Basileus_Komnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
Chapter I: The Wall has Fallen!
Year 845
Shiganshina District, The Walled City
Lord Rudolph Weissman POV
The aging former Lord Rudolph was now sitting back, reclining in his chair. While it had taken him a while to adjust to living here among the commoners he nonetheless found that it had its own quiet dignity in it. He had at one point in his life, felt like most of his other fellow nobles, a quaint sense of condescension towards their subjects that he ruled. Rudolph being born into wealth and power here as supposedly the last of mankind had at one point made him feel superior to his fellow man. It was this ego of his and overestimation of himself that had caused him to try and confront the King which had only resulted in his family murdered and his House to fall to near ruin with it being left with a bitter and failed old man, and a ten year old child.
“I’ve brought you some tea father,” said Julia, his daughter in law interrupting him from his thoughts.
“Thank you my dear,” he said, receiving the cup from her.
Julia was the closest thing he had to a daughter with all his children being sons. Her kind and gentle nature made her always willing to go out of way to help others. It was one of the reasons why Rudolph greatly admired her, and understood why his son decided to marry her all those years ago.
“Where is Karl by the way?” Rudolph asked her, “Shouldn’t he be up by now? It's well his time to eat breakfast and begin his day.”
“He should be ready in a moment,” she said.
Rudolph noticed how all of a sudden her face had darkened with her bright smile morphing into a dour frown.
“Is something the matter,” Rudolph had asked her, concerned for her well being.
“It...it’s just that Karl had expressed his desire to join the Scout Regiment yesterday,” Julia said clearly on the verge of tears.
“I’ll handle it Julia,” said Rudolph trying to reassure her, “don’t you worry I’ll put such absurd notions out of his head soon enough.”
“Thank you Father,” Julia said with gratitude, “it's not that I don’t want to force Karl to choose his path in life, but it's just that the Scouts are too dangerous. Most of those poor souls that set out on those accursed expeditions don’t ever make it back. And some are in such a state that they don’t even have a body to bring back to their families.”
“I know,” Rudolph said with his eyes looking downward to the floor.
“Promise me that it won’t happen to my son!” Julia declared with tears streaming down her eyes. “I already lost my husband, all I want is to live in peace with my son.”
Rudolph, seeing the tears running down her face, got up from his chair and hugged her and said reassuringly, “I promise that I won’t let anything happen to Karl. He is the future of this family, and I’ll make sure he’ll have a long happy life that will make his father Ludwig proud.”
Seeing Julia beginning to smile at his words, he said, “now go on and wipe away those tears. After all, you wouldn’t want young Karl to see you like this do you?”
At that moment his grandson Karl came bursting into the room saying, “Good morning mother! Good morning grandfather!”
“Why hello Karl!” said Rudolph, elated to see his grandson, the apple in his eye.
“Hello grandfather!” said Karl as he rushed to hug his grandfather
“Now Karl, have you eaten your breakfast yet ?” Rudolph asked his grandson.
“No grandfather,” I’m not really that hungry.
“Now now Karl, you and I both know that you’ll get hungry later, and then you’ll beg me to buy you something later on,” Rudolph said scolding his grandson.
“Now Karl, go on and eat your breakfast,” he said.
“Yes grandfather,” said Karl.
Rudolph watched as Karl started walking to the kitchen only to pause, saying, “Mother are you crying? Is everything alright?”
“No dear I just had a bit of a runny nose,” said Julia who then took her son by the arm saying to him, “ let’s go get you your breakfast.”
While he waited for his grandson to eat his breakfast, he took the time to reflect on his life here. After all the transition to life here as a commoner was not the smoothest it could have been. He had to change his family name to Weiss and opted to grow out a beard, ceasing to dye his hair just so that no one would recognize him by his appearance. Having grown up with wealth and privilege all throughout his life, a life without these amenities and comforts he had grown used to was a bit arduous to say the least. There were no more servants to help out with tasks he had considered mundane or beneath him. Things like cooking and cleaning were things he had to learn quickly. Luckily his daughter-in-law’s background as a being of the middle class with her being a daughter of a merchant meant that she had this knowledge that he had lacked. Her help had been instrumental in the survival of House Weissman so far. Had it not been for her, he likely would have been spotted by the Military Police a long time ago.
“The Weissman family was always special,” Rudolph thought. After all they had once been the King’s generals and strategists throughout the old war, and later the Civil Wars such as the Great Titan Wars. And their special ability much like the Ackermans’ extreme agility and strength allowed them to see beyond their enemies designs and lead the Empire to victory many times in the various wars and rebellions it fought.
Though he wouldn’t dare dream of telling anyone about it, as that would expose him to the military police. He only found out by chance after a particular incidence in his youth. All he felt was an imminent sense of danger, and suddenly everything was clear allowing him to plot out exactly what he needed to do to escape the situation. His own father kept this information secret from him to protect him and his siblings from unwarranted attention. He only learned the power of his bloodline when it came time to succeed his father, inheriting his Lordship and leading position within the Royal Government. And much like his father, he didn’t dare tell his sons. After all impulsive youths would go about telling their friends.
