The old World
Part One: What happened to them?
Chapter Two: "The Girl"
≃2000 years ago:
She was racing through the woods, running up the forest, she didn't even realise she was getting further and further away from the village. She was laughing, enjoying the beautiful sunny day. Her once pretty adorned dress was now old, ragged and torn. It barely fit her anymore, she had grown. The wind was flowing through her hair, she could see the sun shining through the tree leaves. It made the forest look even more magical. She was chasing a small piglet, she enjoyed seen it run into freedom. She new it was wrong. She shouldn't have set it free in the first place, but she couldn't bear the thought of that small defenceless creature being raised in captivity, just to one day be sent into slaughter. The piglet didn't know it was safe, the animal wasn't used to be treated with kindness by humans. That's not how it works. If the animal had some superior level of intelligence it would enjoy the moment as much as the young girl. But for the small creature it was like it was still being hunted. The piglet was running to save its own life, like it would if it was being chased by any predator. "Come back, friend!" She exclaimed running after it. She laughed, the young girl, not yet five years old hadn't had any friend to play with in so long! Probably never. She was all alone. But the animal wouldn't stop, their survival instinct was stronger than anything at that moment. It ran right into it. A cave, no, an old giant tree. The piglet squeaked as it tumbled down the unexpected hole. It hit the water. The girl stopped right in front of the tree, she felt bad. What now? She was scared, but she made herself go closer. The place was very dark, she felt chills crawling down her spine as she looked down into the abyss. She was trying to hear something, maybe the small thing was fine down there. There was only silence. After sometime without being sure on what to do, she gave up on trying to save the creature. The piglet was probably dead.
.
.
.
"I knew I would find you here."
- Year 867 - on a field somewhere…
Levi held his nephew in his arms, like he was used to, it was getting increasingly hard to properly hold him. Not only because the fourteen year old boy had grown a ton in the past year or so, and was already thirteen centimetres taller his uncle, but because how increasingly difficult things had become for them, not that they were easy over twelve years ago when Levi decided to fulfil his promise to raise him. Azzy was confused. He wasn't expecting that level affection from his uncle.
"I'm fine, you know I can take care of myself, you taught me how to." Azzy assured Levi with a nice smile on his face.
The sweet caring uncle figure that had possessed the old Ackermann went as briefly as it came. Levi punched him in the shoulder. Still somewhat affectionately but quite hard, well - hard on a regular human scale, nothing that would bruise their kind. - He started the scolding:
"You are NEVER to leave my sight again? Do you hear me? Never. I am the only person you have and YOU are the only person I have. That is not how we do things! You can't just disappear like that, Azzy. Do you have any idea how worried you make me when you pull out this kind of shit? Do you know how long I've been looking for you? I came to this stupid field hundreds of times! Multiple times a day. Like an IDIOT! And you were never here. So I looked everywhere else, I ran out of places to look, I was already fearing for the worse!"
Levi stopped himself, he had more to say, but he had to slow down and catch his breath, he looked at the boy, and waited for a response.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you, I- I had to run away from the Royal Guards, you said that we have been made, I had to act quick-" He stopped himself, his mind was hazed.
"Azzy… - " Levi was more worried now. "…Is that the last thing you remember?" He asked the boy.
"I think so… it was yesterday morning, you told me not to go outside when they are doing patrol, but I forgot to check the time again-" He pulled a timepiece out of his pocket, it was gold plated, embellished and carefully engraved:
"To you, my son.
Be the master of your time."
- Armin
-the guards spotted me." He said staring at his pocket watch. He stopped for a second, the number on the date corner wasn't the one he was expecting to see.
"That was two months ago." Levi told him.
The boy slowly kneeled down on the grass. The headache was coming back, his whole body was shivering. "Why?" He said very quietly, almost in a whisper. Levi kneeled on the grass with him. "It's ok, calm down, it will come to you, take your time." He said.
"That's the last thing! I don't remember anything else.. I'm not lying this time, uncle Levi, please believe me! I really don't remember…" The boy told his uncle.
I know, I believe you." Levi assured the boy, he hated seeing Azzy that helpless.
