A/N:

I'M SO SORRY I'M LATE

This chapter was surprisingly hard to write, probably because it's the chapter right before a time skip. Don't worry though, the next chapter won't take as long because I've already got a good idea/plan for it.

Okay, without further ado, I present to you the third chapter!

843, one day after Rosamund Amsel's arrival at the Survey Corps Headquarters

The sun shone brightly, a polar opposite of the stormy weather of last night. Rosamund squinted slightly, observing her surroundings closely as she stood by herself in a small courtyard of sorts.

The ground beneath her was made of cobble; a smattering of various stone colors scattered across the yard. Birds chirped, relishing in the sunny daylight. Vivid green leaves rustled above her, the bright spring sun filtering light as the wind blew. In the distance, Rosamund could hear horses neighing.

She tensed slightly, on guard, as she heard boots clicking behind her. Whirling around, she caught sight of a small group of soldiers: three men and a woman. They stopped in front of her, their conversations dying away as they observed her.

"What's a brat doing here?"one man asked, crossing his arms with obvious disdain. He had short, cropped ash blonde hair and bore a ferocious scowl. The red haired woman slapped his arm, looking up at him with frustration.

"Oluo, don't be rude! She's only a child!"she said heatedly. The man fell silent, though he glared at his comrade in visible spite.

The man with dirty blonde hair pulled into a short ponytail stepped forward, cocking his head to the side as he looked down at her. "Hey… don't you think she looks like Senior Team Leader Amsel?"he mused, turning to his fellow squadmates.

"She's his brat, that's why."

The entire squad before her tensed, whipping around in inhuman speed to salute as their short, rather grumpy captain walked up from behind. He nodded at them and they relaxed, right arms falling to their sides.

Almost immediately, the ash blond, Oluo, spoke up. "Captain, what do you mean by 'his brat'?"he asked. Rosamund shifted uncomfortably as five pairs of eyes fell on her.

Levi stepped forward and next to her. "Exactly what I said, Oluo. This brat here is Rosamund Amsel, Koen Amsel's daughter. He has left her with me and resigned from the Survey Corps."

The man with short and dark brown hair widened his eyes. "He had a child? But why leave her here and resign all of a sudden?"

Levi did not reply. His subordinates fell silent, stepping back to face him respectfully. "Introduce yourselves then get ready. She'll be watching from a distance, seeing that I have responsibility over her,"he ordered shortly. Without waiting for a response, he turned away sharply and headed down the path towards the stables.

Another breeze blew by as Rosamund hesitantly turned to meet her new guardian's squad. The dirty blond stepped forward, his dark eyes softening as he squatted down. "I'm Eld Gin."

Rosamund jumped slightly as the red headed woman bent down next to Eld. "I'm Petra Rall!" She flashed her a bright smile.

The dark haired man smiled kindly from above. "I'm Gunther Schultz,"he piped. He prodded his partner's ribs next to him and the ash blond scowled.

"Oluo Bozad,"he sniffed, arms crossed. His comrades shared exasperated looks as Eld and Petra straightened.

Rosamund gazed up at the four soldiers in silent admiration. "I'm Rosamund,"she finally said, voice soft.

"Thank you for having me."

Present day

Rosamund could feel the hesitant looks burning into her as Levi guided her through some basic knife wielding exercises.

"Oi, pay attention."

Her eyes widened slightly as she looked up at Levi, who bore a cold and sharp expression. "Sorry,"she murmured, dropping her gaze.

The Special Operations Squad had finished training for the morning, allowing Levi the time to train Rosamund as he had promised during their break. Although technically not required to be there, the squad had gathered to watch, most apprehensive and nervous on Rosamund's behalf for her private session with the notoriously strict captain.

Levi's eyes narrowed before holding the knife out. It was a practice knife, wooden and harmless. Rosamund took it, gripping the smooth surface so tight that her hand turned white.

"Loosen your grip,"the captain instructed. Rosamund was quick to comply, her hand returning to its normal color.

She drew in a deep breath, eyeing the knife in her hands with a hard gaze. With a flick of her wrist and a turn of her fingers, the knife flipped unsteadily, its grip barely landing in her hand. She gazed at it in awe, the knife now pointing downwards.

