There Is A Reason

by DragonGoddess629

The moment Emalina Varlen loses her parents when Shiganshina fell, she decides to join the military in order to become strong. There she meets Jean Kirschtein and instantly there's a connection between the two. But one wants to join the Military Police while the other the Survey Corps. How will these two fare if they choose different regiments?

31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

Kidnapped From the Night

A/N: I've been gone an extremely long time and I am so unbelievably sorry for my absence. I had a chapter ready to post that explained where I have been but when I was ready to post, FanFiction wasn't working so there was nothing I could do. However, if anyone is curious about where I have been, you are welcome to check my other recently updated stories through my other accounts on ArchiveOfOurOwn, Quotev, and Wattpad.

For the time being, I am back. I cannot even express my apologies for taking this long to update! I can't say for sure when I will update next but I am slowly working on the next few chapters and am excited for what's to come. I have a really big project ahead for Emalina and her character, but I won't share until we are a bit further down the line.

Thank you to all who have kept up with the story and have stuck with me until now. I greatly appreciate my readers and cannot wait to hear what you have to say about what transpires in this chapter.

Disclaimer: Attack on Titan does not belong to me, I only own Emalina and any other OCs. The new story picture does not belong to me; I hold no Copyright and found the picture through Google Images.

~ oOo ~

LEVI

Knowing the extent of my sister's injuries, I decided to check in on her one last time before heading to my room for the evening. By the time I stopped by after consuming dinner, Emalina had slowly regained minimal use of her legs. Considering the length of time since the battle with Rod Reiss, I began to wonder what generated this development from using her titan abilities causing wear and tear on her body. When I stepped into their room - yes, I knew she and Jean were, and had been, sharing a room - I stood in the doorway, smiling to myself. Jean and Emalina were facing each other, holding hands as he ever-so-slowly walked backward, keeping his hold on my dear sister while she slowly moved across the room. The face she held as she smiled up at him even caused my own heart to flutter.

I never thought I would truly accept Jean to be the best man for my sister, seeing as how I wanted to be the one to always protect her. But Jean had been with her in situations when I wasn't available; I held nothing against him personally. There had always been a thought in my head that no one would be good enough for my sister and then Jean Kirschtein entered her world, causing everything I originally believed to turn upside down. Because, not only did I trust this man, I actually liked him and knew he was perfect for Emalina.

Clearing my throat, I brought their attention to notice my appearance. About to take a step toward my sister, she held her hand up, releasing the other from Jean's grasp. Keeping her eyes on me, Emalina straightened her spine then slowly took one, two, then three steps in my direction. Her confidence grew with each step but I still cheated, moving my feet toward her to capture the woman in my arms. Holding her tightly against my frame, I could feel Emalina's fingers dig into my back. Stepping away, I cupped her face, that gorgeous smile I loved so much was large and bright.

"You seem to be making great progress and it hasn't been that long since you woke up," I commented.

"That's what I said," Jean commented from his position across the room. "I guess that she'll have full use of her legs come morning."

"We're hoping," Emalina added, glancing between her boyfriend and me. "I just…" her eyes peered upward at me. "I just wish it didn't happen."

My voice was quiet. "I know, shorty…all we can do is keep an eye on you. Maybe you over-exerted yourself by transforming three times within a span of a few hours."

"That's the same idea Jean and I had." Peeking over at the male, Emalina then turned back to me. "You're still leaving in the morning, right?"

Nodding, I then ruffled her still-tangled hair. "That's the plan. Erwin wants me and the team to leave before sunrise. I'll be gone all day so don't plan on seeing me until after dark."

Stepping towards us near the door, Jean crossed his arms. "What's the Commander need you to do at the Reiss Estate anyways?"

My eyes rolled. "Tch, inquisitive brat." I flicked his forehead then my sister's; Jean winced as Emalina giggled. "Sorry, can't give out any more information than that."

"Heh, but you can tell us when you get back, right?" Emalina asked.

My eyes rolled again, though there was a slight smirk on my face. "…maybe, but don't expect too much." Nodding in Jean's direction, I wrapped an arm around my sister's shoulder, pulling her into my body and dropping a kiss against her temple. Standing on her toes, she then copied my movement, dropping a kiss on my cheek. When she dropped to her regular height, I grabbed her shoulders, needing the woman to look directly into my eyes. "Hey, I haven't told you recently, but…I love you, Emalina. Please, please take care of yourself until I get back." My voice had dropped low enough for only her to hear. No offense to Jean, but I didn't want what I had to say to my sister to reach his ears; I'm barely able to speak in such a way to my Emalina as is.

But her smile was all I needed. Giggling softly, Emalina curled into my body, her arms finding their way around my waist again. "I love you too, Levi, so very, very much." I was thankful that she lowered her voice to match mine, seemingly understanding why I had done so. "And I can't promise anything but you know Jean, Sasha, and Connie will keep an eye on me."

Eyes lifting to find the man in question staring, my eyebrows rose. Jean's unspoken answer was to nod which was good enough for me.

As if knowing what I was thinking, Emalina's voice grasped my attention. "As long as you stay safe, we'll be on our best behavior." Her words left me chuckling. Nudging my back to the door, Emalina then said, "If you're leaving early, then you need to go get some sleep."

"Tch, you know I don't sleep, shorty."

"Doesn't mean you should avoid having the chance to at least lay down in a comfy bed."

In the background, Jean laughed softly, causing my eyes to roll once again. Damn, they were a sassy couple. Leaving the two to themselves, I said goodnight, traversing down the hall to my room. Stripping off my gear, boots, belts, and jacket, I wrapped the cloak around myself before laying down, arms crossed across my chest. My eyes closed but only for several seconds only to open again to stare upward at the blank ceiling. Sleep was not going to happen for me tonight, not like I thought it would. I had survived for years on little to no sleep; one more night wasn't going to change that. Inhaling deeply, I released my breath, blowing the air past my lips. Groaning, I ran a hand down the length of my face.

Though I didn't want it to, it was now time for my mind to wander, which was typical on nights I never slept. These last few days have been the exception, considering everything that had occurred. If I had to think back, my mind stopped wandering the day we were told Wall Rose had been breached. Calm and stoic had been my persona that those around me could see. But on the inside, I had been seething at the possibility my sister would have to face the titans without me there. Between then and now, my mind had been focused on rescuing Eren and Historia while keeping my newly formed squad alive.

Through my actions, we lost great soldiers; men and women who had been a part of the Scouts, and my comrades, for several years. It was difficult to understand the reason for these last several days: Eren and Historia's capture, the coup d'etat against the central government, Erwin's arrest, and everything that had happened to my precious sister.

Eyes closing again, I breathed in deeply, inhaling the air surrounding me as if it was to be my last breath. Taking this moment, the first in roughly a week, to think about and consider what my sister has undergone caused my anger to boil underneath my skin. What angered me the most was the fact that I failed as a brother to her. I wasn't there when she fled from the titans; I wasn't there when she fought the titans at Utgard castle; I wasn't there when she lost her leg and was kidnapped nor was I there when that fucking Bertholdt turned my sister into a fucking titan!

Growling, I slapped my forehead in annoyance. "Some brother I am," I muttered to no one but myself. "I can't even fucking help my sister when she needs me most."

Just thinking alone of what happened to her led my mind down a path of dangerous thoughts. Emalina and I hadn't really talked about Reiner and Bertholdt but I knew the three had been close, as she saw them almost like family. Knowing they, along with Annie as the Female Titan, were the reason for the fall of Shiganshina left a sour taste in my mouth. Not only were they the ones to cause this madness, but they were the reason Emalina had lost her family, the reason she had become the way she is. However, I had to acknowledge that if none of this had happened, I most likely would have never met Emalina, meaning I never would have gained a person in my life who would thus become my family. In the deepest recess of my heart, I was, darkly, thankful for the situation that happened, all because I now had my sister in my life and I wouldn't change a damn thing about that. I loved Emalina with everything my body could hold. The sense of will I have now does not compare to the will I had several years ago, let alone a few days ago.

