Summary:
Levi wakes up in a strange place, groggy and NAKED?! He needs to find out where he was and come up with a plan
I groaned. I could hear rain still, though it was quiet, and muffled. I opened my eyes.
I blinked my eyes into focus, and slowly processed where I was.
It took almost no time for me to remember the events that happened in the palace. My father, Amelia, and who knows who else, gone.
I stared at the ceiling and my mind finally caught up with me. I fainted in the woods, in the mud.
I moved my left hand, and caressed the fur blanket on top of me. My hand then slowly lifted to my face, finding clean skin there. I lifted up my other arm and saw the bandages securing my wrist. I slowly sat up in the bed I was on, and that's when I noticed I was naked. I gasped, my hand going to my neck and still finding my mother's sapphire there. I let out a relieved sigh, before I tenced once again. I looked around the room I was in. The walls and floor seemed to be made of stone, and not the nice fancy polished stone, but actual, rough rock.
There was a giant fire pit in the middle of the room, close enough to the bed that it gave warmth, but far enough to not catch fire to the fur or feather stuffed bed.
I couldn't find my clothes anywhere. I kept the blanket tight to my chest as I shifted my legs out from under the covers.
My bare feet touched the cold stone and he shivered. I wrapped the blanket around myself tighter and stood, keeping as much weight off my injured ankle, which was also bandaged, as possible.
I limped quietly towards the archway. I couldn't call it a door way since there wasn't a door.
I whimpered softly when I put too much weight on my ankle. I hissed, and continued on. I needed to find out where I was, and my damn clothes too.
As I stepped out of the bedroom, I was met with two hallways, both very large. Straight ahead, or left. The one leading foreword had a faint light coming from it, the left, also had a light, but it was further back.
Forwards light was cool and dim, like the light of the moon. Left was warm, and bright, like fire.
My shivering body told me to go towards warmth, so that's where I went.
I walked down the hall, leaning against the wall for support. I grunted with each step.
After about ten paces, I made it to the source of the light.
It was a kitchen. Along one wall was a large stone door, then a hearth, where the light was coming from, rough cupboards made from wood.
There was a barrier around the hearth, with clothes laying across the black bars.
I made a small noise of triumph and limped to my clothes. They were still wet, but I could not see any mud or blood on them, like they had been washed.
A shuffle behind me made me whirl around, despite my injured foot.
In the doorway was a man. I took a sharp inhale, though not in fear, oh no, from something else entirely.
The man was tall, broad shouldered, strong neck, with plump pink lips, sharp cheekbones, eyes the color of emeralds. His skin was olive, his hair, long and shaggy, a chestnut brown.
And he was naked, so very very naked.
I ogled the man and bit my lip. I quickly snapped my gaze up to my visitor, but the emerald eyes were not on my face but trailing over my body.
I was very much aware that the blanket didn't do much to cover. It was off my shoulders, and my bare leg was showing through the space of the blanket.
The stranger cleared his throat and looked up at me. "Ye're awake"
I shudder, his voice was like honey, sweet and deep.
I shook my head, forcing my senses back on track. "Who are you? Where am I?"
The man smiled. "My name is Eren. I found ye on thae mountain side, and I brough' ye here. I bathed ye and washed yer clothes." He had an accent, a nice little burr, where he rolled his R's, like a cat purring.
I nodded, shifting the blanket around me. "Where am I?" I asked again.
"My home" Eren smiled.
I sighed, a little exasperated. "And where is that"
"The entrance to thae cave is just a few miles away from where ye collapsed"
"Right" I blinked, my vision went blurry. I grabbed my head with one hand and stumbled. Eren moved like lightning, and caught me, pulling me away from the fire. "You haven't recovered fully."
I put my hand on Erens chest, with intent to push him away, but I didn't have the strength to do so, both physically and mentally. Damn he had a nice body.
"Ye must rest" I was vaguely aware of what Eren was saying, and I was lifted into the air, into Erens arms.
My head lulled to the side, and I was out.
—————
When I awoke again, there was no more sound of rain, and birds could be heard chirping away outside.
I was in the same bed as before, the only difference was there was now a pair of clothes on the bed next to him.
I looked at the clothes, and realized they weren't mine. They were much too big and too cheap to be something I would own. I slipped on the shirt and trousers anyway. I felt happy being clothed.
I again climbed out of bed, limping out of the room. This time, I went straight.
