♥︎ 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 ♥︎

Chapter five

"Papa?" Called out Y/N "Is that you?"

"Y/N?" Erwin answered his voice muffled.

"How did you find me?"

Y/N ran across the dimly lit tower and knelt in front of the entrance. Just enough space for her to see her father through a small window. His shoulders trembled as he hunched over. When their gazes met, she realized he wasn't feeling good. She reached through the crack, placing the candelabrum on the floor beside her. He wrapped his fingers around her father's. "Oh, papa," she said, tears streaming down her face. "Your hands are as cold as rocks. We must return you home."

Erwin, to her surprise, did not agree. "Y/N, you have to get out of here!" he exclaimed. He became more irritated as she ignored him and began hitting the iron lock with the branch. "Put an end to it! You'll be heard!"

Y/N came to a halt. "Who are 'they,'" she inquired, her head cocked. She recalled the ghost sounds she'd heard before. "Who did this to you?" 

"No time to explain!" Erwin said, "You must go!"

Y/N shook her head stubbornly. "I won't leave you!"

Her father sighed and moaned. He had always respected his daughter's courage and spirit, but this time what he wanted was for her to do as he said. He couldn't bear the thought of his sweet girl meeting the creature who had imprisoned him. "Y/N, this castle is alive!" he murmered, seeking to reassure her. "You must run before he finds you!"

"'He'?" the girl repeated.

A roar filled the tower before Erwin could open his mouth to reply. Y/N turned around and raised her branch into the air. But it was in vain. In the thick shadows, she couldn't see anything. However, she could hear a voice - a deep, rumbling voice that seemed to surround her and made her heart race.

"Who are you?" The mysterious voice asked. "How did you get in here?"

"I've come for my father," Y/N told the voice, trying to sound braver than she felt. "Release him."

As it hissed the next words, the voice became louder: "Your father is a thief."

Fear turned to anger when Y/N recoiled as if she had been hit. What right does the voice have to accuse her father like that? "You're a liar!" she exclaimed. Her father was a caring and loving person. He was kind and gentlemanly. He'd never do anything like that -

"He stole a rose!" roared the voice.

Y/ N's (E/C) eyes locked with her father's as she whipped her head back towards him. Guilt washed over her as the realization of what had happened dawned on her. "I asked for the rose," she said barely audibly.

"Y/N..." says the voice. Erwin said somberly, confirming what she already suspected. Her father had only brought her the rose because it was the only thing she had requested. It was completely her fault that he was in that cell.

"Punish me, not him," Y/N said, pulling her gaze away from her father and speaking to the voice's unseen source.

"No!" exclaims her father, Erwin cried anguishedly. "He plans to hold me for the rest of my life. That's obviously what happens when you pick a flower around here."

Y/N frowned. "A life sentence for a rose?" she asked aloud to the shadows, hoping that her father was mistaken.

"For one, I received eternal harm," said a voice from the shadows. "I'm merely detaining him." There was a brief pause as if whoever was speaking was preoccupied with some distant memory. The voice then returned, colder than ever. "Are you still interested in taking your father's place?"