Utgard, morning

As a child, she'd dreamed of being a princess.

Her sister, Frieda, had read a story to her, years ago. A girl locked away in a stone stronghold guarded by a cruel and jealous monster. Now. Historia looked out the window of a tower, in a castle which jutted above the sea.

Sometimes dreams do come true.

The crystal still hung around her neck. Zeke's men had tried to remove it last night, only to withdraw their hands as the crystal burned them on touch. Zeke had watched, a half-smile on his lips. "It seems you are the crystal's chosen master," he'd said. "How strange, that a young girl on a farm happened to become the key to Laputa."

She'd replied to him, with a courage she didn't know she had.

"Accidents happen."

His smile had grown wider. But he'd said nothing in response.

There was a swift, patterned knock on her door. Dun dun dun-dun dun. Dun dun. She turned as the door opened. Zeke strode into the room, flanked by two of his men.

She watched quietly as he selected a chair from the corner and pulled it over. He was wearing a crisp uniform today, and his unruly blonde hair had been trimmed. He sat down on the chair, then took a second to clean his spectacles, before glancing at her.

"How did you sleep?"

"Well," she lied.

"Good. Krista, we are in Utgard Castle. Do you know where that is?"

She shook her head.

"It's where the generals and royalty of the nation of Eldia meet to discuss strategy. And they are all coming here now. Do you know why?"

She shook her head.

He pointed at her. "Because of you, Krista. You and your magic crystal."

She said nothing, simply felt the weight of it hanging from the back of her neck, heard the spell Frieda had whispered her echoing in her head. What would they think if I told them? she wondered. Would they believe me? Would they believe in a Spell of Destruction?

Another part of her answered. I think if I told them, sooner or later, someone would use it. They'd kill me to activate it.

Accidents happen.

Zeke had risen to his feet. He came over, stood next to her by the tower window. He put a hand on her shoulder. In a comforting tone, he said, "I know this has all been very difficult for you. Especially because of what happened with your sister." He leaned down, so that his mouth was by her ear. He whispered conspiratorially. "Krista, I must tell you something…"

"…what happened to your sister, it was not an accident."

She looked up at him, blinked.

He harrumphed. "You knew already, didn't you? Of course you did. You're a smart girl."

She said nothing.

He let out a heavy sigh and wandered back to his chair. He sat down with a thump, then said, "You must realize, Krista I lied in order to protect you. There are bad men within the military. Some of those men are here now, in Utgard. They are the ones who killed your sister, and they will hurt you if they can. I will try to protect you, Krista, but you must do exactly as I say. Do you understand what I mean by that?"

This time he waited for a response, and the silence drew long, until finally she said, "I understand."

"Good," Zeke said. He hesitated, as if considering something. Then, he added: "There is one man, in particular, who is very, very dangerous. His name is Erwin Smith, and you'll recognize him because he is missing one arm. This man is obsessed with finding Laputa. It has driven him insane."

The distaste in Zeke's voice was obvious. Even his careful, amiable tone could not hide that.

"My friend," Historia said. "Eren. May I see him?"

"Who?" His brows furrowed. "Oh, the boy? You know we must send him away now, don't you? He did well, protecting you from those pirates. But you're safe here, and he… is a distraction."

"I understand," she said. "May I still see him before he leaves?"

Zeke considered.

Please, she thought. I need to convince Eren to go home. Otherwise, he'll never give up. He'll follow me anywhere—and die trying.

"It would make me very happy," she said.

"Very well." Zeke gave in. "You may see him one last time."

Niles Dok, head of the Military Police, stepped off the metal ramp. Behind him, the chrome airship glinted in the morning sun. There were little dew droplets in the grass beneath his feet.

His airship had landed at the small strip at the base of Utgard. In front of him, a paved road winded up the craggy cliffs, leading to the castle gate.

There was an automobile waiting to take him there. And, as he opened the vehicle door, he was surprised to find Erwin Smith already in the backseat. He rolled his eyes, then slid in, next to the Air Brigade chief.

"You really couldn't wait to see me? It's only a five-minute drive."

Erwin gave a tight-lipped smile. "That's why I must speak quickly," he said. "Niles… last week, a member of my Air Brigade met with one of the government's secret agents, a man who has worked with Zeke. This man claimed he had knowledge of Zeke's motives. He said Zeke is working to bring about the destruction of Eldia."

I would have liked some time, Niles thought, to admire the dew drops—before being drawn back into this ridiculous world, with its plots and conspiracies. For heaven's sake, we haven't even reached the castle yet.

"Your sources are confidential, I suppose." He hoped Erwin would notice the dryness in his tone.

If Erwin noticed, he didn't acknowledge it. "I'm not currently in a position to reveal my source."

Niles sighed, looked out the window. The car was chugging slowly up the cliff. He could hear the crunch of gravel beneath the wheels. "The war is over," he said. "Marley is subjugated. Eldia's dominance is unquestioned. I think you're looking for enemies when there are none."

"You don't find Zeke's motivations suspicious?"

God, the man was unbelievably stubborn. Niles struggled to collect his thoughts. "Zeke's motives? I think he's ambitious. Doesn't mean he's trying to destroy Eldia. How, exactly, would he do that, anyway? With what army?"

