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Ch.42- "Pressure"
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A/N- Warning! Vivid descriptions of torture (but honestly, you've been reading about people getting eaten all this time; you can handle it)
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It was getting harder and harder to get information in and out of the district. Just as they had following the riots shortly after Wall Maria fell, MPs patrolled the streets of Trost, breaking up any gatherings of three or more. People talking… that was how it started. The flames that had ravaged the city when the Titans swarmed had long since been extinguished, but new flames were smoldering in the place. Fear. Dread. Anger.
The Crown could assure people all they wanted that the Wall was perfectly intact, that Titans weren't a threat, but the ruined villages and ruined streets of Stohess and piles and piles of dead bodies spoke for themselves. All the papers blamed the Survey Corps- it was their meddling that unleashed Titans within one of the districts of Wall Sina, one of their soldiers who destroyed so many buildings and crushed so many innocent people… But it was also their intervention that evacuated most of the villages near the outbreak in Wall Rose before too many deaths occurred, it was one of their soldiers who plugged up the Wall in Trost and saved countless more people… it was the Scouts who had been going out for the last four years, fighting desperately to reclaim Wall Maria so the poor, starving refugees could go back home.
These dual, conflicting narratives were like gunpowder and flint, and the MPs were doing everything within their power to keep them from meeting. Including monitoring all of Erwin's correspondences. Every note he received from Hange or Levi had been carelessly torn open, most of them ripped beyond what would naturally occur when opening a letter. Fortunately, his remaining veteran officers were a sly lot. Levi's notes were so badly written and filled with so much crude, disgusting sexual innuendo that the eye eventually grew weary and began overlooking the few tidbits of actual, however coded, information slipped between the lines. Hange's letters were worse- by which he meant better, of course. Their pages appeared blank, however they carried a faint, sour odor.
Erwin was used to all manner of disgusting things from his section commander- they still had several of Eren's teeth in a jar- so the realization of them writing their notes in urine didn't upset him nearly as much as the Scouts who delivered said notes. Letters burned into the page when he held it over the flames of candles, revealing strange incongruities. Why would a regional lord legitimize a bastard he begot on a serving girl? Why come for her after the Wall fell, and more strangely, why would the Crown- the Crown he supposedly ruled from the shadows- be so eager to erase this bastard?
Every day, the yoke around the Survey Corps' neck grew tighter, his soldiers growing increasingly anxious as more and more MPs began standing guard at their gates. Times were dire, and yet, Erwin could only smile as he hid the notes and letters beneath the floorboard under his desk (moving it had been a bitch and a half). The web of lies and secrecy woven over a century was slowly untangling, and he could see that single, shining thread that would lead to the truth. Oh, what a time to be alive. All they needed to do now was get their hands on Rod Reiss and they could finally get some answers…
Pixis remained grim-faced as Nifa finished his dictation.
"And if Lord Reiss- or should I say, His Majesty- has a good reason for keeping the current system the way it is?" Erwin shrugged as best he could with one arm.
"Then I will gladly take all the blame for everything that has happened thus far, and accept any punishment His Majesty deems fit. But I have to wonder- what registers as a 'good reason' in your mind? What could possibly be so important that humanity has had to stagnate and suffer as we have for a century because of it?"
"Safety," the older man posited, and his lips thinned into a hard line. It was all he could do to keep from scoffing.
"The safety of who? The third of humanity that perished already because we had no idea that Titans as large as the Walls could exist? The hundreds who died in Trost alone when history repeated itself? Even beyond the Titans, if safety were the primary concern, you'd think he'd actually keep people other than himself safe- ensure they're healthy and well-cared for rather than throwing them in a squalid pit with no food or sunlight so they can kill each other for what little resources are available." Pixis frowned deeply, the lines around his mouth and eyes cutting deep into his skin.
"I have a feeling that nothing Lord Reiss says will be able to convince you he's right."
"And I have a feeling that you and I have very different ideas about what things like 'peace', 'safety' and 'humanity' actually mean…"
He could hear the soles of boots hitting the floor so hard it was a miracle they didn't go straight through, Hange's harried voice growing louder and louder. He had to ignore it as he focused on buttoning his shirt. One day, it would become second nature again, but today he needed to concentrate lest the tiny buttons keep slipping from his fingers.
"Erwin? Erwin!" The door slammed open and Hange sighed in relief as he turned around to meet them. "Oh, thank god you're wearing pants… We've got news- bad news! We've gotta rethink this plan!" They staggered into the office, barely able to close the door behind them, continuously licking their lips as they tried to wet their mouth enough to speak. "Eren said it might have just been a dream, but no- that was too specific to be a dream, and even if it was, it's probably because he heard them talking while he was unconscious and-" A coughing fit overtook them as they dragged themselves to his couch. Forgoing the rest of his buttons, Erwin handed them the glass of water that would have been his.
"Calm down, Hange. Just breathe." They snatched the glass away and began gulping it down greedily, not caring that at least half of what they drank dribbled onto their shirt. They were dressed inconspicuously, a drab, threadbare cloak effectively hiding their ODM gear. Thomasin had managed to pull a similar trick during the culling. Fumbling slightly to set the glass on the floor, Hange pulled their legs onto the couch, sinking deep into the cushions as they fought to catch their breath. The burns on their cheeks and forehead finally healed, but the scars that remained were still shiny and tight, causing the worry in their eyes to make them look far older than their thirty one years. "Now then, what's going on?"
"Rod Reiss wants to eat Eren." Erwin blinked hard.
"…eat. As in…"
"Cannibalize. Like a Titan." Hange shifted, pulling out a crumpled note from their back pocket and handing it to him. It was still warm, and thankfully was written in normal ink. Pulling the chair in front of his desk closer, he sat, shaking the folded page open. Eren's handwriting was nicer than he would have expected from such an impatient, hot-headed boy. The note was written as a script, with dialogue alternating between persons "B" and "Y".
"I take it this is a conversation he overheard whilst he was being kidnapped?"
"Yeah. Between Bertholdt and Ymir. He said Reiner had him in a chokehold and he was blacking out, but this is what he remembered hearing.
