Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

FORTY-NINE

'To be a leader is a contradictory reality. In my experience, one must become both selfless and selfish to push your people forward. Understand that you are nothing without your followers, but also know that they are lost without you. Trust yourself, and trust those who put their faith in you. Leadership is servitude.'

-An extract from scholar and journalist Aksel Briggs' autobiography.

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FORTY-NINE

Wall Sina, Interior, Mitras, Royal Palace

The rest of the week soon slipped through their fingers.

It was a dull week of disapproving glances and unproductive meetings that seemed to drag on hour after hour. Both Erwin and Lorelai had been doing their best to patch up what their little love affair had wrecked. Both the Survey Corps and Havas had regressed that week. And, it had become apparent that it was not something they could fix overnight.

Erwin had mostly given up on attaining the support of noble. His cause was government-sanctioned anyway; any additional aid, while helpful, was not a necessity. He planned to return to Noaks and continue business as usual.

Lorelai, however, was in a tough spot. The scandal had drawn attention towards her love life and away from her plan to visit the Krüger Tunnels. And, unlike Erwin's cause, Havas was hanging on by a thread. She had to fix this, but she was running out of time in the capital.

Lorelai was flipping through letters at her desk; the afternoon sun warmed her skin. She had been reaching out to individual nobles, offering promises of gold and other gifts in return for support. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority replied with a flat out 'no'.

It seemed no one was particularly interested in supporting the loose Havasian woman who whored herself out to military officials. That particular image was not about to fade anytime soon. Lorelai found she preferred 'witch' and 'zealot' to this. Oh, how easy she had had it.

"No luck yet?" Levi raised an eyebrow at her from across the room.

She'd stuck to Levi like glue these past few days. Lorelai wasn't sure when exactly she had become dependent on his company, but now, after spending a full day at his side, it was undeniable. He had... a comforting presence. That stony, expressionless gaze had once unnerved her, but now it was a pillar of certainty amidst her chaotic existence.

The papers could hail her whatever they liked, 'witch', 'zealot', 'whore', and he would always be there. He would always look at her the same way.

"No luck," she confirmed bitterly.

Lorelai might have worried he thought her a burden— her, and her mountain-load of problems. But, still, his sincere "Can I help at all?" always came.

She smiled at him. "I appreciate the offer. But, unless you can turn the clocks back a couple of days, I don't think so."

He wasn't so easily deterred. "You said at the night of the ball that you didn't plan on returning to Noaks. What happened to that?"

"I did..."

"Well?"

"To be honest, I don't feel like I can be any more of an inconvenience to Erwin," she explained. "You've seen how he's been moping around these last few days, right?"