Coming for your heart

Chapter 6

"Tsk." Levi turned around and took his leave. "Do whatever the fuck you want, Eyebrows."

Why should he care about those brats after all?

- - -

The sun went down gradually, the moon rose and the atmosphere shifted. The noises quieted down a bit, until he only heard the laughter of his men and the barking and howling of the hounds they had taken with them.

They were trained from birth to kill and assist the soldiers of Eldia.

And one of them waited for Levi in his tent. As a general he had to build it in the middle of the camp. Surrounded by racket he entered it and as soon as no one could see him anymore he put away his sword.

Not because he abhorred having to wear one or to know that he had to use it on people – but because of the big ball of fur and saliva greeting him with a wagging tail and two paws propped up on his arms.

"Hey, easy does it. Easy does it."

He scratched the dog's ears and watched the pink tongue retreat back into it's enormous mouth, hidden behind sharp teeth that could rip out someone's throat with ease.

"Missed me, huh?"

He waited for the dog to calm down a bit. Only then he let go of her and sat down on the mat he had spread for her on the ground. He would rather burn in hell than allow his dog to sleep on the dirty earth.

It followed him and waited for Levi to sit down so the dog could make itself comfortable in his lap, waiting for it's owner to continue patting her.

Later on he would take her for a last walk before he goes to bed.

"General Ackerman!", a voice squeaked from the outside.

"What is it, cadet?", he answered annoyed.

"I-I was ordered to tell you to walk your dog now since there is a meeting planned later on."

"Who the fuck ordered it? And what's that meeting about?"

For a moment there was only silence while Levi waited for an answer, contemplating getting out there and beat it out of the insecure soldier himself.

"Captain Erwin did, sir. It's-It's the Crown Prince."

Levi listened up, halting in his movements which prompted his dog to look up at him in a chiding way.

"What about him?"

"He...he is coming here."

- - -

Zeke Yaeger.

The Crown Prince of Eldia, son of King Grisha and the Queen Dina, who died in an accident many years before the King married anew.

He was an asshole.

Just like any royal member of that shitty family.

They knew nothing about common life but risked it anyway and killed more and more people every time they decided to fight another kingdom for nothing at all but the King's pride.

Getting his dog out of the tent, Levi knew why Eyebrow's had ordered him to take a walk with it.

He had met the Crown Prince before. Many years ago when war hadn't been a topic they needed to worry about yet. While Zeke seemed to accept him somewhat, Levi couldn't even stand his presence, let alone hear his name in conversation.

They had gotten into a fight the last time when Zeke had told them about a plan to stop women in Marley from getting children or whatever.

It was stupid as fuck and humiliating all the more.

They may be enemies but degrading women in that way...Levi despised everything Zeke stood for.

Erwin knew about their differences and he knew Levi after knowing and fighting side by side with him for many years. Getting off some steam would help him keep his cool afterwards.

The moon shone down on them and the milky light fell through the branches of the trees around them, covering the ground in stunning patterns.

He let go of his dog's leash, giving her some free space to run and explore the forest in a safe distance from him.

He only heard the chirping of some crickets around him and closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in the smell of pine needles, night air and-

"Get that beast away from me!", a panicky voice shouted and Levi opened his eyes, listening to where the sound came from.

"Get away, monster!"

He ran towards it, sprinting through the bushes and plants of the forest until he reached his destination.

What he saw made him smirk, as mean as it might be.

They boy from before clung to a tree, sitting on the nearest branch he had reached and looked down at Levi's dog.

The girl was nowhere to be seen.

"Stop crying so damn loud.", Levi shouted over the dog's barking. "You're scaring her."

"I am scaring her?"

"You fucking do so shut up." He whistled and his girl came running back to him, wagging tail and all. She looked damn proud of herself.

Only with visible hesitation did the boy climb down from the tree, watching the dog warily and picked up the axe he must have let fallen on the ground when he saw the dog.

"Afraid of dogs or what? You're such a wimp.", he huffed and stroked the dog's head.

"Yeah, you didn't fucking have to fight with them for your daily meal."

"As a matter of fact I had to."

The boy halted in his movements, looking up at Levi. But instead of the pity he had expected to see on the boy's face, there was only hatred and a venomous glint in his eyes.

"What are you doing here anyway? It's late and forbidden to come around here."

The boy shrunk away from me, his body freezing up when he took in my uniform.

He didn't answer.

I whistled softly and the dog barked again. With a spark of pity in my gut I watched the boy flinch and the grip on his axe tighten.

"When I ask a question, I expect an answer."

"We need firewood.", the boy admitted with a strained voice, his whole demeanor tense. He surely was contemplating if fight or flight was the better option.

"The authorities give you what you need. So why are you out here?"

The boy made a step back and huffed, the noise icy cold and humorless.

"The authorities don't give a shit about us. You want to survive out here? Well, you fucking have to do it with your own power."

"What inspiring words. Any more of that tonight?"

"Eren!" The voice sounded far away but the boy's head spun around and he hastily looked back at Levi, who watched the scene before him unfold as calm as ever.

"Eren!" The girl broke through the bushes. As soon as she got sight of me, she bared her teeth and raised the axe in her hands.

"What do you want from us again?"

"Not the best opinion of the military, have you?", he scoffed to which none of them answered. "Whatever. I don't care. Just don't interfere with our plans and I won't tell anyone I saw you."

He turned around, not waiting for them to answer and called his dog back at his side.

"If Izzy hunts you again, just give her some meat and she will leave you alone.", he shouted over his shoulder.

With that he made his way back to the camp.

Back to the Crown Prince awaiting them.

(I really hope you like the story so far. I proof read it and there shouldn't be many mistakes but if the story feels rushed or if there is some other problem just tell me :) )