Kapitel eins

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                                                                   Schicksalsschlag

Ria Tanjis. A seemingly plain girl with dull blue/grey eyes, light, almost whitish hair and a deadpan expression. She had no family, or none that she knew of, so was naturally independent although longed for some attention to console her that she wasn't alone. Not that she would admit it.

"Tanjis! Here again?" One of the soldiers from the military police bellowed, his volume ten times as loud as it normally was, on account of the alcohol that the pub was supplying them with.

"Roser, here again?" She teased, earning various pats on the head and waves as she headed to the bar, hopping over it and tying an old cream apron around her, chatting to the soldiers as she served the drinks with a quick hand which showed how long she had worked there. By the evening, the soldiers had retreated back to their dorms and there was an eerie silence as she continued to clean the glasses.

"You can finish now...It's late." The owner called out from the back room. She set the glasses down and hopped back over the counter to give the apron back when a group of cloaked people entered the pub. Considering it was dark, the lights were off and you couldn't see anyone, Ria found it odd that they would even stop outside the door.

"We're closed." She said, regardless. The tallest person laughed, a low rumble echoing around the room and they sat down. A shiver ran down her back and she edged closer to the back room, bumping into the owner who she was about to go and find.

"We're closed-sorry."

"Erwin! Hanji! Good to see you!" He bellowed, smiling and switching the lights on.

"It's okay," He said, turning to Ria who was confused to say the least. "They're friends of mine." Ria nodded and got out 5 glasses for the acquaintances, three of which, hadn't been introduced.

"Who are your trainees then?" The men laughed.

"This is Levi, Isabelle and Farlan. They're enlisting this year." The girl, with short pigtails and big eyes looked like she was going to retort, however the tallest of the trio gave her a warning look whilst the raven haired boy shot a stone cold glare that made the whole room feel uncomfortable.

"Ah, you're enlisting this year too, right Ria?" Ria inwardly winced before nodding. She hated it when the boss would talk about her leaving to other people, she didn't know why, but part of her felt guilty for leaving, the other half embarrassed because so far, all the people she had encountered who were going to enlist had a dramatic sob story and a noble reason to become a soldier. She hadn't a clue.

"Yes."

"My best bartender, leaving me for the action," He sighed, smiling. When the men slipped into a discussion about their 'days of youth,' she took her leave. Well, she attempted until the solo girl of the group pounced like a cat, flinging her arms over her shoulders and smiled, the type of smile which is contagious.

"Hey, your gonna be a trainee this year? Right?"

"Yeah, hopefully." 

"Where do you want to end up?" she asked but was dragged away by the two boys as they followed Erwin and Hanji. She watched as they left, the Raven haired boy walking stiffly behind the adults, the blonde with stiff shoulders and the girl with a carefree stride. 

"Here." Her boss, the bar owner, tapped her on the shoulder, handing her a tiny parcel. She opened it and in it was a tiny handbook.

"Hidden between petals..." She read aloud, flicking though the delicate transparent pages. The book was filled with tiny scrawls of writing, light watercolour paintings and sketches, crinkled flower buds and petals. on the back page, was a name and address. Most of the writing was smudged but among the few words Ria could read were "Trost" and "Leisel Schnetzer." 

"My wife." Ria looked towards the man, who had always treated her kindly, who had let her work and live with him for all her life, yet she never knew he was married. She looked to his hand and sure enough, there was a sliver band around his finger, as well as a red piece of string. 

"She loved flowers. Documented their meaning, when they grew, how tall they were and how wide. When they didn't have meanings, she gave them one. 'everything has a purpose' she used to say." He paused, chuckling to himself as he twisted the ring on his finger. Ria felt a heavy weight in her stomach.

"W-where is she...now?" The man sighed, the life falling from his face, making the tiny flecks of grey in his ebony hair all the more noticeable.

"She died. We got married when we were just 17, three years later, she was killed by a titan." Tiny tears were dotted on the stubble on his cheeks as he recalled the painful memory. Ria clutched the book tight as he opened his eyes again. He unclasped a chain around his neck where a tiny ring was and a red string.

