"Whilst the opening theatres of the Second Great Titan War, and much of the war itself were fought in what was then Continental Marley, many seem to forget, when writing on the topic, that the world did not revolve around it, no matter how much it seemed like it did. The world did not halt it's spinning, time did not freeze. Life went on.

The Great Panic of '54, as it would come to be known, is proof of this- a period of widespread anti-Eldian hysteria and lynchings in non-sympathetic countries that began when news of Liberio was made widespread around the world. Many ambassadors of various nations, who had been in the midst of a Ballroom Dance discussing the Marley Mid-East War (some of the most prominent among these being Nambia Kosi of Ikhala, Charlie Hobbs of Nameiricean Republic of Westminister, Soshinabu Takeru of Hizuru, Huang Tu of Manzhou, Wilhelm Tybur of Marley, and many others), were caught flatfooted by Eldia's sudden resurgence, and many a government were left scrambling to reassert themselves in the shifting geopolitical landscape, caught once more in the tremors of Eldia's titanic wake…"

- New Eldia and the Geopolitics Of The Modern Era (c.912), by Prof. Edmund Fauvry
Published by the University of Dùthaich

Seventh Day of the Six Month, Jahr Unseres Gründers c.854

Osternau, Mond Territory, Continental Marley

The moment he and his new subordinates had arrived in Osternau, they had been whisked away to the Kanzlerhaus, and Theo had never dreaded anything more in his life.

He was not stranger to battlefield promotions, true, but never after a disaster like the battle he had just come from. Simply put, he was in overall command of that railine worth of soldiers, now, and if he was blamed for the disaster that had happened, he could kiss his officer's commission, as well as his career (and possibly his life) goodbye. Marley did not tolerate such monumental failures- hell, Theo didn't think there had been such a military catastrophe since the fucking Morean had risen in revolt and started the Charred War decades ago.

Yet, the Oberbefehlshaber calls, and I answer, however reluctantly.

At the very least, the enemy that had attacked them so blatantly seemed to have left for their own conquered territory- there had been reports of citizens seeing an airship of non-Marleyan make pass them by in a straight line north. To Liberio, no doubt.

Yet, that did not change the fact that they had been attacked on their own soil, and by the most hated enemy, no less. And said enemy, according to all reports, were moving frighteningly quickly, taking city after city in their swift conquest of the north-eastern coastline. Osternau, and most of Marley, Theo imagined, was in an uproar unlike any he had ever seen. The kommandant (or was it generalmajor, now?) was almost happy that he was no longer headed to the frontlines, seeing as his contingent of the Grand Army had continued on past the city while he remained behind at the Oberkommando's request.

I'm going to get my ass court-martialed, aren't I?" he grumbled, deciding to ignore the laugh immediately disguised as a cough from behind him. Lucky bastards, Theo thought, before twisting the doorknob before him and entering the room in which the Oberkommando were meeting. "God, what a mess."

He entered to find, just as he had suspected but hoped against, the room in near-chaos. Theo could here the distant ringing of at least a good dozen telephones and the hum of radios as secretaries and aides moved to and through, carrying all sorts of important papers and the works. Further on, conversing by the dining table by the Kanzlerhaus's main window, sat the Oberkommando, all of whom fell silent when they spotted him and his fellow officers. There were no welcomes from them, nor smiles. Instead, Calvi, who looked more livid than Theo had ever seen him, turned to him slowly.

"Kriegerin Kommandat Magath," he started, voice little more than a low hiss, and Theo heard a few of his fellow survivors of that dreaded battle flinch under the weight of their Oberbefehlshaber's anger, "I require an explanation."

Deciding to choose his words very carefully, Theo responded slowly. "Of what specifically, Oberbefehlshaber? I trust you've seen the field reports we sent ahead." He and his fellow high-ranking survivors had sent it as soon as they'd reached Jörg and found a telegraph that could relay the information to the capitol.

" Ja, I have," came Calvi's reply. "We've heard a many great deal of things concerning what befell Generalmajor Roland's contingent, and I would hear it from you and your cohorts what happened. And I would think carefully on how you answer this, gentlemen. Your commissions depend on it."

Theo gave a stiff nod, then turned to the side slightly. From his behind, Kommandants Franzie, Phillip, and Benedikt came forward, as previously discussed, withdrawing several papers from the briefcases they held. "A transcript of the events of May Twenty-Four," Franzie began. "At twenty-hundred hours and sixteen minutes, a-"

"I've already read the transcript. Several times," came Calvi's voice, and the Kommandant immediately silenced herself.

"How is it," he continued, voice rising dangerously, "that one of the missing Titans of Old Eldia was there to begin with?"

Theo opened his mouth, closed it again, and thought on his words slowly. Then, deciding there was little he could do lesson the blow of them, he spoke them regardless.

"Because he had been spying on us for an unknown amount of time, Oberbefehlshaber," Theo responded, and there was an explosion of chatter and shouts from the table.

