"I'll go with you" she answered him, a confident tone in her voice although she realized she still had so many things to figure out. She noticed the smile across his face, and it forced a smile out of her too.
"I understand if you need time to-" Levi started, as he was abruptly cut off by her words, taking him a second to process what she had said. "Wait, Really?" he asked, unsure if this was his reality. Was she really going to go with him? Was she really willing to throw everything away for him? "You're really going to go with me to Marley?"
"Yes. Besides, the only reason I did all this was to try to make peace with you being gone" it was music to his ears, all he had ever wanted - to get off this damn island and have a life with her. "And now... you're not gone. You're right here. You're with me. . . But..." she started, her voice dropping from a sweet tone to one with more demand. "You have to give me time - a month at least. We have to figure out what's going to happen here first. We need to figure out the shop - I have employees that rely on me, this place, my mom, and my damn sister"
He chuckled, looking towards the door. "Yeah.. she's not going to be happy."
Anya reached for the door, turning the handle and averting her gaze from him to the door. "Lets go figure this out..." she said as she planted another kiss on his lips "I'm so sorry..."
"Shh, baby..." he pulled her into his grasp, into his arms, before she could open the door. "It's okay, It's all going to be okay. I won't ever leave your side again" his words were reassuring, as she buried her face in his chest, tears falling from her eyes to her cheeks.
"Promise?" she asked as she pulled away from him "Promise me, promise me if I go with you it's going to work out..." her voice was pleading, and he knew she needed some reassurance. She would throw everything away for him in a heartbeat, she would do anything for her Levi , to make him happy, but still - she needed to know that it would all work out. That she wasn't throwing away all she had built, that he wanted and needed her as badly as she wanted and needed him.
"I promise, my love" he said as he brought her in for a kiss, his hands slipping to her waist as he pulled her into him. "As long as we have each other, nothing else matters"
"YOU'RE WHAT?" Sarina bellowed, her voice angry and shocked. "No, you're not leaving me! And you sure as hell aren't leaving mom! Not to MARLEY. No. I've seen how they treat us! I saw how they treated our people! They call us devils! No! He can stay here" she looked down, crossing her arms as if to say that her choice was the word of god. Anya shifted where she stood, glaring at Sarina. She barely opened her mouth to protest when she heard Falco speak up.
"No he can't, they'll kill him" Falco piped up "plus, we're only here on a one month visa of sorts, we only have two weeks left" he interjected, sipping a cup of tea that Gabi had made for him and humming in approval, beckoning for her to sit next to him.
Levi shifted in his place, leaning against the wall but holding Anya close to him, her body in front of his, and his hands on her waist. "He's right" he said as he made eye contact with Sarina. "And more importantly, if they somehow knew we were together, they'd come after her too, probably before they'd come after me - just to get at me."
Sarina's eyes were full of disbelief. She knew the Yeagerists were bad, but how bad they really were, she was unaware of. "So... she has to leave?" she asked with a sadness in her voice.
Gabi nodded, "Yes. We all do. Anyone who helped the Marleyeans... The only place we're really safe is the palace - they barely let us get his things out of there."
Levi looked towards Sarina, discontentment clear on his face. "Honestly, Sarina - if they knew you we're Hange's almost-widow... Your ass would be a target too"
Sarina sighed, taking a deep breath in as she looked at her sister, smiling in the arms of the man she loved as he held her - safe and warm. She looked at Levi, who she knew had been through so much. How can I take this away from them? She asked herself. She examined her sister's smile - it wasn't the mask of cheer that she usually put on, she could see genuine happiness in her eyes, in the way her dimples showed, in the way her hand brushed against his. It was a smile she'd only witnessed in the days since he came back to her. "Fine, but you have to tell mom." Sarina agreed, a foul look on her face.
Anya looked at Sarina, she was going to quip back with a 'not like I needed your permission' or some snarky remark, but she could see the disheartened look across Sarina's face. Her smile shifted, and she looked at Levi. She looked into those beautiful silver irises she so adored and had for so long, and she knew that he was all worth it. "Can she come visit?" she asked, with Levi nodding in approval.
"Anytime she wishes to. Your mom too. It can be arranged that they're escorted by the Garrison veterans to the ports" he said pulling her in closer, and tighter "anything for you, my love"
Gabi smiled and nodded, "yeah, we can pull a lot of strings - being veterans of such an important war and all..." she looked up to Levi as if she forgot something important. "Also, the queen wants to see us for dinner tonight"
"I'm sorry, the fucking queen?" Anya interrupted, looking towards Levi. "The queen?!" She cried out again in surprise.
Levi nodded, as Gabi let out a small laugh "oh yeah, they go way back. She stopped by the hotel - wanted to talk to him about staying a little longer to see the princess! We told her about you, and she asked to meet you over dinner tonight!" Gabi sounded way too happy to be giving this information, grinning while looking at the embarrassment on Anya's face.
