Originally published: 09/12/2019

Revamped (syntax, formatting, etc.): 13/03/2021

TW: gore.

That night, Levi carried her to their room. The girl was out for the count, and she was a heavy sleeper too. Elise greeted him and handed the chaperone a bag of silver so that he could be on his merry way.

Levi was in awe with the estate, he didn't imagine that something like this could exist. To think that if he had maybe killed Erwin… would this have been his life too, swimming in money and wearing lavish clothing? He couldn't tell if he wanted that.

The manor walls sprang from the soil like the very dirt insulted them. Such ornate sandstone was too pretty to touch the earth, indeed it was fancier than many a palace that story books depicted. The windows were oversized, mullioned and almost cathedral-like. Inside every room was bathed in daylight from the first kiss of dawn to the twilight hours. By night the oak floors and antique furniture are bathed in the flicker of yellow candlelight from the many candelabras that hung there; to the eternal irritation of Elise that electricity had not been installed as of yet. Electricity was a recent discovery and everyone wanted in on it, but companies and the military brigades got priority first, followed by residential areas. Even so, electricity was just enough to turn on the lights.

The first Lord who inherited this estate had commissioned the manor to impress the bride of his choice and apparently it worked rather well, if not too well; he got the bride and many mistresses at his side. And so began the Hahn family line.

It was well into the afternoon when Bláithín started to squirm around in bed. In her defence, she had fallen asleep pretty late last night. She woke up and noticed someone sitting at the edge of her bed. Her gaze was foggy but she could make him out as clear as day.

She was back in her sister's estate, but surely he would still be making visits.

Her heart was in her mouth, her breathing rapid and sweat immediately began to bead her youthful brows. It was hard to breathe...

It was enough for her to scream.

It was him…

The almond-shaped blue eyes filled with anger, the thinning blonde hair that, the crows feet at his eyes…

Sven.

He ran over to her and put his hand over her mouth. She cried hysterically, begging for someone to help.

She didn't want to see him, she was not ready. He didn't deserve to be within her presence. Bláithín felt the panic begin like a cluster of spark plugs in her abdomen. Tension grew in her face and limbs, her mind was cluttered. In seconds she was curled tight in her bed, her only movement the trembling of her limbs and salty tears darkening her sleeves.

She could feel it building like an unstoppable snowball in the pit of your stomach. She couldn't concentrate on anything else that was happening. The next step is her heart starting to beat harder and faster, adrenaline levels rise.

She needed to leave.

She had to get out.

She strained her vocals but nothing came out, still she cried and pleaded, hoping someone would hear her. Suddenly, her body wracked with more raw sobs and she shook like a seismograph. Fright consumed every cell in her body, swelling them with terror. With every second she practically felt the rise of her blood pressure.

"Get away from me…" she spat through her tears. Sven sighed, knelt down and appeared to be wiping her eyes…

And the illusion faded. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and opened them.

"I'm not Sven," said Levi, gently. "Trauma-induced hallucination, I presume. Now collect yourself and stop your shitty crying, it'll only give you a wet face."

Bláithín looked shell-shocked. Her head was pounding and she cradled her face in her hands. How could she confuse Levi with Sven? The thought of being back at home was never a peaceful experience. "I, uh… I'm sorry." She whispered as she wiped her tears.

Levi looked at her for a moment as he felt a twinge in his heart. "It's fine. I think it would be wise to go see your sister-" he was interrupted when she slung her arms around him. His body stiffened and he suddenly didn't know what to do with his arms. He brought a hand up and awkwardly patted her on her back and as soon as she had tried to embrace him, she pulled away again.

She had stopped crying and she looked like "normal Bláithín" again: shy, closed-off and almost down looking, yet composed.

"I was… I am grateful that you were here, and not him," she mentioned, almost seemingly in passing because her voice was so lifeless, "I'll go meet my sister."

Elise stood in front of the lit fireplace in the main living room. Her back was turned to her sister.

The heat was suffocating, much like the atmosphere.

"It's nice to see you again, it's been a while," Bláithín said to her. "Yet you won't turn around to face me. We're practically sisters…"

Elise became a young mother at the tender age of seventeen. Now both 'sisters' being a year older, much had changed. Bláithín looked at her in shock as she turned around and her swollen abdomen was revealed. "Again? Why?" She merely asked why because the younger lady looked so stressed out and sad. She daresay that stress aged the poor lady, even though she was two years younger than the blonde.

