"Are you ready, Historia?"
"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose." A laugh. "I've been preparing for this speech for almost four years and I'm still nervous."
"Don't think to much about it. You'll do fine." A pause. "Seems like I have to go." See you soon. Tell her I said hello." A quick kiss, then he was gone, and Historia gave a wistful smile.
"See you soon, Eren."
Then the Queen of the Walls took a breath, steeled her resolve, and spoke.
Jahr Unseres Gründers c.854
Ul'uma, Protectorate of Sala-Adhiin
The mood was a somber one.
When news of the attack on Liberio was made clear to the rest of the army (though most of the army remained clueless as to who had attacked them), preparations for returning to the fatherland was sped up with all haste. The Überozeanflotte set sail from Port Slava back up the eastern coast of Marley within an hour after the Oberkommando meeting, moving to deal with their new enemies having dealt with their Eastern ones.
Though, the Easterners aren't the only enemies we have to deal with, Annie thought, smoldering. The holder of the Female Titan was not alone in her rage- the anger she held was shared by many of the others in the Warrior Unit and the army as a whole- after all, how could they not, with the Mid-East Alliance getting away from this practically scot-free?
As it had turned out, as soon as the attack had been made known to them, the Grand Vizier of the Osmanli Empire moved to confront the Oberkommando on it, and threatened to continue the war if the reparations in the war-end agreement were not abolished, and, not wishing to have an enemy at their backs with the fatherland under direct assault, Oberbefehlshaber Calvi and the rest of the top-brass had given in to their demands, relinquishing their claims on not only Fort Slava and its territories, but every nation conquered in the war between Slava and Malik. In the stroke of a pen, several small enemy nations that had taken Marley four years to bring to heel and had cost hundreds of thousands of lives instantly regained their autonomy, albeit as protectorates of Marley.
But, that was the least of their concerns at the moment.
The Große Armee of Marley had marched of Slava that very day to the patronizing cheers of the the port city's inhabitants, somehow denied the victory that they had spent years fighting for thanks to a hated enemy striking directly into the heart of their great nation.
Marley had won the War in the East, only for another one to spark right at home.
Morale was as low as the fear running rampant throughout the army was high when the army finally completed its march back into (semi) friendly territory a day later, entering the city of Ul'uma where they would rest for several hours before taking the trans-continental railroad back to Marley.
But, instead of being allowed their promised rest, almost every soldier had been gathered here, in the city's military-parade courtyard, awaiting a speech from the Oberbefehlshaber. Which was understandable, given the circumstances. The army was in dire need of a morale boost. Helos knows Oberbefehlshaber Calvi needs to address the situation… But Gottverdamnt, couldn't he have chosen a day when it wasn't scorching hot out?! It's been nearly an hour! Annie was patient (to a degree), but she was on a thirteen-year life limit and she had little desire to spend it standing in one place burning in an Eastern heatwave.
Besides her, Annie could hear the holder of the Armored Titan grumble something under his breath about the heat, and, wishing to vent her increasing frustrations at anything, chose to turn her head slightly to him. "Think quieter, Reiner. It's annoying."
He shot Annie an irritated look. "Stop eavesdropping then, Annie." She hadn't intentionally done that of course, both of them knew, but Annie was far to aggravated to care at the moment.
The Kriegerin Einheit had been standing at attention at the front of the Eldian segment of the assembled soldiers, being their pride and joy as the only Honorary Marleyans of the bunch. And, while Annie did in fact take her due pride (mild, mind you, but pride nonetheless- she had worked hard to get here) in the fact, there was only so long a person could stand in Eastern weather such as this before they began to wish for the sweet release of water- even a Shifter.
So, already wishing she could smash Reiner's mug in, Annie opened her mouth to shoot back a barb, only to fall silent when the Warchief spoke up. "Quiet, both of you," Zeke hissed. "It's starting."
