Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Hunger Games. No matter how much I wish I do... *sigh* Nonetheless! All of the characters, places, and ideas, excluding the ones I create, are Suzanne Collins's.

Chapter 1

Azalea

I couldn't imagine living in a better place. Although, most people in Panem would disagree. I've never had to worry about being thrown into an arena to be killed by some savage child and I've certainly never had to face starvation. I'm immensely grateful for my incredible life. Even still, I've never felt sorry for the districts. I don't quite possess the same ability to sympathize with strangers that my sister, Lucinda, does. I'm much like my father in this way.

Lucinda, or more commonly referred to as Luce, has always been my complete opposite. She cannot stand the Capitol. She thinks we're all terrible people and deserve to get a taste of what we've been dishing out for decades. (Which I completely counter to.) She doesn't understand the privileges we have been granted. She'd much rather spend her time at the arenas chatting with Victors and helping tributes. She's made too many friends, however, and she sits in the mentors' station every year just to watch all of them die.

I don't hate my sister, and it probably comes across that way. But, it's hard to relate to the opinions of a person who believes everything different to what you do. The only times she really comes to talk to me is when her best friend, Hunt, is away on the job. (Hunt "secretly" works for the rebellion as a spy.) Our most recent conversation was about the Games about two years ago. Where the Victors (note the plural) were Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. The star-crossed lovers. I'm still not a hundred percent convinced of their sincerity. And I'm one of the few Capitol residents that aren't. Peeta loves Katniss, undoubtedly. But Katniss loves a boy back home in District 12. Luce was telling me how much she admires Katniss. She said that if she could have talked to her once, she could convince her to... Err... What was it? I blanked right about then, and that's when Luce stormed out, all pissed at me. She went to her room after that, and I haven't seen her since.

She's quite moody, actually. From what I can tell, her and Katniss's "cousin" would be a perfect match. But, he's never been out of Districts 12 or 13. Therefore, he probably doesn't know Luce and I exist.

I might as well add that our father has managed to keep us, his only daughters, sheltered from everyone outside of the Capitol for quite some time. Since the rebellion broke out, we have surfaced a little bit. Luce, especially, because some people are picking up on her eye for the Capitol. She's been interviewed by Caesar Flickerman several times. And believe me, he is quite the punch of personality. (To say the least.) When he doesn't have his little interview mask on, you could probably assume that he was mentally insane. Although I'm pro-Capitol, some of the people here need to tone it down a bit.

***

"AZALEA!" This lovely awakening is accompanied by a few pathetic pounds on my bedroom door. All thanks to the not-so-lovely Selvina. She's pretty much my father's assistant. The woman is barely forty-five and she hates to see the sun come up. "You have to get up, and STOP locking your door while you're at it!" And allow you the leisure of walking into my room as you please? How about no.

"All right, Selvina! I'm up." God, I hate her so much. And the absolute worst part is that I think my father likes her. But, I don't expect him to pull a "Peeta and Katniss" anytime soon.

I pull on a light pink sun dress that cuts off just before my knees. When I go to open my door, it opens for me. Luce runs in, almost knocking me over. "What possesses you to think that I'd be totally okay with you plowing into my room and almost pushing me-"

"Cry about it some other time Princess." I glare at her. "I have huge news!" Well, look who's just a ball of sunshine this morning.

"Oh, do tell!" I try to put on my most falsely enthused face I possibly can. And, Luce, is not amused.

"Just listen, please, Zales?" I nod. "Do you remember all those interviews I did a couple weeks ago?" I nod again. "Well, there was one reporter, and he wasn't from the Capitol." She's smiling like an idiot. What the hell could possibly make her this happy...?

"Then, where was he from? One of the Districts?"

"Yes. But..." She pauses. "He was from a certain District..."

I was never too good at reading people. And I still can't read Luce. "Okay, well. You and I both know that I wouldn't have a clue about which district you are talking about if it hit me upside the head. There are twelve of them."

"Thirteen." She corrects me. "District 13 is where the reporter was from. He was a Mockingjay, Zalea!"

"That's insane. District 13 is still destroyed and it isn't even where the rebels hide out. The first arena is."

"That may be true, but they are there. I know it... They just have to be. They also gave me this letter."

I extend my arm to grab the letter clutched in her hand. But she jerks it away. "What? I can't see it?"

