Rough hands holding you down. Your wrists bruising. You writhe on the bed, head thrown back.

'Quiet, ' someone murmurs into your ear. 'A good girl stays still and lets her owner fuck her. '

You frown a little. Owner?

You open your eyes to look at the man above you. Cold eyes flashing behind round glasses, his beard scratching the skin on your chest as he suddenly surges down to bite your nipple.

'Let go, ' you breathe but to no avail. You feel him moving inside you and clench your eyes shut.

'You 're mine, pet, ' you hear his raspy whisper. You try kicking at his back, but he 's too close for you to get your feet between you and push him away.

He pins your wrists down with one hand and uses the other to grab your throat.

'What a good pet, ' he praises with a viciously mocking snarl and clutches your windpipe shut. 'I can 't wait to feel how tight you 'll clench around me as I strangle you to death. '

'Stop, ' you breathe.

'How annoying. '

Suddenly, his voice changes. You open your eyes to see it 's now Eren above you. He 's let go of you, he refuses to touch you as he snaps his hips down with impersonal annoyance.

'Why do I have to do this? ' he complains. You just stare at him, gaping. Are you losing your mind?

You try to push him off, but he merely glares at you and snaps his hips down harder.

'It 's not like I want to do this. The least you can do is stay still. '

You feel a sting of humiliation. As if you wanted to do this, either. He moves into you unenthusiastically, nose wrinkling and eyes avoiding yours.

You turn your head to the side, your eyes closing as you try to disengage from the distressing situation. You feel something move inside you and the impersonal edge of it all makes you bite your lip to keep yourself from crying.

A breeding mare. Just like your mother.

Just as suddenly, you feel something change above you. Someone grabs your chin to turn your head.

'Look at me, little miss. '

Your eyes fly open and you gape when you see that suddenly, it 's Levi, and he 's a lot more handsy. He tugs you in for a hard kiss, his hips fast and unyielding. Yet, his eyes are keen on you, making sure you 're moaning in pleasure underneath him.

Your body moves on its own. You wrap your arms around his neck, cling to him as he takes you, and gasps of utter heat and arousal escape your lips.

Your tongues rub together, your groomed nails bury into his toned back as you hand yourself over to him.

'Levi, ' you breathe his name, surrendered.

'Oh? What do we have here? ' you hear a drawling, lazy voice. You turn your head to see Zeke and Eren. Zeke 's eyes are gleaming with mirth as he witnesses your infidelity. Eren looks annoyed and mostly impassive.

Levi dismounts you and salutes Zeke.

'Just as I told you, the little miss is exceptionally untrustworthy, ' he explains, suddenly fully clothed. He doesn 't as much as look at you. He looks uninterested. You try to cover yourself with the sheets, but they 're suddenly gone.

You look at Levi with wide eyes, the burn of his betrayal making bile rise up your stomach to your throat.

'Such an eager lapdog, ' Zeke chuckles. 'Levi, show the pet how we treat little whores around here. '

Levi takes out his sword, steps in and without a hue of emotion in his eyes, he slices.

-

You wake up to your own scream. Springing up on the soft cushions, your eyes are wide open and disturbed as you instinctively clutch your throat to make sure it 's still very much sealed.

You slowly let go and stare at your trembling hands.

It 's far from the first time this has happened. Ever since the letters started coming, you 've had unsettling dreams, but the incident in town has escalated your paranoia.

It 's also the first time Levi has been included in such a fashion.

Little by little, your surroundings get embedded in your brain, and you calm down. You 're fine. You 're still alive.

Outside, you can hear seabirds cawing to each other in the midst of their midsummer mating rituals. You can hear horsemen pasturing outside, shipments of weapons being wheeled down the short walkway towards the gates, without a doubt enhanced in the Wing of Science and to be taken to the Military Base.

You have instructed Maid Springer to keep your bed

of neutral colours

and thus, you no longer have to deal with the sight of bright red all around you first thing in the morning. Now, your sheets are a shade of warm brown. You can live with that.

