19. Awakening

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I stared down at the cheering crowd, void of any emotion

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I stared down at the cheering crowd, void of any emotion. Citizens of Trost welcomed us with a lively group despite dawn barely breaking. My feet were aching from the trek. We were greeted with horses at the bottom of the lifts, allowing us to gallop back to the barracks amidst the welcoming citizens. I felt empty as we pulled up to the barracks, ignoring any outside sounds.

"I'll send a message for us to meet with the others this afternoon. For now, get some rest," Hange ordered.

We didn't waste any time to hitch our horses before entering the building for some much needed rest. Entering my room didn't bring much comfort. I let out a sigh and began taking off my soiled uniform. After a quick shower, I promptly plopped down onto the bed. Sleep welcomed me quickly.

I stretched as consciousness came to me. The orange afternoon sunlight pierced through the thin curtains.

"Emily?" A voice called after a few knocks.

I sat up, immediately recognizing Hange's voice.

"Yeah?" I called out.

Hange quietly opened the door and walked in, closing it behind her. She looked at me with a worried expression.

"How are you doing?" She asked.

"About as good as I can be, I suppose," I replied, wiping the sleep from my eyes.

She sighed and walked to the small table in the room, taking a seat and cradling her head into her hands. She groaned something incoherently before smacking her hands back onto the table.

"They're calling for a court session in three days' time... with the queen in attendance," She explained.

"Oh?"

"Now that we have information on our enemy... every official imaginable will be in attendance. Right now, I have Eren and Mikasa in custody for their insubordination. They're down in the dungeons currently."

"I see..." I looked down.

Right... our enemy. Grisha Jaeger's basement contained three detailed books along with an intricate piece of paper they call a 'photograph'. I didn't speak much to Hange or Levi on the way back to Trost. I have no idea what the books contained.

"Have you slept at all?" I asked.

"Not a wink," She admitted.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, resting my arms over my legs.

"I treated a wounded soldier..." I murmured.

"Huh?"

"I treated him after being bitten by one of the Titans... and promised him everything was going to be okay..." I clenched my teeth, "I wonder what was going through his mind before he died."

"Emily... you can't dwell on that. You'll only fall down a hole that you can't get out of."

"Maybe I should. Why did I get to survive and all of them die? Why did I get to survive and stand aside while Erwin..." I choked back the tears that were fighting to come out. An ache filled my chest, causing me to bite my lip to try and hide it.

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