Ahhh the goddess hath returned lol, yikes it's been over 6/7 years haha, but yeah thus does the wait for the next mystery ever continue haha, but ah dear hope somehow or other, the other goddess of blonde both get POVs sometime along with Eren's soon TM!

But phew, back to the walls again here now, but now the 2nd phase of this fic is starting now, it will hopefully get more interesting on the shipping front/in general!

Guest/unPMable Reviews:

ZeX3 : Haha indeed, at least for me chapter 82's scene there and the whole content of it is just my favourite part of all of AoT till this point, but yeah Reiner's bullying returns haha.

Guest : Glad you enjoyed, hope future conent will be to your liking!

Discord invite: discord .gg/BnGuCwU (delete the space right after the "discord", no need for the triple 'w' – also there are 4 now lol, but its there if you want it!)

"speech"

'thoughts'

Chapter 13 - Zukunft

ᛏᛟ ᛃᛟᚢ, ~2001 ᛃᛖᚨᚱᛊ ᚠᚱᛟᛗ ᚾᛟᚹ

ᛚᚨᛏᛖ ᚠᚨᛚᛚ ᛟᚠᛏᚺᛖᛃᛖᚨᚱ ?

That day which changed everything started when the girl was back home and heard the screams from outside.

Feeling something off, she pushed back the straw covers of her bed in the wooden house that she and her father lived in.

Her mother had been killed some years ago and her father became more demanding of her then afterwards.

The girl never did understand why he seemed to blame her when it was him that killed her.

Her father was awake as well as she stood back, away from his angry steps as he stuck his head outside the window and growled behind his teeth.

Moving to the other side of the room, he grabbed the axe that hanged on the wall, meant for cutting down trees, not battle.

The man looked at her again as the girl realised she was trembling while met with his gaze.

"Stay inside and don't leave." He ordered her.

She nodded back at him, wondering if it was an act of kindness he had given her for a long time or so she wouldn't cause trouble for him.

As soon as her father opened the door, she knew she wasn't going to find out as her trembling stopped and his head rolled past her on the floor.

She stared back at the unknown bearded man, the metal helmet covering his expression, who looked at her uncaringly, the bloodied blade resting confidently in his hand.

The man watched her from the door of the house a little longer before snorting, as though he didn't want to bother with a child and left.

Unsure of whether to be glad for his mercy or angry at the murder of her father, she walked other, no longer trembling as she stared at the headless corpse fallen in the doorway.

The last instruction of the man remained in her as she stared a while longer.

In a few moments, his life had disappeared.

As though it was only natural, the screams outside which followed spoke of only similar fates that others of the village were receiving.

The girl waited for a moment, glancing outside up and down the pass before turning back at her last remaining family.

Apologizing for what she did not know, the girl left her home while doing her best to hide in the shadows, her voice drowned in the burning village around her.

She looked past the fence surrounding the village which was torn down in places, to the tree which was hidden behind the hill here.

Her only friend came from the village beyond as she rushed towards it, not wanting for it all to end.

The days in which she'd spend with her only friend.

Her beating heart stung, somehow telling her that his village would surely be similarly being overrun given the short distance between them.

"… Not yet..." her voice inaudible to anyone but herself, she hoped that the Goddess of Fate may here them, "… we promised..."

Inside, she struggled to answer the possibility if he was already dead.

"We… promised…"

There was no way to overturn this anymore. Her home was destroyed, they would be taken in by the stronger power if they did not escape now.

If she could just reach her friend, they could run away together now.

That was the hope she clung onto.

The only hope was to run away.

The will to fight back that the boy spoke was futile here.

Beneath the night sky, she began ascending the hill as she looked back and scanned around the flaming red lights that blazed across the small settlement.

The Eldian tribe had come.

"… 8 years left to live…"

…

"There's no doubt about it?" the elderly man next to her inquired, trying to ascertain the facts.

The price of being a Titan shifter.

"The only confirmation we have is in the notes of Eren Jaeger's father, Grisha Jaeger. We do not have any reason to believe he would lie in the books he had locked up in his basement, however…" the first messenger continued his announcement.

Historia felt her head was in the clouds. After having been unable to sleep the past night while Eren and the others would be set to return in the morning, she hoped the details that had just been given were a misunderstanding of some sort.

'13 years…' the number in her head had already somehow become a curse alone from her contempt for it, 'once you become a Titan shifter… you only have 13 years left to live… no matter who?'

"In the line of the Reiss family, there have undoubtedly been several inheritor of the Founding Titan that was passed down," one of the officials began.

"We will… go through everything from the Reiss family again to check if this is accurate," another spoke, giving orders to his assistants who were placed in charge of all the seized documents from the hidden royal family to the high ranking aristocrats that knew the secrets along with them.

Somehow within herself, she wondered if there was much point. She had never met her uncle Uri but she knew he was younger than her father, who while past his prime, he wasn't old by all means.

It all alone confirmed it to her when her sister would have still been young back then. There had been a need for her to inherit the power seeing as her father refused to.

"This had bought as valuable time however… within a close future, we are in danger of losing the Titan powers we hold." The room had all become doubting, trying to reaffirm their stance and intentions within the new limited gap.

Historia would have needed to try and hold back a scoff at their transparency. But right now, she felt her heart distracted in strange thoughts.

'Eren's 15 right now. That means… he's going to die at 23.' Sadness creased her eyebrows, suddenly wondering, what he'd do in such a time now knowing of it limit. '… The marriageable age is 18… That means 5 years afterwards...'

She vaguely wondered why that point stuck in her head. From her studies, she knew that this restriction was only recent and done to limit population after the fall of Wall Maria.

'Once people settle back in, I could call for such a thing to be lowered…' Her mind pictured him a little older with slightly longer hair, 'if it's something like 16… he could live married for 7 years…'

The number didn't seem much better however few more years she seemed to add onto it.

Running time through every tick of the clock seemed to make years feel they would be over in a few more days.

Last moments that seemed to be near as she felt she didn't have much time left to make her move.

"In other words… along with our knowledge of the outside world, this changes our objective drastically as well." The atmosphere set the room as all the usual big talkers had become quiet.

The direction of the talk changed as the council around them began discussing the new time limit they had. While now they had also recovered the power of the Colossal Titan in Armin Arlet, they currently lacked the means to extend their hold on the Titan powers as technological heads and leaders were sent to be called in.

The atmosphere however was more hopeful than usual. The expedition had been a success in the grand scheme.

"… We'll need to schedule a full conference on this matter within this week, for now inform the Survey Corps to gather and arrive here when possible." The commander-in-chief nodded along to some of his aides who had been compiling all the information and recording everything that had been said. "And has anything else been reported from commander Hanji?"

While Historia had returned to the orphanage for a while to distract herself, the struggling feelings of her being unable to directly contribute still laying in her heaviness, all the other commanders and military leaders had waited for the response at the capital.

She had intended to return to Trost and see Eren again however the meeting had instantly been called at the capital and a series of messenger had been coming to and fro them all day, delivering the words that the new commander of the Survey Corps had been surmising from the books and studying for any clues.

It had already been decided to convey a greater meeting once all the information was known. For now however, Historia sat on the throne with a council of about twelve, for now the only ones besides commander Pixis and his small group along with the Survey Corps who were aware of it all.

The young Queen felt a little unease at it all. Wondering if this was the truth of the world that her sister had struggled for several years with.

Just as it was for her, the 'curse of Ymir' must have already began, slowly counting down the years they would spend together even if she had met her death back then.

"Nothing definitive sir," the messenger answered and raised his head again, "ah… but there is another thing."

The man was nodded to continue, worn out from the fast relay message he had come to deliver.

"It's just… Eren Jaeger and Mikasa Ackerman have been taken into custody for not following orders." Historia blinked a little while the rest of the room screwed their eyes. "I was not informed of the exact reason, but… they are currently serving their time locked up."

As with the first messenger that had arrived informing them off causalities and that now Hanji had taken command, they were also told of the two who dealt the finishing blow to their two prime enemies.

"I propose for the immediate release of Eren Jaeger and Mikasa Ackerman. Their contributions hold far more merit than whatever orders they ignored compared to their accomplishments." The blonde Queen sighed before raising her voice, her request approved easily. "And, I wish to have an audience with them."

Late Fall of the Year 850 – Trost District Prison

Dina Fritz.

The smiling Titan.

His whole body lurched upwards as he screamed from recalling it all once more, awakening from the dream of memories like a bad joke.

