Chapter Text
Eren looked out of the window, watching the nearby surrounding's in silence as he wiped the dust of the glass. The grass seemed to glitter in the fading sunlight of the late afternoon sun, dancing in the light summer breeze. A soft smile graced his chiseled features. He looked back into the hut. Jean was busy wiping the table while Mikasa and Armin were cutting up some potatoes for dinner. Eren smiled. It was good to be home.
It was a quiet but normal day in the Levi Squad headquarters, a small wooden hut hidden within the valley within Wall Maria. Everything seemed to go on as it did on any usual day. The squad usually spent most of the day cleaning the hut, which according to Captain Levi was never clean, no matter how hard they worked. Hanji had visited in the morning to report on the happenings in the capital. It was nothing new, everything seemed to go on normally with only a few incidents here and there. It had been five years since the Reclamation of Shinganshina. Eren had to admit that everything seemed to be so dull after the titan's were vanquished.
The door swung opened and Levi entered the small hut. He screwed his face in disgust, probably about to admonish them on how dirty the hut was. "Where the hell are Braus and Springer?" he asked sharply.
Eren chuckled silently. Sasha and Connie had disappeared an hour back. They always seemed to do that, it almost seemed like routine. The two had recently begun dating and it wasn't hard for the rest of the surmise what they were doing on their little 'escapades' in the woods nearby.
No one in the squad responded. Jean and Mikasa just looked back down and continued to do what they were doing previously. Levi just scoffed and walked towards the table, taking a seat down on a nearby chair. "There's still some dust on the table, Kirstein," Levi admonished harshly. Jean quickly worked to wipe the dust off the table.
All of a sudden, the door burst open once again and in walked Sasha and Connie, parading around the hut with a dead deer on their back.
Levi's scrunched his nose, covering it with his arm, a look of repulsion visible in his face. "What the hell is that?" he asked, disgusted. "And where the hell were you?"
"We were in the forest...doing stuff," replied Connie, his face turning crimson. "We found the deer roaming around so we decided to capture it, ya know, for dinner."
"The animals have begun popping back up in the wild!" exclaimed Sasha. "At first it was rabbits and pheasant, now deers have begun appearing."
The squad, especially Jean and Eren cheered. "Finally!" exclaimed Jean. "Something to decent to eat." The others voiced their agreement. It had been a long time since the squad had something decent to eat. They usually ate that horrid paste with some potatoes on it or those energy crackers they had when they were still training.
Sasha and Connie, alongside Jean, quickly exited the hut to begin skinning up the deer and prepare it for a tasty game stew. Levi said nothing as he just watched the three skin the deer and cut it up. Eren looked at their commander, the same austere expression on his face, not betraying any emotion. As the stew began boiling in the pot, Eren caught Levi sniffing up the scent, a soft smile piercing his lips. Ain't that something you don't see everyday. he thought to himself.
Soon, the squad had gathered on the table, the pot of stew laying in the center. Armin sniffed the steamy fumes. "Oh that smells heavenly!" he praised.
Sasha blushed at the praise. "This was one of the recipes I was taught whenever we brought home some game from the forest," she explained.
"Which you haven't yet eaten on the way?" asked Connie jokingly.
The squad laughed at Connie's joke while Sasha turned a darker blush before joining in the laughter. It had been a long time since she had made something for those she saw as family. Five years had passed and they were her family. To her, this was her home.
The squad soon began eating, groans of pleasure filled the small table as they enjoyed their hot meal. Night had fallen and soon the soft glows of candlelight filled the small hut. The table began to buzz with conversation of recent happenings and news from outside the valley.
"Is it really true what they are saying?" asked Armin. He had grown much since Shinganshina, taller too. His blonde hair was now trimmed in the back, leaving only bangs on the front. Eren had to admit, it was a good look. "Some of the soldiers are reporting sightings beyond the harbor, large ones. One even said of smoke reaching the harbor from Marley."
Eren leaned back into his chair. He knew what these sightings were. The great nation of Marley was divided in a civil war. One between the enslaved Eldians and their Marleyan overlords. He would have been part of it too was it not from the last minute intervention by Zeke who ordered him to head back to the mainland. He was scared for his brother, titans weren't invincible and he knew what the Marleyans were capable of.