Now that I had the time, it was time to further my thinking.

My sister was now a titan. Whatever the reason was for Reiner and Bertholdt to give her whatever it was that changed her, she now had this ability, just like Eren. Compared to titan boy, her appearance was different. Aside from his seemingly male and her seemingly female, Emalina had blue flesh covering a portion of her body; she had hardened skin over certain areas of her limbs; and she had small, canine fangs protruding past her teeth. Her overall appearance was rather appealing, but the fact remained that this ability was forced upon her unwillingly. And all that I could think about now was the fact that I hadn't been there; I hadn't even known of all that had fallen upon her until the Scouts had returned from rescuing her and Eren.

The night they returned to Trost was late into the evening, the entire city was nearly asleep. Waiting at the front of Headquarters to welcome my sister home where I wanted to hug the shit out of her and tell her how much she meant to me. I was not granted that.

The recruits were at the end of the group of returning Scouts and Military Police, Eren escorted by Armin and Mikasa. Tailing behind them were Connie, Sasha, and Jean who held an unconscious Emalina in his arms. I tried asking Jean what the hell had happened but the make wouldn't speak, saying he needed to get my sister into her room. By the time we had acquired her old room, it was filled with me, Jean, Connie, Sasha, Moblit, and Hange, all wanting to know what exactly happened. And then he told us everything. Jean explained all that occurred from the moment he arrived atop the wall to finding Bertholdt holding her captive; to Reiner dropping her; the initial transformation; her first attack as a titan; to finally when she wouldn't wake up after her titan collapsed at the wall. Once he was done, Sasha gave her input for when they were forced to leave the compound while Connie described her bravery at Utgard Castle.

I remember staring at my sister, silently commemorating her heroics. But I also remember staring at the fact her left pant leg was gone, completely in denial she had nearly her entire leg bitten off. How much pain would my sister have to bear in her life, let alone what she endured within the last few days?

And then, within the blink of an eye, my mind now wandered to just two days prior when Jean and Emalina went undercover as Eren and Historia. We had very briefly talked about what had happened to her that day, especially considering the outburst she had that night against Connie. She didn't explicitly say what occurred, though judging by her silence and reactions that she was affected by something heinous - I knew she had been touched. Or worse…she had been raped, though I didn't know the full extent. If this happened while she and Jean were captured, does that mean he witnessed everything? Was there nothing that bastard could have done to protect her?!

Breathing deeply, I needed to calm down for I knew he would have done anything to protect our Emalina. And considering they were wearing disguises, I understand there was probably nothing he could have done at the moment without blowing their cover.

Laying in bed rethinking all this left me weary and utterly confused. Why Emalina, why my sister? What had she done to deserve all this? Grasping my nose, I tried forcing all thoughts from the forefront of my mind. Unfortunately, what's done is done, as if there was anything I could do to help my sister or stop these worrying thoughts. Deciding now was the time to calm myself, I inhaled and exhaled. Easing my mind as best I could, I finally was able to feel my eyes grow tired as they gradually closed.

By the time my eyes next opened, darkness still covered my room though I knew sunrise was imminent. Knowing it was time, I hurled myself from bed, dragged myself to the shower, and quickly dressed in preparation to leave. Once my drying hair was neatly combed and my gear was perfectly in place did I exit my room where I made my way straight toward the stables outside of Headquarters. Greeting the other Scouts who would be traversing with me, I nodded toward them. They engaged in conversation with one another as I kept to myself. Appearing before my steed, I stroked the calming creature, quickly brushing away spots of dust before securely placing his gear upon his back. As I had just tightened my steed's bridle, I could hear the other Scouts call out to Erwin as he made his way through the stable. Approaching my side, Erwin nodded, using his remaining good limb to scratch behind my horse's ear. Watching the man, I said nothing until he spoke first.

"Good morning, Levi," bushy brows said.

"Tch, if you must call it a good morning," was my blunt reply.

My words left the man chuckling though his smile quickly fell. "Are you and the others prepared?"

"As prepared as one can be."

"Good," he said, considering the band was used to my way of speaking. "And you remember the task, correct?"

Eyes narrowed at the man. "Erwin, it may be early morning, but I'm not forgetful. We're headed back to the Reiss Estate to scavenge anything we can from the wreckage." I swallowed, my hand reaching forward to stroke my steed's snout. "You've also instructed us to search for any survivors of the Anti-Personnel Squad, especially Kenny."

Nodding in agreement, Erwin clapped my shoulder with his remaining hand; I'll never get used to seeing this man with one less arm. "Good, good, I never doubted you, Levi, I just know this will potentially be exhausting." Grunting in response, I glanced around the stables to see all my men ready. Nodding in their direction, we moved outside where we mounted, fully prepared with our gear and resources needed for this relatively easy mission. Peering slightly upward at me, Erwin then asked, "Levi, before you go, I have one more question for you."

Eyebrows raised, I hummed. "And what would that be?"

"It's about Emalina. How is she, do you know? I haven't had a moment to spare with her and was curious to see how she's faring. After the Reiss incident yesterday, I realized I may have crossed a line by telling her that we would need her titan to be successful in taking it down."

Rolled my eyes, I then huffed. "Shit, don't fret about that bushy brows, you know how Emalina is. She most likely would've turned whether you asked her to or not. That's just how my sister is."

"Yes," he said slowly, stroking his chin as he stared at me with slightly narrowed eyes. "Again, much like her brother," he sighed. "I have spoken with both Sasha and Connie, they explained her condition to me. What concerns me is Hange hasn't reported Eren suffering such injuries that Emalina has and she's transformed far less than he."

Eyes falling, the same thought had crossed my mind as well and it caused me to be concerned. "I know and there's nothing we can do. Even if we forbade Emalina from using her titan powers, knowing her, she would still use them anyway."

"Yes, I agree. I guess all we can do right now would be to keep a close eye on her and monitor whenever she transforms."

I nodded in agreement. "As for how she's doing, I would speak to her yourself. I was with her right after she woke up and after dinner. When I was with her the second time, she had better use of her legs and was able to slowly walk without assistance. She and Jean believe she'll have full range come morning, so we should see in a few hours."

Blinking, Erwin shook his head and sighed, a frown evident on his face. "Oh goodness, I had no idea the situation was worse than what I was made aware of." Taking a look around, Erwin seemed to realize his men were all waiting for our conversation to end so we could begin our journey. Clearing his threat, the man then said, "I apologize, for it seems I have kept you too long. So go, but make sure you return as quickly as you can, I know you want to be with your sister."

"The Scouts come first right now, Erwin, I need to give them all of my attention."

"That may be, just don't forget your responsibilities as Emalina's brother."

"Tch, not like I need you to tell me that." Nudging my steed forward, the others fell in line behind me. With one last look at Erwin, I said, "Take care, old man, we'll be back tonight." Lifting my head to the comrades surrounding me, I raised my voice to say, "Scouts! Let's head out! It's time to travel back to the Reiss Estate!" Nodding one last time to Erwin, I steered my horse first, its speed increasing into a gallop as we soon left the city behind.

Headed straight toward the Rod Reiss Estate, we increased our speed, reaching the land easily within the hour. Halting our horses near the collapsed cavern, I instructed the other Scouts to search around what remained of the estate and to enter the cavern. They were to report any and everything they might find, even if all they could scavenge were dead bodies.

Leaving them behind, I searched the surrounding area, curious to see if any of the Anti-Personnel Squad survived and were able to escape. Once I meandered around the perimeter once, I steadied my horse and left him with the other Scout's steeds. Calling out to another member, I had him traverse on foot with me as we grabbed our guns, holding them firmly against our chests, ready to attack if there by chance were any survivors. Walking toward the woods, the other soldiers were left to themselves.

