Tasteful - Levi x OC (Attack On Titan)

Her Last Breath...

The casualties incurred during the Scout Regiment's latest excursion beyond the wall were profound.

So much so, that what little public favour they still held was all but crushed

Within hours of their return, Erwin and the battle-weary survivors were called to the Capital.

The Scouts' custody of Eren was summarily revoked.

~•~

Travelling through Calaneth District after returning from the mission, what little of the Scouts was left was met with outrage, grief, hopelessness and rage.

Taxes of the people had been used to fund the failed mission, money that the population was already unable to afford.

In her worsening condition, Arden had retreated back from the front of the platoon to join her Squad. She wasn't going to let Levi or Erwin see her in that state.

Due to the posion in her blood stream, she hadn't even been able to process the journey from Calaneth Distric back to the castle base. Her already laboured breathing was now erratic, sharp and short intakes of breath. Each one sounding more painful than the last. Dry and cracked lips trying their hardest to take in what little oxygen they could. Porcelain white skin had turned an ashen, grey colour and red veins began to poke out from the collar of her shirt.

Her body was limply swaying to the trot of Zazel's hooves, bouncing around and almost slipping off on multiple occasions. Carlisle having to stop her from falling and then reposition her on the horse.

The whites of her eyes now red-raw as they struggled to stay open, yet everything she saw was a blurred haze. But the worst was the delirium she was currently experiencing. Hallucinations of things that weren't there, the world warping and shaping in unimaginable manners. Buildings swaying and people wobbling and growing or shrinking.

From her ears there was a disoriented ringing that made her head spin. One that muffled the sound of everything around her. She blinked multiple times to try and shake her hazy vision and shook her head to rid herself of the ringing. But it never stopped. It only grew worse.

When they stopped at the castle base, Kain worriedly helped her to dismount her horse, knees buckling underneath her the second her feet touched the ground. There was no energy or strength left in her body, the poison had completely stripped it away from her.

"Arden!" Kain shouted, fear lacing his voice as he watched her eyes roll to the back of her head, body falling lifelessly as he rushed to catch her.

Quickly he scooped her up, crimson eyes wide like saucers.

"Get her to her room now! There's too many eyes here." Carlisle whisper-shouted, already grabbing Kain's shoulder and pushing him in the direction of the castle entrance.

Tobias and Lydia were about to follow until the silver headed man turned to the honey blonde, "Y-You need to make sure the Captain amd Commander doesn't t-try to see her. T-they can't!" His already timid voice shaking even more as he worried for the health of his friend.

"On it! Look after her!" Lydia called over her shoulder, already on her way to distract Levi and Erwin incase they tried to search for Arden.