The Grim Grey Path to Freedom

by vesine

Some love stories are successful and happy. Most end in tragedy. Some children are saved. More children die. Orphans sometimes aren't accidents but by design. Career victors can be noble. Outlier victors can be treacherous. Sometimes people are far too mixed to divide in to easy categories of heroes or villains. The story of the 73 victors that preceded the 74th games. (15/73)

25. Games 13: Gilbert Oxford

Gilbert Oxford 13th Games

Prelude

Gabriel Villiers was immensely proud of the arena of the 13th games.

In fact Gabriel Villiers was immensely proud of the 13th games overall.

Memorable tributes that fulfilled all the aspects you wanted in a games:

Heroes.

Villains.

Lovers.

Friends.

And Monsters.

Never did Gabriel consider using the simplistic muttations he had originally planned to introduce a few days in. Those plans were abandoned after witnessing the events of just the first two days.

Muttations would have just spoiled the arena dynamic that was already shaping up to be the best in half a decade.

If it wasn't for the glory of his Triptych and his personal masterpiece of the 8th games the 13th probably would have been his favourite games of his long tenure. It certainly had many of his best tributes. The 13th was an undisguised blessing that just about managed to tide him over to the 15th games considering the utter screw up of a games that the 14th became.

The construction of the thirteenth arena took over a decade and designs began in the aftermath of just the 2nd games (a major risk at the time but when the 9th arena succeeded so well as proof the historical arenas were good Gabriel was thrilled). So many lives of rebel prisoners were spent on its construction that eventually they had to start using avoxes instead for the brute work near the end of the process. .

It was an arena of absolute beauty though.

It was the most complex arena architecturally by some distance so far and it was a breath-taking spectacle.

Located in a glorious but little used part of District 1 with the outskirts ten miles from any villages the area has a beautiful atmosphere. The Arena itself only enhanced the areas natural beauty.

If the 9th games arena had been regarded as stupendous in its accuracy to the ancient buildings of Rome then the 13th arena was on another level entirely.

It was a truly unique place and when those who knew their architectural history saw it they lauded Gabriel Villiers as a genius for even contemplating the idea of it.

The master sculptors, painters and others who were involved with it regarded it as one of their greatest creations.

Gabriel Villiers did not copy the original inspiration exactly you see.

While the room designs and furniture in the main part were almost exactly similar and there were statues, paintings and frescoes in all the correct places those artists involved were given free rein to utilise their imaginations in turning the specific art pieces inside to a great worship of all things Panem and especially Games related. Artistic liberty was granted freely as long as the style remained pristine and in the spirit of its surroundings and the era the original main structures had been built.

Those who styled the gardens were given the same instructions but given far less artistic leeway as key aspects of the original gardens needed to be maintained.

Those expert craftsmen succeeded beyond all expectations.

Many of those involved became widely regarded as the finest of artists among their generation and even after the rebellion most were still talked about with great regard.

After the games were over tickets to visit the 13th games arena had waiting times of over five years.

It also has the significant distinction of having the only Victor who ever visited their own arena after the games.

He visited every single year.

Had the Victor been allowed he probably would have claimed it as his personal residence.

Because of course who wouldn't.

He did jokingly ask but was of course denied.

Then again most in Panem would have chosen to live there if they could.

The President and Head Gamemaker would have tried living there as well if their respected partners hadn't put their collective feet down, before they could even properly consider it, arguing that even by Capitol standards having that arena as a base would be a little bit too ostentatious.

President Paylor was talked out of destroying it at the request of its Victor, the only living one from 10 after the rebellion, who argued it could be turned into a memorial museum and that at least one Arena should stand as testament to the games. She had been reluctant to destroy it anyway as objectively the arena was exceedingly beautiful even if it had cost many lives to build.

The Victor also asked once again if he could live there for his remaining years.

He was allowed to this time and when he died less than a decade and a half later he was buried in its grounds, as he had requested, along with the district token of his treasured ally from the games.

The Victor had admired the original inspiration for the arena ever since he first saw a picture in a book. He knew everything about the place and this combined with his other considerable skills, and his thoroughly capable ally, won him his games.

The Arena of the thirteenth games was breathtakingly beautiful.

Remarkably artistic.

A true feat of architecture.

Most importantly on a fundamental level it was incredibly interesting.

And being incredibly interesting it was very different from how its Victor appeared as a person before his games.

The Capitol: Last day of training

Home of Hestia and Octavius Flickerman

"How are you feeling Tavi? You aren't too stressed about tomorrow night are you?" Hestia Flickerman asks her husband worry on her face.

"I should be fine. Just the big night is all. You know how stressed it makes me." Octavius Flickerman replies

"Daddy look! New toy. Mummy got it! From holiday." Their son Caesar says proudly pointing at the stuffed toy that Hestia had bought in District 2 three days previously.

Hestia feels slightly guilty when she goes on the trips away to escort the District 2 tributes to the Capitol.

If she's honest to herself a lot of the guilt it down to how it has become one of the few breaks the young mother has to herself away from her exuberant son. She knows her husband sees a lot of himself in Caesar and if Hestia is honest after what she's been told about Caesars behaviour in play group he clearly is after the spotlight just like his father.

"Dius comes play right?" The worried three year old asks his parents clearly in anticipation of the next day.

Claudius Templesmith has become something of a fixture in the home of Octavius and Hestia Flickerman. Particularly during game time. Tiberius Templesmith has been a very broken man since what happened to Messalina. While a good father he has become something of a workaholic. At first to prove he had no idea of what Messalina was doing and then it was because he had nothing else to do beside indulge in the company of his young son.

Hestia shudders to think of what happened to Messalina.

While she had never liked the woman Hestia didn't think she deserved what happened to her.

The story had been that Messalina had died in an accident at first. That's still the story according to the public record.

The other escorts know differently.

The escorts had been summoned for a private dinner party at the presidential mansion shortly after the 10th games. Most presumed it was called due to the fact it had been ten successful games in a row.

Some had assumed it had been to honour Messalina after her untimely demise.

In a way neither party had been wholly wrong.

Before dinner there had been a lovely speech by Romanus on the good work done by every escort present over the past few years.

Particular congratulations had been given to successful escorts who had brought home one victor or in herself and Cavanaugh Crane's case multiple Victors.

Then there had been another more unusual speech on loyalty and the integrity of the games.

Like ensuring the Escorts always read the name written on the card.

Which they had thought had been an unusually specific thing to point out at the time.

Then they had been told of the new Avox system.

A punishment and life that Hestia personally thought was a fate worse than death. To lose your tongue and to then become effectively a slave. A truly horrible existence.

That was when dinner began and they saw the pretty woman, without make up, hair tied back sharply and dressed in a red uniform who was clearly an example of the said new system.

Orion Ormsley had been the first to notice who the new Avox actually was.

Due credit to Orion he kept his nerve and wasn't shocked. In all likelihood his one winning tribute had taken away his ability to be shocked any more after Harry's hunting expedition that was the main focus of the 8th games.

By the time everyone's starters were finished word had discreetly spread around the table.

Romanus had smiled as his message had clearly been received.

No escort had mentioned the name of Messalina Templesmith in the context of the Avox system to anyone else.

Safer and better that they treated her as if she was dead.

Hestia wished for Messalina's sake she had been killed.

Tiberius Templesmith had needed the support though and so Hestia and Octavius reached out to Tiberius.

Now Caesar and Claudius are as close as young boys their age can be.

Hestia hopes they remain good friends.

Octavius and Hestia put Caesar to bed a short while later. After all tomorrow is one of the most important days of the year.

District 10 tribute floor.

"That score was a good showing Patience. We've had a few sevens before but that's the first eight we've seen." Claudius the Mentor for District 10 says.

Patience a bubbly eighteen year old who works with horses back home beams at the 10 mentor.

"Having an eight will make her a target." Says a voice from the sofa. Nose buried deeply in a book.

"You got a four Gilbert you're just jealous" Patience harrumphs with indignity.

Claudius hasn't though much of Gilbert Oxford. The tribute seems unconcerned and apparently ignored the weapons stations in training to focus on the other sections.

Gilbert Oxford is a librarian and a stereotypical one at that.

A mousy looking boy who although he's sixteen could pass for two or three years younger and looks duller than the book he's currently reading.

Discourses on Livy

What the hell's a Livy? Claudius thought when he looked at the title.

Claudius hasn't heard of it but apparently Gilbert was delighted when an Avox brought him a copy.

He's only had it three days and the boys nearly finished it.

Gilbert Oxford looks at his district partner and smiles in a way that Claudius thinks is actually a tad nasty.

Within what seems like the blink of an eye he is right next to Patience and his finger is touching what Claudius knows is one of the girl's carotid arteries.

Then he speak locking eye with Patience.

"If I cut this with a knife blade properly you would be unconscious in mere moments and dead in under two minutes. This is common enough knowledge I'd imagine amongst most semi-competent tributes."

Gilbert then moves again, just as quickly, this time his finger is placed hovering a centimetre above the girls thigh.

Claudius remembers that's just about where the femoral artery is.

"If I cut here with a knife you would be dead as well. It would take longer certainly but you'd be just as dead. I'd imagine that knowledge isn't as common but the Careers probably would know it." Gilbert continues.

"Now here's the interesting part"

The boy moves again. Claudius has been watching the boy closely this time. Gilbert isn't superhuman by any means but he is fast. Very fast. The sort of fast that if he showed the game makers just that it would have warranted a seven.

The knowledge he's spouted so far would bring him up to an eight.

Gilbert is now touching just behind the girl's knee.

Claudius isn't so sure about this one.

"This happens to be the location of the Popliteal Artery. Now it's not quite as flashy but I'd hazard a guess that most Careers might not know quite as much about it. Why would they bother most tributes are going to go for the obvious. A shame really as if I get the proper knife cut here you would be just as dead eventually as if I'd targeted one of the other two."

Patience at this point has gone white with terror.

That knowledge is worth at least a nine and probably closer to a ten because Claudius has fought for years and didn't know that one.

Claudius hates to admit it but he's impressed.

"How on earth did you only score a four Gilbert?" Claudius asks.

Gilbert smiles a far more pleasant smile this time.

"I gave them what they expected. They saw a bookish little boy from 10 who doesn't look like he'd survive the bloodbath. They aren't completely wrong as I am bookish. Books are what I love most in the world. It's why I've worked in the District 10 library since I was ten years old. I remember what I read though. And I've read a lot."

Gilbert looks at Claudius directly then.

"High scores means high target."

"Low score means low target."

"Out of myself and Patience I've made myself as unthreatening as possible."

"At the bloodbath I stand a higher chance of being ignored or underestimated."

Gilbert finishes and Patience still looks stunned.

Claudius however is smiling now.

"You're going to pull an Electra aren't you?"

Gilbert grins.

"Electra very nearly won against Silver. I just need to escape the bloodbath and have the right kind of arena." Gilbert says.

"Right kind of arena?" Patience asks.

"A desert would be good as I know how to find water in a desert. Something based around snow and ice would be even better. "

"An abandoned city has both advantages and disadvantages but it gives hiding spots."

"Woods would be mediocre for me. I can navigate somewhat without a compass but as Simon Sator proved last year other Districts know woods way better than I ever could."

"What's the kind of arena you're hoping for?" Claudius asks.

"Something historical like the 9th games." Gilbert says with a dreamy smile. "Gabriel Villiers likes accuracy from what I saw in the 9th games. I like the old buildings from before Panem and I've read up on most of them. I would know hiding spots in a lot of the really famous old buildings."

"I will win the games though if it's an arena based on a famous castle or palace. They've been an obsession of mine since I first saw a picture of a proper palace when I was six in a book."

"If it's one of them then I know everything there is to know. Backdoors and little known entrances and a lot of the mazes in famous gardens."

"That would be the dream scenario"

Claudius is stunned and Patience looks to be in awe.

Claudius is a bit split. Normally it's easy to choose which tribute to support in a games.

Claudius thought he'd found a tribute with a good shot in Patience.

He thinks he might have found a Victor in Gilbert.

Their escort Sibylline Swan comes into the room then after having gone to shout at an Avox for delivering her soup warm rather than hot.

"Did I miss anything?"

Interview day

Octavius Flickerman has had many types of tributes in his chair before. Scared, happy, excited, calm, angry, sad, nervous and on a couple of occasions with the district 12s a tad suicidal.

