Word Count - 2,322 words
"Y/n...?"
The empress' brows furrowed. She slowly opened her eyes, letting out a small groan. Her vision was blurry at first, until she closed her eyes again and opened them again, then she clearly saw her husband.
Erwin is staring down at her, his blue eyes screaming of relief and longing while they met hers. She didn't bother with how tight the emperor was holding her, she must've gotten used to it since last night. "Erwin..."
The emperor smiled, softly kissing her forehead. "You're really here with me."
"Yes..." Y/n mumbled.
She scooted closer to Erwin, burying her face onto his chest. She's still sleepy, after all she's too exhausted from last night. The emperor and her indeed had a long night.
"I'm sorry..."
"Hm? About what?" Y/n looked up at Erwin.
The h/c-haired woman slowly sat up, holding the white blanket over her chest.
Her face turned sour from feeling the pain on her back, between her legs, and even on her abdomen. "Because I lost control last night." The emperor cupped her cheek, he gently caressed her cheek using his thumb.
Y/n's eyes closed as she let out a small chuckle, and also covered her mouth.
The sound of her little chuckle made the emperor stiffen in his place and stare at her for a moment. "Your majesty...this wasn't the first time you lose control whenever we do it..." Y/n flashed Erwin a teasing smile.
"Don't tell me you forgot those nights?"
A faint blush crawled onto Erwin's cheeks.
He grabbed Y/n by the waist, pulling her close to him. He laid his head down on her lap, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"You just came back...yet you're already teasing me. That makes me feel like you just went on a vacation somewhere far, Y/n."
Y/n only smiled. She didn't say anything and just stared at the blond man who was also staring at her. One of her hands made its way to cup the emperor's right cheek, while the other gently raked his soft hair.
"Your majesty...we have a lot to talk about."
Erwin nodded his head. He grabbed Y/n's hand that was cupping his cheek, bringing it to his lips, and planting a kiss on her soft palm. "I know...I have a lot to tell you, too."
The h/c-haired woman saw the guilt that crept onto Erwin's face. She already knows what it could be. It must be about his relationship with the Hizuru princess.
"Let's listen to each other, my empress."
"Yes, your majesty. We'll listen to each other's stories."
--
Tears streamed down to Y/n's cheeks, remembering Sota. She told the emperor everything, from how she was found, how she lived without her memories, and how she began to remember the same memories she had forgotten after four long years.
"Sota...this man...he took care of you."
Y/n nodded as she wiped her tears.
Erwin let out a sigh. He brought Y/n in his arms, embracing her. He knows now, how Y/n survived, how she lived and came back.
His wife told him everything.
"I'm sorry..." The emperor mumbled.
He also heard of Sota's passing. When he heard of Sota and Y/n living as a married couple for four years, he felt upset, but then he knew that Y/n didn't mean to be with another man. She was clueless, like a baby.
The h/c-haired woman's honesty was enough for him. He disregarded the part of her story wherein Y/n mated with another man. Because he knows that is not what's important right now. And it's already been done. He won't be able to do anything anymore. He has to be understanding.
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that. Without me by your side. And I'm grateful to Sota...he was always there for you. We should pay him a visit. I wanna thank him personally" Erwin pressed a soft kiss on top of his wife's head. "He took care of you."
Y/n only nodded. She held onto Erwin's arm, gripping onto the sleeves of his shirt.
"Do you still love me...?"
Erwin was taken aback by Y/n's sudden question. He looked at her with disbelief.
"Why...why are you asking that kind of question, my love?" The emperor asked.
The h/c-haired woman closed her eyes, letting more of her tears escape her eyes.
"It's just that...another man had me...it's disgraceful, your majesty. A shame upon your honor. Upon the crown I am holding."
"Y/n..." the emperor let out a sigh.
He cupped Y/n's cheeks, then wiped her tears. Instead of answering her question with words, he kissed her forehead, her eyes, her cheeks, her nose, her jaw, and finally her lips. "You must not know how much I love you, Y/n. Even if you became the most terrible person in the world..."
Erwin smiled at the h/c-haired woman.
"You will always be the woman I loved, the woman I am in love with, and the woman I will only love. Nothing will change even if you are this and that. I...will forever be longing and craving for you and only you."
Y/n cried even more, but not because she didn't like what the emperor said, it's all because she felt happy and relieved with her husband's reassuring words.
"In fact...I should be the one asking you that question, empress." Erwin let out a sigh.
His brows furrowed as he looked away from Y/n. "I've done something terrible."
The h/c-haired woman already knows, but she still wants to hear it from her husband.
"Four years...without you was a living hell. Even if I have Eleanor and Evan, it wasn't enough. Not when I am without you. I..."
The emperor closed his eyes.
"I thought I was going to lose my mind, everyday I see you. There were a lot of times when I mistaken you with another woman. Your smile...your eyes..your lips..."
Erwin held his head, letting out another sigh. "I couldn't forget them. Because I refused to do so, all because it's you...and it almost made me go insane. In the end, I found myself giving in to my delusions."
The emperor looked at Y/n, he held both of her hands, brought it close to his mouth as he muttered an apology and began to tear up. "I'm sorry, my love...I...I spent a night with another woman who's the same as you. I broke my promise...forgive me..."
Y/n's tears streamed down to her cheeks.
Yes, it hurts, but...can she really blame Erwin? He thought she was dead, he longed and mourned for her. He didn't want to forget her, and his mind was in total mess because of her. Yes, it is painful for her.
But she's sure that Erwin was in pain, too.
"Do you love her, your majesty?"
The h/c-haired woman calmly asked.