The cold stone walls reverberated back his yell as he heard a couple people awakening around him and shaking off bed covers.

Sweat clung to his shirt as he threw the covers away, staring at his unfamiliar surroundings, somehow feeling like he should be elsewhere.

"Where am I..." he called aloud as he got up and approached the bars, just as a familiar face wandered before him from the other side of the bars. "Ah..."

Armin had returned.

Somehow a world without him as his best friend came to his mind.

He recalled the cause of his confinement but found little reason to care.

If disobeying the orders lead to this, there was no regret that he felt.

If the scene repeated, he'd choose this route without hesitation.

If the same thing repeated with anyone else who was close to him, he'd do the same thing again.

The memories of old that had shown of his father's memories up to the day he stole the Founding Titan

/.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../

"The owl called it…. 'The Curse of Ymir'." Eren began reciting the information, in slightly greater detail through the awakened memories than his father's books. "It's because they say Ymir, the Originator, died 13 years after awakening to her powers."

Armin sat next to him in the now opened prison, recording all the details for himself, creating another of the multiple records for personal checking.

8 years left to live…

A time bomb that is without switch or fuse.

The flames beginning the countdown descending into single digits quickly.

8 years. Or less.

8 more winters, 8 more springs, 8 more summers and 7 more autumns.

If even that long.

He was still the prime target from their enemy beyond the sea.

Their identity of "Marley" boding a similar vibe to the boundary that separated them itself.

A boundary that the could cross easily, while they could not.

Regardless of what happened to him in the course of the next inevitable battles.

Eren Jaeger had no future beyond those 8 years.

The sparks that lit the fire to the time bomb cannot be put out.

Eren thought through this again and again.

…

'… I'm tried…'

Somehow, the two powers within him stirred him into sleep again, hoping to wake up to a different dream, more closer to what he had seen after kissing Historia's hand.

Beyond the Walls - Marleyian Ship

The bed rocked and shook him away, hopefully from a bad dream that had spanned years.

Crossing the ocean in a ship, the border between the continent and the island of Paradis along with his comrades.

It's was pitch black when the blonde Titan shifter opened his eyes, the room in the ship reserved for the Eldian warriors. The two bunk beds placed adjacent in the room.

One of them had collapsed at some point, the top fallen on one end down to the bottom, rendering it unusable.

Standing up, he looked for the presence on the top bunk above from where he had been sleeping.

He would have to gently stir his best friend awake from whatever sleeping position he had managed to crawl into this time just like the last time.

The Armoured Titan shifter had gotten use to this daily routine for the past 5 years, not something which bothered him even when it sometimes resulted in his legs falling and kicking him in the chin many times.

Today however, he didn't need to do that at all.

The bed lay untouched.

Because Bertholdt wasn't there anymore.

Late Fall of the Year 850 – Trost District

…

"..." Historia stared at the letter in her hand once more.

The letter which she had received from her now old friend told her of her story but nothing more.

It stirred in her heart as she stared at it, fairly sure at least Ymir wasn't the sort for a hidden message of such sorts.

The story of the girl who had once given up her life for the sake of others.

The Ymir which she had known back in the days which rejected doing such a thing again.

And the back of her leaving as she repeated the same thing knowingly, and gave up her life for Reiner and Bertholdt.

They now more or less knew the circumstances behind the warriors attack.

But she still didn't understand what it was that made Ymir to spend her final moment back then.

Like Eren, even with 8 years left to live, it was a short time left perhaps.

Yet her letter seemed to advise her of not following such a path for herself.

She wondered how long it had been since Ymir already had died.

Perhaps a month or two at most, she somehow felt from her last words that they weren't going to see each other again.

Her deceased friend had left behind her last words, wishing her luck on the choice she had made a couple months ago.

Historia felt a tear trickle down her cheek as she stared out through the empty glass.

"They are here," the guard opened the door, "come in."

The Queen quickly wiped away her wet eye as she locked eyes with one of the four people, the hollowed eyes seeming to brighten a little but did not look any more tired than her heart had been as of late.

The brunet shifter made a small smile for her, placing his hand between his head with an awkward shrug.

The steps between them closed as she made an uneven pace towards him just as the three stopped in front of her, about to bow.

"Your Majes-" Armin and Mikasa on either side of the brunet spoke before Historia closed the distance abruptly before the one between them.

The room went quiet as everyone's attention became caught by the sudden scene. Eren opened his mouth a little, feeling her arms wrap around his body and realised his own had also instinctively moved around hers.

For a brief moment, he didn't feel like he cared about the looks of everyone here as the newly appointed Queen embraced him while he held her himself, his body finding calm amongst the awkward stares.

"… Thank you. For returning." Historia told him, pulling away first, aware of what she had done and deciding to try and play it off.

Eren nodded down at her as she held his arm softly, trying to not seem too intimate as the sudden pointed looks came his way, uncertain of what to do as he nodded to Historia.

"Your Majesty?" Mikasa suddenly sent her a pointed look, somewhat accusing her.

"Excuse me. Please, there's no need for such informalities," Historia instead directed as she turned away from Eren, "… I'm glad you're all safe. There's already one friend that hasn't returned to me."

She left the statement hang as they seemed to accept them, Historia waiting as Mikasa nodded uncertainly as well.

It was clear Eren was the closest to her. The majority of the room soon took in the meaning behind her words and accepted that it was merely a strong friendship between the two.

Only friendship and nothing more.

The bell that rang another chime made her heart tremble from how loud it was. Within her, she knew well enough now that her feelings for Eren were otherwise.

It had only been a couple days from the day of the battle. The news had arrived yesterday of the result but today had been the earliest she had been able to come.

Compared to before for the past 2 months, Eren had come to visit her every other day. One day of training to use his Titan power, another for memories and to see her.

Somehow compared to that, not seeing him for one extra day was too much.

"So, let's begin," the new commander issued them to start, the little embrace from before already forgotten in all their minds besides a few glances shared between the blonde Queen and the brunet Titan shifter.

Along with that, Armin's eyes traveled, noticing the glances they were sharing. He turned to Mikasa who had not seemed to be following as the mood turned somber and he could see the thoughts of Eren's remaining life span clouding her.

He searched elsewards at Hanji and Captain Levi who had already forgotten it and not seemed to see anything suspicious, likewise in a difficult mood.

Glancing once more to Eren next to him, he saw him staring at the Queen who looked outside the window once more.

Eren's heard turned over not just the embrace without hesitation but how he felt just as he watched her now, overcoming her pain bit by bit as he watched her.

Historia's eyes fell down on Ymir's letter that had been left on table, the memories of the past 3 years, thanking her for everything as she turned to look at her future for her own sake once more.

A Few Days Later - Royal Palace

"The true power of the Founding Titan can only be used if it resides inside someone from the Royal bloodline. However, if the Founding does reside inside anyone of Royal blood, they will be consumed by the will of the 145th King..."

Eren's mind cast in once more. He seemed to recall it within Frieda's memories. The conflicted feelings that were being barred by some exterior force.

'But… in some ways, with Historia it has worked...' Eren noted to himself, having seen the memories of the past and the ones he still had trouble fixing into place. But he hadn't been able to control Titans once, let alone the Titans within the Walls.

"… No, in the past, Eren has controlled pure Titans in order to escape that perilous situation." Hanji glanced to him while he nodded slightly, "we still don't know why he was able to use that power. But there is a possibility that even Eren, who is not from the royal bloodline, is able to use the Founding Titan."

'… That's right… For just one moment, that day… it felt like… everything was connected...' He traced back the face of the smiling Titan, whom he now knew as Dina Fritz. 'But only then. Why… why was it only for a moment…?'

The steam which erupted from his hand after throwing a single punch. It was only after that, when the lightning trail seemed to glance through his mind.

His brain fired when he realised it all.

His whole body that was about to shoot upwards and exclaim was suddenly calmed, as though someone had placed a calming hand on either of his shoulders.

Eren blinked, snapping his head upwards and catching Armin's attention without anyone else noticing.

At that moment, Historia's eyes also froze when he stared right at her, his mouth opening slightly as he considered it all.

' "You can't tell anyone about this." '

A familiar voice kept in his head once more.

'If… the reason it worked for that moment… was because of Dina Fritz's royal blood… but, no memories came to me back then… so then… it's possible that if I touched someone of royal blood that had been turned into a Titan… I could maybe use the power of the Founding Titan.'