Levi reached out a hand, pointedly asking for the knife without speaking. Rosamund handed the wooden object over, her curious gaze trained on him as he began to speak.

"Your form was sloppy. If you don't flip it tightly, it'll waver, the way yours did." He flicked his wrist without the knife, as if to show.

"It'll also be slower,"Rosamund concluded, tipping her head to the side in contemplation. He nodded as if to agree, handing the knife back.

"Try now."

She did as she was told, gripping the knife in a relaxed fashion and holding it steadily. She flicked her wrist, making sure that the curve was smaller this time, and caught the knife deftly as it swung into her grasp. She looked back up at Levi.

He did not respond for a while, gazing intensely at Rosamund as she shifted uncomfortably. Behind, she could hear shuffling feet as her guardian's squad prepared themselves to resume their training session. Finally, after seeing that his squad had refueled their gas, he nodded at her.

"Continue this on the sidelines. You guys, let's go,"he ordered flatly.

A chorus of "Yes, sir!" was heard as Rosamund nodded dutifully. The wooden practice knife was held loosely in her small hand as she watched the soldiers retreat into the woods.

Woosh!

She gazed wistfully as the Special Operations Squad zipped into the trees, the lines of their omni-directional mobility gear glinting in the sunlight. Dejectedly, she looked back down at her hand, observing the detailed grooves of the smooth wood.

Rosamund sat on her bed, looking out her window to gaze at the starry night. She heard footsteps, clear and firm, and then a knock on the door. She knew who it was.

Captain Levi entered the room shortly afterwards, closing the door with a click after him. He scanned the room quickly before nodding at her. "Everything okay?"he asked flatly.

She looked over at him, nodding emotionlessly. Smoothing out the edges of her white nightgown, she glanced over at her guardian. "Could I ask a question?"she asked tentatively.

Levi paused from his retreat to the doorway, raising an eyebrow. He had fallen into the routine of checking up on her before retiring to his quarters. His visits were always short and Rosamund almost never spoke. He nodded, turning back towards her. "Go ahead."

Rosamund fiddled with the fabric of her nightgown, pondering for words as she looked downwards. "How are you able to go about your day as if nothing happened?"she asked in a small voice finally. Tears threatened to well up as she thought of her mother.

She heard him sigh, and the sharp clicking of boots against the polished wooden planks approached her. The bed sank slightly, and she looked up blurrily. Levi sat before her, outline wobbly.

"It doesn't get easier, I'll tell you that much,"he answered without looking at her. She sniffled.

"But you're strong! You never break down, you're always cold and expressionless in front of everyone. How do you do that?"

Levi's gaze dropped slightly, as if deep in contemplation. "You do what you have to do,"he finally said. He looked over at her, quietly observing her tear stained face. "If my comrades die in battle, I have to make sure they weren't in vain."

Leaning towards her more, he gazed directly into her eyes. "Do you understand, now?"

Rosamund swiped at her eyes, her nimble fingers brushing at the fat tears that were rolling down her face. "I-I think so,"she replied wetly.

She felt him straighten from the bed, hearing his familiar footsteps against the ground until they suddenly stopped. "If you want… I could share some stories of your father someday,"he offered, almost hesitantly.

At the mention of her father, she felt herself freeze. Raw anger consumed her momentarily before she brushed it off, wiping away the last of her tears. "I… I'm not sure if I want that, Captain. Thank you for the offer, though,"she responded quietly. The burning sensation at her core simmered away until it finally left her, allowing her to draw in a full breath.

Levi seemed to understand the true underlying meaning of her words and he dipped his head in silent acceptance. He headed towards the door, turning the knob. "Good night,"he said without turning. The door clicked shut behind him and Rosamund stared, confused at her sudden anger and feeling empty inside.

The knife clattered to the ground as she lost her concentration. She bent down, coughing slightly at the dust that floated up, and retrieved it. She was getting better, improving quickly, and a month had passed since Levi had first introduced her to the weapon.

"You should really clean more often."