You don 't have to turn to know that Levi is already on duty, watching you from the door. You 've learnt to identify his hawk-like stare from the other guards, most of which either avoid looking at you or glare at you with lazily masked disdain.

'You 've been screaming a lot lately, ' you hear his familiar voice point out. You turn to glance at Levi and suddenly, you 're acutely aware of the fact that you just dreamt of having indecent intercourse with him.

You don 't know why that happened, but it unsettles you.

You shove your puffy covers aside and walk up to the balcony. The sun is already high up the sky as you open the doors to let in some fresh air.

You look at the uneventful yard for a few seconds before slipping into the bathroom. You don 't take a full bath, only freshen up a little and then slip back into your nightgown.

Levi admits Maid Springer in as he steps out, and she starts on making you presentable.

You stay mostly quiet as she pulls a green dress on you, cinches your waist and weaves your hair into her usual tight, strictly laced braids.

It looks to be yet another uneventfully morose day when you hear a knock on the door.

'Your grace! A letter, ' you hear a familiar voice, and instantly your face comes alive, with hopeful flutters beginning in your stomach.

'Come in, ' you call, and when you see a familiar buzzcut boy that you 've encountered around the castle from time to time since first meeting him in the dining hall, you smile.

'Connie, ' you greet him. He bows, but when he notices the woman standing next to you, his voice suddenly becomes thin and he starts to furiously push his shirt into his trousers.

'Ma! ' he squeaks like a dog caught red-handed, looking borderline terrified. You glance at Maid Springer as she careers to Connie and instantly catches him by the ear.

'Connie Springer! How many times do I have to tell you to be orderly when you deliver letters to the royals! When was that shirt last washed? Your hair is all over the place! Did you shoot straight here from the smelliest swamps of Novaryn without as much as stopping to take a bath? ' she yammers without as much as pausing to take a breath.

You wonder how Connie 's buzzcut can be

out of place

.

'Ma! I 'm in the middle of delivering a letter to the princess! ' Connie tries to defend himself. Levi has walked in to see what the commotion is about, and he looks to be rather approving of Maid Springer giving her son an earful for looking disorderly.

Connie turns his pleading eyes to yours, asking you to save him from his mother 's overbearing nags, but you have a mother of your own, and you know they will not back down until you 've heard all they have to say.

'Go ahead, Maid Springer. I do not mind, ' you quickly disregard. Connie looks betrayed as his mother gives him a full earful, and when he finally walks to you, he looks much more dapper, yet also a lot more tired than upon entering the room.

'A letter from Novaryn, ' he says. You see your brother 's handwriting and instantly, the butterflies are back. He 's probably responding to your request to find the daughter of that old couple and send her back to her mother.

'Ah, wait a moment, ' you realise and walk to your vanity. On top of it is a small bowl full of imported fruit, expensive and rare. You grab a bunch of grapes and two tangerines and hand them to Connie.

'Share these with Sasha. If you just came back from Novaryn, she is probably hungry. '

Connie blinks at the food. It 's not the kind he could ever afford with his messenger 's pay. You 're not too fond of the fruit. It tastes stale since it 's imported.

In Novaryn, you were surrounded by rich fields full of ripe fruits and juicy berries, so to you, they taste almost rotten. It would be a shame to let them go uneaten.

Finally, Connie takes the food and smiles at you, albeit a bit awkwardly. He 's probably not used to his higher-ups extending any kind of unnecessary kindness his way.

'I 'll give these to her, ' he promises, salutes and walks out of the door.

Maid Springer looks a bit taken aback but eventually gives you a smile. The first one you ever recall receiving from her.

'Thank you, your grace. That damned boy always forgets to eat things that are good for him. '

You smile and shake your head to politely decline the praise. She finishes your hair, and you can 't help but notice that she 's seemingly given up on the task of having every inch of your scalp pulled at least an inch off your skull.

You can appreciate that.

Once she 's gone, you hurry to the letter. Without minding Levi 's presence, you rip it open and hungrily read through the curt words.

