Coming for your heart

Chapter 18

"But I never said anything about betrayal, did I now?"

Taken aback the trio exchanged confused glances, looking back and forth between each other and Eren, who seemed strangely bored at the prospect of having their whole attention.

"I only have one goal but to reach it I need to act carefully. One mistake could cost me my freedom and my family their lives." His glare darkened. "I won't risk either of that. As for now I have to admit that I don't have full access to the power I have inherited. To change that I will need allies in the upcoming war between Eldia and myself."

"Why would you go to war with your own home? Your people?"

Mikasa sent Marlow a sharp glance, her fists clenching and unclenching. Armin waited with hold breath for Eren's answer.

The boy inclined his head and an almost gentle smile flew over his face, lightening the features that reminded Armin of his mother. Sharp and beautiful. A deadly flower in a garden of dangerous plants.

"It's not the citizens of Eldia I seek to destroy. My hate is directed at those who let them suffer without doing a single thing to prevent death and unfortune for those who are too helpless to save themselves."

"So what are we supposed to do for you? What do you need us for?", Rico asked unwillingly and tilted her head in doubtful wonder. Somehow Eren's words seemed to have changed something about her opinion of him.

Eren turned around at his heel, facing the door with his hands behind his back. His long, nutbrown hair in that ridiculous messy bun looked more like strings – protective snakes.

"Your enemy can be strong. Your enemy can be dangerous. But a snake doesn't fear the mouse with it's sharp teeth." He looked over his shoulder, capturing all of them with the deadly glint in the depths of his eye. The other one was hidden by dark strands of hair. "I need a meeting with Queen Historia. Only then will I be able to change the tides in this war."

Eren POV

"Was letting them go so easily the right decision, Eren?", Mikasa wondered, worried wrinkles showing on her face as she watched the trio disappear in the corridors, Erwin by their side.

They had gotten the trio people who knew what they were doing with their wounds and afterwards gave the Commander word that they were ready now to face the king.

"They won't say anything, if that's what your insinuating.", he answered his sister.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Don't mistake me for someone naïve, Kasa. I don't trust them a bit." He sighed dejected and closed his eyes for a second. It had cost him to stay that calm back then when those women had challenged him while Marlow seemed to have accepted him as the prince of Eldia.

Not that it meant anything to Eren but it was good to know that they wouldn't stab them in the back at the first opportunity they got.

"They will contact us as soon as they have told the Queen about our proposal. Until then..." Armin sighed and shoved his blond hair back. Eren noticed how his friend had made it a habit to bind them together with a thin ribbon that held all of it at the back of his head.

He looked younger. If only the shadow in his eyes wouldn't cover up the determined look in them. It had been there ever since that day in Shiganshina.

Eren was under no illusion that the events back then hadn't taken an affect on him as well.

"Until then..." Mikasa watched him, paying attention to the smallest change in his mimic. "What are we supposed to do?"

Eren turned around and left the corridor behind, his friends behind him.

"We will play the weak servants. Gain information. Get some allies."

"Why don't we...split up?", Armin suggested almost bashful and blinked unassumingly at his friend.

A frown appeared on Eren's face and he raised an eyebrow while waiting for the boy to continue. Armin nervously rubbed his neck, a red flush on his face. Nevertheless, his words sounded sincere and confident.

He turned his head, watching out for any other person in their reach. When he couldn't detect anyone he continued: "There are a lot of important members of the military around here. Wouldn't it be the best to secure our hold on the army so we can depend on some of the soldiers just in case?"

Eren stopped his walk to look directly at his friend, the words of the blond repeating over and over in his head.

"What do you-"

"We shouldn't talk about important matters like that in the open.", Mikasa intervened, her glare frigid and the complete opposite of the softness in her voice. The hard edge of it had disappeared completely. "If someone overhears us we'll be..."

"She's right.", Eren admitted and winked them to follow him. "Let's go back to our room. We'll discuss the matter there."