'Well,' I said, my back against the cold stone wall, my half-lidded eyes staring upwards at the sky.
'Looks like none of us have made much ground so far, have we?'
It was approaching dusk, and the sun shone with an orange and yellow glow, bouncing off the walls, the streets and giving everything a warm, comforting glow. I closed my eyes for a second, leaning my head back against the stone wall, the cold surface easing into my head momentarily.
I enjoyed the sensation and silence for a few more moments, before opening my eyes again and glancing around the area. I, Reiner, Bertholdt and Annie sat in a deserted street. It was small and was roughly 10 feet in width, between rows of homes and buildings. The street ended roughly 20 feet to our left, giving a clear open view of the west end of the wall. I sat atop a wooden crate that was roughly 4 feet high, Bertholdt sat next to me. Across the street, Annie leaned against a wall, looking to her right as the sun slowly dipped over the wall's horizon, while Reiner slowly paced back and forth, wall to wall, wringing his hands, seemingly unconsciously.
'Relax Reiner' I said, looking over to him in the corner of my eye. He stopped and looked up, having pulled him from his own world. 'You're making me jumpy' I said with a small grin.
'Ah, sorry about that' he said, walking over and leaning on the wall beneath Berthold, looking at the ground. I looked at him for a moment and saw his left leg jumping slightly. I watched him for a moment, before having an idea.
'So', I said, leaning forward and placing my elbows on my knees, cradling my hands, and looking upwards. 'We are going to need to find a way of gathering intel on the royal family, all the while remaining inconspicuous and staying in contact with one another. It's the best tactic to ensure we can gather as much info as possible, before reporting back. Anyone any ideas?'
I noticed Bertholdt lean forward with his elbows on his knees in similar fashion, looking to the ground while he thought. Annie continued looking at the sun, through I could tell from her half-lidded eyes and relaxed demeanour that she was thinking. I looked back to my right and saw that Reiner had stopped bouncing his leg. His head leaned back while his hands were crossed behind his back, his eyes closed in a relaxed state.
I smiled. Now that he was out of our shadow and was getting some sun, he could relax a little bit.
'I could try to get close to one of the men in the royal family'. Annie suggested, not taking her eyes from their spot.
'No!' Bertholdt yelped, sitting upright, and planting his hands on his knees, a look of shock on his face and eyes.
I looked between them for a moment, before deciding to keep my thoughts to myself, though that didn't stop a small smile from growing on my face.
Christ, why do they have to make this so hard.
'Yea, your right. It would never work, I'm probably to unappealing' Annie plainly stated.
That's not it! You're....' Bertholdt faltered, looking toward his feet. I was unsure whether the scarlet across his face was from the sun, or his sudden outburst, but he quietened down. I stifled my smile, while looking toward the ground.
'I have an idea in mind.' We all turn to see Reiner, looking a little more relaxed , still leaning against the wall, staring up at the sky with relaxed and aimless eyes. He turned to us and pushed off the wall, standing between us all while looking down, as though he were still fitting the final pieces of a thought together. We waited for a few moments, before he spoke.
'We could join the military. We've all seen hundreds, if not thousands of guards, patrol squads, armed forces, everything everywhere. That suggests that if patrols and the involvement of the military is within separate stations within different parts of the walls, that suggests that there must also be a form of royal guard as well. We can only assume the royal family will need round the clock protection too. If there are different branches ranging, all with a similar and recognisable logo on there back, they must all have been produced from the same or specific military camps.'
'If we could find a way to infiltrate the royal guard, not only will our chances of survival skyrocket, but we can also gather intel from within', Bertholdt summarised.
I smiled. This is the kind of thing he is capable of. While he was not the brightest, the fastest, or indeed a great warrior candidate, give him a moment to compose himself and think thoroughly, and he could be the best.
That sounds like a good idea. High chances state that the royal palace is further within the walls, or in a separate, more heavily protected segment. This could not only guarantee our survival, but it would also mean I have the founder within easy reach.
I smiled before leaning back against the wall once more, before looking back to my left. Though, this time, I was not watching the sun.
I looked at the pair for a moment, quietly, calmly. I kept my gaze for a moment longer, before turning away.
'I think that could be one of the best possible strategies you've ever had Reiner' I said, smiling at him. He smiled back, looking to the ground, and shuffling his feet slightly. His quick thinking reminded me of Marco's natural leadership and mind.
'Actually, that reminds me' I said, making everyone present look towards me.
'How is everyone at home? Did anyone else accompany you all here?'
Almost like clockwork, a cloud drifted into the suns path, making the air cold. Gazes were averted, Bertholdt began to fiddle with his fingers, Reiner looked towards the ground and resumed pacing, while Annie would have looked the exact same, though the slight tapping of her left heel on the ground gave her away.
