Word Count - 3,060 words
Loud cheers and applause reigned on the streets from the people, as the new knights of the Eldian empire marched forward, wearing their armors, holding their swords.
The 104th batch of Knight Corps were finally knighted after three years of hard training, as if that was their life and death.
Mikasa Ackerman, Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover, Annie Leonhart, Eren Jaeger, Porco Galliard, Marcel Galliard, Jean Kirstein, Ymir, Pieck Finger, Connie Springer, and Sasha Braus are the Knights who got the highest grades in their training, and the ones who are marching in the front lines.
"All of you! Pay respects to his majesty, the emperor! And her majesty, the empress...!"
The people immediately dropped to their knees, as the carriage of the emperor and empress are both already approaching.
"YOUR MAJESTIES."
Y/n smiled as she looked at their people, everyone bowed, and stayed down on their knees to pay respect to both her and Erwin.
Her brows shot-up when she sighted a young girl who stayed standing up, and staring at her with clueless brown-eyes.
"You! Insolent girl!"
One of their knights had noticed the girl, the knight marched towards the girl and pointed his sword at the girl who kept his eyes at Y/n, but began to look very scared.
The new Knights continued marching forward, as well as the emperor's carriage.
"Stop the carriage." Y/n seriously spoke.
The coachman immediately stopped the two horses, carrying the empress' carriage.
Y/n held the sides of her dress as she carefully got down from her carriage.
Lady Finger immediately helped Y/n.
"Your majesty, the empress..."
Erwin was interrupted from smiling at their people, hearing what Sir Levi said.
He looked back, and saw Y/n approaching the crowd. "Stop the carriage." Erwin said.
And so, his coach man did.
The emperor got off his carriage, he made his way towards where the empress' went.
"Put down your sword. She's a kid."
The knight looked back at Y/n, he was surprised to see the empress. "Y-your-"
"You were given a sword to protect the weak, not to point it at the weak, if someone is insolent here, it's you."
Y/n glared at the knight who immediately dropped his sword and stepped aside to give the empress way. He lowered his head down out of embarrassment.
The empress' scary, serious face quickly changed to a soft one as she faced the young girl. "Are you alone?" Y/n asked.
The young girl nodded, but she actually tried to speak, though she didn't continue and stopped herself from speaking out.
Y/n's brows furrowed.
She noticed how the young girl hesitated.
"What is your name?" Y/n asked.
Everyone was in awe, seeing how Y/n removed her shawl, then draping it over the young girl who was obviously feeling cold since she's wearing an old dress that's already thin and has a few holes on it.
The girl is obviously one of the unfortunates.
Y/n can't help but feel disappointed at herself. Because in her six years of being an empress, her number one priority was to help every poor person in their empire.
"Her majesty is asking you, you should answer." Mrs. Finger said to the little girl.
The young girl looked down.
She clenched her little hands, eyes became glossy as the pressure began to take over her. "Uhh..." The young girl only hummed.
Y/n raised a brow.
She looked around, her brows shot-up, seeing more kids at the far back, staring at her. She looked at the young girl in front of her, then flashed her a small smile.
"You don't have to cry, I'm just curious because you're such a pretty young girl."
The emperor arrived, he stood behind Y/n, keeping a distance between them just like how he always does. "What's the matter, empress?" Y/n looked back at the emperor.
Y/n didn't answer, and just gave Erwin a meaningful look...Erwin already knows.
"Sir Levi."
Erwin side-eyed his knight.
"Yes, your majesty."
"Bring this young girl to the palace."
"Understood."
The emperor watched as Y/n gently caressed the face of the young girl, never minding even if the girl is not clean.
"Empress, pardon, but we have to go now."
Y/n nodded, she turned her back on the young girl, then walked past Erwin as she made her way back to her carriage.
Erwin sighed a little.
He actually wanted to ask the empress if she just wanted to be in one carriage, but he didn't have enough courage to ask her.
"The empress is so kind."
"That is why she's perfect for her throne."
"She's just like Empress Marie..."
The blond man stopped on his track upon hearing the next whisperings of the people.
"Be quiet! Don't say that! I heard the empress doesn't like it whenever she gets compared to the previous empress!"
Erwin glanced at his wife.
He was quite taken aback, seeing that the empress was also staring at him.
Though, Y/n immediately looked away to avoid his gaze. I hope she didn't hear that.
--
"Your majesty, the empress is here."
"Let her in."
Erwin dropped his pen on his table, he looked at the young girl quietly sitting on the couch in his office lounge area.
Now, the young girl looks presentable.
She was bathed, given a new dress, shoes, her hair was fixed into beautiful braids and she was also fed delicious foods and drinks.
The young girl is also still wearing the shawl that the empress had given her.
"Your majesty."
Erwin looked at Y/n who just walked in.
The h/c-haired woman bowed at him, Erwin couldn't help but stare at Y/n, since she is also wearing a new dress.
It's a violet off shoulder dress with black threads on it patterned in elegant designs.
Y/n's eyes didn't even stay at him, which made him laugh internally. The empress has always been like that. She never keeps eye contact with him, nor does she stare at him. The empress is always avoiding him.
