【 People change.... 】
- - -
Year 842 / Ireen's Age: 8
Inner of Wall Maria
The bustling noise of the town was a norm. She was after all, in the middle of the market square so people were flooding in to search for goods.
Ireen dragged her feet along the road, carefully avoiding from bumping the adults and kids that came from both ways. Her eyes scanned around in disinterest while her ears caught the shouts and screams of the merchants selling their goods and telling stories to their potential customers. She got too indulged with watching people in different antics, that she failed to notice the puddle ahead.
She stepped on it, feeling the muddy liquid splashed to her legs and dirtied one of her shoes before she sighed in exasperation. She shook her leg to remove the dirt, when her nose suddenly caught a faint of the most delighted scent that she ever smell. As if seeing the invisible scent, she followed the trail lazily until she reached a bakery shop, much further at the end of the square, where a big-plump woman in mid forties greeted her kindly.
"Hey there, little girl. Want some freshly baked bread?" She smiled genuinely seeing the green orbs gleamed.
Ireen nodded as her mouth salivated over the sweet aroma. The sun was high up in the sky, which means it probably nearing noon by now. That explained why she was so hungry.
Money and the bread were exchanged between two hands, before Ireen thanked her and leave.
She had the bread. And her stomach was growling. Now she just needed a place to sit and eat. And she knew exactly where. The spot where she used to hang out alone in peace.
- - -
Ireen settled under a tree, shaded by the thick leaves from the sun ray. Her shoes was a bit to her left, where the sun ray could reach and dry them. Earlier, when she reached, she had took off her shoes and washed them and her legs from the muddy spot at the river nearby. Once done, she walked to a nearby tree with one hand carried the shoes while another her stuffs.
She felt contended with the ease, especially when no one else was around.
Ireen had always visited the town of Wall Maria, where she loved to hang out at one of the available field which rarely visited by anyone. The field was as large as her eyes could reach, and covered with nothing than the lush short grasses and small insects like butterflies and grasshoppers. Trees were randomly scattered here and there, which can act as a perfect place to hide from the stinging ray. And most importantly, a stream of small river ran along from one end to another, become the marines habitat.
This had always been her spot to hang out alone and draw. She liked to draw. She had carried along a sketch book, a wooden pencil, a small knife and an eraser. Often, when she was free of time, she will leave Shiganshina district and walked all the way to Wall Maria, then to the field. The journey alone took about 4 hours. So in order to reach the field by noon, she had to depart as early as possible in the morning, roughly around 7 in the morning. And then the first thing to do once reaching the inner gate was to get to the town market to buy lunch - if she didn't bring any food from her home - and only then heading to the field.
As per said, Ireen currently munching on her bread while her left hand held the pencil and started sketching. Today's topic would be horse. And she took the opportunity of a horse left tied to a tree nearby, grazing on the grass as her reference. Someone must have leave it there as they went to tend their own business.
She didn't mind that, as long as when the person come to take the horse back didn't bother her afterwards.
Ireen's gaze fell to the horse once again.
It has long slender legs, so muscular with deep torso build. Its long thick neck stretched as it grazed on the short grasses below. Its long dark tails flapped around occasionally, and its healthy mane - in the same shade - that grew from the top of the neck reaching to the withers will lightly flutter under the breeze of the wind.
Despite the mane being course and thick, it looked well care off, perfectly trimmed and thinned, and if anything, a little bit glossy when shone under the sun. The owner must loved and cared it so much.
Ireen's gaze fell back on her sketchbook, as her fingers gently stroking here and there to complete the art.
So gracious and beautiful.... Didn't make noise despite being away from its owner, and politely eating without bothering me here... She silently thought.
Ireen pencil's lead accidentally snapped while drawing. And she pursed her lips as she took out a knife and sharpened it.
Occasionally, her eyes drifted back and forth to the horse.
It might not be pure white horses that glorified by many people, like what described in a common fairy tale and prince and princess story book, because it is actually in light gray-shade, but it still hold the elegance of a pure white horses. Ireen brought the pencil to her eye level before blowing the remaining carbon dust from the tip as she silently sizing and eyeing the horse.
