A/N: I tried to keep with the original story line but then the more I mapped out the more it didn't work, so I changed up a few things (and the fact that I just watched the hunger games and catching fire didn't help much either). First, this is modern day times. The walls and such still exist, but there are no titans, no survey corps. The select few and Reiner (and various other main characters) are valiant's, which is like the President's secret service, only they work for the king. Second, there is a pretty "wide" age gap between Reiner and Anya so if stuff like that doesn't sit right with you don't read it. Third, High Point is a place I made up. Needed a place to make the important stuff happen at and thus there it is. Lastly, a reader from one of my previous fics on my original account suggested that I write a romance fic for Reiner since he doesn't get much love (which I totes agree with), so here this is. Among all the tension, lies, and just general stuff this is a romance fic so please keep that in mind, things are supposed to get hella bad before they get good. If you don't like it, don't read it.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

Now:

Chapter 1

Lithe arms wrapped around themselves in an attempt to create warmth. The chamber she and now countless others no more older than she was in was far colder than the invividual holding cells the girls were required to be in before heading up to the building's higher levels. Their feet shuffled together as they were marched into single filed lines by name and age. She scanned over the heads of the girls that weren't taller than she was, trying to see if her sister was still there with her or if she'd been returned home.

Home. Oh how she missed it. Her life, her parents. The normality she'd grown so accustomed to- the normality she depended on. When did everything change? When had everything that brought a smile to her face been so suddenly ripped from her grasp? Of all the eyes in the vast court, she felt an intense pair of gold on her. Ones she refused to acknowledge.

This was all his fault.

He'd tricked her, gotten close to her, pretended to love her, just for her to end up dragged from her home in the middle of the night by the military police. Her sister had been right, and she should've listened to her. She should've left him alone when she had the chance.

But now it was too late.

Now she stood, huddled together with girls she'd never in her life met prior to this moment, awaiting their untold fate. As they waited to either be picked or set free, waited to become one of the valiant's' playthings for as long as they saw fit or released to their families. She shivered as she tried to recall any and all information that she could about her current situation.

Baiting is what it was called, or that's at least what the town's people called it. She had no idea what the politically correct term was, not that it would matter anyway. Traveling was part of her occupation, touring the many cities and country sides, though High Point was a place she tried her hardest to stay away from. Their king, a senile old fellow she'd seen at competitions in the past, resided at High Point. For the most part the man himself was passive, never seen without a bottle of some sorts at his side with a personality that left much to be desired. It wasn't he whom came up with such a sick form of entertainment, it was the men under him. His personal guards were known as valiants, a select group of men whom had the sole purpose of keeping him alive and to be his eyes into the cities. No one could tell who was a valiant and who wasn't, for blending into society is what they did best.

This was a fact that she herself knew all too well.

At the end of every year, just where November and December met, King Fritz held the baiting ceremony in the royal court at High Point, where girls aging from sixteen to twenty four were brought to the valiants. After each and every girl had been inspected from head to toe, all of the valiant's had their pick of the littler. One by one they would walk the many rows of girls, sizing and feeling until finally one was chosen. Where the girls that were picked went after that she didn't know. All she knew was that if they behaved well enough they were returned to their homes like nothing had ever happened.

"Good evening!" The voice from above called all their attention forward, undivided. "I am so pleased to have each and every one of you here within the main walls at High Point for this year's annual baiting." Lord Balto is who spoke first. He was an overweight man with a round, red face, and an almost balding head with blonde hair along the sides. He was a man that cared more about this wealth and property and little to nothing else. "The selection of girls get better with each year, you are all so beautiful."

The girls didn't dare make a sound, their hearts racing with anticipation. They didn't care for small talk. They didn't care that the king had sent his men out into their world to spy on each and every one of them. To find their weaknesses and strengths, to lead them into the ultimate trap. They just wanted to know who the chosen few were already.

Lord Balto passed King Fritz a piece of paper which he unrolled gracefully, the parchment containing the thirty names and who they were assigned to. Without much hesitation he began to read them off in order. This was his way of thanking his men for their loyal, dedicated service to him. Or at least that was the bullshit excuse that was fed to everyone.

Her hands began to nervously fidget at her side. There had been a few names she recognized from school, some were even athletes she toured the country with, but none of which belonged to her sister. She watched as the called girls stepped out of their place in line, bodies clothed in jumpsuits that made them look far younger than they actually were, forced up to the platform by the High Point guards.

"Daphne Louvier," King Fritz called. "Marie Lyme… Aurora Lynas… Anastasia Lynnfield…"

"No!"

"Rae?" Her head turned in the direction of the outburst. "Rae?"

"You leave her alone you sick bastard!"

"Rae!"

As a pair of guards from her left approached her, she turned a longing gaze towards her sister. The eldest Lynnfield's eyes were wide in fear of what was to come, forced to watch helplessly as her younger sister was pulled from her place in line. Quietly, Anastasia was led up to the platform where the other girls waited, her dark eyes low. Before she knew it the hall grew still, so silent a pen drop could be heard.

"Poppy Ludgrove…" The king continued on without fail.

Anastasia suddenly felt sick to her stomach, like at any moment she would lose all control over her gut and vomit in front of them all. The rest of the names called were deaf to her ears. She only cared about her own fate and that her sister had at least been spared. Eventually, after all the selected names had been called, she and the other twenty nine girls were being moved once again, only this time to a much smaller, windowless room. No one so much as hushed a whisper, many shoulders touching and rubbing due to the lack of space.

"Well then." Lord Balto's smile brought faux kindness and security. "This is a very nice selection indeed." He nodded as if to agree with himself. "Now as you know the baiting tends to last for just a few days. Some of you may be here the entire duration, others may not, and if all goes well and each of you girls behave, things should move along smoothly. Punishments will be given to anyone who doesn't do what is asked of them." He didn't need to elaborate on what said punishments would be. Everyone in that room had seen the random women around various towns with arms, legs, and sometimes even an eye missing. Girls whom didn't want to be forced into a stranger's bed and paid the price for 'disobedience.'

Without saying anything else, the valiants were dismissed from their spots to collect the girl they'd picked. One by one the crowd broke apart, the soul shattering silence all but becoming unbearable.

"Anya?"

Her head snapped into the direction her name was called in.

There he stood, blond hair cropped short to his skull that shinned even in the less than flattering light, his large build clothed in the traditional valiant gear. She turned on the heels of her shoes, heading off into the implied direction without him quietly. As they made their way down the long hallways, rusty red walls covered in ornate picture frames and tapestries, she could feel his gaze on her. Weither it was genuinely caring and apologetic she didn't care to know, it wasn't like it would change anything. The pair rounded another hall shortly after, parting ways with the others. Anya glanced over her shoulder to the man walking just a few feet behind her, noting that his gaze was averted and distant. It was then that she ran, unaware of what lied ahead, as fast as her feet could carry her.