Chapter 9- Dexsia Greentree
Outside the train, the day is slowly turning into night as we zoom away towards the Capitol. I watch out the window in a dream state; I've never been on a train before. My thoughts turn back to saying goodbye to my family, only a few hours ago.
My parents had come first, beaming and chatting loudly. "We're so proud of you!" Mother said, hugging me.
"No tears now," Father had said, chucking me underneath the chin. "We expect to see you back here a victor!"
"I'll be back, you'll see!" We weren't sad to part, because we all know I'm coming back. Still, it hurt a little seeing them go. I've never been away from home before.
Gallus had come after them, sitting quietly next to me. "Be careful in the arena, Dexsia. I wish you hadn't volunteered," he said.
"Don't worry about me! I'll be back before you know it, and you can watch me on the screen as always."
Gallus hugged me then, for the first time in ages. "Then be safe and see you soon."
And he was gone. Lucretia never came to say goodbye, which is excellent. Nobody else came either.
I'm brought back to the present by someone sitting down beside me.
"Well done, Dexsia," Aulus says, smiling. I smile back, turning my attention from the window.
"I did alright, then?" I ask.
"Quickest girl in the crowd. Come on, let's go talk to Titia; she's dying to get to know you. A warning, though: she might come off a little too enthusiastic."
As we walk along the corridor towards wherever we're going, I ask Aulus, "Are you going to be my mentor, then?"
"I called you ten years ago. Nobody else had a chance," Aulus says, smiling.
I've known Aulus ever since I can remember; as a little kid I would see him up on the stage at reapings. He was almost like a god to me then; he could do what almost nobody could do- win. He was our victor. Then when I was eight, a bunch of us kids competed to be trained by him. Out of ten or twelve kids, he chose me.
Right now, I'm trying to peg how old he is; he must be in his early forties if he won the Games twenty-three years ago. He's still in excellent shape for having won years ago. Must be the training he does with us. I know he has some other kids he trains who are younger than me, but I think I'm his favorite.
"So, who's the other mentor?" I ask.
"Remember Victoria Fieldman?"
"Is she that really tall girl who won a few years ago?"
"Yep, that's the one. She's the boy's mentor. The others took the year off."
As Aulus finishes speaking, he turns a door knob at the end of the hall and ushers me through it. I can't get over how beautiful this train is; elaborate carpets, gorgeous wallpaper. And on the other side of the door is food.
The main table has been laid with four plates, and in the middle is the most delicious food I've ever seen in my life. Cossus, the other tribute, is already sitting down, but when Aulus and I enter, Titia gets up and rushes towards us.
Her hair is even more amazing up close; the ship pinned to it is so delicate and detailed. "Aulus has told me all about you! It's so nice to see an eager tribute!" she says, hugging me tightly. She leans back and pinches my cheeks, which hurts but I don't want to hurt her feelings by saying so.
"And what a beautiful dress!" she says, looking me up and down.
"Thank you! My mother bought it for me!" I say, swishing the hem back and forth.
"Well, why don't you sit down to some food and we can become acquainted before we watch the recap?" Titia says, taking my arm and half leads, half marches me to a chair beside Cossus. As I sit down, I catch Aulus' eye and he winks at me again.
As I pick up a piece of chicken, a really tall woman walks in and greets us all.
"Hello, Victoria! I thought you might not be joining us!" Titia says, gesturing to an empty seat.
"And miss this food? You don't know me at all, Titia," Victoria says as she sits.
I place Victoria as being early twenties, which makes sense since she only won a few years ago. She's tall, taller than anyone here, and very athletic. Today she has her dark, heavy hair pulled back, and it suits her.
"So, you're my tribute, are you?" she says, pointing a fork at Cossus. He nods. "So what made you volunteer?"
"My mom's sick at home, and if I win the Games then I have a shot at getting her medicine and proper food," Cossus says. Victoria raises her eyebrow.
"Well, aren't you going to be an easy one to sell to the sponsors. They'll just lap the story up. How old are you anyway?"
"Fifteen."
"Well you have a chance then. Anyone knows the kids under fourteen aren't going to come back," Victoria says, putting a forkful of food in her mouth.
"And I know you; you're Aulus' favorite," she says to me next. "Eighteen I'm guessing, since that's how old Aulus takes his tributes to the Capitol."
"I'm eighteen, yes."
"You've got a shot at the crown too, then. No offense, kid," she says offhandedly to Cossus. "The District 2s are always the strongest and the most prepared. You've got a better shot at the crown than almost anyone else."
There's silence for a little bit while everyone eats and thinks.
