"Huh?"

"I said, what are you doing to Eren?"

It took Frieda a few moments to realize that she was still in the guest chamber and her hand was still on Eren's cheek. The young woman looked up to see a suspicious looking Ymir, standing in the doorway.

"I'm sure that touching young boys in their sleep like that is weird for lonely older women" the freckled girl sneered.

There was something in her eyes. A slight glint dancing around. Like she was actually concerned for the boy.

"I was just tucking him in…" Frieda replied, trying to control her heavy breathing.

"Yeah, right" Ymir responded, not really believing in her excuse "listen, I may be a subordinate, but this just looks wrong…"

Only now did the young queen realized that her hand was still touching Eren. She quickly retracted it back, like his skin was on fire.

"Where were you, anyway?" Frieda asked, facing the girl.

"Bathroom?" The freckled girl responded with a raised eyebrow.

This seemed very convenient, however it didn't look like she was lying. The young queen stood away from Eren's bed and started walking towards the door.

"Hey" Ymir suddenly stopped her, taking hold of her hand "you didn't… uhm…"

"What?" Frieda asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

"You weren't messing up his mind, were you?" The freckled girl asked with worry.

'More like he was messing up with mine…'

"No, like I said" she spoke firmly "I was just tucking him in."

And like that she walked out of the room, closing the doors behind her.

The female was walking through the palace in silence.

Dark halls were only slightly illuminated by the moonlight from the windows. Tapestries were hanging on the walls grimly, the people from the portraits all seemed to be giving her wicked glances and old suits of armour, stood proudly, as if ready to oppose her sense of reason. The night indeed was seemingly out of this world.

She finally reached the door to her office.

When the doors closed behind her, Frieda collapsed to her feet in panic.

Could any of those memories she saw be true? If so, how had any of them happened? She remembered Grisha Yeager's words clearly, but she had never managed to make use of the attack titan's power before. Was Eren the key she always needed?

The key…

The journey was long and tiring, but she just had to live through it. This needed to be done. Once and for all, she would finally be able to end the suffering.

At last, she was standing in front of the building which was her destination. She had found it way earlier, but it was only today that she understood the true meaning of her mission.

"I'm sorry Eren" she spoke "but I won't be able to fulfil that promise…"

She slowly took off the key from her neck and held it out.

"Instead, you will be the one…"

As the key fell to the ground, she looked to the side. A figure was standing in front of her. One that she had seen before…

"Faster!" Frieda spoke to the wagoner.

The trip to the Reiss chapel in the middle of the night wasn't exactly her best idea. Something about it felt wrong, like she was not supposed to go there. Nevertheless, she needed to check if all of those 'memories' were in fact real.

Frieda was tired. The day was really exhausting and the way over to the exterior was long enough for her to wish she waited, at least for tomorrow. Yet, she knew it was a matter urgent enough that none of those excuses were important. Right now, she needed to find out the truth.

It was almost morning when the carriage finally drove up to the chapel.

"Wait for me here" the young queen ordered the driver, once she stepped out.

The look of the deserted building was way different than she remembered. The windows were broken, some parts of the walls were missing, the doors were dangling on the hinges… It all looked miserable.

'Where was it' Frieda thought, trying to picture the exact place that Grisha Yeager was standing in, right before he committed the unforgivable.

Same rock patterns, similar looking tall grass, the small cracks on the bricks… It was all making her remember the memory that she never had. The young queen closed her eyes. The wind was howling around the building. Small birds were already waking up and starting to sing their tunes.

Frieda crouched down and brought her hand to the ground. Her fingers enclosed on a single, metal object. It was right there.

The dark-haired female opened her eyes to see the familiar key in her hand. The key that could open Grisha Yeager's basement and reveal all of the outside world's secrets.

'I want the truth' she thought, standing up.

It was high time she had visited the place that haunted her dreams at night.

The crystal halls were shining with the artificial light, just like every other time. The great columns supporting the vault, were just as majestic as ever. The chapel itself always baffled Frieda. Without any shadow, she was almost feeling like this place belonged to some other world.

The female finally reached the great altar. It was at this place that she had transformed and devoured her uncle, Uri. As she walked up the small stairs, she reminisced the day that her life changed forever.

She had always known that she would be the one to take over. But when she saw her weak, dying uncle chained to the altar, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Come on, Frieda!" Her father cried out encouragingly "we must continue the way of peace!"

The way of peace… As she plunged the needle into her arm, the only thing she was feeling inside, was fear.

"And here we are" Frieda suddenly heard.

She was right at the edge of the altar. The chains were laying beneath her, those same that Uri had been once chained with. The young woman turned around.

"Grisha Yeager" she spoke angrily at the ghost from the past, standing in front of her "you brought me here."

"Not really" the old doctor replied with a smile.

Frieda couldn't even comprehend how much she hated this man. He wasn't even alive, and he was still causing her trouble.

"You came here, seeking two things" the man spoke slowly "truth and freedom…"

"Yes" the woman replied.

"While I know that you desire freedom most, this is something you will have to find yourself… I can only give you the truth…"

The ghost of a man strode closer to her. He was looking the exact same way she remembered him. Yet, for some reason he seemed not as exhausted as when he murdered her family.

"Take my hand" he spoke, holding out his hand.

The woman hesitantly raised her own.

"If you can handle the truth, I will give it to you" he spoke cryptically "but if you can't, you will perish…"

Frieda wasn't sure if those words held any real meaning. Nevertheless, she needed this.

"Shut your mouth and show me…"

As the man in front of her smiled, their hands finally touched.