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Chapter Text

It is a truth universally acknowledged that any titan consuming human flesh must be in want of more flesh.

Never was this truth more plain than during the attack at Maria Park in Shiganshire, in which the grand household of twenty aristocrats, children, and servants, were slaughtered and feasted upon by a horde of titans. They were brought on by a previous ambush from an exceptionally tall and menacing titan, very unlike the rest of his kind.

Aptly named, the Coordinate Titan was observed to withhold a great degree of control and consciousness, alongside the unique ability to command armies of his “pure,” comparatively docile brethren.

In the earliest days of the war against the titan scourge, long before the Coordinate came to be, the great country of Paradis built three walls within their borders, with very few access points, in order to keep the horde at bay.

The outermost wall collapsed almost completely, prior to the discovery and invention of those omnidirectional mechanisms by which one could kill such beasts. It became fashionable and esteemed for young and able bodied people in and out of the militia to learn the art of navigating such gear, leaping to great heights and slaying the giants with a long blade in each hand.

After the Coordinate titan unleashed its wrath upon many towns across Paradis, was one last attempt at isolating man, the order to destroy every connection and entrance of the walls to one another—save Fritz Bridge, now teeming with defenses, and the only remaining means of protected correspondence between the central city of Mitras and the new outer wall.

Without warning, humanity’s most perilous discovery then vanished, and the threat of the Coordinate was no more, the circumstances of his disappearance and initial attack still unknown.

Following the rehabilitation of society, the gentry began to leave the safe confines of the Interior, in favor of newly fortified country estates.

Many were of the opinion that Paradis approached peace, despite the remaining infection of pure titans milling within and beyond its walls. Some insisted that vigilance was of the essence, and there were greater things to fear than the occasional horde upon a vulnerable town—whether it was the end of days, or the return of the Coordinate, often seen as one and the same.

Well trained soldiers returned to their lives with a determination to pass their deadly skills onto the next generation, should any greater threat arise.

A former captain, with his section commander and wife, sat in the library at their estate, and possessed such a goal.

“My dear Mr. Ackerman,” said his wife to him one day, “have you heard that Maria Park is let at last?”

Levi replied that he had not.

“But it is,” returned Hange, “for Mr. Berner had just been here, and told me all about it.”

Levi gave no answer, stirring his tea.

“Do you want to know who has taken it?” Hange cried impatiently.

The embroidered rose upon her eyepatch, a decorated mark of her many battles, winked at her husband from behind wiry spectacles.

“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.” Mr. Ackerman replied.

This was invitation enough.

“Mr. Berner says that Maria is taken by a young man of large fortune and artillery; he came to Shiganshire in a chaise and four, narrowly escaping from the most recent resurgence of unmentionables in Ermich!”

“What is his name?” Only the latter statement piqued Mr. Ackerman's interest.

“Arlert. Though the man says that Mitras no longer agrees with him, and that Shiganshire is most charming. A single man of four or five thousand a year—what a fine thing for our girls, an even finer thing for my research, to chance the briefest inspection of the true damage the Coordinate had left!” Hange made no attempt to hide her thrill.

“Can this Mr. Arlert train our girls to balance perfectly in firmament as they use their mobility gear?” Levi’s amusement was unabashed.

“How can you be so tiresome, my dear? Surely your own instruction for the girls is more than adequate. You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”

Hange was by no means a romantic. Despite society’s disheveled efforts at rebuilding, one must continue moving forward and look to the future. Mr. Ackerman will not live forever, and the female line was not to inherit the estate, no matter her efforts…

“Is that his design in settling here?” Her husband replied.

“Design! Nonsense,” Hange said, pacing about the room. “But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must consider our daughters. It will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not initiate.”

“I see no occasion to risk my life to visit a man with whom I am unfamiliar.” Levi cradled his teacup with his palm above the rim. “If you insist it is for the good of your research, surely you may charm him yourself, to be so presumptuous as to consider Mr. Arlert a special instrument for your scientific endeavors.”

“Mr. Ackerman, you take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.'' Hange sighed, fanning herself lightly. “With five daughters so close in age, I should desire a young man take a liking to any of them. There are none so refined in the deadly arts as our girls, nor as dutiful as Anne, or as well humored as Sasha.”

There were many things in Eldian society Hange did not invest her beliefs in, least of all social etiquette —all the more her amiable husband must introduce himself first, to secure the girls in Mr. Arlert’s good graces. She knew that she would much rather explore Maria Park than speak idly to anyone for the permission to do so.

“You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves, as they are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.'' Levi’s tone was dry, and he could not help but give his wife a small smile. “I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men, fine warriors, of four thousand a year come into the neighborhood.''

“It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit him,'' Hange sniffed, discontented.

“Depend upon it, my dear, when there are twenty, I will visit them all.''

Chapter Text

Dauper Estate was settled in the vicinity of a pretty meadow, where many footpaths were formed and worn by the time the ground turned cold, by five sisters very close in age, of varying disposition and fighting skill.

The charming house was often wrapped in morning fog, filled with the familiar commotion of Anne and Y/n sparring in the cellar, and Pieck at the pianoforte.

Upon another fine day of such did Mr. Ackerman decide to disclose to his wife that he was indeed among the earliest of those who visited Mr. Arlert, as he had always intended to. He silently observed his family—his second daughter occupied with carving the Ackerman crest into the hilt of a hunting knife, his two youngest bounding into the sitting room with new bonnets from town.

“I hope Mr. Arlert will like it, Y/n,” Sasha remarked as she observed her sister's woodwork. She tossed her things carelessly aside and set off to steal from the cook.

“How are we to know what Mr. Arlert would like, if we’re not to visit him?” said Mikasa.

“You forget we shall meet him at the assemblies,” soothed Anne. “Mr. Berner has promised to introduce him to us.”

“But Mr. Berner has two nieces of his own,” said Pieck thoughtfully. “One would imagine he is set on advancing them towards Mr. Arlert with no regard for his friends.”