Erwin looked at her with a "no" screaming in his face. "I do respect princess Keiko, but I do not feel any romantic emotions towards her...I was..." The emperor cursed himself under his breath. "I was foolish for using her just because I saw you in her..."
Y/n took a deep breath. She cupped Erwin's cheeks, making her look at him. "Your answer was enough for me, your majesty. Don't apologize anymore. It already happened. All we can do now is fix this mess. We can't go back in time, right?"
The emperor nodded at her.
She smiled as Erwin leaned his forehead onto her, then kissed the tip of her nose.
"Tell me, Y/n...what good did I do...to deserve a beautiful angel like you?"
The h/c-haired woman chuckled.
"Your existence is good enough, your majesty. Maybe that is why."
Erwin's smile slowly faded away when he remembered their little angel. He's been wanting to ask Y/n about their child, but he's scared to hear about what happened.
Y/n didn't say anything, either.
But he wants to know.
Even if it means hearing something heartbreaking. He still wants to know.
"Y/n...about our baby..."
The h/c-haired woman looked up at him. His heart began to race fast from anxiety as he saw the longing in Y/n's eyes. "What happened to our baby?" He asked, his voice even shook, he's really scared. Please...
Y/n didn't answer, instead she embraced him. Silence reigned between them for a moment, making Erwin tear up. "Did we..."
Did we lose our baby?
Before Erwin could even continue his question, his empress had already spoken.
"Elizabeth...our daughter."
Y/n looked up at him, smiling sweetly.
"She got your blond hair and blue eyes."
--
Sir Levi glared at Mikasa and the knights who knew about the empress' existence.
"You insolent fools...dared to keep this a secret?" Levi coldly said.
Mikasa remained unfazed while the other knights were already trembling in fear. They know better not to anger the captain, or else they will be forced to give up their swords and just live as a piece of shit.
"The empress ordered us not to inform the emperor, Sir Levi. We followed orders from the mother of the Eldian empire."
Levi looked at Mikasa, annoyed by how arrogantly his cousin answered him.
"Hey, Ackerman. Would you take responsibility if the empress, the princess and crown prince were put in danger while you fools were playing double agents?"
Mikasa frowned at the raven-haired man.
"I am capable, as is my team, captain. I am not an idiot to let anything bad happen to the royals of the Eldian empire."
The raven-haired man clenched his fist. He felt even more icked by how arrogant his cousin is. "Hey, Mikasa. May I remind you-"
"Sir Levi."
Levi turned around, and immediately bowed upon seeing the empress. Mikasa and the others also paid respect to the
h/c-haired woman. "If you are to scold them for what they did, then you shall do the same to me. After all, I gave the orders."
The raven-haired man frowned, making
Y/n to smile. She missed Levi's grumpy nature. "I can't do that, your majesty. Even if you gave orders, the fault will still be pointed to them. They are knights who-"
"Sir Levi. It is early in the morning. Spare me the lecturing." Y/n said as she chuckled.
Mikasa pursued her lips to stop herself from laughing. Heh. Levi needed to shut up.
Thanks for that, your majesty.
Levi side-eyed Mikasa and the other knights, cussing at them inside his mind.
"Mother!"
Y/n and the others looked at Evan and Eleanor who's now running towards her. She smiled and approached the twins.
The knights felt their hearts softened seeing the twins embrace the empress with so much love and sweetness. It's been a while since they saw the royal twins that happy.
"Is it true?! We're going to get Elizabeth today?!" Evan asked.
"Yes. We're just going to wait for your father." Y/n answered.
"Yey! I have something for Elizabeth!" Eleanor said with much excitement.
Y/n only smiled as the twins began rambling to her about how excited they are to see their little sister again.
"Your majesty..."
The h/c-haired woman looked at Sir Levi who called her. She raised a brow upon seeing princess Keiko from afar, staring at her.
Y/n kept a stoic look on her face as she made her way towards the Hizuru princess.
Keiko looked nervous when they were finally in front of each other.
"Princess Keiko, was it?" Y/n coldly said.
The Hizuru princess gulped as she nodded, she bowed at Y/n to pay her respect.
"Yes...it's nice to meet you, empress Y/n."
Y/n eyed Keiko from head to toe.
She looks nothing like me at all.
But...The h/c-haired woman stared at Keiko's face, seeing the genuine expression on the princess which she can somehow relate to herself. "I apologize for what happened at your birthday banquet last night. You were supposed to have a happy celebration, but I ended up ruining it."
Keiko shook her head. She knows Y/n is kind. She heard stories from the emperor about the h/c-haired woman. Erwin talked about Y/n with so much love and respect.
But still, she can't avoid it and still feels intimidated. "It is fine, empress Y/n. All that was important was that no one got hurt..."
"I'll be honest with you."
The empress looked at her straight in the eyes, ignoring her sentiment. "I did that on purpose. Because I didn't want your engagement with my husband to happen."
Keiko's eyes widened. She wasn't able to say anything and just stared at the empress with disbelief. "I won't apologize for that. Because...I don't want my husband to have another woman while he is married to me."
Y/n let out a sigh. Her fists clenched tightly as, keeping her eyes on Keiko who's already on the verge of tears. "But it's all too late now." The empress smiled bitterly.
"I heard from my husband that you and him shared a bed together. That means that something had happened between you two. Your father...will be mad if Erwin leaves you here even after taking your chastity, and it's also against the rules of the Eldian empire to abandon a woman graced by the emperor."
The empress swallowed the lump on her throat. She knows the result of everything.
Their problems...aren't over yet.
"...my husband will take you as his concubine."
___________________________________
___________________________________
:)