Chapter Seven

At least Hange had the courtesy to slam the last book shut before hurling it across the room.

"Done, Four-Eyes?"

"I'm sorry, book," she said, crossing the room to pick it back up.

"First she talks to titans, now books. I see. I take it there wasn't anything else you wanted?"

Hange growled. "I'd like to perform a few 'experiments' on Grisha Jaeger."

"That sounds vaguely sexual. Should the titans be jealous?"

Hange stopped her pacing to glare at him. "What?!"

"You know." She put her hands on her hips. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with me, Shorty."

Now it was his turn to howl. "What?!"

A deep, familiar voice cut through the room. "You know, I don't recall my subordinates being so rambunctious."

"Has he met Hange?" Jean whispered to Connie.

"Trauma influences brain structure," Hange informed Erwin by way of greeting.

Levi stalked towards the commander. Saskia was leaning against him. The impropriety of it disturbed him before he noticed just how unfocused her eyes were.

"If you ever take off again without a word – I'll break all your limbs," Levi snarled.

"Last I checked, I'm your commander."

Levi's shoulders slumped. "I understand."

"Levi. I thought it better if you did not need to lie to Zackly for me."

Now we don't trust Zackly. Levi's stomach turned. "Zackly's already seen most of what we know."

"Precisely." Erwin stepped aside to reveal a tiny girl held captive by Mikasa.

"You." Levi's eyes slitted like a snake. My squad is dead because of you.

She had the minimum courtesy to keep her gaze on the floor.

"Bertolt's downstairs." Hange caught the plan immediately.

"What did you learn?" Jean asked her eagerly.

"First thing." Erwin pushed Saskia towards her. "Hange, she seemed concussed and has been fading in and out of consciousness all night."

"What happened?" Levi asked sternly.

"Angry nobles. An entire mob saw us," Sasha said.

"Turns out they're not happy about their fall," Erwin said with a shrug.

Hange was now holding her lamp close to Saskia's eyes. "Was she the only injury?"

Erwin hesitated. "The only serious one."

Levi watched him with suspicion. Something was eating at him, again. He didn't deserve this. Or maybe they all did.

"You can take me to Bertolt now," Annie said dejectedly.

Mikasa exchanged a glance with Eren. She hadn't expected her to be so cooperative.

"Gladly." Levi grabbed her.

Saskia felt the urge to refocus, but she wasn't sure why. There was someone helping her. What was the hurry?

She wondered what it would be like to blame yourself for your father's death. Or mother's. People like Erwin and her own sister were mysteries. She wished she could help them.

"Uh." Hange leaned back. "You'll need to rest for at least a day."

"We need her information," Erwin said grimly.

"That's why I'm limiting rest to a day." Hange looked to Erwin. "Unless you think pain is a better route?"

He watched the dazed woman in front of him, lost somewhere in her own mind. "I'm hoping that won't be necessary."

Suddenly, Saskia stared at Hange. Only the skinny woman and Erwin remained in a cramped but pristine room. "Where's Annie?"


"This is all going according to plan," Historia whispered to Ymir. Her eyes sparkled.

Ymir grimaced. It was indeed. Too easy.

Easy, like sitting in this carriage with velvet cushions. Comfort felt blasphemous when the world was destroying itself. And she'd never been a proper girl, not even as a child.

"What are you thinking?" Historia brushed back a golden hair strand.

"That I want to kiss you," Ymir said.

Historia blushed. "Besides that."

Ymir sighed and propped her foot up against the carriage wall.

"I wish we could be riding out there with the soldiers, too," Historia said softly.

"It's not just that. This is too simple. I don't trust your military."

"Ymir, we are a part of that military. Or were." Historia bit her lip. She wished she were with her comrades this morning. "I hope they got Annie out already."

"I'm sure they did. Saskia seems to know a titan-sized amount about titans." Ymir snorted at her own pun.

Historia giggled nervously. "But?"

"But I don't trust the leades. Erwin, fine. Levi and Hange, fine. But Darius Zackly? Ever since he found out what I am, he's been looking at me with this … longing … and it's unsettling."