"The queen... wants... to meet me?" Anya asked, looking at Levi, who was shrugging.
Gabi knew she needed to change the subject, and had caught Anya off guard. "So look, We'll stay until the captain - sorry, until Levi... tells us we can go home, but can we at least stay here instead of that stuffy hotel?" Gabi asked with a grin "Falco and I can share that bed..."
"I ... uh... yeah. Sure." Anya responded, looking over to Levi. "I...the queen?"
Levi sighed, "you will not be sharing a bed" he held Anya tighter, as if to reassure her that it was going to be fine. "Falco, you'll sleep in the living room. Gabi, you'll take the bedroom." Anya mouthed a 'thank you' to Levi, and placed her hands over his, intertwining their fingers as her head leaned on his shoulder. "And you, you're coming with me. We have to find you something else to wear." he grasped Anya's hand and led her to the bedroom, as Gabi and Sarina let out disapproving groans.
Evening had set in, marking the end being nigh for an exhausting day. All Anya had wanted when the day started was alone time with Levi, but instead they had run around looking for something appropriate for her to wear to dinner with the queen. They settled on a dark blue tea dress with matching heels - and she somehow managed to convince Sarina to wear a matching dress in burgundy, with flats and a coat. At one point, Levi disappeared while shopping, only to later surprise Anya as they made their way to the palace in a carriage with a bracelet that had gemstones the same colour as her eyes. She begged him to put it on her, and he kissed her hand as he did, eliciting a blush across her face. Their fingers intertwined as she laid her head on his shoulder, Gabi looking on in disgust as Falco sat in contentment, watching the pair 'act like teenagers' as Sarina so eloquently reminded them every few minutes.
The ride to the palace wasn't long given its proximity to Stohess, and as they grew ever closer, Anya's grip on Levi's hand grew tighter. She had never even been to a fancy dinner, let alone dinner with the queen. Her nerves were on fire, and goosebumps ran along her arms. She could feel his thumb, caressing the back of her hand. She could feel his cheek, pressed against her head. His touch was her warmth, her calm. His touch helped steady her breathing, as she looked out the window when they abruptly stopped. The door to the carriage was opened by a palace guard, and the first to step out was Levi as he let go of her hand, only to offer it to her again and she exited the carriage. She sighed, admiring how he looked in the dim moonlight standing outside of a literal castle. Despite the bored look on his face he looked like a prince, waiting on his princess's hand. She blushed at the thought, and placed her hand in his as he helped her out of the carriage.
The next to exit was Falco, repeating Levi's actions for Gabi. Ironically, Levi and Falco matched their outfits - and Gabi unknowingly wore the exact same shade of blue as Anya. A casual onlooker could have mistaken them for a family, except for the height difference - Gabi being almost the same height as Falco, the tallest of them. Sarina took no time exiting the carriage, stumbling out awkwardly as she practically jumped out of the doors, landing between the two couples, a small flask in her hands that she took a swig out of before she quickly hid in it her coat.
Of all the things Anya was expecting to see as she looked towards the palace doors, the last thing she anticipated was a small girl in a dirt stained dress running towards her and Levi, shouting and laughing as she was followed by a short, blonde lady in a cream colored dress, shouting after her to finish her bath. "Is that the queen?" she asked, having only seen her in portraits.
Levi nodded as he picked up the younger girl in one arm, his other hand supporting his cane. "Princess!" he exclaimed, and the girl wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed. "How have you been? Have you been taking good care of your mom?"
The little girl laughed and nodded as he put her back down. "Uncle Levi! Mommy said if I don't bathe you'll be mad at me!" she exclaimed with a grin. "You're not mad at me right?"
Levi frowned, and knelt down to her level. "Now, princess, you have to listen to your mother. Go bathe so I can introduce you to everyone." as he said the words the little girl frowned, but agreed and ran back into the palace. As the queen approached them, Anya looked to Gabi, unsure of what to do. She bowed down instinctively, but was met with a small chuckle from Gabi.
"Oh! No no no!" Historia exclaimed "no, it's not... I'm not..." she started, as Anya turned her eyes up towards her "please! Don't bow!" Anya stiffened her posture as she stood, grabbing on to Levi's hand.
"Historia" Levi smirked, "thank you for your invitation"
"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Please excuse our dear little princess. She went with me to the orphanage today and insisted on playing until you got here." She turned her gaze to Anya, and pulled her into a hug. "You must be Anya! Gabi and Falco told me so much about you! Sarina too!" Sarina shot her sister a nod, noticing the look of confusion on her face.
"Madam... I mean... your highness... I... it's an honor" Anya started, wrapping a single arm around Historia as her hand clenched Levi's.
"Pftt! Call me Historia." she responded, and Anya finally realized just how small the girl was - shorter than her even, though not by much. "Let's head inside! I have so much to tell you all!"