"Let's get out of here, I've found another place that we could go, it's going to be better soon, you'll see." Levi raised him back up and they walked together, away from the field.
- Year 859 - A private council meeting is happening in Hizuru:
"We need a symbol." Kiyomi exclaimed.
"And in what is that going to help?" Said Yelena, bored, they all were exhausted at that point.
"We need a name, a person, someone valid, that people trust! So we can get the people's hope back up, we need to unite the broken world!"
"Are you talking of monarchy? I don't see how a head figure would help our cause here." Onyankopon was reluctant to agree with Yelena, even after all those years, he still doubted she was really on their side. But she had a point.
The meeting was for the World Alliance members to give suggestions and help each other's countries in every way they could. The situation in the world wasn't much improved since Armageddon, they still had too much to build. For the ones in Hizuru and other isolated areas, building up defences was a priority, the low technology on Paradise Island was an advantage for them. And for those living the great continent of Marley, hidden communities were the best solution, as the Eldians slowly grew their population outside the island.
"I'm not suggesting any structure of power, just that we consider a name that people can believe in. To unite us. You are all survivors and heroes and no one here wants the spotlight. Eldians have a happy family and an heir to grant their future! People need that. You here are all our peoples' heroes, we may have lost the majority of the world population but, the ones that survived, are here because none of you gave up." Even with all the preaching, Kiyomi didn't get anywhere, 'the heroes' had no interest in political games, they just wanted to go back helping rebuild their families' lives brick by brick.
Onyankopon followed her in the corridors after the unsuccessful meeting: "There's something we might be able to do, but I didn't wanna say in front of the others, I know they would oppose. I think we might have a person who checks all your boxes. A great figure head for the future, someone who can honour our fallen heroes. An heir." He said.
"We do?" She wasn't expecting to hear that after that long day. "We should discuss this in private." He finished.
It was too late, the enemies had the idea first.
- Year 867 - in the harbour of Paradise Island:
"A ship?" The teenager asked. "We are getting on a ship?" He was trying to understand, his uncle told him they would never leave the Island.
"Yes, yes we are, Azzy." Levi answered.
"To where?" He said in disbelief.
"We are going to Hizuru." Levi answered him again.
"HIZURU?" Azzy was still in disbelief. "KEEP-keep your voice down." Levi snapped for a moment but said it calming his ownself down.
"We don't have papers, we are gonna get caught even before we enter the boat, besides the sign says it's going to the continent, NOT Hizuru." Azzy affirmed.
"Why do you always have to be a smartass?" He tapped Azzy in the back of the head. "We are going as help, for the kitchen, I believe-"
"Great." Azzy crossed his arms.
"- I made some contacts, they are expecting us- they have been for a while- some of my friends-" Azzy interrupted his uncle:
"YOU? You are telling me, that you have friends?" He was laughing. Levi tapped him on the head again.
"Listen to me, they are meeting us on a smaller boat, in the middle of the journey, when the time comes, we will jump ship. So stay with me AT ALL TIMES, it's a small window, we can't miss it."
"Jump?" Azzy asked.
"Yes, jump." Levi responded.
"In the middle of the ocean?" Azzy asked.
"Yes, in the middle of the ocean." Levi responded.
Azzy looked up the ship, he was overwhelmed, he uncrossed his arms.
"So, that's why you didn't want to tell me the plan before we got here." Azzy concluded.
"I know it's a lot to take in, we never left the island before, I understand, I grew up here, same as you did." They both looked back.
"But it will all be better soon, we won't be hunted anymore, we'll have peace. You will make friends, have a normal life. You deserve more than the mess that has been your childhood. You will be happy there." Levi held his shoulder. Azzy looked down, thinking. He looked back at the Island again, he was getting somewhere before, those guards got in the way, if he leaves now, he leaves his search behind. He was silent.
"Come on!" Levi gave him some change. "Go buy us some oranges, we need sustenance." Levi smiled at him.
"Sure-" He nodded. "But can't we get that from the kitchen?" Azzy said it with a smirk. Levi didn't tap him on the head that time, he was happy to see his nephew with his spirits up! It was going to be a long journey and a lot would finally change. Also, Levi was staring at those oranges since they got there. He gave Azzy a hat.
