The end and a new beginning

The arrival

It felt like an eternity, the wind blew strands in his face while Annie stared at him with her mouth open. Had he screwed it up, didn't she want to go that far?
His heart was beating so hard against his chest as if it was about to pop out. He could only control his hands with great strength. He felt nauseous and could barely hold her gaze. He closed his eyes only for a few seconds and took a deep breath. When he felt someone throw him to the ground.
Startled, he opened his eyes and looked into Annie's eyes shortly before she kissed him. Was that a yes?
"I don't need a romantic story," she whispered after she finished the kiss. "All it takes for me to be happy is you." Annie's eyes felt with tears, but she beamed at him with a smile that Armin had never seen at her. She seemed overjoyed.
"Does that mean yes?"
"Yes, that means yes, you idiot."
He started to grin like an idiot and wrapped his arms around the young woman.
"Let us explore the world." She said and kissed him. Her warm lips pressed against his, he almost forgot the time until Mikasa cleared her throat.
Annie immediately jumped up and held out a hand to him. He grabbed it and got up too.
"Congratulations to  you." Mikasa smiled contentedly and took them both in her arms.
"Mikasa," Annie pulled away and looked at his childhood friend.
"Would you, well. Be my maid of honor."
"Naturally." Mikasa now hugged Annie. The way Annie opened her eyes it was probably the first time. But it seemed to be good for her to finally have people around who accepted her.
"You were lucky Armin." Mikasa pulled away from Annie and grinned at him. "Otherwise it would have been really embarrassing afterwards."
She started laughing.
"What do you mean?", he heard Annie next to him.
"Well, everything is already prepared at home." Armin said and blushed.
"So fast?"
"Then we'll travel the world. W-well if it's going too fast for you, I'll tell Historia right away" - "No, it's okay." Meant Annie.

After three more hours they finally arrived at the island and were greeted immediately. People cheered, but Annie hid behind him, clutching his hand tightly.
As they got into the prepared carriages, Annie leaned on his shoulder and let out a relieved breath.
"It's a miracle they don't hate me." She whispered softly.
"Well, most of them only know that you helped us. Not everything else." Mikasa explained.
"Maybe if I should still be punished." His fiancée whispered, looking at Mikasa. Apparently she had to hear it from her.
"Listen, Annie, don't you think these four years of isolation were enough?", Mikasa put a hand on Annie's knee. "Maybe I should still be tor-"
"No." Mikasa interrupted. "It's over. Past. End."
The decisive voice of Mikasa filled the whole room.
"What's the matter with you Annie?" She hissed at the girl.
"That makes me sick." Mikasa's eyes darkened. "You never were like that, your feelings don't bother me, but stop sinking into self-pity. It's not you." Hissed his childhood friend.
"Fight Annie, live and be free." At last Mikasa seemed to be finished because she leaned back again.
Carefully, his gaze slid over to Annie, who sat there with wide eyes and stared at Mikasa.
"Thanks." Annie seemed to relax. The journey to Historia they were silent until shortly before the arrival, Annie broke the silence again.
"Finally this horror is over, but Mikasa do you really want to find Eren?"
The trembling in Annie's voice could hardly be overheard. Mikasa scratched her chin.
"Let's see." She said not  as clearly as a few months ago.
When they got to the outskirts of Historia, they all got jaws down. Banquets were set up everywhere and everything was decorated with flowers in every imaginable color. In the middle of it all, Historia with her kid in her arms, who seemed to coordinate everything.
When she turned around and saw the small group, she just gave her child Jean who was standing next to her and stormed towards them.
"You are finally here!", she jumped into Mikasa's arms and hugged her tightly. Then she hugged Armin before she stood in front of Annie and looked at her with a nondescript look.
"Queen Historia." Annie said dryly and was trying to salute when Historia hugged her too.
"Annie," she pulled away from her and took Annie's face in her hands.
"We'll talk soon." She said Armin had to swallow hard. Would that go well. Historia grabbed Annie by the arm and pulled her with her, Armin could only see puzzled as the two disappeared. Well he still had to change clothes anyway.

She couldn't deny it, she was afraid of talking with Historia. On the way to the nearby building, the Queen received her child again. Then they went into a room next to the large dining room. Where Historia sat down in a large armchair and asked her to take a seat across from her.
Without saying a word, she sat down. "Tell me, didn't you want to be friends with us back then to protect us and you?"
"Yes." Annie replied and saw out of the corner of her eye how her counterpart nodded.
"Taciturn as ever." Historia smiled while her son drooled her finger full. Which he was holding in his hand. "Well," Annie suggested.
"Say it." Historia raised an eyebrow.
"To be honest, I have the feeling that the Military Police are storming in here at any moment." Her hands clenched into fists.
"That will not happen." Assured her Historia.
"So what did you want to talk about then." Annie raised her eyes cautiously and looked at her former colleague. "That's right," said Historia, grinning, got up and walked towards a large closet.
"Since I wasn't sure what you like, you are still walking around in hoodies. I had 15 clothes made for you." She cleverly opened the closet door with one hand and there were actually 15 dresses to be seen in it. Annie couldn't believe it.
"You're kidding me." She hissed inadvertently. "The whole letter and only because of the clothes?!"
"Well, Armin said I shouldn't tell you." She saw the cheeky grin on Historia's lips for the first time.
"Come on, choose one."