The marketplace is lively around you as you walk along the sturdy, tiled roads. The wide walkway is filled with merchants and townspeople, all engaged with their everyday businesses. You hear the sounds of bargaining, arguing, gossiping, bickering.

Ordinary people doing ordinary things.

It 's equal parts wondrous and relaxing to know that no matter where you go, the mundanity of life never ceases.

You take in the sights and sounds with a small smile. The soot-covered blacksmith standing by his shop, hammering down a scorching hot lump of iron. The farmers, minding their wooden stalls with carrots, potatoes and cauliflower lined up. The small, square-shaped and efficiently tiled buildings with little boutiques, some selling clothes, some remedies, some a random assortment of this and that.

The architecture lacks the history and unorganised mien you 're so used to, with buildings of varying ages and conditions being scattered around the landscape. Rekanon has constantly been rebuilt thanks to a steady stream of attacks from Novaryn, and the buildings are all very efficiently structured, most carrying the same shape and being made of large tiles and steel roofs.

There are more heavily smoking chimneys, more industrial sounds and a lot of people doing their everyday chores in military outfits. It takes a while to get used to but you find yourself strangely drawn into their no-nonsense approach to infrastructure.

You breathe in the smell of freshly caught fish as you saunter past the stalls near the docks and the ocean. Exotic-looking fish are lined up on display, sold by stoic-looking seamen next to their large steel ships.

You notice that the goods are different here than they are in Novaryn. Novarynian bounties that you used to enjoy were mostly sweet fruits and berries from the soft fields, freshwater fish from the Mantern River and fragrant flowers from the Twin Mountains. What Varsiko yields is much more earthy, from harsher lands and colder climates.

Then again, Novaryn is so large that it probably grows every plant on Earth somewhere on its lands, but where you used to live, in West Novaryn, in the secluded castle near Genesia City, your prosperous capital, is in the midst of the temperate climate zone.

Varsiko does have access to the sea, catching fish and seafood that 's foreign to you. Even though Novaryn is large enough to border the sea as well, the castle is so far from seawater that the species of fish now on display all look new and exciting.

Rekanon, the city the royal family lives in as well as the capital of Varsiko, is situated at a strategically important point, where the Mantern River crosses into Mortis Sea. This gives them sound import and export routes to meet their ever-growing need for metal and wood.

It 's close to the borders of East Novaryn as well, the landmass North of Varsiko and next to West Novaryn. The East and West are separated by Mantern River, the very same river you crossed to get to Varsiko from Genesia City, your home.

Well, at least it used to be your home.

Now, however '

You turn to give Eren a somewhat forced smile. He 's walking next to you, face tense and a little ill-tempered. He doesn 't look around but keeps his eyes straight ahead. He walks briskly, clearly intent on getting you through the sights as soon as possible so he can get back to the castle and be rid of you.

Behind you walk Levi and Eren 's guard. Quiet and stoic as always, it only now strikes you that the two are very alike in some ways. Then again, all the guards you 've encountered are stiff and serious.

Only the presence of the guards gives away that you 're anyone important. Eren is wearing his usual, simple coordination of a cotton shirt, simple, brown pants and leather boots. There 's no crown or royal insignia on him to indicate his status.

You, on the other hand, asked Maid Springer to bring you a simple, knee-length dress. You instructed her to weave your hair in an ordinary bun. You look like a nobody. The only thing that can give you away is your posh accent.

It 's obvious Eren doesn 't come down to meet the peasants often, as no one recognises him. He seems to prefer it that way as well.

You march past the city square. You 've kept up with Eren diligently thus far, but when you see the large, tiled space, you can 't help but pause.

The city square is where most events take place. It 's where Darius Zackly, Admiral of the Varsikovian army, keeps his passionate, patriotic speeches to rally the citizens into devoting even more of their lives and resources to warfare.

In the middle of the square, there is a large iron statue. The middle-aged man in the statue is plump, with a wide smile on his face and a bushy beard covering his sturdy chin. He 's wearing a military outfit with a long cape, fastened in place with a pin, carved to which is the Varsikovian symbol that 's also depicted on their flag.

Next to him is another statue, this one depicts a young woman with short, jagged hair and hopeful, wide eyes. Wearing simple, flowy robes and a heavy-looking pendant, she has one hand raised towards the sky, another clutching a ragged flag. On the pendant is a symbol, a triangle inside a circle, the same symbol tattooed on the back of Levi 's hand.

