Author's Note: Thank you all for 3K likes!
"What are you doing?" you asked, the slightest hint of fear entering your voice. "Unhand me at once! I am your princess!"
But the guards – your guards – kept their iron-clad grip on your wrists, leading you out of your bedroom to an unknown location.
One of them glared at you with unconcealed hatred. "You're no princess. You're just a fake."
"Fake...?" you breathed, not understanding.
Despite your efforts, the guards didn't utter another word to you. Finally, you arrived in the lowest, coldest part of the castle, and you realized where you were going.
"Why are we in the dungeon?" you asked, a bit more fear seeping into your voice. However, you did your best to keep calm and appeal sensibly to the guards. "I have not done anything wrong. Please, let me see my father. This is all a mistake."
Just then, you heard your father's voice call out to you. Only...he was in a cell.
"Father!" you cried. You tried to run to him, but the guards tightened their grip, pulling you away. "Father! What's happening?" you yelled over your shoulder. "Why are they arresting us?"
Your father gazed at you with remorse in his eyes. His only words were, "I'm sorry."
The guards threw you in a cell and locked the door. Then the men who had kept you safe for your entire life left you in the dark, with unfamiliar faces watching you from between iron bars.
After several hours, you overheard the MP's muttering to one another – something about the Reiss family, and a military coup. But if the military was in charge...
You jumped to your feet, asking, "Did you just say that the military controls the government?"
The MP's flicked their eyes toward you, disgust evident on their faces. One of them grumbled, "Be quiet, girl. We don't answer to you anymore."
However, you weren't deterred. "Please," you said calmly. "Captain Levi is my husband. Can you at least tell me if he is alright?"
The MP who had spoken earlier scoffed. "As if we'd believe that. Humanity's Strongest Soldier, siding with traitors to humanity."
You still had no idea what they were talking about, but you didn't want to get Levi into any trouble. "Of course he isn't a traitor! He would never!" you insisted.
"Um, sir?" the other MP began. "The princess – that is, the fake princess – did marry Captain Levi some time ago. It was all over the papers."
His superior's brows shot up. "Is that so?" He rolled his eyes. "Hold on. I suppose I should tell someone about this."
You waited on pins and needles until the MP returned. "Well? Is Levi alright?" you asked as soon as he appeared.
"Dunno."
"But I thought –"
"Hey, it's not my job to be your messenger," he snapped, interrupting you. "Just sit down and be quiet like a good little girl."
You gaped. A few days ago, no one would have dared to speak to you in such a rude, condescending tone. But clearly, the life you had known was gone.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Several days later, you sat silently in your cell. The MP's still hadn't told you anything, and you were starting to lose hope. After all, you knew the punishment for treason was death. While you hadn't done anything wrong, that didn't seem to matter to these people.
You could only pray that Levi remained unscathed by the coup, considering his relationship to you. Even so, losing you would hurt him deeply. Neither of you had ever imagined that you would be the first one to die.
Suddenly, the door to the dungeon banged open. You heard the sound of rushing footsteps, along with a harsh voice that you knew all too well.
"Levi!" you cried as you flew to the front of your cell, gripping the iron bars in your hands.
A second later, your husband stood before you, concern evident on his typically stoic face. "(F/n)!" he exclaimed. He reached through the bars, his hands brushing over your face, your hair. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"No, no, I'm okay," you murmured. You were so relieved that tears formed in your eyes.
Levi loosed a breath. "It will be alright, (f/n). Erwin went to get Premier Zachary. You'll be out of here soon."
One of the MP's scoffed. "Fat chance. Everyone knows that traitors hang. And fake royals are the worst traitors of them all. You're lucky you won't hang with her."
Levi whirled on the MP, his glare murderous. However, before he could beat the man into a bloody pulp, a voice said from the doorway, "Surely, you aren't suggesting that Humanity's Strongest Soldier and his wife are traitors?"
You glanced in the direction of the sound, just in time to see Premier Zachary and Commander Erwin stride into the room.
