CHAPTER XXIX
"I give up, so you better tell me 'cause I'm done guessing, Levi" the officer complained as they rode slowly, heading to the new orphanage in the area "I don't inspire fear to people, let alone kids. You know that" she pointed out while adjusting her glasses.
"Fear... hardly. The scariest side of you is whenever you act weirder than normal, if we leave aside the times you're reckless with your experiments and have your assistant shitting himself over it" the soldier replied, secretly enjoying the landscape outside the building premises, unaware of the serene smile on his colleague's face after that last comment.
Even as outcasts, this would have been a good place for us, he said to himself, thinking about his first two friends; Isabel specially. She'd have loved to spend time outdoors, even more if she got to ride a horse whenever she wanted. He still remembered the times she used to sneak out in the nights and ended up sleeping beside the animal; it was always her smelling like them what gave her away the morning after.
"Then why?" Hange asked, scratching her head as she continued to hold the reins of her horse with the other "We're making incredible progresses on the anti-titan weapon to be set in Trost. Oh, by the way, I already have a name for it!" she said, super excited "Well, I'm considering two options, but which one would you say sounds better, Le..."
"Oh no. I'm not part of the freak squad so spare me from hearing the moronic names" the Captain said, truly uninterested to keep that kind of information in his head.
"Hey, be respectful to them, cranky old man. Executioner from Hell is a total badass name. You just have no style or good taste" the brunette pointed out, as if it were obvious, ignoring Levi's usual harmless rudeness. Instead, she nodded once, keeping her chin up, taking pride in her work and ideas "You'll want to smooch me all over once the weapon starts operating and gets rid of titans without us lifting a finger".
"Ugh" he exclaimed, making a face at the stupidity she'd just said and the grin on her face, to purposely annoy him.
"Now, answer for real. Why am I joining you today?" she enquired again, taking things more seriously this time.
"I dragged you here because I don't trust you'll control yourself with Eren's transformations in my absence" the soldier said, taking the last turn that led to the place "The brat's resilient and all but there's no guarantee he won't just die, and I'm pretty sure not even your weird science will bring him back" he warned, worried "And if he kicks the bucket, that's it for all of us".
Levi had noticed the previous morning how hard was for Eren to react after he finally managed to create something from the hardening instead of just allowing the crystal to grow in all directions. But if he continued to work this hard without proper rest, his organism wouldn't last long; the problem was that the idiot seemed as obsessed as Hange with this new ability.
So, right before they departed that morning, he'd given him the order to sleep all day, except for meals and taking a shit if needed but transformations were off limits until further notice, to what the brat reluctantly accepted. But fully did so when he'd threatened him to cut each toe and arms to physically make it impossible, so he just went for the painless option. Opportunely, the brunette would be travelling the next morning to Sina, to personally escort back another of her invents; the one she'd developed with the engineers from the capital. And he knew she wouldn't return not until two days from now, so that'd give Eren another decent amount of time to rest.
"You're exaggerating" his comrade said dismissively "Eren says he's perfectly fine, and that we shouldn't waste our time, which I agree with".
"He may turn into that giant monster, but you often forget he still is a 15-year-old brat" the Captain reminded her "Immature, pig-headed and rarely thinks things through, not to mention he's as obsessed as you when it comes to work, so he won't ever complain but act stupidly. That's when I step in, because part of my responsibility is to make sure the bloody fool stays alive. So don't push it or I'll tie you to some tree".
"Alright, alright. I get it" Hange replied, raising one hand in the air, surrendering.
Either way, I'm leaving tomorrow with Moblit, she said to herself, and oh boy, she so hyped to see the results of the explosive missiles she'd designed after seeing the anti-personnel vertical maneuvering equipment in action. She had several options in mind for their name, but she'd still had two days to pick one before revealing them to everyone. You'll find the right one once you see how they work now that they've been perfected, Hange… her assistant had said the previous night, after taking her to bed; it was the last she recalled before falling asleep.
"Oi, what's with the freaky smile?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. He wasn't even sure if it was a smile; it was hard to tell with her "Don't you dare to come up with something behind my back, four eyes"
"Nah, just thinking about my trip" she half confessed "Do you think this might take you long?"
"Doubt it" Levi replied, thinking about the reason for this visit "Just a brief reunion".
Or at least he'd planned something like that after hearing indirectly, through Sasha, about certain problems her father had been having with a couple of idiots that arrived not long ago from the Underground City. He'd overheard when she told the story to Connie and the others, to share how things were going for the man, now in charge of the new orphanage. An issue of personal importance to him, and so he'd decided to stop by, unannounced, and have a talk with the kids, and those not adapting above all. A beating could work just as fine, he considered while making a gesture to his partner to turn to the left on the next intersection. But as Erwin pointed out, that wouldn't help to stop them from thinking they'd get whatever they wanted through violence and as a result, they wouldn't quit on such practices. So, the occasion required different measures.
"Whoa, is this the place?" Hange exclaimed beside him, to what he only nodded once but he glimpsed her smiling vivaciously when she gazed to the open space before them, admiring the beauty of the nature around, just like him. It was all so full of green spaces, and a couple trees here and there, providing shade and some fruits. The ones surrounding the area were a bit taller but still welcoming. Curiously, even the air seemed more refreshing there "It's beautiful!" she said, echoing his thoughts, but of course she soon changed the subject to her typical nonsense "Hey, Levi… Do you think they'll share some food with us? Thanks to you, I couldn't even have a real breakfast this morning".
"You'd better act like an adult, or I'll end up having to set you straight instead" the man warned, dismounting to go inside the stables. He stroked the horse's forehead with gentleness and told him to have a good rest in the meanwhile. Which wasn't odd to Hange; she knew he liked animals over most people, and this wasn't the first time she'd seen him talking to the loyal animal anyways.
By the time they arrived at the three-story house, located at the front of another one much larger, there was no need to search for Mr. Braus' office; the man had seen them from afar and waited by the entrance, quite surprised and somewhat nervous; it was obvious he hadn't expected to see him.
"Captain Levi?" his eyes looked at him in disbelief, as well as cautious. Hange moved and only then he acknowledged her presence, smiling amicably "How can I help you, officers?" he asked, after the brunette introduced herself, knowing Levi wasn't going to do that.
"We happened to be in the neighborhood, so dropping by to see how things are going seemed reasonable enough" he said, darting a glance at the other building, where there was a lot of movement.
It was then the soldier noticed some anxiety in the man, but that expression later showed a bit of what he'd describe as optimism, confirming how desperate he must had been to have them there.
"Aside from the Queen, you're the only other government envoys to ever visit us, so you're very welcome here, officers" he said to both, though trying not to look at him in the eye. But of course, Levi caught the hint beneath those words: nobody else cares about this place "Please, follow me" he said with respect.
"Have you had any trouble, Mr. Braus?" the Captain enquired, straight to the point while Sasha's father led them to his office, located on the third floor.
"Eh, I... Overall, well…" he was babbling, which was irritating but he didn't cut him off because he could see the subject was looking for the best way to communicate the current problem "Things are going fine, sir. There's just a small group that is struggling to adapt but I'm counting they'll eventually cooperate once they see how my family and staff work. We havent been operating for long but the other children seem to be having a good experience here" to his bewilderment, he was trying to protect the brats.
"Adapt?" Levi repeated, wanting to comprehend this better "Are you talking about little shits refusing to follow the rules of this place?" he narrowed his eyes, but since they were still climbing the stairs, the man wasn't looking at him.
"I suppose that's an unusual way to put it" the man replied with an apologetical smile, giving Hange a glance, but she wasn't participating because Levi had the authority here "But I'm afraid it's understandable, sir. This is all so very recent, and they don't understand that they no longer live in a hostile environment; not at least like the one they were used to. So, it'll take a couple months for them to come around".
"No. It'll take a lot less" that was the only thing Levi said about it, somewhat amused by the comparison.
This place had absolutely nothing in common with the Underground City. In fact, the man was a softie and it sure was partly why he was having a hard time controlling little thugs. But he didn't do or said anything offensive to him because, according to Historia, Mr. Braus genuinely cared for them; she'd seen that, and also emphasized this sanctuary would only work if run by someone like that.
