Her Majesty's Knight

Chapter 23 - Levi

This is a continuation of the last chapter. Enjoy.

Song inspired for this chapter: Here (In Your Arms) by Hellogoodbye. This one takes me right back. I think it's perfect for Levi and Historia. The lyrics suit them in this chapter. 

I stand as rigid as a statue as the small child wraps her arms around me.

Shit... what do I do?

My heart thumps wildly as I feel as if I'm under attack. It's the same sensation from when I first arrived at the orphanage and the children kept trying to climb all over me, and I start gasping for air.

Instinctively, I reach for my blade, but then my hand stops when I hear that small voice.

"No... no crying... big brother."

Something swells inside of my chest next, and I squeeze my eyes hard, trying to fight off this sudden sensation.

No... no one has called me brother since...

Ah, fuck it. No one else is in the room. No one has to see me succumb to weakness.

I drop to my knees and scoop Tilly up in my arms, and she grips tight hold of my neck.

"No... no cry..." she mutters again.

"I... I won't... I can be strong for you, Tilly."

She squeezes me tighter, and now we hold on to each other for a while. I've never held something so small and fragile in my life. Her body is as delicate as china, and it baffles the mind why anyone would want to lay a hand on this helpless, little creature.

No wonder she was so broken, but look at her now, hugging Humanity's Strongest.

"I'm... so sorry about what those monsters did to you down in that awful place. I use to battle monsters every day, but really I should have been stopping the monsters who'd hurt you. I turned a blind eye the day I finally left. Of course, you weren't born yet, but I swore to never go back. But there were others down there suffering. Others just like you... That was why I helped the queen when she started her reign. I knew she was the one to make it all right again... but... somehow... we still missed you, Tilly."

She still clutches my neck, and I'm not sure how much she actually understands, but I grip her closer, patting her dark, curly hair.

"Please forgive us, Tilly. And I promise... no one will hurt you ever again. You're finally safe."

We hold on a few moments longer. When we finally pull away, she looks me straight in the eyes.

Holy crap... this kid really is cute. I've never seen eyes so shiny and black.

She smiles, showing me those adorable dimples. "No more shit."

I chuckle. I take it she's learnt to associate the word 'shit' with the underground then. It certainly was full of shit— the literal and figurative kind.

There comes a soft whimper outside in the hall, and we both jump in alarm. I keep a suspicious eye on the door, stepping closer. Someone gasps and rushes down the stairs, but by the time I arrive, they're already gone.

"Tch," I say.

It appears a certain queen had been eavesdropping on us all along.

...

I find Historia alone in the kitchen the next morning, gazing miserably out the window.

The children play in the yard.