A/N- it’s a good chapter, I’m proud of it ;) let me know what you thought! Since this is also a cherry au, I’ll say this, this story will not affect Cherry whatsoever!
Warning- Swearing, angst, mentions of alcohol use, LONG CHAPTER! SLOWBURN, talks of death, ptsd and slight mentions of domestic violence
Pairing- Jean Kirstein x reader
(Let me know if you want to me be tagged)
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September Thirtieth. Time: eight twenty-one am. Battery percent fifty-one.
You: I’m sorry about yesterday. Things happened and I couldn’t make it, I wanted to let you know but my phone was dead all day. Can we make it up today?
Jean probably won’t answer anytime soon, or at all, but he needed to know you are genuinely sorry.
He might not believe you. You know you wouldn’t believe it, but from the bottom of your heart you were remorseful. And you truly did plan on making it to tutor him, but things did truly end up happening and you couldn’t go home until the next day.
Hopefully he understands. Even if you aren’t giving him a good reason, the true reason why you weren’t able to go like you agreed.
Since some of you asked for this scene I finally wrote the scene of Jean asking for Mikasa approval
After Chapter 22 and after the first half of chapter 23, so those who haven’t read Cherry, Beware!
“I hope….” He begins to whisper, but pauses as the emotions begin to crawl up his throat. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m the one coming now.”
Jean’s eyes flicker to the bouquets of flowers in hand and then glances at the flowers you had once put in the vases in front of Furlan and Isabel’s graves. Flowers that have been dead for a long time; the petals weren’t even connected to the stems, nor were they littered around the ground, all that was left was a stem that no one bothered to pick up.
So instead Jean picked up the stems off the vases and put them aside to replace the dead stems with new lively and beautiful bouquets from the same vendor you would go to on your way here.
“I hope you don’t mind that it will just be now.” Jean continued as he fixed the flowers so they’d look neat. “It’s—” he sighs and can’t help but let a sad smile tug on his lips. “I look ridiculous talking to a pair of graves….I don’t know how she did it and didn’t laugh….then again,” he swallows thickly and tries to keep the tears in. “It probably felt like the closest thing to getting to talk to the both of you, so I think it’s just weird for me. I’m not used to it…I’m definitely not used to talking to her grave yet….” Jean pauses again and drops his head to try to hide his sniffle from…himself since no one was around to hear him.
“….I hope you treat her nice…I know she’s missed you. I hope you know that I won’t ever stop loving her. Y/N, will always hold a special place in my heart, for as long as I live. So don’t worry.” Jean says in between a soft sob. “Just promise you’ll take care of her until I get there. She tends to be reckless sometimes.” He smiles softly and looks up at both graves before he stands up. “I’ll come visit again. I have other people to go visit, she never wanted anyone to feel left out.”
Jean wipes his tears off his cheeks, and picks up the third bouquet of flowers he had laid on the ground to place a pair of flowers on the graves of the other veteran Scouts you had grown up with. Just like when you would come visit them yourself, when he would accompany you when he could and just watch you patiently.
It felt weird having him doing the rounds all alone now. Especially because he knew you wouldn’t be waiting for him outside the cemetery gates.
No one waited for him. He walked back to the barracks alone.
He sat in the mess hall alone, on the table you’d usually like to sit on with the rest of your friends.
He ate lunch alone in the seat he’d usually take across from you.
Now, he could just ask one of his friends to accompany him for lunch, he could’ve even asked one of them to accompany him to the cemetery, but he didn’t want to bother them, and well…..he wanted to be alone even if the solitude felt painful now that you weren’t here. Now that all he had of you was memories, drawings of you he’d draw in secret sometimes, tracings of bits and pieces of you in the clothes you wore, the books and journals you cherished, the smell of you that still clung faintly in your room and his pillows. Most importantly in the engagement ring he never gave you.
Jean held onto the ring in his pocket everywhere he went, as if he was waiting for a moment to pop the important question.
You were gone now, he couldn’t give the ring to a ghost, nor did he want to leave the ring on your grave and risk having it taken by some wild animal, or some random wanderer. And truth was having the ring with him gave him comfort, just like the necklace around his neck that had your first initial hanging from it. Yeah, you never knew about the ring…unless Sasha or Connie told you….
Yet! If you did know, you’d never be able to keep it down. You’d burst from excitement…or that’s what he hoped you’d feel…
Nevertheless, you wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret that you knew, so he’s assured you didn’t know that he wanted to get engaged.
Now albeit, he regrets not having asked you. Would that have changed your fate? Because if he had asked and you said yes, maybe, just maybe that would have kept you closer, he could’ve kept you safe and helped you. So he wondered, if he had not been some coward and asked the girl he loved to marry him, would that have changed your fate.
That’s all he could do, wonder.
“Jean?” Someone called. He lifts his head off the table and sees Mikasa in front of him with a confused look on her face.
“Are you okay?” She continues to ask.
Jean nods and begins to pick up his empty plates to swing his legs over the bench and wash what he had used.
“Armin was asking for you during lunch,” Mikasa says as she follows him into the kitchen. “Where were you?”
Jean washes his plates first and then turns to answer Mikasa with a bit of dread to this conversation. “I went to the cemetery.”
“Oh.”
Jean proceeds to walk out the kitchen and Mikasa follows, not getting the hint with Jean’s dry response and his avoidance that he didn’t want to talk right now.
“How are you feeling? You missed breakfast too.” She kept trying to talk.
Yet he didn’t want to hurt her feelings by turning her away either so he let her follow him towards the dorms. “I’m doing fine,” he deadpanned, hoping she’d leave him alone after he gave her the answer she seeked.
Yet she kept following him and that only triggered Jean to stop and turn to face her to ask her a question with bluntness. “Is there something you need?”
Mikasa stops a few feet away and quickly looks away as she lifts her scarf. She stays quiet for a few seconds and just further annoys Jean. Not like he felt better when she did answer. “I just wanted to talk about…y/n.”
Jean sighs and his eyes fall to the ground. He didn’t want to talk about you right now. Not because he was tired of having to hear about you, but because it hurt having people talk about you in a past tense knowing you weren’t coming back. It hurt him too much.
He fought through the pain right now though.
“What about?” Jean queried.
Mikasa sighs and gives her answer softly. “I heard from Sasha that you…bought a ring for her.”
It was something stupid to bring up, but Jean didn’t know Mikasa just needed to get out what she had trapped in her chest; all the emotions she kept inside. She needed something happy to talk about or else she’d be too focused on her grief. And maybe what she asked about would make him happy. And well she was curious.
Jean albeit had a hard time dealing with what he felt about the question. He knew off the bat that he didn’t feel overwhelming joy having to talk about the future plans he wanted with you, but he also did feel sort of happy that he can finally speak to someone about the ring.
“I,” Jean pauses and sighs as he almost chooses that he wasn’t going to continue the conversation, but well he did want to talk about you to someone. “I did.”
Jean guided Mikasa towards the balcony at the end of the hall to continue talking there.
“Why didn’t you say it before?” She continued to ask.
Jean propped his hands on the railing and looked down at the ground as he replied. “It was supposed to be a secret. Sasha was the only one who was supposed to know, but she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. Did….y/n know?” He asks as he lifts his eyes to meet Mikasa’s for a brief moment.
“No,” Mikasa assured him. “She never knew, do you really think she’d be able to hide that if she did?” Mikasa laughs softly.
Jean scoffs and an amused laugh escapes his lips. “No she wouldn’t have been able to keep that a secret.”
Mikasa smiles at her hands and Jean looks up at the clouded sky and hears what Mikasa takes a moment to bring up. “Were you planning to ask her soon?”
Jean blinks and shrugs. “I don’t know. I wanted to, but I didn’t know when. I wanted it to be special, with everything going on there was hardly time for that.”
“I don’t think you had to worry, she appreciated every moment.”
“Yeah,” Jean agrees with a smile. “I loved that about her. She was a lot more humble than I could ever be, but I guess…maybe I was a little bit of a coward. I think that’s the main reason. She would have said yes regardless of where I asked. But I still wanted it to be special for her.”
“I understand,” Mikasa mumbles before glancing at Jean and seeing him pull out a small wooden box from his pocket.
He then followed to turn his body and open the box to show her the ring inside.
It was simple to him, but it made Mikasa smile.
“It’s pretty.” She compliments it. “It’s very nice.”
“I wanted to buy her this ring that had the band shaped like a flower stem,” Jean shares. “It had small flowers that had little yellow diamonds in the center, and it had leaves around the main diamond too.” He smiles at the ring and for a second forgets about your death. “But it was too expensive. Do you think she’ll like this one? It’s very small, but I plan on buying something more expensive when I get more money.” He looks up at Mikasa and sees her deep frown, and that’s what reminds him. “I mean do you think she would’ve…nevermind.” Jean closes the box and puts it back in his pocket to turn again and look at the ground to hide his tears.
“Yeah, I think she would’ve loved it,” Mikasa answers the question he never finished asking. “I think you would’ve made her cry.”
Jean scoffs and can’t help his faint smile. He looks at her from the corner of his eyes and his smile stays as he asks his next question. “If she were still here would you have given me permission to propose to your cousin? I mean you’re like overly protective about her so would I have to snuck around and asked her, or would you have let me?”
Mikasa laughs and nods. “She loved you so if that’s what she wanted, yes. I just wanted her to be happy. But,” she says with a teasing smile. “I don’t know if Levi would have given you the same answer, or Hange.”
Jean ignores her comment and shrugs. “You said yes.”
“They really were more protective over her. Imagine if all the veteran scouts were still alive. And her father.”
Jean continues to ignore her. “You said yes.”
“Not the same.”
Jean sighs and avoids that conversation all of a sudden as it hits him again that this talk was stupid since you weren’t here anymore. So instead of talking about something else he walks back and tries to head towards his room instead. “Anyway, I’m going to finish some papers. I’ll see you later, Mikasa.”
Mikasa nods and once he’s gone she sighs and looks at the lonely balcony now that Jean was gone. She expected to be accompanied by Sasha, you, or both, but now neither of you were here to be with her. You were both gone.
A/N- I hope you guys like this chapter! Thank you for all the love in the first chapter!!
Warning- SLOWBURN, Angst, fluff, long chapter.
Pairing- Jean Kirstein x reader, Reiner Braun x reader
Episode- 1x04 (so this does include only minimal spoilers!)
(Let me know if you want to be tagged)
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Your knock echoes inside the room once and you remain still and quiet to wait for a response. Once you don’t get one you decide to lift your fist again to knock once more, but before you could urge to be let in, the door swings open and you see Levi walking back to his desk.
“I don’t know why you insist on waiting for me to open the door. Just come in after one knock.” He complains to you while he keeps his eyes on his paperwork and sits back on his chair.
“Well,” you shrug whilst you step inside and shut the door gently behind you. “I don’t know what you could be doing in here. I’m just being respectful.”
A/N- :) Since this is also a cherry au, I’ll say this, this story will not affect Cherry whatsoever!
Warning- Swearing, angst, THERE IS A SCENE THAT HAS DOMESTIC ABUSE! Please be careful before reading! mentions of alcohol use and drug use, SLOWBURN.
Pairing- Jean Kirstein x reader
(Let me know if you want to me be tagged)
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“Eric,” you call from the end of the street.
Said man instantly lifts his head and right away that angry look lit furiously in his grey eyes makes your heart begin to race, it makes you slow down your pace so as to not reach him so fast, it makes you tense and go unaware if Jean had actually left.
He didn’t. He stayed in his car that was hidden under the shadow of a tree. He was watching out of curiosity since you looked so frightened all of the sudden.
“Y/N,” Eric says with a huff. “Where the hell have you been?” He walks around his car to meet you at the edge of the sidewalk. “I’ve been waiting for you for hours! It’s fucking cold out here.”
Warning- Angst, SLOWBURN, Violence, LONG CHAPTER! Heartbreak and talks of death.
Pairing- Jean Kirstein x reader, Reiner Braun x reader
Episodes- 1x13-1x16
(Let me know if you want to be tagged)
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There’s nights, specifically the recent nights, where you have nightmares of being back underground. With Furlan and Isabel. Only them. More specifically with their dead bodies.
It’s weirdly vivid, and pitch dark. You knew that if someone were to ask you to describe the dream, you could give them every aspect of the cold and dark room, of every spot on the wooden ceiling, of every ridge on the floor boards. You could describe the humid, dirt, death, rotting stench that is uniquely tied to the underground. Even if it was supposed to be dark in the nightmare, you could describe Furlan and Isabel bodies exactly as they were splayed on the ground, with their pool of blood staining the floor surrounding them. Almost as if it was a past memory.
Their lifeless eyes were engraved to your mind, the dim picture of their wounded bodies haunted you. The cruel darkness swallowed you and the dirty corner you were curled by, trapped you in place so you were forced to keep seeing them.
When you would manage to wake from the nightmare, you would search for your candlelight, or the moonlight peeking through the window to remind yourself that you weren’t in the underground anymore. That their bodies weren’t by your feet.
Even if the nightmare felt oddly familiar though, like you had lived some aspect of that trauma in your past. But you couldn’t place it. It just played as a cruel nightmare now.
Sometimes I think about getting high with Eren and the lazy, needy make out session that would inevitably follow.
Straddling his lap while he looked up at you under half lidded eyes, a lazy smile that ends in a lip bite as he fits the joint between your lips, his hand rubbing your hip soothingly as you take a hit.
“Good girl, go easy,” he’d encourage on your inhale, his deep voice barely louder than a whisper.
You might cough a little and he would pull the joint back, muttering a low, “c’mere baby,” before taking a deep hit himself then using the back of your neck to pull your lips to his. He’d open his mouth against yours, exhaling the smoke into your mouth before slipping his tongue in alongside it. The kiss that follows is slow, wet, and when his hand drifts south to your ass where he starts a slow grind across his lap, your hushed sounds of pleasure that Eren swallows down only encourage him more.
You didn’t bother to look when he was setting the joint down on the ashtray next to the couch. When his kisses starting to trace along your jaw, your neck, teeth gently scraping your collarbone before a soothing lick of his tongue.
And it may have been the weed, it probably played at least a small part…what had caused the blood to rush through your veins, your head to fall back as your eyes fluttered closed. Or maybe it was both of his hands on your hips, keeping the pace of that slow lazy grind across his now hard cock beneath you. Or maybe it was the effortless way he slipped the straps of your tank top down, his lips wrapping around your perked nipples with a soft groan that had a shiver running up your spine.
“So fucking sexy,” he would whisper with your nipple still in his mouth, looking up at you with dilated pupils, not bothering to move the hair that had fallen in his face. His cheeks were flushed a rosy pink when he let his tongue circle your nipple, his hips bucking in a frenzied moment before voicing low, “I wanna fuck you so bad.”
“Please,” it came out as a whimper, your hands slipping into his long hair as he leaned up to offer a soft peck against your lips.
And moments later, with his pants pushed down just low enough to free his hard cock, your panties long discarded, the slow sink onto him had you biting into your bottom lip, your gaze locked on his while he leaned his head back on the couch.
“Ah, ah, fuck,” he would slow you down, one strong arm laid along the top of the couch, the other on your hips setting the pace as you claimed inch after inch of him, “There you go, sit pretty for me, okay?”
He had to know you couldn’t answer. Not when he was stretching you so perfectly, filling you so deeply. The quiet chuckle sounding from him told you he knew exactly what he was doing to you.
And when you were fully seated, his cock completely sheathed inside you, you would whine.
Whine because he would lift you up back up just barely, and you would feel the drag of his cock against your cunt for only a second before he paused. An inch, maybe two reclaimed by him.
If even a second longer had passed, you would have taken that inch back, pushed yourself down onto his lap until you had his entire cock sheathed inside your soaked cunt once more. But Eren didn’t give you a second. The weed had him extraordinarily lazy… but neverpatient.
He punctuated each word with a deep, slow, fuck up into you and it suddenly made sense why he reclaimed that inch. Why he made room for his cock to begin a pleasantly torturous pace in and out of your cunt while his lips locked onto your tits once more.
And with your hands gripped onto his muscular shoulders, as that familiar coil in your stomach wound tighter and tighter, the promise of release just skirting the edges of your desire raddled thoughts - Joint or no joint, you realized, would you always find a certain kind of high around Eren.
Part1. As promised I made a fanart/fanfic for the whole week Part 2. Second verse of Taylor Swift’s song entitled safe and sound since it really fits the narrative. Hope you guys like it!
If you guys want to read it here you go!
I’ll give the next part on another post! See you there!
author notes ;; hdhrhrjehs first headcanon, yay!! Sorry if its trash, this is my first eren fic haha!!
BEING EREN JAEGER’S wife can be very difficult. He is mostly busy with annihilating the titans and you got used to it as time passes.
You never bothered or complain about him being gone but you worry for his life. You knew how reckless he can be and annihilating titans and biting your arm to transform until it gets ripped doesn’t help your worrying at all.
You being his ideal wife, loyal and true to yourself, someone who wouldn’t lie to him and trusts him with all your heart, would accept him for what he was and who he was and of course, would never pressure him when talking about his family. You knew how complicated the family things were so he would very much appreciate it if you don’t pressure him to tell everything about his family.
Zeke would probably know about you, and would also try to assassinate you to spite his half brother.
He makes sure to spend time with you and if he can’t, he’ll get Armin or Mikasa to spend the whole week with you.
Armin and Mikasa adores you and treats you like their own sibling.
Once you and Eren revealed that you were dating, Mikasa almost beat him up him and told him that he was risking your life. Much to Mikasa’s dismay, he continued dating you but as time passes on, Mikasa grew to accept the fact that even if she tried sabotaging your relationship for both your sake, you would still love each other till the end of time.
Historia would probably be the first to know.
Multiple Assassination attempts on you by the marleyans.
(Don’t worry, Eren will deal with them later lolol.)
You comforting Eren whenever he gets nightmares.
Historia giving you the farm as a wedding gift. (Historia loves you very much to actually do that)
Your wedding was set up in a traditional way and was well decorated. (all credits to levi for helping you decorate)
Levi disagreed about you and Eren getting married, mostly because Eren could be putting you in danger but nevertheless, he grew to accept the fact that Eren does love you and would do anything for you.
The only people that were invited were Eren’s close friends.
You and Eren’s honeymoon was shortlived but you both made sure to spend your short time in a satisfying way if you know what i mean—
But nevertheless, Eren made sure that you felt loved even when he was away from you.
He would be writing letters every day and you would do the same.
You being Eren’s home and reason as to why he needed to live.
Many possibilities of you being assassinated by the marleyans to spite Eren.
(Eren of course goes berserk mode on them and they would all be dead for killing his wife)
Or you get out of his mess by saying mean things that will truly hurt him. (Expect getting a beating or a harsh goodbye from Eren if you actually try to pull on his strings)
Eren would always try to separate his titan life from you. He hates it when you try to involve yourself into his plans which ends up becoming a heated argument.
If you’re pregnant, Eren will do everything in his power to protect you, even going as far as begging his captain and his whole squad of friend-comrades to stay with you during your pregnancy. (Be ready to get pampered by Armin, Mikasa, Sasha, Connie and Jean.)
Once you give birth, Eren swore to protect both you and your child and would retire from his titan life to live the peaceful and suburban life with you and your child.
Mikasa and Armin are the godparents of your child and absolutely adores them. They’re the best godparents and would help take care of your child if Eren or you is busy.
You being greatly respected within the survey corps, more or less, tended to bend to her instruction at all times.
Historia would do EVERYTHING in her power to stop the government from involving you and Eren into doing dangerous things as she knew how peaceful you and Eren are now.
In the end, you live peacefully with the support and protection of your friends- no scratch that, your family.
(While you ask what you can do in return for protecting your family, they just brushed it off and that being invited to dinner was a good enough payment.)
Truth be told, i doubt that you and Eren would last in canon, much less get married.
You would probably be assassinated by some marleyans or die while giving birth to your child. Though, i do think that Eren might break up with you to protect you before he continued on with his f r e e d o m.
Hates the mall with a passion. It’s dirty, crowded, confusing. But he fucks with Barns and Nobles heavy.
“we got food at home”
His beds always made. He doesn’t sleep in it. (It’s canon he sleeps for 1-2 hours sitting up) he just naps on the couch or in his office.
Double mask, face shield, and gloves. Hand sanitizer in the car and in the pocket. He strapped at the grocery store.
He spends an awful lot of time in the produce section.
He drives with the seat so close his chest is almost touching the wheel.
Fucks heavy with olive garden
Grandpa sweaters and loafers.
Doesn’t know how to turn the brightness down on his phone or computer.
Uses Pandora instead of Spotify <\3
Takes Hanji to the zoo, loses them, leaves.
Takes turns with Mikasa carpooling Eren. (Erens licence is suspended for DUI and failure to appear in court)
Lunch with Erwin. Every. Sunday.
Finesses the fuck outta parking spots.
He probably has a dog, a really big dog. It’s hypoallergenic obviously. He takes it on runs and talks to it like a roommate. “you gotta start paying your half of the bills.”
Gets discounts at Starbucks because the baristas think he’s hot.
“No Sasha I don’t want to make a tik tok with you and Connie.”
A/N: SO. I’M ALIVE. I haven’t been much on Tumblr, but not on other social media either (unless it’s Twitter, I spend time there xD). As I said on earlier asks, I’m super busy with life itself and I haven’t been able to update anything here, but I’ll try my best to do so!
I’m currently writing chapter 7 and bOY IS IT CHARGED WITH TENSION. As if it wasn’t before with chapter 6… we go a step further B) I always feel so sorry for Eva and how I put her through tough and complicated moments… but it will all be worth it, my girl <3 just you wait.
I hope you like this one! I did it super fucking long because it had a lot to unpack, but as well as an apology for the lack of more continuous updates.
Still, feel free to ask about it anytime! Here on Tumblr or Twitter
Enjoy!!
CHAPTER 6: A CARING DEVIL
Eva couldn’t fall asleep at night.
She spent it tossing and turning, her guts twisting into tight and hurtful knots. Her eyes didn’t have any more tears left to shed and her stomach emptied everything that was in it. Flora had been by her side the entire time, giving her a soothing tea to drink, begging her to do so, and handing her a cloth to wipe her mouth with.
Somehow, amidst the pain and tears, Eva managed a restless, almost useless and brief shut-eye. The sun began to raise, signaling the start of the day with the rooster’s crow. She didn’t want to face the day. She couldn’t. Not when her tiny shred of happiness was ripped apart from her.
The feeling of emptiness froze her body, the thought of her brothers leaving, not knowing when would they see each other again, twisted the knife inside her guts further. Eva was not stupid, she knew this would have happened eventually, but not so sudden, so soon. She didn’t have time to mentally prepare for the fact that she was to be forgotten by Gottesreich, by Father. Eva thought her brothers would stay at least a week, help her settle, help her come to terms with the inevitable reality of her fate in Eldia, as the Chieftain’s wife, but they just got here. There were so many things she wanted to ask and talk about with Hans and Friederich, so many questions for Hans about how to understand her future husband, since he was already married to Emma.
It… it was not fair.
She instantly regretted that thought, Father’s angry eyes flashing in her mind. She was selfish, she was a spoiled brat, she—
“Princess?” Eva turned her head to Flora, who brought a basin with steaming water and another clean cloth. Her poor handmaiden had bags under her eyes too, like herself, and the guilt inside her deepened, feeling like a monster for burdening those she loved even further.
Flora did not even let her open her mouth, knowing what words would follow judging by the culpability etched in her expression. Flora swallowed a sigh, knowing that it would not help her friend, and gently sat down next to the disheveled Princess after leaving the basin on top of the nightstand. The handmaiden lifted her hand, softly tucking a stray strand of hair behind the Princess’ ear, cupping her face.
