THE VALKYRIE TITAN • ATTACK ON TITAN X OC •

III.BETRAYAL

(Year 832)

"I'm home!" Aera yelled as she closes the door behind her. She made her way to the dining room and saw her parents eating dinner, wearing dejected looks.

"Where's Zeke?" She asked her parents.

"He locked himself in his bedroom..." Grisha sighed as Dina pours water at her husband's cup.

"We tried talking to him but....." Her mother sighed heavily. "We tried convincing him to eat dinner with us but..."

"Did you at least apologize to him about last night, father?" She asked as Grisha only gave her a stern glance, remaining silent.

Aera look at her father in disgust then makes her way to Zeke's room.

"Zeke.." She knocks on the door. "I'm not hungry." said her little brother.

"Please Zeke, just come downstairs." Aera plead.

"Do I have to say it again, Aera?!" He yelled as she flinched.

"Just leave me alone!" Zeke shouted.

Aera was offended by his words. His words felt like a stab in her heart. She was hurt. But she manages to keep a straight face.

She left without a word and made her way to the dining room, where her parents were. She sighed then eat dinner without Zeke. Silence only existed in the room until Dina made a conversation.

"Why did you come home late?" She asked her daughter as Grisha remained silent.

"Oh...well...I met a girl in the library and we got along quite well. Sorry, I'll try to come home early...It won't happen again.." Aera answered, forcing herself to look away from her father's stern glare.

"Friend? Really? What's her name?" Dina asked sweetly.

"Uhh...."

Her face was sweating beads, trying to make up a name. "Her name.....is...Emma..."

"That's good. I'm just glad you finally have a friend."

Aera made a wistful smile, she will only see Lara, her first friend, once a year. She was unsure if she will see her next year and afraid that she might forget about her. They spent hours talking about History and the Ten Titans, which made them get along since they have a lot in common.

"Do you know about the Valkyrie Titan, father?" She questioned as her father stoically hummed in reckoning.

"I heard about them. The Founding Titans protector, Marleys hardest opponent next to the Founder." Dina informed.

"If Zeke succeeds, he will first battle the Valkyrie. Which is a great risk," said Grisha.

"We are not sure yet...." Aera whispered under her breath as Grisha turns his gaze onto his daughter.

"As Grice said, Marley can't influence the decision unless Zeke has decent scores.." said Aera as Grisha sternly lifted his chin in frustration.

Aera was afraid of her father. All those yelling and shouting she had heard from him feared her.

"I reckon......I could take Zeke's place."

"What are you saying?" Grisha asked.

"That I should join the program instead of Zeke." She answered as Grisha shakes his head in disagreement.

"No. Being a soldier is not a job for you." He said sternly as Aera gulped.

"But-"

"It is decided." He stoically cut her off as he leaves the dining room.

Aera heavily sighed. Her mother held her grip on her daughter's shoulders as a comfort.

"He's right, dear. It is not a job for a Lady..." She stated as Aera kept silent.

"Here...I have something for you."

"Hm?"

Dina handed her a sapphire amulet. "Now let me tell you the story about the Founders amulet." She smiles as Aera parts her lips.

"This jewel was made long before the Walls existed and was worn by the founder Ymir Fritz. The founder passes it down from generation to generation. At the time after the Great Titan War, the current owner was one of the branches of the Royal family that rejected King Karl Fritz's ideology and stayed at the continent."

"It's now yours," Dina said as Aera wore the Amulet.

"Really??" She asked as her mother hummed in response.

"Keep it safe. It's a family heirloom and I reckon that the Royal Family, who are currently in the walls recognize this jewel." Dina said.

"I will..." Aera smiled as Grisha came in.

"Tomorrow we will have a meeting with our fellow restorationist. The Owl had a new plan."

Dina nodded and said. "Go to sleep."

Aera hummed in response and made her way to her room passing by Zeke's. As she enters her room, she flops herself in her bed with a sigh.

The next day, there it goes Zeke left the house without a word, again. She went downstairs just to see her mother cooking something delicious while her father was at the table.

"What are you cooking?" She asked.

"Zeke's favorite," said Dina as she chops an onion.

"Where's Zeke?"

"He already left."

Aera sighed.

"Zeke has been acting strange lately." She said as Dina look at her.

"I tried cheering him up but...." She again sighs, making a dejected look as Dina holds her grip on her shoulders while Grisha looks at his daughter with a straight face.

"Do you think Zeke will expose us to the government?" She questioned as Grisha stood up from his seat in vexation and said "Zeke could never do that to us. He's our family." Grisha said with a faint voice.

"Don't worry, Aera. Zeke would never do that." Dina said as Aera wistfully smiled.

Sooner or later, Aera and her mother finally cooked Zeke's favorite. They took a seat next to Grisha and waited for Zeke to come home. They heard footsteps from the living room and revealed Zeke with dark eyes.

The family smiled when they saw him but their smile fell. Zeke looked at them widened eyed and clenched teeth then point at them. "There...."

The family was confused until their house was entered by Marley soldiers, aiming their guns at the family except for Zeke. Grisha held both Dina and Aera closer to him. The three widened their eyes after realizing that Zeke had betrayed them.

"Why..." Aera said under her breath as she and her parents were handcuffed by the soldiers then were guided to enter a carriage.

Once they got inside, the family was still widening their eyes after being betrayed.

"Dammit...." Grisha dejectedly whispered with teary eyes while her mother held her head, clenching her teeth.

And Aera made a depressed look. "Too late..." She whispered