“Everything you need to know about Marquess Eren & Miss Mikasa”
Ah, finally, I can share this with you all! This AU came to life after my 20th Regency novel (lol), and I couldn’t help but laugh at myself for never having thought of a Regency AU before now. But here it is, finally!
Just a heads-up, I did some research on Regency noble titles, and let me tell you, they’re complicated, so I simplified them a little to make it all a bit more digestible. But, don’t worry, this still ties into the worldbuilding I’ve been developing across a few different fics! I hope you enjoy it, and here we go!
On a night of drunken revelry, the reckless Marquess of Shiganshina, Eren Jaeger, finds himself tangled in the most absurd of wagers: to steal a kiss from Miss Mikasa, the pearl of the season. Little does he know, Mikasa is the niece of the formidable Duke Ackerman, a man who holds a bitter grudge against Eren and has sworn to shoot him should he dare cross his path again. Soon, what was meant to be a foolish bet quickly becomes a game of peril, as Eren must now navigate not only the fury of a vengeful Duke but the icy disdain of a lady who might be far more than he ever bargained for.
She is the eldest daughter of the Duke’s younger brother, who used to reside in Marley. Following the tragic death of her parents (her father, Samuel Ackerman, and her mother, in a carriage accident) Mikasa is forced to return to Paradis with her brother. The Duke of Stohess, Levi Ackerman, her uncle, will assume guardianship of her and her brother, Nathaniel, and has named him his heir presuntive, as he has no intention of marrying or fathering children at his old age. Upon her return to Paradis, Mikasa discovers that her uncle intends to sponsor her and arrange a suitable marriage, for she has already reached the age of twenty, an age that, according to the duke, is already a few years past the point of being considered ideal for marriage. What the Duke remains unaware of is that Mikasa, though not opposed to the idea of marriage, harbours her own set of conditions for the man she will choose to marry.
Eren is the eldest son of the late Marquess of Shiganshina, Grisha, and the Dowager Marchioness, Carla. When his father succumbs to a prolonged illness, Eren, at twenty-five, inherits the title and responsibilities of the marquisate. His mother, after taking the customary time of mourning, now believes it is time for Eren to marry and produce an heir. She is determined to re-enter society and find him a suitable match. Eren, however, is reluctant to comply; he yearns to reclaim his freedom before being bound by the formalities of his noble title. In truth, he wishes to indulge in a life of gambling, wild horse races, and nights of revelry before embracing the burdens of marriage.
He is the Duke of Stohess, the esteemed lord of Rosemoon Castle, his residence. Upon receiving the news of his brother’s untimely death in a tragic accident, leaving his nephews orphaned, he resolves to bring them back to the island. There, he quickly realises that Mikasa has long surpassed the age at which she should have been introduced to society. Meanwhile, Nathaniel, the youngest son of his late brother Samuel, proves to be a reserved boy, yet one with the potential to inherit the dukedom. Aware that he will never marry again and is too advanced in years to sire heirs, Levi determines that Nathaniel will succeed him as the next Duke. Furthermore, he vows to secure a suitable marriage for Mikasa, ensuring her future is settled.
Dowager Marchioness Carla Jaeger
Marchioness Carla Jaeger is a woman known for her sharp tongue and unyielding wit. Despite her forthright manner, she was deeply devoted to her late husband during their marriage. A skilled matchmaker, she has successfully arranged many favourable unions for others, and now, she is resolutely determined to secure a suitable match for her son. Carla shares a peculiar yet enduring friendship with the Duke of Stohess—one that many find surprising, given their mutual penchant for sharp words. However, unlike the Duke's sombre demeanour, Carla is slightly more compassionate, a trait that perhaps explains the strength and longevity of their unusual bond.
Nathaniel Ackerman: Mikasa’s younger brother, four years her junior.
Jean Kirstein: The Viscount of Trost, a long-time friend of Eren, and a companion in both drinking and gambling.
Connie Springer: Heir to the Baron of Ragako in Dauper, also in Eren’s group of friends.
Reiner Braun: Earl of Needlay, also in Eren’s group of friends.
Armin Arlert: Or Baron Arlert with seat in Ironwall Citadel and another close friend of Eren, though Armin has grown notably more sensible since his marriage to Lady Annie.
Lady Annie: Or Baroness Arlert, wife of Armin. A woman of pragmatic nature, she often seems to disapprove of the close bond between her husband and Eren.
Captain Shikishima: A second son from Hizuru, now residing in Paradis and one of Mikasa's suitor. Drowned in debts, it is clear that his interest in Mikasa is less about affection and more about her fortune.
Willy Tybur: The Duke of Klorva, another tireless suitor of Mikasa. Much to Mikasa’s dismay, the Duke of Stohess seems to approve of him.
Historia Reiss: The Princess Regent, who rules the kingdom in the wake of her father’s mental instability, (which causes him to believe he is a colossal, bloated titan). She entered into a marriage of convenience, solely for the purpose of securing an heir to the throne. She seems to be very unhappy
Lady Sasha: She is the daughter of the Earl of Dauper and has missed several seasons due to some illness, which places her at the same age as Mikasa. Despite this, she proves to be a loyal and trustworthy friend, offering support and understanding when needed.
