Edelweiss
Courage and Daring
Ancartha Redlock, District Two Female, Eighteen
The day is passing by so quickly. With dawn comes morning and with the morning comes midday, and as the sun begins to ready itself for yet another slumber before coming back to grace everyone again. The last of the rays reaching out for everybody in its golden splendour.
Afternoons have always been her favourite time in the district. The merging of oranges and yellows touched her face through the small windows in the training hall, painting the grey walls into golden fields.
Ancartha Redlock wipes away at the stray sweat forming around her forehead as she raises her weapon of choice for this particular day, a heavy mace. She smashes down against the practice dummy with such force, enough to hear the crunching of the wood that holds it together. She smiles at that as she continues the training.
The reason why she loves training in the afternoons is that she gets to practice to her heart's content, without anyone trying to disturb her by asking for a sparring match, or to just gawk at her practising trying to discern her moves to use for their own, they are usually met with a stare that could equate to a death stare.
The blunt silver mace crashes down once again on the same dummy pulverising it to a pulp, its contents, white cotton spilling out of the already large hole on the side. She smashes it down once more, the cracking of the wood evident once more as she sets the mace down for a moment.
Although she prefers to practise alone, she likes the occasional sparring match. Though other trainees are careful around her and training matches. Ancartha is not one to take it easy with her opponents. If you are going to fight you have to fight with gusto; if it means breaking a few bones then so be it.
She has been warned before about injuring potential tributes for future Games but Ancartha never truly listens, and when she gets into the swing of things she tends to just focus on that one thing. They have threatened her with several expulsions and she is still here smashing maces and trainees alike.
They know why they had kept her. They know her potential to win the Hunger Games and to bring home another victor. A trophy for her district. She wipes more sweat from her head, lifting the mace one last time before smashing it down towards the head of the training dummy hearing that satisfying crunch.
"Do you think you could have been a bit merciful?" She knows exactly who it is based on the voice, she can picture his face all scrunched up in faux disgust.
"I like to make a show." She says with a smirk on her face, shouldering the mace as she turns around. "In the Games that will net me some sponsors."
"Right." The boy says elongating the word as he approaches her, his curly hair blocking eyes that look down on her.
They are alone, the majority of the trainees within Gladius Academy have gone home. The day is fast approaching its end, beginning to wind down ready for the night. She looks around at a few stragglers packing away their things before going home.
The mentors have let her stay a few hours after closing times on the academy grounds so that she can fit in a few more hours of training before the big event. She knows that she will volunteer this year, and she knows that the mentors have acknowledged her as such.
That and maybe she had injured a few of the older prospects for the Games, maybe on purpose and others by complete accident. She had always argued that if they had fallen so quickly to her then they may not be worth the volunteer spot for the year, and often times they had agreed with her.
Ancartha places the mace back on the rack of weapons, taking time to admire it before turning back around to face her friend, Dele. He's more like a best, and only, friend to Ancartha. The same person that keeps him grounded, the same one that wanted to volunteer beside her only for him to be beaten out by someone better, in the eyes of the trainers and mentors of course.
He just gives her an encouraging smile. He's never bothered about not being picked as a volunteer, he's not as driven as her in that regard but she still likes him the same. The high-five, the loud clap echoing in the now empty training hall.
"Are you ready?" He tells her, with no worry on his face whatsoever, which she finds encouraging. "Have you scoped out the competition yet?"
"Yeah, I saw him earlier." She says packing a few of the items she had used away. "I wished him luck."
She doesn't have many thoughts on the male volunteer just yet. All she knows is that he is the best of the best amongst the male trainees, and maybe best overall. She just takes that in her stride using it to propel her drive forward. If she can beat him then she proves to everyone who doubts her.
"Let's go home then." He tells her, but she only shakes her head, clearing the training mat of the cotton remains of the training dummy.
"I know I hate sparring, and it's such a risk being so close to the Games, but-"
"But you have somehow convinced some eighteen-year-old trainee to fight you?" He finishes her sentence without a modicum of shock in his voice.
"Not one but three!" She grins and all Dele can do is roll his eyes.
"Of course you did." He sighs just as the training hall doors slide open to reveal three of the top girls in the academy.
"It's good practice." She shrugs at Dele, the smirks at the girls approaching her.