"Yeager," said Levi abruptly, snapping Eren out of his stupor. "What of this brother of yours? We haven't heard from him in a year."
"I also haven't heard from him, Captain," replied Eren. "Those explosions aren't ploys. The last report he sent to me talks of multiple attacks on major Marleyan officials."
"A coup..." murmured Armin. "Didn't he say something about persuading a major Marleyan official to his cause?"
Eren nodded. "He did, but I'm not entirely sure of the details."
"Why aren't you?" asked Jean suddenly. "You stayed in Marley longer than we did. More than a year."
"I served in the wars they fought against other nations, the planning only began in its aftermath. I wanted to stay and fight with Zeke but he told me not too, I obeyed."
"Ain't that--"
"Enough!" said Levi in an eerily calm voice, however, it was enough to cease the tension in the room.
Silence reigned in the room until there came a soft knock at the door. Eren quickly stood up to see who came knocking.
"Who is it?" Eren asked as he opened the door. There, standing in front of him was a young Survey corps member, no older than eighteen with a small satchel across his chest. The lad had a bright smile on his face, showing his yellowed teeth.
"Yes?" Eren asked the lad.
"Is this the headquarters of Special Operations squad?" the lad asked excitedly.
The lad smiled as he reached into his bag and went through a number of envelopes before retrieving a cream white envelope with a golden seal. He handed it to Eren. "A message from Palace Mitras, sir." said the lad.
Eren tossed a golden coin to the soldier as a tip. The boy looked on with shock. "F-For me for me, sir?"
"You deserve it," said Eren with a shrug. "Go get yourself something, kid."
He nodded, mumbling many thank you's before dashing away into the night. Eren closed the door and made his way back to the table. The squad looked on expectedly.
"Who's the letter from, brat?" asked Levi.
"The palace," replied Eren. He opened the letter slowly and every leaned closer to hear its contents.
"Well?" asked Jean. "What does it say?"
Eren began to read the letter.
PALACE MITRAS
Office of the Premier
To Captain Levi Ackermann and the Special Operations Squad,
Her Majesty, The lady Historia Reiss, by prerogative of her government, of her right within the Wall's Maria, Rose, and Sina and other realms Queen, greets you with fair and bountiful fortune.
Attesting to your many accomplishments to Paradis and your growing interest to her majesty, she has officially bestowed you to her new Royal Guard. The squad, which here consists of Armin Arlert, Connie Springer, Eren Yeager, Jean Kirstein, Mikasa Ackermann, and Sasha Blouse, are hereby commanded to come at her majesty's behest to Palace Mitras to fulfill their new duties to the Crown.
As the new Queen's Guard, you will be charged in guarding the palace and protecting the queen in all her personal and royal endeavors. In addition to this, Eren Yeager has been assigned by Her Majesty to the role as her personal bodyguard and equerry.
Her Majesty also hopes to meet on the morrow for a special breakfast at 8 AM in the Royal dining room to bid you congratulations on your new command.
Long live the Queen!
Dhalis Zachary
Premier of Paradis
No one spoke after Eren read the letter. Eren himself was still contemplating in the fact that he was the queen's new personal secretary. The rest of the meal was eaten in relative silence. Once dinner had finished, Levi had ordered them to begin packing their bags for their new assignment.
"Pack your bags, brats," he said. "We leave for the palace at the dawn."
Back in their rooms, the squad was busy packing the remainder of their clothes in patchy satchel bags alongside with their other belongings. Armin packed some books with him while Sasha packed her hunting knife.
"What do you think we'll see in Mitras?" asked Armin, sitting on his bed. It had been a long time since he had visited the capital. The last time he did was the time he became an officer in the Survey corps.
"Much better conditions than this," said Jean, chortling happily to himself.
Eren nodded. "I think you'd do well in the stables with the rest of your kind, Jean-boy!"
The rest of the squad broke into fits of laughter as Jean blushed a dark crimson. "S-Shut up Yeager! At least I'm not gonna be a boring secretary anyway."
"At least I'll get better treatment than you'll ever get, horseboy."
Jean narrowed his eyes as he entered a fighting stance. "Oh you didn't just go there, you suicidal bastard!"
