Until The End

The shouts and cries were almost deafening, but inside Liesel was smiling. Armin was across from her, his soft blond hair slightly waving in the wind as the citizens of Wall Rose celebrated the crowning of their queen.

Historia Reiss had become queen. She was wearing a small crown above her head, the golden leaves decorated upon the inanimate object shining as the sun rose above her head. Historia was wearing a simple dress, light blue and wearing a ribbon of the same color in her hair. She is…different from the girl she used to be, Liesel thought as she remembered the empty young woman who had wanted to forget her memories, and of the scared child she had been when Levi had threatened her. The dark-haired young woman thought of herself. I too have changed. She thought of Levi, his lips against her own and the silent words they had exchanged under the stars.

"Are you okay?" Liesel broke out of her thoughts and turned to find Armin looking at her warily. His blue eyes were solemn and sad as he stared at his friend. Liesel knew what the blond young man was talking about. She inwardly sighed, wondering of how Levi would react if he heard this. His words to his squad were enough to not make the young Survey Corps members feel sadness for their leader.

"If I was going to die, it was going to be on my own terms." Levi had observed his comrades for a moment, noting the shocked and devastated faces of his squad. Liesel watched them as well, remembering of how everyone in the room had stilled when she had told them the truth about Levi's fate. The only calm expression belonged to Erwin, and the dark-haired young woman stared at him with a hard expression before she had heard Levi speak. She now watched as the short man barked at Eren. "There is nothing to be done, and nothing that you can change. All you can do…is make a choice you regret the least." A knowing look appeared in their gazes. "Would you rather I live and humanity be extinguished, or would you rather I die and humanity to be free from the Titan's chains?" Eren's numb stare burned in Liesel's mind even now. The young Titan-shifter was now able to exist without feeling the weight of Levi's life on his shoulders, but Liesel could empathize with what the young man was feeling. Eating a human, especially a human he cares about…is truly barbaric in his eyes. He still cannot come to terms with eating his father, and eating someone he deeply respects is too large of a sacrifice despite his dream for the survivors to live.

Liesel had shed tears for Levi, and had kissed him beneath the stars that she had once watched with her own squad one hundred seven years ago, but strangely she felt at peace. She was…content to spend time with Levi as much as time allowed, for he had told her he wouldn't die until he felt the blades in his hands again.

"I'm okay." Seeing his bewildered expression, Liesel continued, her voice soft. "I cried so much when I told him he was going to die, but he seemed annoyed with my tears. I've…experienced so much death. I my grandparents' bodies when they were killed in a bombing, and my father and uncle died overseas without graves. I…saw my squad die and I was the cause of the death of my brother and so many others." Armin listened carefully, his face pensive and his eyes staring into hers as Liesel spoke with a hint of sadness. "I realized that Erwin was wrong when he said that no one should have regrets. It's humanly impossible to not have regrets. What I think…is that a person can have regrets, but their remorse and guilt should not eat them away, as mine did. A person should remember of the happiness and of the good…despite of the sadness that fills in their hearts." Armin stared at her, following her every word as a smile suddenly filled her face. "If I had a regret when this is all over…it would be feeling sad about Levi's death instead using all the amount of time I had with him until the end."

Armin was motionless as Liesel's voice faded. He seemed to be observing her, an unknown emotion across his face. He opened his mouth for a moment and then closed it again, not finding the words he wanted to say. The two continued to stand in silence as they felt the warmth of the sun against their faces, Liesel remembering of how her family had gone on picnics in the countryside, bringing impossible amounts of cheese and wurst with the dark heavenly chocolate cake that her oma knew was her favorite. I…want the others to experience this, thought Liesel as she remembered her father and uncle singing old German songs as they played their guitars, her mother softly laughing as her grandfather's old jokes, and her child self with Friedrich, faces sticky with chocolate.