"Excuse me, sir" this time Hange's voice was the one making him snap out of his thoughts "Why is everyone outside?"
Before he could reply, one of the doors nearby opened and the three of them turned to watch a nurse stepping outside one of the three rooms on that floor. She was wearing the typical light-brown dress under a white apron as a uniform, and she offered a respectful smile to the three when the man resumed his way and they passed by her side.
"My apologies to both" Sasha's father tilted his head, mostly out of embarrassment for forgetting what they've been into that morning "We received a new small group from Sina and Ehrmich yesterday afternoon, so there's a medical operation going on this morning. They said they needed to make sure about their current condition and ours, to discard the possibility of the virus that has been spreading north of the walls".
"Oh, I see. Well, that's very good news, right Levi?" the brunette commented, touching her chin thoughtfully and not really expecting an answer.
The soldier looked as indifferent as ever, even when deep down he was glad about it; his obsession with cleaning had a lot to do with a fear for diseases, no matter how unlikely would be for him to get one. His mother's long-term sickness had been really traumatizing, as well as living for so long in such sty. Those things would never leave his mind.
"It's great they're preventing the dissemination of such virus in our territories. I heard is not a mortal one, but it could affect us all considerably" Levi knew she was referring to the population, but above all to how potentially bad would be for their plans.
"It is what they said" the man responded, looking at her and then at him, before getting the keys in his pocket.
"How long until the procedure is over?" the Captain asked, moving close to the window there as soon as he entered the room behind the man. Hange on the other hand took a seat in a small armchair at the corner of it.
"They've been here for about three hours, so I think they'll be leaving soon. There's just few older children pending but they were working with them when I left" Mr. Braus explained while he tried to calculate an estimated time, or so said the way he looked to the ceiling, concentrated "It should take about half an hour or a bit less".
"Alright then. Once they're done, I need you to gather everyone. I don't care where; just keep them in one place so I can say a few words" Levi instructed, using that kind of look that indicated it wasn't a request, but more like an order "I will explain what this is about to you, and you only, right after that".
The man did not expect he'd be that straightforward, wanting to have a direct talk with the kids, but the authority with which he spoke would surely be helpful.
"Understood, sir" he complied, turning around, and walking to the door, where he grabbed the knob and stopped for a few seconds "I'll go check everything is going well, but please make yourself at home while you're waiting. You may go outside if you like, whatever you prefer" Sasha's father said and left, thinking about how scary Captain Levi indeed was, and not to be taken lightly, but perhaps that was exactly what some kids needed, because he just couldn't be that way to them.
Silence reigned after that, or at least it did for the first fifteen minutes while he stood by the window, waiting for the man to come back looking for both. Nevertheless, it didn't seem like it was going to happen any time soon, because he was seeing a bit of a mess in the garden; some of the carers in that place walked around as if they were trying to find the kids that didn't obey. This is unbelievable… the soldier snorted. He never went to school but if that's how it was, then he was glad he'd missed the experience.
"Could you please stay still for once in your life!" he grumbled, without looking but the sound of her steps strolling inside the room was unnerving, just like the brats he'd been staring at. He blinked slowly, focused on the outside view "Or do you have something stuck up in your ass stopping you?"
Hange made a face at him and right then, her stomach growled loudly. Only then the soldier turned to her, exasperated.
"I told you I was hungry" the brunette shrugged, standing with open arms and palms facing up "And I was looking around in case there was anything here to eat but no luck so far" she pouted "Although, now that I remember, I read somewhere that eating paper wasn't so bad in case of an emergency" he'd have shown shock to that kind of data, but knowing beforehand how much of a lunatic Hange was prevented him from doing so. "I found some books here, but I don't think my conscience would allow me to ruin any of them…" she was gabbling again, irking him.
"Isn't it easier to just move your clumsy feet to the kitchens and see if there's anything you can get?" he suggested and heard another rumble coming from her stomach.
"I didn't because I thought Mr. Braus would come for us sooner but if you insist…" the brunette said before walking out of the room and closing the door. Levi concentrated once more in whatever happened outside but turned his head to the side when he heard the door half opening. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his comrade sticking her head in for a couple seconds "Do you want me to get you anything?" she asked, cheerfully.
"I'm alright" he responded, seeing her nod and disappear once more.
Levi moved to the armchair where Hange had been sitting before and got comfortable there. He leant back, crossed his legs and folded his arms, thinking about the many things inside his head.
Only a day had passed since the discussion with Erwin and other squad leaders, as well as captains, about when should they ride south. At the end, the best date had been settled in two months from now, perhaps a little less; everything depended on how long it'd take to train and master the new weaponry Hange would be coming back with.
Also, it was important to have into account that they couldn't risk waiting too long or winter would be upon them and so, traveling would be harder, specially to transport provisions, gas, spares, and weapons through snow.
So, this is it. And getting used to the idea was the only thing they could do, but at least he wasn't anxious to communicate all that to her; Elia, above all civilians, knew and respected what they were trying to accomplish, as well as the risks in this mission, and it was something he was grateful for. Her support and wonderful company were all he needed until then.
To think of the healer made him miss her, but he was very glad that the initial anxiety to have her wasn't as intense as in the first two weeks since the beginning of what they had. Perhaps it was because of the regularity with which they managed to see each other; sometimes every two or three nights/mornings once a week, or an entire day after several apart. Maybe it was the way they demonstrated that, despite the distance, they still craved each other's company, or it could also have something to do with their jobs being quite demanding and not allowing much time to think, especially because both of them acknowledged the commitment they had towards what they did. Besides that, he couldn't describe how amazing was to keep learning things about her; things nobody else knew, and vice versa.
He hadn't seen her for almost a week after sharing his story with her, but surprisingly, that had made him feel her so much closer. Therefore, missing her now was bearable.
Levi had commented he'd be visiting the orphanage on his next day off, regardless not knowing when that'd be; just for her not to worry if it took him a little longer to come back to town. To what she'd nodded in understanding and ended up describing the matter as a behavioral problem. To remember how formal she was and the serious expression on her face made him snort of amusement, because he didn't believe that Elia could grasp what a real troublesome child was. There was simply no comparison, especially if the brat was anything like him at that age. But truth to be told, the message he intended to give had a lot to do with their last conversation.
"What if you automatically recruit them as Corps future cadets but not really to join the ranks and go to battle?" Elia'd said while they were having breakfast together "We already know they cannot be actual cadets because they're not yet fifteen to graduate, but most of them don't know that so, even if they don't have military training, they could still cooperate in some way" she'd offered with solemnity "Seeing what you all do, how real this war is and giving them some responsibility, a sense of purpose in this important fight… maybe that could help them see things clearer, help them mature, because you'd be expanding their world. Not to mention they'd see why discipline is necessary for humans to coexist in peace."
It'd been a really good idea. And after consulting his friend, without mentioning her of course, it was no surprise that Erwin had helped him smoothen the rough edges off it as well as granting his permission.
The soldier breathed out, as he turned to check the clock on the wall, frowning when he noted he'd been there for over forty-five minutes. And Hange was probably still gobbling down whatever food she managed to get, reason why he decided to start moving and settle this matter soon, even more so after coming to know Sasha's father wasn't mentally strong enough to tame those little punks.
I'll include punctuality to the couple things I'll tell him later, he said to himself as he walked downstairs, ignoring the two or three looks of suspicion and reticence from the children that'd crossed his path.
And yet it was one six-year-old girl the one who'd called his attention the most, when he finally reached the ground floor and was heading towards the exit.
The soldier saw the way she entered the place in a rush, laughing while running in his direction without paying attention to what was in front of her because her eyes were on her friends not far behind, as engaged in the game as her, or at least until they saw him walking towards him. Too bad the squirt noticed his presence in the worst way possible, when she bumped against him, making him stop, but the driving force of her running and the sudden clash had made her bounce and now she was sitting on the floor while her eyes filled with tears.
"Oi! Are you really going to cry?" he said, looking down at her, as stoic as ever and barely raising an eyebrow. If an adult got scared with that kind of stare, a little girl would be worse… or so he assumed when he saw her pouting "I should be the one to do that. It was you who hit me".
He was standing in front of her, arms crossed and no smile at all. The girl looked at him despite her eyes were crying; he could even hear the clear sound of her nose getting all runny.
