Without Levi sleep was impossible.
Elsie stared at his side of the bed. The sheets were still tucked and tight and Elsie laid on her back, toes facing up and tears streaking down her cheeks. A glistening blue vial sang her to sleep, clenched tightly in white knuckles, almost as comforting as body heat.
She didn't wait for anyone. Elsie showered and began to braid her hair as the sun rose, yellow ripple effects glistening from Tybur Manor's man made lake. Surprisingly she wished for the slow ascent of the sun thanks to the walls looming presence. Her lips fell in the corners, fingers pausing at the end of her braid.
Oi, shithead, stop looking like a dazed idiot.
Elsie turned sharply. She stood alone. Her swollen eyes took in the shaggy purple rug and closed cabinet doors, the bathroom steam releasing from her hot water. Elsie swore she'd heard him as if he stood beside her. She exhaled and finished her hair, tossing it over her shoulder and heading towards the cabinet. The dresses were expected, ranging from a lilac to black, all lace and rippling skirts, and Elsie couldn't force herself into one if she wanted to.
She filled her mug with the last of her water from the pouch. Elsie sat on her side of the bed and stared out the window, still in the satin pajama set she'd been given last night. Only a gulp was left in her precious possession when a knock came from the door. Elsie stilled and closed her eyes, bidding Levi good bye for the moment, before standing and twisting the golden knob of her double doors.
A servant in all black stood primly at the door. Her amber eyes grazed over Elsie's pajamas and she sniffed as she walked past Elsie. The blonde made a face, one that portrayed her frustration and urge to throttle a neck, and closed the door to look upon the intruder. She most definitely lacked Himari's grace.
"Good morning, Lady Seer, I see that you have already showered," The servant is no older than Elsie, probably the same age, yet the woman wished to make it clear that she was in charge. Her shoulders stayed stiff and jutted out of her clothed dress, narrow eyed as she noted Elsie's braid. "I have brought a dress for the day."
The dress is plain and black, conservatively tight around the neck. Elsie couldn't grab it fast enough, "Thank you. I don't need help with it."
"I would hope not." The servant said sharply before walking out of the room.
Elsie gaped at the closed door. Most definitely not Himari.
"Lady Seer, how did you sleep?"
Willy Tybur lifted himself from the head of a rounded table, gesturing to a plethora of food for Elsie to pick at. A few men gathered for the meal, none that were Zeke, and Elsie folded her hands over the black maiden dress.
The servant had waited outside of the door for Elsie. She pivoted on her foot once Elsie had exited and walked harshly down the hall, down glistening stairs that would make Levi smile, and around a corner to finally reach the dining room.
"Very well, thank you." The chair besides Willy is pulled by a butler. She meets the mens eyes as she sits, seeing commanders and politicians, and stepping far more out of her bubble of comfort.
They stare back. Elsie feared that women weren't allowed to sit at the table. It reeked of cigars and coffee, smoke hazing the windows, the butlers standing against the wall with brandy to pour. Hunger doesn't strike Elsie but she hasn't eaten in four days. She can't starve before finding a way back to Paradis. She piles a small helping of eggs, all eyes on her, and she sets her hands on the table before meeting their gaping, slack jawed stares head on.
"And you are?" She asked, to no one in particular, but her eyes focused on one with golden flecks in idolized brown eyes.
A crooked, broken smile breaks through his shaggy brown beard and he said, "Orion Granfer, at your service, my Lady." He is far less dressed than the others, a white half buttoned blouse peeking through a ragged brown jacket. He was all earth tones and warmth, a soft face among the tailored snakes that sat at his table side.
"Granfer here is the best swordsman in Liberio," Willy boasted, not one to let the conversation be taken from him. "Some even go as far to call him a pirate."
A tanned hand flashed across the table. Elsie hesitated before placing her hand in the grip, controlling the twitch in her mouth when the honey haired man bent to kiss her knuckles, "Porco Galliard, it is very nice to finally meet."
"Porco is my right hand man, he assists me with every day matters. You will see him quite often around the manor, Lady Seer." Willy inputed.
Elsie can see the ties working their way through the table as the next man introduced, "Major Gross. 'Tis a pleasure, my Lady." The old, weathered veteran nodded his head and sipped his brandy filled coffee, more interested in his dark cigar.
