Okay, before this chapter I just want to settle the issue with the color of Effie's natural hair. I've read all 3 books and I don't remember any mention of her hair color. At first I assumed she was bald but then it occurred to me that that was unlikely. I've read thousands of HG fics; some of them say that Effie is a brunette, one said that she was a redhead but I have observed that most of the time she is blonde (I think it is because Elizabeth Banks is blonde) moving on; I have decided to make her blonde in this story (like all my other stories). I will also give her blue eyes in this story by the way :D
Speaking of hair color; what is Haymitch's real hair color anyways? I know that in the movie he's blonde but I recall that in the book they said that his hair was "dark" so a lot of us assumed it was really brown but what is it really? You know what I'm going to make him blonde too; a dark blonde.
I just want to settle this because I can't make a physical description of Maryl without settling this.
Anyways, it's test crossing time! (sorry, I want to make this fic somewhat realistic in terms of genetics and I need to practice my test crossing)
Legend: *the dominant gene is the one capitalized*
G- gray eyes b-blue eyes H- honey blonde d-dark blonde L-fair/light skinned o-olive skinned
Haymitch: Gb dd oo Effie: bb Hd LL
Chances: 50%-Gb(heterogeneous gray eyes) 50%-bb(homogeneous blue eyes) 50%-Hd (heterogeneous honey blonde) 50%-dd (homogeneous dark blonde) 100%-Lo(heterogeneous light/fair skinned)
Possible Combinations: Gb dd Lo, bb Hd Lo, bb dd Lo, Gb Hd Lo
Amaryllis: Gb Hd Lo
Sorry for the long introduction. Anyways, here's the next chapie in 3rd person POV
Her own name kept ringing in her ears. It sounded almost haunting; it was like a siren's song that calls a sailor to his death. Death, she knows well that it will come soon. She can only hope that it will be swift and painless instead of the agonizing long and painful deaths she saw on the screen so many times before.
Her heart rate sped with each step until it felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest. She tried to act brave but fear shown through her eyes.
Her heart was filled with grief and fear. It ate through her very soul and it left a gaping void in her very being. All of those days of dreaming are just distant memories. Dreams, all of them were shattered and thrown away to the dust. The light that gave her hope has dimmed and it left her alone in the darkness.
She reached the stage and for a split second her eyes made contact with that of Effie's. The two women felt a sense of familiarity but both of them shrugged it off quickly.
Amaryllis looked out into the crowd. Her eyes searched for her friends, she noticed that they all looked remorseful and sorry. She doesn't need their pity. It can't help her win the games nor can it comfort her for it only brings more pain to her.
"Now for the boys!" Exclaims Effie. She walked towards the second bowl and took out a piece of paper. She opened it up and smoothed it out.
"Maximillian Radley."she exclaims.
Everyone then looked at the tall 17 year old. He appeared uninterested and bored and he showed no trace of fear when he walked towards the stage. He looked out towards the crowd then he glanced at his fellow tribute. They looked at each other with remorse for they both know that they couldn't make it back alive.
Amaryllis stared at the door, wishing that her parents recognized her earlier and would visit her before she leaves for the Capitol. Just a single moment, that's all she needs. The door creaked open; she held her hopes high. A man and a woman entered but she knew well that they are not her parents.
"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Porter." She greeted them with a sad smile.
The couple looked at her with sympathy and love then they drew her closer and embraced her. They both have come to love her as if she's their own. They knew quite well of what will become of her so they all held on to that one moment; taking in each and every detail of the present.
"Take care..." Mrs Porter whispered into her ear.
"I will..." she replied. She loosened the hug then looked at the couple before her, giving them questioning looks.
"Mr. and Mrs. Porter, can you give me more information about my parents?" she asks them. Her eyes were begging for answers. This is a crucial moment for her; she has to know them before she perish.
The couple gave sad glances at each other, as if their conversing in their minds. They turned back to the young girl in front of them and they simultaneously shook their heads. Tears started to well up in her eyes; that was it- her last chance and her last ounce of hope- gone.
"Just don't forget yourself..." Mr. Porter told her.
She knows well what he meant. She needs to hold on to her true self. No matter what happens she must not let the games change her into something she is not. She must stay true to herself and to her own values, till her death. She is more than willing to follow his advice because she wants to make everyone proud and that would include the parents she never knew.
"Before you leave. I think you must know that it was Granny Dorothy who brought you into the orphanage in the first place." Mr. Porter tells her.
