Elsie had grown accustomed to the way life was in 850 but there was still some things that always managed to shock her. She walked at the head of the trio, eagerly taking in everything that passed her. Stalls were lined in front of actual shops, blocking the entrance and making shoppers scornfully take a long path up. The vendors were nonplussed, waving their hands full of trinkets that had seen better days.

Ymir seemed to agree, disdainful as they passed a woman with long braids and blue eyelids, waving a powder that could keep titans away. The girls shared looks, knowing very well that such a thing did not exist, but a mother and her newborn baby were immediately talking to the vendor. The comfort that something existed to keep titans at bay was enough to waste five coins for the mother, to the delight of the vendor.

Elsie led the way even though she wasn't sure where the church was. The streets were fashionable with their stone cobbled floors and grass separating the sidewalk from the street. A pond was ahead, or at least Elsie could hear the rumbling water as they came to the end of their sidewalk, but what she saw first was the towering statue of King Fritz.

"Really now?" Ymir was unimpressed, her tall stature a dwarf to the marbled body of King Fritz, who looked royally bored in his robe and thick necklaces, hands open to the people walking below, fountains gushing at his feet in the pond.

"That's a waste of money," Elsie scoffed, keeping her distance. Some children, dressed in puffy dresses, were tossing coins in and making wishes. "Not even a real king."

"What'd you say?" Krista pushed her hair behind her ear as if that would help her hearing. "Oh yeah, it definitely is. We could've used this money for Wall Maria."

Ymir returned to their sides, "The church should be close then. God and law, and all that stupid shit."

Ymir was right. In no time the girls had come to a divide in the street, the left side leading to the houses of the Stohess, and the right leading to an intricate maze. The hedges loomed over head, casting welcoming shade, and opened to a circular pond. Unlike King Fritz's pond this was one more calm, a small fountain gushing water, rippling the figures of people in their best clothes walking by. They were cheerful, friends catching each other to walk together to the tall evergreen tree brown doors, opened to allow the flock into the church. They stayed to the end of the group, fully aware that their presence might not be welcomed.

The church had an aura of grand history, a chill coming over Elsie when she stepped into the circular room. A slab of marble was in the center of the room, lifted above the stone pews that were placed evenly to allow the mass to see all sides of Minister Nick. Seats seemed to be silently assigned, families heading to their normal pews, people heading straight for the front while a majority were most comfortable in the middle. No one paid mind to the green cloaks and Elsie planned to keep it that way, ducking into the last aisle and sliding down to allow room for Krista and Ymir.

She looked around once they were sat, a low hum of conversation settling. The stoned room was as bright as outside, multiple windows placed so Elsie could see into the hedge maze that circled the church, catching glimpses of clothing as someone ran by, disappearing into the growth. No one special was sitting inside, spar for the future queen, titan-shifter, and time traveller, Elsie thought amusingly to herself.

"Why are we here, freak? I know you don't come to church, you didn't cross before you sat."

Ymir was blunt and seemed to have made up her mind about how she would deal with Elsie- straight forwardness. She would have to be wary of Ymir, if she fumbled the woman would be the first to call out her mistakes.

"I will admit that I've only been to church once, when I was little, and I never cared for it," Elsie's tone softened as two young boys in black robes appeared from an alcove past the marble, heading down the aisle to drag the doors shut, faces turning red from exertion. "But I do respect it. And I think that they know more than what they're letting on."

Ymir relaxed into the pew, content with Elsie's response, "Freak."

"That's really smart. Did Captain Ackerman tell you to watch them?"

Elsie relaxed with Ymir, crossing her ankles and ready for an hour of sitting and listening. She had no interest in the Holy ramblings of Minister Nick but hoped that somehow she could worm her way to his trust, perhaps appearing as a distressed soldier that needed light in her life, who was reflecting on her poor decision, finally seeing the safety and reason of the Walls.

Krista was stiff between the older women, her hands fisting in her lap when the alcove shivered with a shadow coming down its steps. Minister Nick appeared soliciting claps and shouts of greeting from the crowd. With the two boys behind him, he slowly walked to shake hands with the people in the front, three golden chains clanking on his chest whenever he bent to speak, the wrinkles more prominent on his forehead.

"Yeah," Elsie felt her lips turn up in hilarity at the idea, finally answering Krista's question. "It was Captain Ackerman's idea."

Krista rested her back against the pew, finally, eyes focused on Minister Nick as he finally came to stand on the slab, holding his hands out to the flock.

