For Erekuri/Erehisto week 2014. Day 7/7, Prompt: Beauty and the beast
Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki No Kyojin
In the fields of Mr. Greene's farm are foot prints three and a half men long, and one man wide. They create a pathway along Mr. Greene's crops, starting from the golden wheat fields to the berry crops and ending in his cattle pasture, where one cow was smashed beyond recognition, a bloody splotch against the green grass. Historia watched Mr. Greene fall to his knees, pounding the earth as he takes in the sight of his life's work ruined in one night. Her father, Rod Reiss, chief of their village is next to him, trying to comfort him and give him reassuring words.
A crowd has gathered behind him, murmuring among themselves. Historia knew what they were saying without even having to strain her ears.
"It happened again."
"On Mr. Greene's farm. How much closer . . . ."
This was the second encounter the village had with the monster. The first one happened a week ago and its roars could be heard all the way from deep within the forest. At that time, everybody believed the incident to be a one-time-only occurrence. The screams they heard that night was dismissed as an animal dying and went on with their lives the very next day. They never thought they would hear those scream again, and see the monster's mark so close to town the very next day.
Clopping hooves approached. Rod left Mr. Greene's side and turned to the messenger as he pulled his horst to a stop.
"Chief Reiss, Jacques Birmingham has pulled through and is conscious," he said. "Dr. Jaeger said he is too weak to speak, but I heard Jacques say otherwise."
"If he wants to talk, then we'll let him talk," said Rod. "I'm going there now. Where is my horse?"
As someone led Rod's horse to him, Historia stepped closer to her father.
"Father, please let me go with you."
"Historia, these are matters I must attend to. Maybe when you are older―"
"But Father, I'm fifteen! I am old enough already. And even if I was a little younger, stuff like this concerns me as much as it concerns you."
Rod regarded his daughter for a long time, then held out his hand for her. "When there, I want no interruptions. Just watch." Historia took his hand and Rod pulled her behind him on his horse and swiftly rode back to town.
Dr. Grisha Jaeger currently resides in a little inn above the local tavern with his son, Eren. They were traveling from town to town and first appeared a few days after the first sign of the monster. Dr. Jaeger had gotten word of one of the town's own children stricken with a sever fever. He offered his services to the ailing child and she was better in a few days. Rod approached the Jaegers the next day and offered them a permanent residence, saying, "It would be nice to have a doctor in town."
Rod and Historia arrived at the tavern and Rod marched right in.
"Where is Jacques?" Rod asked.
"Room three," the barmaid replied. She nodded at the stairway, letting Rod and Historia know how to access the assigned room for Jacques, biting her lip and returning to her work.
They proceeded up the stairs and approached the designated room. Rod knocked on the door and it was a few minutes before Grisha answered.
"Rod, with all due respect, Jacques is still weak," he said. "He can barely go for two minutes without hacking up blood―"
"I want to talk to Reiss," said a voice from inside.
Rod pushed past Grisha and into the room. Jacques Birmingham lay on the bed, wrapped in bandages. Jacques is a young man who works for Mr. Green as his shepherd. He received those injuries the same night the monster trampled over Mr. Greene's crops and pasture fields, making him the only person in the entire town to have witnessed the monster.
When Historia entered the room she immediately noticed Jacques, gulping at the sight of him. She looked elsewhere and saw a boy of her age with dark brown hair and green eyes. Eren noticed her too and nodded at her before returning to the medicine in front of him.
"Jacques, there is no need to rush. Talk only if you can and rest if you need to," said Rod.
Jacques nodded and took one deep breath before speaking. "It was the roars that woke me up. I was concerned for the sheep and I went to check on them. Something had scared them and I started to calm them down. That's when I heard the roars again followed by loud noises, as if the earth were being hit over and over again. The sheep were frightened and I tried to keep them all together, then I saw the monster. It was big, standing at fifteen meters. It resembled a human, but at the same time a savage beast with visible teeth that reached all the way to his ears." Jacques wanted to say more, but he started coughing and Grisha was immediately at his side.
"You have enough information. It's time to leave," he said to Rod.
Rod opened his mouth to protest before closing it, accepting this was all he would get for now. "I wish you a full recovery, Jacques," he said. Rod stood up and walked out. Historia followed her father, but not before looking back at Eren and waving goodbye.
For the next few days, the monster's attack on Mr. Greene's farm was all anyone could talk about, and because everyone was now aware of the monster's presence, change started to take place. Patrols were made nightly and there were meetings held almost every day in the Reiss household. Out of curiosity, Historia would sit herself outside the door, listening to what was being discussed until the meeting was over and she would leave before anybody found out.
One day, after a meeting, Historia found Eren chopping firewood as payment for their extended stay.
"Father is setting up a hunting party for the monster," she said, taking the previously chopped halves and replacing them with a new block of wood.
"Oh, really?" Eren tilted his head, green eyes regarding her.
She nodded. "He says they need to get rid of the monster before it destroys town. Mr. Greene's farm was way too close and Jacques was very lucky he didn't die."
"Are you going?"
"I want to, but Father says it's too dangerous."
"Why not? It's your home, don't you want to defend it?"
Eren chopped a few more blocks before saying he needed a break and sitting down. Historia moved the newly chopped pieces into a pile before taking a seat next to him. She offered him the water skin and watched as he drank his fill.
