Chapter 15: Conniving Sheep
Edie theorized that perhaps titans were less a fear factor than an excuse to stay home from work. She didn't blame them (spring mornings were much better spent with family and friends than scrounging in a field), but Kikoi and Melo hardly worked without the threat of judgmental eyes. The boys found every reason to dawdle after school, and Dany criticized their every movement, both in front and behind their backs.
"I don't know what I ever saw in him," she ranted at Edie while they pulled weeds from the corn beds. "He's a lazy, self-centered brat. We could've died a week ago, and all he can talk about is how his city-slicker internship was postponed. Everyone's cowering in their homes, and he's complaining."
Jamie worked hardest of all. He was quiet for the first week, going through the motions of homework and chores, but in the small times in between, he and Edie sparred with wooden swords behind the house. He didn't hit her often and was at her eye level now; she found ways to duck around his strikes and hold the stick under his throat. They released and tried again. Dany watched some days, sipping tea while reading children's stories, the kinds with witches and princesses and no titans.
After that slow week, workers returned, and Kikoi and Melo got back to work. Larmie seemed more interested in making sure the boys didn't starve than fathering them. Edie didn't blame him; she didn't want to talk to Kikoi any more than the others. According to Jamie, the girls at school still adored him and mistook his grimy attitude for bravery. He and Melo soon spent their afternoons and weekends in Wall Sina, to the household's delight.
"I wouldn't mind living here," Dany told Edie and Hajule as Jamie cleaned up from sparring practice. "It's quiet, sure, but nice. It's comfortable."
"Well, there's plenty of gentlemen who would gladly take you into their homes." Hajule gave a polite smile. "And you're prettier than most of them deserve."
"I don't know much about keeping a home," Dany admitted. She chewed at her fingernails for a moment, then jumped out of her seat. "Could you teach me? Just about cooking and wifely things."
"Most of it, you learn on the spot," Hajule said. "But sure."
Eventually, Edie sat down with a pen and page, scribbled two paragraphs, and sent off a letter to the military police headquarters in Wall Sina. A positive response came after a day. Private Amile Faust didn't seem to care the circumstances under which he was invited to the Cartwell farm, so long as he was. Just before they finished evening chores, before dinner, he arrived, dressed in casual clothes and a determined smile. He and Edie shared brief conversation and walked around the house, where Jamie waited with the sticks. The two fought for half an hour until Dany excitedly called them in for dinner.
"I don't want to intrude," Private Amile tried to say, his coat over his arm.
"No intrusion," Hajule told him, casting Edie a sly glance. "You're a friend, and friends stay for dinner."
"Welcome to the countryside," Dany told him. "I made cornbread!"
So it went. Jamie's muscles grew little but certainly strengthened, and he managed to overpower the private a few times. Edie was still too quick for him. Hajule always sat their guest and her adopted daughter next to each other, and Larmie always made a few funny jokes while Jamie wolfed down his food.
One afternoon, Jamie pinned Amile to the ground after a few volleys, a huge smile cracking. He jumped up and ran into the house, yelling for Hajule. Edie stepped down from the porch, picked up the abandoned sword, and helped up the army man. "Thank you, Miss Cartwell."
"Of course."
"That's quite a brother you've got there." Amile rubbed his back and groaned. "I'm getting too old for this."
"What are you, thirty?"
"Thirty-two. I'm practically ancient."
"Sure," she laughed. "There's not much hope for us, then."
"I don't know," he said, looking at the ground. "I hope there's something." He took the wooden sword from her and put both back in their leather case. "Have you given up on finding your family, then?"
She pressed her lips together. "Given all that's happened in the past eight months, yeah. For all I know, they're dead."
"Sorry. I should've have asked."
"It's alright. I'm glad to be a Cartwell, much more than whatever I used to be. If they don't care enough to come and find me, then I want nothing to do with them."
"Are you looking to put down roots here?"