As if sensing her longer stare, the horse suddenly lifted its delicate head, and whinnied at her across the field as a sign of greeting and acknowledging her presence there, with its tail lightly flapping.
Ireen's eyes widened slightly as her lips curled upwards.
I think I like that horse.....
- - -
"Ireen~~ Are you home?" A teal-eyed boy knocked on the wooden's door repetitively while calling for the person he's looking for.
Standing right in front of the house while turning his head around to look for any sign of the residents to be home, Eren grumbled and made a face when seeing none.
"Ireennnnnn~... It's me... Open up...." once again he shouted her name.
He stood still, scratching his head in wonder. "I guess she's out." He mumbled to himself. He brought the lunch box that he'd packed, courtesy to his mom's cook to his view and sighed. "I guess I'll just bring this back home. Even her sister didn't seem to be here."
With that said, the boy left.
- - -
Ireen carelessly wiped her nose with her sleeve when she accidentally sneezed. Scrunching her nose and snorted deeply, she flipped into a new empty page of her sketching book, getting ready to begin her forth drawing. Ireen had moved from her previous place to a location much closer to the horse, since she believed it to be gentle and kind enough to let her nearby.
She had two full-body drawn, one from front while another from the side, and another one was half-body, the side profile of the horse from the withers to the top. Now she wanted to draw it in three-quarters angle.
Furiously furrowing her eyebrows, she had her all concentration back to the paper and the horse's face. Within ten minutes sketching, she already did the rough line and determined the location of the horse's features. She moved on with drawing its forehead first, then continued down to its muzzle and mouth. She lightly shade the area around the cheek, to give a shadowy effect that will define the structure of the bones, and also darkening the lines of its neck to define the muscles beneath it.
And then, she moved on to the eyes.
While she was busy getting the two eyes to be aligned, the horse suddenly perked up its ears and craned its neck. She didn't thought its action to be any important, and continued drawing from her memory of seeing its eyes. But when her ears heard footsteps and rustling grasses, and nose caught a whiff scent, she finally noticed someone was approaching from behind.
She brought her sketchbook closer to her chest, and slightly turned to her back, at the same time the person put a pause to their steps.
Her eyes were greeted by a feature of a man, who has blonde hair, in an undercut style, that kept neatly parted on the left side. His icy blue eyes are noticeably looking at her calculatingly, and he somehow had the commanding presence lingered around. He is dressed in the standard military uniform, donning what Ireen acknowledged as Survey Corp's badge on his left chest, with the top button of his white shirt left unbuttoned. His built is obviously solid and well-defined under that sheet of white after years of training under military.
But most importantly, his thick and bushy eyebrows are the most distinct feature that stole Ireen's gaze for more than ten second, the longest that she ever spent gazing on certain body part.
"Hey, kid, what are you doing there?" His manly voice entered Ireen's ears as the girl snapped back to reality.
"Nothing... Just drawing... Is this your horse sir?" She cocked her head slightly.
"It is... I left it here to meet with some acquaintance for a while." Erwin's heavy footstep continued moving forward as he extended his hand to the horse, petting it. "Were you drawing him?"
....
"Him??" Ireen questioned in wonder.
"Yes. This stallion is a male. So I called he him." He smiled gently and the horse neighed in agreement.
Ireen nodded her head as the answer to the previous question, and she watched carefully when the guy crouched in front of her out of sudden.
"May I take a look at your drawing?" Erwin, again, offered her a kind smile. His eyes shone brightly under the sun that currently a bit to the west, and Ireen was mesmerized by the beauty of his eyes, that she even blushed slightly at the sight.
"I-its not really that pretty..." Ireen declined as she pressed the book closer to her chest.
Erwin hummed in understanding, yet he was not the one to give up easily. So he continued persuading her. Until the girl felt so uncomfortable and started growling.
Ireen gave an annoying glare as she whispered, "sir, I could put you charged for being pedophile with me, if you won't stop bugging....", sternly. And Erwin was taken aback as he let out an airy chuckle, before lifting his arms up in surrender.
"Alright.. I won't bug you anymore." He stood and got ready to leave, and Ireen's face contorted into a hard expression as her mind had a little war. She had something that pique her interest, and seeing she got the chance to speak to one of the soldiers, she shouldn't waste this chance. When else she would have one, right?
