Tale of Two Tails

Chapter 4

When Levi opened the door, he noticed that the room was cleaner than before lunch, and the garden looked immaculate. Mikasa didn't notice the difference. Her brother's room was always clean. She did react when she heard the small yip and growl coming from the steps.

"What was that?" She asked, stepping closer to Levi, causing another growl. Levi rolled his eyes.

"Eren." He said. He turned to the brown fox and kneeled. "She's my sister, you don't need to protect me from her." Eren didn't let up. Mikasa looked slightly sad that the small animal didn't seem to like her. And confused.

"Protect you?" Levi nodded as he stood.

"He wishes to stay with me. Not as a pet, but a guardian." Mikasa nodded slowly.

"Okay. But what could a mere fox protect you fro-" She froze as she thought saw the tips of Eren's two tails spark, like flint and steal trying to light a fire.

"Mikasa?" Levi asked. His sister stared at the fox for a second longer before shaking her head. "What is it?"

"My eyes playing tricks on me. Anyways, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Levi sat down and motioned for Eren to come sit by him. The fox obeyed immediately, and though he relaxed some, he stayed on high alert. Mikasa wondered why the fox took such a liking to her brother in such a short time.

"I wanted to talk to you about the meeting we just had. If we were to find the demon that evaded the hunters, how would their presence affect you?" Mikasa sighed.

"I'm not quite sure. I rarely come in contact with other demons."

"Would they out you? I don't want to risk your life because a demon outed you." Mikasa nodded.

"I know. I'm not sure how they'd respond to me though. And I don't know how I'd respond to them. I'm hoping that nothing drastic will happen." They both noticed Eren growl, low and warning.

"What is it Eren?" Levi asked, petting the young fox on the head. Eren went to the dirt and wrote his message.

The raven tengu*. She smells strange. I don't know the scent, so I don't trust it.

Levi sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"She's only half, remember." Levi said, causing the fox to cock his head.

Half? was then added to the dirt.

Levi nodded.

"Her mother was a demon and her father is a human." Levi explained, again. Eren looked to Mikasa and approached her slowly. Sniffing her hand and immediately backing away. Mikasa sighed.

"Animals aren't very fond of humans, nor demons." Levi agreed with his sister.

"Eren, I am leaving again. It is time for dinner. Stay here, don't leave, be heard, or seen. I will not save you if one of the servants decide you need to be killed." And the prince and princess headed to have dinner with their father.

"Mikasa, my daughter. What do you think of the demon that evaded capture?" Mikasa gently placed her teacup down.

"I'm think that this must be a very cunning demon to have escaped our best. If the illusions are as impressive as Commander Erwin says, then having it as an ally is probably in our best interest. Though I am concerned." Levi turned to her, curious on what her concern could be.

"What are you concerned about child?" The emperor asked. Mikasa looked slightly hesitant.

"Commander Erwin said that they managed to injure the creature, correct?" The emperor nodded, and Levi's eyes widened. He understood where she was going. "Wouldn't that make the demon more hostile? Cornering it and hurting it isn't going to be in our interest. I agree we need to befriend it, but depending on the injury, it's possible it could be hostile towards our soldiers." The emperor sighed.

"You are correct. I have already told the soldier what orders to take if this is so." Levi turned to his father.

"And what actions are these?"

"Kill it. We can't risk the lives of our soldiers on that beast. If they find it hostile, or too injured, they are to kill it." Levi resisted the urge to click his tongue. "Anyways, let us change the topic. Levi, my son. You are approaching age." Levi didn't resist this time.

"I am not in the mood to be told to win a wife." The emperor narrowed his eyes.

"Levi, it is important. If we are to continue ruling, we need offspring. And you are the only one capable. You will be of age in six months. By that time, you need to have found a wife, or a potential wife. If not, I will be arranging one." Levi scowled as he stood.

"I won't be marrying anytime soon!" Levi's father stood next, looking furious.

"You will be married in no more than seven months! You need to have an heir! You're infatuation with men be damned!" Levi's eyes snapped into a dark, deadly glare. One that made his father flinch.

"I'm returning to my room." And Levi left. When he slammed his door shut, he noticed Eren jump, looking worried at the prince. He approached Levi cautiously as the prince sat down and fumed. A soft whine from the fox brought Levi from his agitation towards his father's remark.

"What is it Eren?" Levi asked as calmly as he could, which wasn't calm enough if Eren flinching and whimpering afterwards was anything. The small fox went to the dirt and wrote his little message.

What's wrong?

Levi sighed as he leaned back onto his hands. He wasn't one to vent his frustrations. But Eren was just a young animal, worried about the one who had saved his life. It was really strange how attached Eren was to Levi only after a day of knowing the prince, and Levi decided that maybe talking to the fox wouldn't hurt.

"My fucking father wants me to marry. To bare our family an heir. But I have no interest in women." Eren's golden eyes flashed with something akin to understanding. "And then there's the matters of the demon that escaped a few nights prior." Eren's ears stood on end as his fur bristled, though his body said 'defend', his eyes screamed 'scared'.

What about the demon?

Levi sighed as he motioned Eren to come close, after making sure the fox cleaned himself before crawling into the prince's lap.

"As you know, my sister is a half demon. I hold my sister dear, and don't want to risk her life. I want to end this constant war between demons and humans. I understand there are demons who will always wish harm on humans, but humans feel the same towards each other. If Mikasa can live peacefully with us, and her mother could, then I believe that others can as well. But we need to take small steps. With my father in power, I need to get him to slowly warm up to the idea, so I proposed we capture the demon. Use it to our advantage." Eren didn't seem to like this conversation. He was wiggling, and breathing quickly.

"I don't wish the demon harm, but according to the commander of the hunters, it's already injured. It can react hostile to the soldiers, in which they have orders to kill it. Or, if it's too injured to be deemed useful to my father, it will be killed. I'm hoping that the demon isn't found until it is well enough to be useful. I want to protect the demon. Afterwards, hopefully we can continue to protect demons until my sister can reveal her true self to our father." Eren seemed to calm slightly. Levi ran his hands through Eren's soft fur. It was relaxing. Levi looked out to his garden. The sun was beginning to set.

"Come on Eren. It's time to bathe." Levi stood and after the previous night's procedures, went and bathed with his little fox guardian.