The wedding itself was a rather small affair, a testament to the hasty nature of the marriage. The ceremony was quick and straightforward, with the Septon conducting the vows in a somber tone. Prince Aemond Targaryen stood quietly, his expression stoic and indifferent, while Lady Fiyona Bracken smiled slightly, her eyes betraying both nervousness and a hint of excitement.
Once the vows were exchanged, the Septon declared them husband and wife. Aemond barely nodded in response, his gaze flickering towards his new bride for a brief moment.
As the ceremony concluded and they were officially pronounced man and wife, Aemond's expression remained stoic, his eye betraying little of his emotions. Fiyona, on the other hand, maintained a slight smile, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and trepidation at what lay ahead.
The guests applauded lightly, and the Septon gestured for them to kiss as a sign of their union. Aemond hesitated for a moment, his eye flicking towards Fiyona's plump lips.
The Prince's eye lingered on her lips for a moment, a flicker of something unrecognizable crossing his gaze. With a subtle sigh, he leaned in and gave her a perfunctory peck on the lips, his face maintaining its stone-like expression...
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synopsis. ━━ when sonja smith's entire life goes to ruin with the fall of wall maria, she decides to join the cadet corps, in hopes of becoming a scout like her uncle. and it is there that she finds not only her purpose in life, but meets a boy that will change her life entirely. ( read full synopsis here. )
word count. ━━ 3,958k words
reading links. ━━ available on tumblr and ao3
tag list. ━━ @pseudonym-lux @void-daniella (want to be tagged? either comment or send me an ask or dm!)
Year 847
Two painfully slow years had come and gone since Wall Maria had fallen, and Shiganshina District along with it.
In that time, Sonja Smith had lost everything; her home, her family, and dare she say, even her heart and spirit. She was but a hollowed shell of the person she used to be, unable to remember the last time she was even happy or dreamed without reliving such horrible memories of that day.
Alone and with nowhere to go, Sonja made the choice to enlist in the Cadet Corps as soon as she was able, knowing that dedicating her life to protecting humanity was far better than cowering behind yet another wall for the remainder of her life — however long that may be.
She had talked about it once with her mother, who was not at all enthusiastic about the thought of her only daughter going beyond the wall to fight titans. And now, as she stood in orderly fashion with her fellow classmates of the 104th Cadet Corps, Sonja couldn't help but wonder if her mother was looking down on her with disappointment for the choice she had made.
Would she be angry with her for enlisting and for putting her life on the line? Or would she finally understand that this had always been her dream?
Sonja bit down on her bottom lip, ridding her mind of those thoughts, and peered up through her blonde bangs at their Cheif Instructor, Commandant Keith Shadis. He stood before them in uniform, his hands clasped behind his back, announcing with authority that their introduction ceremony had begun.
Upon hearing those words, Sonja immediately straightened her back, lifted her chin, and looked forward, trying her best to make herself look presentable as the Commandant's surveying eyes skimmed over the class of the 104th Cadet Corps in an almost intimidating manner.
“Hey, Mop-Top!” Commandant Shadis shouted, and the nickname, though not directed at her, had caused Sonja to frown.
From the corner of her eye, she could see a blonde boy tense up before raising his arm in a salute across his chest. “Sir!”
“What do they call you, maggot?” Commandant Shadis asked.
“Armin Arlert, from Shiganshina District, sir!” The boy introduced himself, voice loud and unwavering, though lacking confidence as he appeared to be nervous from being singled out amoungst the class already.
A sharp pain pierced her heart when she heard where the boy was from. Shiganshina. Her home. Their home, as it turns out. She never thought she would miss it so much. Silently, she wondered how many other cadets were from there as well.
Commandant Shadis quirked a brow. “Wow, seriously? Why would your parents curse you with such a dumb name?”
Sonja's jaw clenched, and she bit down on her tongue to keep herself from speaking up and defending the boy. She knew that the their Chief Instructor was only trying to intimidate them, but she couldn't help but feel slightly angered by his method.
Though she had not turned her head to properly look at the boy, she didn't see anything wrong with his hair, let alone his name. Armin was a nice name. She had never heard it before today, but she liked it.
“It was my grandfather, sir!” The boy—Armin—answered promptly.
Commandant Shadis was now standing directly in Armin's face, leaning down slightly to be eye level with the blonde boy. “Cadet Arlert! Why is a runt like you here?”
“To help humanity overcome the titans!” Armin shouted his answer, seemingly more nervous than before.
“That is delightful to hear!” Commandant Shadis straightened his spine, the volume of his voice never lowering as he spoke. “You're gonna be a great light snack for them!” He then reached out, placing his hand on top of Armin's head, spinning the boy around and making him face the other way. “Row Three, About Face, runt!”
He stepped away from Armin Arlert and approached another cadet standing in line, shouting in their face and demanding to know their name and hometown as well. And Sonja stood there, silent, her gaze forward as she listened to him move around, using the same method he used on Armin in an attempt to intimidate even more of them.
Nervous beads had accumulated along her brow as Sonja silently prayed that Commandant Shadis wouldn't direct his attention upon her. But just when she thought she was in the clear, he was suddenly towering over her small frame. Her racing heart leapt into her throat, her mouth drying.
“Now look at what we have here,” Commandant Shadis said, his booming voice nearly making her flinch, but she managed to keep her composure. “Tired of the tea parties, runt?”
Sonja almost scoffed, but raised her arm in a salute across her chest instead. “I've never been to a tea party, sir!”
“Is that so?” He leaned down slightly, getting right in her face. “And what do they call you, runt?”
“Sonja Smith, from Shiganshina District, sir!” She introduced herself, and it was just as she had feared.
A series of whispers erupted from her fellow classmates when they heard her name. She had to refrain from nervously biting her lip and looking down at her boots as she felt their stares burning into her head from all directions.
Sonja hadn't wanted people to know her name. It wasn't that she was ashamed of it, but she was worried upon enlisting that people would treat her differently because of who her uncle was. More importantly, she feared what would happen if they contacted her uncle and informed him of her enlistment into the military.
Would he decline her application? Would he send her back inside the walls? Sonja was scared to face him, though she hoped by the time she did that she would have proven her worth. Surely, her uncle wouldn't be able to send her away if he saw how capable she was… right?
Commandant Shadis continued to stare down at the uncomfortable cadet standing before him in silence, his eyes widened slightly. He observed her appearance carefully and couldn't help but notice the similarities between the girl and the Commander of the Survey Corps. Same eyes. Same hair. Same name. This couldn't be a coincidence.
“Smith, huh?” He eventually said. “Any relation to Commander Erwin Smith?”
And there it was.
The question that Sonja hoped would never be asked. But it had. And she knew she couldn't lie, so she gave an honest answer, which only seemed to erupt more whispers from her fellow classmates.