Aulus speaks up, "Let me tell you what's going to happen once we get to the Capitol. You're going to meet your prep team whose job it is to make you good looking. Do what they tell you to do, and you'll be fine. Tomorrow night, if you haven't been watching the Games since you were kids, you'll know that it's the parade. Got it?"
"I read you loud and clear," I say. This is all so exciting, and the food is so good.
After supper, Aulus, Victoria, and Titia all lead Cossus and I into this gorgeous living room with a couch full of cushions, and a large television on the wall. This train is the most beautiful and luxurious place I've ever been in.
"Let's see the competition," Cossus says, and I settle back to watch this year's reapings.
First up from District 1 are two blonde tributes, seventeen and eighteen; both of them volunteers. The boy's name is Velvet and the girl's is Treasure. I choke down a laugh at that.
"Aren't the District 1's names idiotic? They get more ridiculous every year," Aulus says, and then I do laugh. Even Cossus, who so far has been pretty serious, lets out a chuckle.
"Get used to those names; those are going to be your allies," Victoria says. "The District 1s, 2s, and 4s team up every year; but of course, you two know that."
Then it's the recap of our reapings. I look really good volunteering, and genuinely happy to be there. Aulus grabs my arm and raises it in the air.
"That's the look of a victor, girl!" he says. Cossus gives us a side eye then turns back to the screen.
From 3 there's a weak looking boy who's no competition at all, and an absolutely gorgeous twelve-year-old with blonde hair. According to the screen, she's called Summer.
"Well," Titia says, marking the names and ages down in a notebook she's pulled out of nowhere, "Isn't she the most darling thing you've ever seen?"
Our second pair of allies from 4 are a shorter boy who's fourteen, and a taller girl with a very angled face who's seventeen. Titia marks them down as Mica and Calypso.
From 5 there's two eighteen-year olds; a dangerous looking boy and a tough looking girl. Aulus whistles through his teeth. "Depending on what they can do, might be worthwhile seeing if you can ally with them, too."
"Those two look like tough competiton," Victoria says, curling up on the couch further. "You two will be fine though. You can take them any day, if what Aulus says is true."
"Dexsia is the best trainee with a sword I've seen in years," Aulus says proudly, and I can't help but grin.
From District 6 there's a more unusual reaping. Titia squeals and taps her feet on the floor. "Those two are siblings! What bad luck for them, but that will make a wonderful show!" she says, scribbling faster.
I haven't heard of siblings in the Games before, but I'm sure it's happened sometime. The older of them is the boy tribute, who's sixteen, and the younger is the girl who's fourteen. Both of them have the same black hair and alarmed eyes. I feel some pity for them, but I forget about it with the next tributes. I'm so very interested in learning who our competition is.
"Well he's not going to be the victor, look at him!" Aulus says about the short thirteen-year old from 7. The girl is more memorable, with a head of red curls.
"But look at that hair! There's no hiding that in the arena," Victoria says about the girl, Cedar.
From 8 there's a tall handsome seventeen-year old boy with darker skin, and a somewhat plain sixteen-year old girl, Terra, with the same darker skin and brown curly hair.
"Lots of older tributes this year," Victoria comments.
"Should be interesting," Aulus says casually.
From 9 there's a volunteer, which surprises me, and a little twelve-year old girl who cries onstage. Titia lets out a sigh.
"Poor little mite, isn't she tiny?" she says. Then she turns back to her book and scribbles some more when the tributes from 10 are reaped; a skinny yet fit boy, and a strong and plain looking girl.
"She's no beauty, is she?" Titia says. "Her stylist will have a time with her."
From District 11 there's a fourteen-year old boy who's not the healthiest looking, and a girl with long black hair and dark skin who volunteers.
"Quite a few volunteers this year," Aulus remarks.
Finally, there's a really strong looking eighteen-year old boy and a little thirteen-year old girl from District 12. Then the anthem comes on and the television blinks out.
"Well, I'd say you have your work cut out for you," Aulus says, stretching. "Get some sleep for now; we'll be in the Capitol first thing in the morning."
As if on cue, two girls in red silently appear, eyes down and hands clasped.
"They'll take you to your rooms. Goodnight!" Titia says. Cossus and I get up, bidding farewell to the three of them, and each follow one of the maids to our rooms.
"Well, goodnight," Cossus says finally.
"Goodnight," I say, standing in front of the door that's slid open in front of me. Then we both hurry into our rooms, the doors sliding shut behind us.
After seeing my competition, it finally registers what it really means. Twenty-four tributes go in, one comes out.
I have to be that victor.