The month had been a blur.
I found myself surprised every time I woke up next to her face—washed with freckles, warmth, and some wear. It was always beautiful in the silver morning light.
But the moment she woke she'd leave me and go to the office building of the orphanage and farm. She'd pour herself over the administrative work. Only looking up to scarf down what food was brought and to give me a passing kiss.
I had told the children I held so dear that she would come out sooner or later.
"Is she really that tall!?"
"She has freckles like me?"
Even the smallest but toughest girl with freckles and who was darker than Ymir was excited to meet her.
"She really has dark skin?" She had asked. Not all kids were too kind to different people. The underground cities were rough and divided by factions and families and some even by skin.
"She does," I told her, counting her own freckles with admiration, "and she'd be happy to meet you."
Today was another day that I went into the office where Ymir asked nobody except me to enter. I went to her desk, kissing the crown of her head.
My Queen, my Queen.
"The kids are getting anxious," I told her because it had been three weeks since she promised she'd come out and meet them.
I couldn't help and fear that she was too scared or maybe she didn't even like kids. Who knew.
One day I was without her and then she came back to me. I doubt she expected for so much to change, but I know she still loved me.
But the kids…
"Today, right now," Ymir stood, back cracking as she groaned. I peered at her paperwork and saw the person on file—Zoey Zander. She was the dark little girl who always got into fights.
"Oh," it must've showed on my face because Ymir smiled.
"I told you I would."
"Well…it had been awhile…"
Ymir took my hand, walking next to me as she let me lead her out.
"…Why'd you wait so long?" I asked because the kids thought I was playing a joke on them by saying I had a girlfriend and that she was here but they couldn't see her.
"I wanted to read about all the people here. Remember the names for the children. There are fifty of them after all."
Ymir was right. There was a lot of names to remember and I often mistaken some children for others. I had forgotten how soft Ymir was underneath it all.
"I didn't want to get their names wrong."
She was so kind. She must've known how much it meant for the children to be remembered at all times.
We only made it out the doors of the administrative building when a group of boys turned, gasping.
"SHE IS REAL!" They screamed and it seemed to call all the kids over who weren't working. Even the adults in the fields looked up and they allowed their smaller workers to run over and see what the fuss was about.
All the children clamored around her, gasping at how tall and dark she was.
"Wow!"
"She's tall!"
The boys went to grabbing at her pants, shaking Ymir around a bit.
"Hey, hey, stop that, David, Joah," and the twin boys were surprised she could tell them apart.
"Let me in! Let me in!" Zoey cried and finally made it through to stand right in front of Ymir.
Her face lit up as she saw Ymir who was just like her—dark with freckles.
"She's real!"
"Of course she is," I told them, "why would I lie?"
Ymir knelt down a little, ruffling the girl's hair.
"Good to meet you, Zoey," she held out her hand and the girl practically clung to it, shaking it excitedly.
"Are you Historia's girlfriend?!" She asked.
"Huh—I thought I was your fiancé?"
"YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED?!" Some of the children gasped. Most of them made disgusted faces.
"Yeah, I told her we would when things settled down," Ymir gave a wink to me.
"B-B-But!" Zoey went to me, grabbing my skirt and tugging it a little. I didn't have to bend too low to show I was listening.
"…How are you going to have kids?" She asked and I felt my face burn.
Ymir simply laughed.
"We have you guys. Why would we want kids when we already have fifty of them?"
I never knew how much my heart could throb until I saw Ymir holding each kid as if they were our own.