Caelus had a legacy to uphold. He wasn't going to be the one to break the chain of victory. His great-grandfather, then his grandfather. Next, it was his father. Now it was his chance to win.
The thoughts were running through his head as he seated himself on the rowing machine. Not that District 2, or any of the districts had had anything to do with rowing in a long time, but the academy had some because it was good for fitness. After a quick check at the time, he chose how long he wanted to row for. A nice easy workout for today, only 5 kilometers. After all, he didn't want to exhaust himself so close to the Games.
Caelus strapped his feet into the footrests and started rowing. He gave his technique a check in the mirror, and was pleased to find it was perfect. Maybe his technique wasn't as important since he only used the rowing machine for fitness, but knowing he had yet another thing right satisfied him, and he'd get more out of it if he was doing it correctly.
As he settled into a rhythm and the distance steadily ticked down, Caelus found his thoughts drifting back to the Hunger Games. Today was the day. His life would never be the same after this, it would be affected forever. And not only his life. His father's life would be altered. He'd either lose his only son, or get even more publicity for raising a victor. His friends would get publicity and be thrown into the spotlight, and he couldn't imagine they'd be complaining.
And then, of course, was his beautiful girlfriend, Coral. Caelus needed to come back to her. They'd be celebrating their one month anniversary together in exactly a month, and he couldn't let her spend it heartbroken after watching him die on live television. They'd spend their one month anniversary together, under the same tree in the meadow where they had their first date. Then Caelus could take her with him on his Victory Tour, to see Panem.
Caelus had to win this. The shame he'd bring on his family and district if he couldn't would be unbearable for his father and grandfather who lived as heroes among victors, for coming from a long lineage of winning the Hunger Games.
He found his pace slipping, so he picked it back up, wiping away the sweat beginning to bead his forehead as he entered the final kilometer. He counted down the meters in his head, and once they hit zero, he stood, pleased with his time. Picking up his bag, Caelus ensured that all the equipment in the gym was turned off as he left. The Academy was open to only him and Ludwig, the other volunteer, today in case they wanted to squeeze any last minute training in.
He soon arrived home in Victor's Village, calling out to his father.
"Dad! I'm back," Caelus shouted into the house.
"You left early this morning," his dad replied, emerging from the kitchen with a mug of coffee in his hand. "I woke up and you'd already left."
"I needed to take my mind off it," he shrugged in reply.
"Nervous?"
"Not really. I just can't lose this. I can't break our legacy. Winning the Hunger Games is what you raised me for, and that's what I'll raise my son to do," Caelus replied proudly.
"That's my boy. Go have a shower and have something to eat, we need to leave soon."
After showering and dressing for the reaping, Caelus took one last glance at his short blonde hair and blue eyes met blue eyes in the mirror. Satisfied with how he looked, he descended into the kitchen and found a BLT on the bench for him. He wolfed it down happily, only realising how hungry he was when he had taken a bite.
At the reaping
"Mila Torrent!" Chelly Aptus, their escort of 3 years called out to the crowd cheering wildly.
"I volunteer as tribute!" Caelus called out proudly, puffing his chest as he strode up to the stage.
"And what's your name young man?"
"Caelus Deimos."
"Deimos? As in Augustus, Gaius and Aulus Deimos?" Chelly asked excitedly, although she already knew the answer. After meeting Caelus several times through his family, the question was more for the Capitol than herself.
"That'd be my family," Caelus smirked.
"Well, well, well, you've got big shoes to fill don't you?"
"Yes, and I plan on filling them," he replied as the district cheered at the names of some of their favourite victors.
"Good luck then. And now onto our next tribute!"
Ludwig Simmons, 18 District 2
"Mo, can you take breakfast up to Dad?" Ludwig asked his little sister.
"Nah, it's your turn, Wiggy," she reminded him.
Ludwig sighed, partially at the use of her nickname for him despite her knowing he hated it, and partially because she had remembered. He didn't mind having to take breakfast up to his father, especially since his sickness had gotten so much worse in the last six months. He'd been bedridden for the last three years, but now he could hardly get up for anything and had be served in bed. His father had always been distant though. There was love, but never a close bond between them.
Grabbing the tray balanced with eggs, coffee and his father's medication, Ludwig walked down the hall, knocking on the door before entering a moment later. His father sat up with effort, propping himself up with pillows.
"Morning, dad," Ludwig greeted him, putting the tray on his lap, before turning to leave again.
"Wait, come sit down," his father called after him, and Ludwig obliged, sitting at the foot of the bed.
"Still volunteering today?" he asked.
"Yeah, I am."
"Who's the other volunteer?"
"Caelus Deimos. The one that's related to all those victors."
"I remember Aulus Deimos. Beat me to volunteering that year. It was my last chance too. He stole my chance of winning, and he was only 15 at the time," his father rasped, obviously still frustrated by that.
But Ludwig couldn't see his father winning. The balding man in front of him, with dark eye bags, sallow skin and dull eyes looked pathetic when you compared him to the youthful, confident and famous victor. But at the same time, he couldn't imagine wanting to live that way. Maybe Aulus and his son had anything they'd ever want or need, but they had their lived broadcasted across Panem. The pressure for Caelus must've been unbearable.
"When you win we'll finally be able to get me the treatment I need," he smiled.
"Yeah. It was nice talking, but I need to go get ready now," Ludwig said.
In truth, he had plenty of time to get ready, but wanted to stop talking about volunteering. He didn't know if he actually wanted to volunteer, he was unsure. Ludwig was proud to have been named one of two volunteers, and his family could really use the money, but even if he had trained years for this, his life was still on the line. He'd seen Caelus train. In fact, he was probably training now while Ludwig sat here talking to his father. And then there were the other 4 careers, and any good outliers. He'd have to beat them all to win.
Maybe he was the chosen volunteer. Maybe he could win. But maybe he couldn't. And the price for that would be his life. So yes, he was unsure if volunteering was the right choice, but he had to do it anyways. Ludwig imagined that the Academy's punishment for cowardice wasn't going to be light.
Later in the morning, Ludwig stood in his pen, watching Chelly start the Reaping. As he watched her talk with Caelus about his family's history of winning, Ludwig prepared himself to volunteer. Maybe he wasn't 100% sure about this, but he still wanted to, so he would. Maybe he might not win, but he would fight for the crown.
"And our next tribute! Remus Burke!"
Ludwig took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.
"I volunteer as tribute!" he called strongly after a brief pause, and started moving through the sea of boys to get up to the stage.
And here are our District 2 tributes! A big thanks to A Proud Bibliophile and BraveTheWild for Ludwig and Caelus respectively!
I believe I've forgotten to credit the submitters of the tributes featured so far, so here it is:
Privilege Montclair (D1) from 20 Crystal Silver (D1) from Emerald Chrysalis Tethys Marlin and Corsair Veles (D4) from RakTurtle Fynn Hammerflux (D5) from Emerald Chrysalis Javier Foster (D5) from the garden Poppy Dellarouse and Genevieve Stella Moore (D6) from late night reader07 Again, sorry about that, but thanks for the tributes guys!
Anyways, what do you think of Caelus and Ludwig? I'm going to have fun writing these two!
The next chapter is going to be District 3, so hopefully they'll be out soon. It's the school holidays, so I have plenty of time on my hands, so hopefully we'll get up to the District 8 reapings in the next two weeks before the end of the holidays. I'd also like to mention that I'm doing a goodbye chapter after all the reapings, so everyone's relationships will get more light shone on them before the interviews.
Please review, I like knowing who's still reading, and if you are, I just hate writing reapings so the quality will hopefully be more engaging and detailed in the goodbyes, Capitol and Games.