Up until now he has never met one who has looked so thoroughly bored by the whole process.

It's not even a stand offish sort of bored or a monotone kind of bored.

Those would have at least had some character.

Instead Gilbert Oxford is just sort of vague.

He seems as though he would rather be elsewhere and if he's honest with himself Octavius is struggling. The Female tribute for District 10 had personality. Gilbert Oxford seems like a dusty boring book.

The only thing that Octavius Flickerman takes away from his conversation is that the boring boy from District 10 worked in a library and likes reading.

A lot apparently.

Which could have made him memorable in many ways if he'd been clever about it.

Instead Gilbert's interview is the most forgettable of the night.

Which is of course exactly how Gilbert planned it.

Most of the other Career tributes write off Gilbert Oxford as cannon fodder.

Only one remembers his name without difficulty.

The female tribute from District 2 finds herself very concerned about Gilbert Oxford.

She remembers Electra from 5 whose score was mediocre. Electra had a very average interview all things considered.

Ida looks at Gilbert and worries.

She tells her district partner that night when they get back to the suite.

"I think Gilbert Oxford is a threat." Ida says later.

Vespasian Grantston bolts upright when she says that.

Julius and Claudia Monaldo look at her sceptically.

Hestia looks uncertain.

Hilarion actually pauses for a moment.

"Which one is Gilbert" he asks.

"The boy from 10. I think he's dangerous." Ida says.

"You must be joking Ida. He got like a four in training and I think I almost went to sleep during his interview." Hilarion manages to get out between his guffaws.

Vespasian Grantston on the other hand is frowning.

"Your reasoning Ida?" The fifth Victor asks with complete sincerity.

"He's too perfect. He never touched a weapon in training. He spent all his time on the survival stations in particular flora and fauna. He scored a four. His interview was a train wreck of boredom. It all adds up to cannon fodder."

"Thing is though is that it adds up too well."

"If he only demonstrated flora and fauna skills that would earn a 4 if he's very good at them."

"What if he only browsed the flora and fauna skills stations because that's all he needed to browse. He said he was well read. Did you notice how he never actually said what he learned from books in the interview?"

Ida finishes her speech.

Vespasian Grantston has gone very pale.

"You think he's another Electra?" He says with a note of dread in his voice.

"I think he's worse actually." Ida says. "Imagine that all aspects of his performance so far have been by design. The poor score, the poor interview, and hell even his walk up to the stage looked boring! It was like he was trying to fade into the background."

Julius looks sceptical while Claudia is starting to turn just as pale as Vespasian.

"Ida's just being paranoid. I guarantee in the bloodbath between me and him I'll be the one standing after the fight." Hilarion says with a smile.

Hilarion isn't quite right as both he and Gilbert technically survive the bloodbath.

Hilarion after all bled out a few minutes after it was over.

The Arena of the 13th games.

Day 1

The Bloodbath

The tributes are stunned when they first see the arena of the 13th games.

After all the games have never started inside before.

Tributes have also never not started in a circle.

Near the centre of this very long and fairly wide gallery the pedestals of each of the tributes rise up in a line each one further away from the other down either side of the gallery.

12 is the closest to the bloodbath. With each district after further away on both sides.

This pattern continues all the way down both sides of the hall.

The pile of weapons in the centre of the room near the weakest tributes.

The career tributes near the exits of the room with the 1's practically touching the wall's at either end of the gallery.

Along the walls are artistic renderings of some of the great moments of the games done in a beautiful style. Bloodbaths and final duels are rendered in styles reminiscent of paintings done by Eugène Delacroix and other French masters. The death of the T-rex from the 8th games is among the paintings before the huge pile of supplies nestled between a cluster of grand archways and pillars that dominates the centre of the room.

Throughout the room busts of Victors and Tributes who had scored at least one kill in the games litter the hall.

All are beautifully sculpted in a style loved by France in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Meanwhile as he sees the room he's in. Recognizes the room he's in. Gilbert Oxford mutters to himself in a voice that the microphones barely hear.

"Les Galerie des Batailles"

Then he grins the widest grin and laughs the loudest since Marlin Mount did in the 6th games.

In The Capitol Gabriel Villiers is shocked at what he hears the boy say.

"Keep the cameras and focus watching him. He shouldn't have known that." The Head Gamemaker orders.

A part of him thinks maybe he was wrong about the 10 boy. After all Electra pulled the wool over his eyes before the 10th games.

Gilbert is not the only tribute who reacts oddly.

The 3 girl is smiling widely as well while The Morphlings expressions can be read only as being oddly content.

Gabriel dismisses both. He saw the girl's talents in training so knows no one should underestimate her. Despite better than average for 6 training scores, The Morphlings just didn't seem quite all there even by District 6s usual standards. .

As Gilbert Oxford sprints at speeds not seen again till the 30th games Gabriel Villiers realises that he and all the other game makers have been played for fools.

And he's overjoyed about it.

The 10 boy straight away goes for two wicked daggers that have been placed in the pile.

Both weapons are incredibly sharp as all the games daggers and knives are.

He quickly kills the panicked boy from 11 who makes a run at him as well as the scared girl from 12 who gets in his way before he turns back around to the supply pile.

At this point the 10 boy smiles as he grabs another bag pack.

He is about to makes his escape when he comes face to face with another tribute.

The grinning face of Hilarion from 2 almost surprises him.

Gilbert easily dodges the bigger boy and does what looks like a casual swipe behind the boy's leg that looks like it might have drawn blood.

With his adrenalin Hilarion doesn't notice the pain and quickly turns back to engage in the bloodbath.

Ten minutes later the floor of the gallery is littered with blood and the corpses of seven tributes.

More than a few outliers have escaped this year.

Patience isn't one of them.

Hilarion's adrenalin is starting to wear off and the pain in his leg is bothering him more than he'd care to admit.

Then he notices that the leg of his trousers is sopping wet.

With his blood.

Ida makes her way over to her panicked looking district partner.

He's starting to go very pale.

He is dead less than three minutes later.

The other tributes are stunned.

"Who did it?" Rose from District 1 asks.

"I know" says a small voice from up above them.

Somehow perched nestled in amongst the crevices near the pillars is the small 3 girl who is this year's token twelve year old.

The one who somehow scored an eight in training.

"Going to tell us 3." Frederick from 4 asks.

"Courtesies Frederick" Mabel his district partner scolds.

A 3 who scores an eight is a dangerous thing. No one has forgotten Watt and Coil from the 5th or Harry Miller and Sandra Sprocket who dominated the 8th.

"Fine." Frederick struggles for a name for a moment or two but eventually comes up with an answer.

"Could you please tell us who killed him Casilda?

"That would be Gilbert. He knew what he was doing as well. I saw him smirk after he ran away. Killed the 11 boy and 12 girl as well. I saw a lot." Casilda replied.

"How the hell did you get up there anyway?" Robin from district 1 asks.

"Same way I earned an eight" Casilda smiles mysteriously. "Anyway must dash"

Despite how high up she is the little 3 girl somehow manages to get down and away, at lightning speed, although none of the careers can explain just quite how she manages to do it.

She's less squirrel as she escapes and more bird.

All the careers present reflect ruefully that Hilarion was this years ranged weapon expert.

"Ok so we've got some good news and a lot of bad news." Ida begins.

"Good news is that we got the girls from 7, 9 and 10. So yay for us I guess. The fodder from 11 and 12, the boy from 8 and thankfully the boy from 3 are all dead as well."

"That's at least three competent tributes out of the way given their scores and the usual haul of the riff raff means at least numbers have been thinned."

"We didn't get the girl from 8 but I don't suspect that'll matter as she's an 8."

(Josephine at that moment is running. She is the weakest tribute left in the games and that fact makes itself very clear in brutal fashion the next day.)

"Unfortunately there were more than a few screw ups other than Hilarion's spectacular idiocy."

All five careers look at the corpse of the 2 boy lying in a puddle of his own blood.

"The other bad news is we let a 3 escape the Bloodbath. A high scoring 3. That's definitely not a good thing."

(Casilda at that point is already receiving a sponsorship from a compartment that opens in a wall.)

(Her audacity is being rewarded.)

(It's just the gift she wants.)

"Both 5s escaped and I'm not stupid enough to underestimate them. Especially as the idiots seem to have become so enamoured with one another."

(Edwin and Angelina grasp each other's hands tightly as they make their way around the gardens. If they have to die at least they'll die together somewhere truly beautiful. The parachute that drops comes from the combined sponsorship of romantics in the Capitol. There are a lot of them.)

"The Morphlings both got out with knives which is a worrying thing because morphling girls especially like their knives and who knows what damage a pair of 6s can do."

(In the luxurious gardens outside the palace the two fourteen year olds Alexis and Aline stare at their shiny blades. Ida is right about this particular pair of morphlings having their hands on those weapons being a bad thing.)

(It is a very bad thing indeed.)

"The boys from 7 and 9 both got out as well."

"9 doesn't have a scythe and only scored a seven" Robin interjects.

"Yes and given how he fought just then he really is a seven. Ironically so was the 7 boy. So that tempers the bad news somewhat." Ida agrees.

(Outside Leonard from 9 and Jack from 7 shake hands and agree on a partnership.)

"To counter that Gilbert who scored a four bloody killed Hilarion with a cut that he knew was deadly even as he ran away." Ida continues

"So he's not really a four score?" Rose says.

"No Rose I'd say he's a ten" Ida says.

"Nope he's not a ten. Given how bloody quick he was and how precise with that knife I'd say he was an eleven." Frederick grumbles.

"He's definitely an eleven" Mabel says. "At least in this arena. He knows this place. He laughed like Marlin in the 6th games. He considers this arena an advantage. I'd bet all our weapons on it."

The thought sends a shudder through the whole career group.

At least with the 6th games anyone could have known how to swim. If Gilbert Oxford knows this arena he's a man with two eyes running around in an arena full of people who are currently blind.

(Outside at that moment in the gardens Gilbert Oxford watches as a silver parachute descends straight into his hands.)

When the sun sets two hours later everywhere in the arena of the 13th games, with the notable exception of Josephine, the outlier district tributes are smiling.

Day 2

Morning

Gilbert Oxford had a wonderful night's sleep. After all he knew exactly which bedroom in the palace would be the most defensible and went straight there after he received his parachute with Dinner.

All the defences in the world couldn't prepare him for what happens when he wakes up.

"Hi" Comes a young sounding girl's voice.

He almost screams in shock before getting a hold of himself.

The smiling face of Casilda looks at him.

The girl from 3 has managed to avoid every trap he set around his bedroom.

Which is a lot.

"Want to be allies Gilbert?" The twelve year old from 3 asks.

"How?" Is all Gilbert can think to ask the young 3 who has somehow made it through layers of traps to a room he thought was secluded and well defended.

"I'm good at watching where I step. Don't worry though the Career pack won't find you. This is an excellent hiding location. If I didn't know the arena myself I'd never have come near here." Casilda says.

"You know the arena?" Gilbert asks sceptically.

"Well Duh. You're not the only person who reads." Casilda rolls her eyes in reply.

"What was the room we started the Games in then?" Gilbert asks sceptically.

"The Gallery of Battles." Casilda responds immediately.

"Who was the original architect?" Gilbert asks again.

"For the original chateau or for the expansion? For the expansion Louis le Vau." Casilda replies

"What's the palaces name?" Gilbert asks.

"This palace? I don't know for sure. It's based however in exquisite detail on the Château de Versailles." Casilda replies.

At that point two panels open either side of the bed Gilbert and Casilda are sitting up on. In both panels are obviously sponsorship gifts. Except they don't have any silver packaging as most do.

The packaging is gold.

Neither Gilbert nor Casilda say aloud what they suspect.

They've just received a gift directly from the game makers.

Gabriel Villiers is immensely pleased with the pair.

It's always nice to know ones hard work is both truly admired and appropriately appreciated.

"An alliance would be beneficial to us both I think" Casilda says. "We are sighted men in the land of the blind. We know this place Gilbert. I might be the first twelve year old to make it to the final four because of it." Casilda says.

"If your luck holds out you could even win!" Gilbert replies. Gilbert doesn't fail to see Casilda doesn't quite believe his words.

Gilbert actually feels sorry for the girl at that point.

