9:28 Harvestmere/October 3rd
"A mabari puppy?" I wondered as I sat down, eating at the main dining room along with Eren.
"Yes. A litter was born nearly two months ago. Usually we would let the mabaris go through training and then choose one for ourselves but the caretaker always gives its best one to our family." Eren explained. I always wondered why Eren or Fergus didn't have one.
"Are you going to be choosing one then?" I asked.
"Yes! Today." Eren seemed oddly enthusiastic. "My father has cleared for one and I will have a handler to help me train him. So now if you don't do your laps well, I can sic my mabari hound at you." Eren laughed haughtily. I rolled my eyes. Sure, give the guy with the large head a war dog, that would do wonders.
After we ate, we walked a good distance away from the castle to a hill overlooking the sea. There was a large single story home with many fences as well as mabari hounds here and there. The trainers were running outside with mabari hounds, teaching them various commands and strength training. These dogs were huge! If pitbulls were the size of a Doberman, and twice as muscular, you would have a mabari. These dogs nearly reached my waist in height and most likely could jump over me.
A few started to bark at us before being quieted down. Eren and I went to a secluded smaller shed at the back. A few howls from inside and barking were reminiscent of puppies that wanted milk. Even I was getting giddy at the sight of a mabari puppy. Eren stopped and crossed his arms in front of me.
"You have to stay out in the courtyard with the others. Mabari puppies are extremely sensitive to imprinting. If one takes one look at you, you'll be dealing with the consequences. Not everyone can have their personal dog, you understand?" He looked at me. I sighed.
"Yeah I understand. Don't be too long." I said, going back the way we came. I sat down on the ground in the shade of a tree, watching the dogs and their regime. A few mabaris came up and I got to pat them. I threw sticks for a few before they were called back. I sat and rested my elbow on my knee, holding my head up with my chin in my palm. It was a quiet day but I felt the chill of an early winter on my back. We'll have to wear a scarf and keep full gloves on to fight against the cold.
I don't really mind the cold especially experiencing winter here. Not only that, I love the snow. I couldn't wait to see it again. As I daydreamed my time away, my leg was suddenly attack by a big pawed, medium sized, puppy. It looked up at me with big dark brown eyes with its tongue lagging out. My heart filled and I let out a girly squeal.
"You are so cute!" I giggled, picking it up and letting it lick my face. Eren cleared his throat.
"Alfred, come!" He demanded. The puppy jumped out of my arms and went to stand in front of Eren. He gave it a good glare before crouching down and giving it a treat. "Such a good boy! Yes you are, yes you are!" He cooed. I gaped at the scene before Eren noticed me. He picked up Alfred and cleared his throat. "That, um, escaped me." I laughed before getting up.
"Don't worry, considering that's a really cute puppy, I wouldn't put it past you. That was still hilarious." I laughed. Eren rolled his eyes before leading away from the mabari house.
"Yes well if you ever mention it to anyone consider your career as a bodyguard over." Eren stuck his tongue at me.
"This is a career?" I wondered.
"Yes! A very prestigious career so you must feel indebted to me for putting you on this line of work." Eren said haughtily.
"Oh yes, you have my gratitude." I said sarcastically. Eren wasn't paying attention to me. Alfred was nibbling his gloves and Eren had this stupid content face on. Eren glared at me and I decided to not pay attention to him on the way back.
9:28 Harvestmere/October 18th
My laps started to include Alfred who was just a small puppy trying to bite my boots. It was really cute but that small body had a ton of energy. My laps increased if only to try to tire Alfred out, which was extremely difficult since Mabari were bred for endurance and strength.
I tripped and rolled onto my back. Alfred took that chance to pounce and start licking all the sweat I got on my face. I sputtered before grabbing him and sitting up. I giggled as Alfred struggled to get out of my grasp. Eren came over and shook his head. He whistled and Alfred ran toward him. Eren crossed his arms and Alfred became attentive.
"Amazing that Alfred learned so much in such a short time." I panted, coming up to them.
"He's not the only one though you must do something about your blubbering after your laps." Eren shook his head.
"I don't blubber!" I pouted.
"Of course you do. You gasp for air and have this amusing face on when you do." Eren laughed.
"Oh sure, laugh at my torture." I rolled my eyes.
"If you say so!" Eren laughed boisterously and I wanted to punch him in the face. A cold wind blew in and I breathed in the air. I could tell that the climate was able to change. After my laps, Eren put me on watch duty again. As much as I knew that I was supposed to watch him at all times, I decided not to since I heard from others that Eren wasn't spending time away from his job. Of course once he starts to get into that bad habit again, I'll pull on his ears and drag him back.
"You are very close with the Captain." Jeffery commented. He was blonde hair, blue eyes, a little scruffy on the chin, and really tall. He was built but surprisingly he was still pure. I shrugged.
"It comes with the territory." The marketplace was quiet today. Many were buying linens, cloth, and yarn for the coming winter.
"So about that time when I found you two in the practice ring-" Jeffery started before I let out an exasperated groan.
"Don't even insinuate that me and Eren are like that, gross. He's my boss and a really bad one at that. He's an arrogant, pompous, poofy, spoiled brat. Ugh, sometimes I even wonder why I stay. I guess the pay is good." I noticed that Jeffery was really stiff while looking over me. "He's right behind me isn't he?" I wondered before feeling that familiar knock against the back of my head. "Ow!"
