Hey guys, here is the next update of this fanfic. Sorry for the long time without an update but life got really busy.

Anyway, enjoy this new update.

Chapter Cover: The figure of a young woman seating upon a throne

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Gold and Silver

One Hour Ago

Soft music was playing within the room. It was a well-furnished room filled with lavish couches and many well-made objects. A table in the corner held the object that was playing the music that filled the entire room. Beside the window which was lightly open to let in the cool air within the room, two people were seating in front of a board looking down toward it.

One of them was an older man, dressed in a suit with a well trimmed beard upon his face. His suit was a light brown color and the neck tie was completely black. The man also had dark brown hair, his eyes the color of ice quietly observing the board in front of him with a stern expression upon his long face.

"I believe that you are stumped my friend," his companion spoke out, a light amusement within their tone.

The man chuckled.

"I fear you are just too good at this game," he said shaking his head, "Any move I make right now will probably ended up in my lost. I must admit, I wasn't expecting such a throughout defeat in this round."

He looked up at the young woman across him.

"You are excellent at it, I must say."

The young woman was several years younger than him. With dark hair set up in an elaborate stylish, thought some bangs of black hair still fell upon her brow. She was wearing a long skirt upon her form as well as a well-formed shirt with a coat upon it. The young woman had a light smile upon her lips as she observed him, the amusement within her pale ember eyes were telling.

"I have been playing since I was a child," she told him, "How long have you played Lord Brandon?"

"Not since I was about your age, I would say," the man, Lord Brandon spoke out, "My sister before she married used to play it with me in our youth. She will always win of course, but I practiced with the boys at my old school…the day it happened when I won against her."

The man chuckled, the amusement from the memory causing him brighten.

"The look on her face was one for the photographs as one would say," he told her.

The younger girl's smile never left her lips as she observed him.

"I would have loved to have seen it."

Lord Brandon chuckled.

"It would have you in hysterics if I do say so myself…shall we reset the board for another game?"

The young woman nodded.

"My duties have not yet drawn any trouble yet," she said, "I think I have time for another game."

The man laughed softly as he worked to remake the board once more and replacing the pieces back into their original position. As he was doing so, the young woman's attention was drawn toward the window which gave a view toward the city that was outside of it. Leaning comfortably into her chair, she observed the clouds which were seemingly stationary within the air. Then as she observed, she caught sight of two birds flying together in the distance.

She stared at them solemnly for a few moments, a feeling steering into her heart. It made her remember memories of her childhood for some reason. It was a long way ago since she first thought about her childhood at all ever since her mother passed away. She was forced to grow up since then and the memories of her mother were also faint within her mind, like they were fading away from her very mind.

She returned her gaze toward Lord Brandon who was setting up the board for them again.

The man had been a family friend since she was but a girl. He knew her mother well and had been there for her when she passed away, becoming a trusted advisor to her.

"The people are not happy with the sudden Marley occupation," the man said to her when he was done setting the board.

"Marley and Everest had been allies since before the end of the Titan War," the woman spoke out as she looked at the board in front of her, "My great-grandfather saw to that when grandmother Anja was stolen away by the Subjects of Ymir."

Lord Brandon let out a soft hum.

"You are right," he said moving one of the pieces, "All of that happened more than eighty years ago…however, that alliance is not a free pass for the Marleyan military to station one of it's battleship at the harbor."

The woman looked at him.

"And then there is that plan to build a road within the mountain to connect our country to the rest of the world," Lord Brandon shook his head at the notion, "While I will admit our country isolationist ways have served us in the past but for such sudden change to take place…"

"To refuse them will have brought much more attention to our country Lord Brandon," she told him with a stern tone, "Attention that we don't need."

"And how long it is before Marley start demanding our men to swell their armies?" Lord Brandon asked, "How long is it going to be before they started to demand more than we can give?"

The woman let out a soft sigh.

"You know where that path leads Jezabel," Lord Brandon said, "Once you start, it will be too late to start making correction course."

The young woman, Jezabel, let out a small smile.