“You will spoil your appetite, dear,” frowned Hange as Sasha entered again, bread in both hands.

“Sasha has no discretion in her feeding,” her father remarked, “she greatly disregards any elegance in her carnage.”

“I eat for my own satisfaction!” Sasha replied fretfully. “When is the next ball to be?”

“Tomorrow fortnight,” said Anne. “That hardly seems to be a suitable length of time for Mr. Berner to introduce Mr. Arlert as an acquaintance.”

“A fortnight’s acquaintance certainly is very little,” Y/n pondered, and raised the knife to the light to better see her work. “One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight. Is he handsome?”

“For five thousand a year, it would not matter if he were a titan in great disguise,” said Pieck.

“What an odious thing to say!” Mikasa laughed. “Sasha and I had come upon three of the beasts on our walk home from town, only four meters tall. What a tragedy that would befall Maria had we vanquished its master!”

“I am sick of hearing of Mr. Arlert,” cried Hange, distressed by the reminder of her husband's stubborn disposition, though proud of her daughter's resilience.

“Is that so? If I had known as much this morning, I would not have called upon him,” Levi said smoothly, and stood. “It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.”

He paused in the threshold before leaving the room, all too aware of the attention he commanded with his confession. “Do not mistake my indulgence for a relaxation in discipline.”

“Oh, what an excellent father you have!” Hange let out a great laugh, overcome with delight. “Such joys become scarce in treacherous times! You ought to polish your blades before trimming your dresses.”

The girls were astonished, and intent on withdrawing a satisfactory description of Mr. Arlert from their father. They attacked him with barefaced questions and ingenious suppositions, but he eluded them all, and they were obliged to accept the second-hand intelligence of their neighbor Lady Ral.

Within a short and perilous walk of Dauper was the family Ral with whom the Ackerman’s were very intimate. Petra, the sensible eldest daughter, was a steadfast companion to Y/n, matching her in wit and exceeding her patience.

Lady Ral insisted that Mr. Arlert was highly favourable, wonderfully handsome, and very agreeable. Arlert was to arrive at the ball with a large party, and nothing could be more delightful, for to be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love.

That evening, every Ackerman girl went about preparing her gear— with omnidirectional mobility straps worn above her chemise and secured around her stockings, knives sheathed in her garters, and packed ODM blades and canisters in the carriage. Every deadly weapon was polished to shine, and sharpened to kill.

It was scarce that every family in Shiganshire possessed ODM gear, thus it was the Ackerman’s and Ral’s obligation—with plenty of sets for their own warriors—to slay every titan possible until the regiment would camp by town for their yearly titan purge. Mrs Ackerman was very vocal about the Crown’s cowardice in their course of action, and her husband would remind her of the dwindling numbers in the militia.

Y/n had taken care to add a little lace to the front of her sister's dresses—Mikasa in blue, Pieck in lavender, herself in rose—to disguise another dagger and its sheath tucked in their short stays. (Anne preferred her many blades hidden elsewhere in favor of comfort, and her dresses white with green trim. Sasha was content with a bow and arrow besides her gear, and a simple, pale yellow muslin.)

The assembly was lively and charming, with no shortage of reels and quadrilles that encouraged the young couples in their merry ways. Music and clapping resounded in the hall, with warm chandeliers above and a blazing fireplace below.

Upon the first opportunity, Y/n ushered her eager sister to an empty corner, and fiddled with the ribbon upon Mikasa’s neck.

“You and Sasha have been very reckless in dancing this evening,” Y/n chastised, eyeing the girl’s ensemble. “You know she always follows your silly example, though you are very lucky the girl prefers a fine roast to a fine young man.”

“There is no need to worry for her! And if my ribbon comes undone, perhaps it is meant to be,” Mikasa laughed, flushed from excitement, as she had danced every dance so far, with every partner that asked. “I am best with a blade in my hand, and will take it in stride. I am sure I will find another that will suit me better.”

“I would never ask you to relinquish your warrior’s determination,” Y/n sniffed. “Only that you be properly restrained so as to protect my stitching.”

“To be so fickle with one’s presentation is a privilege only the young and handsome possess,” Petra laughed as she appeared at Y/n’s side, and Mikasa returned to her fifth partner of the evening. “Your sisters will have caught the eye of every good young man in the county before Mr. Arlert makes himself known.”

“My mother would be beside herself, I’m sure,” Y/n said. “Though you mustn't speak that way, dear Petra, for you are as young and handsome as ever.”

The two girls spoke further of Mr. Arlert’s party, as it was said that there were to be far more ladies than gentlemen, to their great disappointment.

The rumor was undone once the group entered the assembly hall, and consisted of only three altogether—Mr. Arlert, his sister, and another young man, and they were all slowly introduced to the principal people in the room.

“Which of these revered gentlemen is to save my poor sisters from destitution?” Y/n said boredly, though she took care to lower her tone.

“Mr. Arlert is in the blue coat, with the pleasing smile,” Petra said, hushed. “Next to him is his sister.”

Armin Arlert was good-looking and gentlemanlike, with his easy, unaffected manners. He was pleasing to all around him, and his eyes were determined by some that evening to be the very picture of the open ocean.

His sister, Miss Hitch Arlert, was a handsome and decorated woman. Her disposition was not quite as open, as she yawned behind her brother, eyes idly roaming the hall, though she was greatly admired for bearing the latest in Mitras fashion.

“Who is the third in their party?” Y/n asked.

Trailing behind with sullen apprehension was a brooding fellow who soon drew the attention of the room, with his fine, tall stature, and handsome traits. His tailcoat was a deep green that looked well with the coloring of his features.

“The poor soul looks miserable,” Anne observed as she approached.

“Miserable, perhaps, but poor he is not,” said Petra. “Mr. Kirstein is Arlert’s good friend—ten thousand a year, and he owns half of Trost.”

“He is handsome, but very proud, as if he were above our company.” Y/n mused.

“Come, girls.” Hange seemed to materialize from thin air, taking her two daughters by their wrists.

