Star: This chapter was going to be longer but I decided to cut it in half. Hope you guys like it! I own only my oc
"Seylum..."
The seven year old looked down at the floor, clenching her fist at her side. Her eyes burned with tears as she tried desperately to hold them back. She wouldn't cry, no matter how much they told her it was alright too.
"Seylum...Please look at me."
Hesitating, the young girl looked up, her heartbreaking more as she did.
Sitting in bed before for her was the strongest person she knew. Healthy tan skin had fade into pale white. The red lock once shining and moved like fire with her movement were now dull and limp around her. Her golden eyes were laced with tiredness and pain yet she still had the strength to smile for her. She held out her arms to her. Instantly all the will she had vanished as Seylum all but threw herself into the embrace, tears spilling from her eyes.
"Shh...its alright." She whispered, stroking the girls hair. "You don't have to hold it in any longer..."
"Mama...p-please don't leave like papa..." Seylum could barley speak as she clung to her mother, burying her face in her shirt.
"Seylum.." Her mother whispered, her own voice breaking slightly.
She tilled the young girl's chin up, looking into tear filled crystal blue eyes that were so much like her love. They could be as bright the sky then colder as ice the next. She gave a sad smile, that broke her heart even more.
"Seylum, listen to me. I want you to promise me that you protect your brother. Tell him stories of me and your father. Tell him how much we love him and are always watching over you two..."
The young girl shook her head. " can make you better! Just like when me and Eren and Armin and everyone else are sick!"
Her mother let out a soft chuckle, wincing slightly "He's done all he can...It's just my time..."
Seylum trembled as her grip on her mother tighten. It wasn't her time! God was just messing with them. Tomorrow she would be all better and everything will go back to normal! She'll go back to breaking up her and Eren stupid argument and telling them to save it for the marriage, laughing as the two of them would scream that they would rather marry a titan.
"Seylum... listen to me..." Her mother tailed off as she held her daughter.
She looked down at the blessing she had been able to raise for the last seven years, tears flowing down her cheeks. "I'm sorry...I wish I had more time...there's so much I wish I could teach, my phoenix...But I need you to understand something..."
Seylum stared at her mother confused. "M-Mama?..."
"You-"
"WAKE UP!"
Seylum opened her eyes, staring into wide, mischiefs filled blue eyes. Groaning she turned over and pulled the covers over her head.
"Let me sleep, James."
James pouted. He tugged on the blanked, trying to pull it off the bed. Seylum gripped it tighter around her, a small smile creeping on her lips. Her brother let out an angry huff before he climbed on the bed. His sister peaked out from other the cover, watching him. A grin swept across his face as he stood up, the bed creaked as he jumped up and down, bouncing his sister slightly.
"Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!"
"James...Stop it! Its my birthday so I get to sleep in!" Seylum growled. "And for once I'd actually like to!"
"But Its already past twelve!" James whined, flopping down next to her. "Uncle Aiden said to get you up before you sleep you're birthday away."
"Have I really been asleep that long?" Seylum wondered, sitting up.
She ran her fingers through her hair and let out a yawn. She looked outside and took in the blue sky. An uneasy feeling came over her as she watched two bird fly over Wall Maria. Suddenly, an image of debris and blood raining down flashed in front of her eyes.
"Seysey?" James asked, tilting his head to the side.
Seylum shook her head and gave her brother a smile. "Sorry Jamie, I was just thinking how pretty it was outside."
"Then let's go outside!" The five year old said.
Seylum giggled as her brother climbed down the latter. She told him to be careful as she got out of bed and got dressed. As she pulled her hair up into a ponytail, Seylum couldn't help but feel sick at the peace inside the walls.
"I shouldn't be feeling like this, especially not today." She thought as she tied a the ribbon in her hair. "It just seem too peaceful..."
"Seylum! Hurry up!"
"I'm coming!" She called.
As she climbed down the latter, her brother jumped up and down impatiently at the door. His dirty blond curls bouncing around his face.
"Hurry up, Seysey!" James yelled.
"Calm down, James. She can take as long as she wants. It is her birthday." Her uncle called out, looking up from his book.
"I know but I was support to have her out earlier, Eren told me too!" James quick covered his mouth.
Seylum looked over at her uncle as she got down from the ladder. His blue eyes darkened slightly as James looked down, guilty. For some reason, Aiden didn't exactly trust Eren. Seylum always thought that it was because he was a boy and Aiden had been her father figure since her dad had past. Since she was getting closer to the age were most kids started dating, she thought he was just being protective.