Y: I wandered outside the Walls for 60 years… A nightmare I couldn't wake from…
According to her record, Ymir was sixteen, near the same age as the rest of the 104th. Hange curled up tighter on the couch, their lip trembling just a little.
"Can you imagine, Erwin? If they're all like that, like Ymir? They don't want to eat people, but something is driving them to, some instinctive urge…"
"…to find someone like the people in Reiner and Bertholdt's group. Someone who could not only turn into a Titan at will… but turn back into a human." The brunette blinked, and water pooled inside their goggles. They lifted them up to wipe their eyes.
"They can't tell us they're suffering… maybe that's why they're so cute. They're like… babies. Giant, destructive babies who are still unmistakably a threat to humanity, but adorable and innocent all the same. You just wanna protect them." Erwin's lip curled in distaste despite himself. No- even if Titans were humans who could not control their insatiable hunger, there was nothing cute or baby-like about the grossly malformed, distended bodies they were twisted into.
"Please focus, Hange. We're talking about Eren now, not your… children." They sniffled, replacing their goggles and sitting up.
"Right. Exactly. Which brings me to something else. I remembered the reports of Eren's recovery. You were there; Reiner began throwing Titans at you lot after you recovered him and began fleeing, right?"
"Yes. That was the cause of a great deal of our casualties." Hange nodded heavily, their face dark.
"Right. Mindless Titans would start devouring the nearest humans. But why would Reiner take such a risk after going through so much trouble to capture Eren? He had no way of knowing that Eren wouldn't also be amongst those casualties… unless that was what he wanted." They leaned closer to him, lowering their voice so he also had to lean closer to hear. "If a Titan can eat a Shifter and gain their Titan… then it stands to reason that said Titan's abilities would also be transferred. If someone were to eat Annie, they could potentially call Titans to them and harden parts of their skin. And if someone were to eat Eren…"
"They could control Titans…" And so much more. All the pieces clicked into place so easily it was terrifying. If Titans and humans were related, and someone like Eren could direct the will of Titans… then it was possible that someone could also direct the will of humans. Direct them to forget, perhaps.
"Eren's just a vessel," Hange continued, leaning back. "He's replaceable. Honestly, if I were the government, I wouldn't want that god-like power just sitting in a powder keg of teenage rebellion and anger issues like Eren, either. They have to have someone they're planning to feed him to, someone they can control. There are Titans in the Walls- who knows where else the government is hiding them?! They could be under the Chancellery for all we know!" They groaned, doubling over and burying their head in their hands. "And we've just potentially handed him back to the government that wants to eat him… Oh god… Oh god, I've gotta get back- hopefully Reeves hasn't made contact with the MPs yet…"
"No, we need to know where they plan on taking them. If they have a Titan, that's where they'll go. Levi's squad is tailing them; do you honestly think some out-of-shape pencil pushers are going to be able to evade Humanity's Strongest Soldier?" Erwin stood, walking around his desk and opening a drawer. Most of his forms and paper had been confiscated, making the envelope he was looking for easy to find. He tossed it at Hange. It landed on their head, sliding off before they could catch it.
"What's this?"
"The report from Marlene's squad up north. Nick was right- the Wallists aren't talking, but they managed to glean a few reports. Something about the Reiss family chapel stood out as odd to me- you can read it when you get back." He sighed, leaning against his desk. "If the Reiss family are truly the ones who were entrusted with the secrets of the Walls, then why would one of their bastard children also be entrusted with those secrets? Going by what the records say, Historia wasn't even given a basic formal education; I can't imagine the same family that left her to be neglected for a decade teaching her any sort of governance skills."
"I have no idea…" Hange groaned, "All this stuff is making my head spin. I'm used to thinking about Titans, not people…" Harried steps stopped in front of the door, a fist pounding on it urgently.
"Commander Erwin!"
"Come in." The door slammed open, a pale-faced young man stepping inside, his brows drawn together.
"Commander, officers from the First Interior Squad are demanding to see you. They're saying you- they're saying you had someone killed…" Well. This was definitely one method of getting him out of the way. It was foolish to assume the government hadn't been working against them all this time. Hange was on their feet in an instant, already riled up once more.
"Killed!? What the hell!? They're framing you!"
"It would seem so. Hange, get out of Trost and don't come back until things have settled down. Avoid all the districts if you can; the Assembly will probably be putting out warrants for you and Levi soon as well." He grabbed his tie, slipping it loose around his neck, before throwing his dress coat on. His empty shirt sleeve bunched up under the heavy green cotton, but he ignored that.
"Wh-what are you going to do? What is Levi's squad supposed to do- what am I supposed to do!?"
"Whatever you think is best. The same with Levi. I trust your judgment, both of you." Erwin clumsily cinched the belt around his waist. "I must remain here, to act as the face of the Survey Corps. It is unlikely that our enemies will attack us from a single front, and we'll need capable leaders to handle the other prongs of this assault."
"Like who!?" Hange was beside themselves, running their hands through their already mussed hair. "Mike is gone, Cecile is gone, Horace is gone… who else is left?!" Approaching them, Erwin laid his hand on their shoulder.
"You. Should anything happen to me, you, Hange Zoë, will be the 14th commander of the Survey Corps. A copy of your promotion form is already in my personnel file, signed and notarized. Along with my will. I have faith in you." They stared at him in abject horror, their mouth falling open in a silent scream that was quickly vocalized.
"…what the fuck, Erwin…!? You can't dump the Survey Corps on me!"
"I'm not. I have no intention of dying, Hange; this is just a contingency plan." As he began heading towards the door, they grabbed his empty sleeve.
"Wh-what about your talks with Commander Pixis?" They were looking for a crutch, someone else to help shoulder the burden he'd just laid on their shoulders. Pulling his sleeve back, Erwin tucked it into his belt.
"They fell through. Don't rely on him. I'm afraid it's us against the world, now as it's always been…"
~o0o~
The streets were mostly deserted, the cobblestones cracked and broken from the Titans that had barreled over them three months ago. The houses and storefronts were still in disrepair, so many windows boarded over that it seemed like a ghost town. But there were people living in this ruined district, those hopeless souls with nowhere else to go, and it seemed all of them had gathered on the corner. The MPs allowed this congregation, their rifles still in hand but not aiming at or bludgeoning anyone. The whispers grew louder as Erwin approached, the crowd parting to allow him to pass. Did any of these scathing gazes and scowling lips belong to the people who had once cheered as he rode by to head on expeditions, pleading with him to take back Wall Maria for them? Two women were on their knees in the dust, weeping beside a body mostly covered in a white sheet. His stomach felt like lead. Was this how they'd laid out the scene in Oldhill where they dumped his father's body? A doughy man with a receding hairline stepped forward, the green and silver insignia on his coat shining in the early morning light.
