"Into each life, some rain must fall. But too much has fallen in mine."

Some of you might be able to guess the Arena. If you know, you know. This is a rewrite of my old story 'Chosen Warriors'. The victor from that story is included in this and I am still keeping this story up. The next few chapters will be introducing you to the Victors from my universe.

Akhal Arlington Brekker, aged 28 of District 10 (Victor of the 75th Hunger Games, wife of Ezra Arlington)

My children had been fortunate enough to be born and raised within the Capitol. Their sweet voices were a mix of hers and Ezra's accents laced with that of the Capitolites. It had been ten years since I had emerged as victor from her Games. Ten years since Niko has been murdered by the father of my children. Everyday the boy seemed to fade, the few weeks we knew each other not enough to cement him in my mind. The only memory clear as it was in the moment was his scream as Ezra slaughtered him. It was something that haunted my dreams at night, waking me up in cold sweats and thrashing to save a man I could no longer remember. Ezra would cradle e and work through the techniques they had learned to separate nightmare from reality. I comforted Ezra when he had them about Paisley. I should have been appreciative of the oddly kind gesture. I never had the heart to tell him that when I gazed into his eyes as he tried to ground me, I saw the man who was so determined to kill me all those years ago.

He wasn't the same man but it never changed what he did. I would never love him but the truth was we only had each other. They both knew that. The Capitol made it that way. We realised that on the wedding night when the Avox's left us in the master bedroom lacking clothes and with one order, to have a child. It was obvious that no matter what happened within the games, we were no longer each other's enemy. The birth of our son nine months later forced us closer together. He looked like me, something I was thankful for. The trauma was still too raw to gaze upon a child who was Ezra's double. Yet it was a short lived joy. Four years later we had our daughter, Opal. The spitting image of her father.

I hated her at first. So cruel in my thoughts when she cried or begged for my attention. Then one night when feeding her, I realised how vulnerable she was, wrapped in her blankets. I was unable to keep my dislike of her for long after that. Although, she always prefered her father over me. It was a comforting thing as whenever I brought a child into this world, it was the closest I felt I got to Ezra loving me. The pure joy he showed when I brought our children screaming and kicking into this world was like nothing I'd ever seen before.

He held each one so delicately, brushing their light blonde hair with his thumb. Then he'd look at me with wonder. The kiss he always gave me was for the cameras that always packed out delivery room. Yet, at those times I could have been fooled into thinking it was real. The only other time he kissed me with such passion was when we were intimate, something we had learned to enjoy over the years as we were forbidden from straying.

I liked to think he cared for me in his own way but I also realised we had no choice. We would be putting out children to their deaths if we ever allowed ourselves to stray. I often wondered if that rule didn't exist if we would have spent most of time with other people. Me more so than Ezra who still loved Paisley. She had become this Goddess in his mind. I wondered how much was true and how much was what he wanted to believe. He loved out children though which is all I could really hope for.

"Do you know who will win?" Opal laughed as she jumped on Ezra's back, her arms around his neck. A small loving smile grew on Ezra's lips as he dragged himself to the breakfast table.

"No-"

"Of course he doesn't stupid!" my eldest son spat, a mouthful of pancake. "It's all random-"

"Your brother's right," Ezra huffed as he shrugged Opal off his back. "It's all about skill and a bit of luck." Opal fell to the floor with a thud, her blonde hair falling over her face. Ezra took his seat, thanking me with a warm smile for the pancakes I had cooked. To think he was the one that had shot five arrows into my body.

"I wonder if mom or dad's tributes will win!" my youngest son Lloyd said, his round chubby face covered in maple syrup.

"Whatever will be-"

"Maybe one of each will win?" my oldest offered up, always the passive type.

"Ooo, maybe they will fall in love like mom and dad!" Opal cheered taking the seat next to her father. There was a moment of silence as me and Ezra exchanged glances with each other. Thanks to the Capitol, as far as they knew, me and their father had been in love since the Ball. That Ezra saved me out of love. We had both agreed that it was better that way. The truth was something we never wanted them to find out. Who knows, maybe in ten years, it would be the truth.

Background Lore:

Akhal was part of the 65th Hunger Games that was all about Love (It was the 75th in my stories but in this alternate universe it was the 65th for reasons you'll find out later). Tributes were placed together by public vote and the two that won would be married. Akhal won after Ezra killed the boy she was in love with and tried to kill her. As they needed two victors, the Capitol stepped in and saved her. She was then forced to marry Ezra and went on to have three children, two sons and a daughter. She is currently pregnant with her fourth child.

Right, so as you have guessed, this is a rewrite of Chosen Warriors. I am still keeping the story up and it is canon in this universe. That will be explained in a later POV. I just wasn't happy with that story and a few years later wanted to do a more up to date version.

The story set up:

Ten years ago a few months after Akhal and Ezra's victory, twenty-four children were chosen between the ages of 4 and 8 years old. They were taken to the Capitol where they were trained for the Games for ten years.

After ten years, the public will pair the Tributes into teams based on what they have seen on a reality show on the children that has run for ten years. They will then have a week to train in their pairs before they are transported into the arena.

There will be the chance for two victors if they are in the same team. If not, only one victor is allowed.

What I want from you:

Just got nuts with the characters you have created. If you look back at my other stories I have had a whole host of odd, dark, and normal characters. Anything goes as long as it is realistic.

Also, remember that all tributes have been trained for ten years, they have also been living with each other for ten years. The Capitol is more like their home than their District. They have had no contact with their home aside from monthly letters.

The children will be between the ages of 14 and 18 and have mostly raised each other but training wise have been treated like child soldiers. Could breed an interesting mix.

The form is on my profile and if you have any questions, please PM me, I don't bite.

The next few chapters until I have Tributes in will be visiting past VIctors in my universe to re-introduce them for this story.