“You are strong, my Princess.”
“I am not, Flora. I’m–” a sob. “I don’t–”
Flora gathered Eva in her arms, shushing her like a mother would her child. Flora did have plenty of thoughts and opinions about King Nikolaus, and each one of them fed her displeasure for her King, living in the same walls opening her own eyes to his tyrany. How could he, first of all, do this to his own daughter? How could he demand for her brothers to drop her off here, in Eldia, in the middle of winter and then make them leave immediately after? Did he not care for his daughter’s wellbeing? Her successful integration? Life? Happiness–?
No. He did not.
Flora sadly had witnessed what his rage could accomplish, what his anger was capable of, even on his supposedly most loved ones. On his daughter. She never wanted to see what happened that day ever again. It wasn’t a secret– everyone feared King Nikolaus, but those living inside the Palace, more.
And no-one dared to go against his will.
“Eva,” Flora rocked them back and forth, hands stroking her arms and back. “You are strong. And capable. And lovable. I will be here for you, help you in any way I can. You have me, I’m not going anywhere.”
“You’re stuck here with me and–”
“Even if it’s my duty as your handmaiden, I am also your friend. I’d go to the ends of Earth and face the gates of Hell with you.”
“But–” Eva peeled herself away from Flora, eyes red and puffy.
“So, what’s a tribe of demons going to do, huh?” Flora held her face with both her hands, making the Princess look directly at her. “I’ll exorcise them if I have to. Actually, I think I packed a copy of the Holy Scriptures somewhere…”
That won Flora a wet snort, smiling herself on making the Princess do the same.
“You will be alright, Eva.” Flora brought both their faces close, touching her forehead on the Princess’ as they used to do as children. “You will succeed and thrive.”
“With you by my side.”
“With me by your side. Always.”
She was not alright.
The cold from outside was laughable compared to what she felt inside her body.
Hans and Friederich had twin somber expressions and matching dark circles like their sister. Rage, ire and helplessness kept them awake, the first brother in a silent contemplation, and the second brother angrily muttering his opinions.
With each step she took towards her brothers Eva felt as if her weight had multiplied, as if she was sinking further and further into the snow. The Chief was already with them, accompanied by Moblit also, who was quickly translating Friederich’s angry Gottesreichan. The Chieftain nodded at his words, replying with that deep voice of his. Hans kept pinching the bridge of his nose, his brows in a permanent frown, as he joined the conversation too.
The four men turned around when they heard Eva and Flora’s footsteps, accompanied by Mike and Gelgar, the giant warrior making their presence officially known by saying some words in Eldian, saluting their Chief afterwards. Hans and Friederich’s gazes softened upon seeing their sister, knowing perfectly well how she was not handling this situation well, even if she tried to hide it, and just how unfair and opposed they were, too. Moblit’s brows knit in concern, already thinking to go and ask Hange for anything that could help the Princess calm down. Even the Chief let out a soft sigh, feeling sorry. Eva was too numb to notice it all.
Eva respectfully bowed to the men before her, forcing herself to wish them a good morning. It pained Hans and Friederich to see her sister fight with all her will the tears that were threatening to spill at any moment, forcing herself a timid, false smile that was undoubtedly a mask, her desolate gaze saying it all— she had always been an open book, something their father often scolded her for it. Hans hated it, hated him. Hans remembers how delighted he had been when their mother announced she was pregnant. Friederich too, although he wasn’t as conscious of what was happening due to his younger age, but it had been a source of happiness for the Royal Family. It had been one of the few times Father genuinely smiled. It all went to hell when their mother passed away during childbirth, casting an everlasting and somber shadow over the Royal Family. Hans remembers a brief source of hate towards his own sister for it, for taking away their mother from him, from them, but when he saw a tiny, chubby and defenseless baby crying for her mother, desperately craving a warm embrace, tiny hands grabbing his finger in a vice grip and instantly calming down, and how that baby grew into their small, tiny and innocent sister, a vivid image of their mother, he felt despicable. How could he have hated his sister? When she ran to him, smiling, showing him a pretty flower she found in the Palace Gardens? How could he have brushed off all her desperate attempts at some warmth from her own family? He felt like a heartless monster.
Hans only wanted to protect his sister.
To take her away from Father and his poisonous hands.
But, somehow, Father had managed to hurt her again, in the distance, as if it had been a very carefully crafted plan to still punish her for her “crime”. He always blamed it on the magical creatures Mother had been so fond of, but deep down blamed his own daughter, too. She just looked too much like her mother for his father to have done something about it. Instead, he took it out on her.
Miserable coward.
Both the Chieftain and Moblit took a few steps back, joining Mike and Gelgar and giving the royal siblings some privacy to say their farewells.
Hans opened his mouth to speak, to break that thick, suffocating silence between them all, but Eva beat him to it, as she always did.
“I hope you both have a safe and pleasant journey back home.” That fake, trembling smile on her lips. “Please be mindful of the ice and don’t linger much more here or the roads will get even more dangerous.” Hans knew Eva rehearsed those lines in her head, judging by the emotionless pitch in her voice, but still her voice was on the verge of breaking at some words. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll accomplish my duties as—”
“Eva, please.” Hans would describe himself as a proud man who never begged, like Friederich, but for her sister he would get on his knees, if needed. “Please, allow yourself to cry. To feel.”
“Brother, I should not, as it is expected of me as Princess of—”
“Bullshit!” Hans’ contained roar shocked Eva into silence. Friederich eyed his brother, ready to punch his own sibling for making her cry, like when they were kids, but silently agreed on his thoughts. “That is pure, utter bullshit. Please Eva, I am begging you, forget about Father, forget about the shit he fed you.” Eva’s scandalized gasp fuelled his words, even Flora looked up from her spot behind the Princess, eyeing incredulous at the outburst of the Crown Prince. He was right, though, but still shocking as the Crown Prince never lost his composure before.
“Brother—!”
“No! Can’t you see? Please, can’t you see the poison he fed you?” The sorrow behind his eyes clouded Eva’s resolve for a moment, but she couldn’t— wouldn’t—
“Poison? What pois— I cannot question my King, even less my Father—” Hans knew where her automatic, defensive stance came from. Who wouldn’t retreat to that blind shell she put herself in, after that day? After what their father forced her to retreat to? It was sickening to see how far his venom had spread.
“Eva,” Hans let out a defeated sigh. This was not the way he wanted to part from his sister, with spiteful and angry words. He willed himself to calm down. “I’m asking you this as your brother, as someone who loves you—” suddenly his vision started to blur. Shit. He was not ready, either. Would he be, though, in other circumstances? “Goddamnit.”
“Hans?” Eva timidly raised her hands, reaching out for her brother.
In a gesture completely out of protocol, throwing all their etiquette, all their propriety and formalities out to the wind, Hans took a step closer and hugged his sister in a bone-crushing, tight embrace. There was so much he wanted to say, so many things he wanted to tell Eva, and they had run out of time. Who knew when he would be able to come visit his sister again, or just see her.
He may be dead before that.
Hans tightened his arms, trying to put all his feelings and thoughts into it, as if it could speak for him.
“I love you, I love you so much—” Hans’ broken voice shattered the valiant effort for Eva to not cry in front of her brothers, of the Chief, the village— it only helped her tears to flow freely down her cheeks, soaking the Gottesreichan winter cloak and his own cheeks and beard, trying to stifle her sobs. “Never forget that, you hear me? You are my sister and I love you so much—” Hans’ own wet whisper both broke and warmed her heart. Eva hugged him back, snuggling further into his embrace. “Please allow yourself happiness and—”
“Please write—” Eva’s own voice was coated with sadness and desperation, her face wet and blotchy from allowing herself to cry on his brother’s shoulder. “Please do it, please write to me, allow me this selfish request—”
“I will, I’ll send you letters. And Emma too—”
“Yes! Please—” Hans wetly chuckled.
“She likes to write, expect small novels for letters.”
“Better for me, I’ll answer with the same amount. Or more.”
Hans let go of her as his shoulders shook in amusement, his hands still holding her trembling arms.
“Good, she adores your handwriting.” Hans’ teary smile was contagious and Eva corresponded him with one of her own, swallowing down in an attempt to will her tears down.
“Expect mine too, Birdie.” Friederich sniffed, clearing his throat in an attempt to will his own tears away.
“Your illegible chicken scribbles?” Hans turned to their brother with his eyebrows raised, mocking, although his tear-streaked face lessened the effect.
“Oi!”
“It’s okay, I’ll love to pass my time here trying to decipher what you meant to tell me in your letters.”
“That’s a low blow, Blueberry.” A gasp.
“You’re low for using that nickname.”
Friederich snorted, a teary grin on his lips.
“I’m your brother, I can do what I want.”
“Tyrant.”
A Chuckle.
“Come here—” Friederich opened his arms too, Eva hesitant at first to comply, still scandalized at how they were all but proper, away from their supposed mannerisms coming from a royal status, but finally went and let herself be embraced by her own brother. Friederich sighed. “Eva, allow yourself to be happy, please.” he muttered into the shell of her ear.
“But I—”
“Please.” Friederich tightened his arms, too, as their brother did before. “Allow yourself things. Let Flora take care of you, hell, let Erwin take care of you—” at the name of her fiancé Eva visibly tensed, her fingers digging into his cloak. “He is a good man. Trust me, trust me and Hans on this.”
“How… how can you be so sure?” If Eva’s tone was slightly apprehensive and showed mistrust, Friederich did not comment on it, understanding the doubts she had.
Friederich let go of his sister, keeping his eyes focused on hers and his hands on her shoulders.
“We wouldn’t let you stay in his care if we didn’t.”
Eva looked down and away from his stare, wanting to believe his words, the Chief’s words, but a part of her inside was fearful the Chief fed them only lies, as Father said Eldians did.
Rarely did Father speak so spitefully of someone. Father often badmouthed about quite a lot of people, but never in such a violent, enraged way, which only fed Eva’s confusion as to why he would marry her off to an Eldian Demon. Father must have had a reason and she was not going to question it. It was not her place. She learned quickly not to trespass the line.
Friederich sighed.
“You will see the truth in our words, and the Chief’s ones, in time.
“I pray you are right.”
“Be strong, Eva. You will be safe here, okay? Everything will be alright.”
Eva intuited there was something else her brothers were not telling her, judging by the urgency of both her brother’s words into trying to reassure her of her safety and well-being. Was there a crusade Father wanted them to engage in? Some court matters she did not have the privilege to know or attend to? Was Gottesreich in danger? So many questions and no time. It only frustrated her further.
“I’ll try.” Eva knew she would try, but she didn’t believe in her strength.
Friederich’s lips pulled into a soft and small smile, his hands coming up to Eva’s face to wipe at the tears.
“I’ll miss your nagging because I ate dessert before the main dishes at the Palace.” Eva snorted, kicking a small amount of snow over Friederich’s boot.
“When you do, think of me telling you how much of an uncouth savage you are.”
Eva smiled sadly. She will miss those moments. The sibling bickering, the maids trying to hide their smiles, the cooks sneakily passing some freshly baked cookies underneath their doors…
Taking a deep breath and righting her posture, quickly wiping at her still teary eyes, the Princess walked back to where her handmaiden stood, trying to keep her composure in check this time.
“Flora,” the handmaiden stood straighter, looking back up again and at the Crown Prince. “Please take care of my sister, and yourself, too.”
“I will, Your Highness.” Flora bowed, quick. “Your sister will be in my care.”
“Then we will return home with a less heavier heart.” Friederich answered, smiling. Eva had never seen him like that before, that soft pull of his lips. “We entrust her to you, Flo.”
Flora nodded, trying to reassure her prince with a matching soft smile.
“I will do my best, Your Highness.”
Hans turned towards the Eldian warriors, where the Chieftain had patiently waited. The Eldians stepped closer, knowing it was the final moment. The Gottesreichan princes had to part soon.
“Chieftain Erwin,” Moblit began translating again. “Thank you for your warm welcome and honouring us with your people’s rich culture. We do not wish to part so soon, and hoped to experience more of it, but sadly we have been recalled in urgency by our father.” Hans had to make the public speech, had to keep appearances, but both him and Erwin had already talked. Privately, without prying ears. The next step of the plan was finally happening, the long awaited one. “Your hospitality made us feel at home in our short stay, and we hope both you and Princess Eva may find happiness with each other in this new step of your lives. We entrust our sister in your care, and we part knowing she will be in good hands.”
And safe.
And secure.
And away from the bloodshed.
The Chief bowed, solemnly, with his fist on his heart, and reciprocated Prince Hans’ words with his own. Both men exchanged a knowing gaze, shaking their hands firmly. Friederich was next, his hand squeezing the Eldian leader’s in a tight grip, trying to convey without Moblit’s help what he wanted to say.
Protect her, please.
The Chieftain nodded, knowing exactly what was going on inside the prince’s head, that fierce glare he was known for directed at him. Erwin matched his tightening fist, hoping it would suffice for now. Friederich seemed pleased enough, so he let go.
With one last look back at their sister, both Princes climbed into their carriages, the Gottesreichan soldiers holding their respective doors open and closing them with what for Eva was a deafening thud. The Eldian Chief’s voice roared over the slight breeze, addressing his own Eldian warriors who proudly puffed their chests out at the words of their leader. Before the drivers clicked their tongues to signal the horses to move, the Eldian warriors performed the eldian salute, proceeding then to escort the Gottesreichans all over their territory until they reached the border.
In a slow march, the soldiers, warriors and carriages started their journey back to Gottesreich.
Eva knew a piece of her happiness, of her own self, tore itself apart from her and parted along with her brothers. The Chief knew it too, looking at the carriages disappearing out of their sights as they followed the path outside the village. Flora knew she would have to use all her assets and tricks to keep her Princess’ spirits high enough to not fall into a deep and dark depression. She stepped closer to her, one hand tugging her own cloak closed and the the other one sneaking past her layers of clothing, as well as the Princess’, to intertwine their fingers, squeezing them in a silent show of support. Eva let her, squeezing them back as an answering thank you.
That dim, flickering fire Erwin saw inside the Princess, begging to grow, to be fed more wood so it could shine and warm as it should… blew out.
Erwin felt sorry for her. He truly did.
The only comfort he felt was that King Nikolaus would eventually pay.
Oh yes, he will.
A week had passed since her brother’s departure.
Eva hoped they arrived safely back home and also that Father would be in his most… merciful self possible. The warriors who parted to escort them were already back, and from what Eva could see, no setbacks had happened. That was good, Eva remembers the eldian roads to be scary, specially at night.
Their farewell still felt like a blunt, cold ache inside of her, dulling any uplifting moments she could have, and poisoning any positive thoughts. Like earlier.
Or yesterday.
Or any other day since her brothers left.
The Chieftain apparently had made it his mission to bring a gift to her everyday. It confused Eva, although the gifts were thoughtful in a way, surprising the Princess how the Chief found time to rack his brain and think of her, knowing how busy a leader could be. It puzzled her, not understanding why would he try to understand her, walk in her shoes— how many noblewomen and princesses had already complained to her about how their husbands did not care for them? Why was he being different? What was his ulterior motive?
He came every day to deliver them. Personally.
The first time the Chieftain came he had a beautiful bouquet of winter miracles mixed with other invernal flowers like purple pansies and crocus, freshly picked and exquisitely arranged. No doubt someone did it for him— Eva couldn’t fathom seeing the barbarian warrior do such a delicate job. Flora practically ran to find a vase in the guest house to put the flowers in, her eyes shining with that excitement Eva dreaded.
The Princess tried not to panic as she was left alone with the Chieftain, who awkwardly stood in the doorway waiting for Flora to come back. Eva held the huge bouquet in her hands, grateful to have them occupied; the tension was choking her. How she wished they spoke the same language, but then again, it spared her from small and meaningless chit-chat. But she had to do something, to be polite to her guest… although she was the guest herself. Well, not really, but—
Eva internally groaned.
Do something!
Eva looked around, still not entirely familiar with the guest house itself, and spotted the freshly brewed tea Flora just made for them both. Perfect. The Princess cleared her throat, catching the Chieftain’s attention, and part of her wished she didn’t— his blue eyes directed at her were such an intense shade she didn’t know how to feel about them yet. They were beautiful, yes, but— but now was not the time to think about them. The tea. Offer the tea.
The Princess held the bouquet with her arm and hand, sparing the other to point it towards the tea waiting to be served. Her eyes quickly shifted to its direction, emphasizing her silent offer with raised brows and a forced smile as she looked back to the Chief. The Chieftain’s gaze moved from her eyes towards the tea, shifting back to her, as if he had been in a daze. Was she being so unclear?
“Some tea, my Lord?” Eva wanted to smack herself. What part of her mind did not understand that the Chief did not speak Gottesreichan? It had been instinctual, but her mouth moved faster than her mind could comprehend the sheer stupidity she just did. Still, that seemed to snap the man out of it.
The Chief opened his mouth to say something, but, following the same train of thought as the Princess, refrained, since it would be futile too. He closed it, shifted on his feet and ultimately decided to shake his head, hoping it would suffice. It did, but didn’t lessen the awkwardness of the situation or the Princess’ tight, uncomfortable smile.
This was disastrous.
Thankfully, Flora returned with a vase she found in the kitchen, carefully setting it down on a nearby table. The handmaiden took the bouquet from the Princess’ hands, putting them inside the vase and rearranging some of the flowers that got moved with Flora’s fussing. They were truly beautiful.
Now Eva had her hands empty and didn’t know what to do with them. She almost grabbed her dress skirts, as she used to do as a child when she was nervous, but her governess had chastised her so often for it she refrained herself, opting instead to hold them together, one on top of the other, as she was taught. Composure, that was everything in court, to keep one’s composure. But back to the Chief, should she offer again? Offer something else? What could she even offer?
Flora’s return made the Chief right himself back up, his mouth pulled into a quick smile as he did the Eldian salute and bowed, taking this as his signal to leave the women be. He left without another word, almost as if he was in a hurry.
Both women watched, wordlessly and a bit confused, the Chief’s massive back disappear into the snowy day, closing the door after him.
Flora was the first to speak.
“What on earth have you done to the poor Chieftain?”
Eva was equally perplexed.
“I have no idea.”
The second gift was equally and painfully awkward. This time it was a small envelope, a single winter miracle resting on it and secured by the thread holding it all together. Eva opened it, willing her fingers not to tremble under the Chieftain’s gaze, joined today by Levi, and mindful to not tear the cloth wrapping it or wrinkle the winter miracle.
Inside the magnificently crafted wood box rested one of the most beautiful hairpins Eva ever saw. It was made from gold and deeper blue turquoise gemstones, shaped into a gold branch with leaves and flowers coming out of them, little pearls embedded in the flower’s center. It was impressive. Such attention to detail in the gold branch… the artisan who made this, engraving little tree lines to make it more realistic, as well as the flower stamens and leaf nerves, was a true master of the arts. Eva was speechless. Flora was the one who muffled a gasp.
It was known, besides their military prowess, that Eldia had been blessed with precious resources like gemstones and metals. Eva thought that was the main reason for their union, so Father could secure and establish a trading route, and for both countries to benefit from each other’s resources: Eldia from Gottesreich’s trading routes and Gottesreich from Eldia’s precious and sought materials.
This must have cost a fortune, dear Lord.
Eva felt her cheeks redden suddenly. Why on earth would he give her this? This… this was so much. Too much! She couldn’t accept this gift, but at the same time if she didn’t it would be a rude gesture, triggering bad relations at the very start of their life together. Her hands were tied. Damn it!
Still, Eva ventured a quick, bewildered look at the Chief. He seemed to nervously await her response at his present, fidgeting almost imperceptibly from one foot to another as he looked straight at her. The Princess fully turned to him with the closed wooden box squished on her heart, her other hand lifting her skirts in what she hoped was a bow that would speak for her gratitude. If she spoke right now, she would stammer. The Chieftain seemed pleased enough with the response, and as he denied the Princess offer for some tea, he and Levi exited the guest house, going back to their duties for the day.
Eva sat down as Flora squealed for her. She lost her voice.
The Princess did not fail to notice how the Chieftain’s chest puffed in pride at seeing his gift in use at dinner, Flora choosing a dress for Eva that matched the hairpin’s blue stone.
Thick and warm gloves with beautiful embroidery work followed next. A new brush made from perfectly polished silver and precious gems, the cedars perfectly trimmed, for the next day. An eldian perfume made of its characteristic and autochthonous flowers, accompanied by a fresher bouquet, the same one the Chief gave her the first day, for the fifth day. A porcelain cup set, magnificently painted, for the sixth. On the seventh day, the Chief gifted her some sort of eldian shawl, a beautiful dark blue dye with a tartan pattern —the same one the Chief wore on his sash— and fringes on the hems. A note in Gottesreichan, that Moblit undoubtedly wrote, explained how this was, indeed, a traditional eldian garment for the women, who wore this with an also traditional dress that the seamstresses were already working on, but they needed her measures first to ensure it would fit. The shawl was also used indoors, perfect to keep warm and move around the house.
Huh, this one was going to be useful.
Eva allowed herself to accept those gifts, a little bit touched that the Chief went out of his way this much for her. For her. It caused confusion in her mind, sometimes catching herself believing in her brother’s words.
He is a good man.
Maybe he was.
Trust me, trust me and Hans on this.
Maybe she will.
It was true that those gifts warmed her heart a little bit. Flora praised the new brush to the heavens, marveling on the soft bristles and how easy it was to handle it. The perfume was fresh and the scent of the flowers not too overwhelming or overpowering, like those noblewomen who wore those nose-clogging perfumes. The gloves were a lifesaver for her poor hands and the unforgiving cold of an eldian winter, silently thanking the Chieftain for them when he took her for a daily walk around the village, people stopping them to talk to the Chieftain and his fiancé. Eva could only look at the eldians with a smile on her face, not understanding a lick of what was being said.
Sometimes she caught the eldian leader looking at her with a different light in his eyes as she bent down to the children, letting them put flowers on her hair like the day of the hunting ritual, this time not faking her smile; Eva could never deny children, no matter where they came from.
The adaptation period wasn’t being… that bad, but still, it was bad. The Chief tried to lessen it by paying attention to her, taking her on walks, the gifts, showing her things from the village she understood half of due to the lack of knowledge from them both of each other’s languages. But still, he was relentless and tried to beat that language barrier.
The Chief gingerly invited her to drink in one of their daily walks, a hot beverage that smelt sweet and strong, and discovered it was some sort of spiced warm wine. At first Eva wrinkled her nose. Warm wine? But after her third sip, she welcomed the heat, the spice and the warmth it spread across her entire body. Eva’s heart softened when the Chief even invited some to her handmaiden too, glad he was quick enough to catch how important Flora was for the Princess, and how the poor girl needed something to warm her hands with. The Chief did not make any move or gesture to acknowledge how the Princess held his arm tighter, or how she began to walk closer to him out of her own volition. His lips pulled into a smile, though, when his nose picked up the perfume he gave her, as well as the hairpin.
But, Eva felt the ache in her heart deepen at night, or when she was reminded of little memories from back at the palace, or from lunch or dinner, missing her brothers harmlessly bickering as usual before Father appeared. If she was being honest with herself, in her most intimate and private thoughts, where she hoped God wouldn’t judge her for it… Eva did not miss Father’s presence, almost relieved of not feeling those judgmental and piercing gaze continuously glued in her nape.
Most of all, she missed her morning coffee.
