Chapter Text
Eren. No one else in the village had the same name. Hell, no one in the whole region shared his name- and as far as he knew- he could be the only Eren in the entire fucking world. Of course, there had been others before him with the name, but never any adults- only children. This was simply because none of them ever made it to adulthood. Never made it past fifteen years to be exact. It was a cursed name.
At least that's what Eren's friends and family secretly called it when others were not around to hear. To the rest of the nation it was a blessed name- a privilege.
Eren scoffed out loud. He had heard of the fear and dread every parent felt when their newborn was brought to the Seer and given a name. Hoping, praying, pleading that their child wouldn't be bestowed the gift of the name and forced to join the small shrine overflowing with stone angels entitled 'Eren'. It was a sorry attempt of consolation for the families.
"Okay Eren, turn around." Mikasa's soft tones drew Eren out of his reverie and he unceremoniously stood, turned, and plopped back down on the wooden stool, allowing Mikasa to focus on painting finishing touches on his back. Now he was turned around, the boy found himself facing a large floor length mirror and stared back at a reflection he could barely recognize. Black paint flowed delicately across his bare chest and shoulders, working their way down his arms in careful jagged edges, managing to look both primal and elegant at the same time. Forest green and white paint accented the black but only further added to the stress he felt.
What bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. An angry spark was evident in the teen's eyes but he kept himself in check, knowing if he snapped Mikasa wouldn't be able to hold up her calm demeanor any longer. Despite her low tones, he knew she was considering taking him and making a run for it. The wet paint left by her brush chilled his skin, making goosebumps rise and small tremors, that may or may not have also be due nerves, run through his body.
Mikasa quickly noticed and ran a warm hand over his paintless forearm careful not to smear anything she had already finished.
"Hey, it's gonna be fine," She said gently, more to herself than to him at all.
Eren pursed his lips and replied with a short grunt, not trusting himself to speak. Fine is what he had been telling himself as this day drew closer and closer. Fine is what his parents had been telling themselves since this day fifteen years earlier. Fine was most definitely not what this was.
Once every 20 years, every newborn baby in the region was brought to see the Seer until one was found suitable to be given the name 'Eren', and the burden that came along with it. Essentially, on their fifteenth birthday they were to be dolled up in paint and jewels and sent to the Pavilion. The Pavilion was too nice a name for the place, it sounded too elegant for what really happened there.
Eren's face twisted into a grim smile of sorts at his own thoughts, but after catching a worried glance from Mikasa he quickly schooled them back into what he hoped was cool indifference.
The offerings were brought to the Pavilion at sunset, food, gold, beautiful cloth, glass; riches from all over laid carefully out...along with the poor child chosen at birth.
Not once has a sacrifice survived the night.
Every single time, when the clean up crew- as they have come to be known as- comes in the morning the next day, all that is left is blood. Blood everywhere, staining the ground, the columns, unidentifiable bits clinging and sliding and dripping--
A lump formed in Eren's throat as he recalled the way Jean had described it to him years ago. Mr. Kirschstein had been stuck on clean up crew for the last offering years prior and Jean had overheard him talking to a group of men outside his house once. Of course the first thing Jean got it in his stupid head to do was run straight to Eren and proudly relate the story at another attempt to pick a fight.
Mikasa had been so pissed, he would never forget the icy waves of fury rolling off her as she bashed Jean's face in. He never brought it up again, and as the years went on and Eren's fifteen birthday grew closer, Jean had grown more and more kind towards him, their constant rivalry and bickering slowing to a one sided war, the other side giving out only pitying glances and regretful stares.
Eren hated it. Hated how everyone’s treatment towards him had changed as this day grew closer. Just because he was gonna be killed by some bloodthirsty demon.
Teeth worried at his lip.
He had no clue what made him anymore suitable for this shit than any other person, but he still wouldn't think of trading places with any one of his friends. Not that that made him okay with this. At all. And there was no way in hell he was just planning on going up there to be slaughtered or eaten or whatever the fuck that damn demon did with the offerings.
Mikasa began attaching jewels to his body, draping gold jewelry over him and using adhesive to glue various gems in patterns over the paint. Steeling his resolve, Eren glared back at his reflection. He knew what he had to do. He would be the one to free his country of this cursed tradition.
Not ten minutes later, the door gave a small creak as a small blond head of hair poked it's way around the frame.
"They're asking for Eren," The boy nearly whispered, as if anything louder would break him. He forced a small smile for Eren, watching as his best friend made himself stand and begin to stiffly walk to the door. Before he made even two steps, Mikasa's hand shot out, gripping onto his wrist like a vice.
"You don't have to do this," She said emphatically, searching deep into his eyes, "We can run for it."
At the door, Armin nodded determinedly, if not a bit nervously, and added, "She's right Eren, you don't deserve this. You were always there for me, always protected me-" his voice cracked several times but a steely undertone erased any doubt from his words, "It's not too late...
Looking between his best friends, there was nothing Eren wanted more than to grab their hands and run out the back door into the woods and never return. But they were wrong. He did have to do this. Not because of some damn name he was born into, though, but because if he didn't, who would?
The town would be put into danger if the centerpiece of their offering was to go missing, and there was no way Eren could put his family and friends in jeopardy like that. Plus, he hadn't been wasting away these years in despair. He had been training for the day he would end this once and for all. He absolutely refused to remain like the region, placated with a deal letting some stupid demon call the shots.