Y/n shot an apologetic look at her companion, hoping to pardon her mother’s brazen behavior.

Mr. Kirstein’s fortune hastily circulated amongst the crowd, and the ladies declared that he was much handsomer than his friend, with his firm, set jaw, and the faintest battle scars about his lip—there was an unmistakable admiration to be held.

Mrs. Ackerman failed at rounding up all of her daughters, as Pieck was happily settled by the assembly musicians, and Sasha was pursuing the refreshment tray. She brought Anne, Y/n, and Mikasa to Sir Ral with fervent enthusiasm, who presented them to Mr. Arlert.

“Mrs. Ackerman of Dauper,” the man gestured. “The eldest Miss Anne Ackerman, Miss Y/n Ackerman, Miss Mikasa Ackerman..”

The girls curtsied politely.

“Mr. Arlert of Maria Park, Miss Hitch Arlert, and Mr. Kirstein of Trost in Stoheshire.”

“How do you do?” Armin bowed, and Hitch curtsied.

Mr. Kirstein stood at the very edge of the group, and gave a curt nod.

“Your arrival was greatly anticipated,” Hange said warmly, although her lone, unpatched eye glanced at Mr. Kirstein with displeasure. “Do you find Shiganshire to your liking, Mr. Arlert?”

“Indeed, it is exceedingly charming,” Armin spoke with his hands behind his back. “It’s impossible to experience such proximity to the titan hordes in the city, and it has been most refreshing. I’ve been well inspired to improve my own fighting techniques.”

Hange hummed pleasantly in response.

“Are you happily settled in Maria Park, sir?” said Anne.

The eldest Miss Ackerman felt politely obliged to Mr. Arlert on her mother’s behalf, as Hange’s desperation to inspect the imprints of the Coordinate’s footsteps was not unfamiliar.

“It is very beautiful,” Armin said, seeming to flush. “Upon hearing that Maria has the finest library in the county, I had set my heart on it completely. It was only good Mr. Kirstein’s guidance that persuaded me to see the property prior to signing the papers.”

This received a mild reaction from the younger Miss Ackerman’s present, as the notion of any man’s capricious nature was wholly unappealing. However, Anne seemed amused, and smiled.

“We hope then that you stay at Maria for as long as you please,” Hange said. “For there are plenty of unmentionables that seem attracted to our isolated area. I am sure you have read some of the many theories expressing the benefit of such towns as practical bait.”

“Pardon me,” Hitch smiled politely, and walked to another part of the room.

“Are you a great dancer, Mr. Arlert?” Y/n said, blushing for her mother.

“Of course! Country dance is exceptionally delightful,” Armin said. “In fact, if the eldest Miss Ackerman is not otherwise engaged, I would like to ask her for the honor of the next two dances.” He held out his hand to Anne, and bowed.

“I am not engaged, Mr. Arlert.” She said, and took it.

The two made for the center of the hall, and those who did not know Anne would be unaware that beyond the unvaried tone of her voice, the shimmer in her eyes and pleasing temperament as she stood up with Mr. Arlert was very unlike that of all her other dance partners.

“A fine thing for our dear Annie,” Hange could hardly contain her excitement nor volume, with her hand wrapped tightly around Y/n’s arm. “And you Mr. Kirstein, are you fond of dancing?”

“Indeed I am not,” he cleared his throat. “Any savage can dance. I imagine even a titan could accomplish it with some success.”

“How cruel to tease me with the notion,” Hange laughed. “If the beasts could do so much as a jig, I would find myself employing any bystander for ink and paper to document it!”

The man met her with a plain, unmoving stare, and for an uncomfortable moment the air stood empty.

“My mother considers herself a Titan naturalist,” Y/n said quickly. “As former section commander of the militia’s Coordinate effort many years ago, she became greatly interested in their ways. Surely the sentiment is shared in the city, even on occasion.”

“To some degree,” Jean said simply.

“Excuse me,” Mikasa patted her mother’s shoulder before she went off to find another partner, or one of her sisters.

Mr. Kirstein danced only once with Miss Arlert, and declined being introduced to any other lady for a partner, spending the evening walking about the room, speaking to no one. His character was then decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hoped that he would never come there again. His manners disgusted the people of Shiganshire. Not all his large estate in Trost could save him from being unworthy.

Y/n had been obliged by the scarcity of gentlemen to sit for two dances. She refrained with all her might from applying her restless fingers towards her dagger, wondering if perhaps relieving the hall’s gardener of his duties and training with the leafy fauna outside the property would be a more entertaining occupation of her time.

During her musings, Mr. Kirstein had been standing near enough for her to overhear a conversation between him and his friend.

“Come, Jean, I must have you dance!” Armin pressed. “I hate to see you standing about yourself in this stupid manner.”

“You know how I detest it, unless I am acquainted with my partner.” A line had developed in between Jean’s brows, and his stern visage remained unmoved. “At such an assembly it would be insupportable. There is no woman in the room with whom it would not be a punishment.”

“Upon my word,” Armin laughed. “You are exceptionally fastidious among strangers. I’ve never met so many pleasant young women in my life as I have this evening—there are several of them that are uncommonly pretty.”

“Perhaps you are dancing with the only pretty girl in the room.” Jean remarked.

“Miss Anne Ackerman is the most beautiful creature I’ve ever beheld,” Armin beamed. “But there is one of her sisters nearby, and I daresay she is pretty as well.”

Jean’s eyes flickered to Y/n.

“She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me. I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies that have been slighted by other men.”

At this, Y/n’s natural reaction was to think of what her father would recommend– estimate the distance between them, and calculate the speed at which she could reasonably break his neck, and refrain from being seized immediately after. Despite the offense, that notion made her laugh.

As Mr. Kirstein walked off, Y/n knew she had no cordial feelings towards him. She told the story with great spirit among her friends; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous.

Discontent and panic quickly arose among the people of Shiganshire as a small horde of titans befell the assembly hall.

