Note: Reading AOTnR reignited my love for this ship...
As she walks, Historia lets her hands drift over the flowers. There's something lovely about each one, but her mind is drifting elsewhere.
The sound of children laughing reaches her ears and she pauses, one hand coming to rest delicately over her womb and the budding life nesting within.
The sun is setting.
The orphanage workers have started calling the children back inside for the night and Historia pauses.
For an instant, she longs to join them.
She'll begin the walk back shortly, before Julia begins to worry. Right now, she'd rather be alone with her memories.
She and Eren shared so many moments in this garden. Moments of mutual understanding and shared pain.
Joy.
Because while the weight of what they faced never truly left them behind, they experienced moments of genuine happiness together in this place.
They'd been falling in love, coming to understand each other.
I won't tell anyone about what you're planning.
Something warm trickles down her face.
Historia brushes it away, but another soon takes its place.
Cupping a hand to her mouth, she presses back the sob that threatens to break free.
She truly is the most despicable woman in the world, but this is a choice that she made and she's willing to suffer the consequences of her actions.
Historia won't allow herself to indulge in something as foolish as self-pity.
She steels herself and begins her walk back, leaving the garden behind.
"Krista!"
One of the children- a boy named Gunter- rushes to her, grabbing at her skirt. He's only five years old and he has no idea the kind of monster she is.
A queen has to think of her own people first...
"Gunter!"
Historia doesn't move when Julia calls for him, emerging from the hall with two-year old Elise in her arms.
She stops short when she spots Historia. "Your majesty! I'm sorry, I hadn't realized-"
"It's fine," Historia assures her.
Because this… it feels nice. These children… they all deserve a world that doesn't hate them, don't they?
(The rest of the world has children too.)
(There has to be a way to save her people while minimizing the bloodshed.)
Historia looks behind her one last time.
In the distance, there's a figure on horseback. He's close enough that she can start to make him out.
Eren...
If he's here, then… Her heart clenches and she steps completely outside onto the threshold.
He's alone.
It's not surprising.
She moves forward, hand drifting towards her stomach and resting there.
Their child hasn't grown enough for her to feel them moving, but she's acutely aware of their presence.
"Historia…"
"Eren…" She can no longer wait before she's stumbling down the steps and into his arms.
He holds her tightly, chin coming to rest directly atop her head, before he pulls away from her, holding her at arms length.
"Eren," she says, breathless though she's exerted no effort, "I'm declaring war on Marley."