Once Leona's mother, Diana, had finished setting the table and serving everyone their food, she settled down at the end of the table. To her left sat her own mother, Ruth, while Leona occupied the seat to her right. At the far end of the table, her husband, Kile, settled in, his expression one of contentment.
Soon after everyone took their seats, the clinking of cutlery filled the air as they began to eat. Before digging into her own meal, Diana made a point of feeding her mother first. She took her spoon, dipping it into the creamy porridge she had lovingly prepared. Raising it carefully, she blew gently on it, her eyes flickering with concern, ensuring it wasn't too hot for Ruth to eat. She then lifted it slowly to her mother's lips, her posture slightly tense, as if sensing the delicate balance between nurturing and independence.
Diana believed her mother couldn't manage it herself due to her age, but deep down, an uncomfortable suspicion lingered—that Ruth clung to that old, worn book of hers as if it were a lifeline. The only time it left her grasp was for bathing, dressing, or bed, and even then, no one dared to touch it. Fearful of her mother's wrath, both Diana and Kile had long given up on prying it away. They forbade Leona from even glancing at it, unable to comprehend the attachment her mother had to the book, assuming it was merely the result of her advancing years.
"Come now, mother, open up so you can eat," Diana coaxed gently, positioning the spoon at Ruth's lips again. Slowly, Ruth complied, her movements deliberate but shaky, some of the porridge dribbling down her chin. Diana, quick to respond, blotted her mother's mouth with a napkin, her expression a mixture of tenderness and urgency as she repeated the process until the plate was nearly empty—or until Ruth signaled she had had enough. Once Ruth was satisfied, her food somewhat cooled, Diana finally turned to her own meal.
"Leona, how's the food? Is it good?" Diana asked, noticing her daughter's plate was still brimming with untouched food, her brow furrowed slightly in concern.
Meanwhile, Kile happily polished off his serving in record time, a satisfied grin plastered on his face. "It's good, Leona," she replied, her tone almost apologetic. "I just didn't want to finish so quickly since you haven't started eating yet."
"It's alright, dear. You go on and eat—no need to wait for me," her mother reassured her, glancing over at her husband for support.
"Right, dear," Kile chimed in, a booming voice punctuated by a loud burp that echoed around the table, indicating his satisfaction with the food. "Delicious, love!" he remarked, beaming proudly at Diana.
"Kile, I would appreciate it if you'd mind your manners at the table," Diana said sharply, though a hint of amusement danced in her eyes as Leona giggled at her father's antics.
"Of course, of course!" Kile replied, waving his hand dismissively.
"Anyway, Leona, how was today with your father?" Diana asked, taking a calming sip of her tea, keen to divert the conversation back to her daughter.
"It was okay," Leona said, picking at her food thoughtfully. "I must admit I was quite bored."
"Oh, really?" Diana raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Oh, but we did travel all the way to Wall Rose today," Leona added, finally looking up from her plate, her curiosity piquing.
"Did you now?" Ruth replied, her voice barely above a whisper, her interest evident in the way she leaned slightly forward. "How come?"
"Um... I'm not really sure," Leona hesitated, searching her memory. "But Father and some officers did take a man into custody," she mentioned, glancing over at Kile, who was momentarily taken aback.
"Father," she said, her voice a mix of innocence and concern, "did that man do something bad?"
"Huh?" Kile's eyes widened, caught off guard by his daughter's question. "Well, of course, we wouldn't have taken him in otherwise," he replied, though his nervous demeanor betrayed him as he shifted awkwardly in his chair.
"I guess you're right," Leona said, turning her attention back to her food, though her thoughts were still lingering on the earlier subject. "But other than that, I was bored."
"Yeah, and that's why you decided to run off by yourself when I clearly instructed ye to stay in the carriage," Kile scolded gently, but with a hint of frustration.
"What?" her mother asked, placing her fork down sharply. "Leona, I thought I made myself clear! If you were going to accompany your father to work, you were to listen to what he tells you," she said, her tone firm as she leveled a serious gaze at Leona.
"Father!" Leona gasped, her eyes wide and shocked that he would betray her so quickly. "You betrayed me!" she continued, her voice a mix of indignation and mock hurt. "You said you wouldn't tell her while we were on our way back home!"
"Watch yer tongue, Leona. What, ye thought I could get away with lying to your mother? You and I both know that would never work," Kile chuckled, a playful twinkle in his eye.
A friendly banter erupted between Leona and her father, their laughter filling the room. Diana couldn't help but break into a smile, the warmth of their connection evident in the way their eyes sparkled with mischief.