So her little fingers found it ways to his boot, as she tugged at it lightly to gain his attention back. Erwin looked down, cocking an eyebrow in question as Ireen's shoulder tensed from the gaze.
"C-could you spare some time with me? I have something...to ask..." Ireen spoke as her eyes diverted to somewhere else. Her previous determined large green orbs now seemed hesitate, with a little hint of fear.
She didn't know why, but this guy... Seems like his aura quite intimidating and she was just a little girl that could be easily abducted and crushed. And the fact that he was 10 times bigger than her...
Abduted and crushed..... Her eyes slightly widened at the thought.
She felt his boot slipped from her grip and the older male took a sit next to her immediately, with a small distance kept between them that she heaved in relief. Erwin bent up one leg while another tucked slightly under it, and an arm laid rest on top of the bent knee while the other palm-flat onto the ground. He leaned backward slightly, letting the pressure to support his weight.
Ireen watched the older guy that currently kept his focus ahead, and let the light wind breezing his hair. She tucked away the sketchbook that she strongly held, and put it aside as she fixed her sitting posture too. She got a bit shock when the horse next to her suddenly bowed down, giving his head to her unexpectedly.
"Pet him... He was asking for one..." Erwin encouraged.
At first, Ireen hesitated, because she was scared that the horse will suddenly bite her hand. But the moment her warm palm touched its slender and strong neck, the horse neighed in delight. It brought a small smile upon her lips as she continued caressing him.
Erwin let the girl had her time, giggling and laughing over the reaction of his horse, before he started speaking. "So, what did you want to ask?"
Ireen didn't stop petting the horse, but she had given her attention to the said male. "You are one of the Survey Corps, right? You leave the Wall and fight titans outside of it, right?" She took a breathe. "Why? Why you guys do that? Why won't you stay inside the walls? It's much safer that way.." Her small lips started to throw questions.
Erwin went silent for a second. His eyes never leave her curious one ad he took the time to organize his words. "Do you know what lies outside the walls?" He questioned her instead.
The raised in one eyebrow as her response led him to continue. "It is for the future of mankind. Future of our people."
"Survey Corps explore the outside world so we can reclaim the human's territory from the titans. We set up small basses, camps, resupply stations, and extra fortifications in available areas outside the walls to ease our plan. We can't continue staying low within the walls forever. If we submit to the never ending terrorization by the titans, we mankind, will forever being locked inside with no freedom."
....
"Freedom?? Is that what it is all about? But there has been no progress so far, right?? When can we all go outside the wall? When can all the titans been eradicated?? It has been over decades Survey Corps being going outside but nothing comes back from it." Ireen quipped.
"Sure... But everything takes time. We are yet to fully understand about the titans so most of our plans didn't work well. But one day it will be."
"That one day of yours is when? When all the members of the Survey Corps died? In the first place, you said you guys are fighting for everyone's freedom. But ironically, to achieve that the Survey Corps taking away the freedom of living of its own members by sending them into the titans' mouths. How you explain that?" Ireen scoffed as she threw dirty look. She didn't believed what the guy had just said.
Fighting for freedom... You guys are literally letting your people get killed... Is what exactly she thought.
Erwin didn't let the comment to stir his emotion. Infact, he took the mockery calmly without being angered by it. His blue eyes took a cursory glance to the two blue birds flying above them, each twirling around in the air with no fear of them two. Their chirping was the melody that kept the serenity of the day.
"How sure you are that the dead didn't have their freedom?" Erwin calmly spoke, throwing Ireen back in wonder.
"To the least, I could say that they are free from living in this hell, and free from the danger of the titans.. Unlike us, we still need to fight to survive." Erwin went to full cross legged as both of his arms rested on his thighs, and he went slouching forward lightly. His eyes still trained to the sky above, watching the seeming fuffly-clouds moved gradually slower when less wind was around.
"It was after I joined Survey Corps, and watched many of my comrades died that I realized... Wealth and power... Noble ideas... They all will be gone once the titans breached the walls." Erwin's gaze darkened as he reminiscent few scenes.
"That is why, we will make sure our mission be a success, no matter what means we will use, regardless how long will it take, and no matter how many lives will it cost. Everything is for the future of mankind." He replied sternly.
