When you Came Back ( Yumikuri / Ymir x Historia )

Chapter 8: Already Shattered

Ymir woke up early the next morning. After getting dressed, she walked up to Historia's room and pressed her ear against the door. She heard gentle snoring coming from the room; Historia was still fast asleep.

Ymir made her way downstairs and as soon as she got to the living room, she noticed that the place was covered in dust - she hadn't noticed this last night. Ymir decided to clean the place up so that Historia wouldn't be in a bad mood when she woke up. After dusting the place and scrubbing the floor until it sparkled, Ymir went outside and picked some tulips from the field. She then returned inside and found a glass vase in one of the kitchen cupboards, which she put her bundle of flowers inside, before displaying them on the dining table.

It was already noon before Ymir heard the stairs creek and Historia made her way downstairs. she entered the room in a pure white, knee length night gown, with her hair still scruffy and her eyes still tired. To Ymir, she looked like a glowing angel.

"It's about time that you got up", Ymir said, as she watched Historia rummage through her bag and pull out two loaves of bread.
Historia threw one of them towards Ymir and then sat down opposite her on the table with her own loaf, saying nothing at all. Ymir grabbed her loaf and took a bite from it, realising that she was insanely hungry.

"Tell me then", Historia finally said, as the both ate.
"What?", Ymir asked, confused.
"Explain what's going on", Historia stated, her once warm eyes now icy cold.
"Oh, yea, sorry", Ymir replied, slightly blushing in embarrassment, "well, it's a long story-".
"I have time. Go on", Historia stated, maintaining her stare.

"Well, the thing I said about the spinal fluid was slightly true. I think Porco was trying to extract my spinal fluid when Reiner must have gone crazy and turned into a titan or something. He allowed me to kind of break out", Ymir explained, "he did extract most of it which is probably why my memories were hazy. I remember now. I remember you. My hands healed because I have a reason for them to heal now. I don't know what happened to Reiner, though, but I know I snuck onto a ship to Paradis. I'm sorry the details are so brief but not everything is clear".

Historia continued chewing her bread and only spoke once she had gulped it all down.
"Why did you leave in the first place?", Historia asked, her tone still callous.
"I-I'm sorry about that. I felt guilty for stealing the Jaw Titan and I knew I would never be at peace with that guilt, especially when Reiner and Bertholdt would die because of it", Ymir told her, "I tried to be selfish. I tried to take you with me but I knew it wouldn't be the best thing for you".

"The best thing for me...?", Historia replied, her tone slightly softening, "staying here without you was not the best thing for me. I wish I had never become Queen".
"How did that happen anyway?", Ymir asked, "did they realise that you were a goddess on earth or something?".
Historia gave Ymir a death stare.

"No, the Reiss family was always the true Royal family", Historia told her, "they changed their name to protect the founding titan but now Eren has it. I was kind of just made queen when people found out about it all".
"Oh, so you have royal blood?", Ymir replied.
Historia nodded whilst she took another bite from her bread.

After a while, she finally noticed how clean the place was and how Ymir had displayed lilac tulips on the table.
"You're trying to impress me, aren't you?", Historia stated dryly.
Ymir's mouth opened on instinct but she didn't know what to say.
"If you really cared then you wouldn't have left Paradis in the first place. You promised that we'd live together, for ourselves. Instead you left me to serve others", she said, bitterly, before getting up and going back upstairs to change.

Ymir sighed and relaxed her shoulders, realising how tense she had just been.

***

"So I assume you all know what why I called you here?", Zackly boomed, as he took his seat at the end of the table, which Corporal Levi, Commander Hange, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Sasha, Connie and Jean also sat around, along with a few members of the royal government.

"Actually, we don't", Connie replied, "why do you need us? We're not in positions of authority".
"Well, the issue I've come to talk about is probably the most prominent one at the moment", Zackly explained, "we will somehow need to gain the support of the Queen. She is Paradis' most immediate threat. So as her former colleagues, what do you suggest we do?".
After a short silence, Armin finally spoke up.
"We should first probably give Hist- I mean, her majesty a day to cool off since she can get in quite a bad state when she's angry", he suggested, "then you can send us to try and convince her to agree that Paradis' good is better than her own".

"General, I don't think we should leave all this to these soldiers", an official said, "it's reported that they went to visit the Queen just before she set the prisoner free. They could have advised her to do it. We don't know what their intentions are".
"That is true", Zackly replied, "but it's highly unlikely that they are cooperating with Marley and our only other option is to use the Queen against her will, which should only be a last resort as the people will not agree with it". It was clear that he had already made up his mind.

Zackly turned to Armin and the others.
"Make yourselves worth trusting", he commanded.
"I promise, we will", Armin smiled.
"Alright. We will set off tomorrow", the General announced.

***

Historia avoided Ymir for the rest of the day and Ymir found herself doing little things just to pass the time. Finally the sun set and they both went to bed.

No matter how hard she tried, Ymir's eyes refused to grow heavy and allow her to rest. They remained wide open, staring at the celling above her. Her ears focused on all the small noises of the night that surrounded her. It was because of this, she was able to notice the light footsteps that echoed past her room, deep in the night. Having no hope left of being able to sleep, she waited for the footsteps to pass and then crept out her room.

When she left her room, she heard Historia open the front door. Ymir waited a moment before making her way downstairs to see what the Queen was doing. When she got downstairs, she poked her head out the door.

There was the Queen, staring up at the stars in the sky, with tears flowing down both cheeks.
"Why would you do this, Ymir", the Queen sobbed.
Ymir let out a small gasp and put her head back in, thinking Historia had seen her but then she realised that Historia was only talking to herself. She peeped back outside.
"I-I thought you loved me", Historia continued to cry at the stars, "I-I love you".

Ymir had to cover her mouth to stop herself from crying out. She quietly made her way back upstairs, feeling guilty for intruding. Historia was in such a bad state because of her and even she couldn't forgive herself. Ymir went back into her room, slamming the door behind her, and threw herself onto the bed, muffling her sobs with her pillow.

After a few minutes, she pulled herself away from the pillow as her mind started to process the words she had heard.
Historia loved her.