Prologue 1:
Seraphim Lukianas tipped back his head, desperate to get every last drop of alcohol out of his glass. He is not normally one to drink heavily, but he was starting to reconsider this. His shaky hands nearly drop the glass as he looks around at the swirling crowds around him, flashes of every color imaginable flashing in front of him. His head began to swim and he raced for the doors leading to outside the Presidential Manor. He needs to get away from the crowd and all of the prying eyes.
He shoves dancing people aside on his beeline to the doors, not caring when some cry out in annoyance at him. But what are they going to say to the Head Gamemaker? Well, that's if he can manage to keep this job. Seraphim almost laughs out loud at this thought, heart racing as he recalls the conversation with President Xavier. One month. One month to find out if he will be allowed to keep his job. At least Xavier isn't like past presidents and won't kill him for not meeting his demands.
Seraphim takes a deep breath of fresh air when he clears the doors, momentary calm interrupted by loud laughter of a couple standing nearby. This won't do and he takes off towards the garden, needing silence – or as close to silence as possible at the party celebrating the end of the Victory Tour. Why would President Xavier decide to have this conversation now instead of waiting until they were both at work tomorrow?
As he makes his way through the crowd, thinner than the one dancing inside, he prays that no one will stop him to talk right now. He doesn't know if he is capable of talking to anyone right now. By one of the fountains leading into the garden are his assistant and three of the top Gamemakers. They wave at him, inviting them over to join them as they relish in the party but he waves them off, hoping they won't question why he won't stop by to talk to them.
Only a few more feet to walk and then he will be able to hide among the high hedges and trellises of flowers. So close to being alone so that he can panic about the upcoming games. Very few people walk among the garden, relishing in the flowers that bloom only at night and the beautiful evening they are having for this time of year. He keeps his head low to avoid recognition, something he normally would be happy to happen. In the distance is a bench without anyone sitting on it, partially hidden in shadows and Seraphim sets off for it, glancing around to make sure no one is following him.
When he reaches the bench and is able to sit down without anyone speaking to him, he lets out a sigh of relief. He rubs his face, questioning how the night had taken such a drastic turn. At the start of the party, he was celebrating a rare night off from planning with the top people in the Capitol. Then Xavier's assistant approached him at one point and he went to a side room blocked off by Peacekeepers. Only the most important people could enter this area and Seraphim wasn't surprised to be invited to speak with Xavier. But when he entered and saw no one there, he knew something was going on.
And that's when the President ruined the party and potentially Seraphim's career. The President told him that he had been spending too much time focusing on next year's Quarter Quell and not enough on this year's games. But how could he not focus on the Quell when he was allowed to see the twist early so that he can plan an arena for it? But Xavier was not happy with how the 149th Hunger Games were turning out and gave him the ultimatum of one month to fix it or he will no longer be Head Gamemaker. Xavier had mentioned something about wanting his final two Hunger Games to be memorable and Seraphim could understand that since the President had confided in him that he was planning on stepping down once the Sixth Quarter Quell happened.
But Seraphim will not allow himself to not be part of that moment in history. He has already devoted many hours to the planning of the Quell and will not let someone else step in and take credit for his hard work. Besides, he has only been the Head Gamemaker for two years so far and he plans on being in this position for at least five.
"Mr. Lukianas, sir?" a shy voice says and he moves his hands to look up at the small girl approaching him, eyes feeling heavy as the alcohol starts to affect him. Good, he needs to forget about that conversation. But he recognizes the girl as Pinova Braeburn, and she is watching him carefully. The sight of her has him once again questions how a fifteen-year-old from Eleven of all places managed to win last year's games. She was one of his least likely picks yet somehow, she managed to team up with that older boy from Five – what was his name? Corda? Corvo? Ah what does it matter, he's dead anyways – and they were able to take on tributes until the final three. And then this girl in front of him managed to kill the girl from Eight after her allied died. Still baffles him to this day how someone so scared won. And clearly still scared.
"What is it?" he asks a little harsher than necessary, but the stress and alcohol are making him unable to control his emotions to the victor in front of him.
She cringes slightly at his tone and he sighs, knowing he messed up. He pats the bench next to him, hoping he can make amends with her. But she stays standing, staring at him curiously before seemingly getting some courage. "I saw you almost run over here and you didn't look good so I wanted to see if you were alright."
