Hey Guys! It's Tahri! So, I recently began reading Clato stories, and am no a full blown obsessor over it! I just had to write my own. So here it is: An forced marriage between Clove and Cato. Please Follow, Favorite, and Review. I should update tomorrow.


The Engagement

Chapter 1, The Victor Arrives


It was late morning. Around twelve-ish. This was the latest I had ever stayed in my house till. On a typical day, I'd be out of the house by 4 in the morning.

But the Training Academy was closed today; the only day of the year they ever were. The day our newest Victor returned from the Capitol. When the year's Games Victor wasn't from our District, everyone was still required to meet them at the Train Station unless you were Reaping Assigned (R/A). Which basically means you had been given a year that would be the Games you participated in. If that was the case you were given an official pardon and didn't have to attend. But, if it was our District's Victor, you had to go to see the newest District 2 Victor, even if you were R/A. You couldn't even train later in the day.

And today was that day, we were celebrating our newest victor; and he came from our District. Cato Irons. I remember when I had been at Town Square, and saw Cato's smirk on the large screen when he confronted the boy from 1, Luster. It was an epic showdown to watch. They were both standing at the edge of an ice cap, and they were both badly injured. Cato had a sword and Luster had a knife and a spear. They fought for a good 15 minutes, each of them getting an advantage then losing it. In the end, Cato lured Luster near enough to the edge of the ice cap and kicked him off with all his might, throwing his sword at him as well, in case his kick wasn't strong enough. And then he won.

I didn't remember much about Cato Irons accept that he was the big jock of the Academy. He had the looks, the skills, the charm, and the wealth to insure him the most desired boy in District 2. He would give me with a strange look whenever we trained at the same time. I assume that it was driven by the fact that I was the only trainee who bested him in a competition. It seemed funny that only a few weeks ago he had volunteered and now he returns as a Victor. Boy, I wonder how many girls will be lined up to see him. To me, he was a brutal person who knew no love. Maybe that was an exact description of me, but perhaps I was a Negative. And I needed someone positive.

My house was in a flurry, making preparations to leave. At one o'clock was the big Victor ceremony, at the Train Station platform. My father, the Mayor Castrort of District 2, had already taken me down there along with my two younger siblings, Nero and Claudia. They were twins, but Nero had coppery hair and Claudia had dirty blonde. They were 6, and quite the troublemakers. My mother was firm upon the fact that they wouldn't start training till they were 10. I started when I was 5. But I'm not bitter; I don't care much about my family. I lived with them, but there wasn't 'love' among us. Maybe between Nero, Claudia and mom and dad. But not with me. I train 7 days a week, from 4AM to 9PM. I didn't have much to do anything with them. On Sundays, I only trained from 4AM to 11AM. That was that only day I could actually do something but train.

When I went yesterday with my dad and the twins to the Train Platform, I had been really shocked. They had really cleaned it up, and there were Gold and Blue streamers across the entire platform, Training Academy colors. There was red rug along the platform and several people were already camping outside the ropes to get a spot close to the platform.

"Are you ready, Clove?" My father asks as I finish polishing my knife. It was one of my few pleasures that I did whenever I had time. I loved getting it so gleam so nicely that I can see my own reflection.

"Yeah. Do I need to dress fancy?" I ask my father, who I really thought of us as the Mayor more than my dad. I glance up and see that he is wearing a suit and tie, along with the Mayor's ring.

I hated wearing dresses, because I couldn't fight in them. And if I can't fight in them, I don't like them. Dresses are the dumbest invention ever.

"Of course, dear. Mr. Irons was a training partner of yours was he not?" He asks while adjusting his tie, earning an approving smile from my mother, Marpesia. She was a pretty blonde, who was extremely loving towards me and the twins. But love was foreign to me.

"Sometimes. On rare occasions. He was a whole Cohort higher than me." I tell my father as I stand u; and bound up the steps, nearly knocking Nero down.

