A/N: A quick note to mention that one of the characters in this chapter of was of richards25's creation, after I asked for some help with some of the tributes. To say who at this stage would give away who gets reaped, so I'm going to let you guess who!


Chapter Two

POV: Ludovic Robertson (16), Hunger Games Victor

The Woods, District 4

10.30 am, Sunday 14th July, year of the 67th Hunger Games


The walk back through District 4 towards Victor's Village is slow and uncomfortable. Not only is the heat of the July sun making me uncomfortable, but the wary looks from the District people unnerve me. Even after eleven months, I haven't gotten over it. Victor's Village is situated near the boundary of our District, and me and Finnick live in isolation with the other nine surviving Victors of District 4. There were twelve of us when I moved in, but our numbers have diminished in the last year. We keep to ourselves, and so our presence is not welcomed around the district. Our kind, the murderers, aren't welcomed here.

Amongst the hostility, there are a few friendly faces. The few people, who, if not our friends, at least remained civil to us after our exclusion from school, stand out from the crowd. Some of the stall-keepers in the Market. The town baker. The postman.

Mostly, though, these people are old friends from school, most of which I no longer have contact with. The Market seems quieter that most days as we walk through, although I still see two boys from my school year, George Collins and Jack Bannan. They nod out of respect as we pass, though no words are said. Even when we were at school, I never socialised much with either of them. Still, I know they were full of respect for me and Finnick surfing the Games. I can imagine one of them volunteering in a couple of years, when they are eighteen. I can imagine them being headstrong enough to think they have a chance. Then again, I shouldn't count them off too soon. I never anticipated my own return to District 4.

Leaving the market behind, we head into the richer areas of the district. Walking down the wide, tidy streets, we pass my old house. Nobody lives there anymore, but the house is still legally the property of my family. I was intended to live in Victor's Village alone, but my dad moved in with me when mother died. He said that he couldn't stand living in the old house anymore. It reminded him too much of her.

Down the road from my house, we run into a short, slim boy with green eyes and short light brown hair. I know him well; after all, his house is only three doors down from my family's old home.

"Morning, Dylan," says Finnick. "Prepared for the reaping?"

Dylan Cresta sighs, then shrugs his shoulders.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replies, trying to sound optimistic. "Only four more to go, right?"

I'm about to correct Dylan, but then I realise that I would be in the wrong. Even though we were in the same school year, his birthday is almost eleven months after mine, on the last day of July. So when I was twelve for the reaping of the 63rd Games, Dylan still hadalmost a month to wait until his twelfth birthday. Now, whereas I am sixteen, Dylan is only fifteen. After today, he will have to face the reaping three more times. His last possible games will be the 70th. Luckily, Dylan has no need to take tesserae. His family does well enough. After all, they can afford a house in the nicest part of the district. The houses here rival those in Victor's Village.

"Four slips this year, right?" I ask him.

"Yeah," nods Dylan. "I guess it could be a lot worse. Still, you only need one slip of paper to stand a chance of getting reaped."

"Think about it," I say reassuringly. "You've not been picked yet. And you've only got one more name this year than last, haven't you?"

"Yeah, though this time, I can't rely on you being pulled out, can I?" he jokes. He has a fair point. My name was pulled from the reaping bowl for both the 65th and 66th Games. But Finnick volunteered for me in the 65th, and I escaped the arena myself last year.

"Don't worry about it, Dylan," says Finnick. "And anyway, even if you are reaped, you might get the best mentor Panem has ever seen!"

"What makes you say that?"

"Cause I'm a possible mentor, Dylan!" jokes Finnick. This reminds me that due to rule changes for this year's Games, the process for choosing who mentors has changed. Remembering this, I realise that we really need to see the other victors. We've all agreed to meet at Julian's house for eleven. Checking my watch, I can see that we only have ten minutes.