"I wish I wasn't… I feel like a slave to the family's bloodline while you are playing soldier." She spat, voice laced with indignation. Bláithín could tell she was in a bad way, depressed that she was forced to take on the womanly duties of a noble bloodline in her sister's stead. There was regret written all over her face for saying such things. "Sorry… I'm due in two weeks, expecting a girl."

Would this have been Bláithín's fate if she never ran down to the Underground that night? Constantly forced to have children she never wanted?

Bláithín stared blankly at her. "You sure have a habit of getting knocked up…" she muttered. She remembered how much of a shell the cheerful girl once was. A woman who was haunted by the duties of being the mother she never wanted to be.

Elise rubbed her swollen abdomen and sat down again, she seemed to be in a bit of pain. Bláithín passed her an "are you okay" kind of look, but Elise nodded. "Kicking." Was all she said.

A man who Bláithín was unfamiliar with came in and hurried over to Elise. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and put his hand on her belly, rubbing it tenderly. This was probably her husband. "How is she?" He asked. Elise smiled, but there was something else in that smile.

And it wasn't just stress or sadness.

It was guilt.

Elise was hiding something. What was it?

And it wasn't because she didn't love him like what she had told her the last time they met.

This guilt was for something else, something new, even.

"I'll have the chefs prepare something nice for you, my dear," he said, sweetly, as he walked out of the room again.

Bláithín sighed as she attempted to figure out. She sat down in the antique armchair across from Elise, placed one knee over the other and looked at her in thought. Why would Elise be so silent around him? Surely, she'd put up some sort of front before, right? It would be the nicest thing to do considering this husband of hers truly loved her. And that's when it hit her. She wasn't guilty because she didn't love the man she was forced to marry.

"Spit it out." Bláithín said.

"Spit what out?" Elise asked, feigning naivety and innocence.

"Who's the real father of this baby?" she asked, seriously. Elise's face turned beet red, though it could have been from the sweltering flames from the fire too. "Something is off with you, more than usual, and I don't like it. You're hiding something. What would he say if he found out?"

"He is not going to find out." She said firmly.

There it is, confirmed.

Did she have a secret lover on the side? Was this possibly affecting their marriage? Was Elise in the correct emotional state of mind to look after Eden, not to mention this other child on the way?

"Why?" Bláithín asked.

"Because you're not going to tell him."

"Then, who is the father?"

Elise appeared to be swallowing a lump in her throat. Her eyes seemed to be welling with tears, and sure enough they spilled out easily. She shook in her seat and was hunched over, making a futile attempt to suppress her whimpers. Bláithín just stared and noticed her nails had been bitten off, probably to cope with the stress and, well, whatever this situation was. The blonde walked over to her sister and began to rub her shoulder.

It was as if Elise had retreated inside of herself; instead of being there with her sister figure, she's almost isolated. It's as if the sounds are arriving in her brain from far, far away and Bláithín's touch is somehow disconnected. And so she tells her over and over that she's really here, and that she always would be. She spoke to her softly yet at a volume that reaches inside and soothes. Her brain had shut down. She was clammy and there was the glisten of sweat. Her eyes were as wide as if someone was coming to deliver the fatal blow.

Bláithín was lost for words.

Who could have done this? Was it even consensual?

She was clearly traumatized by the mere thought of having this baby, nevermind having it with someone she wasn't married to.

The frightened, young lady eventually mustered up the courage to speak. "I-I was told that if I didn't carry the child… I would have the same fate as you…"

Bláithín gasped.

It couldn't be…

"The father is Sven. After all, we're not related... he forced this role upon me should he pass away in the near future or if the Hahns need an heir. After all, your birthright has been forfeited. Nullified."

Bláithín blinked in confusion. "You're not a Hahn, you were adopted."

Elise nodded. "I know, but there are people in Sine who look at you as the Lady who abandoned her family and how it has affected the image of the Hahn family. You will be treated with the same respect as the lady you truly are… But you won't get anything. He's left you with nothing..."

In the meantime, Levi was just lying on the bed, hands folded and resting behind his head. Bláithín had returned and he sat up after she had closed the door.

"So you saw?" He asked her. She just nodded. "She looked really down. She doesn't seem fit to be a parent in my opinion."

"Yeah. Her husband isn't even the father. To preserve the Hahn name, she was forced to carry a child against her will."

