Venus and Rose

Chapter Seventeen: Truth

Riding alongside your father and Sasha made you feel like times hadn't changed at all. The sweet memories that were brought forth was enough to at least distract you from your worries about the rest of the scouts for the time being. The riding party continued North towards another village, but upon arrival found that there had not been any titan sightings in the area. With the village on alert, your group turned east towards Wall Sina. The wall was looming closer when your father called for the group to rest the horses.

Drawing you and Sasha away from the others, your father smiled down at you, and pulled you both into his arms. You buried your face into his chest, relaxing at his familiar smell of pine and fire smoke mixed into his leather jacket; it reminded you so much of home. Sasha's eyes were also watering when he finally released you both from his arms.

"I'm so proud of my girls. I gotcha last letter a week ago, about you joining those scouts..." It was the first time in your life you ever saw your father afraid. "I know you had your reasons for joining them... but I didn't expect that, especially after I heard what happened in Trost. When you both made the top ten of your class, I hoped you'd go to the Interior... but then, I'd never picture Sasha in the big city." He grinned down at Sasha and then looked at you. "And you would never leave Sasha, would ya?" You smiled back and shook your head.

"We had better regroup with the military, try to figure out what's going on. There's a lift station on Wall Sina not too far from here, Sasha and I can follow the wall until we reach it," you said and looked at Sasha who nodded before wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'll lead my men back south to Dauper, see what we can do to help along the way." Your father said decidedly, seemingly unafraid of the risks.

Sasha nodded before leaving to retrieve your horses, while your father smiled warmly at you. "How is she, really?" You both remembered how Sasha hated confiding in him.

"Honestly, she's good. Even when we've been brought to the lowest point imaginable, she manages to stay strong and be herself." Smiling softly at your sister, who was struggling to lead Potato away from a fresh patch of grass, you looked back to see your father looking concerned.

"And you?" He asked. Before, you never had to tell him if something was wrong; he always read you like an open book. But it seemed not anymore.

"I'm..." You trailed off, unsure of what to say. Okay? Fine? You weren't either of those. Also, you knew your father would see straight through a lie; he was the only other person who knew you as well as Sasha. "I'm alive and Sasha's alive, that's all that matters to me now."

Sasha finally approached with your horses. "Tell mother we are always thinking about her," she said brightly, but her smile faded slightly at your father's worried expression.

However, your father quickly masked his concern. "I will, she talks about you girls nonstop to all the neighbors. Threw quite a tantrum when she found out ya both were going to scouts though. Ya' know she wanted grandbabies."

Sasha snickered and nudged you. "Tell mother not to lose hope, right Vee?"

While you swore under your breath at Sasha, your father beamed. "Are you with someone, y/n?"

"Ugh, disgusting! I'm not having this conversation!" You rolled your eyes and quickly climbed onto Sichern.

Sasha burst out laughing, barely able to pull herself onto Potato, but your father patted your leg gently. "Well, I hope he treats you well. For now, it'll be our secret and I won't tell your mother until you're ready." Oh how you had missed him. Quickly swinging down from the saddle, you held him in a last tight hug before pulling away. "I love you," you whispered, your eyes watering.