Startled, Rosamund sprung up, holding the knife out defensively and spreading into a fighting stance. She had Petra to thank for that; the elder girl had taught her basic sparring techniques after her training hours. She scowled when she saw the familiar short statured man standing in her doorway.

"Could you at least knock?"she said, annoyed, as she relaxed from her stance and placed the knife on her table. She sat down and began preparing a fresh pot of black tea.

Levi stepped forward, sitting down in an offered seat and picking up her knife. He gazed at it seriously, the shining metal blade glinting back at him. Placing it back down, he took a sip from the steaming cup of tea that Rosamund had placed in front of him.

"Well done keeping it under good conditions,"he said after placing his cup down.

Rosamund scowled a second time, shooting him a glare above the rim of her own teacup as she took a sip as well. "You make me sound like a pig living in a mud pit,"she responded hotly after swallowing.

In the month that she had stayed at her new home, Rosamund had found Levi's cold demeanor and sharp tongue rubbing off on her more than she had expected or had liked to admit. Petra and Gunther often liked to tease her about it, bragging about how she was the new and uprising miniature Levi. Oluo, she had come to discover, was Levi's follower through and through. It was not that he didn't like her, or her presence, but that she was taking up his captain's time. She had come to earn his acknowledgement, though, as he had grudgingly given her a nod of approval after her last sparring session with Petra.

"What did you come here for, anyways?"she grumbled as she poured him another cup of tea. He accepted it without saying anything, choosing to take a sip first.

"It's about the next expedition,"he said simply after he had drunk his fill.

Rosamund fell silent, her eyes refusing to meet his gaze and instead, focused on the greenery outside her window.

"It's tomorrow, isn't it?"she finally asked, voice soft and void of emotion.

"Yes."

Birds chirped outside. A breeze blew by, rustling the trees and disturbing her window curtains. A forlorn expression settled on her face and she couldn't help but contemplate the inevitable doom that would occur the very next day.

"Don't worry about us,"Levi said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. She looked over, brow furrowed.

"How could I not?"she said suddenly, raising her voice slightly. Fear raced through her, gripping her every fiber.

Levi trained his eyes on her, cold steely blue peering at her. "Have faith in us, trust us. We're one of the top squads in the regiment, you know that,"he told her. He lowered the teacup and placed it gently on the table.

Rosamund dropped her gaze, before nodding glumly. She knew he was right; she had seen the squad train diligently more than enough with her own eyes to know that they were some of the most skilled soldiers the Survey Corps could offer. Still, she couldn't help but worry.

"Please don't die,"she whispered to her lap. She heard Levi straighten and looked up.

"We won't,"he promised firmly. He stepped away and towards the door, closing it behind him firmly. Rosamund heard his clicking footsteps fade away and let out a long sigh.

Petra-san… Eld-san… Gunther-san… Oluo-san…

Captain…

...please stay safe.

Rosamund watched from a stack of crates as the Survey Corps trudged by, dejected looking, in Shiganshina District. Though she was not familiar with soldiers outside of Levi's squad and the commander, she couldn't help but feel grief for the dead soldiers as she saw the cart filled with the dead come into view. She craned her neck, desperation gripping her as she searched for her guardian and his squad. A breath of relief left her when she confirmed their survival; all four members of Squad Levi, their captain, and the commander walked along at the head of the pack.

Around her, cruel whispers were heard as the onlookers gossiped to each other about the Survey Corps. Rosamund stifled the urge to deliver a harsh blow at the men standing near her, coming to the conclusion that it would be better to not draw attention to herself.

"Ouch!"

She, and several others surrounding her, jerked her head up as she swiveled her head towards the direction of the commotion. A young boy, around her age, had kicked the very man she had been spiting moments ago directly in the shin. He was screaming something.

"Don't insult the Survey Corps! They're the bravest soldiers out there, fighting for our freedom!" His brilliant green eyes glittered as he delivered his speech passionately.

The offending man scoffed, rounding on the boy. "Ha?! Quit spouting nonsense, kid! They drain our taxes, nothin' else. Now get lost!"

Rosamund winced involuntarily as something in the boy cracked after the man had kicked him aside. She gripped her fists tightly, a sense of helplessness welling up inside her as the man delivered another harsh kick at his side. She watched as the boy spat at the man, his spirit refusing to waver as he struggled to stand.

