi was a soldier. A father. That was all he ever would be.
"I'm going to bring Petra and Willy back in here. Let's talk."
But already Levi knew there was nothing left to say.
Erwin entered the nursery to find Kuchel sprawled out on Siegfried's bed, bawling face first into a pillow. Siegfried was curled up in his window seat, hugging that stuffed tiger of his. Oruo, meanwhile, crawled along the floor and patted the wall. He was looking for some loose board or other way out. Ingenious child. So like Levi.
When Oruo caught sight of the king, he made some snarling sound and ran behind a chair. So, so like Levi.
"Kuchel." Erwin gently sat on the bed beside the crying girl. "Sit up, sweetheart."
"Uncle Erwin?" She looked up at him, her little eyes puffed and red. "Aunt H-Hange is…" She wailed louder, and Erwin quickly hugged her. He shushed her, rocked her back and forth as Siegfried trotted over. The little boy sniffled up at them.
"I said she could have Toby if she wanted." He shyly extended the tiger for a hug. Erwin patted his lap, and the boy sat down. He held both children. The two most precious children in the world to him.
Oruo just muttered at Erwin, then went about trying to pull up the carpet.
"Your mama's coming to get you," Erwin said softly. Kuchel cried as he wiped her cheeks. Siegfried gasped in excitement. "She's going to come here and be with all of you."
"And Papa?" Kuchel sniffled.
"Soon. I just finished speaking with him and your mama. She'll come first, and then he'll come afterwards."
"But Aunt Hange…" Kuchel wailed. Erwin hugged her. "It's my fault! It's all my fault!"
"No, sweetheart. It's not your fault."
"B-But if I hadn't come here, sh-she'd be aliiiiive!"
Siegfried wept in solidarity. He didn't know Hange, but he felt his sister's pain. Erwin hugged them both tightly.
"Kuchel, you've done such a good thing by coming here," Erwin whispered. "You see, if you hadn't, I might have had to release some of my weapons. Or your papa might have done the same. But now, with you here, all the grown ups are going to sit down and talk this out. All right?"
Siegfried hugged Kuchel. He made Toby kiss her cheek.
"They're gonna be so mad at me." She whimpered.
"You probably saved millions of people's lives. You're the reason we're going to peacefully end this war. You're the best girl in the whole world."
"Yeah!" Siegfried smiled. Erwin beamed upon him. The best girl and the best boy. And Oruo. He had all of them here.
Kuchel began to calm down. "I miss Mama."
"Me, too," Siegfried said.
"She should be here by dinner time. And we'll all have a nice dinner together. Don't worry. Everything's going to be all right now. I promise."
"B-But Aunt Hange…"
"She's watching over you right now, and she's so proud." Erwin kissed her head. "Now. Why don't you three stay here and play for a while."
"Can we have some ice cream, Papa?" Siegfried gave his biggest, sweetest eyes. Erwin laughed.
"Of course you can, sweetheart."
"C-Can we have strawberry?" Kuchel whispered.
"Anything you want. I'll get Inga to bring some to you." Inga was now Siegfried's personal nanny. She doted on the children. Such a good woman. Erwin hugged his son, and his future stepdaughter. His whole being felt suffused with wonderful light and warmth. He had his family here. Soon, Levi and Petra would arrive, and his happiness would be complete.
Oruo came over and stood directly in front of Erwin. The boy wore the most dead-eyed sneer Erwin had ever seen. Even Levi couldn't match it.
"Yes, Oruo?" Erwin made sure to smile.
"Papa wants us to go home. I know he does. Why don't you just put us on a plane?" the boy asked. Perceptive child.
"Oruo!" Kuchel hissed. "Don't be rude!"
"As soon as your Mama gets here, we'll discuss all that." Erwin stood up. Even though he towered above Oruo, the child continued to glare up at him. Truly, he was Levi's son. "Why don't the three of you play a game?"
"I don't wanna," Oruo muttered. Erwin ruffled his hair. The boy stepped away and patted it back the way he had it before. Like Levi, it would take time to like this boy. But Erwin was certain he'd come to love the child. After a while.
