Burdens(Erehisu)

Chapter 13

"Please, Mikasa....I beg you. Forget me."

"Wait, Eren-"

"Mikasa!"

The Ackerman was jolted awake by the two sturdy hands that held either side of her arms firmly; the sudden shake pulled her out of a long, miserable dream. Opening her eyes, she sees a pair of light ash-brown eyes watching her in agony. Mikasa whispered:

"Jean."

Finally seeing Mikasa's face at ease, Jean let go of her arms, stood up, and leaned his back against the wall before sighing, "You were having that dream again." Mikasa looked away, sitting on the cold concrete floor, leaning her back against the bed frame; she focused her attention on the bright morning sunlight that was cast on the ground. She then pressed her cold hand on her forehead to mitigate the pain, then muttered, "I don't know what it means."

"Care to tell me?" Jean asked.

Knowing the Ackerman's reluctance to share any of her inner thoughts or feelings with people besides Eren, Jean decided to let go of the matter. "C'mon, we're leaving soon." When Jean was just about to step out of the doorway, Mikasa bluntly stated:

"He wants me to forget about him."

Jean froze, took a moment take in her ambiguous statement, then looked at her and said:

"Well, on numerous occasions, he was annoyed by your protective nature of him." Choosing his words carefully this time, "I think you need to figure out what he is to you....and understand what you are to him."

Noticing the Ackerman was watching him, he continued. "Though, I think it's quite obvious what he sees you as."

===

It was a frantic morning. A horde of people and journalists have gathered around the square perimeter, waiting for the queen's arrival and her eventual departure. All the scouts have already gotten to their stations. Inside the dark green temper tent set in place the night before, Eren and the scouts sat in the corner agitatedly waiting.

Sitting around the brunet, Connie and Sasha tried to break the sheer tension and awkwardness in their little corner by playing jokes on each other; they were only to get cut off by Jean, who, along with the rest of the scouts, watched the brunet as he was sitting in silence leaning on his knees, eyes focused on the concrete ground, and seems to be unaware of people around him. Jean then cleared his throat purposefully and said out loud:

"This bastard spent nearly two days with the Queen, and he's still sitting here in silence when he's supposed to have the most things to share among all of us, huh?"

Eren tilted his head to look at Jean, who was sitting beside him smirking. Jean was expecting the usual annoyance from the brunet but was surprised when Eren leaned back in his seat and said, "What do you want to know about her?"

Genuinely taken back by the brunet's sudden change of attitude towards him, Jean replied in annoyance, "I don't know. Just say something, you blockhead!"

Looking away, Eren noticed everyone was watching him. He then took his time to examine their faces and said, "While she has adjusted to her position, serving with great dignity. There are times that she needs support." Taking this moment to look each of the scouts in the eyes, and warned, "Since her crowning, I'm sure the distance between us and her has grown. Thus, I need you guys to reach out to her and be there when she's in need."

The scouts stared at Eren, who was expressing serious concern on his lean face. Taking his words carefully, they slowly nodded.

"Then, how should I do it?" Sasha asked while beaming.

"Well, drop the formality and treat her like when she was part of our scout."

===

Hearing the frenzy and screaming grew louder in the distance, the blonde moved the window side of the royal cart and dragged the small curtain of the tiny window to the side to reveal her face. Upon seeing their Queen, people eagerly waved at the cart from where they stood. Historia responded by giving a small wave of hers and a smile. Her eyes then caught the large steel ship waiting by the port and a temper tent secluded by steel fences and some MPs standing around guarding. Her eyes began to wander.

Knowing what her Queen was thinking, Emery asked. "Your majesty, shall I fetch Eren Yeager while you greet the people?"

Surprised by her lady in waiting's quick wit, Historia glanced at her before replying, "Please do."