Princess of the Sea

By: CyanideMuffins7

Chapter 17: Sheaf of Wheat

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Hunger Games, the trilogy or any of the characters Suzanne Collins has created. I only take credit for the characters I have created and the plot I have made.

Bachus didn't return until later this morning with a parachute with some broth, and a freshly killed goose. Only returning with very little while he was out from the late afternoon until morning meant, he was mainly out there to kill any Mugakus nearby or anything really.

Wren glares at him sternly with her arms crossed, "Why were you gone for so long?" She asked but he just ignores her and puts his game and the broth beside the spit of the fire. I'm sitting by the spit unwrapping the bandage around my forearm to pretend like I'm doing something. But when I looked up, I notice Bachus was looking at me for a second then shook his head to look back at the spit.

"Sponsors gave us broth?" Canon asked as he squats down beside Bachus to see our food. Bachus shrugs, "I found a dark Tribute put it in a small niche in a tree nearby. He left so I took it." I just keep unwrapping my bandages, until I was able to see the small closed up wounds of teeth marks on my flesh. It was healing fine so I don't wrap another around it. I also have a bruise on my left upper arm, the one where Bachus had held on me as well as my wrist of when Bachus had restrained me from helping Coda. The one on my left upper arm was pretty bad and large while the one on my wrist wasn't so bad. But Wren had given me more St. John's Wort to apply on the bruises. It doesn't hurt as much if it's touched, but it just bothers me that they're there because of Bachus.

Wren slaps the back of Canon's head, "Stop staring at the food you moron and come with me to look for herbs." Wren said as she looks down at Canon. He stands up and follows behind her.

Canon is Wren's body-guard of sorts. Whenever she went out, Canon would accompany her. But Canon only did it because he wanted to, or as Coda had told me. He seems to follow her around like a lost puppy, even though she calls him a moron.

Coda didn't have to go hunting that day since the food that Bachus brought was sufficient between the five of us. But avoiding Bachus all day was tough since when we ate, he sat next to me along with Coda. It seemed like wherever I went Coda and Bachus would follow, even if I went to the bushes to do my business. Even if they weren't there, I had a feeling they were watching.

But finally Bachus confronted me and said that he was sorry for yelling at me and making a big deal about leaving without telling anyone. I forgive him, but I wasn't really sincere about it, but it was enough for everyone.

After that I began to notice that Bachus was a bit different. He would be alone more often and look in the distance whenever someone was talking to him. No one seemed to notice this except me since I asked Canon about it, but he said that Bachus was probably still feeling bad about what happened and might be turning into a new person. Having a day dazed Bachus around would be stranger than the aggressive Bachus we used to have. But I didn't say anything about that though.

By twilight, I go by myself to the stream and Bachus doesn't bother to stop me. Instead of hunting, I make myself a fishing pole. I use a stick as the pole, the parachute lining as the line and a bent piece of metal from the canteen. I used a simple worm for bait and sat by the stream patiently with my axe at the ready just in case the Keiner or a Mugaku would jump out at me. But it was quiet.

Wren didn't want the same thing that happened to me to happen to anyone else, so she made up a call we would use if we were in danger and another call if we're nearby. The first call was of a blackbird which she taught how to make by using our tongue and lips. Then the other call was of a wren, using only our hands and our powers to whistle. It took us sometime to practice, but we got it. Then she made another call if it was her where she imitated a nightingale call. She whistled for us a couple of times until we memorized it.

In any case if I'm in danger, I would just use the danger call. But the only creatures were by the stream were some timid foxes, fish and Trumans. The Trumans were interesting to watch since I would see them waddle up to the water to catch fish, but they would fall in and drown.

I see one on a tree, staring at me. The way its eyes look is odd since it didn't blink and its mouth had curved unnaturally upward while doing so. It holds out its white paw out to me while making a very questioned noise. I don't know what it wants me to do; I was just sitting, waiting for a good catch.

I use my left hand and reach up for the creature but it claws at my hand and laughs. I don't know they could laugh. But it laughs hard enough that it falls off the tree, hits the ground and rolls into the stream where it drowns. Yeah, they're pretty stupid creatures.

Just when I wasn't left alone, I hear the sound of the wren behind me and I turn to see Bachus with his axe in his hand. He was probably cautious of the Keiner out here, especially since it's coming close to dusk.

