Mr. Kruger

Ignited

1|"A little more kindness
could have prevented
this,"

🥀|Mr. Kruger|🥀

Kaia Graves

LOOKING AROUND her, she wondered if those warrior candidates knew just how lucky they were. The immunity they held to being harassed harshly by Marleyan guards was incredible.

Those same guards who were haggling an elderly lady that was commonly known to have dementia.

They knew the woman couldn't remember what they'd said 2 days ago about her arm band being too low too see. A frown tugged her lips and anger filled her heart. That lady wouldn't be seen alive again.

The warriors who went to Paradis opinions were even listened to by Marleyan tacticians. Of course, they had to raise a hand to request the permission to speak but, it was something.

More than she's ever had. More than she will ever have, really. Amber eyes flicked to the stone ground as she stood amongst the anxiously waiting crowd. A crowd of people usually waited for the surviving eldians who fought in the war to return and she was in the midst of them.

But as surrounded as she was, she still felt so devastatingly lonely and so apoplectic at the world.

Warriors families were safe from extreme punishment and they were all fed much better than even some of their poorer cousins. Not as good as a Marleyan though, never that. They wouldn't ever have to worry too much about the simple things.

Something she did every single day after her elder brother was murdered in front of her for trying to defend her not even three years ago. She worried about food. She worried if today would be her last day.

She worried if she had gotten enough sustenance before she slept to at least wake up the next day.

They were always dressed in nice pristine uniforms. Hair combed, skin routinely washed, and eyes bright. She scowled enviously as she shot her light colored eyes down to look at her dirty dress and torn shorts then looked back at their crisp clothing.

Lucky was a severe understatement. They wouldn't last a single day in her shoes. She wiggled her toes feeling the warm stone road underneath her feet. Or lack there of.

She was a street rat. Eldian orphan kid with no one to go to. Nobody cared too much about those. They were soon to die anyway. Why waste the time, extra food, or effort?

Most Eldian orphan children were statistically proven to die out before even reaching their teenage years. Nobody would help her or miss her. Not her parents nor her own people.

They'd stare at her unique hair color in awe as they passed by then rudely scrunch their noses up in disgust as they noticed her ratty clothing and dirt smudged skin.

No, they made it abundantly clear they couldn't care less for a small slip of a girl.

She frowned as she watched the warriors and warrior candidates return to Libero from the victorious final, deciding battle.

Their facial expressions made her so mad. They looked proud for some reason that always eluded her.

Like they enjoyed fighting for a country that belittled and beat the people that held the same blood as them right in front of their faces on a regular basis.

Like some of their distant family weren't roaming the lands of Paradis as a giant, mindless, man eating titan. She couldn't contain her harsh glare as she took in the families praising them.