“Yes, sir,” Sonja replied, fist still pressed against her heart in an unwavering salute as she addressed her chief instructor. “Commander Erwin Smith is my uncle.”
Nothing but silence followed, and Sonja suddenly felt uncomfortable in her own skin as she waited for the Commandant Shadis to address her again. But he never said another word, at least not to her, and Sonja wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
He walked away, and Sonja relaxed her tense shoulders, exhaling a shaky breath.
The man went back to humiliating more of the cadets, one by one, choosing his targets carefully to see who would break and who wouldn't. He head-butted a boy named Jean Kirstein and lifted the bald-headed boy, Connie Springer, by the sides of his head, giving him a thorough talking to due to the disgraceful salute he had given.
It wasn't long before Shadis was standing in front of a brunette girl, shouting in her face as he had with many of the other cadets. Although, this time, Sonja could tell something was different, so she couldn't help but steal a quick glance at the girl to see what had caused the tone of Commandant's voice to change so suddenly.
The girl was… eating a potato?
Sonja couldn't believe it. What the hell was the girl thinking of stealing a potato and eating it out here? This was neither the time nor place to indulge yourself with a snack!
“You are officially on my shit list! Just who in the hell are you?” Commandant Shadis shouted into her face, yet the girl never once wavered. Her expression remained the same, and she didn't stop chewing her bite of potato either.
Immediately, the girl swallowed her food, and while still clutching the potato in her right hand, she lifted her arm across her chest in a salute. “Sasha Braus from Dauper Village, at your service. Reporting for duty, sir!”
He towered over the girl. “Sasha Braus, huh? And what is that you're clutching in your right hand?”
“A steamed potato!” Sasha replied. “It sat there in the mess hall begging to be eaten. Sir!”
“The theft, I understand,” Commandant Shadis said, the tone of his voice changing so drastically that even Sonja felt on edge from where she was standing. “But here? Why eat it here of all places?”
“It looked quite delicious. And it was getting cold,” Sasha answered nonchalantly. “So I gave it shelter in my stomach, sir.”
By now, all the cadets—including Sonja—were staring between Sasha and their Cheif Instructor with wide eyes, unable to believe what was happening. Their minds silently wondered just what sort of punishment the girl was bound to receive for her behaviour.
“Why?” He questioned, appearing both confused and curious at the same time. It was obvious this was the first time something like this happened, so naturally he was dumbfounded by the nonchalant answers the girl was giving him in return. “I can't comprehend. Why would you eat that potato?”
“Are you asking me why people eat potatoes?” Sasha asked with some hesitancy laced in her words, either not fully understanding the question or at the very least was ataken by it. “I'm surprised you don't know, sir.”
Commandant Shadis continued to stare at her in silence, eliciting a nervous sound from the girl as she lowered her head a moment later. Then, much to everyone's surprise, Sasha Braus tore her potato in half before offering the man a piece of her stolen, steaming food.
“Here, sir. Have half.”
The Commandant was surprised by her actions, and he snatched the half she was offering to him into his hand. “Have half?” He repeated. “Really?”
And then, shortly after, the girl received her punishment in full.
Not only had she lost meal privileges for the next five days, but the girl was told to run laps until she was on the verge of death. And as if everyone wasn't already surprised enough by what the girl's behaviour, Sasha Braus offered their Commandant a tight-lipped smile and accepted her punishment without a fight.
What the hell?
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Sonja Smith was, in simple words, an absolute nervous wreck.
Ever since her classmates had discovered she was the niece of Commander Erwin Smith, they had done nothing but stare at her for the remainder of the day, whispering amoungst themselves. They didn't even try to hide it either, which made her even more uncomfortable as she did her best to ignore them all.
When the sun had set, a bell rang across the camp, announcing that it was time for dinner in the mess hall. Having already changed out of her uniform and into some casual clothing consisting of brown pants paired with a navy blue blouse and a light blue cardigan, she had soon found herself sitting at a table alone with a tray of food placed in front of her.
Sonja kept her head down as she began eating her dinner in silence, avoiding the stares she could feel being cast her way. For a while, she thought nobody would join her, that she was going to be all alone. But that didn't seem to be the case when a tray of food suddenly appeared beside her own.
She looked up from her food and turned slightly, finding a blonde boy sitting beside her. He offered her a kind smile, which she was too nervous to return.
“Hello,” Sonja offered instead, her voice quiet. She wondered if he could even hear her over the consistent chatter in the mess hall.
“I'm Armin,” he greeted, and it was then she realized that he was the same boy Commandant Shadis had insulted earlier during their introduction ceremony.
Finally, she produced a timid smile. “Sonja.”
“So is it true?” A twinge of sadness had found its way into his voice all of a sudden. “Are you really from Shiganshina District?”
Sonja frowned and looked away, her food suddenly far more interesting. “Yes,” she said eventually, her fingers fumbling with the sleeves of her cardigan.
“Is that why you are here?” Armin asked with caution.
She stiffened at the answer, remaining silent, flashes of bodies and blood and dust soaring through her mind, and Armin realized his mistake then.
His eyes widened when he noticed her reaction. He could tell he had overstepped by asking such a thing. It certainly wasn't his intention to make her sad or relive any painful memories, he had only asked because he was genuinely curious why she had joined the Cadet Corps. Because he couldn't for the life of him understand why someone like her—so kind and shy and a complete mystery to him—would be here otherwise.
“I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you,” Armin apologized. “You don't have to tell me if you are not comfortable. I just thought, if you were there that day too, maybe that is why you were here.” He eventually averted his gaze, unable to bear the sight of her sadness anymore. “I don't remember seeing you around Shiganshina much.”
She could hear the sincerity of his apology in his voice and turned to face him after a moment. He wasn't looking at her anymore, and his bottom lip was drawn between his teeth as he seemed to be internally scolding himself.
Is that why you are here. That's what he said to her. But she knew what he was really asking. He wanted to know if she had lost someone that day. She didn't have it in her to tell him that she had. That she lost everything. Even though it has been two years, the pain was still so fresh.
Sonja frowned as she stared at the side of his face, realizing that he had lost someone when Shiganshina had fallen too. She understood his pain, and suddenly felt a strong urge to reach out and comfort him but ultimately chose not to.
“It's okay,” Sonja said reassuringly. The sound of her voice caused him to look at her again. His brows were knitted in surprise, as though he couldn't believe she had forgiven him so easily. “And… I don't remember seeing you around much in Shiganshina, either. Though, I hardly left home, and didn't have any friends there, so I suppose that is why you must not recognize me.”
“Oh,” Armin frowned. “Why?
“Why?” she repeated in confusion.
