promise | e. jaeger

XVIII. Attackers

a/n: good luck everyone 😩 also there are no manga spoilers in this for anyone wondering

Ten months later, the first letter came.

So much had changed since you had last seen Eren. Historia was pregnant now, meaning she could not inherit Zeke's titan, leaving you all at a loss. When you had questioned why she had done such a thing, she had shrugged and told her Eren said to, refusing to elaborate further, though you knew she was hiding something. It was the first time you could think of that she had lied to you, ever since she had revealed the truth about her identity.

Along with Eren and Historia apparently plotting behind your backs (had she been in on the fact that he planned to leave when you all visited Marley?), the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers had slowly gotten more and more confident in their standing on Paradis. With Historia completely out of commission, it was no longer even a secret who was running the country — you. Yelena and her allies had caught on quickly to your weak spot, and they took full advantage of it.

"Commander," she would murmur in your ear, her words softly venomous, "This is what Eren wants."

Still, as time had gone on, you had stopped caring about what Eren wanted, or so you told yourself and everyone around you. Why should you? Nobody knew his motives except for Historia, and she kept stubbornly silent. He had betrayed the Survey Corps and Paradis, leaving you behind in the dark with nothing but a command to trust Zeke — Zeke, who had killed Erwin, who had almost killed you, who was once your greatest enemy.

Despite what you said, you knew that Levi, Tullia, Mikasa, and Jean could see through you. You no longer slept as soundly as you once did, dark shadows forming under your eyes and a frown constantly on your face. What if Eren was dead, found by Marley and killed? You had no way of knowing.

"Commander, a letter for you from Marley," Captain Ducat said.

"How...odd? Does it say who the sender is?" you said. You did not know anybody in Marley who would be sending you letters. She handed you the envelope.

"Somebody named Mr. Kruger, who sent it to us via Zeke. Maybe another volunteer?" she said. You shrugged and tore the envelope open.

Dear Commander,

You must come to visit. My brother and I have made plans, and if they go as they should, then nothing will stop us from obtaining what we want. Finally, you will be happy.

From,

Kruger

You instantly knew who had written to you, the handwriting as familiar to you as your own. He had been deliberately vague in case the letter had been intercepted, but you could almost hear Eren's voice explaining his true plan to you.

An attack on Marley, which he needed you and the Survey Corps for. You didn't want to risk your comrades like that, but you knew what the answer would be. Time and time again, you had given up everything to save Eren, losing so many in the process, and so you would once more, because there was no future for humanity in the walls without him.

"Seriously? The asshole has some nerve, thinking we'll just come when we're called like that, as if we're dogs," Connie scoffed.

"Won't we?" you said tiredly, your head hurting from the conflicting feelings coursing through your veins.

"She's right. We need Eren, so we'll go, but that doesn't mean we have to be happy about it," Jean said. He had grown even taller now, his shoulders broad and voice quiet but commanding. He was no longer a boy but a man, and a damn good one, at that. He had become a Section Commander of the Scouts, and you knew that his subordinates adored him.