For the rest of the day, we walked. That's all we fucking did was walk. Occasionally we met back with the other Scouts to discuss what they discovered. So far, all the men and women found were the ones we killed before finding Eren or were killed from the cave-in. Not finding anything else, I declared we would traverse one last time and then leave within the hour. Jeffrey, the Scout I partnered with, suggested following a path he found in the grass, suggesting someone - or something - had recently walked through. Guns held closely and tightly, we walked in silence until we could make out a figure in the distance. Slowing our pace, our gaze held the figures within our sight until I relaxed, knowing exactly who we were looking at.

It was a severely injured Kenny.

I lowered my gun as Jeffrey cocked his at the dying man who suddenly coughed, blood spilling past his lips. Eyes closed, mouth open, Kenny muttered, "Oh…it's you…" almost as if he knew I was coming.

Seemingly disinterested, I said, "All of your men who fought us have been crushed. Are you the only one left?"

"…looks that way."

Silent, I wasn't sure what to say. Here sat the man who raised me after my mother died, despite ditching me when I was able to take care of myself.

"Captain…" Jeffrey quickly spared me a glance, gun pointed directly at the man.

Narrowing my eyes, I then turned to Jeffrey. "Report back," I said. "I'll be fine on my own."

"Yes, sir." Keeping one last eye on Kenny, he finally turned, quickly backtracking to meet with the rest of the Scouts and relay what we had found. I only spoke once we had been alone for several moments.

"Severe burns, all that blood loss…you're a goner."

Kenny peeked at me then closed his eyes once again. "Oh, is that so?"

Grasping a small, rectangular box beside him, the dying man slowly unlatched the lid, pulling it open. Remaining in my spot, my eyes widened, recognizing exactly what he had. Inside lay a large, medical cylinder, two needles, and two valves filled with liquid. My mouth fell open next.

"I swiped one from Rod's bag…I'm guessing'…using one of these'll make me….a titan." His breathing was slow and deeply ragged. "I'll be…a stupid titan. But…it should…keep me alive for a little while longer."

Watching this man was pathetic. Half his face and skull were severely burned and he most likely had several broken ribs, maybe more. A thought struck my mind when I questioned how long he'd been sitting in this one spot. "You've had the time and energy before this to inject yourself. Why didn't you…?"

"Huh," Kenny grunted. "I…wonder. If I don't do it right…I'll probably turn out…all messed up like him."

Completely ignoring what he said, I then spoke. "…there's no way you'd sit around and wait to die. Don't you have a better excuse?"

"But…oh…I think…I just got it…why he did that…"

Unable to process his words, my head tilted, eyes narrowing. "Huh?"

Suddenly wanting to open his eyes, Kenny peered upward at me. "Every last person I've seen…was the same way. Whether it was booze…women…or even god. Family…the king…dreams…children…power…They couldn't keep going…unless they were drunk on something. They were all…slaves to something…even him…Gyah!" His body was taken over with uncontrollable hacking, blood spewing from his lips onto his hand while dripping to the ground. Wheezing until he was in a better breathing situation when he finally spoke again. "Wh…What are you? A hero…?!"

Ignoring his last comment, I dropped to a knee, sharply grasping his shoulders. "Kenny. Tell me everything you know. Why doesn't the first King want humanity to survive?!"

He coughed some more. "Tch, like I'd know. But…it's the reason…we Ackermans opposed him." Hacking again, a splash of his blood splattered against my cheek, but that was not my concern at the moment.

"My last name seems to be 'Ackerman' too. What were you to my mother…really?"

My question seemed to give the man a laugh that caused another coughing fit. "Hah!" He wheezed. "You idiot…I was just…her brother…"

Dazed, I merely sat on my knee, aimlessly staring at this man, who, this entire time, had been my uncle. "That day…why…why did you leave me?"

"'Cause…I can't be some kid's dad…" With as much strength he could muster, Kenny slammed his hand into my chest, deciding to gift me the box of titan serum. "But," Kenny wheezed again, blood trailing past a split lip. "I have some…interesting information…you might want to hear."

"Tch, there's nothing more you can tell me that I'll think is worth my time."

This caused my 'uncle' to smile. "Ha! You fucking smartass. No. What I have….to say revolves around…your sister." My eyes widened. "Yes, I'm talking about your little Emalina Varlen."

My knife was pulled from my boot within half a second and positioned against Kenny's neck before he could even blink. "Be careful what you say, old man. There are not a lot of people I'd kill for but she's one of them, so tread carefully."

"Tch, I knew you cared about the girl, I just…didn't know how much." Reaching inside his vest, Kenny was slow with his movements, gradually pulling out a worn, thin, tattered journal. Edging his hand in my direction, he nudged the object into my chest. "Levi…I kept an eye on you ever since I left, keeping an ear out for you whenever your name was called…but…When I heard you joined the Scouts and…claimed some little girl as family meant…I had to do some digging…"

Glancing between the journal still in his shaking hand and his barely opened eyes, I wasn't quite sure what to make of his statement. Slowly grasping the journal, Kenny's arm fell to the ground, unmoving as I stared at the bound paper in my hand. Curiosity held my interest, but first, I needed to hear whatever else he had to say.

"Hmph, congratulations. So you kept tabs on me all these years, so fucking what." Digging my knife deeper into his neck, the skin was cut, leaving a thin trail of red liquid to mix with the rest of his injuries. "But you better explain what my sister has to do in all this!"

"You…little shit…Look in the damn journal!" He wheezed, coughing again as blood splattered more onto the ground. Humoring the dying asshole, I replaced the knife inside my boot. Holding the journal in both hands, I pulled back the cover. The first page was blank, but on the inside, there were lists upon lists of names. Most were crossed out with the word 'dead' next to them. "Open the back," Kenny suddenly stated. For some reason I complied, flipping through the pages until I reached the back. There were fewer names, but at the top, it said, "Ackerman".

Confused, I said without looking up, "…what is this?"

"That…is our family, going back to those who lived when the walls were built."

Besides the list, there was a hand-drawn family tree. If this was a list of my so-called 'family,' I quickly searched for my name. Turning the page, there was another map and this time, I found Kuchel's name - my mother's name. Directly below her name, underneath a vertical line, was my name. Eyes following my mother's, Kenny's was to the right connected by a line, but to the left…my eyebrows rose.

There was another name on the opposite side of my mother which read "Serena Ackerman".

Serena…why does that name sound familiar?

Next to that was a name that read "Miles Varlen" Wait - Varlen?! Casting my eyes downward, I noticed there was a name directly beneath these two connected by yet another line. And as my sight acknowledged the name, I audibly gasped, nearly dropping the journal from my shaking hands.

The name read Emalina Varlen.

Narrowing my vision, my eyes slid upward to find Kenny sneering at me. "My sister's name is here…what the shit is this Kenny?"

"I always knew you were smart…but you're acting pretty stupid today…Emalina Varlen…is your cousin…"

Eyelids widening as large as they could go, this time the journal did slip through my grasp. Quickly picking the damn thing up, my vision continued to focus on what I could read off the page. There's no way, there is just absolutely no fucking way! Hearing Kenny wheeze more meant he had barely any time remaining, which also meant I needed to get my questions answered, and fast. Voice low, as I assumed he was lying, I asked, "What do you mean…?"

"Now you can't fucking hear?" More blood trailed from his lips. "Believe me or not…that girl you call your sister…is actually your cousin…and my niece."

My facade fell and my mouth fell as well, leaving me not quite sure what to say. Was he telling the truth? Were Emalina and I related by blood?

"Believe me or…not, Levi. Emalina's mother, Serena…was my baby sister, and she…was quite younger …than your mother and I."