“I mean, why didn't you have friends,” Armin elaborated. “You are not like the others. The kids who would… who would be mean to me back in Shiganshina.” He seemed embarrassed to admit that he had been bullied back in their hometown, and she couldn't for the life of her understand why someone would ever be so cruel to someone like him. “You are nice.”
Nice. The way he said it made her heart flutter.
Sonja shrugged and lowered her head, attempting to hide behind her curtain of blonde hair. “I've never been very good at making friends,” she admitted, almost painfully, and was unable to stop herself from wondering what he thought of her now.
Would he think me pathetic now that he knew I was too scared to make a friend?
“Well, you can be my friend,” Armin offered kindly and without an ounce of hesitation. Her eyes snapped up to meet his own, a look of surprise covering her pretty features, and his cheeks flushed as he averted his gaze once again. “I-I mean, only if you want to…”
For most of her childhood, she had been alone, with nobody but her older brother to play with. She had always wanted to play with the other kids outside, but never had the courage to ask if she could join them. The fear of being rejected or bullied had always made her look the other way. But now, after all this time, someone was asking her if she wanted to be their friend. She could almost cry with joy.
A sheepish grin inevitably spread across her face, which seemed to bring Armin some relief, her silence having been torture to him and only making the blush on his cheeks deepen.
“I would really like that. Thank you, Armin.” She bit her lip. “But you don't have to be my friend just because of what I said.”
“N-No!” Armin exclaimed, shaking his head at the assumption. He wasn't taking pity on her at all and he desperately wanted to reassure her of that. “It's not like that. I-I want to be your friend, Sonja. I wouldn't have offered otherwise.”
She believed him.
“Okay,” Sonja smiled. Then she held her hand out towards him, surprising even herself with her own actions. “Friends?”
Armin glanced down at her hand, and a relieved smile broke out across his face. She believed him. And that made him so happy that his cheeks started to hurt from how big his smile had suddenly gotten. He reached out and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Her skin was warm and welcoming, as was her smile. His cheeks were burning as he met her blue eyes, and he realized in that moment just how much they reminded him of the blue hydrangeas he would often come across in Shinganshina from time to time.
“Friends,” he echoed, his smile unwavering.
Neither of them seemed to be aware of the lingering moment that passed between them, far too engrossed in each other's smile to realize they'd been holding hands for far longer than they initially intended.
It was Sonja who eventually withdrew her hand from Armin's, a faint blush coating her freckled cheeks as she looked down at her tray. She took a bite of her bread in a futile attempt to hide the relentless smile still on her face, and swallowed just as two more people joined them at their table.
She looked up to see who it was, and found a boy sitting across from her. He had much darker hair than Armin's and his eyes were teal. The girl sitting beside him had dark hair as well, though hers was much darker and her skin was far paler, and a red scarf was wrapped securely around her neck.
Before Sonja could greet them, Armin spoke up from beside her. He was eager to tell them her name, as though it was something special and he had the great privilege to do so. And then he told her that their names were Eren Jaeger and Mikasa Ackerman, and that they were his best friends from Shiganshina. She offered them a polite smile as stared across the table at them. They returned it with one of their own, offering her polite greetings.
Not much later, a group of their classmates had formed around their table, their attention solely on Eren as they asked the boy questions about what happened in Shiganshina the day it had fallen. The topic of discussion had stirred an uneasy feeling in Sonja's stomach as she lowered her head and attempted to block everything out.
Eren didn't seem as bothered by their questions as she was, and it was something that Armin noticed as he turned slightly to look at Sonja.
Her head hung so low that he could barely even see her face through her blonde hair, and she wasn't eating her food anymore, her hands now in her lap underneath the table. He frowned, knowing that the conversation was upsetting her.
Armin was itching to reach under the table and grab her hand, wanting to comfort her in some way, but he didn't. Nor did he know what to say to make her feel better. Instead, he sat there in silence, a permanent frown etched into his features as he simply watched her, as though he was waiting for something to happen.
At one point, when Eren dropped his spoon with a clutter and reached up to cover his mouth, his teal eyes widening in a way that told Armin his friend was reliving terrifiying memories, Marco Bodt had suggested they stop asking questions. But before Armin could voice his agreement, Eren quickly reassured everyone that it wasn't like that, and he went on to further explain everything that had happened and how he was going to eradicate the titans.
When Armin saw Sonja shift uncomfortably in her seat and stiffen up beside him at something Eren had mentioned, that is when he finally decided to speak up, unable to bear the sadness practically wafting off of Sonja any longer.
However, before Armin could open his mouth in hopes of putting an end to the discussion all together, he suddenly heard Sonja's voice from beside him. She so quiet that he could barely even hear her over everyone else. But he had. Of course, he had. His attention had been only on her.
“Excuse me,” were the only words Sonja could muster up in that moment, as she quickly stood from the table and grabbed her tray of barely touched food.
Sonja wasn't hungry anymore. At least, not since her classmates had started asking Eren questions about that haunting day she could never seem to get out of her mind. Her stomach was in knots and the entire room felt hot and crowded. She felt like she was going to be sick. So she left without sparing anyone a single glance or another word.
When she stepped outside, taking a moment to breath in some fresh air, Sonja finally realized that her eyes were burning. She quickened her pace to reach the barracks before the girl, Sasha Braus, who was still outside running her laps, could notice the state that she was in.
Sonja hastily opened up the door to the girls' barracks and walked inside, completely unaware that when she let the door close behind her, she did so in the face of Armin Arlert, who had quietly followed her outside to make sure that she was alright.
She crossed the room in long strides and climbed onto the top bunk that she had claimed as her own earlier, her bunkmate, Annie Leonhart, rather insistant about having the bottom. She turned so she was facing the wall and pulled the blanket up to her nose. And she laid there for the rest of the night, silent tears spilling down her cheeks as images from that day flashed behind her tightly shut eyelids.
She saw everything as if she was reliving it all over again.
The Colossal Titan peeking over the wall. The clouds of dirt when the gate had been breached. Pieces of the gate soaring through the air, raining down on their homes. The titans that had flooded inside. All the blood. Their faces. She could suddenly hear their terrified screams and cries, loudly echoing in her ears, and she reached up to cover them with her hands, as though it would help block them out.
Eventually, the boy standing outside the barracks turned around and left, sadly trudging back towards the mess hall to be with his friends. And it wasn't much later that Sonja had cried herself to sleep, finding herself trapped in yet another nightmare.
authors note. ━━ ughhhh Sonja and Armin are just so cute already that I could literally cry 🥺 I can't wait to develop their friendship into something more. Most of all, I can't wait to share all the fun (and painful) things that I have planned for this story with you all.
anyways, I really hope you all enjoyed the first chapter and are as excited as me for more! Thank you so much for giving this story a chance, it means the absolute world to me ❤️
"He hasn't been calling us in weeks and this is the first thing we get from him ... something's not right."