You 've started reading

Song of Steel

this week in your plentiful idle moments, and thanks to that, you can name these two people.

The man is Nimbus Zackly, Darius Zackly 's grandfather, the former head of the Varsikovian army and the person who led the siege of Lienov against Novaryn 73 years ago and in the process, managed to keep Varsiko from being annexed into Novaryn, even if only by a hair.

Even back in Novaryn, you heard his name once or twice. Though, in your tales, he was portrayed as a ruthless monster. He drove the Novarynian forces back from Varsiko 's ports, but he also pushed them back enough to take control of the city of Sorn, a small farming community in East Novaryn.

With his blessing, Varsikovian soldiers pillaged the whole place and set it on fire. 4,000 people, almost 70 percent of the total population of Sorn, lost their lives, and the majority of the rest were young women who were kidnapped and assumedly tortured and soiled in the hands of Varsikovian men, as they were never heard from again. To Novaryn, Nimbus Zackly is a monster.

Yet in Varsiko, he 's a hero worthy of a statue.

The woman next to him is Ymir Fritz, a well-known alchemist and the founder of the Wing of Science. She came up with the blueprints of weapon enhancements and successfully carried out the first transmutations for the army close to a century ago.

The square is filled with people standing around and casually chatting amongst each other. No stalls or merchants are allowed here, but that doesn 't stop housewives from gathering together and gossiping nor children running around and tossing pebbles into the large fountain that 's steadily flowing at the sidelines.

The final thing that catches your attention is a large steel structure at the front of the square. It looks like a stage.

'Is that where the Admiral delivers his speeches? ' you turn to ask Eren, but he 's already way ahead of you. He hasn 't even noticed you 're lagging behind.

His guard is following him quietly, and you look at their distancing backs. Behind you, Levi is standing guard. You turn to him for an answer.

'Yeah. This is also where the public executions take place, ' Levi replies nonchalantly. He 's dressed as usual, with the red cape hanging from his shoulders and his weapons on clear display, warning off any potential aggravators.

You hum and turn to walk away, and only after you 've taken a couple of steps do Levi 's words sink in.

'Executions?! ' you yelp and turn to gape at him with wide eyes. 'You execute people publicly?! '

'Not everyone, just the worst offenders, ' Levi shrugs.

You 're dumbfounded for a precious moment. It 's not that you don 't have the death penalty in Novaryn, it 's just that they 're carried out privately. Making a public spectacle out of someone meeting the Creator is barbaric to you.

Before you can express your outrage, however, Eren has noticed you 're missing and marched back to you. He grabs your arm impatiently, a fact that makes Levi jolt on instinct.

'Come on, ' he sighs. 'We 're almost done with the tour. '

You tear your eyes away from the steel structure and follow Eren out of the city square. In all honesty, you 'd love to walk slower, take your time looking around, maybe visit some shops to use some of the gold Czar Yeager insisted on giving you this morning.

But Eren doesn 't look interested in doing this. If anything, you seem like the last thing he wants to spend his time on.

Despite that, you give him a polite curtsey and follow him back towards where you started your brisk tour.

'Do you not enjoy the city, your grace? ' you attempt a conversation. Eren shrugs.

'Not this part of it. '

'Then, which parts do you enjoy? ' you ask curiously. Eren gives you a wary glance and finally gestures towards the military base.

The Wing of Science and Wing of Royal Affairs are based in the castle, but the Wing of Offence and Wing of Defence are located in the military headquarters, a large structure located near the castle. It looks exceptionally uninviting with its rectangle shape and lack of anything ornamental, save for two Varsikovian flags flapping at each side of it.

It 's heavily guarded and a tall wall surrounds the whole structure. A constant stream of carriages moves towards and from the metal gates, pulled by small and sturdy Mongol horses that you 've seen around Varsiko a lot.

You raise an eyebrow. Now that you mention it, the time you went to Eren 's room, it was filled with war novels.

'You are interested in the military, your grace? ' you ask quizzically. He shrugs tersely.

'I might have to lead an army one day, ' he says. You clearly see he 's not planning on entrusting you with the whole picture, but something makes him interested in the military.

'I would ask you to show me around the base, but I believe I 'm not allowed in. '

'You 're not, ' Eren confirms. 'At least without confirmation from my father or Zeke. '

You pause to think when Zeke 's name is mentioned. You wonder if he 's close to Eren at all. During meals, they seem to have neutral relations.

If Zeke is the one behind the letters, which are still coming in on the daily, is Eren aware of that?

