Esther closed the door, seeing that two men were approaching quickly. "Anya?" she asked, a sour expression on her face. "What kind of sick joke is this! Who are you?"
Sarina pulled her bright blue bolo tie out of her jacket. "Sarina Voman, Military Police." she responded with a sigh "ok, Former Military Police"
"And you're here because?" Esther asked, "I never put out a missing person's report on Anya - we know what happened to her. So state your business and get out of my home"
"Oh, do you?" Sarina chuckled "You sure you know what happened to her?"
Esther shifted in place. "Well, yes. My father killed her" she responded "She was only 15 years old, and she was pregnant."
"Oh, I see. And what happened to dear old dad after that?" Sarina asked, a smirk on her face and glint in her eye as she spoke.
"My father was found dead. He was murdered by an old family friend"
Sarina hummed, kicking her shoes up onto the table. "And how long ago was that?" she asked, a coolness in her voice that set Esther's soul on fire.
"844" Esther responded "So unless you have something to tell me about either of their deaths, please leave my home"
Sarina sighed as she put her feet back down, resting her chin on her arms as she placed her elbows on her knees. "That's actually exactly what I'm here to do, actually."
Esther looked taken aback by the statement. She hadn't heard anything of her family since the Military Police came to her home to tell her of her fathers death. She hadn't heard anything of Anya since Levi went to buy her citizenship - at that, he was so cold the whole time - barely like she remembered him. "Ok, so..." she started
"Your cousin is alive, she's probably pregnant with Levi's child but won't listen to any of us - even him, and also your sister killed your dad and me and Kenny the Ripper helped her hide the body." Sarina said bluntly, opening her flask and taking a swig of the burning liquid. "What I'm most concerned about though, is why you all seem to die so young..."
Esther was in shock. All of this news being dropped on her so quickly, she went and took a seat next to Sarina, putting out her hand and motioning for the flask. Sarina obliged and she took a swig of it before handing it back. "So, Anya is alive?" she asked, a tear escaping her as she felt her heart burst with joy.
"Yup! I've been stuck with her the last 22 years. I don't know how you did it for so long" Sarina responded "She's so damn whiny, and needy. Well, she was until Levi came along"
Esther couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, sounds like her. But what do you mean came along?" she asked, thinking back to how damn needy Anya could be when it came to Levi.
"Oh, they were separated for 22 years. They actually just got back together about a month ago. Hey, do you have any more booze?" she explained, as Esther stood up and brought over a bottle of whiskey and poured them each a glass.
"22 years?" Esther asked "I mean, I guess last time I saw him I did tell him she was dead"
Sarina averted her gaze from the alcohol to Esther's bright green eyes. "Oh, So you're the one that told him that. Do you realize how much that fucked them both up? Two decades of thinking the other was dead. Two decades. Now, they can't spend a moment away from each other. You, this is your fault"
Esther felt the lump in her throat. "This is not my fault!" she protested. "I thought she was dead too!"
Sarina rolled her eyes. "You ever bother to look?" she asked
Esther shifted in her chair. "Well.. no..."
"Exactly." Sarina noted, taking a drink from the glass she was handed. "That cute little bakery called, oh! What was it called? Oh yeah - ROFF'S? LIKE YOUR LAST NAME? That's hers"
"Oh! I've always wanted to go there!" Esther exclaimed, much to Sarina's dismay.
Sarina rolled her eyes at the statement. "So are your whole family airheads? Or just you and Anya?" she asked, "anyway, I'm here to find out if there's anything I need to know - any, you know,like any diseases? A reason why your family dies so young?"
Esther looked down, and downed her own drink. "My mother, Kristina - she died a few years after Rena. They weren't related. My mother died during a miscarriage from bloodloss. Rena died of a disease. Every woman in our family dies young. Our grandma died young, my sister died young, and... I'm dying."
Sarina stared, wide eyed and mouth agape. "You too? How?"
"I'm very sick. Doctors say I have about a year, and will probably die before my 40th birthday." Esther explained, and looked to Sarina. "Look, I'm very happy for Anya - I'm so happy shes alive, but I can't be around her. I can't bring this curse to her."
Sarina laughed, slapping her knee "Curse?" Sarina finished her drink "Curse? Curses don't exist sweetie" She stated as she brushed off her shirt and walked to the door. "Look, if you wanna see your cousin before she leaves with Levi for Marley, you've only got a few weeks. We're staying at the palace. Come by, you're on a list to be let in." Sarina opened the door before Esther quickly shut it closed.
"Wait! There's something I have to tell you about!" she exclaimed, catching Sarina's attention."Have you ever heard of the string of fate?"
Sarina shook her head, again trying to exit the door.
"It's when two people are destined to be lovers - it doesn't matter the time, or the place, or how the circumstances are. They're tied to each other. The cord may tangle, the cord may stretch, but it will never break" Esther started "Does that sound familiar?"
Sarina nodded, the first thing coming to her mind was Levi and Anya. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because our family is cursed. No woman in our family has ever been able to break the curse. We don't even speak of it - not to each other. We isolate ourselves from each other, so that nothing bad happens to the others." Esther sighed. "Our family is cursed to never be happy. We don't know who set this curse, or when - but no woman lives past 40, and no woman can be truly happy with the other end of their string of fate."
