Just for Yeager

Curious Cravat

For the sake of marriage, I needed to boggle my brainy brunette. I had promised her change, but perhaps I should have coined in for something more subtle, considering I wasn't used to participating in such a vendor. But Elga had been feeling under the weather lately, giving me an opportunity to reveal my more sensitive side. Regardless, Hange persuaded Elga to tag along with me for assistance.

The marketplace, more packed than ever, still offering very little in variety. It seemed more like a charity pot than an actual place of business, but often times there would be a couple vendors shooting their prices way high for quick profit. The meat sections had always been scarce and costly, selling out just as fast as they restocked, and in turn, making us all vegetarians. But this morning Elga was sure to grab us fresh boar meat that would last us a couple days.

As the butcher behind the counter scaled the flesh, my eyes veered to the timid looking old maid. The ride to Saviion Boardwalk was quiet too, as she only addressed me when beckoned. So I stared at her, observing her body language. The longer I stared, the more nervous she so obviously became. Elga tipped her sunhat over her shifting grey eyes, her rattled breath rolling beneath those steaming glasses. She perceived me as a hostile? I've known Elga Ovakski for many years, and she has been in service for my family since my childhood. You could almost say she was like a second mother. But for the past couple weeks, she has been painfully elusive. And this cold she told us she supposedly had; an excuse to retire to her quarters for a couple days? I couldn't help but question why...

Her fingers fiddled with her pocket purse as she folded her rose glossed lips in her mouth. Her sagging wrinkled cheeks stiffened just as I leaned into her height from behind and slid the payment on the counter. She took a step back, her wide eyes glued to the coins the butcher groped with his hairy, greasy hands. The assistant slapped the slab of meat on parliament, proceeding to tie our dinner for the evening. I finally broke her daze. "Still waiting on you to tell me what has gotten you so distant, Elga."

She nearly jumped at my voice, cleared her throat and replied in a thick, nasally voice, "Master Ackerman—"

"Pardon?"

"I misspoke. I meant, Sir—"

"I thought I told you to just call me Levi? There's no need to be formal and uptight with me, Elga."

"My apologies." She thanked the butcher and settled the meat in her basket before moving onto the produce section. "I haven't been feeling well, is all."

I followed at her side. "There's also no need to lie to me either. For a sickly woman, you don't seem very pallid or weak." I rendered her speechless, a mere cough escaping her lips. "Is it something Hange did?"

"No. Madam has always been kind to me. Don't you worry, I will recover soon enough."

"Recover from what, Elga?" She gave me no response as we continued to gait, until I abruptly interrupted her pacing, standing right before her. "You can't even look me in my eyes. It's something I did then?"

"No, sir... " she whispered, her head low.

I rested my palm on her comfortingly, replying, "Then what is it?"

"Please, don't!" She cried, shirking back from my touch and dropping her basket. "I am terribly sorry!" Elga fell to the floor and snatched as many items to her chest before I pardoned her.

"...Don't worry, I'll take care of it." The crowd locked its attention on me with edging aversion, as if I struck the poor woman to her knees.

"I need some air. Please, excuse me." My brows furrowed to the sight of her long skirt and drape carrying along the boardwalk in a hurry. A part of me was tired of trying to pry the truth out of her... the other thought I would be better off knowing.

As I finished re-stuffing her basket, my eyes drifted north, and I spotted a peculiar looking Armin wedging himself in a tuck between two posts. He tossed his hood over his head, turned to his sides then continued pacing eastward. Something in my gut told me to follow suit, so I dropped the basket off in my carriage then stalked the shifty mouse.