Aemma Aurelius-Marsay, 7

The Capitol

I can't remember the last time Mama was this busy. She will come to give me a good night kiss before bed, but the next morning and the entire day I won't see her. She tells me she is making "preparations".

"For what?" I ask her before she heads for the door. She leans down and smiles at me.

"For the Games, sweetheart. The final touches are being added to the arena."

I jump up and down in excitement. Even though I assisted Mama with "brainstorming", she has not let me see much else. I tell her that although I like surprises, I want a little hint. I need to know which parts of my journal actually became real-life!

"I know you do, Aemma, but I also can't tell you anything because Games information is confidential. We've already had some problems with leakers and we don't want too much to be revealed." Mama leans down and picks me up. "If it is revealed, it won't be a surprise anymore." Mama sticks out her lip and I gasp.

"I won't say anything, Mama, I won't!" I promise. She lets out a big sigh.

"Fine, Aemma. I'll give you a little hint."

She asks me to retrieve my favorite purple teddy for her. I grab it from my room and hand it to Mama. She asks his name.

"Weaver," I tell her. I smile when remembering when I called him "weeber" when I was a little baby.

Mama smiles at me and leans down to whisper into my ear. I listen closely to what she tells me.

…

"Come on Aemma, just a hint!"

My friends won't stop asking me for details about the Games. I tell them the same thing Mama told me, that anything about the Games is confidential. I felt fancy using such a big word and I didn't even pronounce it wrong.

"If you tell me something about the Games, I'll let you sit by me at the parade!" Rosetta, a popular girl, offers to me while smiling. I give her an angry look. Rosetta had always been really mean to me, but now that she knew I was helping to make the Games, she wanted to be my friend?

Golden approaches me at lunchtime as a bunch of kids try to cram their way into a seat at my table.

"Can I talk to Aemma?" he asks the group. As the President's son they can't say no to anything he says. They all groan and walk off. Golden sits down next to me.

"Don't tell them anything, but you can tell me, Aemma." Golden doesn't look like he is trying to force a hint out of me just because of who Mama is. Plus he is already my best friend. You always share secrets with best friends.

"Okay, but I'll tell you when you come to my house later," I tell Golden. He smiles and continues to eat the roast beef that was for lunch. I try not to throw up at the smell. Meat is yucky.

The school day could not end early enough. I was driven home by Mama's driver and as promised, I was taken to a fancy dress store called Little Lavender's. Mama tells me to get whatever dress I want.

At first I decided on a shiny dark blue dress with shiny crystals on it that looked like stars in a night sky, but dropped it into an Avox's arms when I spotted something wonderful hanging on the back wall. A poofy light purple dress that Mama called a "pageant dress". It came with an adorable pair of white boots.

"Is that the one?" she asks. I nod as fast as I can. Mama even allows me to wear it home!

When Golden arrived for dinner, she made me take it off. She said I was going to get food on it. After we ate we ran off to my room and into my dream tent.

"Okay, okay, Golden, I'll tell you, but you have to promise to tell no one!" I make him pinky-promise just to be sure.

"So, do you see this?" I ask him, holding up my purple teddy bear. He has green button eyes and a cute tie.

"Yes," Golden says, sounding confused.

"This is my Dream Weaver! He makes sure you tell him all about your dreams and makes sure you sleep when you are supposed to," I explain, using hand gestures. Golden seems confused still.

"How does that have to do with the Games?" Golden asks, folding his arms. I roll my eyes.

"Because, Golden, Dream Weaver will make sure you wake up on time in the arena! He is a good guy, but can be a bad guy if you sleep in or make him mad." I go on telling Golden how the Dream Weaver will try to be nice to the tributes, too.

"He'll bring gifts if you do a good job. Gifts like pillows, blankets, milk…"

"Can he bring them candy, too?!" Golden says very excitedly. I think for a moment.

"Sure, candy is yummy. Maybe if you kill someone you get a lolly."

"A chocolate lolly!" Golden blurts out. I have never heard of a chocolate lolly before.

"Alright, we'll have some of those…" I tell Golden. Maybe Mama would say yes if she knew the President's son asked for them, but she would also know that I told someone about the Games. I'll make it sound like it was my idea.

We both hear the sound of someone closing the door. We didn't even hear them come in so it must have been an Avox. A sweet smell hits my nose and Golden and I rush to the plate at the door.

"Cookies!"

Aemilia Marsay, 31, Head Gamemaker

The Avox exits Aemma's room discreetly, trying not to be seen by me specifically. People have said I am rude to Avoxes but I see no reason to treat them like anything more than they are; servants.

My body seems to be fusing with the chair I am in. I could count on one hand the number of times I've sat down in the past month, and I still wouldn't be using all my fingers. Considering the Reapings are in two days, I probably won't be able to truly breathe until after this year's Victor boards the train home.

The entire Capitol is abuzz with Games hype and my sweet daughter is anything but exempt. Not a moment has passed without her asking about the Games. I plan to have her by my side during each moment of the Pre-Games and Games themselves, in a gesture of motherly affection to most. To me, it's a bit of a silent plea. Perhaps I am not cut out for such a full-time job if I can't even be separated from Aemma throughout.

Sighing, I rise and walk past Aemma's room to hear muffled giggling and some children's song playing on the radio. A slight grin forms on my weary face. Oh, to be seven years old again.

Suddenly my phone lights up and I notice the call is from my second-in-command, Becki. Should I resign, she is to take my place.

"What is it, Beck?"

"Millie, I think we have a bit of a problem with some leakers." Becki's tone is concerned, but I laugh her off.

"I don't mind the public receiving little snippets of what's to come." I tell her. She asks if the president knows.

"'Of course he does, and he agrees with me. At most, what was leaked was some pictures of Aemma's doll. People aren't going to know what that means until the Games actually come."

Becki goes silent for a moment.

"I… I suppose you're right. I'll try to put a lid on it, though," Becki promises.

"Thank you, Rebecca."

My mind is occupied for the rest of the day, thinking of anything else that I didn't secure enough. My beautiful Games would be ruined if too much got out, but luckily the amount of information leaked was very minimal, and the Games are only one week away.

I don't intend for my last Games ever to be spoiled. The only ones who would suffer for that are the twenty-four little hand-plucked souls, and they're already going to be going through enough.

Another interlude with Aemma and Aemilia! The next chapter was going to be the Eight female but her submitter decided to make her non POV and give the POV to her other tribute (Ten female). So Eight will not have any POVs. Sorry District 8 fans! Next chapter will be the Nine female, as soon as I recieve her :)

Thank you for reading, and remember to review!

-Aemma