Thy Empress (Erwin Smith x FEM! Reader)

part xxxvii

The h/c-haired woman shivered on her place when the wind blew and the cold breeze welcomed her. "You should get back inside, your majesty. You might get sick."

Y/n raised a brow at Zeke. "It's your fault."

"You can punish me anytime."

"I'll put you behind bars, then."

Zeke escorted Y/n back inside the empress' palace. Lady Finger was surprised to see the empress soaked from the rain, and that she was with Zeke instead of the emperor.

The blond man was scolded by the empress' lady-in-waiting for letting Y/n get soaked from the rain, and for being with her right on the night she was supposed to spend the night with the emperor.

In the end, Y/n defended Zeke and explained to her lady-in-waiting why she wasn't with the emperor for the night.

Zeke removed his wet coat.

He just got out of the empress' palace.

The blond man was surprised upon sighting two familiar men approaching.

"Mister Jaeger..."

Erwin stared at him with nothing but a serious look on his face. The emperor is with his royal knight, Sir Levi. The raven-haired man is standing behind him.

"Your majesty..."

Zeke bowed a little to the emperor, which gained him a hiss from Sir Levi.

"How come you're here at the empress' palace so late at night?" Erwin asked.

The blond man stared at Erwin for a moment. I wonder...what did you say to her majesty for her to not give herself to you?

"I came here to talk to her majesty."

"About what?"

Zeke and Erwin stared firmly at each other, it was there, the tension between them.

The husband of the empress, and the man who loves the empress are facing each other. "It's about her new organization."

Erwin nodded, he looked at the window of the empress' room. "Sir Levi...could you leave us for a moment?" Erwin spoke.

Sir Levi's brows furrowed. "Your majesty..."

"Please. It won't take long."

Levi sighed, he frowned as he glanced at Zeke, who smiled at him. I'm watching you. The raven-haired man thought.

Sir Levi then left, leaving Erwin and Zeke alone.

"There have been rumors going around the empire lately, Mister Jaeger."

Zeke raised a brow at Erwin. "About what, your majesty?"

"About the empress."

Erwin looked at Zeke, there he noticed the sudden concern on Zeke's face upon the mention of the empress. "It's been six years since the empress and I got married, but we still do not have a child. And because of that, a rumor had begun spreading around the empire..." The blond man sighed.

"A rumor that she couldn't conceive a child."

Zeke's brows furrowed, he clenched his fists. "But the truth is, the empress and I are really not just trying for a royal child."

"What do you really want to say, your majesty?" Zeke coldly asked.

The emperor's brows furrowed as he stared at him straight in the eye.

"I do not want to have more rumors about the empress going around the empire, the rumor about her not being able to conceive a child is enough, if another one blows out, and involves her having an affair...it will do her no good. I know you understand."

Zeke got it immediately. He knows where this conversation is going.

"Stay away from my wife."

"Your majesty, the empress and I are friends."

Erwin clenched his jaw, his fists balled as he tried to calm down. He's not a man who uses his fist to fight someone, nor is he the kind of man to use force and violence.

As long as he can talk and think, he chooses the peaceful path.

But there is a limit to his patience.

He's not the type to get mad easily, either.

But something fueled his mood tonight.

Erwin saw it. How happy the empress was while she was dancing with Zeke. How the blond man held his wife under the rain.

"I know you don't treat her like one. Stay away from her, Zeke. Or else, I will be forced to do something about this."

Zeke smiled sarcastically, he looked down for a moment, shaking his head. Slowly, his smile faded away as he looked at Erwin.

He does not treat himself any lower than Erwin, they're both man, humans. They're both living. The only difference is that Erwin is a royal, and he is only a noble.

But he's also a royal. If my only Reiss/Fritz family weren't ousted from the imperial family and power. He could be considered as a royal blood, and in line for the throne.

He has pride.

But he knows the emperor, too.

"I won't. Instead, I'll take her from you."

Erwin glared at Zeke, he didn't say anything. At that moment, he knew that Zeke wasn't joking. Those weren't empty words. And he's lying if he says he isn't scared.

A man who desires something can do anything...just for him to achieve it.

"The empress is special to me."

Zeke turned his back on the emperor, he stopped for a moment as he looked back at him. He bowed a bit, giving him a small smile. "I'm sure I can treat her well."

"You're crossing the line."

Erwin's eyes landed on the window of the empress' room. He kept a straight face even after seeing the empress looking at them.

Y/n looks surprised to see him talking to Zeke.

"I might have to cut you off, Zeke. So you won't completely cross the line between us, you and the empress."

Zeke didn't say anything anymore.

He just left, suppressing his anger.

Erwin was left alone standing in his place, he kept his eyes on Y/n. They stared at each other for a moment.

Until the empress looked away, Y/n closed the window of her room, and covered it with her curtain.

Erwin let out another sigh, he looked at his right hand, where he was holding a silver necklace with a green heart shaped pendant.

That's the reason why he came for Y/n.

To give her a gift in advance for their wedding anniversary.

"Let's just go, Sir Levi."
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