Thy Empress (Erwin Smith x FEM! Reader)

part lxv

"Isn't that...the crown prince, your majesty?" Lady Finger said, curiously.

"Yeah...that's the crown prince." Y/n changed her route going to Evan. Why is the crown prince outside? It's already late.

Y/n stopped on her track just when she was already close to the crown prince. Her eyes widened upon seeing Evan silently crying.

The empress looked back at her servants, and signaled for them to leave for now.

Lady Finger, Historia and the two knights nodded and left quietly.

"Your highness..." Softly, the empress called the crown prince who obviously stiffened in his place upon hearing her soft tone.

Evan quickly wiped his tears. He didn't turn to face Y/n, feeling embarrassed that his mother will see him and his swollen eyes. "I...I am going to go back now to my-"

Before Evan could even leave, the empress had already caught his arm. Evan looked back at the empress, his cheeks and nose are red, and his eyes are puffy from crying.

"What's wrong, my son?" Y/n asked.

Her voice was so soft, so comforting and calm, that it made Evan break down into tears once again. "I...I-I'm...nngh...s-sorry."

The h/c-haired woman sighed.

She doesn't know what happened, but she knows that what she needs to do for now is give the crown prince a hug.

"It's okay, dear...just cry it out."

Evan cried more as he hugged his step-mother. "Y-your majesty...can..."

Y/n began stroking Evan's hair.

"Yes, tell me, son. What can I do for you?"

The empress looked down at Evan who looked up at her. She cupped his cheeks, catching his little tears with her thumb.

"I..." Evan looked down, he gripped onto the empress' arm, shutting his eyes.

His lips kept on trembling, preventing him from speaking clearly.

"I don't want to become an emperor, your majesty...I don't want it...please help me..."

Evan...

--

Erwin shut his eyes, he put down his quill pen, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Where is the crown prince?" The emperor seriously asked.

Sir Levi came to his office, and reported that the crown prince didn't attend his daily lessons, and is nowhere to be found in the imperial palace.

"I apologize, your majesty. We don't know yet." Sir Levi said in a cold tone.

The emperor sighed once more. Erwin stood up from his seat. "Assemble your-"

Erwin wasn't able to continue what he was saying when a knock on the door had occurred. He looked at it, watching it open.

His wife walked in, their eyes immediately met. "Empress...have you heard what happened? The crown prince didn't-"

"We need to talk, your majesty."

The emperor's brows shot-up. "Pardon?"

Y/n looked at sir Levi. "Leave us, sir Levi. And please don't make any move to look for the crown prince. He is completely safe."

Levi and Erwin were both taken aback.

"Y-yes, your majesty."

The raven-haired man then left, leaving
Y/n and Erwin alone. "My love, what did you mean by that?" The emperor asked.