In Between The Ends

Chapter Seventeen

     Arya gave a whooping sound and bounced up and down, elated. It worked!  Light cheers erupted from the balcony across the courtyard.

"That's one less issue we have to deal with, at any rate." Pieck said happily to Armin and Reiner as they watched the interaction from above.

Reiner smiled and grunted in approval. "Seems as though it won't be such a hassle to be near them both anymore, either. That's one way to bridge discord; give a man the ability to walk again. "

Pieck and Armin laughed lightly at this as they went back inside. Armin was pleased at this development and knew that it would make their stay here much more pleasant if those two weren't so tense with each other anymore. Levi returning to his former glory was as much as he deserved after all he had done, and less guilt on Arya was, in Armin's opinion, no less than she deserved either.

"Do you think he will want to join us now that he knows he's recovering?" Pieck asked as they sat back down at the small kitchen table in Armin's suite.

"I'm not sure, but if he changes his mind it will have to be on his own accord." Armin said thoughtfully. Captain Levi may heal faster than most, but this was a large obstacle to overcome, and they didn't have much time. In four weeks their journey would begin in earnest, and he was unsure if any of them would be truly ready for it when the time came. 

The trio sat quietly for a time, lost deep within their own thoughts.  It wasn't until Reiner shifted uncomfortably in his chair that their silence was broken.

"Armin..." Reiner began hesitantly.

Armin sighed, turning to him. He knew the tone of voice Reiner was using and what topic of conversation usually followed. He had been expecting this question for some time and was prepared, though he hadn't exactly been looking forward to it.

"Why haven't you reached out to Annie about this?"

"Annie is in the Liberio settlement with her father; you know this. I'm sure you also know that she wants nothing to do with fighting anymore. She just wants to live an ordinary life and be an ordinary person. I think that's the least we can give her now."

Reiner knew this to be true, of course, but he was still confused at the hard edge that had appeared into Armin's voice at the mention of Annie.

When... when was the last time you went to see her?" He asked cautiously. Armin's attention was now focused on a handful of birds that were twittering on a nearby balcony.

"It's been quite some time."

"Why?" Was all Reiner could think to ask, glancing out the open balcony doors.

"That," Armin said, draining the last bit of coffee from his cup and standing up, "is a conversation for another time. We have a lot left to do, and it looks like we just added a few extra things to the list. I need you to go tell Connie and Jean that they are now in charge of the military aspect of Captain Levi's recovery as soon as Arya signs off on it; I'm sure he will be itching to get back into it. Pieck, when you get a moment please send Arya up, we need to go over a few things."

And with that they were dismissed, looking furtively at each other as they left. Armin returned to the balcony, letting the morning sun warm his skin and leaning heavily onto the handrail. Gabi and Falco were outside now, chattering loudly in excitement, much to Levi's apparent chagrin. Both Jean and Connie yawned sleepily as they stepped out of their quarters and into the morning, looking interestedly over at the commotion. Arya lay spread out in the grass looking up at the dancing leaves of the tree, grinning to herself as a soft breeze swirled her hair around her face. Pieck was making her way over to them now, flopping onto the ground next to Arya and putting her head onto Arya's stomach playfully. Gentle laughter was echoing around the courtyard, and it filled Armin with a sense of melancholy so strong that it almost overwhelmed him.

     In a sun-drenched courtyard full of flowers, a woman stood waiting. Tall and strongly built, she reached out her deep olive-skinned hand to brush her fingertips along the delicately bunched petals of a vibrant marigold blossom. Her thoughts were wandering and her face was smooth, though impatience was creeping into the slight wrinkles along the edges of her eyes.

Kneeling down into the dirt, the woman began to pull weeds from the twisted base of the flowering bush, taking care not to disturb the newly planted blubs on the edge of the garden. This action proved an adequate distraction, and before long heavy footsteps could be heard making their way through the garden towards her.

"Mother."

Dusting off her hands as she stood, the woman turned to regard her eldest son.

"It is done, than." She said softly, taking note of the hard look he wore on his young face, so much like his father.

The man nodded. "Father believes this is the best course of action, given the circumstances. I know you do not agree with him, but this... alliance could prove useful in the future. Their anger and determination to regain their nobility is strong."

She did not reply. Instead, she turned her attention back to the sea of flowers. So many of them had bloomed under pressure and adversity, though here they remained gentle and understanding. If only we could live the same way, this world may not have suffered as it has.

She gazed intently at the yellow petals of the flower she cradled as a few broke free of the stem and fluttered to the ground, a slight air current carrying them away.

"There is nothing noble in being superior to some other man. True nobility is in being superior to your previous self."