And as if on cue, the wind breezing through his hair, gently ruffling them.
Ireen blinked slowly to digest his words, but she still bear the unsatisfied look as her expression tightened. "But, does the cost of the lives of the members worth every of the fight?" She shot back. "Since no progress ever been achieved, people are insulting you guys for wasting the taxes. What's the point of this when no one is looking at you?"
Erwin smiled lightly. "Someone eventually have to take all the dirt throwing to them, aren't they? Do you know that if it wasn't because of the Survey Corps, none of you guys will have the information regarding the titans that you've been told around?"
Erwin cocked his head sideways. His eyes looked to the opposite side.
"Like their inactivity when lack of sunlight... Their inability to reproduce... And the existence of the abnormalities that ignored small number humans but charged straight to the larger one with such speed that they look like they're crazy..."
And then his face was fully turned to the girl as he spoke teasingly. "Have you seen them lifting their hands up to the sky with their stupid smile as if smiling and waving at you while running hideously to reach you? Or have you seen them crawling on the ground, then suddenly stood up when seeing you coming to his way and shriek out of nowhere? Not to mention some of them even run with both thighs closed to each other and arms glued to their side..." Erwin's voice grew louder and his orbs twinkled as he got more excited. He acted like a father telling a bedtime story to his kid.
Erwin watched Ireen's tightened face slackened as she giggled at the way he behave. The shine in her orbs were back as she laughed gleefully, unlike previous where they looked like too much of dark thoughts running in her mind.
"What are abnormal titans? I have never heard of it..."
Erwin's face was back to his usual calm and demeanour look as he explained. "Abnormal titans are uncommon type of pure titan which can possess unusual intelligence or perform unpredictable actions. Their random behavior is what throws us in turmoil, and increase our rate of death when caught unguarded. And being selective killer is one of their behavior." He concluded.
He watched as the girl brought her finger to her lips, eyebrows furrowed while her green orbs hooded under her lashes as she was yet to finish questioning.
"But aren't you guys stupid? If you guys keep going outside and didn't achieve anything because the titans always in the way, why don't you guys completely eradicate them all from this world?" And the wind suddenly blew harshly.
Ireen's long locks flew and covered half of her face so she brought her hand to block them. And despite some of the hair stuck into her mouth, she continues speaking to let out her frustration over the corp's purpose and motives all this time. "Instead of building bases and resupply stations, Survey Corps should study them titans. Should find the way they reproduce, and the way the come to exist, so they can put into a stop of the titan's terrorization once and for all. That way, all the lives given by the soldiers won't be wasted. They won't die thinking that they are contribute to nothing. Why your commander didn't do that?"
Erwin could sense the frustration lied underneath the tone, and silently agreed to the girl at his side. But he couldn't bring to his mouth that it was also the Survey Corp's duty to explore and prioritize in setting up supply bases in titan's territory. She would most likely called it to be a suicidal mission, to enter the enemies' nests that they barely know about their true nature...
So instead, he gave the same excuse like the one he told to one of his comrade when she got the idea of persuading them soldiers to prioritize in catching titans for experiment. "It won't be that easy... Catching one for experiment alone had once cost the lives of 20 of our men."
Ireen was indeed shocked as she stared in bewilderment. "Ehh?? Why is that so? Just throw a huge net on top of them, then it settle, right? Like how you try to catch butterfly.... Or grasshopper... You throw a giant net to trap them right?"
Erwin got stunned before he laughed lightly at her response. She was just wary of him minutes ago, only talk or reply words by words. But now, she became more aggressive in letting her opinions out in lengthy words.
"Why don't you join the Survey Corps once you old enough, and see for yourself how tough it is?" Erwin jokingly suggested. His orbs gleamed in delight over the girl's previous reaction.
Ireen scoffed and cocked her head away, muttering, "it will waste my life over something with no purpose...." lightly.
Erwin heard them well, but he took no offense.
....
The surrounding became silence once again. Only the sound of rustling grass when the wind blew and birds chirping around occasionally could be heard. Erwin took a glance over the girl once in a while, and he could tell she was fidgeting around to say more, but appearantly, something is hindering her from doing so.
