A/N: Inspired by the book, Secret Garden but has several differences besides the obvious differences in names.
I hold no rights or ownership to The Hunger Games or Secret Garden.
"Number 43, Katniss Everdeen."
A small girl stepped forward, dressed in black as all the children behind her were, her dark braid hung limp down her back and she kept her eyes downward and kept her mouth firm in an ever-present scowl.
Silence. No one from the crowd standing in front of her stepped up. The children behind her giggled as, "Number 43, Katniss Everdeen," was called out a second time, the man spoke louder than before and his voice seemed to echo against the walls.
No one came.
The man peered down at her, "Take a seat to the side, please," He said with a sigh.
The small girl took her bag and sat on a cold bench. She listened to the rest of the names being called, the children who, like her had lost their parents during the cholera epidemic in India. Every other time a name was called someone stepped up to claim him or her.
When all the names had been called the man stayed with her, both staying silent, they waited.
Would someone ever come?
The man was beginning to worry that he'd have to drop her off at the orphanage until whatever relative or guardian she had was contacted, but then at last, someone appeared.
The lady seemed to be in a hurry and she made no apology for her tardiness, she took a sweeping look of the small sour-looking girl, "Is this Miss. Everdeen?"
The man flipped through the pages, "43," He mumbled as he scanned the page, "Yes, 43, Katniss Everdeen."
"Gracious if she isn't a sickly looking thing," The lady said looking closer at the girl who was now glaring back at her with cold gray eyes.
"Are you-" The man started but the lady interrupted him.
"I am Mrs. Trinket the housekeeper to her Uncle, Lord Seneca Crane of Mockingjay Manor," Mrs. Trinket tilted the girl's chin, taking in her sickly complexion with a sigh, "Her Mother and the late Lady Crane were sisters, twins. Both were considered beauties," Another disappointed glance at the girl and shook her head, "Pity she doesn't seem to inherited any of their looks."
"Oh, you never know, ma'am," He said, with an air of one trying to sell or get rid of something, "She might grow out of this awkward stage."
Mrs. Trinket scoffed, "Well there's nothing at Mockingjay Manor that will help her with that. As dreary and cold as the moors it is."
The man requested her signature on the line next to Katniss Everdeen's name, which Mrs. Trinket did with a flourish then motioned with her head, "Come on then, Miss. Everdeen."
The small girl picked up her bag and followed.
The carriage ride was long. Mrs. Trinket had brought some cold chicken and bread that cook had wrapped up for the both of them, when she offered it to Katniss the girl fixed Mrs. Trinket with another cold stare before turning to look out the window.
"There's no room at Mockingjay Manor for this sour disposition, Miss. Everdeen. I don't know what you are used to but none of us have the time to be fussing after you."
Katniss did not respond, she kept her gaze out the window, watching the foreign landscape go by. The gray clouds hung low over the English Moors.
They had been traveling for hours, the sun was probably going to set soon but Katniss saw no way of knowing because she had yet to see the sun since arriving in English.
Using the sharp voice she was accustomed to using with her servants she asked, "Are there always so many clouds here?"
"Don't whine. Of course it isn't always so cloudy. Sunshine doesn't help the moors though," She said looking out briefly at the moors with obvious distain, "Nothing for miles and miles."
The girl looked back out the window, it didn't seem like 'nothing', there was grass which was now a dull almost grayish color with shadowy rocks poking out from the low lying hills.
Darkness settled over everything but they kept traveling on and on.
Katniss was just starting to drift asleep when Mrs. Trinket spoke, pointing out the little village that was closest to Mockingjay Manor.
"Less than three more miles to go now, Miss. Everdeen."
Katniss didn't answer.
They arrived at the Manor, it was dark so Katniss saw nothing but the front doorway and the butler who opened the door as they pulled up.
Mrs. Trinket shook out of her coat hat then looked at Katniss, she had made no move to remove her own outer things but stood still, as if waiting to be assisted.
With a huff Mrs. Trinket unbuttoned the coat and removed the girl's hat and hurriedly unwound the scarf from her neck.