"He's also know Eren since I was a little. I don't understand why he is so worried." Seylum thought as her uncle let out a sight.
"Seylum.."
"Yes?"
"I want you and your brother back home by sun down."
The almost ten year old raised an eyebrow at him. "Why?"
Aiden gave her a look before going back to his book. "...Just be home at sun set...There is something important I have to tell you."
Seylum frowned at him. "Why can I can stay out after sunset? What is I want to spend my birthday with my friends?"
"Because I said so."
James let out a soft whimper as Seylum glance at her uncle. He always did this on her birthday. No matter how many time she asked why, Aiden would never give her a answer or even a good reason, only that she would understand someday.
"Is it because I want to hang out with Eren and my friends?" She growled, her hand tightening into a fist.
"Its not tha-" Aiden started but his nieces cut him off.
"Then what?! You say the same thing every year on my birthday!"
"You're too young-"
"If its so important, why don't yo-"
"ENOUGHT!"
The two children flinched at the icy tone of his voice, slamming his book down. His golden eyes darkened as he looked at his nice. A shiver ran down Seylum's spine as she looked down. She murmured an apology before she grab her brother's hand and pulled him out the door before her uncle could even say anything.
Aiden let out a sigh as he ran his finger through his greying hair red hair. He hadn't meant to yell, it's just Seylum didn't understand the important of today. In his opinion, she was too young to know but after the incident...
He shook his head. "It wasn't her fault, Andrew had just died and she just lost it..."
Aiden pulled out the locket he wore around his neck. It was a simple oval locket, nothing special, just a plain sliver locket to anyone else but to him it meant the world. His finger gently pride it open. His eyes skimmed over the engraving inside. With a frustrated sigh, he closed it and ran his fingers through his hair, leaning forward.
"Katharina...I love them, I really do...it just times like these I wish..."
"Why dose he need us home at sunset anyway? It's not like anything ever happen that we need to be home!" Seylum though angrily as her and her brother walked through town. "Is it because of what happen... but that was years ago..."
"Seysey?"
She glance over her shoulder at her brother. James looked nervously at her, squeezing her hand slightly. That little gesture mad the young girl calm down slightly. She squeezed back and James smiled brightly at her which Seylum returned.
"Seylum!"
The two of them stopped as Eren,Mikasa and Armin ran towards them.
"Hey guys..." Seylum said.
"Seylum, what's wrong?" Armin asked.
"Its nothing."
"You know you can tell us, Seylum." Mikasa said. "Was it Aubwin again?"
"No, it wasn't that butt face." Seylum giggles slightly. "I'm just a little upset I spent most of my birthday in bed."
"I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't." James pouted as Seylum rolled her eyes and gently tapped him on the head.
The five of them walked though town, stopping at a few of the birthday girl's favorite shop, getting her favorite candies and treats that the shop keepers gave her as present. As much fun as it was just being with her friends and brother, there was one place Seylum longed to go. It was a place her father once took her, she could still remember the look on her mother's faces when she had told her what she saw. It was a look of worry with a hint of anger and a dash of something else.
"Something on your mind?"
Seylum looked over at her best friend as he bit into a piece of chocolate. The two of them were walking behind the others, as James told Mikasa and Armin about something, his arms waving around as the five year old tried to explain something to them.
"Just thinking about my dad...I was thinking about the time he took me on top of the wall to watch the sunset." She said, a small smile on her face.
Eren looked at her shocked. "Really?! You saw over the wall?! What was it like?"
"It was amazing." Seylum said. "Watch the sun disappear under the horizon..it was one of the most amazing things..."
Eren watched as her eyes become slightly glassy. He knew how difficult it was for Seylum to talk about her dad. He was part of the scout regiment and a great soldier at that. Unfortunately, Seylum's father had die, not by the hands of the titan but by a landslide on along with his squad on a trip back from Stohess District. After hearing that, especially it being a few weeks before her birthday, Seylum just shut down. Eren could vaguely remember him and Armin trying to cheer her up with trip in the wood but something happened because everything after they entered the woods was a blur.
"I wish I could remember what happened..." Eren thought.
Just then Eren noticed that Seylum wasn't beside him. He stopped and looked behind him. Seylum was looking behind her at the Wall Maria.
"Seylum?"
"What do you think it like?"
Eren looked at her confused. "What?"
"Outside the wall..." Seylum looked back at him. "Do you think it's like what we've read?"
"Of course!" Eren yelled. " And We'll see it all together. Me,you,Armin,Mikasa and James. We'll see every last thing on outside the walls together. Just like we promised."