"Thank you for bringing her here, your majesty." Y/n spoke as she walked towards the young girl, and a smile plastered on her lips to avoid scaring the young girl off.
"Have she spoken?" Y/n asked.
The emperor sighed as he shook his head.
"Unfortunately, not yet. I've tried asking her questions, but her only answers me by either nodding her head or shaking it. I got Hange, Moblit, Levi, Nanaba and Mike to talk to her, but she still won't speak out."
Y/n nodded, she sat on the other couch across from the girl. "Are you scared...?"
The young girl looked at her.
She nodded her head, making Y/n smile.
"Do you like reading?"
The young girl nodded again.
"I like reading, too."
Y/n picked up a random book on the table in front of her.
She opened it with a random page, then started reading it out loud. "Once upon a time, there was a little girl who-"
"T-that's not a storybook, your majesty."
Erwin was surprised, hearing the young girl finally speak.
"Oh? It isn't?" Y/n smiled.
She closed the book then stared at the girl who seemed to have realized that she broke from her silence. "What is your name?"
"Leticia..."
Y/n paused for a moment. Leticia...
"How old are you?"
"12..."
The empress nodded.
She closed her eyes and sighed.
"What do you want to say to me, Leticia?"
Y/n knew from the start that it was better to be straightforward than to beat around the bush.
"P-please help us, your majesty..."
Erwin walked towards Y/n, he stood behind her again, placing his hands on the headrest of the couch.
"I am one of the kids who have escaped the orphanage I was admitted to. T-the kids there..." Leticia's eyes became glossy, she gritted her teeth to stop herself from letting out crying noises. "...we thought that they were getting adopted whenever someone leaves, but they were actually being sold to bad guys from the underground as slaves!"
Y/n and Erwin were both surprised, they weren't able to speak, and so, Leticia took that chance to continue telling their story.
"The ones managing the orphanage tried to sell us for wealth. Not only that, before they even sold us, they kept us working in the orphanage, and even abused some of us. We escaped because we couldn't handle it anymore, and we didn't want to be sold to bad guys..." Leticia shut her eyes from fear as she remembered a disturbing scene.
The empress shifted to her seat.
"Leticia...who is the owner of your orphanage?"
Leticia's eyes widened. Out of fear, she trembled in her place. "I-if I-I t-tell you-"
"Nothing will happen."
Erwin stared at Y/n, who's now kneeling in front of the young girl, holding those small hands. The empress...has always been soft when it comes to kids.
"Nothing will happen to you, or to your friends. Because I will protect you."
Leticia stared at Y/n with teary eyes, her lips trembled as she began to sob.
"M-Marquis...R-Rembrandt..."
--
"Are you feeling all right, your majesty?"
Historia stared at Y/n with pure worry and concern, while she gently brushed her hair.
"I would be lying if I said yes."
Y/n closed her eyes as she sighed.
She picked up her glass of grape wine then drank from it, she finished it all then gave her now empty glass to Frieda who was holding the bottle of her grape wine.
"Do you two...believe that wealth and power will always make a good person turn into a bad one?" Y/n asked.
The Reiss sisters looked at each other.
Then they looked at Y/n, and nodded.
"Just like our father, your majesty."
Historia smiled bitterly. "He was a good person, but when wealth and power got to his mind, he slowly changed until he reached the point of being a bad man."
Y/n stared at Historia through the mirror.
"A good person can always change, so does a bad person, your majesty." Frieda spoke.
The h/c-haired woman smiled a bit.
"You're both right..."
Her brows then furrowed, she stared at herself in the mirror.
I need to talk to his majesty.
"I'm heading to the emperor's residence."
Historia and Frieda were both shocked, their faces grew red as their thoughts began to wander off to not so friendly thinking.
Are they finally sleeping together? Frieda thought.
I hope they do! Historia thought.
OH, PLEASE!
HEED OUR PRAYERS, GODDESS YMIR!
--
Y/n tilted her head to the side, staring in confusion at Sir Levi who looked so surprised by her sudden arrival at the emperor's residence.
"Sir Levi? Is there something wrong?"
The raven-haired man even almost dropped his cigarette when Y/n arrived, seeking for an audience with the emperor.
"It's nothing...your majesty. I'll tell the emperor her majesty is here. For now, I shall escort you inside." Levi said.
He scoffed and walked ahead to lead Y/n inside the emperor's residence.
Lady Finger let out a small chuckle when Sir Levi looked at her with a puzzled look.
As if Levi wanted to ask her why the empress wants to see Erwin this late at night, wearing only a white night gown.
The raven-haired man's thoughts are the same with Historia and Frieda.
They think the empress will finally sleep with the emperor. Because in the six years marriage of the two, never once did they sleep together with any intimate events.
"Sir Levi, I heard you'll be taking some new Knights under your orders?" Y/n spoke.
Levi snapped out of his thoughts.
"Yes, your majesty. I have chosen, too."
"May I know who are the ones you have chosen to take under your wing?"
"All the top knights of batch 104th, your majesty."
Y/n smiled widely. Good choice.