His reasoning conflicted with his gut feeling. It was just a possibility, but somehow he already felt like he knew it could work. He glanced around to Mikasa next to him.

'I haven't told them yet… that the Titan who killed mom and Mr Hannes… might have been my father's first wife… and…' His eyes aligned with Historia's again, whose lips were parted slightly as she stared curiously at him while they stared in question between each other. 'If I did… then Historia… if that possibility exists, then what would the Corps do to Historia?'

He glanced to the back of commander Hanji and captain Levi who sat in front of him. After what had happened last time, in the end the captain had chose Armin. He still didn't know the full reason why, but he felt the matters showed where they stood.

'But… for me…' Eren's thoughts decided as he fixed his face into a small facade. 'What's more important than humanity is… I won't risk it… Historia… I won't...'

While staring back into her blue eyes, her expression returned neutral again as they glanced away from each other, saying they would talk later.

Through it all, Armin continued watching silently.

Marley Continent – Warriors Conference

The Marleyian soldiers strolled past them and around the room, make it clear that they weren't going to miss this meeting.

After returning to the continent, Reiner had stayed in confinement for a few days, before he at last was taken to the courtroom at the capital.

He had not been given the chance to see his mother, wondering if he ever would. His cousin must have grown up by now as well. Given her age now, she would be at the time when she could join the warrior corps. He passed on the small doubt, certain the chances for her succeeding were low even if she had.

While delving into trivial matters and little concerns, he was escorted and told to sit down and wait. Zeke had already been sitting there and waiting, the cigarette fumes disappearing into the air.

They didn't talk for a while, the Armoured Titan shifter already committed to whatever would come now.

Compared to him, the Beast Titan shifter didn't seem worried at all when he broke the silence. "Don't take the blame all on yourself when you go in."

"..." The blond's eyes narrowed further as he glanced to his superior. "Then, do you have some way to explain without someone taking responsibility?"

Zeke shrugged slightly, folding his legs while resuming his smoke.

"It's over for me, right?" Glancing to the guards who were listening in, knowing the captain wouldn't say anything here.

"Well I wonder about that..." Scratching his chin, his hand run through his now slightly trimmed beard.

Reiner struggled to get at what he was saying. As usual, the elder warrior always seemed to have a mysterious screen around him.

He wished he could speak out again once in a while instead of keeping thoughts to himself. They had spoken on the ship and Zeke had told him he would take responsibility for losing the Colossal Titan power.

One Titan power was lost due to one of their actions each. That had been the only advise his superior had said to sharing the blame.

Reiner considered the way it sounded. If the Colossal Titan was lost because of what his superior would be held accountable for, then he should be the one responsible for bringing his best friend to his death.

While thinking he would shoulder it own when his failure was too great, the doors opened and an escort stepped out. "Commander Zeke?"

The Beast Titan shifter nodded and got up dropping the cigar into an ash tray near the table.

"Are you not worried at all?" Reiner asked the elder Shifter again as he walked into the trial room first.

"It's fine for now..." the bespectacled man's glasses shone in the light, "if a war was to start now, they would still need us."

Reiner blinked wordlessly as he tried to call out for him as the doors closed, pondering why they had been said in such a way, not as a prediction but like a certainty.

The Next Day – Medals Procedure

' 'I won't ever sacrifice Historia's life.' '

Eren wondered when he made that declaration in the past. Perhaps as they walked through the orphanage, or in the cave, or maybe even before that on the day they had sat together by the table.

At whatever point he had made that promise along the way, his mind had not changed once.

Along with Armin and Mikasa… Historia at some point had taken a portion inside that had been empty after three of his comrades had left.

Or perhaps that space had been there already since the start.

As time passed and he was kneeling down before her once more, he realised just how her presence had grown larger within him.

He thought it was maybe now more than ever since she was the one in danger here if the way to use the Founding Titan was discovered.

Because of that, she had become such a central part to him.

'… No, even if she wasn't the one in the worst spot, I would still…' Eren thought that after returning to the Walls.

Somehow, he felt difficult when talking to Armin and Mikasa. He wanted to tell them as well, but any risk kept holding him back when it was with Historia's life.

Her hand extended through the darkness, like he felt she would do so again in the future.

As he cupped it in his hand once more, he felt her skin vaguely respond.

Resting comfortably in a familiar way as his head lowered to her.

He stared at her skin once more, recalling the last time he had kissed her hand first before anyone else.

The remaining Survey Corps members were forming two rows before the throne of the Queen as they all had knelt down and bowed while waiting for her to move to them.

It was a courtesy and tradition. The brunet wondered if the truth was revealed, how much meaning this customary pledge of loyalty held in actual value.

Between humanity and sacrifice, his mind feared of how easily this all would be forgotten.

His lips pressed against the skin of a girl who he would never sacrifice.

…

Nothing was shown to him.

Unlike last time, his lips touched her skin, when he saw the storm of memories that he still had to figure, nothing happened this time.

Placing down his hand, he lowered his head and kept his face straight, without revealing anything.

He waited for a moment. Historia's hand didn't move from how she had held it out to him.

Eren slowly lifted his head as he saw her expression. Her lips were shaking as she tried to hide her eyes from him, only then snapping back into movement as she turned her back on him.

His mouth fell apart a little, unable to ask her here as he noticed the others around him glancing at him before returning away, not thinking anything of the sudden halt she had made.

Then he saw the lighter blue eyes still staring at them.

A Few Days Later - Survey Corps Base

The nine cups of fragrant tea had been placed all around the table at which they all sat around, the entirety of the Survey Corps now gathered around.

The new commander, straightened her glasses and didn't talk for a while as she sat with the cup to her lips, slowly letting the liquid sip in between her lips at a dragged out silence.

It continued for half an hour with nobody talking. The only other remaining captain that sat directly besides her folded his legs and tapped his fingers on the table without urging on his long time comrade.

Hanji sighed as she stared into the cap, slightly seeing her reflection from the liquid on the top, filtered through the window.

"So..." She spoke at last, "... As you can all tell, the Survey Corps as it is now cannot function properly any longer. No, even besides that..."

With the attained knowledge from the past expedition, their objective and way forward was now uncertain.

"Oi, there's no point in dragging this out. We'll assemble later once you've cleared your head," Levi tried to step in, about to issue the abrupt end in support of the new commander.

"No, it's fine. Sorry... everyone," the goggled veteran straightened up and began proper, "well... for now we'll all be on standby. Right now, I haven't organized how we'll operate onwards, however our next step is clearing out the remaining Titans within the walls and then, we'll be moving to secure the entirety of the land on this 'island' in which we live on."

The people in the room nodded to the still relatively unfamiliar word to most of them. For most of them, it was still taking time to process all the new information.

While sitting in between Armin and Mikasa, Eren stared continuously at the wooden table, sorting out through the memories as they all seemed to point to a general trend.

"Of course however, now that winter is near, we won't be making a move until the snow falls and passes," Hanji continued, "so-"

"So, we'll just be leaving it to Pixis, right?" The captain seemed to put his foot down, glancing sidewards. "Let the garrison take over from here. We don't have to do anything right now."

The new commander nodded slowly, "that is to say... Yes, it's as Levi says, we don't have to do anything right now. Now that we've reclaimed Wall Maria, this all falls under the jurisdiction of the Garrison commanders. Of course we'll be cooperating further in establishing security around the whole island in the future... but right now, everyone here will be compensated over the coming months and off duty. Eren of course, even now we shouldn't let our guard down as long as you remain their prime target... but, there's not much need of that right now."

"Commander..." Jean spoke out, "in this coming future... about the people outside the walls, is there... any point we'll serve as soldiers meant to fight Titans?"

"Nothing's been decided yet," Captain Levi answered in her stead, "as you can see, we're all in a shitty mess that we haven't figured a way of washing our hands clean of yet."

"... Yes sir," the light brunet accepted the reply and went quiet. Turning his mind back to the revolution a few months back, he frowned back at it as did the two next to him.

Just as before, he had accepted to kill Titans, not humans. But in order to do that, he accepted order had to be changed, and had killed for that sake.

'Then... Why... are you in the Survey Corps?'

The voice of the recently deceased comrade was recalled in his head as he felt doubt once more.

The movements in the room concluded, as they all sat with little purpose and prospect for the future.

"Well, for Armin at least, we'll have you test and experiment with our newly acquired power," Hanji turned to the blond that remained quiet. "I'll schedule some time to go over things as I did with Eren and test your own abilities as well."