Eva was dragged out of the comfort of her room here in Eldia by three very chatty and very bossy old ladies. They kept prattling non-stop, waving their hands and urging the Princess to tag along even though Eva still couldn’t understand a lick of Eldian. Eva looked back at Flora as she was being pushed through the door while getting her winter cloak draped on her shoulders, dread knotting on her guts as her handmaiden was forbidden to go with her, the three elder ladies gesturing and barking at her to stay.
The freezing breeze of winter hit her face, and Eva desperately wanted to go back inside and curl in front of the fire. The three elder women kept tugging at her sleeves, still chatting and gingerly walking, and Eva looked around the village to see if someone would save her from them and what they had planned. Sadly for her, the streets were deserted.
The sun was setting and there was an eerie air in the village that deeply unsettled Eva. Normally its residents would still be quite busy, like the bees in spring, but the whole village was… quiet. The few faces she saw looked at her with a solemn air in them, not harsh but unreadable; they kind of reminded her of the Chief’s own face. Maybe it was an Eldian trait?
Uneasiness kept filling Eva’s mind as she was taken further into the village, right to a very old but meticulously maintained house. It shared the similar markings on the front pillars and doors as the other houses in the village, but these ones had in the carved reliefs three women in them. Eva read what she could about Eldia in preparation for her life and duties here, and from what her books told her, Eldia had its own religion where they worshipped three Goddesses: Maria, Rose and Sina. It was confusing for Eva, always being taught about how her God was the only one, how there could not be more entities but him. The rest were only cheap imitations, as her father often said. God would provide and comfort, God would discipline and punish. Her father often spat about how they were a bunch of heretics, not only believing in three deities, but female deities, and now Eva found herself right in the middle of it because her father… needed her to do her duty both as his daughter and Princess of Gottesreich.
Sullen thoughts kept crossing her mind, the cold and dark of the sunset not helping. Eva was ushered inside the old house and hastily taken to an adjacent chamber where a steaming bathtub, made of the most magnificent wood Eva had ever seen, sat in the middle of it and ready to be used. It had beautiful runes carved into it, and the sweet fragrance of flowers assaulted her nose the moment she stepped into the room. There was a table next to the bathtub with all kinds of jars, mortars, herbs and clothes. The room was lit by raging torches and a fire, the crackle of the flames loud in her ears.
Impatient hands tugged at her cloak, pulling it off before Eva could react. One of the elders draped it over a chair, while the other two tugged at the strings and fastenings of Eva’s dress. The princess gasped, slapping the hands away and trying to free herself from their quick-tempered grasp.
“That is so uncalled for! Don’t touch me! No!”
One of the three women snapped at her with a quick string of Eldian words, shocking Eva at the fierceness displayed and the wrinkles between her brows deepening. The other two took advantage of Eva’s attention being on the most short-tempered of the three, and pulled at the strings before Eva could slap their hands again. Eva tried in vain to get away, and in the end they took off her dress entirely, leaving her in her undergarments.
The shorter of the three pointed to her undergarments and then to the bathtub. Eva shook her head. There was no way she would be naked in front of strangers, only Flora had that right, so they would not—
They took off her undergarments.
Before getting her into the steaming water, the three elders meticulously measured her with their hands, judging the firmness of her arms and legs, the shape of her body, and all the time talking to each other as if they were talking about the weather, humming and mumbling. Eva couldn’t believe this, couldn’t believe the treatment she was getting! She felt like livestock, being scrutinised to see which one was the best piece for a banquet, and gasped, outraged, when they touched her hips and inner thighs, undoubtedly talking about her ability to bear children based on the shape of her bones. She was rewarded with some frowns and concerned words, and felt slightly insulted that they thought she wouldn’t be able to do her job properly. They kept nodding to themselves as if this was completely normal. Eva slapped their hands away once again, furious, when they squeezed her flesh.
“Excuse me! That is enough! What do you think you are doing?” To hell with formalities and manners, this was humiliating! “Enough! Give me back my clothes!”
The elders puffed and rolled their eyes at her outburst, impatient to finish what they were tasked to do. Eva went to bend down and at least retrieve her undergarments, but the elders stopped her, grabbing her wrists and pointing to the bathtub.
“No! No way! I am clean, unlike–”
Eva ended up in the tub.
She wanted to cry. Eva had no idea of what was going on, and judging by the urgency of the elders to get her to comply with their demands, this was something that led to a major event. What did they have prepared for her this time? In the end Eva decided that it was best to do their bidding and let them work whatever it was they had to do on her. Eva felt her heart fall when they undid Flora’s intricate braids and let her hair loose; her handmaiden had done a magnificent job.
Everything quieted down once she was in the tub. The water had been filled with all kinds of flowers, which astounded Eva, knowing that it was almost impossible to see a flower bloom out of spring, and mixed them together with aromatic herbs. But she did recognise the Winter Miracles amongst the other flowers, recalling the children handing them to her. The smell was very pleasing, soothing even, and Eva almost got herself lost in the feeling of a comb brushing through her hair, detangling it with gentle strokes, while the three elders sang in surprisingly soft voices a song Eva did not recognise, as they all worked in tandem. The other two remaining elders were occupied with pressing sponges delicately onto Eva’s arms, letting the scented water cascade down her skin. Eva closed her eyes, lulled by the hypnotic sound of the fire and the three voices singing in harmony. Eva fell into a daze.
Eva was brought back to the present when the elders gently tapped her arm, signaling her to get up. They had soft-looking cloths ready to dry her off, and Eva carefully stepped out of the bathtub, mindful to not slip while at it; that would have been a really embarrassing and unfortunate accident.
The princess was thoroughly dried off, especially her hair; they were still very into the middle of an unforgiving winter and falling ill would be no good. The elders got Eva closer to the fireplace, making sure she stayed warm while they prepared the next step of what Eva assumed was a ritual of sorts. She still tried to cover herself up the best she could with her hands and strategically placed strands of hair, clearly uncomfortable at her nakedness; she had always been criticised and nitpicked by the governess his father hired, only sulling her own perception of her body. One of the elders had a tightly bound stick made of herbs with smoke coming out of it in her hand, while the other held a stone bowl in her hands. The third one had the softest-looking fabric Eva had ever seen in her life, neatly folded in her arms.
All three approached Eva, still singing and with their expressions serene. It was such a big contrast with how they were earlier, but Eva preferred calm rather than chaos.
The one with the burning stick passed the bundle of herbs around her, letting the smoke touch her as she chanted something in Eldian. She left it to keep burning in a separate bowl, the smoke curling up to the ceiling. That same elder took the stone bowl from the one in front of Eva, holding it for the woman to dip her fingers inside. The digits came out tinted blue, the same colour their warriors proudly wore on their skins, and Eva watched enraptured how those fingers kept getting closer and closer. Eva unconsciously took a step back, but the elder didn’t stop. The woman pushed aside the long strands of hair, and Eva knew this would be another losing battle for her if she refused to do as they wanted.
The paint was cold on her skin, raising goosebumps all over her body, and Eva felt the glide of the elder’s fingers smoothly paint her arms and legs, firm lines like the ones she saw on the Chief and other warriors’ arms. Then, the fingers hovered over her navel, the chanting reaching a beautiful harmony with the three voices. The elder moved her hand in a spiral, starting at the navel and going outwards, covering her belly. To finish it up, the fingers smudged triangles circling it.
The elder took a step back as the other two took her place. The one holding the bowl with the paint freed her hands by leaving it next to the burning sage, in turn taking a comb again and other things Eva didn’t catch to see. The other one with the white fabric in her hands approached her, letting the ends fall as she began draping it over her naked body.
Eva felt grateful to finally be covered, not enjoying one bit this humiliating endeavor. She zoned out, as she usually did back in Gottesreich when the maids dressed her, and Flora was not there to snap her out of it as usual. She felt a pang in her chest, missing her handmaiden and friend by her side. Flora always managed to get her to smile even in the worst situations.
The clinking of metal made her look to the source of it, seeing one of the elders holding a pair of beautiful and solid gold bracelets, and a jewelry headpiece with what looked like sapphires carefully shaped into drops. It was yet a simple but magnificent set, and for a moment Eva truly felt undeserving of wearing such beautiful craftsmanship. She didn’t do anything to gain the right to have such beautiful pieces on her body. They were surprisingly weightless, but they still felt heavy on her heart.
The three elders took a step back, admiring their handywork. A smile broke into their faces at the same time, nodding and murmuring in pride. For them, they did a marvelous job to get the Chief’s bride-to-be ready for tonight’s ceremony, and the three women were sure the Chief would be very pleased with their efforts and hard work. The Princess looked like one of them, out of her constricting clothes and hairstyle, and the three elders were sure their Goddesses would welcome their new child with open arms.
Three loud knocks on the door made the four women turn to look at it, Eva expecting someone to come in, but nobody stepped inside. She was relieved, still thoroughly embarrassed at the amount of skin she was showing due to the shape of the dress she was wearing (if Eva could consider a dress having two white pieces of silky-smooth fabric covering her breasts and most intimate parts of her body). The elders moved, grabbing their own cloaks and a new one for Eva. It looked much thicker and warmer than the one she came with from Gottesreich, and was styled in the same design and cut as the ones she saw the Eldians wear. Letting out a pleased sigh at being finally covered from head to toe, Eva was urged to put on some kind of sandal-looking shoes, which were so soft inside as if they were filled with fur, and go outside. She was not ready for what awaited her on the other side of the door.
Night had fallen quickly, as it always happened during winter, but the path they took earlier was now fully illuminated with torches, burning lively and lighting a beautiful sight.
The trail went deep into the village, going up the path that led into the mountain. The entire village of Eldia stood proudly next to the torches with ceremonial spears on their hands. The fire casted a warm glow on the villager’s faces and bodies, showing their solemn stance. The villagers were all wearing a distinctive set of clothes where the men had their chest naked and the women weren’t afraid to show skin either, with fabric styled in a similar fashion as hers. It was vastly different from the thick tunics and leather belts they usually wore, leaving an impression on Eva that they were some sort of ceremonial clothes. The villagers still had their cloaks on to shield themselves from the winter cold, though, and Eva felt a relief in knowing they weren’t completely unfeeling of the weather conditions.
But in front of them, waiting at the very end of the steps of the sanctuary, stood four hooded figures. They patiently waited, not moving an inch, and Eva’s eyes widened at the realisation of what those protruding sticks peeking from under the hoods were. It was the unmistakable shape of stag horns, and soon realised the four hooded figures were indeed wearing stag skulls, carefully painted with the same patterns and drawings as her own body had been marked with. The light of the torches accentuated the deep grooves and indentations of the skulls, and casted a terrifying shadow on the ground that only helped fuel Eva’s fear. The eerie silence didn’t help either.
The one in the middle had a drum, and the sound of it snapped Eva out of her thoughts, signaling the beginning of what was about to happen. The four hooded figures turned and waited.
The elders pushed Eva forward, signaling to follow them. Eva unwillingly did so, grasping the hem of her cloak as she began to descend the steps to the ground. The path had been meticulously cleared of snow, but the flakes began to fall again, leaving wet spots on the ground. The elders trailed behind Eva, two of them flanking her as the third one stood behind the princess.
Rating: Mature (the rating will go up as the story advances! But it will totally be explicit ;D I even have some smut chapters already half written woooo! But right now just in case)
Warnings: None for now, but sexist and misogynist upbringing (Eva’s father is a huge asshole).
A/N:Jesus Christ this month has destroyed me. A lot is going on, I had 0 time to write and I managed to do a bit when I had 5 minutes to sit my ass down. At least Patreon is working good enough!
But the plot thickens! There are a lot of “AHHH THEY TOUCHED” moments that had me screaming, and I’m so sorry for putting Eva through all this… but it will be worth it in the end! C'mon girl, you will get through it
CHAPTER 5: OLD FOREST OF THE ANCIENT GODS
There was not a cloud in sight, an unwavering blue sky greeting them as they passed through the village’s main gates. Although pale, the sun shone bright, even if it did not warm as it should.
Still, Eva did not feel the cold.
How could she? Even through her winter cloak and thick winter dress, Eva could feel the warmth the Chief irradiated. Like a well fed furnace. Constant. Blazing. Comforting…
No, no, no. She could not be thinking about that. Where did her proper manners go? She tried to maintain as much distance between their bodies as possible, not believing how they were… touching, something completely unthinkable back home. In Gottesreich it wouldn’t be until their wedding day where they could leisurelyhold hands and become more intimate. But in Eldia? Not even a day and she was riding on the same horse! Astride!
Her riding teacher would be spitting fire at the sight, like those dragons from her books and legends.
But the Princess’s efforts to put some distance were in vain. The horse’s movement and stony path made Eva often fall back into the Chieftain’s chest, much to her dismay. Feeling the Chief’s shoulders slightly shake in amusement, at least trying to conceal it and not make Eva more self-conscious than she was, at her gasps when their bodies collided, made her even more vexed than she already was.
Her behaviour was being so improper! And he wasn’thelping.
The Princess tried to keep her mind out of this inconvenient situation by looking at the beautiful scenery in front of her. Yesterday she found it worthy of a painting done by the best court artists, even if she marvelled at it from inside her carriage and the caged view it provided, but now that she had the entire sight for her eyes to feast on? Breathtaking.
The pure white from the snow looked like an immaculate mantle, as if the softest of silks were draped over the entire expanse of land that it touched. The faraway mountains, covered in snow also, reminded her of those sweets from back home the cooks baked for her, the tops powdered with sugar. Eva spotted smoke coming out of the scattered farm houses chimneys, getting lost in the sky, and for a moment wished she could be there, enjoying the warmth of a fire.
Beautiful, calm, serene, elegant. That’s what this view told her. Blissful peacefulness.
It was contagious, and the stillness of the fallen snow lulled Eva into a sense of tranquillity. The Princess came to the conclusion that it was better and easier to accept that she will have to endure an entire ride on the Chief’s stallion mercy. Closeness included.
They kept a relaxed pace, not rushing the animals and being careful of the frozen puddles on the road. Back in Gottesreich, Flora would already have started to hum a song as they watched the scenery from inside their carriage, Eva eventually joining her and following the rhythm with their tapping feet. Eva caught herself just in time before she let out the first note, too enraptured with her own thoughts and memories and the rocking of the horse too, to notice how she was taking a deep chilly breath.
The Chief noticed the change of her posture, going rigid again, and the huge exhale of air she let out, trying in vain to conceal it. The eldian warrior misinterpreted it as the Princess getting bored out of her mind, and frowned, thinking about ways to entertain her. What could he do? He’d love to ask about a million topics, if they shared the same language; Erwin had always possessed a curious and inquisitive mind, and vividly remembers having his big nose buried in one of his father’s books. He still does, when he is able. But speaking leisurely with the Princess would come… he hoped. Preparations had already begun for it. But what else could he— ah! That might work.
Eva was startled by the Chief’s gentle tapping of his fingers on her arm, discreetly asking for her attention. The Princess saw the Chief’s massive arm cover her right side view, following his outstretched arm to where his finger was pointing at. Eva willfully avoided the thought of how their bodies were practically glued together, feeling his rumbling chest as he purred out some eldian words in her ear— at least for Eva, he waspurring out words in the shell of her ear, low enough for only them to hear it, just shy of a murmur. His voice had no right to sound that way, this close. Is this what awaited her, every day, for the rest of her life?
The Chief watched the tips of her ears reddening up further, knowing it was not the cold this time. Woops.He had to remind himself of how different their body languages were in their own respective cultures.
But Eva did look to where the Eldian Chief was pointing over, scrunching slightly her eyes and— oh!
“Cows!”
A smile found her lips upon seeing the gentle animals strolling around. Eva noticed how they were a different breed from what she was used to, just like the horses. Eva knew all the gottesreichan breeds, as she had been taught in her lessons, and had never seen the Eldian breed before even though she had read about it. They were absolutely adorable with the long coat of fur over their bodies, even when the long hairs covered their eyes, a beautiful mirage of black and honey brown over the snow. It still amazed the Princess how that breed of cows had such big horns.
Eva couldn’t tear her gaze away from them, transfixed. She did not notice the Chief discreetly looking at her, pleased he managed to communicate without words and show her something. He also found her smile beautiful— her brothers weren’t lying. Erwin’s eyes also found themselves with the expanse of her neck at his viewing pleasure, unguarded, soft, long, little hairs falling out of the perfect up braid and bun… it looked kissable.
No! No. Erwin, no.
Allthis had a meaning. A purpose. They had a plan and Erwin would carry it to perfection. No distractions allowed. Erwin made a promise to her brothers, had a deal, and whatever stray thoughts a lonely man had, would stay sealed deep inside.
Maybe if things had been different… If they had met in another way.
The Chief teared his eyes away, looking straight ahead with intent. Eva kept looking at the beautiful cows, wishing she could pet them and stop time for a moment.
It wasn’t too long until they reached the forest’s entrance, leaving behind the few scattered houses and their fields and cattle. Two massive obelisks, made of old and robust wood, marked the entrance. They had the same carved markings, or at least quite similar, as the ones from back in the village’s houses and Great Hall. The obelisks looked like they were put there a long, long time ago, judging by the rugged and chipped wood, the paint having washed and fallen off, only a few remains visible still, an ashen tone around the grooves and the moss covering them all over. They truly looked ancient.
The Chief led them through the obelisks, entering the forest. The path was wide enough that two horses could ride next to the other with more than enough space, even three in a more narrow fit, but the Chief rode first and alone, with everyone else following behind. The forest was quiet besides the sounds of birds and the horse’s hooves thudding on the snow, as well as the wooden cart creaking its way into the woods. Everything was covered in thick layers of snow, even the bushes from where the trees allowed the sky to show. The path was marked with short wooden stakes spread out unevenly along its sides, as if they had been an afterthought, deeply embedded into the ground. Some fell, others remained askew and bent or broken from nature itself.
They kept venturing further into the forest’s path, carefully avoiding fallen branches. Eva marvelled at the frondosity of the forest, as well as the massive sizes some trees had. The deeper they went, the bigger the trees grew in size and girth, as if nobody dared to disturb them for centuries. This was an old forest, for sure. Everything about it screamed ancient, that it had seen the rise and fall of many kingdoms. The thought of it made Eva feel as if she only was a small, brief being on this earth. A blink.
For a moment, still reflecting these feelings, Eva thought about how stupid wars were, when humans just had such a short period of time to be alive. Shouldn’t everyone be spending it by being happy? Rejoicing in life itself? Eva shivered, feeling tiny. Useless.
That’s when the Chief surprised her once again, feeling the hood of her winter cloak lift itself from her shoulders and be carefully set on her head, mindful of her braids and flowers. Then, he pulled his own open eldian cloak around them both, successfully sheltering the Princess.
Eva wanted to scream.
Instead, a gasp escaped her mouth.
This was scandalous! Eva found herself at the total mercy of the Chief’s whims and she was not happy about it, no escape, no way to put distance. Did he want a feel of what awaited him, behind closed doors once they were married? Was this a way to intimidate her? Show her how powerless, useless she was in his hands? The Princess wanted to bolt right out of the warm cocoon, as she reluctantly had to admit, she found herself in.
Don’t cause a scene, like a vulgar wench.
Her father’s voice echoed in her mind.
Are you a vulgar wench?
Cold eyes.
I didn’t think so. You are a princess, vulgarity is out of the question for someone like you.
Lips pulled down in a grimace.
Don’t bring a crude, disgusting attitude into this sacred Kingdom.
Nose flaring.
I will give you a reason to cr–
Eva cried for the entire day.
Deep breaths. That’s what she needed to do when she felt her chest squeeze itself in. Deep breaths. Think of your surroundings, what was there to see? Focus on it, what can you see?
I can see trees. I can see branches covered in snow. I can see the horse’s ears. I can see the path dividing into two. I can see a giant, leafless oak tree in the middle of the split path. I can see–
A blue glow flickered behind the thick and mossy tree trunks on her left. It was faint but powerful enough to be seen in daylight, and caught the Princess’ undivided attention. The glow of the light was gentle, placid, like the tender caress of the moon’s light on a starry night. Eva couldn’t help but to stare at it, transfixed, wanting to know what was the source of it. It was a beautiful light.
The faint blue glow slowly followed their pace, shining unsteadily as it went through the massive expanse of trees and bushes. Eva narrowed her eyes, trying desperately to see what that silhouette was. By the way it moved, it looked like a four-legged animal, like a horse or a deer.
Did nobody else see this?
Eva ventured a quick glance sideways towards the Chief, but his head was staring straight ahead, as if the glow was invisible to him.
Upon scrunching her sight further, the Princess realised it was a stag. An enormousstag. The antlers were unnaturally big, twisting and bending on themselves, forming a quite frightening shape.
What, in God’s name, was that.
The outlandish creature silently followed them, not making a single sound. Eva could only hear the hooves of their horses, some of them huffing, the cart creaking, the birds tweeting…
The stag suddenly stopped. Eva couldn’t stop staring, although something kept her on edge. Her grip on the Chief’s stallion crest and the saddle’s horn tightened, feeling the fabric of her gloves crack under the strain.
Eva just blinked once.
It was a flash, quick as lightning.
The stag had turned its head towards the Princess, and she could feel its gaze focused on her. The Princess held her breath, uneasiness gnawing every fibre of her body.
Eva blinked again.
Those eyes flashed in her mind. Big. Opaque. Dark blue.
Another blink.
Eva felt as if the creature charged towards her.
A strangled gasp escaped her lips, unconsciously throwing herself back in fear, hands grasping whatever was within reach, squeezing hard.
Blink.
The stag was gone.
The Chief quickly grabbed the Princess’ falling body, pulling her against him and wrapping his arms around her as the Chief hurriedly pulled the reins to stop his horse. The rest of the group did the same, stopping immediately upon seeing and hearing the ruckus. The Chief heard some of the men dismount, footsteps thudding on the snow. The Princess was frightened, as if something spook her on that side of the woods, and without thinking twice, the Chief moved her so she sat on her side, instead of astride the horse. Eva let him, pressing herself against his body, unaware of the hood falling from her head and some of the flowers falling down or getting crushed on the Chief’s chest. This way he could easily shield her of whatever danger may lurk behind the bushes and tree trunks. The Eldian leader looked at the point where the Princess had been staring, trying to find the source of it.
Nothing.
Levi appeared on his left side, his hands already on the hilt of his sword. He threw a questioning look to him, then glanced quickly at the Princess. Her face was pale. Levi frowned. The Chief answered him, nodding towards the woods as he spoke. Levi turned to face the same spot he was referring to, trying to see what scared the Gottesreichan Princess.
Nothing.
Prince Hans and Moblit approached them too, with Moblit asking his Chieftain what happened for them to suddenly stop. The Eldian leader told the same he did with Levi, and asked if the Crown Prince could help in inquiring further about it to his sister. Prince Hans nodded, slowly approaching them and gently placing his gloved hand on his sister’s ankle.
“Eva?”
Eva managed to rip her gaze away from the exact spot where the stag stood, looking down at her brother. The way her eyes were wide open concerned the prince.
“Did something happen?”
“T-there was– Big horns, it ran, it was– i-it stared at me and then it–”
“Eva, darling, breathe. Calm down, what was that you saw?”
Eva took a deep breath, gulped down the knot in her throat.
“I-I don’t know, I don’t know–”
“Did you say horns, your Highness?”
“I–” Eva’s eyes went from Moblit, to Hans and then to Levi, and the Chief too, all of them waiting for her response. Their awaiting gazes felt like hands squeezing her lungs and brains. The Chief’s thumb trying to reassure her felt scorching hot.
…Don’t cause a scene, like a–
She was causing a scene. She stopped the entire party because she got frightened over a… a stupid halucination, because her mind played tricks on her, for sure. Eva heard stress could do that to oneself, because that thing could not be real. And she wasstressed.