"Remember-" "Stay down, don't call attention to myself." Azzy interrupted his uncle, he knew the drill. Levi nodded.
The boy came back from the stand, he sat on the harbour floor, his uncle was talking with someone on the side, boarding was about to start. He was staring at the Island shore. So many questions, no answers.
He looked around the merchandise inside the bag. Just oranges, but not really. He noticed there was a small piece of paper inside, it was a note, addressed to "Arlert".
He calmly held his head up scanning the harbour, this was a problem, there was someone in there who knew his name. It couldn't be the man in the stand, no that was too obvious, he looked at everyone, checking every detail and nothing, he retraced his steps, nothing. He had no idea, at what moment whoever left him that message did so. But he was ready. Levi was still talking to that man so he couldn't signal him. Even so, he was sure he could take care of it. His favourite knife was at hand, still, he wished for a gun, that would be so much better and precise, but apparently 'it wasn't a good idea' according to his uncle. Well, hand-to-hand combat was the best option anyways, less messy, and he was 'not supposed to call attention to himself'.
Curiosity can be a bad bad thing.
He decided to open up the note. It was killing him and his uncle was taking forever to comeback! He had to know,
The Note Said:
"Azzy, I know you are looking for answers, you have been searching.
I have all the answers you seek."
The note proceed with an address. This was bad, it was at the heart of the beast! Azzy is not to ever set foot on Mitras ever again. He knew it would be like signing his 'death sentence'. But it was too tempting. He would finally know the truth. He had a lifetime decision to make in a very small window of time. People were already boarding the ship. He looked at his uncle in the distance, he thought for a while.
Levi could tell, he turned his head in direction of the boy.
Levi sighed. They were so close to freedom.
But the boy was gone.
- Year 859 - in that very same harbour, a ship was arriving from the continent:
She looked down the docks, the two familiar faces were already there to greet her, she missed those two idiots, war had made them friends.
"Miiiss Finger! Great to see you." Connie exclaims as they proceed to help her carry her belongings, not many.
"Urrhg, no, don't do that, I didn't like that." Pieck joked. They exchanged hugs, Connie seemed more affectionate, Jean more timid.
"So-" Jean looked up around the boat, "Just you then?" He asked.
"Yeah, and you didn't bring down the children with you-" She looked around the harbour.
"Oh, we can't call them that anymore." Jean added.
"Yeah, but if we need, it's a good way to get them annoyed." Connie laughed.
Gabi and Falco were spending some weeks on the Island, visiting the friends they made - a few years ago - in the middle of war. It was a way to remove the teenagers from the miserable situation their country was found in. For a moment, they could take some time, visit the family that took care of them in a time of need, the people who helped them in the most unlikely of situations, it brought them close, so, despite everything, they kept in touch.
"Well it's not like you were only gonna show up and take them right away anyways, come on, let's take the train." Jean said it as they left the harbour.
Visiting the Island wasn't easy for Pieck, it wouldn't be for anyone who was accustomed to see the misery that was left in the continent, or 'the colonies' as Eldia refers to them now. The prosperity the Island was in, it was hurtful to see. She left the train cabin and went outside, to the rear balcony. Jean followed her.
"Did you get my letter?" He said it and closed the door.
"Yes." She answered.
"And?" Jean asked, "What do you think?"
"You have no idea what the world is like outside this island now, so maybe you should reconsider." She affirmed, as she looked around how the cities had grown in this past few years, how everything was so different now. They've won, it shows.
"I can't stay here, there's no point. I feel as useless as ever." Jean complained as he rested his arms on the guardrail.
"Well, but are you ready to give up all this comfort? If you come, it won't be a vacation, or a holiday. The situation is not pretty, and there's no giving up and coming back." She told her friend, "You understand that, right?" Pieck asked.
"Yes, ma'am." He nodded.
…
"You look so familiar! Doesn't she honey?" Ms. Kirstein turned and reached for her husband. "Are you sure you don't have any family here? It's like we've met before! Does she look familiar, dear?" She asked. Mr. Kirstein didn't engage, he noticed his son had his hands over his face, so maybe it was better to wait for someone to change the subject.
