chamomile valley // snk levi

twelve.

Chapter XII. finuðl [Old English (OE)- Fennel]

ġēar 850.

"Everyone read it?"

You entered the room filled with Survey Corps soldiers, a squad under the supervision of the man with the undercut. They were in a circle, clearly reading something as if it was the latest Eldian gossip concerning you given that you weren't allowed to even glimpse at its contents.

The young blonde man of the group asked whilst giving the man the letter, "Captain, what is this?"

It gave you the impression that they don't completely realize what was written. Or maybe they did not want to accept the instructions given by the commander. Your gaze follows the captain's long, slender fingers grip on the crisp and folded paper. He brought it to the top of the candle's flame, seeing it flicker and reach the edges of the parchment. You watched the letter burn until it dissolves into a heap of dust that has been blown away by the wind.

"Do you trust him?" he asked everyone, including you who was still trying to process what was happening, "Those dumb enough to say yes, come with me."

Everyone else followed him out the door like ducklings. You did the same, picking up your pace to see them packing their things, as if they had anything essential with them in the first place. They took what they can and gave the rest to you. They all had their own guns so you opt to stay near them to avoid being killed by them or the MP or a third party.

The captain lets go of the trigger of his gun to tug you by the elbow for a brief second, "Stay close to me."

Doing as he asked, you all walked a mountain away from your abandoned post. By the time you reached uphill, people, which you all assumed were MP officers or soldiers, had with torches were surrounding the house. You can hear someone mutter That was close, or maybe that was what you were thinking of. Either way, it was clear to everyone as the same thought was in everyone's mind, even for a brief period.

One of the captains subordinates asked, "Captain, are those interior MP's?"

"Beats me." he responded, "Hurry to the rendezvous point."

When they arrived at Trost district the next day, their eyes were closed to shutting down. They were tired, but not enough to stop from walking. It didn't mean they had enough sleep at the rendezvous last night, their ruse to feel as if they were too tired to care for their surroundings was just that—a ruse. The group was short of three people, but the captors did not know that. They just needed a blonde girl and a black haired man taller than Humanity's Strongest Soldier.

You blinked your eyes once, twice. Humanity's Strongest Soldier, that was what they referred to their captain. Seeing him didn't strike him as that title to you. But the more you think of it, the more it made sense. Currently you were staying in an undisclosed place, on the bed sitting beside your cellmate while the other person in hiding was by the window.

The boy called for you formally, "The captain told us you were arrested by the MP's."

"Just Glove Worth or Glover will suffice." you waved him off, "Yes, I was, for stealing food from the King's banquet. How was I supposed to know it was his damn birthday? I damn know pigs like him wouldn't notice a piece of meat missing from a large feast. It's not like word reaches the Underground."

"You were from the Underground?" the blonde girl perked up at her discovery.

You nodded, "I wanted to go back too but I'm not finished with this place yet."

Guilt began feeling your chest, making it ache. It wasn't an easy life up here but you felt a sense of responsibility for the children then guilt for not remembering them in a long time. You bit your lip subconsciously at the thought and placed your hand to your mouth.