Silver had heard Dean panic before. Sometimes she'd hear it during a job, like that one time his gun jammed in Aurora. Or sometimes with the Impala — mostly with the Impala — especially the few times that he had let Silver drive it. And while his current tone wasn't full blown panic, it was tinged with the beginnings of it. While the Winchester men were absolute shit with talking about their feelings, Silver could see the care and respect that Dean held for his dad, clear as day. Not hearing from him in three weeks had been driving him up a wall, as much as he tried to hide that from Silver. He needed something, anything, to know that John was okay.
And so, despite the fact that Silver had been hoping for a day or two off, she asked, "So this probably has something to do with the case in Jericho, then. And even if it doesn't, it's the last place we knew John would be. You wanna head out tonight and go to Jericho?"
A collection of House of the Dragon/A Song of Ice and Fire verse original character drabbles and one-shots.
⚠️Warnings: General ASOIAF themes! Triggers may include: violence, implied sexual themes, death, blood, gore, foul language, abuse, etc.⚠️
synopsis. ━━ when sonja smith's entire life goes to ruin with the fall of wall maria, she decides to join the cadet corps, in hopes of becoming a scout like her uncle. and it is there that she finds not only her purpose in life, but meets a boy that will change her life entirely. ( read full synopsis here. )
word count. ━━ 6,385k words
reading links. ━━ available on tumblr & ao3
tag list. ━━ @pepperronys @pseudonym-lux @void-daniella (want to be tagged? either comment or send me an ask or dm!)
Sonja awoke with a start the following morning. Her breathing was labored and she squeezed her eyes shut, willing the horrific images of her hellish nightmare from her mind as she numbly reached up to wipe at her face. Her cheeks were damp with tears and her eyes felt puffy from having cried herself to sleep. With a sigh, she pushed the blanket off her body so she could freshen up before training would begin.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, her bunkmate, Annie Leonhart, looked up at her with a stoic expression. “You move around a lot in your sleep.”
Sonja wasn't sure if it was an observation or a complaint. Regardless, she apologized. “Sorry, Annie,” she said. “I have trouble sleeping. If I'm bothering you, I can find another bunk—”
“I didn't say that,” Annie cut her off, her tone as monotonous as ever.
She stared back at the blonde with furrowed brows. So it was an observation? But then why did she seem bothered? Or was that just how Annie looked when she woke up in the morning? Sonja couldn't tell, the blonde was difficult for her to read.
She decided to leave it at that, turning and grabbing her uniform from her belongings and leaving the girls’ barracks to freshen up in the bathrooms.
After changing into her uniform and washing her face of the dried tears and sweat clinging to her skin, Sonja brushed her hair. Leaving the bangs and some strands loose around her face, she styled the rest into two braids, which she then turned into two buns at the nape of her neck, secured with red ribbons that had belonged to her mother.
Once she was done, Sonja headed back into the barracks to put away her night clothes. Just as she did, the bell rang, announcing breakfast at the mess hall. Her stomach growled at the thought of food, as she hadn't gotten the chance to eat much last night before feeling sick from Eren's storytelling, yet she didn't make a move for the mess hall. Her stomach was still queasy from her hellish nightmare, so she decided to sit outside and get some fresh air as she waited for their training to begin.
Sonja found a bench to sit on near the sparring yard. With her head down and hands in her lap, her fingers absentmindedly fumbling with the hem of her jacket, she listened to the other cadets head inside the mess hall for some breakfast.
She could have sworn she saw Annie in her peripheral vision at one point, the blonde pausing mid-stride to look at her briefly, almost as though her bunkmate was curious as to why she wouldn't be coming inside to eat with the rest of them. But even if Annie was curious—or dare she even say worried—she never approached, opting to give Sonja the privacy she clearly wanted.
And a small part of Sonja appreciated that.
The other half, however, silently yearned to be held and comforted. She wanted to be wrapped up in her mother's safe and warm embrace like she used to when she woke up from a nightmare as a child. She wanted to feel her mother's thumb brush her cheek as she wiped away her tears. But now she was alone, and had no one to speak to about the terrible things she would see behind her eyelids every time her head touched her pillow at night.
“Hey.”
The timid greeting interrupted her thoughts, and Sonja suddenly realized that someone was standing over her, their shadow encasing her in darkness. She looked up at the person blocking the summer sun, squinting slightly through the golden streams of light on either side of them before she was able to recognize their face.
It was Armin.
His features were soft, yet twinged with worry at the same time. The white buttoned shirt and blue cardigan he had been wearing at dinner last night were gone, replaced by his uniform, and she noticed that he was holding a piece of bread in his hand.
“Hi,” she eventually said, her voice sounding just as timid as his own.
With his free hand, he nervously rubbed the nape of his neck. “May I join you?”
Sonja said nothing as she scooted over on the bench, freeing up the space beside her, a silent invitation to join her, which Armin did not hesitate to accept.
He turned his body slightly to look at her as he spoke, and pointed out the obvious. “You weren't at breakfast.”
She shrugged. “I wasn't hungry.”
Armin frowned in concern, and when she tilted her head, just enough for him to catch sight of her eyes through the blonde hair concealing her face from him, he could see the pain in them.
She was hurting.
And he hated the sight of it. He hated that she was in pain and he hated that he could do nothing about it. He wanted nothing more than to see her face soften and her eyes shine as she smiled at him again, like when it was just the two of them and she had agreed to be his friend.
But Armin didn't know Sonja.
They only just became friends and had barely even spoken more than a few words in the short time they've known each other. He didn't know how to comfort her, and he didn't know what to say to make her smile again.
Armin felt utterly helpless, something not entirely unfamiliar for him after the years he spent being tormented by the other kids in Shiganshina. Even when Eren and Mikasa would come running to his aid, he was never able to help them. He was too weak to fight back. Always helpless.
But that wasn't going to stop him from trying.
“Here,” Armin said, extending his hand out towards her.
Sonja lifted her head, staring at his outstretched hand. He was offering her the bread.
When she didn't take it, Armin continued, a small sigh escaping his lips. “You barely touched your dinner last night, and you weren't at breakfast. Training will begin soon and you won't be able to partake in any of it on an empty stomach. You need to eat something to keep your strength up.”
She met his gaze, and when Sonja realized that he wasn't going to drop his hand until she took the bread, she reluctantly reached out to take it, their fingers brushing. She remained completely unaware of the faint blush coating his cheeks upon her fleeting touch.
“Thank you, Armin,” Sonja said, bringing the bread up to her mouth and taking a small bite. “That was kind of you. But aren't you missing breakfast now too?”
“I already ate,” Armin assured.
She didn't say anything after that, and neither did he.
Armin watched her eat in silence for a while, satisfied that he had been the one to prevent her from exerting herself on an empty stomach during their training. And when he finally broke the silence between them, he felt his ears grow warm.