"So, Reiner and Annie, I guess they are pretty busy with everything, right? It's a shame, I was hoping we could catch up." Connie told Pieck.
They were all together in the Braus farm, the youngsters were helping out Ms. Springer and Niccolo with the luncheon. It was a lovely day, Gabi and Falco were upset they had to leave, but they would come back next year.
"If I know Mr. Braun, he's helping with the new buildings nonstop." Falco came around to set some plates on the table.
There were two more pressing things after all the destruction, taking care of the sick and better organising the survivors and building new houses for them to live, not just houses, but hospitals, schools, they had to build the whole society back up again. It was a restless effort, but it was also very rewarding.
"Yes, we managed a lot in the last year, communication is still the main issue, but we are doing our best. Annie is helping around too, oh, and Mr. Leonhart opened up a shoe shop! It's great, the main city is developing fast-" She stopped herself, maybe she shouldn't give too much information, all the cities that were being rebuilt were a secret, the Eldian Kingdom was very interested to know their location, specially now that the colonies in the continent were expanding fast, the Queen wanted everything 'annexed and accounted for.'
…
"So…" Jean was looking for a conversation topic as they walked around the village, following the sunset.
"How does it feel? … you know," He shrugged a little.
"Well, it is still very weird, I-I wasn't expecting to live this long, it's strange." Pieck tried to explain, she tried her best.
After the rumbling it seemed like the curse had been lifted, but they didn't know how or why.
"And- how are things here? I mean it seems like the crown left you alone-" She continued the conversation.
"There's no point on worrying about the losers, we pose no threat, and I guess - they left us alone out of 'respect', we were 'friends' once, I'm sure you know that." Jean explained.
"Right. And what about the Captain? He didn't come today, did you lose touch?" She asked.
Jean hesitated for a second-
"Yeah- we haven't heard from him, since it all ended-" Jean lied. "I'm sure he's fine… He just wants to be left alone." He didn't trust Pieck enough.
"Makes sense… Do you think they know…?" She asked.
"What?" Jean was waiting for her to continue.
"Do you think they have the answer… about what happened to all of us? I mean, we, the shifters, well it seems the curse is done- you guys seems fine, even Connie's mother came back- but the maze remained there- that's the one thing it doesn't make sense to me." Pieck said.
"Well it's not like we can go, waltz in the palace and ask.. but I think they definitely know more then we do." Jean added.
"Do you think it's true? What they say about the girl…?" Pieck asked.
"What? That she inherited The Founder somehow? …. Nah, that doesn't make much sense, specially since we know none of you guys can access your shifter abilities, I say it's all gone for good. We should thank Armin for that… probably…" Jean took a moment to remember his dear friend, and how bitter the ending was.
"So, they are basically spreading that rumour then?" Pieck wondered.
"Yep. It seems that the Queen is not very certain about her popularity in the continent. Having the threat of 'The Maze of the Dead' waking up again, that's good to keep any resistance at bay, don't you think?" Jean crossed his arms.
"Huh, yeah, it's seems like a good strategy." She confirmed. "Hope it is just a rumour, like you say, for all of our sakes." She changed the subject: "It's a nice, quiet village this one, all very peaceful…" She wanted to take her mind out of things.
"Yeah, but in the Island everything it's old, we don't have the new technologies, all the improvements you guys had, since we got stuck in time, It's a shame the continent is destroyed, we were finally getting some cool things, life was getting more decent around here-" He stopped his rambling, he noticed Pieck was staring.
"What's wrong with you?" She couldn't believe it. "Are you really complaining like that? I'm sorry if the deaths of billions made your life more inconvenient." She snapped. "I mean, how self-centred can someone be?" She was disappointed.
Jean thought for a while, he was disappointed in himself too.
"See? That's why I need to leave this place, I can't get comfortable it's not good for me, it turns me into a jackass every time! I'm sorry about that, sometimes I forget to use my brain, jeez what I said was really stupid, wasn't it?" He felt horrible.
"Extremely." She said.