"Wanna play with Toby?" Siegfried asked shyly. He held out his tiger while Kuchel hugged her little brother. Oruo just walked away from the pair. Erwin smiled as he rang for Inga and then left the room. He had preparations to make before Petra arrived in a few hours. He also ought to stop in and see Brigitta, let her know that her sister would be here soon.
Erwin stopped when he began to cough once more. He spat up blood into his handkerchief, and when he studied the gore all he could see once again was Hange in a crumpled heap, the back of her head blown out against the ground.
His hand trembled. Before anything else, he ought to stop by the bunker next to the titan pits and look in on how Historia was doing. Erwin hurried his steps. They said that they were making real progress with the queen, but it was wise to keep on top of them.
Historia had almost died a couple of times now, and they couldn't have that. After all, if the queen died, Oruo Ackerman would be the only person left who could unlock the Founder, or summon Ymir Fritz. And for the child's sake, Erwin didn't want to have to strap him to that table underground and let the doctors do their work.
Petra sat beside her husband for the flight from Valle to Liberio, quiet with Levi's arm wrapped around her shoulders. She'd been numb since Erwin's call. She'd been barely present as Levi and Willy congregated, as Mikasa was brought in. The Ackerman girl had been part of the planning, jumping straight in and coming up with her own ideas. Mikasa was a godsend. Petra could only feel a hollowness behind her breastbone. All of her children were in that maniac's hands.
Kuchel had gone to try to solve the problem. Her sweet little girl believed completely that the adults in her life were good and kind. That they'd do everything possible to protect the children, and the world. While Petra was angry with her daughter, she wanted nothing more than to hold Kuchel and Oruo again. And Armin. Her little babies…
"This has to work," she whispered. Levi kissed the side of her head. She gave him her lips. Despite the numbness she felt, she kissed him every chance she had until they were both breathless. If this didn't work, this was the last time she'd feel his arms around her.
"Mikasa's going to get in position. We've got a plan," he whispered.
Petra shut her eyes, recalling the meeting. Her, Levi, Mikasa and Willy had all discussed a path forward. Grief for Hange had to wait.
The plan had been simple. With Erwin's attention focused on Petra, and Levi sitting in Liberio acting as a decoy, the military's eyes would be fixed south. Levi and the Marleyan army couldn't charge because of the large amount of hyperfusion weapons that Paradis had, most of which were stationed on either the southern shore or in the capital.
The least guarded point on Paradis was the northern tip near Wall Maria. The mountains there were difficult to navigate, and cold even in summer. No large army could launch an assault from there.
But five hundred well-trained warriors might be able to.
Mikasa had agreed to take her Azumabito warriors and airdrop themselves into the northern Wall Maria mountains. All of them were hardy survivors, and would easily make their way south to the border towns near Wall Rose. They knew that Jean Kirschtein had been made an acting commander in the northern regiment. Mikasa believed that she could get him to come to her side. If she managed that, Jean and his forces might fall to Marley's aide, and they could sweep south to Mitras. By wreaking havoc in the capital, the goal was to seize control of the hyperfusion missile program, thereby giving Marley time to charge from the south. Levi would take off in a plane and parachute into Mitras, confronting Erwin. Killing him.
And then the war would be over.
It was a plan they'd been discussing for some time, but all were too nervous to try it without a good reason. Now that good reason was here. Petra's job was simple: keep Erwin occupied while Mikasa and her warriors made the two day trek into Mitras. If they failed, then Petra and her children would likely never be able to leave the island.
It was a risk. But it was the only real choice they had if they wanted to stop the war and save the kids.
"I should be going, not you," Levi growled. He devoured her face with his lips. She pressed her body close to his.
"You need to be free to confront him. There's too much he could do to you if you surrendered to him now." She kissed the tip of his nose. "Mikasa's already getting into position. This is going to work."
"Tch. Hopefully they don't notice the plane dropping a shit ton of flying warriors off in the mountains," he muttered. But they knew it was unlikely. After all, parachuting into those conditions would kill virtually anyone who tried. Erwin likely didn't believe that anyone could do it, not even the Ackermans.