Your MP guards froze, surprised by the sudden appearance of the man who temporarily governed humanity. They quickly got over their shock and saluted.
The premier chuckled, then turned to you. "I'm afraid that, before we can let you out, we have a few questions for you, Mrs. Ackerman."
Mrs. Ackerman
Not "Princess". Not "Your Highness". None of the things this man used to call you. You felt a stab of pain in your chest, his words driving home the fact that you were no longer royalty. Your life – everything you had ever worked for – it was gone.
Yet, in a way, the premier was also doing you a favor. By using your married name, he was distancing you from the old regime. Giving you a chance.
"Is that really necessary?" Levi bit out. "(F/n)'s not a traitor!"
"Calm down, Levi," Erwin instructed. "This will only take a moment."
You squeezed Levi's hand. "My love, it's okay," you whispered so that only he could hear. "I'll answer their questions."
Premier Zachary cleared his throat, "Mrs. Ackerman, were you ever aware that your father was an impostor?"
You glanced at him in surprise. "An impostor?" you breathed. "What do you mean?"
"Fritz is not the true royal family," Erwin explained. "Rod Reiss was the real king within the Walls, until his death a few days ago. Your father, along with several nobles, deceived humanity by pretending that Reiss was a mere regional lord. They also kept secrets about the titans and put their personal gain before humanity's survival."
Icy shock flowed through your veins. "That...that can't be true," you stated, your voice barely above a whisper. "My father wouldn't...he couldn't have..."
Levi held you tighter – as much as he could with iron bars in the way. "You see? She didn't know about any of it!" he growled at the premier. "Are we done here?"
"Not quite," Premier Zachary grumbled. "There is one more thing we have to take care of." He turned to you and said, "Mrs. Ackerman, you have a choice to make. You can either willingly renounce your title, along with all of its rights and privileges, or you can be executed along with the other traitors."
His words only paralyzed you further. How could you even answer that? They wanted you to renounce your life...renounce your own father...
You didn't know what to do.
Then, in the midst of your shock, you realized that Levi was still holding on to you. Levi. Your husband. The man you loved with all your heart. The man whose heart would shatter if you died.
You couldn't do anything to save your father now, but there was something you could do for Levi.
Your wide eyes stared at the ground, not really seeing it. You barely felt your body, barely felt your lips move as you muttered, "I renounce my title."
"Will you accept the temporary rule of the military, and the rule of the Reiss family after Queen Historia is crowned?" the premier asked.
"I will."
The premier sighed. "Very well. I'm satisfied. You're free to go, Mrs. Ackerman."
The MP's unlocked your cell, and the very next second, Levi had you in his arms, holding you upright because your knees were too weak to support you.
"Not here, (f/n)," he whispered in your ear. "Not where they can see."
His words brought you back to yourself. Regardless of what had happened, you would not break in front of these people. They could take your title, your house, your money, but they could not take your pride. You would not let them say that the former princess cried at the end.
You forced your legs to take your weight. Then you squeezed Levi's hand, silently thanking him for giving you strength when you needed it most.
With your chin held high, you walked gracefully out of your old life, and into the unknown.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Levi took you to the Scouts' headquarters. It was the only option, as Levi had never purchased a house. He had never needed to, until now.
You held yourself together throughout the entire journey, taking strength from Levi's touch that never left you. Only when you were safely locked in the privacy of his bedroom did you let yourself collapse in a heap of tears.
Instantly, Levi was around you, holding you, whispering in your ear. He told you how sorry he was. He told you how brave you were. He told you that he would always take care of you.
However, he also understood that those things weren't enough. You had been kicked out of your home. Your father was going to be executed. And you would never be the queen you had spent your whole life becoming.
So Levi cradled you while you cried, and cried, and cried. And eventually, you cried yourself to sleep.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Several months later, you grabbed your shopping bag and headed out of the house that Levi had purchased for you.
It was modest – the house – and you knew that Levi agonized over it, hating that he couldn't give you something more akin to what you were used to. However, you truthfully thought it was the perfect size for just you. You had enough space, and its smallness meant that there was less to clean.