The Colossal Titan shifter nodded agreeingly before glancing to his side in concern at his friend. Sasha then raised a hand to which Hanji nodded.

"So, can I go visit my pa right now?" The huntress confirmed, her body still feeling weak after having been hit.

"Yes, that's fine," Hanji nodded, standing up and pushing her chair back in as Levi did the same next to her, intent on following her, "I'll issue you all temporary leave now if those of you who still have families wish to visit."

Stopping once more she placed her hand as she examined the faces of her seven seated subordinates. While Levi remained his usual self on the exterior, she noticed the signs of uncertainty that matched hers, and a silent anger remaining at the one he failed to kill.

All of their juniors were quiet, uncertain feelings bubbling beneath them as she struggled with how to deal with them. Seven subordinates whose names she all knew, all the remaining members of the lead organizations whom she could count of her fingers.

"I'm sure... that all of you will be struggling and thinking about what happens next," the commander addressed her subordinates, "the result we have achieved, what you've all endured to make it to this point, the far off struggle left to complete... I'll formulate a plan to move forward, but for now please give us time. Whether you continue as soldiers of this regiment or wish to leave... You've all made a contribution to everyone living within the walls. As the Survey Corps, that will remain our goal, so... I ask that you give me time to decide how to proceed."

The room nodded after a while to their commander, just as lost as they all were in this time.

"Now, any more questions?" Hanji asked, preparing to leave before the bald soldier raised his hand, "Connie?"

"… Can I go to the bathroom yet?"

Early Winter of the Year 850 – Royal Palace

Taking another sip and emptying a cup of the tea, Historia paced around the room as she placed the letter from Ymir back into the box and then shutting the lid.

After another look had been taken at it, it was returned to her and she placed it for safekeeping, not too worried given it's contents but not wishing for any of her maids to glance upon it accidentally when cleaning.

The window was still open besides the table she returned to, the cold air helping her clear her head a little before she walked over about to shut it.

"… Hm?" The blonde blinked a little, at that moment a squirrel ran along and stopped on the windowsill directly before her outside the open window.

It made no attempts to run into the room and simply twitched it's nose at her silently, not seeming afraid of her as it rotated around.

She smiled and returned to the table, watching the small little thing stalk around a little before she picked up some nuts she had and placed them on the windowsill.

The grey-brown squirrel instantly sniffed over them and begin biting into them, bringing it's to it's mouth after cupping it's hands.

"How do you even climb so high..." Historia asked aloud with it's reply, now considering the few trees around. She supposed that they would scavenge food from the kitchens elsewhere on the palace grounds but it seemed peculiar for them to be searching on the third floor here.

As she was thinking so, another squirrel suddenly joined it, running along the same ledge that the previous squirrel had come from.

She smiled a little before going over slowly and handing them a biscuit after she broke it into small chunks for them to nibble into.

Historia sat back down at the table, a couple of squirrels for company after picking up the pot of tea that she lowered to her empty cup.

'They are so friendly...' she noticed as they shared everything without fighting and seemed to be partners of some sort.

While inclining the kettle pot, aligning the nozzle to her cup, she continued watching the two animals.

As their noses touched in a sudden peck, as though acting out a kiss.

Her whole body froze suddenly and her eyes twisted on the spot as she saw that they even brought out tongues to lick each other's faces for a second before disappearing.

The sudden stop from freezing her hand was just enough to cause the kettle to shake as the top of the lid popped off at the same time as the hot water inside lurched upwards and flew out of both ends in a flash.

The still hot tea splattered across the table sheets, flowed out the cup and landed on her dress as well, breaking the Queen from her brief frozen state as she jumped from the burning liquid.

"AIIE!" She jumped up, moving away from the steaming liquid that messed up the table and watched to the window as the frightened squirrels disappeared instantly. "No waiiit! Don't leave!"

She sighed and jumped again to her surprise as the instant hammering of the guards on the other side had heard her for once as she gave them permission to enter before they soon left after seeing what happened.

Moving to the edge of the windowsill, she pouted and the remaining crumps they had left before sticking her head outside, glancing down either side of the narrow ledge which they run along, long gone.

Sighing softly, she looked at the table, the small pile of papers that had needed to be done this morning, soaked as she picked it up on the cover and shook some off, glancing at it again.

She needed to organise the special celebration in a few weeks for the accomplishments of the Survey Corps.

Eren's face entered her mind, most specifically was imagining his rough yet sweet lips. Her heart beat a little faster, imagining what it would be like to kiss them.

Her hand gripped the table edge, reminded of the sound of the ringing bells and the ceaseless ticking of clocks that she could not slow.

Early Winter of the Year 850 – Celebration at Mithras

The many carriages lined up caused an issue when it came to finding a place to leave the two which they had taken.

Candlelights were lit across the street as the open space was filled with people despite night descending already.

The celebration was being carried outside all night and for the next day as well, the road all the way from Mithras back down to Trost was filled from all the people from the wealthy to the middle and the poor.

"It's like the people of the interior and outer walls have been united..." Armin's eyes sparkled happily, seeing the unity held in the full motion.

"Hey, so why do we have to dress up like this?" Connie scoffed, pressing a hand beneath his collar of the suit which felt uncomfortable to him.

"It can't be helped, this is how people on the interior dress up," Jean reminded him, a little red in the face as he glanced towards Mikasa, considering the prospects of her accepting a dance with him.

Her dark dress that had been sent to her from a family in Trost was simple yet she looked stunning in it as far as Jean was concerned.

At the same time, Sasha was likewise in a dark brown dress herself. She had returned with it after visiting her father, the slightly culture fixed patterns on the edge.

"Hm? What are you lookin' at Jean?" Sasha's suspicious eyes pierced him after he had been glancing between his two female comrades.

"None of you!" Jean stumbled his words and splattered awkwardly when Mikasa glanced art him, "I-I mean none of your business!"

"Tch, don't do anything dumb here," the captain chided them, staring specifically at Connie and Sasha before nodding to Jean to keep an eye on them.

"Well, it can't be helped," the commander lead them in from the carriages, having stubbornly remained in a suit after refusing to wear the dresses presented to her. "The previous awards ceremony was more professional. This is for us to be acknowledged and to make connections if you so wish. And of course it's a celebration for everyone."

Some of them perked up at hearing that while Levi seemed unimpressed. "Whatever, just don't get carried away here."

They all entered the room as the guests of honour were announced.

Somehow the moment they all arrived, they understood now why captain Levi seemed prepared for something. A swarm of people flocked to him instantly, interviewers and both male and female fans circled around him.

"Ah… should we help him?" Jean stepped closer to Hanji, already unable to see him from his height, though they call all vaguely hear his unamused voice.

"He'll be fine," Hanji laughed softly, waving him off as another man approached her. "Ah, it's Randolf right?"

"A pleasure, 14th commander," the man shook her hand after nodding, "I would just like to inform you that her Majesty is running late however, so we'll have to wait a little."

Eren looked around to the full hall, everyone chatting and trying to converse with each other. 'She wouldn't want to get involved with this.' Eren thought.

"It's not a problem for us," Hanji answered before turning back to the group waiting for her, "ah, you guys can go do anything you like. We'll be here for most of the night, just don't leave until the Queen's addressed us, and tell either me or Levi if you really need to leave."

They all nodded at her and dispersed slowly while Hanji got distracted with talking to other officials. Floch looked around a little, before strolling past Eren, remaining quiet as he had been since he spoke against Armin.

Sasha instead began leading the remaining group to one of the food tables which they had to stop her from jumping directly onto as she began picking up everything she could find and having a taste.

The other followed her, picking up things to try as well while some people stopped by to talk with them and a few took an interest of watching them.

Eren gazed around, feeling the stares and glances thrown at him. It wasn't like before when he was hated and feared for his Titan power, but a similar feeling began welling up while he stood behind Armin and Mikasa who were likewise enjoying the food fair.

Glancing around further, Eren sighed before stepping away and wandering on his own a little. The room was massive and fit a few hundred people that Eren had to slide past until he reached the wall.

After following a little, he found a pair of open doors which he exited from, feeling the fresh air at last.

The night air wasn't too comfortable now that winter was here but he much preferred it to the stuffiness inside as he pulled down his tie and opened up a few buttons.

While leaning on the outside wall, not far away from the doors inside, he heard someone declaring that the Queen had arrived.

A little while later, she began giving a recited speech that didn't allow her to reveal her true feelings, which Eren listened to for a while before it faded away in his ears and he began counting the stars instead.

