Princess Isane Fritz Jeager Welcome to Paradis

(Year 834)

Five-year-old Isane* watched in terror as she found herself surrounded by towering humanoid beings. Her mother and father were yelling at her to run from on top of the wall she was just on. Her father's comrades pleading at the men in uniforms who pushed her into the sand to pull her back up away from the strange creatures. She remembered stories of these beings that her older brother would tell her at night. Stories which gave her both nightmares and comfort. Stories of how he would become a warrior and change into one of these beings and crush those who lived on the neighboring island.

"If you aren't a good little girl Isane, Titans will come and gobble you up in one bite." His blonde hair swayed lightly as Isane bounced on the bed they shared, this was a story that Zeke always told her, and it always ended with a happy ending. "Don't worry though! I'm the prince, they have to listen to me, so I'll save you no matter what okay?"

Isane smiled at her older brother, just one month before she and family found themselves on Paradis and at the mercy of those creatures.

Isane could feel tears begin to well up, she clutched her dirtied gray skirt in her small hands. Fear grabbed her heart and mind as she realized that Zeke had lied. He wasn't going to save her, he was going to let her die here, he was going to let her be gobbled up. The voices above her drowned out as she watched one of the Titans beginning to reach for her, paralyzed with fear her thoughts were filled with disarray. Her eyes widened as the hand was getting closer to her and she began to scream in fear at it.

"Zeke, help me. Zeke!" Crying for her brother didn't help as the giant humanoid held her in its grasp its strength squeezing the breath out of her and slowly crushing her. She could hear the 'pops' and grinding of her bones as she was getting closer and closer to the ugly thing's mouth. Her screaming became inaudible to her as she tried to wrench herself away but to no avail. Giving off a final cry as her head entered the Titan's mouth, the giant being came to a halt. She could feel herself be moved from the inside of its heated mouth to the cooler air. Her once closed heterochromatic eyes stared blearily at the giant's dark ones. She gaped as she found herself staring into an abyss of emotions from the Titan, and that is where she found a name. The Titan had a name. She once had a name.

Isane swallowed and allowed herself to rest her broken arms on the skin of the Titan (woman?).

"Hello, Margret," she turned her head up ever so slowly as she turned to see the people above her. What she saw was a mix of fascination, anger, and horror. The men in uniforms were baffled as they watched the young girl who was about to be eaten, speak with a Titan. Her parents' comrades stared at her with a sense of hope and faith. Her parents, on the other hand, were both frightened and proud as they watched their youngest child do such a feat. Giving them a weak smile, it soon changed to horror as she watched the soldiers behind her family inject something into their necks. They then proceeded to push them into the sand as they had done to her, but while she had tumbled down with a slight scream, the others were in agony. She watched in horror as they transformed into Titans themselves before beginning to leave the area, but not without a glance in their direction. She watched as the other Titans that once surrounded her begin to follow the others without sparring a glance in her direction, clearly losing interest. The Titan, Margret, who was holding her, now gently laid her down onto the piles of sand and walked away as well, leaving only footprints and her broken self to indicate that she was there.

After a while, the brunette heard a tumble not too far from her left. From the corner of her eyes, she watched as her mother 's beautiful face become contorted into a maniacal smile and strange body. Her limbs elongated into that of a Titan, and her feminine features were long gone, instead, they blended into a masculine body.

"Mama?" The young royal's voice cracked as she called for her mother. The Titan, who was once Dina Fritz Jeager, turned to look at her before her head snapped to what was north of their location. Isane's eyes prickled again for the fifth time today as she watched in despair as the woman she called mother was long gone from the world. Above her, she could hear a loud commotion going on, thunder, and then a roar. Was that her father? She couldn't get herself to look, even as she saw bits of metal and wood fly above her, she didn't wish to see her kind papa become an ugly beast as well. So there laid Isane, quite as a mouse, with only a whimper to be heard throughout the commotion. She closed her eyes once again, hoping that it would all be over soon and that she could leave this blasted place. She sniffed as she failed to go to her happy place, and instead began to groan in pain from her body jolting a little from the sounds around her. She flinched upon hearing another roar, and a body landed next to her. Finally willing herself to open her eyes, she watched as her father's face looked at her in worry, there were strange markings around his eyes, but he didn't seem bothered by it. Even after the cruel treatment, they were given, her father was somehow able to act cool-headed as he cared for his broken daughter.