"Erwin Smith. Do you know who this is?" Erwin cast a glance down at the pallid face, his eyes instinctively traveling down to the red gash across his throat.
"I believe that's Mr. Dimo Reeves. The president of the Reeves Company." So it seemed the MPs knew that Reeves had double crossed them and cut their losses. Because of him. Because of his decisions.
"Reeves and two of his employees were discovered in the mountains last night. Dead. Their throats slit with a sharp blade, but nothing was taken. You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you, Erwin?" It was all he could do not to sigh. He could not let his emotions get the better of him, not in front of the grieving families of his soldiers…
"I know the Survey Corps is currently suspected of killing them. There's no need to beat around the bush. Just tell me why." The man's already thin lips pressed into a hard line, a tic going off in his sagging cheek.
"…citizens reported seeing Scouts being attacked by two individuals two days ago."
"Yes, we reported that incident to the Military Police and requested an investigation, the results of which have not come back yet."
"We've been busy," the MPs seethed under his breath. "But this attack occurred just as the Reeves Company's participation in the investigation was made public. It seems they'd been hired to stage the attack… and I have to wonder by who. This seems to be a cover up to me. The Survey Corps staged an attack to waste our time, meanwhile they hired the Reeves Company in order to recapture Eren Yaeger, then killed all those involved once they outlived their usefulness." Nothing he said had any meaning- it was all just a show. Erwin's mouth opened before he could stop himself.
"Why did you bring him here?"
"Excuse me?"
"Mister Reeves was killed in the mountains. Why would you bring his body here and lay him out in the middle of the street like a grange display? Is this meant to be a wake? Surely the man deserves more respect than that. You could have easily come to the Survey Corps base and arrested me, and spared his family the grief of this public spectacle."
The officer's lips pulled back from his teeth, but the whispers had already begun. The crowd seemed split- he could barely make out any individual words, but from what he could hear, most of the people were happy to believe he'd played a part in this atrocity… but there were definitely those who found the whole thing suspect, and the Military Police clearly did not appreciate that.
"Now you care about respecting the man; after your soldiers killed him-"
"I've heard plenty of speculation, but I've yet to see any actual proof that my Scouts were the ones responsible for this. The Survey Corps isn't the only branch of the military. You're wearing ODM gear right now- I take it you graduated in the top ten of your class?" The whispers grew louder, an incessant buzzing. He could see the color rising in the officer's face.
"I suggest you watch your tone, Commander, because it sounds almost like you're accusing me-"
"Of course not, Officer. MPs would never do anything to threaten or harm the populace; I'm certain those guns aren't loaded. I'm only pointing out that sharp blades aren't hard to come by and one hardly needs ten years experience in the field to kill a human. Murders like this, tragic as they are, happen every day, and the Survey Corps has never been suspected before." Finally realizing what Erwin was doing, the MP quickly changed the subject.
"Perhaps the Survey Corps is innocent in all this. Even so, you are ordered to cease all Scouting activity immediately, by order of the King, and for all Scouts to appear before the Assembly. If we're wrong about this, you'll all be free to go with our sincerest apologies. You just have to order all your soldiers to come to Chancellery by tomorrow. All of your soldiers. That shouldn't be too difficult- innocent men have nothing to hide, after all." He put his hand on Erwin's shoulder, digging his fingers into the flesh so hard that he could feel pain shooting down past his stump and into his non-existent elbow.
"I pray that this has all been a misunderstanding, Erwin; it's too horrible to imagine that the soldiers who dedicated their hearts to humanity would take those same peoples' lives just to hold onto a scrap of power…"
"Yes… that is a horrible thought."
"Get in the carriage- we'll be escorting you to the Chancellery personally." He wondered if that was really where they would take him, or if they'd just stop by a cluster of bushes, put a bullet in his brain and be done with it. Honestly, that was what he would do… but no. The MPs didn't just kill people… they had to wring every drop of information from them. Pastor Nick… his father… he wondered if, beneath that sheet, Dimo Reeves had all his nails intact…
"I'm coming. Please, just give me a moment…" He approached the center of the crowd, standing over the body. A woman, in her early sixties perhaps with frazzled, graying hair, fury burning in her eyes as she leaned over the body laying on the ground, as though she could protect him now.
"Get the hell away from my husband! Haven't you done enough, you demon!?" How many people in Stohess would spit the same question at him, innocent people whose innocent loved ones he'd gotten killed? The difference was, he deserved the calumny that would pour in from Stohess; he'd like to think this was one crime he was innocent of, but wasn't it his own plotting and machinations that put the target on this man's back?
"I didn't know Mister Reeves personally. I only know what I've heard of the man, that he rebuilt his wealth after the chaos five years ago via illegal trading and backroom deals… And that when Trost was attacked three months ago, he delayed the evacuation efforts by attempting to take that wealth with him…" Mrs. Reeves' face crumpled as tears as she curled over her husband's cold body, trying to protect him these hurtful truths. Another woman, younger than Mrs. Reeves but older than Erwin, probably Dimo's sister, did not cow. Her face twisted in fury, her hands balling into fists.
"So what!? Are you trying to say he deserved to die, you monster!?"
"No… that's not what I'm saying…" Did anyone deserve to die…? "When the smoke cleared, Dimo Reeves found this district on the verge of collapse. He could have taken his wealth and fled further north- he could have found a place to live in Walls Sina, or even bought citizenship into Mitras, easily… but he didn't. He planted his feet and did everything he could to support the men and women who couldn't leave. He used his wealth to help the people… He protected the hopes and dreams of those with nowhere else to go… he dedicated his heart to humanity…"
Tentatively, Erwin reached out, laying his hand on the man's barrel chest. His wife and sister didn't force him back or even yell at him, their breathing ragged as tears streamed down their cheeks. If not for that gaping red mouth and the rusty stains beneath it, he would have looked peaceful. No one shattered his eye sockets or snapped his nose or broke his teeth off at the roots… Perhaps the monster who did this had the slightest sense of mercy and at least let the man die quickly.