Little glimmers of starlight sparked in various intensities, some of them forming patterns which Eren had heard about though still struggled to see sometimes.

The small lights, each filled with life.

It was like a glimpse of something he had seen.

The paths that all traveled along the sky, meeting at one point, at the coordinate.

His green eyes could not discern any line traveling in the sky like he had seen after kissing Historia's hand.

Instead the moon shone brightly, almost like the only thing out of place despite it's waning gibbous shape being a natural sight here.

The one feature which seemed different from what he saw in the memories of his father.

A quiet applause began ringing out as the Queen had finished speaking. Eren didn't want to hear her words, he wanted to hear Historia's true feelings only.

'If she comes down in a little, I can go find her...' Eren decided to wait a while, glancing inside as music began playing and a dance group was forming as couples began lining up and other people began asking them to dance.

Walking further away from the outside, he approached the railing of the extended balcony, staring down at the courtyard below in the night, recognizing it as one of the places which he and Historia had wandered about before the expedition.

Noticing a pair of guards marching at ease, he stepped back a little and leaned over one of the corners, closer to the walls, noticing some little pond there from which a couple of trees were growing out of.

His hand gripped the new shirt that he wore, feeling the cold metal that he was still carrying. Taking out the string he pulled it off his neck.

"Oh," Eren looked, seeing that he had pulled out the sachet, contained the sunstone which glittered from the moonlight before tugging out the other string from his neck, lifting the weight off it as he attached the crystal back over his neck.

The key to the basement.

It's use had been fulfilled, and it's value now nothing.

He clenched it in his fist before extending it out in his hand over the railing. The pond below it wasn't deep but it wouldn't be easy to find again.

Nobody who came across it would know that it had been the key which unlocked the recent truth.

Even if they did, it wouldn't serve any purpose.

With that being so, he wondered why he still had it.

It had only been a week since the expedition, but after many years of keeping it close, he struggled to leave it somewhere else now.

Taking a breath, he turned his hand downwards, looking down at the downwards trajectory.

His hand opened and the key was let go of at last.

"… Ah," Eren blinked as it remained dangling, the string caught onto his fingers and twirled around, not wishing to let go.

He unpeeled it with a frown, this time, holding the string on his fingers as he let the metal key weigh it down, as it slipped bit by bit.

It flicked over his nails a little before falling.

"Eh…?" The key remained dangling still not having fallen.

The string was caught by the small hand of the blonde girl that stepped in besides him.

She caught his green eyes in a stare while looking at him to say something.

"If you don't want to let it go, then don't," she told him, pulling it up and holding the key in her other hand and took a single pace away from the railing before turning around at him.

"I was just..." Eren forgot his words while staring at Historia who stretched out the string between her two hands, watching him expectedly. "There's no real point in keeping it is there…? … It's just a past burden now."

"Hm," she nodded before putting her head through the whole and placing the key on her neck, and resting it above her chest where he noticed her own sunstone was still being worn despite the deep red dress that she looked electrifying in. "Well, it seems like it's still a burden to you… The same with any other burdens you might have… you can always share them with me..."

"… Did you come here right after finishing the speech?" The Titan shifter asked her, not having heard anyone behind him.

"Yeah, which you clearly didn't listen to," she smiled, not minding one bit, "somehow… I just knew you'd be here…"

The empty balcony that was still nearby. A place where nobody else could see him yet the would have a clear view of the night sky. There were at least half a dozen other places connected to the room with similar such balconies, yet she was somehow guided to this one while slipping at the side of the wall, doing her best to not be seen.

"Hm… it's heavier than I thought," the young Queen muttered before denying his attempt, "I'm still holding onto it if you won't. But this surely must be trouble to keep on you when you were doing ODM gear training..."

He had been carrying it for 5 years. Now that it was gone, he suddenly noticed how much lighter his neck seemed to feel.

Her blue eyes approached closer and her hands reached out to feel his fingers, rubbing them softly and waiting for him while he stared at the dull metal, now against her chest.

"Sorry, it's been a week but I've not been to see you," apologizing for a little, Historia shook her head. "… Alright… but… promise never to tell anyone no matter who..."

"I promise…" Her blue eyes swore the oath and he began to tell her everything from the past week.

/.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../

" 'I promise… someday I will rescue you...'?" Historia repeated the last words, piquing her head.

Eren stared at her, and nodded before telling her about it, one of the things that he had left out without reporting. As far as everyone else knew, the Beast Titan user had simply tried to question him before Captain Levi had shown up seconds later and he had fled. His identity was known but Eren revealed nothing towards it.

"… Yeah, so he said..." The brunet shrugged while leaning on the rail next to her as she waited for him to continue. "There's… nothing I can do anyway. He's with the enemy after all… even if he wasn't, I don't know if I could trust him..."

"… Perhaps..." Her soft gaze doubted him, asking why he then kept this hidden. "It's funny… we're similar like that as well… one day, we see the memories, we suddenly find out that we both had an elder half-sibling we didn't know about..."

Eren nodded slightly, "yeah, that's right but… compared to Frieda who was there for you in the past, there's nothing like that between us. How… could I possibly trust him… But, he's a Titan shifter with royal blood."

He had hesitated before telling her. The reason why he was hiding the way to use the Founding Titan if they did so both as Titans. Worrying that she would only been inclined to do so if he told her, he hadn't wanted to.

Somehow he felt if it had been at a different time, he would have been able to keep quiet about it. But seeing her eyes, he became unable to hide the truth from her here.

"… Don't worry, I said I won't tell anyone right?" She tried to reassure him but couldn't deny the sudden thoughts to her head. Right now however, there was no way for her to consume Titan spinal fluid in the known way.

'But if the chance presented itself...' she had already began thinking, 'me and Eren… together we could...'

"Don't…" Eren gazed at her sadly, seeing the thoughts in her head. It was exactly what he didn't want her to think of. "I don't want you to do such a thing… If you did, then I'd..."

"Sorry, I promise I won't then if you don't want me to." She did her best to reassure him while seeing his pained eyes at her. "It's just hard not to think about it right now… but it's fine, there's no way it can happen right now. And nobody else knows besides us right?"

"..." The green eyed shifter nodded, "there's no point in you turning into a Titan anyway. If… I can somehow figure out some way to leverage against this Zeke… I could maybe deal with the enemy's key forefront fighter and find a way to use the Founding Titan's power."

"Alright…" She nodded at him, asking him knowingfully, "do you truly not feel anything about the fact that he's your half-brother?"

"… There's nothing that I can do… so long as we're enemies..." The memories of his father seemed to conflict a little. The wish to make up with the son he had left behind. It was impossible to complete. Yet it felt like something already accomplished.

The memories of the time he kissed Historia's hand flickered. The memories from his father.

'It was inside the walls… how could it be that… he was here 5 years ago...' Eren wondered if he was mistaken about the bearded man's identity, perhaps some different relative. "… At the awards ceremony… when I kissed your hand… did you..."

"Yeah, I've been meaning to tell you about it, and…" The blue eyed girl nodded, trying to put it into words. "When you were away./.. recovering Wall Maria, a strange thing happened when I was at the orphanage..."

This time, she told him everything.

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"Ymir… Fritz…" The name of the progenitor, uncovered in the earliest history of the Eldian empire.

Nothing was known about her besides speculation and the interpreted texts of either side of her.

"You believe… that was who you might have seen?" Eren asked, feeling sickened by the story she had just told.

The blonde shivered a little, and skipped certain details and feeling the visible anger in her that resonated with his own.

It reminded him a lot of the past. When Mikasa had been taken by the kidnappers and just like them, he took their freedom away in their stead.

"It's just a guess… perhaps I'm completely wrong, but… that's just something I feel." She grasped the handle, "the girl I saw a week ago… she felt quite different but… she had the same feeling to her as well… it could just be someone else..."

He frowned at the strange story, wondering why Historia would have seen such a thing. They hadn't been connected at all, so the coordinate should not have been active.

The story of a girl who had everything taken away from her one day and punished for someone else's joy. And the girl who told a story very different to it.

"I don't know how they are connected at all… I guess… we can only wait and see if something else strange like that happens," Historia spoke, wandering how she could have had such a strange daydream, different to the memories. Gazing upon the skies, she sighed. "… Being Queen like this, now seems to hold even less value than I thought..."

"… That's not your fault. You've done a great job already." Eren leaned next to her while they both stared past the darkened skyline they couldn't see. "It was just… the world was bigger and full of more threats that we could have thought."