She has pluck and skill though. He hadn't planned on an ally but he might as well make use of a resourceful tribute for a while.

"Ok. It's a deal" Gilbert says hand outstretched.

Casilda takes it and an alliance is formed.

Afternoon

"Ok. Does anyone have any idea where the hell we are or what this place is." Ida asks with a certain tension in her voice.

She hates the fact she was right about Gilbert and she mentally curses Hilarion for charging into things.

"I think we're in District 1." Robin says as the career pack walks outside in the gardens. "I recognise that mountain in the distance. As for what this place is I have only guesses."

"We'll that's more than the rest of us have Ruth- sorry Robin" Rose says.

"Ruth?" Frederick asks.

"Half of my original name." Robin says glaring at an embarrassed Rose "I changed by name to Robin a few months ago. My original name was a tad unusual. Even for my district." Robin replies.

"Anyway. Art and especially art history are important to the luxury district. It took me a while to recall everything but I think we are in a slightly altered replica of a very famous palace from a country called France." Robin says.

"What's France?" Mabel asks

"A country almost entirely destroyed in The Time Before." Robin says. "The palace itself was kept in pristine condition till then. Had it lasted it would be over 700 years old at this point."

"Wow. What was its name?" Ida asks. Genuinely interested and relieved someone has useful information.

"Versailles. The Palace of Versailles." Robin intones. "That is where my knowledge ends I'm afraid. I only know it was meant to be exceedingly beautiful as well as very large.

As the remaining five members of the career pack stare around the gardens and back at the palace they can't find themselves even beginning to disagree with such a statement.

Twilight

Josephine stumbles slightly as she runs through the gardens towards one of the sides of the massive palace.

The sunset had a beautiful effect on the luxurious facade of the palace she finds herself running towards.

Not that Josephine noticed.

She had to not get caught.

Anything was better than getting caught.

Josephine has never been more terrified.

She wishes it was careers after her.

Rather than those two.

She can't let them catch her.

But their fast.

Quicker than they have any right to be.

And quiet as well.

Far too quiet.

She has paused once or twice since she first started running from the pretty groves she saw Edwin and Angelina go into.

She'd hoped to join an alliance until her pursuers had noticed her.

She has thought she was safe a few times.

Until suddenly they were right there and she had to run again.

They've been after her since the sun began to set.

She's hoping she can find some refuge in the palace.

Now she's having more trouble seeing so she can't tell where they are.

She pauses a moment near a statue. She thinks she's lost them.

Nearby is a pool of water and a short distance away another pool of water also lies.

Two large pools on a terrace right next to what Josephine thinks is probably the back of the great building. Or maybe it's buildings? In front of her.

As she calms down she gives herself a moment of happiness.

She might actually make it to safety.

Then she hears a voice right by her left ear.

"Hello"

Josephine is terrified. She hadn't lost them. Oh gods.

"Are we playing hide and seek now?" Aline the morphling girl from 6 asks with an innocence directly at odds with the razor sharp knife she holds in her left hand. "You didn't choose a very good place. The statues not big enough to hide you."

"I don't like hide and seek very much. It's not really all that fun." The voice of Alexis the morphling boy comes from behind Josephine's right shoulder.

Josephine has felt fear for the past thirty two hours since entering the arena.

She's afraid of everyone left in the games with perhaps the exception of the nice Edwin and Angelina.

But she's petrified of Alexis and Aline.

The Morphlings are definitely more intelligent and aware than most of their type as they are far more clearheaded than any morphling tributes to come before them. Cronus gifted them a hit of morphling each yesterday due to both escaping the bloodbath. It was the first time he's ever managed the feat with both his tributes.

The bad news is that the relative clarity of not being in withdrawal has meant that they are functioning at a higher level of intelligence than any morphling addicted tribute has before.

Unfortunately Alexis and Aline are vicious even by 6s standards and don't seem anywhere close to approaching sane.

"I preferred it when we were playing tag. Running around was better than hide and seek." Alexis says.

"I agree. Tag was better." Aline replies. "I enjoy painting more though. All the lovely swirls and colours."

"There are so many swirly colours in Roy Soley's house. Such pretty paintings all around and that doesn't even count the shiny place." Alexis says looking at the grand building in front of them. "I think the mean ones inside might play too roughly with us though. No more colours to be had playing with them." Alexis responds mournfully.

"We have no paints." Aline agrees with even more despair in her voice. "No painting"

Aline starts to cry.

Suddenly she stops crying.

Then Aline's eyes brighten.

"Alexis when all the others went to sleep there was lots of paint on the floor. Lots of nice shiny reds to use." Aline says cheerfully.

"We can make a painting to make Roy Soley happy. To thank him for letting us stay in his pretty house and gardens." Alexis responds as an idea comes to him all the while giggling as he runs his fingers through the shallow water in the pool next to him.

"Roy Soley will be so happy with that! Do you think he'd let us stay here forever?" Aline replies with giddiness in her voice.

"I think he might! Maybe we can do what the mean ones did to the others. Our new friend can help give us paints." Alexis responds with the same glee as Aline.

Both advance towards Josephine

Josephine starts to beg.

"I don't know who Roy Soley is. I can't help you. Please I don't have any paint. I can't give you any paint!"

Not that it matters one bit.

The quest for paint, to please whoever Roy Soley happens to be, is far more important to the two tributes from District 6 than Josephine's denial that she does not possess the paint they require.

Because of course Josephine does possess that kind of paint.

Josephine's screams keep tributes nearby wide awake and alert for nearly forty minutes before her cannon finally goes.

Day 3

Gamemaker control room.

There is absolute pandemonium in the Gamemaker control room.

Because for once no one is sure which storyline to follow.

Normally a games has one intriguing storyline and maybe one less intriguing storyline if the main one fails.

This year no one has any idea on what the focus should be.

After the pair from 6, who given their attitude and what looks to be like a general disassociation from reality unnerve most of the room, brutally killed the girl from 8 all of the remaining tributes have a good storyline.

The lovers from 5.

The clever girl from 3 and the absolute surprise from 10.

The morphling pair, who given their behaviour must be mad, who are already amassing a cult following from their ridiculously creepy but somehow childlike nature. In addition to the question on everyone's lips:

Who is Roy Soley?

If Gabriel Villiers has a theory (which he in fact does) he's not telling anyone.

The brotherly alliance between the 7 and the 9.

The utterly bemused career pack who somehow for once seem somewhat vulnerable.

"Sir. Do you want any particular focus on any tributes." The dour faced deputy head game maker Tiberius Templesmith asks.

The man's addiction to his work has paid off. The hours spent and his absolute loyalty since his wife's unfortunate demise have meant he has become even more useful at a job he was already good at to begin with.

"Spread coverage around. This isn't like other games so far. There's enough interest in personal interactions that we might not even need a death today to maintain viewing figures. Hell we may not even need a death tomorrow."

"With the career pack trying to explore the full extent of the arena, the clever pair who know the arena well already making plans and the unfortunate lovers from 5 our ratings are the best since the 8th games and we've only had the one death on day 2." Gabriel Villiers smiles.

That one death had been particularly memorable as well. The pair from 6 hadn't even finished killing Josephine completely before starting to paint their mural on the ground.

"I agree sir. In addition the 6s and the partnership between 7 and 9 are attracting a significant amount of coverage among viewers as well." Tiberius Templesmith responds.

Gabriel Villiers smiles even wider.

"Finally a games with tributes that all have character. We've not even reached the final ten yet and already any of the remaining tributes would be a satisfactory winner." Gabriel states with happiness.

"It's not like the 11th. It's not even like the 10th. This year it feels like all remaining in the arena have a real chance." Gabriel Villiers says with delight.

As much as the 12th was better in nearly all respects than the 11th games (except for a very unhappy Elagabalus) for the first time in three years Gabriel Villiers is having a truly happy hunger games.

Tiberius Templesmith agrees even if he thinks either District 6 tribute winning would pose significant problems given their apparent mental state.

Given what occurred later he was more correct than he could possibly have imagined.

Morning

Gilbert Oxford thought at first that Casilda might be a useful ally.

By the time the third day had properly begun he had changed his mind.

Casilda was an amazing ally to have in the games.

Both of them were remarkably well read despite the age difference and together they were possibly the most intelligent alliance in the arena on a particular point of focus since The Hunters from the 8th games.

"So where are the careers hanging out? I'd assume still in The Gallery of Battles?" Gilbert asks.

The far quieter and much sneakier Casilda answered in the affirmative.

"Yes. I'm not sure why though. Unlike most arenas there's not much reason to stay there. The supplies from the Gallery are already starting to run out." Casilda states with just the tiniest note of hesitation.

Gilbert notices.

"You suspect something?" Gilbert states.

"Yes." Casilda replies.

"I suspect a feast eventually."

"But not at the Gallery of Battles."

"Tell me Gilbert if you were a Gamemaker where would you have a Feast in this arena." Casilda questions finishing her thoughts.

It only takes Gilbert a fraction of a moment.

"The Hall…" he begins.

"of Mirrors" Casilda continues.

Gilbert nods.

"I thought so too. Maybe not today. Probably not tomorrow either. In a few days or a week's time though if prices for supplies go up and tributes start to go hungry?

"A feast there would be unparalleled in beauty and probably bloodthirstiness given the quality of tributes this year." Casilda finishes.

In the control room in The Capitol Gabriel Villiers has actually started clapping.

"Oh well done Casilda. Well done." Gabriel Villiers says in a voice that's genuinely impressed.

"I want an excellent meal to make its way to the pair tonight." Gabriel says to the other gamemakers.

"They deserve it."

Afternoon

"I wish things could stay this way for ever Edwin." Angelina says to her District Partner.

"I do too" Edwin replies.

"It's ironic isn't it? To only find love just before you die?" Angelina says her eyes starting to fill with tears.

"If it wasn't for the games I don't think I'd ever have met you though." Edwin replies in an attempt to comfort his District partner and lover.

They enter into an exceptionally romantic kiss.

In the Mentor Room of the Capitol their Mentor is currently vomiting in the bathrooms.

"Are you alright Sarah?" Harry Miller calls to the first lady. .

"Bloody Romanus" is all the First Lady can manage to say although Harry doesn't hear this.

Edwin and Angelina meanwhile are professing their undying devotion to each other once again.

(Unlike in the 74th games both parties actually mean it.)

They receive another parachute and are still alive and deeply in love by the end of the day.

That of course keeps the Capitol romantics happy.

Evening

"So Jack have you got anyone at home?" The boy from 9 asks the boy from 7.

The two are walking in the gardens near the palace.

The Arena is massive this year even if you counted just the palace itself let alone the copious grounds.

It is not difficult to see why half the arena still remains mostly unexplored.

"I'd been dating this girl called Elsie for a while but she broke it off more than a year and a half ago now… "

"She moved to another village in District 7 I haven't seen or heard from her since."

"I really loved her"

"I still do"

In District 7 a thoroughly distressed seventeen year old named Elsie is crying copious amount of tears after hearing this.

In another room in the same house a fourteen month old sleeps with no idea her father is in the hunger games with no idea of her existence.

"That's a shame" Leonard from 9 says. "As for me I was always a roving bachelor. I'll be deeply in love with one young lady today and I'd be deeply in love another young lady tomorrow if you get my meaning." The boy smiles with a roguish wink.

"That sounds awfully callous?" Jack replies.

"No point in fussing over that now. Monogamy was never the life for me my friend. Maybe if I'd spent a little less time gallivanting around and a little more time harvesting I'd have a better score than a seven." Leonard responds cheekily.

Jack snorts at this.

It's a very funny if heartfelt moment in the games by all accounts.

Elsewhere at the same time the career pack is planning.

"The outliers combined are better than us" Ida says.

"That's rather a strong way of putting it" Frederick snorts

"The truth is always strong Frederick. It's also still the truth." Ida replies with vehemence. "Anyway never mind the why and wherefore we need to get down to the crucial problems."

"We have a pair of 6s. Might I stress 'A Pair of 6s!' Remember from your training. Remember bloody Callie especially then remember bloody Rosie and recall the screams we heard last night."

"Tell me would any of the other tributes take that length of time to kill someone?"

The rest of the Career pack look guilty and more than a bit unnerved.

"Do you know the answer as to why it took so long ladies and gentlemen?" Ida questions.