“And… I wanted to come see you,” he confessed, his head hanging low out of embarrassment for admitting such a thing out loud.
Sonja stiffened beside him, her movements halted by the words that had taken her by surprise, the piece of bread that had been halfway towards her mouth now hovering in the air.
I wanted to come see you.
Her heart was racing. She found it hard to look at him, a faint blush coating her freckled cheeks. “You wanted to see me?” she breathed.
“O-Of course, I did,” Armin stammered, nervously rubbing his suddenly clammy hands against his uniform pants. “I… I wanted to come see you last night too, after you left the mess hall. But when I got outside, you were already at the barracks and I couldn't follow you there.”
“Why?”
“Why?” He repeated, his brows knitted in confusion.
“You said you followed me,” Sonja elaborated. She turned to face him, holding his gaze with her own. “Why?”
His face dropped slightly. He couldn't understand why she was asking such a question. Didn't she already know?
“We're friends… aren't we?” Armin asked, as though he was uncertain of that himself now with her question lingering in the air, practically suffocating him.
Did she not want to be his friend anymore? Is that why she couldn't understand why he was concerned for her well-being? Had she changed her mind overnight because Eren had upset her with his stories? Or… had he done something to upset her?
Armin gulped, suddenly fearful of the answer she would give.
“Of course, we are,” Sonja frowned. She was hurt that he would think otherwise. “Why would you think we aren't friends anymore?”
His shoulders visibly relaxed, relief exploding through his veins. She had no idea just how happy that had made him after doubtful thoughts had taken root in his brain.
“That's why I followed you outside last night,” Armin explained. “You are my friend, and I knew you were upset because of what Eren was talking about at dinner. I only wanted to make sure you were alright.” He looked down at his lap when he felt his face become warm again. “And this morning, when you weren't at breakfast, I-I was worried about you. That's what friends do.”
Sonja blinked at him, unmoving and unable to form any words as she felt something stir inside her heart.
He was so worried about her that he had abandoned his best friends—not once, but twice—in the mess hall to come outside and be with her. They barely knew each other, yet he genuinely cared for her well-being. She could see it as clearly as she could see the blue sky over their heads and the summer sun beating down on them.
In that moment, Sonja realized that she no longer had to yearn for someone who wasn't in her life anymore. Because now she had Armin.
The boy who had made her smile for the first time in years. The boy who had made her feel warm and comforted and… happy. They barely knew each other and yet he was already making her feel things she hadn't felt in a very long time.
She was suddenly unsure of what she had done to deserve his friendship.
“Armin…” She was at a loss for words.
He reached his hand across the empty space between them, itching to hold her hand in his own, but instead let it reside there between them on the bench.
“You can tell me,” Armin said, his voice soft and soothing on her ears. “It doesn't have to be today, or tomorrow, the day after that… it can be whenever you want, or not at all. But if you ever want to talk about what happened in Shiganshina or anything else, I'm here for you, Sonja. I'll always listen. I'll always be your friend.”
Sonja was rendered completely speechless by his sweet and sincere words. And it was only when she heard him gasp and his fingertips brush against her cheek that she realized she was crying again.
She inhaled sharply, surprised by his actions, and Armin instantly withdrew his hand as though he had been burned by her skin.
“I-I'm sorry,” Armin apologized, eyes wide and panicked, his skin flushing uncontrollably. He could still feel the tears on his fingers. Her tears. Placed there because of him. Because he had made her cry. “I didn't mean to upset you! I was only—”
“I'm not upset,” Sonja cut him off, reaching up to wipe her eye before any more tears could fall. She had quickly regained her composure, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I've never had a friend before. But I'm happy that I have one now. And I'm grateful that it is you, Armin.”
“Oh,” Armin breathed, realizing with every word she spoke that they were tears of joy. He hadn't made her sad. On the contrary, he had made her happy. All the panic and guilt in his body dissipated as he smiled softly at her. “I'm grateful that you are my friend too, Sonja.”
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Her second day in the Cadet Corps was far better than her first. She even fell asleep that night without having a nightmare, without crying herself to sleep. And she woke up with the faintest of smiles on her face, which hadn't happened in a long, long time.
During a morning lecture on the third day, Sonja noticed something about Armin she hadn't before. He was attentive and eager to learn more, his eyes often widening in awe depending on what they were learning that day. Other days, his eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, never missing out on a single detail. He didn't even have to write down many notes in his journal, either, his brain seeming to absorb most of the information firsthand and keeping them stored within his memory.
By the sixth day, Sonja found herself more exhausted than she'd ever been. Between morning lectures and training sessions, her brain was full with so much knowledge she thought it might split open, and her body was sore. Not to mention her nightmares returned some nights, leaving her with bags under eyes in the morning from the lack of sleep.
Which, of course, Armin noticed. Even though he never commented on it.
But no matter how exhausting the first week made her feel, it was far better than Sonja expected, especially when she had friends to keep her company.
Although they were still in the beginning stages of their friendship and she remained utterly clueless on how a friendship even worked due to her lack of experience, Sonja found it a little easier to talk with Armin, Eren and Mikasa now than that first day at camp.
But there were certain topics they never discussed while in each other's company. Shiganshina, for one, was a conversation that they avoided entirely. Most of the time, they would discuss their personal interests, go over notes from their morning lectures, or discuss their training.
It was almost as though they had made a silent agreement never to discuss Shiganshina until they were ready. Which was nice, if Sonja was being honest. Armin's patience and understanding was something she appreciated most about him.
At the start of the third week, the cadets found themselves standing outside on a warm, sunny afternoon.
They had spent the week prior learning how to maintain their omni-directional mobility gear—how they functioned, how to properly wear it, how to clean it, how to replenish the gas canisters and to equip the blades—and now it was time to begin physical training.
Sonja, for one, was eager to fly. She had seen her uncle use his gear countless times growing up, and she had always been envious of how free he must feel while soaring through the air, the wind in his hair, and the Wings of Freedom over his heart. She wanted that more than anything.
Unfortunately, though, there would be no flying today. First they had to learn how to keep themselves balanced on one of the stationary posts with wires connected to their belts. Sonja knew that it was only after everyone learned how to properly balance themselves, that she would be able to fly.
Commandant Shadis stood before one of machines, arms behind his back as he addressed them. “It's aptitude test time, so listen up!” He shouted, and the cadets gave him their full attention. “There is no place for you here if you cannot perform! Fail, and be shipped to the fields.”
Sonja glanced to her left where Armin was standing, and she noticed how nervous he was all for the exercise. She wanted to say something to reassure him that he was going to do great, that overthinking and doubting himself would only prove ineffective. But before she could, Commandant Shadis’ voice captured her attention once more and she turned to face forward.