I try to encourage Finnick to leave Dylan (he'll have plenty of time to talk to him on another day), but before I can, a short girl with dark-flowing hair runs up to Dylan from down the road. It's Dylan's twin sister, and I know very little about her. In over ten years of going to school with her, she's said little more than ten sentences to me and Finnick. She's incredibly shy.

She pulls Dylan to one side, and after a quick, quiet conversation that I can't fathom, Dylan turns back to us.

"Sorry, lads," he says. "We have to go and prepare for the reaping. I'll speak to you soon."

"Yeah, sure, we'll speak soon."

As he turns to leave, Finnick calls after him.

"Dylan!"

He turns back to face us.

"May the odds be ever in your favour, Cresta," says Finnick ridiculously. I see a grin appear on Dylan's face before he leaves, and we take the opportunity to return to Victor's Village.

The kitchen in Julian's home seems stuffy and untidy. In reality, it is rather tidy, but me and my dad keep our whole house in immaculate condition. We just have more time than Julian has. Also, the stuffiness is accounted for by the ten victors sitting around the long wooden table. Julian is up, making us all drinks. I look around at the other ten victors present. Huddled next to me on my left (it's a bit of a squeeze to fit ten round this table) is Finnick, and on my right is our oldest victor, Mags, a woman who won in the earliest years of the Games. Opposite me is Auriel, a twenty-seven-year-old man who won the 58th Games. He was our first victor since the Second Quarter Quell. I know that he spends most of his time training wannabe-Careers in District 4's training centre.

Along with Auriel, Harrow spends most of his waking hours in the training centre. He was a Career once; he volunteered for the 48th Games, the year before Julian won. Despite his Career status during and after the Games, the years after the arena have meant that Harrow has left this side of him behind. In comparison to the rest of us, he's returned to the normalcy of the district quite well.

Fifth is a man in his early fifties, whose name I believe be Cale. From what I have heard of him from the others, he's a bit of a recluse. This is only the second or third time I've seen him out of his home since I moved in to Victor's Village.

At the far end of the table, four female victors sit in conversation. The youngest, Georgie, must have won her Games shortly before Harrow, about twenty years ago. She still retains the posture of a Career. Even though it's completely pointless, I believe she still trains, and is one of the four victors to run District 4's training centre.

The other three women are elderly victors, all of whom won before the first quell. Harriet, Natalie and Danielle. I know none of them well, but all seem friendly when I have had chance to make small-talk with them.

Then there is Julian, who has now taken a seat at the head of the table, sending drinks down to all of us. He won the Games the year after Harrow, and the two have been good friends for years. He is the fourth victor to dedicate themselves to the Training Centre, although he was never trained there himself. Reaped at the age of sixteen, the Careers didn't volunteer for him. In our district, Careers realise that even with their training, their chances of survival are low. So they only volunteer for the absolute no-hopers. Twelve or thirteen-year-olds, who will never win the Games no matter how much training they might have had. With no physical strength, they will never survive.

So Julian works at the Training Centre, but not for the same reason as his three fellow trainers. Harrow, Auriel and Georgie were all Careers in their youth, and felt as though once they had won their Games, becoming trainers seemed like the logical thing to do. On the other hand, Julian trains youngsters because he never wants anyone to enter the arena as under-prepared as he once was.

And then there is me. Ludovic Robertson, the newcomer to this group. I am the eleventh living victor in District 4, and for the next three weeks, I am sure that everyone at this table will be trying their hardest to take our numbers up to twelve.

"Now, down to business," says Julian with a tone of authority. "As I'm sure you are all aware, the rules for deciding the mentors have been changed."

I see nods of assent quietly spread round the long table.

"As you all know, in previous years, after the reaping of tributes, two victors are reaped to decide who becomes a mentor in that year. This year, that is not the case."

Auriel picks up the explanation as Julian takes sips from his drink.

"This year, the two mentors must volunteer themselves as mentors prior to the reaping. Also, and two victors can volunteer. They no longer have to be gender specific. For the first time, male victors can mentor female tributes, and vice versa."