"Eren, has your father found a place for the both of you to live yet?" she asked.
Eren said nothing and Historia knew right away what the answer was. Historia had suppressed any sort of hope that such a prospect would happen; first thing Dr. Jaeger told everyone he was a traveling doctor and he was expected to arrive in the next town sometime next month.
"Dad is . . . scared," he said. "He's worried of the danger the monster poses. He wants to leave next week."
Aah, yes, that would make sense. It is understandable Dr. Jaeger would want to leave town before the next attack. Anyone would―and everyone does―feel that way.
It would have been nice, however, if the Jaegers decided to stay. Everyone appreciated Grisha's presence in the town, thankful there was a doctor around in case of emergency. Historia appreciated Eren's presence the most. Eren was the only person in town her age. While their time together had been short, Historia believed they had already forged a bond with each other. Eren was someone she could talk to, someone she was comfortable being around, where she could be herself. Like a friend.
"Historia, can I ask you a question?" said Eren. Historia nodded in response. "What do you think of the monster?"
"Oh well―" Historia was not expecting a question like that. Her eyes wandered to the blue sky as she asked herself the same thing. "I will admit, I am scared. But more so, I am curious." She rested her palms beside her. "I've lived here in this town my entire life, and never before has something like this appeared. Where did it come from? Why is it here and are there more of them? Is it really here to kill us? It's a strange answer, I know, but most of the time I can't help but think about it. Why do you ask?"
"Nothing, just wondering." Eren took one last gulp from the water skin before standing up. "Mind helping me bring these logs to the tavern keeper?"
The monster appeared again three days later. The patrol set for that night immediately pounded on every door, gathering all who had promise to defeat the monster. Historia ran to her horse, barely escaping the maids and joined the gathered hunters.
She stayed in the back of the crowd, as far away from her father's eye as possible. She knew he would force her back home if she saw her, but she felt the need to do it, to join these people and defend their village. Eren and Dr. Jaeger were not there. They left the other day; Historia didn't even know until she asked the tavern owner when she came for a visit.
"We will split into small groups," Rod's voice boomed through the square. "Group leaders will be Greene, Martins, Crawley, Naylor, Froelich and Gagnon. You should all remember who you belong to from the meetings. If you are with Naylor, you will stay here and protect the town. Ready? Move out!"
The air was filled with the crowd's cheers followed by the sound of hooves as everyone got into their assigned group and headed into the forest, waving their torches and weapons. Historia was never assigned to a group, but followed Mr. Greene's, staying in the back so as not to be detected.
A roar echoed through the forest and then everyone saw the monster, a towering human-like silhouette dark against the moon, towering above the trees. It roared again, jaws opening so impossibly wide as if tearing apart his cheeks. It was just as Jacques had described. Everyone stood frozen, watching the monster. Suddenly, Mr. Greene yelled something and the squad was moving again. Startled by Mr. Greene's sudden orders, Historia kicked her horse to follow them.
Mr. Greene seemed to be heading in a pathway that would round the monster. Maybe he was going to surround it from here, or possibly flank it and drive it out―
Mr. Greene appeared in front of Historia, causing her horse to rear up. Historia clung on for dear life until her horse had calmed down.
"What are you doing here?" Mr. Greene asked. The rest of his squad started to gather around her and Mr. Greene. Historia was about to respond but Mr. Greene interrupted her. "You're supposed to be at home. It's not safe to be out here. Think of your father―"
"I don't care what my father thinks, I want to help!" she yelled. The sound of the monster's thumping feet echoed through the forest. "This is also my home. If I want to defend it, then I should be allowed to do so."
"You won't be helping us." Mr. Greene grabbed the reins of her horse and tugged in the direction back to town. "We are heading back and your father―"
The monster roared again, only this time it sounded closer. The ground rumbled under their feet and suddenly the monster burst from the trees, startling some horses to kick off their riders and running away into the forest. The monster knocked more people off with its feet, including Historia. She rolled down a long hill, twigs and thorns snagging and cutting into her clothing and skin.
She stopped rolling when she landed in a soft bed of grass. Her head still spinning, Historia could only stare at the sky, the stars and moon circling above her. Again the ground shook and a large shadow loomed over her. The shadow grew bigger as enormous hands picked her up. I'm going to die, she thought. The monster was going to eat her and there would not even be a single scrap left of his only child for Rod to bury. The monster stared at her for a long time, and Historia prepared for when the monster's teeth would close around her head.
But it didn't.
The monster held her gently. Oh so gently, almost cradling her. It was as if it realized her body was delicate in its fingers and just one squeeze would end her life. The monster began moving again, cupping her safely in its hand.
Historia now saw the details of the monster's face clearly. It really had no lips, only visible teeth reaching all the way back. A long pointed nose. Dark brown hair that reached to the nape of its neck, and green, so . . . familiarly green eyes.
The monster carried her all the way back to town, stopping just at the edge of the forest. It lowered her gently to the ground and she slid off its hand. The logical thing to do now is to run, but Historia didn't. She couldn't. There was just something about the monster that made stay. She could hear faint yells coming from town.
The monster tilted its head to the side, hair shifting and revealing one pointy ear.
"Eren?"
It huffed, and those green eyes suddenly became apologetic. It stood and retreated to the forest, leaving Historia behind.