"Hey! Watch out, C!" Nero calls out, patting his gelled hair down. "Mom will kill me if my hair is messed up. I'm personally holding you accountable."

I smirk despite myself. "Sure, sure, tough guy." I call back as I round the edge of the staircase and hurry up towards my room. I enter and see that my mother has already laid out a long red evening gown.

Why in the name of President Snow should I have to where a long evening gown? I see no importance for it. Something was up.

I ride with my parents in the hovercraft with my arms folded. My mom had gotten me in full makeup and had my hair in a low side ponytail. I had to admit, I did look beautiful. Not that it mattered. But as my mother always stated, "I am the prettiest girl in the District!"

Claudia sits next to me, her blonde curls in loose bun and she wears a pink sundress. Nero is on my other side, wearing a black suit like my father. I allow myself a small smile at how cute they looked.

"She did it! You owe me 35 bucks, Claude!" Nero yells, bouncing happily in his seat, ignoring the frowns from my parents.

"No, I don't. That wasn't a real smile. It was a half smile." Claudia insists, her lips pursed nervously. I knew whatever bet they made it wasn't because Claudia didn't want to pay' it's because she didn't want to lose the bet.

"What bet? Me smiling?" I demand, whipping around to face Nero. He meets my gaze evenly and shrugs his shoulders.

"Claude said that you wouldn't smile for a whole month. And I said you would. And it hasn't been a month yet. So I win. Thanks C, for the extra cash." Nero says triumphantly and I scowl at my siblings.

"Kids! There will be no more betting in this household. Is that clear?" My mother says with a stern look and my father nods his approval.

"Yes, mommy." They both respond, but Nero continues to rub his fingers together, looking at Claudia for the rest of the ride.

When we finally land, I am stunned at how many people showed up. Lots and Lots of people are crowded along the Train Station, cheering and shrieking even though the Victor hasn't even showed up. But the long silver train was there, so I assume that they are awaiting the speech from the Mayor, and then he will come out. I stand up and head out of the hovercraft and we all hurry to sit down, in a roped off section, directly in front of the Train.

"…we welcome and celebrate our first victor in over 5 years!" My father says as the crowd roars with applause and whistles. District 2. District 2. District 2. The chant goes through the crowd and I can't help but smirk. I had a huge sense of pride for our District and all our victors. Why, Enobaria Golding has been my idol since I was 6.

"He has brought pride to his District, please welcome, Cato Irons, Victor, of the 73th Hunger Games!" My father intones with a booming voice and the crowd is on its feet applauding.

Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! Cato! The cheers scream, and Nero plugs his ears.

I am standing as well with a small smile on my face and finally the silver train door slides open and a tall figure steps out, squinting from the sunlight, his hand shielded like a vizier over his face.

His hair is blonder than I remembered. His eyes bluer than the oceans of district 4. His face handsomer than I last saw him. He was more built; his tight suit accented the ripples of his muscles.

He beams and holds his hands up and peers into the crowd. As if he was looking for someone. Everyone screams when he starts to talk, "District 2! We will always be the best!"

I cringe at the noise following and keep my face down to avoid any more noise. But then I get an odd sense. Like I was being watched. It was a feeling that I had gotten when I was stranded in the slums of District 2 in a training exercise.

I look up and my emerald eyes connect with sapphire ones. Cato peers at me with his head slightly tilted and that same expression on his face as he had had before. It makes me uncomfortable, especially after I had seen his ability to fight in the Games. I keep his gaze evenly though, not wanting to show weakness. He must think that he can look at anyone and they'll cringe because he's a Victor.

He doesn't let his gaze done either and he smirks for a second and raises his eyebrow. I don't realize, but at this point, my dad is on the stage, his arm around Cato's shoulders.

"You can talk to Cato at the banquet tonight! My house!" Dad says with a dazzling smile, and then he quickly ushers Cato off the stage and towards our hovercraft. I realize that my family is already trailing not to far Cato and my father, so I pick up the long folds of the red gown and run as fast as I can to keep up.


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Tahri 3