Levi's eyes widened momentarily in shock. Had Bláithín stayed here all this time, would she have met the same fate as her sister and have been forced to carry out these unethical tasks too? Levi shook his head, not wanting to think about it; not wanting to think about her conniving, gross uncle or what could have happened otherwise. Levi walked over to her and pointed over to the one bed in this room. This was Levi's main concern, and Bláithín was doing her best to stifle her cheeky grin.

"Well, we can do whatever you did last night?" she asked. She was asleep at the time, though; she had no idea what he had done. "Where did you sleep last night?"

"I didn't," he replied, emphasising the 't'. "And I'll be damned if I don't sleep again tonight. I normally don't need much sleep but I can't function on auto-pilot for two days in a row. I'll be like the Antichrist."

You mean, you're not an Antichrist already? Bláithín asked herself. She inhaled sharply, knowing that he was adamant on not sharing a bed. Her scheme last night may have proved fruitless afterall. She had wanted him to be comfortable with the possibility of sharing the bed, but seems as though he wasn't. It was not a situation she was totally opposed to; she has slept beside her past squad members before.

It's just that Levi was so… Levi.

He wouldn't do this unless he absolutely had to, and so, she had to compromise.

"Okay," she said, "I'll sleep on the floor tonight." She said.

Levi smirked. Was he capable of even doing that? Was it even a smirk? She wasn't going to question it. "Excellent. I'm exhausted. You sleep on the floor tonight." He declared and settled into the bed.

The blonde scoffed, shocked that her subordinate wouldn't offer her the bed again. She was his superior. Then again, this was Levi - one of the most notorious mercenaries to emerge from the Underground District - and she had a great night's sleep last night.

Alright, fine. It was only fair.

She decided to go change into her pajamas and walked into the ensuite. She took her satchel into the bathroom and took out the looser clothes she had packed. She stripped down and pulled out her lace pajama gown. She shimmied inside and looked at herself in the mirror. It was rare to have a break away from military life and to not live in such a rush. She noticed how much weight she had lost over the years. Her collarbones protruded, but not hugely so. She was a comfortable mix of bone and muscle, but had she stayed in Sine, she may have kept her womanly curves. Instead, etched upon her skin was blobs of purple and black over her years of fighting. The harnesses had left deep imprints on her skin as a reminder that she was a soldier.

And that there was no coming back.

She peaked out the door, worried that Levi may have been changing and be stark nude, and that was something she did not want to walk in on. She opened the door slowly and in those few seconds, her mind went blank. She wasn't expecting Levi's bed wear to be so lacking, and by that, she meant shirtless.

Despite Levi's short stature - he was an inch shorter than her after all - his body was undeniably nice from using 3DMG and his active lifestyle. His torso was heavily layered in muscle and his biceps bulged in all of the right places.

God, guess I still have some aspect of my femininity, she told herself. For those seconds where she could spare a glance, she was enthralled.

She wanted to touch him.

Oh, my god, I need to stop, she told herself, flustered at such a dirty thought. She swallowed and regained whatever composure was lost. She readied herself for a good night's rest, untangling her hair from the hairband. Don't look at him, you're better than this, she told herself.

"Is that what you're wearing to bed?" he asked her.

What a hypocrite. He had reasoning behind this question, though. It was winter, and she was wearing a gown that was on the flimsy side. Also, he had never seen her dressed like this before, it was almost as though she was a normal girl.

"I could say that to you, put on a shirt, you half naked bastard." She retorted.

"Whatever," he said. He reached over and slipped into his shirt again, actually complying with her.

This is not the Levi I am used to, she said to herself as she stared at him. Levi only obeyed people if it suited him, not just because someone ordered him.

"I sure hope the bed is clean." He mused to himself.

"Beds here are cleaned every morning. The Hahn estates are always flooded with far too many maids." Bláithín informed. She walked over to the closet and pulled out a spare blanket and pillow and laid them on the floor. As much as it wasn't fair for her to take the bed for the second night in a row, she couldn't help but feel jealous.

"You're awfully accommodating for your subordinate." He teased, a slight lilt in his tone.

The short bastard was teasing her - the nerve!

"I do wish you were sleeping on the floor…" she muttered, but then forced a smile, "But I have learned it is best not to argue with you, Levi, as you are a bit relentless. Besides, it's not like you listen to anyone."

Levi sat up and looked down at her. "Well, you have everything laid out for yourself, so you might as well stay there for the night."