"But that…" Snapping the book shut, I dropped it to the ground, clothing Kenny's shoulder tightly enough that he winced. "With those injuries, you probably only have moments to live. Why tell me this?!"

A glazed look covered the man's eyes as he peered off to the side. "Who knows…Like I said…I've been following you for some time and maybe…maybe I wanted to do one last thing for my nephew. Or maybe…" Hacking for what seemed like minutes, Kenny pulled his hand away from his mouth, the trail of blood now a river. "Maybe I wanted my niece to know…that she at least has one surviving family member."

Fingers tightening into his shoulder, I snapped. "You didn't give a damn about me, why do you suddenly care about my sister? Why her?!"

"The girl, no…I don't care about…her. But she…looks exactly like my baby sister and I promised my sister that I would…protect her daughter…The only regret I have in my life…is not seeing my baby sister in the years…before she died…"

With his last breath, Kenny exhaled, then closed his eyes indefinitely.

Releasing his now tense shoulder, I hastily stood to my feet, eyes cast down on the man who had been my uncle this entire time. But now was not the time to worry about that. Moving my vision to the journal, I reached down to take hold of it when I remembered the serum. Kneeling once more, my left reached for the serum as my right held the journal. Both were equally important and right now the serum should hold my utmost concern, but I couldn't give two shits about that. Forget the fact that Kenny had been my uncle all along; forget the serum; forget everything other than the possible fact that Emalina and I could be family.

Just thinking about the thought increased my heart rate. Even if I hadn't considered it, Emalina had been my sister since day one. But the concept that we could be related by blood blew my mind. Even if his journal and Kenny's last words were fucking lies wouldn't stop me from loving Emalina. The thought I could have a living family member left me feeling warm. The question I was left to ask myself was this: do I tell Emalina? Is this something she would want to know?

My thoughts were then interrupted when footsteps soon echoed behind me.

It was Jeffrey. "Captain?"

Back to my comrade, I replied, "What."

"We have scavenged the area one more time and it is the same as earlier. We have found no survivors. And what of - ?"

"No survivors," I repeated, my stare now glaring at Kenny's corpse. "This man's dead too." Turning to face the Scout, I wasn't surprised to find him alone. "It's time we head back, we've been out here for far too long. Let's meet up with the others."

"Yes, sir."

Stashing the gun across my back, my grip tightened, never wanting to let go of what I have learned today. I would take some time to think. Of course, I would be speaking with Erwin and Hange about the serum the moment I returned. Speaking with Emalina, on the other hand, would have to wait as I needed time to think. I would wait to speak with her but sharing this information with Jean wouldn't be a bad idea.

Until then, I was ready to head back. I was missing my sister and all I wanted was to hold her and remind her that she was loved and would always be loved.

~ oOo ~

EMALINA

Jean was right.

Come morning, I had full use of my legs as if nothing has happened as I was not suffering from any consequences for using my titan powers. The thought still left me wondering what would happen in the future. Would I lose my ability to walk again? Or, according to Jean, I additionally suffered from a severe nosebleed when he and Levi dragged me out of my titan. That would be something I'd have to eventually face as this wouldn't deter me from becoming a titan once more if I was able to make a difference in this world while still saving my brother and comrades.

Once awake, Jean and I made our way down to the Mess Hall where we ran into Sasha and Connie. It wasn't that long into our breakfast when Erwin stopped by our table, asking for our appearance when we were done. Quickly consuming the rest of our meal, we made our way upstairs, running into Eren, Mikasa, and Armin along the way and then Historia outside the Commander's door. The meeting with the Commander was unexpected, to say the least. Essentially, since Historia agreed to take on the role of queen, her coronation needed to take place as soon as possible. Upon the end of the meeting, it was declared that we would head to the Royal Capital the following day, and two days later, Historia would thus be crowned the new queen.

On our end, there wasn't much we could do to help with the preparations for the coronation. Instead, the four of us - myself, Jean, Connie, and Sasha - helped around Headquarters and within the city with anything or anyone that needed any assistance. We kept ourselves busy which helped the time pass by quickly; however, it didn't help the fact that I missed my brother dearly. Occasionally, I found myself staring off into the distance toward the gate, hoping to see the stoic face of my brother. Being Captain, Levi was given additional responsibilities by Erwin and was respected within the Scouts, and was known to get tasks done so it wasn't surprising he was given this task.

But when Levi returned after the sun had set, he seemed…different, distant even. He found me leaving the Mess Hall after dinner and greeted me coldly, gave me a side hug, then swiftly left to find Erwin. This was so strange and out of the norm for Levi that even Jean, Sasha, and Connie commented on his behavior, though I let it be. I had no idea what he was tasked to do at the Reiss Estate and I wasn't about to ask. Maybe he was tired as he had been gone since before sunrise or maybe he had enough on his mind that he just wanted some time alone. Whatever it may be, I would grant my brother the space he deserved.

By the next morning, we were all packed and saddled on our horses, ready to travel to the Royal Capital. Wearied in the bustling city by early afternoon and the moment we walked into the palace, Historia was immediately taken away along with Commander Erwin and Levi. Before leaving us, Erwin instructed we were being given free rein to roam the city, having the full day to ourselves before the coronation in two days. Roaming around the city, Jean, Sasha, Connie, and I visited numerous shops and ate as much food as we could, politely devouring courses of meat along with plentiful mugs of ale. By the time night fell Jean was carrying Sasha as I had Connie's arm over my shoulder. We were pleasantly buzzed while these two were full-on drunk off their asses. It didn't come as a surprise how much these two drank as there was more than enough to be thankful for and to celebrate.

The plan was to spend the following day shopping for new clothing. Sasha expressed how she thought it would be a nice change of pace if she and I were to purchase new dresses to wear to the coronation. I immediately agreed, thinking it would be wonderful to wear something new and special. Upon listening to our conversation, Jean shared the same idea with Connie, who, knowing the bald man, expressed his disinterest in wearing a dress. With a slap across his bald head from three different friends, he finally agreed with Jean's idea that they deserved something new to wear as well.

This is why, as it was now the following morning, I found myself in an upper-class salon with Sasha who was currently discussing with the seamstress what we were looking for. Sasha explained how she was looking for something longer whereas I was the opposite and wanted something closer to my knees in length with long sleeves. Stepping in the back for several minutes, the seamstress returned with a dress for each of us to try and provided us a room to change. When we stepped out several minutes later my mouth instantly dropped to the floor; Sasha was fucking beautiful! Hell, she's always been beautiful but I had never seen her like this!

Her dress was long just as she wanted, flowing down to her ankles. The sleeves were laced and reached for elbows, synching at the end to create a puff effect with the material. To add, the seamstress brought a dark maroon corset, insisting Sasha try it on. Obliging, Sasha tightened the appropriate strings, smiling brightly when it was finally on and secured in place.

"What do you think?" She asked timidly.

"Damn, Sasha," I said honestly, staring in wonder at my best friend. "The dress alone is fantastic but the corset just completes the whole damn thing!"

Looking at herself in the small mirror she was holding, Sasha was all smiles. Nodding, she replied excitedly, "Yes, I think I'll get it! But what of you, Ema? That dress on you is gorgeous!"

Smiling slightly, I nodded in agreement. The soft cream color was nice but it was a bit longer than I wanted. It's nice, but…it's not exactly what I was thinking."

Holding her chin, the seamstress seemed lost in thought. "You know, I think I have another dress, let me go fetch it." Gone not even two minutes, the lady soon returned with two boxes in hand. "This is a new design I'm trying, so give this a go." She handed me one box. "Then place this over, I really think you'll like this with it." Grabbing the second box, I stepped back behind the curtain.

Carefully folding the first dress, I then pulled the second one out, mouth instantly falling at the design. Quickly throwing the material over my body, I squealed, already in love when I hadn't even seen myself in the dress nor matched it with whatever was in the second box. My mouth fell once more when I opened the next box to reveal a corset to which the colors were absolutely beautiful! Once everything was secured and in its place did I step out from behind the curtain; both the seamstress and Sasha were in awe.

