Disclaimer: I own none of the characters!
Note: There was a picture on tumblr that inspired the grappling hook thing. Also: this means a new fairytale is coming up next update!
Ymir had been out on horseback, alone as she had no desire to ride with the other soldiers. She enjoyed her time to herself, to be away and to clear her head. Especially to get away from her training as well.
She rode her horse through the forest trails, listening to the sounds of birds and the river as it rippled over rocks. And as she rode, she looked up through the trees and at the clear sky. However something caught her eye; something that was in no way a tree or a flock of birds. She reared her horse in the direction of the odd tower and followed it until she came into a clearing.
The tower stood alone, tall and looming and (fairly) well hidden. It was off the main road and could only be seen if one was really trying to find it. How Ymir managed to spot it was beyond her, but she figured she should at least explore it.
Ymir dismounted her horse, staring up at it and the single window.
"Hello?" she called curiously. Surely, no one would live in a tower, alone in the woods—
"Hello?"
Ymir tilted her head as a young, blonde girl poked her head out the window. She stared down at Ymir with big bright blue eyes and waved.
"Oh."
"What is it?" the girl called.
"I uh…I was just…going for a ride in the forest and I found this tower," Ymir explained. "What are you…what is this?"
"This is where I live," the girl replied.
"Why?"
"Because my father wanted me locked away from everyone," the girl said. "He…was ashamed…"
"He's a dumbass for being ashamed of you. Come down."
"I can't…There's no door to get out. My father used to visit me a lot and he used my hair as a rope to climb up because it was so long. My hair…was so long that is," she said, touching her shiny hair. "But then he started to send suitors and they were all forceful and demanded that I let down my hair so they could climb up."
Ymir sneered at the idea, but she said nothing as she listened.
"So I cut off all my hair so no one could get up here," the blonde girl said, turning so Ymir could see her now shoulder-length hair. "But I'm also stuck up here."
"How about I get you down?" Ymir asked. "You could come with me. I'm not going to make you marry me. Unless you want to." The girl giggled at the idea, but certainly didn't object.
"I have no way down…"
Ymir turned to her horse and opened the satchel she had thrown onto the saddle. She pulled out a rope and held it up.
"I'm not stupid. I usually carry a grappling hook with me in case I go cliff climbing," Ymir said. The girl clasped her hands.
"Oh, you're much smarter than my suitors!"
"I know. Hey, I'm Ymir by the way," Ymir said, spinning the hook to have it gain momentum.
"I'm Christa!" the blonde girl replied, moving back so Ymir could throw the hook.
Christa climbed down the rope, once it had been thrown. With some help, she hopped onto the horse behind Ymir. The two left the desolate tower behind and made their way back to Rose.
Ymir was pleased to have found someone outside of the guard units she could be with. Christa was pleased to have found a savior smart enough to carry rope in case of emergencies.