"Isane, you have multiple rib fractures, I am going to ask you not to move sweetie." Dr. Grisha Jeager quickly began to work on bandaging the young girl up with pieces of cloth that had been lying about. Dr. Jeager muttered every now and then how unsanitary this all was, but it was all that could be done now and that he would find a stream to clean the rest of the spare cloth later.

Isane, couldn't remember when she fell asleep, but as she woke up, she found herself staring up at the star-filled sky. She stared in awe as she watched the tiny lights twinkle at her from so far away. The heterochromatic girl began to wonder why she was able to see so many stars out in the woods compared to those back in the city. Don't they all live under the same sky? If so, how could all these stars be in one place? Jumping at the sound of a snore, Isane slightly turned her head in the direction of where it came from to see her father, he was sat up against a tall tree, taller than the ones back in Marley, his head was resting on his right shoulder and holding clean pieces of ripped cloth in his hands, as he slept the night away. Not wishing to disturb her father, Isane once again found herself looking toward the night sky, dazed by its immense beauty. She allowed her mind to focus on the stars and of the many constellations they could make, rather than remind herself of what had occurred back at the walled beach. She immediately located Orion with his trusty arrow pointing northward. Where were they headed to? She would ask her father once he awoke, until then she would do what her father asked and rest.

-linebreak-

It was close to a month when Isane was able to master her new-found power, Coordinate is what her father called it. As far as he knew there was only ever one form of the power and it could only be found on the small island, so he was confused as to how she was able to obtain it. One month was all it took for her fractured ribs to heal; however, she still had an aching pain and sudden numbness in her chest, but she dealt with it as best she could. Feeling the ground tremble below her, Isane turned her body to watch a pair of Titans, a 10 meter and a 12 meter, walk past her and her father's little shelter. The Titans that resided in this part of the tree-filled area had grown accustomed to the two humans, that and they knew from experience not to get on the protective father's bad side. The young girl flinched at the slight ache that came from her chest that came from turning too fast.

"Are you alright Isane?" Her father's worried tone reached her ears, as she gazed at the departing Titans, something about the way they acted seemed familiar to her.

"Yes, papa." Grisha watched his daughter look toward where the Titans were walking, her eyes not leaving their forms until they become hidden by the tree branches around them. Seeing her frown, he gazed at the only child he had left in sorrow, if only he had raised Zeke without any burdens, what kind of parent burdens their own child at such an early age? Oh, how cruel the fates were to him. His thoughts wandered onto what Eren Kruger, "The Owl," had told him before he gave his power to the young doctor. He had to make sure that he obtained the power of the Founding Titan, not just Isane's Coordinate, but the Coordinate of the true Titan, even if it meant by force. This was for Isane's future, a future where she could be free and fly far away from the walls that kept her on Marley, and hopefully the walls in Paradis. A future where she could one day grow into the fine young lady he knew she would become one day.

"Papa?" Her small voice caught his attention as she still stood watching were the Titans had walked toward to. Her gold and green eyes looked at him in fear. "Papa, I think they sense other Eldians nearby."

Grisha looked in shock as the young girl told him this. People? Weren't the Eldians of Paradis only found within the walls? What were they doing out here in Titan territory? More questions began to flow into his mind until he shook his head. No, he would find out sooner or later what was going on. Nodding to himself, he got up from the log he had been sitting on and picked up his daughter with one arm.

"Isane, do you remember the name I gave you for when we go into the walls?" Seeing his child nod in confusion he smiled at her. "Good girl. I am not going to call you Isane anymore, okay? You are now Eren. Eren Jeager."

Again, the princess nodded at her father unaware of why he had changed her name, but at the tender age of five, she knew that she could trust her father in anything he has to say. If her father said she was to be called Eren, so be it, Eren it is. Eren allowed her father to adjust her on his hip, as he began their journey to follow the Titans ahead. Curious eyes followed the birds around them gathering small twigs with their beaks and heading off toward the trees before coming to get more. The wind swayed the tree branches each and every way demanding their leaves to fall to the ground floor or onto the young girl, who would sneeze every once in a while a leaf landed on her nose. Her father would laugh and comment on how it reminded him of a kitten, in turn, Eren pouted and rejected the comment.