"Ohhh, Emalina!" My friend cried.

"Yeah, I believe that's the one," the seamstress said with a smile. "I just knew this design was perfect for you."

Handing me the mirror, Sasha couldn't stop beaming. "And I thought the last dress was gorgeous!"

Smiling, I felt so happy in this dress. It was a different colored cream color than the first though it looked much better against my skin tone. The neckline was fairly low and the sleeves fell to my hands just as I wanted, and the overall length stopped right at my knees. There was a band on the sleeves beneath the shoulder causing this section to puff slightly, just like Sasha's, leaving the rest of the fabric to be long and flowy.

And the corset, where do I begin? It was a rich blue color that matched my eyes perfectly with floral designs etched into the fabric. It was absolutely beautiful and simply perfect. This was the dress I would be wearing to Historia's coronation tomorrow. Glancing back at Sasha, she had a mysterious glint in her eye.

"I know that look, what're you thinking?"

"Hehe, I'm thinking that not only are you fucking gorgeous, but that is certainly a dress Jean will want to rip off you."

Horrified, I jumped and squealed, fumbling with the mirror in my hands as I nearly dropped the breakable object. "SASHA!" I cried. Having to walk away, the seamstress' face turned beet red as she her laughter behind a hand. Smacking my friend's arm I was almost hysterical, trying my hardest to contain my laughter.

Hands held upside down, the woman shrugged, still smirking. "Hey, I know it's true and so do you. I mean, come on, Ema! Jean adores you and that look he's been giving you these last few days…I mean, damn!"

Scoffing, I turned my head, knowing the exact look she was referring to but was in denial. "Psh, I-I don't even know what you're talking about - ow!"

Suddenly poking my side, Sasha was all smiles. "Don't you lie to me, Emalina Rose Varlen! You know exactly what look I am talking about. I mean, come on! Jean has been practically undressing you with his eyes for the last three, four days!"

"He isn't staring to undress me!" Sasha rolled her eyes so I finally conceded. "All right, all right!" I swatted her hands away. "I'll go as far as to admit that he has a certain look, but that's it!"

"Ok, ok lover girl, I get ya."

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. "Geez, lover girl? Really?"

Sasha shrugged. "You're a girl in love, what more is there to say? So how about we buy these dresses and get some lunch? I'm starving!"

Changing into our street clothes, we gladly purchased our new dresses and happily found a small place where we were able to order sandwiches with meat. Sasha was clearly in heaven as she heartily consumed her food and whatever was left of mine that I couldn't finish. It wasn't long after that we met Jean and Connie back at Headquarters who also had finished their shopping, carrying boxes of their own. Once we were back in our rooms, the first question Jean had was whether he could see me in my new dress before the coronation. Smiling sweetly, I gently patted his cheek and told him that he would need to be patient and wait. The expression on his face was priceless and oh-so-adorable, per usual.

The next morning, seeing how the coronation was to take place later morning, Sasha and I dressed in my room while Jean and Connie dressed in another. We wanted our reveals to be secret and special for our male counterparts. Once we had our new dresses on, we decided to style each other's hair. Wanting to do mine first, Sasha sat me down in the chair, hands immediately playing and combing through my long locks.

"Emalina," she breathed. "You've always had such beautiful hair."

Grabbing her hands, I quickly stopped her movements, turning to her with a scowl etched across my face. "No, no, absolutely none of that, Sasha."

She seemed genuinely confused. "N-None of what, Ema?"

"Oh, Sasha…you give me too many compliments!"

"I do not! And even if I did, you deserve them!"

"But do you ever give the same compliments to yourself?"

She seemed taken back. "Well, I…I don't deserve any compliments, not like you, at least." Sasha spoke her words so calmly.

"Don't deserve…? This will not do!" Abruptly standing, I pulled my best friend into my arms. "Sasha…" Holding the woman by her shoulders, I held her at arm's length. "Promise me you won't say such words again. Never, and I mean, never say that you don't deserve any sort of compliments, because you do. Do you think my hair is beautiful? So is yours, Sasha. Everything about you is beautiful and special, and oh-so-gorgeous."

Her face turned red, eyes cast downward. "N-No, that's not me at all, I-I…I'm the one who just eats meat and nothing else. There's no way I can be all that. I'm nothing like you."

Cupping her cheeks, I forced her to stare at me. "Sasha, you are all that and so much more. You're right in that you are nothing like me because we're two different people. We're both top-skilled soldiers; my specialty is with swords while yours is with the bow. And come on, we're both fucking beautiful! All right?" Bringing our foreheads together, I then whispered, "Love yourself, Sasha, just as I love you. Just as Connie and Jean do. We love you for your quirkiness and the sass you always have. Do you understand? Can you do that for me?"

Her nod was immediate, head bobbing up and down as she smiled brightly. "Of course, I can do it for you, Emalina. Now!" Shoving me back into the chair, she turned me back around until we were both staring at each other through the mirror. "It is time I make you gorgeous for Jean." I was about to open my mouth when Sasha cut me off before I could speak. "And then after I'm done, it'll be your turn to make me beautiful. Deal?"

Smiling just as she did, I nodded enthusiastically. "Deal!"

Almost two hours later, mainly spent laughing and having a wonderful time with my best friend, we were finally appropriately dressed, knowing full well we had accidentally kept Jean and Connie waiting longer than necessary. Leaving Sasha's room behind, we walked arm-in-arm, giggling at the stares we received from soldiers passing us in the halls. Quickening our steps, we needed to meet our friends in the Mess Hell and should have already been there. As we neared the entrance to the hall, two soldiers immediately opened the double doors, their cheeks blushing, eyes barely able to meet ours. Stepping inside, our heads swiveled left and right, looking everywhere for our two male friends.

With her eyebrows raised, Sasha turned to me. "We were supposed to see them here, right?"

Nodding in agreement, I added, "That's what we agreed upon last night at dinner. Maybe they stepped out for a moment? I wonder if we should…?"

"Sasha? Emalina?"

Caught off guard by Connie's voice, Sasha and I instantly turned to see our two males directly behind us. Connie's mouth had completely dropped to the floor whereas Jean…Jean was frozen. His eyes centered on me, the redness flushing across his skin was the deepest color I think I had ever seen on the man. To our sides, Connie and Sasha snickered, the male taking hold of her arm, pulling her slightly away from Jean and me. I was thankful to Connie for he knew we would like a quick moment to ourselves.

"…Emalina?"

Lulled by the beautiful depth of his voice, I finally faced Jean, eyeing him from the top of his head to the tips of his shoes. Wherever he and Connie had gone during their shopping trip yesterday because whatever they had done, it was an ultimate success. Jean's hair was freshly washed and combed, styled softly to the sides, a few wisps of strands dangling gently across his forehead. He was wearing black trousers; a new crisp, white button-up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows; an extremely deep maroon vest; and paired with the thin black tie. If I wasn't physically drooling, I for sure was imagining it.

Peeling my eyes away to stare into his, I swear, the same amount of blush was now covering my face and neck. Slowly licking my lips, I swallowed before stating, "Oh Jean…you look so, so ruggedly handsome."

Giving me that devilish smirk of his, Jean chuckled. Stepping closer, he cupped my cheek where he dropped a kiss on my forehead. "Heh, not gonna lie, I knew I looked pretty damn good. But you, Emalina?" Head falling to my shoulder, his large hands gripped my waist lightly, pulling me into him. Taking a moment to relax, Jean eventually straightened, his eyes wandered across my body just as I had done to him. "You've always been beautiful to me, Emalina, but there are times you still surprise me. This dress?" His fingers played with the sleeves before dropping to the woven corset synched around my waist. "Where did you and Sasha find this? It suits you so fucking well."