"So, we have to decide amongst ourselves?" asks Finnick.

"Yeah," says Harrow. "So, does anyone desperately not want to do it?"

"I don't," says Mags firmly. "I've mentored my fair share of tributes over the years."

"Neither do we," say Harriet and Natalie. "Like Mags, we've mentored enough."

"I think it's safe to say Cale won't be mentoring," says Julian. "No offence, Cale, but I doubt you'd have the responsibility for it."

Cale doesn't answer; he just shrugs and leans back in his chair.

"If we're getting short of numbers, I'll mentor," says Finnick. "After all, I did alright last year didn't I?"

"Alright, Finnick can mentor," says Harrow. "Anyone else?"

Finnick digs his elbow into my side, and know what he wants me to do.

"I'll do it," I say. "I've not done it before, so I'll give it a go." To be honest, that's only a half-truth. I would like to see what life as a mentor is like, but really, I'm looking for an excuse to leave District 4. Even though District 4 is my home, I don't feel like I fit in here anymore. Not since the Games. A month away will do me some good.

"Who are the possible Careers this year, Auriel?" asks Finnick.

Each year, a month before the Games, all the eighteen-year-olds in the Training Centre enter a mock Games. Also, trainees from younger years can enter if they feel ready. These training Games are fought with training weapons so no serious harm is cause to any future tributes, and the victor of these Games will be the one to volunteer if needed at the reaping.

"The lad who won was comfortably the best fighter," says Auriel. "An eighteen-year-old called Alec Flood."

"He'd won last year, too, aged seventeen," continues Julian. "He would have volunteered last year, if a younger boy had been reaped."

"What about the girls?" I ask.

"Rose Ellis," says Georgie. I know the name. She's in the top year at school, though I'm slightly surprised that she's the strongest trainee this year.

"The Orman girl ran her close, though, didn't she?" says Harrow, and the other three trainers nod.

"She's only seventeen, though. Her time will come next year," says Georgie.

"I'll mentor the girl this year, then," says Finnick. "It sounds like Alec is very strong. It'll give Ludo an easy first year if he volunteers."

"Very well, Finnick," nods Julian. "Good luck, you two. I'd better head of to the justice building immediately and let our escort know who his mentors are this year."

Julian stands to leave, and Harrow goes with him. Julian pulls a set of keys from his pocket and tosses them at Auriel, who catches them.
"Lock up when you leave, would you?" Julian asks, and then he's gone.

The rest of us make small talk for an hour, before we return to our own homes to dress for the reapings. Previous victors are always called on stage during the reaping ceremony, so we need to look good. I dress in a near-identical outfit to last year (white shirt, black trousers, black shoes, my blond hair slicked back) and leave to meet Finnick at the edge of Victor's Village.

We walk in through the town without any hostile looks this time. Now all the residents of District 4 are too wrapped up in their own troubles to care about us. The reaping is just an hour away.

As we walk down the main thoroughfare to the town square, we run into another old friend. Dennis Orman.

"Hey, Dennis!" calls Finnick, and the medium-height boy with dark brown hair turns to us.

"Oh, hi Finnick!" he says cheerily. "How's life since you got kicked out?"

"Free," Finnick replies. "We're free to do what we like."

"Pity I have to stay on a school," says Dennis. "I need the education. You two don't need jobs. You've got all the money you need. Anyway, think you could let me know who the mentors will be this year?"

"Yours truly," says Finnick, taking an over-elaborate bow, making both me and Dennis laugh.

"Male or female?" asks Dennis.

"Female," replies Finnick. "Ludo will be mentoring the male tribute."

"Taking female mentor next year, Finnick?" asks a female voice, and I have to turn to look behind Dennis at a tall, skinny girl with short auburn hair. I remember what the trainers had said earlier. "That Orman girl came close... Her time will come next year."

