The Walls We've Built - ◈ ARMIN ARLERT X OC ◈

Chapter 17 - Why?

I follow behind the others as we walk back towards the stables, my arms are crossed over my chest as I kick a small pebble in the direction I am walking. Continuing to kick it as I walk, I watch the small stone tumble along the ground it keeps going but every so often it slows to a stop waiting to be kicked again. I wonder how far this stone has travelled, if it's ever been outside wall maria. "I think it's best to work in pairs, it might be more efficient." I hear Rosette ponder ahead of the rest of the group, I look up at her and then at Armin next to Krista who is already looking at me.

I look back at Rosette as she continues to instruct us, she points two fingers at Jean and Reiner, "You two together, for that group over there." She gestures in the direction of a group of horses. She looks over at Amrin and Krista, "Then, Krista and Armin, those ones." Armin and I look at each other, he has an apologetic expression on his face but I just shrug it off 'Don't worry about it.' I mouth to him before looking back at Rosette. "Which leaves Zariya and I together with the rest." She finishes with a huff, her eyes widen when she realises we are all staring at her. She looks back at us embarrassed by her demanding instructions before continuing, "i-if that's okay with everyone." She says quietly. We all remain silent, I don't say anything because I am too tired, however everyone else seems shocked by her instructions. I roll my eyes, we have to do this either way so may as well let rosette make it easier for us.

"Right, let's get moving to finish this before it's completely dark." Reiner announces, walking over to his group of horses. Jean realises he needs to go with him, and jogs to catch up with Reiner's long strides. Armin and Krista take off in the opposite direction leaving just Rosette and I. She stands a fair distance away from me, "Shall we?" She says chipperly, gesturing to the group of horses behind her. "Yep." I respond quietly before walking past her to the horses, I stop at the first horse and begin undoing its buckles. Rosette approaches the horse next to me and does the same thing, we work in silence for a fair bit of time before Rosette finally says something. " Long day, huh?" She mutters more to herself than to me, not sure whom she was talking to. I quietly say "mhm." Before removing the saddle off the horse and moving on to the next one. My back is facing Rosette as the silence returns, "Ar- Are you alright Zariya?" Rosette hesitates. I look over my shoulder to her, "I'm fine, tired that's all." I hum in response before facing the horse again, "Oh, ok then." She replies quietly returning to the buckles of her horse.

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By the time we have all finished unsaddling the horses and settling them in the stables it is fully dark outside. We all walk up the dirt path to the main entrance of the castle, I drag my feet until we stop outside the door. I look up from the ground to Reiner who has his arm out gesturing for us to stop. His ear is pressed to the wooden door with a concerned look on his face, I raise my eyebrow confused. "What?" Jean asks before Armin covers his mouth, Jean moves his head away from Armin looking at him with a disgusted look. I don't know what Reiner is listening to but my gaze drifts to the closest window, I see shadows dancing in the light casted by lanterns. What are people doing in the main hall at this time, and why are there so many? I look at Armin and Reiner ahead of me who both look at me with uneasy looks.

I move past Jean so I am the closest person to the door, I rest my head against it and hear the low chatter of familiar voices. I hear someone say Rosette's name, the low voice sounds extremely similar to Jacob, I turn the knob of the door going to open it, "Zariya what are you doing!" "Don't open it yet!" Armin and Reiner scold me but I push the door open anyway. Everyone in the room jumps and the loud noise of the door wacking the wall. They turn to look at us with guilty looks on their faces, most people look at Rosette with scared expressions. I look at her as well and she blankly looks at everyone while scanning her eyes over the room.

Everyone is surrounding a table, closest to us stand Jacob and Gen at the head of the table, on the opposite end stands Erwin, Hange and Levi. What the hell is going on? Other familiar faces stand around the table, Mikasa, Eren, Sasha, Connie, Adam and a few other people I don't know. Reiner and Armin stand next to me and the others are behind us. Gen looks at me before mouthing 'Sorry' and eyes down Jacob who is staring at Rosette, I study his face utterly confused by what is going on. "Why are you staring at Rosette like that, Jacob?" I question him as we move into the room. "No reason, we just want to ask her a few questions, that's all." He says bluntly. "We?" Jean asks puzzled, looking at everyone in the room, all who avoid eye contact with any of us.

"Yes that's right, we." Levi says on the opposite side of the table. Jacob and Gen move to the side of the table and the six of us stand at the head of the table. "What type of questions do you need to ask her exactly?" Krista adds on just as confused as the rest of us. "Just, where was she when the Female Titan was first sighted?" Erwin asks calmly, looking at Rosette without any emotion in his eyes. "What?" Rosette whispers flustered, we all look at her waiting for her response. " I- I was with Krista," she says gesturing to her with a shaking hand, she gulps before continuing. "We were confronted by a 4 metre titan, I brought it down and then we saw the smoke signal launched by the others and when to help them." She says steadily, sure of herself. Levi looks down at the table and then back at Erwin who is still staring at Rosette.

His gaze shifts from Rosette to Reiner, "When Rosette and Krista approached you, was it from the same or different direction the Female Titan left after you attacked her hand?" he questions further. I forgot that he would have been informed about our encounter with the Female Titan. Before Reiner can respond I blurt "It was from-" I begin, Erwin lifts his hand for me to stop talking and gesturing to Reiner. I scoff as my fringe falls in my eyes, I quickly blow it away and cross my arms facing Reiner. He is still thinking about his response, it's not a hard question Reiner you know what the commander is getting at and you know he's wrong. Reiner looks at Erwin, "It was from a similar direction but not the same, the Female Titan went north west of our location and the girls came from the west." He says sternly. I look at him bewildered, they came from the south west, nowhere near the Female Titan. I can see the memory in my head clearly, so why is he lying?