His mind then shifted further to that incident that began it all: when he started questioning everything around him.
“That accursed day!” Rudolph thought to himself.
He remembered that report on his desk about how the military police uncovered a schoolteacher who had told his son about the outside world questioning the government’s narratives about the Island’s history. At that time he was naive he thought what he was doing was in service of the King, some sort of noble goal: to uphold order and peace within these walls.
“A false peace,” Rudolph thought. “All the horrible things I did because of my stupidity and ignorance.”
He had been forced to sign a simple schoolteacher’s death warrant all for simply asking questions. Before this he only signed off on criminals who broke the King’s laws and disturbed his peace. But killing an innocent school teacher for simply asking questions was something else, and it utterly rattled him to his core as his actions had left the man’s son an orphan at a young age. Rudolph utterly hated himself for it and felt guilt for it.This combined with the rampant corruption within the Royal Government caused him to resign his post in disgust with himself and the whole system.
“Perhaps it's some form of divine justice that I had my sons ripped away from like how I took away that poor child,” Rudolph said to himself.
“Grandfather I’ve finished breakfast, let's go now,” said Karl interrupting him from his thoughts.
“Of course, Karl,” he said smiling at his grandson. “Just let me get my coat and hat.”
While his sons were dead, he still had his grandson left, and would work to make amends.
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Rudolph now with his grandson stood by the main gate of Wall Maria, the gateway to the outside world. He was sorry about what he would be showing his grandson today, but he made a promise to Julia to put his ill conceived notions about joining the Scouts to rest. Today he would see the true horror of joining the Scout Regiment. While he felt sorry for ruining his grandson’s innocence by exposing him to such horrors of the world, it was necessary for his own safety and well being.
“I will not see Karl rotting away as mere fodder for these Titans!” he thought to himself while grinding his teeth. “Over my dead body!”
The chatter of the crowd gathered near the Wall’s main entrance increased as the gate was raised with the remnants of the Scouting Expedition sent beyond the wall began pouring into the city. Rudolph looked at his grandson whose eyes widened in anticipation of seeing the famed Scout Regiment. He noticed that the good Doctor Jaeger’s son Eren and their adopted daughter Mikasa Ackerman were also present in the crowd standing on a bunch of wooden crates.
“Look grandfather, it's the Survey Corps!” Karl said excitedly.
However the voices in the crowd went silent upon seeing the state of the Scout Regiment. Many of those returning to Shiganshina were greatly wounded. Those who returned were visibly shaken by their experience with a large portion of them dying behind the walls. Rudolph watched as a cart brought the corpses of the large number of casualties from the failed expedition.
“Those poor souls,” Rudolph thought to himself. “They ceaselessly throw their lives away in a futile attempt to learn about the outside world. If only they knew the ugly truth behind the cursed history of their world.”
Rudolph looked at Karl who looked utterly horrified by the sight before him.
“Do you still want to join the Scout Regiment?” Rudolph asked his grandson.
Karl said nothing and looked down towards the floor.
“I’ll take that as a no then.”
Rudolph then took Karl’s hand saying, “That’s enough for one day. We best get back now before your mother gets worried.”
“Yes grandfather,” said Karl.
As they were walking back to their house Karl had suddenly stopped, and looked at his grandfather saying, “Mother was crying because I wanted to join the scouts right ?”
Rudolph had paused, observing his grandson, and said, “yes that’s why she was crying.” It seemed that his grandson was more observant than he had let on.
“You understand why I took you to see the Scouts this time right Karl?” he asked his grandson.
“Yes grandfather,” he said, “you and mother wanted me to be safe from Titans beyond the Wall.”
“They are too dangerous,” said Rudolph, “most of the Scouts that end up going past the wall never make it back, and among those unfortunate enough to die, even fewer make it back as corpses. Most of them are likely rotting in a titan’s belly. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
“Yes, grandfather,” said Karl with understanding..
“Besides if you were to die like that who would be there to protect your mother?” Rudolph asked him. “I myself am an old man with who knows how many years left. After I die, you are the head of our family, and if you’re killed out there there’ll be no one to avenge your father and uncles.”
“I understand,” Karl said with more conviction in his voice, “and I’m sorry for worrying you and mother so much.”
“Nonsense Karl,” said Rudolph, “it's just childish fantasies that everyone has. Most people eventually outgrow them.”
Just as soon as he finished talking to Karl, Rudolph felt something strange in the air. He felt some sort of weird tingling sensation, the same one he felt all those years ago.
“Could it be that something was about to happen to them, or even Julia?” he asked grandfather.
Sensing his distress, Kar asked. “What is it grandfather?”
“Something bad,” he said, “something bad is about to happen any moment.”
Rudolph had felt this same sense of danger right before his sons were murdered. By the time he got to them he was too late.