"But now, that heart has been stilled by a knife in the dark, wielded by a monster who barely deserves to be called human. I do not know who is responsible for this tragedy, but I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to see that justice is served. Whoever cut this precious life short will be made to pay." His throat grew tight at the end there, and he had to blink away the burning in his eyes, but when he stood, Erwin realized the Reeves widow wasn't glaring at him with contempt. Her eyes were tired, miserable, but almost… pleading. As though she wanted nothing more than to believe his words.
A sidelong glance to the faces in the crowd he passed revealed that, while some were still twisted into scowls, many more looked conflicted, some misty eyed as well.
I think it would make them happy to see that you're just as human as they are…
The animosity had almost completely died away as the MPs roughly pushed him towards the awaiting carriage, the murmurs more confused than angry. The head officer scowled at him as he pulled himself into the carriage.
"You think you're real fucking clever, don't you, Erwin," he spat under his breath. He didn't deign to answer, taking his seat as a different officer stepped in after and sat across from him. Before the door closed and the tiny carriage was cast in shadow, he noticed something odd about the rifle his warden was holding.
"Does that rifle have… two barrels?" Staunch silence was his reply, but he continued as a fist thumped on the side of the carriage and it began moving. "I've never seen such a weapon before. I didn't realize the Interior MPs had such fascinating toys…"
"I suggest you be quiet, Commander, unless you want to see these barrels up close."
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The cells beneath the Chancellery looked quite different from the inside. They were smaller, for starters. Though perhaps that was just his cell. After all, they'd been able to fit a standard military cot in Eren's, while a narrow stone bench was all the furnishing that adorned Erwin's cell. At the very least, it was drier than the floor, which was damp enough that the moisture collected in between the bricks, foul and glittering in what little light the torch on the wall opposite cast this far. Erwin found himself focusing on the ever shifting patterns the flames set dancing at his feet. It distracted him from the growing discomfort in his stump.
Those god forsaken "tingles" were starting up again, and the chain on his wrist was too short for him to reach over and attempt to massage the ache away the way Thomasin had done. She'd warned him that cold and damp would make his pain worse, and even though it was already summer down in Trost, being deep underground at such a high altitude felt as though the chill of autumn had come early. His only being clad in a thin shirt and slacks didn't help matters. They'd confiscated his coat. They'd confiscated his bolo tie as well, but at the moment, it was his coat he wanted back. As the tingling of his fingers falling asleep grew more pervasive, he closed his eyes, picturing his right arm in his mind.
The faint scars, lighter than the rest of his skin, from where he'd cut himself on the ODM wires, the pale blue veins branching out on the back of his hand, the way his knuckles rolled as he slowly flexed his fingers… He felt like he needed to crack the joints in his wrist; there was an uncomfortable pressure building up there that he just couldn't release. That was probably why he didn't acknowledge the footsteps shuffling over the stone floor until they stopped, exceedingly close. The barred door of the cell squealed loudly as it swung open, the sound setting his teeth on edge. The sound wasn't nearly as irritating as the sight he opened his eyes to, however. Despite being decked out in his dress greens, his boots polished to a shine that rivaled the ruby at his throat, Gerald Aleister looked even more weaselly when he was standing over Erwin. His lank, mousy hair and muddy eyes were less flattering in the shadows. He stood tall, however, head held high, shoulders back, his lips pulled into a smug almost-grin.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Erwin. I know this is sudden, but it's time for your interrogation." Just the sound of his voice made him sick, but he kept his expression neutral.
"Who will be conducting this interrogation?"
"I will. Hopefully, you'll make this process easy for all parties involved. Now then, we've taken the majority of the Survey Corps into custody, but cross checking our record with yours has revealed that several of the soldiers under your command are missing. Namely, those under the direct command of Levi and Hange Zoë. Where are they hiding?"
"I don't know." Gerald's lip twitched, as though he were fighting back a snarl. His voice remained as collected and unctuous as ever when he spoke again.
"I know you're trying to protect your soldiers, Erwin, but you are not doing them any favors by withholding information. They've been summoned to stand before the Assembly, and if they don't appear, we'll have no choice but to list them as deserters. And I don't think I need to tell you what the punishment for desertion is, now do I?"
"No, Colonel."
"I'm glad we're on the same page. So I'll ask again; where are the squads led by Levi and Hange Zoë?" Erwin lifted his head, sitting as straight as he could.
"I can't tell you that, Colonel. Because I don't know. I haven't left our Trost base since I returned from my last meeting with the Assembly." Aleister's face darkened, the warm glow of the flame behind him doing nothing to offset the coldness in his eyes.
"You're claiming you have no idea as to the whereabouts of your own soldiers?"
"Yes sir, because that's the truth."
"Why did you order your Scouts to kill Dimo Reeves and his men?"
"I didn't, sir. I don't believe anyone affiliated with the Survey Corps played any role in their deaths."
"What are you planning on doing with Eren Yeager?"
"We intend to use his strength and dexterity in his Titan form to repair the holes in the gates of Wall Maria."
"And what are you planning on doing with Krista Lenz?"
"Given that she ranked tenth in her graduating class, we intend to put her on the front lines to aid in eliminating Titans. She's already proven herself quite adept in the field."
Silence fell between them, the only sound that of the torch crackling and rats gnawing on something somewhere inside the walls. The colonel stared down at him, his lip curling in disdain, seemingly without thought, as though the mere sight of him sickened this man.
"These are the answers you're going with?"
"These are the only answers I have, Colonel."
"We'll see about that. I suggest you use your time here to reflect very carefully on your claims, Erwin. Crimes can be pardoned, but only after an admission of guilt. Lying right now isn't going to help anyone." He turned on his heel and left the cage, the MP posted outside his cell locking the door back as the older man walked past him, vanishing beyond Erwin's limited field of vision.