“Divide into groups of twelve and line up before one the stationary posts,” Commandant Shadis instructed. “You will take turns participating in the exercise, and you will be evaluated by your performance today. So don't disappoint me, you runts! Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir!” The cadets responded in unison.
“Then what are you waiting for!” Shadis bellowed. “Move it, move it, move it!”
Immediately, everyone dispersed from orderly fashion and began forming lines of twelve along each of the stationary posts that were set up in the area.
“Come on, Armin!” Eren shouted, grabbing his friend's wrist and tugging him towards one of the groups. He would have done the same with Mikasa, though he didn't see her anywhere near them. He figured she was already in line somewhere else.
Armin glanced over his shoulder at Sonja, and she took that as an invitation to join them. She quickly ran after them, coming to a stop beside Armin and flashing him an excited smile.
Once everyone had divided into multiple groups, several instructors walked up and motioned for them to step forward. For their group, that was Eren. Both Sonja and Armin watched as their friend walked forward with determined strides.
Two wires were attached on either side of Eren's belt before one of the instructors stepped back, taking their place at the crank. Once Eren told them he was ready, the instructor began turning the crank, lifting him off the ground with ease.
For a moment, Eren seemed to have the hang of it. But he only kept his balance for a few seconds before he abruptly fell backgrounds with a startled yelp, dangling upside down and struggling to get back up into the correct position.
Sonja and Armin gasped.
With how determined and passionate Eren was about training, they figured he would pass this exercise with ease. But that didn't seem to be the case as they continued to stare at his dangling body.
They exchanged worried looks, frowning.
Commandant Shadis immediately made his way towards their group, and Sonja flinched when she saw the man kneel down on the ground so that Eren could see the irritation on his face.
“What is your major malfunction, Jaeger?” Shadis shouted at the boy. “Straighten yourself up!”
Their classmates began snickering and whispering to each other. Sonja clenched her jaw when she heard what they were saying about Eren and curled her hands into fists as she glared at them, feeling an overwhelming sense of protection for her friend that she had never felt before. She opened her mouth to tell them to leave Eren alone, but Armin reached out and grabbed her wrist, silently shaking his head.
Don't, he was saying with his eyes, it will only make this worse for him. Trust me.
As she stared back at him, Sonja could see how badly Armin wanted to defend his friend too. But he was silent because he knew it would only make the situation worse for Eren, and he didn't want that for his friend.
She didn't want that either.
With a frown, Sonja complied with his request, and reluctantly uncurled her fists. But Armin never dropped her wrist, keeping her right there beside him, and she felt heat rise up her neck as she was suddenly well aware of his touch.
Another few embarrassing minutes for Eren passed before Shadis had the instructor lower him back to the ground and detach his wires so the rest of the class could participate in the exercise.
Once Eren was back on his feet, he lowered his head and stomped away.
Armin frowned as he watched his friend move off to the side, avoiding the stares their classmates were giving him. He wanted to go over to Eren when he saw his friend kick a pebble with clenched fists, knowing how upset he was. He wanted to comfort him and reassure him that he'll get the hang of it eventually.
But Armin never got the chance to even move a muscle before Commandant Shadis was shouting again, demanding that the snickering cadets shut their mouths or run laps until they were on the verge of death.
Obviously, they chose the former, not wanting to suffer the same fate as Sasha Braus had their first day of bootcamp.
Shadis then snapped his head to the right. “Cadet Arlert! Were you not the next in line?”
Sonja noticed that Armin's grip around her wrist tightened for a moment before he dropped her hand and looked away from Eren, meeting their chief instructor's piercing gaze.
Armin gulped before answering. “Yes, sir.”
“Then what are you still standing there for?” Shadis questioned loudly. He gestured towards the posts behind him. “Get a move on, Mop-Top, we don't have all day!”
Hearing the nickname their instructor had given Armin caused Sonja to frown deeply as she stared at her friend. Like at their introduction ceremony, she bit down on her tongue to refrain from saying anything.
Sonja nervously fumbled with the hem of her jacket as she watched Armin approach the posts. The instructor attached the wires to his belt, and once Armin gave the go ahead, he was lifted off the ground.
Her breath left her body all at once as she watched him.
Although she had told Armin beforehand that she believed in him, Sonja knew that he still doubted himself. And for a moment, that had caused her entire body to stiffen as she wondered if those doubtful thoughts of his would result in the same situation Eren had found himself in.
But that never happened. Despite all his self-doubt, Armin kept his balance remarkably well, never falling over once. She could tell he was surprised that he didn't end up with his face in the dirt.
A smile broke out across her face as she continued to watch him, noticing how his brow, which had previously been furrowed in concentration, soon relaxed along with the rest of his body.
Having completed the exercise, Armin was soon lowered back onto his feet, and the instructor removed the wires from his belt. He immediately made his way over to Sonja, a smile spreading across his face when he saw the look on her face.
She was so proud of him.
His stomach fluttered and he looked down sheepishly, hiding the flush in his cheeks.
“You did it, Armin!” Sonja praised him once he reached her side. She gently nudged his shoulder with her own, her smile unwavering. “See? I knew you could do it! Don't ever think otherwise.”
Armin briefly met her eyes while rubbing the nape of his neck. “Thank you, Sonja. You're right, I don't know why I was so nervous.”
Another cadet went next, and then another after that, and before Sonja knew it, she was hesitantly standing before the stationary posts, her bottom lip nervously drawn between her teeth.
Suddenly, her thoughts were spiraling, leaving nothing but doubt behind.
What if I have the same results as Eren? Would that mean I never get another attempt? Will Eren even get another attempt? Will they really send us both to the fields? Would they contact my uncle? Would Erwin be disappointed in me for not being capable enough? Would they—
“Smith!”
The sound of Shadis’ voice brought her back to reality, and she flinched, turning to look at her instructor with wide eyes.
“Stop standing there, cadet!” He shouted at her, irritation laced within his voice. “Either complete the exercise or go stand over there with Jaeger!”
Sonja swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded feverishly. She walked up to the posts and the instructor attached the wires to her belt. Once she was secure, the instructor took a step back, and Sonja looked up from the spot on the ground she had been focusing on with a shaky breath.
Her eyes instinctively found Armin, and she noticed that he was already watching her. Armin offered her a reassuring smile and a thumbs up. He even mouthed the words you can do this.
Armim believed in her, and that was enough to wash away every doubt still lingering within her mind.
With a determined nod, Sonja informed the instructor she was ready, and they immediately began turning the crank. The clinking noise met her ears, and before she knew it, her body had been lifted off the ground.
Her feet dangled in the air, and she sucked in a sharp breath, bracing herself by angling her back slightly so she wouldn't fall over. She held her arms out on either side of her, and once she found her balance, Sonja regulated her breathing until she was calm and collected, her posture no longer stiff.