It was known that the warriors had come from beyond the wall, the hometown which Reiner and Bertholdt had spoken of, where Annie's father must be.

Besides this settlement however, they had believed themselves to be the only ones left in a Titan covered world that turned out only to be this island now.

"On the other side of the wall…" She couldn't see it, but she felt it wasn't so unfamiliar. "… I'm sure there's people like us as well… those who feel they have no place and that there's no point in their existence… if it was just this island, I feel I could help change it over time… to make it a Paradise where everyone at least had a place to belong if nothing more..."

She wasn't a true Queen, but her position was the best in contributing to such an ideal. It had been merely a wish to her, likely impossible to ever accomplish as she realised reality to her position and the fatigue that overtook her upon seeing it.

"But… Beyond the ocean, they are in a place I can't reach out to them… even just in name, now we know that I'm not Queen of 'Humanity'. Rather… I would be seen as a Queen of Demons beyond there..." She thought sadly, actually liking the sound of the name but not too positive of the impression she would want to make. "… It's not that I regret becoming Queen, at least some of the children that have been taken in are better now… but..."

"… It's a step forward right? What you've accomplished is already a leap from the old government." He held her hand. She felt strength stirring in her, deep within like usual. "… You know… if we could do the same thing… if we could overthrow Marley's leaders and take over without obstruction, we could make you Queen on both this island and the continent."

"Oh?" Historia smirked at him, seeing him lightly joke at her. "If we stage a massive Titan, only bigger than last time, and have me defeat it, maybe the populace outside the world would accept me as well."

"Yeah, I'll create a massive Titan form of myself and pretend to lose to you so that you're their saviour," Eren smiled down at her. "Bring a chair this time so people can see you."

"Why would I do that, my noble stead? I can just sit on you and ride you like a horsey," she grinned. "Instead of just destroying their enemy, the Founding Titan, I can train him as my pet instead."

"So long as you treat me well, I won't mind," Eren felt himself blushing a little, the scene almost too suited in his mind. "If it's with you, I want to go anywhere."

He wandered why he had been so down recently.

The enemy was driven out and the Titans would be exterminated.

After that, he would reach the ocean and past it, where the freedom he desired existed.

Despite his dream, it felt like something he had already given up long ago while in the company of his blonde friend.

His heart ached and his body tired. Almost empty again and afraid to become like he had once done so back in the cave,

When that happened, it had been Historia to save him.

Almost as if trying to find something else to cling on as his dream was on the verge of rotting away. Almost as if trying to have the girl save him once again and share his burden just as she accepted.

The feeling inside him was complicated.

Like something he was trying to deny.

Threatening his whole identity, it defied him, trying to help him survive.

His revenge was gone.

His dream was gone.

His comrades were gone.

Not wanting his whole self to disappear, the abnormal feeling tried to desperately hold onto something because he had nothing else left.

Beyond the walls… Freedom which he sought for didn't exist.

His dream didn't exist.

Without it, what else did he have?

That was what the feeling seemed to say.

The words began fumbling out without question as the feeling tried to latch onto something to keep him alive.

"… Anywhere?" The blue eyes blinked, the small blush creeping up on her, "you… the way you just said that..."

"Yeah, anywhere with you." Eren's green eyes shown without hesitation. "I want to stay with you, Historia."

"Gha?!" She jumped suddenly, face hot and uncoolable by night. "You… You're saying… n-no… this is a dream..."

Laughing awkwardly failed, as she scratched her cheek and glanced at him, still looking serious.

"I mean it, Historia." Eren's hands cupped hers. "You want to be together with me as well right?"

"E-Eh?! Y-Yes… no," she shook her head while calming herself, the blush unable to be removed now when he was so close. "… Let me say it..."

Taking a deep breath, Eren didn't let go of her once and as he held a bizarre sense of purpose in him.

"Yes… I want to be with you…" Her blue eyes spoke without worry, her heart somehow calming down despite her head expecting it to beat crazy. "I want to stay together-together with you..."

After saying that, the two stayed like for a while, in a difficult silence.

"…" Eren's blush began intensifying.

"..." Historia's heart beat rapidly.

"… A-Are you saying then..." Eren pulled away one hand while scratching awkwardly. "… You… me… like…"

"… I… yeah… you… thing…" Historia stammered likewise, suddenly an embarrassed feeling wanting her to run away.

"W-What I mean to say..." Eren's knees became weak, unable to properly express himself here, "I… l-like…. Like..."

A big cheer run out inside and a celebration toast seemed to have began, disturbing them, suddenly conscious that people were moving around.

To their bad luck, a couple suddenly strolled outwards, as Eren and Historia dropped their hands and took a small distance away, the moment interrupted and gone already if it hadn't been before.

"Oh, pardon me," the gentlemen noticed them to the side as his wife kept a fan over her face, "we didn't mean to interrupt. The balcony seemed empty."

"I-Interrupt…?" Historia addressed them, "y-you do not have to worry, you are not interrupting anything between us."

"Ara, but aren't you two a couple?" the lady inquired, noticing the dress which the blonde girl was wearing. "Oh, are you not her Majesty herself?"

Her husband noticed suddenly, and they both bowed apologetically slightly.

"T-There's no need," the Queen tried to reassure them, "I was just… catching up with a friend."

"Y-Yeah, there's nothing like that between us," Eren added suspiciously, "we were… just leaving."

The moment he said that, Eren paced off quickly, his body heated up to a difficult level as Historia bowed slightly to the couple and reassured them, before leaving sensibly, and then making a little jog towards Eren as soon as she disappeared inside again as well.

"Hey, you," Historia grabbed his arm while they both hid along the wall. "I've got… we've both got something to say..."

"… Not here," Eren shook his head, wanting to leave after just being almost caught, just after preparing to confess. He wondered if the interruption was perhaps fortunate and if he could have actually spoken his true feelings with the uncomfortable place here.

Historia nodded, not in the mood for this place either. "… Grab a carriage to the orphanage. I'll follow half an hour after so we're not seen together. We'll both arrive just before dawn."

Inside the Palace

While moving around the tables, they had noticed Eren had disappeared soon after the Queen's customary speech, thanking them of their sacrifices and continued service.

"Armin," the blond turned to see Mikasa calling him, "have you seen Eren?"

He shook his head, "sorry, I haven't."

The way she moved showed some wish to dance as the soothing music kept playing on the dance floor where many people had gathered now, moving in a generally fluid motion along with some apologies and laughs mixed in.

Armin looked around once more for his fellow Titan shifter, glancing through each crowd.

"So you're saying instead of that commander Erwin, some kid got the Titan power?!" The crowd of well dressed men attracted his attention instead as they discussed among themselves.

"Yes that is correct," the middle man continued, "for that reason, Eren Jaeger was imprisoned for a short time when he refused to give up on him after the Captain ordered him down."

The group around kept diving deeper into the discussions while sharing drinks that were handed to them by their personal butlers and maids.

"Tch, guess he is still just a brat."

"Well he is still young, we should not ignore that Wall Maria was retaken thanks to him."

"When you put it that way, should we not be more concerned about this new Titan of ours. I bet he will be a complete disaster no matter how we slice it."

"I am further concerned if this may continue next time. We just had a young Queen take the throne, I worry if simple recruits are going to start taking all the power."

"At least the Queen is not causing us too much trouble, she's not making any immature demands and lazing around like the past fake kings."

"Indeed, this is a question of handing down another Power of the Titans to some rookies. What troubles me is that Captain Levi made the choice in the end."

"Seriously? Maybe it's the leaders of the Survey Corps making senseless decision that we should worry for."

"True, however Humanity's Strongest... or well now, our strongest soldier has made excellent contributions as well."

"We should just prepare for the failures of this new holder of the Colossal Titan already."

The talk was still spreading slowly around the room between groups who knew each other, within he interior and would soon surely be widespread news to all the common people that would be spoken of for a while.

Armin shook a little, trying to look busy with something else when he froze. Mikasa's face was darkly livid, threatening to burst and charge at them.

"M-Mikasa, please don't do anything!" Armin urged her, whispering to her closely as he tried to calm her down. "Just ignore them..."

"..." The glare of her grey eyes pierced them. The blond wouldn't feel surprised if they all suddenly were set on fire from it. "... They should bite their tongues already."

Armin breathed out a sign of relief when Mikasa turned away with a stomp.

"... They don't know anything about you." His black haired friend seethed beneath her breath, the anger not disappeared from her cold eyes.