"Gross helped with the planning to infiltrate Paradis five years ago," Willy offered as the Major's fact. The man scowled and growled into the rim of his cup. "Oh hush, Gross, do you think she doesn't know already?"
The eyes turn back to Elsie. She chewed her eggs and sipped her water, meeting Orion Granfer's curious gaze across the table. The ties worked their way and Elsie saw it all - Major Gross and Porco Galliard were the big boy players, they leaned away from Granfer; even the way Willy had referred to him by last name lets her know he's not a frequent visitor. He's as a stranger as Elsie is.
"The Lady is only getting accustomed to us and I wish to be nothing but honest," Willy said earnestly. "She will be joining us for our meetings from now on."
Porco Galliard smiled, "More the merrier."
Major Gross rumbled into his coffee, "Lady Seer..."
Orion Granfer grinned and ate his toast.
"Is there anything that I can get you to make you feel more comfortable? I see you've taken to our state of attire well. What you wore was quite an eyesore." Willy chuckled, widening a side eye look at Elsie as if he could still see the sandy tan pants and grass stained white blouse. Her cloak was tucked in her satchel, a part of her she refused to let them get a hold of.
"It's how women dress in Paradis," Elsie deflected. "Actually, perhaps if I could get more pants, I would really appreciate it."
Major Gross and Parco shared identical looks of merriment, "A woman in trousers? Please, Willy, let's start small. Why not the Lady Seer tell us what actually she sees?"
Elsie feared this change in conversation. Willy nodded and gestured for her to talk, to prove herself, and she floundered with only information of Eren. Of how he came to be, what he's doing, their plans and goals. But this was the enemy and she couldn't tell them all that she truly knew. She could be as honest as Willy had been about Florence - a bit of truth and skim over the dark bits.
"What would you like to know, Major Gross?" Elsie asked, setting her little fork down and entwining her hands. Be as sharp as a dagger, just like Levi. She could do this. She was Elisabeth now.
Major Gross set his cup of coffee on the wooden table, "Where were you for the past year?"
"On Paradis Island," She quipped. "I was found by the Commander and was enlisted in the army as I had no identification to prove...myself." She finished, shrugging carelessly.
"And what exactly did you do for the Commander of Paradis? I'm sure it came up that you weren't from this world," Major Gross wiped his double chin. "I was there when the last Lady Seer had been called upon. She was desperate to give answers to receive answers."
Elsie swallowed at the mention, "Yes, I did tell the Commander that I was from the future."
"What year exactly? Lady Seer said she came from the year 2000." Major Gross seemed the most competent to deal with Elsie. He did not fluster over the year nor hesitate with remembering it.
Porco scoffed, "Year 2000? Ludicrous."
"2018." Elsie stated. Porco's eyebrows rose as he met Willy's twinkling eyes. Granfer continued to munch on his toast, amused with the conversation.
"Yes, eighteen years, it has been that long. Feels like yesterday I was a young recruit watching a woman of golden hair appear out of nowhere. One minute the Priestesses are raising their hands to the portrait of Goddess Freyja," Major Gross holds his palms to the sky, eyes glazed in memory. "And then the Lady Seer appeared on the floor. She cried and it was so heart breaking, so sad, that men of all backgrounds were weeping with her and promising to make her happy once more. She captured the heart of Marley," His hands fall much like his expectations had in Florence, eyes loosing their youthful glimmer. He stone faced Elsie. "And then she stabbed her in the back."
"I do not know what happened with the last Lady Seer," Elsie's voice echoed, foreign and dead to her own ears. "Why exactly she turned on your people is something only she knew," Elsie stared into their souls, trying to find if anyone at this table had an inkling of a reason why. Major Gross finished his coffee and Willy began to cut into the coffee cake. "But you have already made mistakes with me. I was kidnapped from my home-"
"To which I explained it was quite a mishap," Willy interrupted and it bothered Elsie more than being dragged across the ocean. "Liberio is your rightful home. I have written to High Priestess Catharina and she should arrive around late noon to properly introduce you to your new title. She is most pleased that you have returned. She has not once stopped praying to Freyja for your safe return."
There's that damned Freyja being mentioned again. Lob Freyja, isn't that what Zeke had said when he'd seen Elsie on the wall?