They approach her with raised eyebrows. The top three girls, Valentina, Mariana and Hortensia have all been hopefuls for the Games, but for some reason, they didn't get picked, and since that decision, they have jeered and chided Ancartha. She is about to show them why they had picked her over them.
"Ancartha, darling, parading your greatness once again?" Mariana says with a taunting grin. "I've only seen you from far away and now that I'm closer, yeah, I see that you're smaller than I thought."
Ancartha narrows her eyes as Mariana continues to talk down to her. She can see Dele from the corner of her eyes back away slowly, making his way to the stands that line the sides of the hall and sitting down to watch the impending fight begin. Instead of retorting, Ancartha looks away picking at the dirt in her nails.
"So are we going to do this? Or are you just going to laugh at me?" Ancartha says not even looking at Mariana, hoping the taunt would work, and by the looks of it she can see the girl's hands scrunch into fists.
"You asked for it." The older girl grunts.
The three girls spring into action picking their weapons. Ancartha goes to pick up her mace and shield too as they stand opposite each other. Three versus one is hardly fair, but as she stated earlier, it is good practice for when she is faced with this situation in the arena.
"If your bid for victor is dashed because of me then I'll gladly take your spot," Mariana says the last taunt.
"Highly unlikely." Ancartha just grins devilishly.
The older girl begins her onslaught, sword in hand she rushes for Ancartha. She takes time to assess her situation, looking at the other two girls, before using her shield to smash the sword away. Mariana loses her footing from the shock of Ancartha's shield, and just barely dodges the mace that was coming for her head.
The younger girl was going to follow it up with another hit of her mace but the heavier weapon collides with Valentina's own sword. She backs away raising her shield and mace to the side. "I can take you all on!" She says confidently.
She smiles but soon frowns when she feels a sharp kick from Hortensia. She looks at her as she stumbles back, no weapon in hand. She glares daggers at her before rushing towards her, using her shield and rams into Hortensia as hard as she can knocking her over.
Ancartha looks at the girl groaning on the ground, a sense of pride wells up in her. She can hear the clapping from Dele. She turns away from him, she doesn't have the time to spare as she focuses on Valentina. Ancartha swings her shield arm with all her might, flying off it as she hurtles it towards the girl. The girl tried to block with her sword colliding with the shield sending both her and the sword flying backwards onto the training mat.
"Two down." She says to herself as she picks up the pace towards Mariana.
She can see the girl standing up from her early tumble. She does not look particularly happy as she eyes her friends. Ancartha can see her gritted teeth even from such a distance as the girl slowly walks toward her. She can see the vice grip on the sword she is holding, and she knows that this girl is pissed.
"Just you and me." Ancartha says to her, a smile on her face. "Thanks for the practice."
Enraged. The older girl charges toward Ancartha once again, sword raised above her head ready to slash downwards with all her might. The younger girl blocks with her mace, sparks flying slightly as it collides with metallic sounds resounding in their ears, the vibrations shaking their arms.
Mariana seems to gain the underhand as she bares down on Ancartha. The younger girl begins to think fast as she sweeps her leg under Mariana. The girl falls, losing her footing as she collapses on top of Ancartha in a heap. She tries to get up quickly and is about to smash the mace down on the girl when she hears a shout from the entrance of the hall.
"Ancartha that is enough!" The girl stops her tracks, mace hanging just inches away from Mariana's face.
Adrestia Stark and Brasidas Clovenstone stand just outside of the training hall. She can't see from here but she knows that Adrestia stark looks at her angrily. She can hear her footsteps come closer and the very same angry face comes into full view as she places her hands on her hips.
"You will go home right now and relax." She says to her snatching the mace with such force. "You have a big day tomorrow after all."
She's not wrong in that regard. It is a big day tomorrow. Dele appears beside her almost instantly taking her away from the mess she had made. She can still feel the adrenaline in her arms though, the fight kind of exhilarating to her. The tingling did not end in her arms.
She knows now that she is ready for whatever is coming.
Adrastea Belisama, District Four Female, Eighteen
The ebb and flow of the waves are calming; winding down after the day's activities. The ocean blues turn into magnificent golds from the sun. The soothing waters comforted the district helping them ready for another good night's rest. The warmth ever-present, the sun continuing to make herself known before saying goodbye, kissing everyone's skin from a good day's work, before she herself goes to sleep.
