Shingeki no Kyojin - Jiyuu no Tsubasa -

Chapter 22

For the next few days, Aura was bedridden. Her body still felt numb and she still coughed up blood from time to time. Luckily, the prince did not come by at all but that also made Aura quite restless. She did not know when that bastard would come and all she could do was wait. Without anything to do, it was plain boring when she finally had the energy to get up from bed. Each day, she just walked around the house, familiarised with the route and watched the four soldiers who were supposed to be her guards, trained in some lousy swordsmanship half heatedly.

She managed to find some weapons in the house and hid some under her bed and within her clothing. She was let quite loose in the house. If only the gate was not locked and the fences were low enough for her to climb, she would have run away long ago out of boredom. Problem was, there was not a single horse left in the house after Ellie ran off. She did think of climbing to the roof and jumped off the fences. Either she successfully jumped over it or she would die being pierced by the sharp fences if she failed. But either way, she would be left to walk on foot and will most probably died somewhere after a few days without food or drink. Not worth to take the risk.

Either way, she still coughed up some blood from time to time but it was getting lesser and lesser. Guess the poison needed some time before it was comppetely gone.

"Aura-san!! Please don't climb so high!!" Someone shouted.

It was the maid who was in charge of taking care of her needs. She was also the one who nursed her back to health in the past few days. Her name was Lisa. She resembled Cain in term of being a worrywart.

"Aura-san!! Please! You know I am scared of height!" She shouted again, almost crying.

"Fine, fine." Aura gave up. She was ordered to be by her side 24 hours a day and being such a obedient girl, she was sticking up to her order. Aura slowly climbed down the rooftop into the nearest window and took the stairs down to the garden, where Lisa was waiting.

"You don't need to worry so much... I won't run off." Aura sighed when she saw Lisa looked at her nervously.

"But... I am sure you are itching to escape from here... right? Right?"

"Obviously..." Aura answered. She was now cured so meaning the antidote should be working at Levi's side as well. But still, she wanted to get a confirmation that he was okay. Nobody knew what could happen.

"... By the way, Lisa..." Aura started, "Do you know who else is being held as hostage?"

"Other hostage? You are the only one here, Aura-san." She answered innocently, making Aura had no doubt that it was the truth. Then who was the other one and where?? Did the prince bluff her? Should she start planning her escape soon?

Out of sudden, from afar, a single long whistle was heard, making everyone there surprised and a bit panic. But not Aura.

Aura knew who was blowing that whistle. She gave a sigh of relief and whispered to herself, "He is alright... he is alive..."

It was the same message. He was alright and they would stick to the plan. Aura just have to believe and wait for him to come and pick her up.

She replied with a short whistle to acknowledge it. Everyone turned to her.

"... It was for me. I am just replying."

Out of the sudden, they could hear the galloping of horses coming towards their direction. The creaking of the gate proved more than anything that it was the master of the place that was coming in. Otherwise, the gate would remain shut.

The moment she saw the prince, her hatred just rose up again. She instinctively glared at him and put up her guard.

"... I see you are healthy enough to make that face." Rufus started with his annoying voice, "Hey! Take her away!"