It was a type of foyer, the light I had seen from here had been the moonlight, as I could see sunlight coming from small window like holes, and then the entrance way. Again, no door, but there was a layer of furs, keeping the entrance covered and heat inside.
I could easily walk out and leave, but where would I go? I had no money, no family, no friends, he had nowhere to go, especially not with a hurt leg.
I would have cried if I had any left. I was dehydrated, I could feel the moisture leaving my body.
I could go back to the kitchen, but h
I didn't see any type of well.
With a dejected sigh, I continued forwards, down another hall.
I walked down the steps in careful strides. I was watching my feet, the steps being very large, and I saw a gold coin lying on the floor. I picked it up and held it in his hands. To do what with, I had no idea. A few more steps and another coin, and then another, and then four, and then 15, and then the entire step was covered. I blinked at the riches before I finally looked at where I was.
The room was filled with mounds of gold, silver and gems. Red rubies and green emeralds sparkled in the mass of gold.
I gaped. There was more gold here then the palace.
I glanced down, and cautiously stepped onto the gold. I slipped, the coins sliding out from under me.
I crawled onto the hill of gold, and started rifling through it. Not in greed, but in fascination. I had never seen so much gold.
I picked up an amethyst crystal the size of my fist. I stared at it before grabbing a string of pinkish pearls.
I was staring in astonishment when suddenly the ground quacked beneath him. I spun onto my hand and knees, trying to find purchase. It wasn't much later I realized it wasn't an earthquake, but the ground was lifting up. And I was on top of it.
I watched as the steps I was on moments ago grow smaller as I was lifted into the air. I gripped tight and i looked forward, into the green eyes of a Dragon. I stared, wide eyed, not breathing.
I was laying across the things snout, I could feel the sharp teeth against my legs, and I realized i was using some teeth as purchase. If I hadn't been paralyzed with fear, I would have screamed.
The beasts eyes stared into mh soul, the thin strips of black pupils making me tremble in fear.
And suddenly, the slits expanded, turning almost human like, and the dragon started to vibrate. No, no, it started to...purr.
I gulped and slowly sat up, straddling the creatures snout.
The eyes were staring at me, still very reptilian. They were a deep green, a very pretty green.
I took my eyes off the Dragon, I felt oddly safe. Two horns were protruding from the top of the dragon's skull, and he had floppy like ears. It's scales were also green, but a bit more blue. The wings were massive, folded against the beasts back. There were spine like scales going down the length of the dragons back, from what he could see, and all the way to the tip of its tail, which was swaying back and forth, like a cat.
I met the big eyes again. "Hello?" I was nervous, but surprisingly, not scared.
The dragon snorted, and lowered its head to the ground, and I was able to slide off. I didn't take my eyes off the Dragon as it stood to its full height. It must be 15 meters tall.
The dragon purred, a sound like thunder, and it ruffled its wings, obviously liking the attention.
"You're very beautiful" I said, reaching my hand out to touch the Dragon, who lowered his head for me to touch. My hand touched between the beasts nostrils, and a gust of wind when the creature exhaled made me laugh.
"Very pretty" I complicated, and could swear I saw the Dragon smile.
Before my eyes, the Dragon started changing, a ripple of light, almost like looking through a waterfall, and suddenly a hand grabbed a hold of my wrist, and my hand was resting on Erens cheek.
"I find ye beautiful too" Eren grinned, looking at me through his lashes, with deep green eyes. The same ones as the dragon.
I screamed.Okay" I pressed my lips together, taking another sip of tea from my mug. I was sitting cross legged in the bed, the blanket wrapped around my shoulders, and Eren sitting at the end of the bed. "So you're...a dragon" I said slowly, still wrapping my head around it.
"Aye" Eren nodded. I have asked that same question about five times now, given the same answer, and then a long pause before I asked again. This time though, I think I finally processed what was happening.
"O-Kay" I took another sip, and squinted. "How come you can turn into-" I gestured for him. "-a human??"
Eren smiled slightly. "Tis easier to breed this way." I blinked, and felt my face heat up, making a small 'oh' sound. "Also, I don't attract that much attention in this form, a dragon would be harder tae hide"
"True" I nodded, eyeing him. "Wh…why do you exist?"