"Well, this old Jean dies here, with this stupid island. I'm glad I'll finally have something good to do, I really want to help, I need to be useful again."
They walked away from the village.
….
"I'm going too." Connie said as Jean was walking back into the house.
"What, are you serious?" Jean wasn't expecting that. "What about your mom?" He asked.
"She's fine, she made friends with your parents, and Sasha's parents, I guess we are all a big family now." Connie added.
"I was actually counting on you to keep an eye on my parents… Are you sure you want to do this?" Jean asked.
"Yeah, after all we've been through, living here, doing nothing, it feels like a cancer. I'm sure my mother will understand. I can be a hero again, I wanna help out there." Connie had made his decision.
….
"I'm glad you guys are coming too!" Gabi said it with excitement.
They were back at the harbour, ship about to sail, there was no going back now.
"I wish I could go too!" Kaya told her friend, her parents would never let her go. They hugged each other. It was time to say the goodbyes, the situation of the world was too unpredictable, this could be the last time they all saw each other. Time to leave the loved ones and go on this new mission, it would be challenging.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Pieck asked Jean.
"Yes, I am sure." Jean responded.
They left on their journey, down the ocean, away from the Island.
[Still] - Year 859 - At Mitras, the heart of the Island:
The young boy looked up mesmerised at those tall buildings, amazing structures, beautiful gardens. He wasn't used to that. It took some convincing, but Levi knew, at that point, the better play was to go on his own than be forced to later on. He had received a cordial invitation to the palace, not exactly him, Azzy was the invited guest, he was going as the boy's guardian.
The doors opened to the palace, it was immense, so many workers, so much prosperity. After all, 'history is written by the winners'.
"Hello, Azzy!" Historia gave the boy a big smile and ruffled his honey coloured hair. "You've grown so much since we last saw each other." She kneeled down to look at his eyes. "Do you remember me?" She said with a smile.
"Yes, you're the lady from the orphanage." He affirmed.
"Good memory!" She touched his small nose affectionally, like a mother. The boy wasn't used to that.
"And very eloquent." She raised herself up complimenting the uncle.
"He didn't get eloquence from me." Levi said in a threatening tone.
"Come this way."
The Queen welcomed the visitors and kindly guided them to a new room.
The gigantic room was full of books and puzzles, toys and other things you would want for great child development. But Azzy ran straight to the center of the room, a table full of sweets and other kinds that kids love.
"Grab a cookie, Azzy, you can have whatever you want." Historia told the boy.
"You play dirty." Levi crossed his arms.
"You know he will have a better life here, he'll have all he needs to develop properly-" She was still talking, Levi interrupted her.
"Jeez! How many nannies do you need?" He was pointing out the amount of servants in the room, counting those with the guards, there were more than twenty people there.
"Does the princess need all that? And she's not even here."
"She's in good care. And as I was talking, you can see how good of a structure we have here, he will be looked after by the best, including me."
Azzy seemed concentrated solving one of the puzzles on the floor as he munched on a cookie. He lifted his head:
"Are there other kids here? Like in the orphanage?" He's eyes were shining brighter, Azzy was used to travelling from city to city with his uncle, he never made friends anywhere.
"I'm sorry, young lad, are you considering this?" Levi said with arms crossed disapprovingly.
"Azzy, this talk is for the grownups." Historia complemented in a condescending tone. Azzy did not like that.
"Well it's boring anyways." He had finished the puzzles.
"I know what you are trying to do, everyone does, I'm not leaving him here to play house with your daughter."
"Where are you getting at?" Historia laughed, "She's only four years old!" Historia exclaimed.
"Well, let me see. You have a prosperous kingdom, money, colonies. The enemies still fearing the maze of the dead. The world is at your feet, your majesty, everything is perfect.. for now. The only thing you have to worry about is the future." Levi proceeded on his speech.
Historia just stared at him, calculating.
"So, you lost the previous noble support - most of them are dead - had to built your court from the ground up, and you did a good job, I'm sure, but none of those stupid yeagarists will ever be enough for your daughter. Not to mention you get to profit from his parents deaths and spread lies about their beliefs, when we both know they were against your ideals up into the very end. They would never allow this, and so I won't." He finished.
