I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin
"A Marquis holds power over a District and the surrounding areas. Mostly they consist of direct relatives to the King. Despite the military maintaining the physical enforcement of laws and protection over the people, the Marquis, or Marquise (if she's a woman), represents his or her people in the government and also holds power in their designated District and land. Of course, whatever the King says goes so any important decision is left up to him...so even if you have the title, it's completely useless."
Jean sat closely to Eren, whispering his piece as Isidor lazily kept both his eyes trained on them. They hadn't had much of a conversation with the man in power, for he just slouched there with his flickering out to lick his lips. Sneaking out of the headquarters was an easy task as there was a commotion of soldiers frantically searching for the supposed Scout that had murdered his or her Commander. With the Marquis meandering with the two boys in tow, it was astonishing Jean for them to overlook the escaping fugitives.
The servant, who they learned his name to be Fiete, had left during their conversation to fetch them the carriage. When they entered the courtyard, Isidor beckoned them to enter first, then he clambered after. They had been set on riding in the carriage for most of the night, even through the storm that brew overhead clashed all around them.
Only towards the end of the raining night, just an hour before the break of dawn, they arrived at a designated spot. Morning dew greeted them when Fiete opened the door of the carriage, like sheep, both Eren and Jean stepped down. They had stopped before a dilapidated structure; it seemed to be some sort of store standing at two or three stories high. Most of it appeared to be damaged by a great fire, it was only the brick structure that held it together.
Windows at the front were smashed, the inside had furniture charred black, untouched for years, as it may look. The front door had been kicked down, from there, Isidor ushered them inside where they found the remains of what looked like shelves; ashen leather of bound books were scattered about but when Jean bent down to pick up one, the pages crumbled in his hand, leaving black soot on his fingers.
After idling examining the store, they took their seats on four fresh chairs that had been brought from the outside. There was a new, wooden table where a bottle of alcohol sat, telling them that Isidor had been here previously. He motioned for them to sit and they did.
The sun peeked over Wall Rose, blessing them with its rays and bringing head to their bones. Jean had decided to set apart his Gear, letting it stay by the wall to relieve himself of the weight. They had been sitting for quite a while; they grew wary as the Marquis before them hadn't spoke or uttered a single taunt during the journey here.
Jean kept his voice low as he tried to give a quick lesson in politics to Eren as the Titan-shifter so willingly asked him.
"...ironically, they never show their faces to the people," Jean ended, he threw a quick glare at Isidor.
The man smiled rather comically at them. He gloated,"Well, bask in my presence, boy. Peasants like you rarely see the sights of us."
"Why did you bring us here?" Eren asked. They could have overpowered him and left at the drop of a hat, he was only one man and posed little threat to two soldiers. Yet they stayed, he was their ticket out of the Karanse, for Jean, and Eren's hope to reunite with Mikasa and Armin, should they be alive.
Isidor raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"
"You never told us anything!" Jean nearly snapped, he did his best to keep his voice even. The frustration of having a man looking so aloof was beginning to build up in him. A sudden rush of paranoia kicked into him, he grew worried that Isidor may be springing a trap to capture them both. Then again, playing bait and using a Titan-shifter as the hook would be unnecessary to capture just one person.
"Ah, well, I'm waiting for the Commander," he conversationally replied,"this spot had served well yesterday at noon. There more on the Karanese but military men aren't allowed to the Underground Malls."
"Commander of the Military Police?" Eren warily inquired, he got up from his chair. Jean didn't need to ask Eren's own opinion, he had a feeling the other was gaining the same thoughts as him.
"No, the Recon Corps!" Isidor exclaimed. The pair were left dumbfounded by him.
Hadn't he told us he died?
The perplexed look on their faces prompted the Marquis to hold both hands up towards Eren, motioning slowly for him to sit. Unwillingly, Eren did, and the Marquis have a satisfied smirk. He reached for the bottle of vine and uncorked it, popping it away and drinking for a moment to wet his whistle. Once having his fill, he hiccuped and languidly told them,"It was just a stunt. Claimed he got the idea from someone but he never said who. The man says,'The only way to fix this all is my death'. I tell,'What good is a body, hm?' He gives me a falsely loaded pistol and tells me,'The next Scout who enters shall be the person we frame, though there's an escape route he can go through. Once I'm dead, you can get Eren Yaeger from his cell, I want you to release him,' and so I ask,'Surely you're plotting something,' but I never came around to knowing what as some Zacharias person enters. After a bit of chit chat, Erwin had him leave, I fired a shot, he leaves through the window with his Gear, and then here we are."
