Attack on Titan: Aftermath

The Night Before

Only a few hours away it was now. Princess Frieda Konig was turning 4 years old, and the once legendary war hero Reiner, was babysitting the night before. The dress she was wearing and her room were decked out in pink and in the center, was a white table where the grown man and tiny girl were having a tea party.

"So, Mr. Braun, I take it you are here to look after me while my parents are busy." The young lady said regally. Shocked by her formalness, Reiner decided to play along as she began to pour water out of the toy tea kettle into Reiner's tea cup.

"Well... your mother, the queen, also offered me guardianship as your godparent. I've known her for a long time, we were close as kids... This would have me get to know you a bit better." He sipped out of the cup.

"Hmmm... interesting... what does a godparent do?" She asked.

"Well, if anything bad were to happen to your mother and father, I would be the one taking care of you."

"Why is it I'm just now meeting you if you were all so close friends?"

"We've met before but it was about a year ago and it wasn't for long... it's... complicated... I'm sorry..."

"I understand." She went on, putting her tea cup down and her hands in her lap.

"Is something wrong? Has your tea gone cold?"

"What bad things could happen to mommy and daddy?" She asked with a blank expression.

Reiner froze for a moment. "Uh, well, um..." he began to think of ways to explain the dangers of the outside world. "They could fall ill, a car crash of something could happen and they get injured-"

"What if they hurt each other?" She asked with more concern in her voice. Reiner froze again, and started started pulling at his collar of the black button up he was wearing.

"Why... would they ever do that..?" He asked with more concern.

"They yell at one another a lot. Daddy saw her with another lady once. He yelled at her and grabbed her by the arm. I don't know what happened after that, but mommy says she loves him anyway. Just not the way a king and queen should love each other she says. She seems scared Mr. Braun... but daddy is nice to everyone else and the other ladies that live in the castle..."

"...Please...call me Reiner..." he began, a vein in his forehead seeming like it was going to pop with how tight his face was. "Is that all your father's done? He hasn't really hurt her has he?"

"He's hurt her feelings... but he always said that woman's feelings are easier to hurt sometimes and he just forgets that fact. He apologizes and mommy says she's forgiven him. That's all I know." Frieda said, her own tears starting as she began to sniffle trying not to ruin her clothes.

"Oh goodness... Frieda..." Reiner got up out of the tiny chair that would've broken under his weight if he sat much longer and went over and hugged Frieda.

"I-is... thi-ss wha- what love is supposed to look like...?" She said, trembling and eventually using Reiner's shirt as a tissue.

"...No... no your parents just have some issues... they'll be safe. But most importantly, you will too be safe." He replied, ignoring her nose against his chest.

"Mr. Braun..." a maid knocked on the door and opened it. "It's Frieda's bedtime now. Do you want to tuck her in?" The woman asked. He pulled Frieda away and tapped her head, then gave her a reassuring smile.

"Well she's gonna need some proper jammies before then." He replied to the maid. "Go get dressed." He told Frieda and she sniffled everything back up as she hurried to her dressing room.