Meeting onyx eyes and then watery powder blue ones, Eren smiled slightly, his resolve strengthened.
"No," he said determinedly in a tone that left no room for argument, "I have to do this."
With one final deep breath, Eren led his friends outside to meet the escorting committee. The escorting committee was made up of the town's strongest men, it's only real purpose was to make sure the precious offering made it to the Pavilion.
Waiting along with them was the village’s leader- Erwin Smith. He was a tall man with blonde hair brushed stiffly to the side and an icy pair of blue eyes. He was notorious for his swift, hard-cut decisions made for the benefit of all and his no-excuse policies. The man nodded at Eren appreciatively and thanked his friends for helping with Eren's preparations.
"Anything else?" He asked Eren, his tone practically commanding Eren to say no. But Eren hesitated slightly, peering around the group directly in front of him to scan at a growing crowd of village folk. His eyes jumped past Connie and Sasha, who both looked serious for once in their lives, and met with Jean's for a split second before moving on to sort through the rest of the people.
"Where are my parents?" He finally asked, not seeing them in the crowd.
"Ah" Expectant blue eyes said with feigned surprise, "Unfortunately, your mother is currently in the jail for conspiring against the Council and your father is being held under suspicion of aiding and abetting such a criminal."
Eren just gaped back, uncomprehendingly. What the hell did his mom even have to do with the government, let alone conspiring against it? Who did they think she was, some sort of spy?!
Armin made a soft sound of understanding and an angry look spread over his face. When Eren could only stared back in shock, he stretched up to whisper in his friend’s ear.
"She was planning to escape with you."
Eren's eyes widened at the meaning of his words, she was in jail for trying to save her only son? Just how screwed up was this system? He felt a burning fury growing in his stomach.
"Let her out." He said warningly to the man in charge, "She was just trying to help, she didn't mean anything against the Council."
A strained smile stretched it's way across his face, "I'm sorry but I can't do that just yet, and seeing as it's beginning to get late, we really must advance to the Pavillion."
Stepping closer to Eren, he added in an attempt to appease the boy, "Don't worry, she will go free, we just need to hold her until this event is over and no harm can be done."
Two of the other escorts took that as their cue to step on either side of Eren, gripping his arms in an attempt to force him forward.
Tearing his arms from their hold, he glared back at them, "I can walk just fine myself, I'm not a kid."
He gave one last look at Mikasa and Armin, biting his lip hard to keep emotion at bay. Their tense faces must have reflected his own and he attempted to give them a warm smile but it came off as tight and slightly strangled.
"I'll see you soon." He reassured them, not quite fully believing it himself. One of the escorts clearly rolled his eyes, but Eren ignored him, focusing all his energy on trying to memorize every curve, line, and divot of their faces before turning on his heel and striding off ahead of the escorts. It was his last show of defiance and confidence, and had anyone been in front of him, they would have seen a face of pure sickening dread.
I can do this, Eren thought to himself, I'll be fine. Fine. Fine.
They reached the Pavilion as the sun was setting. It cast orange and pink hues across the exquisite white marble columns of the monument. Warm light danced across the various gifts already spread neatly across the pale stone causing the gold and jewels to tremble and refract intricate patterns across the columns and ceiling. There was so many offerings that the only ground space visible was a thin path and small circle in the middle of all the treasures. A place just for Eren.
He swallowed dryly and two of the escorts led him up to the cleared circle.
"Kneel." One man said in a gruff tone, the other giving him an impatient shove. He narrowed his eyes at them and furrowed his brows into a resentful scowl but complied. Grabbing his wrists, the two simultaneously tied lengths of rope around them. Tightly.
"Hey what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Eren angrily cried out. This wasn't part of what he was told would happen.
After binding the ropes to his wrists, they swiftly forced his arms eagle spread and tied the other end of the rope to golden rings attached to two columns on opposite sides.
"Orders from the top, no offense kid, but you look like a runner. We can't afford to leave you free and have you ditch your duty." One grunted at him apologetically over his shoulder as they ambled away.
"Duty?! That's bullshit and you know it! I didn't sign up for this! Hey! Get back here!! Untie me dammit!" Eren screeched back angrily, "HEY!"
They didn't even glance back. Not once.
Furiously yanking the ropes only succeeded in painfully chafing the skin on his wrists. Still he didn't stop. Eren tried everything from attempting to twist his wrists free, to picking at the rope until his fingernails were torn and bloodied, to throwing his entire weight one way and then the next, trying to snap the rope. But still, it held strong.
How the hell was he supposed to fight now? If he couldn't fight, how could he expect to win- how could he expect to even have a chance?! Frustrated tears prickled in the corners of his eyes as he let out an angry noise from deep in his throat.
"How can I kill him if I can't even move my damn arms, you bastards?!" Eren yelled out to the long gone escorts
An amused snort came from behind the boy, causing him to freeze. Eyes wide, Eren twisted awkwardly in an attempt to see who made the noise. Surely it couldn't be the demon. Not already. It had barely even been half an hour! The sun was still setting for Christ's sake!
"So you're planning on killing me are you, brat?" A deep voice reverberated through Eren, causing a unwelcome shiver to run down his spine as a cold finger traced one of the many designs patterned across his back, "How's that coming along for you?