"I have." Edie gave him a funny look. "If you haven't noticed, I'm kind of a manager around here."
"Yeah. But you're not looking to move or anything."
"No. This is my home, my family."
"That's good." He slung his coat over his arm. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Cartwell."
Edie crossed her arms. "You aren't staying for dinner?"
"No, my dignity's shot. I've been bested by a twelve year old."
"Eleven. He's not of age just yet, and don't let Hajule hear you make that mistake."
"My lips are sealed." He took her hand. "I've got a very…dangerous mission tonight. The military police has wind of some revolutionaries looking to usurp a lord, take his lands, control an area outside of the king's control. We're moving in tonight to stop it."
"Don't you think that's controlled information?"
"I trust you. Completely."
He stared at her for a few seconds, and she slowly withdrew her hand. "Well, good luck with it. I hope you're safe."
"Thanks. Although, I needn't go just yet. Jamie sort of abandoned our session early."
"No shame in leaving out the back," she told him.
"Stop." He pushed her arm, smiling. "Do you want to go for a walk?"
"EDIE!"
Amile stood at attention, eyes turned to the danger, but Edie lazily looked up with a sigh. Corini tramped from the barn with Tinnul behind him. The two bore bored, fuming looks. Neither managed to show much more emotion than a groundhog, and she was looking forward to their dispassionate yet truthful wedding vows. Corini held a cord in his hand and shoved it into Edie's. "Dia's got out again, and she won't listen. She's halfway to the field now."
"I told you, she needs—"
"We tried the carrot trick," Tinnul said, huffing. "She won't listen."
Amile tilted his head. "Dia…"
"Hajule's horse. Well, our horse, now. She's been acting more her age since the titan incident."
"Speaking of that. I never did tell you have brave and beautiful that was. You rode so valiantly to save everyone."
"Well, not everyone was in danger," Corini said, crossing his arms. "And there was plenty of time to evacuate. Not to mention, it was only a 20-meter." He looked back at Edie. "I don't want to deal with this when I should be eating."
"I'll get her."
"Now, hang on, you've done your work for the day," Amile butted in. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Why can't your good farmhand wrangle up the mare?"
"Didn't you hear, city boy? She doesn't listen to anyone else."
Tinnul rubbed her fiancée's shoulder. "No need to get worked up." She held out her hand to the private. "I don't believe we've met."
"Private Amile Faust," he announced. "Believe it or not, I'm going to your wedding next month."
"I believe it," she sighed. "My great uncle seems determined to invite anyone who's anyone in Wall Sina. He's out of children to marry off, and I'm the best excuse to get him any more attention. Honestly, he's just trying to get some action after his wife died two years ago. He's hopeless. But at least you'll get a free meal out of it."
"And see two lovers pledge themselves to one another." He gripped his jacket strap and stood proudly. "Weddings are wonderful affairs, with all the pompous and grandeur of a coronation, but with the attention on love instead of power. It's the perfect reason to come together, to celebrate, and remember the reason we're fighting to stay alive."
"Tell that to my uncle. He's invited more people than I ever want to know, and I guarantee they'll be scheming in the pews while we're saying vows." Tinnul rolled her eyes. "But it looks like we'll be seeing some of the guests more often."
"Between all the military police, scouts, and garrison members that'll be in attendance, you'll be more than taken care of in terms of gifts and allegiance."
"Sure. So long as they can keep their interruptions to whispers, then I don't mind. All the people I care about being there are the Cartwells, my old nanny, and our schoolfriends. The rest of you are collateral for a free meal."
"Good to…know. Well, I shall see you all…next month." He shook Corini's hand, jerked his head at Tinnul, and hesitated before giving Edie a peck on the cheek. He walked around the house and disappeared; soon, his horse whinnied and clopped away.
Tinnul's expression turned sour. "He's got bricks for brains."
"Which tells you why he keeps coming around." Edie wrapped the rope around her hands. "But it's good practice for Jamie. I'll get Dia before dinner."