Mikasa, 20 years old, is the daughter of the younger brother of Duke Levi Ackerman. She and her family lived in Marley when her father moved there for business. They lived there until both of her parents tragically died in a carriage accident.
After their deaths, Mikasa and her younger brother Nathaniel (16), are suddenly summoned by her uncle, Duke Levi, to return to Paradis.
With Samuel Ackerman’s death, the guardianship of Mikasa and Benjamin falls to Duke Levi, who is determined to keep a promise he made to his brother long ago: marry Mikasa off to a suitable titled man and make Nathaniel his heir presumptive, for the Duke has no heir.
Since Mikasa has a generous dowry, Levi believes it’s paramount for her to marry well and secure her future, so he arranges for her to be presented in society and takes her under his patronage.
Mikasa isn’t entirely opposed to the idea of marriage, but she strongly disapproves of the matches her uncle suggests.
She wants a marriage like her parents’, one based on love, not social obligation or family duty. This difference in values leads to constant arguments with the Duke, whom she barely knows, over his choices for potential suitors.
Anyways, Duke Levi knows that there are some aspects of womanly etiquette and behavior he cannot teach Mikasa, so he asks the Dowager Marchioness Carla, who happens to be back to the kingdom, to be her female chaperone for the upcoming season.
Levi is fully aware that Carla’s son, the now Marquess of Shiganshina, Eren Jaeger, is not someone he likes, but he assumes Eren will be too preoccupied with his own gambling and stupid games to cause any issues during the season.
The Duke isn’t entirely correct in assuming Eren won’t be a problem, as the Marquis of Shiganshina has also returned to society after mourning his father’s death and is already back to his usual gambling ways.
(The Marquis of Shiganshina died two years ago, which led to a year of mourning where Eren accompanied his mother, the Marchioness, during the period of grief.)
(After the mourning period, Eren and Carla decided to travel abroad, embarking on a tour of the continent.)
(Their travels lasted for two years, meaning Eren and Carla were absent from court and society during that time.)
One night, weeks before the season begins, word spreads in a gambling hall that a new young lady is causing a stir and attracting the interest of many men who are considering courting her.
A bet is made: whoever can steal a kiss from this lady during the season and ask for a token of appreciation will win the pot.
(And if someone asks for her hand, then he will be declared a champion and win even more money.)
Eren is reluctant at first because he doesn’t want to embarrass or ruin any lady’s reputation, but his friend and rival, Jean Kirstein, challenges him. Jean dares Eren to accept the bet, claiming anyone who refuses will be a coward.
Eren, in his usual reckless manner, accepts the challenge without asking for details.
When Eren finally asks who the lady is, they reveal it’s Mikasa Ackerman, the niece of Duke Levi Ackerman.
Eren’s immediate reaction is to want to die. He remembers that a few years ago, when he was barely twenty, he did something unforgivable involving one of Duke Levi’s valuable possessions.
The Duke had made it clear that if Eren ever interfered in his life again, he would shoot him.
Eren is certain the Duke would follow through with his threat, especially considering the rumors about Levi: whispers of him having killed a man, fought off ten others in one night of revelry, and even poisoned his wife. Eren realises he’s in way over his head.
Pressured by the bet and the foolishness of his friends, Eren goes through with it, promising himself that it will be just a kiss and a token of appreciation. He swears he’ll take nothing more from Mikasa and will walk away since he has no interest in marriage at the moment.
Eren makes plans to carry out the bet without the Duke finding out, and, more importantly, without his mother, the Marchioness, discovering what he’s up to.
On Mikasa’s side, she becomes aware that Duke Levi disapproves of Eren, which leads her to be drawn toward the libertine Marquess. Even though Mikasa doesn’t think Eren is a good match (she honestly thinks he’s an idiot), she gravitates toward him just to spite her uncle.
However, Eren being Eren, he finds himself intrigued by Mikasa’s cold personality, which leads him to appreciate her much more than he had initially intended.
As a result, Eren starts to fall in love with her, pushing the bet aside and considering the possibility of marriage, something he had never planned for.
Despite Eren’s change of heart, the bet never truly disappears. There are still others who know about it, and Mikasa is likely to find out about it as she starts to grow fond of Eren.
Additional Background and Details:
Crimson Hall (Shiganshina): Marquess of Shiganshina’s seat
Rosemoon Castle (Stohess): Duke of Stohess’s seat
St. Maria Palace (Mitras): the princess’ regent seat
Ragako (Dauper): Baron Springer’s seat
Ironwall Citadel (Trost): Baron Arlert’s seat
Ashford (Klorva): Duke of Klorva’s seat
Blackwood (Dauper): Earl of Dauper’s seat
Brackwood Hall Needlay: Earl of Needlay seat
Silverthorn Hall (Trost): Viscount of Trost seat
Summerford (Utopia): a place where nobles go on vacations.
Winterford (Northern Mountains): old seat of the royal family
