"We're going to miss you, Armin!'

Armin stood in the doorway of their new home as his grandfather entered the carriage. Eren had tears in his eyes but a joyous grin meant he couldn't be happier. Just earlier he had been weak with relief when Uncle Grisha had waved Armin's letter of admission to the prestigious Royal Academy before he'd advance to the Sina University.

"Mikasa, thanks for everything. And knock Eren on the head if he's being an idiot!"

She nodded pensively and she smiled,

"This is for the three of us, we made yours first." As she folded a cold weighty pendant into his hands and nodded again.

"This kind of wirework, how'd you learn this?" he wondered.

She shrugged in reply, "It just came, naturally."

"Sorry, Armin but the coach guy's scowling at us. I'm sorry we have to say goodbye." Eren interjected,

"…Yeah. Goodbyes are… all a-a part of our journey right?" His voice was trembling as Armin realized he'd be gone from his friends, his comfort, his home.

When Mikasa replied to him there wasn't a trace of sorrow in her eyes;

"You know, Armin. It's… not wrong to have people it's hard to say goodbye to…"

All the way out of Wall Rose and into Sina, Armin didn't once feel alone holding that patchwork pendant in his hands and his friends in his heart.

Historia Reiss

Swathed in silk and silence, Queen Historia stood to the side of her rightful court listening to the pleas of the Garrison officer for more refugee camps.

Councilman Deltoff tutted and rose;

"My dear sir. We have explained the situation to you, for the moment we do not consider it wise to seize good ah… fertile lands from the citizenry for cowering frightened refugees. Surely you understand our resources would be better channeled towards farming. And we are confident in the ability of the scouts in the upcoming reclamation operation."

Ah yes… that

She'd almost wailed when she heard what they were going to do. But Kenny was at her side, enveloping her arm in a cruel, vise-like grip and she had silenced.

The wisest of the soldiers bowed to the false king's word and tugged her fellows along. Historia wanted to run after them, and promise them it would all be well but Kenny was there, a specter of fear even the MPs didn't dare rise against. Quietly, she shuffled through the thin court to their side and smiled with interest. The closest soldier signed to his peers and they came nearer along with the clever officer from earlier.

The woman's jacket was adorned with medallions and she struck up a conversation about the beauty of Mitras. Slowly but surely, they fell into talk of other sites, of the mountains of Rose and the old lakes in Maria. When Historia asked about the training grounds where they first swung their blades for humanity the lady laughed and coyly remarked that it would take an entire evening to do that justice.

And of course, after such an interesting conversation, there was nothing to do but invite the entire company for dinner at her house. If nothing else, it wouldn't be her eating awkward meals alone with Kenny.

-O—

The very next evening in the greatest of the strongholds that her father held the garrison troops were able to properly beg her for her support. The cost of cleaning the blue and yellow roofs could probably pay for their company's upkeep for a week, a fact the soldiers seemed acutely aware of as they avoided even touching the brass ornaments that littered the house. Except for their leader, most of them were silent over a decadent meal of roast green, plum sauces, aged wines, and 'shepherd's pies' stuffed with fillings most shepherds had never once heard of.

"We have of course petitioned the Assembly over these matters time and time again." The most senior of them was this Rike Klemens coincidentally the top-ranking general of the Garrison in the Western regions.

Historia nodded for her to go on, even if hearing about the lands of Fritz wasn't the most fascinating topic she'd known, anyone that repulsed Kenny enough to have him absent from the dinner table was welcome company. The camps of Wall Rose were filled to overflowing and the Assembly neither built new camps nor opened their purse. Historia had regained access to the vast majority of her dear father's wealth and… it ached her head just how much land was her private property while Rose drowned in bodies.

"While we are gladdened to have your sympathy, my lady I must note I haven't seen you among the court."

Another soldier grumbled something rude about her height but she paid him no mind.

Nice and easy just like we rehearsed

"You are…aware of my father's unfortunate death I believe?" When they nodded she took a deep breath, " At that time, I was… away with cousins of mine at one of the family farms. Former family farms." She amended as a nasty-looking soldier glared at her incredulously.

"Upon my dear father's death, as the last member of my family, it legally fell to me to take up the Reiss name rather than pass the burden to my cousins."

Who quietly disappeared when Kenny heard of their ambitions

She added to herself.

"Kenny retrieved me from the farm and moved me around the cities when we heard of the attack on our family home. When he was confident of my safety, only then did he allow me to present myself to the king for the inheritance and confirmation of my father's possessions."

"Mister Kenny must care for you greatly. To go to that length." Rike noted.

"Quite. It's truly an effort to shake him for a few minutes." She laughed.

"I apologize there's so little I can do for the refugees of Rose right now but I hope we'll be seeing more of each other." She demurred as she stood up from her seat.

"Not at all, Lady Reiss. An open ear is the aid of its own." Rike replied as all the soldiers stood up. More than one rolled their eyes at the formalities.

Historia waved over some servants bearing chests of royals.

"Please accept these donations from the Reiss family."

General Rike blinked rapidly at the money and the soldiers gaped as the chests were carried out into the carriages.

"We can't thank you enough my lady… this is.."

"Please. Call me Historia."

-O—

After they exited, Historia was giddy with excitement. They needed the support of the military in all they did. For that reason, Eren had planned to secure the support of the scouts, Kenny the fear of the military police, and they'd hoped that the garrison would swing over with the scouts to protect mankind but here she was already making friends and bridges of her own!

Her sweet mood soured as Kenny sauntered over with a thick sheaf of papers.

"Calm down already. You'll be shaking me for a few months this way." Her face felt red. Of course, Kenny would have been listening.

"Is that…."

"A multi-shot gun. Holds up to six shots without reloading. Part of tha' stuff Sannes and his boys seized."

"I'm off to the industrial city to geta couple types made. Hope you won't miss your left arm."

Eh?