"𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞."
A STORY IN WHICH, you've never had a choice, especially not when you were forced to marry the future king of marley, 𝘻𝘦𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳.
things were difficult from the start, a foreign country a host...
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(trigger warning for violence!)
ZEKE LOOKED DOWN AT EREN from atop the steps leading up to the throne, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Have you taken too many swings of ale, brother?" Zeke's voice dripped with condescension, loud enough for everyone in the Great Hall to hear.
"No," Eren turned to the crowd behind them. "I simply mean to show your loyal subjects their King's prowess. The same prowess that has fed them this very night!"
The men who were drunk enough to misunderstand cheered, while the more careful ones remained seated, waiting to see how the situation played out.
A voice came from behind them. Porco Galliard stepped forward, finding his place next to Zeke. "I shall play in the King's place tonight, my lord. His majesty is still weary from the hunt." Porco said, reaching for his blade.
Eren stopped him with a glare. "Are you my King, Lord Galliard?" Eren asked, his voice cold as ice.
Porco hesitated, his hand falling away from the blade. "No, my lord."
Eren turned his attention to the crowd, his voice rising. "Is this your King?"
There was a murmur among the crowd, some of the nobles exchanging nervous glances. A few voices, nervous and low, tentatively called out, "No."
But that wasn't enough; there was no determination, no passion. Eren stepped forward, smiling, his wide eyes blazing. "I asked you all standing before me, is this your King?"
Finally, the crowd erupted, confident and secure that nothing would happen to them. "No!" they shouted in unison.
Eren smirked, then pointed his shining blade at Zeke. "And whom amongst you wants to see His Majesty display his power tonight? Who wants to witness a lion roar in all his glory?"
Then the crowd burst into applause, shouting, cheering, and pleading for a show, eager to see their King prove his might, prove that he deserved his golden throne.
Eren turned back to Zeke, grinning. "It seems as though your subjects have spoken, brother."
It took mere minutes to prepare for the haphazard match, but Porco intervened and forced them to use wooden swords instead of real blades.
Eren could hardly contain his anger as they placed the practice blade in his hands. It would be harder to kill Zeke with wood than steel, but he supposed it mattered little.
Zeke would draw his last breath tonight, whether by a real blade or a wooden one.
Zeke ordered one of the royal guards to rip a hung tapestry and lay it out in the center of the Hall, where another group of guards had moved tables to make room for the match.