The sound of footsteps rang loudly across the parade grounds as, from the great estate before them, the doors opened and the Oberbefehlshaber, along with the members of the Oberkommando who hadn't immediately rushed back to Hauptstadt, strode onto the balcony overlook the army. There was silence for a moment as the Calvi watched them quietly before the Supreme Commander spoke.
"Today is a grave day for Marley," Calvi's voice rang. "Not just for our great nation but for the world- for our greatest fears have been realized. The Eldian Empire has returned!"
The silence remained just a moment longer before the Große Armee broke into shouts and cries, and Annie unconsciously let her ring-blade out. I'm not quiet liking how the other battalions are looking at us…
Besides and behind her, Annie's fellow Eldians seemed to agree with the sentiment. Her fellow Warriors were tense, standing still and doing their best to give no sign of descent. Zeke seemed to have angled his glasses into a perfect position where the sun's light hid his eyes. Marcel and Reiner's faces had seemingly turned to stone. Marcel had his signature calm aura surrounding him, and Pieck her usual relaxed faced. Annie herself did her best to maintain her usual dead-eyed stare she'd spent so long perfecting, and as far as the Shifter could tell, she was rather successful.
Besides Colt, however, the Kriegerin Kadets and the Heirs were not so quiet.
Annie immediately tuned them out, knowing that Gabi would, or course, make a fuss about declaring her undying loyalty to the fatherland. Poor girl. She really believes everything she's been told. Though, to be fair, that applied to most of her fellow Warriors, didn't it?
She could already hear the shouts and whispers of the Eldians behind her, some cursing the Island Devils, others begging for mercy.
Which suddenly got Annie thinking.
How long will we keep our ranks if other Eldians are attacking Marley? Will the brass stand for it? What happens if they don't?
...No, that was a stupid question with an easy answer; their Titans will be revoked, their families killed or imprisoned, and the works.
Annie's fist clenched.
So caught up in her own thoughts was the holder of the Female Titan that she almost missed it when Calvi began speaking again.
"...The Island Devils, from our information, attacked Liberio in a dishonorable night attack, sinking the ships stationed there and utterly annihilated its garrison!"
Oddly enough, Annie only felt relief at the Supreme Commander's words. Thank Gott that the Oberkommando were so insistent on moving our parents away from the coast… at least the Easterners were good for something.
"Rest assured, our great nation will not take this lying down! Already, a great host is being assembled in out homeland, and with them, we shall throw these Devils back into the see whence they came!"
Calvi's announcement was met with cheers and warcries, and the loudest came from the Eldians. Even Annie joined in, saluting along with the rest of her comrades and crying out her loyalty to the fatherland (because if they did not then they would die and so would their families).
The Oberbefehlshaber raised his arms high, and his voice grew louder, more fanatic. "We shall through these Devils back to the sea, and do to their Paradis as they have done to us! We will destroy their ports one by one, we will raze their cities and sow the earth with salt, and we shall crush their demon-spawn underfoot! We will fill the rivers with their dead! NEVER AGAIN WILL THEY RISE AGAINST US," Calvi screamed, "FOR WE SHALL TRAMPLE THEM INTO DUST, AND MARLEY WILL REIGN FOR ETERNITY!"
Amidst the fanatical cheering that roared across the parade grounds, Annie had to admit that the Oberbefehlshaber knew how to sway a crowd. I kind of feel sorry for them. Those Walldians don't stand a cha-
Jahr Unseres Gründers c.? ?
? ?
"Was zur Hölle?! The fuck?!"
This wasn't Ul'uma.
Though the people that stood besides and behind her remained the same, the surroundings did not.
Few things frightened Annie. Those few things usually involved her father being sent to Paradis for one reason or other, or being accused of treason and being tortured to death by the Public Security Authorities.
Being suddenly transported to a grassy plain bordering a calm beach with a massive tree looming in the distance was not one of her usual fears.
No, Annie was not afraid.
She was fucking terrified.