A few guests had the misfortune of being next to the windows as they shattered—a putrid, bloodshot eyeball peered through, and the creature's hand soon followed—and they were feasted upon at once.

The disgusting beasts stood just as tall as the building, their deformed, bare humanoid bodies inspiring terror in all that laid eyes upon them. Giant limbs destroyed glass and sent debris flying, and many guests fled screaming. Unfortunate bystanders were trampled or eaten, and the crunch of bones and flesh sickened the fainthearted.

Anne had been dancing with Mr. Arlert, who bravely attempted to shield his partner and urge her away from the destruction. She, however, drew a dagger from one of her long gloves, and with expert precision, propelled it whistling out of the window and into the flesh of the nearest creature.

“Miss Ackerman!”

“Make haste, sir,” she rushed away from the man, and went off to find her sisters.

The assembly hall canons went off with resounding explosions—older models that were not as precise as their newer counterparts, but delayed the small horde of unmentionables just the same.

“Girls!” Mr. Ackerman had taken it upon himself to find the carriage in the chaos, and gathered the blades and canisters. “I’ve accounted for eight, with a ninth approaching.”

The captain could easily eliminate the threat himself, but he could not help the thrill of allowing a chance for his daughters to engage their training.

Mikasa was first in the air, as she was fastest at securing her gear, followed quickly by Anne, who had abandoned Mr. Arlert by her father’s side.

The rest of the sisters joined them, and they maneuvered around the ravenous brutes like horse flies as they zipped about the ankles, wrists, and necks, steel kissing flesh. The beasts began to fall as the sisters divided the labor among themselves. Sasha used her all her strength to guide her two blades into a single blow, and she severed one giant’s hand completely, freeing a young couple from the creature’s grip.

Y/n used the distraction to accelerate in the air, towards the back of the brute’s neck, slicing a long v-shaped wound into the skin from the nape.

She often wondered at how and when it was discovered that the distinct region was key to stopping a titan’s regeneration, and killing them stone dead. The thought of the determination and persistence of the scientists and engineers of yore nearly brought a tear to her eye, and the thought of Mr. Kirstein’s standoffish behavior at her mother revived her bloodthirst.

Y/n sank her grappling hooks into another titan, and let out a great cry as she zipped towards it in the air, blades held high.

Jean had called for the Arlert’s carriage as soon as the first window shattered, but it was nowhere to be found during the chaos. He was the only of his party to pack omnidirectional gear for Shiganshire, as Armin was in lessons and lacking in proficiency, and Hitch’s lethal training, like her brother and most in Mitras, was oriented towards a particularly lesser-sized target.

Mitras was the most fortified city in all the country, and although the gentry of Paradis took great pride in exemplary fighting, the practical application of killing titans was not frequently entertained.

Thus, the sight of a man outside the militia using ODM gear in the city was rare, and the sight of a woman unheard of.

The upper shoulder harness seemed to sit a little lower at the bust than in typical fashion, allowing the leather to be obscured by the sleeves and neckline of a dress. The hip-sculpting straps lay under the dress, above the chemise, with discrete pockets allowing a connection to the blade sheathes.

Despite the speed and unstable nature of vertical titan navigation, the fabric of the sisters' dresses never seemed to betray their modesty as they soared in the air and pinged around each horrid creature and crumbled structure.

Jean determined he had never seen such exquisitely precise bladework and nimble omnidirectional mobility as Y/n’s final blow to a roaring eight meter beast. Dark blood spurted forth from the wound, gushing onto the ground below, and the woman landed on her feet with near perfect balance.

The air was filled with smoke and the foul stench of death and beast, blood splattered on every surface, and the remaining titan flesh disintegrated, the usual occurrence upon vanquishing them.

Apart from the attack, the evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole family.

Mikasa was gleeful as she relayed to any that listened of how she had the most dancing partners and kills of the evening.

Mrs. Ackerman had set her sights on establishing a proper inspection of Maria Park. She was ecstatic after seeing her daughter dance twice with Mr. Arlert, and Anne were nearly as pleased by the same, though not as audibly as her mother.

“A wonderfully successful night! Mr. Arlert is very kind,” Hange said as they arrived at Dauper. “Though one cannot help but despise Mr. Kirstein. He is a horrid, disagreeable man, I quite detest him. How cruel of him to speak to dear Y/n so.”

Mr. Ackerman was more offended by the weapon’s check at the assembly door, which, although optional, represented a slothful disregard for the true danger of the countryside that he despised.

When it came to the disrespect of a prideful man, Levi was self-assured that all and any of his daughters were properly raised to fight her own battles, and slice the throats of any she deemed fit.

Chapter Text

Night fell on Dauper, and the moon shone over the quiet property. Titans milling about the countryside in the far distance lay their heads to rest as they became lethargic from the lack of bright sunlight for energy, as it were in their nature.

Anne and Y/n’s room was soon filled with hushed voices, as their sisters disturbed their privacy to express praise and censure regarding Mr. Arlert and the events of the evening.

“He is everything a young man ought to be,” said Anne. “Sensible, well-mannered, handsome, and lively.”

“He looked cowardly,” said Mikasa. “Gawking about on the ground as we slayed the beasts.”

“One can hardly fault Mitras for the lack of Titans at their walls,” said Pieck. “Such survival skills are a natural consequence of our living in the country.”

“Mr. Arlert was shaped by his environment,” Anne agreed. “Though I hope he takes the opportunity to learn. I was flattered by his asking me for two dances, I did not expect such a compliment.”

“What could be more natural than his asking you again?” Sasha said, taking Anne’s blonde hair in her hands and brushing it dutifully. “He is very agreeable, and was gallant in vocalizing that you were five times as pretty as every other woman in the room.”

“Well I give you leave to like him,” Y/n said, smiling. “You’ve liked many a stupider, more cowardly person.”

Anne gave her sister a shove.

“You are a great deal too apt, to like people in general!” Y/n protested. “You see the fault of others and somehow find reason and compassion within them.”

“I only acted as any good soldier should,” Anne said dully.

