(Year 820)
"A child of royal blood..." A man stated as he held a baby with his arms.
"Grisha, what should we call her?" A woman asked her husband.
"Aera Jaeger..."
(Year 832)
"Big sis!" A little boy called after his older sister. He runs after the blonde girl and hugged her "Zeke..." his sister called his name then gently pats his head.
"Let's go, it's getting dark..." His sister suggested holding his arms as Zeke nods innocently. Every day, his sister picks him up after Training at times. She was caring, loving, and kind to Zeke.
"How was Training, Zeke?" She asked him as they walk at the side of the street. He looks down at his small foot with sorrow as Aera waits for his response.
"You alright?" She asked in a worried tone as Zeke silently sighs in sadness. "Yeah, I'm fine. The training was tough but...I'll do my best" he says as Aera brightly smiles at him until Zeke accidentally bumped into someone.
"I-I'm sorry, sir..." He apologizes to a tall man until he saw a red band on his arm indicating he is a Marley. Aera and Zeke widen their eyes only after a small glimpse of the man's band. "We're sorry, sir." Aera quickly bows in front of him without hesitation as she forced Zeke to bow next to her.
"Eldians....!" The man muttered as the siblings remained lowering their heads. Aera held Zeke closer to her just to prevent him from harm. The man attempts to hit Zeke with his fist but Aera shielded him resulting in the man hitting her shoulders.
Her little brother widen his eyes as his voice quivered. "Aera! Are you okay?!" Zeke asked in a worried tone as she held her bruised shoulder.
"Your kind slaughtered countless lives! Get out of my sight!" He spits at the ground as Aera held her brother's shoulders then moves away. The siblings watched him walking away as Zeke clenches his teeth as he charged to the man until Aera stopped him.
"He should pay for punching you...." Zeke scoffs as he tried to walk towards the man. "Leave him be....and don't worry it's just a scratch," Aera said as she gripped her shoulder.
They walk home in silence afterward, as soon as they got inside their house. Their parents were there, their mother was setting up the table as their father was talking to his fellow restorationist. Aera proceeds to go to her room putting books from her sling bag to the bookshelf. She changed her clothes, she wore a white long sleeve blouse that covers her bruise and a long blue skirt.
She makes her way to the dining table where her mother and father were there. Aera joined them, Zeke also afterward. He was still thinking about the incident earlier. Their mother noticed Zeke's expression and said "Zeke? Why aren't you eating" Dina asked in a worried tone as Grisha and Aera turn their gaze onto him.
"Mum...I bumped into a Marleyan." Zeke confesses as their father furrows his eyebrows. Aera shakes her head begging her brother to keep it a secret.
"And what happened...?" Grisha asked as Zeke sighed. "Aera got hurt because of me..." He exhaled as their parents silently gasped.
"The man attempted to punch me but Aera came and shielded me," Zeke added as their parents turn their gaze onto their daughter.
"It's alright. It's just a scratch..." Aera said as she held her shoulder.
"The both of you should have paid attention to your surroundings." Grisha scolded as his children lower their heads.
"Who knows what will happen to the both of you..." He added. "Sorry.." Aera apologizes as Zeke sighs then apologize afterwards.
After dinner, Zeke goes to his room in silence. A few minutes later, Aera starts to go to her room until Grisha called her. "Aera..."
"What is it?" She asked as her mother lightly held her shoulder.
"It's time that you will join the Eldian Restorationist.." her father stated as her mother nodded. Aera's voice hitched, her mouth was slightly wide open.
"Huh?" Aera widened her eyes as her parents smiled. "Join us, Aera. And together we will destroy Marley using the Foundings power and restore Eldia....." Grisha handed her a knife as she widened her eyes.
"Carve your wrist cross-shaped. It's the symbol of the group." Her father ordered as Aera eyed the shining knife with big wide eyes.
"Dear, she's just a child..." Dina said as Grisha sighed.
Aera never dreamed to be a Restorationist, she feared that using the Founding as a weapon to destroy Marley will result Eldians being more hated and so on the world will declare war on Eldia. She wanted peace, not war, she did not loathe Marleyans for calling her race devils nor the man who harmed her earlier at the streets. She also wanted Eldians to be treated not like rats but as an equal and she desired humanity to be free from Titans where none can experience mourning or sadness. Aera believed that all Marleyans are brainwashed to despise Eldians. Though, she did not want to disappoint her parents, so she accepts.
She snatches the knife from her father's hand with no hesitation then proceeds to carve her wrist cross-sh