To Kill A Queen [Yumikuri]

12: Encouter At The Gates

Ymir was woken by the smell of the burnt out fire and Armin calling her. The sky was grey and cloudy, rain almost certain to fall, and according to Armin, Levi wanted to leave as soon as possible due to this fact. Ymir rubbed her eyes and they focused on the captain, already dressed in his cloak with his horse by his side, staring down at her for once, his face painted with a look of disgust, probably judging her for sleeping in the dirt. She groaned, Armin handing her her cloak, which she took from him as soon as she sat up.

Just as small droplets of rain started to fall from the sky, the three of them were ready to head off further into the territory of Wall Rose. Levi, because of the rain, advised that they didn't go as fast as they'd like to go with a pained look. Ymir couldn't help but wonder why he looked that way, but didn't pry. She, along with Armin, instead followed his advice when they rode out of the town.

Armin continued to make small talk as the rain got heavier, Ymir responding because she had nothing better to do, and because the questions were mostly about Historia. He asked what she'd do when she sees Historia for the first time in ages, and she responded with a shrug. He told her about a story when Reiner thought he was Historia, and Ymir laughed, partially fake yet partially honest. Armin rambled on about Historia beside Ymir while she payed somewhat attention. She didn't need pointless memories belonging to other people that were told and recalled for her. She wanted to experience these tales for herself. That was the reason, as Armin's rambling grew more distant, she concentrated on the Historia she know and learnt about over time, the nice one who always reminded Ymir to never overstep the line, to keep to the rules and to be kind to everyone. Even though Ymir was the complete opposite of a rule follower and a nice person upon joining the training corps Historia still stuck by her side. Somewhere in her heart full of hatred and urge for revenge, she found compassion and warmth that only Historia was allowed to experience. Did she make Historia promise her to take back her identity on the snowy mountain because she wanted Historia to for her sake, or just as an excuse to stay by her? Ymir would ponder this, Armin's cheery voice now far out of earshot as if he wasn't even nearby.

"Hey, you two. Not long now until we reach Wall Sina. I can vaguely see it through this rain." Levi announced from in front of them interrupting Armin's storytelling. Ymir was pulled away from her thoughts by Levi's voice for a second or so, her hands tightening their grip on her horse's reigns at the sound of the news, anticipation coursing through her body.

•=•=•=•

Upon arriving at Wall Sina in the evening, the three were checked by military police, once when entering the main gate and another after leaving Stohess. Mitras was only another day's ride away, and that was only if the rain didn't clear up. However, for the time being, the rain continued to pour down on them, the cold chilling them to the bones, their bodies shaking helplessly.

Common sense finally taking over, Levi decided that they should find a place to stay and rest until the weather cleared up and dawn broke, the other two sighing in relief when they heard it. They couldn't afford much in the way of luxury, but a small room above an abandoned tavern with a place outside to tie up the horses was good enough for them.

After a few hours of sleep, Ymir woke up to see that the rain was still coming down, though not nearly as bad as the day before. Levi and Armin were already awake, engaged in conversation about something that Ymir was obviously not meant to know, as the talking stopped as soon as they noticed she was awake. Armin and Levi left to ready their horses while Ymir was left to wonder what the conversation was about, eating what was left of her pitiful field rations slowly.

The three of them were very tired by this point. Levi was more irritable than ever, getting annoyed at the slightest inconvenience. Armin indulged in the silence way more than he used to a day or two ago, yawning occasionally or muttering to himself about how uncomfortable he was on his horse. Ymir just wanted it all to be over. Historia was waiting for her.

•=•=•=•

"What do you mean, we can't see her?"

Finally, after two and a half days of riding from Trost, the three scouts had made it to the capital. The place was very well built and well looked after, but considering the inhabitants were all filthy rich it wasn't really a surprise that the place was completely different to Trost or Krolva.

The place was just as Ymir had remembered from her one trip there when she was younger, before the Survey Corps. The church where she had first found out about Historia still stood tall near the palace in which that girl now lived. Golden gates stood tall at the front of the palace and the glow of gold surrounded the perimeter of the building in the form of railings. The palace itself was tall and strong, built from the sturdiest of stone, with windows that had no curtains drawn over them appearing along the walls, a few people visible inside.

Once they had arrived at the gates, the three had been stopped by two guards from the Garrison out of the many that were stationed around the outside of the palace. With loud voices they had asked what their purpose for being here was, and when Levi told them, they had ordered them to leave, because no one except the people within the palace was permitted to see the queen.

Which was how they had got to this situation.

"What do you mean, we can't see her?" Levi asked, his voice potent with an edge of danger, as if he was daring the Garrison to give him a reason.
"I mean exactly what I said, sir. You aren't allowed to see her at this time. No one is except the people within these gates."

Ymir tried to take the news in. The effort of convincing Levi, and then in turn his efforts to deny her request, the kindness of the commander that allowed her to come here, the brain of Armin that made Levi see sense, the patience and will to help of her two comrades who assisted her in getting here was all a waste of time if she couldn't see Historia. It was all for her. The pleading and begging like a dog, clawing for one last chance to live her life. Hell, if she got turned away now, she might as well have stayed with Bertholdt and Reiner and given up. Thoughts like that were all consuming, and they consumed her now.

Levi stole a glance behind him at Armin and Ymir. Armin was trying to cheer up an obviously beaten Ymir, one who looked so distraught someone might've mistook it for a sign that something terrible had happened, like the walls had been compromised or her entire family had just been massacred. Despite being utterly against this plan to see Historia, Levi knew what she was thinking, and couldn't sit back and let her think like that.

"My name is Levi, captain of Levi squad in the Survey Corps. Commander Erwin sent me with permission for this girl to see the queen. I personally don't see a problem with her doing so. Considering we've traveled from Trost for nearly three days, are you really going to turn us down at the gates?!" Ymir's eyes widened to the captain's voice. The captain remained as steely calm as ever, but his tone of voice had gained a new edge, something that screamed out 'how dare you' at the top of its lungs. However, the Garrison guards didn't answer to his comment, firm with their decision.

"It's ok, gentlemen. Let them in!" A new voice, sitting somewhere in the middle of deep and sweet sounding, called out from behind the gates. It was a man the three didn't recognise, with curly brown hair and soft, kind eyes behind circular glasses. He wore a tweed jacket and black pants and held a cigar in his right hand, acting confident. He looked young, but the guards obeyed his orders and opened the gates. Levi gave the man a cautious look, analysing him for a second, before getting off his horse and instructing Ymir and Armin to do the same. The man smiled and gestured for them to follow him.

"I apologise for that," The man spoke, discarding his cigar on the floor behind them as the walked further towards the entrance of the palace. "My name's Rufus, by the way. I've heard a lot about you guys from the Queen. Especially you, Ymir." Rufus turned to look her in the eye, her breath catching in her throat.

Word count: 1545

I swear historia will be introduced soon XD