She had to say, the outdoors was beautiful, and the city life she had grown accustomed to back in Marley was nothing compared to the peace and quiet she gained from this. Even though she thought this, nothing could have prepared her for what she and father saw next. As they had reached a quieter part of the wooded area and close to an open plain, they heard what sounded like a recoil of cables coming from above them. Looking up, Eren saw something she couldn't explain. Flying humans. Humans with wings on their backs were flying above her and her father, making their way to the open plain as they were. Ahead of them, she saw an enormous amount of steam as it made its way up the vast blue sky above them. Those must have been the two Titans she saw earlier. She looked up again as she heard the flying humans yelling someone's name, but they were too high up for her to make it out. She tilted her head in confusion and fascination as the creatures continued to fly above their heads with both grace and joy. Her father looked up as well in wonder of what was going on.

"How are they flying papa?" asked Eren in wonder as she watched the flying humans disappear into the trees. Grisha could only shake his head in confusion, not knowing how to answer his daughter, in all his years he has never seen such a feat be done, not even by the Marley Military. As they finally came across the clearing, they found themselves standing in front of three humans on horses. They each had two boxes strapped to their sides, what appeared like swords in hands, and a military uniform. The man in the middle gave Grisha a once over, and his eyes relaxed as he saw the young girl look at him with curiosity. Before he was able to mutter a word the little one who had clutched her small hands into her father's shirt spoke out. "Where you the ones who were flying? How did you fly? Where are your wings? That was so cool, can you teach me how? Papa! I want to learn how to fly too, that looked really fun! Can I papa? Please say yes!"

The older Jeager turned his head to hush his daughter but once he saw the gleam in her eyes, he couldn't help but smile. It was that exact same gleam which he hoped to always protect, a gleam that wished to be given a purpose in life. The toothy grin that his daughter gave him, reminded him of the rare ones that Zeke had given him every so often when they did something as a family. Telling stories by the fire, drinking hot chocolate during the winter holidays, and playing games that would make the two children happy. He gave Eren a small maybe before giving his attention to the two men and one woman in front of him.

"What are you two doing outside the walls?" The man in the center asked with a hint of concern to the two in front of him.

Grisha gaped as three became five in an instant, "What about you people? What're you doing outside the walls?"

The two men shared a look of concern and horror as the two questions clashed at one another until the man spoke again. "Can't you tell? We're the Survey Corps?"

"What is the Survey Corps papa?" The man glanced at the young girl who tilted her head toward the man she called papa. How could this be happening? First Uriel and Matilda had yelled at him about two incoming Titans, and next, he finds himself speaking with two humans only meters away from the wall that separated Shinganshina to the Titan infested land beyond. And to matters worse, it appeared as if neither of the two knew who any of them were if it had been the man alone he would have thought it to be because of a drunk affair. However, seeing as a young child was with him clearly unsure of what to make of the situation either, the young man looked to his comrades, all of whom seemed uncertain of what was happening now.

Next, to him, Matilda spoke out first, "Do you really not know who we are?"

Father and child looked at each other as if asking each other if they were supposed to, but confusion filled their eyes unaware of the five Corps soldiers as they glanced at each other with worry.

"For now, you can ride with us into the walls," said the Survey Corps member as he dismounted from his horse. "I am Keith Shadis. Matilda here can take your daughter with her on her horse if you would like."

Grisha looked toward the black-haired, blue-eyed woman who gave them a timid smile. Glancing at his daughter, he could tell by the way she smiled back that she would enjoy riding on a horse. Nodding he helped the young girl set in front of Matilda and asked her to be careful with her still mending rib fractures. Matilda nodded at the concerned father as she helped the child situate herself into a more comfortable position.

"I am Dr. Grisha Jeager, this is my daughter—"

"Eren! My name is Eren Jeager and I am five years old. Why haven't you answered my questions yet Mr. Shadis? Miss Matilda, can you tell me?"

The five soldiers looked in surprise at the girl's vocabulary, never had they meet a child at such a young with the vocabulary and etiquette of a young woman. Grisha hushed the child again for her outburst and profusely apologized to the soldiers.

"Don't worry kiddo, I'll answer your questions as we make our way to the wall okay?" Replied the young woman.

"Okay!"

"I guess, you can ride with me Grisha," said Keith as hoisted himself onto his horse and reached out a hand to help the father up.

"I thank you for your kind gesture Mr. Shadis." Replied Grisha while taking hold of the hand given to him.

And so, begins the life of Dr. Grisha Jeager and the little princess of the Fritz family within the walls.

What a welcome this is Paradis.

Whatever happened to family?

*Isane means strong-willed; pronounced Ee-Zah-Neh

This story will not have a regular schedule, I'll be posting it when I have content.