Historia's busy profile tore through the half-closed door of her office, the red, half-rimmed glasses slid down the bridge of her cutesy nose. To be fair, the alluring shade of deep red complemented her fair, glittery hair. You gently knocked, tearing her attention from her desk to you.

"Ah, you're back. How did it go?"

"Which one?" You let yourself in, panting slightly. Historia frowned at your dishevelled appearance. You straightened up and tried to appease her worried expression by wiping the sweat on your hairline and using your sweat to tame the frizz of your hair. "Orphans' relocation is go, citizenship issuances should start after the retrieval operations, or are you asking about the fact that I smell like onions?"

Historia chortled at your response. It worked. It took shady humor, but at least the worry on the young queen's face vanished. She loosely walked towards her water station and filled a glass. "Here."

"Ooh, nice." You gratefully took the glass and drank from it like you've been out in the dessert, unwatered for days. You hardly needed to vocalize another glass before she handed you another one of those intricately designed crystal cups filled with comfortably cold water.

"So…?"

"Ymir?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Ymir's okay, don't worry." You said between sips, it was all over her face that she was asking about her titan 'friend'. Of all the numerable days you've served under Historia, it was as easy as to identify between murky and clear, drinkable water as that worry she has for friends, and the worry she wore only for Ymir. "She's busy breathing in her cell when I checked up on her."

Historia didn't rest; instead, she pressed for more. "Did she ask for me?"

"I think Ymir knew why I was there, so I told her how you were, naturally."

"And?"

"Sorry Historia," You didn't want to pull a disheartening expression when she looked so eager, but the first thing that came from your mouth was already disappointing itself. "We weren't able to speak freely. Miche was with us."

"Oh," she said, her giddy expression was slowly drooping to a tinge of disappointment. "I see."

You sipped for the last time before setting the glass on the solid coffee table. Sensing the onset of disappointment, you tried to cheer her up a little bit. "But she said that next time, maybe bring yourself and a ring to seal the deal already."

That did it when she chortled. It may not be true that Ymir told such a joke, the veracity was the least of your concern. At least Historia was happy.

"Did she at least like the sandwiches?" The golden-haired Queen twiddled her thumbs, asking so expectantly, like a child waiting for her souvenir from an overseas trip.

"Um," You hesitated, biting your lip and shifting your eyes behind the expectant queen teenager. This one, you cannot lie. "It did not reach her. You know how uptight Miche's squad is right now." It was true. Miche's squad had been stricter after the escape of Bertholdt Hoover. If it wasn't for your rank and Miche's trust, it was impossible to even glimpse Ymir's shadow.

A moment of uneasy silence ruled between the two of you. She tried to conceal her worry; that maybe Ymir wasn't eating well or that she couldn't eat for some reason. The queen was caught in a spiral of intrusive thoughts you broke by tapping her shoulder.

"But," Your lips tightened to a taut, forceful smile, "I'll try to raise this as an agenda for the next meeting. Maybe Zackley and the others can give you some private time with Ymir after the Retrieval operation."

"Which was moved today, I was told."

Your eyes gone saucers. "The Retrieval op?!"

Historia giggled as she approached you with a handful of sweets she probably nicked from the kitchen. "No you idiot, the meeting. Let's go, everybody's waiting."

And by everybody, the queen actually meanteverybody.

Like, Pyxis was there, Shadis was there, Erwin was there, the three kids were there, Zackley was there, Hange was there…

Petra winked at you and you smiled back.

"Um, so we are here to agree on three agendas today–"

"Let's get to the point," Zackley's voice sounded like splinters on calloused hands, "Retrieval Operations. Survey Corps, take over."

Hange stood at once, reading their proposal for everybody to hear.

"We propose to study and train Ymir the titan to ready her for combat for a higher success rate in the upcoming Retrieval Operations."

And of course. The faint silence became, defiant noises in the background.

"Let them talk." Zackley banged the gavel. "How do you propose to control the titan?"

Hange looked over at Historia before clearing her throat. "We proposed some terms to her and the titan agrees."

"And the terms?"

"We keep the Queen safe inside the walls, and we allow monitored visitations and uh… walks with the Queen. The titan promised to fight with us in the retrieval operations and any upcoming operations the Survey may partake."

As expected, the people did not take that well.

"So the titan will be an ally?"

"Walks? Do you mean putting our citizens the humanity at risk with an untrustworthy titan casually strolling on the street?"

"Of course we will take measures to contain the possible danger."

"I knew you were mad, Hange Zoe, but I did not take you for a lunatic and an idiot!" A soldier cried out.

"It's weird, isn't it? The queen is—"

"Careful soldier." You stood, addressing that soldier, whoever he is. "You might not have a head after this meeting."

"We think it's a good idea." Hange continued, "We can set the limits on the queen's interactions with the titan; they can only stroll at a given place and time. We can experiment on her, and we can use her to fight titans on our behalf."

"Commander Pyxis, what do you think?" Zackley turned his head to the old but wise man.

"My loyalty will always be with the people, Darius." Pyxis slowly emphasize. "And the Humanity's survival is my duty as a soldier."

"Quit the yapping—"

"So I think some time with a few people while Ymir– that titan giving us her fidelity is more beneficial for our protection and defense. I will go along the proposal."

"You don't think the titan will betray us? We had questions on some of our soldiers lately," Zackley looked at Levi, "One we thought was the most loyal we have." You rolled your eyes at Zackley's remark.

"May I speak?" Armin raised his hand.

"Go on boy, we are listening."

"I think, when it comes to the protection of the people, we can let Eren and Mikasa chaperone her and Ymir—"

"What if that Ymir has friends in one of you soldiers and take our only titan away? That titan is agile." Some soldier interjected.

"But even so, Eren is bigger and stronger." Armin calmly explained. "He is experienced in combat as well. Before Eren was a titan to us, please remember he is a soldier who trained the same way we all did. Besides, he will be accompanied by someone strong—" Armin introduced his childhood friend. "— Mikasa here and the Levi Squad."

"Phoebe," Historia's shoulder nudged your arm as she whispered. "We should say something."

"No, let them." You whispered back. "We can't have you letting these young soldiers think you and Ymir are on to something bad. At least, not on your side."

"I want to see her." Historia quietly pressed.

"I know." The queen squeezed your hand under the table. "But hold it in for a little longer."

"… that is why we propose that the Queen could attend the titan training and see Ymir in that manner. In that way, we can ensure the interaction between them is monitored with the maximum security we can provide."

Silence. Then came the violent uproars.

Even with the noise, you could hear Zackley's groan as he pinched his nose bridge then massaging the space between his eyebrows. He banged the gavel, letting his authority speak through it.

"What does the Queen think about it?"

You stood. "Our Majesty Queen agrees to the terms of the Scout Regimen. She trusts that her safety, as well as the others, are ensured. She knows she can trust her life to the abilities of the Scouts."