“I’m not gonna let that happen again!” thought Karl.
He dropped his bags of groceries that he was holding in his hand, and scooped up Karl and began running as fast as he could to their house.
“I need to get to Julia,” Karl thought, “I must make sure she’s safe for Karl’s sake.”
“Grandfather!” Karl exclaimed, “please put me down!”
“Not now Karl!” Rudolph all but yelled.
While Rudolph was sorry for speaking to his grandson in such a manner, he didn’t have time for trivial matters such as politeness as time was of the essence.
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As he reached the entrance of the House, he was met by an alarmed Julia who said “Father what’s wrong? Why are you running all the way here? Have we been found out?”
“I don’t know Julia?” Karl said with his voice raspy and hoarse from the long run. “All I know is that something bad is about to happen. It's the same feeling I had five years ago.”
“Are we going to evacuate like we planned?” Julia asked him.
“Yes,” he said, “gather the bags we had ready in case of an event like this.”
“Yes Father,” she said running with haste back into the house.
“Grandfather what is going on?” Karl asked, clearly confused and scared.
“I know things look scary and confusing right now Karl,” he said trying to reassure him “but we need to flee right now as something bad is about to happen.”
“They found us haven’t they?!” Karl said with his voice shaking with terror. “They’re going to kill us like they did father!”
Rudolph hugged his scared grandson, and said, “no, of course not. I will never let that happen. I will protect you and your mother at all costs. Now I need you to be brave and calm okay.”
“Yes grandfather” said Karl, wiping away the tears from his face.
Just as he finished speaking, a golden flash of lightning pierced the sky, with a crack of thunder rippling through the air. As it struck, the ground quivered as if there was some sort of explosion.
“What the hell was that?!” Karl said. He soon found the answer to his question when he looked up and saw a massive Titan standing with its massive corpse-like head peering over the wall.
“G..G..Grandfather is that….a Titan!” Karl croaked in terror.
Rudolph was too stunned to respond. The massive Titan was anything he had seen before, lacking any skin, being made up of muscles and tendons as if it were flayed living.
“The Colossus of a Titan,” Rudolph thought, “why was he here now of all times?”
Before he could really react, the Titan kicked the Wall’s Gate sending a massive shockwave that rippled throughout the town, collapsing buildings and sending large chunks of debris flying in every direction.
Rudolph instinctively reached for his grandson intending to shield him with his body as the aerial bombardment rained down from the sky.
As Rudolph regained his bearings, he was greeted by a ghastly sight. Large swathes of the residential district were now smoldering ruins. And in the distance he could see large humanoid silhouettes which he recognized as being Titans, getting closer, and closer. Right now his only concern was getting Julia and Karl out alive from her where they would retreat to safety behind Wall Rose.
Rudolph began frantically searching for his grandson sifting through the pile of debris around him making his way to the ruins of what once was his home only to be greeted by the sight of his grandson crying over the twisted and bent form of his daughter in law Julia who had been crushed to death by the debris that landed on their house.
“She’s dead....grandfather,” Karl said while sobbing.
Hearing the noises of the approaching Titans growing louder as they neared the House, Rudolph said to his grandson, “Karl...It’s time to go.”
“B..But what about mother?” Karl asked in disbelief that she had died.
“You and I know that she is dead Karl,” Rudolph said, putting his hand on his shoulder. “We have to leave now or else we’ll be eaten by the Titans. Your mother would have wanted you to stay alive.”
“Yes grandfather,” Karl said flatly.
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After barely escaping the giant Armored Titan that destroyed the main portion of the wall Rudolph with Karl in his arms, had made it to the main river where a bunch of boats were being lined to depart to the safety of Wall Rose. And as they reached the docks, they were received by a bunch of soldiers directing the evacuation of civilians, who told them to run to the boats.
As Karl had lived relatively close to the river, he was one of the lucky few who managed to make it onto the boats before they reached capacity. All he could do was be thankful that he and his grandson weren’t the unlucky souls left abandoned to be eaten by the Titans pouring through the walls.
While he sat on the boat in silence, he saw the child Eren Yeager declare that he would kill all Titans.
“Only the boy and his adoptive sister made it?” Rudolph had asked himself before remembering that their father the Good Doctor Grisha Jaeger said in a prior conversation that he had some business in the Capital.
The boy possessed a strong headstrong disposition unlike his mild-mannered father. While he found the boy’s declaration to seek vengeance, a display of child-like anger, he couldn’t help but resonate with that sentiment. After all it had been the King who abandoned his people to suffer such a cruel fate.
“I reject that!” Rudolph thought to himself as he seethed in rage. He vowed on that day to take his revenge on the Reiss family, and restore the Weissmans to their former glory, toppling that accursed tyrant once and for all.
Author's Note:
Here's the next chapter to A Noble Son of Eldia. I hope you guys enjoy reading this. Please feel free to comment below, as any form of feedback is welcome.
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