They put me in a room with a long velvet couch. I looked around and I felt the panic kick in. What was I thinking? I'm not going to win, I'm going to die. They put me in here to give my families a last goodbye. What was she thinking? She barley completed eight years of the academy. Her only defense will be me. She can't even lift a sword not to mention swing one. Her aim is terrible. Her only chance is the fact she can outsmart me in any way. She has no chance, unless I defend her. I'll keep her alive, she'll come home a victor. She'll live.
I heard the door slam. "What the hell were you thinking! You're going to die! You're only fifteen!" I stood up.
"Nobody else would keep Maya alive!" Kay just stood there as I got to my feet and faced him.
"You must really love her." He voice went down a few tones and I knew he was being serious. I just stared at him. My brother wasn't weak; he just got distracted. I felt the tears well up in my eyes but I choked them down. I hugged him and I felt him hesitate before hugging me back.
"Your not going to let yourself come home are you?" I shook my head. Kay let go and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. I heard an argument begin outside the door just as Mom and Aries walked in.
I sat down on the couch. Aries sat beside me. She was tall, and beautiful. I saw the tears run down her face, as she leaned on my shoulder. My mother just sat in front of me, staring.
"I had to do this, I had to protect Maya." Aries glanced at Mom just as her face changed.
"I guess you and Dad made a good choice." What did they mean good choice? I looked at Aries and begged for an answer. Instantly ideas began swarming in my head and I couldn't stop them. Was I adopted and they picked a good son? What kind of choice would they have made that would end in me here.
"What?" Mom looked at me with a concerned look, but she gave me the answer I craved.
"You do realize that it's no accident you and Maya are so close. Look around the district do you think any of them, any of us, get to pick our future spouses. It's all set up when your younger. We picked Maya for you, just liked Maya's parents picked you for her. We've chosen Aries' husband, we've chosen Kay's wife. We're still deciding on one for Jace." I felt my heart race, I didn't get a choice, I never had a choice. Jace, even Jace the baby of the family, the only member of the family that can't even remember Fade's death, Jace doesn't get a choice.
"What about Fade, what happened to his wife?" Mom gave me a look that made me feel stupid.
"Fade's wife will be Kay's, just like if Maya lives she will be given to Jace. If you live you will make our family proud and you will not marry, unless of course you want to." I instantly felt my heart swell. Jace is only twelve barely even old enough to enter his name into the reaping, and he will be expected to marry the woman I love just because I was too weak to come home without her.
When the door opened I barley hugged my mother goodbye, it was different with Aries. I hugged her tight but she still managed to hug me harder. I think I squeezed the tears out of her because she broke down and cried. I moved her half wet, red hair out of her face and she smiled before hugging me one last time.
"You have to come home, I can't loose another brother. Especially not you, you've always been my favorite. I love you Koda." I watched her go and I felt my hand come in contact with the door. The door shook and I sat down on the couch. I waited for it to open again.
"Is this his room?" When the door opened, I instantly embraced the two boys who walked in. Jace pushed me away while Wake just stood in shock. Wake looked just like his sister, so much like Maya. They both had the blond hair and blue eyes that shone in the sun. They both had the same abnormally pale skin.
"Koda, you have to win. Your my favorite brother and I love you." Jace hugged my hips and Wake just watched us as we awkwardly embraced. "I don't want to be Kay's only brother. He already messes with me enough. I want you to come home." I looked at Wake.
"I have to protect Maya, I love her." Wake joined in the hug. The two boys were crying by the time the peace keepers took them away. I looked up at one of the peacekeepers, and saw that he had a black eye.
"Your final visitors will be in shortly." He spoke with utter hatred. He must have been the one I hit. I smiled sadistically at him and he walked back out.
I didn't know who else to expect, all my family had already came in. I didn't have many good friends. None that were good enough to come wish me goodbye. The door opened and Maya's parents walked in.
"Koda, thank you." I looked up into her mother's water stained eyes.
"Thank you for setting me up with Maya. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. I promise I'll protect her." Her father sat down and put his arm around me.
"You know we always believed in letting Maya and Wake pick who they wanted to marry, and Maya did. The first time she saw you, her eyes lit up and we knew you would make her happy." I nodded.
"Maya picked for the both of us. I plan for her to come home and I will do anything in my power to be sure that will happen. You can count on me Mr. and Mrs. Sayd. When she gets home she will be able to choose a man to marry and she will live happily ever after."
"I will never be able to look at any other man she chooses the way I do you, after what you have done for her. You'll always be her first choice and ours. " I looked at Maya's father, he was strong and smart. He works in the mountain and he has the burns on his finger tips to prove it. I had stopped talking and they left shortly afterwords. I would miss them, I would miss them all.
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