"I'm going to get them back," she said. Petra needed to believe that. "And when I do, you're going to come and get us. And then it's going to end. No more death. No more hyperfusion bombs. We're going to get our children back and live on Paradis and grow old together."
"You can't know that, brat." His voice was rough. She kissed his forehead.
"I've seen it," she whispered. Petra wove her fingers through Levi's. "Look at how far we've come together. It's been so much to handle, but we've gotten through all of it. I've always dreamed the same dream. It's us, and the kids, living together in a little house with a garden. We're happy around the table. And…" It sounded silly, but why not tell him? "And we own a little tea shop. We live together, and we work together. That's the rest of our lives. Happy, and safe, and quiet."
"Doesn't sound like ruling a kingdom to me." But he petted her cheek. "I'm holding you to that, brat."
She kissed his palm. "We're going to make it. Just a few more days, and we'll have the rest of our lives in peace."
Levi held her close as the plane descended and touched down. Petra clung to her husband as the impact shuddered through her. They slowed, and stopped. Then Levi kissed her deeply and whispered against her lips.
"You are the love of my life. I didn't go through all this just to lose you now." He kissed her forehead. "You get those kids and you stay alive. You wait for me to come and find you."
"I'll wait as long as it takes." She pressed her forehead to his. "Levi Ackerman, I'll wait for you for the rest of my life."
"Not that long." He held her close. He held her as they got off the plane and were taken to the Liberian port. As they approached the dock, saw the king's boat awaiting them, saw the black Paradisian Guard uniforms, Levi dug his fingers into her arm. He growled low in his throat, refusing to give her up. Petra kissed his jaw.
"Come and find us. The kids and I will be waiting," she murmured.
"Majesty?" A youth in the Guard uniform approached and saluted the royal couple. "King Erwin wishes to know if you're wearing his token. It was part of the agreement, after all."
Levi snarled, and the kid stepped back. Petra quietly showed off her right hand. Erwin's blue diamond glinted on her finger. He had told her to wear it when she came to Paradis to be his. The meaning wasn't lost on anyone.
Well, at least Petra had refused to remove the brass band that Levi gave her on their wedding day. Erwin could choke if it bothered him.
Petra shivered in Levi's arms, and her husband's sharp gray-blue eyes bored into hers. She saw glittering rage in the center of them.
"I love you," Levi said. No matter how many times he spoke those words to her, Petra felt like it was the first time. That first night in Mitras just after the ball, when he'd entered her and lost his virginity. 'I love you', he'd said then, and started to thrust. God, she loved him. She would always love him, and only him.
"You're my one love," she whispered. She brushed her fingers along his undercut. He moaned low in his throat as she kissed him and held him close. "My great love."
"Stay alive, and I'll see you soon," he whispered in her ear. Then they kissed once, twice, three times. Only the need to find her children could convince Petra to let him go, and when the Paradisian Guard stood to either side of her and began to guide her away, she had to force herself not to shove them off and return to Levi. Her husband, her king, glared as she was led away from him.
"King Erwin wishes to know if you'll respect the terms of the agreement," the young soldier asked him. Levi snorted.
"I'm staying in Liberio until I get word from him. I'm not going anywhere." Levi glowered at the ten Guard members stationed to either side of him. "And you freaks are welcome to wait until ol' Eyebrows gives word."
Petra smiled weakly. Now that she was parted from him, she only wanted to rush back into his arms. It didn't matter how many more kisses they exchanged, it would never be enough. She could never hold him and love him enough.
Find the children. Protect them. Wait for Mikasa, and then destroy Erwin. Just a little while longer.
She lifted her hand one more time, and saw the pain in her husband's eyes. Petra whirled around and hurried up onto the boat, afraid if she remained another second she'd fling herself back into Levi's arms and never leave.
She couldn't bear to watch him as the ship steamed out of the port and back onto the seas. The soldiers left Petra alone, allowing her privacy to stare at the boundless horizon and think. Think of her children, and of Levi. Think and pray that Mikasa would keep her word, and that this last ditch plan would work.