"I can't imagine what waking up in Paradis was like," Porco said softly, as if Elsie had been through hell and high water and had safely made it to shore. "Tell me about your living conditions."
"They were fine," Elsie picked her fork up again. "I roomed with the other soldiers." A flicker of Levi snoring on his back, moonlight casting shadows on his sharp cheekbones, and Elsie swallowed without chewing to work through the fiery pain.
"What were you doing in Shiganshina? Zeke said the town had been abandoned after the infiltration five years ago." Porco continued to press.
Elsie reflectively sipped her goblet of water. They hated Paradis with all their being. Florence had been sentenced to death over supporting the Revolutionists. She had to be especially careful.
She didn't feel guilty saying, "For the last five years all the army has wanted is to reclaim Wall Maria. King Fritz finally approved the mission to Shiganshina to attempt to close the hole."
"It seems as if Freyja wanted you to return," Willy breathed, enraptured with Elsie. Major Gross and Porco's amusement seemed to grow at his words. "We were quite fortunate that Zeke was there to recognize you. Pieck barely knows about the legend."
Elsie was quite done with hearing that word. Her goblet ran dry and she had no choice but to set it down, "Yes, what luck. May I ask a few things?"
"Of course, my Lady. I want you to treat me as if I were a brother to you." Willy said with nothing but kind intent.
Elsie already had a brother and she would punch him for doing half of what Willy has done, "Why did you choose Shiganshina for your experimental titan changing instead of the other village?"
Porco choked on his goblet and a puff of smoke curled into a smile, "Well, if that isn't proof enough for ya', Porky-boy."
"Interesting reason enough. Zeke heard a shot go off and went to investigate. Seeing that it was some of Paradis' army they chose to switch things up," Willy chuckled and bit into his lemon cake. "Quite fortunate that was, yes. Zeke would've kept going further into the walls and completely missed you."
Some of Paradis' army. It had been all they had. Those hundred people were the only ones who knew that Marley existed. Elsie felt like a fraud- she should've kept her mouth shut and let things continue how they were planned. Historia would be captured by Rodd Riess and her rights would be explained through the press, through Kenny killing the man, and had any of that mattered when Elsie had been in Paradis? No. Because being in control hadn't been their main problem. Keeping Eren alive and to Shiganshina had been Elsie's only goal. Now the Scout Regiment had nothing to support attacks from Marley, barely had friction within the people to recruit more soldiers, and it was all falling apart in Elsie's head.
A servant brushed Elsie's shoulder to replenish her goblet. It snapped Elsie back into reality, into the bright grand room with a four strangers intent on committing genocide, and she smiled amicably at Willy.
"I'm relieved to finally know my real reason for being here," Elsie said with control. "As for your position in the government. What are you exactly?"
Willy's lip quirked, "Yes, my Lady, we have a government but we prefer to call it a Council of sorts. You see one of fifteen representatives who make the decisions for their provinces. I am the Councilman of Liberio but as I said, please call me Willy. There is no monarchy here."
No but there sure was room for sexism. Elsie didn't see monarchy, that was for damn sure, but something else held the power above Willy. His 'of sorts' made that dauntingly clear.
Elsie glanced at some-would-call-a-pirate Granfer but did not ask for his reason being here. She knew he was not a Councilman and he showed it by crudely lighting a cigar- no cut, no lick, no prep. He lit and charred the end and Major Gross' mustache flickered in annoyance. What did he have to do with them?
"Is there anything else?" Willy asked politely. He didn't seem to grow tired of Elsie, somehow still thinking of her as a shiny new toy, while Porco and Major Gross glanced at the clock. They had places to be, people to see. Elsie was trapped here.
"Yes, actually. Where's all the information about the last Lady Seer?"
Porco groaned, "Don't get him started on this again."
"My carriage should be running by now," Major Gross was grumbling under his breath, fixing his badges and slurping his brandy filled mug before marching out the door. "Good day, Lady Seer!"
Porco muttering a feeble excuse that held no information gave Elsie deja vu of the squad members leaving when Eren had asked Hange about titans. Her leg jerked under the table, a muscle reaction she guessed to missing the ones she held dearest, and fisted the black skirts to steady her shaking legs. Gods, I want to go home. She pleaded, thinking of Levi's castle, of him in bed, but it did not work and the door shut behind Porco.
Orion Granfer said, "I've never heard the legend of the Seer, would you mind if I listen?"