Once he could no longer hear the scuffing of boots, he dropped his gaze back to the floor. An admission of guilt… What they wanted was to know what he knew. Clearly, they believed he knew too much. At the very least, it seemed that they hadn't found Hange or Levi, yet. A small blessing, but one he was thankful for. As long as they were alive and unaccounted for, the Assembly would have to worry that there was someone else out there who knew the truth, even if they didn't. Erwin closed his eyes, leaning back against the stone and shivering slightly as it leeched the warmth from him. He had faith in his people; they would not falter, they would not fail… and he couldn't afford to fail them, either.
~o0o~
For those first few days after he'd woken from his feverish coma, Erwin thought he'd lost all sense of time. Constantly drowsing and waking and drowsing and waking in such a dark, gloomy room, he'd felt as though he existed in a space completely removed from the normal confines of hours and minutes and seconds. But he'd been wrong. Because even though the curtains had remained closed all that time, they weren't so thick that he couldn't get an idea of what time of day it was outside.
When it was night, the dark maroon drapes looked completely black and Thomasin or Levi lit the lamp on his bedside desk. When it was early morning, the darkness had a foggy quality to it- he could see, but not very well and not very far. In the afternoon, he could actually see quite well; it just strained his eyes. Being in this cell was what truly destroyed his sense of time. There was no change in the way the torch burned. The shadows in his cell didn't grow lighter or darker. His guard did not speak a single word to him.
Erwin told himself that only a few hours had passed, because that was the most likely amount of time, but it was with a sickly dread creeping up his spine that he realized he really, really didn't know if that was true. It was possible that it had only been a few minutes at most and it just felt like the seconds were dripping slow as honey. Or maybe even a day had gone by- so many times he'd closed his eyes just to rest them only to wake up to a new day. He had no way of knowing for sure. He forcibly pushed those thoughts out of his mind. That was exactly why the Assembly had stuck him in the dungeon, with the intention of driving him mad so he would quicker say what they wanted him to say. But he would not.
He kept telling himself that until he heard footsteps again, but they sounded different this time. Heavier- no. There were two pairs of feet marching down the hall, and only one was heavier. Aleister wasn't alone this time. Another man trailed behind him as he stepped into the cell, taking up almost all of the space within. Erwin would have had to crane his neck back to meet this behemoth of a man's eyes even if he were standing. His jacket and boots had to have been custom tailored, because there was no way standard military uniforms were made that large.
"We meet again, Erwin. I understand that you were probably feeling put on the spot when I last visited. Hopefully you've had enough time to gather your thoughts and remember a few more details." He followed Erwin's gaze to the sentinel behind him and smiled, that unctuous, fake smile that made him look like a slimy little worm. "Oh, this is Officer Glennbeck. He's simply here to act as a witness for your confession." Erwin said nothing, but silently wondered if Gerald actually thought he believed that, or if he personally just found it amusing to say such blatant lies? He knew what was coming, and while he could force his breathing to remain calm, he could do nothing about his heart pounding in his chest, already anticipating the pain…
"Now then; where are Officers Levi and Hange hiding?"
"I don't know."
"Why did you order the execution of Dimo Reeves and his men?"
"I didn't."
"What are you planning on doing with Eren Yaeger?"
"We intend to use his strength and dex-"
He only registered the massive shadow moving after the fact, after the pain exploded in his face so intense that his vision went white before immediately going black. The blow was so hard, so sudden that his neck snapped back, his skull bouncing off the brick wall behind him. That wasn't the only thing that snapped.
He felt it, the cartilage in his nose breaking like a bone. Erwin couldn't stop himself from crying out, tears welling behind his tightly shut eyes as his pulse shifted to the center of his face, red spots flashing behind his lids in time to the throbbing. Blood poured from his nostrils like a faucet, spilling into his parted lips as he tried to catch the breath the pain stole away. He could barely hear Aleister talking over the ringing in his ears.
"-fraid we don't have time for a rehash of the same lies, Erwin. You need to tell us the truth. What are you planning on doing with Krista Lenz?" Forcing his eyes open, forcing himself to raise his head in spite of the pain shooting down his spine, icy blue eyes met muddy hazel.
"…we'll be putting her on the front lines to help eliminate Titans."
~o0o~
The throbbing in his nose had just started to ease off a bit when Aleister and his crony returned. He asked the same questions; Where are Hange and Levi hiding? Why did you have Dimo Reeves killed? What will you do with Eren? With Krista? Erwin's answers remained the same, his voice tighter than before as his entire body tensed, preparing for the pain to come. And come it did, only after he once more explained that they'd be putting Krista on the front lines. Glennbeck's fists- both of them- aimed higher this time, his knuckles hitting his victim's high cheekbones and prominent brow with the force of two bricks covered in a thin layer of flesh.
Even though he didn't aim for his nose, the glancing blows were enough that that pain almost overwhelmed the pressure behind his quickly swelling lids. For one horrible, horrifying second, Erwin feared that he'd gone blind, that the force of those punches had ruptured his eyes. He forced them open, and although he could do little more than squint and everything he saw was blurry, he could see. If only just a little.
"You know, Erwin, I'm trying to be patient with you. I really am. I'm certain your obstinance has served you well beyond the Walls, but it's not going to do you any favors in here. The faster you confess, the faster all this can stop. What are you planning on doing with Eren Yeager?" He closed his eyes again, slumping back against the stone.
"Sealing the hole in Wall Maria."
~o0o~
It was impossible to know when they came again. Erwin had just begun dozing off when the cell door squealed open, two sets of boots walking in, but there was something else… Something scraped on the floor, and the sound of his sent a chill up his spine. He couldn't see. His eyes were swollen shut. A rough hand, probably as big as his entire head, wrapped around his arm, jerking him forward.
He pulled back instinctively, until he heard the quiet 'click' and the manacle on his wrist fell away. He was hauled to his feet and dragged off the bench, completely blind as he was wheeled around and pushed down onto another hard seat. He heard Aleister's voice through the blood rushing in his ears.
"Where are Hange Zoë and Levi hiding?" He licked his bloody lips to wet them as his arm was forced behind him, pinned at an angle that began hurting immediately. Something rough coiled around his chest and bicep, locking him in place. He was being tied to a straight-back chair, he realized belatedly. "I won't ask again, Erwin- where are-"
"I don't know. I haven't seen them in over a week." He could feel the fibers of the rope cutting him through his shirt. His left arm was already starting to go numb, and as he flexed his fingers, they felt almost as disconnected as the ones he'd lost.
