The Cadet's Origin

Chapter Thirty Five - The City

Kenna's eyes widened as they left headquarters. Trost seemed alive today. Today, the city was celebrating the First King of the Walls. The streets were lined with vendors selling food, trinkets, clothes, and anything else that people could imagine. The smell of warm bread wafted through the air. Kenna felt her front pockets. Her uncle had given her some money for the day. Kenna looked down the streets, but she didn't know where to go. Everything was so exciting.

"You look like you don't know what to do with yourself," Reiner whispered as he wrapped his arms around Kenna's shoulders and rested his chin on her head.

"By the walls!" Sasha exclaimed. "There's so much good food!" Kenna looked over and saw that Sasha was basically running in place and grabbing onto Connie's arm. Then, Sasha ran and began dragging Connie into the crowd. Connie grabbed onto Jean who grabbed onto Marco. Kenna laughed as she watched the chain disappear into the crowd.

"That is a lot of people," Bertolt said as he stepped up besides Kenna and Reiner.

Kenna stepped onto the street. She looked back and grabbed onto Reiner's hand and then Bertolt's.

"Let's go," Kenna laughed as she started to drag her boys into the street to enjoy their day.

Everything seemed to be happening so fast. There was a whirlwind of emotions and sensations. Kenna pulled the boys along as she looked at the vendors. There were performers crowded in the streets. Kenna saw jugglers and fire throwers walk through the crowd. Kenna grabbed on tighter to Reiner and Bertolt as someone spit flames in their direction.

"Worried that someone will mistake your hair for the fire and try to douse it, Wildfire" Reiner teased as he squeezed her hand.

"Oh shut it," Kenna rolled her eyes. She looked at Bertolt. "What are we going to do with him, Bertolt?"

"I've been trying to figure out that question my entire life," Bertolt said as he looked down at her. "I have yet to find an answer."

"Come on," Reiner said as he dragged them along. "We have more to see."

They stopped at food, clothing, and even hat vendors. Kenna stopped and bought something from one of the vendors. It was a variety of fruit covered in what looked like hardened beet sugar. Kenna took a bite. It was a crunchy and delicious and nothing like Kenna had ever tried before.

"You're going to get a tooth ache eating that," Bertolt said as he raised his eyebrow.

"Give me a bite," Reiner said as he wrapped his arm around Kenna's shoulder.

"Here," Kenna lifted up the stick up to Reiner's mouth. Reiner took a bite of it.

"Good," Reiner said as he chewed.

"You're both going to get a toothache," Bertolt said.

"At least we'll be happy," Kenna laughed.

They continued through the streets of Trost. It seemed like down every street there were one hundred new things. They went down one of the streets. As they walked, the thing that caught Kenna's eye was a jewelry vendor.

Kenna walked up to the vendor. All of charms were made out of carved stone. They were hanging from leather cords. Kenna smiled as she looked through the charms. She stopped at one. Kenna looked at the charm that was in her hand. It was a beautiful green stone. An oak tree had been carved into the stone face. Kenna smiled at how amazing it was. She had never seen any craftsmanship like this.

"You know the oak tree is a sign of strength and resilience," the woman behind the vendor said.

Kenna bit the inside of her lip, "How much?"