Erwin POV
He had long reached the clearing behind the forests. In front of him he had Eldia's greatest mountain chains, reaching high into the sky and behind him the palace. But despite leaving behind Levi and everyone he cared about, he didn't hesitate a second before urging his horse to go on faster.
They galloped across the clearing, hooves digging into the thick snow and the horse's nostrils distended. Erwin held on tight to the reins, lips pressed together and brows drawn together. Soon snow began to fall from the sky, adding to the unholy feeling caused by the mist hiding the earth beneath him from his eyes.
His mount whinnied and stopped abruptly. Erwin cursed and did his best to get the animal back under his control. It pranced through the snow, head turning left and right and was short of throwing Erwin off its back.
"Calm down, girl.", he said. "Everything's fine. Come on, we've got this."
He patted her neck and pressed his heels into her flanks, leaning forward with his eyes focused on the mountain he was getting closer to. Erwin didn't know where he would start looking for Armin. The information he got from the servant wasn't of much help – well, of no help at all, if he was honest.
Soon enough, the storm of snow and mist was getting thicker and Erwin had a hard time making out anything in front of him. He trusted his horse to know where it was safe to step. Freezing wind bit at his skin and Erwin shivered at the thought of Armin being out there.
His horse fought her way through the snow and puffed out air in between steps. They were getting closer. Just a bit more...
"Armin!", he shouted. "Armin!" Whatever he had hoped to achieve, it was useless. Not a single soul would hear him out here. Not while the wind was blowing loud enough to drown out all other noises. His mount whinnied and was only barely holding on to the leather of the reins.
Damn it, where are you...?
- - -
Eren POV – a week later
A kick to his ribs sent Eren flying on the ground, suppressing the moan that built with each time that noble ass punished him for his loose tongue.
"Should just cut out that useless organ.", the man snarled and spit on the ground next to Eren's head. For a second Eren wondered if it would be wise to make the asshole aware of his poor targeting skills.
The iron taste of blood was filling his mouth.
Every fiber of his being wanted him to jump up and burn that royal dipshit to ashes. But thankfully he still had an ounce of self-preservation left and kept his lips shut.
They were alone in the broad hallway where only the candles threw their light on the walls. Eren stayed on the ground, his hands balled to fists but otherwise he refrained from moving. Refrained from prompting another fist flying his way.
"Remember this little lesson the next time you think about talking to someone like me, dirty rat!"
The echo of drunken steps tripping and stumbling over the hard stone died away painfully slowly and Eren only dared to take a deep breath when everything around him had gone completely silent.
Well. If you ignored the roaring sounds of the snowstorm beating against the windows as it had for the past days. Eren turned his head, heaving out a breath. He laughed off the drops of blood that fell from his face where that asshat had punched him.
The bruises would blossom soon enough and the swelling already showed on the side of his ribcage.
Eren coughed and forced himself up on his knees, accidentally pushing aside the brush he had used to scrub the ground after another day of waiting for the awful weather outside to subside. The storm had started shortly after Eren had left Levi in the library, not explaining his words any further and leaving the older man brooding.
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...