A few moments later, she was lowered to the ground and the instructor detached the wires from her belt. She immediately walked over to Armin, who was already waiting for her with a smile upon his face.
“Good job, Sonja!” Armin praised.
She smiled back. “Thank you.”
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
The sun was setting, enveloping everything in sight in the warmth of the dying summer sun. Armin thought the mixtures of pink, yellow and orange exploding across the sky was beautiful.
He walked with Eren and Mikasa, the three of them heading for the training yard, the former having been rather persistent on giving the aptitude exercise another try. Eren knew the training yard would be clear of everyone by now, and he wanted to get some more practice so he wouldn't fail again.
Embarrassing was a word they heard from him repeatedly throughout the day, and they didn't like seeing how upset their friend was over what happened during the exercise. Mikasa had been the first to offer her help, then Armin, and then Sonja. And Eren didn't have any objections.
“I thought that Sonja would be joining us?” Mikasa asked when she noticed the absence of their friend.
“She said she would meet us here,” Armin replied.
Mikasa nodded in response and then diverted her attention to Eren, making conversation with him as they walked.
Armin zoned out after that, his eyes pinned to the ground as they walked. He wasn't really paying much attention anymore, his thoughts drifting. But when they arrived at the training yard, he finally looked up again, and that's when he saw her.
She was sitting in the dirt, leaning back on the palms of her hands with her legs stretched out in front of her. Her head was tilted to the side just a little, and her chin was pointed towards the sky. The warmth of the sunset touched her so delicately, making her skin and hair glow softly. Armin couldn't help but think how pretty she looked sitting there.
“Armin!”
Eren's voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he blinked rapidly before looking at his best friend.
“Huh?” Armin said, his cheeks flushing. “Sorry, what were you saying, Eren?”
“I asked why you stopped,” Eren said.
It was then Armin realized he had, in fact, stopped walking. His blush deepened, knowing it was because he was distracted by the pretty view before him. But he didn't tell them that. He was already embarrassed enough and didn't want to risk Eren teasing him.
Armin averted his eyes before replying. “Oh, uh, i-it's nothing.” He then walked away without saying another word, heading straight for Sonja, all the while praying that the heat he could feel in his cheeks wasn't too noticeable.
Mikasa and Eren lingered behind for a moment, exchanging a knowing look with each other before quickly following after their friend.
As soon as Armin reached her side, Sonja looked up at him and smiled. He returned her smile with one of his own and then offered her his hand. She accepted it without hesitation. His heart was racing as he curled his fingers around her hand and pulled her onto her feet.
“Thank you,” Sonja muttered, releasing his hand afterwards so she could brush the dirt from her uniform and hands. She then turned to face Eren, and asked despite knowing the answer already, if he was ready.
“I am,” Eren replied, his voice full of determination as he strode past them towards one of the stationary posts. “Let's do this.”
“That's the spirit, Eren,” Sonja said, offering him an encouraging smile which he did not return. Not that she expected him too.
While Eren got into position, Armin walked over and began attaching the wires to his friend's belt. He then went and stood by the crank, patiently waiting until Eren told him that he was ready.
Mikasa walked up to stand in front of Eren, offering him some advice. “Just remember the basics and you should be fine. No need to try any fancy maneuvers.”
“She's right,” Sonja said, capturing Eren's attention. “Focus on your balance and your posture by distributing your weight evenly across the belts on your waist and legs. You don't want to be too stiff, but you also don't want to be too loose that you fall over so easily. Find a middle ground.”
“Loosen up your stance a little bit,” Armin offered. “If I could do it, then I know you can!”
“Exactly,” Sonja smiled along with Armin. “And make sure you regulate your breathing. Panicking will only make things worse, trust me. I thought my heart was going to explode.”
Armin nodded in agreement. “Try taking some deep breaths before you give it a try, Eren. That might help to relax you.”
Eren nodded as he soaked in everything the three of them were saying. He then took Armin's advice and closed his eyes, taking a few calming, deep breaths to relax himself.
A few moments passed before Eren opened his eyes. “Okay. A loose stance, but stay balanced. Maintain the correct posture and regulate my breathing.” He glanced over his shoulder where his friend was standing. “Let's give it a shot, Armin.”
Armin nodded in response, offering Eren one last reassuring smile before he began turning the crank. Slowly, but surely, Eren was lifted off the ground.
The moment he was in the air, Eren began swaying back and forth on the wires. His balance was off and he immediately started panicking. Then he fell forward, bashing his forehead off the ground with a cry.
“Eren!” They shouted in unison.
Mikasa and Sonja rushed forward, each grabbing one of Eren's arms to support him while shouting for Armin to lower him.
Once Eren's feet were back on the ground, Armin unhooked the wires from his belt while the two girls supported his weight between them by throwing his arms over their shoulders. Eren was barely even conscious, his eyelids heavy. Blood was pooling from a gash on his forehead.
“Is he alright?” Armin asked worriedly.
Mikasa shook her head. “No. He's bleeding.”
“We should get him to the infirmary,” Sonja suggested.
“I-I’m fine,” Eren objected, wincing slightly when they took a step. He could barely even keep his eyes open and the throbbing in his head had gotten even worse. But he was too stubborn to admit defeat. “Want… to try again.”
“No, you're not,” Armin frowned in concern. “You're hurt. We'll practice more tomorrow. Now come on, let's get you to the infirmary before dinner.”
Eren never spoke again after that, reluctantly allowing his friends to take him to the infirmary.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Fortunately, the gash on Eren's forehead hadn't required any stitches. The physician cleaned the wound and dressed it properly before wrapping a bandage around his head and sending him on his way with something to help with the pain.
After getting cleaned up and dressing into their casual clothes, they regrouped at the mess hall for some dinner. Sonja was sitting beside Armin with Eren and Mikasa across from them.
Silence had enveloped their table, the only sound being the occasional clink of Sonja or Armin's spoons as they ate their stew and the whispers from their fellow classmates around them.
They were talking about Eren as if he wasn't even in the room, and Sonja knew that Eren could hear the awful things they were saying about him from the expression on his face.
“Eren,” Mikasa spoke softly, pulling the boy from his thoughts.
“Worrying won't solve anything,” Armin said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. “There's still time to get some practice in come morning.”
Sonja nodded in agreement. “He's right, Eren. Don't let it get to you so much.”
“How pathetic,” Eren said, his voice laced with shame and self-hate. “How am I supposed to kill ‘em if I can't even stand up straight?”
“It might be time to let that dream die,” Mikasa told him, receiving surprised gasps from her friends.
“Whaddaya mean?” Eren was so shocked the words barely even escaped him.
She responded without even looking at him. “I think you should give up this attempt to be a soldier. There's a lot more to fighting and combat than just throwing your life away in vain.”