Yes, it had to be that. No mystical stags with massive antlers.
The three men saw how the Princess forced herself to compose and gather her wits as if a spell had been casted on her, as if she had not lurched back and almost fell in a terrified mess. A mask devoid of feelings. Hans knew who forced that “magic trick” on her, and clenched his jaw in anger.
With a fake smile, the Princess spoke, trying to control the quivering in her voice and desperately pushing away the image of the stag’s antlers charging at her.
“My deepest apologies for making such a ridiculous and nonsensical scene, my Lords.” You must think of me as a fragile, spoiled, useless– “It was not my intention to make the horses stop. I must have seen a branch moved by the wind or a wild animal.” Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Prince Hans was not buying it. He knew his sister, practically raised her, because Father’s “efforts” couldn’t be called parenting, so he perfectly knew when she was spitting out massive amounts of bullshit. But he waited until Moblit translated and the Eldian warriors nodded in acknowledgement, going back to their horses and away from Moblit’s earshot, to speak again to his sister.
“Eva,” he briefly squeezed his hand on her boot, catching her attention. “Tell us later what you saw, okay?”
“I didn’t–”
“Eva.” she involuntarily flinched, and Hans wanted to kick himself; he was often reminded how he looked like Father when he was angry, and he hated it. The Chief’s icy glare directed at him made the sentiment grow. “Eva, I’m not mad, I’m concerned. We cannot protect you if we don’t know what we are fighting against.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t want to be a bother as I am right now.”
“You are not being a bother, Eva. Don’t apologise for that.”
“I’m sorry– ouch!”
Hans flicked his finger on her knee.
“Stop saying sorry, you have nothing to apologise for.” Hans replied. Eva had unclenched one of her hands to rub her knee, pouting, and that made the Crown Prince let out an amused huff. “C’mon, we will talk later.”
“Okay.” Hans was relieved to see his sister’s soft smile timidly appear.
The Chief waited until everyone got back to their horses before he resumed the pace. He kept glancing to where the Princess had spotted something, and upon looking ahead to guide his horse, he recalled the legends and myths surrounding the Eldian woods, and in particular this area with the leafless oak tree.
This particular forest was known for the spirits inhabiting it, sometimes showing themselves. Maybe it was the first time the Princess encountered one, considering her Kingdom’s policy on magical creatures. He would need Hange and Moblit to explain the spiritual world further to her, knowing they were the true experts.
As they reached the bifurcation of the path, the Eldian leader led them to the right, leaving the oak tree behind and lining up to cross the river’s bridge. They were close to their destination, that enormous glade just after the river, where they could set the tent and lit a bonfire to shelter the ritual testimonies and his future bride from the cold.
His future bride.
Erwin looked down, searching for her face. He found the Princess still deep in thought, her gaze lost.
He would really have to inquire further about it, dissipate any fears about the woods to her. Spirits were not evil, curious and mischievous yes, but the forest’s deities were good-natured, amiable.
The Chief still had his arm wrapped around her body, his hand resting on her abdomen, reassuring, as they continued their journey, and he had no intention to take it back. Eva let him, needing to feel secure after her encounter with the glowing stag. The Chief knew she was still trembling in fear, and made no comment or movement of how her own hand was clutching his tunic, or how she curled up further, not wanting to look out at the woods again.
It was a silent message, clear as crystalline water.
Help me, I’m scared.
And when the Chief gently squeezed his hand, pulling her closer, if that was even possible, answered her silent cry.
I’ll protect you.
The Princess believed it as she still felt those dark blue eyes glued to the back of her head as they left behind the oak tree.
They arrived at their destination without any further incidents. The eldian warriors got off their horses first, already taking everything they needed from the cart to set a quick tent to protect their guests from the unforgiving eldian winter and cold. The Chief stopped his horse in the flattest surface he could see, and gracefully dismounted without first guiding the Princess’ right hand on the horn, then the left on the cantle when he had his foot on the stirrup and was facing her, so she wouldn’t fall when he moved down. Once happy the Princess was secure, the Chief’s feet thudded into a soft grass bed covered in a thick layer of snow.
The Chief looked down, seeing his own worn boots sunken in the snow. Nobody had disturbed that snowfall, maybe some animals, but it had accumulated from the past weeks of snowy days and nights. He then looked at the Princess’ feet, and doubted the Princess’ boots would be thick enough for the forest snow; if it covered half his foot, then it would surely reach her ankles easily, recalling how small she was compared to him on last night’s banquet dance.
His feet moved on their own, pushing and shoving the snow away to make a clear spot for her to stand on without wetting the thin leather; he would need to talk to the shoemakers of the village, and seamstresses and tailors also, to make some appropriate Eldian winter clothes for her, or else the Princess wouldn’t last a week without falling ill. Erwin had no doubts about Hange’s healing skills, but he was sure Friederich wouldn’t be pleased, to say it mildly.
Once he was satisfied and saw the deep green of the wet grass, Erwin looked up, finding the Princess staring at him and being caught red handed. The Princess quickly averted her gaze, embarrassed at her lack of decorum, and Erwin saw how her cheeks and ears flushed quite prominently. He tried to quell her anxiousness with a smile, moving closer to her and grabbing the stirrup so she could set her right heel on it, trying to make clear to her that he didn’t take it as an offense. The Princess let the Chief guide her, unconsciously tightening her grip on the horn of the saddle when the Eldian leader gently took her leather-clad ankle and made her put it on the stirrup. The Princess was reminded, once again, how massive this man was.
The Chief raised his left hand, signaling her to take it. Once she did, timidly posing her hand on his, and thinking he would only aid her to not fall flat on her face, the Chief surprised her by gently tugging her hand forward, on top of his shoulder, and making her body inevitably fall forward. Eva’s other hand had shooted onwards, joining the other on his opposite shoulder. The Princess let out a tiny gasp when she felt both the gravity do its job and the Chief’s hands grasp her waist, easily picking her up like she did on the banquet’s dance from last night, and easing her down on her feet right on the spot he cleared earlier. The Chief watched the flurry of skirts and cloak flow as she landed, reminding him of the summer snowflakes that bloomed in Spring. Even in her unfamiliarity of her environment, the Chief thought of her unconscious gracefulness elegant.
She really was small.
His hands felt like they were a perfect fit.
The clearing of someone’s throat brought them both back to the present, their little bubble being popped off. They both turned to see Levi impatiently waiting with his arms crossed, and in the distance, the Chief could see Friederich’s stare hurling dagger after dagger at him. Throwing an apologetic smile towards the Prince, because he knew it would be useless on his friend, the Chief let go of her waist as the Princess hurriedly withdrew her hands from his shoulders, as if she had been burned. Levi said something to the Chief, which he answered with his usual smile and cheeky retorts that made Levi want to smack him.
Both eldians kept talking while Levi walked towards the Chief’s horse, taking the reins and tugging the enormous beast with him, leaving the Chief to deal with the Princess. Said man turned to her, offering his arm like he did back at the village. Eva tightened her closed fists before forcing herself to unclench them, accepting the Chief’s invitation and letting him guide her back to the rest of the party.
Flora was already inside the tent, a dusting of red on her cheeks too as she helped ready the wooden folding stools, putting thick pelts on the stool’s fabric seat. Nanaba was fanning the beginnings of a fire, while Mike helped her by setting more logs nearby for when they would be needed, and making sure the smoke vent opening of the tent was secure and working. There was a table with various objects laid in it, going from bowls to sage sticks, a dark powder and other items that were going to be used shortly, to a bow and a quiver full of arrows. Moblit was conversing with Prince Hans, seemingly talking about the Eldian tent and how it worked, comparing it with the Gottesreichan ones. Friederich tagged along, but was absolutely ignoring the conversation in favour of watching the Chief and his sister come inside.
The Eldian warriors saluted their Chief and went back to their chores and preparations. Moblit took the cue to lead the Gottesreichan princes to their Chief, awaiting his leader’s signal to proceed with the marital ritual. They all waited until every single one of the preparations were done, so there would be no disturbances from now on.
Moblit explained the next step of the ritual, mindful to describe and illustrate each stage of it so it was clear to everyone and didn’t lead to any misunderstandings. Eva shivered at the mention of blood, not being very keen at the sight of it. From her culture’s perspective, this was truly barbaric. What did Father get her into? As Moblit finished, they began the ritual, not wanting to delay it further and kept exposing the Gottesreichan guests to the cold.
First, we must cleanse the betrothed of negative energy.
Nanaba took her cue, as one of the village’s priestesses, and walked to the table, taking the sage stick with her. She approached the fire and let the tip of the sage stick ignite, blowing on the flame so it would burn slowly. The smoke from the stick began to float around the tent, it’s minty scent reaching everyone present in it. The eldian warrior moved to where the Chief and the Princess stood, gently commanding them to stand in the proper way, with both their hands clasped together and facing each other. Eva’s heart made a leap, wanting to get out of her mouth at the closeness for the tenth time this day. What was it with Eldians and their need for… for proximity?!
This was not like the dance, where they parted quickly to follow the music. The Princess had to endure looking at those intense blue eyes, gazing back at her, and fight every single fibre of her being to not flee and hide herself behind a tree or anythingthat managed to conceal her. His stare was unnerving, not because he was looking at her in any unsolicited way, but because she was not used at all to look into a man’s eyes, sans her brothers, and now she had to.
Nanaba lifted the stick, the smoke following her movements and leaving a mystical trail behind it. She began speaking and chanting in Eldian with a beautiful and soft voice, reminiscing Eva of a gentle lullaby sung by doting mothers. Nanaba’s lips had a kind smile painted on them as she kept chanting and passing the burning sage around and between them. Every Eldian warrior present in the tent slowly joined in, their voices harmonically blending together. It was beautiful, otherworldly but enchanting in a magical way. Eva felt her tense shoulders slightly relax as the voices soothed her anxiety.
Flora looked mesmerised at the cleansing ritual. Back home this would be straight out heresy and sin, any sort of witchcraft more than strictly prohibited; it’s penalty was death. But it was impossible to look away, it bewitched you to maintain your gaze on it as if two hands gently guided your gaze and didn’t let go. The handmaiden didn’t have to look at her side to see the Princes being transfixed as she was, she knew. Who could look away from it?
As the chanting came to an end, slowly, kindly as before, the voices quieted down as Nanaba held the sage stick above their heads, closing her eyes with the finishing Eldian words. The Gottesreichan guests felt the immense urge to erupt into applause, almost feeling unworthy of having witnessed something so unique and private to their culture. Nanaba stepped back, leaving the burning sage to keep letting out its smoke in a stone plate as she prepared the next stage of the ritual.
Once cleansed, the bride must paint her groom’s ancestors marks to honour his name and household, so he may enter the challenge bearing his warrior’s marks.
Nanaba took a bowl and started mixing water, oil and the powder that had been carefully set before inside a leather pouch. With expert movements, she created the paint used for their body paintings and markings, that deep and rich blue Eva had seen on the warriors and the Chief upon arriving on Eldia. The paint looked thick as Nanaba lifted the stone pestle from the mortar, watching the blue liquid drip down.
The warrior took the mortar, leaving the pestle on the table on top of a cloth, and walked back to the Chief and the Princess. She was smiling at them both, giving Eva an air of tranquility and peace with her gentle movements and soft expression. Nanaba held the mortar in her hands, holding it a bit higher so the Princess had it easier to dip her fingers in. The Chief let go of her hands and Eva took them back, not wanting to think about his warmth. The Princess busied herself by taking off her gloves, the tips of her ears turning red in embarrassment when one of the gloves got stuck at a finger, her trembling hands not helping her one bit. Both Nanaba and the Chief waited patiently, not giving any signals of annoyance or disdain for her clumsiness, as she would have expected from Father. Finally, she got rid of the stupid glove, and before she had to turn back to look for a surface to leave them on, her handmaiden took the initiative and stepped forward, hoping she wasn’t intruding much into the ritual. Flora took the gloves in silence, far gone was her cheery and cheeky smile, replaced by a solemn and serious expression. Flora stepped back into her place beside the Gottesreichan Princes, carefully holding the expensive gloves in her hands.
Nanaba presented the mortar and Eva couldn’t be more lost than she was right now. She had to draw the warrior’s ancestor’s mark, but she had absolutely no idea what those were. The paintings he had yesterday on the Great Hall’s stairs? A stripe? Dots? Hand print? Eva looked at the mortar as if it held all the answers to her questions, desperately hoping it provided an answer… but it was just a stone mortar. Nanaba’s eyes widened in realisation, and caught the Princess’ attention by letting go of the mortar with one hand and lifting it to her own face. Eva stared at her fingers as they mimicked the lines she had to draw on the Chief’s face. Nanaba could see her relieved and profoundly thankful face, and was relieved herself too as it would have been quite disastrous and insightful of her to assume she would know them. Nanaba presented the mortar again and this time Eva lifted her own trembling hand to dip her fingers into the paint.
It was cold and thick, and undoubtedly got under her nails –Flora wouldn’t be pleased about that– but still, Eva let her fingers thoroughly dip into it, preparing herself mentally for having to touch the Chief herself. But, there was another problem.
He was too damn tall.
Eva couldn’t reach his face without struggling to do so, straining her arms and body to reach him more easily, so she did not know how to ask the Chief to bend slightly down, so she wouldn’t make an embarrassing mess of the job. Eva still had her fingers inside the mortar, debating herself how to do it without dripping excessive paint on the floor and on their own clothes. Taking a deep breath, Eva decided to try her luck. Lifting her fingers, she let the excess of paint drop back down into the mortar, moving them out of it when she deemed it safe enough.
The Chief didn’t stop gazing at her the entire time, patiently awaiting and enduring the ritual, and it only fueled her own nerves. What would he think of her if she made a disastrous mess? No! No, don’t let those thoughts in now, concentrate. Eva unconsciously bit her bottom lip, trying to quell the knots in her stomach, and completely obviated the way the Chief’s eyes quickly shifted down and back up. As she predicted, the Princess had trouble reaching his face, and inevitably watched a drop run down her hand and fall down, hitting his boot. Eva gasped, lurching back her hand and feeling her throat squeeze in itself. Oh no, no no no– this was terrible, catastrophic!Eva felt her lungs run out of air as her throat kept squeezing itself, feeling how her eyes stung and began to gather unshed tears.
Eva screwed up, she screwed it up badly. Was the stain permanent? Could she ask Flora for help in how to remove it? The Princess did not dare to look up at the Chief, knowing this would only end in punishment. Eva only hoped the Chief would be merciful to some extent, knowing she would have to pay for ruining his boots. Oh dear, this was bad. So bad. She couldn’t even do one single stupidtask, Father was right–
Eva’s blurry vision filled itself with the Chief’s body and concerned face, having knelt down to try to bring the Princess back from her spiral of dread. His hand tenderly touched her face, trying to make her focus on him. The Chief felt anger bubbling inside him, witnessing first hand, sadly, what the brothers told him about their Father and their little sister. This wasn’t a normal reaction, this was someone who expected severe physical punishment, someone who lived in fear. Dear Goddesses above, he wanted to punch that man.
The Chief tried to calm her down as one would do with a scared animal, executing slow and open-handed movements so they saw he meant no threat or harm. The Chief ventured a reassuring smile, his hand on her cheek not moving and forcing her to see how he was not mad. Erwin didn’t have to look behind the Princess to see everyone’s concerned faces, or the Princes ready to storm in –mainly Friederich– and secure their sister.
The Eldian leader moved her dripping fingers towards his face, letting go of her own delicate face, and still kneeling at her feet. Eva never wanted to disappear more than she did right now; not only was she a huge embarrassment, but the Chief had to kneel at her feet. No noble or royal would lower themselves down for a peasant or foreigner, and yet, this Chieftain did without thinking twice. The Chief closed his eyes, waiting for the feel of her fingertips on his skin as if he was a venerable knight awaiting for his Princess’ touch at the throne room. The Princess swallowed down, harshly, gathered what resolve she could and went back to the ritual.
Her hand was shaking, still not fully recovered from the scare, and involuntarily flinched her fingers when they touched his skin for the first time. The Princess scrambled to remember what Nanaba showed her: first, a wide stripe across his nose, from cheek to cheek. Eva willed her hand to move and felt her breath stutter for a completely different reason than her fear.
His skin was warm and surprisingly soft to the touch. The Chief did not move upon feeling her fingers run across his face, keeping himself perfectly still so she could do a perfect application. Eva watched mesmerised as her digits easily glided on his skin, eyes glued to how long and blonde his eyelashes were. Eva knew many noble ladies and princesses would envy him for being so naturally gifted. They fanned down his cheeks, and in this perspective and light, it made his cheekbones sharper and nose stand proudly on his face, and it went along with his bushy and thick eyebrows, something she couldn’t help but notice right away from him. Eva discovered the Chief had some faint freckles sprayed across his broad nose, undoubtedly from being exposed to so many hours a day in the sun, contrary to her who was always kept in the shadows. Even his blonde hair looked shiny and soft to the touch, not a single doubt in her mind that the Chief had taken care of bathing himself thoroughly for today.
Eva realised that the Chief was… handsome.
He possessed that beauty of men.
Eva noticed her fingers had run dry, like her mouth. Feeling her cheeks heat up, Eva turned to Nanaba, trying to distract her thoughts by dipping her fingers again in the paint. This time Eva felt more confident, seeing how the Chief was still patiently kneeling at her feet and completely trusted her. This time, too, Eva felt bolder, reaching for his face, hovering over his jaw, to help guide her own hand into an even line. Her fingers resumed the glide on the bridge of his nose, and gulled up all the small details and movements he made, like the controlled breath, how he unconsciously raised his head to her touch, the way his eyelids fluttered when he felt her fingers smooth down his other cheek…
Eva had never been this close to a man before.
Her heart thumped wildly at the realisation of it, how in her secluded life, she had never been next to a man that… intimately close. For a moment, Eva lost track of what she was doing, having her fingers hovering over his cheek. The sight of him swallowing and watching his Adam’s apple bob, snapped out of her trance. Lost, Eva looked back at Nanaba, who immediately caught up and showed her the next lines she had to make. Two lines on his left eye and cheek, and three to the right. Eva watched which fingers Nanaba used, replicating the same movements on the Chief’s face.
Her fingers gently stroked down his cheek, accidentally brushing the tips of her fingers on his long lashes. Eva felt and saw them twitch, and had an apology ready on her lips even though he couldn’t understand a single syllable of it. But seeing the corner of his mouth twitch up made the words get stuck in her throat. Was he enjoying this? Her clumsy and pathetic attempt? Did he find her mistakes amusing?
That dread and hollowing sensation in her mind and chest came back with a vengeance. Sucking a breath in, Eva continued on autopilot, finishing the other three stripes on the other side of the face. The Chief noticed the trembling on her fingers return, and once the markings were done, the Chieftain immediately opened his striking eyes, zeroing on the Princess and finding that anguished and anxious expression on her face again. In the distance, both of them could hear Nanaba speak and Moblit translate it for the foreigners, signaling it was time for the third part of the ritual.
Eva swallowed a whimper, having the Chieftain’s entire attention on her and not knowing what to make of it. Was he mad? Was he trying to intimidate her?
The Eldian Chief didn’t let Eva dwell much into her restless thoughts, taking her stained hand in his. It was sudden, and a tiny gasp escaped her mouth. Nanaba already prepared the basin with warm water to clean the fingers, and the Chief stood up to his full height, not releasing her hand. Testing the water first and deeming it acceptable, the Chief dipped the offered cloth that rested on Nanaba’s forearm, gently wiping the Princess’ fingers. He took most of the paint off, but would need a thorough scrubbing when they got back into the village. To finally get rid of most of the paint, the Chief submerged the fingers inside the water, letting the liquid melt the dried chunks of paint.
Eva watched the pigments disperse into the water, not daring to look back at the Eldian leader and feeling her cheeks blaze up.
The next step was blessing the weapon used for the hunting, a traditional Eldian bow used for this ritual. The groom had to hunt their prey using only that bow and arrows, a dagger only for if they needed to defend themselves if the occasion arose. Nanaba took the still burning sage stick, lifting it from the plate and passing it over the bow, quill and arrows. Then he motioned Eva to approach her, the Chief letting go of her hand and watching her walk to where Nanaba needed her to be. The eldian warrior passed the bow to Eva, instructing her to stand in front of the Chief as Nanaba said something in Eldian and passed the sage around and across them.
Eva could see how magnificent and a work of art this bow was. Completely black, big and with gold motifs on its wood of the same engravings all across the village. The Princess was used to the simpler ones, made of wood, leather and a string. This one was the masterpiece of an artisan, many hours and work poured into this superb piece. It was almost a shame it was going to be used, afraid of having a single scratch on its perfectly polished surface.
When Nanaba finished, she nodded at the Princess to offer the blessed bow to the Chief, who in turn got down on one knee and bowed, accepting the weapon. They repeated this step for the quiver and arrows, the Chief silently taking them in reverence.
Now, it was the fourth and final step of the ritual before the hunting began.
The bride must send off the groom, wishing him luck and for the Goddesses to bless the hunting.
And how was Eva supposed to do that? Did she have to wave goodbye as she watched him disappear into the woods? Say something? Do a certain thing? Her mind was racing, trying to find something suitable to do. Nanaba wouldn’t help her this time, since this was a step that the bride must do alone. Panic was taking over, her brain struggling to find something suitable to send the Chief off. So, as a mind in panic often did, Eva’s went blank, and did the first thing that came into mind.
She read about it in her secret books, blushing at the romanticism of it and thinking what would Eva do in the heroine’s place.
Well, now she knew.
Eva bent down, gently holding the Chief’s face in her hands and letting her lips touch his forehead in a feather-light, soft kiss, murmuring “good luck” into his skin.
That surprised everyone.
Including the Chief.
And herself.
The Eldian leader looked back at her with wide eyes and his mouth slightly open. This was completely unexpected. Now the groom had to answer the bride, and it was the Chief’s turn to have a blank mind. He should correspond her gesture.
The Chief took her hand again and lifted it to his lips, never tearing his eyes away from her and her flushed and embarrassed face. He saw the Princess’ cheeks redden further as she felt the soft press of his own lips on the back of her hand, and kept gazing at her as he stood up and saluted her with the Eldian salute, bowing while doing so.
Eva watched the Chieftain turn around and march towards the tent’s entrance, the Princess noticing how the tips of his ears had a red flush on them, too. He didn’t turn back, Eva watching his broad shoulders disappear outside the tent.
Now, they had to wait for him to come back.
Levi had busied himself into making tea for everyone. Their guests were seated on the wooden stools near the fire, keeping them warm. It had been quite a while since the Chief had departed, and Eva’s hand and lips still felt as if they had been set ablaze by the contact of their skins. Thankfully, nobody questioned her “sending off” or inquired further about it, but as Levi handed out a cup to everyone, Prince Hand turned to face his sister.
“Eva,” he did not want to spook her more than she already was. Hans knew Eva hated being the center of attention, and since her arrival she had only been on everyone’s sights. “About earlier, in the forest.”
The Crown Prince saw his sister visibly tense up.
Moblit kept an eye on the siblings.
“It was nothing.” Eva kept her voice low, not wanting to disturb anyone. She felt like a bother, having to be babysat by the Eldian warriors. Moblit explained how it would usually be the priestess, the bride and groom and witnesses from both sides of the betrotheds, one for each side of the family. So she had more than double of the necessary witnesses. Like a defenseless, useless child.
But she was.
You are nothing more than a pretty doll.
She was.
Your job is to stand still and obey.