“You would have danced with Mr. Arlert if he were not handsome, for the sake of our mother’s scientific aspirations,” Mikasa said.

“Still, there is no denying that you truly like him,” Y/n said gently.

“Do you have any ribbon, Annie?” Sasha said, tapping her sister with the brush. “Let me braid your hair.”

“By my mirror, Sasha. All the world may not be agreeable in my eyes,” Anne said. “Though I hardly consider it my duty to determine so, I would not wish to be hasty in censuring anyone. In such perilous times one must offer discernment towards humanity, even with its flaws. With Mr. Arlert, however, I cannot help but believe the man has the purest intentions, and a good heart.” Her cheeks were tinted pink with the confession.

“Well, you will have a very proud sister in-law,” said Y/n. “Miss Hitch’s manners are not equal to her brother’s.”

“She was very pleasing when I conversed with her,” said Anne.

“If there is anyone deserving of disapproval, it is that odious Mr. Kirstein,” said Mikasa fretfully. “Poor Y/n! To be only tolerable.”

“It would be a misfortune to be liked by him,” laughed Y/n. “Mother said that he had stood next to Mr. Berner for a half hour without speaking to him.”

“I certainly did see him utter a few words,” said Anne. “Mr. Arlert insisted his friend is not often sociable unless he is among his acquaintances. If only he had been so polite as to dance with you, that is a failing on his part indeed.”

“I may safely promise you never to dance with him,” Y/n scoffed. “I would have snapped his arm in two, if I were quick tempered.”

“His pride is not so offensive to me as pride often is,” observed Pieck. “It is no wonder that a young man with family and fortune, with everything in his favor, would think highly of himself.”

“I suppose the very rich can afford to give offense wherever they go, and that should make him not very handsome at all,” said Y/n. “I could easily forgive his pride had he not mortified mine.”

“Pride is a common failing,” Sasha finished braiding Anne’s hair, and tied it with a green ribbon. “Human nature is prone to it, I think. With all his estate in Stoheshire, he has a right to be proud—though if I were as rich as Mr. Kirstein, I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and feast on a pig every other day.”

The ladies of Dauper were soon invited to pay a visit to the Ral’s, who additionally invited the inhabitants of Maria Park, and Y/n was greatly troubled by the thought of her mother’s impolite propensity, withstanding Mr. Kirstein’s supercilious nature, and Miss Arlert’s cold disposition toward everybody, hardly excepting her eldest sister.

Y/n thought it evident that Anne was fond of Mr. Arlert, but wondered if the man was on his way toward falling in love with her. Anne was a little shy, and although kind and well liked, often mistakenly stoic in the eyes of others, with a general uniformity in her smile and strong composure, in the nature of a prepared soldier and to guard herself from being impertinent.

Y/n mentioned this to Petra when sparring in the tall field behind the Ral’s estate. She explained her worries as they fought, the sun burning directly above them.

“If a woman conceals her affection,” Petra huffed, and stepped quickly to the side to dodge her friend’s punch. “There is a risk that she would lose the opportunity of seizing his affection and good graces.”

She struck the side of Y/n’s torso and tried to sweep her leg, but her friend lunged forward and thrashed into her lower abdomen.

“Ah!” Petra hissed, and rose again to throw a right hook. “A slight preference is natural,” she said through grit teeth, aiming to anticipate Y/n’s movements. “Few of us are brave or vain enough to be really in love without encouragement. In nine cases out of ten, a woman ought to show more affection than she feels!” She landed a blow at her chest.

“That is nonsense,” Y/n protested, and she blocked Petra’s next two hooks with the solid part of her forearms, muscles stinging from the harsh contact.

“Arlert likes your sister undoubtedly,” Petra said, and jumped back, turning into a high kick to her nose, quickly blocked. “But he may never do more than like her–if she does not help him on!” Her last words were accented by another kick, followed by a quick second.

“She does help him on, as much as her nature allows,” Y/n grunted, and shielded her face as she stepped away. She attacked with her elbow diagonally and pushed Petra forward again, knocking her unsteady with her leg in one swift movement.

Petra fell backwards into the grass as she lost her footing.

“If I can perceive her regard for him,” said Y/n, “he would be a fool indeed not to discover it as well.”

She grabbed the leg that Petra had extended and pinned her opponent to the ground. “Hah!” She mimicked a final death blow at her skull, and then let her go.

“He does not know Anne’s disposition as you do,” Petra sighed, staring up at the sky as she remained laying there, her arms and legs sprawled among the grass. “Mr. Arlert and Anne may meet often, but it is never for many hours together, and always in the company of others. They cannot engage in conversation, but once they are married, she may fall in love with him as much as she pleases.”

“She has only known him a fortnight.” Y/n lowered herself to the ground. “That is not long enough to know his character.”

“If she married him tomorrow, I believe she would be as much in love as she would be in a year.” Petra pulled up strings of grass from the root as she spoke. “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance, you know. It is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person you will spend all your life with.”

“It is not sound, Petra,” Y/n laughed. “You know it is not sound. You would never behave so yourself, I hope.”

That evening at Maria, Y/n was occupied by observing her sister with Arlert, and was far from realizing she was becoming an object of interest in the eyes of his friend.

Mr. Kirstein had first scarcely allowed her to be pretty, and looked at her without any admiration at the ball. He watched her now only to criticize, but quickly realized upon scrutinizing her features that her face was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her eyes. He knew there was no perfect symmetry in her form, though he was forced to acknowledge that her figure was pleasing, and slightly muscular from years of training, yet very feminine. Her manners were quite unlike the gentry of Mitras, but Jean was intrigued by her easy playfulness.

Of this, Y/n was unaware, as she thought only of Jean as the man that made himself disagreeable to all, and believed her not handsome enough to dance with.

The militia was soon to be encamped near Shiganshire in the coming autumn, for another cleansing of the countryside’s titan scourge. Various regions of Paradis suffered waves of the beasts, and with limited bodies to fight them, certain regiments were employed to the worst sectors once a year.

