(a/n: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE FAVS AND FOLLOWS! I LOVE YOU! :D

Episode 11: To Be Happy

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"I'll show you around today!" Kristina grinned, "After all, you told me you haven't seen Stohess before. It'll be fun!"

"Sure!" Hange gleamed with happiness.

Levi turned to Erwin, who was standing at a little distance from the rest of the group. He whispered, "Are we supposed to do this?"

"Well, if it can be of help, regarding finding the heiress of this island, then I guess we should come along," Erwin spoke after a little period of thought.

"Alright, then!" Armin nodded.

With that, Kristina covered her head with her cape, and gleefully grabbed Sasha's hand - her new best friend. Sasha, too, giggled as she pulled her away, and the rest of the group followed.

It was a long walk from the farm to the town, since Kristina took the longest possible route from the farm to the town, where the palace guards weren't supposed to be. Surprisingly, to her, her new friends didn't question her or object her from taking the longer route. Little did she know, they were avoiding the chances to be seen by the guards too… just to be extra certain.

Kristina's eyes watered when she got to the town, and in the distance, she could see the large entity of the palace. It had barely been a couple of days since she had made a secretive exit, and she was already missing the place. It wasn't the attachment to the luxury; no, it was just the fact that she missed her parents. She hadn't really been away from them at all before, and the loneliness was making her mind to be manipulated to return.

"Hey, are you okay?" Mikasa rested a hand on her shoulder, and Kristina shook off her tears.

"Ah, yeah! I'm fine… that's the palace, guys. It is considered to be the most beautiful scenery on Paradis."

Hange looked up at the palace from afar, and then back at Kristina, whose eyes were noticeably wet upon viewing the scene. They raised their eyebrow; what was making her so emotional about it?

Meanwhile, Kristina looked around herself, surrounded by her new friends. She glimpsed the spark of being awe-struck in their eyes, and she unconsciously smiled.

Once she would be back, she would definitely make her friends meet her family. That way, she wouldn't ever feel lonely. Maybe her mother would also cease forcing her to marry. She had everything planned.

And she was going to be happy.

"I love that neckpiece, though!" Sasha pointed at a neckpiece hanging at some vendor's store, and she pulled the heiress along with her, both going towards the shop.

That was when Kristina heard a familiar marching of steps and a voice she couldn't forget.

The guards were marching past the marketplace, with Ferb leading them, looking around; perhaps on another day of the hunt for the princess.

Her eyes widened, she covered the maximum part of her face with her cape, lowering it extremely so her features could be hidden and unnoticeable. With her peripheral view, she watched as the guards walked past her, Ferb talking to the guard beside him.

But her actions didn't go unnoticed by Armin. He narrowed his eyes at her, who had no idea that she was being inspected by him. Not that she wasn't aware that the residents would come to know her; she had her hood down for the entirety of their visit.

"Hey, Jean?" Connie called.

"Yeah?" Jean replied.

"Where do you think the missing princess is?"

Kristina's ears perked up.

"How would I know?" Jean grimaced.

She turned away, pretending that she wasn't feeling pressurized at all.

Because some feelings are better not felt.

(a/n: yeah even i can't take the name Ferb seriously, i dunno why i put it lmao)