His response left me chuckling, heat still brushed across my cheeks. "Sasha and I stumbled upon this store and the seamstress had this in the back and I instantly fell in love knowing I had to get it."

"I'm glad you did, you…I just cannot get over how fucking gorgeous you are."

Cheeks turning to fire, I lightly flicked his chest. "Tch, Jean, stop! You're making me blush!"

His evil grin returned. "Heh, well, then I better keep complimenting you, kitten. And I haven't even talked about your hair…"

Shoving myself into Jean's chest so he couldn't see my face, I also hid my smile, which widened even more when his arms wrapped around my lithe frame. A kiss was dropped from above upon my head. Jean was only able to speak a few soft words before we were interrupted by Connie.

"Hey, you two lovebirds! If you don't knock that shit off we'll be late to the coronation!"

Walking up to us, Connie and Sasha joined Jean and me as we chuckled which soon turned into full-blown laughter. Hand-in-hand with Jean, the four of us took off, making our way through Headquarters out into the city. I noted how I hadn't seen Levi at all, not even at breakfast. Ever since he returned from the Reiss Estate several days ago, my brother had been acting weird. It's as if…he's avoiding me. I can't quite put my finger on it but there was something different. If our gazes crossed, he would quickly divert his attention; if we crossed paths in the hallway, he would quicken his speed and leave me behind. I wasn't sure what I had done, but after the coronation, I vowed to corner my brother in a secluded room and demand he explains himself.

Walking through the city toward the center, I shouldn't have been surprised by the number of people on the streets but I still was. And the closer we grew toward the palace the more congested it became amongst the streets. Once it became too crowded we couldn't walk side-by-side so we formed a single file line. Jean led us as the leader as I held his hand, Sasha held mine, and Connie held hers, pulling up at the end.

Once we reached the palace, Jean gently maneuvered us through the crowd until we were close enough that we had a great view of the podium where Historia would be crowned. In the afternoon of this day, we patiently waited for the coronation to begin. Just like the citizens surrounding us, we occupied ourselves with small conversations as we patiently waited. Also, even though we were bystanders in the crowd, we had received specific instructions from Commander Erwin last night that we were to enter the palace and find Historia once the ceremony was over. I pondered what they required our presence for. Historia was to be the new queen, to govern the people, not the Scouts. What help would my friends and I be able to provide?

It hadn't taken long for the ceremony to start. Beautiful music began to play, signifying the start as numerous higher-ranking officers from the Military Police climbed the stairs to the top of the tall stage - the very same stage they were to execute Commander Erwin on. The crowd was still rowdy as they appeared but the moment Historia ascended, the people grew quiet, their loud murmuring turned to hushed voices.

I was in awe of my friend. She was breathtaking in her floor-length white gown with the adorned cape across her shoulders. The crowd stood silent, watching the spectacle before them. One of the MPs then stepped forward, speaking loud enough for all to hear. The man attempted to avoid the negativity and backlash the government has faced these last few days, trying to keep the tone positive when he finally spoke of the Scout Regiment, what they had done and participated in the coup, and their desire to do nothing but protect the people from a false government. At last, he finally mentioned Historia as he gestured for her to step closer to the edge of the stage. As she did, the crowd grew fierce, people edging their way closer to see their new queen. Sensing my discomfort, Jean pulled me in closer to his side, his arm firmly wrapped around my waist.

As the crowd began to grow louder, the officer raised his hand, signifying for the people to fall silent. As they did, the officer began to regale Historia's bravery in defeating the enemy and aiming to claim her rightful place on the throne. After what was probably ten minutes, it was time to officially crown the new queen. Kneeling before the man, Historia bowed her. Head. Just as the crown was correctly placed, the crowd erupted in a tremendous cheer, leaving the ground to shake beneath our feet. Our new Queen then stood to her feet and faced her people. Where we were, I could hear the loud exchange of conversations from those around us, all talking positively about her presence.

"That girl defeated a titan twice the size of the walls?"

"Yeah. A bunch of Orvud District residents sat it for themselves!"

"She protected us from the titans with that delicate frame…"

"Her father ruled as king King from the shadows, but when he went out of control, she stopped him herself!"

"She's the true ruler of the walls!"

"QUEEN HISTORIA!"

Our new queen starred amongst the crowd, her eyes seemingly searching until she found the four of us. Once we had been located, the woman smiled, swinging her arms into a proper military salute, proudly demonstrating her conviction and belief in the military. Copying her movements, I, too, moved my arms to salute my friend. Seeing what I had done as well, Jean, Connie, and Sasha followed along. Noticing our gesture, Historia smiled even more brightly down at us.

Following that, Historia was ushered off stage, concluding her coronation after roughly twenty minutes. Taking the lead, Jean led the four of us through the crowd, making our way to the stage, and searching for an MP officer who could guide us into the palace. It took some time to maneuver through the large sea of people but we were finally able to spot someone who could help.

Waving at the man just as we grew close, the officer tried ushering us away as he said, "Sorry but this is a restricted area."

Nodding in acknowledgment, Jean was polite with his response. Speaking firmly, he said, "I understand sir, but we're part of the Scouting Regiment. I'm Jean Kirschtein, this is Emalina Varlen, Sasha Bruas, and Connie Springer. We were told to meet with the queen after her coronation."

A spark of understanding flashed across his face. "Ahh, yes, my apologies, forgive my forgetfulness. Follow me and I'll direct you where you are to be."

Smiling, I waved his apology off knowing today had been fairly hectic, all things considered. "No worries, we understand."

Guiding us through the gathering of Military Police, this officer opened a side door into the palace, allowing us to enter first. Moving through the halls, he easily maneuvered left then right numerous times before finally being shown a room where we were left to ourselves as the officer closed the door behind him as he left.

Glancing at the others, Sasha and Connie shrugged as the male muttered, "I guess we just sit and wait?"

"Probably," Sasha began to add. "I mean, it hasn't even been thirty minutes but she is technically now the queen."

Just as she finished speaking, there was a knock on the door before it finally opened, revealing our new queen in the flesh. Historia had removed the outer cape of her attire, wearing only the white gown. Engulfing us in individual hugs the woman held a gentle smile though her eyes were beaming. "Thank you guys so much for being there today. I was nervous but when I saw you in the crowd and that you four were smiling, it made me feel that I could do this."

Gently placing my hand on her shoulder, I tried to offer her some comfort with my words. "You know we'd support you anytime, Historia. You don't need to feel nervous because we know you got this." Eyes moving to the other individuals in the room, I asked, "Right guys?"

Jean said, "Of course!"

Sasha continued to smile and offered Historia a thumbs-up.

Though Connie gave her an encouraging nod, his words, on the other hand, were, "Sure you can do it, though I wouldn't want to be in your position." That earned him to receive a smack upside the head from both Sasha and me.

Despite his words, Historia still laughed, wiping away at the Cornes of her eyes. "You guys are too much!" Pointing her thumb to the door behind her, she then added, "I would love to keep talking, but we need to meet with the Commander and some other higher-up MPs. They want to discuss the next steps for the Scouts and we also need to meet with the captain." At the mention of my brother's position, I could see a slight difference in her eyes as they narrowed, though as Historia noticed my attention, I blinked just as she did, her eyes returning to normal.

Following Historia out the door, Jean re-grasped my hand as we all gathered together, moving down the hall. Once we rounded the corner, I was surprised to see Eren, Mikasa, and Armin huddled against the wall, talking amongst themselves. As they noticed us making our way toward them, they joined our group as we kept walking without stopping. Peering at Historia's face, it looked as if she was a woman on a mission, fists curled somewhat tight against her side as she continued forward.