Historia swallowed, recalling his smile towards Bertolt. "He does have a particular interest in titan shifters, it seems. But that's understandable, I think."

"It is," Ymir said with frustration. "But it's more than that. He reminds me…he reminds me of the priest."

"Priest?" Historia's hand slipped over Ymir's as her friend's eyes clouded over.

"It's fine."

"No, it's not." Historia recognized that hollow look.

Ymir laughed bitterly. "I was supposed to be ruler of my village, did I ever tell you? I was their princess." Her voice dulled. "But then they found out I loved my childhood best friend, Sara. She was redheaded and freckled and spitfire – very not like you."

Historia felt a twinge of jealousy. Instinctually she pushed it down, but that was Krista. Historia could feel jealous if she wanted.

"So my parents took me to a priest. He was horrified and said for the good of the village, I had to be sacrificed. Or the titans would get us because of our sins." Ymir buried her head in her hands. "They sent me out into the wilderness. My own parents. The entire village had to watch as I left. Sara watched."

She wiped her eyes, and Historia was shocked to see her friend actually crying.

"When I went back with Reiner and Bertolt, Zeke told me his father turned my village all into titans, probably soon after they kicked me out." Ymir shook her head. "Ironic timing."

Someone else would have asked if Ymir knew anything else about Zeke's father or turning people into Titans. But Historia Reiss knew that information would surface if Ymir possessed it. She didn't need to ask.

What Ymir needed mattered more. And Ymir needed a shoulder to cry on.

"I'm s-sorry. That I never told you, that you're not my first love," Ymir cried.

Historia gasped. "Ymir, this is what you're thinking? And you say you're rotten to the core? You sought me out and found me so that no one would have to be abandoned like you were. And you just told me something awful and you're worried about me? Ymir, you're a saint."

"I just wish I knew why," Ymir moaned. "Why did they have to force me away?"

"Because they were selfish and stupid," Historia burst out. "And cruel. You're none of those. We won't let them have the last say; remember you told me that? You taught me to love myself when it seemed impossible. We're going to win and live ad be happy together, damn it!"

Her voice trembled.

Ymir started. "I've never heard you sound angry before."

Historia shrugged sheepishly. "Well…I've changed."

"I love it," said Ymir, leaning over to kiss her. They had a long ride back to Wall Sina, after all.


"Annie!" Bertolt's heart leapt. He thought he had never seen her so beautiful. So real.

She stood outside the bars, eying him stonily. As only Annie would, he thought happily. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she replied, not meeting his eyes. Her fists were clenched.

"R-Reiner and I were so worried. He even challenged Zeke twice to rescue you!"

Annie's eyes widened. She wasn't used to being wanted.

"Twice?" Saskia questioned. She only remembered the once, when Reiner and Bertolt had returned with Ymir, crying for Annie like little boys. She wanted to cry with them, and felt sick when Zeke won the match, as much as she understood his decision.

She sounded like a scolding mother, Bertolt thought. "Right before Shinagashina."

"It wasn't bad enough that we killed Marco; we had to kill Armin, too?" Annie asked.

Saskia stumbled downstairs on Hange's arm. She heard no words, but the edge to Annie's voice came through sharp.

"You killed Marco?" Jean burst out as Sasha gasped. Connie wrapped his arms around her.

"I knew he wouldn't have died!" Eren stepped forward, but hesitated at Mikasa's face. She deliberately avoided his eyes, but she looked too pained to respond.

"He heard us t-talking," sobbed Bertolt. "I'm sorry!"

"You're going to be sorrier." Annie turned to Jean. "I can't be forgiven for Marco, but, Eren: I never wanted Armin dead."

Eren stared at her.

She whirled back to Bertolt. "I got caught because I let him go! I knew he recognized me and I didn't care! He didn't deserve whatever you did, but you deserve this."

Her tiny sister had slipped between the bars before Levi could grab her.

Saskia stumbled forward. "No, Annie!"

Annie's foot collided with Bertolt's ribs. He wheezed. "Annie, no – I'm sorry – "

"You hurt Armin! When did he ever hurt you?!"