"You are talking about it as if his parents were revered down in the continent." She was calmly sipping her tea. Levi had no interest in his.
His arms were still crossed.
"I know they are." He said very affirmably.
"So, you have contact with the others there?" She was fishing for information, it took Levi to long to notice, but it was too late and he didn't care.
"If I do, what business is it of yours?" He asked.
"Still, none of that matters, that's not why I want to raise the boy." Historia changed the lines.
"Yes, it is. You are looking for the approval and grace of the rebels in the colonies, it's perfect. He is perfect for it. It's the perfect marriage." Levi made the point clear as crystal.
She pondered her answer to all those accusations, she still respected Levi, even though they had such different views about everything.
"Have you considered… I might just want to have my own son? I've raised orphans. He is an orphan." She said in a clear and presidential, but somewhat sad tone.
"Please-" Levi rolled his eyes. He looked up and down at the queen's young figure. "Are you telling you can't have children of your own anymore? If you want a son, I'm sure you can produce one yourself. By the way, where's your husband? When I saw the invitation for the palace I didn't think I would be meeting you-" The staff was paying attention to the conversation, the Queen cut him off.
"I don't have a husband." She said firmly.
He crossed his arms again. What was the game now- He looked around the room, the staff-
"Look, Cap- .." She forgot for a moment. "Levi. I just want to help, calling you here was my idea, despite what you might have guessed, I was the one who invited you here, I'm the one trying to amend things." She kept pointing at herself. "For the benefit of the child. He will be happy here. I can keep him safe." She said it with grace.
"Really..?" Levi was looking around the room, "You can keep him safe" he repeated it. "So… tell me, where is he know?" Levi asked. He was amused but also worried about the nephew, of course.
Historia scanned the room- "How is that possible?" She was openmouthed. "Even with all the staff.. Where is the boy?" She got a little desperate.
The help was shaking their heads and looking around, he wasn't in the room. He hasn't been in a while.
"No one noticed this? When did he leave? Come on! Start looking!" She ordered.
"Don't worry too much." Levi was getting a little more amused, "He will turn up, eventually. You have no idea the trouble it is raising that child." He smiled. "He could be anywhere in the palace right now. He's probably exploring."
In the Secret Garden:
The boy was already far. Exploring all this new environment, it was all so colourful and bright. He was enjoying the day. He arrived at this place. It was empty, no guards, it was a garden, and a very nice one. So many flowers dancing around with the wind, so much green, it was beautiful, the waters in small ponds reflected the sky, he reached the largest one and went closer to it, he was looking, looking at the sky, the plants, the flowers, himself, all reflected in that poll of water, it was all very magical.
It all seems peaceful and still for a minute or so, he was concentrated on the image, but it suddenly changed.
There were ripples in the water.
"Are you the gardener?" Azzy asked the person he saw throwing rocks in the pond. He approached the man.
"Why would you suggest that?" The man asked.
"You are the only one in the palace wearing simple clothes instead of a fancy uniform." Azzy remarked.
"You are very perceptive for a six year old." Eren told the boy while throwing a small rock at him, as if inviting him to play, but, at the same time, using the situation the check his reflexes.
"How do you know I'm six?" He asked, looking at the small rock.
"Because I know you, Azzy. I was there, when you were born, you were so small, I carried you around with me everywhere. But you were too young to remember that." Eren explained while throwing a couple more rocks in the pond.
The boy was staring at the ripples, observing them.
"It's interesting, isn't it?" Eren lifted a rock, "How a small rock can create such disturbance in the calm waters." He looked at the boy.
"How do we win? Is it who throws the rock the farthest?" The boy asked. He wanted to play.
Eren smiled. He heard the exact same question eighteen years ago. When he was teaching the game to his new found friend.
"It's who can make more ripples." He replied. In the exact same way he had replied, to a very similar looking six year old, all those years ago.
Azzy reached to grab the biggest rock he could find then, he knew it would make a stronger impact. Eren was not surprised, he remembered a small boy, with a similar thought process. "Right, that's why you won every time, Armin, you beat my game before I even started, and here you are doing it again." He thought to himself.