When the doors were shoved open, the boys panting and leaning back to avoid being trampled by the leaving mass, Elsie rolled her shoulders and thought. Ymir and Krista didn't move, talking about what Minister Nick had preached about - selfishness. It had been an interesting topic to be heard from the Minister, Elsie hadn't any objections, but they had been stunned when near the end a whicker basket had been passed for money to send for refugees of Wall Maria. Having never been paid a dime in her seven months in this world, Elsie had passed it to Krista who passed it to Ymir, who dropped a handful of coins into it before passing it to the tall-hatted man beside her.

Now Minister Nick stood alone at the center, wiping his hands with a handkerchief as the last of the elderly meandered outside. The boys didn't seem all too excited to close the doors again and had no urgency to usher the Scouts out, although they did have a mean eye on them for being so young. Surely the help from the Minister.

Elsie stood, her cloak rustling and drawing Minister Nick's brown eyes to her. Krista and Ymir pulled their legs in, not bothering to ask where she was going, and returned to their own world. Elsie would be foolish to think that the Minister hadn't seen them, their cloaks had been flamboyant to the brown that most wore. He didn't look unkind at her approach but he didn't smile like he had when meeting his flock.

"What has brought you today, young lady?" Minister Nick spoke with authority, knowing that no one stood above him.

Elsie glanced at her companions, who were lost in each others eyes, before facing the tall man, "I have some... confusion, Minister, that I thought the feel of God could help me with."

"There is something about being in God's home, is there not? A comfort that not even my own mother could give me. What troubles you, child?"

"I think I had made a terrible choice by joining the Scout Regiment," The Minister smiled then, a friendly hand coming to rest heavily on her shoulder. "I had wanted to help after I lost my home in Wall Maria but every time I pass through the wall I can't help but feel as if I'm breaking something from myself."

"The Walls are there for a reason but alas, a child of your age would know nothing of it. Too young and reckless, loss in the revenge that cannot be done. You are right when you say something breaks from you, it is your soul knowing that what is being done is against the holiness of God, that He put the Walls to protect us and not for you to go through."

Something changed in the way Minister Nick looked at Elsie. Having been unconcerned with her before there was now a gleam in his brown eyes, a twitch of excitement to his lips. What did he see in Elsie?

"I have been waiting for one of the Scouts to realize the injustice they've done, for the Lord's law to strike them down, but this is surely a sign of times changing, that my sermons have reached to my intended target. What is your name, little one?"

"Elsie. Please, sir, if you could spare a moment to speak with me-"

Minister Nick was nodding, agreeably so, eager, "Of course, Miss Elsie, I would love for your presence. I have matters to attend to at the moment but please, do return tomorrow for the sermon and we shall speak after."

"Of course, Minister Nick."

"As for your friends?"

Elsie's 'friends' were now standing and not looking all too happy with Minister Nick's hand touching her. She shrugged, deciding that she'd bonded enough with the girls for the rest of her plans with them and they wouldn't be all too happy to hang around the church for more than one day.

"They only came for support."

If Minister Nick recognized Krista - who was now grown and four years older than he'd last seen her - he was a smart man and kept it hidden. He held no interest in them and smiled placatingly at Elsie, his hand slowly falling from its rest and back to his side. She hadn't realized she'd stiffened and the touch and felt her back sag in relief.

"Tomorrow morning, Miss Elsie."

Elsie had enough life in the Walls to know she should bow her head respectively before meeting Ymir and Krista at the doors. The boys heaved and hoed, the doors shuddering shut as they walked down the sidewalk, past the humble fountain, and once more on the glistening, busy streets.

"So you were in Wall Maria five years ago? Funny, you weren't in our training class."

Ymir, of course, had listened to their conversation and Krista's face showed confusion at this, trying to run the dates in her head.

Elsie was one step ahead, "I was of age and enlisted right away. I graduated two years before you did. What's your reason?"

Ymir had to be around Elsie's age, at least in her early twenties, and years older than Krista, who was eighteen with Eren. Had Ymir ever told a backstory? Perhaps not, judging from the bafflement leaving Krista's expression, evolving into rapt attention, beautiful eyes locked on Ymir's calm face.

"Money and a roof over my head, like most of the poor, unlucky fools who end up here. I have no reason but that."

Krista deemed this worthy, seeing the best in the tall woman. Elsie had failed Petra in keeping her alive to be with the one she loved but she felt a surge in her chest, a silent commitment to keep the one person in Krista's life that held her down.

"So you've been with the Special Operations Squad for what, three or four years? You must be a good fighter." Krista said, quite happy.

Elsie wished that she had three years of memories with the squad instead of four months, but she nodded her head and lead them to where the carriage had been parked in front of a tavern.