“Nothing makes you almost throw yourself off a horse.” Hans pushed the issue, not wanting to let it go. Not yet.
Eva felt the grip on her tea cup tighten at his insistence, and trying to not answer the question just yet, Eva lifted it to her lips and took a sip, eyes casted down to the floor.
“The wind…”
“Eva, please.” Hans’s hand landed on her forearm, making Eva look at her concerned brother with guilt in her eyes. Hans knew his sister never truly showed her feelings or thoughts, always keeping them to herself so she would not be a bother. “I beg you. If there’s something out there, not only you are in danger, but the Chief is now that he ventured alone into the woods.”
Eva felt a pang of culpability and shame at how selfish she had been. Hans was right, the Chieftain could be in danger because of her own childish fears and stupidity. They all could be. Swallowing down a wet sigh, Eva looked at her brother with a regretful gaze.
“I saw a stag, but it was… unnatural. It… it glowed a blue light, as if it was made of light itself.” Eva awaited for a sneer, a laugh at her wild, immature imagination. Eva waited for her father’s eyes to pin her to the ground with disdain and disgust in them. But Hans frowned, concerned.
“A magical creature?” Hans hummed to himself, leaning back in his seat and taking back his arm, his hand absentmindedly stroking his well kept beard. A magical creature made more sense.
Gottesreich was under their father’s strict rule, and everyone knew how no magical creature could thrive in their Kingdom. Father made sure of it. Countless wars, countless battles and marches of their army into their territories to extinguish the heresy, the sinners. Countless resources spent on Father’s crusade. Hans had to admit at first he believed it. Father told him how they took mother away, how it was their fault. Father told him how they were dangerous, treacherous, dishonest and double-crossing. Father had to cleanse the world from them.
But seeing first hand how they, the Holy Kingdom of Gottesreich, were the true sinners and heretics, how they were the murderers of the innocent… Hans and Friederich would never forget the faces of those children. That was their breaking point. The start of their rebellion.
Eva had never been exposed to magic, always been taught to fear it and the creatures that used and thrived in it, so it made sense she was afraid of the unknown. But a small part of his brain whispered how the creatures were angry at them, rightfully so. They knew whothey were, wherethey came from. Gottesreich was a name they would spit on it, curse it, detest it.
“Magical creature?” Eva’s eyes widened in fear, the dark blue stare of the stag flashing in her mind. Father told them how they were blood-thirsty and traitorous beings. If that creature was in the woods… The Chief was in danger! “Brother, if that is true, then we must aid the Chieftain! That creature is going to–”
“My deepest apologies for intruding in your conversation, your Highnesses.” Moblit cut Eva’s anguished pleas. Hans and Eva turned to the eldian warrior. “But I think I must take part in it and clear up some misunderstandings.”
“Misunderstandings?” Prince Hans frowned.
“We are in the Old Forest of the Ancient Gods.” A chill ran down Eva’s spine. Ancient Gods? “This is a sacred place for the Eldians, as it is both the residence of the magical creatures and the start of our people, of Eldia. If Your Highnesses fancy it, I can explain in more detail about our deities and ancient history when we get back to the village after the ritual comes to its end.” Prince Hans nodded, quite interested in expanding his knowledge of their allies. “But, as I was saying, these woods gave us food and shelter when we needed it, and provided us with the sacred woods to make our homes.”
That explained the archaic looking pillars scattered on the village and in its houses, with their markings and engravings.
“We respect the ancient creatures living in this forest, and do not take what we are not allowed to. We aim to protect them as they protected us.” Moblit waited for the siblings to process his words, and took a moment to breathe. “Probably, the creature you saw, Your Highness, was the Guardian of the Forest. It is said it has an unnatural size and antlers that are as big as tree branches. It doesn’t often appear to guests, so it must have sensed you.”
“Is… is that bad?” She didn’t want to be sensed. She wanted to be left alone.
“Not precisely.” That didn’t really quell any fears in the Princess’ heart. “The Guardian is a curious creature, and has no ill intentions towards those who pose no threat.”
Moblit didn’t mention how The Guardian sensed rarities.
“I really don’t wish for a confrontation with anyone, specially… magical creatures, or old gods.” Eva fought every fiber of her being to not shiver at the thought of it. What would she be able to do, a mere defenseless human, against powerful beings?
“I’m sure The Guardian knows that well, Your Highness. They are wise.”
“Then…” Eva looked down at her hands, still gloveless and with a bit of a blue stain on her fingertips, clutching tightly the tea cup. “Why did The Guardian… charge towards me?”
“Charge, Your Highness?”
Eva felt a bolt of courage go through her body. Maybe this would answer some questions she had.
“The Guardian fixed its eyes on me, or at least it felt like it was doing that, and… and also as if he was looking deep inside on me, as if it was somehow searching for something. I felt… bare. Defenseless.” her grip on the cup tightened. “Then, The Guardian charged towards me, that’s why I almost fell from the horse. It… was as if I had been knocked down by a strong wind, breath leaving my lungs. Did I do something to cross it?”
Eva immediately felt as if she said too much, talked way too much than was strictly necessary. Her mouth had run off as if she was a charlatan. Where did her manners go?
The Princess refused to look up at her brother and the Eldian warrior, knowing how they probably found her lack of decorum distasteful, babbling so much. She kept her gaze on the tea, gently shining from the torches and fire.
“Ah…” Moblit took a pensive stance, going through the Princess’ words to find a suitable explanation. “Be at ease, Your Highness, I highly doubt you did something to raise The Guardian’s wrath upon yourself. As its name says, it’s the guardian of the forest, so they are cautious of newcomers. They are of the spiritual realm, so I don’t think I err by saying that he… actually looked into your soul.” Eva raised her eyes at the Eldian warrior, slightly nauseated at the thought of being looked at in such intimate and personal places where even herself couldn’t see, and unconsciously rubbed her hand on her chest. Moblit greeted her with a smile, which only increased Eva’s displeasure. “The Guardian deemed you worthy.”
“Then, what about the rest of us?” Friederich spoke up.
“The Guardian didn’t even see you as a threat.” Moblit didn’t even bat his eyes once, and kept his amiable smile.
Friederich didn’t know if to feel insulted or not. He opted to be comforted by the thought of it, considering the red staining his hands.
“Good to know, then.” Friederich crossed his arms over his chest, looking back at the fire.
“I hope this appeased your worries, Your Highness. I assure you The Guardian meant no harm, and I understand you might have been confused by its actions, since I… ah, know that you didn’t have many encounters with magical creatures.”
“Thank you kindly, Moblit. I do feel more at ease.” Lies.She was scared shitless.
“If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to ask me, Your Highnesses. I am here to be of as much help as I can be.” Eva forced herself to smile as an answer.
Hans asked Moblit something that was in his mind, his insatiable curiosity taking over, and Eva immediately removed herself from the conversation. The Princess took a sip of her tea, as if it would help her gulp down and digest the massive amounts of information she had just been fed right now. The mere thought of having magical creatures freely roaming the lands deeply unsettled her. Weren’t they dangerous, as Father said? Did the Eldians really trust those creatures? Was she, her brothers and Flora truly safe?
Nanaba appeared on her right, kneeling down and letting one of her hands gently rest on her wrist. She had a warm smile on her lips, reaching her eyes, and her demeanour and aura told Eva that under the warrior garments, she was a kind and sweet woman. Eva felt as if the Eldian warrior was trying to reassure her in some way, as if she understood completely what the conversation had been about. Maybe she knew Gottesreichan?
But with Prince Hans and Moblit’s voices in the background, the fire happily creaking, Flora’s quiet presence beside her and Nanaba’s gentle care, she let herself be persuaded into a more calm state.
Now all they had to do was wait for the Chieftain’s return.
It had been many hours since the Chief departed into the woods, the sun having moved from its position in the sky and changing the lights inside the tent, and with every hour that passed, Eva feared something happened to the man. Even if they just met and Eva couldn’t make out his character or intentions yet, she thought no-one should die alone in the woods.
Moblit and the other warrior’s nods reassured her the Chief was one of the best hunters of the village, no-one outbesting Levi in that matter, but the Chief was good. The marital ritual was an exercise of patience not only for the hunter, but for the one who awaited their soon to be spouse to come back. Still, Eva thought the Chief had been gone too long, and that worried her.
As Levi served the Princess another cup of tea, a distant sound could be heard from outside the tent. Immediately, the Eldian warriors stood to attention, looking at each other as they heard the sound repeat itself, now closer. The Gottesreichan guests looked at each other with mirrored confused expressions. Was something out of the ordinary?
Mike moved first, walking to the entrance of the tent and stepping out of it. Then they heard Mike let out another sound, as if answering the first one, and the Princess realised it was similar to bird calls, so inconspicuous to the untrained ears but useful for its users. The first call answered Mike back, and the giant warrior came back in to open the tent’s entrance and tie the fabric to the pole, securing a perfect view of outside.
It was as if time slowed down, holding their breaths, but everyone present inside the tent could see a massive silhouette slowly approach them. Everyone sprung into action at once, and Moblit’s gentle words could be heard amongst the ruckus of boots and cloaks, explaining to the Gottesreichan guests the next steps of the ritual.
The bride must welcome back the groom from their hunt. The groom will present their hunting piece to his betrothed–
Nanaba came by the Princess’s side and urged her to leave the tea and stand up with her, making her walk to the entrance itself. The Princess stood, frozen, at the very edge of the tent, and she could feel the winter breeze caress her face, the warmth of the fire behind her back.
Then she saw him.
The Chieftain was back. Safe and with the prize.
He succeeded.
Eva didn’t know she had been holding her breath, but as the Chief neared the tent, Eva released the burning air out of her lungs.
His hair was disheveled, no doubt from the little bouts of wind, but overall he appeared unscathed. Eva’s eyes widened upon realisation of what he was carrying on his robust shoulders: a massive stag that surely weighed like three cows without the antlers. If Eva could, she would laugh at the irony of that.
The Princess could see his muscles bulging from the strain of carrying such an enormous animal, and she instinctively swallowed down at the sight of her soon-to-be husband when the wind picked up and opened his Eldian cloak, flapping behind him. Her mind was a garbled, confused mess. Was this what she would see, everyday, from now on?
But his eyes were burning. Eva felt herself be pinned down by them, by their determination and purpose. If Eva had been one of her forbiddennovel’s heroines, she would have fainted at the sight of a big, barbaric strong man coming her way. Instead, she willed her legs to hold her up and patiently await his arrival. She still had a role to play in this ritual, as Moblit said earlier.
The Chief stopped in front of her, heaving from the effort, but exchanged no words, only his hypnotic blue gaze. Eva watched, with her own eyes wide open, as the Chief eased down the stag to the snow covered ground with the utmost care, and not even breaking his eye contact with her. The Eldian leader presented his hunting piece and kneeled down, awaiting the next step the Princess had to carry on.
–and the bride must take out the sacred arrow from the hunting piece. The bride must show it to the witnesses as proof the groom succeeded in the trial.
Just the mere thought of it made Eva want to bolt back inside the tent.
The Princess willed her legs to move forward, her boots thudding on the snow. The Chief patiently waited for her to come, quietly regaining his breath. Eva gathered her skirts, lifting them slightly as she courtly bowed before the stag and the Chief, hoping that would suffice as a welcome back. He didn’t move, so she thought it worked.
Eva approached them slowly, as if she was desperately gathering all her will and resolve to do the next part. The Princess kneeled down herself too in front of the animal, eyes glued to the beautiful black and gold arrow embedded in the stag’s thick neck. Her hands couldn’t stop trembling as she raised them, and involuntarily flinched when some of her fingers brushed the still warm skin. The Princess released a stuttered breath as her hands neared the arrow. Then, she stopped there, unable to move further.
The Chief’s hands appeared in her vision, gently wrapping his gloved fingers around her own hands, guiding them into the proper position. His touch was reassuring and Eva’s eyes quickly flashed up to the Eldian leader. He was solemn, but not cold. He didn’t seem disappointed, either. The Chief nodded towards their hands, showing Eva how she must pull out the arrow. Releasing a deep breath, Eva wrapped her fingers around the arrow, the other one setting next to it on top of the skin. Press and pull. She could do this.
Press and pull.
Eva did not want to think about the skin pulling up with the arrow head, or the blood trickling down as it moved upwards, but she had to do it. The faster she did it, the sooner she would be out of that situation.
Press and pull.
Inevitably pulling her lips into a grimace, biting them afterwards, the Princess pulled the arrow out with all the strength she could muster. The squelch was sickening and Eva wanted to lurch and vomit the tea she had just been drinking. Her hands sprouted back into a shaking and she could not tear her eyes away from the droplets of blood falling down the arrowhead into the white snow, staining it.
The Chief’s hands curled around her face, tearing her gaze away from the blood and into his concerned blue eyes. Eva felt her breathing harden, her lungs squeezing on themselves, but the Chief managed to keep her grounded enough to not faint. The Eldian leader managed a tiny smile, as if he wanted to show her how proud he was of her, or that’s what Eva would like to believe. He nodded towards the tent where the other Eldian warriors awaited the proof of the groom’s success. Eva assented, getting back up on her feet with the Chief’s help. He even brushed off the snow off her dress and patiently waited for the signal to come in.
Eva clumsily turned around and walked towards the entrance, so mechanically she wanted to slap herself in shame. Her hands tightened around the arrow, willing herself to calm down, for God’s sake.
Nanaba was the first to greet her with a kind smile. She looked down at her hands as Eva presented the arrow, and her smile widened when she saw that the Chief, indeed, succeeded. Nanaba turned around, making Eva step forward and present the arrow to everyone else. The female warrior said something in Eldian as she did so, and everyone relaxed immediately. Eva quickly ventured her eyes to look at her brothers and handmaiden. She hoped her eyes screamed out her message: I want to go home already.
Thankfully Nanaba made her turn around to face her and made her close her fingers around the arrow, pressing it to her chest. She had to keep that arrow, as Moblit said earlier when explaining the next step.
The bride must carry the arrow in her hands home, showing it to the village as proof, also, that the marital ritual was a success and the Goddesses bless this union.
The arrow was going to be hung in the house walls she would share with the Chief soon, since it would become some sort of talisman or charm for their union. Eva didn’t know if she would get used to the sight of it, but hoped she would manage to look at it fondly one day.
Nanaba went to the entrance, seconds later the Chief himself entered the tent with his heavy boots thudding on the ground. The Eldian warriors solemnly saluted him and he answered with a nod.
“The ritual was a success.” Moblit’s voice announced to the Gottesreichan guests. “The Goddesses have blessed the start of their journey together.”
It was official then. They would marry in two months.
The journey back to the village was spent in silence too.
Rating: Mature (the rating will go up as the story advances! But it will totally be explicit ;D I even have some smut chapters already half written woooo! But right now just in case)
Warnings: None for now, but sexist and misogynist upbringing (Eva’s father is a huge asshole).
A/N:FUCKING FINALLY. I was so stuck and had a severe writer’s block, but here it is! Part 4! I feel like my writing went down a bit but I hope to make up for it on the next one. Finished, not perfect! I hope you enjoy this one and were we can see a bit more of the vets and the 104 kids ôô
CHAPTER 4: WINTER BLOOM
The pale morning rays of sunlight woke the Princess up, mumbling and turning to her side. Eva heard the distant chirps of birds flying by, as well as the sounds of the village being already busy. The neighing of horses, carts being pulled around, setting up the shops, the rooster screeching…
Wait.
That’s not what she usually woke up to.
Back home she only heard the birds and some maids, especially Flora when she would come barging in and opening the thick curtains of her windows, letting the sun hit right in Princess’ face as she knew how much Eva despised being woken up like this, hollering: “What–”
“–A great morning this is, your Royal Sleepy Highness!”
Ah, there she was.
Eva attempted a reply but curled up further into the duvet and blankets.
“Oh c’mon, Princess! We’ve got a busy day today! Lots of exciting things!”
“Exciting for you.” Eva mumbled covering her head with the thick bedding.
Flora snorted, rolling her eyes. Without any kind of remorse, Flora grabbed the end of the duvet and blankets and unceremoniously pulled them off the Princess, enjoying the irritated groan she let out as Eva tried to blindly find something to cover herself with.
“Rise and shine!” Flora said in a singsong, stepping out of the Princess’ reach as she tried to kick her leg.
“How can you be so happy and chirpy so early in the morning?” Eva gave up, sighing and rolling out of the oddly comfortable bed; Eva fell asleep earlier than she anticipated.
“Oh, spare me the dramatics! We gotta get you to eat breakfast and prepare you for—“
“I’m not hungry.”
“Yeah, sure thing Princess, as if you don’t gobble up like a duck when you are nervous.” Flora handed Eva her robe, guiding her to the bathroom where a basin already filled with water and a cloth awaited her.
Once her morning routine finished, Eva padded to the living room where breakfast had been already served. It smelled heavenly.
“I don’t gobble like a duck.” Eva sat down, huffing displeased.
The Princess served herself some warm bread, eyeing the jams and butter with a watering mouth. Flora set a steaming cup next to her before sitting down in front of the Princess.
“Sorry, not coffee yet.”
Eva sighed.
The Princess cut some more bread for her handmaiden, sharing the spreading knife after she was done with it. On the first bite Eva hummed, satisfied with the taste and texture. Freshly baked bread was the absolute best. Flora leisurely poured sugar over the butter, her smile widening at the sugary mess. Eva frowned, chewing.
“It’s still a wonder how your teeth haven’t rotten out yet.”
“Ah, family thing for sure!” Flora took a heartly bite of the sweet monstrosity in her hands. “Gramps still has his teeth intact and covers everything in sugar when he gets his hands on some.”
Eva’s lips curled into a grimace.
“I love sweets but I don’t think that is healthy.”
“You just don’t appreciate the flavour.”
“I sincerely doubt there’s any flavour left in that.” Eva nodded towards Flora’s loaf of bread.
The handmaid shrugged, biting down on it and making a show just to irk the Princess further. Eva exaggerated a gag which made Flora giggle.
Three knocks on the heavy wooden door announced the Eldians coming to pick her up. Eva sighed as she watched Flora stand up from the chair next to the Princess and walk to the door, opening it with a short bow and a smile. Eva sat straighter as the looming and bulky figures of the Eldian warriors came into her view, entering the lodgings provided temporarily for her and her handmaiden. They were the same as yesterday, the giant called Mike, the female warrior that caught her attention, Nanaba, and another man Eva couldn’t remember the name right now.
The three warriors bowed, Nanaba and the other warrior waiting right next to the open door as Mike approached her. The giant warrior waved to the door, the message of “you have to go outside” quite clear in his movements. His face did not give away any of his thoughts, keeping a neutral expression as he watched the Princess stand up and follow him, Flora right behind her with giddy steps.
Flora should have been born a Princess or a noble, her happy and open disposition towards everything and everyone would win anyone over, as well as the way she found happiness in the little things of life. How Eva wished she had Flora’s positive mindset.
“Alright, ready for your big day?” the handmaiden asked in hushed whispers, something both women mastered from years of court banquets.
“Of course not. I want to run right back inside.”
“You’re such a big—” Flora was cut off by Eva’s gasp.
Flora raised her eyes just in time to see the giant warrior leaning way too close to the Princess’ personal space and… sniff. The Princess had turned around, disbelief and stupefaction etched on her face at the nerve this big, brute man had to go sniffing people without… without their consent. Eva found it uncouth, impolite, and her cheeks blazed in indignation.
Mike leaned back, humming, pleased at something Eva wasn’t sure she wanted to know. Nanaba immediately chastised the big man, kicking his leg and nagging at him as he shrugged, crossing his arms and looking slightly guilty. At the scene unfolding right outside the house, people began to stop and watch, and Eva felt her blood run cold at the sound of the Chief’s laugh coming from down the stairs. Hans and Friederich were already there, and the youngest of the two brothers was about to march upstairs, his displeased frown deepening. The Chief nodded to Moblit, motioning him to rush to them and clear misunderstandings. Levi rolled his eyes, clicking his tongue.
“Your Highness, please accept our deepest apologies.” Moblit hastily bowed, an apologetic smile in his lips. “Mike here has this habit of… uh, sniffing people.”
“Is he implying I smell?” Eva’s mouth was pulled into a tight line. Flora did not spend as long as she did grooming her and using those soaps and perfumes Eva loved for this man to mock her handmaiden’s efforts. Besides, she kept her hygiene up to date, thank you very much.
“No! Not at all, Your Highness. Mike has a great and sharp sense of smell, like a… ah, what’s the name… ah, wolf! Like a wolf, and although I do concede that it may be considered rude, he just does it from force of habit.”
Eva raised her brow skeptically.
“He meant no disrespect, Your Highness. It’s his way to say that he uh… he welcomes you.” Moblit ventured a quick glance towards the man in question, muttering something as he almost imperceptibly nodded towards the Princess with wide impatient eyes.
Mike huffed, but muttered something back to Moblit in a deep voice. Next to him, Nanaba nodded, pleased.
“He apologises, Your Highness, and compliments you.” that piqued Eva’s curiosity. “He says you smell comforting, of lavender and honey. That’s something he appreciates, with his sharp sense of smell he can easily get overwhelmed by strong scents.”
“Ah, that must be troublesome.” Eva turned to face Mike and inclined her head. “My apologies for acting harshly.” But Eva still thought her response was totally justified. A warning beforehand would have been nice, and she still had her pride.
Mike answered with one curtly bow of his head of his own.
“Indeed.” Moblit decided the issue was resolved and lifted his arm towards the Chief and the Gottesreichan Princes, watching the whole ordeal with amused expressions sans Friederich. He still looked murderous. “Please, after you, Your Highness.”
That shocked Eva. Normally back at Gottesreich she would walk behind the men and respectfully listen to whoever was talking, and even after visiting other countries, that rule still applied, or maybe they weren’t willing to go against Gottesreich. Either way, Eva was taught to never disrespect its citizens and rulers when visiting foreign kingdoms from her brothers, and the Princess always willed herself to follow the Kingdom’s culture and customs out of respect, despite what her father said on more than one occasion. Her brothers taught her to be respectful, and she would not ignore them, and even less be an embarrassment for her brothers. Summoning with all her will a composed mask on her face, Eva dared to take the lead and walk down the snow covered stairs to where her brothers and Chief awaited. Flora walked right behind her, always keeping a watchful eye to her skirts and cloak, in case they may get in the way.
The crunching of her steps on the snow were deafening for the Princess. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch. She was used to having all eyes on her, from courts and dances and banquets, from nobles and princes trying to win her father’s good graces, but having the people of Eldia stop and observe every single move she was doing felt suffocating. One slip and she was probably doomed in their eyes.
Eva stopped right in front of the men, bowing respectfully.
“Good morning, my Lord. Brothers.” Moblit’s voice softly translated for the Chief, who didn’t take his eyes away from her the entire descent.
The Chief returned the greeting, bowing as well.
“I hope you had a pleasant sleep, your Highness.”
“I did. Thank you, my Lord.” Eva did not find the need to tell him how she tossed and turned around, her mind restless, musing over yesterday’s events –his touch– or how she missed her pillows back at the palace. The Chief seemed pleased, although there was a glint in his eyes that he most certainly caught the lie. Damn it.
“If there is anything we can offer to help you get settled and to further accommodate you, please do not hesitate to say so, your Highness. I understand it may be unpleasant being so far away from home and your people.” Eva was slightly taken aback at how the Chief seemed to be understanding of her situation, contrary to what she had heard and been told a husband would be once she married. The Princess didn’t want to let her hopes up in case the fall was to be harder than it would already be.