"They said I wasn't to show it to anyone. But it's signed by Haymitch Abernathy!" She shows me the sloppy, probably drunken signature.

I sigh, but let her continue.

"The interview only aired at the Head Quarters for the rebels, and they know who I am! Isn't that amazing?!"

"Yeah, that's just peachy. But-" If she would quit interrupting me!

"They said Katniss knows who I am, too! They want me to help them with something... But I can't do it alone." At this point, she has the letter held up to her heart with both palms, and she's pacing around the room as she speaks. Kind of like in those pathetic, sappy romance movies from when Panem was The United States, and Canada, or something like that.

"So, you want me to help you?"

"Not necessarily... Hunt works with them, and they said he qualifies. So, he's going to come with me, along with a few of the important Mockingjays."

"Like who?"

"Err... I think they said Finnick, Griggory Turner," Who the hell....? "Gale Hawthorne, cousin Luca, and one other person, but they wouldn't tell me her name. Probably security reasons."

" Luca?! Since when he is one of them?"

"You say that like they're diseased or something," she says with a disappointed look on her face.

"They might as well be! "

Silence.

"But, what are you going to do about Dad? He's not going to approve of this. And, at this point, the last thing he needs is for people to find out that the President's daughter is helping the rebellion."

"That's where it gets tricky... I'm not going to tell Dad. And he's not going to find out. Right, Azalea?" She glares at me. And not even the tolerable way our father does, the kind of way that burns your soul deep down inside and could start a blazing forest fire.

"Right.. Just... Just stop...looking at me like that." I try to avoid her gaze, until she pulls it away. "Thanks," I mumble.

"Mhmm," she hums suspiciously.

"Girls!" Selvina yells. "Come down to the dining hall now! President Snow is waiting for you!" Luce rolls her eyes and groans.

"You do realize we call him 'Dad' right? And we'll be right there!" I shout back.

You can hear the click of Selvina's high heels against the floor in the hall. When the sound fades, I turn to Luce. "You know you're in your pajamas, right?" She nods. "Well, are you going to change? Dad's not going to be happy with you, especially if we have guests." Luce just shrugs. "Something wrong?" I sit next to her on the bench near the full wall length window. She just sniffles and shakes her head.

"C'mon, Luce. I know you. What's the matter?"

"It's Hunt..."

"What of him?"

"I wasn't going to tell you, but... He... Um... He left for good last week. And I'm not sure what I should do. We made a promise about a month ago. And we said that we'd never forget each other." She pauses, drying a few stray tears. "I didn't really think anything of it, until now because I caught on that he really wasn't coming back. Dad knows exactly where he is, and I-"

"How would Dad know? Did he put a tracker in him?" She nods. "Okay, then it'll all be okay. Dad will bring him back, and knowing his status with you, he won't kill him or anything."

"But, Zales. He ran away with the Mockingjays..."

"He what?!" She nods again, drying more tears. "This is amazing! Luce, he just lead us to them! We won!"

"No, Azalea! This is not good! Do you have any idea how much danger Hunt is in right now?! All of the Mockingjays, too, for that matter!" Luce has stood up at this point, and is screaming down at me. "I have to find him..."

"You don't expect to run away do you? I mean, get real Luce. You've never stepped foot out of the Capitol, let alone traveled to District 13, or where ever."

"That's what you think. Hunt's taken me with him, once... I didn't go to District 13 or anything, but he took me into the woods. I can make it, Azalea. I have to do this, for Hunt. And myself. Plus, the Mockingjays are expecting me!" She cannot be serious; this has got be one of her sick jokes.

"And you're expecting me to just act like I don't know anything when people start to notice that you're not showing up anywhere? Think again, princess." I know I probably shouldn't have spit out that last word like I did. To my surprise, though, Luce doesn't seem angry; just focused on what my possible reaction will be from the statement that is resting on her tongue. Just waiting to reach the air, float right into my ears and sit there. Lighting my mind on fire, from the inside, out.

"I'm not expecting you to act like I never left, Zales. Because... I want you to come with me."

***

A/N: Ta-da! There's the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. And, I know. It's a bit rough, but I've found that I don't like Azalea too much. ^_^ Her perspective annoys me, because I can't stand the Capitol, but she results in a challenge for me. So, I must respect her (almost) existence. Please Review! I should have the next chapter up as soon as possible. But, tell me if you liked it! I'm off! *disappears into the wilderness*