Burdens(Erehisu)

Chapter 18

Inside the crowded narrow street, the blonde strolled along the pathway, eagerly peeking around the stores and small setup shops. Moving swiftly but carefully around the crowd, her eyes set on a horde of people watching over a large stage outside of the crowded center. Captivated by the soothing sound of bells and whistles, she then waded through the passing people and exited the clustered area. Standing over the small steep hill, her blue eyes were immediately enthralled by two women on the stage floor dressed in golden kimonos performing a foreign dance.

As she watched, the two women leisurely spun and spun while holding a red spear with golden bells attached along the end of its silver blade. Now and then, they would gently flex their wrists to shake the bells to produce a soothing sound along with the background violin.

"Historia, what were you thinking?!"

The blonde looked to her side to see Sasha panting next to her with hands pressed on her knees, legs shaking, and back arched. Even though Historia knew what Sasha meant, she asked, "What do you mean?" Sasha looked up in disbelief. "Running off on your own!" Historia chuckled while staring back at the stage. "Don't worry. I can manage it on my own if I ever got myself into trouble," Historia said.

"You seemed to be drawn to the dance." Kiyomi, standing several feet away from Historia. Looking over her shoulder, Historia nodded. Then Kiyomi said, "it's an ancient art." Staring softly at the play, Kiyomi continued. "The dance is sacred to the spirits. Though, today, people mostly watch for entertainment purposes."

Seeing Sasha laying over the edge of the grass hill with her arms stretched over her head, Historia walked to the edge and sat next to Sasha while hugging her knees.

As they stared at the dance, Sasha's constant growling of her stomach made the otherwise soothing atmosphere awkward. Knowing Sasha's only staying for her sake, Historia softly said, "You're hungry. Eat something. It's noon anyways."

Seizing the opportunity, Kiyomi chimed in. "How about I take you two somewhere around here?" Only Historia to shake her head. "I'm alright." Sasha then sat up and concernedly asked, "are you sure?" The blonde looked at her and teased by giving a soft punch to the shoulder, grinning. "No need to worry."

Turning around the corner between two small shops, the brunet sees the blonde figure sitting on the edge of the grass hill staring into the distance. He then formed his left hand into a small knuckle as he got closer to her. Then hitting his formed knuckles gently on top of her head, he said with a raucous voice. "Idiot, why are you here all alone?" Historia flinched before looking up at Eren, who's looking down at her frowning. Seeing the innocent look on her face, Eren then sighed and sat next to her.

"Here," Eren said while giving her a small paper bag. Feeling a warm, softly triangular shape in the bag, Historia asked, "what is it?"

"They said it's a rice ball."

===

Eren and Historia leaned against each other as they watched the stage in front of them clear out. Then, Kiyomi called out. "Your majesty, I think we should be heading towards the welcoming gathering." Historia, still leaning against Eren, said in a low voice. "Right." After a few seconds, they both stood up and Kiyomi said, "Eren, you're required to meet with Prince Katsu separately." The brunet looked at the middle-aged woman, then nodded.

"Where?"

"One of my men here will lead you to it," Kiyomi said while gesturing to a tall figure in a black suit with her stretched-out arm. Eren looked at the man in the eyes, who was trying his hardest to stare back at Eren equally. Suspicious of the sudden change, Eren looked away to hide his inner doubt. Then, seeing Jean, Connie, Sasha, and Mikasa's worried look, he gave them an assertive stare. "You guys go with the Queen." But Jean shook his head and protested. "No, I'm going with you." Eren, seeing the determination in Jean's sharp brown eyes and didn't want to waste any of his breath on a pointless altercation, Eren sighed.

Eren looked at Historia. "Remember what I told you." Seeing her nod, Eren gestured to the tall figure in the black suit to lead the way.

===

"Why has the Prince disappeared since the docking, ambassador?"

Kiyomi, who's been walking in front of the group, said a quiet, shaky voice without looking at Historia. "Well....he had preparations to do, your majesty."

"And what might those be?"

The middle-aged woman faced Historia this time and forced a smile before saying, "that's the knowledge I do not know your majesty." Seeing the trembling of the ambassador's wrinkle mouth, Historia pressed on. "Then who's the head at the gathering?" There was a long, dead silence between the Paradis' Queen and the Scout Regiment with the Hizuru's ambassador as they walked through the crowded streets. As they approached a large wooden building, the people around them began to move aside to allow their ambassador and the people following her to pass.

Stopping in front of a small wooden gate, the two guards dressed in full leather armor looked at Kiyomi, then nodded their heads and opened the door to allow them in. Kiyomi stood beside the door, stretched out her right arm, rested her left palm against her abdomen, and said, "the lord of Hizuru is inside, waiting."

The scouts stepped into the warm, loud, and frenzy wooden building and saw a man dressed in full black Kimono sitting on a multilayered stone seat that's attached to the back end wall. Scanning the room, there were men dressed in the same leather armor scattered along the wooden walls. Except for this time, they were sitting down and playing instruments. Historia then saw Levi, Hange, and Armin sitting in the middle long table, and she gestured to the rest of the scouts to follow her. "Welcome, your majesty!" The man in black Kimono called out while holding a glass of red wine, which he raised in front of him. "I'm Sozin, the lord of this land."

Watch for the soldiers....