Cora,

I understand your request comes from a place of sympathy, but you must stay reminded of the realities. I have no way of tracking down one woman who went missing years ago somewhere in East Novaryn. Father has strictly banned releasing prisoners of war unless it is for mutual exchange. Making an exception can easily result in public unrest as everyone from both sides suddenly demands to have their family back from the other side.

Leave handling the politics to me and Father and focus on creating good relations with the Czar and his family.

Sirius

It 's the first time you 've ever felt anything even remotely resembling annoyance or shortness directed at you from your brother, but you instantly catch it here.

Stay out of adults ' business, you na 've little girl, and focus on looking pretty and not pissing anyone off.

Your animated mien dies down and when you fold and stash the letter, the familiar, trained calmness is back in your expression. Your eyes are once again proper, empty and dull. Not alive and hopeful like before.

You should have seen this coming. There was no way this would have happened the way you hoped. You should have known better than sending such a letter to pester your brother in the first place.

You really are a spoiled little brat.

Dejected, you get on your feet and walk out of your quarters. Levi, obviously observant enough to have picked up on the sudden change, follows you without a word.

As you make your way to the bright dining hall, Czar Yeager and most of his family have already eaten breakfast. Only Historia is still there, slowly shovelling some oats in her mouth while idly reading through a book she 's propped up against a can of water.

You look over her distracted face. Out of all of your to-be in-laws, she 's the one you feel the most at ease with.

But, you can 't help but wonder how she feels about Zeke. She 's his fianc 'e after all.

'Good morning, ' you murmur to Historia and sit down. Levi takes his usual place next to Historia 's guard, Thomas Wagner, and watches quietly as you gather some food on your plate.

You often entertain the thought of skipping meals, but you know that you need to stay in your best health.

'Good morning, ' comes Historia 's absent-minded, melodic voice. You glance at the book curiously, but it 's in a language you don 't understand.

It suddenly occurs to you that you have no idea who Historia is and where she 's from. You just assumed she 's some kind of noble from Varsiko.

She must have sensed your curious glances because she looks up from her book and gives you a small smile.

'It 's just a fairy tale book they sent me from home, ' she enlightens you. You look over the foreign symbols on the cover and nod.

'If you do not mind me asking, where are you from? ' you ask carefully. Historia chimes a laugh and shakes her head.

'Why would I mind? I 'm Nambalese. '

You pause to think. Your knowledge of geography is rather limited since you received minimal education. You recall hearing the name once or twice, but you can 't place where.

Historia looks at your struggle with a patient smile.

'You probably wouldn 't know, it 's half a globe away. Bring me a piece of paper and pen, please, ' she says to one of the maids who is bringing out another loaf of bread.

A minute later, Historia has rolled out a blank parchment on the dining table. She draws East and West Novaryn and Varsiko and then sketches down another, large continent across Mortis Sea.

There, she draws the outlines of a mid-sized nation on the Northern shore.

'This is Nambala. In short, it has been conquered and colonised by Varsiko for a bit over sixty years. '

Your eyebrows shoot up. A colony?

Novaryn, for all its size and influence, never bothered with colonies thanks to having such vast natural resources on its own lands. Plus, the act of conquering and converting a bunch of foreigners into the ways of your Creator was deemed a feat too bothersome.

Varsiko only got the brunt of Novaryn 's wrath because it was close and practising Alchemy.

Novaryn swallows neighbouring nations and converts their inhabitants, Varsiko seems to prefer a more indirect approach: colonies.

'So, you are Nambalese royalty? You speak good Nortish, ' you compliment. Immediately, Historia chuckles a little.

'Nortish is the Varsiko-enforced language of business and education. Nambalese is rarely heard or written. That 's why books like these, ' she gestures towards the fairy tale book, 'are increasingly important to us. '

'Oh, ' you utter for a lack of better words, feeling a little dumb.

You eye Historia, but she doesn 't seem to be too emotional. She, like you, must have trained herself to stay calm even when discussing the pillaging and destruction of her home country.

'So ' How did you end up-? ' changing your mind midway, you cut yourself off. 'Nevermind. That was too intrusive of me. '

'You 're curious to hear how I ended up here, ' Historia fills in. She doesn 't look angry and there 's a temperate gleam to her eyes.