Seylum looked at Eren before looking away. As much as she wanted to believe him, something was pulling at the back of her mind.
"I promise I'll always be for you, my Phoenix ."
"..How..." Seylum murmured, a burning sensation forced her to close her eyes. "How do you know... that we'll be together..."
Eren looked at her shocked as tears fell down her cheeks. "Seylum.."
"How do you know that will always be together!?...what if someone moves into the interior.. W-What if someone dies...W-What if.." Seylum croaked as she rubbed her eyes.
The memories of her mother and father came flooding the back to her. They promised that they would always be there for her and her brother, but they left! She knew that one day that Eren and the other wouldn't be there, and that terrified her. Armin and Eren had been her best friends since she was little, they had been her rock though everything and even though She hadn't know Mikasa as long, she had been like a sister to her. She didn't want to lose them.
Suddenly, two arms wrap tightly around her. Seylum looked tearfully at Eren as he pulled her close.
"E-Eren?.."
"I promise...no matter what..."Eren whispered, his voice trembling with each word. "I promise I won't leave you...I'll always be there for you, Seylum...I promise you won't be alone..no matter what."
A sob left Seylum as she clung to Eren, fearing he would disappear if she did. Eren just held her, whispering that promise over and over to her. He pulled back slightly and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Heat rushed to the red head's cheeks as she stared at him. "E-Eren?"
"Do you know what a kiss on the forehead means?" Eren asked, wiping some of her tears." It means I'm here..and I always will be."
"Eren..."The most beautiful smiles he had ever seen grace her lip. "Thank you.."
He smiles back. "Come on let's go catch up with the others."
Seylum nodded as Eren and her ran to catch up the other. The uneasy feeling that she had when she woke up had all but vanishes.
-Later at the river-
Seylum leaned her back against Eren's as he angrily threw a rock into the water, half listening to him as he grumbled about why people can't let the dream about life out side the wall. James was leaning against Mikasa asleep, having crashed from the sugar rush. It was already sunset and Seylum knew her uncle would be looking for them but Seylum didn't give a dame about it. She wanted to spend a few more minutes with her friends.
"Armin's right, Eren." Seylum sighed, throw her own rock into the water. "As long as the walls keep the titans out, people could care less about the world beyond them."
"The rest of the herds maybe. I say to hell with them." Eren growled as Seylum rolled her eyes.
"Someone's gonna hear you." Mikasa interjected, her tone stern." Keep it down."
"What do I care, You'll rat me out anyway!" Her brother snapped back as Seylum looked at him confused.
"What?" She asked.
"I never promised you anything."
"Your folks know about the scouts?" Armin asked, surprised.
Seylum gripped her pant leg. She knew Eren was determined to join the scout and as much as she supported it, deep down she wished that he would never get the chance. She place her hand over Eren's and squeezed slightly.
"I take it your mom wasn't to pleased with the idea." She joked.
"Yeah.."
"What did you expect for her to say 'You have my support to go risk you life. Don't forget to write."?"
Eren glance at her before looking at the river. Seylum sighed as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Eren rested his cheek against her head as silence fell over them.
"You know.." Armin started, resting his chin on his arms just a breeze blew over them." It's sad. What most people here are willing to settle for in exchange for some fleeting sense of security, you know. And it absolutely is fleeting. The wall's can't hold forever."
Seylum closed her eyes as she listened to the people around them. Armin was right, they all believed that the wall would protect them from any danger. In reality it was just a pen and they were cattle, just waiting for the farmer to come and slaughter them.
"Its just a matter of time..." Seylum thought as the breezed stopped as she opened her eyes.
Suddenly a sharp pain shot through her chest as a explosion rocked through the city, sending people to the ground. Seylum let out a grunt as she fell from her spot on edge and on to the ground below. The pain her chest was replaced by a dull pulsating sensation.
"Seylum?! Are you okay?!" Eren asked as Mikasa rush over to help her up.
"I-I'm fine.." Seylum lied, placing her hand on her chest. "What is this feeling..."
"Was that an explosion or something?" Eren asked as he looked towards the wall as Armin ran to check it out "Armin!"
They followed, Seylum quickly putting James on her back as he was a little dazed having been woken up by the explosion. When they caught up with the blond, he was staring up at the wall in horror along with everyone else. A feeling of fear washed over Seylum as she followed their gave. Her eyes widening in fear as she felt James grip her shirt.
"No way..."She whispered fearfully as a muscled covered head peered over the wall.
"Its a titan.."