She sighs looking towards the golden sun as it approaches the water, the orange and yellow intensifying the ocean. Her feet dig on the sandy beach, her hands relaxed on the warm sand. It's hard to believe that within the next couple of weeks she would be back here, victorious from the Hunger Games.
Adrastea Belisama closes her eyes, soaking up the last remaining drops of sun. She can feel the waves lap at her feet, soothing whatever fears she has and calming the nerves she didn't really know she had. This is one of those few moments of relaxation that she allows herself. The hectic lifestyle she lives never truly lets her have days such as these.
The Reapings are tomorrow which is both an exciting and scary concept for her. The last four years have finally culminated to that day. The relentless training, the countless fights, bruises and cuts that would heal over time, everything. It would have been all worth it when she raises her hands to volunteer, and then raise them again when she wins.
This is her last chance to make something of herself and Panem she would try her damnedest to win, not only for herself but for her brother. Adrastea held within her a promise. One that she had made four years ago when her brother was on his deathbed. She holds onto the sand in her hand watching it slip away from her, in a bizarre way it reminds her of her brother.
Brey is just one of the many people that percolate her thoughts, swimming freely in her mind. His voice, his laughter, his coughs, his groans. She closes her eyes harder, fighting off tears. She doesn't want to think about his last few days, it's too painful.
She just takes a deep breath. She wants to remember the fun they had. How excited he was for the Hunger Games every year, how much he idolised everyone that went to Triton Academy, and how much he said that he would go there at the earliest convenience.
Adrastea just laughed at him, he was too scrawny back then when he had dreams like that. She said that she would go too and just stalk him, and that's when he said that she should train for herself. She took him up on that offer.
Triton Academy had been good to her. The first year was tough, having to learn social skills, as well as vocational skills in the district, was harder than she could have imagined. She persevered though, her brother would have wanted her to continue.
It's funny to think that his brother would have been sixteen by now, still training for the Games. She had this idea in her head for when she becomes a victor. She would mentor Brey and they would succeed because she knows he's a worker. They would become the first sibling victors and would become ultimately popular.
It was truly the dream that she had envisioned for themselves, however, that was all it was, a dream. Death is a ruthless being. Taking those that are not ready to leave, taking away their thoughts, ideas, beliefs and dreams. She is a cruel mistress.
When Brey died it catapulted her drive to win. Training day and night, fighting in bars to put her training to good use. She drops most of her vocational classes by the time she turned seventeen to focus solely on the games. Something that did not impress the victor, Triton Strombus.
She didn't care.
She owed everything to Triton Academy, true, but she understands that the academy doesn't have as much an intense programme as those from district One and Two. She has seen the victors from those districts in the last couple of years. Sibyl Hawkes and Brasidas Clovenstone are trained killers, and in a twisted way, she wanted that.
The culture had warped her mind gearing her from trying to win to doing anything she can to win. It's her life, she has a choice to live it how she wants. If it means achieving the dream her brother had wanted then it would have been worth it.
This is where her story takes a turn. She knows that the training regiment that the academy offers is not enough to satisfy her. Adrastea, therefore, had taken it upon herself to apply her training to practical fights; in the form of bar fights.
The local seaside bar, The Hove, was the perfect bar to do it. Nondescript, away from the centre of the district and from the prying eyes of certain peacekeepers and victors alike. The dilapidated bar is just the right place to do something crazy and stupid, and to put years of training into practicality.
A sigh leaves her lips as she fidgets with her sand-covered fingers.
The bar has trained her in different ways than that of Triton. She learned how to dodge close-range punches; things being thrown at her; the general chaotic mess. The bar had trained her in a way, but it had also become her undoing.
She dusts off the sand against her training clothes.
Her life had changed for the worst in that bar. Brack Borden. His eyes still stare at her as she watches it fade from the gorgeous blue full of life to a pale blue devoid of it. She winces at the sudden memory appearing, taking a deep breath and exhaling out.
It had been an accident, the fight that she had started. She had started fights before and no one had ever been killed from it. To Adrastea, it has been another day, another training lesson. She did not know that it would result in her questioning her very existence.
It had shaken her to the core, now suddenly debating her life choices. She didn't like the feeling of watching someone's life slip away from her, especially if it's directly to do with her. She did not mean to push him hard enough that he hits a corner of the table with such force.
The blood swims around his head as he takes panicked breaths. She rushes over just as Brack takes his last breath. It reminded her so much of her brother, and at that moment she could not distinguish who is who as she weeps.