Which is why she went into instant-survival mode, immediately moving from where she had been standing and flattening herself on the grass, minimizing herself in the eyes of any enemy. Out of the corner her her eye, she saw most of her fellow Warriors doing the same, with the exception of Reiner and Marcel, who had immediately moved to protect their siblings from any potential dangers, and-
"Annie?"
The Shifter instantly leapt up from where she was laying, her ring-blade slashing a bloody line across her palm, only to freeze when she saw who had called to her.
"Bertholdt?"
Her fellow Warrior, one who she hadn't seen in the better part of four years and who was supposed to be stationed half the globe away from Ul'uma, jogged over to her, panic in his eyes, and Annie, relieved to see a familiar face, pulled her friend into a quick hug.
"Bertholdt," she spoke when she pulled away from him, "what the hell are you doing here? Weren't you in the Meiriceás?"
The holder of the Colossal nodded, a frown crossing his face. "I was, yeah. Then, all of a sudden, I was here."
Annie's eyes narrowed. Something isn't right here. We were on opposite sides of the world yet here we are, talking. How are we-
And then, suddenly, noise.
"HEAR ME, SUBJECTS OF YMIR!"
... I've come to tell you a story."
A hundred years ago, at the height of the civil unrest that had Eldia in its vice-grip, a tragedy befell our people."
You know one version of this tale, the version that your captors have force-fed you for generations."
I have come to tell you that what they have told you is false."
There was no Helos. There was no Devil of All Earth."
There was only a Traitor Lord and a Coward King, and together, they plotted the downfall and demise of the Eldian people."
Karl Fritz and Elias Tybur! Together, they set the stage for the Great Titan War, and amidst the great battles that tore Eldia asunder, stole the Titans away from their Lords and gifted them to our ancient enemy of Marley! Whilst the Great Houses fought amongst themselves in the chaos that followed, Marley regained its strength and marched on Eldia, crushing our people underfoot and enslaving us once again, just as their ancient empire did our ancestors."
Then the Coward King left, taking tens of thousands, yet leaving untold millions of our brothers and sisters behind to suffer for his sins."
And since then, we've waited."
For one hundred years, we have watched, helpless to do anything but. We watched as Udynel fell, when the last Lord Protector met his end beneath the Warhammer. We watched as the first and only Eldian rebellion failed, and the ringleaders were burned alive."
We watched as your overlords sentenced hundreds of thousands of Eldians to wander the sands of Paradise in eternal torture. We watched as the other nations of the world treated our people as little more than cattle, lambs to the slaughter!"
But now, our watch has ended."
For one hundred years, we've waited. We prepared. We grew stronger. While Marley rested in their cradle of power, believing that our people would remain cowed until they decided to come for us, we rebuilt our armies, strengthened our walls, and readied ourselves for the coming conflict. They believed that the time to fear Eldia had passed."
They were wrong."
Marley assumed no force could challenge them, and yet, here Eldia stands, the strongest we've been in a century!"
...
We abandoned you, all those years ago. I hate that the blood of the Coward King runs through my veins, but it's true. For that, I am truly sorry."
But, we've come to make amends."
We've come to set you free."
I know we have out differences. I know you see us as the Devils you need dead to have the world recognize your worth, but… Despite that, I want to ensure our future, together! I want to build a future where my children can live without the scorn of being Eldian! I want to build a future where all races can walk side by side!"
...
However, the world wishes for the annihilation of the people of Eldia, and none clamor for it more than the Marley."
Which is why, this part of my message is not to you, Children of Ymir."
But to you Tyburs, who sit within your fancy estates and lofty manses with the comforts that were built off the blood of Eldia. To the enemy Shifters who hold the Titans of our ancestors and use them in service of our enemies!"
Hear me now, and hear me well."
My name is Historia Reiss, and I am the Queen of the Walls. I rule the lands of Paradise, the last bastion of Eldia since the fall of Udynel. The last place in the world where Eldians live free."
