Chapter One: General Schwarz of the Second Division

It had been five years since I last realized that I had blown every expectation of life. I was part of a private Recognition Army organization and had become General Schwarz because of my thick raven hair and my strong ambition to make choices during a blood battle. I was still a Wyatt at heart, but Rivaille and I parted ways on the same day that Chris Mandara decided our future roles, and although it was unofficial, we parted ways legitimately.

I also lost contact with Fan and never heard from him again, just as I never heard from Rivaille again. By now I was living within the walls of the Mithras capital, located in the innermost part of District 14 and, consequently, the safest area. Although I was part of the protective wings, my task was different from everyone else's. I had been obliged by Khalis Valentine, the commander of all three armies: Recognition Army, Custodial Corps and Military Police.

The years had passed like a breath of wind, and I had grown stronger and stronger in the eyes of my soldiers, especially Subaltern Officer Houston Jean, one of the most stubborn men I had ever known in my life. I had his immense support in every decision, and if something did not fit into his thoughtful strategies, he was able to follow them and make them fit into mine. He was a great soldier and also a great person.

I do not deny that between him and me, for a short period that had ended by my decision, there was something. We found more time between the sheets than between the paperwork, but I certainly did not regret it. I was made of meat, and meat called for more meat to satisfy its appetite. Our previous clandestine relationship, however, had no resentments in the battles against the titans and negotiations on how to proceed in the organization.

It would have been absurd to compare the intimate relationship with Houston to what Rivaille aroused in me just by touching me. He made me touch the sky with one finger, complementing my soul at just talking to me with the gentleness he reserved only for me. I was still in love with him, but at the same time I hated him. He had left me because to him I was only an obstacle to his new future, and so, without adding anything else, he was gone. Five years had passed and that wound had partly healed, but at least I was no longer pining and spent the night sleeping soundly.

Immersed in my thoughts at my office desk, the front door swung open and a female figure with red hair tied in a ponytail entered.

"General Schwarz!" She exclaimed, assuming the usual posture and military salute we had been taught in our circle days, placing the cut of her right hand at forehead level and her left arm behind her back. I didn't react to the formality, partly because I couldn't stand it, so Alexandra walked over to the desk and placed a wax-sealed letter depicting the Army of Recognition logo on it. "It arrived in the morning from First Division Commander Chris Mandara."

I took the letter and the pocket knife hidden in the drawer to my right and cut the paper containing the letter. I cast a glance at Alexandra still standing in front of the desk and sighed, resting the pocket knife on the post. "Thank you, you can go now. Tell Ston to get the horses ready, I suppose the letter has its positives."

" Yes, ma'am!" She brought the cut of his right hand to the level of his forehead and left the office, allowing me to be alone with Chris's letter in my hands.

"Well Chris, let's see why you wrote me a letter five years after my promotion as General..." I murmured thoughtfully and freed the letter from the two folds, drawing a big breath.

To General Kesey Schwarz of the Second Division of the Army of Recognition.

General Schwarz,

I am contacting you with this letter to thank you for your extraordinary cooperation in protecting District 14 and our fellow citizens. In the last period, thanks to your presence, we have been able to kill most of the twelve- and fifteen-meter titans. Therefore, I invite you to be present in the courtroom with Judge Khalis Valentine, the Commander of all three deployments, for a possible death sentence for young cadet Edmund Yeager.

I will carefully explain the relevant details to you up close, hoping that you and subordinate officer Houston Jean, will provide your participation in this possible trial.

Cordially,

13th Commanding Officer of the 1st Chris Mandara Division of the Army of Reconnaissance.

I laid the letter on the desk and bit my lip violently. Is this what you want, Chris? For the ghost to come back and intimidate people? I spent the rest of the years watching the deaths of soldiers as a spectator, and never once had Chris taken me into consideration. I would observe situations from afar, in others I would put my foot down and pull the victims of the titans out of their clutches, offering my life; as a strategist, I had my soldiers watching my back. Over the years, no soldier who was part of my assent was killed, and this troubled my soul. If Chris Mandara had valued my help from the beginning, no one would have come this far.

I threw all the air I had been holding in my lungs and stood up, grabbing from the arm of the chair the harness composed of a dark brown band put around my waist that covered my hips, buttoning the first two buttons of my white shirt. I tied my hair into a low bun and arranged my bangs from long raven locks, letting them fall back over my scarred woman's face.

I glanced at the letter one last time out of hesitation, but curiosity was stronger than I was, and if Cadet Edmund Yeager had gotten into enough trouble to get the commander of all three divisions involved, the only thing left for me to do was to reach the courtroom and throw a good punch at Chris Mandara.

I arrived together with Houston in front of the building where rehearsals were being held and dismounted from my white horse, holding him by the straps. Houston did not utter a single word during the ride, which disturbed me a little.

"You didn't open your mouth the whole way," I pointed out conspicuously, walking with the horse until I reached some wooden poles placed horizontally to tie him down. Houston joined me, doing the same with his dark brown horse.