"What are you planning to do with Krista Lenz?"
"She'll be fighting on the front-"
The first impact to his gut brought up the meager breakfast he'd eaten before speaking with Hange, splashing onto his lap and soaking into his pants. By the fourth blow, there was nothing left to bring up and he was dry heaving too badly to answer any more questions.
~o0o~
They left him tied to the chair, and didn't return for quite some time. He was not left in peace in their absence, of course. Every time sleep threatened to grant him even a few moments of release from his aches and pains, his guard would strike the bars of his cell loud enough to make him jump. His head was pounding worse than his swollen face, the pain growing more intense by the minute until it felt like the floor was swaying underneath him.
He could not move, the ropes around his chest so tight that he couldn't even inhale too deeply, the chair too heavy and his head swimming too much to even risk attempting to stand. When the pressure in his bladder grew too much to ignore, he had no choice but to relieve himself where he sat. As the warmth soaked into his pants, he almost laughed. To think, he'd thought pissing in a pot was humiliating…
He wondered if his Scouts that had been taken into custody shortly after him were at least granted leniency enough to not be forced to soil themselves. He had no idea where Eren and Historia were, but he had to hope that Levi was at least protecting them from a fate this miserable. When the cell door opened once more, he didn't even bother raising his head. It wasn't like he could see- his eyes had swollen completely shut.
"Good morning, Erwin. Or should I say, good afternoon? I hope you slept well." He was on the verge of passing out even at that moment, and may well have had a hand not grabbed a hank of his hair. He was momentarily reminded of how Thomasin grabbed his hair, but the moment she realized she might have been hurting him, she pulled away. This hand pulled harder, ripping the fine, blonde strands, tearing them out from his scalp as it forced his head back as far as it could go.
Something cool and metallic was pressed against his lips- a flask maybe- and when its contents passed over his tongue, Erwin swallowed so desperately that he began choking immediately. His throat, dry and raw, burned- it had to be gin, something he could barely stomach on the best of days, but he was so thirsty, more than he'd ever been in his life, so he drank and drank and drank until the flask was pulled away. He was so out of it that he didn't realize his mistake until he heard Aleister's loathsome voice chuckling over him.
"You're welcome, Commander. I always find a stiff drink helps me relax. Now then, where are Levi and Hange?"
"I don't know." The same questions, the same answers, but surprisingly, no new pains. When he once again told the colonel that Krista Lenz would be fighting on the front line, both men simply left in silence. It quickly became apparent why.
With his empty stomach and lack of sleep, it only took a few minutes for the gin to hit him hard and fast. His mouth dried out, not just his tongue but his lips and all the way down his throat until every attempt to swallow had him gagging. His heart raced in his chest, making him dizzy and lightheaded even as every beat sent a spike of pain driving into his temples. He found himself whimpering and moaning nonsense, unable to care one whit if the guard stationed outside his cell heard him.
The last time he'd been so sick, he was able to lay down in his own bed and Thomasin had sat beside him, holding his hand and bathing his brow and comforting him with soft, sweet words. He wanted that now. He wanted her hands and her voice to make all of this stop, to make him feel better. The screaming hinge rang in his ears like a sound grenade and he retched up all the gin, hot, sour liquid dribbling off his chin and soaking into his shirt. Glennbeck pulled his hand up higher, up to his mid-back, his shoulder popping as the tingling in his fingers became an itchy fire. Maybe it was just because he was drunk, but… it almost felt nice having someone hold his hand…
"Why did you have Dimo Reeves killed?"
"I d- I didn't…" He almost didn't feel the pressure at first- his fingers were numb from having the blood cut off from them for so long, but he eventually grew more and more aware of it, something pulling at the nail of his pointer finger. His drunken haze cleared almost instantly. "N-no-" He remembered seeing his father's hands "Please-" folded across his chest "Please- please don't-" those raw, empty nail beds
The pressure gave way. And for the first time since he'd been down there, Erwin well and truly screamed.
~o0o~
Faces floated before him. Mike and Lisa and Gerwalt and Frey, blending and shifting until they all coalesced into a single face. His own. Except that wasn't his face. A mirror, but distorted ever so slightly. The eyes and the eyebrows and the nose were all familiar, but the cheekbones weren't as pronounced as they should be. And the hair, such a dark blonde, almost brown when his bordered on ash, the color his hair was close to the roots… His father, he realized belatedly.
He was looking at his father, looking at some monster in a military uniform with a fucking unicorn sewn onto their jacket punching his father over and over and over again, breaking his nose, rupturing his eyes, bruising his ribs and guts so hard that he wet himself. He watched as they tied him down and ripped all the nails off his left hand, and because he didn't have a right hand anymore, they decided to make it fair by ripping all the nails from his right foot instead. He watched his father scream and cry and beg for mercy that never came because it was the worst pain he'd ever imagined, somehow worse than getting caught in the jaws of a Titan.
But his father didn't say anything, he didn't confess because he was strong and brave and good and his idiot son got him killed. He did this. He did this- his father died screaming and it was all his fault. No one in the history of humanity deserved this pain more than him, but Erwin screamed and wept and begged because he was cowardly and weak. But at the very least, he didn't confess anything. He continued giving the same answers, no matter how tired he was, no matter how much liquor they poured down his throat. He talked, though. He couldn't stop the words from spilling over his lips.
I'm sorry, dad! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, oh god, please forgive me, I didn't know! I didn't know it was a secret…!
Once, he must have passed out for real, because the next thing he remembered was coughing and choking as a bucket of icy water was thrown over his face, washing away some of the vomit and blood that crusted around his mouth, but chilling him so deeply his teeth began chattering. He wasn't tied to the chair anymore. He was sitting on the ground, the stone cold and wet, his arm chained above his head at an awkward angle.
