𝔇𝔢𝔣𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 (𝔏𝔢𝔳𝔦 𝔵 ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔯)

XIV - Failed Persuasions

"The expedition is in a couple days." He began. My eyes widen.

"What?! I thought it was in two weeks!" I exclaim. He nods.

"It was supposed to be." He continued.

"What happened?!" I exclaim.

"The government isn't giving us more time to prepare for the expedition. The citizens of the walls are refusing to pay expenses for taxes so the small percentage we get from their wages has reduced dramatically. The government is forcing us to make the mission sooner. Which is approximately two days from now." He explained. I clenched my jaw.

"They're not ready." I whisper.

"They'll be okay, Y/N." Erwin tries to assure me.

"No, they won't be if they're not ready!" I say adding more volume to my once hushed tone. He pursed his lips. "Commander, they've barely lived life up here! They're not ready!" I exclaim.

"I will do everything in my power to prevent any deaths in this expedition." He says gently. My hands were clenched into tight fists and my sight was blurring from tears.

"I bet you think that about every expedition. About how many empty promises you've made about keeping our comrades alive." I spit. My emotions were out of control and I knew the words that came out of my mouth were not me at all. But I couldn't say anything else.

"I do try, I truly do. But I can't guarantee their safety." He admits.

"Leave them out of this expedition. I'll train them more, I-I'll educate them academically if I have to just leave them out of this one mission. Please." I plead.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that,Y/N." He says.

"Is there anything you can do?! You're the Commander for fucks sakes!" I choke out.

"Unfortunately, the call isn't up to me." He concludes. "I'm sorry, Y/N. I truly am." He places a hand on my shoulder in attempted comfort. I control my breathing.

"Go clean yourself up. Your friends are waiting for you in the dining hall." He says, his tone warm. I take a deep breath, wiping my tears that clumped my eyelashes together and stained my cheeks. I nod a small yes before forcing my feet forward, one in front of the other. "Oh, there's a regiment meeting tomorrow morning too, tell your friends."

As I edged closer to the hall, I let a quivering breath slide between my lips. I've become attached to the trio. In the two weeks I've been acquainted with them, I've grown closer to them than I intended.

Isabel, a sibling figure in my life. A girl who contains the bubbly personality that contrasts with Levi's.

Farlan. A trustworthy calm-headed guy whose words can be very persuading.

Levi. A figure of many mysteries but has opened himself up a little and has given me a sliver of his earning trust.

They could all be gone in two days. Two days. And that's far too soon for their lives to end before they had even started. There was one thing that refused to leave my mind.

The fact that they aren't ready and no one understands that.

Shit.

I walk inside and head straight for the dining hall. I turn the final corner and waltz into the bustling room only to find our usual table void of the new trio and the new addition of Moblit replacing them. I walk towards it, Hange and Sam gazing up at me.

"Hey Sunshine. Have you been crying?" Sam asks his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"That doesn't matter. Where's the trio?" I ask.