Levi POV
The prince led him in the middle of the ballroom. Levi saw Erwin's worry in the frown in his face. He huffed.
He knew the rules. He knew that it was prohibited for some to engage in physical relationships with people of the same gender and that it was frowned upon in the higher ranks of Eldia's society.
But why in hell should he care about that?
As far as he was concerned, the Prince of Eldia was about to dance with him. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of breaking the rules in a fashionable way like that. He wanted to ask him.
Wanted to know why he was so keen on getting on his father's bad side. Not that he ever was on his good one to begin with. King Grisha looked like he was about to kill someone, when his son stopped in the middle of the room, Levi's hand in his own.
The music echoed through the room and Levi swallowed when those brilliant eyes lay upon him again. The prince rested a hand on his waist and drew him closer with a soft nod and a smile tugging at his lips.
Levi laughed darkly, amused by the brave and cocky behavior of the boy. The prince leaned in a bit, pressing Levi against him but not in a violent or rough way. Not at all. Even though his actions spoke for a great deal of disrespect, he treated Levi with as much gentleness as he apparently could muster.
The prince inclined his head and his lips brushed Levi's ear, when a soft voice whispered: "Trust me on this."
Levi's throat was as dry as a desert, shocked by the way the prince's voice was affecting him. A shiver ran down his spine and only the reflexes of his body kept him from falling to the ground when the prince took the first steps.
Levi wasn't a bad dancer.
He knew the steps, having watched the nobles at their parties long enough. But watching them and being the one to dance – he only then took notice of the great difference between those two things.
At first, he tried to ignore the feeling that he would stumble at any given moment. But when he nearly tripped over his own feet and cursed quietly, a gentle hand on his back guided him back on them, a sparkling pair of eyes watching the man carefully.
Levi inhaled petulantly, angry at his otherwise cool nature slipping away under the grasp of those warm fingers. They danced as if no one else was in the room. Nothing but music surrounded them, not even the quiet whispering of nobles reached their ears.
"Why are you doing this?", he asked after the prince spun them around in a much more elegant way than Levi would have thought himself capable of. He was no dancer. "Why did you choose me?"
For a while the prince didn't answer and just when Levi thought that the other party would stay quiet, he said with the smirk still evident on his face: "I am not my brother."
Five short words.
The meaning behind them far to heavy to be ignored.
"I am not my brother. I don't like this exaggerated stuff like he did. I am different."
Despite his words and actions Levi still found it hard to believe him. Nobles and royals were all the same. They yearned for everything they could have or not have. They craved attention. They craved compliments. They were the deadly snakes that killed the innocent and pure mice in this nest of beasts.
Levi allowed himself a dry smile.
"So what? You're doing this to get back at your old man?"
The boy stiffened and the smirk froze on his face but only for a short second. He regained control over himself in no time.
"I am the ungrateful son who turned down his daddy's offer.", the prince chuckled and dipped him, earning surprised gasps from their audience. Neither of them looked over to the King who must be as red as fire by now, angered by his son's disgraceful performance.
Levi narrowed his eyes at the dark sarcasm layering the young man's voice who ignored Levi accidently stepping on his toes. They had found a somewhat comfortable rhythm by now, gliding over the ground as a unit – or what would be the next thing to that.
"That's what the rumors say.", he growled, keeping his voice down. No need for everyone in the room to know what they were talking about. Even though the boy was wearing a mask, Levi didn't need to be a genius to hear the raised eyebrow in his next words.
"You don't believe them?"
"I believe that you are the same, arrogant brat as your brother was."
"It appears that you haven't had the chance to properly get to know my dear brother.", the prince laughed and leaned forward, so he could whisper directly into Levi's ear: "If you knew us as well as you think, you would know that I am indeed nothing like him."
He grinned at Levi but after many years in the military, having faced countless enemies, Levi knew the danger behind a seemingly friendly mimic. And the smile on the prince's face was dangerous enough to alarm every nerve in his body.
"I am different. And I can't wait to show my father the extent of the grave mistake he made all those years ago."
"And which mistake would that be?" That bastard has made enough for a whole lifetime after all.
Something dark clouded the stunning eyes of the brat. He wasn't about to answer but even if he were, an angry shout interrupted their conversation before another word could be dropped.
"Guards! Kill him!", the king screamed.
The prince took a step back, letting Levi go. He nodded at him and turned around.
"Kill him! Kill him and bring me his corpse!", another shout of Grisha came – and chaos erupted.
YOU ARE READING
Coming for your heart
Fanfiction|| Book 1 || Eren Yaeger had to flee from his home when he was only six years old. With his mother and his adopted sister he tries to forget anything related to the King and the secrets they left behind. Many years later war comes for Eldia and Er...