“Thank you for your consideration, my Lord. I will do so in case I need it.” Eva knew she wouldn’t say a thing, her stubbornness always playing against her favour.
The Chief seemed pleased enough with her answer. He turned slightly so he was facing the three Gottesreichan siblings, addressing the rest of the foreign party as well. Moblit translated for them all, and Flora managed to contain her excited hops when the Chief officially announced the start of their walk around the village.
Much to the Princess’ dismay, the Chief had offered up his right arm for her to hold on as they began the tour, an encouraging smile on his lips as if saying “go on, I will not harm you”. Eva had hoped her brothers would keep him distracted enough so she could trail behind and listen, observing her surroundings, but no such luck. It seemed like here in Eldia they weren’t as reticent of closeness as they were in Gottesreich, and women were treated differently.
The Chief was still as big and massive as the Princess remembered from yesterday’s banquet, thinking it was her own nerves and wine that exaggerated her memories, but the way her hands had trouble meeting on the Chief’s arm told her otherwise. The Eldian leader kept a slow pace, mindful of his companion and her shorter legs, as he began explaining their village and the way it was structured.
The Eldian architecture was entirely different from the one used in Gottesreich, as well as the distribution of the village itself. Where Eva was used to narrower streets with houses sharing walls, clustered, messy (although the closer to the castle, the better were planned the streets and districts), mossy cobblestones, puddles around the corners with barrels and wooden crates, the townspeople walking as merchants and shopkeepers yelled their offers to the passersby, pennants hanging from side to side of the streets with the Kingdom’s colours… Here in Eldia the streets were wider, the buildings lower in height which gave a sense of the town being less claustrophobic since you could easily see the scenery and the sky. Wooden fences, dark roofs made of slates, the streets made of the earth itself with grass heartily growing on both sides and wooden planks on the floor to help create a more visible path on certain parts, but one could clearly see the cart’s marks as well as the horses pulling them.
Although everything was covered in thick layers of snow, Eva had no doubts it would be a magnificent sight in spring, with the imposing mountains surrounding the village and the vast fields littered with the farmer’s homes composing a picture deserving of a painting. It was rurally beautiful. Different, more primitive, if she took into consideration her own Kingdom’s ways, but efficient. The Princess was sure this level of coordination would not be able to be achieved without years of honing this lifestyle, and it honestly intrigued her, her curiosity piqued. Eva hoped this curiosity and wonder for the novelty wouldn’t disappear quickly and would stay with her until her situation was more bearable, or grew accustomed to.
Moblit’s gentle voice guided the Gottesreichan guests through the Chief’s explanations, looking at the direction where the Chief pointed with his free hand while speaking, often stopping to further go into details about their dwellings, their storage facilities and barns, the marketplace with the villagers already busy with their daily chores. The town’s market was lively and uniquely beautiful, wooden stalls standing proud with all the goods on display. There was all kinds of variety, going from food to parchment and candles and clothes, to jewelry or tools for butchers or farmers.
The Princess’ heart thumped wildly on her chest, trying her hardest not to show her rising panic at the fact that she was walking around the village on the Chief’s arm, having everyone’s eyes on her as they kept their tour. The villagers stopped their chores midway to stare at them, whispering and chattering as they went through. Some respectfully greeted their Chieftain, mostly the warriors patrolling the streets doing a particular salute upon seeing them, but the villagers smiled and bowed, the children present doing the same as they tried to contain their laughs while not being able to keep their eyes off the scene in front of them. The Chief continued their walk after answering the greetings.
An excited giggle, followed by a shriek of what sounded like a name, startled the guests and their hosts, even. The Gottesreichan soldiers took a defensive stance, ready to pounce on the source of it as well as attack if necessary; their priority was defending the monarch’s lives at any costs. Eva couldn’t help the scared jump her body did upon hearing the childish laugh and running steps on frozen ground getting nearer, gasping loudly in fear and tightly clutching the Chief’s arm with her tiny hands as she unconsciously leaned on him, seeking protection.
The Chief was ready to make her stand behind him and face the attacker, but stopped immediately upon seeing it was one of the children from before. The boy had rosy cheeks, the colour intensified by both the running and the cold, and probably the excitement too, and had a wide smile that was missing a few teeth. The kid was holding something in his hands, hidden behind his back, and with the eagerness of a child waiting for the exact moment an adult would pay them attention to show them what they got in their hands, the little boy almost shoved his possession to the Chieftain and the Princess.
Once he saw what the boy had in his hands, the Chief visibly relaxed, shoulders shaking in silent amusement at how a little kid got the best of them all. The Princess still looked uncertain, clutching and pressing herself into him. Eyes wide and breath a little bit short, Eva looked down at the kid’s hands. He was holding a… flower?
A flower in the middle of winter? How was that even possible?
The kid kept his eyes on the Princess, urging her to take his present with quick words and lifting his hands further up, his smile widening. Eva thought herself of a stupid fool. How could she have been scared of a child? What harm could he do? Unless… No, unless nothing. This was a little boy offering a flower, a beautiful one that Eva had never seen before. Father would not tarnish the good intentions of a child.
Upon not having, still, immediate response from the Princess, the kid hopped on his spot, irremediably making Eva show a timid smile; she could never resist a toothy grin and sparkling eyes.
One look at the mother told Eva how this was not planned and how the kid had ran off on his own volition. Everyone on the street stopped dead on their tracks and silently watched the exchange, not even daring to breathe. The mother’s wide eyes jumped from the Princess to the Chief, then to his child, not knowing if she should run and apologise to their guests or wait and have faith in their leader and his soon to be wife.
Eva understood quickly this was to be a decisive moment for her and her stay in Eldia. One wrong movement that led to misinterpretation could be beyond disastrous. She had to be good, she had to fulfill her duty and be a good wife and—
Eva took a deep breath. Focus.Don’t succumb into panic.
Fighting her burning cheeks out of her own embarrasment, Eva let go of her almost deadly grip on the Chief’s arm and faced the little boy alone. Keeping her smile on her lips, Eva approached the child with small steps, stopping right in front of him and elegantly folding her gloved hand on top of the other. The kid kept talking at a dizzying speed, and when he noticed how the Princess furrowed her brows in confusion, while still maintaining her smile, he understood not a word he was saying reached her.
Humming to himself while thinking hard, the kid’s face illuminated itself when an idea came to him. He hastily pointed to the flower and then to the Princess, practically shoving it in her hands. Eva looked down and then up at the kid, pointing at herself with a questioning look. The child nodded effusively, shoving the poor flower again.
Eva couldn’t help the soft chuckle upon his enthusiasm, never being able to resist a kid. The Princess took it, making sure to do a slightly exaggerated bow, lifting slightly the skirts and careful enough to not crumple the flower, so the little boy understood her gratitude. The kid happily ran back to his mother, skipping and laughing as he began talking at that incredible speed while his mother looked beyond relieved. Eva did a curtly bow to her too, trying to show the mother no offence of any kind was taken.
Returning to the Chief’s side, Eva brought the flower to her nose. She always did that whenever she came by one, out of habit, and was surprised by the faint but sweet fragrance it emitted. Eva would have to ask about them, knowing Gottesreich did not have any flowers blooming in winter.
Just when they were about to resume their walk, more excited giggles and shouts could be heard. Other children ran away from their mothers and fathers, holding the same flower in their tiny hands. Eva found herself surrounded by eager eyes and smiles, shoving their flowers up so the Princess would pick them up too. Some would tug at her cloak so she would pick theirs first, others jumping on their spot, other’s patiently waiting their turn as they marvelled on the fabric and embroidery of her pale blue winter dress.
The Princess ended up with a small bouquet of flowers, the children shouting and running happily back to their parents once they delivered their gifts. She did not know what to do with them now, and frantically looked at the Chief and her brothers, then to Flora when her siblings had confused expressions, for a clue. The Chieftain had an amused glint in his eyes, but half his mind was busy thinking about something. Finally, Flora took pity on her Princess and walked up to her with a smile on her lips.
“Let’s show off those gifts, shall we, your Highness?”
Flora expertly secured the flowers on the Princess’s up braid, the pure white and calm blue of the flowers an unexpected but welcome complement to the Princess’s own choice of wardrobe. Moblit later explained, upon inquiring about the flowers herself, that they were a special kind of flower that bloomed on their woods only during the cold season, earning the name of “winter miracle”. It also symbolized the welcoming of new people into their tribe, as its sister in the warmer weather.
Eva was touched, knowing not that those kids wanted to welcome her upon hearing she was to become one of them soon. The Princess only wished the adults would have the same feelings towards her.
Thankfully the walk around the village suffered no more incidents and surprises, and Eva was able to delight herself on the market and what it had to offer; she definitely had to go there often and take her sweet time. The quills looked absolutely exquisite, and those were the famous travelling books she heard so much about! Even the jeweller had a beautiful selection of earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings that the Princess had no idea the Eldians were capable of such craftsmanship. She particularly liked the brooch with the silhouette of a bird resting on a golden branch, the gold of the bird expertly mixed with beautiful midnight blue gemstones, resembling feathers. Also the hairpins! They were absolutely marvelous. The jeweller himself was both pleased and proud that the Gottesreichan Princess liked his products.
Their next destination amazed and terrified the Gottesreichan guests.
Eldia’s military prowess was legendary, and right now, they had its base and core right in front of them. The training grounds were a massive expanse of terrain, with barracks, thoroughly used wooden dummies, racks full of well-cared training weapons of all kinds, archery ranges, horse-riding training fields… and each and every single space was filled to the brim with warriors and trainees.
It was frightening to see how Eldia’s army was composed of perfectly trained warriors with wide expertise in the arts of combat. Not a movement wasted, not a single error in the placement of their feet to maintain balance. Strength, power, endurance, knowledge— every skill needed to become a perfect warrior, it was taught here in the massive training fields.
The Chief walked them right through the training grounds, nodding towards the warriors and fresh trainees who ceremoniously saluted him and the entourage he was leading. It was the same salute the Gottesreichan guests had seen in their entire walk around the unexpectedly gigantic village: right hand closed in a fist over their hearts, left hand on the back, and a proud stance full of tenacity and devotion. The newest recruits surprised the royal siblings, full of young faces who couldn’t be older than 15, but with a fierce determination to learn and to prove themselves. All sizes, shapes and forms– if you were up to it, were ready to go through an intense training, it did not matter who you were: a farmer’s son, a baker’s daughter… if you dedicated your heart, trained hard and understood what values had an Eldian warrior, what a life meant, you were fit to become one.
They stopped to observe the fresh batch that just started training a few months back go through a hand to hand combat. The instructor, a tall and intimidating man, bald with prominent wrinkles on his forehead and very notorious dark circles under his eyes, yelled out orders to the recruits. Some flinched, some fought every fibre of their beings into not taking a step back –a few of them failing–, but some stood their ground with confident and resolved stares, bearing down the drilling of the grim and frightening man.
Upon seeing that their Chief, the veteran warriors and the Gottesreichan guests where watching them, the recruits swallowed down their fears and tried to impress their leaders and royal guests, trying to make a good and fearsome impression of what the Eldian training grounds and warriors were made of. Punches, kicks, throwing the opponent on the floor… the field became a controlled battlefield of snarls, growls and frustrated shouts that developed into determined grunts. The recruits’ clothes soon became soiled by a mix of sweat and dirt, as a result of their vigorous and energetic try of today’s exercises.
The Princess did not dare to voice it aloud, in fear of her thoughts being perceived as a critique and direct attack on the Eldian ways, but her heart shrank inside her chest at the sight of what must be the smallest, tiniest of the new recruits, a blonde girl with wide blue eyes like the sky above, go against a trainee twice her size. Eva involuntarily clenched her hands in apprehension on the Chief’s arm, eyes not able to look away from the imminent tragedy. She was too tiny to be there! That poor girl was surely to be beaten into a pulp, taken advantage of the fact that she was much weaker, much more smaller–
A large hand squeezed her tightly clasped ones, making the Princess tear away her concerned gaze, even if she thought it was impossible for her to do so, to look down and see the Chief’s one bury her own. The Princess immediately searched for the Chief’s eyes, surprised at how he was already gazing down on her and had a small reassuring smile on his lips, nodding towards the training field. Eva looked straight ahead, just in time to see the petite girl dodge and deliver a solid punch to her opponent, making the cadet stagger backwards and clutch their stomach in pain. It was still far from being perfect and devastatingly powerful, as Eldians were known for, but it was good enough for a start and for the tiny warrior’s size. A small breath of relief released itself from the Princess’ lungs.
It still shocked Eva to the core to see women amongst the military ranks and files of Eldia, and nobody questioning it. Apparently there weren’t any kind of laws to forbid them to enlist, or to do any other job that back in Gottesreich it was meant only for men. How could they do it? How could those brave women endure it? Eva had always been taught how them, the lesser, weaker sex, could not what a man could do, just because God said so in his holy words. Father was the High Priest of Gottesreich, Father preached the word of God, the Holy Scriptures, that he made memorise Eva the moment she began her intense training as the third Princess of Gottesreich. It was so deeply ingrained in her mind that the mere thought of thinking herself above a man and their role made the Princess want to get on her knees and beg for forgiveness from her God.
How far did the dissimilarities run between their nations? How could Father entrust her with his desire to enlighten the Eldians into the correct, pious path? Just the simple thought of questioning her husband-to-be and his ways chilled her entire body and soul. She just… couldn’t. Her father’s will confused Eva.
But still, deep down inside her, locked down and not even daring to let it see the light, she couldn’t help but to… envy them. Envy their freedom of choice, of options, of life. Could she ever be like them? Aspire to have their wide range of choices? Alternatives? Could she choose her own path? She had been taught since she was a little girl that she would spend her life in a home, with her husband and a child in her arms. Not travelling, not expanding knowledge, or meeting new people and cultures… Everything Father and the Governess told her reminded little Eva of a bird cage. Pretty, comfortable, enough to see what was beyond the bars… but a cage.
She learned to accept her fate quickly, not daring to cross Father ever again in her life.
Eva knew she was born in a privileged home. A castle. A Princess. Never hungry, never cold, only the best of the best for her. It only took a quick look beyond the capital to see how privilege fed and took care of her. All her whims and wishes met without hesitation. Not a single patch to fix on her dresses, her hairbrush not missing a single bristle and made of the best silver— a perfect, content life. All you have to do is your duty, Father said. Do what you were born to do. Your only purpose.
Make me proud of being your Father.
Bring glory to the Holy Kingdom.
She was made to be bred, she was made to bear children, heirs, she was made to be a leverage for deals, a bargain chip, as her mind whispered to her in her darkest moments, to bring prosperity and glory to the Holy Kingdom of Gottesreich. She was… She was…
“Your Highness?”
The Princess was brought back to the present by Moblit’s placid voice and the Chief’s gentle tug, as if she had been rooted there, staring at the warriors, and getting lost in her troubles instead of following her fiancé and Eldian hosts. They were staring at her. Everyone. At least it felt like everyone, even the animals. Her breath had caught in her lungs, her throat a hard knot she forced herself to swallow before speaking.
“My deepest apologies, my Lords.” Eva’s mind scrambled to find an appropriate excuse for her lack of manners and being caught zoning out. “I did not mean any disrespect by my actions or to show an unwillingness to follow this pleasant walk. I was simply transfixed by your warriors, admiring their tenacity and will.”
What a load of bullshit.
They all seemed to buy it. Not Flora, though. She could see right through Eva as if she had been made of glass. Her handmaiden would probably ask her about it later in the privacy of their own lodgings, but let it go for now, knowing it was no use to inquire about it in the middle of the village tour, even less in front of their hosts.
They resumed the walk, passing through the training grounds before turning to their right, strolling until they reached one of the biggest houses of the village. Moblit informed them it was where the sick and injured were taken care of. A house for the sick, a hospital. Gottesreich had its own physicians and doctors, but never a house dedicated for the sick, the poor. Eva knew the Palace had their own royal physicians, dedicated only to them, and the people needed to rely on the town’s doctors.
Eva wondered how did this hospital work. Did they dedicate a part of the taxes to it? Was it free? What remedies did they use? What—
One of the windows was slammed open, an excited yell coming out of it. Moblit let out a tired sigh, mumbling in Eldian, as if he knew exactly what was that about. Levi spoke too, the tone in his voice denoting annoyance. Eva felt the Chieftain chuckle, answering his right-hand man with something that made Levi snort.
A head poked out of the window, messy brown hair tied up in a scrambled ponytail. The stranger kept shouting, excited, continuous noises of delight coming out of their mouth. The person noticed the small entourage right down their window, and quieted down instantly, curious as to who were the ones standing there. Then, another excited screech, lurching their body almost out of the window as they enthusiastically waved down. Moblit let out a strangled noise, uselessly raising his arms as if he wanted to catch the over excited person dangling off the window.
Eva discreetly looked to her side, looking for an answer or explanation in the Chief’s eyes, but he was looking up with an amused smile. She used his distraction to look behind her, finding the exact confused expression on her handmaiden and brother’s faces. The Princess saw Flora quietly shrug her shoulders, and she was so tempted to join her, but refrained in case the Eldians caught her and found it impolite. The person on the window shouted something and disappeared inside, sounds of furniture being moved around reaching their ears. Moblit groaned, rubbing his temples.
A few minutes later the same person who had half their body out of the window came out from the main doors of the hospital. Levi discreetly stepped away, not wanting to be involved with the newcomer and the imminent events. He really wanted to go back to the privacy and tranquility of his own home, drink a nice cup of tea…
An excited exclamation followed by a strident laugh broke Levi’s long desired daydream. He watched their eccentric approach, wondering how their guests would react to them. Judging by how the delicate Princess gasped at anything that came running and loud, Levi guessed it would not go right. Mike silently joined him, crossing his arms as he, too, observed the catastrophe about to happen.
“Bets?” Mike’s low murmur made Levi snort.
“She will freak out.” Levi turned his head to amusedly stare at his fellow warrior. “Like she did with you.”
Mike scoffed, crossing his arms.
“C’mon, not you too. And I say she doesn’t, just to spite you.”
“Hah! Serves you right, you big-nosed moose.” Levi’s gaze fell back to the front.
“It was not my intention.” it truly hadn’t been. He couldn’t help it, Mike trusted his nose, knowing his instincts never failed him before. He had to know.
“Just, don’t go sniffing people.”
“I will not make such promises.” Mike’s lips curled into a smile, proud at the way he managed to make Levi’s shoulders briefly shake.
Both warriors kept watching the scene in front of them, with Moblit trying to save the situation from their beloved doctor’s clutches, quickly directing their attention to himself and his words. Everybody knew that Moblit had a reserved spot on their Goddesses’ paradise; nobody worked as hard as him, and was as skilled to manage the village’s resident genius doctor.
“Your Highnesses, it is my pleasure to introduce you to our doctor, Hange Zoë. They are the head of the hospital and–”
“IT IS PLEASURE TO MEET, HIGHNESSESES!” Hange cut the poor and exasperated Moblit out, excitedly looking from one sibling to the other. The royal hosts were surprised at the doctor’s broken Gottesreichan attempt, albeit enthusiastic.
Flora successfully covered an amused snort. Ardor! Fervor! Passion! Flora admired that in a person, and for now, Doctor Hange Zoë managed to catch her attention. The handmaiden was sure she could learn interesting things from this eager physician, and secretly wanted to see how Eva would react. It reminded her of her first week as the Princess’ handmaiden, chasing a scared and overwhelmed Eva down the corridors as she tightly clutched one of her precious books, wanting to volt out of any situation that involved a loud and chatty girl following her everywhere. Flora realises know that she had been a little bit insensitive to her poor friend, but in her defense she just wanted her Princess to live.
The eccentric doctor went from sibling to sibling, offering their hand for them to shake. Prince Hans took it surprisingly well, smiling warmly and shaking the offered hand with what would be considered a perfect grip, confident and secure, while Hange still kept letting out broken gottesreichan, not giving any thought to the mistakes. Friederich was confused, and as such, shook his hand with the same sentiment as he was feeling; the second Prince felt as if a strong wind knocked him out of his feet and all he could say was “huh?”.
But ah, Eva. Poor Eva. She had brief flashes of her childhood with Flora, of an overexcited girl running after her as she talked, and talked, and talked… until Eva began to enjoy her extroverted nature and secretly thanked her for dragging her out of her room or the library. But still, Doctor Hange Zoë managed to scare the living daylights out of her with their excited gasp and sparkling eyes. Eva clutched the Chief’s arm in a deathly grip for the second time that day.
Hange offered their hand out too, but then seemed to think about it. Did princesses shake hands too? Was it protocol? Well, Hange never truly cared about protocols, to be honest, Moblit usually took care of that. So maybe it was too forward? Should Hange bow? Did they thoroughly screw up in their eagerness–?
Eva raised her hand and took Hange’s as her brothers did, Forcing herself to paint a warm smile on her lips.
Her father and governess’ voices were screaming inside her head, louder than her own heartbeat. How dare you shake hands with a commoner, you, a princess of Gottesreich? A princess should never shake hands! Commoners must bow, must kneel, must–
“The pleasure is mine, doctor Zoë. I am afraid I do not know any word of Eldian yet, but thank you for your efforts. I hope to learn soon.” Eva would follow her brothers’ lead for now, as they discussed on their journey to Eldia. Father was not here. Father did not understand. If Eva was to settle here to start a new life and end it here, she could not start fights and discontent because of her father’s pride. It was the smart thing to do.
The coarseness of her father always upsetted her, even if she swallowed her discontent, not wanting to repeat that night.
Hange’s uncertain face instantly turned into a bright smile. They didn’t screw up! The doctor turned to say something to the Chief, who in return gained a brief smile. Then, Hange returned their attention to the siblings.
Levi was rendered speechless. He lost the stupid bet! Levi was sure the Princess would freak out upon Hange’s overly enthusiastic greetings, judging by how she had reacted earlier with Mike and his antics. He didn’t dare to turn to his left to see Mike’s moronic moustache smiling smugly at him.
“You owe me.” Mike’s grin could be heard in his voice.
“Shut up, you giant tree.” Damn it!
“Want come in? Show house?” Hange signaled to the main entrance of the Hospital, already thinking about the tour they would take the royal siblings and show how amazing their inventions and discoveries had been.
Should Eva say yes? No, that was arrogant of her, she couldn’t decide on a whim what or what to not do, even less without consulting it with her brothers or the Eldian leader. Didn’t the Eldians also have an itinerary already made for today? The people on the streets and outside the hospital were staring at them, curious about the scene in front of them. Eva was getting nervous. their stares were suffocating her, their attention adding more weight on her, her mind scrambling to find an appropriate response–
Moblit intercepted before Eva could begin, quickly saving the moment.
The Princess was grateful for it, feeling the weight of the decision on her shoulders diminish; she restrained her relieved sigh from escaping her lips, though. Moblit would handle it, thank God above! With a pang of pity in her heart, Eva watched Hange go from thrilled to crestfallen as Moblit spoke. Now she felt bad, knowing for sure they had the best intentions in their heart. Maybe the detour wasn’t that bad…?
But Hange immediately returned to their cheerful self.
“Must come other day! Question Erwin about it!” Hange clasped Eva’s hand in theirs, that exhilarated spark back in their eyes. “Must show you fun things!”
Eva pressed her lips into a tight, nervous smile and nodded, hoping it would be enough to quench Doctor Hange’s eagerness. Too forward! Too forward! Was this also an eldian thing? It seemed to do the trick, as they went back inside the hospital when an assistant called them from the door and enthusiastically waved goodbye.