Elsie parted with the girls once they had returned, Ymir all too happy to drag Krista back to their rock for undisturbed peace. It was past noon and lunch had been served judging from the yawning Sasha who seemed comfortable to take a nap in the grass. Connie and Jean stood guard, talking amiably, and Eren was holding session with his best friends.

Elsie inhaled sharply, refusing to let herself think about the squad after a so far good day. She headed for the castle, either to find Erwin and let him know her plan - if she could - or Levi for instruction.

"Elsie!"

Eren jogged up the steps that separated them, his left eye red and swollen, a bruise beginning to form that hadn't been there two hours ago. Mikasa called him back, disgruntled.

"What happened to your face? I said to be calm and open minded, Eren."

"I was! I calmly listened to Armin tell me how he thinks that Annie is a titan like me and I open mindedly took in the information."

The way he looked at her with pure earnest in his doe eyes confirmed Elsie's suspicions. She sighed, stepping one foot down so that she was eye level with the younger boy.

"Then what did you do?"

"I was yelling at Armin and then Captain Levi came up saying a bunch of stuff-"

"You didn't."

"He called me a cry baby, what else was I supposed to do?" Eren seemed insulted that Elsie hadn't taken his side, blinking and holding his chest in hurt.

Already Eren had lied to her by saying he'd taken the news calm if Levi had walked into it mid-yelling. And sure enough Levi wouldn't keep his mouth shut, he had told Elsie to stop being a pussy once upon a time and he sure as hell would say it to the next person. Elsie couldn't deny that for Levi's restrained anger, Eren was a good outlet. The boy was just an easy target.

"What is it with men and dealing with shit by fighting? Did you get a hit in, at least?"

Eren flushed, "Not necessarily."

Elsie tutted, figuring as much, and turned to head inside. Eren was on her heel, leaving behind the cadets for the busy foyer. He looked in wonder.

"Wow, I haven't been in here. Just the infirmary."

"Why are you so upset that Annie is a titan? You aren't that close."

Eren fell silent at her side. They ended up in the kitchen, the staff none too happy to see them and slapping them out with rags. Elsie didn't leave until she grabbed a roll of bread, ignoring the indignant screeches from behind. She hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch so they could deal with one missing loaf. It was after Elsie had found the stables and Suni that Eren decided to talk. He stayed in the shade of the barn as Elsie mindlessly brushed her mare, the one daily task that she had with the squad that she could do here without instruction.

"It's hard to think that there are people out there trying to stop us from getting out of these Walls. I don't want to be here the rest of my life, I want to finish whatever my dad started, I want to see the ocean with my friends, I want us to all be safe. How can someone exist that doesn't want that? How can Annie enlist, fight with us, and only want to kill us? I just... I can't see her being that evil."

"People have layers. You can know one of them and they can have another person know them as someone else. You see Annie as a friend you trained with while I see Annie as a girl who was forced to do something she didn't want to do. No, I wouldn't say she is evil, but I will say she's a smart soldier."

Eren reflected with a pitch fork, deciding that standing still wasn't helping matters, and tossed hay into Noir's stall. He continued along the Scout's horses before he met with Elsie, who finished cleaning Sunni's hooves and was wiping her hands on her tan pants. Eren huffed and leaned against the pitchfork, cheeks red from exertion. Day one of recovery and already he'd done so much, Elsie thought in amusement.

"The only way to know for sure is asking her. I won't have an innocent person arrested."

"Who's to say she won't shift and take you to some far away island?" Elsie hit back.

Eren met her eyes and he suddenly looked years older, like the man he would shortly become, "She can try."

"If that's the route you want to take." Elsie scoffed, not impressed with the bravo. In a weeks time Annie and he would be tearing the streets of Stohess apart with no regards for the lives they were taking. If only there was some other way.

"Hey, Elsie, how do you know so much about us?"

"I just do."

Eren laughed, almost ashamedly, as he brushed his hair off his sweaty forehead, "You know, Sasha is going around telling everyone you're a sorceress."

"I think that's the best thing anyone's said behind my back."

The annoying bird was at Elsie's bedroom door, fixing her apron so that it hang straight on her skirts. Himari startled at the sound of approaching footsteps and hurriedly wiped her nose, her red eyes widening in relief when she realized it was Elsie.

"Oh thank the Lord it is you! An angry short man was looking for you. Miss Elsie, I told him you were in the gardens with the other ladies for fear of your life!"