"So good of you to join us again, Erwin. I hope your new accommodations are to your liking." He said nothing, only forced himself to sit to alleviate some of the pressure in his shoulder. His fingers and toes were on fire. "It seems that your Scouts have been quite busy, responding with force when they were apprehended by the Military Police. That demon of yours, Levi, is a menace to society. He murdered several MPs in cold blood, in broad daylight, in full view of civilians. Thankfully, the coward fled before he decided to turn his blades on any innocent bystanders." Gerald's boots splashed in the icy water as he approached, stepping on Erwin's ankle and slowly putting pressure on it.
"You keep troubling company, Commander. Titans, criminals… the Survey Corps really does scrape the bottom of the barrel." He leaned heavier on the bone. "Your little dwarf lackey might have escaped, but we do have one other avenue to explore. I know husbands often let more slip around their wives than they intend to. I've sent three Interior MPs to Calaneth to bring your darling little mongrel in for questioning." It was probably a stupid thing to do, but Erwin couldn't stop himself, his voice a hoarse whisper that sounded like he'd been gargling with broken glass.
"Three MPs? She's a nurse- you must not be sending your best if you think it's going to take three soldiers to bring her in."
"I don't trust anyone who associates with you, Erwin; I won't rest easy until that bitch has a bullet in her mutt skull along with the rest of your little cult. Oh, don't worry…" The colonel grabbed the lower half of his face, digging his fingers so deep into the bruised flesh of his cheeks that his stubby nails cut into the skin there.
"They won't kill her yet. We need information, after all. I explicitly ordered them not to kill her… that being said, I have no way of stopping them from taking other liberties." He lowered his voice to a whisper that flowed into Erwin's ears like poisoned honey. "Of course, if you're afraid for your wife's well-being, you can simply answer my questions and we can leave her out of this. Where are Levi and Hange Zoë hiding?" Erwin tilted his head back to free his mouth from the other man's sweaty palm.
"I. Don't. Know." Aleister snatched his hand away, storming off, the cell door clanging shut behind him before it was locked. Erwin waited until he could no longer hear any footsteps before he released the breath he'd been holding. His head was spinning, and for once, it wasn't due to the pain.
Had Levi come back into Trost recently, or was this simply old news that had been withheld from him until it was deemed convenient? The idea that Levi would attack anyone, even MPs, without provocation was laughable, which means they must have attacked him first. In broad daylight. In full view of civilians. Meaning that, even if the Crown came out with an official statement saying this was another one of the Survey Corps' evil plans, there would still be some people who knew the truth… unless they were all sought out and silenced as well.
Still, the Levi he knew wouldn't kill someone who wasn't a threat. He'd gladly beat the piss out of them, but if he was outright killing them, then… then they were a threat. Who the hell could be a threat to Humanity's Strongest Soldier? Surely… surely not the same people Aleister sent after Thomasin- no, obviously not. It wouldn't take three Levis to subdue her, but three normal soldiers to deal with a single, unarmed civilian was still odd. Everything about this was odd. Aleister seemed to despise Thomasin in a way he didn't even regard Levi for whatever reason. What had he called her? "Mutt"? "Mongrel"? Erwin had never heard anyone refer to another human being in those terms before. "Dog" certainly, but he didn't call her a dog.
You keep troubling company, Commander…
Maybe that was his way of calling her a bastard, but… why not just call her a bastard? Surely there were more scathing insults than "mutt"?
I don't trust anyone who associates with you, Erwin…
Mongrels and mutts were strays of so many intermixed breeds, it was impossible to tell what all was in there.
Where does a man like you happen upon such an… exotic beauty…?
Erwin brought his knees to his chest, resting his forehead against them. Thinking about something other than the cold and pain had helped ground him, but now his thoughts were spiraling into something darker than he felt he could handle. He trusted Hange and Levi and their squads to be able to handle any problems that arose, but they were able-bodied and armed. He'd painted a massive target on Thomasin's back and thrown her out to the wolves without so much as a word of warning.
No, no- he couldn't think like that; he couldn't, or his resolve might weaken and everything would have been for naught. 'My little bird is strong. She's smart, she's resourceful- I don't have to worry about her. She's always telling me not to worry about her, so I won't. She can take care of herself. She's strong. She's strong…' His father had been strong, too.
Erwin wasn't a religious man. He'd never gone to church and he didn't know any actual prayers, but he cobbled one together, praying, begging anyone who might be up there listening not to let his stupidity get another member of his family killed.
~o0o~
By the time the colonel returned, the swelling around Erwin's eyes had gone down enough that he could see, at least out of the right one. Not that there was much to see- this cell must have been further underground, for it was even darker than the last, the single torch much further away and barely affording him any light. It was only because he had grown so accustomed to the dark that he managed to see the older man stomping towards him, too impatient to let the posted guard unlock the cell on his own. He threw the barred door open so hard that it hit against the wall with a deafening clang. Erwin barely had time to straighten up before the toe of Aleister's boot connected with his stomach, the sharp agony doubling him back over.
"You think you're fucking clever, don't you, Smith?" Another kick, right in the ribs. "You think you just have everything planned out!" Another kick, this time somewhere near his kidney. Choking on his pain, he struggled to catch his breath.
"I don't… know what… you're talking about…"
"The fuck you don't!" Gerald grabbed his hair, forcing his head back, his face so close to Erwin's that he felt the flecks of spittle land on him as the older man shouted. "You knew we'd go after your fucking half-breed, so you sent that midget bastard to lay in wait with her." …what? Erwin shook his head, completely baffled.
"Levi doesn't even know where she lives…"
"No? Then how do you explain the three dead soldiers in that bitch's house?" Three… He almost laughed. Indeed, it took all his admittedly diminished willpower to keep from smiling.
"If I had to guess… I'd say it sounds like a murder-suicide… The Military Police… do seem rather stressed-" Aleister slammed his head back against the wall, and his skull rang like a bell.
"You aren't going to win this, Smith. You think you can brainwash those suicidal fools, you think you can wield a Titan against us, you think you can breed an army with your mongrel whore and probably that little Ackerman slut, too… You can't do anything. You've already failed. We'll exterminate your half-breed and any spawn you've hidden away, and then we'll cut the serpent off at the head." Erwin licked his lips, too satisfied to keep silent.
"You don't even know where she is."
"What?"