"It's fine," he reassured her, hiding the doubt which was shot back at him. "This was to be expected."

Captain Levi had warned them about it beforehand and had especially spoken to his two friends to contain themselves.

Mikasa gritted her teeth, holding back from not kicking all the men who were still absorbed in the matter. If it wouldn't have damaged the Survey Corps's image, she would have done so already.

However she dreaded to think if retaliating like this would only cause the opinions of Armin to become worse.

Silently instead, the two friends moved across the room together while keeping an eye out for their childhood friend until they found a quiet spot against the wall on one side of the room after going to a food table and taking a bit of cake and drinks.

"... I don't see Eren anywhere," Armin said after they had handed their empty glasses to a passing waitress. "You don't need to worry about me, Mikasa. You might be able to find him if you go search again."

The black haired girl remained silent, tasting the piece of cake which she didn't let the enjoyment of reach her face.

Her bad mood had not improved after the past hour of glancing at the conversing groups. After Armin saw that, he felt concerned that she would seriously wind up in trouble.

"I'll be back soon," Mikasa narrowed her eyes and answered, locking her targets after hearing someone mention Armin by name with a scoff. "There's something I need to take care of."

Armin grabbed her arm immediately, "Mikasa don't! What are you plan-"

"If I find some powder or dye, I can hide my hair colour." She noticed the doors in and out the kitchen where the waiters and waitresses kept coming from as some people stood by the side and were making personal requests that were brought to them.

"A disguise like that would be discovered easily! Your features and dress will standout way too much and can be discovered..." Armin held her in place as she looked down dejectedly but remained next to him.

She continued frowning as Armin looked for way to distract her before holding out the remaining cake in his other hand. "Try some, it's really good."

Mikasa looked down and took it in her hand before eating it angrily, her blond friend sighing at the vicious way she devoured it.

"..." Mikasa breathed for a little, "... It is tasty."

Armin smiled a little, happy when thinking how Mikasa seemed to express herself like this more.

"You as well," she said, realising she still had a bit of her own different kind of cake left after she had taken Armin's.

"Oh," Armin thanked her before taking a bite, the palace food so much more exquisite to them both. "It's good."

Mikasa nodded along as they returned to a comfortable silence.

They noticed a small commotion happening as a group of three were crushing into each other and around the place.

While Sasha was grabbing the food on the tables around em, as well as sometimes from people's plates instantly, Connie and Jean held onto either of her arms as eh were dragged along with her.

Armin smiled a little at them, seeing Connie dazed from spinning, still managing to hold on and do an awkward dance with his two friends as Jean kept declaring he was done with them before Sasha closed his mouth by stuffing food in him.

"Oh yeah, maybe you can ask Jean for a dance?" Armin prodded, knowing the light brunet's feelings. They still had seen no sign if Eren for the past couple hours. "At least until Eren shows up, I don't think he'll mind if you dance with Jean."

"... I think he looks happy with Sasha and Connie right now," Mikasa's expression softened as she watched Jean hold Sasha away when an older gentleman had asked, pulling Connie away with them.

Armin nodded ahead, watching Sasha not notice and embrace her true love at the potato and meat tables before the three disappeared in the crowd again.

"Thanks Mikasa," the blond began again, "you really don't have to worry about me. Nobody is talking about it anymore, I shouldn't hold you back from enjoying yourself as well."

Mikasa frowned at him in doubt, knowing full well he was still going to hear words spoken against him here. "... 'As well'?"

"Ah well..." Armin gulped a little when he saw Mikasa face him. She appeared both angry and sad at him suddenly. "I mean..."

"You're not a burden. Haven't I told you I've never considered you like that," Mikasa turned away instead, as Armin tried to think of a way to apologise again. "... I'm the that you should be angry at."

"... What?" The Titan shifter searched her figure in confusion.

"... I'm sorry." Her body shivered slightly as her arms held herself. "I'm sorry."

"M-Mikasa... Are you..." Armin reached around, trying to search for a handkerchief before her grey eyes rooted him to the spot.

"It's alright. I'm not crying." Mikasa wiped the obvious wetness in her light skin. "... It's just as Floch says... I... when Hanji spoke to me I... really did give up on you."

"... That would... have been the right decision..." He reassured his friend. "In that situation, I'd have given up on me..."

"... And? If I had been in your position, would you have given up on me?" His stomach twisted into a knot, unable to reply from this angle. "No matter what... Eren didn't give up, unlike me... You... were the right choice to save for me. But even so..."

Armin reached out and stopped as he waited for a minute until Mikasa began breathing normally again before he spoke.

"No matter what... There's no way I'd blame you for that..." Struggling to continue, he hoped that at least could be conveyed to her, "... Mikasa, you and Eren... You'll always be my best friends... after all that's happened... we're still friends right?"

Mikasa nodded simply, her hand moving over her cheeks again.

"Mnh, it's a promise then?" He extended his hand towards her, "the three of us will always be friends no matter what."

Her fingers reached out to his hand took it, shaking it slowly. "... It's a promise.

Armin smiled happily at her as he pulled away, only for Mikasa to keep hold of his hand. "... Mikasa...?"

The passing ladies next to them brought up his name as he glanced over. Hearing them discuss him as the new Titan shifter.

"Even if you forgive me as you do... it won't change that I let you go back then..." Her expression tried to settle the interior conflict. Her hand held his tightly. "I won't let you go again like that."

Armin wordlessly watched as she swore this promise as well. "... Thank you."

The words brewing around the, continued as Armin felt the doubts and disbelief directed at him continue in the silence with his friend.

Her presence telling him not to let a single word they said get to him and that she would remain at his side, not faltering once just as she promised.

The two stood together, catching sight of Jean, Sasha and Connie still in a triangle dance together.

A few moments later, the music changed again, as dance partners switched again.

"When Eren comes back, we'll all dance together like that," Mikasa nodded as Armin hummed in agreement though they had been unable to spot him since the start. "For now..."

"Ah...?" Mikasa pulled him with her arm, as Armin muttered wordlessly, following her lead as she began stepping with specific feet movements without letting go.

The blond followed her tune as the two friends entered a slow dance at the side of the hall.

Early Winter of the Year 850 – Wall Sina Orphanage

After being dropped off, the brunet shifter walked through the familiar meadow, his hand sliding across the wooden fence.

The children would still be asleep for now and it was a comforting place regardless. He felt he should be tired as well, but the world kept him more awake than ever.

It had only been a few hours since he left the capital, wishing he could have had at least a few days to sort out his feelings and what he would actually say.

"… You look beautiful." His one true thought fell out, unable to be stopped.

Historia had as promised, arrived about half an hour later, already changed out of her dress and into her countryside dress with her shoulder cape tied loosely in a knot in front of her.

A simply honest real girl.

Historia blushed, her whole confidence, which she had built up while walking towards him, thrown into oblivion.

Here however, her heart was able to reform while nodding thankfully as he had taken up a lamp in hand.

"You didn't think anything of my other dresses then..." she commented softly while taking his hand and leading him to a nearby storage shed.

"Ah well..." Eren considered pointing out the fact she looked great in whatever she wore but decided to leave the words hang.

As they entered through the door, Historia shuffled around before finding candles which Eren lit after opening the candle he had brought from the carriage driver.

After a little while, they had lit a dozen of them and placed them around the room to illuminate the interior properly.

While moving around, Eren knew his feelings had already been decided. He struggled to say it, but he understood what his feelings were for Historia.

As blue and green met each other, the shared feelings reassured each other.

They stood together in the small wooden hut, not much space for the two of them together, two doors at right angles to each other of the partially curved, 'L' shape shed.

There were two tables just besides either door which they had left a couple candles each on while they both leaned against the walls, meeting at the corners, their feet touching each other at a right angle.

"..."

"…"

With nobody around them, they felt no need to rush. The setting was far more suitable to them, where nobody besides the other could see them right now, out in the country and away fro their roles and responsibilities.

Neither however could feel quite calm, unable to bring their words into confession first. At this point they were aware.

A special feeling for each other, somehow changing form and moving in a similar wave to how a couple would be around each other.

While staring at her soft, gentle looking lips, Eren struggled to hold back. The feeling of running away remained. Almost scared by something unnatural.

Historia pressed her knees together gently, noticing him. The affection that she longed for was clear. There was no doubts holding her back any more,

Even so, the two didn't know how to begin.

A confession of love.

A part of them asked if it was really needed.

They were somehow sure of what the other was trying to say.