"But you didn't fall, mister. I did" the girl replied, as the crocodile tears were falling down her cheeks. At least she's not the kind of noisy whiners, he thought "Can't you see?" she complained, and now he saw her button lip jutting out.
"Of course I do, and it's logical. Even if I blew in your direction, you'd be on the ground because you're skinny as toothpick. Don't they feed you here?" Levi asked, truly interested in that piece of information yet not letting himself being affected by her crying. Unconsciously, his words helped distracting her enough to stop the reaction.
"They do, but..." the kid replied, looking down for a few seconds "... It doesn't taste like daddy's food at all" her melancholic expression told him that the person she was talking about had ceased to exist and it was why she was there.
"Evidently. But if you don't eat, you'll get weaker, and I doubt that the man you used to call father would be happy to know you're not eating, acting like a spoiled brat".
"But there's no way for him to know" she whispered, crestfallen "He never came back from Wall Maria, when titans showed up inside Wall Rose" she explained, raising her crystalline green eyes to him, and fixed them upon the emblem on his dark green jacket.
"Military Police Brigade?" the Captain inquired, well aware she was talking about Eren's rescue mission that cost so many lives, the same where Erwin lost his arm. Unfortunately, those poor devils had no idea what they'd be up against when they joined the crusade. Levi saw the girl nodding with a vacant expression on her face, one that was very close to sadness, but he'd describe more like pure hopelessness, and he hated it "Then with good reason you should just swallow the food. No one tells you to enjoy it, but if you don't eat, you'll get sick and die, and if you do, there won't be anyone to remember him. Besides, you're the daughter of a soldier, not a wuss. Unless you rather that. It's your choice".
He wasn't trying to cheer her up. He just hated the idea of her chicken out on life because it'd be hard no matter what; she needed to realize it was always going to be like that if she wanted to survive. It was the only way for people like them, like him.
Nevertheless, he got rigid when he noticed the way tears welled up in her eyes, not knowing it was all due to his words and how deeply they'd touched her, despite her youth. He got relieved the instant he saw her clean her face with one of her sleeves and looked at him with fierce resolution.
"You may cry but that won't ever solve anything. There are countless things that will hurt or make you miserable but if you let that to take over, you'll be on the filthy floor most of your life. So, get up now and dust off your clothes" he said, giving a horrified glare to the surface that hadn't been swept correctly, and not paying that much attention to the girl, who'd obeyed immediately. Until he saw her move towards him, holding out her hand all of a sudden; an upper limb as feeble and small as the child herself "Huh? What is it now?" the Captain asked in confusion.
He'd managed to calm her down, but the girl wasn't leaving. She was still standing there, waiting for him to shake hands to make peace, which he'd thought, had already been worked out. What the hell!
"Daddy told me that I should do this if I ever wanted to apologize or thank someone" she said after seeing he wasn't reacting as expected.
She slightly frowned to the no response because she couldn't understand why he didn't know that. He was an adult, and they were supposed to know everything. But all this man did was to stare at her with indecision, reserve and a bit of curiosity.
Right at that moment, he recognized the annoying sound of his colleague's footsteps, but to his considerable surprise, there was another pair of them following close, and he didn't need to turn to know who that person was because the breeze coming from outside had brought him a wonderful, sweet, familiar scent; one he wasn't prepared for. So, he didn't take his eyes off the kid, despite she was looking in that direction, to his comrade and company.
That at least gave him some time to collect himself and stay cool to placate the joy for this unexpected encounter.
"I'll do it for him, sweety" Hange had come to stand in between them and crouched down to accept the gesture, shaking the girl's hand with a silly, friendly smile "My older brother is not very good at making new friends, you know? Also, I think you have some dust on you and he really has an aversion to it" the brunette explained to her, giving him a quick glance and stupidly winked at him.
"Oh, that's fine. He's a shy one?" the child said, looking at him now with pure curiosity. And that was the strangest thing, because people in general were afraid of either him or his name "But if he's your brother, why don't you look alike?" she asked while holding her hands behind her back. Making it even harder for Levi to understand whatever was going through the little girl's head.
"Oh, yes! He's very timid, you know. Even when he doesn't seem like that sometimes" again with the moronic wink, but fortunately, this time it was for the kid "And we don't look alike because we're foster siblings, just like you with the other kids in this place" Hange answered quickly, hoping the kid wouldn't mention a thing about the height difference or Levi would certainly get grumpy and ruin the brief, lovely moment she'd witnessed a moment ago "Did you talk to the doctors already?" she decided to change the subject, gesturing with her head to the person standing near the three of them. The child responded by nodding several times "Great. Then you better go outside and stay tuned 'cause my brother's going to say something important in a few minutes".
The three adults there watched her go, two of them somewhat thrilled about the scene while the third continued to stand on the same spot, with squinted eyes and his arms still crossed. He was staring at his comrade reprovingly for all the nonsensical conversation with the kid, although he didn't really care the sibling's thing because Hange was ignorant of his origins, so it didn't really matter. He'd focused on all of this to ignore Elia's presence, fighting the wish to look at her and say something but if he did, he wasn't entirely sure about something not giving him away.
"If you weren't as spooky as you are, I daresay you'd serve well in a parenting role" to his horror, Hange decided to make a joke. One that truly bothered him, and it was easy to see for both women "Oh, come on. You don't have to get so worked up. It was a nice thought given how sweet you looked while talking to the little girl. Well, as nice as you could possibly be, Levi" she laughed, which only ticked him off even more.
"That won't ever happen, so stop with the bullshit, Hange" he said, feeling secretly uncomfortable.
Elia was right there, and that particular topic wasn't something they'd discussed although, he had a well-defined idea about her viewpoint on the matter, thanks to a conversation during those nights when her sister still lived. She'd said very clearly that bringing children into this world, amidst a war, was cruel, and selfish so she was against it.
He looked in her direction as discreetly as possible, lucky enough to have a window nearby so his partner wouldn't notice anything out of the ordinary. He breathed out at the serene countenance, helping him allay the awkwardness over the stupid joke.
"Yo, Levi! Stop ignoring me" Hange fussed in a childish voice "Is just a harmless joke. What do you take me for? I'm not idiot! I know it's not even possible. The only female brave enough to be close to you is me, and I don't like you that way so, obviously, it won't happen, man" the idiot bragged, unnerving all over again.
"I won't stay here to listen to your nonsense so, whether you finished or not, I'm out" he spat, heading to the exit.
"Hold on, Levi. Wait…" the woman rushed to say and moved fast to block his way with another idiotic smile on her face, super excited and not even feeling really sorry for her previous behavior "I only wanted to introduce you to someone" she said beaming and almost jumping on the same spot out of delight, to what he merely gave in, or else, Hange would insist and make everything worse. It was then that he turned to her, after preparing himself mentally "I'm sure you remember the story I told you and Erwin, when the Reiss conflict ended, about the person who helped me and Moblit" she whispered, adopting an enigmatic, weird aura to just make everything sound so mysterious, which was as silly as the brunette's behavior but he still appreciated the fact that she wanted to protect her "I just fell across her in the kitchens, when I was finishing the oatmeal they shared with me! She went there looking for boiling water to sterilize something. How great is that?" she spoke vehemently, irradiating her happiness.
As soon as she said that he stood there watching Elia's quiet approach like a complete fool, or actually feeling like one, subdued by the silence and uneasiness, until she came to stand beside his partner.
"Nice to meet you, Captain" he narrowed his eyes at her for a second, not truly enjoying this situation "I'm Elia Stoltz and part of the medical team working in here today" the healer said and just like the little girl, she offered her hand with a kind smile on her face.
"Good for you too to meet in here. But I didn't come all this way to make friends with anyone" he replied, absolutely refusing to hold her hand nor to look in her eyes "Hange, have you seen the Mr. Braus?" he asked and turned around to head outside.
This was a predicament he wasn't ready to deal with. Being friendly was like tempting their luck; Hange was a lunatic, but she was highly intelligent, and as observant as Erwin or Armin, so rarely missed a thing, reason why, his fear was justified. Levi had no clue about what he'd do had he touched her hand; he cursed at the idea of being unable to embrace her the way he wanted, so the safest choice here was to behave like he usually did, apparently apathetic to everything. Including the most likely sad but understanding smile on her face.
