AN: I'm sorry for how long it's taken for me to update this fic, I've been busy and honestly this story slipped under my radar for a while. Hopefully when things settle down I'll be able to update more frequently. Thanks go to everyone who has read and reviewed, I hope you enjoy this chapter. All errors are mine, if you spot one, let me know and I'll amend it.

Note: After the perspectives from The Blood Wars, I will open up some options for characters from The Blood Wars II :) the story will be a side fic for both the original and the sequel.


Chapter 7

The Demon

Life had never been kind to Rose. She was a strong willed teenager who sought the best out of life and for her family and never realized just how important that was until her parents died - both taken too soon from the lives of their five children. Violet was second eldest, ten years old, she kept to herself and supported Rose by looking after the others while her older sister was at work, trying desperately to make ends meet. Her paper run helped a little towards food but Rose always made her put a little money aside for herself, even when the family needed it a lot. "I don't want you to lose all your money because of us," Rose had told her in the past and Violet smiled.

The next two children were six year olds Talula and Storm, paternal twins who were born just six minutes apart from one another. Storm was the younger of the two but the youngest member of the household was Damien at just three months.

It was difficult for Rose to suddenly have four mouths to feed before her own and, although the community rallied and offered support during and after their funeral, most offers were hollow. The baker had promised them two loaves of bread a week, it lasted for three until he said something about cost and that they would need to pay for it. The same went for milk and the odd grocery or two, the house itself needed repairs and so Rose worked at the local supermarket, helping people find what they wanted and working with storage out the back. Sometimes for night shift she'd steal a tin or two, just to help them get by.

The days grew longer and turned to weeks, the kids needed to go to school twice a week and fees needed paying. The electricity started cutting out and that was where she found herself now, sitting in the dark with Talula reading an old picture book from a second hand store down the road. The pictures had crayon drawings all over them, the edges were folded and the spine had been taped and repaired more times than she of the previous owner cared to remember. But it would all be ok; she had to tell herself that.

Thankfully all of them were under the age of eligibility for the games so none of them could ask for additional supplies for entries. She had tried to make do without them but the time had come for action so she took those extra slips, handed them in and got grain and oil for the year. The odd left over penny went to buying toys, or paying bills.

"The end," Talula finished before looking up from Rose's knee in the candle light. "Am I getting better?" she asked and Rose smiled, focusing on the present.

"Yeah you are a clever thing."

Storm plodded down the stairs and stood before the two by raising a hand to her mouth, imitating a need for water. She hadn't said a word since their parent's funeral. Rose wasn't sure why but knew it probably was because she missed them.

"Water or milk?" Rose asked, raising her index finger on 'water' and index and middle for 'milk'. Storm selected and Rose got to get feet to fetch the water.

"We're running it of candles, Rose," Violet pointed out as she took a seat in the kitchen, on an old plastic chair from the alleyway outside work.

"Ok I'll get some more tomorrow," she explained, "finish your drink and get to bed you two, do it quietly please." The twins nodded before dong as they were told.

"Do you miss them?" Violet asked and Rose nodded her head.

"Sometimes... I miss the way mum would complain about dads driving and how they used to be so good with the twins and Damien. But were doing ok."

"Yeah," Violet sighed, and Rose noticed it immediately. She waited for her younger sister to look at her and when she did she saw tears.

"Hey" Rose soothed, taking her into her warm embrace. "I know things have been hard for us but well get through it I promise."

"It's not that," she admitted. "The reaping is next week...I'm worried that you'll get picked."

"Hey don't worry about it, I'll be okay."

"But you have so many entries, you've been looking after us for a month and a half now and you work hard." She leant back and looked into her sister's eyes. "I don't want to lose you too."

"And you won't," Rose hushed, smoothening out her sisters violet hair. "It will be okay, you won't lose me."


"How could you tell her that?" Lutina asked, sipping on a glass of ice cold water as Rose watched the cubes swirl around her own glass. They were sitting outside at a table with chairs in the sunlight the following morning.

"What was I supposed to say? Sorry kids but I might die like mum and dad, storm will never speak again if that happens."

"She still hasn't said anything I take it?"

"Not a word... It's been over a month and not a single word."

"She'll have to speak soon; you can't live your entire life without speaking."