It was then that she had this sudden realisation, an epiphany. She doesn't want to kill, ironic she knows, but the very thought of it has irked her. She doesn't want to see the glazing of their eyes, the blood leaving their body, the pain she will have to cause.
However, she's in too deep. She had done all of this training, had campaigned to the victors and the trainers of Triton that she would be the best candidate of this year to enter the Games. It was obvious at the time that she was the best student they had ever had.
"There you are." She looks to the side, the afternoon shade colouring the man's white uniform a different shade of orange and yellow. Vaidrius stands just beside her, helmet in his hand. "My shift just finished, do you ante to heads to The Hove?"
"Nah." She says staring back towards the ocean, admiring the seabirds as they descend into the water, so free of obligations.
"Why not?" He asks, curious firstly but then slightly apprehensive the more she thought about it, she can hear him take a few steps towards her.
Vaidrius Croz had been one of those people thy Adrastea would call 'friends'. That would have been a year or so ago now, after the death of Brack. Now he's just some Peacekeeper that would not leave her alone, stuck with him until her dying days. She knows that he should be thankful for what he has done for her, disposing of Brack's body.
She is eternally grateful for it, but she knows it's not going to end there. The bar brawls became more frequent, inures became more severe. Betting had found its way there too, many sleazy people come from all over the district to come and see the fights, putting bets on who would fall first.
She had become very aware that Vaidrius was using her for monetary gains. It was then that Adrastea had begun to distance herself from the situation, and the bar altogether. However, she was never really free of him. She knows that Vaidrius has this thing hanging over her.
She couldn't really say no before. She couldn't hide so easily from him. She didn't want to be exposed as a murderer because that is who she is now. She is trapped, and the worst thing is she knows it fully. She does not know if that makes it worst, knowing.
Escaping to the Hunger Games would be the only way now, and she is definitely not going to use that as a reason to volunteer for it. She would not give him that much satisfaction. She looks back towards the taller man as he begins to speak.
"Don't you want to put in that last extra practice before you volunteer?" He says, sickly sweet, a faux concern in his voice.
"I think I'm fine." She says looking back towards the open sea once again.
"Suit yourself." He shrugs. "But if you change your mind-."
"I know where you'll be."
Amorette Lokiran, District Twelve Female, Eighteen
"From the top!"
The various sighs and groans echo around the music room. Everyone picked their instruments back up as they ready themselves for another round of playing their instruments. It's never going to be good enough, and in all honesty, it's never going to matter. However, for some reason, this is important for Twelve to have some form of a musical orchestra made by the top school in the district.
The sun is fast approaching its bed. Ready to go to sleep, and by the looks of some of the students in the room, so are they. The white room is displayed in an array of reds and oranges, the brass instruments glinting off some of that ray.
Amorette Lokiran does not say anything. Instead gripping the flute in her hand tightly. She had been at this practice for maybe three hours now. School has long finished and everyone that is not part of this musical nightmare has gone home, readying themselves for the Reapings.
She's stuck here and if the teacher paid any attention to her death glares she would be unstuck. She looks at the wall clock once more, ignoring the teacher as she taps her conductor's wand, no one making a move to ready their instruments.
Amorette just sighs as the teacher taps it again against the music stand. She puts the flute to her lips readying to play. They start off great as the music flows, playing some rendition of music not known to most people her age. She follows the notes on the music sheet as they play the song, somehow doing well for one second and then petering out after the second page.
That's when the teacher stops them again, shaking her head. She pinches the bridge of the nose as she takes a sharp inhale of annoyance. "We're probably tired, so why don't we stop there."
A united sigh of relief leaves everyone's mouths as they begin to pack their instruments with such haste. Those with the easier instruments practically fly off their seats, not even saying goodbye to the teacher or their friends running out of the room.
Amorette places her flute in the small case, the red velvet inside protecting it at all cost. A gift for her tenth birthday from her distant parents. Distant in the sense that they're never around more than half the year in Twelve. She takes it by the handle and is about to leave when one of the girls in the band stops her.
"I think you were very flat this time around." Ashleigh Cordova says her own flute case in hand. "Maybe you should work on that tonight."
"Yeah, maybe, or maybe you should mind your own business unless you want your secrets spilt." She counters without even giving the girl eye contact. "You know about that one crush you have on-"
"Trust you to wave threats." She cuts Amorette off, clearly flustered from the situation that they both could hear other people snicker at her. "I don't know how you got the first chair over me."