"Sounds like bullshit, Esther." Sarina noted as she laughed. "Curses don't exist. You know what exists? Science. Sweet, sweet, science . If science cannot explain stupid things like curses, then they don't exist, "
"Look, promise me one thing. One thing you'll do" Esther asked, now pouring herself another drink.
"Hmm?" Sarina responded with a hum, hoping it wasn't too much to accomplish.
"Are they getting married?" Esther asked with a smile, looking at Sarina with wide eyes. She shook her head in response, although Levi had told her he planned to propose - he didn't mention when. "Well, if they do - make sure it happens before she turns 40. And At their wedding, there's something you have to do to prove the curse wrong"
Sarina rolled her eyes at the statement, but hung around in agreement.
"When they get married, Tie a knot around his thumb, and link it to a knot around her pinky finger. It's a symbol that they've finally found, and are with, their destined partner... Maybe. That will lift the curse." Esther begged, grabbing Sarina's hands before she pulled away.
Sarina sighed, agreeing as she turned and walked through the door, hoping Esther didn't live too far from another bar. As she turned the corner, she felt a hand slip over her mouth, and another pair of hands restraining her wrists and pulling her into an alleyway..
" Pig " one of them snarled as he smiled - Sarina noticed that he had red hair, and a small scar on his neck. The blonde who was standing with him beckoned them into a carriage, and placed a gag on Sarina. The last thing she saw before she passed out, the lack of oxygen intruding her brain, was a tattoo on his left wrist - a symbol not unlike the wings of freedom, but with two rifles crossed the peak.
"I haven't seen Sarina all day!" Anya complained as she laid in bed next to Levi, distracting his attention from his book as he reached an arm around her to pull her close. She laid her head on his bare chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart.
Levi pet her head gently, giving her a kiss on her forehead as he went back to his book. "I'm sure she's fine, probably just hungover somewhere or holed up in her room"
Anya looked up at the man she was laying on and adored how the candlelight accentuated his features - his jaw seemed almost sharper from this angle, and his eyes shone in the candlelight. She sighed as she admired him. "I know but I just have a really bad feeling" she mumbled as she slipped an arm around him, caressing his chest as she moved her hand to his shoulder. She noticed the small blush on his cheeks from the touch, her delicate fingers massaging his shoulder as her eyes begged for his attention. "What if she did something dumb, and left the palace?"
Levi placed his book down gently on the nightstand next to his side of the bed, and turned to Anya. He moved her chin up until their lips met, and kissed her softly, hoping that she would find comfort in his kiss. He hummed as he broke the kiss, opening his eyes, he found hers hazed over from their kiss. "She's not that stupid" he reassured her. "She wouldn't just up and leave, She wouldn't disobey Historia's orders. Besides, she values her ass and the capital is swarming with Yeagerists."
"I guess you're right" Anya started, cupping his face in one hand while the other wrapped around his back. "But what if they came here? I'm worried they'll try to hurt one of us" her voice was tinged with insecurity and fear, as much as she tried to hold it back. "Those kids are so sweet. I don't want anything to happen to them! Or you! Levi, If I lost you I'd..."
"Shhh," he silenced her with a peck on the lips. "Nothing's going to happen to me, or Sarina, or those brats, and especially not you." he pulled her in close, admiring the softness of her skin against his - even covered by a thin nightgown, he could feel her warmth. "I will protect you with my life,"
Anya shifted until her face was buried in the crook of his neck. "What if they attack the palace?" she mumbled, squeezing her arms around him. "What if they take you away from me," she whimpered, tears starting to fall from her eyes.
"Oi, none of that will happen!" he pressed their foreheads together. "Nothing can take me away from you, and nothing can take you away from me. No harm will come to you, I give you my word," He kissed her, sighing softly into their kiss as his tongue pressed to her lips. She quickly allowed him entrance to her mouth, and their tongue danced until they heard a knock on the door. As Anya broke their kiss to get the door, Levi turned to her. "Baby, We've been through much worse than some fascist scum, Trust me - we will be fine." He reassured her, before another knock - this time harder - was at their door.
Anya opened the door, revealing a frantic Historia. As soon as she flung the door open, she felt a wave of nausea hit her and ran to the bathroom.
"Levi! Anya! It's..." Historia started before letting out a sob. "It's all my fault! I should have increased security so she couldn't go anywhere! I should have... " She was quickly cut off by a glare from Levi.
"What happened?" he asked coldly, looking over Historia with concern.
"It's Sarina! She... She was..." Historia cried, head in her hands as her words penetrated the door, and Anya quickly washed herself and opened the bathroom door. She was dizzy, and still nauseated, but now there was a look of concern on her face.
"What happened to my sister?" Anya asked blankly, staring at Historia, who held a piece of paper out to Levi. Anya quickly snatched it up, sitting next to Levi so they could read together.
Dearest Queen Historia,
If you want your traitor returned to you alive, you have 48 hours to contact us and give in to our demands.
Our demands are simple: More power in the kingdom, or the head of your friend.
Choose wisely.
"She was kidnapped" Anya said as she looked at a nodding Historia, and a clearly frustrated Levi. "How?" she asked as she looked back at Historia.