"You'd think she was an Avox," Rose joked quietly when they both heard a scream.

"ROSE!" Rose bound to her feet, tipping the glass over as she rushed inside with Lutina following closely behind. She ran into the lounge-room. "Talula!"

"UPSTAIRS, HURRY!" Rose raced past the toys and pushed the door open to see Violet on the floor; her arms were wrapped around her stomach, her body shivered and her head beaded with sweat. "V!" Rose yelled, kneeling in front of her. "Lutina, take Talula out of here and run to get a doctor, now!"

"B-But w-w-we, c-can't pay for one," Violet managed to speak through her gritted teeth and contorted face.

"I don't care, you're safety is what's important, go!" The two ran down the hallway out of sight as Rose placed a hand to Violets head, she was burning up.

"Does your stomach hurt?" Violet nodded her head.

"C-Cold."

"Can you move?" She shook her head so Rose reached up to the bed and removed its blanket before ordering Storm to get her a towel and a basin. After covering her body from the neck down she rushed to get some cool water into the basin and returned to the room where Violet still lay on her side. All the colour had drained from her face.

"Storm, get me another basin, please." She couldn't find one so instead returned with a bucket from the outside garden which Violet immediately wretched into. Suddenly Damien started to cry and Storm ran to his crib to help without needing to ask. When the contents of her stomach were up and out Rose emptied it into the toilet bowl and rinsed it in the bathroom sink before returning and wiping her sister's face with the cool towel. She took a sip of water and swirled it around her mouth before Rose wiped her lips of any excess waste.

"We're here!" A thankful Talula called from the door and the doctor was in. He assessed her symptoms, checked her stomach, her temperature, everything that he could.

"It's a bad stomach virus," he explained. "A lot of people have it." And he wasn't kidding. The virus had spread through the entire district though most had been able to avoid it…Rose hadn't been so lucky.

Violet was the first, closely followed by Storm and Talula. Rose, although she too had contracted a fever, needed to stay strong and to look after the others. Lutina took Damien from the house to where he would be safer from the infection and they had to live and clean their own filth for days.


After a few days things had calmed down. Violet was sleeping, recovering from the worst bout while Talula and Storm had recovered some colour to their cheeks. But tomorrow was reaping day. "Hey Rose," Lutina addressed, walking inside to see the other children resting or playing quietly with each other, Damien had been returned to his cot and Rose smiled as she closed the Violet's door and let her sleep.

"Hey."

"How is everyone?"

"Better, V is still pretty bad but the doctor thinks she'll be okay if she rests…I still owe him payment though and I'm not sure how I'm going to get him what he needs," she combed a hand through her head before taking a seat in the kitchen. "So…reaping day's tomorrow, huh."

"Yeah," Lutina sighed. "I'm not sure who it will be but I know a lot of people have needed to take additional entries." She looked to Rose. "You've been doing such a great job with the kids."

"Thanks…not sure how long it will last though. I have a lot of entries this year, being my final year of eligibility. I don't know what will happen to these kids if I get called to the arena."

"What if you didn't have to go?" Lutina asked and Rose laughed.

"What do you mean? Run away before the lottery starts, you know that's not an option."

"No I mean what if…even if you were called…you didn't have to go." Rose looked puzzled, perplexed, how was it possible?"What if I volunteered to take your place?"

"What? Lutina you can't be serious."

"I am Rose!" She reached forward and took her best friends hands into her own. "Look at you, you have these four kids to look after, you have responsibilities, you have a life. I don't have any of that, I live with my parents and we don't need anything but it's like you said these kids would be lost without you, possibly worse." Rose looked to the table, it was a generous offer, too generous, but she was right. Storm, Talula, Violet, Damien, they all needed her support to keep them going, to keep them alive.

"If you get called up tomorrow, I'm not saying that you will but if you do…I'll volunteer for you."

"No."

"Yes," Lutina pushed. "Rose look at me." She did. "I'd rather die myself in the arena than see your brother and sisters starve to death or struggle."

"It's a generous offer," Rose admitted aloud. "But you can't be joking with me about this, you know how much that these kids mean to me, you can't back out if this is your word. The last thing that I or they need is false hope right now."