Seraphim lets out a loud sigh at this, briefly wondering how many other people noticed him looking panicked. He closes his eyes for a few seconds, trying to sort through his thoughts as his brain slows. When he opens them, Pinova is standing right in front of him and looking very concerned. He looks at her soft pink dress and smiles at him. "Your dress is very lovely. For once the stylists actually dressed the victor like your proper age and not like one of the cheap whores in the Capitol."
She purses her lips at this and places her hands on her hips, changing from looking like a scared young girl to someone who has killed people and won the Hunger Games. "Sir, if you're going to talk like that, I'm going to leave."
After a few seconds of silence pass, Pinova turns to leave and Seraphim reaches out and grabs her hand, making her stay longer. "Wait, please don't leave yet," he says quickly as she turns around to face the Head Gamemaker who surely looks like a wreck right now. "I'm sorry for that but I just had a not very pleasant conversation with Mendalius."
"The President?" she asks incredulously as she finally sits down with him on the bench, clearly wanting to hear what the President of Panem and Head Gamemaker would talk about at her Victory Tour party.
Seraphim scoffs at this statement and shakes his head at her. "Of course that Mendalius. Who else would it be?" He chuckles a little in panic as he remembers the conversation. He gives a shrug to the young victor who is still looking concerned about him. "I have one month to impress him or else I lose my job." He shakes his head at the ultimatum, feeling the alcohol starting to make him more confident. He isn't going to just sit around and pity himself for getting in this position. He is going to do something to make sure he won't lose his job in a month.
He suddenly stands up and grins at his most recent victor. "Well, my dear, thank you for being concerned about me. You helped me to stop feeling sorry about myself so thanks," he gives her a few pats on her shoulder and she gives him an unsure smile. "Now I apologize for leaving your party early, but I have to go take care of something."
"Will you be alright, sir?" Pinova asks him as he turns to start walking away from her. Her concern from him is so naïve but it's a rare thing from someone that has just won the games.
Seraphim glances over his shoulder at the girl and gives her a grin, amused by the victor. "Yes, my dear, I will make sure I'm alright." He turns around and begins walking away from her, letting out a laugh before shouting back at her. "I'm going to make the 149th Hunger Games amazing!"
He leaves the garden and heads back to the fountain that he had spotted his assistant by when first walking over. Thankfully she's still there, this time surrounded by people he doesn't know. He walks right up to her, not caring about interrupting their conversation. "There you are, Ophelia."
He throws an arm around the shoulder of the woman who has managed his life for the past ten years and he wonders what he would do without her. She scrunches her face at him and he frowns at her reaction to him. "Have you been drinking, sir?"
"Not enough to stop being functional," he gives her a casual wave, briefly losing track of what he came over to talk to her about. She stares at him expectantly before he recalls what it was he needed her for. "I need you to go find Althea, Magnus, and Gregorio, and bring them to me." She looks ready to step away from him and he pulls her back, holding up a finger. "And Laelia. We need her too."
Ophelia steps out of Seraphim's embrace and gives an apologetic smile at the people she was talking. He waves them away before his assistant speaks up. "And what do you need those four Gamemakers for? They're probably all enjoying the party, which you also seem to be doing."
Seraphim shakes his head at this, laughing a little at the thought that he looks as if he's having fun. "I'm not enjoying this at all, thanks to my good pal Mendy." His assistant looks appalled at his drunken nickname for the President and he straightens up, trying to collect himself and make sure she does what he wants. "Go find them. Tell them to meet me at the Games Headquarters in a half hour. We need to work."
Hello everyone! I'm very excited to be starting my very first SYOT story! I've always wanted to write one but wasn't sure how to do it. But now, I feel ready to go!
Up on my profile are rules, headcanons that I have, tribute form, and escort form. I'll highlight some of the main things here. Two tributes per person. I will take three submissions for a spot before closing it. District Twelve was destroyed in the rebellion so there will only be 22 tributes.
Please let me know what you think about this prologue. Who would you like to see in the next prologue? Do you think Seraphim will manage to keep his job?
I hope many of you will submit tributes and we can make this story exciting!