Hi.

This chapter contains references to teen pregnancy and talks about abortion. Please do not read if such topics make you uncomfortable. The thoughts expressed here DO NOT necessarily belong to me, I have altered my own opinions to suit the setting of this story. I am supportive of abortion however, and I don't pass judgement of those who don't support it.

It had most certainly occurred to Bláithín by now that Levi had quite a problem with controlling that vulgar tongue of his. His language was… colourful, to put it nicely. Of course, Bláithín had no problem with assigning him the punishment she mentioned last time.

Cleaning the women's rag bins.

He went into all of the female dorms (he had the courtesy to knock) and emptied their bin into the basket Bláithín had assigned him. The girls would look at him and scoff and he'd only glare at them. He wasn't well liked by many people so far, and his reputation of being uncontrollable spread throughout.

"Ehhh, why is he going through our bin?" he heard a girl whisper.

"Don't you know? That's squad leader Bláithín's typical punishment whenever past male soldiers were acting out of line."

The girls laughed at him when they saw him wearing a cleaning mask, gloves and the spray of disinfectant for either his hands or the bin (possibly both.) He only rolled his eyes and left them alone. He left the basket where he was instructed - in the Mess Hall near the bins - and walked back to his dorm that he shared with Isabel and Farlan. Well, Isabel technically was not allowed to be there as she was a girl, but she had the tendency to sneak out of her own dorm with the females.

None of them were particularly impressed by their welcome; they were slagged, looked down upon, Isabel's hair was chopped shorter much to her displeasure. In the Corps' defence, though, they weren't exactly going to be hosting any kind of welcoming party for a bunch of thugs who had criminal records as large as the Walls themselves! At the same time, Bláithín took it upon herself to make sure they were treated with respect if they treated others with respect…

Which didn't really happen too often… Hence why Levi, this time, was punished.

"When's the next expedition? I'm so done with this shithole." Levi grumbled.

Isabel and Farlan perked up and snickered once they realized he was finished.

"Based on what I've heard from my nightly snoops by the drawing room, because of Lobov's actions, the Scout Regiment doesn't have the funding to go on expeditions," Farlan answered, "so lucky for you, Levi, we're all stuck with Bláithín a while longer."

Levi rolled his eyes. "Tch, that bitch. I hope I don't have to see her stupid face for the rest of today." He said, lying down onto his mattress after removing his face mask.

Isabel made a sound akin to a squeak when there was a knock on the door. Speak of the devil.

The door opened and Bláithín walked in. The trio were surprised to see her wearing a dress. It was white, with a blouse-like upper half and a ribbon tied above her waist. Her shimmering blonde hair was tied up into an up-do, unveiling her sapphire eyes. "Oh, Levi. I see you're finished. I wanted you to have finished your task before I gave you the news: today we have a day off."

"Oh, why?" Farlan asked.

"Beats me, but I won't question it and I'll savour it while I can. I'm going to head into Trost to get a few things, do any of you want to come?"

Farlan shook his head but Isabel practically skipped out the door, a look of surprise making its way onto Bláithín's face. Levi groaned.

"Isabel, stay here. What if you get lost?" Levi complained.

"She won't," Bláithín assured. She was more than used to watching over someone. She sometimes walked through the streets of Mitras with Elise by her side. "I'm more than capable of babysitting someone."

"Tch." He spat and turned his back to her.

Bláithín sighed heavily, but she was patient; his attitude would not get to her too much. He had just been captured only over a week ago. Give him time, he may come around eventually, she told herself. Even if he didn't, this isn't the first defiant soldier she had under her wing - they didn't deter her either. Levi hasn't had an easy life all the same, the poor guy was always on defensive mode, probably.

"Is there anything I can get you, Farlan? Levi?" she asked, politely.

Farlan shook his head. "I'm good, Bláithín!" he replied, saluting her, albeit correctly. It appeared his hand was upside down. She made a mental note to correct that.

"Levi?" she asked again. She heard him mumble something under his breath. She shook her head, dismissing him. She and Isabel began to walk away when Bláithín leaned over to her and asked, "What would he like?"

Isabel knew instantly. "Tea."

Bláithín and Isabel took to the streets of Trost.

The sun shone today and it seemed to be putting everyone in a good mood. The sun was still considered a 'foreign object' to Isabel, so to speak. She often shielded her face from its glorious yet blinding rays.

Since it was noon, the market roared with rage for it now was awake from its peaceful slumber. The shops were stuffed and street vendors made the street extremely narrow forcing people to walk in a single file. Large tattered wagons decorated with a kaleidoscope of vegetable were parked beside the street and their owners stood beside them screaming prices like auctioneers; it was odd seeing that had a carrot in hand clear the area of the flies that pointlessly danced around the vegetables.

