Careen Ellis
There were so many reasons to marry Aiden. The first was that I loved him. Especially after the Arena, I never wanted to lose him. He deserved a better life than working night and day on his boat, and I was glad to be the rich princess to his Cinderella. And then there was the hidden underbelly of the Victor world, which I'd avoid if I was married.
We married on the beach at sunset. It was already perfect, so decorations weren't necessary. Aiden and I gathered wildflowers to line the walkway and arch and I wore a gauzy chiffon dress lined with pearls as blue as the water behind us. We didn't want everyone in the Capitol inviting themselves along, so we planned the whole thing practically overnight and kept the numbers down. Some of my friends from my trips to the Academy came, and most of the Victors. And my family, of course. I couldn't have imagined a more perfect or romantic first kiss.
Naturally, the Victor's Village in Four is on an private island, with access to the sea on all sides. It has a private beach and cliffs perfect for more adventurous divers. I thought Aiden might be too proud to quit his job and live in luxury with me, but that wasn't a problem. I bought us a beautiful glass-bottomed sailboat for our trips to the mainland or our midnight pleasure cruises.
It was strange having no challenges for once. Sometimes I made new ones up, like diving contests with Mags or a project to introduce more wilderness survival classes into the Academy. The staff there wasn't into it. Partly they were mad at me for winning even though I didn't attend classes every day, and partly they were too proud to admit survival was important in a deathmatch.
Sometimes I was just happy to sit on the beach and practice my talent. I'd already gotten good at scrimshaw before I left. Volunteers often prepared their talents in advance. We tended to be a confident lot. My first collection was twenty-four pieces featuring each of the Tributes in my Games. I carved them as they were in the Games Center, before we all changed in the Arena. After seeing the replay, I was better able to capture their essences. I carved Diggory with his escort, and Theo's showed him petting a dog. There were insane bidding wars when they went up for sale. To no one's surprise, Titus netted the most money. I gave my portion to a children's hospital. Even if I wasn't rich, I didn't want to get rich that way.
Aiden and I definitely weren't going to start a family right away, since I was only eighteen, but I wasn't sure about the future. I wasn't scared my children would get Reaped so much as I was scared they'd be just like me. A reckless little girl itching to go into the Arena could have ended so much worse. I was ready to be done with the Games. Some Careers, like Estrella, only seem happy for the few weeks every year they get to be part of it all again. I was glad I got to undertake the ultimate challenge and come home victorious, but once was enough. I'd done enough fighting, lost enough friends, and definitely seen enough rock. It was enough for me to lie on the beach with Aiden and watch the tide roll in.
The Capitol Tattler
Scandal in Four: Careen's Secret Ceremony
All the Capitol is in an uproar over recent Victor Careen Ellis' runaway wedding. We expect that after all we've given the Victors, they'll let us handle the parties or at least consult us for our expertise. Sources in Four only became aware of the nature of Ms. Ellis' party after the ceremonies were over. Other than a few hastily snapped images of the afterparty, we have no record of the young Victor's day in white. If Careen wasn't Panem's sweetheart, the penalties may have been harsher than a round of gossip and strong disapproval. Sources in Four are working to gain a quote from Careen and we hope she will consent to at least model the dress for a photoshoot and widespread sale.
I hope I don't seem overly harsh. I do love a wedding. I just love them better when I'm invited.
Roving Capitol Reporter Felicia Trice
And so ends another SYOT. I've only had three Career Victors, so that's a nice addition. Also Careen's just nice. She's probably the least affected of all my Victors so far, so that's nice for her. It's not often a Happily Ever After happens in a Hunger Games story.
I'll get the All-Stars starter page up straight away. Go ahead and send in submissions whenever. If you've never submitted before and still want to participate, you can send in an original character.