"I know," Lutina nodded standing up as Rose did the same. The two embraced and held each other tight for support. "Besides, they might just call me straight away and save you the trouble or stress."


"Stay here on the side lines, I'll see you after its drawn okay?" Violet and the others nodded before she gave them each a hug and kiss and walked to her roped off area, catching a glimpse back at them and nodding for reassurance.

"Welcome everyone to the twenty fourth annual district games! Today we have the opportunity to select our districts male and female representative," the major spoke diplomatically, boredom in his voice. He didn't have any kids so he didn't need to worry about the possible outcomes. "We will begin with the boys." He walked to the bowl and selected a slip by digging his hand into the slips and collecting one. "Troy!"

The young man walked to the stage and took his stance and now Rose's time had come. "And now for the girls…this year our female district representative is-" again he selected the slip, opened it and paused. "Rose!"

"NO!" She heard Talula yell and Rose looked to the far right, expecting to see Lutina step up to volunteer, to take her place, but she didn't move, didn't look at her. Two guards walked into the crowd and forced her to the stage. "You bitch! You promised!" She screamed, arms pushed her onto the stage and directly into the rooms behind. She ran to the door, trying to break back through but it was too late. Lutina had betrayed her. She kicked the door with her foot, threw anything that she could see around the room as burning rage filled her heart.

Why? Why her? Why the hell did life have to be so difficult for her? Her brother and sisters were going to be in even more trouble, were going to have to fend for themselves, Violet would have to take care of everyone, a burden that no ten year old should have to face. She still owed the doctor money and now had no way to pay it back.

The door opened when she had calmed down and there they were, all four of them, with tears down their cheeks. Damien's ones weren't from sadness like the others but she knew he could sense a change coming. "Come here," she opened her arms and they all rushed into her embrace, took her by the arms or legs, held her chest and closed their eyes. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry this has to happen." They remained together the way they were until Rose leant back.

"Violet you're head of the house now," she nodded. "I need you to continue your paper run, get a job at the local store, work night shifts if you have to and pay back the doctor before any other bills. Candles are in the top cupboards, use them sparingly and make sure that everyone stays healthy and eats right. Steal if you have to get by, I know it's against the law but you have to do it."

"Talula and Storm, you need to help Violet, get a paper run yourselves, sell some of your toys, help her with cooking and keeping the house clean and looking after Damien." She looked to the baby in Violets arms and took him into her own. "And you little guy," his hand clamped weakly over her finger. "You grow up to be big and strong so you can pay back these three for looking after you so well…don't do anything to hurt a girl when you grow up and be careful who you trust."

"Two minutes left," a guard announced through the door.

"Rose…" it was a quiet voice, a passive little one that she hadn't heard for so long. She looked down to Storm, passed Damien to V and knelt to be eye level with her. "Yeah," she smiled

"You could come home…if you win."

"Yeah I could, but I don't know how strong the others are."

"They won't be as strong as you," she smiled weakly and Rose placed a hand against her cheek to wipe away her tears. "I'll try my best." Storms body hit hers and she held her close. "Keep talking, don't be afraid to voice your thoughts…even if I'm not here I'll always be watching you. Okay? Remember that all of you."

"It's time to go."

"I love you!" Rose yelled hoarsely before they were dragged from her presence and out the door that slammed with a bang. Then it opened again and a new expression adorned her face. She wiped the tears, composed herself and decided that there was only one way to save her family now and that was to win in the arena. She stepped outside and walked through the crowd to the awaiting ship when she saw Lutina standing to the side.

"Rose I'm s-"

"No you're not," Rose replied harshly, stopping and staring at her right in the eyes with hatred burning within. "You better watch these games…because whatever I do to the others in the arena I will do twice as worse to you when I get home." And with that she boarded the ship with Troy and watched her home fade from sight below.


AN: Thanks for reading and please review.

As noted above I will be opening suggestions for character perspectives from The Blood Wars II once the following characters are done: Riven, Stella, Galatea, Saladin and Darcy.

I have arranged a new poll on my profile for BW2 character's, vote for the ones you'd like to see and the chapters will come once the above 5 are finished :)

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and ideas throughout, I really appreciate them and hope that you'll enjoy the BW2 character reflections just as much as these first ones :)