Bláithín corked a brow. "Do you even have the capacity to be compassionate and at least make it seem like you put other people before yourself?"

That question bothered him. All his life, he was met with hardships and sacrifices, but above all else, death and loneliness. His mother, friends, Isabel and Farlan… Of course, he had the ability to be kind. But he learned at an early age that in this world, kindness isn't always reciprocated and that this blood-stained, war-torn world was ugly. Sometimes you had to be selfish if it meant surviving. There was nothing wrong with putting himself first.

He wouldn't divulge his past to her yet, though - perhaps not ever - so he let it slide this once.

"I'll have you know that I am totally able to. I just choose not to." He replied, nonchalantly.

What was she even doing? There was no point in arguing with him. It was futile from the beginning. Admitting defeat, she set herself down on the ground and rested her head against the pillow.

Her back was turned the other way to Levi, and he smirked in victory. The two of them attempted to fall asleep then and there.

Neither of them could though. Hours passed and they were still wide awake. It didn't help that the temperature continued to drop through the night.

Frost grew over the windows even as the blanket failed to keep Bláithín warm. Soon after, she began to shiver. It was the type of coldness that reached into one's bones, as if Bláithín's heart were a door left wide open to the icy wind, slamming only to open again. The windows were thin and the bitterly cold wind could filter through.

She heard Levi sigh and he tossed and turned. He wasn't sleeping simply because it was cold. Levi had been drifting in and out of sleep, but he was very restless. The poor man was probably having a nightmare, probably from the most recent expedition. Military life was tough, brutal and soul-destroying, and Levi was beginning to suffer its effects. Death himself held hands with the soldiers, being a life-long companion until they, too, suffered at the hands of the Titans and their lives and souls were drained from them.

"I hear you tossing and turning, Levi. Try sleep."

"And I hear you shivering, so I can say the same to you," he said, though it was stifled through the pillow as he had tossed onto his stomach now. "...This is a huge-ass bed. Quit your shivering and get in."

"Are you out of your mind?!" she guffawed. "Have you been drinking?"

Levi scoffed in annoyance. "No, where would I get my hands on alcohol here? I have been in this bedroom the whole damn time."

"The cellar," the blonde answered, "Children in Sine often drank wine with their dinner to prevent alcoholism. However, my uncle never allowed us to drink the wine. Who knows why."

"It was just a fucking suggestion. Forget it," he drawled, "I may be a man, and I may have my needs," he paused to smirk, referencing Hange's proposition back when he was looking after his superior, "but my intentions are wholesome."

That will show her, he thought to himself. Of course, he was joking. He had no intention of sharing with her.

Even so… As much as her inner woman did want to get into bed with him - especially after she had witnessed him shirtless - she did have an ounce of self-respect. She did know Levi was only teasing her… meaning he must have witnessed her ogling him earlier. The realization dawned on her and she shrivelled up like a raisin in self-pity but mostly embarrassment.

Well, if he was going to tease her, then she was going to tease back!

She 'tried' to fall asleep for a few more minutes, and in the meantime, Levi had actually dozed off again based on his breathing, she stood over the bed that she was going to reclaim.

"Move over," she commanded, and the look of shock on Levi's face was undeniable. She was actually going to lay down with him?! "What is it? I'm taking you up on your offer." Levi grunted in frustration and reluctantly shuffled over to the other side and allowed her to come in, and made a point to turn his back to her. "Just to be clear, I have no problem sleeping next to a man."

"With that attitude, you might land yourself in trouble, be careful," he muttered. This was coming from past experience from living in the Underground District. It was a disgusting place where crime - crime against women in particular - would go widely unnoticed. He was only saying it out of precaution and perhaps force of habit. After all, his own mother died when he was a child and her profession did not help her case.

She shuffled around in bed to try to make herself comfy. She felt comfiest on her left, her back facing Levi's.

"Also," he said, "make one noise and you're sleeping in the bathtub."

"And wouldn't you keep me company there, Levi?" she sang in a teasing manner.

"Go the fuck to sleep, Bláithín." He grumbled.

Determined to tease him just a bit more, she extended her limbs out and took the form of that similar to a starfish, taking up a large fraction of the available space. Levi sighed, probably the umpteenth time that night. If she can't get him to relinquish the bed, she would jolly well hog the entire bed for herself.

She should have known how stubborn and dare she say, immature, Levi was because he 'lazily' slung his leg over her waist and pulled her closer. She gasped at the sudden proximity and pushed him aside. He smirked again, claiming victory, again.