Because she knew one thing: Levi would never allow an attack on Paradis so long as his wife and children were there. If Petra, Mikasa, and Levi failed in this mission, then Erwin truly would control the world.
It was only victory or defeat, salvation or destruction. There was no in between.
When the ship docked at the southern port in Paradis, Petra disembarked to find Floch awaiting her. The young man wore a weasely grin, as always. She allowed him to inspect the diamond 'engagement' ring on her finger. Satisfied, the little prick waved her on.
"His Majesty's waiting for you."
"Yes," she said stiffly. "The king is waiting for me."
Floch gave an irritated smirk. He knew she did not mean Erwin.
Petra rode the train in silence, and was escorted to her car and then to the palace. The sun was starting to go down by the time she arrived. As she drove through the streets, Petra looked out the vehicle's window and saw that Mitras was nearly empty. Cadres of black-uniformed soldiers patrolled the streets, but most shop windows were boarded up. Most apartments were shuttered. She could feel the truth: people were in hiding.
They were afraid.
When the car pulled up to the palace, Petra allowed herself to be led through the twisting halls until she was finally brought to a bedroom. Not just any room. She recognized this one from the day Erwin had kidnapped her, years ago when Armin was just a baby. The bedspread was still gold, the carpeting rich, the oil paintings gleaming on the walls. These had been Historia's chambers, the rooms belonging to the queen of Eldia. Petra waited for a while, gazing out onto the summer lawn until the door opened once again. Maids in starched uniforms bowed to her, and laid a gown out upon her bed. The gown was pure white with clusters of diamonds sewn into the fabric, descending like raindrops or snowflakes all the way to the very bottom of her skirt. The neck was high, the sleeves long. They also presented her with teardrop diamond earrings and a platinum tiara.
She was to be dressed like a queen. Their queen.
His queen.
"No," Petra said simply. She turned her back on the gifts. One of the maids cleared her throat.
"Majesty, the king says that if you don't want to wear this, then you won't be allowed to wear anything at all when he visits."
Petra squeezed her eyes shut. She counted to ten. Slowly.
"The king's a fucking pig," she snapped. The maid gave an uncomfortable cough. With a sigh, Petra snatched up the gown. "Fine. I don't want any of you to get in trouble."
"Majesty." The women curtsied to her and left, their relief evident. As the sun finally set behind the palace, Petra slipped on the gown. A maid came in soon after to help her do her hair, and to apply her makeup and jewelry. Erwin had ensured she'd sparkle tonight. Petra watched as servants brought in a table and cloth, laid silverware and delicate porcelain plates down. They lit candles, and stoked the fire in the hearth. It was going to be a "romantic" evening then.
When she was dressed and alone, Petra went to the table and selected a knife. She touched the sharp point to her finger; it'd do. Petra was delighted to find she could slip the knife up her sleeve, have it shoot out when she wanted. It wasn't likely she could kill Erwin, but it never hurt to be prepared.
When the clock struck seven, Petra heard footsteps outside her bedroom. She kept the knife behind her back…
The door opened.
"Mama!"
Armin raced into the room, his big eyes shining to behold her. Gasping, Petra quickly laid the knife under a pillow before gathering her son into her arms.
"My baby! My little boy, hello. Oh, my angel." She hugged and kissed him a thousand times over. Her son snuggled into her arms, his eyes shining with joy. And for one second, Petra forgot the war and her fear and fury. She adored the child, her spirit lifting just to hold him again.
"I knew you'd come back." Armin hugged her tightly.
"I can think of few lovelier scenes," Erwin said.
Petra's good mood evaporated as she gazed up at the king. He was dressed in a gray suit this evening, his mostly white hair slicked back. He stared at her, his piercing eyes hawkish beneath his salt and pepper brows. Petra cuddled Armin closer.
"Where are they?" she asked calmly.
"Mama! Mama!"
In answer, Kuchel and Oruo raced into the room. Petra gave a soft cry and gathered all three of her children into her arms. Oruo clung to her like a little monkey, and to her shock she saw tears on his cheeks. Her little tough guy hardly ever cried.
"Aunt H-Hange's dead," he croaked. Petra pressed him close to her.