Could it be because she wasn't trust of him yet? Or the thing she was about to say was something lethal...? Erwin couldn't tell. It could be those reasons, since they just meet each other today... Why put so much trust to the other party right??
Erwin looked at the sky as he noticed tinge of orange slowly creeping its way. It will be night in an hour, so he ought to make his way back to his barrack. Furthermore, his horse need to be back to his stable again, and he started to question himself why did he brought his horse along in the first place.
"What's your name, little girl?"
"Ireen...."
"Where do you live? I'll accompany you back." Erwin offered, as he assumed the girl lived within the Wall Maria.
"Shiganshina District. You don't have to, I can walk on my own." Ireen was back to answering in short words again.
Erwin cocked an eyebrow as he was surprised. "You took carriage from the gate to here?"
"Nope. I walked. I guess we bid farewell here then." She got up and dusted off any dirt from her bottom as she started stuffing her stuff back to her bag.
Erwin's eyebrow sharpened as he towered over her figure. "That won't do. Your parents will be worried of you if you reach home late. And walking alone will take 2 hours to reach the gate from here and I won't know how long more you will need to reach your home from the gate afterwards." He spoke as he swiftly untied the rope from the tree and pulled his horse along.
"Hope on. I will take you back to the gate." Erwin's head cocked slightly to his horse as Ireen looked dumbfounded.
"Just how do I climb the horse, sir?" She sweatdropped.
And Erwin went silence at his stupidity for just realizing that the little girl is basically... A little girl..
Too short to climb even with the help of the horse stirrups.
- - -
Erwin's boots clicked across the hall as he made his way to the dining barrack. Bumping into his comrades and new cadets, he received salutes and greetings from each, which he dismissed them easily.
Entering the dining barrack, it was lively as usual. Soldiers were chattering and eating happily, joking around and teasing each other. Erwin just made in time for his dinner. Otherwise, a little bit later, he was pretty sure there'll be no more leftover for him.
After taking his meal, he walked around to find an empty table before two palms suddenly dropped onto his shoulders, redirected his steps to the left and walk straight to one of the available tables. His eyes landed on Mike, whom currently sitting across him and started stuffing food into his mouth, at the same time a cheerful bubbly head popped up from his back with a wide grin.
"Erwin, you are back! You are almost late!" Greeted the cheerful red-haired, called Hange.
Hange released her grips from Erwin's shoulder as she took a seat immediately. Patting on the empty seat next to her, she suggested Erwin to sit and start eating, just like the rest.
Erwin obeyed to her request.
"So Erwin, where did you go?" Hange questioned the immediate moment he sat.
Mike glanced in uncaring look as he continued eating, with Nanaba next to him eating in silent too.
"To the inner of Wall Maria.." Erwin tore the bread to small pieces before eating them.
"What were you doing there?" Hange got her face closer to him.
"Visiting an old acquaintance that retired from continuing as a soldier." Erwin brought a spoon of the soup to his mouth.
Ohh really? Anything else?" Hange purposely elbow-bumped with him.
The spoon that yet to enter Erwin's mouth halted as he looked at the female. "Why are the sudden interest?" He raised an eyebrow.
Hange smiled gleefully as she looked away. "Ohh nothing~~ just asking... It kinda dull here with no one's talking, right Mike?" She said as she smirked.
Erwin's gaze now changed to Mike who coughed lightly, pretended like nothing was going on.
Erwin sharpened his gaze as he looked back and forth at the two person, hinting out silently that whatever they had in mind right now, they should say it out loud before he forced it out of themselves. And Mike, have been knowing the guy for so long throughout their lengthy time in service together, knew well how serious Erwin could be when he tried to extract words from their lips, and it won't be pretty.
He cursed himself for telling Hange what he had discovered.
Nanaba lightly kicked Mike at the shin as she was sweat dropping at the current situation. She could tell Erwin won't stop his staring contest and it made her uncomfortable.
And just when Mike was about to say something, Hange suddenly spun and threw him under the bus.
"Mike said you smell like a girl." She said.
The guy 'tch' in silent.
Erwin looked at them blankly before continue eating like nothing had happened. He promptly trying to ignore them but Hange won't give a shit.
