Chapter 11
The next day, Eren is feeding the animals in the backyard, there are two horses: Eliza and Alex, some chickens, and of course Fierheit, the dove. While he's feeding the animals, he notices Carla Kirstchien standing behind him.
"Uncle Eren." Eren turns around and sees Carla, and he asks, "What's the matter, Carla?"
"Can I join in the training with Erich today?" Carla asks.
"Of course, you can, but first you would need permission from your father. I'm pretty sure that he would try to kill me if he learned something happened to you."
Carla is delighted a little, and then she says, "I will ask my father now."
After Carla leaves, Eren sighs, "Since there are no more Titan powers, she won't have Ackermann powers, right?"
At the same time, Gloria is growing some flowers on the other side of one wall, when she hears a voice, "Excuse me, do you mind if we have a talk?"
The one who asks is no other than Armin, behind him, Annie, Connie, Reiner, and Pieck are also there. Gloria says, "Sure, I have some time. What do you want to talk about?"
Armin says, "Thank you if you don't mind, will you please follow us?"
Gloria nods as she follows them until they are out of Eren's and the others' sight. Gloria says, "Armin Arlert, what do you want to talk with me about?"
Armin widens his eyes, "You know my name?"
"Of course, I know your name. I used to be one of the volunteers coming to this island with Yelena, Onyankopon, and the others." Gloria says with a bored tone.
"Your last name is Tybur, right? So you're the remaining survivor of the Tybur Family?" Reiner asks.
"What if I am?" Gloria asks, "I guess you want to hear the story of my life, you probably wonder why I betray Marley back then, right?"
Connie says, "We heard that the Tybur Family used to be an influential Eldian family respected by the other nations, you could have a nice life in Marley, couldn't you?"
Gloria says, "You are right, if I'm selfish like my other family members, I wouldn't try to help Paradis Island and leave it for destruction. However, I am not like my family, I watched how Eldians were suffering, and I have a hard time snorting for Eldians. Paying for ancestors' sins? They are really brainwashed for good."
She turns to Connie and Armin. "That day, I was also there when you arrived at Marley, let's say that I didn't wear the Marley uniform because I came off my free will. When I noticed Eren coming out from the speaking alone, I approached him and tell him who I am."
"So you approached Eren even then? Why?" Connie asks.
"I have been stalking Eren for a long time, that also includes seeing him wandering alone in the streets. He was saving a boy from a refugee camp, and after saving him, he has been crying really hard and apologized to him. Of course, the boy can't understand what he's saying, but I understand, he is not going to do the partial Rumbling, he's going to do the full rumbling instead."
"You already knew all of this firsthand?" Annie asks.
"I was at first surprised at what Eren's thinking. At first, I don't agree with activating the Rumbling, which is why after Eren left that day, I decided to bring Eren alone and the two of us, along with some of my family soldiers, to the other nations and try negotiating with them. I was hoping that Eren won't activate the Rumbling."
"But he still did in the end. I have to guess it's because the negotiations failed?" Armin asks.
"All of them failed miserably. And it was also during those failed negotiations that I realized that Eren was right, we do need the full rumbling if we want all the hatred to end." Gloria turns into a cold tone. "And that also caused a lot of my own soldiers to be killed. If uncle Willy or Aunt Lara, or my other family members found out, then there was no end for me. So I asked Eren to finish me before they could, and I was the one who led him to Fort Salta so he would be able to meet Falco, and then I was the one who brought Eren to the basement of my uncle's speech, so he could have Falco bring you there."
"So you were secretly helping Eren all this time when he's spying in Marley..." Connie says. "But we want to ask how were you revived?"
"I was revived along with Eren, Aya, and the others, because of Founder Ymir." Gloria says, "And after the six of us gather, we decide to create a small village for ourselves and live there. Now my story is done, there is something that I have to say to you, Armin."
"Me?" Armin asks with confusion.
"A few days ago, didn't you promise Eren that you won't tell anyone about him being alive to others? And now you have broke his trust by revealing it to the people behind you." Gloria says.
Armin says, "But they deserve to know the truth, we have to make sure Eren isn't going to do something like the Rumbling again-"
"Have it ever occurred to you that you know this might be the reason why your peaceful negotiations will fail one day in the future?" Gloria asks. "Spies are everywhere after all. I suggest that none of you get close to Eren or his family. And since Jean and Mikasa are living with us, I suggest that you try meeting them in another place other than their own house."
"We understand..." Connie frowns. "But could you tell us about Eren's wife?"
