𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖋𝖚𝖑

21. So you knew all along, huh?

"So you knew all along, huh?"

Eren's thumb caressed the scarf as he voiced the question.

Historia smiled slightly.

"Not all along. I would've never married you had I known. It was the night I heard you two speaking in the kitchen. The sincerity in your voice reminded me of... someone else," her eyes glimmered sadly.

They both sat in the empty Cathedral, gloominess surrounding the atmosphere from the day's events.

"You wouldn't just say what you said without a sincere meaning, and I wanted to be sure so that day-"

"When you sent me in to help her with her dress, you were listening too?"

"I wanted to be sure," she nodded.

"I knew the way you felt, but I didn't truly know of her feelings until today. Until she begged and screamed for you but you weren't there,"

Eren's hands clenched around the cloth.

"I told her she didn't need to do this but she said I wouldn't understand, she's right of course. I don't understand-"

"It was to protect us," he whispered. Historia quirked her brows up in a silent question, she didn't comprehend what that meant.

"She did it to protect us, almost exactly like how I married you to protect her. From your evil councilmen."

"What're you speaking about?"

"Two years ago James threatened the lives of Mikasa and Armin, saying if I didn't marry you he'd have no problem taking away all distractions. So I did it, unintentionally wounding the woman I love,"

Historia was silent, processing everything.

"And this morning he tried to kidnap me and told me he put Mikasa in the same position. Fooling her to believe that if she didn't marry Jean, Hizuru would declare war upon us."

"What?!"

Eren rolled his eyes.

"You really didn't know any of this?"

"Of course not! Who do you take me for, Eren? I'm your friend! Mikasa is my friend! Seeing you both this way was just... heartbreaking. I've never seen you happier other than the times you were with her, And I've never seen her more lively and upbeat than the times she was with you. You both have something beautiful and unique, something I had, something I lost,"

She turned away from him, trying to hide her tears, as images of the woman she loved flooded back to her tenfold.

Eren heard the pain in her voice but he couldn't bring himself to look at her, in his heart, he still somewhat blamed her for everything that happened.

But in truth, it wasn't her fault. Everything was his fault.

He needs to make this right.

"I don't care if she's married now. I'm getting on a boat and going after her," Eren stood from his seating position but Historia quickly latched onto his arm to stop him.