"Pompous? Poofy?" Eren glared at me. I glared back.
"You have to admit your arrogance is at an all-time high whenever you praise me, if you can even call it that." I mumbled the last part. Alfred barked and waggled his butt at looking at the marketplace. Eren put out a stern whistle and Alfred whined.
"So I guess that means you won't be watching my back while I lead a raid in a warehouse?" Eren crossed his arms.
"A raid?" Jeffery asked.
"Stand down. You haven't been briefed because I am only taking a small group. We caught a few smugglers at one of the warehouses near the alienage. I'll need you to watch my back." Eren said. My stomach dropped. "If we can, we will only apprehend them but if they show too much force, you don't have to hold back." Eren started walking away while nodding to another guard for my replacement.
"Wait Eren, I really don't think I'm ready for this. I mean, I haven't even been able to give you a decent run with my daggers yet!" I countered. Eren sighed and looked at me square in the eye.
"You will never be ready. No one ever is for their first fight. Truthfully I am sure you won't be able to raise your weapon against someone with the way you are, which is what I need right now. These smugglers aren't armed very well and most likely are doing this to stave away their poverty. We're not trying to kill them only trying to give them a second chance, if they let us. All I need you to do is guard me, you can do that right?" Eren wondered. I bit my lip and tried to find the words. Eren rubbed his face. "How is this for a scenario? If I was about to be attack like that one time when you encountered me with the mage, would you protect me?"
"Yes." My answer came immediately. Eren smirked.
"I know. Though that situation has changed from before. You are not fighting with a small carving knife and you are not as weak as before. I trust you." Eren gave me another playful slap as I followed him. I couldn't deny my anxiety. He might not be expecting much resistance but I can't stop my beating heart the closer we got to the warehouse. There were guards and guards who wore leather armor. Eren nodded to them.
There was a main entrance but there were also several side entrances. We used the side entrance and, instead of Eren and his guards going in, the ones with the lighter armor went in first. We went in there with me following right behind Eren. We watched from high ground men moving around, putting shipments in carts. I couldn't tell what they were but it didn't look good. Eren nodded at the leathers and they took out the bows from their backs and aimed. Another one of them lit up their arrows and struck at the carts.
As soon as the arrows landed, the smugglers got into attack mode. Eren took that as his sign and he ran down the stairs, jumping down a few of them. The guards soon went behind him as well as I. The smugglers were outnumbered and stopped their advance.
"I am Eren Cousland, Captain of the Guard and I call for your surrender! Should you choose to, your punishment will be swift and not severe. Lay down your weapons." Eren announced. My hands twitched near my daggers and everyone one else had a face that would immediately switch to their swords or bows when needed. The smugglers that had nothing but tattered cloth laid down their weapons.
"Fools!" There was one that still held dearly to his daggers.
"The product is burning boss!" Another one threw their weapons.
"Cowards!" He launched himself with Eren coming to blows with him. He tackled the smuggler leader with his shield. He was wearing flimsy armor and I heard the air escaping from his throat. Eren bashed his face in with the shield and took him down with his sword that was still sheathed. The leader was down. I gave a sigh of relief while the guard started rounding up everyone. I helped with putting out the fires in the cart.
I didn't know how relieved I was until everyone was in chains. It was only then that I allowed myself to relax. I already felt the headache coming from all of this. The fire was out and the guard was taking them out to face their punishment. Most likely a good flogging or some sort of prison work. I went toward the cart and saw a lot of food piled in as well as things for winter. Eren came over and took everything down in a list.
"Winter is coming soon and instead of preparing themselves, others would rather steal from those who have more. What they don't know is that they are putting other families at risk just for a few pounds of grain." Eren shook his head. "You did good, as much as you could anyway. I told you that this would not end in bloodshed." Eren smirked.
"Well I couldn't have known that. The overall effect of anxiety is giving me a headache." I groaned, rubbing my head. Eren chuckled.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Eren comforted. I bit my lip. I didn't want to get used to it was the thing. I stayed back while Eren redistributed the goods they stole. It was late at night when Eren and I walked back to the castle. For some reason after the warehouse, I became highly alert. I could hear people's footsteps, the cry of animals, the creaks of the carriages. I wasn't sure if I became paranoid or was still on adrenaline from the battle before.
"Relax." Eren said gruffly.
"I'm trying to but…" I sighed.
"We're not in any danger right now. Everyone was apprehended and accounted for. I understand this was your first major battle but there is something you must learn. There are two faces we must wear one to fight and another to relax. See that we have no one following us so we're not going to get attacked." Eren stopped right before we entered the castle. "It's good to be alert but you'll learn how to be alert and relaxed later. It's not something I can teach you but once you have, it will be second nature." I took a deep breath.
"Yeah, I'll get there eventually." I sighed.
"Eventually, though coming from you that might be a few years down the line." Eren rolled his eyes. I stepped on his foot while I went through the main gate. Eren grunted in pain and I smiled at him.
"You know that did make me feel better!" I laughed. Eren glared at me.
"There are times when I wonder why I put up with you." Eren groaned, rubbing his foot.
"The feeling is mutual." I said flatly.
Beta'd by the wonderful FearaNightmare :3
Heh if anyone read my original story then you know what's going to happen in the wintertime and it's not going to be pretty.
Shout out to Giselle Satomi for following! Thank you Chimera Spyke, FearaNightmare, Syutaku, and Rainsfere for reviewing! Please Review :D