Colonel Galliard was amongst the first to be settled by the town, alongside a few other officers. He was a confident, handsome young man that became a favorite amongst the party, aside from the good Mr. Arlert, who sat and spoke with Anne on a pretty chaise.

Pieck employed herself to the Ral’s instrument at the corner of the room, entertaining the guests with a concerto. She had been conversing for a long while with the colonel, delighted by his charms, and eager to display her skill.

The younger Ral’s alongside Mikasa and Sasha begged Pieck for a dance after she’d exhausted her repertoire. She conceded, and the girls paired themselves up with the officers accordingly.

“Your friend performs wonderfully,” Sir Ral observed to Mr. Kirstein, and they watched Mr. Arlert join the dance with Anne. “I am sure you are not inept in it yourself, sir.”

“You saw me dance at the public assembly, I believe.” Jean said curtly, as he had been standing idly in the corner, waiting for the evening to pass.

“Yes, yes indeed.” The old man only smiled. “Do you dance often at St. Fritz’s court, in Mitras?”

“Never, sir.”

“Do you not think it a proper compliment to the place?”

“It is a compliment I rarely pay to any place, if I can avoid it,” Jean said.

“I once considered a home in the Interior long ago,” said Sir Ral. “But I do not think the city air is agreeable with the missus. Of course, she also prefers that our daughters and sons are well prepared against the towering unmentionables.”

Sir Ral paused in hopes of an answer, and was greatly disappointed, though in that instance Y/n was moving toward them as she crossed the room, and he was inspired to do a gallant thing. “Dear Miss Ackerman, why are you not dancing? Mr. Kirstein, allow me to introduce this young lady to you as a desirable partner, surely now you will not decline, with so much beauty before you.”

Jean was surprised, but not unwilling to receive her, and offered his hand instantly.

“I have no intention in dancing,” Y/n said quickly, discomposed. “Please do not mistake me, I did not come about this way to beg for a partner.”

“Miss,” Jean bowed and spoke gravely. “With great propriety, I request to be allowed the honor of your hand.”

“There, the gentleman dislikes the amusement, but considers it greatly,” Sir Ral beamed. “For who could object to such a partner?”

“Mr. Kirstein is all politeness and consideration,” smiled Y/n, and turned away.

Her resistance had not injured the gentleman’s opinion of her, and Mr. Kirstein watched her return to her sister at the pianoforte for a simple duet.

Jean observed the small room, pleasantly decorated enough for the countryside, but severely lacking in class and taste in comparison to any great house in Mitras. He believed that his fellow guests were very much the same.

Hange was animated in describing to the officers a tale from her experiments in the militia, with a titan she insisted had felt pain, by the name of Sawney. Mr. Ackerman was less sociable, silently sipping tea next to his wife, and the rest of his daughters were dancing.

Miss Arlert soon approached Jean and noticed the distant intrigue in his expression.

“I must guess the subject of your reverie,” said she.

“I should imagine not.”

“You are considering how insupportable it must be to pass the evening in this manner, in such company, and I am of the same opinion. The insipidity and noise, the nothingness yet self importance of these people,” she lowered her tone. “I am very annoyed and would be delighted to hear your strictures on them.”

“You are wrong,” said Jean. “My mind is more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the great pleasure of which a pair of fine eyes on the face of a pretty woman can bestow.”

“Pray tell, who has caught your eye?” Hitch said, eyebrows raised.

Y/n was lively as she spoke to Colonel Galliard, giving space for the man to be closer to Pieck, watching them with satisfaction. She joked that he ought to host a ball for the regiment, but mostly for the sake of her sisters.

“Miss Y/n Ackerman,” said Jean, in barely a whisper.

“Miss Y/n Ackerman!” Hitch laughed. “I am all astonishment. How long has she been a favorite? When am I to wish you joy?”

“That is precisely what I expected of you,” Jean rolled his eyes. “A lady’s imagination rapidly jumps from admiration to love, and love to matrimony.”

“Nay, if you are serious about it, consider the matter settled,” she said humorously. “You will have a very charming mother in law indeed, and will learn very much of the habits and biology of the titans. Why, you ought to hang Mrs. Ackerman’s sketchbook drawings in the gallery of your lineage at Trost!”

Miss Arlert entertained herself with the notion for the rest of the evening, and Jean listened with perfect indignance, his composure convinced her that all was well.

Chapter Text

The Dauper estate was only two miles from Shiganshire; a most convenient distance for the young ladies of the house, who were tempted thither three or four times a week.

Sasha was a regular customer of the baker, and Mikasa the milliner, both girls excusing their excursions by visiting their Aunt Tybur afterwards. Pieck had begun to accompany them as the regiment was encamped nearby, and she was eager to learn more of Colonel Galliard from her aunt due to the advantageous proximity to their lodgings.

The trip often filled their mornings with amusement and their evenings with conversation, and the young ladies became familiar with many officers—they playfully criticized the dull metal of their mobility canisters, and the hasty, ill-fitting straps of their gear—and were delighted to employ their own knowledge as a means to tease them.

This intrusion displeased Mr. Ackerman, as now two or three of his daughters were preoccupied with falling in love—Sasha soon proclaimed that if the militia’s chef, Niccolo, were to propose tomorrow, she would heartily take him—and he feared that the discipline he expected from his well trained offspring would soon be forsaken.

Levi nearly expressed his distaste one afternoon in the sitting room with his wife, but was interrupted by the eager shouts of the girls, in response to a footman’s delivery of a note for Anne. The man waited outside the threshold of Dauper for her answer.

“It is from Maria Park,” Anne said. She read aloud that Miss Arlert was in want of a sparring partner and dining companion for the evening, as her brother and Mr. Kirstein were dining out with the officers.

“What a pity,” said Hange. “That is very unlucky. You will miss Mr. Arlert entirely.”

“May I take the carriage?” Anne asked.