The blood is a curious thing, how can you behave in the same way as someone when you could barely remember them? Eren was not even a little surprised, but still, it was fantastic to watch, he missed his friend dearly.
"I knew you were coming today." Eren said lovingly. "So I went looking for this-" He smiled at Azzy and reached for something in his pocket to give the boy.
"Here, it's yours now." He placed on the boy's hands.
"A seashell?" He sounded disappointed.
"Yes, it's a seashell, why? You don't like it?" Eren asked him.
"I mean, it's pretty, but, there are hundreds of thousands of those around the Island shores.." The boy explained.
"Did you count them all?" Eren laughed.
"No, I read about it, on a book." Azzy really liked books.
"Of course you did." Eren knew why. He ruffled Azzy's hair affectionately. "Aren't you going to say thank you?" He asked.
"Thank you." Azzy was annoyed. What was it with adults messing his hair and pinching his noise, he wasn't enjoying that.
"The special thing about this seashell Azzy, is that it was your father's." Eren changed his tone slightly. "It meant a lot to him, it was a symbol of finally reaching the dream he had since he was your age. …. I'm sure, he would want you to have it. I'm sorry he couldn't give it to you in person." Eren told his nephew.
Azzy just nodded and stared at it for a while, it was difficult, he was too young, he didn't think about his parents too much at that age, he felt abandoned and he wasn't curious enough yet to ask why they weren't there. That curiosity would come later. For now, playing with the rocks was more interesting.
They played for a while and stared at the pond, together. Eren was noticing something, the manner of the boy, he could see both his friends there, at different instances. He was smart, and a strategist, clearly very observant of his surroundings, discerning, quick and wary. He could spend hours listing all of his friends qualities that were clearly passed down, but people are not made only of their parents. There was something else. This bright in his dark blue eyes, he had this different spirit, there was something ominous about it. It was eerie.
The boy was bored, the game wasn't that interesting anymore, he saw something, it distracted him, he went after it. Eren was so focused on his own thoughts and the memory of his friends that by the time he looked to the left, Azzy was already gone.
- Year 867 - Mitras, In the Palace's Private Garden
"They look lovely." Eren said as he walked in. Coming from the open forest area.
Historia was picking up some of her favourite flowers, in her secluded garden.
"You know I take good care of my flowers." She smiled at him.
"I didn't think you would come." He said.
"I always come here, in the same day, every month. Plus, this is my house after all."
She placed the flowers in her hands in two small graves.
They both stayed there. In silence, for a couple of minutes.
"They would be thirteen this year-" She had a broken smile, "-can you imagine the trouble?" She laughed for a second.
..
"You never come, at least you haven't…. In a few years" She added.
"Would your guards let me in?" He laughed.
"I know you have your own entrance, I haven't figure out where it is yet." She gave him a look.
"Are you going to seal it if you do?" He continued the teasing.
"I haven't decided." She said it, in a queenly manner, maintaining the game.
"It was my house too, at some point." Eren said. He continued, "I always come, like we used to, but I don't like to disturb you. I don't want give you more reasons to be upset."
"I'm beyond upset, but there's nothing you could do to change that. In any way. I don't blame you, so please, stop blaming yourself." She told him, like she did many times before. It was useless, Eren remained the same. He would carry that forever.
"You should start again." He suggested.
"You need a family. Why do you isolate yourself? You… you still can have children … it might make you happy again." Eren knew Historia wasn't enjoying the advice, but he had to say it anyways.
"It won't be the same. How dare you even suggest that? How can you possibly think they can be replaced? Just like that? You must be out of your mind." She was getting increasingly more upset.
"I know you think killing the devil will bring you peace, I'm aware you haven't stopped your hunt like you told me you would." He said carefully.
"It will give me closure." Her broken heart affirmed.
"It won't bring her back." He answered back.
"EREN-" She was annoyed now. Their arguments about the tragedy were always the same. They kept going around in circles forever. It never ended. "Why are you here anyways? You just said yourself moments before you don't like disturbing in my grief. So don't. There's nothing you can say to me that will bring me peace so-" Eren stopped her angry tone with a sad remark, he was reluctant to, but he knew it was the only way to fix things, the only way out of the circle. So, he gave Historia what she wanted.
