Sorry about how short this chapter is, the next one is quite lengthy.


It had now been a week since her arrival in the stone castle and the two women had fallen into a routine similar to Christa's first night. Ymir would change her bandages and then Christa would read her a story or two. They talked but Christa was so fond of the arraignment she hadn't asked much more about her situation. But still questions turned her mind. Was Sasha okay? Was their mother wondering where they were? Had anyone gone looking for them?

"So, I may have a present for you, Christa." Christa was enjoying the bread and potatoes she'd been brought that evening. It seemed Ymir was only around, or maybe only awake, during the night and the blond had started following this schedule.

"Oh yeah? What is it?" Ymir smiled softly and from behind her back she showed her a wood crafted crutch, with cloth fixed on the part that went under the arm.

"So I don't have to carry you around all the time. What I'm feeding you must be making you fat or something, because I swear you're getting heavier." It was said playfully but Christa still lightly smacked her arm while smiling coyly.

"Thanks. Can I try it out?" Ymir held out her hand in invitation. The blond's smile broadening, she took the crutch and scooted to the edge of the bed. Carefully she arranged herself correctly before standing and putting the pressure on her good leg and the wooden support. "Hah, look at me, ready to take on the world!" Ymir snorted in humor.

"Would you like a proper tour of sorts? Just to stretch your legs?" Christa smiled and nodded her head. "If you're in pain, you should let me know. Don't strain yourself.' As they made their way toward the door Ymir put a hand on the small of Christa's back, probably out of worry. "So! This is my majestic hallway."

"Haha, I already know that, dummy." They shared a smile.

"Alright, alright, I'll show you something new, but I think I better carry you down the stairs." Christa thought so too, so she set the crutch against the wall and immediately Ymir scooped her up swiftly. Christa giggled in her arms before grabbing the crutch again so Ymir wouldn't have to carry that too. They got down two flights of stairs the taller woman set Christa on the ground, making sure she had her balance about her before letting go. "Ready?" She nodded happily.

She was led down yet another dark hallway that ended in a small door, no where near as ornate as the others she'd seen. Stepping beyond the portal she was taken aback by what she found. It was a totally closed in courtyard that was thriving with plant life. Trees bared huge and healthy leaves and the ground was lush with grass and bushes. The moonlight bathed the space in a pale light that seemed to give everything it touched an ethereal glow.

"Ymir! It's so beautiful, I don't know what to say!" Ymir smirked.

"I thought you might like it. There's a stone bench over there if you want to sit."

"I want to walk around I think, stretch my legs like you said."

"More like hobble." Christa couldn't reach out her arm to smack her new friend without unbalancing herself so she settled for lightly head-butting her. "Careful, shorty, I might just take that glorified stick back." Christa left the play argument at that in favor of 'hobbling' around the courtyard. She let her fingers whisp along the leaves of the lower hanging trees, enjoying all the earthy smells around her. She soon spotted a statue of an angel bent in prayer. Ymir was only a few steps behind her.

"Do you know who made this?" Ymir shook her head.

"It was already here when I arrived. Do you really like it that much?"

"Mmhmm. I almost never see things like this. She's very pretty, don't you think?"

"I think she looks like you." Christa blushed, turning slowly to face her companion. She had a soft expression, not a mocking one.

"Oh..." The shorter woman examined Ymir's face and gazed at her smattering of freckles. "Do you really think so?" Ymir nodded. Christa took a deep breath. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes." She replied immediately. Christa couldn't help her surprise at the other girl's willingness.

"Do you think my sister is alright? Really, don't sugar-coat it..." Ymir's expression took on a sympathetic air, but she didn't deliberate.

"I didn't see another human when I found you, honestly. She might have gotten away, and I'm not saying she didn't, but chances are that she's dead..." Christa had tried not to think about it during her stay here, but in the back of her mind she had been thinking the same thing. But now, hearing it voiced by her savior, she couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes. She sniffed and down they came, marring her milky white face with tear tracks.

"Ymir...I'm so worried. She isn't my real sister but she's still my family. She never said a harsh word to me, I just..." She started to break down. After some hesitation Ymir stepped forward and embraced her charge, holding her head to her own chest and started stroking her hair. She was silent as the girl in her arms weeped, letting her cry away the sorrow for now. After the sounds of sobbing started to die away Ymir mumbled into Christa's hair,

"I'll get them, the bastards that did this. I'll kill their whole pack, I swear it." Breaking the embrace and taking hold of Ymir's arms Christa looked frantically into her eyes.

"No...I can't lose you too! Please, don't try to do that. We don't even know where they are."

"Don't worry yourself over me..." Christa reached up to grab her face, searching her golden eyes.

"Don't you dare leave me, too. You're already so special to me, I wouldn't be able to take it." Tears started forming once more in her eyes. Ymir raised her hand slowly and thumbed away the fresh tear that had only just fallen. She kept her hand where it was, meeting Christa's searching eyes with her own. She bowed her head and almost without a thought Christa raised hers to meet her lips gently.

She was cold, her lips were anyway. Ymir was always cold though. Slowly their lips started moving, caressing each other so sweetly Christa almost forgot what was happening and where she was. She pulled away when her thoughts caught up with her, shocked at herself, not just because she'd just been mourning her possibly fallen sister a moment ago, but because she had just shared a kiss with another woman. Ymir removed her hand from Christa's face.

Sure, she had thought about things like this before but she assumed there was something wrong about her for wanting it. Her eyes would catch on a girl's skirt while selling her crop in town or she would have dreams that left her burning between her legs and and feeling guilty. The preachers of her village spoke against such things.

A silence stretched in between them before they met each other's eyes again. Christa couldn't help but notice the look of nervous worry on the other woman's face.

"Ymir...I-" A loud bang was heard from somewhere inside the castle. Ymir stiffened and looked far more alert than just seconds before.

"Do not move from this spot, do you understand me?" Without waiting for a reply Ymir ran toward the wooden door that led back inside and slammed it open and back closed as she went through it. Christa's fear glued her to the spot. She was also beyond confused, not just about Ymir's sudden exit but of course the actions that it immediately followed. She heard another huge 'bang' from the same direction as last time.

"No..." she breathed before moving as quickly as she could toward the door. Worry crackled in her veins and spread to her chest, making it hard to breath or swallow the lump in her throat.