One Last Time: One More Time

Meeting

Elise

She didn't need anything else. Putting on some black pants and a white shirt; with silver scissors, she cut off her hair - short. The tips of her blond hair touched her ears, her neck felt cold, but she got used to the feeling quickly.

There was no time to lose. The meeting was about to start and Elise wanted to make a nice impression on her family and the rest of the royal families.

Everyone gathered today at the Dietrich mansion to discuss the next step to take to capture the 'rebels' or if they should start asking for the Military Police to get Erwin Smith. After all, almost everyone who got tortured spoke of the Commander of the Survey Corps.

It's not like she was invited, actually, no woman was invited, but her mother since it was part of the courtesy of every lord to pay her respects.

Her heart was beating fast, as she took a moment to look at the door in front of her. Chattering laughters and whispers of royals she knew very much. Some better than others, people that were strangers.

Opening it slowly, her hands felt warm against the cold marble of the table.

All eyes were on her the moment she entered the room. The meeting room was the same as she remembers. A table, big enough to fit a bit more than ten people, wide and large.

Shiny and fancy chairs, carved by the best artists in the Walls. A large purple mantle was placed on top of the marble table, her family's crest sewn into it.

The heads of the royal families were all present, of course, all males. Nine families in total, it used to be ten, but the Flaherty family had around the time Elise was born.

No one was pleased to see her, especially her parents who sat at the end of the table. Every male in the room questioned Elise's presence. The way she looked was not fit for the occasion, not only that but she wasn't invited.

"Get out right now!" Mr. Dietrich was offended by Elise's 'misbehavior.' Embarrassed that her daughter presented herself in such regard. He took a quick glance at his wife who for the most part tried to remain calm. His son, Cedric, who sat next to him, finally showed some emotion since the meeting started.

But what bothered him the most was the judging looks of his friends on her.

"If you don't know what's best for you-"

"No, you're going to stay and listen," Elise interrupted him, slamming her hands against the table. It hurt, but she wasn't going to let that feeling show to the rest.

"All my life I just wanted someone to love me. I wanted you, my mother, and my family to love me."

"And I did everything I could to become what you wanted - the perfect daughter," Elise couldn't help but wonder if her parents were actually listening to her or just deeply thinking about what the others might say.

"But after a single mistake, you decided I was not worth anything anymore.

And Elise was right, her father was just thinking of what to do. Call the guards to take her out? But what would the rest of his guests say? The rumors will quickly spread about how he threw his own daughter out of the house.

"And while at the Survey Corps, I tried to be the best, I became the best, everything so you both could accept me again," she didn't want to but her voice began to break. Like a child desperate, lost, looking for anything that indicated that there was some good in her parents.

"All I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me! I wanted my parents to love me, my parents who would lock me in closets, who starved me, who tortured me and humiliated me! Why? Why did you do all that?"