“Why.. no!” Mrs. Ackerman’s eyes sparkled as a great scheme came to her. “You ought to go on horseback, for it is very likely to rain, and then you will have to stay all night. When your good friends allow you the time to recover, we shall retrieve you from the estate, and I shall finally have a tour of Maria Park!”

“That would be a sound plan,” Y/n said. “If you were sure they would not offer to send her home, mother.”

“Not at all,” protested Hange. “If they are to dine out with the officers, I imagine the gentlemen are to take their chaise—and your father would not want to spare the horses from the farm.”

“The horses would be spared more than anything,” Sasha said, confused. “Titans consume only human flesh, thus Anne is in far more danger of them than the rain.”

“You underestimate me greatly,” Anne said with a small smile. “One horse will do. It is only six miles, and I will bring my gear—but I cannot expect the Arlerts to take me in.”

“You ought to stay near the woods,” Mr. Ackerman finally spoke, for his disapproval was great, but the desire to challenge his daughter always greater. “The beasts are easiest to vertically navigate amongst the trees.”

Anne was thus obliged to go on horseback, with many blades hidden on her person, and her ODM gear canisters sheathed under her navy riding habit. Her sisters were unwavering in their support, save Y/n, who thought her mother’s scheme an impetuous gamble.

The sun was nowhere to be found past the hazy clouds, and in a few hours night would fall upon Shiganshire. Anne was certain she would arrive at Maria with plenty of light remaining, but the country was always vulnerable to a sudden swarm of titans, which would undoubtedly delay her.

Anne guided the steed through the forest, a thin, hazy fog seeping in between the trees. The ground was damp, and nary a sound disrupted the serene display of misty rain, save the lone, rhythmic thudding of hooves against mud and grass.

The quiet stillness, although eerie, was a pleasant change from the havoc of Dauper most any day, as a family of five sisters was often as ravenous as a group of unmentionables themselves.

The leafy canopy soon gave way to dark, cloudy skies, and the trees were behind her as Anne came to a bare clearing. She clutched the reins with one gloved hand, and hovered the other over a blade as she rode on.

The smell of the rain and gentle winds could bring her scent to the nearest beast at any moment, and she could only hope that the area had already been purged of them, by the militia if not the residents of Maria.

Water slowly pelted her skin, beading on her cheeks and dampening her clothing.

The distance between the forest behind her and the next was no more than five hundred yards, yet it seemed to stretch impossibly far. She persisted through the open field, and the pattern of brief vulnerability occasionally repeated.

Each time the trees abandoned her, Anne pushed her steed to quicken its pace, but she became soaked in the storm, and thunder resounded in the distance, taunting her.

She came upon yet another clearing, and prepared her horse for another fast, lengthy stride, until the thunder boomed again, impossibly loud.

Anne knew from the great tone and depth of the noise that it was not thunder at all, but the chilling roar of a titan, with a second and third now wailing in his company.

The torrent became merciless, and the wind violent, whipping her hair across her face and sticking wet strands to her skin.

With great care, Anne pushed the horse as close to the trees as it allowed, until the poor, faithful creature became skittish and nearly bucked her off of it.

Anne set her jaw as she unsheathed both her blades, and sent her grappling hooks into the nearest tree—she propelled herself away from her poor steed as it escaped, and used her momentum to kick off of the trunk. She soared toward the wretched giants that came barreling her way, their teeth bared.

The following morning at Dauper, breakfast was scarcely over when a servant arrived from Maria Park with a note for Y/n, which she read aloud–

“My dear sister, I find myself very unwell this morning, for I was caught in the rain, and amongst a small swarm of titans yesterday. Although I had vanquished them, and father’s horse will have returned to the stables, I had run out of fuel upon reaching Maria, and fell a little distance of two or three meters in the wet landscape amongst the trees. The Arlerts insist that I am to see the apothecary today. Excepting a sore ankle and a headache, there is not much the matter with me.”

“If our Anne should die at Maria, you will know it was upon your orders,” Mr. Ackerman said to his wife, who had strewn her sketches and notes upon the table. “Or have you forsaken the thought of our daughter in favor of the glories of titan biology?”

“People do not die of trifling colds and sore ankles,” Hange said. “She will be very well taken care of at Maria, and there is no doubt her heroic arrival heightened Mr. Arlert’s opinion of her. As for my papers, I am determined to be prepared for when we are inevitably invited to the estate. I am convinced Mr. Arlert and even Mr. Kirstein may possess connections that would be valuable to me.”

“It is fortunate that Anne is the most resilient of us,” Sasha had taken a brief reprieve from her meal to express herself. “I wondered at her, for not bringing her bonnet, but now I am glad that she did not, for the flowers I’d sewn would have perished.”

Y/n was anxious at the thought of her sister, alone, at the mercy of Miss Arlert, and desired to visit her. She was no horse-woman, thus walking was her only alternative, and she declared her resolution.

“Is this a hint to me to send for the horses?” Levi arched an eyebrow at her determination.

“No, it is only six miles, any overexertion would prove that I am of no worth as a soldier,” said she. “I will return by dinner.”

This reply was very satisfying to her father, and there were no additional objections.

“Nearly half your journey is close to town,” said Mikasa. “Let Sasha and I accompany you for the first two miles, and we will make it very tolerable!”

Pieck was nearly induced to join them by the pleasant idea of coming upon Colonel Galliard, but instead stayed at Dauper in favor of propriety. As much as she was thrilled by occasionally visiting the militia, she had decided that it was nearly indecent.

After bidding her sisters goodbye at the shops, Y/n followed the path that Anne had taken, and walked in the shade of the forest.

The morning sun peeked through in golden rays, and the greenery of the countryside lent itself well to her happy disposition. She was determined to keep it, and take care of Anne as soon as she arrived. It was enough that Mr. Arlert would be agreeable and kind—his friend and sister were not worth thinking of.

She jumped over stiles and puddles with impatient activity, and found herself slightly disheveled, with a weary mind, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise.

Y/n was determined to stay on foot until she reached Maria, and would only use her mobility gear out of necessity. The walk was refreshing and unchallenging, and it had only taken two hours—not a single beast crossed her path to delay her.