"A spy, in our midst-?!"

"And how is it that you were unaware-!"

"Magath's military record cannot be besmirched- he's a soldier, not a spymaster-"

"-are we just to ignore the fact that there was a spy in our ranks for who knows how long-?!"

"ENOUGH!" Calvi shouted, and the cries silenced. The Oberbefehlshaber sat down heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose, before sighing. "Going forward," he said, the Eldian contingent is to be watched closely. Marley will suffer no more spies. And Henze, I expect you to do your Gott-damned job as Head of the Intelligence, or we'll find someone who fucking will."

Said Head of Intelligence gulped audibly. "Jawohl, mein Oberbefehlshaber!"

There was silence for a moment, the Oberbefehlshaber seemingly descending into his own thoughts, and another member of the Oberkommando, Lukas Emmhan, waved his hand. "The rest of you are dismissed. Except you, Theo. You're seat's been cold without you."

Taking the proffered invitation, the Kommandant sat, wishing to be nearly anywhere else than here. "How bad is it?" he asked, and another Oberkommando, Volker, let out a pained sigh.

"It's chaos, basically," the man grunted. "The devils caught us by surprise up north, what with the Grand Army being so far away. They've taken five cities, from last report."

"Helos help us- Five cities?! It hadn't even been three months since their invasion began!" Magath gaped, and Calvi's fist suddenly clenched.

"Chancellor Freidrick is absolutely livid, and the people are nearly up in arms," another added. "Some Internment Zone are facing lynchings, arsons, the works. Serves the devils right, but…"

"It will only make things more complicated in the end," Theo finished, and all eyes turned on him. "Gentlemen, three-sixths of our military is comprised of Eldian regulars. We cannot afford to alienate them in any way, or we lose our number advantage. We are on the brink of a second Great Titan War, and they will be needed, either as soldiers or as fodder for the Miracle Child."

Then, before anyone else could continue, one of Calvi's secretaries strode over to him and whispered something in is ear, the man sighing again before standing, all the Oberkommando following. "I adjourn the Oberkommando for the time being, gentlemen," he said tiredly. "The Chancellor want's a word. The rest of you lot can go dine at Faciash's- waive the bill to my tab." A chuckle went around the table at that, Theo cracking a smile for the first time the entire day, and Calvi raised his hand in salute. "To Marley's continued supremacy, to our eternal rule! AVE, VICTOR MĀRE!"

"AVE, VICTOR M Ā RE!"

Hail, Victory, mother of Marley.

The meeting adjourned.

Tenth Day of the Six Month, Jahr Unseres Gründers c.854

Bormu Estate, Klakkin, Thule

"Announcing the presence of the Lord of Verräterin, the Honourable Herr Wilhelm Tybur!"

Nodding his thanks to the herald, Wilhelm and his fellow diplomats and nobles entered the large dining hall, waving greetings to friends and acquaintances all around, doing his best to not show how exhausted he was.

Wilhelm was tired. The carefully crafted, easy-going smile on his face did not show it, but he was tired.

Maybe it was because everything was, quite simply, going to shit.

He fought the urged to pinch the bridge of his nose. God, has it only been a month? A month since the Eldians of Paradis had invaded- which in of itself had connotations that Wilhelm worried over greatly . Had the 145th's Will somehow been undone? Overthrown? Where was the Founder? He'd heard reports of two differing Titans the Eldians of Paradis had brought to bear against them, so which one was which? Had the Founder been unbound? Why hadn't why initiated the Rumbling, then? So, so many questions, and so few answers.

It had only been a month, and already at least five cities had fallen. If he didn't move to counteract them soon…

Well. Willy had heard the Founder's words, just like every other Eldian had. If they lost this war…

He tried not to imagine what cruel fates would await him and his family, his children.

"Wilhelm! We've saved you a seat!"

Turning towards the call, Willy grinned, this time genuinely. "Nambia! It's good to see you again. It's been a busy month." Moving forward, he hugged his old friend, before turning to her brother. "And you too, Ogweno."

Chuckling the other man shook his hand in greeting. "A busy month, eh? Considering everything that's happened, I don't doubt it," Ogweno returned. "For what it's worth, you have my family's sympathies. What's happened to your country…" He shivered. "I daren't think of what might've occurred had it happened to Ikhala. We're lobbying our people for what aid we can give to be sent your way, though, never fear."

"That means a lot, Ogweno," Wilhelm smiled. "Don't waste too much of your standing on it, though. I'm positive that the strength of Marley will prevail in the end."

"I'll drink to that!"

Raising a glass of wine (of good, old vintage- dating back to the seven-hundreds, Willy noted,) he took a sip and savored the taste on his tongue. "Now then," he started, "what's this I hear about Hizuru's delegation? There've been grumblings and whispers about them all week."

"We're as much in the dark about that as you are, Willy," Nambia shrugged. "Some of my people reported that the Hizurese have been preparing something to show at a Ballroom. We're not sure if they mean this one or another one."