Whatever the angry short man had said to Himari had left her shaken. Elsie calmed her by saying he was just her superior who walked angry but his words had done enough damage, rendering Himari to whimpers when she rehashed what Levi had said. Through the garble of her tears Elsie managed to get the words 'whore' and 'useless' in the mix. Elsie promised that she'd deal with him and sent the girl on her way, only mildly amused by the situation.

Although Himari had been a handful first thing in the morning she didn't deserve the harsh treatment. Elsie put her cloak on the dresser and headed out once more, this time intent on finding Levi. The sun was beginning to fall behind the wall, a mellow orange and pink sky lighting the halls as Elsie searched. She could hear the chatter of a feast downstairs but knew better than to think he would be there, the damn bastard would find a secluded area.

It still threw Elsie off how well she knew Levi. She found him in the circle of fire pits from last night, standing wide legged and head titled back to watch as the stars became visible. He turned when he heard her steps on the wet grass, grunting in acknowledgment, and looked up once more, the black coat hanging off his shoulders and keeping his arm hidden. Elsie stopped when they were brushing shoulders, her hazel eyes drifting from the still trees to the sky. Only one star shone bright, most likely Mars, if she remembered right.

"Where the hell were you today?" Levi asked curtly.

Elsie left Mars to look at the enigma beside her, "Apparently I got the hell out of dodge from you. I saw Eren and Himari."

"Eren's a little bitch," He meant this, a clear declaration. "And for whoever the hell Himari is, probably serves them right."

"You don't have to tell it to their faces. If you don't have something nice to say, you probably shouldn't say it."

Levi breathed through his nose, as if trying to calm the anger surging in him. Elsie's lip burned in reminder from his fury last night and didn't bother to push the subject any more. He was on edge and she had enough sense to not push him. And her trip to church this morning would surely lead to him throttling her, and Elsie was not in the mood to have a bruised neck on top of things.

"Eren needs to man the fuck up. He won't get far crying over every little misstep that we have, because surprise for him, nothing ever works out for the Scout Regiment. I need him to be fucking stable for a solid week."

Even to Elsie that sounded impossible at the time, seeing Eren's true childish nature in person. He really wasn't the right person to hold such power, his mentality appearing weak to the rest of the Regiment. Mikasa and Levi were always after him, trying to control and fix his mistakes.

"He's still a kid, Levi. He can have it for one more week."

"I don't have the time to be-"

"You had time to be a friend to Eld and Gunther, I think you have time to do the same for Eren."

Elsie had nailed the problem on the head. Levi growled, rolling his shoulders and looking away. His jaw clenched, defining his cheeks, exposing a vein on his neck to Elsie. He wasn't pale by any means but he wasn't as tan as Elsie, his skin like light sand, and it shouldn't distract her so much to see a glimpse of him like this. Elsie found the fire pit extremely interesting suddenly, noticing the dark stone had etchings on it.

"Do I not get time to bury my squad? All I get is a fucking day, not even twenty four hours without them, and already Erwin has a new squad for me, let alone one that is functioning."

Elsie fell silent, also slightly hurt at this. Levi would have been respectful to Erwin and taken the new cadets with no complaint; his true emotions were released on unsuspecting people. Sure, Eren cried a lot, but Levi was just as bad with his temper, too. But she couldn't blame him, he was human like the rest of them and wasn't ready to move on yet. Erwin was the only one with a steel mind, ready to make the hard decisions that no one wanted to approach yet.

"I don't want to go to the dining hall," Elsie found herself saying when Levi hadn't turned for several minutes. "Who would I sit with?"

Levi's shoulders sagged, "At least we don't have to stare at Gunther's barbaric eating habits."

"You know he only did that to see how long you would last before insulting him."

Elsie couldn't believe it. Levi chuckled, a real chuckle that came from his chest, albeit a sad one. He sighed, gazing at his glistening shoes, before lifting his chin to face Elsie, who stood with a small smile of her own.

"Eld told me how long he betted."

Elsie was scandalized, "The entire time it was rigged?"

"Not at the beginning. When I gave Gunther a concussion one breakfast Eld decided it was best to let me in on it, of course with something in it for himself."

"Real scam artists, if you ask me."

"Tch, I wasn't sorry for Gunther's pockets."

Elsie giggled, finding solace in talking about the people she wanted to think about all day. When she returned to the castle and had seen Eren with his friends it had hurt so bad, slapping Elsie in the face that she couldn't go find Petra in the kitchen or Oulou checking the ODM gears. And when she'd finally found Levi, Eld wasn't at his side like usual. The whole day had hurt, a deep wound in her stomach that had no relief or physical ailment.

"Levi?"

"What, shithead?"

"Can you make some tea?"