Eren smirked as he went into a similar stance. It was a familiar sight. Even in training these two boys would brawl, Eren usually being the victor. Eren placed his fists in front of his face and shifted his weight between his legs to get some equilibrium. The others watched with wide eyes as the two positioned themselves. Eren could only grin as he motioned his opponent with a mocking finger.
Jean narrowed his eyes as he advanced towards Eren with a loud screech and moved his fist for a quick down stroke towards Eren's jaw. Eren quickly read the move and dodged to the side, causing Jean to stumble as he lost his footing. Eren quickly struck Jean's stomach, cutting off his breath for a moment before kicking the back his legs. Jean let out a yelp as he fell to the ground. As soon as Jean hit the ground, Eren quickly kick him hard in the head, making Jean loose consciousness.
Sensing the fight ending, the room burst into applause. "Now that was one badass fight!" exclaimed Sasha as she applauded loudly.
Armin and Eren quickly worked to put Jean on his bed. Jean began to drool as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Armin frowned. "You didn't have to hit him that hard, Eren."
Eren shrugged. "Its as if I had any choice, Armin. It was in the heat of the moment."
The two chuckled as the tucked the subdued boy before making their way back to the bed. As Eren fixed up his bags, he looked up to see Mikasa watching him, a undecipherable look on her face. He went up and sat beside her on the bed.
He looked at her worriedly. "Is everything alright, Mika?" he asked. "What's with the face?"
Mikasa smiled at Eren with a soft smile. "Nothing Eren," she replied. "Just bored."
"Have you finished packing?"
Mikasa pointed to the already packed satchel at the edge of the bed. Eren nodded. "That's good." A smile was on his face. Mikasa blushed when she saw that smile.
Four years ago, when Eren became an officer, he acted all strange. He acted colder, keeping to himself. Mikasa noticed he was even muttering in his sleep about revenge and destruction, she couldn't sleep for days after that. When they visited Marley for the first time, Eren suddenly disappeared. They searched for months but to no avail.
After a year, Eren finally re-appeared. He returned back to Paradis with news. Zeke planned for a coup'd tat to overthrow the current government of Marley. He was acting more like himself now, it looked as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He looked happy and even hotter too. In those three months, Eren grew a few inches taller and grew his hair into a man-bun. Mikasa couldn't stop staring at him for days.
"Eren..."
Eren looked at her. "Yes?"
"Do you think we're ready to become guards?"
Eren chuckled. "I hope so. Everything's been so boring lately. Maybe becoming guards is going to be fun, although I think i'll have more duties than you. Titan Bodyguard, what was Historia thinking?"
Mikasa laughed a bit but she felt jealousy tinging in her heart. Eren was going to be Historia's new bodyguard and secretary, that gave her a chance to make Eren hers. She remembered the conversation that Eren and Historia had at the orphanage, he made Historia blush, no one could make Historia blush other than Ymir. It frightened her. at least she was able to break it up before it escalated quickly.
Eren was hers, she would make sure of that. No one could take him away from her. No one. She should tell him now, before Historia snatched him up. Mikasa hesitated. Should she tell him how she felt? What if he rejected her? No, not now. She thought, Now isn't the best time. Maybe when we're in Mitras, I'll tell him then.
She frowned. "Eren, just don't do anything stupid..."
"Don't worry Mikasa," said Eren, lightly. "I won't get killed or anything."
Seeing Eren smile made her smile even gleefully. She quickly moved and gave Eren a small peck on the lips. Eren's eyes widened.
"Mikasa, I--"
"Good night Eren!" she said before he had the chance to speak. "Go on and continue packing. You have a lot to prepare for."
Eren nodded numbly as he went down and resumed packing his stuff. Later that night, as everyone slept, Eren could barely sleep. The kiss filled his mind, he didn't know what to feel. Was it regret? Fear? Lust? He didn't know. Maybe she was supposed to kiss his cheek and he moved his head by an inch. This definitely wasn't a friendly peck, he thought. I'll ask her about it tomorrow.
As he pushed the thought out of his head, another thought filled his head. Historia. The queen. Eren wondered what she was like now. It had been a long time since he last saw her. He wondered if she still was the unprepared but determined queen that bloomed through hardship.
I guess I'll find out tomorrow.