The Honor Guard

Secrets

The Academy was all a buzz over the new pages were arriving.

During the days as they were arriving, the boys would try to sneak peeks at the storage building converted dorm.

Connie was tapping his foot during history class, looking out the window. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of brown hair.

He had nearly blown his cover when he overheard Sir Church and Sir Ackerman talking about Sasha, and that she was going to be coming to the academy. He knew the day she was to arrive but was hoping she would come a bit early. His missed her desperately, their sparing and their sweet kisses in the forest.  He also wanted to explain why he had to stop writing her.

"Springer!"

"Yes Sir Dok" he said rising.

"I suggest you pay attention to the lesson and less time looking out the window, unless you want a week of stable duty"

"Yes sir" he sat back down.

Nile continued the lesson.

*******************************************
Maybe Historia was being paranoid, but she felt like all eyes were on her as the Royal Coach passed through the gates of the Swordsman Academy, reading its creed:

              Cordis tui sanctifica

              "Dedicate your heart"

Historia looked out the widow. She could already see the pages gathering around. This is why she wanted to arrive at night, but that couldn't be arranged, security reasons. Though Historia knew that her security wasn't as big of a priority for her father as Frieda's was.

"Lady Reiss we've arrived" her escort said, shaking her out of her thoughts.

They got out of the coach. Historia could definitely feel the eyes on her now.

"So it's true?"

"We have royalty among us"

"She's better looking than her sister"

"Nah Lady Frieda is the better looking one"

"Have you heard the rumors..."

Historia heard all. She felt her jaw muscles tighten, wanting to let out her anger.

"So the Royal Court has arranged for you to have your own room and..."

Historia turned to the Royal Advisor. "My own room? Why?"

"Because you are the Duchess of Trost, comes with certain privileges"

"I do not want those privileges! I'm a a mere page just like everyone else" Historia snapped. "I'm going to have enough trouble as it is being taken seriously as it is"

The advisor looked stunned. "What-what would you have me do?"

"I shall share a room with a page, like everyone else...and cancel every other 'Royal privilege'"

"But your father..."

"I don't give a damn about what my father thinks. Why should he care anyways!"

The advisor was stunned.

Historia reached towards the coach hand and took 2 of her bags. Hoping that the nosy students would know that she was no longer royalty here.

********************************************
Mikasa was unpacking her things when someone stumbled clumsily into the room.

"Sasha you gotta be more careful"

Mikasa stood to look and saw a girl with chestnut brown hair on the floor of the dormitory room.

Following her was a younger girl and older woman who Mikasa guessed was her mother.

Mikasa held her hand out to her. "Are you ok?"

She took it, let Mikasa let her help her get off the floor. "Yeah, I'm use to taken a fall here and there"

"I'm Sasha Blaus, from Dauper. My family breeds the horses for the Honor Guard and the Royal family"

"Mikasa Ackerman, my parents we- are farmers. I'm from Shiganshina."

The younger girl furrowed her eyebrows. "Ackerman, I've heard that name before I think..."

Mikasa froze up a bit. She didn't want this to get out. "Probably has nothing to do with me."

"Are you related to..."

"So how do you think the food will be?" Miaksa asked trying to change the subject. She lucked out.

Sasha began talking excitedly about the different ways to prepare meats, almost salivating at the mouth.

Miaksa let out a breath of relief. "I don't want any special treatment" she though.

**********************************************
After most of the female students had arrived, it was time for their first meal with the male pages.

They didn't have uniforms yet so they wore what they came in.

Sasha was quick to head to the food line but was immediately stopped.

"Senior male pages eat first"

"Well that's stupid?" Sasha retorted.

She was met with a slap in the face.

Connie was about to hop out of line to go after Daz, but was stopped by Marco. "It's not worth it."

Sasha was about to send a punch to his face when her fist was caught.

"Violence at dinner is not becoming of a knight page Blaus." Said a cold voice. "Nor you page Schmidt"

"Seeing how this is your first night here. I'll leave you off with a warning." He turned to Daz. "I will see you in my office after dinner"

"But Captain Ackerman-"

Levi ignored him. "Page Blaus I suggest you find your place in line with the female pages"

"Yes sir"

She winked as she walked past Connie with a small smile on her face. Connie's face went pink.

"That was pretty bold. I respect that" Miaksa said as Sasha took her place in line.

"Must be nice to befriend a page related the a Captain" a male voice whispered. Sasha pretend not to hear it

******************************************
The food was served, and the dinning hall was buzzing with chatter.

"I heard she was beautiful, but seeing her in person..."

"Reiner stop staring. You look creepy" Bertholdt said.

"Come on now can you not look at her. Plus she's royalty."

"If she's so high and mighty, what is she doing here?" Porco asked taking a bite of bread. "Seems like the King wouldn't want to put one of his heirs in a dangerous situation"

Bertholdt merely shrugged.

"You guys talking about the Duchess?" said Franz as he sat down.

"Just trying to figure out what a member of the royal family is doing here." Porco said.

"Well I wouldn't say she is actually royalty."

The three looked at Franz surprised.

"What do you mean by that?" Bertholdt asked.

Franz looked around and then lowered his voice.

"Look my father, works at the palace so he hears things, turns out in his younger years, the King liked to keep his options open."

"So your saying that the Queen isn't Historia's real mother?" Reiner asked.

"Nope, have you notice why she doesn't share a lot of features with the Queen or the crown Princess. Her real mother died of some disease when she was a baby and to keep the scandal quite, he just took her in"

"So only Frieda is the the true heir?" Porco asked.

Franz nodded. "Historia is an illegitimate child, she can't inherit the crown"