Tale of Two Tails

Chapter 21

Eren sat quietly at dinner that night. She was still pissed off with what her teacher was saying about Armin. The emperor cleared his throat, and Eren prepared herself for what must be coming.

"Lady Eren, I heard from one of your teachers that you were flirting with the demon we have on the grounds." He said. "I am very surprised to hear these things with how frequently you are leaving the palace with Levi." Eren groaned to herself, rubbing her temples slightly, deciding that she has the right to dismiss her table manners for this moment.

"I have no feelings for Armin." Eren said. "I smiled in greeting. That's it. My teacher made assumptions. Very wrong assumptions at that. My heart is with Levi. It has been for a long time. I'm not a fickle person, my lord."

"Are you certain that you haven't been seduced by the beast?" Eren's eyes narrowed at the emperor's accusation. "If this is the case, I will have to remove the demon. Permanently." Eren bit her lip.

"Father." Levi cuts in. "There is no reason to do such things. Eren has already admitted to having eyes only for me. And greeting the Kitsune should not be viewed as her being unloyal. I have no qualms with my betrothed greeting the fox demon. He has done nothing wrong while being with us. So executing him won't be needed." Eren smiled to Levi, her heart beating in thankfulness and gratitude.

"What reason would Armin have to seduce Eren?" Mikasa asked. "He doesn't have much to gain since she is not married to Levi yet. Kitsune may be cunning, but they aren't stupid. Even after the ceremony, Eren's place in the royal family is not secured, if that was what he is after. Armin would have better luck coming after Levi or I if he wished to have the power of royalty. But as a Kitsune that had lived for we can only assume hundreds of years, surely he would find no reason to cut in now." Mikasa explained. "He is most likely trying to save his life. We have never failed killing a demon until him, and even then he did not escape unharmed. It would be in his best interest not to do anything that would anger or endanger us if he values his life."

"I see." The emperor says, looking back to Eren. "The wedding while happen before the end of the fourth month." Eren smiled as she turned to Levi.

"I shall count the days with bated breath." She says. Levi doesn't smile back, but Eren sees his eyes sparkle with fondness and anticipation. Soon, Eren would be able to fulfil her promise to the one she promised to protect so many moons ago.

The anniversary of Eren's own birth passed with a small celebration, at the kitsune's request, with only the members of the royal family and guard involved. A larger celebration was happening soon as it was, and so the emperor saw no problems with this. Eren's lessons continued, and she was doing very well. She only had problems with the instructor who had spoken against Armin, but it was nothing that Eren couldn't deal with.

As the last days before the wedding, Eren's lessons changed to what she should expect from the ceremony and her role in everything. The closer the day came for Eren and Levi to wed, the less Eren saw of Levi, and the less she got time for herself.

On the day of the wedding, it was bright and sunny. Eren was quickly whisked away to be bathed and put into the ceremonial robes, her hair put up with expensive and heavy hair pins, face painted thickly, and covered in rich perfumes. Eren was not happy by this, at all. She would be bathing with Levi, scrubbing everything from her skin to get back to her natural scent.

On the other side of the palace, Levi was going through his own preparations. They had finished creating the rooms that would be strictly Eren's and Levi's until the prince became emperor. Levi made sure that the gardens were closed off so that Eren could walk around freely in her Kitsune form, as well as her true male form.. Levi had also made sure there was a pond for Eren to hide her Kitsune ball, which the prince had plucked from the pond in his old garden and hide amongst his robes. He would return it to Eren as discreetly as he could during the ceremony, for the Kitsune to hide herself.

The wedding was to be held in the courtyard. It would only be the ceremony, and then Levi and Eren were expected to head to their wing and not only consummate their marriage, but being making an heir. The guests were all noblemen and their wives and/or mistresses, as well as their children. There were also representatives from the allied kingdoms, to see the future emperor and empress of Maria. And the second Eren set foot in the courtyard, the bright, blue sky had rain fall from it, the sun making the water sparkle like falling crystal.

"A kitsune wedding." Eren whispered to herself, smiling fondly at it. She had witnessed many sunshowers, but never the actual ceremony. She couldn't help but wonder which Kitsune's had chosen this day to wed, or if it was in effect to Eren's own. Either way, it was a good omen to Eren's and Levi's own wedding.

Levi stood in front of the crowd, next to his father, who would wed them. Eren joined them with little incident, though she did stumble a little, blushing deeply. The ceremony was long, the emperor going on and on about the political and spiritual meanings of the joining, then explaining why the emblem Eren would be receiving deemed her as part of the royal family and how the emblem being given to Levi would prove his love for her.

Two familiar golden bangles were placed on Eren's and Levi's wrists. Eren couldn't help but smile at it, remembering the male, dream self that was seen with Levi had the exact same piece of jewelry. Once presented to the congregation as wedded, Eren and Levi were hurried to their wing to begin their own celebration as the others had one themselves.