You can 't trust Eren, but you wonder how much he knows about what 's going on in the castle. He seems like a rather simple czarevich. Eager to dash out to war for what you assume is blood and glory.

'Your brother, ' you start carefully. 'Are you two close? '

Eren stops walking abruptly. He gives you a long, obviously suspicious look. The girl who works as his guard looks tense as well. The atmosphere gets suddenly very unsettling. Only Levi is taking it easy, he takes the opportunity to lean against a stone fence and start digging out dirt from under his nails.

'What 's it to you? ' Eren asks, obviously on the defensive. You don 't know if he 's annoyed because you 're prying to his private life or because you 're asking about Zeke specifically.

Either way, you need to tread carefully.

'I was just curious, ' you say, trying to sound as unengaged as possible.

'Why? '

'It is hard not to wonder about your brother, given his unfavourable attitude towards me, ' you shrug. Eren gives you a long look. Then, he relaxes a little and turns his eyes back to the tiled road ahead. He resumes walking.

'Can you blame him? ' he asks nonchalantly. You blink.

'Well, I assume it is rather common for Varsikovians to not be too fond of Novaryn, but I do not see why he would carry such a personal grudge. '

Eren stops dead in his tracks and turns to give you a disbelieving stare. He 's not the only one, his guard and even Levi look genuinely surprised.

'So, you don 't know why Zeke hates you so much? ' Eren slowly asks. You shake your head. Eren 's gape quickly turns into a dismissive scowl.

'You really are clueless, huh, ' he snorts. 'You don 't seem to know anything that 's been going on beyond your castle 's grounds for a century. '

You swallow and your eyes flicker down. He 's right, of course. You were never taught anything about warfare or contemporary politics. You only know of the war in the form of a few legendary tales and fleeting gossip from your maids.

Eren shakes his head with a sigh.

'I don 't hate you, ' he then adds to soothe the sting. 'I 'm not ecstatic about marrying you, but I don 't hate you. '

You raise your gaze to look at his bothered face. You 're standing in the middle of the road, townspeople walking past without bothering to listen what you 're talking about. They 've got more interesting things to mind.

Eren doesn 't seem to be lying, and you nod meekly.

'I was not taught these things, ' you tell him quietly. 'I want to know things, but I don 't know where to start. '

'I 'm not going to be your teacher, ' Eren immediately declines. 'The only reason I 'm taking you out right now is that my dad demanded I do. I don 't hate you, but don 't expect me to spend time with you, ' Eren explains. He has a somewhat frustrated frown on his face, he doesn 't want to be in this situation either.

'Then, who could I turn to? ' you ask quietly. You don 't want to remain clueless forever. It 's just that you have no allies in the castle. Eren shrugs.

'Don 't ask me. And don 't count on me taking you out again. Here, ' he takes a small, purple necklace from his pocket. The amethyst is tied in place with a simple leather string.

'My dad told me to give you something, ' he explains and wrinkles his nose at the necklace. It 's clear he picked it out himself. If it was the Czar himself or one of the maids, it would without a doubt be much more elaborate.

You take the necklace and curtsey properly.

'Thank you, your grace. ' You give him that trained smile. You 're just about to ask Eren to tie it around your neck for you, a gesture customary in Novaryn, but before you get the chance, he 's already turned to stride down the grey, tiled road that takes him back to the carriage that 's waiting for your return.

You think it over for a second before calling after him.

'Your grace! '

Eren turns to give you an impatient look. He 's clearly aching to get out of here.

'I would like to look around a bit more. Do you mind if I stay? I can walk back to the castle. '

You want to get to know the city a bit better than this, but you don 't want to drag poor Eren with you on a forceful date.

Eren shrugs, uninterested.

'Do as you like. '

You give him your trained smile.

'I 'll tell them to send another carriage to wait for you, ' he says, even a little happy to be rid of you so soon. You wonder if he 's got some other plans for today or if he just dislikes pretending to be lovers that much.

You nod and curtsey.

'I 'll see you at dinner, your grace, ' you say and after he 's out of sight, you turn to Levi.

'Sorry. Seems like your duty continues, ' you hum. Levi gives you a bland stare.

'Beats standing next to your door and watching you read, ' he bluntly states.

You look over the necklace Eren gave you. It 's rough around the edges, so to speak, but the gesture is nice. Even if it was obviously forced. You hand the necklace to Levi with a small smile.