Eren blinked owlishly at me, before he smiled. "That's verra rude"
My eyes widened and I stammered for a reply. "N-nono! I didn't mean it like that! I've just…" I sighed. "I've never met a dragon before"
Eren chuckled. "Good, that means we're doing a good job"
"I just" I stopped, and thought. "To me, dragons are fairy tales, they aren't real" I said, before rolling my eyes. "Obviously that's not true"
Eren laughed again, a very nice sound, one that made me feel warm inside. "That's how we want it" he said, before shifting into a better position on the bed. "Thousands of years ago, dragons were the top of thae food chain, rulers of thae lands." Eren started his story, and I listened intently. "But thae humans found a way to kill thae dragons. Ye see, dragon scales are indestructible, expect fur one thing" he held up a single finger, to indicate the number. "They attacked and killed hundreds of dragons." His voice then became soft, obviously this history pained him. "The remaining dragons went into hiding, letting the tales of our species become...fairy tales" he made a gesture at me.
"Why not come out of hiding?" I asked. "Surly the one thing that can kill dragons as been lost in history."
Eren shrugged. "It is to risky. We've already lost too much because of the humans, we won't risk anything more"
"What...what kind of things?"
"Freedom, for one thing" Eren stretched his back, almost like he was flexing his wings. "Can't exactly go around flying" I nodded, solemnly. "And my family" My head jerked up, eyes wide. Surely his family didn't die. If a dragon had been discovered and killed, the news would have spread like wildfire. I would have heard of it, and Eren was not thousands of years old, right?
"Dragons are like pack animals. Not a large pack, like wolves, but we have family, and we live with each other in caves" he glanced around the room.
"Are there more? Here?" I asked, pulling my legs to my chest and looking at the entryway.
"No. That's what I mean by I lost my family" Eren said, sadness in his voice. "It's easier to hide one person in the mountains then a group of them"
"I suppose that's true" I pressed my lips together, feeling sorry for this poor creature. "Maybe humans have changed? If you show you aren't a threat.." I started, and trailed off.
"Humans wouldn't understand. They kill and destroy things they can't comprehend." Eren looked at me, dead in the eye, his deep green blazing. "Tell me, human, how would your people react to a Dragon living mere miles from them?" I opened my mouth, but could not answer. "How did you react when you saw my dragon form, my turn form?"
I thought back in that moment, and answered truthfully. "I was terrified, at first" I licked my lips. "But then I felt...calm, and safe. I was more curious than anything. I wasn't threatened. You didn't scare me" I finished, voice quiet, yet firm, keeping my eyes on Erens so he would see only truth there.
His wide eyes blinked once, before they softened and he smiled. His hand reached out and grabbed mine.
"Then ye are a verra rare breed of human" I smiled small, goosebumps traveling up my arm as he started stroking my hand with his thumb.
I quickly pulled my hand away from him and hid both my hands under the blanket.
"Why are you telling me all this?" I asked, face feeling hot and I desperately wanted to change the subject. "I thought you hated humans?"
"I dinna hate them, just dinna like most." Eren said again, shifting a bit closer to me. "And I dinna ken why, I should have left ye where I found Ye, I couldn't risk lettin' ye find out, but something in my gut was telling me to help ye, so I did." Eren smiled, only one side of his mouth raised. "I should have kicked ye ou' once you were awake, I shouldn't have turned into my turn form, I shouldn't be telling ye any of this"
"Why are you then?"
He looked at me, his deep green eyes searching my face. "It feels...right." His eyes stopped, on my lips. "I've never been sae sure of something in my life." He leaned forward, his eyes still on my lips, and I panicked.
"Why were in your dragon form anyway!?" I asked, hastily.
Eren blinked, his eyes meeting mine. "Uh...I was tired, and really need a nap. I wasn't about to come in here, in my bedroom, because that's where ye were, and dragons love gold. It's a kind of, energy restoration, and Tis easier tae sleep in a sea of gold as a giant lizard then a small human."
"So dragons love gold? That's not just a myth?" Eren shook his head. I nodded, and then gasped. "Do you breath fire?"
Eren chuckled. "Aye, I do" He looked down at his bare chest. "Not in this form though"
I couldn't help but laugh. "That would be a sight"
Eren smiled. "There's also dragons that can breathe water, and air"
"Air?" I asked, an unimpressed eyebrow raised.
"I know, I know, it doesnae sound as cool as fire breather, but when a dragon can send a tornado after ye it's quite terrifying."