"You pushed me?" he asked in a low tone. "Fine, I have had it with you, I am done being merciful with you, Bláithín Hahn."

Within seconds, he stood up and slung her over his shoulder and took the pillows and duvet with him too.

He placed her in the bathtub.

He actually did it.

"The bed is mine tomorrow night!" she called out.

"Like hell it will be!"

Levi: one; Bláithín: zero.

The two were woken up the next morning by maids and butlers scurrying around. Bláithín hadn't slept that night, considering she was dumped in a damn bathtub. She was impressed she didn't pounce on him during the night, but she got too tired in the end. She emerged from the bathroom with a crick in her neck and scoffed upon seeing Levi sleeping peacefully like an angel.

She crept over to him and saw how he retained a child-like innocence when he slept. He seemed to have rested well after the nightmares. He didn't have his usual scowl etched upon his face, his brows weren't furrowed and he looked so relaxed.

There was a pounding on the door that startled her and took her away from her ogling. She ran over and opened the door to a maid who seemed visibly distressed. "What's the matter?" she asked, her brows creasing together in concern.

"Lady Bláithín, it's an emergency. The family doctor is out of town and Elise's water has broken!" the maid cried.

Bláithín gasped and dashed to the bathroom to get a pitcher of water and a couple of towels, but it wasn't like she had an awful lot she could bring with her anyway. She sprinted out of her bedroom and into her sister's, which was on the same floor.

Her sister was on the floor of her bedroom, sweat beading her brows and temples and she was breathing heavily through the pain.

"Hey, hey, hey," Bláithín whispered in a soothing tone, "I'm here. I'll do what I can. But you have done this all before so I need your help too."

Bláithín had left Elise years ago when she ran away, never being subject to Sven's abuse. But Elise had, and guilt overcame Bláithín immediately. She could see no life in her sister's eyes; they were wide with pain but the energy in them was gone.

This was what she was entrusted to do years ago, to look after her sister when her parents weren't around. If Bláithín stayed, would Elise still have the drive to, well, live?

At the age of twelve, Bláithín couldn't have stepped in and filled the role of a mother; she was no replacement, and she never would be. Even so, was she selfish for running away?

I'm so sorry, Bláithín said to herself as she held her sister's hand. If only I could have been there for you…

These were two sisters scarred by their family name, in emotional agony simply for being alive. They were being punished for sins they had not committed.

Both wanted to be saved.

If only I could have saved you, lest have both of us feel the same way, she said to herself.

A maid came in and the blonde spoke to her, asking if there is anything she can do to help. The maid seemed to have been there for the previous labour, given by her knowledge. She explained what to do from what she had observed the previous doctor do. After all, home births were a natural occurrence and not everyone had the privilege of having a doctor on call to be there.

Elise swayed her hips as the pressure built down below. It was extremely difficult to not push then and there, but she wanted to wait for further instruction. She was familiar with the pain but it still caused her body to quake. With each contraction came a pain that dominated Elise's entire being. In those moments, for those seconds that stretched into infinity, there was nothing else but her and the pain.

"Excuse me, can you get me another towel?" she said to the maid and she dashed out. Once the door had closed, Elise beckoned the blonde to come over. "I don't want this baby…" she wept.

Bláithín did her best to console her but also keep her own worries at bay. This was commonplace, delivering without a doctor, but what was she meant to do? Bláithín checked underneath the towel to try to track the baby's progress. She could see the baby beginning to crown.

"We can sort out what we will do afterwards, right now, you gotta give birth. You need to push with every wave. And breathe with it. I'll go find that maid." She said. It wasn't ideal to leave her unaccompanied, but she was not familiar with this at all and she did not want any mistakes on her part.

The pain of labour was a prison for Elise's mind. Her brown hair was tousled despite being tied back. In that jail cell of fear and confusion the time passed without her being able to keep track. Her stomach tightened, she heard her own scream without being aware of making it. She lay still when the surges passed, waiting for the agony to subside.

She did not want this baby.

She did not want to have another child.

She did not want to live anymore having to face the burden of being the face of the Hahn family.

Elise wanted nothing more than this baby to come out and to not see it. This wasn't hers, she tried to convince herself that, and that it would only ever be Sven's.

That man was vile and she hated him as much as her elder sister did.

She wasn't meant to push by herself without supervision but these emotions consumed her. She screamed in pain and nature took its course without her even trying.