"It's because I have connections." She looks her dead in the eye this time. "I know everything and anything about people, you know that better than anyone."
"Hmph!" Is all she can muster as she folds her arms, looking away. "I told you all of those in confidence."
"Secrets you gave me for a love potion? Remember that?" She smiles standing up from the chair and walking past her. "We wouldn't be in this predicament if you didn't need my help in the first place."
She doesn't wait for any more retorts from Ashleigh. She's a nobody to her, just some competition that she had beat many years ago. She doesn't even look her in the eye most of the time, being bored of that voice and face already.
Nothing is stopping her this time. Her feet took her through the cracked cobbled streets of the Merchant Quarters of Twelve. The eerie afternoon air greets her and walks beside her as she makes her way her home. The buildings around this area are extravagant despite being in Twelve.
She passes the Justice Building. Stage all ready for the Reapings tomorrow. Banners are everywhere and cameras are stationed already. Peacekeepers surround the area ready to apprehend anyone that so even touches the grounds. She looks away, her house isn't long now.
When she makes it to the large sleek doors of the house, she tries to unlock it with the keys but notices that the door is not locked. It could mean one of two things. There is a thief in her home, which would not be the first time, or worse…
She opens the door to find bags and suitcases in the foyer of her home. It was the second option and she tries her best to suppress the low groan that was threatening to leave her body. She places the flute case on the counter beside the door.
"Amora? Is that you?" She can hear her father's voice but she doesn't say anything back instead trying her best to make it to the staircase, and when she crosses over to the other side, her father appears from the lounge. "Amora! Sweet Doveling."
She stops her tracks and resigns herself to being hugged by her father and then joined by her mother also. She doesn't hug them back, instead rolling her eyes as she looks at them both. She pushes away from the hug as soon as a few minutes pass.
"We're going to have dinner soon, will you join us?" He asks her, pleadingly. "I have many stories about the Capitol to tell you."
"No thanks." She says to him as she begins to climb the stairs. "I had something to eat earlier."
A lie she didn't have to tell as she makes her way to her room. She takes off her school attire and puts on something more business-like, something comfortable to her. She fixes her hair up the way as she leaves everything by her bed. She doesn't spend long in her room as she makes her way back down the stairs, the bags have been cleared, probably by the live-in maid or butler. Her father is nowhere to be seen as she slips out of the great doors and into the district.
She makes her way back to the centre of Twelve, to a little shop nestled in between two shops: a bakery and a bookshop. She loves the whole aesthetic for it. Her little sign hang above the door. She got it as another birthday present from her parents, was it for her seventeenth? She doesn't really remember.
Her father had been more of a benefactor than an actual father, the same goes for her mother. Amora doesn't see them as her real parents, not anymore anyway as she's grown up without them. She had to adapt to a life without her parents.
She briskly walks over to her store, she notices the small line that has formed in her absence, as well as her two friends waiting outside, ready to help her out. Girls of all ages stand just outside the door, some arguing and others just trying to understand why the shop is not open yet.
Carol and Diana, her best friends, did not have the answer for them and when they see her approaching they quickly rush over to her. "Where have you been?"
"Band practice." She says and they wince. "Also my parents are home."
"What?" Diana says. "That's strange, right?"
"Right." Carol agrees, and then she turns around to the angry patrons of the shop. "We should start dispersing the crowds before we get in trouble."
"Yeah." Amora nods her head agreeing with her friend, noticing that she blushes.
She takes a deep breath, putting her shoulder back and plastering on a winning smile as she confidently walks towards her store. She dazzles everyone that she sees, the few boys lining up shy away from her grace as she unlocks her shop.
"I was beginning to think you weren't coming today." Cried the first girl in the line. "With the Reapings being tomorrow, I might get picked and I need a love potion to make a boy fall in love with me."
She eyes this girl, looking so desperately at Amora. She just smirks as she twists the key to unlock the door. She pushes it open hearing that familiar ringing of the bell when the door opens. A mixture of sweet flowery smells and incense hit her nose as she walks inside.
She is followed by her friends and then her patrons all rush in trying their best to talk to her all at once. She doesn't speak to any of them, not yet anyway, as she flips the sign from closed to open. The Amorette Shop of Potions and Trinkets is open for business.