"Squad Leader, where are we going?" She asked.

Isabel at least had the decency to be far more polite in public, she knew not to make a scene - Levi was quite great at that.

"Oh, in public, you can just call me Bláithín. It's only on expeditions or in HQ where you should address me as that. But we are just looking around today, I was given a shopping list too by Commander Shadis."

On the list was bread, various fruits and vegetables, some cheeses and of course - a soldier's favourite - alcohol.

Isabel looked around and noted the differences she saw between buying food up here compared to the Underground District. For starters, there was an abundance of food to be sold. She heard there were food shortages above ground too, but it was nothing compared to living down below, going days without food and clean water. At least up here, everyone was bound to get some food, at least. The sight of people purchasing food up here made her stomach growl.

Most people had sinful and wandering eyes when it came to people they were interested; for Isabel, it must have been food. Bláithín caught sight of her greedy hand and smacked it away.

"Unless you want your criminal record being exposed of up here, I would suggest not stealing. We're almost finished now, just a few more things."

"But I'm fading awaaay!" she cried.

"You'll survive thirty more minutes, I'm sure."

Bláithín and Isabel continued to walk around until the squad leader discovered a herbalist. She thought back to the stubborn, uncontrollable young man she was in charge of. She was a good six years younger than him, of course he wasn't going to take her seriously. An eighteen year old squad leader who was once raised in Sine versus a twenty-four year old male who has lived in poverty his whole life and was well acquainted with tragedy.

She had noticed the violet shadows under his eyes, indicating a lack of sleep. He was a young man yet wrinkles had clearly been stabbed into his brows of youth already.

"Hi!" she greeted the vendor cheerfully, "can I take some chamomile and some black tea leaves, please?"

"Sure thing!"

Bláithín handed over a few coins and the saleswoman prepared a package for her. Isabel looked at her and smiled a toothy grin. "Oh, Big Bro really loves black tea! You should get more!"

"Oh, please," she scoffed, "I'll wait until he treats me with more respect first."

Bláithín and Isabel took off to the streets again, having bought everything she needed. Isabel looked up at the taller squad leader. She really appeared to care about them already. She recalled back to the day they were all kidnapped and how rough she had been then; she was rough because she was ordered to do so. Was she actually rough in nature?

Not at all.

She was motherly, definitely. She wanted the best for them, perhaps? Even now, Isabel felt like she was wandering behind the mother she never really had.

"Isabel? I understand you're upset about having your hair being cut short against your will," she began. And Isabel's face instantly turned sour once again and she rolled her eyes. "I had no idea that was going to happen, but let me make it up to you."

Isabel looked at her with a foul gaze until she felt something being placed in her hair. A ribbon that had a clip on the back. Isabel's heart fluttered a tiny a bit at the kind gesture. The ribbon was velvety and white.

White, for innocence.

Bláithín could tell she appreciated it but she wasn't going to make her speak.

The walk back to the headquarters was quiet, but not tense by any means. They walked through the main door and Isabel went off to her room. Bláithín saw lady with a baby in her arms talking to her commander.

"Oh, there she is," Keith stated, "Bláithín, this lady wishes to speak to you, she said she's been meaning to talk to you for a while."

She walked over and her face fell, jaw slacked, once she saw who the woman was. She looked a little bit haggard but smiled upon seeing Bláithín, her baby wiggling around in her arms. The squad leader shook her head in disbelief - she was so young, how could she have fallen pregnant?

"Elise…?" she asked.

Bláithín didn't put it past her uncle, Sven, to send his two children - whom he was to mind - away. The two sat outside the headquarters on a bench. Bláithín was still in utter shock though. How could he send them both away? She knew that she must have been sent away for a different reason.

"Who's the father?" she asked.

"My husband… Uncle set me up with a man, who was far older than I. I don't necessarily hate the man, he's a nice guy. That being said, I don't love him either…" she replied. "But, I do love this baby. I had no intention of getting rid of her once I found out I was expecting…"

Yes. The rich up in Sine often cast their children off to the Underground if they didn't want to be parents. Or even, some terminated their pregnancies if the child was to be born out of wedlock. This was commonplace; nobody in Sine wanted a child that would disgrace their family's name. Often times, a termination was carried out without medical aid, just in case the doctor intended to spread rumours which had happened in the past. A termination would have been carried out quietly and no one spoke of the 'mistake', as they had referred to it in the Inner Walls, ever again.

It was also commonplace for arranged marriages to occur up in Sine, sometimes the girl being at least 10 years younger than her husband. The idea behind this was simple; more ties with the families meant more prosperity in future generations. Plus, every family needed an heir.

Elise was just under two years younger than Bláithín... so young, indeed.

"You could have said no. That you didn't want to be a mother so young. Or better yet, that you didn't want to entrust your body to him? You're just seventeen..."

