Reincarnation

Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

Summary: Rivetra Week 2013 Day 7 Prompt

Orange light filled the sky as the sun neared the horizon. There was a stiff breeze. It wouldn't be long before the sun set.

But before it went down, his wife's life would be snuffed out.

Dressed in a delicate white nightgown with smudges of dirt from having spent the night in a cell, Petra stood, tied to a stake. Her strawberry-blonde hair flew in the wind, skin glowing beautifully in the evening light. Levi could feel her watching him. But he could not bring himself to look her in the eyes. And see that soft, saddened expression she had given him before she had been ruthlessly ripped from his arms the previous night, accused of witchcraft.

He had argued furiously with Erwin and the others. His kind and loving wife could never be a witch. He had argued until his voice was hoarse. But all the fight had left him the second he heard her confession.

Levi had yet to say a word since.

No matter how hard he tried not to, he couldn't help but think the same thing over and over again in the deepest recesses of his mind: why didn't she lie?

There was no solid proof against her. Only accusations. Serious accusations, but there was a chance that maybe he could have protected her. If only she hadn't confessed. It was a treasonous and blasphemous thought. Lying, especially about something so vile, was a sin. Yet the thought persisted. Why didn't she lie?

She should have lied.

Should've trusted him to protect her.

He would have found a way to—

A heavy hand rested on his shoulder, snapping him back to reality. "Don't," Erwin told him solemnly, holding a torch. "Don't take pity on her. She is an unnatural creature. So devious that she managed to fool even you. Do not fall for her trickery again."

Levi nodded, not really comprehending his words. Then Erwin presented him with the torch. Numbed, he took it, walking stiffly toward the pyre.

She was a witch. His darling wife was an unholy creature.

He was doing the right thing.

Even if it was killing him inside.

Slowly, with leaden feet, he took a step toward her, still unable to look her in the eyes. Levi knew he was lying to himself, telling himself she might put a spell on him if he looked directly at her.

Those alluring eyes had always made him forget everything ugly in the world, filling him with a feeling of deep contentment and love. It wasn't unnatural. Deep down he knew what they had was pure and good, no matter if everyone else was convinced it wasn't, claiming she had fed him potions to blind him and bind him to her.

"Levi..."

All of the resolve he had been building crumbled with one word. At last, he looked up into her face. Petra looked like she was in pain. But it seemed to be directed toward him, as if seeing him in pain hurt her.

I can't do this. The torch slipped from his hand.

Erwin picked it up from the ground. "Forgive me, Levi. I shouldn't have asked this of you. She may be unnatural but you have a soul, a human heart that is good and loves and feels mercy. Of course it would hurt you to do this. She is your wife."

Levi's heart raced. The urge to vomit hit him as he watched Erwin walk to the pyre and light it on fire before moving back.

"I'm sorry," Petra spoke softly. "I have to leave you."

Heat seeped into the air and large flames erupted around her. His wife's face twisted in agony. She cried out as the fire began to eat away at her skin.

Before he knew what he was doing, Levi ran forward, barely managing a few feet before Mike tackled him, pressing him into the ground and holding him there.

"Let me go!" Levi yelled as Petra's screams filled his ears. But Mike held him steady. A sob escaped him. "No! Don't do this! Stop! No! PETRA!"

"Are you okay?"

Levi's eyes shot open and he lifted his head from the table. He had fallen asleep in the library.

"Sorry. Looked like you were having a nightmare," the woman who had woken him said apologetically.

"Yeah." He rubbed his eyes. "It was freaky."

She peered at the open textbook before him. "No surprise there, that's some dark reading material."

Levi couldn't understand why his chest hurt so much. And why did he feel like crying? He blinked a few times to make sure his eyes weren't full of tears. It'd be very embarrassing if the beautiful girl saw him crying over a stupid dream. "Huh," he muttered as he looked at the textbook. "I think I was dreaming about a witch being burned at the stake."

"I had a weird dream like that once after we watched a documentary in class about witch trials."

Levi stared down at the blocks of text. "I read the women were hung but I think my head kinda mixed up the truth and shit I've seen in movies."

"Hey, can I see this textbook really quick?" She gestured to it and he nodded. "Oh, wow, I was looking for this. I need it for my history class."

"Is it for Pixis's class?" Levi ventured a guess, half hopeful.

"Yeah. Do you mind if we share?"

"Not at all." He pushed it halfway between them.

"Thanks. I forgot to order it and he only put one on course reserves. All the other professors always put at least two or three. I don't know why he didn't."

Levi grunted in agreement. Although internally he was happy there was only one copy so they could share. "I'm Levi. Are you a freshman?"

"Petra, and no, I'm a senior. Just took Pixis's history class cause a friend recommended it. Said it was really interesting and fun."

"I'm a senior, too. But I only took this class cause of financial aid. I needed a full schedule but the only other classes I was interested in my major, their times clashed with the ones I'd already registered for."

For the next hour, they poured over the text and shared notes. He learned she had a fascination with anything supernatural and they both loved getting Russian dumplings from the place on 57th street.

Levi was disappointed when they were done and quickly asked for her number. "You know," he explained, "in case one of us ever misses class. Pixis doesn't put his PowerPoints up online."

"Yeah," Petra replied, smiling, eyes sparkling. "For class."

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