Imperial Affairs (Levi X Reader) AU

47. Back Home

Reader's POV

I let go of Mikasa and waved at Levi once before I left and what bothered me was that he looked...deflated. Defeated, even. I didn't know what to do or say so I just turned on my heel and climbed onto my horse before leaving.

It would've been nice if only that bastard Reiner had come to say goodbye but instead, he just did it from my room that he was occupying, saying something about him feeling cold. He pushed me out of my room and a few seconds later and then, I heard snoring.

Whatever.

I will miss Ath, though.

But he can't come because even though he's a snow wolf, the snow is stacked up and snow wolves are small.

I sighed as I made my horse start walking ahead, right behind Eld's. Oluo was on my right, Petra on my left and Gunter on my back. We started off walking our horses slowly before we made them start trotting before smoothening down the ride and making them amble. It was too snowy to even canter so we maintained that speed. We were lucky that the horses could move around in the first place.

"Your Highness," Petra called from beside me, "Should we think of this as a high risk expedition?"

"You could," I told her, "But I would prefer it if you went back to the castle. I can make this journey alone."

Actually, I'd be better off if you leave me because of not just your safety but also because then I don't have to worry about my disguise half as much.

"I'm afraid we cannot do that, Your Highness," Petra looked over at me, "It is our duty to serve Your Highness until our last living breath."

"Even after death," Eld reminded.

"Yes, of course," Petra agreed.

I know I made you swear that oath before joining me but you don't have to take it by word.

I can handle myself.

"The oath also said something about following orders," I looked at the snow which was as white as snow.

No, that simile doesn't work.

Snow that was as white as a sheet of paper.

Better but the snow is whiter.

Whatever.

"Your Highness," Gunther shouted from the back so that we could hear his voice; he heard us easily because of his good hearing, "It said that we should prioritise your safety over your orders."

"No, it didn't," I was shocked.

"Your High-," Oluo tried to say something but bit his tongue, again.

"Mr. Smith altered the oath from as you wrote it before he made us sign it, Your Highness," Petra nervously answered.

That damn man.

Why can't he ever listen to my orders exactly how I say them?

I knew that he was worried for me especially after he had lost his father because of what he thought was his mistake.

Erwin was the son of a Marquess. He was the heir to the Marchy of Smith. His family wasn't powerful because of trading, ownership or anything like that. It was powerful because it had history with the Empire. The Imperial Family respected that history and confided in the family. The other noble families did not like this at all.

Erwin's father was researching the history of this Empire and he stumbled upon some facts that had never been discovered in all these years. Erwin was sharp and figured out that something was missing from the history they were taught and asked his father. His father told him but Erwin made the mistake of telling others because he was young. Word got to the Military Police and they acted like lap dogs and went to tell the Grand Duchy of Leonhart.