'Could you help this on me? ' you ask. Levi blinks at you. The request clearly annoys him a little, but despite that he shrugs and grabs the leather string.

He easily slips it around your neck, and his fingers work surprisingly nimbly as he ties the string at the back. You feel a small shiver of goosebumps when the tips of his fingers brush against the delicate skin on the nape of your neck. You were always very sensitive on your neck.

'Thank you. ' You give him a half-hearted smile and let your fingers run over the rough texture of the stone once to get used to the feeling.

You then turn back towards the city and start walking down the streets. You grasp the hem of your dress to keep it from getting dirty and move through the crowd as confidently as possible.

It 's exciting. You 've visited Genesia 's busy central once or twice with your mother, but it wasn 't a luxury that was bestowed upon you often. Now, you have a whole city within your fingertips. You doubt the Czar has anything against you being here, given that you 're adequately disguised and accompanied by a guard.

You walk back down the main road, only this time you take your time looking around. At times, you stray away to the small alleyways that have the more obscure shops and smaller taverns.

Levi keeps close to you without a word. He doesn 't seem too worried about being out in the open like this, so you dare to relax.

You walk past the stores, visiting a few of them as you do. You buy a pair of riding boots and a romance novel for your vacant nights. You enjoy the fresh portside air and the bustling of people around you. Growing up in isolation and being left to your own devices, it feels good to blend into the masses and pretend you 're an ordinary human for once.

You 're just about to set course to the tiled road leading to your rendezvous with the carriage when something catches your eyes through a display window of a small general store.

You see clothes, books, jewellery and furniture inside, scattered around just where they happen to fit in a homely, unorganised way.

Inside, you see an elderly man leaning against the counter. He 's wearing very plain clothes and seeing how the store is empty and everyone else just walks right past the venue, you conclude his business must not be booming. When he notices your interested gaze, he smiles and tips his flaccid and worn-out hat to greet you.

Where your eyes have landed is on a small folding knife. You can see it inside through the display, window tossed on one of the shelves behind the counter, in between a small kettle and a silver tray. It has a simple, polished wooden handle. The blade inside doesn 't seem to be large. It would be easy to hide in your robes and keep at hand.

Just in case.

The graphic descriptions from the latest letter flash in your mind. You try your best to keep them out of your head, but it can be challenging at times. The contents of the letters are always very similar, they depict your death in the hands of the sender.

Sometimes, they go straight to the point and explain in great detail how a blade is going to saw into your flesh, sever your arteries and make you bleed out in a matter of seconds.

Sometimes, they 're more in-depth and contain a prolonged description of certain kinds of torture. Carving

Varsiko

on your stomach with a surgeon 's knife, digging out your eyeball, cutting off your ear, the fantasies are endless and convey a chilling lust for blood and humiliation.

They also have a very unnerving undertone of lust. Your neck seems to be of special interest to whoever 's behind the letters, and once the letter has mentioned strangling you instead of cutting your throat. The way the sender talks about killing you almost sounds like it 's arousing him.

In either case, having a knife at hand could be a good thing. In case this isn 't just idle threats after all, and someone will eventually try to attack you.

You glance at Levi, who 's standing next to you with a disengaged look on his face. So far, he 's done a good job protecting you. But you can 't really trust him. With a snap of his fingers, the Czar could turn his blade against you. You will need something to fend for yourself.

The question remains, how do you buy the knife without Levi noticing? Surely he will get suspicious if you walk in and buy a stealthy weapon. You don 't want him suspecting that you 're up to something bad.

You think it over for a moment and then turn to Levi.

'Levi, I would like you to stand guard outside while I go in, ' you start carefully.

'Why? ' Levi gives you an inquisitive side-eye.

'I- I would like to buy something private from the store. '

Levi crosses his arms, not impressed.

'Such as? '

'U-undergarments, ' you make up quickly. Through the display window, Levi glances at the insides of the shop and draws up an eyebrow.

'Seems like an unlikely place to buy undergarments, from a general store and an old geezer like him. '

'I see a brassier corset in there that I like, okay? And I do not want you watching me while I buy it, so turn your back, ' you order stubbornly. Levi looks at you for a long time and then shrugs.

'Whatever you say, little miss. I wouldn 't trust the hygiene of anything coming out of that dustbin of a store, though, ' he points out but turns his back to the store nonetheless.

You let out a relieved breath and nod to yourself. You walk to the store and yank the door open.

The bell above the door makes a small jingling sound, and the older man behind the counter gives you a warm smile.