"I was thinking about something, but it doesn't matter." He answered hastily, knotting the steed by the straps and adjusting his green coat that traced the Armed Force logo.

I stroked my horse's muzzle and smiled unconsciously. He was one of the most intelligent creatures I had to deal with, and when I looked at him, I always felt like doing without humankind. On the other hand, I used to kill titans, but I wouldn't mind seeing those I couldn't tolerate devoured.

I sensed Houston's fiery gaze on me, as if he were denuding me with his eyes, and I turned around catching him in the act. "Is that what you were thinking? Undressing me with your eyes?" I arched a sly eyebrow, grabbing the beige jacket I had stowed in the backpack hanging from the mount, putting it on and maniacally adjusting the folds of the collar.

"No, though I wouldn't mind seeing you without it," he confessed honestly, without blushing an ounce at me. Houston sighed and walked alongside me, heading toward the entrance. "Actually, I was thinking of Rivaille Wyatt." At that name, my heart skipped a beat and my eyes accidentally became bigger than they already were. I kept looking ahead, reaching into the building corridor and ignoring him. "You wanted to break off our relationship because you didn't want to suffer from your separation anymore, so I was thinking, should I see him right now?"

"...Knock it off, Houston!" I nipped the question in the bud, reserving for him a look that admitted no reply, let alone more questions. I grasped vehemently at the handle of the brown door where the trial was to be held, but the NCO's thick, calloused hand arrested my escape.

"Kesey, you broke off our relationship because of him, don't you think I should feel like a rebound? If you saw him, I'd swear you'd jump on his neck." He planted his dark eyes in mine, enough to deny me the crumb of an escape route even in answering him.

I took a big breath with my eyes closed, and when he opened them again, I elbowed him intercostally. "Move over Houston, we're late for court and I'm not going to answer you," I resumed grabbing the handle and pulled it down ungainly. "Especially if the last person I want to talk about is that damn Rivaille Wyatt!" I turned, my back to him, and I had never done that.

The door to the room I had thrown wide open and the process had already begun a few minutes ago, seeing how the cadet looked from a distance; chained to an iron pole. The stares were on my person and I imagined that everyone had heard my expletives about it. I cleared my throat and lifted my chin with an air of superiority, seeing in the distance, sitting behind the judging post, Khalis Valentine.

"Sorry for the delay, Commander Khalis, but I received the notification by letter an hour ago." I explained the situation as best I could, but seeing the commander's expression turn into a slight smile that only I noticed, he signaled for me to take my seat.

"Kesey..." Whispered Houston in my ear, repentant for making me look bad in front of the entire judging committee and the graduates along with the new cadets, especially those from the Custodial Corps who punctually had something to say about everything.

Damn them.

"Stop it, asshole!" I grunted in a low voice, stomping his foot with all the anger and annoyance I had accrued at that moment, causing him to emit a groan of pain held in his throat.

I smiled contentedly and started toward the heart of the room, passing cadet Edmund, who looked at me surprised and at the same time bewildered as to who I was and what I was doing there.

"You must be Cadet Edmund Yeager, mustn't you?" I asked, although I already knew the answer but not the valid reason.

"What's it to you?" Not bad.

A series of gasps and mutterings spread among the jury and the judging panel, especially from those who knew me. "The guy's a fool, does he realize he's facing a general?", "I bet the general will punch him now," "Have you seen how tight his shirt is?"

Ignore them, I repeated to myself. Males only look at what can be seen with the naked eye, and nothing more.

"I am General Schwarz of the Second Recognition Army Division and I am here to follow your process and support whatever decision Commander Khalis wants to make." I introduced myself and knelt down, observing his eyes veiled with disrespect for such a high ranking title as Commander Khalis.

"Excuse me General Schwarz, I meant no disrespect at all. I did not know who you were and... And I would never have dared to answer you in this way." He pronounced it all in one breath, highlighting the Adam's apple bobbing up and down in agitation.

I looked deeply into his eyes and saw how sincere they were, unlike many others in that stuffy room. I got back to my feet and looked at Khalis who, comfortably seated, turned his gaze toward me, as if waiting for my question, which was not long in coming.

"Commander, what are the charges?" Khalis, for some absurd reason I did not yet know, had held me in high regard and respect since the beginning of my training, so much so that he wanted to assign me the rank of General of the Second Division. From the beginning, I appreciated the man who considered me the only daughter he ever had. From then on, my person was like a glass of water to him, to the point that he ruled out the high roles before mine.

"Since this is an unprecedented situation, it is clear that we cannot apply ordinary laws here. It follows that any decision will rest solely with me." Khalis lifted his gaze from the paper and turned it earnestly toward Edmund, then added, "This means that I will have the power to determine your fate."

"Commander!" I exclaimed, but was again ignored. And he never did.

"Do you have any objections?" He asked, forcing me to squint.

Was the situation so serious that he would not ask me to intervene?

"None, sir." The boy replied, leaning his head forward.

Good shit.