Of course, he wasn't deaf to his colleague's offended outburst or the yelling as soon as he got away from them.
"Hey, you!" the brunette shouted, displeased and somewhat embarrassed "I'm sorry, miss. You see... It's nothing against you, but I'm sure he's mad because he's stuck here with me and he doesn't like jokes, and Levi is not that social, but he means well... I assure you".
He was still moving towards the exit, tired of listening to one apology after another and Elia telling Hange that it was alright.
"He was outside, talking to the staff, Captain" that was her voice, coming from where she'd been, and automatically making him stop. Levi discreetly clenched his teeth, annoyed at the innocent tone and how she still addressed him; it didn't sound awkward or anything. She was as polite as ever but that reminded him of different times, when he'd tried to stay away "They were near the vine at the large house's back yard".
"Thanks" he replied, glancing to his side, trying to show her a deference only she'd understand. Acting like perfect strangers was exhausting but sadly necessary "I'll see you there in five minutes, Hange".
Once outside, and as anticipated, Sasha's father had been trying really hard to gather the group of brats in one place, and they were close to achieving the goal by the time he got there. Now the issue was to keep them there, under control, reason why the place's caregivers were scattered all around to make sure they didn't disperse or escape… again.
"My apologies for taking this long, Captain" Mr. Braus bowed his head, a bit shamed "These are all of our children" he said, pointing to the twenty-six different faces wondering what was going on.
The younglings were all seated at the two front rows of eight chairs each, and the other misfits stood behind them.
The soldier came to the front decisively, aware of the many looks on him, very alike to the ones he'd got from the kids at the stairs. But had they recognized him or not, he did not care, so he just stood there straight, with his hands folded behind his back, chin up and an undaunted expression on his face; undeniably imposing and authoritarian.
Hange had chosen to stay beside Sasha's father, close to the first chair in the front row. It was then the soldier also caught a flash of movement at the back, where a group of six nurses had joined the public. He found her in no time; that long dark braid was unmistakable. Too bad the annoying woman that was both her superior and friend was among them too.
Just be done with this soon, his inner voice said. Not because he had any sort of stage fright or anything; he just didn't like or enjoy being in the spotlight. Thus, the Captain gave one barely perceptible nod to Mr. Braus to let him, now was the time.
"Ahem... girls, boys… staff and guests" Sasha's father cleared his throat loudly and addressed them, yet not entirely capturing everyone's attention, "Please join me in giving a warm welcome to our guest speaker, Captain Levi, from the Survey Corps, who's come to share important information with us" in a jiffy, he noticed all the faces trying to get a glimpse of him.
"I told you it was him!" he heard the triumphant tone from a childish voice coming from the group in front of him. He'd been determined to ignore it, until he watched all the faces turn in that direction for a second, even Hange, who'd discreetly chuckled. Fortunately, looking daggers at her did the trick because he got everyone's attention and most importantly, a wonderful silence after the stupid murmurs came to an end.
There was skepticism and apprehension from some, however and to his surprise, mostly from adults. The youngsters he was staring to were pretty much like the little girl from a while ago, keen for whatever he would say or do, hoping for something like a demonstration perhaps, showing even enthusiasm. He couldn't understand why though, not even after hearing Hange saying more than once how famous he was. But that was the very reason behind it; being addressed by the most renown, strongest soldier to ever live was a big deal to any kid. Especially when they loved the idealism of his name and deeds but were absolutely ignorant of his many fixations and short temper.
Levi sighed in exasperation and took a minute before initiating his kind of pep talk.
"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters here is the message I intend to deliver" he stated, glad to see they were waiting for him to continue "First of all, I'm warning you I didn't came all this way to waste my time trying to put what is right and wrong inside your heads; I'm sure you all know how to distinguish that shit very well. So, to all those that are choosing to play dumb and willingly ignore to behave, there will be consequences" he said, a bit threatening and stone-faced "I'm aware many of you grew up with no guidance whatsoever, and still you managed to survive by own wit and merit in a place where the one rule was to eat or be eaten. I get that but make no mistake; this isn't the Underground City nor anything remotely similar to whatever dump you come from. In this place, there are different rules follow, and they apply to everyone" he wondered if the couple faces looking at him in disbelief and even haughtiness were either stupid or way too cocky but, in any case, the few smug smiles would soon disappear. Specially the one from a brat with an angelic face that looked like a perfect gentleman and was staring at him with no expression except defiant eyes "To make it short, I didn't come here to tell you that if you don't follow these rules, you'll be forced to go back there. No" he emphasized, in a grim tone "What I want to warn you about is that whoever fails to adapt, refusing to follow them, is going to wish they could".
The atmosphere was so quiet and they hadn't even heard the reason why they'd want such thing, but it was easy to guess; he could see in their now scared, confused faces. Even Mr. Braus, who's eyes showed fear because of the special authority he had on the place, vested by the Queen herself; so whichever decision he made, he couldn't argue.
"To be more specific, the punishment for assaulting, intimidating, stealing, attacking other brats or the staff, and refusing to cooperate with the maintenance of this place, will result in an automatic transfer to our military division" the soldier declared, finally satisfied to see his words had been taken seriously. But just in case, the best was to leave no loopholes "To your amazing fortune, youth won't be an impediment because we've concluded that titans don't differentiate ages, gender or anything when they feel like feasting on anyone. Therefore, even if you'd just learnt to wipe your own ass not long ago, you'll be recruited. No previous fighting skills are required because if you're useless, we'll still need assistance to carry both supplies and corpses".
That really made a statement. And no one who'd paid attention could ever dare to say this was a frolic but quite the contrary.
"Any questions?" Levi enquired, looking at the astounded audience, that went from real interest to confusion and then absolute terror. Tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife, not no mention nobody wanted to move "Perfect. That's all I had to say".
He began to walk towards Sasha's father and asked to follow him towards a big oak tree not that far from the properties, so they could have a proper chat; that at least would help ease how antsy the man had gotten after his speech. Hange of course followed close behind because she'd serve as a witness.
Softie and all, Levi comprehended now what Historia had meant about the man. It was actually why he'd wanted for him to hear the warning without knowing a thing, to make it believable and also, to test him. And the result, his authentical worry for these outcasts, had earned him his respect, and even gave the soldier some hope about their prospects for a better life.
"I remember you saying we should never judge people by its cover and imagine there's a story behind all that but…" Griselda said to her protégé now that everyone was going back to their own business "every time I hear him talk, I just convince myself that this man is just an empty shell who only believes in violence. And I'm leaving aside how vulgar he is, even in front of the children. It's outrageous".
"You already know I won't jump into any sort of conclusion, Gris" Elia answered, walking beside her towards the small medical station they set up outside. When they got there, the little tent they used had already been taken down by their colleagues, who'd fled right after the Captain retired along with his partner and the administrator "We should be on our way soon if we want to make it to Trost before noon".
"Ack… I knew you would say that" the older nurse protested, shaking her head with pessimism, and sighed in disappointment. It was saddening to see the blind faith Elia professed to that division and its people, mainly out of love for her little sister, nevertheless, her current romance with the Commander of the very same had only reinforced it "Anyways, who's the woman that came with him? The cheerful brunette who seemed so happy around you earlier" she asked because she got curious.
"That's Section Commander Hange Zoë, in charge of the Fourth Squadron" Elia explained, and gave away an enigmatic little smile "We met once, through Commander Erwin" oh, that explains a lot, Griselda said to herself, without the faintest clue that the real reason behind the gesture was the memory of the moment the officer saw her in the kitchens, and her reaction was a beaming smile.
Relieved to see Griselda hadn't insist on speaking ill about Levi, the healer concentrated on helping with the transport of the equipment they'd brought. It was so horrible to be unable to defend him appropriately when their secret compelled her to remain silent. He didn't care, she knew that, but it still bothered her because her mentor was no ordinary person to her.
