Chapter Text
Levi slumped in his saddle the metaphorical black cloud over his head storming like a motherfucker. In fact, their entire convoy was looking pretty fucking bleak as they slowly rode towards Maria. Levi rode at the front between Commander Erwin Smith and Hange Zoe, as they were trying to brief him on the details for the coming week. He wasn't listening to them. He couldn't. His feet were twitching in his stirrups just aching for him to slam his heel down and run in the opposite direction, his left eye twitched every time Erwin even spoke and as for Hange, well it took all of his effort not to fling himself of his horse and crash tackle her to the ground just to try and get her to shut her shitty mouth.
It had started a month ago when Erwin had summoned Levi into his office pulling him from training the newest recruits. He had thundered upstairs and slammed open Erwin's door ready to yell at his commanding officer for the interruption when he stopped still at the people in the room. There were 5 people situated in the small office. Erwin sat behind his desk calm and collected as always and Hange was bouncing from foot to foot next to him but he had never met the other three, he had seen their pictures before however.
The first was Rico Brzenska, a small, slight woman with shoulder length blonde hair and silver eyes, she was well known for her brutally honest attitude and her ability to make even the cockiest of men whimper under her glare. The second was Nile Dok, average height and build with a thin moustache and goatee, he was seen as a pretty rational man with no strong inclination to any decision but the ability to process and see both sides equally and offer sensible yet indifferent opinions. The third and last was Dot Pixis. Pixis was eccentric at best, an expert strategist and powerful leader yet he loved taking risks and gambling on the outcome. Unfortunately the risks he loved the most usually involved people or sometimes entire countries and it was almost chilling to see him remain light hearted and almost cheerful in the midst of chaos.
Rico Brzenska - Adviser to the King of Maria
Nile Dok - Diplomat and chief tactician of Maria
Dot Pixis - Commander of the Marian Military force as well as a close friend to the Marian King
The fact that all three were here in the same room as Erwin, Hange and himself was enough to make him stop dead in the doorway. Maria was the kingdom they shared a border with. They were also the kingdom Levi, Erwin and the rest of Trost had been fighting and struggling with for years. It started out with petty border skirmishes but the way things stood now it would turn into a full blown war if the people making the calls didn't pull their fingers out of their asses and do something to fix it. Levi was unfortunately part of this group as Captain of the Special Operations Squad and Trost's strongest soldier.
Levi stepped forward, every eye in the room staring at him. Erwin gestured for him to take the empty seat across from, Levi just glared and situated himself standing against the wall.
"Levi, I'm glad you could join us" Erwin said. Hange was now glancing back and forth between Erwin and Levi, her eyes lit up as if she knew the best secret in the entire world and was just waiting for the moment she could spill.
"Didn't have much choice, did I, shitty eyebrows" Levi responded dryly. He was taking in the people in the room, Rico looked mildly pleased but wary, Nile a little defeated but still on guard, Pixis was smiling at him his eyes gleaming evilly, Erwin ever the picture of stoic calmness looked only slightly ruffled but Hange was who worried him. She was excited and an excited Hange was never ever a good thing.
"What the fuck is happening?" Levi all but growled.
"Can I tell him, Erwin?! Please?!" Hange begged.
"Levi, you should sit for this" Erwin sighed.
"Fuck no. Now tell me what the fuck is going on" Levi really did growl now.
"Well, good news is we have all agreed on a way to bring our kingdoms together peacefully" Erwin said. Levi's mouth turned slightly upwards, finally this would be over, but then Erwin continued "Bad news is it directly involves you."
Oh god, no.
"We have agreed its best to show a united front and for that we need a strong alliance" This time it was Rico speaking and Levi's eyes darted to her. The fucker was smiling.
"As Trost's strongest soldier and a symbol of power for your kingdom you are vital for our plan to work" Nile continued.
This wasn't happening. Fuck. Shit.
"King Grisha has agreed to the plan and I believe he is quite happy about it. This war has been too tough on us" Pixis spoke now still smiling at Levi.
"Us as well. Levi, it is important that you listen to us and agree on this course. We need this to happen, you of all people know we cannot continue in this way much longer." Erwin was speaking again, his tone laced with urgency.
Levi was beginning to panic. He's not going to get a choice. His heart sunk at the realization. This plan, and he was pretty sure what it was by now, was already decided on. His agreement was only a formality at this point.
"What... what the fuck is the plan" Levi ground out trying to cover his growing panic.
"You're going to marry a Prince! Isn't it exciting!" Hange screamed. They all turned to glare at Hange as she broke out into a huge grin and then back to Levi.