Reading about it from a book so long ago, another present that her parents had given her, probably, potions are these magical liquids that can grant the drinker anything. Do you want someone to fall in love with you? Love potion. Do you want to be full of confidence? Courage potion. It is versatile and Amora had found that people, especially those her age, believe in these things.
Her friends help fun the shop floor and she does consultations in the back. People pay all sorts of money to have her recommendations, but money is not what Amora is after. She has plenty of money, her father is a successful Capitol coach after all.
What Amora values more than money is secrets.
She revels in knowing everything and anything about anyone. She loves the idea of knowing information that most people don't know. She likes dangling it in front of them too. It keeps her protected in a way. She turns to the first girl waiting in line.
"Well, I hope you're ready." She says to her. "I found some wild roses this morning that would make a stronger love potion."
"Really?" Her wide doe-eyed face looks up to Amora and the older girl just smiles.
"Really."
She says putting a gentle hand behind her back as she drives her through the shop. She watches every one of her other customers peruse the shop, waiting for their own consultations. Diana and Carol man the register for people bugging stray stones and pre-made potions. She turns her attention back to the girl.
"Now tell me, who is this boy? I want to know everything."
Juniper Cassidy, District Eleven Female, Fifteen
The last few rays of the sun touch the leaves of the orchard trees, the fields of various vegetables, the houses and their occupants. The oranges, yellows and reds spread across the sky like a beautiful oil painting. The warmth remains, it's never cold in Eleven, the humidity is what it's known for after all.
The sun is off to bed, waving at everyone with its rays, wishing them all a good rest after a hard day's work. Its warmth gives a gentle hug to each citizen, young or old. You can't escape the sun and for Eleven they have grown accustomed to it.
Everybody is heading home from the orchards and fields, the sweat off their back long dried out, their exhaustion evident and yet most retain this happy nature about them. Talking, cheering at each other, a joyous occasion finishing work and going home to their families.
Juniper Cassidy kicks a stray rock on the firth path to her home. She doesn't scorn the happy people that she passes by or those that attempt to talk to her. She's not the type to speak to people other than her family, not really.
She shoves dirt-covered hands into her trousers as she continues to work down the dirt path from her place of work. A small field that is owned by a modestly rich individual in the centre of the district. It's not much money, but it helps.
She wishes she can work forever, no stopping just she can even amass some wealth to pay her parents back. Money is tight, it's always tight in this district, but to the Cassidy family, they struggle most days. Juniper is family orientated. She doesn't want all the problems just for her father and mother to work through.
She is as involved as they are, acting like the third parent almost. She is independent in nature, taking the initiative to leave school early so that she can start working. Dropping out of school at the age of ten, Juniper has been working the fields for five years now, pulling out weeds that threaten the growing vegetables.
Her poor family has been wrought by grief over losing a child, a daughter, and her sister. Juniper thinks the world of her family, the nicest that she's ever met, and she curses the world about how cruel they are to them. The afternoon light blinds her eyes momentarily and as she opens them again she can see her home.
The old dilapidated and dishevelled home has worn away from the weather and stands at one of the edges of Eleven. It's quiet and they have few neighbours. It works for them and she likes it like that. She spots her mother sitting on her rocking chair, a gentle smile on her face, waiting for her children to come home every afternoon.
"Juniper." She acknowledges her daughter with a wide embrace, she can feel the kindness radiating from the woman so easily, like the sun and its warmth. "How was work, my sweet?"
"Good." That's all she can muster, wincing at another potential lecture about how her line of work is breaking her back, which it is but she's not going to admit that; to her surprise, it doesn't come at all, instead, she just hugs her again.
Her mother pulls away from the hug first, placing two hands on either side of Juniper's cheeks, gentle and soft despite years and years of hard work. She feels her mother's soft kiss on her forehead. She feels the radiating niceness of it all, and instead of smiling all she can do is frown, for some reason, it's making her sad having all this attention from her mother.
"Well, dinner should be ready soon." She continues, Juniper scans her mother's face to see if she notices her sudden frown, if she did she never mentions it. She smiles at Juniper once more, all motherly and ethereal. "We're just waiting for your brother to come back from work."
"Should I go and get him?" She suggests looking at the sky, the darkness fast approaching, slightly pulling away from her mother. "You know what Sumac is like, he gets distracted easily."