The only problem was that it was just you. Levi rarely had time to come home. And without any servants or parents or state meetings to distract you from his absence, you were lonely.
You tried to occupy yourself during every minute of your solitude, but you always ended up staring off into space, remembering a life that no longer existed. And every time, it inevitably made you sad.
You would have gotten a job, except...people knew who you were. Many of them hated you for a crime you didn't commit. The rest looked at you with pity in their eyes – and somehow, that hurt more than the disdain.
You could barely bring yourself to go out to the market each week and endure their stares, their whispers. But you needed food, so you took a deep breath, squared your shoulders, and marched out the front door.
Of course, Levi didn't know about any of it. You always told him that you were happy, that you were adjusting well. He had enough to worry about, and you didn't want to burden him with things he couldn't change.
When you arrived at the marketplace, you worked up your courage and set off to buy what you needed. As usual, more than a few heads turned as you passed. You could only hope that they would get used to you eventually.
By the time you were finished, the sun was getting ready to set, and merchants were packing up their stalls for the evening. Normally, you would have done your shopping in the morning, but your unease had caused you to put it off until the last possible second today.
Darkness fell while you were still walking home. The streets became empty and quiet. You adjusted your shopping bag in your arms and tried to walk faster, eager to get back.
You didn't see the man until he stepped directly in front of you. "Hi there, missy," he chimed in a voice that was a little too friendly for comfort. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone?"
Goosebumps peppered your skin, your instincts warning you that something was wrong. "Well, I was just..." You took a step backward, gasping when you felt your back hit another body. You jumped away, turning to find that a second man had slipped up behind you. His wide grin sent a shiver down your spine.
"I was just on my way home," you finished, fighting to keep the fear from your face and voice. "So, if you'll excuse me."
You tried to step around the first man, but he shifted, blocking your path once again. Then he started to back you into a nearby alley. "I recognize you," he drawled. "You're that fake princess, aren't you?"
Lie, a voice inside you commanded.
You swallowed, then stated as authoritatively as you could, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just trying to get home, and my husband is waiting for me. He'll come looking for me if I don't get back soon."
You tried to slip away, but this time, the man behind you grabbed your arm. You dropped your shopping bag as you tried futilely to shake him off. "Let go!" you screamed. "My husband –"
"Yeah, we know all about your husband, missy. Humanity's Strongest Soldier," the man behind you mocked.
You narrowed your eyes, trying to look as threatening as possible. "That's right," you declared. "So you'd better let me go, or you'll be sorry. Levi will make you regret this."
Ice filled your veins as the man chuckled. "Well, lucky for us, he's not here, is he?"
Your heart dropped into your stomach. "He'll find you," you whispered, unable to make your voice any louder. "You won't get away with this."
"Oh, I doubt that," the man hissed, pulling you so close that you could feel his breath on your face as he leaned over you.
The other one came up behind you and locked his arms around your waist. "Besides, our taxes pay his wages," he drawled into your ear. "It's only fair that he shares his goodies with us."
"Help! Someone, please!" you screamed desperately before he clapped a hand over your mouth.
"Be a good little girl and stay quiet," he hissed.
You couldn't stop the frightened tears that filled your eyes, or the sob that broke from your throat.
"(F/n)!"
Your eyes widened at that familiar voice. Surprised, your captors loosened their grip on you ever so slightly.
"Let her go!"
Before you could blink, both men were on the ground. And Levi was there, his hands cupping your face, his eyes frantic as they searched yours. "Are you alright?" he asked, and you could hear the worry in his voice.
With your whole body shaking, you nodded. "How did you find me?" you whispered, the tears falling from your eyes.
Levi opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by a groan from one of the men on the ground. His expression darkened. "I'll explain later," he stated, his voice deathly quiet as he brushed the tears from your cheeks. "Right now, I want you to walk to the end of the alley. Sit there, and don't look back. Okay?"
You nodded, having the vaguest idea of what he was going to do, but you honestly didn't want to know any more than that. You did as he said, trying to block out the occasional sounds that you heard from behind you.