"Annie, he's chained to a wall!" Saskia shouted, clutching the bars. She was dizzy as hell, but she couldn't black out now.

"You were study partners!" Annie kicked him over and over again, faster, harder, now faster, now harder. She wished she were in titan form so she could squash him. "Armin!"

She felt someone's arms wrap around her, lifting her away.

"No!" She pounded his forearms, but even the female titan was no match for Captain Levi. She was at his mercy again. He'd threatened to take her limbs when she'd been caught in that humiliating trap, and she was trapped again.

"Let me go!" Annie didn't know what reality was. She couldn't feel it, or anything, or see anything. "Help me!"

"She's psychotic; be gentle," Saskia said tersely, still gripping the cell bar.

"As much as I can," huffed Levi as he carted her to the cell across from Bertolt. "Open the cell."

Saskia glared at him.
"Just for now, so she can stop liquefying my limbs?!"

"Fine." Saskia breathed a prayer for forgiveness as her fingers scrambled to open the door. Levi dropped Annie onto the bed, slapped manacles on her wrists, and backed away.

"Oh no, you're not." Now he was pulling Saskia out.

"I'm not abandoning my sister."

"You can't do anything for her." Levi shoved her out and slammed the door behind them. "I've seen soldiers suffer these breaks. You can't reach her now. She'll need you later, not now." He looked back at Annie's wailing form. He'd threatened to mutilate that child once. "Right now she needs to scream."

"And you," said Hange, approaching her swiftly, "need to rest."

"I don't think I can trust you," Saskia said. What if they kept Annie here forever? What if they tortured her?

Mikasa swept forward and place her hand on Saskia's shoulder. "I won't let us hurt her."

Saskia hesitated.

"Good," Hange said. "It's settled. Let's get this one upstairs."

The last face Saskia saw was Erwin's, inscrutable as always, watching her as she staggered upstairs against Hange's surprisingly strong shoulders.


"A deal? A deal? That was your plan?" Reiner demanded, leading Armin towards the center of their village. He was carrying a torch despite the broad daylight.

"Yes." Armin noticed a group of children playing a foreign game with a ball and wooden sticks. How strange, to see children in this warrior band.

Reiner stopped in front of a trapdoor. "Zeke only makes deals he knows he can win."

"I know," Armin said calmly.

"You're plotting something."

"Would you turn me in if I was, Reiner?" Armin asked innocently.

"Of course. I'm a warrior," Reiner snapped.

"Or are you a soldier?"

Shock crossed Reiner's face. "What?"

"Eren told us. Have you ever considered that if you're doing something so terrible your mind has split, something is very wrong?"

"I'm fine," Reiner raged, grabbing Armin by his collar. "You – you won't ever mention this again, understand?"

"Yes," Armin said, unfazed. Poor Reiner.

"It's down here." Reiner kicked open the latch and dropped him. "Oops."

"Oof," Armin grunted as he hit the dirt. That was surprisingly violent for Reiner. Or Soldier Reiner, rather.

Reiner jumped down beneath him and pressed the torch against another torch. "This is where Zeke's wife would spend most of her time. She knew every book down here."

He had never mentioned Saskia's questionable loyalty to Zeke. That was a tidbit he needed if Zeke intended to give away his armor, as he had so elegantly phrased it.

Armin took the second torch from Reiner and gasped at shelves upon shelves of books. "Oh!"

"Overcome?" Reiner smirked, his threat to Armin forgotten.

"It's…incredible," Armin breathed. "Relatively small, but there's so much here. I told Zeke if he let me know history, I would tell him about the walls, but…but I never imagined there was so much."

"You'll be disappointed," Reiner said. "Humanity tends to repeat history."

Armin side-eyed him. "That sounds fascinating. Where – where should I start?"

"Your choice. I never got to read any of these."

"Join me." Armin smiled up at Reiner.

Reiner hesitated. "Well…I do have to guard you, anyways."

What could reading hurt?


"When will we learn?" moaned Annie late that afternoon. "Do the innocent and moral always have to die while we live? Isn't it killing you?!"