"This doesn't tell us...anything, you're just saying what happened. Why the hell would he fake his death?" Eren asked.
Isidor shrugged. "That's his agenda, I have my own, and I'm not settled until I get what's rightfully mine."
"Then what's a Marquis like you doing here in the midst of a massive Search and Destroy operation? It's suspicious enough to even know you're in the area," Jean pointed out.
"Again, that's my business, at least my presence is grand enough for the Garrison to open the Inner Gates for me. To be quite frank, I care less if they close it the moment the last of my horse's tail is at the end. Be grateful I've exerted my efforts to come at all," Isidor scoffed, a short laugh following afterwards. "Besides, I had to send papers over here, thought it'd be nice to do it in person as I rarely get out of my home."
Jean grimaced at the imprudent impression Isidor was giving him. He had enough so decided to stand up.
"Where're you going?"
"Elsewhere than where you are as we wait for Commander," he snidely remarked. "Asking anything else from you would be useless. People are dead and dying and you're just drinking and laughing."
Eren followed him, though it wasn't expected of him. As they began to make their way deeper into the store, Isidor grumbled insults to them, then broke into laughter, just as Jean had shot at him. They meandered through the rubble, their boots stepping into the ashes, staining them black. Eren kicked away one fallen beam, then assisted Jean on moving a fallen bed to the side so that they would have access to the far back.
"It's kinda sketchy that he picks this place to wait for Erwin," Eren commented as he examined the area some more.
Jean took notice of the many shelves that still stood against the walls. "A burned down bookstore. Certainly inconspicuous."
Indeed it was. They managed to reach a part of the shop that hadn't been burned away, the wallpaper was spared the flames and some volumes suffered water damage. Jean glanced up to see the roof had been burned away, leaving an opening where sunlight poured in. He surmised that it was raining the day this placed was lit ablaze.
Eren wandered by.
They never saw eye-to-eye, and never gotten along, but it was by Jean's own initiative to try and spring Eren from the cell. As he saw his friends being butchered, he knew something was amiss, that Eren would be the key to save whatever they had left; he heard Mikasa shout out her desire to rescue him. Her words had an impact and, without having much to do and have already avoided his pursuers, he decided to go out on the limb to get him.
At this, Eren said while kneeling upon the unmarked floor,"Thank you."
"I didn't get you out," Jean murmured.
"The thought counts though, I'm grateful you came. Is Mikasa and Armin...?"
Jean shuffled his feet over a fallen timber. He had only told Eren what occurred on the surface, that he had to be free, but nothing else. "We got separated, but I'm sure they'll be fine. They're with Reiner, last I saw them."
"Reiner can be trusted, yeah," he agreed, sounding relieved. He reached into a shelf and pulled out a random book. He opened it, only to see a note slip out. He reached for it and found a familiar handwriting scrawled across it. "...'may you have better days'...that's just funny for what we're going through."
They quietly skimmed through the books, every so often they'd find an uplifting message or receipt of some kind. Jean had taken to going up the stairs after he figured that it could hold his weight. The second floor was similar to the first and suffered the most damage, even a gaping hole in the middle showed where the fire burned most. The third floor offered some more things to look through.
It was an attic with half the room scorched, another opening in the floor gave him an overhead view of Eren and, from his angle, Isidor as he tipped the bottom of the bottle to drink. Rolling his eyes at the drunk nobleman, he browsed through the unburned items left behind. It consisted of a bureau and bed. He cautious stepped over to them and opened one drawer to find a hand mirror and small telescope, then notes with random positions of stars.
"A scholar may have owned this place," he muttered, closing the drawer and then opening a second one. Inside, he found yellow silk, he reached in to touch it, shocked by the fibers being safe from harm's way. His fingers brushed against leather, he pulled away at one fold to find a journal of sorts. He wasn't one to peruse through people's privacy but this particular location got him wondering if Isidor held some value to the building.