"Thomasin. If you had any idea where she was, you'd have brought her here and tossed her into the cell next to mine so I could hear her screaming. I don't know where Levi and Hange are, I don't know who killed your MPs… but I do know you don't have a god damn clue where my wife is." The payment for his hubris came swiftly, the hard leather toe of Aleister's boot striking him in his insubordinate mouth. His lips split open and he quickly spit out the blood and broken teeth that filled his mouth before he inadvertently swallowed them.
"Oh, you'll hear her scream, alright. We're setting up a pillory in front of your gallows. Might as well put that whore to use doing the only thing her kind is good for before she's executed. She can enjoy the sight of your dangling corpse while she's being raped by any man who wants a turn… and you can go to your grave knowing it's all your fault." Blood and spit dripped from his quickly swelling lips. Erwin slowly raised his head, staring defiantly at the colonel.
"…so be it."
~o0o~
He didn't think it was possible to fall asleep. Maybe the cold that had seeped into his bones numbed his pain enough to relieve it for a short while, or maybe his body was just shutting down. But he must have been sleeping since he awoke. Someone kicked his swollen, bloody foot, the pain ripping a pitiful moan from his ragged throat. He instinctively cringed away from the presence, but it wouldn't let him, pressing a metal cup to his lips.
"Drink." A man's voice. Not Aleister's. He tipped the cup, and the moment its contents touched Erwin's lips, he opened his mouth. It was water this time, cool and clean and the sweetest thing he'd ever tasted, soothing his parched throat and cracked, bleeding lips even as most of it ran down his chin, soaking into his already damp, filthy shirt. He leaned forward as it was pulled away, desperate for every last drop; who knew when he'd be blessed with such a gift again? "God, look at the state of you…" That voice…
Erwin forced his good eye open. It wasn't nearly as swollen, but his whole face ached so badly that even such a tiny movement was agony. It took a moment for his vision to adjust, but he noticed the pristine uniform, the ruby at his visitor's throat a deep, blood red in the shadows. Oh…
"Nile… 's you…" His tongue felt as swollen as the rest of him, poking against the gaps where his teeth had been with every mumbled word.
"Your audience with the king has been scheduled for tomorrow." Tomorrow. As if he had any concept of time. "The Survey Corps is being disbanded. I suggest you use this opportunity to plead for leniency on their behalf."
"Your suggestion… is duly noted…" Nile exhaled sharply through his nose. Erwin couldn't see his entire face- lifting his head even a little felt like a spike being driven through his skull- but he could see how tight the other man's jaw was.
"Still stubborn. Still sanctimonious. The nerve of you… Just two weeks ago, you were preaching at me like you were the savior of the world." Oh. Had it only been that long? Erwin laughed, immediately regretting it as his dry throat seized and his chuckle turned into a coughing fit, straining every bruised and torn muscle. "What are you laughing about?"
"Hehehe… they used t' call me… 'St. Erwin'…" How he'd hated that nickname…
"I don't doubt that, considering that the Scouts are almost as much of a cult as the Order of the Walls. They're willing to die for you, Erwin. If you have any compassion, any humanity left within you, just tell the Assembly what they want to hear. End this." Of course. The onus for compassion was on him, not on the powerful men who held their lives in their hands. "Erwin, are you listening to me?"
"…where d'you live these days, Nile…?"
"Huh?"
"Marie an' th' girls… They're by… Stohess, right?"
"Wh-"
"Are they doing well?" He couldn't see, but he could feel Nile's eyes piercing him, trying to suss out what he was "plotting" this time.
"They're… fine. I haven't been home for a while, but they're fine. W-we still live in Avondale."
"Avondale… where's that again?"
"It's… a township a few kilometers east of Stohess."
"I see…"
"Why are you always asking after my family, Erwin? Why aren't you worried about your own wife; she's missing-!"
"Thomasin is fine," he stated firmly. "She can take care of herself. My little bird is strong… the Wings of Freedom aren't clipped so easily."
"You really are a cult."
"She's killed Titans, y'know… but they still terrify her. She was in Shiganshina when the Wall fell… she's been preparing for the next Wall breach since then, even though she lives in Calaneth now… She and Marie should meet; they're practically neighbors, let 'em talk about what a piece of shit I am…" He forced himself to look up, to meet Nile's eyes in spite of the pain. "There have already been Titans inside Wall Rose… and the ones who caused all this strife to begin with are still unaccounted for… I hope you've been preparing too, Nile, for your family's sake…" The prominent apple in Nile's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
"Preparing for what…?" Erwin smiled, slow and wicked, his missing teeth on full display, the scabs on his lips splitting open, a metallic tang on his tongue.
"Give my love to Marie…"
000000000
A/N- Erwin is the smartest, most cleverest and handsomest boy in the whole wide world, who isn't even clever enough to attempt to defend himself during the very obvious, blatant attempt to publicly assassinate his character and frame him for murder, because why would you want to expose corruption and try to get the public on your side when you're about to do a coup (seriously, in the manga, Dimo isn't killed in the city; he's killed up in the mountains, and the MPs admit that they dragged his body to Trost and put it on display)? It's not like public approval is a powerful political tool, something even Hange and Armin- a fucking child-realized. But no, Erwin is just too smart for plebian concepts like that; he gambles it all (because professional gamblers never have any sort of strategy outside of "do this one thing and if it fails, you're fucked")… I love him so much, but he's so stupid; this man specc'd entirely into luck and charisma…
Also, why would said public, who canonically was cheering for you- for you specifically, Erwin- a year ago and knows that the Titan boy plugged up the hole in their Wall, thus saving their city, and that the Scouts were killing the Titans roaming their streets, feel anything but contempt for you? Obviously sane people would despise the branch of the military that keeps them safe from the threat they can't pretend isn't real anymore because it leveled their city less than three months ago! Is there not a single person in the crowd that thinks "maybe the people who have been trying to help us for years aren't evil"?
I honestly believe Karl Fritz used the Founding Titan to make the Eldians in Paradis dumber than the average human (which isn't saying much because the humans in AoT are one of the dumbest populations I have ever seen in published fiction), because as a civilization, they seem to lack any sort of common sense or situational awareness, which is why things like "Plug the hole up with the big rock" and "Titans don't move at night so we should travel at night" seem like such groundbreaking, revolutionary ideas to them. The non-main character Eldians we see don't even display a child's level of problem solving.