"According to legend, the ancients of Laputa had the power to wake giants from the Earth."

Niles groaned. "Oh, save me."

Erwin leaned forward. His eyes had an odd intensity. "Niles, after all the time and effort the crown has put into Operation Coordinate, you still don't believe Laputa exists?"

Niles glanced forward at the driver. Erwin followed his gaze, gave a slight nod. One of mine. Someone we trust.

Well, then.

Niles cleared his throat, and then said the thing which had been rattling around his head for quite some time. "Laputa? Operation Coordinate? You know what I really think? I think this is all an enormous waste of resources." He practically spat the words. "Laputa is a children's fairytale. It's a myth. Think about it—I mean, just think about it, for one second. How would a castle float in the sky? Does that sound credible to you?"

Erwin said nothing.

"You and your soldiers, and your backroom espionage, and your conspiracies," Niles said. "You know what I think? I think you and Zeke are both obsessed with delusions. And I'm not going to be involved."

They were drawing near the castle gates.

"Why are you even here, then?" Erwin said.

"I'm head of the Military Police. I'm required to be here. So, I'm carrying out the job given to me."

"How's Marie doing?"

…what?

Niles narrowed his eyes. "My wife's doing fine, Erwin."

"You have two children, right? And a third on the way, I hear?"

Asshole. Don't bring my children into this. "Yeah."

"If I recall correctly, you were going to be a member of the Air Brigade, originally. But you fell in love with Marie, a girl at our local bar. And you chose to protect that one woman, instead of joining the war."

"Yeah, that's right," Niles said. "Are you trying to guilt me, Erwin? I shamelessly chose the cushy interior job, and shamelessly survived to this day. I don't regret it in the least."

"I'm not trying to guilt you," Erwin said, and smiled. "Actually, I respect you, Niles. You did what you had to, to protect what you love. But, just know. I will do the same. I will do whatever I have to do, to protect the thing which I love."

What in the blazes are you up to, Erwin?

Erwin reached over with his left arm, and patted Niles on the shoulder. "You keep carrying out your job. I wanted to give you a fair warning, that's all."

The car came to a stop. They'd arrived at Utgard. Niles watched as Erwin opened the door of the car and got out. Don't ask, Niles thought. He wants you to ask. Don't give him the satisfaction.

But curiosity got the better. As Erwin strode off, Niles called out after him.

"Erwin, you don't have a family. What exactly are you trying to protect?"

He turned. The morning sun caught the angle of Erwin's face, and for an instant granted him a sort of brightened outline. The dew drops in the grass glistened around his feet. Erwin said nothing, but rather clasped his left hand into a fist—the thumb facing outwards—and brought it against his chest, hard, silent—his mouth pressed into a thin black line.

The military salute of Eldia was supposed to be performed with one's right hand, but Erwin had lost that arm during the war, and so his left would have to do.

The sun slowly disappeared behind a cloud. The dew drops in the grass faded to shadow. Then Erwin had turned back, striding across the castle grounds.

After a second, the driver asked, "Are you getting out, sir?"

"Yeah," Niles said, wearily. "Yeah, I'm getting out."

There was a pneumatic hiss as the tower elevator descended. Historia stared blankly at the stone walls which rose around them. Presently, they came to a stop, and the doors opened.

Eren was waiting at a small tableside.

When he saw Historia, he exclaimed, and leapt to his feet. He rushed over and pulled her into an embrace. She buried her face in his shirt.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said. "They wouldn't tell me anything."

She pulled back. The thin red bruise marked his forehead. "You got hurt," she said.

He reached up to feel the bruise, then grinned. "Eh, it's nothing," he said. "People always tell me I have a hard head, anyway."

She swallowed, then, remembering what she'd come here to do. "Eren," she said. "There's been a misunderstanding. Zeke is trying to protect me."

His eyes turned hard. He stared at her, and slowly bit his lower lip. He said, "I don't think that you believe that."

"Please, Eren. Do this for me." Her voice was steady. "Forget about Laputa."

He shook his head. "I can't forget."

"You have to. Leave, Eren."

"Hist—" he stopped himself. "Krista. I'm not going to leave."

Zeke stepped forward. "I believe the lady's made herself clear. We've booked you a train back to Shiganshina. You're no longer required."

Eren stared at her, and she saw the pain in his eyes, and felt the splinter in her heart, and swore to herself, that this—this—was the last time. No one else would get hurt in her path.

Zeke reached down to his belt, drew out a little pouch which jingled in his hand. He tucked it into Eren's pocket. "A token of appreciation. For your efforts."

He turned, and stretched out his arm, guided Historia away. The last she saw of Eren were his eyes, still searching, trying to understand, and then the elevator doors closed, and she was being whisked far away.

Zeke spoke. "I know that was hard, Krista. Sometimes we have to do terrible things, to protect the people we care about."

Krista, she thought.

A silly name for a silly little girl.

Krista Lenz would never do anything to hurt anybody.

I'm not Krista Lenz.

My name is Historia.

I'm the princess with a spell that can end the world. I'm the princess who fell from the sky. I put my friends in danger and got my sister killed.

I'm the princess, and I'm the monster, too.