"Have any of you seen the Duchess?" I heard the sounds of muffled shouting from outside of the room.

huh-

"She's not in her room?" Another voice, Farlan's, joined in, filled with concern.

what time is it?

"Petra couldn't find her this morning when she went to wake her up," Kuchel's voice sounded frantic and worried. "I've checked the office and the library she isn't in either. Hanji is looking for her outside- if she was taken there's no way they got that far, right?"

NO WAIT

HOLD ON

UH

ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT ME ??

Y/N YOU ARE A PROBLEM

"We should mobilize a larger force immediately, I'll contact local officials," Farlan immediately sprung into action. "Take Kuchel to the kitchens, calm her down," he addressed the last part to someone else outside in the hall who murmured something in recognition.

NO WAIT

I scrambled to get out of bed- dragging half of the blankets off in the process, before rushing to the doors.

YOU'VE GOT IT ALL WRONG

I'M ALIVE AND NOT KIDNAPPED

IM SO SORRY KUCHEL

"Is there supposed to be someone in Levi's room?" Farlan asked, worry filling his tone.

"No, no one should be cleaning this part of the mansion," Kuchel responded.

THANK GOD SHE'S STILL HERE I CAN EXPLAIN

"Step back," Farlan cautioned the group in the hall.

"I'M FINE- DON'T WORRY!" I threw open the door rushing out into the hall, nearly stepping into the sharp blade that was being pointed towards me in the process.

WHY IS FARLAN ABOUT TO STAB ME ???

"State your ident- Y/N?"

HI ????

"Uhh good morning?"

"Thank god," Kuchel rushed over to me, pushing Farlan to the side.

"Just what were you doing in Levi's room?" Farlan asked, bewildered, we had moved into a sitting room and everyone had begun to calm down from the initial confusion.

uhhhhhhhhhhh

"I was having a hard time sleeping so I went on a bit of a walk," I explained, heat rising slightly to my face in embarrassment.

and i missed him a bit

"I should've checked there immediately," Kuchel muttered, clearly taking this whole situation the hardest.

im sorry

"Please don't blame yourself," I frowned, "I've never been there before so you had no reason to think that I would be there."

in a way it's almost reassuring to see so many people worried about me

even if i feel terrible for scaring everyone-

especially the guards

"I'm sorry for pointing a sword at you," Farlan apologized.

YOU WERE JUST DOING YOUR JOB

"Don't apologize- you were looking out for everyone."

IM SORRY THAT I MADE ALL OF YOU SO WORRIED

AND SERIOUSLY STOP APOLOGIZING </3

the worst thing that happened was me not getting my 8 hours of sleep

"I heard you found her?" Hanji burst into the room, her boots still muddy from the outdoors.

hi <3

"She was asleep in Levi's chambers," Petra explained.

"That's a relief," Hanji's expression relaxed as she met my eyes, letting out a sigh of relief. "You gave me a scare."

IM SO SORRY

"We probably shouldn't tell Levi that this happened-" I muttered.

I JUST KNOW THT HE WOULDN'T LET ANY OF US LIVE IT DOWN

"God no," Farlan groaned, massaging his temple.

YEAH HE WOULD BULLY US ABOUT IT

'i can't believe you didn't check the room'

EITHER THAT OR HE WOULD FREAK OUT AND MAYBE BE PROTECTIVE IN A SEXY WAY

I HATE TO BREAK YOUR FANTASY BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD HAPPEN

UR RIGHT .

I MEAN TO BE FAIR TO HIM-

IF HE HAD A KIDNAPPING SCARE I WOULD ALSO RELENTLESSLY TEASE HIM

"I-" Kuchel coughed loudly, drawing attention back to her, "I may have sent a messenger already."

OH NO

WAIT

DOES THAT PERSON HAVE THE UPDATED NEWS THAT I HAVE BEEN FOUND ???

CAN THEY STILL BE INTERCEPTED ????

IT TAKES LIKE .

A WEEK TO GET TO WHEREVER LEVI IS RIGHT ???

WE NEED TO SEND SOMEONE AFTER THEM RIGHT NOW

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY

AAAAA

"I'll go get Oulo immediately," Hanji turned on her heel and ran out of the room.

"Wash your boots before you come back!" Kuchel shouted after her, before reclining further into the couch- this was the most tired I had ever seen her.

"Farlan, Petra, you should go back to your jobs- don't let me distract you," I shot both of them a smile before ushering them out of the room, shutting the door behind me.

"I'll be on my way too then," Kuchel stood up, heading towards the door before I intercepted her.

"Rest," I led her back to the couch, handing her a cup of tea. "Are you ok?"

WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT Y/N ??

'aRE yOu Ok' ???

OBVIOUSLY NOT .

"I'm- I just need a moment to calm down," she smiled weakly, accepting the tea.

ok-

"I'm sorry for scaring you."

"Oh stop it," she paused, thinking over something, "you couldn't have helped it anyway."

"Still- you seem really shaken up over it-"

"That's not your fault," silence filled the space between us for a moment. "Do you know anything about how the previous Duke and Duchess passed?"

there was some sort of accident while they were traveling, correct?

"Only surface level details, why?"

"Levi was only 12 at the time, he was too young for longer trips like that- and the roads up here can be too dangerous for children, no matter how many people you have accompanying you." Kuchel stared out of one of the large windows and began to recount a memory. 

____________________

a bit of filler <3 also! i've changed the cover for this story n i hope u like it <3 

i was writing a future chapter n realized that i was being mean 2 eren and then two seconds later realized i didn't care. i make him the most annoying person in everything i write and look hot as hell doing it <3

hope you're doing well!

- ami