𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑬𝑵𝑫 - Levi Ackerman [2]

twenty one

21|yelena

Lillian helped Levi sit up, blowing on the spoonful of stew before carefully feeding it to him.

"It's like feeding Remy." She teased, eating a few spoonfuls herself. "Rest. You will need your energy."

"Sleep with me." Levi mumbled to her, stroking her hair. "I want you near."

"I'll join you later. We're discussing the plans." Lilly kissed his lips, grinning when he tried to deepen it.

"It's been over a month." He reminded her, grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her closer.

"And you're healing." She pulled back, kissing his forehead and forcing him to finish the rest of the bowl of stew.

"Eat." Hange passed Lillian a second bowl of stew, glancing down at her stomach subtly. Once everyone had food in them, she began discussing the plan. "It'll be five hours at full speed to the harbour, even with rested horses. We'll be relying on the Azumabito. According to Miss. Kiyomi, there's a flying boat meant to observe the rumbling ready at the port. We can approach the Founding Titan using it."

"I knew it! So the Azumabito were helping you behind the scenes." Theo grumbled, sipping his stew.

"The problem is figuring out where the Founder is." The Commander continued to explain the plan. "We'll run out of fuel in no time if we just fly around aimlessly."

"That's right. We need to figure out where the Founder has gone." The General nodded along in agreement. "It can be anything, but we need a lead. That's why I captured her. Where is Jaeger?"

"Why would I know?" Yelena snapped at him. "And even if I did, why should I tell you?"

"You're the one who offered Jaeger your knowledge of the mainland when he had none." Theo glared at her. "He has a path in mind for this rumbling of his. You should be able to make a guess."

"Bastard." She swore to herself, cursing the General. "I'm asking why I ought to help Marleyan bastards like you."

"Because we decide if you live or die, I'd say." Annie said sarcastically to the woman.

"It's pointless. She wants to die." Jean said between mouthfuls of stew.

"But aren't you fighting Marley for the sake of your own homeland?" Connie questioned her. "Are you fine with doing nothing and letting it be trampled?"

"Yelena?" Onyankopon called out her name, trying to get her to talk after she stayed silent.

"She must not. Because she's a Marleyan bastard just like the rest of us." Theo revealed, shocking everyone as they stared at her.

"After the way you got the better of us in Liberio, Yelena." Pieck spoke, still in Titan form. "We did a full look into your past. We couldn't believe it. Born into a run-of-the-mill Marleyan, yet you pretended to be from a small nation annexed by Marley. Ever since you first met Zeke. Disillusioned with Marley, you came up with a story. A miraculous tale of saving the world with a prince. You'd plaster over your own lie until you made it into a part of human history. I'm impressed by just how deep your desire ran."

"It almost sound like you claim to be any different." Yelena patted the Titans face with a grin. "What exactly do you think seperates any of you from me? Saving the world. Are there any words sweeter and more alluring? You give yourselves to the sublime excitement that is the idea of saving hundreds of millions of lives. You gulp it down as if to wash away all your hatred until now, as if it never existed. That's how all of you look to me right now."

"I'm only here to make sure people don't die from bodily injuries." Lillian whispered to Hange. "Fuck the human race, I just need my family to live."

"I thought you wanted revenge on Zeke for killing your brother?" Hange mumbled back.

"Yeah but I've made my peace with losing my brother." She shrugged. "I will always despise Zeke but at least I know Erwin is in a better place than this."

"Just think back a bit, won't you?" Yelena continued to talk. "Reiner Braun. I wonder how many Eldians were eaten alive by pure Titans after you made that hole in the wall. From there, you snuck inside and shared times both good and bad with your so called comrades here. And then, you betrayed them. You killed them. And now you're pretending to be their comrade once more?

"Annie Leonhart. It seems like you killed a number of survey corps yourself. Oh, and that you trampled countless residents of Stohess District as well. And yes, all of you from Paradis were quite brave yourselves when fighting against the great nation of Marley.

"I never thought someone who acts so sensible would smash and tear his way through a naval port like that. Armin. You showed everyone just how much strength you snatched from Bertholdt Hoover. The scale of your military exploits there must only be matched by the casualties you left behind, dead civilians included.

"I don't know the extent of the rest of your bravery in Liberio. But you did an impressive job of overcoming the Marleyan army's superior numbers to leave that place covered in blood. Especially you, Jean. You courageously hurled a Thunder Spear at Falco, the boy over there, to defeat the Cart. Thanks to it just barley missing. The boy does continue to live, of course.

"Oh, and I can't forget about the true leader of this island of devils. Lillian Ackerman. A doctor who may seem like an innocent mother but has the Commander of the Survey Corps and Queen of Eldia wrapped around her finger. She doesn't have to do anything except whisper a few commands in someones ear.

"And Gabi, the girl over there, shot Sasha to death. Sasha, oh, what a good girl she was. Even I was saddened. But all of you were like family to her since your days in the Training Corps. Your sadness and your hatred must dwarf mine in comparison."

"Hooh! It tastes great, Hange!" Jean changed the subject, swallowing down the last of his stew. "Are there seconds?"

"Yeah. There's plenty." Hange happily took his bowl to fill it up.