Whatever was running through her mind, I decided it wasn't my place to ask. I couldn't imagine everything she was thinking, let alone what she was already expected to do considering she was our new ruler. I could hear the others talk deep in conversation behind me but I wasn't listening. Now with the hype of the coronation over, my mind grew to wander once more. What would we be discussing in this meeting about the Scouts and why were we required to be there? I mean, we were the newest members of Squad Levi, but did that mean we would now be part of the decision-making process for the regiment? Would our word be taken seriously, considering how new we still were as full-time soldiers?

What also was running across my mind was Reiner and Bertholdt. The coup and Historia taking the throne had been an unexpected side step in our path to reclaiming the walls. Would that still be the next goal for the Scouts or was there something we'd be able to do before that? I…it's not like I didn't want to reclaim Wall Maria, we needed the additional land for our people and we were in the right to take back what had been taken from us. I just…thinking of what I would have to do, I knew we - I - would need to face Reiner and Bertholdt. Despite everything they had done, everything they probably still planned to do, the depths of my heart still claimed them as my friends. I loved them dearly, still clearly in denial of what they had done, let alone to just me.

I mean, Bertholdt himself had bitten off my damn leg and had somehow turned me straight into a fucking titan!

"Hold on…are you still gonna do it, Historia?"

Pulled from my depressive thoughts, I dropped myself back into the conversation occurring around me, blinking because I had no idea what they had been discussing. Turning to Eren who had spoken, I muttered quietly, "…what?"

"Y-You said yourself that I should!" Historia exclaimed somewhat wildly, her eyes wide.

"No, I didn't! I suggested you should when we were held captive, don't you remember? I said that if we were to escape alive, you should risk everything by smacking him." Erin replied to her. "If you can let it go, you should."

"Tch, then I'm not fit to be queen unless I do it," Historia retorted sharply.

"Yeah, Historia! That's the spirit!" Jean exclaimed, an evil grin spreading across his face.

Eyes dancing between the two of them, I finally moved my sight to everyone else. "Guys, I blanked. What're they talking about?" Seeing Jean's face fall, he scratched his cheek, avoiding my gaze as he tilted his head toward Connie and Sasha.

"Don't you remember?" Sasha answered in place of Jean. "Eren briefly mentioned when we were at Headquarters in Orvud District. After Levi told Historia he needed her to be the new queen that if we survived the Reiss titan that she should hit and hurt him." Seeing how my eyes narrowed at her the longer she talked, Sasha stood straighter, following Jean's action by scratching her cheek, avoiding my gaze.

Ignoring the others, mainly Eren and Historia, my gaze turned to the man by my side holding my hand. "Heh, and you're going along with this, huh?"

Eyes wide knowing he'd been caught, Jean's voice was caught in his throat. "You see Ema, I-I just…It wasn't nice of your brother with everything Historia has gone through what with her father just mere hours earlier and-and…! OW!"

Flicking his forehead as hard as I could, I snickered. "Oh geez…" Turning toward Eren who shied from my gaze and then Historia - though she didn't back down though I could see worry in her eyes - I merely smiled. "Look, I don't like the thought of anyone wanting to cause harm to my brother. But in this case, I get it." Smiling even wider with a thumbs up, I then said, "Go for it."

My words caused the new queen to chuckle. "Heh, thanks, Ema."

Just as we rounded another corner, in the distance we could see a shadowy figure leaning against the wall. As we grew closer, I could tell it was Levi wearing his Scout trench coat. The moment he could see it was us, he kept his gaze still, watching as we grew closer. When we were only a few feet away, Historia stopped, and so did we. She and my brother stared at one another for a moment until I could hear my friend start to growl beside me.

Yelling a the top of her lungs, she raised a clenched fist, taking large steps toward Levi as he merely stood, almost as if he knew what she was going to do. Jamming her fist into his upper arm, he slightly moved to the side; I'll never know whether Historia's punch forced his balance to sway or did so to humor her. Though my friends were all in support of her committing such an act minutes prior, they all gasped, having taken a step back in case their captain was to retaliate. But then, Historia started to laugh.

"Hahahaha! Now what? I'm your queen! Whaddya got to say now - ?" The rest of her sentence halted as my friends gasped once more, their eyes wide as saucers, mouths having fallen in disbelief. I, on the other hand, smiled brightly, loving the confusion of those around me as I was able to see my brother let go of his facade for the first time around others in a very long time.

Because he smiled, and it was extremely beautiful.

The only words my brother said proudly were, "Thanks…all of you."

Feeling a tear in the corner of my eye, I stepped forward, engulfing my brother in a hug, my arms wrapping tightly around his middle. Levi didn't waste a second as his arms curled around my shorter frame, his lips falling upon the crown of my head, leaving a lovingly, heated kiss behind. In a hushed voice only for myself, he then said, "Thank you especially, Emalina. I'm…so incredibly grateful you are here by my side."

~ oOo ~

JEAN

After having spent the majority of the meeting behind closed doors with the remaining higher-ups of the Scouting Regiment - including myself, Emalina, Connie, Sasha, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin - along with Historia as our new queen, the Military Police higher-ups, and Dhalis Zachary. We spent a good chunk of our day discussing the coup that occurred within the last few days, the military control the people experienced, Historia's ascension to the throne, and what was now to happen. I and my friends mainly stayed quiet unless we were spoken to directly to answer any type of question that appeared.

Toward the end of this meeting, the encounter with Reiner and Bertholdt was brought up where Eren and Emalina were questioned beyond what I considered to be normal. Throughout the entire ordeal, I watched Dhalis Zachary and the members of the Military Police from afar. They all knew of Eren's titan form, not once flinching as the male described his encounter as a titan against Reiner's monstrous form. However, from my position at the table and observation, it seemed those from the MPs and Zachary were challenging Emalina more than Eren. Maybe it was just me possibly overthinking but I could swear the other men were staring at Emalina with disdain in their eyes. Nothing regarding her titan ever came up. Emalina had decided nearly a week ago that she and her newly acquired titan powers were to be kept a secret; therefore, nothing was ever mentioned or brought forth to the table.

Which was odd, considering there were MPs who returned from the mission after rescuing Emalina and Eren. Wouldn't those MPs have spread the word that there was another titan among the military ranks?

After having discussed what the Scout Regiment would pursue from here on out, it was concluded that there would be numerous meetings in the future to plan our next steps. We discussed the intent of acquiring what was in Eren's basement and would annihilate Reiner and Bertholdt if we were to ever meet them again. As of right now, we would stay behind the walls and regroup, working on our tactics and strategies in preparation for whenever we did venture outside Wall Rose again.

By the time we were finally dismissed, the sun was low in the sky, casting a beautiful array of reds and oranges across the palace. As we were free from any duties for the next several days while Commander Erwin reconvened the regiment, we were allowed to do as we wished, within reason. Saying goodbye to her brother, Emalina joined Sasha, Connie, and me for delicious food and some ale. Traversing through the city until we came upon a dainty bar filled with canter and music, we quickly made our decision and grabbed a seat in the corner just of us. It wasn't long before a waitress took our orders, Sasha seamlessly ordered almost all the dishes with meat in them and raised our glasses in a toast. All of us consumed one mug of ale before our dinner arrived, and by the time we had consumed everything edible on our plates, we were all pleasantly buzzed.

Hearing the music soar with wonder and how a good majority of the bar patrons were dancing, I dragged Emalina from her seat, holding the woman in my arms as we danced. Having seen our movements, Sasha and Connie joined, all of us celebrating each other and our accomplishments. This night was for us, for Historia, for the Scout Regiment. Not only were we celebrating what we had done, but those who had done everything in their power as well but could not be here with us. By the time the moon was high in the sky, most of the patrons had already left, the four of us merely talking, catching up, and enjoying one another's company. Yes, we had been surrounded by each other consistently this last week, but it was to survive. Here, we were free. We didn't have to sleep under the stars in fear we would be caught or killed. Here, we could laugh without fear, we could sing, and dance and feel as if what we had done so far in this journey had finally been enough.