"You remind me of her." He pointed to the handbook where a tiny gap was, as if there was something blocking the pages from meeting. Ria flipped to the page where there was a broach, a tiny golden pin of a Rhododendron and a Jasmine intertwined, the petals encrusted with diamonds.

"I made it for her, on her 16th birthday. It's yours now." He took the pin and attached it to her collar.

"The pink one means 'strength' and the white 'faithfullness.' She gave that to me when I enlisted, and now I'll give it to you."

"Are you sure?" Ria asked, placing her hand onto his.

"Positive." He smiled, pulling her into a tight embrace "Your my daughter, the daughter I never had." 

They spent the night talking. Talking about Leisel, about the army, about their story. But the sun has to rise and this night wasn't any different. As the sun rose, Ria had to prepare to leave. She washed her hair, ironed her uniform and pinned the broach to her collar. 

"Good luck." The owner said, waving along with the regulars. She laughed and waved as she got onto the cart which would take her to the army.

She arrived and was made to line up in the scorching heat as the 'introductory ceremony' was held for the trainees. Teens from all over were stood, arms folded, shirts crisp and the look of fear etched onto their faces as the menacing soldier bellowed across the grounds.

"Name!" He screamed into the face of a tiny terrified girl with brown pigtails who looked like she was going to cry.

"Rosa. Rosa Barbel, Sir!" She shouted. He grunted and moved on to another trainee with bright auburn hair and a devilish smile. A few rows in front of her, Ria noticed the familiar backs of the trio who had paid her a visit. She watched them, unbeknownst that the soldier, Shadis, has noticed her not paying attention. Suddenly, he appeared in her view and she saw the three spin round as he shouted at her.

"What's your name?" 

"Ria Tanjis, sir!" She screamed, her lungs stinging. He scoffed and pointed to her pocket.

"What are you hiding?" 

"I'm not hiding anything." His eyebrow twitched. "It's just a book." 

"A book." He snatched the book from her, flicked through a few paged and threw it onto the floor.

"Flowers...." He laughed. "The army isn't a place for weak minded souls, this isn't a tea party." He strode away, terrorizing another trainee leaving Ria, who snatched the book up and tucked it into her jacket, bowing her head. 

"Hey, Flower girl! Flower girl! Hey!" An energetic voice rang out as Ria sat in the food hall with Rosa Barbel, the shy girl from the previous hour. The girl with pigtails ran in, accompanied by the two boys.

"Remember us!?" She called out, hopping into the seat next to Ria, Farlan and Levi sat either side of Rosa who looked like she was going to pass out.

"Sure I do, Farlan, Levi and Isabelle." Levi raised an eyebrow, as if he was surprised she had.

"So, flower girl, you gonna tell us your name?" Isabelle asked, tucking into her plate of food. Ria frowned, slightly offended that she had forgotten.

"It's-"

"It's Ria, idiot. She already said." Levi snapped. Farlan chuckled and Isabelle blushed, pelting him with insults as both Ria and Rosa went back to eating occasionally smiling in amusement when Isabelle was insulted by Levi or vice versa. Ria noticed how close they were, and admired their friendship as they fought, flicking pieces of bread at each other. She didn't go to school, she was taught between shifts at the pub so didn't have many friends other than the customers. As she thought, she was unaware that Levi was watching her, his steel grey eyes darting from her face, to her hands to the pin on her collar. He winced as Farlan elbowed him.

"Let's go." He said, and the three grabbed their plates.

"They're energetic, aren't they?" Rosa giggled nervously. Ria nodded.

"Yeah, they sure are." The two girls left to place their own plates back when a long leg tripped them up. The trio of bandits turned as they saw the timid Rosa and reserved Ria crash to the floor, a ginger boy cackling as he joked with his friends.

"The army isn't a place for girls, why don't you go back to your knitting?" 

"I don't knit..." 

"What?" The boy said, amused.

"I said, I don't knit!" Ria shouted and swung at the boy, who fell off his chair in shock before grabbing his face in pain. Ria wiped her hand and threw a hand to Rosa who accepted it and ran after her as the two left to their bunks.

"Way to go flower girl!" Isabelle cheered, wincing as Levi hit her head and made his leave. Farlan looked towards Isabelle and shrugged, following suit.

"Do you have a brain? Or can't your remember names?"