Bláithín and the maid were a floor below for the past few minutes getting things ready when they heard her screaming in pain, begging for mercy, and they ran as fast as lightning up the stairs.

"Elise!" her sister called out, and all was silent within a few seconds.

And then, tiny yet shrill cries pierced the air.

The maid and the blonde soldier walked into the room and Elise was holding the baby up to her chest. The look on Elise's face was blank though, she couldn't bring herself to give love to this child. The maid went over to the baby with a towel and began to pat her clean, removing the fluids the little girl was caked in. She was placed in a cotton blanket.

"Ma'am, you should at least try to feed the baby…" the maid told her, breaking the silence.

It was strange how as fast as the alert was made that Elise was ready to give birth, it was all done within a matter of minutes. Elise wanted to rest and be alone.

"This is not my child…" she wept to herself.

Bláithín went over to the baby and picked her up. She began to stir immediately, not being able to hear her mother's heart beat. "Shh, shh. It's okay…" she cooed. "So, what the hell is it you want to do? Shall we pass her onto Sven?"

Bláithín continued to rock the baby in her hold. She smiled down at the niece, flashing her a toothy grin and the baby settled, staring into her eyes. For a newborn baby, she was wide awake. Bláithín handed her back to her sister and encouraged her to nurse the baby.

"Well?" her sister beckoned.

Elise nodded in desolation, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The maid nodded, saying she would go send a telegraph to tell him the news.

That same evening, Bláithín retired to her bedroom after eating and the events that unfolded were certainly… not peaceful, and for a variety of reasons.

To start off, Levi and Bláithín were civil enough to stay in the same bed together… However, Levi made a make-shift partition between the two consisting of pillows. He later found this to be totally ineffective; the blonde later swiped most of the pillows for extra comfort.

She was sleeping soundly that night and had even secured a lovely, pearly white bathrobe for herself.

He knew he wasn't going to be sleeping that night and it wasn't from the disappearance of his pillow partition.

He felt a wet patch on the back of his shirt and the mattress. He tossed over and found the blonde drooling, mouth open as though she was trying to inhale flies. He grimaced looking at this and muttered a 'disgusting' under his breath. He propped himself up on his elbow and placed his thumb under her bottom lip and pushed it up to shut her mouth, only for her lip to fall down again.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "So fucking gross…" he whispered.

She was murmuring her sleep but eventually stopped fidgeting and fell quiet. Levi realized he couldn't take his eyes off of her innocent face as she slept soundly.

It was the first time Levi was able to see her face so close.

And it was flawless…

He stared for a while until he heard noises from outside the door. He hopped out of bed and walked over to the door, pressing his ear up against it. He couldn't make out what they were saying for the most part, but he felt his heart skip a beat when he heard a gun being loaded. He heard people crowding outside their bedroom and he crept back towards the bed.

"Bláithín... Bláithín," he whispered with urgency, shaking her by the shoulders. She woke up and looked up at him with annoyance. "We need to get under the bed."

In the dark, she couldn't see the urgency on his face but she could hear it in his tone. She tore the duvet off her and scooted under the bed with Levi. Within seconds, the door to the bedroom swung open. The gunshots cracked into the air as loud as thunder but without the raw power of a storm. In comparison they were tiny and small, coming from one direction only. Bláithín was going to let out a gasp, but Levi was quick to cover her mouth. He brought his index finger up to his lips, gesturing for her to stay silent.

Once the last few bullets had been sprayed, Levi instructed her to wait under the bed until the men had gone down stairs or so that no one else had come into the room. They pulled themselves out from under the bed and he could see Bláithín was starting to shake with anxiety.

"Calm down," he told her, coolly, "The situation isn't ideal, but we just need to get out of here."

The blonde had a bad feeling about this. They weren't out to kill just the two of them… Everyone in this house was going to die.

Levi had started to walk towards the door when he was grabbed by his superior at the wrist. "What?"

"I need to go check on Elise." She whispered.

Levi's eyes widened. "No. You're staying here," he told her. "Hide under the bed again, and I'll go find her and we'll play by ear afterwards."

Levi dashed out of the bedroom before she had the chance to say anything else. He was careful not to shut the door so that there would be less noise and arouse less suspicion. He beelined down the hall, eyeballing all the rooms to see if anyone was still inside them. The doors to the bedrooms were left open so no one seemed to be occupying them. He skidded to a halt halfway down the corridor though when he noticed one closed door.