The creases around his mouth and friendly wrinkles that appear in the corner of his eyes with his smile set you at ease. His hand shakes just the tiniest bit with age as he gestures for you to come in further.

'Please come in, my dear, look around, ' he says with a heartfelt tone. You look around the stuffed store, the liberally filled shelves, the worn-out furniture sitting in the corner, the few racks of clothes you claimed to Levi you 're interested in.

You stop in front of the counter and give the man a nervous smile.

'I would like to see that knife over there, ' you say and point towards the folding knife. The man turns to see, and a look of confusion creeps to his face.

'This old knife, miss? '

'Yes. Please, ' you add. He takes the knife and shows it to you.

'Are you sure you want this one? We have bigger blades right here, ' he gestures to a small barrel next to the counter, filled with an assortment of old-looking swords and daggers. You shake your head.

'This one will fare just fine. '

The man shrugs.

'Seven polas. '

You take out the small pouch of coins from the folds of your dress and hand it to the man.

'If you could count the money yourself, I would be most grateful. I still struggle a bit with recognising the different coins. Pola is the medium silver coin, right? '

The man takes the money and pauses. He frowns to himself, a little confused, but opens the pouch nonetheless.

'I thought your accent sounded weird, miss, ' he converses casually. He gives you a small smile. 'Not a lot of foreigners in these lands. Never met one myself. They don 't usually permit them outsiders further than the ports. Imports are received at the docks and the merchants are sent back the way they came. '

He looks well-meaning and curious as he counts the money.

'May I ask where you 're from, miss? '

You freeze then. Should you lie? Make up something? Tell the truth?

You look at his twinkling, sweet eyes and find yourself entrusting him with the truth. You 've got Levi in case he takes things badly.

'Between you and me, sir, I 'm a Novarynian. '

Immediately, the man 's smile freezes on his worn-out features. The pouch of coins falls on the desk with a loud thump. He gives you a wide-eyed stare.

'You 're the Novarynian princess they talked so much about some time ago? ' he asks. You try to gauge his expression, but it 's hard. He looks shocked, but you 're not sure what kind of shock it is.

'A princess? What makes you say that? ' you chuckle awkwardly. You try not to avoid his eyes so you don 't appear defensive.

'They haven 't allowed a Novarynian through those ports for a century unless they 're in shackles and on their way to the factories. The only Novarynian who would be roaming free like this would be the princess. Unless you 're a stowaway. '

Maybe you should have pretended you 're from somewhere else. But it 's too late to back down now. You give him a small, nervous smile.

'You caught me. I 'm that princess, ' you admit.

You see something flash in the man 's eyes, a longing long since stifled. Suddenly, he looks crushed and sad. Obviously, some kind of memories are flooding back to him.

The moment is fleeting. In a second, he turns angry.

'In that case, I have no business to do with you. Take your money and leave, ' he announces. His tone and face are seeping unyielding cold. You blink at him.

So, he has a grudge against Novaryn. And by extension, you. Just like Zeke. And just like Zeke, you don 't know the exact reason why.

'Sir, ' you start. You could leave, but you 're suddenly curious to hear why he 's so angry.

It 's as Eren said, you know nothing of Varsiko besides the shallow introduction to culture and customs you studied before coming here. You know nothing of the struggles of the common folk. And you want to understand. This is your new home after all.

'I understand that there is a lot of animosity between Novaryn and Varsiko, but I 'm here to help to build peace. I want to help Varsiko, ' you try to reassure him.

Immediately, you realise you shouldn 't have. He grits his teeth together, his eyes fill with tears and he yanks you in by the front of your dress.

'Help us? Don 't make me laugh, ' he hisses. 'Your rotten country has never brought us anything but war and suffering. If you ask me, I want no peace with your kind. What I want is to see every one of you disappear. '

'Sir, I understand you are angry, but you must understand that I 'm not here to bring you grief- '

'Your kind never brings us anything but grief! ' the man shouts.

'Sir, please calm down-! '

You shouldn 't have said that. Instantly, he grabs a dull-looking sword from the barrel next to the counter and grabs your hair to pull you in over the counter. You feel the jagged edge press against your neck.

'Don 't tell me what to do! ' he yells. Tears are streaming down his face as he looks at you. He sounds angry, but his expression is that of grief and devastation. This is someone who has lost something very dear to him.

'Maurice, dear, what is- Oh my goodness! What are you doing to the poor girl?! '

You look to the side to see an older woman standing in the doorway of what you assume leads to the backroom of the store. Her grey hair is pulled to a ponytail and she 's carrying a box of what looks like various, old-looking toys.