"Kiyomi still hasn't returned from Hizuru proper?" It had been some time since Wilhelm had seen the Azumabito woman, though he'd not sought her out in some time, what with the war going on at home keeping him busy. And with how they had closed up their embassy in Osternau, and their invasion of Manzhou, the continued silence boded ill.

When he received a shake of the head from his friends, the Tybur sighed. Damn it. Too much is changing, too quickly. Hizuru plots, the Mid-East broods and fractures, the princes of the Raaj are scheming, and the entire world is waiting and watching- Gott, it all had to go to shit at once, didn't it? Not for the first time in his life, Willy curse his predecessors and ancestors for foisting upon him the burden of reforming Marley into something redeemable. It was obvious to him, even before the war against the Mid-East, that he could no longer continue his family's policy of 'light-handed rule,' not the way that Marley was headed if left unattended.

Though, admittedly, Wilhelm did have his own reasons for wanting to step in directly into ruling Marley- the Mid-Eastern diplomats had been annoyingly smug for the last month or so, despite the fact that they had lost the war, and it was very much grating on his nerves-

There was a sudden commotion near the entrance of the hall, and Wilhelm turned to it watch it in time for the Hizuru delegation to enter, the greeting herald's usual proclamation following. "Announcing the presence of Diplomat Soshinabu Takeru, of Hizuru!"

Aah, Wilhelm hummed, watching carefully as the Hizurese delegation entered the dining hall. It's finally starting. Let's see what you plan to present here, today. Bidding his friends farewell, he and his own retinue began to make their way over to Manzhou's- allies as they were, he would have to stand in solidarity with them if whatever it was that Hizuru unveiled today was against the wishes of the Dragon Thro-

Something caught Wilhelm's eye.

The Hizurese delegation had not full entered yet, from the looks of it. Which was odd, because it was only comprised of twelve people at most, as was the norm. His eyes narrowed when one of them leaned back outside the hall, seemingly to converse with someone.

Who are they talking to?

Then, a paper (a letter of introduction, Wilhelm assumed- they were so often changed as diplomats came and went) in his hand that had not been there before, the Hizurese man ducked back into the hall and passed it on to the greeting herald, who took it and began the new announcement. "Announcing the presence of… of…"

Then the herald stopped, pale. His lips opened and closed, yet no words emerged. Red flags raised in Wilhelm's mind.

What could possibly have scared him so that he would be unable to read-

Then, a woman in a uniform Wilhelm had never seen entered the hall, before gently taking the letter of introduction from the herald, and taking his place. And then, voice loud and clear, she began to read.

"Announcing the presence of," she began, "by the grace of our Goddess Ymir-"

-and every conversation in the room silenced at that, Willy's eyes zeroing in on the woman with a speed unparalleled, mind nearly unable to comprehend the words he had just heard.

Did I just- Wilhelm stared, eyes wide. No, no, surely not. Surely-

"-and the Divine Will of Her Most August Imperial Majesty, Historia of the Noble House Reiss! Third of Her Name, King of the Walls, Queen-Founder of Eldia, Lord of All Erde and Shield of Her People-!"

WHAT.

Then it occurred to him what was happening, and the Tybur felt himself pale. No, he thought to himself, surely not- surely they had not-

The herald continued, unabated and louder, seemingly basking in the mounting shock.

"Her Most Venerable August Eminence, Bloodroyal of Eldia, Despot of the Morean and Grandmaster of the Orden der Eule-"

Seven generations of history came slamming to the forefront of Willy's mind in an instant. He knew those titles, save the last, and what those words meant.

Oh Helos, no.

Then the newcomer entered- clad in a green uniform, a white military jacket-cloak, and a black-and-gold brooch fashioned in the Eldian Star pinned upon her breast. Behind her came an entourage of men and women in similar uniforms, foreign in make to anything Wilhelm had ever seen, yet familiar in a horrifying fashion.

The crystal-blue eyes of the Royal Family found his, then narrowed, and Wilhelm cursed every single one of his ancestors that came after the Great Titan War for somehow, during the purges of the King's kin, missing-

"I PRESENT TO YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BALLROOM-!" the new herald proclaimed triumphantly, splaying her empty hand with a pompous smugness unbefitting of her seemed station- yet, it was only then that the newcomer smiled.

And Wilhelm felt fear.

"-DINA, OF THE NOBLE HOUSE FRITZ!"

A/N: YOU ALL (probably) THOUGHT EREN'S 'AUNT' WAS FAYE, BUT IT WAS SHE, DINA!

I'll admit, I've been looking forward to that reveal for a good while now. Which is why it took so long to write this down- I had a specific way I wanted to write her in and it took a while to make everything flow in a decent way. But, anyways, that's done!

So, with that, our first venture into the politics of the international world begins, and continues in the next chapter, date pending. And then after that, I might just tell you where Bertholdt is and why he isn't already in Marley. I have a reason for that.

I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you liked this one as well! Until next time!