"So Erwin, you went for a dating, right? Ohhhh who's that lucky girl? Won't you introduce her to us??"
"I did not.." He simply replied.
"But Mike said you have the scent of a female lingered around you."
"When did he said that?"
"The moment you entered through the door..." Hange's eyes flashed a tease.
"If I was far at that door and it was a faint smell than he could be lying or mistaken it with the scent of female's soldier in here..."
"I still smell it faintly from here, Erwin." Mike countered, and Hange's grin widened.
"It just your imagination."
"Ohhhh Erwin, you don't have to be shy. Everyone deserve a partner, right Mike?"
"Hange, I bet if I asked Mike, he will answer you smell like Mobilt too." Nanaba tried to intervene and stop the crazy titan's lover from disturbing Erwin, because apparantly, she was giving her headache just by watching and listening to her talkative mouth.
But Hange wasn't taking the bite.
"Well of course.... We spent time together frequently. He is my assistant after all~" as she sang.
Both Mike and Nanaba sighed while Erwin continue eating and nonchalantly ignoring his noisy comrade.
As Erwin scooped another spoonful of soup into his mouth, he recalled his encounter with Ireen earlier.
After picking her up and put her on the saddle, in front of him, he ride the horse back to the gate of Wall Maria. The journey that supposed to take 2 hours by walking was cut to 25 minutes by horse.
Ireen had refused his help to send her back right to the front of her house's door so Erwin had no choice to left her there. He watched as the girl walked away before turning back, and looked at him and spoke.
"What's your name, sir?"
Erwin just realized that both of them didn't actually have a proper self introduction earlier, and he only knew her by her real name, without family name.
Erwin hopped down from his horse as he walked forward.
"Probably it's too late to have us introduce ourselves properly after hours of talking, but let's star over. I'm Erwin Smith, one of the Squad Leader in Survey Corps. Nice meeting you."
Ireen glanced lightly over the sudden turn of his behavior, but she ignored the feelings promptly as her right hand clutched onto her bag while she stood straight. "My name is Ireen. Just an ordinary girl living in Shiganshina District. Nice meeting you too, sir," and she bowed slightly.
Erwin had to ask. "Just Ireen? No family name?"
She went silent for a while before shaking her head. "I wasn't told of any." And she ended the topic right there. Erwin nodded in understanding.
He waved her off as he turned back to leave, wishing her to be safe walking back home before the girl grabbed his attention again.
"If we meet again next time, at the same spot, could you bring your horse again? I want to improve my skills in drawing him...." She requested. Her tongue got tied as she tried to continue, "also... I have more questions to ask about titans and the outside world, so if you could spare some time with me...." Her voice trailed off as she wasn't sure of the male's reaction.
Erwin was probably busy with his duty, and here she was requesting for something that won't benefit the older guy, so why would he bothered about it right? What was she thinking?
But then, she was also very interested in knowing about the human's enemies, and no one in her town capable of teaching her anything. Well not that she ever bother to talk to any of them, but the point is, since there's a soldier here, whom directly partaking in direct activities with the titans, he ought to have a better and clear knowledge regarding them, right?
So won't his resources become more valuable than anyone else??
"F-forget it sir. I'm sorry for bothering you while you are being busy. You don't have to --"
"It's fine. I wouldn't mind." Erwin agreed.
"E-ehh??"
"Let's talk more about titans and the outside world again when we meet. Same place, okay?"
Ireen's orbs enlarged as she got happy. "Okay... Same place...." Her head faced down to hide her blushing face because she didn't want him to know she was excited for it.
She made a thinking face as her eyebrows creased and then looked up. "Next week, same day?"
"Sure. I'll bring my horse along for you." And Erwin ended their conversation with a promise.
With that said, Ireen went back home smiling from ear to ear. She even hummed a low lovely tune and skipped steps before barging into her house, only to be nagged by her sister for being late and not helping her to cook dinner. Though Ireen apologized for her behavior, she didn't look like she regretted it so her sister suspiciously suspected that her older sister had knocked her head over something hard.
Ireen simply ignored her with giggles. She finally has the chance to know what was meant by her mom when she said humans and titans are just the same.
[Clashing Blades.] © Devilish_red
• Please leave your vote, comment and follow. Thank you so much! •