Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

SEVEN

'Life bears a cloak of permanence, but it is a frail and fragile thing— all it takes is one scratch too deep, one word too sharp. Even if we don't realise it, we each hold each other's lives in our hands. It takes a man with a will of steel not to cower in the face of his own consequences.'

-An extract from the book 'Evolutions' written by philosopher Adette Briggs.

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SEVEN

Wall Maria, North Region, Tallenn, Tallenn Courthouse

Zachary ran a hand through his grey hair. "Erwin, speak plainly now. You are proposing that we save an entire people for one particularly dangerous woman's knowledge?"

"Dr Bervik is our most valuable playing card. She didn't wish me to share this, but Dr Bervik was the previous Commander of the Havasian Military Police."

Shock echoed through the chamber.

"She has insider knowledge of everything we have remained blind to over this past century. I would go as far as to say she is the only one we need."

Lorelai lashed out at him, struggling against her chains like an animal. This was never the deal! They agreed— they agreed he would save them! She wanted to shout and scream, bite and scratch, force him to uphold their agreement. But it was futile.

Yet again, Lorelai was entirely at their mercy. They would decide her death; they would decide her life. They would lie and steal and cheat; they would kill one thousand for one.

Zachary burst out into laughter, banging his fist on the desk in hysteria. "And I thought you had gone soft!" he exclaimed. "Erwin, you might be the most apathetic bastard in the whole goddamn Walls!"

The rest of the court remained quiet. Everyone was floored by Erwin's complete disregard for human life.

Was this man even human? It was one thing to send your enemy to the gallows and quite another to be as indifferent as Erwin. How far would he go to reach his goals? What lengths would he stoop to?

Erwin, of course, was unphased by the court's reaction. "The defence rests."

Lorelai was livid. That, that was all he had to offer. She put her life and the lives of hundreds she cared for in his hands, and the action he desired was a massacre. Brilliant, she thought bitterly.

Her once cautious faith in Erwin, her trust in him to get her people through this— even if it meant her demise, had disappeared, vanished, evaporated. All that remained was the sting of betrayal.

The court remained quiet for several minutes. Well, quiet except for a couple of sobbing Havasians, Lorelai's heavy breathing, and concerned muttering throughout the crowd.

Zachary looked over the notes he had taken with a sudden sincerity. This was it. He would now decide their fate. Lorelai couldn't say she had high hopes.

Zachary cleared his throat. "Now, this nightmare of a court session has been one revelation after the next. We entered this hall as enemies, entirely ignorant yet confident we hated each other. As judge, I hope we leave enlightened, as allies."

Lorelai furrowed her brow. This... certainly didn't sound like a death sentence.

"No party in this room is entirely absolved of guilt. We have all done each other wrong, for that is the nature of war. But, to my comrades on the prosecution, listen." Zachary's gaze was warm. "These people have not hurt you. They are farmers. They did not charge into your cities and kill your families. Their only crime was being born on the winning side of a brutal war."