"More and more, you both act like each other," Diana said with a laugh, finally finishing her own meal.
Both Leona and Kile halted their playful exchange, turning to Diana with curious expressions. A proud grin spread across Kile's face. "Of course she's my kid; after all, she better take after me!" he declared confidently, puffing out his chest.
"I agree, though I wish she'd be a bit more ladylike," Diana replied, rising from her seat and starting to clear the table, her tone still light but carrying a parental undertone.
"I am ladylike enough!" Leona protested, attempting to defend herself.
"I know, I just would prefer if you'd come with me to the tailor shop instead of surrounding yourself with soldiers all day. I must say, after you begged for weeks to go to work with your father, I was hoping to hear more than 'I was bored,'" Diana remarked, shaking her head with a bemused smile as she organized the dishes.
...
"Well, maybe if I was actually allowed to learn something, I would've enjoyed it more," Leona replied, crossing her arms defiantly, her brow furrowed with frustration.
"Kile shook his head, his voice firm but touched with concern. "Leona, you're not old enough yet to enlist in the regiment. My workplace isn't for children—anything could happen. It was better for you to stay put than roam around." He looked at her, his green eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to instill a sense of caution in her.
"But I could join the regiment next year if I wanted," Leona said, casting a sideways glance at her father..
Diana, busy cleaning the dishes, couldn't help but overhear. Worry creased her forehead, and her hands trembled slightly as she scrubbed a plate. While she appreciated Kile's hard work, she didn't want to be Leona's future as well.
"And if you can't qualify to join, what will you do then?" Her mother asked, turning toward Leona.
"Huh?" Leona tilted her head, her lips pursing momentarily. "I can qualify! I mean, Father has been teaching me self-defense, after all. I'm sure I'm strong enough!" she explained, a determined spark lighting up her green eyes.
Diana raised an eyebrow at Kile, a look of disbelief crossing her face. "Why is this the first time I'm hearing about it?" she said, her tone sharp as she glared at her husband.
Kile chuckled nervously, avoiding eye contact as he glanced back at Leona. "Shh, that was supposed to be our secret," he whispered conspiratorially, a sheepish grin creeping across his face.
Leona's eyes widened apologetically, guilt flickering within her eyes.
Diana let out a weary sigh. "That will be discussed later," she said, her voice softening, but the firmness returned quickly. "Leona, why exactly do you want to sign up for the regiment? Do you want to be military police like your father?"
Leona paused, her spoon hovering just above the last bite on her plate. She hesitated, her heart racing, before finally looking directly at her mother. "I want to be able to join the Survey Corps."
The room fell silent, and for a moment, the only sound was the steady ticking of the clock on the wall. Diana's face paled, and as if in slow motion, a plate slipped from her fingers, shattering upon impact with the floor. "Absolutely not!" she shouted, her voice quivering with fear and urgency. "Do you want to get yourself killed?"
Ignoring the shards of glass scattered across the floor, she marched over to Leona, gripping her shoulders firmly. "I won't allow it," she insisted, her eyes locking onto her daughter's fierce gaze, a blend of her own hazel eyes mirroring back in Leona's.
"But only the people who join the Survey Corps get to explore the outside world," Leona argued, her tone imploring as her determination deepened.
"That may be true, but they always return with nothing to show for it—just fewer members and mutilated bodies. The outside world is not safe; it's swarming with hundreds of titans," her mother continued, her voice carrying the weight of a thousand fears.
"You may be right, but at least they fight so that one day we can finally leave the walls," Leona countered passionately. "I want to help humanity be free from the titans and see what is out there. There has to be more than what we have in here." she said, but her mother wasn't having it.
"Leona, enough!" Kile's voice cut through the tension, his tone commanding and serious, echoing in the small kitchen. "Ye're not joining the Survey Corps. If ye want to serve, thir are safer paths—police or the garrison. But the Survey Corps is off-limits."
Frustration welled up within Leona; she couldn't understand their fear. She grasped their concern to some extent, but why were so many unwilling to fight back for a better future?
"How can't you understand?" she cried, her voice trembling with desperation. "I don't want to be a coward! I want to fight and see the world!"
Diana stepped back, her breath quickening as she registered the depth of Leona's conviction. "Leona, please. I only want to protect you. You don't understand what you're asking for."
Her mother was right, she didn't understand. If at the time she wished she hadn't tried so hard to learn about the outside world—perhaps then it wouldn't have become all that she had left.