All shake their heads.

"It involves knives." Ida says.

Every member of the group gives an involuntary shudder. Ida continues.

"It also involves something no one has encountered before."

"Two 6 tributes surviving the blasted Bloodbath."

"Imagine a Rosie from the 10th games and then imagine an additional male Rosie."

The whole group goes still.

"Then imagine both of them working together cohesively in the same mental state Rosie was by the last day of the 10th games."

The group goes pale.

"Now if you can let your imagination stretch imagine they have received doses of morphling each so they aren't suffering horrendous withdrawal symptoms like Rosie was."

The group is not just pale.

They are actually frightened.

"Both 6s received sixes in training somehow." Ida continues.

"Oh bugger" Frederick says.

"Thank you Frederick for summing up the situation." Ida says.

"Now take into account the lovers are probably taking sponsorships, The 6s seem certifiably insane, the 3 and 10 both of whom are deadly are still out there and the 7 and the 9 are also still out there… Ask yourself what are our odds?" Ida states.

"The worst since the 8th Games" Robin says.

"Ruthv- Robin that's awful pessimistic." Rose says.

Robin actually sighs as Rose makes the same mistake once again.

Robin makes an announcement.

"Ladies and Gentleman my name was once Ruthven. It was a terrible name that I hate. It was a secret I had originally planned on never sharing with the pack. At this point though we're probably all dead anyway so it really doesn't matter."

"It really doesn't matter?" Mabel asks with concern. She doesn't like the fatality in Robin's tone.

"No it really doesn't matter. Let's face it. We will certainly survive today. Probably tomorrow as well." Robin says.

"Beyond that…" Robin sighs.

"I wouldn't put any decent money on us all still being here by then." Robin says despondently.

The other careers look at him bemusedly.

Robin merely sighs before starting to explain.

"Simon Sator scored a nine and eradicated five of the career pack."

"Gilbert Oxford is bloody better than he was! We haven't seen him in forty eight hours and he is bloody better than Sator."

"Do you know what artery he cut to kill Hilarion?" Robin asks the group as he finishes his tirade.

To their shame most of the tributes shake their heads.

Ida is the exception.

"The Popliteal artery." Ida says.

Robin nods grimly before he continues speaking.

"Outlier tributes shouldn't know it. Hell most careers don't know it as you all so easily just demonstrated."

"The fact he knows it means he probably knows the human body better than us."

"Given how quick he is that also makes him in all likelihood deadlier than any of us given his speed."

"He also knows the arena."

"Ida is right."

"The Outliers combined are better than us."

"Because given time and a normal arena with useless tributes, except the career pack, Gilbert on his own could probably eke out a win with only a little bit of luck."

"Instead he has his dream arena and everyone left alive is probably a bloody danger to us as well."

At which point Robin stops his tirade.

The tributes camped near the supply pile without a cornucopia are silent.

Then they hear clapping from nearby.

Casilda from 3 is perched once again in the same place as at the start of the games.

No one has any idea how she got up there.

(Really given the smooth nature of the pillars it should be impossible.)

She has clearly heard the whole conversation.

The little twelve year old also has the sheer gall to taunt them as well.

"You lot truly are completely and utterly screwed." Casilda says.

"Gilbert's gonna love that you know it as well" she smiles.

"Careers do you want to know something" the 3 girl continues.

"Welcome to my favourite palace from all of history." she smirks.

"Welcome to Les Chateau des Versailles." She finishes.

The 3 girl is gone before they can even react

Robin is the first to regain his senses.

"Fucking hell"

His reaction pretty much sums up the opinion of the rest of the group as they learn the pretty much confirmed alliance of the two tributes the carer pack most fear in the games working together along with the fact Casilda already knew the arena layout as well.

As what happened later proves.

They were right to be concerned.

Day 4

Morning

Incidentally Gabriel Villiers opinion that the Capitol (and also the districts) would still be engrossed in the games without a death on day 3 was entirely correct.

This year the tributes truly are that interesting.

The love story between the 5s had most of the Capitol and indeed most of Panem utterly invested in the couple.

People had their hearts pinned on the lovers from 5 in a similar but near identical way to the later lovers in the games such as the ones from 12 and the unfortunate double event of that type that happened in the fifth decade of the games.

The banter between Jack and Leonard provided humour.

The Career packs continued attempts to hunt down other tributes and getting close to doing so on a few occasions added suspense.

The continued detailed planning of an attack on the careers by Casilda and Gilbert promised something special.

And the morphling pair had become something of dark horse favourites in the Capitol…

Because the pair were two of the most unsettling tributes to ever enter the games.

As they proved once again at ten o'clock that morning.

"Alexis we need more paint! We're running out of paint!" Aline says to her district partner with an almost religious fervour.

After the pair's brutal and long murder of Josephine on day 2 Cronus had sent the pair two more vials of morphling, a nice dinner and a few canisters of paint.

Throughout the third day of the games the pair had made an art piece that would have been kind of beautiful in its way.

If it wasn't for the fact that most of the mural had started out using the blood of Josephine from 8.

"If the sky sorcerers won't give us more paint then we'll need to find more ourselves." Alexis says with determination.

It is at that point when Mabel, out hunting with Robin, stumbles across the pair.

Which isn't hard as the 6s are fairly exposed where they are making their mural.

The career pack hasn't made any kills except for the bloodbath yet and they've all agreed they need too soon.

They don't do so then.

"Mean one! Mean one! Mean one!" Aline starts shouting pointing at Mabel.

"Protect the painting! Protect the paints! Get the mean lady! For Roy Soley!" Alexis screams grabbing his knife and running straight for Mabel as Aline does the same thing.

Mabel doesn't have time to even think about swinging her sword around before she's already on the ground.

It's too late for Mabel by the time Robin finds her after hearing the 6s screams of fury.

That were shortly followed by Mabel's screams of anguish.

Robin sees the mural on the floor. It is a painting that has a lot of carmine in it.

The same colour as dried blood.

Robin also sees the 6s have Mabel pinned on the floor and he knows he can't save her.

Not with what's already spilling onto the ground.

Then the two 6 tributes look up and lock eyes on him.

Robin doesn't bother fighting.

He runs.

He doesn't stop running until he makes it back to The Gallery of Battles.

It takes him more than 10 minutes due to the distance and to avoid any traps in the palace. He hears a cannon go off 6 minutes into his running.

Ida who has been left to guard what's left of the supplies sees Robin burst in and the fear in his eyes.

She heard the cannon go less than five minutes before and seeing the look on Robins face she pieces it together.

She gives Robin a few moments to compose himself before asking him what happened.

"What happened to Mabel Robin? Was it Gilbert and Casilda? Did they attack you?" Ida asks.

She isn't suspicious. You can't fake the fear in Robin's eyes.

"Gilbert wouldn't have done what they did to her. No sane human would have done what they were doing to her. She was already dead. You could see it on the floor but they just kept going. They wouldn't stop." Robin says so quickly Ida barely catches what he is attempting to convey.

She realises who he must be talking about.

"The 6s?" Ida asks gently.

Robin nods furtively.

"They're not like the other 6s who've made it this far. Callie was opportunistic in the 8th while Rosie was half mad in the 10th but there was still a core of humanity left there.

"Alexis and Aline aren't like that." Robin says shocking Ida when he uses their names.

Names mean threat in career speak.

Big threat.

That worries Ida.

Robin continues speaking.

"I saw a mural on the floor that must have been half painted with blood. I know that carmine colour from the institute. Now tell me what we heard on the evening of the second day Ida. What did we hear?" Robin asks

"Screaming. Screaming for nearly an hour." Ida replies.

She puts two and two together after a moment and she starts to go pale.

"You mean they?" Ida asks.

"I think so. They had sponsorships as well. Actual paint. I think I saw an empty tincture to hold morphling on the ground near them." Robin replies before continuing his recounting of Mabel's death.

"I heard them screaming before they got Mabel. Do you know what the boy said?"

"Protect the painting! Protect the paints! Get the mean lady! For Roy Soley!"

The story has an impact on Ida.

"They did it to protect the mural?" Ida asks.

"Looks like it" Robin replies.

"Let the 6s paint then. I'm not risking any more of the pack to take them down." Ida says. "Not until we've dealt with other threats."

Robin nods in agreement.

From a window in the palace the events with the 6s and Mabel were observed through a window by Casilda and Gilbert.

"Even for 6s what those two did to Mabel was on another level" Gilbert comments.

At this point the 6s are desperately trying to use what little "Paint" they've gathered from Mabel to continue work on their mural.

In the rooms overlooking the large terrace with the two shallow pools Casilda and Gilbert continue watching

"Their actually nuts." Casilda agrees "They aren't bad at painting though." Casilda goes on looking at the mural that's taking shape.

"Yeah it's actually kind of beautiful in its way." Gilbert agrees. "I mean if it wasn't being painted in… you know…

"Yeah that part does take a bit away from the beauty of it." Casilda comments offhandedly.

"Least it's not ruining the Parterre d'Eau too much" Gilbert agrees.

The mural is definitely taking shape between the two pools on the terrace.

"Are we going to take down some Careers?" Casilda asks.

"Not today. They'll be on edge right now after Mabel." Gilbert replies.

"I mean… No one deserves to die like that." Gilbert carries on.

"Yeah." Casilda replies. "Are they making a sun right now?" Casilda asks looking carefully at the figures below.

Gilbert turns his focus back on the two murderous artists at work in the grounds below.

"Looks like it. And they're painting a crown over it as well?" Gilbert replies.

"A sun with a crown? You don't think they know do you?" Casilda says worriedly.

"6 doesn't have a very good library according to Claudius so I'd find it very doubtful they'd know the significance of that." Gilbert says pondering the issue. "I mean it has to be a coincidence right? Surely?"

"Yeah you're right it must be" Casilda agrees with a shrug.

In the courtyard below the work of Alexis and Aline continues unabated.

Afternoon

"I am so in love with you Edwin." Angelina says with a dreamy voice "Nothing can ever make me stop loving you."

"I would give my life for yours Angelina. Nothing should ever part us. My fate, my life are entwined now with yours." Edwin says in a noble voice.

"Oh Edwin" Angelina sighs.

"Oh Angelina." Edwin sighs back.

The couple lean in for a romantic kiss.

"Oh Please" says Diamond Valentine as she watches the interactions between the two 5 tributes in the mentoring room.

"Not enjoying the romance Di?" Silver Glassman snorts from next to her. "I think what makes it even funnier is that they actually believe they're this deeply in love."

"Your girls doing a good job keeping the group together by the way Dilly." Silver directs at his District 2 counterpart sitting next to him.

"Your boy's helping with that Sil. Pulled himself back together quickly after what those two monsters did to Mabel… What do you think Mags?" Claudia replies.

Mags Flanagan, who is the sole District 4 mentor working this afternoon, gathers her thoughts for a moment.

Marlin was badly affected by the death of Mabel who had been something of a protégée for him so he and Gabi have gone to have a late lunch to try and clear his head.

It was one of the longer lasting and painful deaths District 4 had seen their tributes suffer.

"I think that those morphlings are possibly crazy enough to make the final four. The pack doesn't want to disturb them anyway. You'd need ranged weapons to feel confident taking those two out." Mags responds to Claudia's question.

"Cheers for the compliment Mags" Cronus from 6 says from two spaces over.

"It's not really a compliment Cronus. Your two are terrifying this year." Mags replies.

"Terror earns sponsorship though. I've already raised enough to send down more food, morphling and paint." Cronus replies.

"You're rewarding them for that butchery?" Mags asks sourly.

"Yep. They need paint to finish the mural as well. Morphling keeps their minds clear enough for that and everything else. I hate to say it but I'm a little bit invested in seeing if they can make more progress." Cronus replies.

"I've never had two make it this far together and let's be honest they terrify anyone whose encountered them so far so their being left alone." Cronus finishes.

Cronus is correct in this regard.

The Career pack have decided to avoid engaging Alexis and Aline until they've disposed of any tributes who could interfere in the fight.

Gilbert and Casilda are planning an attack on the Careers so have chosen to ignore the pair.

Jack and Leonard heard the screams of Josephine on the second night and both caught glimpses of Mabel as she went down from a distance before both turning and walking quietly but slowly away from the carnage.

Of all those who remain in the games only the pair from 5 don't know the terror and damage the pair from 6 have done.

