Stronger [Attack on Titan fanfiction]

Chapter 1

They glared at her with cold eyes, turning up their noses. All they saw was another beggar on the streets of Sina, dressed up in rags with empty hands. But underneath the dirt that covered her face hid a previously known girl. The daughter of the nobility James Knight, thrown away just like her mother had been. The life on the street hadn't treated her nicely where she sat with a black eye and bruises all the way from her toes to her neck.

Time went slowly for her as she studied the posh people walk around like everything was good. They lived their lives in wealth as if the world was in order. If the world was in order they wouldn't be hiding behind tall walls. If the world was in order there wouldn't be so much bloodshed. If the world was in order she would be living happily with her family. 

Before she knew it, the warmth of the sun had left her. When she had been thrown out she hadn't had any time to bring anything so all she had was her rags and her memories. With no warm blankets to snuggle into she hugged her legs close to her body, shut her eyes and prayed. But there was no answer, just like the day before and the days after that. There would never be an answer either, because God was dead.

Tears threatened to come out when her shaking limbs grew even colder. She had no one, she was no one. Moonlight shone upon the streets, reflecting in a few windows and giving off a magical feeling. But she couldn't see that through her glossy eyes. Whimpers and sobs racked through her body; what was she doing, sitting around doing nothing but pitying herself? It wouldn't help her  in any way, she knew that. Yet she couldn't stop the overflowing feeling of loneliness.

She hated the silence, it left her to think of things she'd rather forget. Why? Why had this happened to her? Feeling home-sick, she retreated into her mind to engulf herself within her memories.

A big home with a big family. Tall cream colored walls and a huge stone pipe atop of the roof: it all seemed so much bigger in her small eyes. A smiling woman held her left hand as they passed through the beautiful streets of Sina. This was her mother, a middle-aged woman with shining brown eyes. Her name was Adela, Adela Knight, wife of James knight and mother of Hedda Knight: the girl she was wandering about with. 

They were looking for a gift to her father, it was father's day after all. Back home, the chefs were all about it, rushing left to right with bowls and tools flying straight over their heads. It was chaos. In the middle of it all stood a child, Arick Knight; the smallest brother of the Knight sons. He laughed and shrieked as the chefs shooed him out, having the time of his life as he ran through the stressed chefs' legs. "Get that little pest out'a 'ere, yeh? We ain't got no time for this!" One of the chefs muttered in his irish accent while grabbing onto Arick's collar and hauling him towards the doors. 

"Now now Bobby, why don't you untie your panties?" One of the chefs chuckled while tapping Bobby's shoulder. "The boy's only having some fun, let him stay, will you?" Arick's smile bloomed as he saw the new chef. "Fred!" He exclaimed while wiggling out of Booby's hold then climbed onto Fred's leg. "Hey there kiddo, shouldn't you be playing with Hedda around this time of the day?" Arick giggled when Fred ruffled his hair. "Hedda's out, shopping with mommy! And I'm a big boy now, I don't play with girls!" He stood by himself and crossed his arms with his nose in the air. Bobby kicked his back and he stumbled forwards. "Don't be stupid, lil' baby! Who else would play with ye but yer sister? Get out'a 'ere and dress up like ye always do!" 

Arick stormed out of the doors and ran up the staircase with tears brimming the corners of his eyes. "Arick?" Nothing could stop Arick as he ran, he didn't hear his sister and kept running. The middle-aged woman covered her mouth with three fingers and let out a slight gasp. "My my, what could've happened this time?" Hedda crossed her arms and stomped her feet. "I'm sure it was that stupid Bobby bear!! Arick's such a crybaby!" 

Arick wasn't in his room or in hers, but Hedda didn't give up. Searching and looking, seconds turned to minutes and minutes passed quickly. Suddenly she heard it, a sobbing coming from the attic. How did he get all the way up there? The door was slightly open. Hedda hesitated to go in, the attic was a no-no, she wasn't allowed to go up there. "Arick?" His breath hitched when he heard his sister's voice: he didn't want to see her. He wanted to prove that he was a big boy. Getting up, he dried his tears and snot away with his sleeve before pushing the door open. Hedda jumped slightly before seeing the red eyes of her brother. She reached over to dry his tears.

"Arick, are you ok?" Sniffing, he scowled at her. Feeling smaller all of a sudden, Hedda retreated her arm and backed up slightly. "Arick..?" He stood his ground, crossed his arms and looked down at her. "Go away, Hedda, I don't want your disease!" His words were harsh. They hurt.

Hedda didn't say anything before or after Arick closed the door. She just sat there, staring into the nothingness. Her feelings mixed together and fought, she didn't understand. Slowly, she got up and began walking to her room in the basement. On her way there she heard something. Words being exchanged in a severe matter. Hedda snuck up to the door and placed an ear to the wood.

"Why can't you just sit down and eat with us for once?! The children barely ever see you, they've all worked so hard for your sake, only to get this?! Why can't you do this for us?! For them! For me.." A light voice shakily called out. Hedda knew that voice, it was her mom. Curiosity was a crime, Hedda pressed her ear harder into the door to hear better.

"And here I thought I married a smart, independent woman." A much darker voice hissed. "If I had known how pushy you would become I wouldn't have fucked you so many times." The sound of skin hitting skin echoed in her ears and then came some choked sobs. "Please.. I just want our children to have a peaceful and happy childhood.."

A door opened and left the woman to cry alone. The small girl creaked the door open with the thought of consoling the woman to discover her mother in a sobbing mess on the floor. "Mommy?" The sad woman looked at the child staring at her with confusion. "Oh Hedda, come here baby.." As a child, Hedda couldn't comprehend the situation, but she hugged her mother regardless.

"Why're you crying mommy?" Adela grabbed onto Hedda's thin arms who were wrapped around her head. "Hedda, no matter what, you mustn't hate daddy, ok?" At first she just stared into her mothers eyes. But slowly her frown turned into a toothy grin and she nodded her head quickly. "I promise mommy! Hedda'll always love daddy!" Adela let out a sigh of relief. No matter what happened, she was still hopelessly in love with the man. "But.." 

"I'll always love mommy too!" At first, Adela didn't know what to say. Her mouth opened and closed until it's edges rose into a smile. "Of course, Hedda! Mommy'll always love you too!"

The frost covered the windows of the fancy houses accompanying the stone streets. White vapor left her lips with every breath until it faded into nothingness. She stared at her breaths as they evaporated, that was warmth leaving her body. Grinding her hands together she stood up on the frosty stones with her shoe-less feet. She didn't know where she was going, she just let her feet take her wherever she wished.

She was tired of crying, tired of looking back and wishing they'd open their doors again. This was it, her time to step forward. On this night Hedda Knight took another step forward.

---

This is the beginning of another fanfiction I'm writing cx

Hope it was to your liking and that you'll follow the story with me, and I apologize in  advance for slow updates: I'm just a really lazy person! cx

I'll be overjoyed if you comment, thank you for reading! Have a good day!

- Avi