"Take off your coat, girl," Mrs. Trinket said sharply when Katniss showed no sign of taking off her un-buttoned coat.
The girl glared at Mrs. Trinket then gave a shrug of her shoulders and her coat slide off her shoulders to the floor. Katniss then stepped away then looked at the butler, ordering him to pick up her coat with only a look.
"Right little Queen of Sheba you are, Missy," Mrs. Trinket said then gave Katniss's shoulders a little nudge, "Let's get you to your room, that's where you'll be taking your meals, someone will bring a platter up for you."
"Am I to see my Uncle?" Katniss asked.
"Goodness no, girl, he's not here. He's never home, especially in these winter months. He might be back come spring… Come along now."
Katniss was shown to her room, there was a front room served as a living room, with a small dinning table and a desk with bookshelves and two small couches, the back room was her sleeping and dressing area with a bed and wardrobe.
"You're to keep to these two rooms, no others, you understand? We have far too much to do as is and do not want you getting underfoot."
Mrs. Trinket left the room. Katniss only begun to take in her surroundings when the door opened again.
A girl came in, a maid dressed in a black dress with a full length skirt with a white apron, she had a smile on her face and looked quite young, maybe five years older than Katniss who was in her eleventh year.
"Evenin' to ye, Miss. Katniss. I'm Leevy. Brought somethin' up for thee," She said with a wide smile on her face.
"Are you my servant?" Katniss asked sharply.
The maid stalled for a moment, "Well, I's Mrs. Trinket's servant, but I think I'll be waitin' on ye abit."
"If you are waiting on me than that makes you my servant," Katniss said with a tone of authority. She walked over and looked down at the food brought in for her, her nose crinkled slightly at the unfamiliar food.
"Is thou not hungry?"
"You may prepare me for bed now," Katniss said walking away from the table. She then turned and stood still with her arms extended. When Leevy made no direct move to help, Katniss spoke more clearly, "You may undress me now."
"Can't thou undress thee self?"
"Of course not," Katniss said as if the maid were the stupid, "My Ayah always dresses and undresses me."
"If that isn't the silliest thing," Leevy said with amusement as she started unbuttoning the back of Katniss's dress.
"You are a very strange servant," Katniss mussed, more to herself.
"Aye, tis my Yorkshire," Leevy said referring to her accent, "Mrs. Trinket says she'd never've been able to hire me if this was a real manor, but since there be no Lady of the house and wit the Master's always away she can get away with having me about."
When Katniss's long nightgown was pulled over her head and fastened, Katniss looked at Leevy, "You may turn down my bed and leave now."
"Aye, Miss," Leevy said. After she had turned down the bed and stroked the fire a bit more she turned, "Ye 'ave a good night now."
Left alone in the rooms, Katniss moved to the food and picked at the options before taking the bread and nibbling on it while she looked around the room some more, holding a candle close to the bookshelf to read some of the titles.
The view from the window was inky black and Katniss could hardly make out the roof top that was just under her window.
With nothing else to do Katniss crawled into bed. She lay there for a while, listening to the wind.
The more she listened the more she started hearing a sound apart from the wind, it sounded like a wail. Someone crying.
"Who is that?" Katniss demanded aloud. Only to be answered with silence. In India, her Ayah would've been near her beside to see to her needs, but here there was no one. Mrs. Trinket had mentioned that her Uncle was away from home, so the only others in the house should be servants, what would make a servant cry so. The thought of a servant making such a fuss, loud enough to disturb her was extremely vexing.
Katniss looked around the room, she didn't even see a way of contacting the servants, no bell or pull cord.
Scowling she laid back on her pillow, pressing her hands over her ears to drown out the sound of the wind and of the cries until she was finally able to fall asleep.
A/N: Sorry for my attempt at a Yorkshire accent with Leevy. I tried a few different times but it always sounded (in my mind) like a cross between an old Scotish accent and some form of ganster ghetto talk or something... strange combo and I hope it didn't come across that way.
I'm really excited about this story and hope you liked the first chapter.
Reviews welcomed, naturally.