The Marquis could have easily picked a tavern to meet with Erwin, but instead, he chose a run down bookstore.
He sat upon the bed, which was stuffy and offered little comfort, and flipped to a random page. The silk was tucked in his fingers to hold, he had a fondness for soft things.
'I still have nightmares about those chains. The cold, unforgiving steel upon my wrists and ankles can be felt often, even now as I write. Mr. Rivaille noticed me shivering at the market when I saw a cow tied off with those dreadful links. I think I gave the impression I was cold, he bought me a silk to wrap me in. It's the middle of summer and he gives me something warm, quite awkward of him. I'm using it to cover this book, maybe by the fall I can have use of it...'
"Mr. Rivaille?" Jean mouthed the word.
'...he stole off a nobleman, I counted a hundred and twelve gold pieces when I got home. Gold from the Royal Treasury! It amazes me how he can steal so well, one day I wish to be the same-'
The page was cut off from there. He turned to the next passage.
'I fell ill. Gabrielle allowed Mr. Rivaille to come spend a few days to take my place in the shop and keep me company. His charity wasn't necessary but I appreciate it.' She trails on about her illness. 'It's strange to be in the same room with a man. Unlike the ones who would violate me, he sits by the desk and reads stories to me. For once, I could sleep peacefully. No nightmares came to me when he was there. As silly as this may sound, he probably scared it all away with his glaring- oh, he took the time to clean...'
Jean closed the book. He turned it to the first page and found the name haphazardly written, it was the book's owner. His eyes widened and he snapped the book closed. As he held the silk closer, he got off the bed and made his way for downstairs where Eren appeared to be engrossed in a book.
"Hey, I found something about the outer lands beyond the Walls," Eren said rather cheerfully, the book seemed ready to fall apart,"Armin used to read this sort of thing-eh? What's with the silk-?"
"The Marquis knows Hanji Zoe," Jean blurted in a low voice. He glanced over his shoulder to see Isidor still drinking, happy with his favorite cordial; he was humming a merry tune. Eren looked confused until Jean showed him the owner of the book. "I think that's why he's here, he's looking for her. He came all this way for her-"
The humming from Isidor ceased, they turned their heads to see that the Marquis had appeared behind them.
"So you snooped around like a dog and figured this out?" He questioned. He offered out a hand. "Give that book to me."
Jean handed the journal to him.
"And the silk there."
Giving him an uncertain stare, he done so. Isidor brought the silk to his nose and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent before exhaling as though nostalgia hit him harder than a horse's hoof. His lopsided smile came around as he turned away, his free hand gesturing them to follow. Reluctantly, they did, his voice resounded,"A tragic thing happened here nearly thirteen years ago. Someone torched this beloved home of Zoe and she fled to the arms of another man for protection, hm...I loved her so."
His somber voice shook.
"I tried to help, I really did. But the fire was too strong." Isidor turned dramatically, his hand brushed over the horrific scars across his face. "Spent this time searching for her, and when her name came up as the first to executed in this hunting of Scouts, I had to come here and see for myself if she's alive."
The smile had fallen off of his face as he sat himself on the chair. Jean had heard of the rumors two days ago that the well-known Squad Leader was to be sentenced to death for being a Titan; only after that did the massive interrogations take place. He knew not why the military would put so much effort into doing such an operation but he had no doubt Eren may have had something to do with it.
Heartrendingly, Isidor asked,"Do either of you two know the whereabouts of my love?"
Eren couldn't answer, he was stuck in his cell the past few days. He was probably imprisoned before the rumors started. Jean took the liberty to say,"There may be a possibility that she's dead. I've only gotten gossip someone was sent to kill her."
Isidor plopped himself to the seat, his eyes staring into space. He held the book and silk close to his chest as though he were trying to hold someone. They stood there, watching him in stunned silence. Eren gave a worried eye to Jean, he couldn't comprehend the news of hearing the eccentric researcher being murdered as well. Placed in an awkward position, Jean headed for the entrance of the store, but stopped short when he was graced by the sight of their Commander, alive and well.
