When you Came Back ( Yumikuri / Ymir x Historia )

Chapter 9: A Queen and a Peasant

The horses hooves clip clopped on the ground and the wheels of the carriage dragged behind it. Armin sat inside the carriage, facing Mikasa and Eren, his lifelong friends. The journey had been long and they had taken multiple breaks but there was something on Armin's mind that he wanted to mention before they arrived at their destination.

"Eren", Armin spoke up, "don't you ever think that what Historia's doing is kind of...well, kind of selfish?".
Both Eren and Mikasa simply looked back at him in confusion, clearly not understanding what he was trying to say.
"I felt obliged to help Historia because she's our friend", Armin continued, "but to be honest, all I really want is for Paradis to make peace with the world and she's not really helping the situation-".
"I just don't think it's fair if we take away her and Ymir's freedom for no reason at all", Eren interrupted, "we need to stop punishing her for being born with royal blood".
"Right", Armin sighed, diverting his eyes to the floor of the carriage.

"I understand what you're saying, Armin", Mikasa told him, "but we have to protect our friends, no matter what".
"We can't let them treat Historia like cattle", Eren stated, starting to slightly raise his voice, "they want her to reproduce so that they can use her children. We can't let that happen".
"I know, I know", Armin replied, still not at ease.

Armin fiddled with his fingers, trying to think of a way out of the situation which would not end in disaster for anyone but he couldn't think of a single one. There really was no way out of the cruelty of this world and every move would take them to a dead end. There was nothing that Armin could really do.

***

When Ymir got up that morning, Historia was, surprisingly, already up and sipping tea that she must have gone out to the market to buy. However, it was evident that Historia hadn't had enough sleep as dark circles had formed around her eyes.

"So, I can't say I appreciated your spying on me last night", Historia said as Ymir took a seat.
"Huh?", Ymir replied in shock, "you knew?!".
"You could have slammed your bedroom door a little louder and then maybe I wouldn't know", Historia told her, rolling her eyes.

"Wow, I really am an idiot", Ymir mumbled to herself, looking to the ground.
"Well, I suppose the secret is out now", Historia sighed, her cheeks slightly blushing.
"You mean about you loving me?", Ymir asked, looking back up and with a mocking smile spread across her face, "I already knew that. It was really obvious. I mean, why else would you threaten to shoot yourself?".

Now it was Historia's turn to be shocked and embarrassed.
"What?!", She exclaimed, the pink of her cheeks becoming even more obvious.
"To be honest, I still don't understand why though", Ymir said, more to herself, "I'm like a peasant in rags and there's always been something about you that screamed goddess-".

"How did you know? I never told you", Historia asked, still embarrassed that Ymir could see through her so easily.
"Oh, like I said, it was obvious. I think everyone knows", Ymir replied, casually.

"Fuck you, Ymir", Historia groaned, covering her face with her hands.
"I can't say I mind being fucked if it's by you", Ymir smirked.
"Aaargh", Historia screamed, her face now completely the colour of a tomato. Without hesitation, she gave Ymir a slap right across the face.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry", Ymir told her, bursting out into an uncontrollable laughter.

"I really hate you", Historia stated, giving Ymir a death stare.
"I love you too", Ymir smiled.
Historia tried to cover up her scarlet face as her body trembled in embarrassment.
"Come here", Ymir laughed, wiping away a tear that had squeezed out due to all the laughter.

Historia felt her limbs moving to take her towards Ymir, who wrapped her arms around her and stroked the hair which fell down her back. Ymir pulled her close so that Historia's soft pink lips were only inches away from hers.
Just as Ymir was leaning in, there was a loud knock on the door. She tried to ignore it but whoever it was kept knocking so loud that it felt like the door was going to break.

"Arrgh, I'm going to kill whoever's at the door!", Ymir screamed, letting go of Historia and stomping towards the door.
"What do you want!", Ymir yelled as she opened the door.
She had screamed right into Jean's face, who stood there with his comrades behind him.
"What kind of greeting is that?!", Jean yelled back, "while you've been in this cottage fucking Historia, we've had to deal with your crimes back in the capital!".

"Sorry about that", Historia told them, running to the door and pushing the still angry Ymir out the way, "come inside and have some tea".
"It'd be a pleasure", Armin smiled, stepping in front of Jean.
"I'm sorry, this place isn't as pretty as my palace", Historia sighed as they all came inside and took seats in her living room, "and I don't have any fancy treats for you either, Sasha-".

"It's alright. We've really just come here to talk to you about something important", Eren told her, impatiently.
"Yes, he sent you, didn't he?", Historia replied, eyeing Eren, "General Zackly sent you to convince me into doing something".
"I'll kill-", Ymir started before she was interrupted by Armin.
"Yes he did", Armin told Historia, "but we're here more to the reach an agreement".

"I see", Historia replied, as she poured tea for each of them, including Ymir, "tell the General that I refuse to hand over Ymir".
"We need to know what you actually want", Connie explained, "I mean, you can't just expect to live here from now on. Marley could attack. What exactly are your plans for the future?".
"I don't care about Marley. I don't care about being Queen. I've always just wanted to stay here with Ymir", Historia stated, with a cold tone.

"Historia...", Ymir sighed, realising that Historia wasn't thinking straight, "you do realise that in two years time, I will die due to the curse of Ymir?".

Smash. The cup Historia was holding fell to the floor and shattered into a million tiny pieces, just like Historia's little heart. She had completely forgotten that, no matter what she did, Ymir would still end up leaving her in two years time.
Historia's eyes grew wide and her hands shook.

"Historia, we understand your shock and we all love you as a friend", Sasha said, getting up to put her hand on Historia's shoulder, "but sometimes you just have to face reality".
"That's right", Historia's voice replied, trying it's best to stay strong and not break. She tried her best to stitch the pieces of her heart back together so that she could think straight.
Her friends had come here in order to find out what she wanted her future to be like but, in all honesty, she didn't know herself.

"Historia, I know, your life is ruff and the whole world is against you", Eren spoke up, "but you have to just keep pushing forward".