"Fuck NO." Levi said, walking out the door. He heard Pixis say "Well that went better than expected" and Rico mutter "At least he didn't break anything" before he slammed the door closed with a resounding crack.
***
Hange found him later that day on the training field. Levi was sparring with cadets. Well, he wasn't sure you could call it sparring when all the cadets did was let themselves get hit over and over and fall into the dirt. Filthy fuckers.
"Don't kill the cadets Levi!" Hange called out, Levi hit a cadet particularly hard after hearing her voice and the boy fell to the ground clutching at his ribs.
"Get the fuck away from me, shitty four-eyes" Levi growled.
She laughed and kept coming closer. The cadets were staring between their two superior officers and when Levi gestured for them to leave they all but tripped over themselves to get away.
"We need to talk about this, Levi" Hange said from right next to him trying to place her hand comfortingly on his shoulder.
"I'm not marrying some shitty brat. Find another way" Levi glared up at her. He was a good couple of inches shorter but as Hange said all the time his attitude more than made up for what he lacked in height.
"It's the best way. Erwin can't do it you know he's too old and it would be super creepy not to mention terrible for poor Eren. There's no one else who can but you plus you're getting old and you definitely need to settle down" Hange laughed, eyes glittering.
"I'm 27 not 40, you fucker." She grinned with all her teeth.
"There's no fighting, no more death and we will get an alliance out of it" Hange said softly, showing a rare streak of sincerity. Then it ended "And you will get a cute husband too!" She was grinning like a maniac again, sincerity gone.
"I don't want a cute husband!" Levi yelled making Hange's grin impossible big. "Fuck! I don't want a husband at all!"
"I've seen him, trust me Levi, you'll want this one!" At this Levi punched Hange on the shoulder.
"Alright, alright!" Hange held her hands up in truce. "I'm sorry Levi but Erwin told me to come tell you to get used to the idea because its happening whether you like it or not".
"Fuck, I know." Levi groaned. "I know it's already decided. Once that shit-stain gets and idea in his head it's happening. Fuck, Hange, I can't get married."
"Well, its not for a month yet. Take some time to get used to it, its not all bad" Hange took a step back and then her face split into a shit eating grin and she yelled as she started to run "Think of all the sex you can have!" Levi glared and watched as she streaked back into the building her crazy laugh echoing behind her.
***
And now a month later Levi hadn't been able to get out of it. No amount of negotiations or yelling or physical violence would do it. He was packed up and sent away with Erwin, Hange and the rest of the Special Operations Squad, popularly known as Squad Levi, to make the weeks trek towards Maria and towards his future husband.
"Levi!" Erwin sounded frustrated and Levi turned his steely glare on him. "You haven't heard anything I've said have you?"
"No." Levi replied. Hange was snickering again.
"Fine but at the very least hear this." Levi's eye twitched again. "This wasn't mentioned in the meetings for a few reasons and although I'm sure Pixis, Brzenska and Dok know what's happening they simply aren't allowed to say anything but it is part of the reason why this decision has progressed so quickly usually these things take a year at the very least."
Levi raised his eyebrows. He didn't know it had been that quick, he thought this was how it was done. A decision was made and it was better to execute it quickly. Apparently not.
"It has to do with Prince Eren." Levi scowled at the name. His future husbands name. Fuck.
"It's been brought to our attention that he is not being treated well by his father." Levi's eyebrows flew up at this. He glanced at Hange's murderous expression and then at Erwin's. He was serious. "And while it really is none of our business we couldn't help but intervene. This plan was made to benefit everyone but especially with Prince Eren in mind. It does stop this war and give us a much needed alliance but it will also get the Prince away from Maria and away from the King."
"Not to say I don't give a shit but why do you? Why does anyone in Trost care about what happens to a Marian Prince?" Levi said.
"Prince Eren is loved by a lot of people." Erwin replied "His mother was loved even more. When she died and the King started to become unbalanced I believe that everyone in Maria came to care for that boy. Pixis and Dok have watched him grow up while Rico was the Queen's advisor before she died and I believe cares greatly for his well-being. And while no one can say anything it does not stop them from doing something."
Hange spoke up next "Eren's mother was originally from Trost and honestly she still holds a lot of respect with our people, she was a good person and I think that the only reason this alliance will work is because of her. Trost takes care of their own and while Eren is half Marian he is also half us and we will protect him." Hange smiled and laughed at Levi "Even if that means marrying him to you."
Levi didn't respond but his feet stopped twitching in the stirrups and his gaze locked on the horizon waiting for the Marian gates to come into view. He had a mission now. A duty to get that kid out of there and he wouldn't run from it.