And here's a new chapter for my faithful readers *.*
Thank you very much for the reviews and don't forget to post some more!
As had become usual, Eren was happily running towards the cliff where Levi, Farlan and Isabelle resided. On his way he passed through a small 'village' of sorts. He supposed he should call it a neighbourhood but it was so different, so much calmer than the rest of Oz that Eren couldn't help but see it as a completely different place. He had heard that part of the obscure town was called, half-jokingly, the Holy Land. It had been at some point, from what he had gathered. A nun had lived here and as she was also a doctor, she became quite well-known around Oz. Doctors were extremely rare and it was in everyone's best interest to take good care of them when they were there. So everyone respected the nun and gave her enough to live in exchange for treatments. As an unspoken rule, the place in which she lived and the neighbourhood around it was to be left alone and treated as a sacred place. Even after she had passed away, the rule of no criminal activities in her old home had remained and now it served as a home for those either too weak for the harsh rules of Oz to live. There were families, single women with children, old people and a small orphanage. It was a nice place to be in.
As he came every day without fail, Eren had started getting acquainted with the inhabitants of the Holy Land, besides Levi, Farlan and Isabelle.
"Hello, Grandma, Grandpa!" called the small brunet stopping in front of two houses.
Two elders were in front of the houses. One of them was a bony old man with a cane. The other was a woman just as old and bony as her companion, with long grey hair tied in a ponytail and a kind smile on her lips.
"Eren, good morning." said Grandma Arabelle walking towards him. "Are you going to that Levi's place again?"
"Yup."
"Be careful on those rocks will you? It wouldn't do for you to get hurt." she said worriedly.
"Yes, Grandma."
"Leave the boy alone you nagging old thing." said Grandpa Tom, slowly moving towards them. "The boy's climbed the cliff every day and nothing ever happened."
"Well of course you would say that, insensitive as a spoon as you are." snapped the old woman.
Eren laughed a little as the two olders engaged into yet another 'best insult contest'. After seeing them arguing all the time, Eren had come to realize that they actually enjoyed insulting each other and squabbling over the smallest things. He supposed it was their way of showing the liked each other's company. They were quite well-known for it and everybody laughed light-heartedly when they saw them at it. Smiling fondly at the pair of elders, Eren skipped a few feet away.
"I'm going now! Bye-bye!" he called back waving his hand.
The two stopped arguing long enough to send him off with a goodbye and a wave of his cane, in Grandpa Tom's case.
The brunet didn't stop again after that. He gave a few hellos here and there when he met someone he knew (which was mostly everyone) but he never stopped running towards the cliff. When he reached it, he gave a hesitant glance at the small house built at its foot. Seeing no activity whatsoever around the 'orphanage' Eren shrugged and started his ascension. He'd go later. It wasn't like the place would disappear if he didn't go now.
He was surprised by the silence when he reached the cave. Farlan and Isabelle were there as usual, but they were sitting on boxes near the entrance, talking quietly. This was unusual as they both, especially the girl, were prone to talking loudly and arguing. The young boy trotted towards them, with a questioning gaze. They caught sight of him and Farlan smiled, gesturing to a third box next to them.
"Come and sit with us." he said very quietly.
Eren nodded, understanding that he shouldn't make too much noise, though he didn't know the reason. He sat next to Farlan making as little noise as possible before looking up the blonde teen.
"What's happening?" he whispered.
Farlan grinned though it seemed a bit grim.
"Nothing much. It's just that Levi's good a job tonight so he's sleeping now."
Something in the way Isabelle's expression darkened and how Farlan's smile was stiff told Eren that whatever the job was, neither really approved of it. It had to be something which paid well though, because the small group lived pretty well considering. Well, pretty well for people living in Oz, meaning they usually had food for meals.
"Oh." said Eren in understanding, though he didn't understand much at all.
He might be thick-headed at times but even he knew that it was best not to press the matter.
"Sorry, about that Eren." continued Farlan a bit more cheerfully. "We won't be able to train today."
Eren smiled.
"It's okay." he said.
Silence fell upon the trio. Isabelle was concentrating on an object in her hands while Farlan and Eren sat silently. At some point, Eren's gaze travelled to Isabelle and what she had in her hands.
"Is that a book?" he asked with great interest.
Isabelle looked up.
"Yeah."
"What is it about?" asked Eren, his curiosity making him bend forward.
The girl blushed before admitting hesitantly:
"I don't know. I can't read well."
"Can I see it?" asked Eren enthusiastically.
The girl nodded, seemingly glad that Eren had made no comment about her inability to read. She passed the book to the brunet who took it reverently and scanned the first pages.
"It's a story." he told the pair of teenagers waiting expectantly.
The both of them were now paying full attention to the boy.
"Can you read it?" asked Farlan softly.
Eren nodded fervently and started reading quietly.
"Once upon a time in a land of darkness…"
His whispering voice seemed to echo in the silent cave and carried to its deep end where Levi was resting, his back turned to the others. His eyes which had been opened, closed slowly as Eren's voice was carried to his ears.
"…a hero mounting a silver beat with sharp claws appeared and vanquished the monsters. The people celebrated him and wished to give him gold and jewels to thank him but the hero and his mount vanished as soon as the last demon died. Never again did anyone hear of him and his existence became legend…"