"I'm so sorry, baby." She kissed him, kissed Armin. Kuchel stood a little apart, staring at her shoes. She'd been dressed in a lovely white frock with a matching ribbon in her hair.
"Hi, Mama," Kuchel said softly.
This is where Petra should have shouted at the girl. Her eyes stung with tears; none of this would have happened if Kuchel hadn't dragged her brother to Paradis. But…but Petra was also hugging Armin. She'd faced the possibility of bombing the island and losing her baby forever, and now he was here. That was thanks to Kuchel, too.
And Kuchel had been through enough. Petra hugged her daughter close.
"I'm just so glad you're all right, sweetheart," she said. Kuchel wept.
"Children, why don't you take your seats? Dinner will be ready soon," Erwin said. As Petra watched, servants brought in more chairs and place settings. "You can tell Mama all about the last few days while we eat."
"Okay, Papa." Armin trotted over and hugged Erwin, who beamed. Petra guided her other children to the table as the "family" took their seats. To her disgust, she realized that's just what this was. Erwin had assembled a family meal. Without Levi.
Remember the plan. You need to occupy his attention for the next couple of days. Argue with him, debate with him, even negotiate with him. Play at being a family. It's what he wants most.
So they sat down and ate. There was pear soup, followed by river trout and a green salad. Dessert was a fluffy chocolate cake, one that Kuchel especially seemed to love. Petra realized that Erwin had made certain to serve what the children liked best. He ruffled Armin's hair and gazed adoringly at Kuchel. He seemed to somewhat ignore Oruo, who kept clinging to Petra's arm.
"How's my brave little boy?" she whispered.
"I wanna go home." He looked up at her with Levi's pinched little face. Her heart melted. "Um. Sorry, Mama."
He was the only child present who seemed to believe coming here had been a mistake. She hugged him close.
"We'll go home soon, baby. Soon."
"Mama. You're not gonna leave again, are you?" Armin looked stricken. Petra glanced at Erwin, then smiled at her son.
"I'm not ever going to leave you again. I promise, angel."
Armin cheered, and Kuchel clapped. Petra knew that Erwin had picked up on her subtle signal: she would not leave Armin. That did not mean she would stay here.
Finally, dinner was over.
"When's Papa coming?" Kuchel bounced eagerly in her seat.
"Soon. Mama and Uncle Erwin need to discuss a few things before Papa comes," Petra said smoothly. Erwin wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin.
"Indeed. We should begin our discussions now, I think. All right, everyone. Bed time." He smiled as Kuchel and Armin made sad noises. "Now, now. Tomorrow I thought we might all go down to the river for a picnic. What would you say to that?"
Kuchel and Armin cheered. Oruo just kept clutching Petra's hand.
"Don't wanna go to bed," he grunted. She didn't want him to leave, either. But they couldn't have this discussion before the children.
"Nothing bad will happen tonight," she whispered. Petra kissed her son's forehead. "My little guy. Go have a good sleep, and I'll see you in the morning."
"Promise?" He looked so wary. She realized how scared her little Oruo actually was deep inside. How well he hid it, like his father and great-uncle. Petra did not have any love for Kenny Ackerman, but she knew that the man had been a survivor. The strongest around. She hoped a little of that grit resided in her son. Kuchel was a delight and Armin a love, but Oruo was the strong one. Petra saw that now.
She didn't want him to have to be too strong too soon.
"Promise."
"Can we stay up and tell stories?" Kuchel asked, hugging Armin. Petra smiled to see her little boy so happy.
"Not too late," Petra said.
The kids cheered, and Erwin rang a bell. Inga came into the room. The two women quickly looked away from each other, not wanting to show too much recognition. Petra was just glad that Erwin had never discovered Inga's help in allowing Petra to escape that night. Oruo threw a last look over his shoulder as Inga took the children away, and then Petra and Erwin were alone once more. She pushed her half-drunk tea aside. Erwin watched her. She could feel the weight of his gaze.
"They saw Hange die," she whispered.
"I wish to god they hadn't."
"It's your fault," she snapped.