She drops the box and hurries over with wide eyes. You wince a little where you are, pulled over the counter by your hair with a sword pressed to your neck.

'Stand back, dear, she 's that cursed princess they mentioned, the one they 're planning to marry to the younger Yeager boy. She was trying to buy a knife, who knows what she was planning to do with it. '

Immediately, a look of shock dawns on the woman 's face. Then, instead of anger, she turns hopeful.

'Let her go, Maurice, maybe she can help us, ' she pleads. She walks to you and grasps your arm with a begging look.

'Miss, you 're a princess, there must be something you can do. Our daughter, Belle, she moved to Birnek close to the border to be with her sweetheart. She went missing two years ago after a group of Novarynians ransacked the city. Maybe you can help us find her? '

You give her a helpless look. The blade is still pressed against your neck, though the man 's hand is shaking a bit where he 's holding you.

You hear the door open and close, and you don 't have to turn to see that Levi 's walked in. The way the man flinches, his eyes widening, gives it away.

'I 'll give you three seconds to let go, ' you hear Levi 's voice from somewhere behind you. The woman looks scared but keeps clinging to your arm. Her face is desperate, tears brimming in her small, blue eyes.

'Our daughter, Belle. Belle Lindt. She was a good child, she would be 24 years old now. Long, brown hair, blue-grey eyes. She has a beauty mark under her eye. You can help us find her, right? Please, miss, ' she breathes.

'I ' ' you trail off. You don 't know what to say. Obviously, there 's no way for you to find one girl who went missing years ago. Your brother wouldn 't know where she is. You have no authority over anyone in the army. She was most likely taken a prisoner or killed.

'Forget it, Gloria, she 's not going to help us, ' the man cuts in. 'She doesn 't care. Rotten, like the rest of her country. Doesn 't care who she hurts. '

'Are you deaf, old man? Let go, ' Levi orders again. You can 't see him since he 's behind you, but you can tell from his voice that he 's getting irritated.

'And you, protecting an enemy! Aren 't you ashamed of yourself? ' the man exclaims at Levi. The tears are now streaming down his face. He leans in with a sniffle and you can see the heartbreak in his eyes.

'I don 't care who you are, miss. I don 't care if you 're a princess or what, but my daughter did not deserve what your country did to her. Wherever she is, she must be suffering and this ' Pitiful excuse of amendments from your country doesn 't come even close to being enough. Our wounds can never be healed. You are not welcome here. '

With that, he finally pulls his weapon back and turns away. He wipes off his tears and grabs the knife to throw it to you.

'Here, take it. I don 't want your cursed money. I just hope you use it to spill your own blood, none of ours, ' he mutters venomously. You take the knife as Levi briskly walks up to you and grabs your shoulder now that you 're not in immediate danger anymore.

He only glances at the knife, not surprised in the least that it 's not undergarments you 're purchasing but a weapon. He pulls you behind him, his sword still out, and then turns to the man.

'To raise a weapon against someone with diplomatic immunity and protection is a capital offence. Even you must know as much, old man, ' Levi states. He looks cold, his eyes hard and ruthless.

'I 'm fine, Levi, ' you sigh. 'Let us just go. '

'It 's not as simple as that, ' Levi announces tensely. 'I 've been ordered to protect you and deal with threats to the full extent of the law. '

You frown, and when the implication of his words hits you, you gasp and grab his arm.

'You cannot be serious! ' you gape at him. 'I was not hurt. '

'That doesn 't matter. The intent is enough. '

The man gives Levi a look of defiance, though underneath is poorly concealed fear.

'You 're going to cut down your own to protect a foreigner like her, boy? What has this country become? Go ahead, then. I died years ago when my daughter stopped writing. ' He straightens his back and though you can see he 's trembling from head to toe, he refuses to cower in front of Levi.

His wife whimpers and crawls towards Levi, head bowed in a begging motion.

'Please, sir, can 't you let him go? He means no harm, he 's just gone wrong from all the grief- '

'Don 't touch me, ' Levi orders when the woman 's hands get too close to him. You look back and forth between Levi and the man.

'Levi, he was not going to hurt me, ' you try to reason. 'That sword is dull, he could not kill me with that even if he tried. He is just a heartbroken old man, I doubt he would have the strength even if that blade was sharp enough. '

'That 's none of my business. My orders are crystal clear; eliminate everyone who threatens the Princess of Novaryn. No exceptions. '

'He was not going to hurt me! ' you snap. 'Levi, sheathe your weapon. Now. '

Levi stands completely still and disregards you. He takes a step towards the man, and you hurry to stand between them.