Mags snorts and continues watching the screen.

In two hours her Frederick and Di's Rose will return to the Gallery of Battles where Mags hopes the pack can salvage something out of the situation that happened today.

Evening

By the end of the fourth day of the hunger games the Capitol was on tender hooks.

The Career tributes were in meltdown over the death of Mabel and it was only the combined unity of Robin and Ida's collective leadership that had prevented the pack splintering.

Edwin and Angelina continued to rake in sponsorships for the love story The Capitol was just desperate to see pan out.

Jack and Leonard continued to provide entertainment with Jack's solemn nature combined with Leonard's more frivolous personality.

Alexis and Aline continued to draw in a surprising amount of sponsorship for people who were just fascinated the pair from 6 had turned into such feared tributes.

Also a sizeable number of people like Cronus had found themselves invested in the pair's mural.

A significant number wanted to know who the mysterious Roy Soley was that the two tributes from District 6 seemed to be devoted to.

(Who Roy Soley was had concerned the President for a short while before his wife explained her theory on the issue. It had taken Romanus more than ten minutes to stop laughing when he realised she was most likely correct.)

Finally Gilbert and Casilda drew the final sponsorship gift of the day as their plan for attacking the careers was fully explained on camera.

The next day of the games would turn out to be very interesting indeed.

Day 5

Gamemaker Control

Even Gabriel Villiers is not afraid to admit to the other game makers that the tributes from 6 are immensely disturbing.

If they were bad before on day four now the two have started humming to themselves.

It's fairly creepy to be honest.

Even if Gabriel finds it hilarious because the song they're humming confirms a private theory that he's had about who Roy Soley is since the pair first mentioned his arena as being Roy Soley's home.

In a fashion the two aren't wrong at all.

It is "Roy Soley's" house.

The fact they both seem to think Roy Soley is still alive when he has been dead a very very long time just makes the whole thing fairly amusing.

He isn't sure how many other people might have put together who Roy Soley is and why the two tributes from District 6 seem to be working together to make him happy in a form of devout worship.

The real "Roy Soley" probably would have found it amusing had he known though.

Nevertheless Gabriel has a special gift prepared for the district 6 tributes if they make another kill in the games.

They have after all proven to be immensely entertaining.

Tiberius Templesmith is worried for a moment that the games is becoming slow paced but Gabriel is relaxed about it.

He thinks a nice medium length games of eight or nine days would be ideal for this arena though it really does depend on whether things start to stagnate.

Food drops are going to become scarcer now as the prices have been raised already.

Gabriel is interested to see where the day takes him.

Morning

"You understand?" Gilbert asks his ally.

"I think I do." Casilda replies. "After all it's neatly planned."

"I think so too. I doubt the Careers will see it coming." Gilbert smiles.

"They've started to get used to you appearing. They'll have no need to suspect it." Gilbert continues still widely grinning.

"Can you do your part quietly?" Casilda asks.

"Casilda. What did I do for work back in District 10?" Gilbert asks.

Casilda thinks for a moment before she start to burst out laughing.

Gilbert laughs along with her.

In the mentor room of the Capitol Simon Sator looks with sympathy over at the mentors for the career pack.

The Mentors are allowed to send gifts to tributes but you can't really send a gift which says: Ignore the girl from 3 when we've always said to give district 3 your full attention if they escape the bloodbath.

Simon Sator admits to himself that Gilbert's plan is going to work when they put it into action.

The career Mentors have seen the coverage but are helpless to stop it at this point. Unless there was a pre-planned signal for ignore all advice and don't turn to look at an incoming threat.

Because that threat might just not be the real one.

The Career mentors meanwhile are troubled.

"Can we warn them" Julius asks.

"How? It's not as if we can send a bloody note. That would be a ludicrous imbalance." Silver Glassman says fairly angrily.

Then Silver starts coughing a lot.

The others all look at him for a second and make sure Silver is ok.

Julius lost an eye and Vespasian will always need his cane but out of all of the Victors Silver has perhaps the most serious internal injury.

His lung has managed to be mostly repaired but the operation had to be done immediately and under very poor conditions to save his life after the 10th games.

The Capitol after all needed a Victor and with his last effort he ensured they had to make him live.

For the most part Silver is the somewhat acerbic gentleman he seems. The tribute who made it out of the arena to engage in snarking competitions with the other mentors every year.

He looks fine.

There is always the unspoken thought among the other Victors however that Silver has the worst health of all the Victors as a result of his injuries. He doesn't ever run and he takes the lift at all times.

Getting out of breath is bad for most of them. For Silver it causes him a large amount of physical pain.

Silver does however raise a good point in regard to Julius' comment. There isn't a lot they can do.

All of the career mentors just hope it's not one of theirs who is the ultimate victim of Gilbert and Casilda's plan.

Afternoon

Jack and Leonard are feeling slightly bored at this point in the fifth games. They are also feeling hungry. So when they see the amount of food they encounter on the 5th day far from the main building of the arena, near the outskirts deep deep in the gardens in one of the groves, their eyes light up.

It's just a shame the lovers from 5 are the ones who it belongs to.

Anyone who expects a brutal fight between these four however is set to be disappointed.

"Please don't kill her. Take me instead." Edwin bravely says forcing his body in front of Angelina.

Jack and Leonard are more than a little bemused.

"Mate we're not going to kill you right now." Leonard says. "Actually maybe we could form an alliance. It would be safety in numbers with who's out there."

"Safety in numbers?" Angelina asks. She is feeling a lot less afraid than mere moments before.

"Yeah. I'm not sure about Cas from 3 or Gil from 10 but the rest of the folks left in the arena are pretty dangerous." Jack informs the pair.

"The Careers?" Edwin asks.

Jack and Leonard exchange glances with one another.

"The Careers aren't really the problem mate. I mean yes they'll kill you right away so still be worried but they're not as bad as 'Them'. Surely you saw the 4 girl's cannon go the other day?"

"We thought one of you? Or maybe Gil? I saw him cut down Ernest in the Bloodbath and I think he might have been the one who killed Hilarion. I saw him swipe a dagger across the back of his leg after all." Angelina rushes out in a breathless spiel.

"Calm down Angie. I agree though we thought an outlier had got lucky. I mean after The Career Pack got Josephine on the second day." Edwin addresses the pair as he attempts to sooth his distressed partner.

"Mate Josephine wasn't killed by a Career." Leonard says with uncharacteristic seriousness.

"Who then?" Edwin asks.

"'Them'. She was killed by 'Them'." Jack says grimly.

Angelina hears the capitalisation of 'Them' in Jack and Leonards tone and ponders who it could refer to.

"Surely not Alexis and Aline? They seemed sort of out of it in training. Didn't they spend most of their time at the camouflage station painting?" Angelina questions.

The boys from 9 and 7 laugh without a trace of humour when they hear that.

"Yeah they do love their painting. They've spent most of the arena since twilight of the second day painting." Leonard says with a grim smile on his face.

Jack puts the situation bluntly.

"They killed Josephine near the second night. I'm not sure why but the next day in the early morning Leonard and myself found them celebrating near the start of a mural on the ground as some parachutes dropped." Jack says.

"The colour of the mural when we saw it was Carmine"

"The next day Mabel, the girl from 4, found the pair."

"The resulting encounter was unpleasant and Robin from 1 looked like he ran faster than Gilbert did at the start of the games." Jack finishes his tale.

"Jack and I think they got some morphling in their systems. They're remarkably well put together and the mural looks to be their main focus. We're pretty confident they killed Josephine to help make the mural if you understand what I'm saying.

"You mean they used her and Mabel's…" Edwin begins to say before he turns green and sits down to try and settle his stomach. Angelina meanwhile begins to look very green herself.

"It's our running theory. Anyway since Mabel we've just been calling them well 'Them'" Leonard says.

"Hence our offer of alliance. Safety in numbers if we meet the career pack and if we fail to steer clear of 'Them' as well." Jack offers sympathetically. He gets why the two 5 tributes look sick. Understanding just what the two tributes from 6 have done is enough to turn anyone's stomachs.

The pair from 5 seriously consider it.

"You can join us for dinner as a thank you for telling us. We've been doing well hiding out here though so can we just agree not to kill one another until the final six and you guys carry on." Angelina says kindly.

The pair of friends from 7 and 9 aren't inclined to disagree as food is food.

They just hope the pair from 5 doesn't end up regretting their choice of staying put.

Evening

"Alright guys. Another day without a successful hunt. Any ideas?" Ida asks.

"Well as planned we've been going around with one pair defending here while one pair goes to hunt and we had some successes." Frederick speaks up.

"Firstly we know Gilbert and Casilda are somewhere in this monumental palace. Problem is they have a lot of the rest of this floor pretty much on lockdown other than the way to the gardens or the ground floor. It's been booby-trapped by them. Lots of potentially deadly traps most of which make a lot of noise. It makes them impossible to hunt inside here." Frederick begins.

"Which is a shame given how opulent a lot of the beds look. I have a feeling they've been sleeping comfortably the past few days." Robin interjects.

"Outside we've had signs that the lovers are in the groves far into the gardens. Unfortunately those Groves are fairly labyrinthine and I don't want to encounter a lucky 7 or 9 without us all there. Obviously the 6s are just outside the back of the palace working on their mural. They are alert to us as a danger though and I have no idea where they're sleeping at night." Frederick says as another point.

"So as I gather the real problem guys is that the palace itself is just too big to find things in and combined with the gardens as well the task is a monumental undertaking. We could explore all the rooms in the palace alone and never find a tribute who knows what they're doing." Ida interjects.

"Yep. That sounds about right." Comes a voice above their heads.

All of the careers are staring at Casilda intently. This time Rose moves forward in front of Ida and attempts to throw a knife. It lodges in the spot near Casilda's head.

Casilda smiles.

Rose returns to her place near the back of the pack after that scowling.

"Not easy to aim at that angle is it." Casilda says to the group with mock sorrow.

All four of the career stare angrily up at the girl.

"What do you want Casilda. Are you hear to taunt us some more? I promise the next throw won't miss." Ida warns.

"Nope nothing so mean. I've just come to ask you three riddles." Casilda says.

Ida knows they need sponsors and has a feeling this could be good. It will play to the sponsors at least.

"Fine give us your first riddle." Ida says.

"Ok an easy one first." Casilda begins.

"What walks with four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon and three in the evening?"

"Well that's a classic" Robin says "It's man."

"Ok second one. A bit harder this time." Casilda smiles

"I have lots to say but never speak, I open but you cannot walk through me, I have a spine but no bones"

Frederick pauses for more than just a brief moment before the answer hits him.

"It's a book? It has to be! It's a book." Fredrick says.

"The third riddle is the hardest. What do you get if you add the previous two riddle answers together?" Casilda asks.

"A man book?" Frederick replies despite it being a nonsensical answer.

Ida pales a moment as she realises something.

"It isn't a man book it's not quite so literal as that is it Casilda?" Ida says.

Casilda smiles.

Robin realises the answer as well.

"It's a librarian."

"Exactly. And as a special bonus the answer to why I asked you all three riddles in the first place is actually a question." Casilda smirks.

"Why hasn't Rose said anything since I started asking you these riddles?" Casilda says with a sly smile.

All three look around and see Rose.

Of course she hadn't spoken.

You can't speak if you've been killed the way Rose has.

The wounds in her neck and the blood on the floor tell them that Gilbert knew what he was doing to make a silent kill.

She might still be bleeding but Rose is already dead.

She probably has been since the answer to the first question.

As they watch her the cannon of Rose goes.

There is no sign of Gilbert who clearly did the deed. Rose was probably unconscious from blood loss within moments of it being done.

Casilda has disappeared by the time they turn back.

Robin cradles the body of his district partner in his arms and there are tears in his eyes.

Ida and Frederick look at Rose's body. Careers die all the time but they shouldn't die like that. Ignored and unknown during their last moments because the rest of the pack is distracted.

In the Capitol there is silence among the career mentors.

Simon Sator is looking a tad ill but also very impressed at the District 10 tributes kill.

Meanwhile Claudius, the mentor for District 10, is looking extremely smug.

Day 6

Morning

Day 6 should have been boring after the dramatic death of Rose on day 5.

It probably would have been except of course for the fact Jack from District 7 made a mistake.