I look back at the stream, not saying a word. But he just sits next to me regardless and watches me before he finally says something, "Pandora, I'm sorry for hurting you. I mean like the bruises I gave you. I don't think I apologized for those." He said awkwardly yet softly, which was strange since whatever he said always sounded aggressive and blunt.

I look down at the bruise on my wrist and pull my jacket sleeve down a bit so it was covering it but I keep my eyes on the stream. It was nice of him to say he was sorry I guess. I feel deep down inside that was probably why I was still angry since he gave me unnecessary injuries. But it's not really his fault I guess if he can't really control his incredible strength.

I then slowly turn my head to Bachus, his hazel eyes looking at me sincerely. I nod a little, "It's ok. I don't blame you." I reply.

Bachus turns to the stream, watching the fish. I just return to my fishing duties until I catch a bite and pull it out. Bachus decided to keep track of how many fish I could catch and put it in his pack. I caught about three more fish and baited for another one. But I begin to notice Bachus was staring off into space again, mainly up at the sky.

I decide to finally ask what was wrong, "Got something on your mind?" Bachus shook his head, but I know he does. I keep asking, "I know you do, you can tell me." I ask again as I would glance over to him every few seconds to see if he would speak. Bachus doesn't answer after a few times I asked him until I catch the last fish and look down as it gasped for air until it stops struggling. I look up at Bachus, handing him it this time.

"Coda told me about herself." I say softly as I gently give Bachus the fish, touching the palm of his hand for a second until the fish broke the contact. Bachus looked down at the fish then nodded, "She told me too."

Apparently, Bachus and Coda were close now. After Bachus had returned from hunting, Coda noticed how timid he was now. So Coda decided to cheer him up by telling him. I realize her attachment to Bachus and I are like brother and sister. She sees us sometimes bickering but inside we know we don't mean what we say to each other, as Coda said.

"Will telling me about yourself help you?" I ask. Bachus keeps staring at me, "Does it help?" He asked me while his face remains deprived of emotion. I shrug, "Let's see." I respond as I turned to face him.

Bachus told about his life before he came here. He was born as a farmer and was raised as a farmer around harvesting and farming. His parents actually owned their own mill where the harvested wheat goes. I don't know how a mill works but Bachus said they just put the grain on this stone and if the wind was good the fans would power the gears inside to crush the wheat into grain. But if there wasn't enough wind, they would have to do it manually. They also accepted the fruits that were picked to be washed off and distributed.

At a young age, Bachus was already at work. He would sometimes be in the orchard and pick fruit but he mainly would transport the stacks of wheat to the mill then transport the grain to the port where they would be taken to the Capitol or distributed in other Districts. Years of this straining task, contributed to Bachus's incredible strength.

Bachus was the middle child in his family. He had an older brother and a younger sister. Unlike Coda's parents, Bachus's parents were always proud of him and the loved each of their children equally. My parents were like that too. I saw none of my parents playing favorites in our family ever.

Bachus told about the security in 11 and how tight knit it is. If you go out of line, you get publically whipped or you die. But the Head Peacekeeper was very laid back and a loose on the rules. Some of the other Peacekeepers disagreed with him, but tried to commit to the rules. Bachus said he liked him since he was a really nice guy if you got to know him and he wasn't too harsh. He remembers that he kept trying to set Bachus up with his daughter who was another Peacekeeper that did have a crush on him but at that time Bachus was a little too young for her and he already had a girlfriend.

Her name was Ilaria. Bachus said she was probably the most beautiful woman in the world, whose voice was so divine that the Mockingjays had to stop and listen to her even speak. She was a very kind person as well. Bachus acknowledges the fact that people say he's rather beautiful, but the thing about Ilaria was she didn't just love him for that. She loved him because he wasn't like any other person on this earth and him the same.

After he had met Ilaria, his parents had passed away due to an incurable sickness. It was devastating for Bachus and his siblings but Ilaria comforted him and his family was back on their feet. They ran the mill without their parents since Bachus's older brother was twenty at the time and could take care of them.

One summer, The Head Peacekeeper was suddenly replaced with another. His name was Cecil, and a Capitol Loyalist. He was very strict with everyone and if someone was so much blink at him, they would get punished. He was a very corrupt Peacekeeper, he would blackmail others, sleep with other people's wives and daughters. He was a sickening figure. But soon some of the Peacekeepers became corrupted as well.