'That is an order. ' You lock eyes with him, gaze resolute. You 've never ordered Levi before. You 've asked him to do things, but they 've always been softened with a

'please '.

Now, though, you 're staring him down.

You might be a foolish little girl who knows nothing of Varsiko and their customs, but you 're still a princess. The future wife of the czarevich. Your word weighs for something and now, Levi is going to stand down and listen to you.

Levi gives you a long, dark look. His sword is out and he shows no signs of backing down.

'Stand aside, ' he tells you dully. You shake your head. Levi groans and rolls his eyes. He then grabs your arm, forcefully pulls you to the side and with a single slash of his sword, the man is beyond help.

You let out a small shriek when you realise what 's happened. The woman wails and crawls to the man, futilely trying to place her hands over the gashing wound.

'Maurice, oh Maurice, ' she breathes, clearly in shock. 'What shall I do now? Oh dear, oh dear, ' she sniffs and hugs his body to her chest. You see the life draining from his eyes until he 's gone.

He 's dead.

Levi killed him, just like that.

'Let 's go. I 'm under orders to take you back to the castle should anything out of the ordinary happen. '

'You killed him, ' you breathe, in shock.

Levi grasps your arm and starts steering you to the door of the store. You snap out of your petrified state and start struggling.

'Let go of me, ' you order, your cool completely lost. 'You murderer, how could you? How could you?! He was just an old man, let go of me! '

Levi groans when you dig your heels into the floor and try to pull free. You want nothing to do with your guard right now.

With zero difficulties, he grabs you and throws you over his shoulder like you 're a piece of luggage. He then starts carrying you to the door.

Your wide eyes are fixed on the woman, fruitlessly trying to wake up her husband.

'I 'm sorry, ' you breathe at her, but she doesn 't hear you.

As Levi makes it out of the store to the streets, buzzing with life just as it was fifteen minutes ago, blissfully unaware that a man has just been killed in the dusty general store no one seems to pay much attention to, you snap out of your shock and start your vicious fighting again.

You draw stares and whispers as you go. You struggle against him, bang your fists at his back, do everything you can to make him drop you down, but it 's to no avail.

His cape and uniform make everyone stand back. He 's a high ranking officer and everyone 's aware of that. No one dares to step in to as much as ask what 's going on.

Levi doesn 't even break a sweat as he carries your struggling body atop of the small hill where the carriage is waiting. He opens the door and unceremoniously throws you in on top of the soft cushions. He signals for the driver to start moving and then hops in after you.

'Do not touch me, ' you breathe and immediately crawl back on the red satin cushions until your back hits the wall. Levi snorts and sits down across from you. He doesn 't look bothered at all by your temper tantrum.

'I wasn 't touching you because I enjoy it, ' he points out dully. You stare at him incredulously. How can he be so calm?

He ignores you the ride home, despite the way you glare at him. When the carriage pulls up in front of the Rekanon Castle, you get out the second the driver opens the door. You march past the barren front yard inside the castle.

You can hear Levi following you, and when you walk inside your chambers and realise he 's tailed you all the way here, you turn to give him a hard glare just as he closes the door after himself.

'Whatever are you doing? ' you ask, voice thin with fury.

'The Czar has ordered me to keep you company, ' Levi answers calmly. You march up to him and point at the door.

'I do not care what the Czar has ordered. Get out! '

'I only take orders from you if they 're not in direct conflict with the Czar 's, ' Levi tells you. His matter-of-fact disregard for your emotional state frustrates you.

'You killed that man! ' you yell at him. It 's as if the weeks of stress and isolation are crashing down on you. You 're cracking at the seams.

For a couple of blissful hours, you felt like a normal person. Walking around town shopping like anybody else. Not a princess. Not a political prisoner. Not a bargaining chip.

Without a doubt, the news of Levi killing a poor old man in your name has spread. Your name and face have spread.

You probably can 't go back into the city again.

'I was under orders to. '

'He was not a threat! He was an old man struck with grief because he lost his daughter! '

'That 's none of my concern. '

'He was not going to kill me! '

'That was his decision. He knew what the repercussions would be when he drew that sword. ' Levi starts looking a little annoyed.

