Coming for your soul

Chapter 8

Eren POV

"They trust you a great deal." Zeke nodded in the direction of the doors where the Generals had disappeared out of view. Eren shrugged, walking over to Zeke but keeping enough space between them.

"They obey my orders because I am their Prince. That's it."

"You don't give them enough credit."

"Did you need something from me?" Eren tried not to let his annoyance show. "Because I don't know what we could talk about."

"Are you talking about your evident attempts to avoid my presence or your loss of control which led to you punching a wall?" Zeke crossed his arms and sent a pointed look at the bruises on Eren's fists. "We have more than enough to talk about, little brother."

"Don't call me that."

"Apparently, I have to, otherwise you would have realized by now that you aren't alone in the least. No matter how hard you try to forget that you have a family behind your back, including myself."

Some part of Eren knew that Zeke was right. That he wasn't alone in this. That he had people who would fight for him. Die for him. Yet he felt so utterly alone with the burden of a responsibility he had chosen for himself that it would be selfish to call for help.

It had been his decision to challenge his father's claim on the throne. It had been his decision and his alone to take over Eldia's rule. And with his decision to free Eldia's citizens, he had put all of their chains on himself.

"Whatever, Zeke. I can't deal with you right now."

Eren was about to storm out of the room, when a warm but firm hand grabbed his arm and forced him to stop.

"No. You won't run away like some emotional teenager in distress.", Zeke stressed and waited for Eren to turn his head so that the siblings could stare at each other. "You are Eldia's new hope. They expect you to save them from a fate our father has damned them to."

"How can I save someone if I fail at doing so for myself?", Eren spat and tried to get out of his brother's grip. But Zeke was having none of that. The fingers around his upper arm only tightened and kept him where he was.

Zeke exhaled slowly, shaking his head with something that harshly reminded Eren how much older the other one was. Suddenly he thought to see wrinkles of exhaustion and the strain that all of Zeke's burdens had taken on the façade he had chosen to show the world.

"Eren." The name rolled of his tongue like a compliment, a way to offer comfort and trust. It would always be a mystery for him how a single name could hold so much meaning, so many emotions. "Have you ever considered that it's not on you to save yourself? Have you ever considered that all of us are here to support you?"

"This kingdom hasn't been given to me.", Eren snapped. "I fought for it. People died for it. For me."

"I know. But-"

"How could I possibly complain about a burden that I have chosen myself? How can I let myself fall apart when I can finally feel the results of my hasty actions?"

Zeke's eyes bore into his and Eren swallowed at the anger flickering over his brother's face for a second. But it wasn't directed at him. Never at him.

"I know that Grisha has played with your mind. I know that he has placed so many stupid ideas in your head that it must be hard to distinguish what is truly right and truly wrong." The older one's face was twisted in suppressed fury but his voice as even as it could get. "But just because we choose the hard way doesn't mean that we don't deserve help to master it. You are trying to run over burning charcoals with your bare foot and have forgotten that I am here to give you shoes."