♥︎ 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 ♥︎

chapter fourteen

The members of the beast's team felt as though they were already dead inside the beast's castle. Eren was back to brooding, the rose was still wilting, and they had no chance of reversing the curse until it was too late.

They had gathered in the foyer as the night grew colder, finding solace in the only thing they had left - each other. Annie leaned her head on Armin's shoulder as Historia nuzzled Levi on the serving trolley. His flames had faded, and his face was as solemn and stern as Mikasa's, who stood off to the side.

"He's finally learned to love," Armin lamented, his gaze falling on the window that overlooked the Titan's turret.

"It doesn't do us any good if she doesn't love him back," Mikasa pointed out. She sat with her arms crossed and a pout on her face.

Levi wheeled his trolley closer to the grumpy clock, shaking his head. "No," he said emphatically. "This is the first time I've ever hoped she would."

Mikasa was about to say something snarky when Historia intervened. The young teacup had turned her attention to the door and was listening intently to what was being said. "Guys, did you hear that? Is she back? " She inquired as she hopped down from the serving trolley and over to the window.

The rest of the team hurried to the window to join Historia. They pressed their ear against the windowpane, hoping to hear what the little teacup had said. They saw light from torches flashing through the trees in the distance.

Armin's flames burst out in joy. "Could it be?" he inquired, pressing past the other employees. Through the ice that had formed on the glass, it was difficult to see outside. He lit a fire and warmed the window until the ice had melted. Then he yelled, "Oh, my goodness! Invaders!"

Others looked in through the open doors. Armin was absolutely right. It wasn't Y/N returning to the Titan through the forest. It was a mob! And, from the sounds of it, an enraged group. The villagers forced their way through the castle gate and across the bridge to the colonnade. A tall, broad man riding a black stallion led the charge. As the staff watched, he turned and addressed the mob.

"Take whatever treasures you want!" he cried. "But the beast is mine!"

The entire staff let out a collective gasp of terror. What were they going to do regarding this situation?

Mikasa was well aware of her responsibilities. Eren must be alerted. Mikasa went to the turret, leaving the others to form a tight, sad barricade at the front door. She waddled out onto the balcony after hopping and wobbling her way up a dozen flights of stairs and down long corridors. She peered around the balcony, trying to find the titan among the stone gargoyles. She finally saw him perched near the far end. His head was down, his shoulders hunched.

Mikasa swallowed her saliva and cleared her throat. She nerdily said, "Oh excuse me, master."

"Leave me in peace," Eren said, not bothering to look up.

"But the castle! It's under attack." Mikasa said urgently.

The titan remained motionless, his shadow veiled in darkness. His voice trembled with pain the next time he spoke. He finally raised his head and said softly, "It doesn't matter now." His piercing green eyes were stormy and filled with tears that he had been holding back. "Just let them in."

Mikasa's patience had run out. She'd been trapped in her clock body for far too long for her master to give up now. She'd seen the titan squander his only shot at happiness, and she'd stood by and let him. But that is no longer the case. She was about to say what she had been thinking for a long time. "Why fight?" she exclaimed angrily. "Yes, of course! What is the point of doing something at all?" Mikasa exhaled deeply and held her breath as she awaited Eren's answer, anything, in return. But all he did was once again lower his head.

Mikasa turned and started the long walk back to the foyer with a sigh. It seemed that the employees were on their own.

"I have to warn the titan..."

Y/N nervously looked about. Her hands were clenched at her sides and her eyes were wide as she desperately searched the cramped room for a way out.  There wasn't one. The widow was too tiny - and covered by bars - and the wagon had been locked from the outside.

"Warn him?" Erwin inquired, perplexed. He sat in a corner, slumped. He seemed to be in much worse shape than when he was imprisoned in the Titan's castle. His clothes were unkempt, and his hair was strewn about in all directions. His hands were scraped from falling, and fatigue weighed heavily on his shoulders. "How did you get away from him?" The last he had know, Y/N was being held prisoner by the very titan she now wanted to protect.

Y/n stopped pacing. She turned to her father and took his hands "He let me go, Papa," she said. "He sent me back to you."

"I don't understand."

Y/N extracted the rose-shaped rattle from the tiny pouch she had taken from the castle. Erwin immediately noticed it. As Y/N described how Eren had taken her to Stohess and shown her their old home, his hands started to shake. As the realization of what it meant, what Y/N now understood, hit Erwin hard, he took the rattle and shifted it from one had to the other.

"I had to leave your mother there," he started. "I didn't have a say. I had no choice but to save you -"

"I know, Papa. I understand." Y/N's kind eyes met Erwin's. "Will you help me now?"

Erwin tried to keep the tears from streaming down his cheeks. His daughter had always been so considerate and understanding. He hadn't realized how much he wanted her forgiveness until now.

"But... it's dangerous," Erwin said.

"It is," Y/N bravely responded. She waited for him to make a counter-argument. Her father, on the other hand, simply smiled and nodded. He then clapped his hands together.

"It appears that we need to find a way out of here so you can go save your beast," he said as he looked around the cramped wagon cell.

Y/N smiled. "Thank you, Papa,"  Her smile then vanished. "However, I've already double-checked. There isn't a way out."

With a shake of his head, Erwin expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation. If there's one thing he'd noticed over the years, it's that there's always a way out. He peered into the wagon door's lock through the narrow window. Its make-up resembled that of some of his music boxes.

"I think I could pick the lock if only I had -" Erwin became aware of the hairpin that Y/N was carrying in front of him. She was there, anticipating his every need once more. They exchanged a smile.

Erwin then set about picking the lock. They slowly moved the wagon door open after it finally clicked free.

"What are you waiting for?" Erwin whispered to his daughter. "Go!"

Y/N smiled gratefully and ran through the town square, not pausing to see if Monsieur Zeke had seen her.

She arrived at Miche and climbed onto the horse's back. She pulled on the reins and steered them out of the village, Zeke's angry shout and her father's joyful cheer echoing behind her. Y/N pushed Miche forward, leaning in. They didn't have time to rejoice about their slight triumph. They wanted to get to the castle as soon as possible.

Y/N could only hope that they would make it back in time as they galloped through the thickening forest. She didn't want to think about what Jean and his bloodthirsty posse would do if they were confronted with a giant greater than anything they'd ever seen. Levi, Armin, Mikasa, and little Historia were the next people on her mind. They'd be helpless in the face of the crowd.