'Well, when Varsiko arrived sixty-odd years ago, we were vastly unprepared for a full-scale invasion. I would feel uncomfortable disclosing full details in front of the Czar and his family, but since it 's only the four of us here, I 'll go ahead and tell you the full details; it wasn 't just an invasion, it was a compherensive genocide. We lost almost ten per cent of our population to famine, massacres and forced labour. Our nature and agriculture quickly collapsed under their intense demand for raw materials like metals, wood and grains. '

Historia takes a sip of her tea and breathes deeply.

'They launched extensive projects, mines and logging, and staffed them with locals. The workers were paid on paper, but in practice it was slavery. The conditions were so bad that as much as forty per cent of Varsiko-employed workers died within twenty years. Quitting or fleeing was met with harsh punishments, not only on the workers themselves but their families and extended families as well. We were at a crisis. My great-grandfather, then-king, had never dealt with anything like that. Up until the invasion, we were fairly unorganised agriculture with a large percentage of people still living in isolated villages or being hunter-gatherers. We had not industrialised to any extent of the word. '

You listen, mouth hanging open at the recap of atrocities Historia is entrusting to you. She looks as calm as always, but you can see deeply seeded anguish in her eyes.

'He struggled to organise any kind of resistance or negotiations thanks to his inexperience, as his rule up until then was concentrated around solving small internal squabbles and dealing with natural threats to our crops, such as animals or typhoons. Thus, our citizens started resisting by themselves. Mutinies were ignited and stifled all around Nambala until one particular faction started gaining traction. Within five years, their guerrilla warfare saw the destruction and burning of plenty of Varsikovian settlements and settlers. '

You nod slowly along as Historia tells the story, struggling to wrap your head around the horror of the situation.

'By the time my grandfather ascended to the throne, things had escalated to a full-on conflict between our people and Varsikovians. Only, where my great-grandfather had been mostly helpless, my grandfather quickly summoned these organised guerrilla troops, gave them governmental support, and went full-on offensive with the goal of extricating Varsiko from our lands twenty-seven years ago. What followed was a messy, bloody civil war. Varsiko dominated the warfare thanks to their advanced military and Alchemy even though we had the raw numbers and little by little we lost territories to Varsikovian plantations and settlements. '

You 've forgotten to eat as you listen to the unfolding of the events. You never heard of any of this. The little history you learnt was mostly of Novaryn and Varsiko, with a few other countries from Nort, your continent, mixed in.

Nambala is located in a southern continent across the Mortis sea called Zwanma. All you know about it is that it 's tropical and scarcely populated with vast forests and nature.

'By the time my father took the throne eight years ago after my grandfather was killed in an assassination carried out by Varsiko, he immediately started negotiations. Some people viewed him as a traitor, but most were grateful he was bringing the civil war to an end. Varsiko, at that point, was eager to direct their full military forces against Novaryn and thus, were ready to give some leeway to local farmers and miners to get their cooperation. The terms of work are still vastly unfair and underpaid, but at least their military presence has lessened, and they no longer engage in large-scale pillaging and massacres. That alone was enough for most Nambalese. '

'And you were brought here to solidify the peace? ' you slowly ask.

Just like you. You suddenly feel a strong kinship with Historia for your similar positions.

Not only that, you feel a wave of inferiority, seeing how informed and knowledgeable Historia is of her country 's affairs. She was clearly raised to be a diplomat while you were busy reading books and drinking tea with your mother.

'I am. Our positions differ a little, though, ' Historia hums with a distant smile. 'I am the only child and heir of Rod Reiss, the current King. An integral part of the peace conditions from Varsiko was not only that I was to marry their eldest

czarevich

but also that the Nambalese royal pair are not allowed to have more children. '

You think it over for a moment and then, your eyes fly open.

