District Ten
(Robin Lysmith's POV)
"Robin!" My dad shouts from the house. "What?" I call back, looking up from my crouched position in the chicken coop. I had just finished feeding them. "You can be finished working for the day." Great. I jump to my feet at head towards the stables, passing the house. My dad is in the doorway. "Thanks. I'm heading out." "Why?" My dad asks. "Well you know, with the reaping today, I just want to see some people. In case I never come back." "Robin, don't joke like that!" My mother appears in the doorway beside my father, reprimanding me. I sigh. "Fine, but I'm still going out."
I head into the stables and mount my black stallion, leading him out of the building. I carefully trot between the small buildings that make up our ranch, and go into full gallop once on the open road. I'm headed to the ranch adjacent to ours, owned by the Hayes family. It's the only dwelling in miles, so it takes about ten minutes by horse to get there. Our families have known each other for years, and one of their daughters, who is my age, and I used to play together as small children. Now that we're fifteen… it's more.
As I get closer to my destination, I see smoke rising from behind the hill. I smile to myself as I can practically see Xenia's red hair flying as she works to control the fires we use in District Ten to restore the land.
xxx
(Xenia Hayes' POV)
"Alright, NOW!" I shout as the fire reaches the edge I had marked with stones. My little sisters Sarah and Penny throw their buckets of water onto the fire, quenching it. I tap a small remaining flame out with my boot, and drag my toe threw the burnt ground. "Okay, good work girls." I smile at them. "Sarah, you can head into the house. Ma will help you get ready for the reaping. You have a new dress this year since it's your first qualified year." Sarah looks pale at this thought, but nods and heads into the house.
Penny stands by and waits for my instructions, but my eye has been caught by a small figure galloping towards our ranch. I turn back to my sister. "Penny, tell mom I'm going into town to get something, and I won't be back for a while, okay? I'll be back in time to get ready for the reaping though." Penny gives me a look that shouldn't have been possible for an eight year old. Eventually she nods, and giving a small wave as she turns back towards the house, calls, "Have fun with Robin!" I laugh. My sister knows me too well.
I snatch the empty buckets off the ground and store them in our tool shed, coming out just as Robin pulls his horse to a stop. "Xen!" He calls out in greeting. I brush my hair over my shoulder and smile. "Hey." I walk over to his stallion, and he offers me his hand. I smack it away. "Please, I'm a country girl. I can get on a horse myself." I say as I mount up behind him. "What if I wanted to help you up?" He asks with a small smile. "Shut up Robin." I mutter.
xxx
(Robin's POV)
"Shut up Robin." Xenia mutters. I smile. These little insults are part of what makes me like her so much. I feel her arms loop around my waist from behind, and we take off galloping. "Where are we going?" Xenia shouts over the roar of the wind. "Someplace special." I respond. "Can't you elaborate for once!?" Xenia asks exasperatedly. "No. I cannot." Xenia sighs and leans her head on my shoulder to block out the wind.
Minutes later I stop the stallion feet from the river bank and slide down, Xenia beside me. She walks over the edge and dangles her feet in the water. I sit next to her. "I knew you loved it here, so I thought today would be a good day to spend some time here." She looks at me happily. "Thank you…" We sit in silence for a while before I bring up the topic we know needs to be discussed. "Are you scared?" I ask softly. "Terrified." Xenia admits. I nod. We both have younger siblings who are applicable for the games. I wrap an arm around her and we talk quietly about the reaping this afternoon.
"I should get going." Xenia says quietly. I nod and stand up along with her. We walk over to my horse, and mount it, but her arms feel tense around me. I trust my horse, so I turn to look at her. "Xen, it'll be okay. Neither of our families take tesserae. Our names are in 4 times each, our siblings only once. We have next to nothing chance." Her arms tighten around me and she looks down. "Xenia, look at me. I won't let anything happen to you." "You couldn't volunteer for me Robin. And even if you could, it wouldn't help. I can't lose you…" I've never seen Xenia so worried.
We arrive at her ranch and she gives me a kiss on the cheek before sliding off. "Thanks for everything. It was wonderful." "See you later then." I call as I gallop off.
xxx
(Xenia's POV)
I clamber onto my chestnut mare, dressed in a plain yellow shirt, white leggings, and denim skirt. Plus my boots and hat, of course. Sarah and Penny are dressed in yellow sundresses, and they are walking beside my horse. "Alright girls, let's go!" I say, once again in my usual cheery mood. We take off toward town, me going at a slow enough trot so my little sisters can keep up. When we arrive, Penny stays off to the side while Sarah and I get our blood drawn. Sarah is brave about it, but still gives a little whimper.
I shoo her to the twelve year old section and go to stand in my own section. I catch Robin's eye and wave. He mouths, you look beautiful. I smile and look away. Our crazy escort walks onto the stage. Quick speech and video, always the same. "Ladies first!" I bite my lip as she reaches into the glass bowl. "Xenia Hayes!" My breath hitches in my throat. They called my name. I hear Sarah and Penny's cries, and see a look of horror on Robin's blanched face. Neither of these help. I hold it together as I walk calmly forward and onto the stage. "You are Xenia Hayes?" The escort asks me. "Yes." I reply stiffly. "Congratulations." Yeah right.
The boy's name is chosen and I gasp when it is read. Septimus Lysmith. I see Robin's younger brother step out of the crowd, looking terrified. "I volunteer!" No. No, this isn't happening. I look around desperately, hoping to see someone other than who I think it is, who I know it is… I bite my tongue to keep myself from crying out when I see Robin, even though I knew it was coming. I avert my gaze. Both of us look down as we shake hands. And then we're led away.
xxx
(Robin's POV)
"Xenia Hayes!" No. I've lied. How could I have lied to her? I want to run to her and wrap my arms around her, pull her away from the Capitol forever. They can't hurt my Xenia… But I'm not stupid enough to try something like that, however much I want to. I'll just need to be there more for Sarah and Penny. I'm like a big brother to them already. I dig my nails into my palms, my eyes still on Xenia. Her hands are shaking. I can't stand the thought of her going into the games.
"Septimus Lysmith!" I freeze. This makes matters worse. I just want to scream in frustration, in terror. Will I regret what I'm about to do? Maybe not as it's for my brother, but Xenia…" I gulp and raise my voice. "I volunteer!" I look at the ground the whole walk up to the stage, which seems to take years. I can't face Xenia yet. We shake hands, and that's it.
I've just ensured that I will never see Xenia again, not in this world. But I had to do it. I hope she understands.
A/N: Alright. Sorry for the wait, I've had it written for a while, but needed some people to read it for me before I could post it. The formatting is a bit different, but I like the way it turned out. Tell me what you think! R & R