She then recalls that the old serving lady was addressed as Granny Dorothy. It then made her think if the old woman who showed much contempt to her was hiding something. It made her wonder if she had more to do with her history than she initially thought. What was she hiding beneath that scowl?
"T-thank y-you for telling me..." she replies in between sobs.
They hug one last time and they left her alone in that small room once again. She felt warms tears stream down her cheeks. She tried to stop them and be strong but she can't, for the pain is just too muck for her to bear.
She heard the door creak open so she wiped her tears but the redness was still visible. Rye and Diyella entered the room. They took turns in hugging her. They savored that moment, for they know it could possibly be the last time they see their friend.
"Are you going to die, Maryl?" Diyella asks with sadness in her tone.
"I am..." she replies.
"Maybe you should a method for your demise right now. Starvation is always a popular choice." Rye teased.
Maryl glared at him. She is usually amused by his ability to make a joke out of each situation but she found his last joke to be rather offensive. Her own death is no laughing matter to her. She refused to say anything though because she knows that now is not the time to get angry at him.
"Yeah..." she replies.
"We'll never forget you..." his tone became serious; there was a hint of remorse and sincerity in his voice.
"Please don't." Her voice came out sounding desperate. It almost sounded like she was begging.
"Bye Maryl... W-we'll miss you!" Diyella grabbed her shoulders and hugged her tightly. Her eyes started to well-up; the thought of loosing another loved one left an aching in her heart. She dreaded this day-they all did.
"I-I'll m-miss you too..." She replied. Her voice came out strained. She was not ready for this and she doesn't want to leave her friends nor does she want to let go of her hopeless dream.
"Diyella, we have to go!" Rye reminded her. He tried to pull her off from their embrace but she clinged to her friend.
"You have to go!" She was hesitant to let go of her friend but she did because it will be more painful not to.
"Try to win... Maybe you can live through this." Rye said right before they left.
Her next visitors made no hesitance to enter; they were the Everdeens. She hugged her friend upon seeing her.
"Prim, H-how- I-It was a one in a thousand chance!" She exclaims. Tears started to stream down her cheeks once again; she was still in denial of her fate. A part of her believed that she was just stuck in some horrible nightmare that was a manifestation of her nervousness; she wished that she would wake up in her own bed and forget all of this.
"I-I'm sorry this happened to you. You shouldn't be here." Prim replied. They both took a deep breath then they loosened their hold.
Katniss took her by the shoulders and looked at her straight in the eyes. She had the need to tell Maryl the basics of survival for she knows that Haymitch will be little or of no help to the young girl.
"Listen to me, maybe you can win this. You've helped mom and Prim, you have knowledge on herbs; use it. When setting up camp make sure there are no tracker jackers around; a single bite can knock you out for days and don't light fires at night; think of another way to keep yourself warm. Fire will attract the attention of the other tributes. Do you understand?" She nodded in reply. Everything looked blurry because of the tears in her eyes and it was hard to focus with all of the thoughts in her head but she somehow managed to take in all of Katniss' words.
"Take care Maryl..." said Mrs. Everdeen.
"I will ma'am."
They left. She thought that she had no more visitors and that the peacekeepers will be the next one who will come through that door; taking her to the taxi that will bring them to the train station. Then the door opened and the least likely person entered the room.
It was her 'arch nemesis'- Granny Dorothy.
"I-I'm sorry about everything, dearie... Do you have the heart to forgive me?" She took her hands into her own then she looked at the young girl. Her eyes were begging for her forgiveness.
This gesture caught Maryl off guard. She always thought that the woman hated her and she couldn't help but dislike the woman at times but her heart softned towards the woman before her so she nodded in reply.
"Oh thank you so much! You're very forgiving. Here, take this; I know it's your favorite. This is just the broth but I hope that you'll still enjoy it." She hands her a vacuum flask filled with pork stew. She took it and whispered a thanks.
"Granny, do you know anything about my parents?" She asks.
"Yes, maybe it's time you know the truth..." There was sadness and anxiousness in her tone but she knows she must tell her. She kept it for too long now and there's no reason to hide it any longer.
"I was the one who brought you to the orphanage... Do you know that?"
"Mr. and Mrs. Porter told me that." she said in reply.
"Know that you're parents loved you very much and never think that they did not. You had to be taken away from them. It wasn't their choice. They tried to look for you but they couldn't find you." She continued.