Yet an invisible barrier seemed to stop them.

Some kind of difficulty in stating the words aloud clearly.

The green eyed boy wandered how difficult it had been in the past for the girl to understand the concept of it. How unable she was to express it. That she hadn't said it once in Frieda's memories that he had seen.

The blue eyed girl always recalled the memories of the boy's childhood to herself strangely. His mother had spoken such words to him. The boy hadn't. It was only when it was too late did he realize he would never be able to.

It was all in an unchangeable past.

A wall they had to destroy, a chain they had to break.

Realizing it, they both felt determination in order to overcome it.

"I –" They both began at the same time and stopped immediately, staring at each, neither budging to go first. "..."

"… A moment," Historia said before turning around and moving to one corner of the shed.

"Yeah," Eren complied and did so to the other, now unable to see each other, though able to hear each other's movements easily from nearby as they rubbed their own faces and clapped their cheeks.

While rethinking as well, they tried to form out what they would say.

"I love you."

Besides asking to officially court each other, that was all they officially wished to say. Which order should they be said in? Was one or the other needed or did both need to be said? Knowing the other, neither needed to be spoken and they could just begin courting properly.

While Eren breathed out, he glanced over by the table. His finger became drawn over the rough edge, realising that it was softwood.

The blonde heard her friend – more than friend yet? Was it to soon to consider him as her fiance already? She heard him moving while she scraped a hand over the table where the candle was being lit.

After blinking for a while, a knife and pin was taken out on either end, followed by the scratching noise on the wood.

"H-Historia?" Eren called to her, lips wobbling at the message.

"Y-Yeah?" She answered, hearing footsteps come her way as she moved to block him as well, meeting again at the right angle part, the uneven edge of the shed.

It was too late.

It had had already been written.

Backing out now was impossible.

"… What… I've been… feeling, no thinking… I mean like wanting to say." He grit his teeth in annoyance and glanced down at her rosy face.

The distance made him want to lean down and reach down to her.

"I… uhh…" Historia stumbled again, "do you mind if we took a few moments outside?"

"Ah… yeah," Eren nodded, stepping aside. "Oh, you go out that door we came from and I'll..."

Pointing to the other side door, Historia nodded after taking a breath, stepping around each other, they both walked passed, down either end of the shed.

Historia's hands were on the door just before she heard Eren stop, both listening for each other's movements. They called for each other's names unnecessarily to make sure they were still there.

Only after a while did the brunet notice the candle which was on the table, illuminating something that had been carved on it, just as he had on the other desk.

While both looking at it, they both saw the arranged shape.

The carving of a love heart surrounded with the candle places at the top, it's gentle glow continuing of radiant firelight.

ᛉᚢᚿ : ᚦᚢᛉᛁᚴ : ᛉᛆᚿ : ᚦᛁᚴ : ᚢᚿ : ᚦᚢ : ᛉᛂᚱ : ᛆᚿ : ᛂᚴᚦ

Mun þú mik,

man ek þik.

Unn þú mér,

ann ek þér.

"Remember me,

I remember you.

Love me,

I love you."

The old poem of naivety in a place of reality.

ᚮᛌ ᛐ : ᛉᛁᚿ : ᚴᛁᛍ : ᛉᛁᚴ

Óst min, kyss mik

"My darling, kiss me."

The only wish they wanted.

Tied down with the symbol of Freyda, the message was clear.

The old way of confessing one's love from centuries past.

Turning towards the corner, they both paced towards it.

Eren's paces were longer and so he made it first, turning around just as he leaned straight in without hesitation, fulled by only his true desire that told him not to delay any longer.

Historia hopped up a little and lifted on her feet as she grabbed the side of his shirt, steadying him down to meet her.

The gentle warmth was subtly sweet. Their lips pressed against each, squeezed at the contact, compressing inwards as they both pushed into each other.

While sharing the first kiss, both glanced back annoyed at their hesitation.

It spread warmth.

The colliding sensations brought about an intense warmth, like the candle lights that gently warmed the room slightly.

Eren wondered why he had closed his eyes without hesitation and opened them a little, seeing Historia's shut eyelashes, somehow making him insensitively close his own again.

She felt his nose gently touching her, noticing that she had bumped it a little when she had pulled him down but too taken in by the enveloping warmth like a blanket to worry too much about it since Eren hadn't shown any notice of it.

Their lips were ever so slightly at an angle, aligning and pressing against each other in attractive movements, the soft vermilion borders dipping around slightly over the edge and curves of the others.

The thin tissues burnt slightly, melting ever so calmly as the muscles contracted and relaxed between each other, sending the throbbing feeling reminiscent to their aligned heartbeats rushing in unison.

It was real.

And true to their feelings, it conveyed just that.

The lips' prints marking each other, leaving a distinct minuscule pattern that would fade in little time and leave only the feeling of it's imprint.

While one of Historia's hands remained on Eren's jacket, the other cupped his cheek ever so slightly, brushing along his jaw while feeling Eren's own hands both on the back of her head still, her blonde hair tied up was pressed slightly on the back of her head like a cushion.

One of her legs was in between his while the other was moved slightly back, forcing her body to rest up a bit like a weak spring that gave the kiss a bit more force upwards.

Eren's legs were parted, holding his ground easily while remaining close to her, one of his knees gently touching her hips from their height difference.

Eren's prochelion dipped slightly into the middle of her lips, snuggling softly as she felt her own pass over the border before she slid it back so that they touched in the centre again.

The bright white sun dawned on the bonded when they finally pulled apart.

The words were exchanged as they relaxed in each others embrace hugging slightly for a little while.

"… We can't tell anyone about this…" Eren said. "In the future… if people find out then..."

"Yeah, I also think it would be for the better," Historia agreed before smiling up at him, "it'll be our secret."

Eren smiled happily, seeing her in front of him. He didn't know what was telling him it, but if their relationship was revealed in the future, he felt it would only reveal they had worked together.

'If the worst case came to be, Historia must not be found to be connected with me...'

'It'll be fine, no matter what happens, I'll be by your side if you are condemned.'

While their thoughts told them that, they had already pressed their lips together once more, closing the distance as they began brushing through their hair while the other hand rested on the others shoulder.

Their lips kept pressing stronger, deepening it as much as they could.

Red and red, blue and green.

The tips of the two sunstones swaying gently while hanging from their necks, gleamed and reflected light from each other as their strings twirled around the old metal key in the middle, all intertwining together.

The sun was unable to be stopped from rising higher.

… And we're proper relationship now! But yeah, confession scene didn't turn out at all how I wanted it… but ahh I just don't know haha, decided to just get it down with lol.

To clarify, instead of Eren seeing what he did after kissing Historia's hand in ch90/end of season 3, Historia instead saw the contents of chapter 122, up to page 10, where Ymir falls into the water. I dunno if this is the case, but wondered about the chapter since we didn't get the lightning sparks we usually did when we see new memories when Eren reached Ymir. Of course it was cut out, for whatever reason, but just for the sake of things, Historia is the one here who has seen Ymir's backstory as her descendant.

From which then, Eren had heard about her from Historia and as such doesn't recognize her at the start when he sees her. Of course it could have just been if he saw through her POV memories but never how she looked like and so didn't know, or like before it's just as he was watching through the memories in present time at ch122, but yeah lol, whatever the case is in canon, this clearly didn't occur like in this chapter haha, but yeah for now Historia has just seen the early part of Ymir as a child.

Ending Scene: WARNING MANGA SPOILERS - CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SEASON 4 (OR WHAT WILL BE SEASON 4 AT LEAST)

"Warrior Reiner Braun." The judge called out his name.

The room was the same as 4 years ago when he had stepped in. The conditions given to him in order to keep the Armoured Titan had only been a means to keep his loyalty pledged.

Only when he had performed above expectations was he reconsideration and summoned back here.

"Due to your efforts at capturing Fort Slava and playing a key role in our victory against the Middle-East Alliance, you will be permitted to serve your remaining 2 years as a warrior."

Reiner didn't reply.

The number meant so little to him now.

Whether it was today or a couple years from now.

There was no reason for him to keep existing even if he was able to.

"However, with you remaining time, you will be serving as the forefront of the invasion of Paradis. Your Armour will be handed to the chosen warrior cadet and you will hand down all your knowledge of the island to them."

They were saying the last battle for him was over and that they had no further use for him while leaving him some remaining time.

All that was left now was training his successor who would be cursed with his power.

Reiner decided it was better if he would die here.