Juliet Diekman is the daughter of a well-respected Marleyan scientist who works alongside the military.
In a new proposal, he is asked to go on an expedition to Paradis for research purposes before planning their big attack. He agrees, only if his b...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
━━━━━━
AS SOON AS THE AIRSHIP touched down, the tension inside the cabin reached a palpable peak. The Scouts moved quickly under Captain Levi's command.
The moment the door opened, a rush of cool air flooded in, carrying with it the scent of Paradis that Juliet used to remember.
Before she could fully comprehend what was happening, strong hands gripped her arms, pulling her roughly to her feet. The clinking sound of handcuffs being secured around her wrists was stark and final, the cold metal biting into her skin.
Juliet barely had time to glance over her shoulder, catching a fleeting glimpse of Zeke, who was similarly restrained and surrounded by Scouts.
"Let's move," one of the Scouts barked, giving her a rough shove forward.
Juliet stumbled but quickly found her footing, her legs shaky from both the rough landing and the fact that she'd been sitting for quite a while.
They led her away from the airship, the distance between her and Zeke growing with each step. She craned her neck, trying to keep him in sight, wondering where they were taking him, "For now, we're keeping you as far as possible from each other." Levi followed behind them.
"Fine by me," Juliet replies lowly.
"Didn't think you'd hate him as much as I do," Levi comments, "He told us you'd been working together since you were both young. Figured that meant you two at least saw each other eye to eye."
She lifts her head to look at him, though he keeps his head forward, "Working together?" The memories of her younger Warrior Unit days come to mind.
"That's a nice way to put it," she mutters.
The Scouts holding Juliet matched Levi's pace, dragging her along the uneven ground. As they moved away from the airship, the noise of the landing subsided, replaced by the steady rhythm of boots crunching against gravel.
Ahead, a carriage awaited, its dark silhouette outlined against the fading light. Outside the carriage stood Hange and Armin.
Hange leaned against the side of the carriage, their expression thoughtful yet troubled.
"I just don't know, Armin," Hange said, rubbing their temples. "I'm not sure it's worth our time to convince Juliet that the Eldians of Paradis are worth fighting for. It feels like an impossible task, considering everything she's been taught. But...I do think Zeke has a point. She's been trained to be the Fighting for most of her life. Even if we give her Titan to our most worthy soldier...it'll never be as steady as her."
Armin's gaze was steady, his eyes reflecting a quiet confidence, "I don't think she needs convincing, Hange," he replied gently, "I've seen something in her eyes—back in Shiganshina. There was doubt, confusion, and maybe even hope. If we can reach her on a personal level, I believe she'll come to understand our side on her own."
