Earlier that day...….
"You sure about this?" asked the Premier.
"Certainly," replied Nathaniel. The co-conspirators were gathered around in a meeting room, bidding their time until Eren and Historia were recovered.
"The Female Titan has done many things against us, can we even trust her?" questioned Commander Erwin.
"Done many things against the old regime, not us," replied Nathaniel, "She could have done many more against if I hadn't stopped her before things got out of hand."
"Still don't understand how you did it..." trailed Erwin.
"A secret, my Commander, for now." winked Nathaniel. "She still has her uses, mysteries to uncover, problems to fix."
"Are we sure she still will follow the mission, in her shoes, I would." wondered Commander Pyxis.
"Well, she stayed here for a reason. Be it for her "mission" or something or someone else…" trailed Nathaniel, "But if she wants to stay here and not rot below the palace, she has to earn her keep."
"What would you mean by keeping?" questioned the Premier.
"She helps us with the plan that I had just put forth."
The plan, darkening the already palpable mood already, was crazy. Reclaim Shiganshina District using Eren's titan somehow.
"I still don't get it?" said Commander Dawk, "What's the point of it?"
"The plan?" asked Nathaniel, Dawk nodded.
"If all goes well, this new regime needs the much-needed PR from this plan, expedition, beyond the walls. We have sealed 1 wall already, what is 1 more?" No one in the room had a retort to that.
"Think about it, your specialist, Erwin, Miss Zoë has calculated that most of the remaining titans are already within Wall Maria. Sealing it off means that we can once in for all deal with the titan problem and reclaim much-needed land for the people. Using Miss Leonhart, if even that is her true name, allows her to make a decision, to stay with us, or go back to where she came from. Staying under the palace makes her an extreme liability."
"But what if she tries to sabotage the plan?" asked Commander Pyxis, "Then that not only puts us in a worse position if it fails, but we could also lose our only titan to the outside world."
"I would worry about that Commander," casually replied Nathaniel, waiving it off with his hands, "We still got your special boy Erwin," Erwin perked up, "Captain Levi is more than qualified to deal with the Female Titan if she gets out of hand, right?"
"Yes, but that all depends on the next day if hours if they should live the confrontation with your father and his goons."
"I, unlike some in this room, have complete faith for our comrades on their end to finish the job. Gentlemen! At this time in 2 days, I predict coronation shall proceed as planned, the old shall burn, and Eldia shall rise once again like a phoenix from the ashes!"
Beneath the Reiss Chapel
Historia was caught off guard. The beauty of this cavern beneath her ….. Father's chapel, all this for what was to come.
"Rod, I got news from the outside!" shouted Kenny at her father.
"Is it so important to interrupt, you know who it is, we got to shackle the boy up before he wakes," said Rod as he dragged Eren up to the ledge.
"Yeah, it involves your son," trailed Kenny
"And what about dear Nathaniel?" asked Rod.
"Nathaniel?" thought Historia, "My brother, him, after all the times, no wonder why he tried to be my friend. But it doesn't make sense, why didn't he reveal himself when I did, or before? Had he suspected me before Utgard, was he on a mission for father, but if so, what and why?"
"He's gone ahead with some buddies, well not some, most of the military and…."
"And what Kenny?"
"He's gone ahead and couped the government!" Kenny shouted, surprising all, even Eren as he awoke in chains.
"Your boy has not only deposed your puppet but he's gone and killed your allies and deposed you too. Shit! We are the fugitives now Rod."
"Well," Rod looked to the ground, obviously disappointed, "He'd make a better one than me." Dropping his bag, he dropped to his knees and began to cry.
"Ymir knows what sins I have committed in this life," wept Rod, "Hell, is this worth it, why her," pointing to Historia, "...instead of me? I can't bring myself to do it, not after Papa, then Uri, my daughter, Frieda, all gone because of my cowardice, just end it, Kenny."
Kenny chuckled, "O' I've been waiting for this rod," raising his pistol at Rod's head, "I can make it out of this with my life, you not so much, to think…" he trailed off, shaking his head, "I left you live, just for us to fall again. Say hello to Uri for me, will ya?"
"I….I will," replied Rod, raising his head to the barrel. "Here ends King Rod."
BANG!
Silence rang as Rod's body collapsed to the floor, a clean, bloody hole marked his forehead. The moment seemed to last forever like the world was only this and nothing else. As Kenny turned his head, ODM gear could be heard coming up on them now. Kenny laughed as he saw Captain Levi coming up on them and with a grin, dropping his gear, said,
"Here begins the reign of King Nathaniel, the first true ruler of this fair island."