That same summer, Cecil heard a lot about Bachus and how he could probably wrestle down a bull with one hand. Cecil challenged Bachus but when he refused. Cecil persisted until the point when Bachus lost his patience and temper. Bachus took Cecil off guard and left Cecil with a broken arm, a few broken ribs, broken nose and a gash on his head that would need a lot of stitches. Cecil wasn't just angry and humiliated, he was pissed and he took his anger out on the citizens.

One day Bachus's brother found that some of the crop that was growing was diseased, so Bachus had to take it to the mill where they would burn it, but they just never got around to it. A few days later, Bachus had gone to the fields to pick up any wheat that was harvested while Ilaria, and Bachus's brother and sister were at the mill. When Bachus returned, everything was burning in a gigantic flame. Bachus ran to the mill to see his brother and sister burning alive in there. He was able to get them out of there, but he couldn't find Ilaria.

By the time he came back out, the Peacekeepers and Cecil were there waiting for him. The said that his family were caught stealing major crop when it was in fact the infected crop they had taken days ago. Bachus tried to say it was a mistake but then became angry as to why they would destroy their mill with people inside of it. Stealing was a severe crime of execution as punishment. What Cecil did was execution, but with style as Bachus put it.

When Bachus asked where Ilaria was, Cecil said that she wasn't part of the family and that she was only conspirator in the crime. So she would be taken to the Capitol to be punished. I began to suspect that the only reason Cecil was doing this, was to get at Bachus for making him a fool. This man was horrible.

They left Bachus, unpunished and broken. A few days later, his brother and sister passed away due to their severe burns and injuries. With his family dead, his home burned down and his true love taken from him, the thirteen year old boy didn't know what to do.

He was taken into a home where other children with no parents lived with only one woman who took care of them all. They were about twelve children, excluding Bachus who were all younger than him.

After a few months, Bachus began to think that the only punishment you could receive was becoming an Avox and usually the younger ones serve for the Hunger Games. So Bachus had a plan. He trained everyday, signed up for tesserae each year for the kids he lived with. Each year his odds were increased rapidly. But when his name was picked, another would volunteer to take his place. He was loved by the community, and no one wanted to see him go. By Bachus's last year, he had one hundred and five slips in that glass bowl with his name on it. How hard was it now to be chosen?

I have never signed up for any tesserae since it was super rare that anyone in our district would use one since our district is a favorite of the Capitol.

Bachus was called and no one volunteered for him this time and he sent off into the Capitol. Once he was on that train, he instantly found Ilaria. She looked older and thinner, but she still was beautiful. But Bachus said what he missed was her voice, without a tongue she cannot speak. But they were happy to see each other. They would meet in secret at night even when they arrived at the Capitol. He says they were happy and spent as much time together as possible. But Bachus never went onto what they did together. I can only assume certain things.

"So do you plan on winning for her?" I ask curiously after he finished. Bachus doesn't say anything, until he shook his head, "No, I don't plan on winning at all." He said calmly.

I don't quite see the logic. If he loves her so much, wouldn't it motivate himself to win? If he did win, maybe he could get her to serve him or something. "Why not?" I ask very bluntly.

Bachus sighs, "Whatever happens, her fate is sealed here and what the Capitol has made her into. If I did whatever it took to get her out, it wouldn't be enough. And my fate is sealed here to fight until I die. We can't stop what is the inevitable." Bachus explained.

"You can change fate." I say. I don't want Bachus to go through with this. He has his mind-set on what a child would think, and Bachus was not a child.

Bachus looks up at the sky, staring at the bright stars, "I spent five years away from her, and I fought all those years just to see her again. Now that I have, I can die in peace." He murmured.

Love is a mysterious thing Dad used to say, it can make you do crazy things. In this case, it was making Bachus think that he was ready to die. I have never experienced love before, at least not in that way so I don't know what it feels to be doing irrational things.

"Bachus, you don't have to die. If you win, you can still see her. I promise that I will make sure you're still living and breathing to see her." I state as I keep my eyes on Bachus the entire time. It took me a moment to realize that he looks in the distance for a reason, that those were where the cameras were and it was where Ilaria would be watching him. Even if he couldn't see her anymore, Ilaria could see him as much as she wanted. His heart was set on his plan.

And that was when I notice the first time ever that I have seen Bachus smile.