He didn't have had any idea that some tributes had gone hunting.

He thought he was far enough away from everything to be safe.

He thought he could afford to leave his camp with Leonard to go to the bathroom.

He never felt the heavy piece of stone statue that impacted his head from above and knocked him unconscious.

Afternoon

Jack awoke late that afternoon and immediately realised that he was in deep deep trouble.

His hands were bound tightly behind his back as were his legs.

Then he saw where he was and he hoped he died quickly.

In front of him the grinning face of Alexis and Aline were smiling at him widely.

Jack was thoroughly petrified.

"The mural to Roy Soley is almost complete" Alexis smiles.

"But more is still needed." Aline says with a tone of polite encouragement.

"We understand volunteering isn't fun." Alexis says in a tone that's almost kindly.

"We appreciate your help in providing us paints" Aline continues in the same tone.

"We'll remember how you helped us with pleasing Roy Soley when you fall asleep." Alexis says almost apologetically.

"We're going to do it quickly this time to collect the paint easier. We hope you don't mind." Aline says earnestly.

Jack notices a bucket placed nearby (a sponsor gift from Cronus)

He feels happy then that at least this time it looks like they'll make it merciful.

He hopes.

At least he has that.

Up above in their rooms overlooking the terrace Gilbert and Casilda look on with a degree of horror at what is about to happen.

There have been deaths that were something akin to executions in the games before but never like this.

Rose's death had been planned out and callous but that was more of an assassination.

What follows is not.

There is ceremony to it.

"I can't tell Gil. Do they know they're in the hunger games? Do they know where we are?" Casilda asks.

"I just don't know any more Cas. I just don't know." Gilbert replies.

What follows is said in such a loud voice that it carries up to the window the pair have open looking through at the events below.

"In honour of the magnificent Roy Soley we present Jack of 7 as volunteer for the completion of the mural in your honour." Alexis begins.

Gilbert and Casilda both go white.

"Did he just say?" Gilbert begins.

"It's a mangled pronunciation but…" Casilda finishes.

What follows erases any doubts.

Jack Meryl utters his last words.

Gilbert and Casilda don't hear them

"For the glory of the sun king" Is shouted by Alexis as the knife cuts across.

"Long may he reign" is followed by Aline just after.

"Pour gloire du roi soleil" both tributes of District 6 intone in loud voices with oddly decent accents.

"Fucking Shit" Gilbert quietly curses as the shock of what he sees and hears sends him away from the window as if struck by electricity.

"How the hell do those two know?" Casilda says just as shocked as her friend.

Then she goes even paler.

"Oh for the love of all that is holy the mural is for The Sun King. It's not just a random sun with a crown! It's for the bloody The Sun King." Casilda hyperventilates.

Gilbert is laughing hysterically to himself partly at the idea that the morphlings are worshipping a French king who's been dead over 500 years. He is laughing more though because those two of all people know and recognise this arena.

Three people look to have died as sacrifice to The Sun King.

Gilbert is now not just more than a bit unnerved by The Morphlings.

There is something about the two tributes from 6 that's just deeply deeply...

Wrong.

Which might explains why the Careers have not killed them.

"Thank heavens President Romanus is the one actually in charge" Casilda says almost naturally as they process the fact the 6s seem to be worshipping The Sun King.

Gilbert takes the hint.

"President Romanus is a good ruler who loves his people and gives justly. The French Sun King and his descendants did not serve the people as our President does."

There is grumbling at these comments in two or three of the districts but in The Capitol the message is clear from Casilda and Gilbert.

We know our history and we know that Romanus is better than anything else.

In the Capitol President Romanus smiles. The histories of France have not been erased completely. The revolution is still read about as well as the fact that within a few years the wise rule of Napoleon as Emperor was initiated.

Romanus liked the parallels of not a hated absolute monarchy but instead the installing of a wise Emperor loved by all.

Or in Romanus' case President.

Happiness for all concerned.

Even if anything about French history after that is heavily edited in all districts after Napoleon's fall.

Meanwhile the last touches to the mural are being finished.

Within ten minutes the work is done.

Gabriel Villiers is happy to feed into a fantasy.

"Drop the gift" Gabriel commands.

Moments later a sparkling golden parachute descends in front of the morphlings. Inside are two vials of The Morphlings favourite drug as well as two golden badges.

Each badge has president Romanus' face engraved in the centre of a golden sun.

The style would be deeply familiar to any student of the era of Louis XIV in French history.

"Roy Soley approves." Alexis murmurs quietly.

"We did it!" Aline continues.

What follows was possibly the most childish moment ever to occur in an arena as the two District 6 tributes frolicked and splashed around in one of the large pools.

The mural dried.

The unfortunate body of Jack Meryl from District 7 was lifted out of the arena.

The last words he ever said were "Elsie I love you."

Due to the voices of Alexis and Aline no one heard him say them.

Evening

Alexis and Aline appear confused.

The mural is complete, the paint is dried and Roy Soley approves.

A few hours ago dinner arrived with a silver parachute this time.

(Cronus has never had so many sponsorships for his tributes. He thinks one of the pair might actually win. Cronus is oddly ok with that even if they're both the absolute lunatics they look to be.)

Alexis and Aline seem unsure though. Everything is complete for Roy Soley.

Now what do they do?

"Now what do we do" Alexis asks.

It is Aline who has the answer.

"Only we're allowed to stay in Roy Soley's house Alexis. He gave us a special gift from the sun. I think it's a message."

"Only we are allowed to stay in Roy Soley's house."

"Everyone else needs to be sent to sleep so that they can be taken away back to the other places."

"Then he will come down from the heavens and thank us properly for our good work."

Aline finishes her musings.

Alexis is grinning from ear to ear.

"I think you're right. The others must be sent to sleep wherever they are." Alexis says with happiness.

"Then we can live here forever". Aline sighs dreamily

"And ever and ever and ever." Alexis finishes.

Day 7

Morning

What happened to Jack Meryl of District 7 leans heavily over the atmosphere of the arena.

Mainly because only four tributes know exactly what happened to him.

The Careers have plans to move outside of their now completely dried up base of the Cornucopia without a horn. None of them have eaten anything since day 5 and hunger is starting to gnaw at their insides.

No one ate yesterday in the arena bar four tributes. Ironically they are also the only ones who know what happened to Jack.

Casilda and Gilbert saved a significant amount of food from every sponsorship gift they have received including the special one after the trick that left Rose dead on day five.

The other two were Alexis and Aline.

Collectively the pair have taken down Mabel, Jack, and Josephine. Josephine may have been cannon fodder but Mabel scored a nine and Jack scored a seven.

Well Jack was ceremonially executed for the glory of Roy Soley but that makes little difference to kill count.

At this point the two have tied Rosie for kills but no one is under any illusion they're like her.

They're far more dangerous than Rosie ever was.

Alexis and Aline are only getting more dangerous now because they're going hunting.

And unlike all but two others in the arena Alexis and Aline know the place like the back of their hand.

Afternoon.

All love stories eventually come to an end.

It is a sad fact but unfortunately true.

Even the greatest of romances that lasts into the depths of old age will eventually have at least one partner pass away before the other.

Edwin and Angelina obviously do not reach old age.

It is late in the afternoon and very nearly evening when it happens.

The pair scrambled through the gardens of the arena for most of the day trying to escape the monsters in pursuit of them before they finally reach possibly the oddest place in the arena.

It is an unusual thing to find a tiny little hamlet in the middle of some gardens.

Even if those gardens are very very large.

Neither Edwin nor Angelina ever found out it was called The Hameau de la Reine in the original French or The Queen's Hamlet in English.

It was the place where they died.

The markers would note it as such in the arena tours for the next sixty odd years.

After which the memorial notices would mark it for even longer after that.

"Angelina in here" Edwin said as they found an odd little mill in the pretty but strange selection of buildings.

He is hoping the two morphlings haven't guessed they've gone inside.

Edwin has just finished barricading the door with whatever he can find as a precaution when he hears the knocking.

"Hello please Mister 5 and Miss 5. It is time for sleep now." Aline says cheerfully.

"It won't take long and sleep is fun. You will get happy dreams I'm sure" Alexis continues in a friendly tone.

"I think we want to stay awake." Edwin replies in as brave a tone as he can muster.

"Sorry but Roy Soley says that you need to go to sleep so you can be taken to the other places." Aline's responds in a sad tone.

"We're very sorry about that by the way." Alexis adds on.

Edwin remains silent after that at which point the morphlings begin working on getting through the door.

Edwin knows it won't hold for long.

The Morphlings are persistent and Edwin knows he's not very good with the one knife he has.

He makes a decision.

"Why didn't we listen to Leonard and Jack? Maybe we could have fought back. They're going to kill us Edwin." Angelina was sobbing hysterically into his shoulder.

The door is beginning to buckle.

"Never forget I love you" Edwin replies to her.

Pieces of the barricade are coming away.

"Really?" Angelina asks her love. Maybe he has a plan. Maybe there's hope.

Most of the barricade has fallen now and only the one piece remains.

"Yes I love you. And I always will." Edwin replies.

At which point he plunges the knife into her heart.

Angelina looks confused for a moment, then tries to speak and her cannon goes just as the door is kicked in by the persistent morphlings.

Edwin smiles as they come towards him.

Unlike with Mabel and Josephine they do it quickly.

Not as quick as Jack though.

It takes Edwin four agonising minutes to die.

Evening

Leonard from 9 watches as the pair of morphlings chase down the lovers from 5 in the direction of a mill in the near distance.

He may have only scored a seven but Leonard is observant and it has been clear to him since the fourth day that the tributes for District 6 were more than they appeared.

He says a private prayer for the pair from 5 as he did for Jack when his friend didn't come back the morning of yesterday.

Leonard's no Simon Sator but he's also no idiot.

The 5s stayed in one place too long and Leonard doesn't think hanging around this quaint little hamlet is a good idea.

It's just by chance that he bumps into the remains of The Career Pack

"Oh buggering hell." Leonard says with reluctance rather than the pants wetting fear most tributes would encounter facing three careers.

Ida, Frederick and Robin are bemused by the response.

"Aren't you meant to be screaming and running away?" Robin asks.

"I'd prefer quiet as a matter of fact because the real monsters are going to start coming this way soon enough." Leonard deadpans.

The entire career packs faces go pallid.

"Shit their out hunting now?" Frederick says. "That's all we need."

A cannon booms. (Angelina's)

"A moment Leonard" Ida says politely.

The three careers huddle together very quickly.

They whisper fervently for about twenty seconds.

"We're short a few pairs of hand right now so do you fancy an alliance Leonard?" Ida says in the quickest offer ever made to an outlier to join the career pack.

"Till the 6s are dead?" Leonard guesses.

"Well duh" Ida replies. "I'd rather it was one of us to make it out obviously but really anyone but either of those two at this point"

"Don't try killing them now." Leonard says "I suggest we get somewhere to regroup and rest after we take a small detour."

They all walk rather quickly away especially after they hear a second cannon go. The Career pack would rather Leonard's detour.

What they find makes all of them happy.

The abandoned mostly uneaten picnic basket sent the morning of the seventh day to the two lovers before they were found by Alexis and Aline proves to the three careers that an alliance was the right idea.

Day 8

The Capitol

There are fervent whispers on the streets of the capitol all throughout the day.

What's going to happen next?

All the whispers are saying the same thing.

It's the final eight tributes.

Eight boys and girls who've proven to be deadly or durable.

Strong Ida the clear head of the Careers with two kills to her name in the form of the strong tributes from 7 and 9 dead at her hands.

Clever Robin the intelligent deputy who only killed the 10 girl in the bloodbath but who has helped the group survive with his knowledge.

Formidable Frederick who only killed the 12 boy in the bloodbath but whose efficiency in scouting and detecting traps meant that this many careers survived as long as they have.

Lucky Leonard who shows more shrewdness in his approach to the arena than his initial attitude, and his score of seven, might first suggest.

Guileful Gilbert who has killed four tributes cleanly and quickly.

Cheeky Casilda who all in the Capitol agrees is far more powerful than she may have first looked.

Then there are the last two tributes.

Alexis and Aline.

The pair who cannot be separated into two as they have become one.

One thing that the Capitol has always wanted but never knew it needed before now.

Monsters in the games.

Not muttations that were crafted to be so.

