As if sensing Elsie's anguishing need to speak to Levi, Erwin made it impossible. Dinner served and soldiers anxious to get a move on the next day, the flames began to flicker as people stood to leave. Armin and Mikasa stood to leave when Eren did, earning a look of annoyance from their boy wonder, and a whistle caught their attention. With two fingers Levi gestured for them to sit.

They waited until the dining hall cleared before Erwin stood to speak privately. Hange and Miche's squad stayed behind as well and Erwin didn't need to talk above a stern gruff to keep their attention. What more could he have to say after all?

"You've all stayed behind because your squads will be running separate missions from the rest. Squad Levi," Erwin pivoted to stare at the smaller man leaning casually back in his seat. For the first time since she'd sat his eyes left the side of her face to meet Erwin's passionate command, slow and uninterested. "I had a meeting with Minister Nick in Stohess on my trip back and was told some very interesting Royal secrets. Krista Lenz is actually the daughter of the true King, Rodd Reiss, who has been using an impostinator to sit on the throne. He along with the other lords of the districts have been making all the decisions - there is no true government. Four men sit and decide how best to fill their pockets with our despair."

Erwin grinned when Historia, now revealed to the others, took in the wide stares and befuddled expressions. Their lives changed so fast. Flicker of understanding trickled in the faces at their table, seeing Historia's heavy eyes meeting each of theirs before raising her chin and boldly proclaiming, "It's true. I am his bastard child however I did not know more than he was a lord in the area."

She took it well. Far better than being kidnapped and revealed her true history. Elsie watched to see a glimmer of discomfort but the future Queen held her stone facade with her hand entwined between Ymir's under the table top.

"Squad Hange. Minister Nick was very forth coming with information. He is concerned for his safety and seeing how you have an infatuation as large as mine with the history of titan's, your squad will be in charge of keeping the Minister alive."

Hange lowered her fourth ale, "Safety?"

The flame in the candles darkened with Erwin's mood, "Squad Miche will be in charge of patrolling the districts to see exactly what the Interior Police's job entails, besides badgering a Minister for talking about a secret princess. A man of horrific damage is in charge of this brigade, hand picked by Rodd Riess himself. His name is Kenny Ackerman or otherwise known as Kenny the Ripper. He murdered Military Police for over a decade and in return was rewarded with a comfortable home in the Capitol leading the Interior Police."

Elsie might have been the only one to tell this was a difficult time for Levi to keep his calm. His knuckles turned white around the rim of his cup and for a second she feared he would break it. A ripple of serenity came from no where to soothe the crinkle of his eyebrow and loosen the vein throbbing in his neck. In seconds Levi toned his features and continued to listen without mentioning his utmost hatred for Kenny the Ripper.

"Squad Miche and Hange will leave in two days for their districts. Hange will stay in Stohess until further notice and Miche, I suggest starting there as well. It seems they're keeping a close eye on Minister Nick's company but there are five members unaccounted for."

Hange and Miche nodded their assent and Levi sipped his tea. Eren seemed flabbergasted that so many plans were being set in motion. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at his jaw hanging loose. She told him that it would all work out.

"I think we know where they are, Commander." Levi sighed dreadfully, as if his night couldn't have gone any worse.

Erwin's eyebrows knitted together, "How so?"

"I caught wind of someone sneaking around during Eren's transforming. We checked it out but now hearing about the missing five we should begin night patrols." Miche caught him up with an eagerness for drama the room lacked.

A mission to Shiganshina and the Interior Police spying on them? These next two weeks were going to be a disaster.

"Elsie."

She stopped at the foot of her table to look back at Erwin. Levi paused while he pushed in his chair, dark eyes tracing his boss as he walked up to Elsie and smiled.

"It's good to have you back, Erwin." Elsie said, returning the favor by using his first name.

Erwin blocked further monitoring of Levi as he said, "Glad to be with all this information. Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome. It only gets worse from here."

"I'm counting on it. And it begins with your squad. Levi, you'll be the first to start night patrols. We'll be thin without Hange and Miche's squads but we will find a way to manage."

She didn't have to see Levi to know his lips thinned and his knuckles were gripping something too tightly.

Elsie and Levi didn't speak until they parted with the squad on the second floor. Connie and Ymir smirked as they watched the two disappear further up the stairs but all Elsie could think about was what Hange had been doing with her blood.

She didn't know if Levi wanted to talk or not. She did, she wanted to bring up the blood and look in his eyes as he said whatever lie or truth he chose. Would he tell the truth? There was no way finding out tonight. Hearing Kenny's name had dampened his mood, far worse than when she'd attacked the Female Titan and far more terrible than this afternoon with Eren.

It was just not their day.

Elsie changed into a different uniform and buttoned her cloak as Levi fidgeted with his belts around his hips. She paused in the mirror above the sink and cocked her head, pulling out her bun and letting her locks fall free. She glanced towards the door and called, "Levi!"

He shouldered the door fully open to dryly ask, "What now?"

"Braid my hair."

"Rude shit."

Levi wasn't gentle with separating her hair. She held her painful winces to herself as her head jerked in his hold. When he snapped for her to hold still Elsie gripped the counter top to keep her entire body tense. Finally he tied it and tossed the braid over her shoulder, scoffing and clenching his eyes shut from a terrible thought.

"He didn't say if Kenny was in Stohess."

Elsie had no idea what to say. She floundered for a second before saying, "Do you think he's here?"

"I don't know."

His voice cracked and his fists raised to dig into his eye sockets. Elsie spun and gripped his wrists, yanking with all her might until his arms spread and she fell into his chest. She held him tight by the waist and rubbed his lower back, closing her eyes and wishing the darkness that came would bring only peace to them.

The only thing that could bring peace would be destroying the titans. Fighting tooth and claw to get out of these walls without them fighting back was already impossible. She didn't want Levi to face Kenny on opposite sides of the war but Kenny never had made the right decisions. She knew that in time these wounds would close and larger ones will appear. Levi would forever be in a position of unhappiness.

"Let's stay here a moment." Elsie whispered when he refused to relax in her grip.

Levi slowly loosened. She could give him small moments before the waves of reality crash on them. She held him in the bathroom and he sunk into her for a second without the world weighing on just his shoulders. He was always so strong but even Levi needed moments to let his emotions run wild.

"Okay." He said after ten minutes.

Elsie released him and he grabbed her neck, holding her steady as he warned, "Keep your blades drawn."

"Your advice always keeps me alive." She whispered, wishing he could know that she heard his rules thundering in her head every second she was on a mission.

Levi buttoned his cloak without another word.

Sorry for the short chapters! Thank you so much for continuing to read!