Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent.
A/N Thank you to vivalafiction, Anabeth Cristini, and the guest reviewer. You all made my day.
The next morning I wake knowing that this will be the last time I wake in this room. I look around before walking over to my dresser. I kneel down and reach underneath pulling out two photos and a ring. Both of the photos are of my father. The first is of him before he left Dauntless. He stands on a bridge with water rushing behind him in dauntless clothing a piercings in his ears and eyebrow. His shirt is one favored by the dauntless that show off his arms and tattoos that wrap around his forearms. The other is of him shortly after I was born. He is in the hospital nursery in blue long sleeved Erudite clothing void of his piercings. I lay bundled in his arms close to his heart. The ring is a plain black band with the dauntless symbol and his name engraved on the inside of it.
He told me when he gave it to me that his parents gave it to him before his choosing ceremony. They knew he would not be back. The ring and the photos are all of him that I have left. My mother throw out everything else the day after his funeral. I lay the photos on my dresser so that I can put them in my pocket after I am done dressing. But the ring I slip onto the necklace I wear around my neck tucked under my shirt. I bought the thin, black chain necklace knowing that I would hang my fathers ring from it on this day.
I feel the weight of the ring as I take the garment bag down from the back of my bedroom door. It holds the last thing my mother has a say in my choosing ceremony outfit. It is a classic Erudite skirted suit. It is just like the one my mother wore to her ceremony: a blue knee length pencil skirt, a matching fitted blue jacket with a long sleeved white collared blouse. The shoes she chose have a four inch heel that I would love on any other day. For today I dread knowing that I will be running and jumping in them but nothing will stand in my way from becoming dauntless.
I give one final passing glance around my room smiling at the books stacked on my decks and near my bed. All books befitting someone who yearns to become dauntless. There are books about self-defense, fighting stances, and even proper knife throwing and so many more. My mother will not be happy to find any of this. I laugh as I take the photos from my dresser and slip them into the inside of my jacket pocket. I pat my pocket than reach for the pair of scissors I keep on my desk. I lean down and make a cut on the right side of my skirt so that I can rip it later to be free to run. Putting down the scissors I walk out of my room without looking back.
The host of this years choosing ceremony is Dauntless so Eric and Max are the first to show up. Max claps Eric on the shoulder as he tells the younger man that he wants his help in the choosing ceremony. In the last few years Max has given up hope that Four will take a leadership role. With Four not in the shadows Eric and Max opens up and becomes friends. "I want this to be my last year at the ceremonies. I want you to take over the Dauntless hosting from now on. I will make the speech than hand things over to you. All you must do this year is call out the names and hand over the knife. Easy right?" Max tells Eric at the last moment as always. Eric says nothing as they sit in their section while waiting for the ceremony to begin.
The waiting doesn't take long as the room starts to fill with the dependents and their parents. Eric is watching the doorway when Juliana walks into the room with her mother, she stays close with her head high as Jeanine greets other faction members. He cannot believe his eyes as he takes in Jeanine's daughter. Her hair has become a sunny golden blond that stops at her delicate jawline while her eyes have brighten into a stunning silver. She doesn't look much taller than she was when Eric last seen her when she was ten years old even though her small feet are encased in wicked high heels.
Eric watches as Juliana smiles at a boy in Erudite clothing. It is the only acknowledgment she shows to those around here. The boy must be special to her, Eric makes a note of him as he takes a seat in the front of the Erudite section. The mother and daughter come further into the room, closer to where Max and Eric sit in the Dauntless seating.
"Best get to the front. It will be starting soon." Max says to Eric as he rises to his feet. Eric stands with him and they walk past the Matthews on their way to the front of the room. With Juliana so close he notices for the first time how tiny she really is. She would never last if she were to come to Dauntless. For her sake Eric hopes that the rumors about her are just that rumors. As Eric observes Juliana everyone has all taken a seat but her and her mother. Juliana sits next to the boy that she smiled at with her mother on the other side.
"Welcome to this years choosing ceremony. My name is Max and I am one of five leaders at Dauntless. I welcome you to the day that tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in life. Our dependents are now sixteen. They will stand before us and decide what kind of person they are to become. Our forefathers decided that to keep the world from warring to divide into factions. Those who blamed aggression formed Amity." Max extends his hand toward the section that holds the faction clad in bright yellows and red. "Those who blame ignorance become Erudite." He now indicates the faction in blue. "While those who blame duplicity created Candor." He nods his head at the faction to his right that sit with their black and white clothing.
"Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation" again his hand is raised to point at the specified faction, this time garbed in plain gray. "And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless..." Max is interrupted as the sea of black clothed Dauntless erupt into ovation. He waits as the room once again becomes silent than continues. "Working together these five factions have found a way to live in peace with each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation our selfless leaders of government. Candor our trust worthy leaders in law. Erudite has given us intelligent teachers and scientist. Amity supplied us with farmers and Dauntless provided us with protection. Today as our dependents become our initiates and with this I hand over the ceremony to the youngest of the Dauntless leaders, Eric. He will now close out the ceremony by calling out the names of our sixteen-year-olds to come forth and choose their paths. Eric," Max motions Eric forward as he steps back.
Eric steps up and takes the knife that Max hands over to him. The first name is that of an Amity- Zinnia Abrams, she chooses to stay Amity. Candor-Kately Alexander joins the ranks of Erudite. Eric watches as he takes a seat near Juliana and Jeanine. As he calls more names he steals glances over at Juliana, both a Dauntless and an Erudite choose to become Abnegation much to the shock of their factions. Erudite-Andrea Kurtis, she walks back to her faction. Candor-Marco Mills walks over to the stiff, Abnegation. Amity-Autumn Lovejoy, she is a tall and slender girl that walks up and drops her blood over the burning coals. Dauntless. Eric mentally shakes his head, what joy an Amity.
Finally Eric looks down and sees her name. "Juliana Matthews." As her name rings through the room all goes silent. Eric watches her as she stands with her mother. Jeanine puts her hand on Juliana's shoulder and leans in to whisper into her ear.
A/N
Sorry for the delay in an update. I will try to update more often. R&R