Jean reached out to touch him, to make sure he was real. His fingers met the Wings of Freedom stitched upon his left breast pocket. In turn, the Commander reached to cover the back of Jean's hand with his palm, he gave a sturdy, reassuring shake and curt nod.
-...-
The following day found Sasha in the stables of the Flora.
Weiss, as quiet as ever, laid in the straw bed near the racks holding their Gears. He was situated outside, just at the corner, where he could keep an eye on newcomers and also be in the company of Sasha. She was bent over on a stool, her hands busily mixing molasses and alfalfa; the sweet, sticky substance clung to her hand, it was tempting to try to not eat it.
Her own chestnut, now invigorated after a day's rest, nickered at her, familiar with the treat that would come by. She looked up and smiled at it. "You can't be patient, huh?"
Another whine came from the chestnut, it stomped its hoof on the pavement and she admonished it by give a low groan,"Hey! Quit that!"
The door from the front opened. Rivaille appeared came around the corner with a box of provisions. As he passed by, she lowered her head and worked harder at the bucket. He had taken notice of her before; she rarely spoke to anyone other than Tobias and Hanji, perhaps Armin and Christa, but everyone else, she seemed oddly distant. Before his presence, she shirked away.
Shrugging off her behavior, he went on through the passage and into the back alley where Mike's wagon was laying in wait. Mike himself was at the side, checking the wheel and making sure everything was operational. When Rivaille made his appearance known, Mike got up and reported,"The wagon is fine. Also added the false bottom so Mikasa can lay. We'll add cloth and straw to cushion her."
To show, Mike stepped in and hauled Rivaille up after placing the provisions in the back. He lifted three panels on the bottom to reveal a hidden space large enough for the injured girl. Rivaille nodded in approval as Mike brought the panels down. They sat there, quiet, and Mike tried to start up conversation,"Is Sasha getting the mix done? The horses need the energy for tomorrow."
"You've been glaring at me since yesterday," Rivaille blatantly said.
Mike's mouth opened in an "oh?" and he tried to hold a neutral expression.
"Don't bullshit me."
Rivaille had spent the afternoon yesterday with Mike as they were readying their Gears with Petra. Every often, for some reason, he had the feeling of someone staring at him for far too long. When he would look up, he'd see Mike bring his focus back to cleaning the Gear at hand. Only a couple times he caught Mike directly glaring at him and being a bit slow to look down.
He had took notice of it since breakfast when he came down the stairs with Hanji. He was aware that they made quite the ruckus and was, oddly, unsurprised of Mike suddenly showing subtle signs of enmity. Should Mike have decided to reveal feelings before, Rivaille would have passed Hanji along to him without care; so long as she was satisfied and alive, he'd put up less of a resistance.
However, now that he had been beginning to address his feelings, he slowly slipped into having a sense of possession of the woman. A sense in which he cannot let go of her. Ever since the day he had tried to kill her, his inability to do so proved to him that he, indeed, has feelings for her, deep ones. He couldn't bear the thought of having her leave this world, now he couldn't bear to have her be with anyone but him.
Emotions were quite strange to Rivaille, but who is to say he never felt anything like this with such a great magnitude? He hadn't. And he had a deep fear of losing what he had just realized.
As expected (the man would give in to any order Rivaille gave), Mike easily admitted to him,"I do harbor a great liking towards Hanji."
"...what we are about to do tomorrow will cost us our lives, it's best to admit that soon if we fail to make it," Rivaille advised him.
While held possession towards Hanji, he held compassion for those he fought with at his side. Mike's eyes were wide in surprise, and it was surprising to Rivaille himself as he let it slip out so easily. He could have regretted that statement until Bertolt arrived with the last barrel. It was then that he felt he could turn the tide and deliberately force Mike to change his thoughts towards Hanji.
Bertolt hauled the barrel into the wagon. "Sir, the last barrel."
Rivaille reached over to the rope that snaked out of the lid. "Do you have any opinions you wish to share about Hanji?"
Confused by Rivaille's request, Mike confessed anyway, saying,"She's a nice person, kind...one of the best I've seen in my life. Brilliant too, I could work passed the Titan obsession and see she's-"
He lifted the lid. A swarm of flies burst forth, blinding them for a moment. A few seconds of swatting them away, Mike was the first to take a peek inside. Within it were the now rotting limbs of Annie, he froze in place at the horrid sight. Unfortunately, Bertolt had looked into it as well and, for a man his stature, his eyes rolled back and he fainted, falling to his back with a thud.