So this is the girl they were on about. Dennis' sister. I know she's in the school year above me, but I can't remember her first name. Judging by her cold, calculating looks at both me and Finnick, she'll be a vicious fighter. Just looking at her, I might ask for the female tribute next year.

However, my attention isn't focused on her for long, as I can see that she's linked arm-in-arm with an older boy, who I quickly recognise. Nathan Foster. Last time I saw him, Finnick had a knife at his throat. No wonder he's glaring at us so much.

I turn away and see Finnick falter as he tries to answer Dennis' sister's question.

"What?" Foster is getting to him. Finnick is uncomfortable in his presence. "Uh, I dunno, Marline."

Marline! That was her name. I make a mental note to thank Finnick for getting me out of a potentially awkward situation.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see," continues Finnick. "After all, these Games haven't even started yet!"

"Oh, okay," replies Marline. "You'll let me know when you know who's mentoring next year, right?"

"Yeah, I will do," Finnick says. "Anyway, we need to get going." I can see that Foster is really making Finnick uncomfortable. He wants to make his leave. "See you soon, Dennis. And good luck."

"Good luck with your mentoring, you two," I hear Dennis call after us as we walk on ahead of them.

Soon, we're at the Justice Building, and we meet Julian and Harrow at the back entrances, who lead us inside. We're taken to the entrance foyer near the front of the Justice Building, which has large oak doors that head out onto the stage that has been set up in the square for the reaping. A glance at the clock tells me that we got here just in time. One fifty-five. The reaping starts in five minutes.

There are fifteen of us lined up to take the stage. At the front of the queue, there is our Mayor, an ageing man in his forties, our head peacekeeper, a Capitol representative that I can't place, and then our escort, Flavius Blacklock. Just from catching the blond streaks that run through his light-brown hair by looking ahead in the queue, I know that it is Flavius. I don't know why, but seeing Flavius here makes me feel secure and relieved. Even though my role has changed, some things will stay the same as last year. Flavius will be here to guide us all through. Along with my stylist Julia, Flavius is the only Capitol citizen that I would call a friend.

Then all the victors stand in the queue, in order of their Games. Mags at the front, me at the back. Then the large oak doors at the front of the Justice Building open, and the Mayor walks out with Flavius to begin the reaping.

As ever, the Treaty of Treason is recited, and despite how tedious it is, it seems to pass quicker this year than most. Maybe it's because I'm nervous. I'm about to go on stage again, after all.

Then Flavius takes centre stage, and I can see him call out the name of all of District 4's past victors in chronological order. Finally, only me and Finnick remain to take to the stage.

"The victor of the 65th Annual Hunger Games, Finnick Odair!"

I watch as Finnick bounds onto the stage, full of enthusiasm. I watch him blow kisses to the cheering crowd, and it forces me smirk. Yet again, Finnick is playing the flirt for the Capitol audiences. I guess I'd better get used to it; he'll be like this for the next few weeks.

"And finally, the victor of the 66th Annual Hunger Games, Ludovic Robertson!"

I walk slowly on the stage, smiling and waving at the crowds. I can see Flavius cheering me on at the front of the stage. He's wearing the same white high-collared jacket as last year, the age-concealing make-up is just as obvious as ever at a short distance. Still, I'd guess he's in his mid-thirties.

I walk up to Flavius and shake his hand. Instantly, I feel reassured about being on stage. Seeing an old friend calms my nerves and I take my place next to Finnick as the reaping begins for real.

"Now, I must introduce the mentors for this year's Games!" says Flavius excitedly. He certainly knows how to play the crowds.

"For the male tribute, the mentor will be Ludovic Robertson!" he says, and the crowds cheer as I have to return to Flavius' side.

"The mentor for the female tribute is Finnick Odair!"

Yet more cheers as Finnick walks up to stand on Flavius' left. Then Flavius takes one of our hands in his and we stand together holding our linked hands up to the audience. Then me and Finnick are taken to stand by the reaping bowls from which the names of our tributes shall come.

