Coming for your heart

Chapter 10

Armin restlessly shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His worried eyes were fixed on the chaos below the hill they had climbed with the corpse of Carla. His dirty fingers were clawed in his sleeves like it was the only thing keeping him from running back. Even if there was nothing waiting for them down there.

Mikasa watched her brother carefully and waited patiently what he was going to do next. He knew she would support him as long as his plans weren't that much of a suicide squad. In her eyes he saw the same rage and hate reflected that he himself felt inside his heart. She would stay by his side. Always.

Jean huffed petulantly, tilting his head, and avoided having to look at the corpse behind him. Eren hadn't asked what had happened to Marco. Maybe he knew. Maybe he didn't. For now it was insignificant. They had all lost someone that night. In Jean he saw the epitome of determination not to lose anyone else ever again.

They all had something to lose.

They all were mortal.

And in that moment, when the village had burned down below them and the corpses littered the streets, they all were painfully aware of that fact.

"We will find a way to avenge our fallen friends and families.", Eren said now, fury glinting in the green orbs that were his eyes. His friends were listening to him, no hope left in their tired and spent faces. The memories from ten years ago fueled his hate, his anger, his wrath.

"The King of Eldia has started a war between two countries and possibly another, third party. Many villages will end up like Shiganshina did. Many more families will die. That is if we don't stop him and end this war against Marley."

"What the fuck are you trying to say, suicidal bastard?", Jean interrupted him, breathlessly huffing at the boy's words. "That's a war between two strong kingdoms. We are only five simple kids. We should go and find a place to live where war can never find us again."

"Jean." Eren's voice was as stern as it was compassionate. "We have only faced the beginning of this war. We will never escape it. It will tear down our whole world. A world we're captured in. Many children will lose their parents." Ymir straightened up at his words. "Many orphans will lose what they have left of a family." Armin looked away, baring his teeth and hiding the tears in his eyes. "What about them, Jean? Can you live with the thought that you had the chance to change the world, to rescue so many people but didn't do anything?"

"We don't have anything left, Eren!", Jean shouted, desperation and exhaustion deeply anchored in his every word. He made a step forward. Eren stayed where he was. "We are alone in this world! Why should we risk the life we got to live once more?"

Eren met his gaze with a willpower Jean hadn't expected. He opened and closes his mouth without any sound coming out.

"We may be orphans. We may have lost our homes. But we have never been alone.", he stated resolutely.

"He is right tho.", Ymir interjected. "How do you expect us to help those people? We are nothing but snotty teenagers."

Eren breathed through his nose. He had never before told anyone but Mikasa about his heritage. He hadn't told anyone about the danger his very existence could represent.

"I am the key to our plans. I have something important to tell you." He took a deep breath and looked back at his mother. "But once I have told you, you may be in great danger. I know I should protect you from those coming for me once the time is ready but I need you and..."

"You never shut up, do you?", Jean snorted and Eren winced.

"But I...."

"Look, yes, we have our differences. But you're right." The boy sighed, pulling at the strands of his sandy hair. "We have nothing left. Nothing to lose."

"Eren." Mikasa grabbed his hand and smiled softly at him. "They will understand."

"Let's get this show on, fuckface.", Ymir grinned. "Why not save the world when we're at it?"

The gratefulness for his friends couldn't be put in words. He struggled to find the right words.

"I...this secret...I know I should have told you but...." He gathered enough air for the next sentences. He gazed back to his mother and walked up to her, kneeling down next to her.

The rest of them followed Eren and waited for what he was about to tell them.

"This woman..." He smiled sadly. "This woman was once the Queen of Eldia. Queen Carla, wife of King Grisha."

He didn't turn around to face the pale, shocked faces of his comrades.

He closed his eyes, bracing himself for what was about to come with his next words.

"And I am her son. Prince Eren Yaeger of Eldia, son of King Grisha and second heir to the throne of Eldia."