“Apologies, your Highnesses.” Moblit deserved a raise and long vacations. It had been only a day, but it was clear for the gottesreichan guests that the poor man dealt with a lot, and it seemed that Doctor Hange occupied 80% of it. “I must ask for you to forgive Doctor Hange’s lack of protocol and take no offence by it. The Doctor really enjoys meeting new people and telling about their discoveries and new remedies.”
“No offense taken, Moblit. I’m sure Doctor Hange can make it up to us by showing us what they are so excited for, right?” Hans was genuinely interested, always asking the doctors and physicians back at the palace about everything, going as far as reading some books, although he understood half of it. He truly wanted to know Doctor Hange’s thoughts.
“Honestly, I’m curious now.” Friederich scratched his nose, mumbling. Hans sniggered, lowering his voice so only his brother and her sister’s handmaiden could hear him.
“You, willing to listen to non-battle-related things? Who are you and where is my dear brother?” Flora snickered, covering her mouth.
“Oi!” Friederich’s ears went red at the tips.
“We will have to come tomorrow, then.”
Moblit approached them, always with his calm smile on his face.
“May we continue, your Highnesses?”
Only when they resumed their tour, hearing Moblit talk with her brothers and the Eldian warriors escorting them, did Eva realise how Doctor Hange was wearing glasses.
Saying Eva was scared was not enough. Terrified? Frightened? Petrified? There was no adjective to describe the sheer terror those beasts instilled inside her heart. Those were not horses. No horse could be that monstrous size. Nope. No way.
She didn’t even reach the horse’s chest! And even one leg was as thick as her whole body! How did they even suppose she could get on one of them?
They were led to the village’s stables, where the stable hands and grooms had horses ready with their saddles. Each one of them had a different saddle pad, beautiful Eldian embroidery and motifs of golden and white thread on a teal fabric, most of them resembling the ones from the village’s houses, the themes of the needle work being mostly of mother nature herself. The leather of the saddles were beautifully taken care of, going from darker to lighter tints of brown, no doubt the artisans made a good work of the dyes and its delicate processes.
The horses looked healthy, robust and ready to be ridden by their masters. If Eva wasn’t as scared as she was, she would be admiring the animals and the pure strength they exuded.
Friederich was getting more invested into this part of the tour than the previous one. Yes, Eldia was beautiful and curiously different, but for Friederich, it was still boring; he had never been good at diplomacy and pleasantry visits. He had always heard of Eldia’s monstrous steeds, and was delighted to see such enormous and sturdy stallions, powerfully built and vigorous. You could see the raw power in them, and couldn’t wait to see what it felt to ride one of them. Maybe he could convince the Eldian Chief to trade some… Surely his enemies would piss themselves upon seeing a beast such as this charging against them. Yeah, maybe he could, preferably at the evening banquet. Now was not the time.
This was an important ritual for the Eldians.
Moblit gracefully explained how this was considered crucial when two souls got engaged in Eldia. Hunting was part of their culture, a huge one, and they would not bring shame to their traditions and ancestors. It was an art, and the Eldians deeply respected nature and what it provided for humankind, so the solemn air was palpable. For Eldians this was a trial, also. Those who proposed to their lovers would have to hunt a magnificent piece for their betrothed, to both show that they could provide for them and also have the strength, patience, wit and endurance used in hunting that would prevail in their lives.
Since the Chief was getting engaged to the Princess, he had to prove himself to her, so she would accept and approve of her future husband. This ritual held even more importance for who was performing it, and the villagers were actually curious about how well would their Chief perform; sadly, some couples had to use all three attempts to succeed. They hoped the Chief would succeed at his first try.
For Eva, it was basically a show to see how much of a peacock the man could be, not that different from those in court who would fawn themselves and their achievements to win her hand, and what came with it. Bitter? Maybe so. She was just tired of men, but would respect the Eldian tradition. After all, traditions were traditions, and one should always honour them, no matter what.
For Flora, it was just like her beloved romantic novels. A man proving their worth to their beloved? Man versus Beast? Oh, how she wished thatfor herself! Maybe one day she would find love here, in Eldia. Who knew what the future awaited for her?
“As tradition says,” Moblit spoke. “The future bride and groom must ride together, as the willingness of their souls to start a new journey.”
Eva froze.
No way.
No.
There had to be a mistake. She thought she would ride in a small carriage with Flora, as the men rode and discussed their matters. Her dress wasn’t suited for riding!
On cue, one of the stable hands brought a magnificent white stallion, it’s crest carefully brushed and not a single tangle and bit of dirt on it. It was bigger than the other horses, robust, and Eva understood now what people meant when they said pets and horses resembled their owners: a horse truly fit for a Chief; it had to be his judging by the proud look the man had on his eyes.
The beast patiently stood right in front of them, not showing an ounce of nervousness or uneasiness. How Eva wished she felt the same. She just wanted to bolt right out of there.
The Princess felt the Chief turn towards her, and automatically released her hold on his arm, although he kept her hand in his, gently guiding her towards the Chief’s own stallion. Eva didn’t want to get closer, even less mount on it. She was terrified! They stood in front of the beast’s head, admiring the noble profile and long golden lashes it had. Eva saw the Chief affectionately gaze at his horse, giving it a tender stroke on its muzzle. He looked back at Eva, inviting her to do the same, but the Princess remained rooted, frozen on the spot. The Chief nudged her to pet the stallion’s head by lifting her hand himself, slowly, always watching her reactions closely— the Chieftain knew he was pushing her, but Erwin believed this would help her lose a little bit of her fearful first impression.
Eva watched, between a mix of horror and wonder, how her gloved fingers brushed the horse’s muzzle, its heat warming up her palm. The stallion didn’t even flinch at the change, letting itself be pet. Eva was amazed, transfixed, not even aware of the Chief’s gaze on her. Slowly, a sensation of relief washed all over her body, feeling more secure now that the beast showed no trace of nervousness upon seeing a new face. Eva even let herself release a small smile, even though her heart was still pounding fiercely inside her chest.
More horses were brought to them, each warrior taking the reins of their own steed, as well as new horses for the Princes to ride. Friederich was beyond excited, eyes going from head to rear of the enormous beast he was lent to ride. He looked like a child in a candy shop back at the Capital.
Everyone waited for the Chief to mount first, as tradition dictated. The solemn air felt like a pressing stone on the Princess, not truly knowing what she was supposed to do besides having to ride with him. Should she say something? Perform a certain move? But the Princess stood rooted there, letting her never-fading anxiety begin to swallow whole again.
The Chief prepared himself to mount on, grabbing the pommel with his left hand and easily hoisting himself up when he set his foot on the stirrup. Every move he did looked effortless, as if even a child could do that with their eyes closed. If they thought Eva could achieve such levels, they were going to be thoroughly disappointed. The Chief extended his hand to the Princess, signaling her to come closer and join him on the horse.
The question is: how the hell is she supposed to get on it?
Moblit did not give any clues or hints about it, and everyone respectfully watched as the Princess approached the Chief with small steps. The Eldian leader never looked away from her, and she truly reminded him of a scared fawn.
What came next was a blur for the Princess. One moment she was standing right beside the Chief, timidly taking his hand and raising her other one to try to reach the pommel as the Chief did, her foot raising too to set on the lowered stirrup, and on the next moment Eva found herself being lifted as if she weighted nothing, strong arms pulling her up, easily turning her so she sat astride the horse with her back pressed against his chest.
Eva couldn’t focus on anything but the feel of his broad and strong chest snugly pressed against her back, despite the layers of thick clothing and cloaks between them. Eva did not pay attention to everyone else getting on their horses, or how Friederich couldn’t help the boyish grin on his lips, or how Flora turned beet red when she was made to mount on the same horse as the second Prince of Gottesreich, her confident and self-assured attitude gone for a moment. She couldn’t, not with how the Chief righted her stance with gentle hands, or how he straightened her own dress skirts and cloak without being prompted to do so, or how he guided her gloved hands to the crest and horn, so she had something to hold on to, even if the arms that caged her in wouldn’t let her slip and fall. The cold was forgotten for a moment, as well as her nervous tension.
Prompting the beast to an easy gait, the Chief led the party outside the stables and onto the main street. That’s when Eva snapped out of her trance and quickly ventured a look towards her handmaiden, seeing her grip the crest of the horse she was on with red cheeks. Both women crossed looks, twin bewildered expressions greeting each other. Eva silently cheered for her friend, but was too occupied herself with her own troubles to even waggle her eyebrows to tease her handmaiden.
This was going to be a long day.
The main street greeted them with the eldian villagers gathered on the sides of it, creating a passageway of curious and expectant faces. Everyone looked like they were waiting for a signal, eyes glued to the Chief’s horse and its riders, fingers and feet fidgeting. When the Chief and the Princess passed the first bystanders, the whole wide street exploded into cheers and shouts and blue.
The villagers threw flowers on them and the horses’ hooves, smiling and clapping as they passed by. Eva recognised the winter flowers from before, the same she wore now on her braid, and watched the villagers cover the entire street in a mantle of blue and white. The Chief did not turn to greet or answer them, keeping his head and eyes straight ahead in a solemn show of respect towards their faith in him. That’s when Eva understood this was part of the hunting ritual too, bidding farewell and good luck to the couple about to engage in the ritual. So, to not be disrespectful towards their culture and traditions, Eva did the same, looking straight ahead towards the main gate, into the sky blue path. A flash of the Chieftains’ eyes crossed her mind. The same blue.
A/N:Third chapter LET’S GOOOOOO– We are getting more into the plot of the story, Erwin being Erwin and Flora being the absolute best girl in the whole universe.
Gotta love Flora.
CHAPTER 3: DANCING WITH THE DEVIL
Both the Crown Prince and the Chief ordered their remaining men to step outside too, asking for absolute privacy. Everyone but Moblit left.
Friederich let out a loud sigh, taking a long gulp from his goblet to drown the image of their beloved little sister pleading them to not leave her alone. They sadly had to, it was safer for her this way. The Chief refilled it, the Prince thanking him with a nod.
“Now you understand what we meant, right?” Hans laced his fingers together, resting his arms on his knees.
“Father has had his claws on her for far too long.” Friederich stared at the wine in his goblet, frowning displeased. “Too long.”
He forgot when it was the last time his little sister genuinely smiled.
“I do, your Highnesses. And I swear to you both, and to the Goddesses, that she will be safe here.”
“This wouldn’t have been possible without your help, Erwin. You really don’t know how grateful we are to you, and for accepting our only request.” Hans looked directly at the Chief’s eyes.
“This is the safest place for her to be while the other stages of the plan happen.” Erwin took a sip of his goblet, eyeing both brothers as he awaited for Moblit to finish translating. “Your father won’t dare urge us Eldians to fulfill our end of the deal until the marriage happens. For now he waits, and that is when we must act. Sadly time is of the essence, and we cannot waste any of it.”
“Truly a race against time, huh?” Friederich crossed his arms, not wanting to let any negative thoughts cloud his mind and sully his purpose.
“Yes, a race we must win.” Both brothers understood now why the Eldian Chief was both feared by his enemies and deeply respected by his allies. His determination was contagious, and even if they had all the odds against them, they felt that they could truly win. This is how his warriors must feel on the battlefield, ready to give their lives following his orders as they fought side by side.
“Our sister–” Friederich insisted, his fingers twitching.
“My warriors will protect her. The chances of having an entire army mobilised here are very slim, especially considering their General is here, and that the troops are loyal to their General, before their King.” Erwin motioned with his hand towards Friederich. “And I suppose if it was inevitable, I would have a word of warning to prepare a scheme to avoid our armies confronting each other, wouldn’t I?”
“Still, it’s a big gamble. Even for you.” Hans replied, taking a sip from his goblet. “We should consider all chances.”
“He knows his chances.” Friederich leaned back on his chair. “Don’t you?”
“I’ve always been a man of big gambles.” The Chief’s chuckle made Friederich snort. “But rest assured–”
“This is our sister we are speaking of, not only Gottesreich.” From the two brothers, Friederich had always been the hot-headed one, and wouldn’t hesitate to say a piece of his mind when his little Birdie was concerned. “Harmony has been broken, Father has gone too far in his madness, and this is our only chance to do something, yes.” Friederich leveled the Chief with a hard stare. “But for me, my sister comes first. She’s an innocent in this, screw the Kingdom if any harm comes to her, screw Fa–”
“Friederich.” Hans fixed his eyes on his brother. A warning.
“I understand your feelings and concerns, Friederich. I do, and I share the same sentiment as you.”
“She is not a pawn to be sacrificed in any stage of the plan. This is why she is here.”
“I know. Trust my warriors.” Erwin’s determined glint in his eyes settled any doubts the younger Prince may have had.
Some said he was a master strategist, others a mad genius leading an army of demons. Friederich believed he was both, because you had to be brilliantly crazy to pull stunts as they had pulled before and be victorious each time. His warriors would follow him to the ends of the known world and Friederich deeply respected that.
“We will right the wrongdoings done to this world by the hand of our father. We only wished we realised sooner what his plans were.”
“You realised it in time, enough to do something.”
“We hope so, Erwin.” Hans had a somber expression on his face, really wanting to believe what the Chief said. “We hope so.”
That seemed to conclude their private meeting, seeing both brothers to their respective rooms in the guest houses. The Chief retired to his own too, soon to be shared with his fiancé, before finishing some matters concerning the evening banquet.
As he stepped into the wooden tub filled with warm water, releasing a pleased groan as he lowered himself further into it and felt the tight knots in his back loosen, he couldn’t help but to still think about their little talk with the Princes and the Princess herself.
There was so much work to be done. They were only in the early stages of their plan and so many things could go wrong. Erwin was not stupid, he knew every plan had its risks, but they made the hard work worth it. It was worth it. The three siblings were the key to change the course of the three nations.
Hans was going to be a good King. Down to earth, just, always willing to protect his people and their happiness. He had a great responsibility on his shoulders as the Crown Prince, but Erwin felt more at ease knowing one day he will be the one sitting on the throne of Gottesreich. The Crown Prince despised greed.
Erwin deeply respected Friederich, both as a General who had the trust of his men and as a fierce soldier with a big heart. Those were qualities appreciated in Eldia, since you had to understand life in order to take one in battle. Friederich always honoured his enemies, and Erwin knew that if they ever had to cross swords in a battlefield, it would be a good, honourable fight.
But that wasn’t the plan, no. If it all came together in the end, they would be side by side.
As he let his head rest on the edge of the tub, Erwin’s mind wandered towards the third of the Gottesreichan siblings.
Erwin would be an absolute blind fool if he didn’t agree with what the whispers and rumours said; the Princess was a beauty. Elegance, gracefulness, perfect manners, a lovely face… everything needed to survive in a court and its poisoned, claustrophobic walls. But he would never forget the way she looked absolutely terrified at the prospect of being alone, and Erwin couldn’t blame her at all. It would shake anyone to their cores to be ripped off their homes to be then thrown into an unknown territory. But there was also something else hidden deep under those layers of fear, another reason than a change of culture.
With her doe eyes and delicate features, the Princess reminded him of a scared little fawn.
Erwin only hoped she would lose her fear and be happy here, to be her true self without her father’s strings manipulating her every movement and word. It will be tedious and Erwin will have to use his entire patience, but he was positive he would succeed.
The door of the private bathroom opened without a warning, Levi stepping in with a confident stride and uncaring of Erwin’s nakedness. He closed it with his foot, not even turning back to properly do so, and took a stool to sit down on it. Erwin knew it would be futile to stop Levi from saying what he had on his mind, years of friendship proved him that, and that displeased frown sometimes said more than words.
“This is a terrible idea.” Levi crossed his arms, glaring at the man in front of him. “Are you sure about this, Erwin?”
The Chief chuckled. Levi’s frown deepened.
“Ah, straight to the point as always.” Erwin closed his eyes, feeling Levi’s agitated ones on him. “I am sure.”
“What made you think marrying that Princess will help Eldia?” Levi wasn’t happy about this decision he took, but he knew that deep down Erwin must have a good, important reason to do it. Or maybe not. This was Erwin, you never knew what he had in mind. “Or maybe you want kids now? Don’t tell me it’s that, you bastard. You could have chosen any Eldian woman, they’d be more than happy to do so.”
Erwin couldn’t contain the burst of laughter that escaped from deep in his throat.
“Rest assured, Levi, it’s not kids I want.”
“Then what? It’s Gottesreich we are talking about. Gottesreich and the mad, greedy King. Do you really want to be associated with that?”
“She will help our cause.” Erwin heard Levi sigh. “Thankfully the brothers think so too, the people of her Kingdom have a special spot for her, and that plays to our advantage. Let’s better leave the Mad King thinking he got a stupidly, unbelievable good deal and that he won us, uncultured barbarians, over. You know what they say,” Ah, there it was. That dangerous, cunning glint in his eyes. “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
The Chief and his insane gambles. Levi scoffed.
“You already have planned multiple ways to use her and her ties to the Mad King, haven’t you?”
“You make me sound like an uncaring monster, Levi. But I wouldn’t endanger her at all, that’s not part of the plan.”
“Sometimes you are, dipshit. When you have a plan and are adamant to carry it on, nothing will stop you.” Erwin placed his hand on his chest, chuckling and lowering his head as if he was hurt.
“You wound me.”
“Asshole.” Levi kicked the tub.
“But she isn’t here to be used as a pawn.” That caught Levi’s attention. “She is here for her safety. If she stayed any longer in her Kingdom, she would have her pretty head chopped off or worse. Here she has a second chance.”
“So that’s the deal with her brothers, then? Their sister?”
“That was their only selfish request, that only one life was to be secured at any costs, even over their citizens.”
“Huh. I see. So we are babysitters now.”
“You could put it like that, or also you could think of it as an opportunity to see a beautiful flower bloom, besides the enrichment and merging of our cultures. Don’t you want to expand your knowledge?”
Levi’s brow twitched.
“You are twisted.”
“And you are twisting my words. I meant this,” Erwin tapped his temple. “Our little Princess there is not just a pretty face. I want to see what she is capable of.”
“Huh.”
“I know that behind those scared eyes lies intelligence and knowledge. One time Prince Hans told me she would go with them on diplomatic visits, and how she would take over one day when he was King. She has the skills. She’s observant, or haven’t you noticed?”
“I guess, although today she looked mostly like a frightened mouse, or haven’t younoticed?”
“Ah, indeed I noticed. Do you blame her, though?”
Levi looked at his feet, sighing.
“Not at all.”
Both men remained in silence, going through today’s events. Their lives would drastically change from now on, and Levi wanted to believe it was for the good. Erwin’s voice grabbed his attention again.
“Let’s try our best to make her feel welcome. Everyone would be scared to be in a foreign land with no known faces, no knowledge of the language, only knowing your fate is sealed and you cannot do a thing about it.”
“I think your eyebrows are what scares her the most.” Levi snorted, rising up from the stool. “Although I know other things will scare her more when she sees them.”
“Oi, there’s nothing wrong with my eyebrows.” He splashed a bit of water towards Levi’s direction, knowing how his childish behaviour often set his right hand’s man nerves on edge. He also didn’t want parts of his anatomy discussed while he was, well, naked. Levi deserved a bit of water.
“I hope your kids don’t have them.” It was Erwin’s turn to snort.
“Rude.”
“Get out before you look like a raisin. I bet the Princess won’t kiss you then.” Levi grabbed a towel and threw it at the Chief’s face. “Go take a shit and make yourself presentable. You should take her around the town.”
“We better let her rest, it has been a long journey for them.” Erwin left the towel on a nearby stool. “I will take her and her brothers tomorrow to see the town.”
Levi shrugged his shoulders, walking to the door.
“Be on your best behaviour.” Levi rolled his eyes, not sparing a glance towards the Chief. Levi knew he would have that infuriating smirk on his lips.
“I’malways on my best behaviour.”
“Absolutely.”
Erwin watched Levi shake his head and sigh, exiting the bathroom and leaving the Chief snickering and alone with his thoughts.
There were so many things to prepare for his change in his daily life in the upcoming months. For once, he would have to share his house and make room for whatever needs and space the Princess may have.
And tidy.
Erwin scratched his chin, knowing he really should pick up his clothes and take them to get cleaned before Levi lost his patience and set fire to them. Also pick up the maps and books invading every flat surface available. Change the candles, store the seal wax in its rightful place…
Yes, many things indeed.
Erwin let himself submerge slightly into the water, sighing.
///
“This is a nightmare.”
“Oh c’mon, you big dramatic oaf. Look at the bright side of it, he is handsome! And strong! I want one of them myself!”
“Flora!”
“What? I got eyes and I’m not made of stone! Did you see the sizeof him? I bet he can lift a cow without breaking a sweat.” Flora brushed her Princess’ hair, perfectly detangling and separating the strands to prepare it for the hair style she had in mind, and greatly enjoying her friend’s flustered cheeks. “And he will say to you: “Oh, my Princess! Look at these arms!”, and then will rip his tunic off–” Flora dropped her voice trying to imitate the same pitch as the Chief’s one, and also flexing her own arms as if she was displaying her own inexistent muscles. “And say: “Princess, tonight I will—“
“That table— sturdy, let me tell you. But ah! He has good fingers!”
“FLORA.”
The handmaiden snorted, followed by a good-hearted laugh. She resumed brushing the Princess’ hair, already thinking what pins to use this time for the braid and bun.
“I know you had to be the beacon of virtue and holiness for the Kingdom, an example to be followed, but us women are curious and have our needs also. What’s wrong in having a little bit of fun? Haven’t you been curious yourself?” Flora’s smile reassured Eva. Sometimes Eva felt like her handmaiden was a caring big sister, and felt comfortable enough to discuss thoughtsshe had that never would dare to say aloud.
“I…well.”
“…I know about those forbidden books under your mattress.”
“Then you know the answer.”
Flora’s loud laugh echoed around the room, needing to leave the brush on the vanity and having to clutch her belly. Eva’s cheeks increased their red glow, pointedly ignoring Flora’s outburst. Certainly those who came from the countryside weren’t as lawful to the Holy Scriptures as the ones nearer the Capital or the Palace itself.
Once Flora managed to calm down enough and wiped away tears, she resumed her work, expertly braiding the Princess’s long hair. It always soothed Eva, the way her handmaiden gently manoeuvred her hands and fingers without a harsh and painful pull. Flora said having two whinyyounger sisters made you learn fast.
“Hmmm,” Flora tied the braid with a ribbon for now, tapping her finger on her chin while deep in thought. “I was thinking that for tonight’s banquet you should look… exquisite. But distinguished. But making sure our darling Chief cannot take your eyes away from you.”
“Youare enjoying this, aren’t you.” Eva rose a delicate brow, looking straight at Flora’s honey eyes through the mirror. Flora snickered, turning around to the multiple open trunks and luggage.
“Of course I am!” Flora rummaged through one of the Princess’ trunks, pulling out a dress. “What about this one?”
“Which one?” Eva turned around to see which piece was Flora holding in her hands. “The red one? Maybe it’s too much… The cleavage and open shoulders—“
“It makes a statement. Our Chief won’t be able to concentrate on anything else but you.”
“I really don’t want to draw too much attention to myself, Flora. You know how much I despise it.”
“You will draw it regardless of what you are wearing, my darling Princess. Sadly you are new, and everyone wants to see the novelty.”
“I know…”
“So let’s make them look and drop their jaws when they do.” Flora’s eyes brightened at her own words, a fire burning in them.
“I wish I had your confidence.” Eva sighed looking down at her hands.
“Oh no no no—” Flora left the dress on top of the bed, walking next to her Princess and holding her face in her hands and squeezing her cheeks. “Do not give me that speech!”
“Whut Fwlora—“
“Not buts! Show them what the proud, brilliant and beautiful Princess of Gottesreich is capable of!”