"Of course not," Willy buffed at the attention. As if Elsie wasn't finally alive and not a relic. She finished her second goblet of water. "I have books in the library that I have gathered over the years. They are mainly diaries from servants at the time, or memories much like the ones that Major Gross holds, but I know all I do from my father and his before him. When he was a child a strange couple came to visit old Grandfather Tybur. The woman told Grandfather of experiencing visions full of skin less, human eating monsters in heights ranging from twenty meters. Now, these monsters she was talking about were quite interesting to Grandfather as a titan hadn't been seen since pansy Fritz left Marley. She claimed to be the daughter of Taryn Seherin, who had been gone for ten years.
Grandfather was no fool. He searched into the history of Taryn Seherin and discovered that yes, he had children, and yes, he had a daughter of seven when his madness began to take place. However it was believed she had left with Taryn and Leonie to the Andere, as we historics name the other world," Willy chuckled and broke for a refreshing gulp of brandy. "Well, Grandfather discovered that Taryn hadn't been such a good boy growing up. It was a bastard child from a woman in Taryn's village, before he'd made it big in the capitol and met Leonie. With this information Grandfather brought Johanna to the Tybur Manor, where she very well became accustomed. It is told she threw lavish parties where she announced - during a seance of course - she would prefer to be called Lady Seer. Her visions grew over time, of the titans, and she saw Fritz with his wife Ymir, his daughters disgustingly eating her warm body. She saw the past. The way our world looked before habitation. She saw the Goddess and creation. She saw Goddess Freyja fill the Pond of Ymir with her own blood to save Ymir from a horrible death. And she could see Taryn's blue prints in her own head and began to build. Johanna Seherin is the hands behind the automobiles, ice boxes, the telegram, finishing what her father had set out to do before her. She finished everything he left behind. She was quite political and one of Grandfather's biggest supporters to identify those who could become flesh eating monsters. Over time her visions clouded her eye sight and she could no longer work. She lived a comfortable life, although she never could have children. Poor thing, she killed herself when her husband, Pieter, divorced her. For what man could not have an heir?"
The water ripples from Elsie's trembling grasp. Goddesses, history, it was all too much but not enough. Is this how Eren had felt? So small and silent, eyes casted down and shoulders hunched, trying to hide from what they knew was coming.
"It was this story that my father reflected upon while Grisha Yeager's militia took control of the police stations," Willy's fists clenched and his fine china plate rattled with effect. "And the internment camps - filled with the people that possessed the power to be what haunted Johanna Seherin and would destroy all of Marley - began to form the exact plans she feared. He knew the last Seherin had been correct and called upon Leonie with the High Priestesses. She heard his call and brought Florence Fraser, which is where we left off last night, if I remember correctly."
Which was all Elsie wanted to know about. Florence's portrait called to her, begged for Elsie to give her attention and the rightful mourning she deserved. If only Elsie had known... Then what? What would she have done? What could they have done?
"Sounds like witches to me." Granfer snorted, a husky voice filled with travel.
Willy grinned, "Witches. That is an insult to Lady Seer. She is compared to Goddess Freyja, she is a speaking connection to her, and she leads Marley to safety each time. Even Florence, may she rest in peace, saved Marley before... Well, that is a story I have a book for. Shall we discuss this further in the library?"
Elsie nodded along to his words, setting her napkin on the table and wondering how she would make it to the library. Her legs were unsteady, her breath ragged from trying to hold her tears back, and Orion Granfer kept staring at her peculiarly making her think that she wasn't doing all that great at hiding how Willy's words were effecting her. But she made it, Goddess be damned.
Willy barely slid the library door a crack before a car horn blared from outside. Elsie turned at the sound, smiling, and watched as two butlers raced to reach the door first. The older one won and strode down the steps, hunched back thwarting any chance at getting a glimpse of the arrival. Willy turned and grinned, clapping his hands and meeting Elsie's eyes.
"The time has slipped from us! That must be High Priestess Catharina. Come, let's greet her." Willy encouraged Elsie by grabbing her hand, lacing it over his elbow, and leading her further from the answers about Florence.
Elsie dreaded dealing with religious people once more. She clenched her free fist in her skirt, pinching her thigh, and cooling her expression before the doors swept open to sunny skies and sleek black cars.