Levi sighed, "Only cause you make it for shit."

"I know, you tell me every time."

Elsie appeared innocent enough. She walked at Levi's pace and when they came to the corner she knew to lead to the hospital wing, she spun and tugged on Levi's right arm. He shoved her back just as fast as she had grabbed him, wincing and holding his arm. Elsie held his jacket in her hands, scowling as she stared pointedly at his slung arm.

"You didn't go to the infirmary, I knew it." Elsie accused, turning and heading down the hall. Levi, for the sake of his jacket no doubt, followed a short distance behind.

"What the fuck is the difference between a cast and a sling? The arm will heal either way, let it go, woman."

Elsie put her hands on her hips, waiting for Levi to saunter his way over. No longer was he emitting the aura of murder and had returned to the dry captain she was used to. She was grateful his temper hadn't lasted all night; she did need someone to talk to other than the cadets who treated her like a piranha.

"A cast will set it right so you won't have so much pain when you're old and get arthritis. Which is soon, by the way." Elsie grinned at her taunt, Levi rolling his eyes and urging them to walk.

"How old do you think I am? I must look sixty to you, brat."

"Twenty nine. But that's older than me, so you get the elderly respect."

Levi scoffed, "Respect, my ass. How old are you?" He wasn't phased by her answer.

"Twenty five."

They arrived at the infirmary, this time not bickering to the surprise of the nurse from last night. She had been quiet then, probably because Elsie had left her nothing to cover, but this time the nurse made it clear that when she said in the morning, she meant it. She was none too gentle as she grabbed his broken arm and molded a cast, ignoring the twitch of his lips and the slight sheen of sweat beginning on his forehead. Elsie, arms crossed and patiently sitting at his bed side, had no sympathy after the tongue-lashing he'd dolled out.

At the end of it, Levi was muttering insults under his breath and examining the white cast. Elsie, at some unsuspecting point, planned to sign it. She knew the squad would get a good laugh out of it.

"Can you still make tea?"

"Not for your ungrateful ass."

While they had been in the nurse's capable hands, someone had gone down the hallway and lit the torches. It was well past curfew for the soldiers, but since neither had followed that rule to begin with, they headed to the kitchen Elsie had been chased out of. Levi made a cup of tea that tasted like heaven on her lips, feeling like years since she had tea. They sat in silence, sipping and thinking, the company of another soul all that was needed, and when the cups were empty Levi washed them and led them to her room.

"Where do you sleep?" Elsie asked, merely out of curiosity.

Levi raised an eyebrow, "So you can sneak into my room?"

"I'll only watch you while you sleep."

He was shocked at her response, lips parting in such a way that Elsie felt her cheeks redden, his eyebrows raising significantly. He laughed, again, twice in one day, and shook his head, as if his hearing had been hindered. Elsie didn't realize how such a bad day could have good outcomes. Hearing Levi laugh was a new sound and one that she hoped would become as familiar as his voice.

"Fucking shit head. I'm two doors down, fucking knock before you come in."

"I fucking will."

Levi was amused but she didn't illicit the sweet sound. They parted ways, Elsie softly closing the door behind her.

Elsie was scared. She had a bad dream again. They had been happening every night, a vision of red and naked people running behind her eyelids any time she slept. This dream had been scary, a big monster with steam and no skin was staring at her. She'd woken when his wide, red, eyes had looked at Elsie, as if it knew her and was coming for her.

"Elsie, Elsie!" Slender fingers appeared, sliding through her tangled blonde locks. The nurturing hands pushed the sweaty pieces back, caressing her damp cheeks and turning her chin, shushing her cries.

Elsie blinked woefully at her mother, "I had another bad dream."

"It's okay, baby, it's only a dream. You know the monsters can't get you, they're not real."

Elsie's mom pulled her to the pink bed, tucking the five year old in and finding the purple fluffy bear that had rolled off from Elsie's frantic kicking. They got comfortable in the twin mattress, her mother tucking her head into the crevice of her neck and smoothing Elsie's hair.

"Can you sing?" Elsie softly asked, eyes already drooping with the ease of sleeping that only a child could possess.

"Of course, mein mond." Mother's accent slipped through, one that no one else had and sounded so soothing to Elsie.

"Guter Mond, du gehst so stille
durch die Abendwolken hin
Deines Schöpfers weiser Wille
hieß auf jene Bahn dich zieh´n
Leuchte freundlich jedem Müden
in das stille Kämmerlein
und dein Schimmer gieße Frieden
ins bedrängte Herz hinein..."

The voice, high and steady, soothing, faded.