"How exactly so?" His voice was soft and dangerous. "She pulled her weapon on me first. I asked her repeatedly to calm down. I didn't bring the children to Paradis, either."
"Don't put the blame on my children."
"I don't. I blame you, Petra, you and Levi and Willy." His eyes blazed with feeling. "If you had behaved like rational adults from the beginning, a twelve-year-old girl would not have been so frightened that she fled to Paradis to try to stop genocide from taking place. That child is traumatized by your ineptitude."
"Always my fault, or Levi's. Never yours." She shook her head. "I really can't believe I ever thought you were a great man."
"I am a great man." He said it honestly. "I'm just not a good one."
"We can agree there." She looked into the fire.
"The diamonds look beautiful on you," he said. She shut her eyes tight to hear the lust in his voice. She had agreed that she would keep his attention focused on her for a few days. But she would not sleep with him. Petra didn't think she could do it, not even if victory depended upon it.
"I didn't want to wear them. I don't want anything you give me."
"The ring?" She showed it to him. Erwin frowned. "It's on the wrong hand."
"My wedding ring's on my left hand. Where it belongs." Petra stood and stormed off, headed towards the bed. She looked for the right opportunity to grab her knife, and shuddered as she heard Erwin get up and follow her.
"You want at least one of my gifts," he said flatly. "Our son."
"Yes. Armin," she muttered. Erwin plainly didn't like that name. Good.
"You can have him and your other children. You can have the throne of Paradis. You can have the world."
"Yes. I can." She didn't turn to him, only slipped her hand surreptitiously under the pillow. "When Levi kills you, I'll have all those things."
"You can have Levi, too. I'll permit it."
"You won't permit me to see my husband." Petra slipped the blade into her sleeve. She heard him approach. She felt him stop just behind her.
"My scientists are close to a breakthrough with Ymir Fritz," he hissed. "Soon, I'll meet with her and demand that she end her thirteen year curse. I'll have a normal lifespan. And I'll have you and Levi at my side."
"Not alive."
"You say that now, but I think choosing between happiness with your children and the cold uncertainty of death will not go as you believe. You're not an idealist, Petra. You're not a visionary like Hange was. You're a normal woman, with normal appetites. You want love. Children. Creature comforts. I'll supply you with all of those."
"I don't want your love. Neither does Levi." She felt him take one step closer.
"You'll accept it." Erwin was almost touching her. "I hope you like your accommodations."
"I remember this place." Petra looked at the golden bedspread. "It's fine."
"Better than fine, I think. This is the queen's bedchamber." She shut her eyes as he placed a hand on the back of her neck. "This is where the rest of our children will be conceived."
Petra roared as she spun around and lunged for the back of his neck. Her knife was fast…but not fast enough. Erwin caught her wrist and squeezed tightly. Petra wailed as she dropped the blade, and the king thrust her against the bedpost. Petra tried kicking and fighting her way free, but while she was a trained soldier, he was equally well trained and stronger and faster. She bared her teeth in his face as Erwin watched her. He grinned, holding her body captive against the bedpost. Petra was trapped.
"I don't see any reason to delay," he whispered, and brought his mouth down on hers. Petra groaned, eyes squeezed shut, hating his lips as they kissed hers. She fought, but he only held her tighter. The post pressed into her back, and she cried out in agony. That let Erwin's tongue thrust against hers. Afterward, he threw her onto the mattress. Petra tried to get up, but the king held her wrists above her head, wedged his leg between her knees. Petra was at his mercy.
"No!" she screamed. Erwin gripped her chin with his other hand and kissed her harder. She managed to wrench her mouth from his and turned her face away. "I knew you'd be fine with rape sooner or later," she hissed.
"Ever since Levi brought me back on that roof in Shiganshina, this has been our ultimate destination." His lips caressed her cheek. "He bought your child's safety with my soul. He bound you to me. You and your children are payment for services rendered. The children you have with him, and those you'll have with me. Your body is mine now."
Erwin forced her to kiss him. Petra strove to get free, but she had to lie there and let him finish. When he took a breath, she spat at him.
"Fucking me isn't the same thing as fucking Levi," she whispered.
