Back to the Beginning

The Trial of Bertholdt

Pov Armin

"Bertholdt Hoover," Darius Zackly called out, his voice echoing throughout the courtroom.

As Zackly spoke, the room was dead silent, with the only sound being the faint hissing of steam which came off of Bertholdt, who was kneeling on the ground and chained to the very same beam which Eren was chained to only several weeks prior.

"You have been charged with assisted genocide, against the people of Shiganshina district, the people of wall Maria, and the 250,000 people who went out to fight the titans five years ago," Zackly stated. "Do you deny any of these charges?"

Bertholdt stayed silent for a moment before speaking.

"No," he whispered, hoarsely.

By the walls, the torture really broke him.

Most in the military knew of the torture, he had his limbs chopped off constantly and god knows what else was done to him. And by the time they were done, well, this was what had happened to him.

Broken and defeated, Bertholdt kept his head down, refusing to look up at the people who were once his comrades, and friends.

The room was still silent.

"Very well, we will proceed with your trial. You have been charged with assisted genocide for breaking the gate of Shiganshina District, wall Maria, and Trost district in your titan form. Do you deny any of this?"

"No," Bertholdt replied, his voice a whisper.

Whispers filled the room, as he was drawn into his thoughts.

So Bertholdt is the reason I had to leave my hometown, he is the reason that I lost nearly everything I knew. He is the reason that I lost my grandfather when he was forced to go fight the titans.

"So tell me, Bertholdt, Zackly began. "Why did you do this? Surely you gain nothing from slaughtering your own people?"

Bertholt replied, but his voice was so quiet, no one heard.

"Repeat yourself, and speak louder," said Zackly, leaning down from his chair.

"You aren't my people!" Bertholdt shouted, whipping his head up to look at Zackly.

"And I did so on orders, my people's order. I was told to wipe you, devils, out, by breaking down your walls and letting the hundreds of titans slaughter you in the thousands," Bertholdt said, letting lose everything he had.

His people?

The room was now filled with the shouts and cries of the public and military, most of which called for Bertholdt's death.

"ORDER! Order in the court!" Zackly shouted.

His voice had an immediate effect, as most in the room became silent, though many muttered curses under their breaths.

"What do you mean, your people?" Zackly asked him.

"Bertholdt leaned forward, against the chains before speaking again.

"I mean the people beyond the wall, those of Marley and a dozen other nations who all call for your ruin," the court was once again filled with the cries of all who were in it, many calling him a mad-man, or insane.

Though Zackly tried to calm the room, which roared like a wildfire, Bertholdt on fed the flames.

"And they are right to do so! They live in constant fear of the king of the walls, who can call upon his army of titans to break free of their prisons within the walls and bring ruin to all lands beyond this island."