Elise must be there, right?

He walked towards the room slowly, erring on the side of caution of an oncoming attacker ready to pounce on him.

A blood-curdling scream pierced the air.

Bláithín?! He questioned his every move now.

What was he to choose? What would he regret less? Was he meant to follow the orders his own superior gave him? Or was he to go back and see what the commotion was all about?

Her words sounded in his head again as he thought to himself.

"Besides, it's not like you listen to anyone..."

Maybe this one time, he'd disobey his superior for a damn good reason.

However, which room was the scream coming from? He had never heard her scream before… So how was he to know if it was hers? If he went to locate the person in trouble, what would happen to Elise in the process? Or more importantly, what would happen to Bláithín?

She was all he had left after all…

He sprinted back to her room and opened the door wide, and sure enough, it was Bláithín who screamed. He focused his attention on the man lying in a pool of blood - alive, but heavily wounded and clearly suffering - and the blonde holding a broken, oil lamp. Levi knelt down and picked up the gun that was attached to the man's belt, aimed said gun at the man's face and with a bang, Levi had put him out of his misery.

"You were meant to get Elise, what are-?!"

"I heard a scream and rushed back. We can go check on her together but we need to run, and we need to run fucking now." He stated, urgency lacing his tone.

The two made their way back to her sister's bedroom. It was already not looking good given that they didn't hear the infant crying out. Levi ordered Bláithín to stay back and remain outside as he burst through the door. He kept his gun ready to spray bullets if needed. He heard no sounds that would suggest another person being with him. That was both a good thing… and a bad thing.

He picked up the lit oil lamp and shined it around the room and that's when he saw it. The sight was so gruesome, he dropped the oil lamp on the ground with a shallow gasp.

It was grotesque.

It was a recent kill, perhaps she was still barely alive.

Elise was backed into the corner, body limp and lifeless. Levi quickly made his way over to her and pressed his hands against her tummy to stop the bleeding, but no matter the pressure he applied the blood had still gushed between his fingers and oozed under his hands. Her face was bruised, covered with great purple and blue blotches. Her thighs had been bruised and lacerated.

Elise's wounds indicated something different to when bullets were shot into the bedroom Levi and Bláithín were in. These wounds were deliberate, they were done on purpose. If they wanted her dead, they would have just shot her. No, they wanted Elise to die a slow death… but for what reason?

It was almost like she was maimed as a form of punishment.

"Can you hear me? Where is your baby?" he asked her, shaking her by the shoulders.

Elise heaved in heavily before coughing up a maroon globule of blood, splattering and staining her dress. "Bláithín…" she wheezed before coughing again.

"Your baby. I'm talking about the baby." He told her. "Come on, damn it."

"Bláithín... " she whispered again and lifted a shaky hand to point at the door. "T-Take care… take care of her…" she breathed and went silent.

Levi shook her again. He picked up the oil lamp and shone it in her face. Her eyes had lost their glimmer and there was no more movement in her chest.

Gone.

Death wasn't kind. Levi knew that. It snatched where it could, taking people who were far too young, far too good. It didn't pretend to care, it didn't pretend to distinguish. The hooded vale of Death had hung over the world for a long time, always threatening; always looming. It had always touched Levi quite closely, for Death had ripped away many parts of him, and taken those whom he cared about.

He backed up slowly and walked out of the room. Bláithín was standing outside. "Well?" she asked.

"I… I didn't see anybody." He lied.

Bláithín breathed a sigh of relief. She and Levi bolted down the stairs as fast, but the blonde found that she couldn't keep up so well. Levi opened the doors and kept it open for her as she made her way out.

Bláithín tripped on her way down the stairs and she clutched her tummy. Levi slung her arm over his shoulder to help get to the bottom of the cobblestone steps.

"What's your damn problem?!" he yelled, "We need to move and we need to move now!" he yelled.

Bláithín fell to the ground.

Levi's jaw fell slack.

"L-Levi…" she mumbled, trying to stifle any cries of pain that left her mouth.

Her white bathrobe had started to stain pink. She had been injured too, underneath her left set of ribs. She reached inside her robe and patted her hand against the affected area, and crimson blood dripped from her fingers, glistening in the moonlight.

She reached out to grab a hold of him. Levi had rushed to her side to catch her before her vision turned black...

Sorry for all the drama, haha! I would love to hear some feedback as always!

- fabuliszt