I didn't like this
'Is everything alright? Did something happen?' I spoke. I kept a straight and even tone, though underneath, I was panicking. I didn't like this sudden atmosphere, this silence.
After a few moments, Reiner spoke up.
'No. No, no-one was with u-'
'Marcel'
I looked to Annie as she cut across Reiner, a sharp edge to her tone. She had now turned her body fully towards us, crossing her arms across her chest. Her eyes were driving spikes into the stoner below her before she looked up.
'Marcel was with us.'
A cold wind dragged itself across our path, making my fringe sway before my eyes.
I took a moment, doing my best to shut off any sense of thought, assumption, feeling, anything, before I spoke.
'Was?'
Silence. For a few moments, nothing but the sound of the wind, and the faint reach of the sunlight, desperately clinging to the corners of the buildings above us, before being completely swallowed by the clouds around it.
'We were caught by surprise' Reiner said, a look of guilt and sadness in his eyes.
'He died saving my life'.
For a few moments, I just...looked at Reiner. There was no malicious intent, no sadness, no grief. Nothing. It was eerily quiet in my mind, and the silence from outside was just as thick.
Reiner stood with his hands bawled into fists at his side, his frame gone rigid with a wide and unfocused look in his eyes. He shook slightly.
Bertholdt hung his head beside me, not saying or doing anything.
Annie stood across from us with her typical stoic expression, though I could tell she hid something. What it was, I was not sure, but it was hidden, that's a definite.
I leaned back against the wall for a moment, closing my eyes as the sun finally managed to escape the clouds grasp, dropping closer towards the wall.
I opened my eyes again after a moment, before looking at Reiner and smiling.
'I am glad your safe Reiner' I said.
All three looked up at me simultaneously, Reiner with some shock visible on his face, a hint of surprise around Bertholdt's eyes, and a mix of the two from Annie, though it was not nearly as visible.
I jumped off the box, pins and needles in the soles of my feet as I walked toward Reiner and put my hand on his shoulder.
'Reiner, he knew what he signed up for when he joined the warrior programme. He was aware of the sacrifices that he might need to make one day. And yet, he powered through, saving your life for the cost of his own.' I said, gripping his shoulder while I brought his head to my shoulder lightly.
He leaned on me for a few moments, before just breaking down entirely. He sobbed into my shoulder, his shoulders shaking while I just held onto him, letting him get it out. He had held onto this sense of guilt, this sadness, this pain for long enough.
The sense of why I was the one spared.
After a few moments, he calmed down, whipping his eyes on the sleeves of his tunic. He took a moment to compose himself, before looking up at me.
'Thank you' he whispered, his voice cracking.
I smiled at him for a moment, before turning back to the other two.
Annie had removed her gaze and was now staring back toward the sun, which now had nearly dipped below the wall's horizon, her face invisible from view, while Bertholdt wore a sad smile as he watched us.
'I am glad you are all safe. Marco's sacrifice was not and will never be in vain. We will find the founder and return home, to the ones we love, and we will live, not only for our own, but for Marco's sake as well.' I said, a proud smile on my face.
The sky above had only the last few remaining rays of sunshine, though it blended with the open sky, creating a beautiful hue above us as the clouds turned to a beautiful pink and gold above our heads.
?? Hours later:
I slowly got up and exited my cold blanket, standing just to the side to avoid standing on Bertholdt or Reiner as they both lay asleep next to me. I quickly and quietly folded my sheet and slowly made my way past all the sleeping men and children we shared this space with.
I reached the main door and slowly opened it, doing my best not to make too much noise. I slowly opened and closed the door, stepping out onto the street. It was quiet this time of night, sunrise was only a few hours away. I put my hands in my pockets and began making my way through the streets of the town known as Jinae, as I had learned earlier, until I reached the alley we had stood in hours before hand.
I walked over to the create from earlier and eased myself on top of it, leaning back and looking upwards to the sky, the big bright open sky. It wasn't like Marley where the film of smoke caked the air, here it was free, bright, and open, a sea of stars shining above me. The moon was full and a bright yellow tonight
I smiled, tilting my head back to the left as I looked to see the faint outline of Wall Rose in the distance.
I smiled as the warm trickle of tears ran down my cheeks, remembering a comforting and supporting hand helping me through pain, a warm smile that first brought about friendship, a witty remark, and a silent joke.
I smiled, before looking back to the sky, the feeling of grief finally taking over.
'You can rest now. Brother' I finally said, my words floating through the air as they mingled with the air.
The night sky carried my words through its heavens as the sun began to rise in the east.