We have returned."
You're penance begins now."
The Reconquest has begun!"
And I swear to all of you, that I will not stop until the people of Eldia are united once more!"
So long as there are those who wish to deny this wish, then we shall fight! I will fight!"
"I'll keep moving forward-"
"-until ALL MY ENEMIES ARE DESTROYED!"
…
P̵̹͋R̸͉̅Ȇ̷͖P̷̫̑A̷̧͘R̷̥͛E̶̙͂ ̵̣̊ Ȳ̵̨Ó̶̘U̴͎͑Ṟ̵͒S̸̛͜E̴̛ͅL̵̗͌F̵̫͝,̸̧̉.
Information Bracket
Overview of the "Empire" of Marley
Head(s) of State:
H̶e̶r̶r̶ ̶W̶i̶l̶h̶e̶l̶m̶ ̶T̶y̶b̶u̶r̶ Chancellor Edel Freidrick
Other known people of interest:
Calvi Freisler - Oberbefehlshaber (Supreme Commander)
Christoff Straus - Hochadmiral (High Admiral)
Seigmund Henze - Kommandeur des Hilfsbataillons (Auxiliary Battalion Commander)
Lukas Emmhan - Artillerie-Oberst (Artillery Colonel)
Theo Magath - Kriegerin Kommandat (Warrior Commander)
Wilhelm Tybur - Herr Tybur (Lord Tybur)
Zeke Jaeger - Kriegschef (War-Chief), Beast Titan
Reiner Braun - Vice-Kommandant, Kriegerin (Warrior), Armored Titan
Annie Leonhart - Kriegerin (Warrior), Female Titan
Bertholdt Hoover - Kriegerin (Warrior), Colossal Titan
Peick Finger - Kriegerin (Warrior), Cart Titan
Marcel Galliard - Vice-Kommandant, Kriegerin (Warrior) Jaws Titan
Porco Galliard - Kriegerin (Warrior), Heir to The Jaw
Colt Grice - Kriegerin (Warrior), Heir to The Beast
Gabi Braun - Kriegerin (Warrior), Heir to The Armor
Falco Grice - Kriegerin (Warrior), Heir to The Cart
Zofia Letzel - Kriegerin (Warrior), Heir to The Female
Udo Bach - Kriegerin (Warrior), Heir to the Colossal
Objectives:
-The maintaining of Marleyan global supremacy
- The defeat of the Mid-East Alliance
- The annexation of key territories in the Valantar Peninsula
- The acquisition of the Founding Titan
- The acquisition of natural resource deposits on Paradis Island
- The destruction of the Island Devils
- T̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶a̶s̶s̶-̶g̶e̶n̶o̶c̶i̶d̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶E̶l̶d̶i̶a̶n̶ ̶R̶a̶c̶e̶
Branches of the Armed Forces:
- Die Große Armee (The Grand Army)
- Überozeanflotte (Over-Seas Navy)
- Kriegerin Einheit (Warrior Unit)
- Behörden für öffentliche Sicherheit (Public Secuity Resources)
- Riese Biologie-Forschungsgesellschaft (The Titan Biology Research Society)
Further assets:
- The Beast Titan
- The Armored Titan
- The Female Titan
- The Colossal Titan
- The Jaws Titan
- The Cart Titan
- The Warhammer Titan
Official Allies:
- The Nation of Manzhōu
- The Kingdom of Ikhala
- The Empire of Umambo
- The Paramountcy of Nyumbani
- Various protectorates
- Various colonies
Unofficial Allies:
- Various anti-Eldian groups/coalitions
Threats:
- The Mid-East Alliance
- The Kingdom of Paradis Island/Remnant Empire of Eldia
- The Hizurese Empire
- The Founding Titan
Faction Cohesion:
Decent.
For now.
A/N: Something about the chapter bothers me, it's just that I'm not sure what. I'll probably fix/add more to it later, but I just need to get this done with.