I laughed. "I'm sure"
Erens eyes softened again, and they travel over my face, and over my bare neck and the small bit of shoulder available from the dropping neckline of the too large shirt I was wearing.
"So what do you eat?" I asked, adjusting my shirt. "I'm assuming you don't eat humans?" I asked, hoping I was right.
"Uh, no, I've heard they dinna taste that good" Eren leaned away from me, almost like he was pouting.
"What do you eat then?"
Eren shrugged. "Rabbit, deer, bear, squirrel, fish, berries, nuts, bread"
"You know how to cook bread?"
"Gods no." Eren laughed. "I buy it from the village, mainly Stohess"
My breath caught in my throat at the mention of my kingdom. "You go to the villages?"
"Of course, I do look human after all" he gestured to himself.
"That's true. I had no idea that you would transform into a Dragon."
"Yes, it makes it verra convenient, and I love going to Stohess. It's verra beautiful. Everywhere ye look, there's cloth of different shades of violet and blue, dancing in the wind. Children running around, playing chase. Everyone is so friendly. Ye canna go down the street withou' every person saying hello." I smiled, listening to Eren as he spoke. "And they have the best food. Cakes, bread, meats and cheeses. You can get anything and everything there, if you know where to look." I licked my lips. I wasn't exactly hungry, but food didn't sound bad. "There's this one stall, the sweetest family you ever did meet. They sell baked goods, all sorts of things, from pastries tae cake. And they have the best, and I mean the best, pumpkin bread you will ever have"
"Sounds wonderful" I said, wistfully. I had dreamed of the day I got to go to my village, and see what I was ruling over.
"Ah, Yes, I almost forgot that you haven't seen your own kingdom, Prince Levi"
I started to nod, before my eyes shot open and I started at him. I never told him I was a prince, I don't even think I gave him my name (real good manners there Levi). "H-how?"
"Thae shirt ye were wearing when I found Ye had the Royal Crest on the left breast"
I blinked, and my shirt did indeed have the Royal Crest. All my clothes had it embroidered somewhere.
"Right."
"Now, do ye wish tae tell me how and why Prince Levi, son of Alexander, and heir to Stohess ended up on a mountain side, covered in blood and mud, and suffering from a sprained ankle and wrist?"
I blinked at him, and everything that happened in the last 24 hours hit me. My fight with my father, finding him murdered, by his own brother, finding Ameila, killing a guard, the staff, people who I grew up around, people that were almost like family sacrificing themselves so I could escape. And my last words to my father.
I would never see him again, and the last thing I said to him was "go fuck yourself"
Tears stung my eyes and I moved to get out of bed. "Let's get something to eat, I'm famished" In reality, I felt sick.
I forgot about my sprained ankle, and fell to the ground. Or I would have if Eren didn't have cat like reflexes. He caught me in his very nice arms and pulled me into his chest, before depositing me back on the bed.
"Ye can not move. Ye will hurt yerself more" Eren straightened up. He looked like he wanted to ask me again, but in the end, he decided against it. "I will get supper, and then after that, Ye will leave" He turned to leave the room.
"What?" I sat up, staring at his retreating back.
He stopped and turned towards me. "Ye can no' stay here. Yer place is in the palace, and it's dangerous for ye to be here, for me and my species, to name a few reasons"
I blinked, I didn't know what to do. I have nowhere to go, I have no family that's still alive and doesn't want to kill me, I have no friends, I'm not even sure how long of a walk it is to the next village. I had nothing. "I have nowhere to go" I whispered, my voice straining to keep my tears at bay.
"Then you must travel, find a home for yourself"
Travel? Travel where? I don't know the first thing about survival or navigation. That wasn't something anyone was ever concerned about. I could do hundreds of different dances, I could walk all over the palace ground and ride a horse with five books stacked on my head, but nope, I didn't know how to tell North from South without a compass, didn't know the difference between poison oak and...and...SEE! I know nothing!
"Well" Eren said, quiet, as if to himself. "Perhaps we should wait until your ankle is healed. It's hard tae walk with a sprained ankle. Especially far distances, and on mountain terrain"
My heart lightens, hearing Eren speak. I had more time. More time to prepare, and hopefully learn. More time to figure out a plan, a course of action.
"But as soon as ye're healed, Ye leave" Erens voice was almost sure, though I noted a small hint of uncertainty.
And I agreed with a smile.