Soon enough, Levi was beside you, holding your shopping bag in one hand as he helped you up with the other. "Let's go home," he murmured.
Without warning, you flung yourself into his arms, sobbing. Levi was forced to drop the shopping bag so he could catch you.
He sighed and folded his arms around you, rubbing soothing circles into your back. "It's alright," he whispered. "I'm here."
After a few minutes, Levi realized that you weren't going to stop anytime soon. He picked you up bridal-style, deciding to leave the shopping bag behind so that he could carry you home.
Once you arrived, he sat on the couch with you in his lap. You remained curled up against him, bawling your eyes out. Levi petted your head gently, trying to calm you.
When your tears finally subsided, you repeated in a shaky voice, "H-how did you f-find me?"
Levi brushed your hair out of your face, looking down at you with both concern and love in his eyes. "I got a few days off, so I thought I'd surprise you. When I came home and you weren't here, I decided to go look for you." He lightly stroked his fingers across your cheek as he added quietly, "I'm so glad that I did."
"M-me too," you mumbled.
"(F/n), what were you doing out so late?" he asked gently.
You sniffed. "I was buying food. I didn't mean to stay out past sunset. I just..."
Levi's brow furrowed. "What?" he prodded.
That was when you finally broke down and told him everything – how you dreaded going out, how everyone stared at you, and how lonely and depressed you had been feeling.
Levi cursed. "(F/n), I'm so sorry," he muttered. "I should've seen how unhappy you were. I should've been here more –"
"Please, don't blame yourself," you quavered. "It's not your fault. You've done more than enough. Walls, I wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for you." You took a shallow breath before adding, "And you saved me again tonight. Thank you."
Levi pressed a kiss to your forehead before pulling back, his eyes searching yours as he thought about something. Finally, he murmured, "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow, I'll go with you to the market. Okay?"
You briefly wondered if Levi was planning to glare at everyone until they were nice to you, but you couldn't deny that you would feel more comfortable with him by your side. "Okay," you whispered.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
To your surprise, Levi didn't glare at anyone while you were out shopping. He didn't snap at them, or punch them in the face. In fact, he may have been acting a little nicer than normal.
You marveled at the strangeness of it, until you noticed that the townsfolk were also being nicer to you, and you realized what Levi was doing.
By appearing in public with you, Levi was showing them that you weren't a pitiful ex-princess who lived in exile among them. You were Mrs. (f/n) Ackerman, the wife of Humanity's Strongest Soldier. He was making you less of a pariah just by going grocery shopping with you.
As soon as you set the groceries down in your kitchen, Levi muttered, "Hey, I forgot something. I'll be back soon, okay?"
"Sure," you chimed. "Want me to go with you?"
Levi shook his head. "It's fine. I'll only be a few minutes."
While Levi was gone, you busied yourself with putting the groceries away. You had some time left over, so you curled up with a book until he returned, carrying a box with small holes in the lid.
"What's that?" you asked.
Levi didn't answer. Instead, he placed the box in your lap.
You glanced at him, a question in your eyes, but he only looked at you expectantly.
Curious, you opened the lid, and...
"Mew!"
"Levi!" you gasped, lifting the kitten in your arms. "She's so cute! Where did you find her?"
"I got her for you," he mumbled while rubbing the back of his neck. "I figured she could keep you company when I'm not around."
You beamed at him. "You are the absolute best husband ever," you stated. Then you turned to the furry bundle in your hands. "I think I'll call you...(c/n). Do you like that?"
"Mew!"
"I'll take that as a yes," you chimed.
Levi spent the rest of his time off doing whatever you wanted – which mostly consisted of playing with your new pet. When he did have to return to the Scouts, he promised to rush back if you ever felt bad again, but you knew that wouldn't be necessary. You had finally realized that even when Levi wasn't there, you were surrounded by things that made you happy. The people he won over for you, the house he purchased for you, the kitten he brought you – all of it was a constant reminder of how much your husband loved you.
And while you would always miss your old life in some capacity, you were starting to think that this new one might not be so bad.