[Beyond These Walls AU]; auburn-intrepidity
Levi nodded. "We can. They’ve just recently built a port on the ocean, it’s about a four day’s trip from here, by train."
He gave her a once over, taking in physical condition. Could her body hold out on such a long trip? Petra was a soldier, one of the hand picked elite of his team, a woman who, despite her kind smile and warm eyes, could be just as fearless and terrifying as any man, but seeing her now, she reminded him of a toy doll, one so broken and used, and patched with glue and tape. She was still healing, treading that long road to recovery - and he feared she may never be the way she was before.
There was a long moment of silence and he exhaled through his nose. "There’s closer places though. A few towns less than a day’s ride outside Wall Maria."
He could have just as easily taken her to a place just beyond the wall, but he wanted her to see it all, the ocean glittering in the sunlight, the rolling green plains of the open country, all the things the Shifter brat had once spoken about, the lands outside the walls that she had so intently wondered about.
He couldn’t place where these desires were coming from, but with the peace now a days, he could afford to take an extended leave of absence, and she, who had been lying in a comatose state, deserved to see the world she had nearly lost her life for.
"It’s up to you," he said finally.
Petra smiled softly, nodding slowly as the lance corporal spoke. He suggested spots that would be closer than the beach, however, the mere thought of finally laying eyes upon the open water was positively fascinating. She couldn't help but think back to the words of the young titan shifter whom her squad had sworn to protect. He often times spoke of the outside world, namely the vast phenomena that was the ocean. Her squad, and the entirety of the survey corps had worked tirelessly to achieve the goal of freedom from the titans. And what represented this idea of freedom better than an ocean that stretched as far as the eye could see? The thought of endless boundaries, surrounded by a clear, cerulean body of water caused the ginger to set her mind upon seeing it, no matter the difficulty it would take for her to get there.
"Hm..I know there are other options, Corporal, but I would really love to see the ocean, and perhaps walk along the coastline.." a pause. "Even if it is a bit difficult for me.." Another pause, this time longer than the last. "It's just that ever since I was a child, it was my dream to one day see the ocean, Corporal, and even though I'm a bit feckless, I would give anything just to see it."
As she spoke, she felt a weight being lifted off her chest. She knew full well that such a long trip could be a bit dangerous, and that the corporal wasn't completely supportive of the idea for obvious reasons, but she had to see it. Even if the trip put her in a threatening situation, she wanted nothing more then to feel the sand beneath her feet as she listened to the so called "waves" that crashed into the shore lines. And even more than that, she wanted to see the ocean with the corporal she grew to adore.
"Ah..Corporal...you would allow me to go see the ocean..right?"