"Your council, as always, is always welcome Lord Brandon," she said, moving a piece on the board, "While I can admit I am worried about what could be waiting for us down the line, however, as far as the official records go, Marley is one of our allies. In the past, countries have always shared goods with each other in the past…this is simply one of those times."

Lord Brandon stared at her.

"Your pacifism is showing again Jezabel," he told her.

The woman smiled lightly.

"Oh…forgive me," she said, "I do it subconsciously now."

Lord Brandon returned his attention toward the game in front of him and moved a piece.

"However," Jezabel continued, "This is only a shown of good faith. Recently, I have received words from the High Command at Marley. The Warrior Unit led by their golden boy has gone to Paradis Island. There is a chance that they could recover what was stolen from us all those years ago."

Lord Brandon looked at her.

"The Silver Ash Titan," he said.

Jezabel nodded.

"Despite how many years it had been since Anja was kidnapped by Fritz," she said, "It is one of the main reasons why we've allied ourselves with Marley during the Great Titan War."

"Will they really hand it over?" Lord Brandon asked her.

Jezabel place another piece.

"We gave them no choice but to turn it over to us," she said, "After all, only those with Ashler blood can truly wield the Titan's true power."

There was a knock on the door drawing their attention.

"Enter," Jezabel called out.

One of the maids entered within the room. She kept her eyes down toward the ground.

"Your Grace," she said, "Ambassador Ulrich is here to see you."

She noticed Lord Brandon giving her a curious look but she addressed the maid.

"Send him in," she said.

The maid nodded and turned around leaving the room.

"Were you expecting company after I leave?" he asked.

"I was not," Jezabel answered him, keeping her voice cool, "I wonder why he is here?"

A sound of footsteps stalled any more conversation between the two of them as the Ambassador entered within the room. Everything about Ambassador Ulrich screamed Marley from the way he was dressed in sharp suit with a hat in his hand. The man had short blond hair with fell upon a side of his face and calm gray eyes.

"Ambassador," Jezabel spoke out, giving him a light nod of acknowledgment, "I must admit, I wasn't expecting to meet with you today."

"I hope you can forgive me, Queen Jezabel," Ulrich spoke out with a light bow of his head, "General Rudolf won't be able to meet with you today as was planned."

"Oh?"

The man nodded at her surprise.

"I know I myself set up the meeting between the two of you," he said, "But there was an incident which took place upon the battleship. The Commander had chosen to remain behind upon the ship to overseer the damage that was done, however he is sending in his second in command with a convoy here."

The young woman nodded lightly.

"Ah yes," she said, "Lord Brandon, would you mind leaving us be? There are matters I wish to speak with the Ambassador here."

The man gave her a look but he didn't say anything other than give her a bow and then turning around. When the door clicked close behind him, Jezabel indicated the empty chair in front of her.

"Take a seat, Ambassador," she said.

Ulrich nodded and took the seat that Lord Brandon left behind. The man placed his hat upon the side of the chair, placing both hands upon his lap.

"While I understand Marley's wish to expend this country's resources," she spoke with a curt tone, "the battleship that is seating in my port has raised many concern Ulrich. Ever since it's arrival, the number of incidents involving your soldiers are rising."

She narrowed her eyes.

"When I gave you the honor of being the first outsider to enter our Principality," she said, "I didn't extend that invitation to Commander Rudolf and his men."

Ulrich bowed his head lightly.

"I understand there might be strong sentiments about the sudden arrival of our soldiers," he said, "however, it is only to show that both of our nations are allied."

Jezabel titled her head.

"Really?" she repeated, "And how would Marley answer if I showed up in their waters with a battleship and one of my finest Commanders? Would they have shown the restraint I have shown?"

Ulrich looked a little pale for a moment.

"Our nations are allied," he said, "Ever since your great-grandfather reached out to us…"

"And all of those people are dead," Jezabel answered, "When whatever repair you need for your ship is complete, you will send your soldiers back home less another incident happens again."

Ulrich frowned lightly.

"Your predecessors are the ones who reached out to our country," he said.

The Queen smiled.

"And despite all of it's power," she said, "Marley has yet to deliver upon the promise made that day."

Ulrich stayed silent for a moment. Jezabel sat up from where she was seating glancing at the man with a hardened look upon her features. Ulrich had nothing to say, after all, what could he say to her that wasn't a lie?

