~*~

IN MARLEY

"Amazing.........."

That's all I could say as all of us stood in shock, while glancing around at the different environment. With little Luka tucked against my breast securely, I felt my mind wander over the many things this world has to offer. The port was bigger than what we had back on Paradis for sure, and there were machines that were not even invented back within the walls. It was so futuristic , that my mind couldn't keep up.

Luka babbles at the many people and machines, as he was no stranger to curiosity.

Levi's hand remained in mine tightly but comfortably, while my eyes were lit up in awe with my cheeks warming up. It was so different and more lively, filled so much produce and much more inventions that I knew Hanji is willing to discover and gawk over. 

"My friends!" a familiar voice greets; before seeing Onyankopon lowering his white hat. "I'd like to welcome you to the continent of Marley! The Azumabito have been waiting. May I escort you?"

Both Hanji and I smile brightly, "Hey Onyankopon!" Hanji greets warmly, with the two chuckling together.

"It's so good to see you here!" Onyankopon smiles widely, before his eyes shift to me and then little Luka. "Look at him, he's grown up.......would he be about a year old by now?"

Nodding with a smile, "Yes, that's correct," I reply, before Luka gazes up at Onyankopon. Seems he can't remember him, I mean it was only for brief meet and greet a few months back. "Thanks for being our escort..."

"It's my pleasure," he rests his hand against his chest. "So, what does everyone think about the biggest Port in the country?--"

Before he could get an answer, some kind of carriage came whirring past us. It sounded very strange, especially when there were no horses hitched to the fancy carriage. A man was even driving it, which was even more unusual as my curiosity leaps for a moment. It even had glass panes around, and seats still tied down to the carriage.

I didn't even want to sound dumber, than how I look right now.....

Connie gasps, "What's with that horse?!" pointing at it, accusingly. "Or wait.....is that--- what was that?!"

"Nah!" Sasha renounces. "No horse ever looked like that. I think it was a marleyan cow!!--"

"It must've been a car," Hanji cries out, that crazed grin curls upon her lips. Rolling my eyes with a chuckle at their reactions, and even I thought Hanji would collect herself from all this. In all honesty, there was so much happening I couldn't express it but be entertained. "I've definitely heard about those! Hey! Car! Here, boy!!!"

Grimacing with a sheepish smile I tuck Luka into my arms more, while noticing Armin look embarrassed.

"They're making a scene," Armin whispers quietly. "Everyone's staring."

Jean sighs in annoyance, "Shit......." he tugs his hat down, to keep his head down and hide himself. "All these people are gonna think we're a bunch of yokels now....."

"Huh?"

Jean blushes in embarrassment, "....just act like you don't know 'em...."

Keeping myself nearby Onyankopon and Levi, it was safer that way than to look like idiot like those three. Even Luka is giggling and clapping his hands, which eased my anxiety a bit. "Better get them on a leash," Levi comments. "They'll try and feed the car carrots, if they manage to catch it."

Onyankopon chuckles in response, "Give 'em more credit than tha--" 

"Tch, we know them well enough they'll do it," I raise a brow, amusingly. "Just give 'em time...." glancing over, the sea of people to find them already buying carrots at the stall.

"...they're really buying carrots?!" his eyes widen in disbelief.

With a heavy sigh I pass Luka to Levi, "Take him for a moment," before walking swiftly through the crowd, worried I might roll my ankle in these damn heels. Then finally after a minute I drag the three dumbasses by the collars, making me look like the scolding and dragon of a mother. Even the person in the car was relieved, before making a break for it as I return the three back to the group.

"Thank hun," lifting little Luka back into my arms, adjusting him upon my hip.

Levi blinks once and sighs, "I'm so glad you're with us," he mutters out, only for me to hear causing a small chuckle to leave me.

"Now.....where's Eren, Mikasa and Armin.....and Jean?" I question, peering through the thick crowd of people.

With Levi already top on that he whistles, "Guys, stick with the group!" he beckons them back. Levi's eyes narrow for a moment, "Especially you, Eren..."

"Be right there!"

Turning back to Onyankopon my stress was gradually growing, as I lost sight of Connie and Sasha yet again. With a pouting sigh I pat little Luka's back, while looking like a distressed mother. Finally I over hear a familiar voice, before finding the two at another food cart. 

