You're Not Alone

•43•

We mount our horses and I take Christa... Historia on mine. I'm not sure what to call her anymore. I guess it's whatever she prefers.

Her smaller body sits in front of me while I hold the leather reigns out beside her. She rests her back against my chest. Poor girl has been through a lot.

We ride back over to the wall and I meet up with Eren and Keiji while Christa waits for them to pull her friend up.

"What's the verdict? How bad a shape is Ymir in?" I ask.

"Well," Keiji frowns. "She's missing an arm and a leg. And her insides are scrambled. If she was normal, she'd be a goner."

"Normal, huh?" Eren whispers to himself.

I glance at him and he frowns. Beside us we hear a grunting sound and see blonde hair peeking over the edge of the wall, trying to get up.

Eren jumps up and helps Reiner. His arm is in a sling and he's struggling. Beside me, Bertholdt appears over the edge as well.

I stretch my hand out and he hesitantly takes it. My lips stretch into a faint smile and he returns it weakly.

I just have to pretend they are on our side... Even though Eren may think they're good, I don't. But for now, I just have to fake it until we can find a good time to confront them.

"Please, you've got to believe me!" I hear Christa plea. "I'm telling the truth!"

I turn around and see her talking to Hange. My feet slap against the wet stone wall as I make my way over to them.

"Ymir could've run away any time she wanted!" Christa's small voice trying to convince Hange. "She chose to fight the Titans to save our lives. She had nothing to gain putting herself on the line like that. Doesn't that speak volumes about where her loyalties are? She should've told us before, yes. She had no right to keep her power a secret. It's hard to look past how much humankind might've gained from knowing what she's been keeping to herself, but... I think... I think she was just worried about what people might do to her ."

I lay my hand on the blondes shoulder to comfort her. I'm with her on this one. Ymir was a bitch, but she wasn't our enemy. But who knows... Reiner and Bertholdt were pretty convincing.

"Clearly her priorities have changed now. This isn't nearly as complicated as it looks. No one is closer to Ymir than me, and there's no question in my mind whose side she's on!"

Hange watches Christa intently, taking in every word. She's probably having a hard time trusting Christa due to the news about the two boys.

"Is that so?" Hange relaxes a little. "Well, under the circumstances it certainly behooves us to be friendly. Her priorities aside, I'll wager what she can teach us about the enemy is beyond measure. Probably."

I glance over at the soldier setting Ymirs destroyed body on the ground. There's no doubt in my mind that Ymir is not a threat to us though. For some reason, I think she's just trying to live her life by her own law. She's not being ordered by anyone.

"Even so," Hange continues and begins walking, Christa and I follow. "You say this isn't as complicated as it looks, but from where I'm standing the world gets more complicated by the hour."

"Right..." Christa sighs.

"Oh, uh- Historia Reiss you said your name was?" Hange turns her head to look back at the short blonde.

"I did. That's correct."

"Isnt Reiss the name of a noble family?"

"Yes, it is," Christa stops walking.