"You're very wise, Liesel." The statement came out as a whisper, and Armin had expected his friend to say a quiet thank you to him. He didn't expect soft ironic laughter to seep from her lips.

"Wise?" Now Liesel smiled, but it was forced and didn't meet her eyes. "If I am wise…then it must tell you that it comes at a price. Wisdom…is only born after sadness, Armin." She sighed, remembering the last days she had spent with her beloved mother and little sister.

"Why did you defend me back then?" Liesel sharply turned to look at me, recognizing the remorse and lack of self-worth on Armin's face. "Before…you learned of your past?" Tears were starting to appear from his eyes. His voice started to shake. "Eren…and Mikasa…said that there were more important matters than what happened at the warehouse, and –"

Liesel remembered the situation well. Armin had been crying, forlorn and his face white as Jean attempted to comfort him from what had occurred in the warehouse when he and his friend had disguised as Eren and Historia. For some reason the sight of Eren and Mikasa ignoring their distressed friend after knowing what happened caused rage to overcome her then. Her halting voice had begun to scream as she had confronted the Titan-shifter simply looking at his key and Mikasa by his side. "More important…matters…? How could you…say such a…thing?" Armin had attempted to calm the dark-haired girl down, pleading with her as tears continued to run down his face, but what had caused the room to fall silent was Eren's snarl. "What the hell do you know about my friend? No one wants you here, you fucking monster!"

"I experienced something similar to you during the war," Liesel whispered quietly, aware of the rawness in her voice. Armin's horrified gaze bored into her own. "Somehow…something triggered in my heart that I couldn't even remember, and I just couldn't allow your friends…to dismiss what had happened to you. I didn't want you to be afraid and ashamed of what happened to you."

"Liesel…" Armin breathed. "Have you told Levi this?"

Liesel shook her head. "You are the first one I told this to," she answered truthfully as the memories of that violent and sad night enveloped in her mind. The members of the Survey Corps had recognized that something had shifted in Liesel's and Levi's relationship even when they two interacted the same towards each other during the time that they had arrived at headquarters. Hanji-san had attempted to fiercely embrace the two for the development but was stopped by the dark glare Levi sent her. The difference in the relationship between the two was not obvious to strangers, but Liesel and Levi both were comfortable in each other's company and sent most of the night staring at the stars. There were simple kisses in the dark, and soft murmurings of German and lingered glances. Shortly after being made queen, Historia had led the Survey Corps members and Liesel into the royal palaces. The pure white walls and beautiful paintings with delicate vases and flowers in the garden drew admiring glances from most of the Survey Corps members, and scorn from Eren especially when he witnessed the soft and velvet cushions and decorated tables and chairs in center of the palace. Levi said nothing, but Liesel had noticed a far-away look in his eyes as he stared at the various possessions within the walls. He is thinking about the dream that Farlan had, isn't he?

A door was opened, and Historia led them to a small cabinet that held a circular bowl with a clear and thick substance. Bright stars, almost so small they could barely be seen, glinted in the light. Liesel had approached the bowl carefully, holding the small vial that Historia had given her. The memories taken from the survivors were light and Liesel stared at the vial carrying such an important piece in bringing the freedom she now wished for humanity, and clasped the small hole on top of the vial in a chain. Liesel felt the vial against her chest, resting heavily as if it knew of the significance it had. Levi plans to take the vial after the Titans are completely defeated. He doesn't want to take a chance and die with the memories within him…and I'm glad for that.

"Liesel –" Armin started to say, but stopped and saluted sharply as the man Liesel had been thinking about appeared before them.

"What happened, Heichō?" Armin whispered as the three ran to the headquarters, ignoring the exclamations and shouts of various citizens as they ran past them.

Levi did not look back. "It's the Female Titan." There was growing rage in his voice. "While we were out here shitty celebrating, the crystal broke and she killed three of our soldiers." Mindlessly, Levi grasped the hilt of one of his blades. "She attempted to get free, but Eren is fighting her now. We don't have much time."