Seeing that the man was prepared to start a second beating, Rosamund steeled her nerves and mustered up her courage. She hopped down from her vantage point, pushing past a few people, and ran headlong into the fray, planting herself firmly between the man and the boy. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for a blow as she crossed her arms in front of her, shielding her face.

"Sorry! Could you forgive my friend here? He gets a little hotheaded,"she squeaked out. She could feel the boy's incredulous eyes on her and prayed he wouldn't speak against her lie.

Rosamund grabbed his hand the moment the man hesitated, turning around sharply and dragging the boy along with her. She ran quickly, darting along the shadows as the sounds of the crowd faded away.

"Oi! Oi! What are you doing, let go of me!"the boy yelled, his free hand tugging at her tight grip on him. She ignored him, continuing down a particular street until she was sure they had reached a safe distance away.

"Seriously, let me go!"

Rosamund instinctively ducked, whipping her free arm to guard her face as she jerked her body to the side. Her companion's leg sailed by harmlessly, and she finally let him go, meeting his shocked and furious gaze. "I was going to let you go once we reached a safer area, you didn't have to kick me,"she said flatly as she rubbed her wrist.

The boy continued to stare at her wide-eyed. "Wha… Where did you learn that?"he asked in slight awe.

Rosamund dipped her head, her hands dropping to her side.

"Don't tell anyone that you're staying with the Survey Corps, lest they think we're starting an orphanage."

"I'm Rosamund,"she said instead. Her ruby eyes met the boy's emerald gaze steadily.

He cocked his head to the side. "Eren,"he responded.

He seemed to remember his anger, suddenly balling his fists up and leaning towards her closely. "Why'd you drag me away like that? I don't even know you!"he snarled.

Her gaze didn't waver. "You would've accomplished nothing by receiving a bloody beating, Eren,"she replied evenly.

Eren glared at her. "So what, you're just going to let their comments slide? They insulted the Survey Corps!"he shouted.

She held up her hands in front of her in defense. "I know, I'm not saying I don't support the Survey Corps. I'm just saying, you won't fix anything while getting beaten up,"she clarified cautiously. The raven haired boy seemed only seconds from blowing up.

He fell quiet, the pair settling in uncomfortable and prickly silence. Just as Rosamund had thought of leaving and returning to Headquarters, Eren looked up, a determined glint shining in his emerald eyes.

"I'm going to join the Survey Corps!"he announced. Rosamund was surprised to find a hint of defensiveness in his voice.

She nodded. "Okay,"was her only response. Her eyes glittered with curiosity when she saw Eren react with visible shock. She cocked her head to the side. "Are you okay?"

He shook his head, bewildered, and looked back up. "No, I mean, I'm okay. It's just… people usually look at me like I'm a giant idiot when I say that,"he explained.

"Oh,"came Rosamund's highly intelligent answer.

"If it helps, I'm also going to join,"she added after a moment's pause.

A genuine smile spread onto Eren's face, his jade eyes lighting up and his entire face brightening. "We'll kill those titans together!"he exclaimed, punching a fist into the air as he jumped enthusiastically.

Rosamund smiled in response, bidding him farewell as she headed back to the Survey Corps Headquarters. Although she technically had permission to go out whenever she wanted to, she didn't want to worry Levi and the others unnecessarily.

The calm before the storm as she finds her peace

A/N:

Whew! And that's the finish to all my troubles for now.

Originally I wasn't going to introduce Eren so early in the series, but figured might as well since I didn't have any other ideas to make the chapter longer. Just a quick note: we don't see Mikasa because the whole kidnapping incident hasn't happened yet (probably a few months or so away from current time). I set the year to be the year before that whole thing because I didn't want Rosamund to meet Mikasa til later in the storyline.

Anyways, I'm so sorry about the length. I know this chapter is not the most satisfying but I really didn't want to intrude into No Regrets territory (which is coming up in the next chapter!) until a new chapter and had trouble with extending the important in-between parts I wanted to show. Next chapter should be up in about a week-ish, promise!

Bye for now!
-earthlingx