But children turned into monsters.

They are ruthless, insane and in more than one way terrible despite their seemingly childlike nature.

The Capitol absolutely loves them for it.

The arena that day is the lull.

The Calm before the storm.

The thirteenth arena however has caused the introduction of a new aspect of the games.

People want to know more about the final eight tributes in The Capitol.

Gabriel Villiers gives the go ahead for this and most of day eight is filled with information as new interviews from families and friends start seeping into the Capitol.

Oddly enough there is a dearth of information from 6 but given his nephew's zero tolerance policy to practically everything Gabriel isn't too bothered by this.

A new tradition has been born for the hunger games now.

In the presidential mansion Sarah Aurelius had decided to take a day off during the eighth day of the games.

Both her tributes are dead and she's been feeling positively ghastly.

She's also guessed correctly why.

Five year old Virgilia is not very impressed that mummy won't play with her and keeps on complaining about being sick.

Virgilia thinks mummies shouldn't get sick.

Virgilia worries that if mummy got really sick then who would look after her?

Daddy is too busy to look after her properly.

All of which makes Virgilia very worried.

Eventually Elagabalus Lovejoy is called in as a desperate measure when Sarah can no longer cope with a full of energy five year old even with the help of an AV1 who is desperately trying to contain her smiles at Sarah's suffering.

"Not feeling well Sarah?" The cheerful designer and close personal friend asks the First Lady.

"No not really Elagabalus I am feeling awful." Sarah replies.

"Your tributes" Elagabalus asks sincerely.

Then they both laugh heartily.

Sarah will try to get her lot out alive every single time but to imply she cares about any of them, unless they happen to be ruthless enough to win like Electra, would be distinctly pushing it. She told as much to one of her pairs in the early years of mentoring and the brats ended up blubbering like three year olds.

"Very funny Elagabalus. Frederick's still alive you know." Sarah states knowing how much the designer for 4 typically cares about his potential victors.

"Not for long Sarah." He sighs dramatically "No Victor for me. Not this year. I like the girl from 2 but I don't think any of the usual suspects will win this time." Elagabalus sighs.

"Who then?" Sarah asks.

"Everyone is saying one of The Morphlings will do it. The ultimate dark horse victor. I say no to that though. No it's going to be the 10 boy Gilbert." Elagabalus says with conviction.

"I agree. I assume you have heard what Ga Ga is planning?" Sarah asks.

"Of course Sarah. He is my husband after all. I think this one will be truly spectacular with who is left." Elagabalus replies.

"Oh it definitely will be!" Sarah replies.

Evening after sunset

A voice only heard in this capacity before once, more than three games ago, comes just as Gilbert and Casilda predicted several days before.

Gabriel Villiers voice rings out across the arena

"Welcome and Bievenue honoured guests of The Chateau.

"Congratulations to you the final eight tributes of the 13th annual hunger games."

"I am the steward for this astounding palace and its grounds."

"And for those who care for such things I am acting under the direct orders of Roy Soley"

This immediately grabs the morphlings attention when before they hadn't seemed to be paying any.

Gabriel Villiers continues.

"Your time spent here has been a grand affair."

"What would such a grand affair be like without as grand a feast?"

"So come to the Hall of Mirrors"

At which point a giant beacon illuminates the aforementioned hall visible all across the arena.

"At sunset tomorrow you are invited to attend the banquet. You will be informed an hour beforehand to ensure adequate journey times."

"Remember it would be the height of discourtesy to not attend this summoning"

The implication is clear. Feast attendance this time isn't optional.

"Best of Luck"

That night unlike in the ninth arena everyone manages to get some rest.

There will be waiting tomorrow before sunset after all.

Final Day

There have been many famous final duels in the hunger games. Those duels whose other halves always made it into the Silver Hall.

Julius Monaldo vs Minerva Grantston.

Silver Glassman vs Electra Dent

Marlin Mount vs Plaice Griffiths

Many many more in later years.

Some lucky members of multiple participant final battles make it into the Silver hall,

Watt and Coil from their battle with Vespasian Grantston and his mostly forgotten district partner who died too early in the fight to be remembered.

Beryl Huntley from Chester Oakley's final melee.

None of these Duel or Battles can be judged alongside the end of the 13th games.

The events of the horrifying "Feast of Blood" and then the legendary "Dance of Daggers" that followed were remembered even by those mostly ignorant of the earlier games.

It became one of the most important classes in the training programmes of 1, 2 and 4 after all.

Diamond Valentine, Gabi Godford and Vespasian Grantston always said the last two hours of the 13th Hunger Games were more important in teaching than nearly any other games finale.

After all so many lessons had been demonstrated in those final hours.

Because not everything is as it first appears.

Afternoon 1

"Do you have many friends back in 10 Gil?" Casilda asks.

"An entire library of them Cas. After all books are my friends." Gilbert replies.

"I didn't have many real friends growing up you see. How do you think I got so quick in running and moving. It was so the bullies couldn't catch me." Gilbert concludes.

"I only have the one. My friend Sabine. She's a great climber like me. Actually she's even better than I am." Casilda says.

"I'm going to miss her after today." Casilda says with a twinge of sadness.

The girl is dour and pessimistic about what is to come.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Gilbert asks warmly.

They haven't talked much about family these games.

"Two much older sisters actually. One is like thirty two and the other twenty eight. They're both married. I live with my oldest sister actually and my nephew's more like a brother to me. Dad lives with us as well. He's sixty now and not very well."

"You might see them again. You never know." Gilbert interjects.

"Yeah I guess. I never know for sure do I." Casilda agrees.

Gilbert can tell she's lying.

"I don't have much family left. They're all dead. I live with my great grandad actually. He's eighty five you know." Gilbert informs his friend.

Casilda looks interested by that.

"He breeds horses. Good ones. I was planning on taking over. Patience would have been annoyed I bet. She was mad about horses. It's what I do when I'm not in the library you know. Caring for them and riding them." Gilbert states somewhat bashfully.

"You? A professional horse breeder." Casilda asks bemused.

"Books are only my first love Cas. My family comes from a line of jockeys dating back since The Time Before. Hence my size." Gilbert says indicating his comparative short height and stature in comparison to where most sixteen year olds are.

"Wow. I never would have guessed." Casilda smiles in response.

Then the announcement sounds.

Afternoon 2

"You lot ready?" Leonard asks.

They have been resident inside a smaller palace that wasn't too far from the hamlet where the 5s met their doom.

"I still can't believe there's a smaller palace inside the gardens of a massive palace." Had been Frederic's statement of continued disbelief even as they made their way back to the main palace.

"A small quaint looking village. Why not a palace?" Robin shrugs.

"Isn't it a little ostentatious?" Ida asks.

"Maybe for a guy from 4 and a girl from 2 but not for a guy from 1. Whoever built the big palace over there." he says pointing at the main palace. "Probably escaped to here" he said pointing at the smaller palace "To get away from all the hassle associated with holding government in that thing." he said pointing to the main palace once more.

"What?" Ida and Frederic both ask.

"Isn't it obvious? That many rooms isn't for one person or even a royal family. That palace is for a lot more than that. If it were me I'd summon all my friends as well as all my enemies and have all of them cooped up in that pretty little bunch of buildings. There I can have them rewarded the second they did something good or punished if they stepped out of line." Robin goes on.

He pauses for a moment as he realises how what he just said might be interpreted in The Capitol.

"That's a crueller and less civilized way of doing things than how they do things now obviously. A cruder idea for a different time." Robin smoothly continues.

Gabriel Villiers snorts as he thinks to himself that Robin made a very quick save from that slip of the tongue.

The group is almost halfway to the palace.

Then the announcement sounds.

Afternoon 3

Alexis and Aline both awake in the place they have spent every night of the games.

Who would have guessed they'd have headed straight for the Royal Opera in the north wing.

They have made a very comfortable home there away from all the other tributes and The Capitol hopes they will surprise in the bloodbath.

"Alexis are you ready for fun, fun, fun and fun" Aline asks. "It feels like I've been waiting forever."

"Fun, fun, fun and even more fun to please Roy Soley" Alex replies. "Yummy food and lots of paint." He continues.

The two end up dancing together in the middle of the opera house.

Then the announcement sounds.

As all three groups heard it Panem reacted.

3 wanted Casilda to win.

The respective districts of 1, 2, and 4 wanted their tributes to win.

9 wanted Leonard.

10 wanted Gilbert.

6 wanted their tributes dead. Lines had been crossed too far by the pair.

Much too far.

They could still hear the girl from 8 screaming.

In most of the other districts, the citizens' blood is running cold at the thought that either of the two insane fourteen year olds might win.

They'd even take one of the careers.

Anyone but Them.

As what happens proves if either of the 6s had won it would have been worse than anyone could have possibly imagined.

Evening: The Feast of Blood and The Dance of Daggers

It started quietly.

Gilbert and Casilda were already there by the time the second chime signalling the hour had passed faded.

The Careers and Leonard arrived next.

There were frosty eyes across the Hall.

The Hall of Mirrors.

No one attacked however.

Gilbert was courteous.

"Frederick, Robin, Ida and Leonard." He greeted.

"Been having a good games?" he continued.

Leonard snorted.

Ida gave Leonard dagger eyes before settling the same dagger eyes on Gilbert and Casilda.

"Guessing no then" Gilbert said.

"Why Rose?" Is all that Robin asks him.

"She was the furthest away from the rest and furthest back. It was nothing personal we assure you." Casilda replies instead.

"Always get the 3 in the bloodbath." Frederick murmurs to himself.

"We didn't get the chance Frederick. She disappeared before we knew what was happening" Ida responds.

"Any reason why we aren't all killing each other yet." Leonard asks.

"We're still waiting for the last guests to arrive is my guess. Am I right Ida?" Gilbert smiles at the leader of the pack.

"I think we can all agree that no one wants those monsters winning so yeah we're not starting early." Ida replies.

"Alexis Alexis they're being mean. Make them stop. Make them Stop." A voice cries out laced with a familiar madness.

Everyone in the hall turned their heads.

Alexis and Aline were only a few metres away.

No one had noticed their entrance.

"Aline. We don't need to do that anymore. It's the finale of the games. The old game is over now" Alexis says.

In a voice that sounds crueller than any fourteen year old has any right to sound.

And something far far worse.

It has never sounded like this before not even in training.

A voice that sounded...

Horribly

Horrifically.

Sane.

The 13th games is a games that people watch for a number of reasons.

To see its gorgeous arena.

To see the Career Pack doing its valiant best against excellent competitors.

To see some colourful and amusing tributes in Jack and Leonard.

To see the tragic love story of Edwin and Angelina.

To see Casilda prove a twelve year old can be brutal in battle and maybe even get a kill or two.

To see District 10 get its very first Victor in Gilbert Oxford.

But most importantly of all to most it was a chance to see how Alexis and Aline of District 6 proved that you can weaponise feigned madness as a very effective way of hiding in open view for the entirety of the hunger games and not be targeted even as you reap terror across the arena.

"Really? Finally!" the girl from 6 replied in a voice that had all the horrific qualities of cruelty and sanity as the boys.

The two tributes standing before the rest looked the same as they had all games in most ways.

It was just the slight differences that were almost barely perceivable.

A change in posture from slightly hunched to straight as a rod.

The increased focus in the eyes compared to the vacant look present before.

The cruelty of a smile where before it has been the feverish grin of a deluded mad person.

Now they resembled actors having just stepped out of playing roles but still stuck in their previous costumes.

Which is of course exactly what they were.

Gilbert was the first in the hall to realise the terrible implications of the 6s sudden coherence.

"All this time! All that madness… It was an act?" Gilbert questioned in a horrified voice. "But what you did…"

"Good Gilbert gets it." Alexis began. "Well it was mostly an act. We permitted ourselves our… Indulgences after all."

Both 6s smiled at that before Alexis continued speaking.

"Don't forget you had the same idea. Didn't you Gilbert? Pretend to be plain and boring and then strike when no one expected."

"Only you didn't see the bigger picture like Alexis and I did. Did you Gilbert?" Aline pick up from her district partner with a sly smile. "You could have made the illusion last! We did. Pretend to be a bit mad or a little bit crazy and you can get away with murder for the entire games. Even right out in the open. In plain sight."

Both the 6 tributes laughed then.