"I like her. Seems a jolly, spontaneous woman" the older nurse stated when she returned, while both were storing the medicine and other supplies inside the wooden containers "It's hard to think she has to cope with somebody like him on a daily basis. She was probably forced to come here and it's why she was so happy to see a friendly face" Griselda noticed Elia was about to interrupt but she gave her a condescending look and continued "He was incredibly rude to you earlier, and she was the one who apologized to you so don't try to excuse him, Elia. Not every person is as good as you'd wish them to be".
"I didn't imagine you'd been watching us, but I don't take it personal, Gris" her protégé commented somewhat discouraged, about that and for assuming she'd stop pressing the matter. The only thing she could do was to just change the subject herself "Before we go, I was going to ask you for the possibility to give one of these to Mr. Braus" she said, pointing to one of the containers "I don't dare saying the infirmary here had a decent stock of anything except for a few bottles of alcohol" she remarked while picking up the material to be discarded in a separate bag.
"Yes, I noticed too. It's a good idea to provide him of the basics, in case of an emergency" Griselda agreed, grabbing one of them and holding it with both arms; the object was a bit large but at least not that heavy "Jeyne told me they all got their belongings already so, do you want me to retrieve yours as well?" said asked, referring to their jackets and bags, to what Elia nodded in gratitude.
The senior nurse headed inside the main building and went upstairs, secretly cursing her bad luck to run into that disagreeable man's presence, and specially annoyed at the way he addressed the children; most of them have had a horrible life or been abandoned, and it wasn't their fault to be orphans. So, that cold, indolent look of his had really made her mad. She'd been thinking about that when, by the time she turned on the second landing to reach the third and top floor, she stopped, surprised to see an apparently twelve-year-old boy seating on the second step, curled up and it looked like he was crying.
"Shh, dear. What happened to you?" she enquired as she moved closer and bend her knee in front of him, leaving the container on the floor, by her side "What's wrong?"
"My tummy… it hurts a lot" he explained, raising his face to look at her "But we weren't allowed to move while the officer spoke to us, and now it hurts more" he said and then flinched.
Of course, that man again! she griped, while watching the kid's red eyes and nose from crying, wishing someone might give that man a lesson someday. But she was a professional, and so, the priority now was the patient; before leaving, she'd have a word with Mr. Braus about this.
"Alright. Just in case you don't remember, I work in a hospital, so I may be able to help you" she reminded him "Uhm, please, tell me where does it hurt" the woman asked as she touched the boy's forehead under that short and wavy blond hair, making sure he had no fever.
"In here" he indicated, pointing to the area near his belly button and looking at her in distress.
"Don't worry, dear" Griselda said, glad to see he was trusting her "If you follow me upstairs, I'll see what I can do to help" she continued to distract him, so they got there sooner "By the way, did you eat anything out of breakfast?"
"Just some plums I pulled out of a tree, near to the place where the horses graze" the boy replied, and by the painful expression on his face, she knew he was having cramps.
"Did you wash them first?" she continued, after finally reaching the door and placed the container on the floor once more, to get the key. She glimpsed in his direction and saw him shaking his head no "Well, I'm afraid that's what probably caused the stomachache. But I think a chamomile infusion will make you feel better in no time" she promised and gestured him to get in before her and take a seat on the examination table.
Griselda left the box on the table at the back of the room and moved towards the rack where they've left their belongings. She knew Elia always carried both, a bottle of water and a thermos with boiling water when traveling outside the district, so she'd borrow some because she most definitely wouldn't mind.
"Did the pain get worse or is it hurting somewhere else?" she asked the boy while moving to look for the herb in the box she'd brought and then moved to another table to prepare it.
"Same" she heard him say, and there was the same tone of pain in his voice.
"Don't worry. It'll be ready soon" she assured, with her back to him.
And now that she was trying to open the burning water container, the older woman suddenly felt something hit her nape and she lost balance immediately, letting go of the object she was holding as she got dizzy and fell hard, banging her forehead with the table's edge in the process.
Griselda managed to stop from hitting the floor with her face because her hands responded quickly. Still, she blinked several times and touched her forehead, noting the warmth of her own blood now falling on one side of her face. The woman looked up and yet all she could barely see was the boy searching all over the place, until he realized the only valuable thing inside there was the box she'd carried, as well as their bags.
Too stunned, she remained on the floor during the two minutes it took him to clear out the box, throwing what he considered valuable inside her own bag, including Elia's things, and all the while completely ignoring her.
What a great actor, she thought bitterly, angered by this ruse. That drove her to use what strength she had left and stood up as best as she could to stop him. Not entirely sure how she did it, but the older woman had him now grabbed by one sleeve, determined not to let him go.
"Why did you do it?" Griselda cried out, locking his wrist with both of her hands while the blood ran down her face, dripping "Faking an illness just for this?" she said, hurt and let down.
"Hey, let go of me!" the boy shrieked, trying to break free with one hand as the other held her bag with all the stolen goods "Let me go, damn it!"
"I won't!" the woman spat, trying to tighten her grip but it was impossible. Her arms felt so heavy now, and she was even dizzier than before "Tell me why you attacked me"
"Because I need money" the boy muttered and stopped grappling with her. He lowered both arms, yet still without letting go of the bag, and started sobbing "If I don't pay for my right to be here, they will beat me again" he accused, looking up at her for two seconds.
Shocked and at the sight of those tears on his face, she unconsciously let him go.
"Are you lying again? Who's going to hurt you?" Griselda asked, exhausted. The effort had taken its toll on her because everything started to look blurry. She shook her head, trying to stay awake and tottered to her right, until she managed to lean on the nearest wall.
"I swear it, on my mother's memory. I need the money, or the older boys won't leave me alone" he explained, lowering his head while he was slowly and quietly walking backwards, towards the exit and relieved to see she was barely standing "They're always picking on the ones like me, stealing our food and making their own rules, like having to pay so we can have some sleep. That's why, if I get them this, they'll sell it at the market and grant me some peace".
"You could have said so from the beginning. We could have helped you" the woman mumbled, now sitting on the floor after sliding down the wall.
"No. Nobody can help us because nobody cares" she was barely conscious and despite her eyes had closed, she still got to listen to his voice "Please, don't tell anyone or the shady officer will take it on me. Please" he begged, using a voice full of fear, to deceit her again.
Before nothingness got a hold of her, Griselda heard the door opening and the kid's steps, running away as fast as possible.
By the time she opened her eyes again, she noticed only one was actually seeing anything, and luckily not blurry but the light hurt a little. She felt so disoriented and incredibly tired, not to mention sore.
"Ah, she's recovering at last" that voice came from up close, and though it wasn't familiar, she remembered hearing it somewhere anyways "Don't worry, Mrs. Green. The Administrator went to get help and will return shortly" the woman's voice assured.
Griselda tried to focus and make sense out of things, and only then she recalled one or two details; for example, that she was lying on the examination table the boy had been before.
"What happened here?" the older woman queried, taking one hand to her eyes, and soon realized why she couldn't see anything with the other; the whole area around it had been covered with a piece of cloth. It was then she sensed a warm touch on the same, and automatically turned to see the face of whoever that was.
"That's precisely what we were waiting for you to respond" it came from other side of the room and oh, she recognized that voice for certain; it was always so unpleasant to hear it, but she had neither the courage nor the strength to think about that now.
"Mrs. Green. My name is Hange Zöe" the female said while sitting on a chair that had been placed next to where she was. Griselda narrowed her eyes and corroborated this was the same person Elia had been talking to that morning "We found you unconscious and injured on the floor when we were on our way to Mr. Braus' office. Do you remember what happened?"
Little by little, she'd been recalling the scenes, but they were so many that the thoughts felt like a jumble inside her head. She took a deep breath and did her best to explain.
"I came across a young lad when I was on my way here. He was crying because his stomach ached, so I offered my help and asked him to follow me here, where I had medicine" she began, without putting much thought on the matter. She hadn't remembered about the consequences for the kid yet "He didn't hit me hard but the cut on my forehead… I got that one when I fell. After that I tried to stop him from stealing all the supplies and our belongings, but I was extremely tired, so he escaped".
"I never thought there was a brat stupid enough, wanting to leave with us so soon" the soldier commented to the woman next to her. He sounded so disdainful and seemed even bored.