"I've found him."
- Year 859 - Mitras, In the Palace's Private Garden
The place was surrounded by its own forest. Eren was shouting out his name. He was worried Azzy had got himself lost in that forest. The boy had tricked him and ran way. Eren needed to be sure the boy hadn't gone too far. He was worried. He loved the parents more than anything. That was his shot at redemption and it was slipping away. He already lost a son before. He was getting a little desperate, but all that distraction completely blinded him, and he lost sight of what was important. He forgot that wasn't the child he was supposed to be looking after.
"Eren-" Historia interrupted him mid-shouting. He turned. And looked at her, he still had his hands over his mouth to better project his shout. He brought his hands down. She seemed very nervous.
"Where's Ymir?" She asked.
Thirteen Minutes Before:
He ran around the private garden, the place was immense, perfect for an adventurous heart like his. Azzy stopped when he saw a castle. "Inside a palace?" He thought. He quickly realised it was a playground. Huge! Full of all kinds of toys, it filled his eyes. But the child seemed to not be impressed by all the glory of her playing house, she was on one of the corners, concentrated, playing with the sand.
"Hi!" Azzy was happy to meet another kid, he was looking forward to making a new friend, well he hadn't made friends yet.
The girl, ignored him. She was used to ignoring the "help" in the palace, she only responded when addressed by one of her parents.
Azzy kneeled down on the sand to look at the drawings she was making in it.
"Don't worry about it, Ezra, I'm sure he'll go away!" The girl whispered to the side. Azzy looked around. No one was there.
"W-Who are you talking to?" He was hesitant to ask.
She looked up.
"My brother" She told the boy.
"There's no one here." He said it sceptically.
"He is always here, with me-" She explained, but Azzy remained confused.
She turned her head and looked at a small grave down the side, filled with flowers. Azzy followed her eyes.
"We were born together, but he didn't make it. …." She became a little sad-
"I think I understand how you feel…" Azzy was trying to be sympathetic.
"-but mom said he's always with me, even if I can't see him." She smiled. "I always know when he's there."
"Ok, maybe I don't." Azzy retracted his previous statement while scratching his head.
"I'm Azzy!" He changed the subject. "What's your name?"
"Ymir." She said looking down in the sand again, she had lost interest in the boy.
"Right!" He stood up and checked her clothes and her manner, "Of course! You're the princess!" He looked up the castle again, all the toys, the whole playground. It made sense.
"Is this real sand?" He wandered grabbing some in his hand and letting it go.
"Real sand?" She asked.
"Yeah.. you know, from the beach?!" He didn't understand what was wrong with his question.
"The beach? I don't know what that is-" Ymir explained her confusion.
"You're kidding right?" Azzy said. "You're the princess, you probably have another palace near the beach or something, probably more than one-" He continued.
"I never left the palace-" She interrupted. "I'm not supposed to, I'm safer here." She repeated what she probably heard from adults before.
"So you are telling me you never saw a beach before? The harbour, the ships? Any of that?" He could not understand how that was possible.
"No." She answered.
He looked down at the seashell his (other) uncle gave him, turned over, though about it- "It's not that far…" He though out loud. She looked up at him.
"I can take you there." He offered.
"It sounds dangerous…" Ymir said.
"Come on! It will be fine!" He assured the girl. "You can't just stay trapped here in this palace. What's the fun in that? That's why you look miserable, I bet this is not real sand, come on, I can show you the real thing! It will be an adventure!" Azzy was overexcited about the prospect of this trip now. He had made his mind, he was taking Ymir with him.
The girl stared at him, glassy eyed.
"See-" He looked to her side and nodded his head. "Your brother agrees, we should all have fun."
Ymir looked at her side, she pondered for a moment.
"Ok." She finally answered. Doubtful but curious. She smiled.
Azzy took her hand and raised her up from the sand.
"Come on, I'll show you the ocean."
End of Chapter Two: "The Girl"