Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

FIFTEEN

'Trust is one of the more unpredictable things in this world. It follows no rhyme nor reason; we trust those who would betray us and are suspicious of those we should trust. Sometimes it even feels pointless to trust at all. But however frustrating, it is inconceivably important.'

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

<><><>

FIFTEEN

Wall Maria, South Region, Noaks Survey Corps Base of Operations

There was little sound in the mess hall, just the faint clattering of forks against plates as the two soldiers took their morning meal.

Neither of them had realised it, but they had fallen into their own little routine over the past couple of weeks, the pair of them. They would wake up bright and early, get something small to eat in the mess hall, and eat there alone, sharing little conversation. Then they would train. And repeat, repeat, repeat.

Lorelai and Levi had been at each other's throats when they met. Lorelai thought him bitter and disagreeable. Levi thought her overbearing and guileful enough to unsettle him. But they'd come to a sort of understanding. They weren't enemies, but they weren't quite friends either.

The days dragged into each other, and Lorelai often thought about Jürgen and the unfolding crimes in Trost. The issue of the bandits also lingered in the back of her mind.

They'd had three more incidents that week— all of them with a Havasian victim. The crimes got more and more worrisome as time went on. First, it was just street robberies. Then break-ins. And now, they had begun to witness disappearances— Havasian disappearances.

Even more than that, she'd had suspicions before, but now it was confirmed. Somehow, the bandits and the poison plot were linked. Patrols had found traces of that same poison at one of the crime scenes in Noaks.

It was all unravelling quickly. Lorelai needed to act— and fast. But, as things stood, she had a glaring lack of both allies and information.

Who had tried to poison them in the hospital? Why had bandits shown up in the area right as they arrived? And... how was she going to put a stop to it all?

Levi had noticed the change in Lorelai. Mostly, she was a light-hearted sort of woman, not nearly as morose or bad-tempered as he was. But recently, she'd been lost in her head— distracted, unfocused.

Her training hadn't been going well, to begin with, and this inattentiveness had started to annoy him. She was quiet, too quiet. Usually, as they ate breakfast, she'd be talking his ear off.

"Oi, Bervik," he prompted.

Lorelai didn't respond, instead pushing her food around on her plate.

"Lorelai," he tried. That caught her attention; she looked up from her food, blinking those brown eyes at him. "What's bothering you?"

She frowned a little as if considering something.

Lorelai needed to go to Trost. All of those incidents with the bandits and the poison had to end somehow, and she couldn't tackle the problem from Noaks. So, how would she get there?

Lorelai couldn't trust Erwin; that much was certain. He was a clever man, and the only reason he was in this was for his own personal gain. To start making demands now would be futile and only succeed in revealing her weakness. She couldn't count on his help.