"I can tell, that I'm gonna have to pay if she spends it all at once......" I roll my head forward, before looking back to see Jean and Connie order whatever they were selling.

Onyankopon chuckles, "Well ice-cream is quite delicious," he comments, with a positive grin on his face. "Maybe give it a go, I've heard a little sweetness is good for the soul..."

Hesitantly I glance over to Levi wondering if he could chime in his own opinion, but he ushers me to go. In disbelief with no hesitation, I walk over in line myself before ordering myself a cone? While requesting a ice-cream, the man informs me it was vanilla flavoured. On Paradis, the only sweets I would get is if Levi and I go to Wall Sina in the Capital.

Ever since he would sneak a few in, whenever I needed something sugary to keep my sugar levels simmered. Or sometimes for the enjoyment.

Once holding the ice-cream after paying I adjust Luka in my other arm, and glanced at the sugary delicacy. Walking over back to Levi and Onyankopon, I look at it trying to find ways how to eat it. How do you even eat this? It feels cold too by the cone, as Onyankopon was snickering to himself. Amused by how foreign I am to this, I lick my lips and take a quick bite.

"Ahhh........." opening and closing my mouth, feeling my mouth freeze in response before feeling the icy feeling go up my teeth. The freezing sensation builds up towards my brain, before I swallow the ice-cream while puffing my cheeks to heat my mouth back again.  

"Hahaha........now that was funny," Onayankopon chuckles, with a wide grin. "Just a brain freeze my dear, it'll pass unless you try using that technique. Press your tongue to the roof of the mouth...." He continues to find it amusing, while I look down at the ice-cream. 

"Dammit, that was embarrassing," with pink dusting my cheeks.

Levi even was amused by it all as he rubs my back, "Come on hun, your fine.....no one saw," he assures me, with his usual handsome smirk. He then leans closer to my ear from behind, "But I did......"

"Shutup," playfully shoving him away, as I hoist Luka back onto my hip comfortably. 

"Just lick the ice-cream, that's when the magic happens," Onyankopon advises, still trying to stifle his laughter.

In curiosity I lift the ice-cream to my lips and with a gentle lick, my eyes widen with a warm expression from the creamy goodness. It melts gently on my tongue, finally allowing me to realise why many love it so much. Now i understand why Sasha wanted some, and even the boys. 

"So good......." I muse softly, offering some to Levi. 

He leans forward taking a small lick with an embarrassed look, before it changes into. quite pleasant and satisfied expression. He takes another lick for himself with some more, as I grin ear to ear, "It's........not that bad," he grunts out, with a click of his tongue.

"........and?" I nudge him gently.

He sighs in reluctance, "Too cold for my liking if you ask me," he admits, while I shrug my shoulders.

"Well more for me," before I continue to enjoy the cold delicacy, feeling my tastebuds growing accustomed to the vanilla bean flavour. Usually the sweets back on Paradis were chocolate flavoured, due to a growing orchid of cocoa beans that were popular. However this? This was by my far my favourite now, and my favourite flavour.

Whilst watching over Sasha, Connie and Jean gushing over the yummy ice-cream, I felt a large shadow cast the both of Levi and I. Not even sensing anyone approaching us so quietly from behind, chills ran down my spine for a moment which made me slight look up. There stood a large man with a rotund belly, a face painted in white with a large round comical red nose. Eyes with purple stripes across them, and an outfit that was definitely strange.

"Hi, little fella," The man sang, with that cooing sound to a young child. Sensing from the presence, Levi's eyes widened and side-glanced in my direction for a moment. The stranger lowers himself down to Levi's height, with a wide smile grinning ear to ear. "Got some tasty candy for ya. Wanna try it?......" before finding the stranger rather close to Levi's ear. ".....It's real good."

This causes Levi to sharply glare towards the man, lifting his eyes up.

"Sharp suit there, bud," The stranger adds. "Are you and your friends playing gangster?"

From my perspective I couldn't help but to chuckle to myself, seeing his anger slowly surfacing towards the man. A few of our comrades tended to make fun of his height, and sometimes my own but i didn't care much. However it's a sore topic towards Levi, that even a stranger will be planning a funeral soon.