'So, they want to annex Nambala by having their only heir become a Varsikovian? '

'Yes. My father hopes that will ensure that decisions are made with Nambalese interests at heart, having their czarina be from there, but some are sceptical. Some think Zeke will completely disregard me and rule with an iron fist. '

You can see that happening. If anything, you would be surprised if he were to give Historia any power to wield once he becomes the Czar.

'Were these peace negotiations led by Czar Yeager? ' you ask, a little perplexed. He doesn 't seem the kind to endorse massacres and annexation. Then again, looks can be deceiving. Especially with politicians.

'The Czar has always been more engaged with trying to find a solution to the Varsiko-Novaryn conflict. His role in Nambala was more symbolic than anything, he mainly just signed and stamped whatever papers Admiral Zackly brought before him. '

'How do you feel about all this? ' you ask carefully. Historia looks at you, and for a moment her approachable, smiling face turns blue and cynical. Her real face.

'That has zero importance. My first and only priority is trying to prevent another genocide from taking place in my homeland. My country is in ruins, my people are suffering. My feelings have no place in this. If marrying that- ' Historia cuts herself off in the middle of her passionate speech. You see her mouth purse as she swallows and takes a deep breath. She knows better than insulting her fianc ' out loud, even in a limited company.

She closes her eyes for a second and when she opens them, she looks like her normal self again.

'I 'm happy to marry Zeke, ' she says with a convincing smile.

You 're left in awe at her restraint. She 's been here, in a situation worse than yours, for far longer and she 's holding it all in, in a way you could never. She was clearly trained and brought up to navigate the tricky political climate, not neglected and then thrown to the wolves like you were.

'I had no clue Varsiko was doing all that, ' you admit with a wince. 'I thought they had more honour than that. '

Historia gives you a smile that 's just a tad on the condescending side.

'Varsiko is hardly in a position that allows them the luxury of morals. Thanks to Novaryn, they have to use whatever they can to keep their independence. '

It 's all over Historia 's face that she 's not excusing any of Varsiko 's behaviour, but she sees the wider context for it. You feel a stab of guilt.

'Do you hate Novaryn? ' you ask timidly.

'If I were to pick between loving and hating Novaryn, I would pick the latter, ' Historia hums non-venomously.

'Do you hate me? '

At that, she lets out a melodic titter.

'You? Don 't be silly. It 's obvious you never had any say in Novarynian politics. You 've never as much as talked with your father; how could you have done anything to end the conflict? '

She 's right and as much as her words set you at ease, they also make you feel a bit blue. It 's a reminder about how useless you are. Sirius ' letter flashes in your mind again, and you swallow thickly.

'Does Zeke treat you decent, at least? '

'He doesn 't torment me as he does you, ' Historia replies honestly. 'He even entertains me with parties and gifts at times. He knows he 'll need me compliant to keep Nambala happy so he 's willing to play a good husband. '

Historia pushes her plate aside and gets on her feet. She takes her book and hugs it to her chest. With a small smile, she extends her hand towards you, her palm facing outright. A gesture of goodwill.

'If you ever need anything or just want to talk, you can come to me. I may not fancy Novaryn, but I feel for you. Let 's be friends. '

You smile back, only half of the joy fabricated, and press your palm against hers. You move your hands up and down once in unison and she then turns for the doors.

Just as she 's about to move out, you think of something.

'Are there any beautiful places in close vicinity? The castle is large but hardly ornate and I'm aching for some aesthetics, ' you confess. You 're aching to get out a bit, somewhere other than the busy city. It didn 't go too well last time.

She turns and gives you a knowing grin.

'Ask Captain Levi to take you to the Osra field. It 's the Czarina 's garden. The roses are in bloom right now, ' she advises you. You give her a grateful nod and watch her leave the room.

When she 's gone, you turn to Levi, who 's leaning against the wall as per usual.

'Did you know about all this? '

'Yes, ' he replies honestly. He seems neither interested nor affected by the recap of terrors he just witnessed.

You hum and get up with the intention of leaving the dining hall when Levi suddenly blocks your path.

'Your breakfast, ' he points at the plate you 've hardly touched. 'Finish it. '

You give him an irked look and glance at the plate. What is he, your mother?