Erwin stiffened on top of her. For an instant, utter rage flashed across his face.
"A simple girl like you could never understand," he muttered. Erwin squeezed her wrists tighter; it was painful. "You'll never understand what's between his soul and mine."
"You don't have a soul. You made yourself less than human."
"Yes. For you. And for him."
"And for Hange?" Petra's eyes flooded with tears. "You wanted to save her, didn't you? You killed her!"
"Shut up." Erwin gripped her throat. Petra began to cough as his lips hovered above hers. He kissed her roughly, more out of hate than desire. She wanted to die. "You're going to fuck me. When this war is over, and it will be soon, you'll marry me. You'll be my empress and provide me with more brothers and sisters for Siegfried and Kuchel. My son wants his mother, and that means you'll be my wife. And Levi will either accept his place as second in your affections and your bed, or he'll be imprisoned. Or killed. I haven't decided."
"You only want me because of what I can give you." Petra smiled grimly. "But you want him to see you take me and the kids. You're obsessed with him."
"Of course I am." Erwin said it as if it were obvious. "You were more intelligent and desirable than I knew, Petra, but if you hadn't caught his eye I would never have noticed you. I want you. I'll have you. Because I'll take whatever he has."
She wondered if the king even knew how much he loved and hated her husband. Petra didn't think it was possible to hate as much as Erwin Smith did without also worshipping what you despised.
"You can overpower me tonight." Petra tried not to shake with fear. "But if you do, you'll be a rapist. Well, Erwin? What are you?"
The king claimed her mouth again and rolled his weight on top of hers, forcing her legs apart. Petra shut down, leaving her body behind. She could endure this. She would slip into a quiet little pocket in the back of her mind, and she would endure what the king would do to her. She would be with Levi as this man took her body. She would not give Erwin any other intimate part of her.
He yanked up her skirt and slid a hand up her bare thigh…
And then he stopped.
Erwin rolled off. Petra curled into a ball and pulled down her skirts. The king got off the bed, kept his back to her.
Petra waited. But he didn't turn around or touch her again.
"So." She licked her lips. "I guess even you're not that much of a monster. Huh?"
"I'm sure you think yourselves so clever." He sounded sick. Frustrated. "You think I'm an idiot? That I don't know you're planning something?" He looked back at her, disgust written on his face. "He'd never have sent you here without a plan to stop me. I'm sure Levi believes that in a mere few days, he'll kill me and take you back. But I'm prepared, Petra. Whatever move he's got planned, I'll counter it. And when I do, he'll have the choice of either kneeling before me or dying. And I promise you, Mrs. Ackerman: the man would rather kneel to me than die for you."
With that and a muttered curse, Erwin stormed out of her room and slammed the door. Petra lay back on the bed, shivering despite the fire and the summer night.
Connie wandered slowly through room after room. The bunker was quiet at this time of night. Even the scientists had gone home for the day. He passed several cases of spinal fluid, all taken from different titans and shifters over the years. He wandered past a couple of guards playing a card game. They nodded at him as he opened the door and entered the laboratory.
Most could never get access to this, but Erwin's royal shifters were allowed to go anywhere and everywhere they pleased.
He walked slowly to the table. Historia lay strapped down at the center of it.
Connie winced. He hated to see her like this. He'd known it would happen, but that didn't make the visceral reality of it any easier to bear.
They'd shaved her head a while ago. A thin, blond fuzz covered her skull. Historia's right eye was permanently closed; they'd removed the eyeball months earlier, to see if they could use the optic lens as a way of "seeing" into Ymir's realm. That hadn't worked.
The girl was skin and bones at this point. Tubes ran in and out of her veins. She was hooked up to a few different IVs pumping nourishment into her. What little her body would accept.
There was a large scar scrawled across the side of her head, from when they'd tried getting at the brain.
Historia breathed shallowly as he stood over her. Her eye fluttered open.
Connie gently reached down and took her hand.
A spark flashed between the two of them. They nodded.
"Almost," Historia croaked. "Almost."
Connie stroked her cheek and left her behind. He walked back outside and took a deep breath of the summer night.
Almost.
But not yet.