"I'm sorry, but my husband is a little tired," I apologise, before ushering Levi along while nudging my head for Hanji and Onyankopon to follow suit. 

Finally getting Levi out of the situation sooner put me at ease, as his hand interlaces with mine while walking down. The place was so huge, and the buildings were structured differently. It was all so foreign, and it made me question about my clan. They apparently lived directly near the Marleyan's military base, which made the family tight and secured. 

So how did.....?

Sinking into my own thoughts while walking along, I felt Levi's hand leave mind before grasping a child's hand from not far where we stood. The child wasn't that of Marleyan blood, which caused all attention to be pointed at the young boy. His grasp didn't seem strong enough to hurt the child, but simply to stop him. Looking at the hand, that's what I've realised what was going on.

He was a pickpocket, noticing Sasha was searching for her purse.

"Hey," Levi sternly spoke, but calmly. "I don't think that purse belongs to you, does it, kid?"

"Thief!!!!" A man from nearby exclaims, accusingly.

"Well, look at that!" A man spat in disgust. "Anything enemy immigrant!"

However the kid managed to tug his wrist away from Levi's firm grasp, once Levi securely got the purse before handing back to Sasha. Yet the crowd grew heavier with anger, all men furiously crowding the young boy. My heart felt heavy all of a sudden, realising that we're lucky for not giving away who we were. Keeping myself at a safe distance for my sons safety, I held him close to my chest.

Although the men began shoving past one another, cornering the boy in the centre of the raging men.

"How'd you get into Marley?!"

"Bet he stowed away on a ship!"

"He can't understand us, can he?!"

"We can toss him into the sea!!!"

"Nah. I say we smash his hand!" another suggests proudly. "That oughta stop him from picking pockets!"

It was wrong for them to prey on the weak child, who was one against many people at once. Immigrant or not, stealing for survival reminded me of someone long ago. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, in order to survive the food chain of society. The child grew smaller with fear, eyes widen as if clinging onto himself with no strength inside himself. 

Levi settles beside me with a troubled expression, "Levi......"

"I know......" he murmurs, while my grip around Luka grew tighter with concern for the young boy.

"Why don't we string the little rat up?!" Another man suggests. "Somewhere everyone can see him? It'll scare off the next thief!"

My anger was simmering to a boil with how appalled I was, finding that they were just like the government on Paradis. Anyone really, to always pick on the weak to set an example to them. I've had my fair share seeing many fall to poverty, starvation, and even worse facing death as their only option. To think I was just enjoying a warm afternoon, to find these people are monsters like us.

Soon I noticed Sasha pushing through over one of the angry men, "There's no need! Don't hurt him, okay?!" raising her purse with proof. "I got my purse back, so why go that far?"

"Young lady, this about more than just your purse," One of them snaps. "All us merchants working in this Port are trying to make an honest living. We can't allow the riffraff to run around stealing from our customers!"

"On top of that, this kid could be a Subject of Ymir!" Another grumpy man replies gruffly. 

My skin crawls in response to our name of that woman, as if fear for my young children and son's lives were at a corner. My face remains steady and calm, but my heart was pounding like crazy as if on the verge on wanting to smash their skulls in. I held so much rage, but now wasn't the time to waste it on these men. Even glancing over my young soldiers, their faces went pale themselves.

"Blood testing has been picking up like crazy all over during the past few years," One of the men explains. "Now that we know the devils have been blending in with the rest of us, people are losing sleep over it!"

For a moment my body was growing warm, finding the outfit overheating my body from my anxiety and stress levels. This wasn't looking good, but i didn't want the child to be harmed just because he needed to survive. No one deserves that much already, when being an outcast or immigrant. 

Without notice Levi swiftly and casually walks towards the child, causing me to reach to him out of instinct before he pulls something. Yet, I draw my hand back, only to see him lifts the child swiftly under his arm, beneath the tummy. "Hey!" one of the men snaps. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"I never said he was a pickpocket," Levi recalls calmly, coming to a halt. "All I said was the purse didn't belong to him..." he glances over his shoulder, with his usual calm demeanour. He nudges his head towards Sasha,"He owes his big sister an apology for this little prank."

