I found Aedan harder to write than expected (I don't know how to write a character like this very well), which is why this chapter took a little while. Might want to get used to it, because I'm extremely busy with life, . Standardized testing didn't help, either, but at least I'm done with that and can focus on my writing a little more.


Aedan Prince Hematite, District One Male


Aedan was proud to call himself fortunate. He was wealthy, charming, and strikingly good-looking—at least, in his opinion. There was nothing that Aedan didn't have.

Well, except for one thing.

You see, girls always flocked towards Aedan and his body. He never hesitated to sleep around with the ladies of District One, especially when most of the girls there were some of the most attractive girls in Panem. It was an... interesting way of life, that was for sure, but there was always something more that Aedan craved.

Glory. He didn't know why he wanted it, or what about it was so enticing to him, but it was something that had been just within reach since he was young. Ever since he'd started training, the title of Victor had been so close, and so far at the same time.

For some reason, he was thinking about this as he stood on line for the close-combat section in the Training Academy, watching two girls mercilessly attack each other. The line was long, as usual, and his fellow trainees were all getting antsy due to the fact that the fight was taking forever.

Aedan was far from bored, though, analyzing every move made by the blondes. They could be his future opponents, after all.

It helped that he knew the two girls. One of them was his lifelong friend, and the other was anything but.

His attention started to wander, as he looked around the Academy at the other teenagers who wanted the same exact thing that he did. I'm better than you, he thought as he watched a boy twirl a knife. And you. And you.

One of the girls had the other in a headlock, as the smaller of the two tapped the mat once, twice, three times. She'd lost.

Aedan stepped out of line to greet the loser, a girl by the name of Kira. He knew her all too well, because she was his closest friend (not without benefits, of course).

"Nice going. You got your ass handed to you," he said with a smirk.

She slapped his arm, and he flinched in pain, because Kira had broken his bones before; she was strong. "Don't you dare. You know who I was up against." She smiled playfully, eyes flickering over to the girl in question. "Get her alone yet?"

"Shut up. I don't owe you anything 'till she volunteers."

"Does it look like I care? A bet is a bet. She won't give you the time of day and you know it."

Aedan ran a hand through his platinum-blonde hair, as he always did when he was annoyed. "Yeah? I'mma go talk to her right now. We'll see if she answers."

Kira rolled her eyes as Aedan put on his most confident smile and walked in the direction of the girl. She was tall and slender, with the same golden blonde hair as every District One girl he'd ever met, coupled with icy blue eyes that seemed to radiate intensity. He liked that she was fearless, that she was tough.

Besides, he could say that he'd done the deed with a future Career when he was finished with her. What was better than that?

He didn't dare approach her right away. That was the trick; impress the girl, then have them come to him. It worked every time. (After all, what kind of man would he be to throw himself at a woman? That was their job.)

He made sure to cross her path as he walked over to the sword fighting station, cutting the line of trainees and picking up a heavy-looking two-handed sword. It felt somewhat awkward in his hands—he was much better with a one-handed sword—but he'd make do.

The boy in front of him was somewhat bulky, and was at least a year older than Aedan. He smirked, despite knowing full well that he stood no chance, especially with an unfamiliar weapon.

The boy swung his weapon, a one-handed sword very similar to the one Aedan usually used, downward, narrowly missing Aedan's head. Aedan struggled to lift his heavy weapon as he swung it clumsily, stumbling a bit when the boy dodged. He ducked in time to avoid the blade slicing his head open.

He lifted his weapon and charged, hitting the boy with the flat of his heavy blade. To Aedan's dismay, he only stumbled a little, thanks to the fact that he was about twice Aedan's size.

Aedan managed a glance in his female target's direction. She, unlike quite a few of the other people in the Academy, wasn't paying him any attention.

The boy feinted left, and Aedan fell for the trap, dodging the sword. The boy shoved Aedan to the ground and pointed the tip of his sword at his neck. He had lost.

The small crowd began to disperse, and as Aedan scanned the people who left the area, he didn't see the girl among them. Just Kira, clapping sarcastically and laughing with a smug smile on her face.

"Well done. You just got your ass handed to you on a silver platter. And the girl didn't even notice you. Pay up."

He rolled his eyes. "Joke's on you. I'm broke."

"You do realize that just means you owe me money now, right?"

He stood up and dusted himself off. "Aw, shut up."

Luckily for him, another girl had noticed him during his fight. "Hey, there," she said, leaning a bit too far forward (not that he minded). "Saw the fight back there. You were good."

Kira, knowing when she wasn't needed, backed away casually. Aedan just smiled. "Yeah. Not even my kind of weapon. But, ya know, gotta try everything at some point."

She smiled suggestively. "You know, I'm pretty good with a two-handed sword. Maybe I could teach you sometime... and who knows what could happen after that?"

Before Aedan could agree, an all-too-familiar voice called out. "Aurora!" They both looked to see the girl who Aedan had been pursuing in the first place, standing a few yards away. "We gotta go!"

"Coming, Chardonnay!" she responded. "We'll discuss this another day," she whispered into Aedan's ear, followed by a wink and a wave. He smiled back at her before turning around and finding Kira again.

"She ruined my shot with another girl, too. Damn bitch."

Kira rolled her eyes. "You never know. Maybe she's—heaven forbid—out of your league."

"Impossible."

"Still owe me money."

Aedan didn't really care about the bet anymore. He took another look at Chardonnay, flanked by two girls—one of them being the one he'd had wrapped around his finger—as she left the Academy for the day. He just wanted to be noticed by her, just like he'd been with every other girl who he'd met. Sure, it was just one girl, but even being ignored by one girl killed him.

He would have her. Even if it was the last thing he accomplished, he wouldn't let her slip away.


I don't know if I did this well. Characters like Aedan are extremely hard for me to write, and I don't really know why. It's my first time writing a character who's, well, like that. Deathless, if you could tell me how I did, it'd mean the world to me.

Again, don't expect a new chapter to come soon. I have a lot going on next week, so I can't write too much. I'll do my best, but the chapter probably won't come 'till next weekend at the earliest.