"Wait" Griselda said, sitting up on that surface way too abruptly, getting dizzy again. But what he'd said helped her remember what the boy told and asked of her. She was so troubled; she truly didn't want him to go through more than what he'd already endured there, especially after the punishment he'd receive. Being forced to join the Scouts was a fancy way to put a death sentence on him or any other "The boy... He's not to blame. He promised he wanted the valuable thing to gain the older kids' favor. That's all"
"Are you that easily fooled or the did the blow made you say this nonsense" Captain Levi said, and she looked for the first time in his direction, noting the self-sufficient posture he had; arms crossed while he leaned his back on the entrance wall, next to the door "Are you really trying to justify an act like this? Don't you see he could have killed you?" he wasn't yelling but his eyes were furious.
"I told you. He didn't hit me hard" she lied, trying to protect him. She looked to the other officer and by the downcast countenance on her face, she realized she could watch their conversation but never support her "I was distracted when he hit the back of my head. I got this other one when I fell".
"Tch!" the man snorted, getting madder within seconds "And on top of everything, the rat is a treacherous one" he seemed so calm, but again, it was those eyes the ones screaming how enraged he was. As if he was taking this personal, but why did he care about her? It was so strange "I can see you're trying to protect him, but you better describe him right now or I'll use my own methods to find him. And I will find him, lady" he called her that, and somehow it felt like an insult or maybe it was her own dislike for him that made her see it that way.
"I won't" she refused, making him stand straight, glaring angrily at her "He swore on his mother's memory that he's having a bad time with some of the other children, that he thought making some money would give him some peace. Please, sir. Don't be unfair".
"Fair?" he repeated, full of irony. He was going to add another, most likely, nasty remark but she saw him looking to his left, waiting for something to happen. It was then the door to the infirmary opened and she saw Elia and Jeyne coming in. Right behind them was Mr. Braus.
The three looked at her from head to toe, evaluating her current state. Elia was the only one who looked around, to that man and immediately after to his partner; Jeyne on the other hand feared him as much as she did, so she avoided both. Not that it mattered, because he wasn't paying any attention to neither; his deadly stare was fixed on her, and yet now there was no expression of any kind in his face, which was so strange given how, a minute ago he'd looked capable of torturing her to extract the information.
"Don't worry ladies" this time, the woman named Hange intervened, moving away to give space to her fellow nurses, so they could check her state "We've been with her since we found her here".
"What happened to you, Mrs. Green?" Jeyne enquired, frightened.
"How long since she regained consciousness?" now it was Elia who spoke, giving a quick examination to her, lifting her chin and momentarily removed the piece of cloth with carefulness, for a better view of the cut on her forehead, right above her left eyebrow.
"Mrs. Green has been chatting for around nine minutes with us ever since she woke up" Hange informed "We can't tell for sure how long she'd been lying on the floor, but we found her like that twenty minutes ago".
As soon as she said that, Griselda proceeded to tell the same story to them, without going into further details. Obviously, her subordinates were shocked to learn that she'd been attacked by somebody she was trying to help. And by the time she was done, she saw the Captain heading outside but stopping right under the doorframe, looking to the hall in front of him.
"I need to talk to you Mr. Braus" he'd said, ignoring everyone "Alone" the soldier specified, and the administrator followed him in silence after nodding in seriousness.
She knew what that meant, and she couldn't help getting tensed; he hadn't been bluffing when he made his threat to look for the boy, and she was scared for all the kids there and the methods she imagined, he could use; that man was capable of anything.
"Elia" she called, interrupting her search for supplies to treat her wound. The kid had taken everything, including her own stuff but there was no need to mention it.
"There's nothing here, Gris" she muttered, and she noticed the frustration and worry in her demeanor when she turned to her. She saw her taking a clean handkerchief from one of her pockets and walked to her.
"Elia, please try to protect the boy. I'm not going to lodge a complaint or anything, but I fear he'll find him no matter what" she said while the young woman was trying to use that to clean the blood off her face very gently "The man seemed particularly determined to do so when he asked for a description, and I refused to cooperate".
"Mrs. Green" the other officer had been so quiet this whole time that she forgot she was still there. Griselda turned in her direction and saw her sighing before addressing her again "Please, don't take this personally. We need to know what happened because, whether he is being harassed or not, we can't allow a behavior like this or things will get worse" she explained, looking at her subordinates and back at her, afflicted "My partner was probably a bit harsh, but he was right; you could have end up dead, even if the kid hadn't meant it"
"I can tell by the look on your face you won't change your mind, but I agree with the officer here, Gris" Elia stated, even though she knew there was no point "In any case, our priority now is treating the wound, so I'll got get some supplies while Jeyne stays with you" Elia conveyed, giving a look to her partner, to what she nodded once in return.
"Elia, wait" she said, as anxious as before. Her head was beginning to ache "I'm alright. I can wait a couple minutes but please, try to talk to him out of it. I'll seek the boy before we leave, to have a word with him, but don't let him take the kid with him to become a soldier; he's too young" she said, once again thinking about her own son, who died out there, despite his age and training "Jeyne, dear, please go to where the rest of the girls are and get the necessary for my wound. Unless you want to try to appeal to that man's heart" if he has one, she said to herself and saw the panic in the other nurse's expression "Yeah, I figured and I can't even judge you" she told her, and then turned to Elia. The other officer was a couple steps behind her "You're not afraid to talk to him or anyone so please, Elia".
"Alright, Gris. If it means that much, I will talk to him" she accepted, visibly against her own will "But we cannot leave you alone, not with that nasty slash. You might pass out again and that ain't so simple. You know it" her protégé pointed out.
"Don't worry, Miss" Hange stepped in when she saw the look of anguish on her face "I can't interfere with Levi's decision, but I can help you by staying with Mrs. Green" she offered, looking at her, silently asking if she minded or not, to what Griselda smiled back in gratitude.
"Thank you, officer" her protégé and Jeyne said in unison.
"I'll be right back, Mrs. Green" the other nurse said as she headed for the door, where she disappeared. And Elia followed close behind.
"Gris, I will try but keep in mind that if the answer is no, there isn't much to be done".
Griselda lowered her head, because she wasn't going to give up, but she'd wait until they tended her. She imagined Elia understood but she wasn't going to argue. She looked up when she heard the door closing not long after.
"I know we don't know each other, officer" she started saying, observing the woman getting closer, taking a seat beside her again "But I'm very glad Elia had met a kinder person among your people, aside from Commander Erwin of course" she didn't know where she was going with this conversation but talking helped her distracting herself "I apologize in advance if I'm being rude here but I wonder how do you cope with someone like him 'cause I bet is not easy. That's why I feel so anxious for the kid; your partner doesn't seem to care if he's too young or not to go die out there. It was clear in the way he spoke this morning".
"You may speak freely, Mrs. Green. Your perception of things is valid, but that doesn't mean I agree with you" the brunette said, quite respectfully "Regarding Ms. Stoltz, we haven't known each other for so long but I like her. She's an interesting brave, strong-willed woman, although I'm afraid that won't work with him" she commented, and she comprehended whom she was referring to "But he's not a bad guy, Mrs. Green".
"Sorry to differ and probably offend you, but I doubt it" she contradicted, and divert her eyes to the window to her right; there wasn't a soul out there in the yards "Ever since I met him, he's been nothing but a despicable man, so rude and indifferent to other's presence and pain" she muttered, now staring to the blue skies. She was recalling that one evening where she'd had dined with Elia and her friend, the redhead girl who perished not long after; all because she'd believed and followed that man.
"Don't worry, you're not offending me. And as I said, it's your perception from outside and I won't try to change it. Only time will tell if you were right or wrong about him" the woman named Hange said, and when she turned to look at her, she seemed a bit lost in thought "Just know that there are reasons for what you see. And most of the time, we're obliged to make hard decisions for the greater good, whether we like them or not".
That's a soldier's duty, mother: to make the hard decisions and get your hands dirty for others, and by the end of the day, be condemned for how that looks like, Griselda suddenly remembered those words with the voice of her son in her head; when he'd tried to make her see Commander Shadis wasn't an evil man.
And no matter the years since her Rolf died, she still missed him every day.
The older nurse said no more. Instead, she focused her eyes on the view of the nature, forgetting how brutal this was sometimes in order to keep a balance of life. But the way the boy had cried and begged not to be taken by the militia had broken her heart and it was why, she just couldn't give up on him. Not yet.