"Jeez, that's children for ya," Hanji steps in, trying to calm the situation. "But what can ya do? Right? It's a family thing!"

Though I knew it was right to step in, I wasn't sure what to do myself. These people either could recognise my culture, and start hammering me. But this child doesn't deserve such a punishment, all because he was trying to survive. No one deserves it, when you're the runt of the group. Swallowing my selfish wishes I nod in agreement, stepping towards them.

"Sometimes children need to be parented better, so it's not his fault," I lie through my amicable calm smile, while holding Luka tightly to me. 

"Huh? Oh! Yeah!" Sasha chimes in, to our small little lie while the tension builds up. She began bowing aggressively trying to make it look realistic as possible, "I'm sorry my little brother acted like an idiot, everybody!"

"Smells like bullshit!!!!" A man gruffly spat. "You think we're stupid?"

"Shit," I curse under my breath.

"Run for it," Levi orders sharply, before increasing his pace as we all began following him. Shoving through the thick crowd of people, they all began yelling towards us while I held Luka tightly making a break for it. Holding my skirt up a bit to gain some endurance, the damn heels were killing me.

Guess our lies weren't convincing enough, as if tried before......

Not wanting to glance back, I could feel the rest of our group follows to whatever is safest for the time being. Running down the unfamiliar streets, everything blurred either side while keeping ourselves at a safe distance from the Marleyan merchants. We didn't need to be wrapped up so early in drama, but for some reason I'm not so sure.

Finally after a while we all got to a safe distance, and slowed down to a stop.

"Did anyone see where the brat ran off to?" Levi questions.

"Shit........." I breath out, fanning my face with one hand.

Everyone wasn't used to wearing thick clothing, especially the attire we were wearing. Wiping the sweat from my temple, little Luka was getting a bit discomforted by what had just occurred. Tapping his back gently, I gather the air that I lost from the intensity of that chase to god knows where.

My eyes shift around before finding the boy, "Oh. he's right there," I point to the child, perched upon the old ruins of a bricked house. He was waving towards us, a face filled with gratitude. Yet, was holding a purse.

Levi gasps checking his blazer in and out, "Well then......" he sighs, in defeat. "So much for the Azumabito pocket change."

Chuckling softly between short breaths I walk over to him, "You can borrow my allowance then......okay?" assuring him, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "Maybe we can discuss it with them, perhaps okay?"

He scoffs softly and nods, "Right......"

~*~

AT THE AZUMABITO ESTATE

The place was magnificent and grande, with the estate surrounded in burgundy brick with white pillars at each corner with detailed designs. Such refined art and architecture was different compared to Paradis; taking in everything that was unfamiliar before me. 

The inside was the same in how beautiful it was; the wallpaper a nice beige colour with an accented colour on one wall in each room. Then a few indoor plants of Cherry blossoms, or Sakura trees were sprouted in small vases which was very new to me.

Apparently this certain tree was planted from my family's motherland, and indeed it's beautiful made me feel familiar.

After taking our seats on the silk patterned cushioned couches, and artefacts and asian relics presented on display cabinets, and new things I'm unfamiliar to have seen before. We all relaxed and settled down before Lady Kiyomi, giving our undivided attention to her. 

No guards were present right at her side, but stationed at doors and even outside the estate. So our safety is guaranteed, for now anyway. Despite myself not particularly wanting myself to do with Lady Kiyomi. She was a woman of greed, but with herself on our side we have some leverage and I had to endure it a little longer.

Luka sleeps peacefully against my chest, while I gently pat his back whilst levi informs what has happened earlier; especially what the Marleyan's informed us with.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Kiyomi apologises, sincerely. "With improvements in blood testing technology, countries are being to discover the Subjects of Ymir have been able to sneak out of the internment zones and blend into the wider population......"

So......I guess my mother and father weren't the only ones, that rebelled against the Marleyans by escaping then.....

".....The bloodline of Ymir made it's way across Eldian territory when the empire was at the height of it's power, and for many centuries......" Kiyomi continues on, as we all remain quiet. " .....the ability to trace one's lineage back to a Subject of Ymir served as proof of noble status among the global elite. But, as the Empire crumbled, the aristocrats who'd been aligned with Eldia