THE VALKYRIE TITAN • ATTACK ON TITAN X OC •

XVII.THE BUTCHERESS

(Year 847)

One year later, Aera became 27 years old. A year ago, she just made a favor to Ymir. She knew that the girl will forwardly accept her favor despite having no information about her. She was also aware that the girl just joined the 104th Training Corps, where Eren is going to join.

The ashen-haired girl sat on a hard surface, living in a pitch dark cave. There were candles everywhere, books scattered around the place, and had a lot of countless bowls of mashed plum mixed with Lavender essence, indicating that Aera had made her signature scent; Lavender and Plum.Delphi wasn't with her because he was currently looking after Eren in the Training Corps and keeping an eye out of Ymir. And Scorpio is outside the cave, sleeping.

January 26. It's her birthday. Though, she did not celebrate the occasion nor did she care.

A/N: I know, it's not January but can we at least pretend that it is.

"Happy Birthday, child...." She heard a voice from her head, throbbing like crazy. Aera lowered her head, looking down at the ground dejectedly.

"I.....Thank you..." She wistfully smiled as she held her amulet.

Meanwhile, in Marley, Zeke grew into a fine young man. He recently inherited the Beast Titan when he was 17 years old. He was walking outside the Military's Headquarters with his comrades and fellow Marley warriors. Pieck and Porco.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw fields of Lavenders, which reminded him of his sister. A memory from the past where he betrayed her and his parents came into his mind. Zeke clenches his teeth, looking down with a sigh. He honestly missed his sister, remembering the time when he was very little, Aera used to read him some bedtime stories very often. Though, he hated her for neglecting him when he first entered the Military. He remembered the time when she shut her door in front of him, stern-looking when she's with him, her figure is surrounded by a pile of history books, she was stressed out.

"Zeke? You alright?" His comrade questioned as Zeke kept staring at the Lavender field.

"The Lavenders pretty, am I right Zeke?" Pieck stepped in as she joined the blonde-haired man, looking onto the flower field.

"What's gotten into you, man?" Porco tilted his head, glancing at the flowers.

"Reminded me of my sister," Zeke said stoically as his comrades parted their lips, looking down. Zeke used to tell them about her when he became one of the warrior candidates, knowing that his sister was one of the Eldian Restorationists, who was sent to Paradis Island then got transformed into mindless Titans. They believed that she has passed.

"Happy Birthday....sis." The blonde-haired whispered under his breath, after realizing that it's January 26.

In Paradis Island, The peasants around the Walls knew when's the Duchess's birthday. Folks often tell their children to never go outside their home at night or else the Duchess will eat them or kill them. Children had grown in fear going outside their house after hearing the ballad about the Duchess. They mostly call her a Witch after hearing rumors about her controlling animals at will.

In both Wall Sina and Wall Rose, she's very relevant and feared but in Wall Maria, she's assumed to be an old lady. Though, they never get a lot of news from Aera since she never roams around in the outer wall. Somewhere in Wall Rose, there were a group of cadets setting a tent and a fire in the woods, looking like that they're camping. Delphi was there sitting on a branch, with golden eyes, indicating that Aera was watching through his eyes, watching both Eren and Ymir. 

"Oi! Sasha! Don't get too near to the fireplace... You'll get burned!" A buzzed cut boy exclaimed at the brown-haired girl. 

''Relax, Connie...I'm just putting more wood for the rest of the night." The girl said calmly as they hear two boys behind them, fighting over something.