"What about the painting? The mural?" Leonard asked with more than a hint of disgust.

"That was just a little bit of fun. A lot of fun actually. Painting a Sun King on the grounds of Versailles. When'er I spoke sarcastic joke if you get my meaning." Alexis laughed.

"It's even funnier when it's in blood." Aline smiled nastily.

"Didn't you ever wonder why it took Josephine nearly an hour to die? Honestly it's like all your brains went on a collective walk elsewhere. If we were just after her blood we'd have done what we did to Jack. Quick, efficient and no "fun" at all." Alexis said with some exasperation at the other tributes lack of insight.

"Don't forget Alexis we liked Jack. Didn't want to take too long on him after he was so polite to us." Aline interrupted "Josephine on the other hand was a whiny little thing in training although I must say her screams were like music." Aline continued "Forty minutes really was too quick in the end for her wasn't it Alexis." Aline sighed.

"Agreed. It was barely an overture. We couldn't go too far though. The illusion needed to be maintained. But look at the rewards it gave us. Food. Actual paint. Morphling." Alexis smiled almost wistfully at the mention of the morphling. "That made everything so much easier."

"Oh yes the morphling made everything better." Aline agreed "It kept us so very very stable and look at us now. Aren't we a sight for sore eyes?"

The truth is undeniable.

They look well fed despite their morphling reliance. They look even vaguely healthy actually. Then it truly hits all the other tributes as to why.

Who has gotten the most gifts from the sponsors?

The Pair from District 6.

Who has been best fed the whole games?

The Pair from District 6

Who was left alone by all other tributes because they were thought mad and unstable in their violence?

The Pair from District 6

Who had played everyone in the arena, the Captiol and even all of Panem for utter fools?

The Pair from District 6

The two had never been mad in the way everyone had assumed.

But they are far more monstrous than anyone could have fathomed.

"You know the arena as well don't you?" Robin stated. "You know it's the Palace of Versailles? You mentioned it just now."

"He is perceptive isn't he? Almost as perceptive as he is fast. And he ran so fast after Mabel." Aline says in a cheerful tone.

"Mabel was fun" Alexis says in fond reminiscence.

"6s Library is meant to be terrible. Claudius said so." Gilbert stated starting to recover from his shock. "You shouldn't know any of this."

"You're such a killjoy Gilbert." Aline said.

"Such a killjoy.'' Alexis agreed.

"But you are right about the library." Aline replied.

"6s library is poorly stocked but we still found them." Alexis smirked.

"Hidden deeply away. Forgotten, when so many other books were wiped out, but it was there along with some ancient music. The music we at least enjoyed even if it was by a band named after insects. But whoever cared about books on France's history or its architecture?" Aline continued.

Gilbert and Casilda both put their hands up.

"A librarian and a 3 so your standard readers of most dull books." Alexis said rolling his eyes.

"We read them because we were short of material to read and even then they're dry stuff." Aline offered.

"Why though? Why take so long with all the killing? The torture? The hunting? Even all that ceremony when you killed Jack!" Casilda asks.

"You're smart 3 figure it out it's not that hard!" Aline smiles and starts giggling which Alexis joins in with.

"Answer her Aline before we kill the both of you twisted monsters" Ida demands her fingers nearing her weapon to draw it.

"Isn't it obvious 2? It should be for one of your lot!" Aline says her laughter growing exponentially.

Everything goes silent in the Hall of Mirrors but Aline's laughter before Alexis answers.

"It was because it was fun!" Alexis says as he laughs alongside Aline.

And that was the point at which it began.

It was a tacit unspoken alliance made without words between the six tributes who weren't named Alexis or Aline.

Someone with a shred of humanity needed to make it out of the arena so the two morphlings needed to die before anyone else.

Unfortunately they were very hard to kill.

The Feast of Blood lasted for seventeen minutes before it broke apart and eventually morphed into the Dance of Daggers.

Alexis and Aline had been holding back on just how good they were with knives their entire time in the arena and throughout training.

Which of course made sense as they never really faced a serious threat where they'd have to break with the characters they made.

They weren't quite as quick as Gilbert, although they were very close, but they were still fast and like Gilbert they were also something deadlier.

Precise.

Leonard fell with a sliced jugular six minutes into the conflict from Alexis.

Frederick died seven minutes after that from the same injury as Leonard but inflicted by Aline.

Ida, powerful tribute that she was, managed to avoid Aline only to have a dagger lodged in her chest by Gilbert as he attempted to get Alexis in the seventeenth minute and the boy from 6 dodged nimbly out of the way.

The carnage in the Hall of Mirrors was grim even by the standards of later feasts. It would be with the sharp weapons that were being used in a comparatively enclosed space and the wounds inflicted.

The mirrors and glass of the windows reflected the carnage throughout the well-lit hall.

The Feast of Blood earned its name well.

Robin, Casilda and Gilbert managed to retreat mostly uninjured, except for a few superficial wounds, as they ran to the end of the hallway.

"We can't let them win this Gilbert." Casilda said.

"One of us three need to be the one to go home. Not one of those monsters." Robin continued.

"Come back cowards" Aline screeched with fury. "Do it now and we'll make it quick and painless!"

"Well relatively painless." Alexis corrected his district partner politely. "Can't spoil all the fun."

"Oh yes relatively painless. We promise not to even make it last ten minutes. We'll even pinkie promise." Aline spoke in the same polite tone Alexis had just used. The fury of moments before seeming to have evaporated.

It was then that the three tributes left realized.

The two 6s were still very mad but it was the insanity of the sadist or the serial killer not the childlike madness without comprehension of before.

This new madness was an infinitely more frightening prospect.

The three remaining tributes watched the other two with fear and caution ready to run should the two 6s advance.

"Ugh. Be like that then! I'm hungry and there's food going to waste." Alexis said going back to the feast table and picking out some of the food that wasn't coated in blood.

"Slow and painful it is then" Aline said simply at which point she went back to join Alexis at the table.

"I liked them better when I thought they were just out of touch with reality and mad rather than in touch with reality but in all likelihood sadistically insane people who've relished every kill." Casilda said to the other two as they watched the two 6s sit down and start eating.

The others can't help but agree with her.

"Should we attack now? They've only got daggers or knives and it's only a matter of time. What do we have weapon wise?" Gilbert asked.

"The same as them. I have two daggers." Robin said.

"Same here." Casilda said.

"I've two daggers as well which makes all three of us similarly equipped. So six daggers and three high scoring tributes vs two insane sadists who have killed seven people in the arena with just a knife each." Gilbert

"Not true." Robin said.

Gilbert's face has a frown.

"You scored a four Gil" Casilda reminded him.

Gilbert's face wore a very thin smile.

Then the three tributes who formed a temporary alliance ran back to the table hoping to catch the element of surprise.

And The Dance began.

Three tributes that were highly competent vs two tributes that were sadistically insane but also highly competent.

It was almost graceful as tributes dodged and weaved through a flurry of knife and dagger attacks.

All of the tributes present demonstrated skills in that fight worthy of a victor.

The Dance of Daggers lasted an insane thirty four minutes before its first mortal wound.

Robin fell back with a knife wound, which was certain to prove fatal, near the kidneys.

The second mortal wound came thirty seconds after that when Casilda stabbed the smiling Alexis who had just done the deed in the neck.

The third came ten seconds after that.

Aline gave a screech of rage before she stabbed the 3 girl in her stomach.

Casilda gave a groan of pain before her knees started to buckle.

Aline was beyond fury then, turning her back to the dying Casilda before quickly managing to disarm Gilbert.

"Alexis and I were meant to fight each other after the rest of you were dead you stupid 10." Aline cried as Gilbert was driven ever further back towards the feast table.

The fact he was wearing a smile as he was getting further pushed back enraged the 6 girl.

She couldn't see the reflection Gilbert could.

"District 6 should have been one and two. It doesn't matter though. Not now. But I am still going to wi-"

Aline collapsed like a puppet.

A dagger through her heart.

In her place Casilda, her dagger lodged in Aline's heart, smiled in satisfaction.

Then she collapsed from the stomach wound she was holding onto.

Three cannons went off in rapid succession.

(It was later determined the order was Alexis, Robin and finally Aline)

(Aline incidentally tied Callie from the 8th games.)

On the floor Gilbert was holding Casilda's hand

Casilda whispered something in Gilbert's ear before placing something in his hand.

"You'll always be my friend" he whispered loud enough for the cameras to hear.

Then she said in a louder voice than her first unheard whisper:

"Quickly like Sandra."

Gilbert smiled at his friend, struck true with his dagger and within ten seconds she was dead.

"Gilbert Oxford you are the winner of the thirteenth annual hunger games."

Aftermath

The Games had been an astounding success for Gabriel Villiers even if everyone involved with the games had been shocked at how the 6s had effectively been acting the entire games. Even the First Lady hadn't noticed on this occasion that the 6s had been acting.

A concern for another time.

Gabriel Villiers was being acclaimed in all quarters. Next year was going to be different but he hoped just as special.

The Games was considered an amazing success for the Capitol viewing figures eclipsed the 8th games on the final day as all of The Captiol became invested in the fate of the eight remaining tributes.

The games this year was considered another reprieve and a source of hope in the outer districts. Maybe not as much in 11 or 12 but there was still hope. District 6 was just thankful this year their two hadn't come home they never wanted a Victor as bad as Alexis or Aline had been.

They didn't get their wish in the end.

The Games was considered an even bigger warning klaxon than the 12th games were in the Career Districts.

Not only had the 10 won but two tributes from District 6 of all places had killed or played a significant hand in the deaths of more than half the career pack.

Till the 20th games every District even 11 and 12 was watched closely and thoroughly by all Career tributes.

Even after that intense period had passed the scrutiny placed on outliers was always more intense in the aftermath of the 13th games.

Anything out of the ordinary, or even anything too ordinary, needed to be analysed and reanalysed to ensure "A Double Event" of tributes who fooled the careers could never happen again.

District 6 tributes were always watched with careful scrutiny. Many tributes might be like animals, as Lauretta noted in the 12th games, but from then on there was an additional maxim by Vespasian Grantston.

"Nearly all tributes can be compared to animals but give some 6s the chance and they'll become monsters"

The maxim began with Alexis and Aline and was proved by many others from the transport district with 6s first Victor and Titus from the 66th games probably the most infamous examples. They were not alone on the list of monsters from District 6 however.

District 6 just seemed to have the knack for it.

If the Spider was also a monster and was from District 3 at least the running theory was that she wasn't sadistic like a lot of 6s monsters seemed.

Although given what happened in the 17th games most people wouldn't have believed that was actually the case.

The Silver Hall almost doubled in tribute numbers after the 13th games.

All participants of the Dance of Daggers made it into that hallowed and revered part of the museum.

Gilbert Oxford went to the Silver Hall every year on the anniversary of The Dance of Daggers to pay his respects to Robin and Casilda.

He always paused at the markers of Alexis and Aline.

He still had questions for both of 6s tributes but they took those answers to the grave with them.

Gilbert Oxford won the hunger games.

He had entered the games a librarian and somehow he ended up coming out of them as a hero.

Given who could have won the games instead he felt little guilt in making it out.

He lived more easily than most with the fact that just because you were a hero didn't mean you were necessarily a good man.

---

Hello Vesine here

Well I did say this chapter was going to be a long one.

I think 20000 words is pretty long given that is about a third of what the fanfiction was up until this point.

That's what happens when you gives a significant amount of personality to more than just the victorious tribute I guess.

When I first wrote down the name Gilbert Oxford his first name was just a casual reference to Gilbert and Sullivan and a light hearted joke.

That the games turned out as dark as it did I blame entirely on Alexis and Aline who were probably the funnest characters to write so far in this entire fanfiction.

I don't know why District 6 have ended up as the crazies in my stories but it makes them so much fun.

Giving the other tributes names made them a lot more real and it was fun fleshing them out to the degree I did.

Next games will be shorter than these ones and I think some of you may have suspected who the victor might be in them as there have been clues about it since Harry Miller.

As an interesting quirk all the other tributes names are characters from Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and there's a few examples of lyrics from the operettas present in the story.

As ever reviews are ever welcome as would anyone willing to beta.

I can't catch all my mistakes though I do try and given the length of this chapter it's probable I haven't caught all of them.

I hope it's still readable.

Best as ever

Vesine