'That is none of your concern, ' you frown at him. He crosses his arms and snorts.

'Trust me, little miss, I 'm none the more enthusiastic about babysitting you, but I have orders from the Czar to make sure your basic needs are met. And you haven 't eaten breakfast. '

'What will you do if I refuse? Kill the maid for not cooking the eggs to my liking? ' you ask with obvious snark. Levi raises an eyebrow.

'Still mad about that old-timer? '

'Of course, I 'm mad about you senselessly murdering an elderly civilian, ' you bark back, the reminder instantly making you irritated. He shrugs nonchalantly and points at the plate.

'Finish your food. '

'I doubt the Czar meant for you to become my daddy, ' you snort.

'Call me daddy again and I 'll spank you like one, ' Levi shoots back with a wrinkled nose, and you can 't tell if he 's being playful or laying out a legitimate threat.

'Piss off, ' you tsk and attempt to march right past him. This fussy old man and his creepy loyalty to the Czar. You couldn 't have gotten a more annoying guard.

Levi effortlessly places both hands on your waist from behind to grab you, lifts you up and despite your vocal protests, carries you back to the table and plants you back on your chair.

The dream from last night invades your brain, and you find your breath stuck in your throat at his casual touch. You fight back a blush as you 're reminded of the passionate intercourse you had in your fantasies.

'Would you stop touching me without my consent? ' you ask him pointedly.

'Gladly. All you need to do is stop being such a brat, ' Levi retorts calmly and points at your unfinished meal. 'Eat it. '

With a dissatisfied growl, you grab your fork and shovel down the meal in record speed, all the while glaring at Levi like a cranky toddler.

'Done. Happy? '

'Yes. '

'Fine, then take me to that field Historia was talking about. '

Levi shrugs and walks you out of the castle. You saddle your horse and, still too inexperienced to ride him on your own, have Levi tie the reins to his saddle. He guides the two of you out of the castle grounds. The twenty-five-minute walk is mostly uneventful, down a small path just outside the castle grounds, past fields of potatoes and carrots, through a small evergreen forest, until you arrive at a small meadow in the midst.

It 's obvious it 's planted and gardened as roses don 't naturally grow in Varsiko, but the sight is still breath-taking.

It 's the first time you see something in Varsiko that even remotely reminds you of home. You see the thick grass, the roses planted at the sides, the assortments of wildflowers blooming in crisp colours all around you. You feel the bask of sunlight. Hear the forest birds chirp. Hear small insects buzz past you in their endless task to gather nectar and pollen.

You let out a long, adoring sigh and the moment Levi pulls the horses to a halt, you dismount yours and practically run through the meadow with a child-like giggle.

Levi keeps half an eye on you while he ties the horses to a nearby tree.

You move through the rustling, tall grass without minding the green stains forming on your dress. You breathe in the fresh air, with only a hint of salt from the sea. You only now realise how dearly you 've missed clean air after so many weeks of breathing in polluted industry fumes.

You find a nice spot at the top of a small, gently sloping hill that faces the potato fields below. Sitting down, you thread your fingers through the grass. In the field, you see some Varsikovian farmers working hard to sow the hard land. You tug out a blade of grass and fiddle it in your fingertips, growing thoughtful.

You wonder if those people know the full extent of what Varsiko is doing in Nambala.

You think about your talk with Historia.

You wish you could be more like her. Educated and equipped to deal with political scheming.

You hear Levi walk to you and take his familiar position behind you.

You suddenly wonder what Levi was demoted for. He mentioned being sent to the Wing of Royal Affairs as punishment, and you wonder what it is he did to deserve it. If anything, he seems too eager to carry out orders.

It only now occurs to you that it 's probably a lie; Levi was sent to keep an eye on you on behalf of the military. It would make sense.

'Why do you always go in such lengths to carry out the Czar 's commands? ' you ask him without turning.

'That 's none of your concern, ' comes the expected reply. Of course, it 's not. You let out a thoughtful hum and lay down on the soft grass. You look up at Levi, who 's standing behind you.