"It was consensual. I promise…" her sister replied. "He's a good man, he cares for her a lot, which, as you know, is rare in this day and age. I don't have to fill the wife figure he was after, the maids do that. All I do is mind her."

Her sister was no longer as joyful as she used to be. It was like her soul had been sucked from her fingertips, and the life that shone in her eyes was no longer there. She didn't care to be a 'good' wife to her husband, and it seemed that no one cared to make her. But she smiled when she looked into her daughter's eyes. She loved her baby at the very least, with all of her heart, just not the man who helped create her.

"...What's her name?"

"It may be odd but, I decided to name her Eden, just over a year old now. Not a common name in Sine but… it means paradise. And I intend to show her the best version of this world that I can."

Bláithín held her niece in her arms and cradled her gently. Her thumb smoothed over her plump cheeks and she couldn't help but smile at the bundle of joy in her arms. She looked up and saw Levi and his friends in the distance, ogling her, but Farlan and Isabel walked off. Levi found himself looking at the baby.

Having a family meant living a normal life, right? That was something Bláithín had sacrificed a long time ago, but part of her yearned for it still. She never thought of being a mother alongside a father whom she didn't love. If she was ever lucky enough for experience an ounce of peace in this world, maybe she'd have a child of her own. Maybe she'd have a child with someone she loved too.

A child needed two parents around, or at least, two supportive guardians.

"Bláithín... I need to tell you something…"

"What is it?" she said, her voice turning into a coo when she saw the baby smile.

"W-we…" she began to stammer, "we aren't sisters. Not by blood."

"Huh?"

Elise sighed, taking Eden back into her arms. "It was one of the last things Uncle said to me. "Tell your sister, a true Hahn, that I give her my regards. I have no time dealing with fakes" is what he said. So, should something ever happen to Uncle, you're next in line…"

Bláithín gasped in surprise. A chance to return to Sine without having to sift through the family baggage her uncle created? She wasn't so sure.

"At the moment… My life is here. He sent me away to live out the rest of my life in Shiganshina, hoping a titan would swallow me…"

Elise sighed heavily, once again. She was doing that a lot… there must have been something else that was plaguing her, something else that was burdening her. She looked up at the sky, and then it happened. She let out a strangled sob, tears began to trickle down her cheeks, leaving tracks in their wake. Her heart was breaking right before her 'sister's' eyes and she felt so… alone.

"Elise, sweetie… what's going on? Why are you crying?"

Her sister sniffled. "My days are numbered…" she replied, her voice quivering and cracking under intense emotional distress. It sounded so strained… pained, even.

"What?"

"That was something else he said… That if I ever did speak of you, or speak to you, that my days in this pathetic world would be numbered."

Bláithín's heart was in her mouth, too shocked and too hurt to speak. Was her uncle dead-set on pushing everyone away from him?

Just what in the goddesses' names was he hiding?

"And so… I ask of you, should my untimely death ever come… Will you mind Eden in my stead? Will you mind her, and love and play with her? She's a very good baby, she hardly cries…" Bláithín remained silent. "Bláithín, please?"

"I will." She answered without hesitation, her voice cracking a bit. The thought of her childhood friend being stripped of her broke her heart. She would have lost all of her family then. "But if that's the case, move to Wall Rose, where you will be safe."

Elise shook her head, as she continued to cry. "I can't. I have a duty of care to mind her in the environment where she will rule later, as her father's heir to the company."

"Then you leave! If he is a nice as he says he is, he'll care for Eden, right?!" she pleaded, desperately.

"A child needs its mother…" she replied, ominously. "Up until now, I had no idea you were alive. I just figured you ran away, unable to cope… I was left alone. Without anyone."

Her heart skipped a beat. That was the one thing they needed throughout their life, a mother who loved them and was there far more often than what she was. Their mother had no control over it, but it would have helped. The guilt eroded her heart, knowing she had left Elise by herself, but it was her uncle's fault since he sent her away in the first place.

She had no way of predicting whether she'd be alive in years to come, so that she could mind Eden if the time came to it.

And here she was, doing the same thing her mother promised - promising she'd be around, regardless of what happened.

Later that evening, Levi had just come in from training with his 3DMG. Isabel and Farlan had already fallen asleep hours prior.

He saw that there was a cup of tea left on his bedside locker, one he did not make. There was a note beside it.

I heard chamomile tea does wonders for insomnia, I'll be using these tonight.

Bláithín

He it until there was not a single drop left.

And sure enough, he slept well for the first time in years.

Please REVIEW! I really love to hear your own thoughts. What do you guys think of the situation that Elise is in, that Eden is in? Or what do you think her uncle could possibly be hiding? I know I haven't revealed much yet (all in due time) but you know, I'd love to hear theories.