đŻď¸Â Chapter Fifteen: Disposable
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The estate was alive with noise.
Dust stirred in every corner. Servants rushed in and out. Horses lined up at the front gate. Silver platters were polished. Extra flowers were brought in from the nearby hills. The dining hallâusually dusty and dimânow shimmered under sunlight and nervous tension.
Rod Reiss was arriving.
Her father.
The man who had sent letters but never visited. Promises, but never presence. To be specific, the letters were simply money and maybe a few things to her mother...never her.
Historia stood by the window, hands folded behind her back, dress ironed flat.
She didn't know how to feel.
Excitement?
Dread?
She just⌠smiled. As always. It was her basic action, because what could Historia do?
She thought of Krista.
"She met her father once. He was cruel. But she stayed strong. She kept her head up. She judged him not by his blood, but by his actions."
Historia would do the same, it seemed fair and mature.
...
The dinner went quietly.
Too quietly.
Rod Reiss sat at the head of the table, his face unreadable, the faintest shadow of sweat clinging to his neck; he had been this way ever seen he arrived...it was odd.
Alma sat across from him, barely eating. Her eyes flicked between the tablecloth and her lap.
Historia smiled through it all. Asked polite questions. Answered with grace. She pretended not to notice the tension curling around every word, it was so obvious even she could feel it.
When the final dish was cleared and the guests excused themselves, Rod stood.
"Alma," he said. "A word."
...
They stood in the drawing room.
Curtains drawn. Doors shut. The scene was similar to how Rod would express his thoughts to Alma in the past.
Rod kept his voice low.
"I want you and Historia to return with me. To House Reiss."
Alma's mouth openedâthen closed.
Her voice came out brittle. "Why now?" She had expected something big, but such a change as this was weird.
Rod's eyes narrowed. "Because things are changing. And I⌠need to secure what matters. Before the situation gets any worse, after sorting out the situation at the capital, I rushed here."
Alma didn't answer; she merely accepted his thoughts with a light nod, as Rod breathed a sigh of relief.
Historia, listening from the hallway, clutched her skirt tightly, not because she didn't wanna go back, but simply because she desperately didn't wanna be alone back with her mother.
Historia opened the door and stepped inside. "Father-" Her words were cut off.
The front door exploded open.
Boots pounded the floor.
Gasps echoed through the house.
And thenâvoices, this was standard military practice...or more so assassin practice.
Rough. Controlled. Commanding.
"Everyone, remain still."
Kenny Ackerman walked in first, as his men made way in rows, walking with the murder weapons primed.
A black coat. Wide-brimmed hat. Dead eyes.
The Military Police First Interior Squad followed behind him, weapons drawn, perfectly disciplined.
They fanned out, encircling the room.
"Rod," Kenny said lazily. "Funny seeing you here." Kenny lied flawlessly, he knew precisely that he'd see him.
Rod stiffened. "This isn't your business, Kenny." This was bad, Kenny was one of the 3 people he didn't wanna meet.
"Everything's my business. Especially when you're making moves behind the Crown's back."
He turned to Alma and Historia, sporting the same bored eyes as the MC, as he eyed the targets, bright blond and dirty blond.
"These two. You know them?" Kenny said calmly, fishing his blades out.
Rod hesitated, thoughts spiraling.
It was a blink. A breath.
But it was enough.
"âŚNo. Just poor farmers. Nothing more."
Alma flinched as she thought about her last moments and decided to hate Historia some more.
Historia's throat tightened, large blue eyes widening in fear as she could feel that something bad was about to happen.
Kenny smiles. He was fully aware of Rod's dependence on women, but it was a nice change to see him maturing.
"Good enough for me."
...
He turned to Alma, a deserved end coming for her.
"Sorry, sweetheart," Kenny said as he casually slit her throat.
"Noâwaitâplease, Iâ"
SLICE.
It happened in an instant.
Historia didn't scream.
She couldn't.
She stared at the floor as her mother collapsed, blood blooming across the wood like spilled ink.
Rod didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't flinch.
Kenny stepped toward Historia next, her blue eyes didn't even register it, she merely stared at her mother's body.
"Shame. You're pretty."
He raised his blade.
...
"Stop," Rod said suddenly, as Kenny inwardly sighed. He saw this coming.
Kenny paused, disappointed.
Rod took a step forward. Swallowed hard.
"Let her⌠join the Survey Corps."
Kenny blinked to keep up the facade.
"What?"
"She wants to be a soldier. Let her. Wall Rose could use more warm bodies. Maybe she dies out there. Maybe not. Either wayâno blood on your hands."
Kenny stared at him.
Then chuckled.
"Cold. I like it."
He sheathed his blade.
"Alright, kid. Off to the front lines you go."
He snapped his fingers.
The Interior Squad turned and filed out like ghosts.
Kenny followed, tipping his hat with a grin.
"See you in the papers, Reiss."
đłď¸Â Aftermath
The room was silent.
Rod stood over the body.
Blood staining his shoes.
Historia didn't cry.
Didn't speak.
She just looked down at her mother's body and stood there, her bright blue eyes dripping tears as she slowly processed this.
"âŚShe wasn't even important enough to lie for." Rod thought calmly, and he felt guilt, but this was the best end for her.
Rod turned to her.
His 'daughter', so to speak
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[Auther: I'm sorry for not posting. In exchange, I'll post 3 chapters today, effectively giving you all one extra chapter today. This'll also help me get past this arc.]