Beyond the Walls || L. Ackerman

Chapter 3: Ride

          "I'm in love with you, Mariam."

Huh? Was this actually happening? As soon as I heard him say those words, my body felt like it was floating. Blood rushed through my veins, through my brain, making me lightheaded. Never in ten million years would I have thought that Levi Ackerman would be right here professing his undying love for me. This has to be a dream right?...

... So it turns out I was right about the dreaming part, I thought as I woke up in a cold sweat from my fantasy dream. No. That was most certainly not a dream, in fact that was a nightmare because never in my life would I want Levi Ackerman to love me. I cannot stand the man and I am dreading this carriage trip to the Scout's Headquarters. Shit, I thought as I scrambled out from under my bed covers. What time is it? Am I supposed to be leaving now? I walked over to my window and shoved open the curtains. The sun was rising so I still had some time to get ready and prepare myself. I'd be gone for a year, off helping the Survey Corps bring humanity to victory. This is what I wanted, and I had never been more sure of anything in my life.

Maids and butlers filed in and out of my bedroom, loading all my bags and belongings into the carriage, almost ready for take off. I ran down the grand wide hallway past all the bedrooms down the stairs and bumped into someone going up.

"Sorry!" I apologized as I kept running down the stairs, not caring to look back.

"Watch where you're going!" The person condescended. Instantly, I knew who the voice belonged to. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around as he was standing there, a few steps above me as if he was waiting for something. I shook my head in annoyance like I was asking what he wanted with just a gesture and continued down the stairs when he kept staring at me with that cold empty look on his face. "Wait!" He said again, I heard him but failed to stop. Suddenly he grabbed my arm in his hand, it was gentle but strong and he turned me around to face him. A brief wave of nausea rolled over me and butterflies were flying rapidly inside my stomach. Oh, how I hated him. Even more, I hated the effect he had on me and the way my body betrayed me when it came to him.

"What?" I snapped, obvious that I was in a hurry to do something.

"Just wanted you to know that the carriage leaves soon, so I hope you've got everything packed and ready and you've said your goodbyes and all that crap." He said simply and scoffed.

"I was just going to bid my parents farewell until you stopped me," I gritted through my teeth and yanked my arm back from his hand. "Thank you, though." I replied bitterly as I continued down the stairs as if uninterrupted. I felt his eyes boring into my back as I walked away but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of looking back.

"Okay Mari, I know I've said this a lot but please be careful. I want my little girl to come back to me." My mother said, pulling me in for a tight hug.

"Yes, yes. Of course, Mom." I responded, playfully rolling my eyes. She pulled back from the hug, both hands on each of my arms to look at me all over, admiring her grown daughter. I smiled sincerely to show her how much I loved her because words could not define it. One of her hands moved to my face and cupped my cheek.

"No matter how much I tell you, I will never have said 'I love you' enough times." She confessed as a single tear rolled down her cheek. A single tear made up of both sadness and happiness. She took the hand that was resting on my face and used it to wipe the tiny droplet that threatened to escalate into a vast waterfall. I gave her a soft smile in response. If I had tried to find the words to exact her feelings, I would have ended up crying too.

"We love you so much! We'll see you in a year!" My mom cried out to me from the steps of the castle as I sat myself inside the carriage right across from Captain Levi. He smirked at me smugly, something about seeing my parents sending me away probably fed into his idea that I was a spoiled little girl who was sheltered by my powerful parents my entire life. Well... He was somewhat accurate but the mission I was on would prove him entirely wrong.