'Levi. '

'What? '

'Do you hate Novaryn? '

'I hate what it 's done to my country. '

His honest reply earns him a taken aback look from you. Not that what he 's saying surprises you. He fought in the Wing of Offence up until recently. It 's only natural he hates Novaryn. But you didn 't think he would give you any information whatsoever about his personal affairs.

'Are your parents safe at least? '

'I don 't have any. '

You sit up and turn to give him a blink. His sudden honesty still perplexes you.

'You are an orphan? '

'Yes. '

'Thanks to Novaryn? ' you ask, a little apprehensive.

'Yes. '

You wince.

'Is that why you are a soldier? '

'I was partially raised in a military institution. A lot of orphans, especially those orphaned thanks to the war, are taken away from orphanages at age eight and enlisted to the military. They 're trained with the aim of making elite soldiers. '

'Did you have a say in being enlisted? '

'No. '

That sounds extremely dubious. Then again, it 's about what you would expect from a nation like Varsiko.

'What about the augmentation? '

'They don 't augment anyone against their will, ' Levi replies steadily. You nod. That 's good, at least. Maybe that 's why the number of augmented people is so low. The procedure doesn 't seem to be perfectly safe yet.

'How do they pick who gets augmented? '

'They only offer it to orphans. If things go wrong and the subject either dies or gets contaminated by metal, there 's less grief involved since there are no relatives to upset, ' Levi explains nonchalantly.

The logic sounds rather callous to you but you guess it makes sense.

'Why did you get augmented? '

'That 's- '

'None of my concern, ' you sigh and scratch your head. You 're impressed Levi humoured your questions even this far.

'Why did you tell me all that? '

'It 's all information you would find out on your own sooner or later anyway if you keep reading

Song of Steel

. I might as well give you the answers. '

'Thank you. '

Levi snorts dismissively. You turn your eyes back to the field where the farmers are doing their hard labour. You wonder how many of them hate your guts as that old man did. Probably most of them.

'Do you hate me? ' you ask without turning.

Levi is quiet behind you for a brief moment. Then, he huffs and places a surprisingly gentle hand on your hair.

'I don 't hate you, little miss. You have no hand in politics and your sin is not malice nor bitterness but ignorance, ' he says and pats just a little. Comforting you.

There he is again, touching you like you 're a small kid instead of the princess he 's assigned to look after. Levi has no interest in treating you like royalty. At times, it annoys you. Others, it makes you feel more at ease.

'Well, that makes two of you, ' you hum with dry humour. 'You still think I 'm a pain in the ass, though. '

'Only when you make me treat you like a toddler. '

'It is you who is unreasonable, ' you counter. You feel his gentle fingers on top of your head, brushing into your hair just a little bit.

You feel a sudden rush of tingles. You remember your dream last night, and your face starts heating up again.

Levi seems thoughtful behind you. It 's unlike him to keep touching you prolongedly like this. He must have noticed that you 've grown increasingly dejected, increasingly blue and increasingly anxious.

He retracts his hand eventually, but the nervousness has already been implanted in you.

'I wish I could be more like Historia, ' you confess with a sigh. Mostly to distract yourself from the confusing feelings.

'She 's an adept diplomat only because she must, ' Levi reminds you.

He 's right. She was probably loaded with incredible amounts of duty and stress ever since she was a child. In that regard, you were let off easy.

'Do you think I can really do this? ' you murmur. Marry Eren. Be a good diplomat. Somehow navigate the crisis.

'Yes. '

His response warms you a little.

'Really? '

'Yes. '

'Even though I 'm ignorant? '

'Ignorance can be worked with. Your brain is there, it 's just mostly been left unfilled growing up. '

That 's a blunt yet oddly inoffensive way of putting it. A chuckle leaves your lips.

'I guess you are right. '

Levi contemplates for a second and finally moves to sit on the grass beside you. He keeps a solid distance, but the gesture alone shows you that he 's slowly warming up to you. You stare out in silence, the nature buzzing around you.

You look out to the horizon, and suddenly you feel light and dreamy.