Bertolt stared at his legs. He couldn't feel her bruises anymore; they'd liked healed. What a freak.

"You're not going to talk to me, are you?" Annie stared at the ceiling and practiced a kick. Kicks were the only peace she knew.

Bertolt thought that a strange question. He didn't really mind her violence. His heart hurt, but he deserved it. He'd killed too many people for a misshapen idea perpetuated by an adult bully.

But he still believed in it. He had to. He would die otherwise.

"Why don't you guys talk about something useful," muttered Connie, who had the misfortune of being on guard duty.

"Useful. Our human emotions aren't useful anymore, I suppose." Annie laughed.

She was scaring Connie. "That's not what I meant."

"It should be," Bertolt whispered.

Connie opened his mouth to reply, when the noise of people clattering down the stairs interrupted them. He turned around. "Yes?"

A thud caught Annie's attention. She bolted upright to see Connie sinking towards the stone floor, blood trickling from his forehead. "Connie?!"


Levi clutched his cup of tea. "Nobles."

"Nobles." Erwin sighed. "Seems we've destabilized the situation inside the walls enough without the titan threat."

"They'll come for you again."

"I know."

"You won't let them take you?"

"I'll try." Erwin smiled, a smile was filled with self-loathing. "They came after me. The titan woman got caught trying to rescue me."

"But you're unharmed…?" Levi waited.

"I healed just like a titan regenerating." Erwin unconsciously touched his right shoulder.

Levi was silent for a few minutes. "Well. That does give you a distinct advantage over your enemies."

I don't deserve it. "I suppose so."

He clenched his fist. "Or it just helps me live longer…building a mountain of bodies."

Levi sipped his tea. In this situation, no matter what they chose, they would regret it. "You're not alone on that mountain. For whatever that is worth."

"I should be."

Levi suddenly glared at the ajar door. "What are you doing there?!"


Three very large men stood there, smirking at Bertolt.

"He's got to be the one," said the brawniest. In a way, he reminded Bertolt of an older, crueler Reiner.

"He's no one." Annie struggled against her restraints and panic. Damn Levi.

These men weren't Survey Corp; who knew what they could do?

"He's the colossal titan, aren't you, bastard?" jeered one.

Bertolt couldn't answer.

"Too scared to talk? Psh. I say we end it here and do mankind a favor," said the tallest, drawing a knife.

The cell is locked. The cell is locked, Bertolt chanted in his head.

The third shoved the knife aside with a high-pitched squeak. "Put that way. You know our orders."

Annie was fast losing her battle against the restraints. Whatever they chose, Bertolt was done for. Stay calm and notice everything.

"Yeah, we don't get paid unless we bring him alive," said Older Reiner. He bent over, examining the cell door. "Hmm. These bolts are secure."

Crystallize. Annie hesitated. She didn't want to rescue Bertolt. She was fucking mad at him.

But did anyone deserve to fall at the hands of bumbling slaves? Annie began rubbing her wrist against the cuffs. Surely the friction would break her skin.


"Listening," Saskia answered casually, brushing back her messy braid to reveal a sizable bruise on her temple.

"Don't try to earn my pity just because you tried to help him." Levi jerked his head towards Erwin.

"I'll find another way, then." She sounded placid as ever, but this was the first unserious thing Erwin had heard from her. "Commander. I said I would tell you whatever you wanted to know."

He eyed her suspiciously. "Where does eavesdropping fit in?"

"It doesn't." Habit, really. She eavesdropped on Zeke because he never told her his plans. She toyed with the end of her braid. "For what it's worth, you don't have half as high a mountain as the children downstairs."

Her eyes were sharp. Erwin rubbed his eyes. "I thought it best if Annie stay there until we can trust her."

Children, Saskia wanted to repeat. Children. Children. Didn't he get it?

"Please check on Annie, Levi."

As soon as the captain left, Erwin said sternly, "If I catch you eavesdropping again, I will put you back in a cell without hesitation."


One of the men had pliers and was twisting the cell door off its hinges.