When she finally caught up with the administrator and the Captain, who looked at her incredibly angry, the healer waited until Mr. Braus was distracted enough so she could get a bit closer, taking advantage of the time he was taking to instruct the caregivers to reunite the whole group again.
Having a conversation was going to be difficult given both were under the gaze of everyone passing by in the lobby; she actually ran into Jeyne, who was on her way back to the infirmary before finally addressing him. Fortuitously after that, they found themselves alone for five minutes and so talking got a bit easier but just the action itself; the subject of discussion was entirely different.
"Don't even try. Whatever you say, he's coming with us" Levi scowled, now daring to look into her eyes because there was nobody near them, but it was her who wasn't staring back at him.
"I didn't come here to make you change your mind" she clarified, trying to appease him a little. She'd been standing still, her hands clasped in front of her while looking down at them. After a moment, she raised her head and met those steel-blue eyes she liked so much, only they seemed so tired now "I came to apologize for Gris's behavior. She lost her son in one expedition under Shadis command and it's why she's inclined to help the boy. She's not trying to make this harder just because".
"I hate when you apologize" he hissed, staying away but not yet breaking contact "It's even more annoying when you have nothing to do with her stupid, irresponsible conduct. Don't you see you could have been in her place? And yet she's failing to see that" he accused.
"We don't know what the kid said to her, but it must have been really tragic to make her act this way" Elia sighed, and looked down, noticing how his right fist clenched and felt somewhat guilty for the idea she'd offered. Maybe it wasn't the best but there was no going back on it "Do what you have to do if you really see no other way" was all she said, turning to go back upstairs.
"You shouldn't have followed me" she heard him say brusquely, and watched him go in the opposite direction, quite fed up.
When she returned to the infirmary, her dejected expression was enough to respond to Griselda's unspoken question.
"Mrs. Green, please stay still so I can finish sewing you up. We will be done in two minutes so, let me do my job, okay?" Jeyne asked, giving her a pleading look but Elia was so demoralized that she missed that.
"Are you alright, dear?" Griselda enquired, imagining that she was still recovering from being verbally assaulted by that vicious man. But the question helped her snap out of the low spirits and then, Elia managed to give her a reassuring nod, letting her know she was fine.
"Great. Now that you arrived, we'll head back to the city" Elia tilted her head to a side, waiting for further information "Mrs. Green's instructions" Jeyne commented when she finished patching her up "Don't worry. We'll make sure to send the small cart back here as soon as we arrive".
Shortly after that, she heard Griselda thanking the young nurse for her work and asked her to explain what happened to their superiors without going into further details because she'd do so later. Jeyne nodded obediently, and yet the healer got a glimpse of hesitation in her nervous smile before she left; that led her to believe she most likely already told everything to the rest of the team so now she was probably trying to find a way to fix that.
"I saw no point on them waiting for us. Besides, I know you'd have refused to leave me" Griselda said to her protégé, calling her attention "Not to mention you're the only one courageous enough to stick by my side for what I'm about to do" this time, she gave away the type of smile that felt like an apology in advance.
"Gris, I know you want to come down and try to talk to the Captain but he won't change his mind" she said, approaching to officer Hange and seeing the I knew that was going to happen look on her face. One her mentor didn't notice but she needed to prepare her to accept things. She suspected Levi needed his comrade with him but figured she'd been taking care of Gris while she was down there talking to him, so he said nothing "Section Commander, Captain Levi requested your presence".
"Ha! Did he…?" she tried lightening the mood with a joke, but she soon realized that might distress Mrs. Green even more. So instead, she cleared her throat and changed the subject "I told you a while ago you could call me Hange but just like Erwin said, you're extremely polite" she smiled friendly, missing Moblit's presence; he was the one always calling her that when in public "With your permission, Mrs. Green" she nodded once at her, then winked at Elia and walked to the door.
"I will call you that if you call me by my name as well, officer" Hange heard her say as she headed out, and she couldn't help chuckling at her slightly sassy tone, despite the current circumstances. She hoped seeing her again someday.
Now alone, there was no need for Elia to narrate anything. She just helped the older nurse to take of the stained apron to replace it with hers before heading downstairs. She was against it, but this was between her friend and Levi, and though it troubled her, the only thing she could do was to remain on the sidelines.
Half an hour later, they all found themselves gathered in the courtyard once again.
The first chair in the front row had been empty so she helped Griselda to seat there and stood beside her.
Elia saw both Levi and the brunette talking to Mr. Braus in front of the crowd but judging by the nervous looks on several faces, she could tell nobody had been able to eavesdrop on them.
The exchange was brief. And so, she observed the administrator going to stand beside her while Hange remained there, several steps behind Levi, who was now looking intently at the young, scared spectators.
Her palms felt sweaty out of anxiety, so she breathed in deep to control it, especially after seeing the kind of canny sparkle in his eyes, letting her know he'd found his prey.
"Hey you, at the back… the blond brat in the dark brown jacket" he said and everyone turned, looking for the kid he'd identified, who was apparently super calm "Come here" Levi ordered. She took a peek at Griselda, noting her both astounded and scared, thus confirming that was indeed her attacker "Did this heat melt your brain or you're just plainly stupid? I can see you're sweating like a pig under that. What's your excuse?" he said to him when the lad joined him.
Elia noticed the boy was playing innocent while the rest of the crowd watched everything in an absolute silence.
"I have a cold, sir" the child replied, trying to fake weakness and pulled a handkerchief out his pocket "I'm not hot right now".
"Is that so?" the soldier muttered as he raised an eyebrow, without moving an inch "How strange 'cause I remember seeing you only wearing a white t-shirt this morning and your sleeves were all up. Besides, that rag belongs to another half-witted brat in here" Elia saw the kid getting all tense now, and though he restrained himself from looking to the jacket's owner, his countenance was cracking up under Levi's intimidating glare "And I suppose you're not that idiotic to try selling me the story of you having a fever" he scoffed, both cautionary and sarcastic.
The boy went pale the minute he understood he wouldn't fool the soldier, who'd blown his cover oh so easily; he clearly wasn't going to let him get away with it. It was then that, the boy's face changed from guiltlessness to a calculating, defiant one, astonishing her and the rest of adult audience; the other children already knew how tricksy he was.
The healer now looked without discretion to Griselda, completely frozen, but suddenly, she saw her eyes widening for what was currently happening. Elia looked back to where Levi was, unable to believe the kid was trying to bite him to make his escape; he, for sure, had no idea how futile that was. She could see it in the Captain's miffed expression while the lad tried harder, until he finally exhausted his patience because in a matter of seconds, the kid was on the ground, as stunned as she was the first time she discovered the word fast was an understatement to describe Levi's velocity. She wasn't certain but everything indicated that he'd punched him in the stomach because the boy was gasping on all fours.
Next to her, Gris attempted to stand but she unconsciously stopped at the warning and fury in Levi's eyes, who'd caught the movement. She'd seen that stare before; that day at the bar, when his eyes had screamed not to come any closer.
"Get up" he ordered "Get up and take the jacket off right away or I assure you, the next one will hurt".
The boy stood up and obeyed, not without first staring at all the witnesses with furious eyes, as if they were to blame for this public humiliation.
As soon as he removed it, everyone saw the dried blood on one of his sleeves; the undeniable proof of the accusation against him.
"Were you really that stupid to think you'd get away with this? Or maybe you're absurdly eager to join us?" Levi said with disdain, but Elia knew he wasn't enjoying this at all. He looked at Hange and beckoned her to apprehend the boy, who'd lost all color and looked at them, frightened; clear sign he'd thought the previous warning was nothing but a bluff to make them behave.
"Wait" Elia looked to her side, to where the voice had come, and she saw Griselda standing up.
She'd hoped so bad she wouldn't do this but trying to stop her would only make things worse. That being the case, her only option was to let her be, but she'd help her a little through this; reason why she placed a hand on her shoulder gently, making her turn and leant forward to whispered her to better wait a little. The woman seemed to react and nodded once, comprehending the best was for the other children to leave before engaging in a conversation with the Captain.