'He was an elderly person! '

'Would you have preferred if he was a young man? A child, maybe? ' Levi offers, and you lose it.

Your hand connects with his cheek, and the sting in your palm is painful and instantaneous. Levi is completely unscathed by the sudden slap. The force doesn 't as much as move his head to the side.

'You can keep slapping me if that is what makes you feel better, ' he offers. He sounds uninterested, almost bored. It annoys you. How casual he is about this.

'You just killed someone! How can you be so calm?! '

'Little miss, I 've killed thousands and thousands of people. Many of which deserved it less than that old-timer did. My order was to kill, so I killed. That 's all there is to it. '

You grit your teeth and slap him again. And again. He doesn 't do anything to stop you, and eventually, your hits grow weaker and weaker when you realise that you 're having zero effect on him.

Your eyes fill with tears and finally, you crumble.

You slump on the floor, your face pressed into your knees, and sob.

You 're helpless.

You 're useless.

You can 't do anything. You can bring peace to neither this country nor your own. You can 't make your husband-to-be care about you. You couldn 't stop Levi from killing that old man. Hell, you can 't even make his cheek sting enough for him to try and stop you from slapping it.

You 're weak. A na 've little girl who can 't accomplish anything on her own. A throwaway child that was never the more welcome in Novaryn than you are in Varsiko.

'It is not fair, ' you sob into your knees, hands fisting your own hair so hard you hear it rip a bit.

Levi watches you unravel with unreadable eyes. Not a muscle on his face changes as you cry until you 're tired and boneless.

When Levi picks you up again, his hands are gentler than last time. With one arm under your knees and another around your back, he hoists you up in his arms. You 're too exhausted to fight him, so you stay limp in his hold and allow him to take you to the bed.

'Life is never fair, little miss, ' he tells you. His voice is matter-of-fact, but there 's a small twinge of compassion underneath that you can just barely decipher.

He places you on the bed, and you immediately burrow under the thick blankets to hide. From him. From the reality of the situation. You turn your back to him and curl up. He straightens his back and watches the slump under the red covers for a brief moment before walking back to the door.

'Levi, ' you mutter after a moment of silence. You 're tired and blue. All you want is to close your eyes and forget this day ever happened.

'What? '

'Did you really feel no sympathy for that old man? '

'Of course, I did. '

'But you killed him. '

'Yeah. '

'Just because of some vague orders you got from the Czar. '

'They were not vague to me. '

'Are you even human? ' you sniffle pitifully, too exhausted to put much venom in your tone.

'Technically, I believe I 'm somewhere between a human and a machine. '

You chuckle in disbelief. Is that his version of a joke?

'I do not understand you, ' you confess. You open your eyes even though under the protective layer of the blanket, everything is dark and dim.

You wrap your arms around yourself just to realise you have the knife, pushed in the folds of your dress. You pull it out and quietly slip it under your pillow.

'You don 't have to understand me, little miss. I 'm just here to keep you alive. '

'For now, ' you mutter so quietly he can 't hear you. With one last steadying breath, you pull the covers aside and sit up. You lean your back against the cherrywood head of the bed and kick your shoes off to the floor.

You think it over, letting out the occasional leftover sniff, and then turn your eyes to Levi.

'May I ask you to pass me a pen and paper, or are you under direct orders from the Czar to limit my usage of writing equipment? '

Levi doesn 't reply. Instead, he walks to the table and grabs a blank parchment paper and quill. He passes them to you and walks back to the door.

You think it over. It might be in vain, but it 's still worth a shot. You want to believe you 're capable of doing

something

, even if it 's saving one person. Just one is enough.

Sirius,

you start.

Dearest brother. I know it 's unbecoming and unusual of me to ask for a favour of this nature, but it is of utmost personal importance to me.

I am looking for a woman by the name of Belle Lindt. She may be a prisoner of war, and I was hoping you could assist me with finding her and safely returning her back to her mother.

You describe her appearance and where she went missing, roll up the paper and get out of the bed. You seal the letter and wander out to the balcony.

The day is turning into evening and the cool wind blowing in does nothing to ease the heavy feeling in your chest.

You whistle for the hawk appointed to you, and when she perches on your outstretched arm, you tie the letter to her leg and quickly tell her to take it to your brother. Before you can change your mind and concern yourself with what 's proper of you.

The hawk flies off, and you watch her glide to the apricot horizon. You place a weighty hand on your heart, another on your forehead, and murmur a small prayer.

Maybe the Creator will allow you this small miracle before your soul is forever lost.