Imperial Affairs (Levi X Reader) AU

19. The Pretty Ghost on The Balcony

Levi's POV

The prince stood in at the entrance of the dining hall with the gloomy brat standing behind him looking gloomier than usual.

Me and the employees of the palace saw the prince who looked pale and thin, like he hadn't been eating much. His (e/c) eyes were sunken in like he wasn't sleeping much. His (h/c) hair was a bit longer like he wasn't taking care of himself. A frown was plastered on his face and his hardened eyes softened upon seeing the people of her palace.

Without a greeting, the prince started talking, "I've heard that you all are worried about me. You shouldn't be because I'm fine now. I'll be resuming my daily activities starting tomorrow after neglecting my duties for so long and I apologise for that. Thank you for worrying for me and trying to pay me a visit knowing that Mikasa wouldn't let you. I'll leave you all now," he turned around and left the dining hall.

"I'm glad that His Highness is feeling good enough to leave his chambers after nine days," Marco breathed a sigh of relief.

"But His Highness doesn't look so well," Jean said, "I hope that His Highness gets better soon."

"I don't think that His Highness has been eating much. I know a food starved person when I see one," Sasha said, causing Marco, Jean and Connie to look at her.

"Sasha, that was very disrespectful," Jean told her.

"But His Highness does look weak," Sasha continued, earning gasps from the rest of the group.

"Sasha, you do realise that you're not supposed to say such things, right?!" Connie whisper-shouted.

"But I'm telling the truth! I'm worried about His Highness!"

"You may have a good intention but if someone hears you then it will end badly," Marco explained before asking me to include me in their conversation, "Right, Levi?"

"I suppose," I gave a half-hearted reply to a conversation I wasn't even paying attention to.

"Speaking of His Highness and Levi. Maybe we should help Levi live up to the prince's expectations," Connie suggested, changing the topic.

"Huh?"

"That's a wonderful idea!" Marco smiled, "We should help him. After all, we've been working for His Highness for years, we could be a great help!"

"Today we have patrolling duty as a squad. We could talk about ways to help Levi while patrolling!" Sasha suggested.

"Huh," Jean listened to his friends, still a little hesitant about helping me but finally decided, "Okay."

But they didn't even ask me if I wanted help.

"Breakfast ends in five minutes," Marco announced, checking the clock on the wall, "So we'll talk while patrolling."

"But," I interrupted, "I have to personally guard the prince so I can't join you."

"Oh," Jean put a hand on his chin, thinking, "I can resolve that problem."

"Huh?"

Jean got up and dashed out of the dining hall before saying, "I'll see you all near the fountain when patrolling starts!"

10 minutes later

"I resolved the issue," Jean said, hands on his knees, panting and tired from all the running, "I asked Mikasa if they could switch Levi's duty from guarding His Highness to patrolling with our squad for a day and she allowed it."

Sounds exactly like her. She would prefer not to have me close to her or the prince.

"Okay," Marco listened to him while checking the instructions they got on paper, "We're supposed to start at the main entrance of the central palace and patrol east and circle around the main palace building today."