Sonja frowned at her words, silently wondering if Mikasa thought the same thing about her, Armin and everyone else in the mess hall.
If that was really how she felt about the Cadet Corps, why was Mikasa even here? Why did she even enlist if that's what she really thought?
“What're you saying?” Eren asked, his jaw clenching and his hand curling into a fist. “After everything we saw that day, after what happened to my mom. You're crazy if you think I'm just going to walk away.”
“I get it,” Mikasa said. “But it doesn't matter how determined you are.”
“It— wait, what do you mean?” Eren questioned with furrowed brows.
Finally, Mikasa met his gaze. “Because whether or not you're fit to be a soldier isn't up to you.”
Eren was hurt. That was clear from the expression on his face. He couldn't believe that his closest friend was saying this to him. He felt betrayed.
The bell rang again, announcing their curfew. Everyone immediately headed for the door with their dirty dishes in hand.
Eren was the first one to stand up from their table, and he seemed grateful for their curfew for once. He grabbed his dirty dishes and never spared Mikasa another look as he glanced between Armin and Sonja with a clenched jaw. “Come on, let's go.”
Sonja glanced at Mikasa one more time before grabbing her dirty dishes and rising to her feet. She followed after Armin and Eren in silence, putting her dishes with the others on her way out.
When they got outside, Sonja and Armin witnessed as Eren practically stomped towards the boys’ barracks, leaving just the two of them lingering behind his hurried footsteps.
“You should probably go see if he's okay,” Sonja suggested as the door slammed shut behind Eren.
“Yeah,” Armin agreed. “He seems really upset. I've never heard Mikasa say something like that to him before.”
Sonja gnawed on her bottom lip. Do you really think she meant it? That becoming a soldier would be throwing your life away in vain?”
“Well, Mikasa isn't wrong,” Armin admitted. “The life of a soldier is a dangerous one. People die all the time. Back home, I'd sometimes watch the Scout Regiment walk through the gates with Eren. So many of them would be injured and the wagon would be carrying bodies of their fallen comrades.”
Sonja lowered her gaze, remembering those days all too well. She'd be standing in the crowd with her mother and brother, looking on with watchful eyes in search of her uncle. She can remember how scared she used to be when she couldn't see her uncle right away.
“But I wouldn't say that she's right, either,” Armin continued after a moment. “We won't be throwing our lives away in vain. I think…”
He trailed off, biting his lip.
“What?” Sonja asked, urging him to continue.
Armin sighed. “A few days before we decided to enlist in the Cadet Corps, Mikasa told me that Eren's mom made her promise to always protect him.”
“So you think Mikasa only said that to protect him? She was hoping he would change his mind about being a soldier so he would be safe,” Sonja assumed.
“I think so,” Armin nodded. “It makes the most sense to me. She's always been so protective over Eren. But ever since what happened at Shiganshina... the bloodshed they saw... the things they went through that day... she's been even more protective over him.”
“She only wants to make true to her promise,” Sonja frowned. “As harsh as her words were, I suppose you can't really be upset at her for that. I wish that I could have been true to my own promise.”
“What promise did you make?”
Her eyes widened, body stiffening. She couldn't believe she had said that out loud. She wished she could take it back. Because that was something she wasn't ready to talk about yet. Or at least that is what she kept telling herself.
Truthfully, she wasn't sure how to tell him about her broken promise. She wasn't sure how to tell him anything.
“Are you okay?” Armin asked, his voice laced with concern. He was fighting the urge to reach out and touch her shoulder.
“Yes, I'm fine,” Sonja replied, lying through her teeth. She met his gaze and forced a small smile onto her face. But he saw right through it. Then, she stepped away, distancing herself from him. Yet another thing he noticed. “We should get some rest. We have more training tomorrow.”
Armin could tell she was lying. And no matter how badly he wanted to remind her that she could talk to him about anything, he decided not to push his luck in fear of upsetting her even more than she already was.
“Right,” he frowned. “Goodnight, Sonja.”
“Goodnight, Armin.”
They turned away at the same time, heading towards their respective barracks, completely unaware of the lingering look they cast over their shoulders at separate times before opening the doors and going inside to get some rest.
It was safe to say neither of them slept easy that night, their thoughts consumed with the other.
a/n: Okay, but the scene on the bench? And the way they're so supportive of each other during training? And the way they are always smiling because they can't not smile around each other? And the way Armin just wants to be there for her? 🥺
I just wanna hug my poor girl. She wants so badly to confide in Armin. But she is so frightened because she's never had a friend before. Mayhaps that will change soon though *wink* *wink*
And that broken promise Sonja couldn't keep? Hmm. Very curious.
Also, can we take a minute to appreciate how Armin thought she looked so pretty in the glow of the sunset? Because I can talk about that for days 😩
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The ride to Winterfell had been primarily silent, with the clatter of the horses' hooves hitting the ground the only source of sound. There was tension in the air to say the very least. Freya's dissatisfaction became clearer and clearer the more they neared their destination. Freya peered out of the window as they arrived at Winterfell. She felt apprehensive about the whole thing, how was a marriage between sworn enemies supposed to work out? She let out a sigh, if only she had the freedom to choose her own suitor.
The newly reigning King of the North himself, Dorren Stark, was the one to receive them upon their arrival, alongside his doting wife, Lady Caryss. Dorren was a plump man with long graying hair and a full beard. Lord Rodner was quick to notice how much frailer the man appeared to be since the last time he had seen him eye to eye. Lord Dorren Stark had been long known for his seemingly impenetrable demeanor. However, the man Lord Rodner was witnessing from his carriage was nothing of the sort....
“ Back at the Dreadfort, Lady Mariya awoke to find her husband was nowhere in sight. The woman was a notoriously light sleeper. Hence, for Rodner to have slipped out without her noticing it had to be intentional. What is he up to? She thought to herself as she rose from their shared bed. Throwing a thick robe over her shoulders, she walked straight to the Bolton heir’s study. Just as she had predicted, her husband sat there with Grennan by his side.
“Good morning, my love.” Lady Mariya greeted with a smile.
“Good morning, dear.” Lord Rodner greeted as he stood, he placed a kiss a top her head and took her hand. “We didn’t wake you, did we?”
Mariya shook her head. “Not at all.” She replied, eyes discreetly scanning the room. “What are you two discussing so early in the morning?”
“I was just filling in Grennan here on how things went at Winterfell.” Lord Rodner replied as he took his seat, still holding onto his wife’s hand.
“I see.” Mariya hummed as her glance drifted towards Grennan. “There is actually something I wish to discuss with you as well.” She whispered to her husband.
Rodner nodded and turned his attention to Grenan, “Leave us.” he commanded.
“As you wish, brother.” Grennan said as he stood. He gave Mariya a pat on the shoulder on his way out of the room...”