Her brother truly does get distracted easily. A gentle giant is what she would describe him. Where he would be happy to help anyone out, Juniper is the opposite looking at people with slight disdain. Knowing him, he's probably helped a few of the older ladies in the district with carrying something back to the centre.
He's got himself this good-paying job on the other side of the district. It's a long commute to work which he undertakes by himself most of the time. It was a more prominent field and orchard, and he is well-liked by everyone there, or so he says between the yawns at dinner.
She knows, without a doubt, that Sumac is the one that would go places, and be a high achiever. Her parents know this too but they're just too scared to say it, so as to not upset the other children. "Well, I should get going before it gets really dark."
"Take your sister with you." Before she can protest her mother is already shouting Sunflower's name and as if on cue the smaller girl pops out from a rickety door. "Sunny, dear, accompany your sister to go and get your brother in the centre."
"Come on then." Juniper sighs when Sunny looks at her with pleading eyes.
Family has always been important to Juniper. If there is ever a choice between them and someone else, then she would pick them one hundred per cent of the time. There is no doubt about that. She will go as to pick them over her own life too.
They fall into a nice rhythm along the dusty path being bathed by the last of the warm sun's rays. Sunny starts to talk about her day and it makes Juniper happy seeing her sister so animated. She looks at her, a working girl much like her, growing up to be such a respectable woman, not unlike her.
Juniper has always been critical of herself. It's like she does not care much for herself, and she will argue with them. She views herself negatively, using all the kindness she can muster on her sisters and brother, her family. Juniper is the black sheep of the family. She doesn't have any prospects in life. Her only job is to protect those she loves.
Some people would say that it's not a bad dream at all, but Juniper would think that this is the least she can do. She had lost someone once before and she will never let that happen again. It happened so long ago but the memory is fresh in her mind.
Violet.
"Are you even listening?" Sunny says as the dusty path steadies into concrete, continuing their journey towards the centre of the district. "I said that I was the best out of everyone today."
"Well, I know for sure that you are." She acknowledges Sunny's handwork with a pat on the back.
As they reach the centre, passing the Justice Building, seeing the stage, she looks away. She's trying to figure out what her brother would be doing right now. If she knew him well, which she did, then he would be finished his work, after working overtime, and then going to spend that extra money to buy something delicious.
She takes Sunny's hand making their way to the bakery. It became a tradition among the Cassidy siblings when Juniper reached Reapings age. Every year they would splurge on nice bread, even though it would be stale after being out all day in the bakery, it didn't matter.
They love this particular bakery because it was worth all the money. Sunny looks over the window and true enough they see Sumac passing over the money and getting the bread, wrapped in brown paper. The scent of bread is still in the air, and she can hear Sunny gasp as she figures out what was happening.
"Poppy seed bread?" She looks at Juniper and she just smiles at her younger sister.
She can feel her stomach grumbling at the sound of good bread right now. One that goes well with soup or butter. Suddenly conscious that she had not had anything to eat since yesterday she could not wait for the meal to come tonight.
He looks through the window, he was surprised at first but he just waves, along with the friendly baker before he steps out. He grins at them both as Sunny takes the brown paper-wrapped bread out of his hands. Juniper and Sunny look at the wrapped bread, she's hungry now.
"They gave me a bigger loaf this time." He says to them. "He says he likes tradition, and he charged me half the price, despite my protests."
"That was nice of him," Juniper says as they begin their long walk back to the house.
"What are you two doing here anyway?" He laughs when Sunny goes to hug him her thanks.
" We thought you might have lost your way home." Juniper jokes beside her brother, he looks exhausted but he would never say it outright.
"I could never leave you guys." He says with a chuckle. "You would find me and then kill me if I did."
"You got that right."
The only joy in her life is her family and she will stop at nothing to protect them.
A/N - An update? Yes! The second to last introduction is here, finally! It took me a while to plan it, mainly because it's been a struggle. I hope the next intro chapter takes less time to create and plan (lol)
A big thank you tho to Nautics for Ancartha; firedawn'd for Adrastea; runewhisperer for Amorette; and TheRaichuinRavencalw for Juniper
The last couple of days, when I have been writing and planning this chapter, I listened to non-stop musical tunes. My top picks are:
Masquerade from The Phantom of the Opera
Getting Married Today from Company
I'm Here from The Color Purple
She Used to Be Mine from Waitress
They're great and you should listen to them.
Cheers!
~Alec