The h/c-haired woman stopped walking as Sir Levi did, too. Now, they're in front of the emperor's room.
"I will inform his-"
"It's fine. You can leave now, Sir Levi. Thank you."
Levi raised a brow as he looked away awkwardly, nodding. He faked a cough as he bowed at Y/n.
"Enjoy your night, your majesty."
Mrs. Finger almost burst out laughing, while Y/n looks confused.
"What does he mean?" Y/n mumbled.
She hissed, shaking her head upon coming up with nothing no matter how hard she thinks of what Sir Levi could have meant.
"I'll be waiting outside, your majesty."
"Yes please do, Lady Finger."
Mrs. Finger then left, leaving Y/n alone in the hall of the emperor's bed chambers.
Y/n knocked on the emperor's bed chambers. She waited but got no response. And so, she knocked once again, but still got no response.
Is he still at his office?
The h/c-haired woman knocked again.
"Your majesty, it is I, Y/n. I will open the door and enter..."
Y/n slowly opened the door, she walked in, and saw no Erwin inside.
Maybe he's still in his office...
But she paused the moment she heard a clicking sound of the door. The empress looked at her left, where the attached bathroom of the emperor's door is.
Her eyes widened upon meeting the emperor's blue eyes.
"Empress..."
Erwin stared at her, looking quite shocked but also curious as to why she's here.
Y/n didn't mean to eye Erwin from head to toe. Not when the emperor only has his bathrobe on, his hair still messy and wet
The tie of Erwin's bathrobe is loosed, his chest can be seen, and the rest covered his body.
The h/c-haired lady gulped. She immediately turned around.
"I-I apologize, I just came in. I wanted to check if you were here because I-I've been knocking yet got no response....y-yeah..."
Erwin smiled a bit, he found it adorable how Y/n looks so flustered. Her hands are even shaking. "It's fine. There's nothing wrong with a husband and wife encountering situations like this."
Y/n paused for a while.
Husband and wife...
Right. We are that, but not genuinely.
"So what brought you here, my lady?"
"P-please put on some clothes first."
"Hmm."
The empress secretly looked back at the emperor, but she immediately turned away when she saw the emperor removing his bathrobe.
"You can start talking, empress."
Y/n almost choked on her own saliva.
Is he for real?
"Y-yes...uhm..."
Just ignore the fact he may be still naked.
"About Marquis Rembrandt. He's a member of the Left faction, meaning that he was one of the people I supported six years ago. I know that this is a problem, your majesty. If he is doing a crime, my name and reputation will be dragged on his issue. Though, I'd rather have that than pretend to be blind and deaf after hearing what Leticia had told us."
Erwin finished putting on his underwear and pants. He was about to pick up his white long sleeve shirt on the bed, but the empress had turned around, flustering him.
Though, Y/n seemed to have forgotten.
And he just let her continue.
"I will be investigating his crimes, if he really did something so unforgivable, I will let you punish him, and I will also take responsibility for him. Because I am the person who brought him to his position."
The emperor became serious then.
He doesn't want Y/n's last statement.
"How can I punish the mother of this state? That will cause a conflict between the Factions and even among the civilians."
No, he's not really worried about any of that. Because Erwin is more worried about punishing Y/n, he doesn't want it.
"Your majesty, a leader isn't afraid of such things. And so, I am ready for whatever punishment you give me." Y/n sighed.
She walked towards the emperor.
Erwin was stunned when Y/n picked up his shirt, opening the buttons on it, so she could help him put it on.
"And a leader should be responsible for his/her people." Y/n added.
The emperor turned around, he inserted his arms on the sleevs of his shirt while Y/n hold it for him. Then he faced her again.
Y/n kept her eyes on his buttons, as she buttons them.
"Then would a one month suspension from your duty be enough?" Erwin asked.
The empress looked at him, stopping for a moment. Her hand slightly touched the skin of his chest, sending shivers down his spine.
He's definitely not craving for the empress' touch.
"That's too light, but I guess it will still do."
Erwin pursued his lips as he nodded. He kept his eyes on Y/n, while Y/n continued on buttoning his shirt.
"Empress."
"Yes, your majesty?"
Y/n was taken aback when the emperor held her waist, she looked at him with a surprised face.
The emperor kept quiet, staring deeply at her as if he was reading her mind and soul.
She gulped upon catching how Erwin's eyes landed on her lips. "Y-your majesty...?"
Erwin seemed to have snapped out of his thoughts. He looked away, scoffing.
"I apologize..."
The h/c-haired woman immediately missed the emperor's hand on her waist when Erwin took his hands back.
"Nothing...you should go back now, empress. It's late." Erwin said.
Y/n nodded, she cleared her throat as she stepped back. "G-good night then, your majesty."
"Good night, Empress."
It's always like this.
Because they do nothing else, but hold back from each other.
Staying quiet even when they want each other. Keeping their real feelings even when it's obvious they long for each other, and pretending they're still not fond of each other even when the fondness has already formed other than being leaders to the people and to each other.
The empress and emperor are the same, like they were really made to be together.
______________________________________
______________________________________
:)