Once we made it back to Headquarters, barely any soldiers were awake. Some lingered in the Mess Hall, some making their way to their chambers just as we were. Wishing Connie and Sasha a good night, Emalina and I meandered to our shared room, no one in the Scouts questioning why we didn't bunk in different rooms as we would just move to Emalina's or mine. We couldn't spare one night away from each other. I slept soundly with my arms wrapped around Emalina each night, the faraway dreams had finally calmed. Dressed in our pajamas, we plopped onto the mattress, curled into the blanket then quickly fell asleep. Simple dreams entered my mind the moment I drifted off, warmth encompassed my body. Nothing felt better than this. Until it was all taken away.

"There you are, princess."

Jerked awake, my eyes blinked open, the darkness of the room glowing orange as I struggled to understand what was happening. I'd heard a voice speak, I swear it. Or was I still dreaming? There was a thump just as I rubbed the freshly created sleep from my eyes. Mouth open to call for Emalina, I thought she might've gone to the bathroom when -

"JEAN!"

Head quickly shaken, I threw the covers from my frame, body torn as I immediately moved to a standing position, grasping Emalina's knife she kept under her pillow. Now that I could see, the sight before me was something I never thought I'd witnessed. "EMALINA!" Jutting forward, my outstretched hand went to grab her when the Military Police officer grasping Emalina's arm pulled her back from my immediate range. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Military Police soldier, here? In the middle of the night? What the fuck was going on?

Crying out her name, my legs stepped forward as an arm snatched the blade from my hand, dropping it to the floor as my wrists were then twisted and turned behind my back, a kick to the back of my leg shot me to land on my knees. One hand held my wrists as another grasped a large chunk of my hair, jerking my head backward. Seeing another MP officer tying me down, I growled. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" I shrieked. Noticing how I couldn't rightly turn my head, I could only cast my eyes across the room to Emalina to see the officer holding her down had her in the same position as I, the only difference was a knife pointed directly into her neck. The blade was digging into her skin, leaving a small trail of blood to slide down her skin. Snarling even more, I tweaked my head to see what was happening, ignoring the sting on my scalp from the man's harsh grip on my hair. From my peripheral, I could see Emalina freeze, her eyes cast toward the door so I followed her line of sight to freeze as well. From the opening of the doorway and the hall were several, possibly more, MP officers, all holding rifles pointed straight at her - not me, but at Emalina.

Lifting one leg as I moved to stand, a different officer snatched his gun towards me, yelling, "You just sit right there and don't move a fucking finger, Jean Kirschtein!"

Not knowing what else to do, I spared a glance at Emalina, her eyes wide as saucers as she shook her head, the knife slicing a short, shallow cut into her skin. Inhaling deeply to slow my breathing, I dropped my leg back down.

"Emalina Varlen." A voice appeared from the hallway, the officers moving out of the way as a new individual stepped forth. I didn't know who I was expecting this person to be, but I did not think it would be the Commander of the Military Police, Nile Dawk. Stepping into the room, Nile purposely placed himself between me and Emalina though he kept his body slightly turned so I could still see his face and her.

Face just as shocked as my own, Emalina snarled, "What the fuck are you doing here, Nile?"

"My men and I came specifically for you, Ms. Varlen. Seeing as how we could not reprimand you this afternoon, what better way to take care of a scoundrel such as yourself when you least expect it?"

"Scoundrel?! Do you even know who the fuck you're talking to, Nile?" I interrupted whatever Emalina was about to state.

The man dared to scoff away at my words. "Tch, all I see before me is a little girl who has a list of crimes against the kingdom upon her head."

I gasped, head still buzzing from suddenly being shocked awake. "Crimes against the…?!"

Moving to stand, Emalina risked the physical attacks she received from the officer holding her. Another soldier from the side ran the butt of his rifle straight into her skull, sending the woman back down to her knees. Falling limp, blood instantly poured from her temple, a steady stream of dark red dripping onto the ground. Eyes narrowed into deadly slits, she slowly raised her head to meet Nile's gaze head-on. "What in the actual hell have I even done?!"

"Tch, as if you don't know…" Pulling out a wrapped piece of paper from the inside of his coat, Nile was about to read its contents when an additional uproar from outside echoed into our room. Just then, both Erwin and Levi shoved their way - mainly Levi - into the room though guns crossed their path, blocking their way from making their way further in.

"Nile, what is the meaning of all this?!" Erwin was the one to ask first just as Levi roared, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO MY SISTER?!"

Hand raised upward as if that would silence Levi, Nile opened the letter in his hand, completely ignoring the other two men. "From Premier Dhalis Zachary, one Emalina Rose Varlen is to be taken into custody as she has committed crimes against the kingdom. The risk of her existence threatens the lives of all our citizens. The sentence: immediate death."

The room grew quiet, and a deathly chill froze the very air. Seeking Emalina's gentle stare a mere ten feet from my knelt position, her eyes had softened though a few tears were leaking from the corners. She had been sentenced to death, but for what? Even so, there was no absolute way she could die with her being a titan, was there?

Was there?

"What in gods name do you think you are talking about, Nile? What crimes has Emalina - ?" Erwin wasn't given the chance to finish speaking. Levi burst forward with his inhuman speed, catching the MP Commander by his shirt collar, shoving the taller man into the wall, and lifting him so his feet weren't touching the ground.

"You have five seconds to explain why my sister has been sentenced to death."

"Before her death, she's…"

Tightening his grip, Levi said, "One…"

"Levi, she's…"

"Two…"

"Levi!"

"Three!"

"Because she's a fucking titan, goddammit!" Though he dropped Nile to his feet, the captain didn't let go of his hands on the Commander's shirt. Taking a deep breath, Nile narrowed his brows, not sure whom he should stare at as both men loved, and would do anything for, Emalina Varlen. "You fucking knew, Captain Levi, and you," Nile cast his eyes at our Commander. "Commander Erwin, you both knew of her newly acquired titan status and did not speak on the matter to Premier Zachary. Therefore, Ms. Varlen will be taken into our custody until her sentence is finalized."

"You just said she's been sentenced to death! Do you mean that's not the case?!" I spoke aloud, not caring for the stares or those thinking I had no right to meddle in this conversation. The moment anything happens to Emalina is the moment I intervene. Nothing, and I mean nothing, happens to that woman when I am around.

Deep brown eyes glared into mine. "Her sentence has been set. But, knowing Dhalis, he's given Emalina a trial just as Eren, though I think she deserves otherwise. I have no idea of the date nor do I care, for she will rot in the palace cells for as long as it takes." Eyes moving across to his men, Nile quickly twerked his head to the side, a sign for the officers to act on previous orders. Four soldiers immediately stepped forth, two dragging Levi against the wall as the other two grasped Erwin, both men struggled against their captures, but just as Emalina had done with me, one stare at her brother was enough to make the man halt his actions. The men kept Levi and Erwin in place as several other officers circled Emalina, guns pointed even closer down to her head.

Behind her, the one locking her in place, suddenly jerked Emalina to a standing position, one hand twisted in her hair just as my officer did to me. Crying out harshly, Emalina lashed at the man, nails trying their hardest to scratch his skin, to make him bleed for what he was doing. Kicking and screaming, she was dragged away and slowly moved from the room to the doorway out into the hallway where she disappeared from our view. She had the power to finish these men on her own, though I knew Emalina knew better as well. The more she complied with their barbarous demands, the better it was for her in the end. And if she was to have a trial just like Eren, she wanted to appear compliant in the eyes of the law.

The last voice of hers I remember was her violent scream.

"JEAN!"

~ oOo ~

Thank you so much to those who have waited and waited! Please let me know what you think or what you want to see in the next few chapters! See you - hopefully - real soon!

DragonGoddess629