"As usual, ladies first," says Flavius. He slowly walks over to the bowl with all the girls names in rummages around for a few moments. As he does, I look over to Finnick, who appears nervous. After all, whoever Flavius picks, Finnick will be mentoring.

After a few moments, Flavius pulls out a name.

"Rebecca Young!"

I watch as a small, positively terrified girl of fifteen walks slowly towards the stage. Finnick doesn't stand a chance with her; I doubt she has the talent to survive the bloodbath. But she's fifteen, so nobody will-

"I volunteer!"

I sigh as I watch a tall, skinny girl of seventeen push past a relieved Rebecca and walk confidently onto stage. I place her almost instantly; after all, I was talking to her half an hour ago.

"What's your name, girl?" asks Flavius as the young woman with short auburn hair arrives on stage.

"Marline," she replies confidently. "Marline Orman."

I'm shocked by her decision. Yes, she was a Career, but surely she'd have wanted to wait another year? There is nothing stopping anyone from volunteering, but generally only the chosen Career does. I can see Rose Ellis in the eighteen-year-olds section, her face a picture of shock and fury. If she wanted to volunteer, she's missed her chance. I guess she didn't expect Marline, the girl she defeated for a chance to become tribute, would dare to volunteer. I have to admit, I didn't expect it either. Then again, it's her death wish, not mine.

Looking down in the crowd, I see many shocked faces, including that of Nathan Foster. I can't help but smirk, however low it is. Then again, he laughed at me when my love died in my Games. There are very few opportunities for revenge in this world, but the reaping of Marline Orman has allowed me to get back at Nathan Foster.

"Now for the boys!" says Flavius eagerly. I stand to the side as Flavius reaches into my bowl and pulls out a name.

"Maximillian Harper!"

For a moment, I'm stunned. Maddie's younger brother. She took tesserae to protect him, and she paid the ultimate price. A painful death at the hands of Quintus Cato, the stereotypical Career from District 2. It doesn't seem right that her brother has been reaped. But then I remember that Maddie's youngest brother is only thirteen, and I know that a Career will volunteer for him.

Still, I'm surprised when two eighteen-year-old boys call out simultaneously.

"I volunteer!"

I look down to the eighteen-year-old section, and I see a very distraught Nathan Foster scrambling to get onto stage. For a moment, I feel guilty. Nathan is prepared the make the sacrifice that I would never have made. He is prepared to take a place in the Games to save Marline. A risk I never took for Maddie. I would have let her go into the 66th Annual Hunger Games alone if I hadn't been reaped myself. Now Nathan has gotten one over me.

And I hate him for it.

Behind Nathan, I can see another equally strong boy running for the stage, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Alec Flood. He gains on Nathan easily, and the two climb the stairs side by side. After much tumbling, they both collapse at the top of the stairs.

"Well, it appears we have two volunteers!" says Flavius, slightly worried. This situation is new for him. District 4 has no protocol for such events.

"What should we do now, folks?" asks Flavius to the crowd.

Everyone is silent. Nobody knows what should be done. I look from Flavius, who is quickly losing his composure, to Finnick, who appears confused, to emotionless Marline. Alec and Nathan stand awkwardly at the top of the stairs. Everything is silent. After what seems like eternity, I come up with an idea.

I catch Flavius' eye and gesture at the microphone.

"May I?" I ask.

Flavius nods and moves back from the microphone, allowing me to take centre stage.

"I'm not sure if this will be allowed, but I have a solution," I say confidently. "You two!" I gesture at Alec and Nathan. "Come over here!"

Both boys walk slowly over to me and stand on either side, glaring at each other.

"You both want to become tributes correct?" I ask.

"Yes!" says Nathan impatiently, whereas Alec just nods.

"Then, as your mentor, I will want the tribute who will be most capable to survive the Games." I take a pause before saying my next line.

"If you want to become the male tribute for District 4 this year, you're going to have to fight for your place."


A/N: Thanks for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please review! As ever, constructive criticism is welcomed :)