Bertolt scrambled back as sweat dripped down his forehead. He was still chained, but if they could get inside –

As they lifted the door to avoid a clang and entered the cell, Annie lost patience. She yanked against the restraints as hard as she could. Draw blood. Please!

Wait. She was an idiot.

But as she watched them tying their own chains around Bertolt, who wasn't even struggling at this point, she hesitated. Was it even worth saving someone who wouldn't save themselves?

One of the two chains keeping Bertolt attached to the wall broke.

That was it. Annie threw back her head and screamed.


"That's fair." Saskia peered at him. "But if you think you are a freak, how do you imagine Eren feels? And Bertolt and Annie, what are their chances if you can't even extend enough mercy to think of yourself as human, much less them?"

Erwin leaned forward. "You're saying you think they could fight for us?"

"I'm saying no one wants to fight this war."

Oh, but didn't he? It proved his father right, proved life had meaning. Erwin swallowed.

"I don't want you using either of them to fight. I don't want a fight."

"That's all there is."

"Because Zeke makes it so," Saskia said. "Given another option, would you still choose to fight?"

"Would he?"

"So you wish to learn of your opponent. That is good." Saskia shrugged. "Yes, he would."

Erwin surmised that Zeke must think he knew them already. Squabbling, pathetic idiots, probably.

"And you?" she continued.

Erwin thought of Mike, of Armin, of Nanaba and Isabel and Farlan. "I would take the other option. Is there one?"

She pitied him. So eager. "Not that I can imagine."

A scream pierced the quiet.

Erwin recognized that sound. From the moment the 57th expedition failed.

Saskia leapt to her feet. "Annie!"


"The second time was right before Shinagashina," Armin said. "I caught some stomach ailment."

Zeke's eyes glittered. "And you wouldn't happen to remember anything about his 'treatments?'"

"As in the composition of his medicines? No, I don't," Armin answered honestly. He was back in his cabin, facing the second interrogation of many more to come.

Zeke tapped his fingers against each other. "How likely do you think it that Grisha may have used our serum recipes to save your pitiful race?"

Armin gulped.

"Answer honestly," Zeke barked.

"I – I don't know," Armin stammered.

"I know about this supposed 'secret' in his basement." The secret he'd fled, lest Levi hunt him. "You're still not very forthcoming. It's almost hurtful."

Armin closed his eyes. "I know he once cured an incurable plague, before I was born."

Zeke scowled. "Damn you, Grisha."

"For saving lives, sir?" Armin piped up.

"He's dooming humanity again." Zeke shook his head. "When you read those books, you'll see."

Armin fell quiet.

"You think you won't, but you will." Not that Zeke had any intention of letting him finish. The boy was too crafty to keep around. And he panicked every time he thought of Saskia in the hands of that ruthless commander.

"But, Armin dear, tell me what would be the best way to get a message into the walls?"


"You bitch!" No longer caring about quiet, Older Reiner wrenched Annie's door off in a matter of seconds.

"The pliers! We'll never get him in time!" cried the squeaky man.

"Forget him! We'll never be able to carry him away quickly enough!" Older Reiner snapped the chain on Annie's manacles. "We'll take this one! Say we got the wrong prisoner!"

Annie choked. "Are you insane as well as incompetent?"

"Take me!" Bertolt begged.

"Aw, is the Titan in love?" The tallest kicked him in the face.

"We don't have time!" Older Reiner grunted.

"You're going to say you were so stupid you got the wrong gender?" Bertolt hollered as footsteps clattered down the stairs. "Focus on me, dammit! I did it! I'm the colossal titan!"

The tall man gagged suddenly and sank to his knees. Captain Levi left him to grapple the strategically-placed wound on his shoulder and sank his blade into the foot of Squeaky.

The man shrieked and fell to the floor.

"Don't come any closer!" Older Reiner had Annie in a headlock. "I'll cut her throat!"

"That might not actually kill her," Levi drawled.

"Is she a titan too?!" he screeched.

"Yes," said Annie, twisting around to kick his legs out from under him. Now she was face to face with Levi – face to face with freedom.

"Don't make me hurt you," Levi warned her.