///
“This was Flora’s doing, right?”
“You know there’s nothing one can do to stop her once she’s set on something.” Eva sighed, hearing Hans chuckle.
“Fierce woman.” Friederich replied, smirking.
“Indeed.”
“You will thank me later, your Highness.” Flora’s smug smirk made Friederich snicker.
Hans knew her sister’s handmaiden was a hurricane. Stubborn as a mule, also. But had the biggest heart and best intentions. He still remembers when Flora came to the palace to start as a maid, a twig of a girl but with a big smile and endless energy. Chatty, too.
She was perfect for quiet, reserved and shy Eva. He also remembers how Eva would hide behind curtains or a tree because she was not prepared for her new extroverted maid. Now, as they grew, they both turned to be exceptional women with an unbreakable bond. But Flora still pushed Eva to get out of her comfort zone quite often, much to the Princess’ dismay.
The dress did cause a statement.
Once she removed her cloak upon entering the Great Hall, rearranged now to be filled with long tables and so much food it made the royal siblings’ eyes widen, Eva’s shoulders were openly displayed, as well as her long neck and collarbones, the dress neck line following a V ending in the perfect spot to either not be a vulgar display of cleavage and being cheeky enough to intuit what was underneath. It fit perfectly to her body, Flora made sure of that when the royal tailor came to take her measurements. It really was a beautiful and warm dress, velvety to the touch and thick enough to compensate for the open area. It also had embroidered motifs of leaves and flowers decorating the neckline and long sleeves, and a beautifully crafted belt made by the best Gottesreichan artisans that accentuated her waistline. Flora named it the “Jaw Dropper”. Eva scoffed at the name, thinking of how silly it was, until she wore it one day at court and had to admit the nickname suited it just fine.
Like now.
Needless to say the Chief was shocked to see skin revealed, considering how covered and bound the Princess was earlier. A quick look to the Princess’ handmaiden, who stood behind her and not even making an effort to contain her pleased smirk, made the Chief know who was behind the sudden wardrobe change.
The Gottesreichan entourage were led to the main table, as etiquette dictated for being their guests of honour. Flora was being led to another table as they approached their seats, and the thought of having Flora alone and away filled Eva with dread. She wanted Flora with them, secure with her own people, and also to have someone to help make this moment more bearable; Flora always made everything better, especially boring banquets, and the handmaiden thoroughly enjoyed them, and well, sometimes making fun of some lords. That was refreshing, even more when she had to fake smiles and politeness when all Eva wanted to do is lie down on her bed with a book.
Disregarding everything she had been taught, surprising herself even for her own selfish actions, Eva sought Moblit. Father wasn’t there to punish her now, and hoped Hans and Friederich understood her.
“I’m terribly sorry to be a burden, Moblit, but I have a request to make if it is not much trouble.” the warrior in question raised his brows. Seeing how the Princess was fidgeting with her fingers and was trying to hide it, Moblit encouraged her with a smile.
“What can we do for you, Your Highness?”
“I’d like to have my handmaiden, Flora, seated with me. I know protocol dictates otherwise, but–” Eva really hoped it would be possible. She felt her brother’s stares on her and was making her even more nervous. “I’d really appreciate it, if possible.”
Moblit looked surprised, but nodded, still maintaining his smile.
“Do not worry, Your Highness, it’s not trouble at all.”
The way the Princess’ face illuminated itself with a smile shocked the man, and hurriedly went to fetch the handmaiden in question. Flora looked at Eva and then at her supposed spot on a table near the main one, but followed Moblit nonetheless. Eva was glad she decided to ask for her, because they seated Eva next to the Chief and wasn’t sure she would have survived if Flora had not been by her side.
The handmaiden was giddy, usually having to sit on the other tables and entertain herself with the other guests while the Princess dealt with Princes and Lords; Flora recalled those times the Princess would roll her eyes whenever they crossed their gazes and both women had to hide their smirks behind their drinks. Flora knew she wouldn’t have had any trouble in making friends as usual, despite the lack of language between her and the Eldians. Eva often called her a social hurricane, besides a menace when Flora had ideas.
“This looks delicious, doesn’t it?” Flora looked at the table once they were seated and people started chatting, stopping herself just in time from whistling in amazement. “So much food! They certainly didn’t fall short on it.”
“It does.” Eva sat more rigidly than usual, the closeness with the Chief getting on her nerves. She tried not to raise her voice too much, but had to agree with Flora. “The vegetables look very fresh.”
Eldian servants poured wine to the goblets and left the decanter on the table, busy with the work they had ahead.
“Careful with it, it’s… strong.” Eva looked at her own goblet with dread. She did not want to repeat her performance from before.
“That’s because you cannot hold alcohol, Princess.”
“That’s not true.” Eva knew she sounded like a petulant child.
Flora was about to retort, but was stopped by the Chief getting everyone’s attention by standing up and grabbing his own goblet. The room became silent, everyone focusing their eyes on him. Moblit silently moved to stand behind the Gottesreichan guests, ready for when their Chief spoke up.
The Chief’s strong voice boomed, speaking so everyone in the room could clearly hear him. Eva was still impressed at how his voice reminded her of rumbling thunder on a summer’s storm, and how easily he filled any room with his presence. Eva knew many nobles and princes who wished they had such a commanding presence.
Moblit’s voice made her tear her eyes away from the man.
“People of Eldia, rejoice! For tonight we celebrate and welcome a new member of our tribe. Tonight marks the start of a new stage in our lives and history, the union of two cultures. Please, welcome Princess Eva into your hearts, as she is to become my wife in the upcoming months.”
The Eldians intently listened to their Chief, some nodding, some gasping with excited smiles, some crossing their arms in a display of concentration, some with skeptical frowns. The Princess dreaded the last ones, especially when the attention of the Eldians was shifted to her, their gazes and murmurs not helping the wreck of nerves inside her guts. She will have to be careful with those who weren’t compliant with such news. Eva was not stupid, she knew not everybody was going to be happy and excited to see her here, even less marrying their leader, to become his wife. Surely they all expected someone else, but certainly not her. It was not a secret that Gottesreich had enemies across the continent, and Eldia wasn’t exactly on good, perfect friendly terms with the Holy Kingdom. Eva only hoped her presence here would smooth sore bumps and begin more friendly exchanges between nations.
The Chief turned to her, gesturing to his left with his hand. His eyes didn’t leave hers as she took her cue to gracefully stand up and bow to those who were to become her new people, raising up more murmurs. Flora always told her how her stoic and impassive face amazed her, even though she knew the Princess was a mess inside every time she had to face public speeches and banquets, but remained calm on the outside, not giving away one single thought of hers.
Tonight she really hoped it was the case.
“I propose a toast.” The Chief raised his goblet as he kept talking, while Moblit kept translating. Everyone went to do the same, grabbing and raising their goblets up high. The Chief turned his palm up, offering it for the Princess to delicately pose her own on it, her heart beating wildly inside her chest as the Chief closed it in his grip. His hand was massive. “For this union, for my future wife, for the good of Eldia! May the Goddesses Maria, Rose and Sina bless our guests! Praise the Goddesses!”
“Praise the Goddesses!” The roar of the Eldians was deafening, and everyone cheered in unison as they heartily drank as was customary.
Eva swallowed down her grimace as the wine touched her tongue and went down her throat, scorching as it did earlier. The Chief squeezed her hand, and Eva realised it was slightly trembling. Her husband-to-be was looking at her, unreadable as before, as he let go of her hand and Eva tried to not yank it back to her side in a panic; for him to witness such weakness was embarrassing. Eva left the goblet on the table and sat down as the Chief did, careful of the dress skirt. This was going to be a long night. Moblit went back to his seat on the Eldian side of the table, but not without pausing to whisper “you did well, Princess” to Eva. That was comforting.
“See? Cannot hold it at all.” Eva’s earrings slapped her jaw from the force of her head turning to fix a stare at Flora. Eva ignored the sting.
“Oh, stop it! I told you it’s strong!”
“Do you want me to remind you of that time, at Prince Zeke’s birthday party, where you–”
“No! Shush! Don’t remind me!” Eva turned her head towards the front, raising it with as much dignity as she could and a slight blush dusting on her cheeks. Not that night, Eva swore she let out even her first meal as a mere babe. It had been horrible. Flora had to hold her hair while telling another maid to get her water and a calming tea to settle her stomach. She did not dare step out of her rooms for the entire morning.
“Hmm?”
“…Okay, you are right. I cannot hold it. Satisfied?”
“For now.”
“Don’t make me regret this.” Eva sighed as she took her napkin. It was a nice fabric, Eva was surprised.
“As if! You already have to thank me, the Chief hasn’t taken his eyes from you.”
Eva froze, venturing a quick look to her right to see how indeed the Chief was glancing her way while sipping on his drink. He seemed amused but also as if he had his mind thinking on something. Eva hastily returned her gaze to her plate.
“Told you it would work!” Flora’s smug shake of her head made Eva sigh.
She was right. It did work.
“Don’t worry Birdie, I’ve seen princesses and nobles shoving their bosoms to everyone’s faces with their dresses.” Friederich leaned in, catching his sister’s attention with a cheeky smile. “You are safe.”
“See? Even Friederich here agrees with me! You have to show off that beautiful neck of yours!”
“Take some mercy on my poor sister, Flo.”
“Hm,” Flora drank from her goblet, leaning back on her seat. “Only because you asked nicely.”
“You both,” Hans’ voice rose. The three of them looked over at the Crown Prince calmly cutting some meat from his plate. “Behave. And Eva,” Hans looked at Eva with gentle eyes. “You did good today, I’m proud of you.”
Hans’ smile and praise warmed Eva, happy of today’s efforts being noticed. She achieved to keep making her brothers proud, and hoped her father would be too. A timid smile rose to her lips.
The banquet passed without much more trouble, but Flora kept talking and made the Princess be out of her silent shell. Eva didn’t know if to feel relieved or saddened for not being able to communicate with the Chief, as one would do in any banquet with your dinning partner, but Eva pointedly tried to avoid looking at him, although she once or twice looked to his side for guidance when some Eldian dishes were presented and she had no idea how one was supposed to eat that. The Chief was patient enough to show her when she looked lost, and Eva kind of wanted to groan in embarrassment and thump her head on the table at the thought of what must the Chief think of her, even unable to eat without guidance as if she was a child.
The desserts were delicious, though.
As the night continued, some Eldians began dancing in the center of the Great Hall to the lively tunes the band played on a corner. They cheered and laughed loudly, inviting others to join and spin around the improvised dance floor. Those who weren’t dancing yet, followed the rhythm of the music with the clapping of their hands and thumping of feet on the floor, singing along.
The air was cheery and happy, contagious even. Some warriors went to the center of the floor, like Mike with that female warrior from before. Even Moblit was dragged to it by an excited warrior with a wide smile and sparkling brown eyes. The Chief remained on his seat, enjoying the jolly atmosphere of his people having a good time. Levi kept refusing people coming to ask him for a dance.
Eva watched fascinated at the Eldian dances, so different from those back home. They were not afraid of bodies touching bodies, hands clasping and hugging, spinning, jumping… it was as if a joyful spell had been casted on them. Even Flora joined, and Eva was really not surprised at that, when an Eldian approached her. Flora was torn for a split second, not wanting to leave the Princess alone, but Eva nudged her, begging her handmaiden to have a good time on her behalf. So there she was, dancing and spinning and laughing as the Eldian man tried to follow her pace. Eva couldn’t help her smile, enjoying her friend having a good time.
As the night progressed, more people joined and changed partners as others took a break. Knowing how Friederich loved to dance when he was at foreign banquets, Eva did not try to feign surprise or shock when he took Flora to join him in a dance as she had come back to take a break too, this time shoving her to her brother’s arms, whispering “go go go!” for only her to hear. Eva considered this payback for the dress, raising a brow with an almost imperceptible smirk as Flora sent her a dirty, flustered look her way when Friederich twirled her around. Her smugness fell when the Chief’s voice rumbled beside her, Moblit translating for him as the poor warrior managed to take a seat again after his dance partner let him.
“You don’t dance, Your Highness?”
Oh dear. Oh no. He was asking for a dance?
“My deepest apologies, I wouldn’t want to expose my lack of gracefulness in front of my Lord. I am not acquaintanced with the dance moves or songs, and I’m afraid also I only know Gottesreichan court dances.”
Hans watched intently at their interaction, curious as to what her sister was going to do to get out of that one. Normally he would come to her rescue, or Friederich or Flora, but from now on she had to be on her own. The Chief answered and Moblit translated.
“I can teach you.”
Hans saw Eva swallow. There was no way she was getting out of that one, poor thing.
“I–I really don’t want to cause any embarrassment on you–”
“I was told you were a good dancer, though. I’m sure you are a fast learner too, Your Highness.”
The Chief stood up, his form towering over her as he offered his hand. Eva quickly looked at Hans, as if he would try to save her at the last minute, but he pointedly looked another way. Traitor! Eva didn’t have any other option but to accept the invitation and spend the most distressing moment of her life, for now. She heard Levi scoff and shake his head, saying something loud enough for the Chief and Moblit to hear, making the big man huff amusedly and Moblit to sigh.
People were staring, and Eva saw Flora encourage her with excited nods and smiles, mouthing “Go!”, and then “Like the summer solstice dances!”, at her. Friederich fixed a stare at the Chief as he saw his hand settle on the Princess’ waist after guiding Eva’s hand on his shoulder, holding her free hand in his own. The Chief smiled at her, trying to reassure the Princess as he squeezed her hand, and Eva had two swallow down a noise as she noticed how his hand engulfed her own. Even her waist felt small in his grasp.
The Chief gently guided her through the first steps of the dance, swaying and hopping to get used to it, and Eva felt clumsy like a newborn colt trying to follow him. Her nerves were not helping at all, too focused on the feel of his hand on her waist and back, its warmth scorching even through the thick layers of the dress, or the way his chest pressed against her back when the Chief tested the waters when he made her twirl through a step of the dance. Eva maintained her eyes locked on the Chief’s, as one should do when dancing with a partner, and Eva was sure the Chief could clearly see her anguish in them at the thought of either stepping on his foot, or being a poor dance partner, but he only saw genuine amusement in them. Maybe she was not doing that bad.
The music picked up a faster rhythm again, the banquet attendants getting back to their conversations and dancing partners, although curiously keeping an eye on the spectacle of having the Chief dance with the Princess. Eva could feel her uneasiness slip away, her confidence swelling at the thought that her trembling hands hadn’t given her anxiety away, and allowed herself to move more freely. It was as Flora said, a dance like the summer solstice dances from Gottesreich where you let joy and music guide you and your partner. Still, the Eldian way of dancing was more wild, less bound and constrained, and more light on the feet, loose.
Feeling how the Princess was less strained and rigid, the Chief increased the speed of his movements too, following the band’s rhythm. He was enticed by the way the skirt of the dress flowed, reminding him of a flower in full bloom moved by a slight breeze, and the way her cheeks were reddened by both the efforts and her own nervousness.
The Chief felt bold, wanting to see how much he could push and test the Princess’ limits for tonight, and encouraged by the clapping of the people and the increased tempo of the song pushing the dancers into a more frenzied section, nearing the end of the song, the Chief made the Princess spin before picking her up in the air. He could see how both his hands practically swallowed her waist, fingers almost brushing against each other, and heard both the excited cheers and whistles from his people and the Princess’ startled gasp, frantically searching a place to find purchase for her hands, finally settling on his shoulders and tightening her grip for dear life, feeling his thick muscles underneath. She was light as a feather, and the thought greatly amused him. The Chief spun them around once, setting her back on her feet and continued to dance, Eva needing to ground herself to the fact that The Chief picked her up as if she weighed nothing, besides the boldness of the act itself. This was unthinkable back at court!
The Chief did it again and Eva wanted the earth to swallow her whole at the tiny, undignified squeak she let out as if she was a scared little mouse. Eva swore she saw him chuckle and the Princess pulled her lips in a tight line, fighting for her cheeks to not redden further.
The song was reaching its climax, the musicians wildly playing their instruments in an intense performance, and in a final spin and hop of the dance the Chief pulled the Princess close, ending the dance with their bodies pressed against each other and not taking their gazes away, staring intently into the other.
The Great Hall erupted with applauses and cheers, everyone taking a moment to step away from their partners, conversations and food to congratulate everyone in the room. Eva was panting, acutely aware of how her chest was squished and pressed against his own as he too tried to regain his breath, hands still clasped together and his other one on her small of the back. Her fabric felt flimsy and thin to her now, as if she was too exposed to his gaze, and Eva wanted to curse Flora for it; she did not need to look down to see how they were pressed upwards, Eva felt it.
Thankfully he stepped back, probably by the murderous glower of Friederich thrown his way, and released her as he respectfully bowed. Eva did the same, lifting her skirts and returning his courtesy. He then gestured to their seats, and Eva was never more grateful or in agreement with the Chief as she was now. She urgently needed to take a seat and process everything. Flora and Friederich did the same, the handmaiden excitedly sitting down and intently looking at the Princess, ready to open her mouth. The Chief speaking stopped her.
“I knew you were a fast learner, Your Highness. It was a beautifully performed dance.” Moblit translated, and both women saw the Chief nod at them both with a pleased smile before drinking from his goblet.
“Thank you for the dance, my Lord, I’m honoured.”
“Although, I never thought a mouse could make such adorable noises.”
Eva wanted to scream.
///
Eva still had the memory of the Chief’s hand on her body, like a scorching imprint deep in her mind. Eva swore her skin still tingled from the contact, even if she was in her nightgown and staring at the unfamiliar ceiling. Her fingers were nervously braiding and unbraiding her hair, going over today’s events and banquet.
Flora was already out like a light, her deep breaths signaling how deep into her slumber she was, and Eva could not blame her. Flora truly tired herself dancing, and Eva did not have the heart to tell her to behave, that was Eva’s job. A perfect pretty puppet. Flora did not represent the virtuousness and regalness of the Holy Kingdom, and Eva preferred it that way; Flora was a free spirit, and Eva would rather have her fly like a free bird than have her caged as herself in her duties.
This was to become Eva’s new life here, living amongst demons. Different place, same cage.
The Princess was not looking forward to the walk around the village that the Chief proposed for tomorrow morning, much preferring to stay in her rooms and scream into her pillow until her vocal chords were sore. She also wasn’t eager to go on the customary hunt the Eldians performed for their brides and grooms in the forest. Whenever Eva had to tag along the hunting trips back at any court, rolling her eyes internally at the nobles and princes showing themselves like peacocks, she was bored out of her mind. The Princess usually sat down at the picnic blanket spread out on the grass and under a tree’s shadow, drinking her cup of coffee with the other ladies and Flora. Eva always zoned out, answering with monosyllables and enough words for the other conversing partner to not feel ignored, as she gazed at the flowers or birds.
Sighing deeply, Eva let go of her hair and shifted to her side, facing the window.
This piece serves as one of the intros to @snovaaprel’s SnK Space Force AU, of which a superb zine is currently in the making.
Simply put, the AoT universe will be set in space. Yes, that means the Survey Corps will be kicking Titan ass in spaceships, with space guns, in outer space. How cool is that?!
More info will be shared after the text!
Paradis is the third planet closest to the Sun in the Erudian System. It is encompassed by three rings, namely, Maria, Rose, and Sina. These rings are made up of more than thirty satellites, most of which are inhabited. Man serves to be the planet’s dominant species, but outside of their world lies the biggest threat to their existence: humanoid giants that prey on their kind, otherwise known as Titans.
Keeping mankind safe from these beings are the Armed Forces of Paradis: the Police, an elite force guarding the planet’s ruler from within the rings; the Army, in charge of maintaining the security of the satellites, and; the Space Force, tasked to set out to find the secrets of the universe at the expense of living comfortably in their homeland. Out of the three branches, only the Space Force has encountered Titans firsthand when troops were attacked at one of their stations located outside of the planet. Paradis would not come face to face with Titans until years later, when foreign spaceships crashed into one of the outermost satellites and scarred humanity forever.
Shiganshina’s inhabitants were mystified by the sudden arrival of nameless, unpiloted spacecraft. Army troops posted at the satellite were quick to advance towards the crevices, but froze at the emergence of humanlike creatures that were about ten times their size, if not bigger. These giants charged at them with reckless fervor, and before they could process what was taking place, many of them had been grabbed hold of and devoured whole.
Unforgettable nightmares were born that day. Only a small sum of the population managed to escape to the closest neighboring satellite as Shiganshina crumbled into pieces, while the remaining lives were lost either by getting eaten, squashed, or trampled to death. More mysterious spaceships came down on the other satellites over time, infesting them with Titans, thereby ridding them of their livable state. Out of more than thirty satellites, fifteen are still inhabited, ten are non-inhabited, and five have been destroyed.
Following the tragic incidents, the Space Force continues to scour the galaxy in search for the origin of Titans as well as the reason behind their invasions, which has proven to be more difficult with the enemy ships lurking in space. Being the army that comes in close contact with Titans the most, casualties are inevitable, but have significantly decreased with the help of advanced technologies that can save even those at death’s door. Several soldiers have had their body parts replaced with machine counterparts, serving as a constant reminder of what was taken from them.
The Space Force sometimes resorts to capturing Titans for the sake of research. Based on their findings, Titans can be classified into two kinds: Subhuman, which attacks with bare strength, and Intellectual, which attacks with heavy weapons. Neither are capable of speech, thus making it impossible for humans to verbally communicate with them.
The Scientific Department’s latest finding is a shocking discovery: Titans are born from humans injected with a serum. The serum cannot be synthesized; once it is injected into the bloodstream, the person would transform into a destructive monster ever so feared by man.
The Space Force is an AU created by the esteemed fanartist @snovaaprel, who pieced the idea together as she listened to this album. Earlier this month, she gathered a team of writers to further expand on the story and bring it to life, and the zine has been a work in progress since then.
The AU will follow the themes of the original work, but romantic connections will also spark between the members of the Survey Corps, or in this case, the Space Force. On that note, I’ll be posting a YumiHisu piece soon as part of this AU. Stay tuned if you’re interested!
More info and updates about the AU can be found in the artist’s IG, where you’ll find some finished bits of the zine as well as the other writers’ spectacular works!
The living room was dim when the raven haired finally made his entrance. The peaceful scene laid out in front of him, everything still and quiet apart from the light snores escaping from your mouth.
You were laid back on the couch, a blanket draped over you only covering your bottom half. Your hand was wrapped loosely around a bowl of half eating popcorn as the end credits of your favorite comfort film rolled up. On the coffee table in front of the couch was a mug, that too also half drunk. And alongside was your laptop it’s bright light reflecting across your face.
A simple smile crawled across his lips as he clicked his tongue. He had specifically told you not to stay up for him and simply because he didn’t want to be responsible for dragging you to bed afterwards.
But deep down he knew you wouldn’t listen to him. You never did.
Switching off the television and tidying up the half eaten popcorn along with the half mug with your cold tea he moved swiftly to close your laptop but then soon froze.
He then glanced at you, your chest rising and falling as you exhaled and for a second you murmured something in audible before shifting your position to get more comfortable.
Bringing back his eyes back to the screen he read its features.
‘Porcelain teacup set with tea infuser.’
Beneath were endless options with endless colors for you to choose from and only then he noticed your credit card beside your laptop, with a shake of his head he shut down your laptop and left your card on the table.
“Seems like you never listen huh?” he murmured under his breath in an attempt to scold you but that soft look in his eyes couldn’t help but appear.
With a chaste kiss to your forehead and careful not to wake you up he finally drew the blanket across your whole body; silently promising to carry you to bed later.