Soon came the grand outline of Maria Park, an impressive estate with many rooms and windows, and imposing columns at the entrance.

There were large trees surrounding the property, tastefully framing the building rather than obscuring it. The innovation of planting saplings became popular after the Coordinate’s attack, as a long term precaution to assist the residents of an estate in using vertical navigation gear.

She was shown into the breakfast-parlor where all but Anne were assembled, and her appearance conjured an arched brow from Mr. Kirstein as the gentleman and his friend rose to bow.

“You walked all the way from Dauper, Miss Ackerman?” Miss Arlert said, unable to conceal her amusement. “How determined you are.”

Y/n only smiled and asked for her sister.

“I admire the love you hold for her,” said Armin. “She is upstairs, and will be very pleased to see you.”

The apothecary came, and declared that Anne had a violent cold, and that her ankle must remain elevated—bedrest and draughts were all to be done, as Anne’s strong constitution would assure her recovery.

Armin insisted on sending for the Miss Ackerman’s clothes from Dauper, so that the young ladies may stay comfortably at Maria until Anne was better. His anxieties were evident, and his attentions pleasing.

When dinner was over, Y/n returned to her sister, and Miss Arlert began abusing her as soon as she had left.

“I shall never forget Miss Y/n’s appearance this morning,” Miss Arlert said as she walked about the room. “So wild, with little to recommend her but being an excellent walker, and I suppose a well enough titan slayer. Her manners are very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and impertinence– she has no taste, no beauty!”

“The lengthy walk was a sure display of sisterly affection,” Armin said.

“Please, Armin, it was nonsensical—scampering about the country for a cold, her petticoat six inches deep in mud,” Hitch said.

“I did not notice the dirt,” her brother said.

“You observed it, Mr. Kirstein,” said Hitch, as she brushed her fingers against the back of Jean’s chair. “You would not permit your own dear sister to make such an exhibition.”

“Certainly not,” said Jean.

“Then am I to believe that this adventure of Miss Ackerman’s has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes?” Hitch said in a teasing half-whisper.

“Not at all,” he replied. “They were brightened by the exercise, and I have no doubt she would have walked another six miles with as much enthusiasm and endurance.”

A short pause followed until Miss Arlert began again.

“I hold a great admiration of Miss Anne Ackerman, she is a sweet, well trained girl. Her discipline and good manners are very unlike her father and mother. It is a shame that with her lack of connections, there is no chance of her being well settled. I believe she has an uncle that resides in town, near Cheapside.”

“Let the Ackerman’s have uncles enough to fill all of Cheapside,” cried Armin. “It would not make them any less agreeable.”

“Their chances of marrying men with any standing in the world are comparatively low,” replied Jean. “Agreeable or not, that is fact.”

Y/n had no intention of socializing with her hosts until Anne insisted upon it, and only relented to the obligation after her sister was comfortable and fast asleep.

She entered the drawing room and found the party playing cards, and declined the invitation to join them. She insisted on reading instead, and walked towards a table where a few books were lying.

“You prefer reading to cards,” observed Armin.

“Miss Ackerman despises cards,” Hitch said coyly. “She is a great reader and would take pleasure in nothing else, I am sure.”

“I deserve neither such praise nor censure,” laughed Y/n. “I am no great reader, and I take pleasure in many things.”

“You take pleasure in walking, and nursing your sister, and that is to be admired,” said Armin, smiling. “I hope Miss Anne will recover soon.”

Y/n thanked him, picked a novel, and settled in a chaise across the room.

“Is Miss Mina Kirstein much grown since I saw her last?” Hitch continued, and set her cards down. “How I long to see her again, such manners and beauty! She is very accomplished for her age, and her performance on the piano-forte is as exquisite as her bladework.”

“It is amazing to me that young ladies can have the patience to be so accomplished,” said Armin.

“All young ladies accomplished?” Hitch said dubiously. “My dear Armin, what can you mean?”

“All of them indeed,” laughed her brother. “They paint tables, embroider purses, carve weapon-handles, and spar! I scarcely know any that cannot do it all, and I have never heard a young lady spoken of, without being informed that she was very accomplished.”

“The word is often applied too liberally, to any woman that can net a purse,” said Jean. “I am far from agreeing with you, as you list the more common accomplishments. I cannot boast knowing half a dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are truly, wholly accomplished.”

“Nor I,” said Hitch.

Y/n set her book aside, as she could not help but be intrigued by the turn of the conversation. She walked near the card table, but remained an easy distance from them, and observed the grand paintings in the room.

“You must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman,” said she.

“Oh, naturally,” interjected Miss Arlert. “A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, drawing, dancing, fighting, and the modern languages to be esteemed accomplished. But beyond all this, she must possess a certain air and grace, in the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, in both stasis and combat, or the word is merely half-deserved.”

“All this she must possess,” said Jean. “Yet she must add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading, and training for the specific threat of Titans as much as man.”

“I am no longer surprised that you should know only six accomplished women,” said Y/n. “Under your standards, Mr. Kirstein, I rather wonder at you knowing any.”

“Are you so severe on your own sex?” Jean set his cards aside and observed her with his jaw tight. “Do you truly doubt the possibility of well varied skill?”

“I never saw such a woman,” she said simply to Mr. Kirstein, who met her with a dark, neutral gaze. “To be united in grace and capacity, elegance and taste, and remain an excellent fighter, would be a sight to behold.”

Miss Arlert cried out against the injustice of her doubt, and insisted she knew many fine young women with great talents and deadly prowess.

The conversation was at an end, and Y/n bid them goodnight, grateful to retreat to her room.

“Miss Ackerman has proven herself to be one of those young ladies that seek to recommend themselves by way of undermining others of her sex,” sniffed Hitch. “In my opinion, it is a very mean art. How I despise the country.”

“Undoubtedly,” Jean remarked. “There is a meanness in all the cunning arts that ladies employ for captivation.”