"Leave," she said, "And make sure your Commander knows my concerns."

"Of course, Queen Jezabel," Ulrich spoke out standing up, "I'll make sure that Commander Rudolf is aware of everything."

With a bow of respect, he turned around and walked out of the room leaving Jezabel by herself. The young woman let out a small scoff. She knew it was because of her youth that Marley believed that they could just do whatever the want and not gain repercussion for their actions.

Becoming the Queen of the Principality of Everest at sixteen years old was never what she imagined would have happened to her that long ago. She knew that there was a chance it could happen with her mother's declining health, but she never expected it to actually happened too. However, it had happened and the country had mourned the death of it's Good Queen Ilse as the people had nicknamed her mother.

It was shortly after her coronation that Marley had come to her in trying to gain a foothold within the country. In those days, no one could actually stand up to the super power as it was in possession of the power of the Titans and had control over at least six of them.

Beast, Armored, Colossal, Female, Cart and Jaws.

Currently, four of those Titans had been sent to Paradise on a mission to save the world from the Devils of Paradise Island as it was known. Jezabel remembers all to well the parade from that day as it was a well nationalized event in Marley, thought she couldn't help but feel disgust at the entire thing. News from Paradis Island was virtually unknown by anyone as it was impossible to gain anything from it as the Island had been completely overrun with Pure Titans and the rest of the world believes it to be a cursed place.

A cruel way to deal with the Eldians, but how else would humanity deal with the descendants of the devil?

But Everest's story was almost too frighteningly similar.

Jezabel remembers all to well when her mother first told her about the story of their ancestors and about the twin Goddesses who founded this country.

Anja and Sonja.

She had been a child back then, no older than six or seven as she was seating by her mother's side as she was reading the heavy leather book with the woman. She was staring at an image of two women figures who had many other people at their feet.

"It is something that has passed down through our families for generations," Her mother told her, "Anja and Sonja were two young women who were blessed by the heavens themselves to wield the power of the Titans. Unlike the devil spawns of the Eldian Empire, the Goddesses used their power to protect their own country against would be invaders and other people who came seeking their powers."

The woman turned the page showing another image the two women towering above everyone else.

"We are their descendants Jezabel," her mother smiled at her with a soft grin, "Our bloodline is considered sacred in Everest and all of the people who are around us, protect us from harm and keep us safe for only the people in our blood could hold the Power of Twin Goddesses. Even when fallen Eldian Empire was conquering their neighboring lands, they could never conquer Everlast for the Twin Goddesses protected their people."

Jezabel frowned lightly at her mother.

"But…if we had this power then, why haven't we used it?" she asked

Her mother shook her head.

"It's because the Devils of Eldia stole it from us," she said, "They tricked our people and stole Anja from us, the one who bears the power of the Silver Ash Titan. Since then, Sonja had disappeared since her sister was taken and no one knew what happened to her, thought some of our people believe that Anja knew."

The page had turned again showing a devil like figure with a woman in it's grasps as many people had spears in their hands at the figure within it.

"But I believe one day that power will return to us," her mother spoke to her, "When that power return to us and out of the descendant of the devil's hands, our people will finally be able to truly prosper."

The memory faded from her mind as Jezabel stood upon balcony looking out toward the city in front of her. The young Queen stared out toward the large city in front of her, a light frown upon her features. She knew that there was a possibility that Marley might not hand them over the Titan's power. If they knew that Everest had the power to oppose their Titans Unit and the power they have. After all, if their history is to be believed, they were one of the few countries that Eldia couldn't oppress when they were expending their Empire as they had managed to stop their advance dead in their tracks.

The only country to be able to stop Titans when everyone else were getting slaughtered…

Which is why we need the Silver Ash Titan, she thought, We need that power back in Ashler's possession. Marley is here but I wasn't born yesterday Ulrich. I know why Commander Rudolf is here for. He is not here to overseer a road building…He is here because Marley wants to keep a close eye on the country that has the power of the Titan as well…

A new path opens...

Next Time: Eye of Mind.

Jacques0 out.

R&R