~(Y/N)~

I ran, barefoot along the cobblestone path to the square. Mr. Smith following close behind ready to take me back to his home. Forbidding me to watch as my mother burned at the stake. Weaving my way through the back alleys, I could hear the screaming of humans chanting to 'Burn the Witch.'

Taking a final turn I dash down the alley before pushing through the chanting crowd. Jumping up onto a statue of their current leader. I was too late, the stake was already taken, and my mother's body burned away leaving nothing but the bone.

The chants around me fell silent as I slowly went into shock. The horrid sight, watching as the person who gave me life was taken away from me. I held onto the arm of the statue once my head began to feel light.

I don't understand...we were just having dinner than...the priest and random men I've never met barged in, claiming she was practicing witchcraft. I never saw my mother do anything of the sort. I understood our ancestors were witches, but she told me she never practiced. Or so I thought.

Moments after watching the bones crumble, a hand grab my wrist yanking off the statue. Falling into Mr. Smith's arms he set me down on the ground. "We must leave!" he warns. Finally complying, I take his hand and run back into the alleyway with him. Does this mean they'll be after me next?

Running close behind him while being tugged here and there, we turn onto a random alleyway. Mr. Smith stops and gasps as I run into his back. "Oh god," he whispers. Slipping past him, I peer down at the limp body. It took a moment or two, to make out the face, but as I crouched down beside them, I fell back upon realizing who was lying dead in this alley. My father.

I cover my mouth as I let out muffled cries. But before I could return to my father's body Mr. Smith yanks me from the ground after hearing footsteps run this way. "Come on, we must head back," he says.

"No!" I scream fighting him so I could go back to my father. But the blonde man covers my mouth and swoops me off the ground carrying me away. I let out more muffled cries behind his large hand. Mr. Smith carried me all the way to his home, a place I knew well.

Entering through the front door, he set me on the ground gently. Erwin, my best friend came from his room waking from the loud sound of the door shutting. "What's going on?" he asks.

"(Y/N)'s parents have been killed, they're rounding us up. Go pack your things, then head for the basement, we leave in the morning," Mr. Smith instructs.

"Are we going back under-"

"No, to a new town- now go, get your things together. I'm gonna head back to (Y/N)s' and fetch her things," Mr. Smith explains. And before Erwin could ask any further question, his father rushed back out the front door. I sat there weeping softly, holding myself, with both images of my parents burned into my brain.

"Come on," Erwin mutters as he helps me to my feet.

~Months Later~

Today was my birthday, and I wasn't up for celebrating it. I wasn't up for much these days. Since moving to Terhoven, I hadn't said much, even before. Like anywhere else above ground it was filled with the same people who murdered my parents. Mr. Smith said that despite the wrong they did to me, I shouldn't fight back, at least not at this time.

Mr. Smith took me in, claiming me as his daughter. I didn't mind since he was like a second father to me. My parents would be at peace knowing I was safe with him. Erwin I had already seen as a brother anyway so it didn't phase me too much.

Cooped up in my room sitting in the bay window, I hear my door open. "(Y/N), Dad says to come down for dinner," Erwin says.

I turn my head to look at the blonde boy, who was nicely dressed. He had just come back from school. "I'm not hungry," I tell him.

"Still," Erwin retorts. "After you and I can make a blanket fort," he suggests. With a sigh, I get up and follow him out of my bedroom. It would be the first time I had dinner with them, I knew it couldn't be avoided since it was my birthday.

Coming down the stairs I was greeted by the blonde older man who held a birthday cake in his hands. "Happy 12th Birthday! Make a wish," Mr. Smith announces. My face was expressionless because no matter how hard I wish, it would never come true. Glancing down at the candles, I sigh again and let out a weak blow. Both of the boys cheered when the candles went out, Erwin then hooked his arm with mine and tugged me over to the table. Food was already cooked, and it was my favorite meal.

As we all sat at the small table, we joined hands in prayer. I closed my eyes and listened to Mr. Smith softly say his prayers.

After the simple prayer, we retract our hands and begin eating quietly. Glancing up here and there at the two of them, I wanted to apologize. These past months I hadn't been much help, I just stayed cooped up in my room. After another minute or two of silence, I finally decided to say something, dropping my fork onto my plate, I sit back. They both stop eating and look at me curiously. "I'm sorry," I mutter.

Mr. Smith rests his hand on my shoulder giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "It's alright dear, people have different ways of grieving, take your time," he mutters.

Gently chewing on my bottom lip, I turn to Mr. Smith and say, "I wanna go back to school...please," I say.

The boys both look at me, then to each other silently taken back. Something inside me ignited and gave me the motivation to go back to school and start fresh. My parents were good people, and they wouldn't want me moping around. One day the humans will accept us, whether they like it or not.

After dinner, I followed Erwin into his room with my blankets. Pulling his blankets from his bed, we both begin to rearrange some of the things in his room to set up the fort. Helping him place the blankets, when it finally came together we both crawled inside.

For some time we just talked, like we used to before the incident with my parents. It was nice, being able to share how I felt again. Because once I opened my mouth, I couldn't shut up. After a few hours, he suggested we practice using magic.

Erwin's powers had already begun to show, his father warned him not to use them outside of the house. After showing me some techniques, and teaching me some incantations I tried them myself. I did everything he told me, but nothing was happening, I focused as best as I could, giving as much energy as I could.

"It's alright, just take a deep breath," Erwin reassures. I try once more only to receive the same outcome as before. Nothing. "Maybe you're a late bloomer. Everyone's powers awaken differently," he says.

"Maybe," I mumble. We both lay down on the ground after that, taking a break from practicing, shutting my eyes I felt like drifting off.

"Hey," Erwin whispers, this causes me to slowly open my eyes, just a bit to look at him.

"Hmm," I hum softly, resting his hand on top of mine he flashes me a gentle smile.

"You'll be okay, maybe not right now but you will be," he whispers. Smiling at him, my shoulders go limp. I nod in agreement before shutting my eyes again slowly drifting off to sleep until I heard. "I'll make sure you won't get hurt again,"