Mike tore his gaze away as he jumped out of the wagon to cradle Bertolt's upper body.
Rivaille brought his cravat to cover his nose from the stench, he then closed the barrel, telling him,"The woman has issues and I've spent years trying to understand her; this, well, it can't be explained. Would you rethink what you've just seen?"
"As much as I hate to say, you do know her well...and I'm willing to let you know that I'd prefer her to be satisfied and well rather than trying to hide who she is to me," he responded carefully.
The former Corporal got out of the wagon. "Smart choice. Get Bertolt into the tavern...and get rid of those legs, Tobias will bitch at us for mixing it in with his supplies."
He passed by Sasha. This time, she was mixing the molasses into the feed boxes on the walls, each horse chewed noisily as she looked over at him. For the first time, she reached out to him by approaching a few feet away, getting his attention. "Corporal..."
"What?"
"...I've been meaning to say...I saw a friend die in front of me," she slowly began. "It was at the hands of man, not Titan."
He stopped by her. He figured that she hasn't been able to tell anyone properly, that she needed help of some kind. It reminded him of Hanji-
"You can mourn when we get out of here alive," he briskly told her, trying to put her into place. He expected her to burst into tears but she gave a shaky nod. Whatever she had seen had clearly taken a toll on her; she carried herself as though she had a burden. Now, she spoke with a growing confidence, her shaking ceased and she stood up straighter.
"...place me on the offensive with you and the others," she requested strongly,"I want to take them down at my chance."
When she referred to them, she meant her own enemies, the ones that they were fleeing from; the military.
He brought out several coins of silver and cold, he laid them out on the table while using a block of wood to represent the wagon.
"...the First Formation...Ymir, Christa, Hanji, you'll be riding by the wagon while Mikasa, Armin, and Petra are in it, Tobias drives; stay behind him with Hanji in the center. Sasha, Mike, Reiner, and Bertolt will be position by twos behind Hanji. I'll be in the back with Annie riding double. We will most likely be discovered so, at the first sign of danger, I want one of you to tell all of us to break into the Second Formation.
"I will force Annie into transforming into a Titan and we go on from there. Ymir and Christa, you take the left and right of the wagon and keep it safe from the front, you will be the offense with the rifles I'm giving you. Sasha and Mike will emerge on the left and right on the cart's side and hold the defense, Hanji, stay where are you are. Reiner and Bertolt will cover you from behind and be the rear offense...hold this formation until all threats are dealt with..."
He supplied everyone with the flintlocks and rifles. Out of all of them, he, Sasha, Mike, Reiner, and Bertolt knew how to use such weapons, Hanji, Armin, and Ymir had a fairly good grasp though their aims could be dubious, Christa had never fired one and Petra had only done so in close quarters. Regardless, they were given weapons. He preferred to keep the best shots holding the defense as the offense would serve as distractions.
Upon hearing Sasha's request for a change in position, he raised a brow. "Why's that?"
She bent under the rope and then placed the now empty bucket near the saddle stand. She pushed away some blankets and brought out a long object covered by a cloth, the second item she brought out was a quiver with about a dozen arrow shafts peeking out from the mouth; she slung it over her shoulder as she unraveled the cloth.
Within her hand was an ornate hunting bow; carvings of a wolves ran stretched at both lims with the string not taut at the hooks at the string grooves. The grip was bound by leather for her to hold. He scrutinized it, then asked,"An archer?"
"Hunter. Tobias's wife came from the same village as I, he gave me this to return home...I wish to use it against my new prey."
She sounded like she thirsted for blood.
Was this what she had been quiet for?
"...tell Christa you're switching places with her, fight by Ymir's side, be in the front and do as you see fit," he said after a moment of deliberation. He walked away, leaving her with her newly acquired weapon at hand. He swore he could have heard labored breathing when he turned his back. He saw Weiss wag his tail freely, as though he were happy for Sasha. He stared for a moment, then called over his shoulder,"Hey, you bringing this with us?"
"He follows where I go, why not?"