"This is a final warning to all. If you intend to treat my words as a joke, fine. Just know these are the repercussions you'll face" he said and saw all kids nodding quickly "Good. You're dismissed now" he finished, and that was a command everyone was happy to comply with. All except Mr. Braus, who seemed reluctant to leave the boy, but the world-weary glare he got from Levi persuaded him to follow his other foster children and carers. And so, a minute later, it was only them there.
"Sir, please wait" her senior managed to articulate with respect as she attempted to follow them now that they were heading to the stables. Levi headed the march while the kid behind was only a few steps behind him and officer Hange had the rear covered. Elia saw him stop, unwillingly but he still did "Please don't do this. I told you I won't report him because it wasn't a serious injury. I'm sure the boy regrets what happened. Isn't that right, kid?" she addressed him, trying not to stare at the tied wrists.
The healer noted his first reaction had been utter surprise, but then he simply nodded, and she didn't know for sure but it didn't look sincere and yet she couldn't blame him for trying; feigning repentance was his one chance to avoid the prospect he imagined.
"Levi" Hange said, and the only thing he did was turn in their direction, to face Gris so they could be done with this business.
"Did I stutter?" he growled, solely focused on her friend and ignoring her presence "I thought I said everyone to move away, or besides fools there's also deaf people in here?"
"I heard you the first time sir but if you don't mind, I'd like to speak on behalf of the lad" she said with determination and trying not to avert her gaze from the sharpness in those stern, inscrutable eyes "I'll take him to my house, where he could make up for his mistake by taking care of me until I'm fully healed".
"That's ridiculous and completely unnecessary. I've taken care already" the soldier responded, unmoved and the boy started crying, mainly to look pitiful so the woman tried harder.
"Captain, I insist" Griselda repeated, but instead of answering her, the man turned to the kid and she saw those blue eyes glower.
"Really, rat?" he mocked him, unaffected; unlike Gris "Are you going to swear on your mother's memory again? Should I remind you that you never met her?" Levi lashed out at the boy, who looked ashamed, mostly for being exposed once more. And Elia realized that, that particular lie angered Levi because mothers were sacred to him. It was then he turned to Griselda, looking at her with anger "I cannot believe you're falling for this folly, lady" he retorted nastily, sick of the situation "Because I assure you, he's not sorry. I know his kind".
"Obviously. You're no different" the woman replied, realizing her mistake after getting carried away by her rage and unconsciously hurting Elia, because of how unfair that was to Levi. He cared for this kid, and it was why he wanted to straighten him out from the path he was following.
Suddenly, she felt Gris stumbling upon her when she stepped back after seeing the Captain moving in her direction, with a subtle sneer on his face; his eyes were the only denoting the ire at her audacity.
"That's exactly the point" he replied in a caustic, dry tone "When it comes to scum like us, pain and strong disciplinary measures are the best cure for bad habits and insolence".
"What about mercy?" Griselda asked, not really hopeful to succeed but there was no harm in trying "Have you ever considered that? He's just a child"
"Hmph… That's a luxury I cannot afford" Levi answered back in a cold tone "Just like this brat showed none to you, despite your age or the fact that you tried to aid him. He simply left you bleeding on the floor" Elia saw the worry with which Gris looked to the boy, who'd been watching the exchange very carefully, finally realizing Levi wasn't going to back down "He's been inspiring pity because he fears becoming a snack, which doesn't sound so bad; if he gives those monsters an indigestion, at least that'll grant us time to cut their nape more easily..." he said, with a severe stare to the boy, who had the decency to look scared; he had no idea that was impossible "In any case, it matters not 'cause no one is going to miss this deceitful, little shit".
"I would" Griselda said, with nothing but sadness in her voice, so helpless in regard to the life the kid got to live "It's not his fault to have been born where he did, nor how he learnt to trick people; nobody taught him any different" the older nurse said, feeling guilty for being unable to help him.
It was easy to see it on her face. So much that without foreseeing it, both Hange and her looked surprised when they watched the kid walking towards Griselda after raising his head to Levi, as if he were asking for permission to move. The man said nor did a thing, only stared but that told the kid he wasn't against it, and it was then the heavy-hearted but resigned look in his eyes let her know that everything her mentor did and said to help him had reached something inside him for the first time ever, just because he saw how much she truly cared.
"I'm sorry for today, lady" the boy said looking to his feet in embarrassment, his ears turning red. He said nothing else but abruptly turned and resumed his way to the stables, followed closed behind by the soldier.
"I hope you recover soon, Mrs. Green" it was Hange's voice the one bringing both to the present. The nurses watched her nodding once respectfully; instead of her usual easy smile, all she perceived now was seriousness and some melancholy "Just in case, we found your belongings. Mr. Braus kept them inside his office" the officer indicated "Hope to see you again sometime soon, Ms. Stoltz" and with that, she followed the kid and her comrade.
Elia grabbed her friend's arm in hers to guide her back to the building. It'd wasn't wise to let her see them leave or she'd get even more distressed.
"That man's truly beyond my understanding. Doesn't seem to even have a heart" Griselda said, lost in thought and not really waiting for a response; she knew she wouldn't agree or disagree. But the way she felt her letting go of her arm as soon as they passed the building's entrance was depressing "I'll go to the bathroom, dear. You don't mind waiting for me in here, right?" she inquired, pointing to a bench right next to the stairs.
"Not at all, Gris. But please, be careful" Elia said as she took a seat there and Griselda gave away a feeble smile before heading to one of the bathrooms, just a couple doors away from there. And though it worried her to leave her alone after the blow and the stressful past hour, the healer guessed she wanted some time for herself.
I hope this really works, Levi… she said on the inside, thinking about the lad and also Gris' undeserved assumption about the soldier while staring to the comforting view of the front yard through the opened doors. Somehow, the rays of sunlight out there, illuminating almost everything, symbolized the wish he had in relation to this place; not expecting to be lifechanging but as long as these foundlings could considerate it a home, it'd be enough.
Still, she sighed in dejection. It was so hard to be bound not to say a thing. She knew well they wouldn't take him outside the Wall Rose or Trost, just because he didn't have the necessary training, but if there was a chance for the boy to change for better, surrounded by hardworking people and seeing how life was far from the place that made him that way… it was worth the shot. Most of all now that Gris had moved something inside him, because the boy's apology came off as an honest one, and that was a good sign.
She'd been so deep in thought that she didn't notice someone else had sat beside her, at the other end of that bench. And the healer couldn't help a curious expression towards the person there; a very tiny one she'd seen earlier.
"Miss… Do you think Teddy will be fine?" the little girl asked her, with worry in her big, green eyes "It's true he was mean to all ever since he arrived, and was always stealing our things to hide them, but I think that's because he doesn't know how to make friends" Elia marveled on the inside at how kind a child's heart could be when nurtured and protected.
"I'm afraid I cannot guarantee such thing because it depends on him. Though I am sure, if he realizes there are other ways to live and learn from his mistakes, he'll be alright, little one" she said to her with a warm, honest smile.
"Then I'm glad mister captain and his sister took him with them" the girl said, with an enthusiastic, merry nod.
Elia though it was cute the way she'd called him, although she doubted Levi might like it. Officer Hange on the contrary most certainly would, and to just imagine that cheered her up a little because she really liked her.
"What do you think about him?" Elia asked her, out of mere curiosity "About mister captain? Was he terrifying a while ago?"
"Well, he was a bit scary, but Teddy had it coming for trying to bite him" she shrugged and then tilted her head to a side, considering something "But I don't think so. He says a lot of bad words, but he wasn't mean to me before, not even when I crashed into him".
"Thank you, little one" I'm glad you noticed Elia said to her, watching her hopping off, and ran to the exit when she saw a group of kids passing by. She saw her turn near the exit, giving her a friendly smile as she waved her hand goodbye before disappearing.
The healer couldn't help a smile, both grateful and tender to hear her say that. It had been so alleviating; not because she doubted him, but she was aware of how feelings could blind one's judgement. However, and in their magnificent innocence, children often saw people and things clearer than anyone. And she could tell Levi's unintentional piece of advice, had caused an impact on the girl. One that'd be positive and helpful for her present and future.
My apologies for the delay but I've been swamped with many thing these past weeks.
Happy Valentine's Day to all!
Namárië