Happiness filled her heart for she had always thought that her parents loved her but hearing someone else say it confirmed her thoughts. The need to find them intensified which made it harder for her because she has given up on her search. It did made her wonder why was she taken away in the first place.
"Why was I taken away?" She asks.
She took a deep breath before she spoke "Because your parents are-" She was cut off. The door opened and a peacekeeper pulled her away from the room.
"Time is up!" he exclaims.
"N-no wait! Granny who are they?" She tried to follow her but she wasn't fast enough. The one person who could give her answers is far away from her now. The once of hope that came back to her the moment she told her that her parents loved her fell out of her grasp once again and she never felt so miserable before. She cried because she couldn't contain all of the pain in her heart. The very thing that held her together all those years is the same thing that is breaking her apart.
Effie glanced on her either side. The male tribute was looking out the window. He showed no fear and he looked quite bored. The girl couldn't stop crying; her eyes were bloodshot and she couldn't stop sobbing. They were both silent.
She felt a sense of familiarity when she looks at the girl. She couldn't help but think that she met her before but that would be absurd. She thought that maybe the young tribute reminded her of her own little girl who, if she remembered correctly, is about the same age and has the same honey blonde locks. Because of this implication she felt a closeness to the girl but she dared not to show it nor to tell a soul about it for she will certainly be mocked and criticized for forming a bond with the least-likely-to-win tribute.
She tried to lighten the mood by talking about the luxuries and pleasures that they will have prior to the games but they both paid no attention to her, rendering all of her efforts in vain.
When the taxi pulled up to the train station they all inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. None of them could take the eerie yet awkward aura in the taxi. They all walked towards the train in silence.
Effie couldn't stop looking at the 12 year old. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her; such an innocent little girl who will die at a very young age. She regretted having to pull out her name from the reaping bowl and she couldn't help but think about the parents of this young girl and how they must have felt when they heard their daughter's name called at the reapings.
They were met by a now-conscious Haymitch at the train entrance. Upon seeing the female tribute he was hit by the same sense of familiarity that Effie had.
The two tributes looked at him. They did not speak but he was sober enough to know that they're asking for advice. Advice, it will be worthless. He knows that they will both die - at the bloodbath most likely. He knows from experience that his efforts will be in vain.
"So can you give us some advice? You're our mentor right?" asks the boy.
"Well, you two should accept your inevitable demise." he said right before taking a swig of alcohol.
"That's rather pessimistic of you." He replied.
"Well, get used to it. How about you sweetheart, do you have something to say?" He turned his attention towards his female tribute. Her gaze met with his and he couldn't help but notice that they have the same eyes. He suddenly felt sympathy towards the young girl because she reminded him of his own. He has always wondered what has become of his daughter.
"Why do you drink so much?" She asks. The mentor reminded her of her own parents. He has the same smell that she distinctly remembered from her infancy. She shrugged off the possibility that Haymitch is her father; she thought of it as absurd and impossible. She then came to the conclusion that maybe all liquor smelled the same.
"To forget and I have a lot to forget." he replied.
"Can I have a bottle then? Something strong maybe?" She asks.
Haymitch was shocked by her request; it's not everyday that a 12 year old would ask liquor from you. He allowed her to take one bottle though for he thought that, since her life has been cut short, indulging her with the pleasure of forgetting is the least he can do.
She brought the liquor to her room. She closed the door shut, then she sat down on her bed. He told her it was to forget and that's what she needs right now; she needs to forget about the reapings and the death that will come to her soon.
She touched the bottle to her lips and spilled it's contents into her mouth. The alcohol burnt her throat but it felt good.
She thought she heard someone humming her special lullaby from the other room. It sounded just like the one from her memories but this one seemed real. She concludes that her depression and the thought of death is slowly driving her to insanity.
She took another swig of alcohol before humming her favorite tune. She started to daydream, only this time everything felt so real and vivid.
One's dreams can become reality...
Okay, this is by far the longest chapter I've ever written in the history of my life. Anyways, I won't be updating as often as I want anymore because school is coming. I'll most likely be updating this weekly.
Anyways, I didn't choose Peeta (or Gale) to be the male tribute simply because I have to kill them in this story if I do but rest assured, I will try to include them in this fic (in some flashbacks maybe)
Please review if you have time. I appreciate them ^_^ (I'm just too lazy to reply to all the time -_-)