"Sure." Corini took Tinnul's hand and led her back to the barn.
Edie stared toward the field when the door flew open and Jamie bolted forth. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hoisted her up. "I'm strong! I'm as strong as an ox! I can lift anything in the world! I can save people from titans and take down a small one with my bare hands!"
"Not so fast," Edie laughed. She tickled him and wrestled free. Jamie slowed his bouncing, and she brushed the hair out of his face. "You've got a bit more to learn before you fight the titans."
"Dad said I'll be the best in my regiment. I know he still wishes I'd join the military police, but it's nice that he thinks highly of me."
"We all do."
"Do you think it'll be hard to cut through a titan? Like, I know we'll have metal swords, but will it need a lot of force? I've got to try extra hard with the ODM gear. Like, the private had to learn to grapple, but he doesn't do it often nowadays."
"The military police still do important work."
"Sure." Jamie drew his wooden sword again, cutting into the air effortlessly. "There's no guarantee that I'll make it through the first few months, but I feel a lot better about it. Amile said working on a farm my whole life helped me get stronger, so I didn't have to work as hard at fighting. But he went through training nearly a decade ago, and there's lots of new technologies to learn."
"Like what?"
"Well, grappling gear has changed at lot, as well as weapons for day-to-day combat. We mostly use swords, but there's knives, defense, and armor. Plus, they're experimenting with gunpowder and using that in weapons."
"Gunpowder…"
"It's this explosive powder." Jamie rolled his eyes. "I hate to say it, but Kikoi gets to see more action than I ever will. The military police work a lot in the city and practically put on shows for those in the city."
"Shows?"
"You know, arresting people in public and recounting their crimes on the streets. He saw a greedy shopkeeper get chased out of his shop for overcharging taxes and skimming the top."
Edie snorted. "How would that help you be a better fighter?"
"Well, it wouldn't, but it sure is interesting."
"Plus, the military police enforce the law. If you want to go outside the walls, you don't to be in the police."
"Didn't say I did. Just said dad thought I could." Jamie turned around. "Where did wonder boy go, anyway?"
"Had some work to do. Plus, he's stayed for dinner most of the last week. I think we're all ready for a family dinner, just the four of us."
He frowned. "Mom will be disappointed. She made enough for seven of us." Jamie brushed his hair back with his fingers. "She hasn't said a thing about him coming over every day."
"She wants you to be ready. The stronger you are, the better chance you have."
"Yeah, which his why I can't die on my first mission." He gripped his sword tighter. "The closer I get to the cadet corp, the more I realize how much we all…well, I don't know."
"You'll miss them. And they'll miss you."
"You were right, all those months ago," Jamie admitted. "I didn't understand how much they cared."
"You're a kid. Just be glad you have somewhere to go on your weekends off."
He nodded, mouth tight. He kept swinging a few more times. "Hey, Edie? Can you promise me something?"
"Sure."
"If I ever don't come back, you'll stay with Mother and Father, right? You'll keep them safe and happy?"
Edie nodded. "As best I can."
"No matter what happens?"
"No matter what."
"Even if you get married?"
"I'm not getting married."
"Okay, but even if you get offered a really good job, somewhere far away, where you can have tons of money and a big mansion. You'd take care of them? Either turn it down, or take them with you?"
"Larmie would never leave the farm." She put a hand on his shoulder. "I'd turn it down, no questions asked."
"Thanks."
Edie nodded and gripped the rope. "Hurry and get washed up for dinner. I've got to find—"
"Edie!"
She huffed and turned. "If one more person interrupts…"
Larmie stood on the porch, looking a little bewildered. "There's some people here to see you. They're investigating the titan attack."
"Ooh!" Jamie put away his sword quickly. "Is it more military police people?"
Their father shook his head. He pressed his hand on his stomach. "It's Commander Erwin, of the scout regiment. One of his subordinates brought him here."