Gloria says, "Eren's wife, Aya Neumann, used to be the daughter of Archer Neumann, one of the members of the former Levi Special Operations Squad, and her mother was a Garrison member. I'm pretty sure you know her brother Akira, right?"
"We know. Akira used to be close to Floch and the others." Connie says. "He also has a crush on Sasha and he would sometimes helps her steal potatoes and the two of them would get punished together as well. But he was killed during the operation to retake Wall Maria, along with the other new recruits..."
"Yes, Aya has a similar hatred to what Eren once had." Gloria says. "However, none of them ever met until after both were revived in the end. Aya is probably beside Queen Historia, the one who understands Eren's feelings the most. And since Historia and Eren have already become siblings, it is no wonder that Aya would become Eren's wife in the end."
"Wait, what do you mean Eren and Historia become siblings?" Reiner asks.
"After the revival, it seems that Eren's blood is now the same as Zeke's. Meaning he has Royal Blood now, probably a gift from Founder Ymir. And since Eren also has memories of Historia's sister, Historia decides to treat Eren as her older brother. After all, Historia wants to know what it is like to have a brother."
"But if Eren is now Historia's brother... and now that the island is filled with former Yeagerists who now become the National military..." Connie says.
"I know what you mean, Historia made him the shadow king. Just like how his father did in the past." Gloria says. "With the memories of the previous kings, and with the failed negotiations, Eren is capable of a lot of politics. And besides, he already dropped the name Yeager and now he called himself and the other children Kruger. As long as you don't reveal the truth, nobody will know a thing."
"Gloria? Where are you?" Gloria notices Odom's voice, and she sighs, "It seems that I've already talked too much that I lost the time. My husband is trying to find me, so I better go back. Remember what I said."
Then she walks back to find Odom, and the five of them now look at one another. "Now what?" Pieck asks.
"It seems like we did get a part of the answers that we want. I guess we should go back to my home and we'll discuss it." Armin says as they all leave.
Since Carla wants to train with Erich, Mikasa decides to stay by Eren and Aya's side to ensure her safety. When they are training, Mikasa says, "So you're using the same training methods like Commandant Shadis..."
"Yeah... until this day, I am still sad about his death." Eren says. "I think I'm doing this to memorate him..."
"But how did he die?" Aya asks, "I mean, all we heard was that he retired, but we didn't know how he died..."
Eren says, "He died... together with that Marley general Theo Magath on that ship."
Mikasa widens her eyes, "You mean he was also on that ship? Why was he there?"
"It seemed that Floch did something without my knowledge to Commander Shadis. And considering how he treated himself as a nobody, a bystander, he decided to end his life while saving you from my soldiers." Eren frowns. "That reminds me, Captain Levi was still alive, right?"
Mikasa says, "He's now living in Liberio. Gabi and Falco volunteer to take care of him. He won't be able to battle and now he has to be confined in a wheelchair after helping me break open your mouth that day."
"I see... So the kid who killed Sasha is still living..." Aya mutters. "If you are wondering what's my relation with Sasha... let's say she helped me a lot during our training as Yeagerists."
"But still... I can't believe Sasha would join the Yeagerists, she didn't seem like the type." Mikasa says.
"She refused at first until I told her about her death. Even though I talked about not being able to save her death yesterday, she also accepted her fate and helped me instead before her time was up. Sasha was always optimistic." Eren says.
"I also want to ask about Floch. He seemed to despise you since we picked Armin over Commander Erwin for the Colossal Titan. How did you manage to get him on your side and cause the Yeagerists to happen?" Mikasa continues to ask.
"He overheard the conversation between me and Yelena, and I decided to tell him my real plan, that is, the Rumbling. Of course, nobody likes the plan when it is mentioned first. Floch was also against the plan at first, and he was skeptical of me doing it because I couldn't sacrifice Armin for Commander Erwin. But in the end, he still manages to help me out."
"Then why didn't you tell us?" Mikasa asks. "You could have told me, Armin, Jean, or Connie as well. Why not tell us but the Yeagerists?"
"Because I was a slave to future memories, I can't tell you so that I would let it happen." Eren growls a little. "But I'm glad that I'm free from that. With no future memories pressuring me to do such a thing, life has been slowly happier for me."
Here is a new chapter, and as you can see, I have Gloria talk with the former alliance members and reveal the true story of her past because some of you might notice there are only pieces of her past and I need to put them together, and I also reveal some events based on the ANR theory. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be back with the children's POV.
