Fidus Achates||royalty AU w/humanitystool
tetramerism;;
“Very well, your majesty.” Erwin set out, giving the place a check up. He didn’t feel comfortable only doing one look and calling it a night, but he was at his limit. He needed sleep, and Erwin knew he had to retire to the bedroom soon. After he checks the walls and the stairs and even outside of the windows, Erwin stalks away towards the throne room, and finds the many guards who protect the queen now. Erwin asks for permission from two night guards to watch over Eren, and the queen permits it.
Once all these things have been done, Erwin still can’t find himself able to sleep. He walks over one more time, and notices the guards there for Eren. One remarks that Erwin ought to sleep. He looks terrible, and his eyes are red and veiny while around it his skin is dark. Erwin complies, and finally trots off to his room. He finds a pitcher and basin with water, and washes his face, as well as his hair, and dries it off before he walks away, and extinguishes the lamp inside the chamber.
The bed is lumpy and dusty from not being used. There wasn’t as many guards before, so since they had called in so many troops, more cots had been made and opened up, a bit hastily. Erwin has had worse conditions, so he settles to sleep quite easily, at least, once he’s propped open a window. The wind blows, and he feels it against the dampness in his hair, and for a moment he recalls the battlefield once more.
About an hour later, Erwin jumps up, grasping the side of his bed. The sword– the sword is gone. He curls his right hand into a fist, and swings his head around, looking for the enemy.
Nothing. The castle is vast and cold and empty. Erwin reminds himself where he is. In his dreams there is the same people, rushing him with swords and halberds. His nose is numb from the cold air, and he shuts the door, pulling the blanket up to his face, and tries to rest. By the time morning comes, he’s forgotten what he was dreaming about.
Once awake, he sets out to look for the prince, still dressed in loose fitting clothing, and Erwin felt naked without his sword. After a night of rest and new clothes, along with a new hairstyle, Erwin looked like a different man. Now without a helmet and the threat of war he groomed himself, feeling it would be out of place not to do so. He inquired about the prince, and learned he was still sleeping. He offered to relieve one of the night guards and take his place. Tired, the guard agreed. The other only seemed surprised that Erwin had no weapons on him, disbelieving that Erwin could do any martial arts that would be any good against a threat. But Erwin knew he had proving himself to do around the castle, so he thought nothing of it, keeping his exterior calm and confident, even when he was weaponless.
⬛️ 𝔍𝔞̈𝔤𝔢𝔯 ⬛️
⬛️ — How Eren desired to dream and forget, to escape these awful scenarios within his imagination and just fantasize about something, anything, else. But there was no escape. For it was not sweet dreams the young King was experiencing, but rather hellish nightmares. One where he stood and watched as a faceless shadow drew a line of crimson across his father’s neck. Just observed as his father woke and gasped, clutching at the nasty gash, though it did not matter, as a moment later his eyelids fell again. This time lifeless. Next was similar, scarily so, though this time, he was looking up at the shrouded figure. Once again the blade was drawn, and Eren could have sworn he could feel his throat being slit. That’s when his eyes swiftly peeled open, anxiety clutching every fiber of his being as his hand reached to feel at his neck. Nothing.
⬛️ — Bright late morning light trickled through cracks in the overly large, dated, deep emerald and gold trimmed drapery blocking his window. It seemed they were letting him sleep in now, much to his annoyance. Eren was to be King now, not some infant. And the thought that he was currently being treated as such had a wrath beginning to boil inside him.
It seemed, nightmares made him enter the day already in a foul mood.
⬛️ — Quick work was made, giving his face and body a scrub along with his sweat covered hair. Royal dressers were sent his way, having Eren adorned in mostly black for the funeral in not but two hours. It was something that hadn’t even crossed the young King’s mind until he saw the outfit he was expected to don for the afternoon.
⬛️ — Once he was dressed and ready, Eren did not exit right away. He spent a few good long moments looking at himself in the mirror. Was he really ready to accept everything? Not that it mattered, for whether he or anyone else believed he was ready or not, whether he wanted it or not, it was going to come to pass. Eren had no choice. It was simply his duty, one he promised himself, his mother, his father, the entire kingdom, that he would fulfill. Never would he go back on his commitment. Even if he was nervous as all hell.
⬛️ — Before exiting the room, his eyes fell on that of the sword, leaning against his extravagant bed frame. Protection in the form of a blade much to big for his body to be given to his personal bodyguard if need be. Fingers smoothed over the hilt, gripping it tightly before sighing. If they were to move forward, he needed to trust. Could he trust Erwin? Could he really? He wanted to, desperately, but images of his nightmare passed through his minds eye, the once charcoal shadowy face replaced with that of the blond man’s strong features. Not yet. Not quite yet. The sheathed weapon was attached to his body and he was ready to go.
⬛️ — Large doors swung open, Eren scanning quickly and catching sight of his bodyguard. A nod was given, the king stepping out.
“’Morn, Sir Erwin. I trust you slept well?”
