Rosemary sipped on her apple juice, letting the sweetness dissolve on her tongue. She had arrived at breakfast before Haymitch and Rye, so she was already finished eating but the boys were still going at it. Beside her, Rye stuffed his mouth with some cinnamon brown-sugar porridge and across the table sat Haymitch, scarfing down some bacon and eggs. She had her own meal of a sausage, cheese, and onion omelet and buttered toast but her favorite thing was the sliced purple melon that the Capitol must have engineered.
The Avox from the previous night was there when she entered the dining room and he had stayed throughout the meal even though breakfast was more of a buffet situation. Rosemary wished she knew what he did to become a traitor to the Capitol. What he did probably wasn't serious enough to warrant them cutting off the man's tongue, but that was how the Capitol operated. They could see anything as an act of rebellion.
Finally, Haymitch and Rye finished their breakfast, allowing for conversation about training to begin.
Rosemary was torn on the topic of training. On one hand, it was good that she and Rye would be able to enter the arena with new information that would help them survive, like knowing which plants are edible or how to properly use weapons. On the other hand, the whole thing was nerve wracking. She'd be able to see what the other twenty-two tributes were able to do and in return, they'd be able to size her up. The twenty-four tributes received three days where they are trained and on the last afternoon, they would be able to privately perform their new-found skills in front of the Gamemakers.
Three days to learn how to survive didn't seem like enough for Rosemary.
"All right, let's start," Haymitch sighed, taking a sip of his grape juice. "First off, I assume you two want to be coached together."
Rosemary nodded silently while Rye spoke, "Yeah, we do."
Haymitch moved on. "I had a few ideas of how we can play this," he gestured between the siblings. "Rosemary, when you're in there, I want you to play weak. I want all the other tributes to think of you as a weak link."
"So I won't get to train with the bystaff?" she recalled the weapon Haymitch had told her about on the train.
"You will," Haymitch stated. "You can still learn while acting like you have no idea what you're doing. The weaker you look, the more you have an advantage against the others. When you're not working with the bystaff, I want you learning how to make traps and identifying plants."
"What about me?" Rye leaned forward eagerly.
"I want you to toe the line between showing off and keeping to yourself," Haymitch pointed at him. "Mostly, I want you working on the spear but don't act too good at it. You can show off your strength but other than that, I want you learning the same things as your sister. Can you two do that?"
Rosemary and Rye nodded in agreement. The plan made sense and in the long run, Haymitch knew what to do way more than they did. If she played weak during training, everyone would underestimate her. Rye would show off some of his talents to make it seem like he was a threat but when the other tributes came for them, Rosemary would be there to back him up. Two tributes against one were good odds.
"Good," Haymitch approved of their compliance. "Your training outfit is in your closet. Meet Effie at the elevator at nine-thirty."
Their outfits were the same for all the tributes. For females it was black spandex leggings that went to their knees, a black tank-top, and a black sports bra; for the males, it was black joggers and tank-tops that matched the females. The only difference between any of their outfits were the district numbers displayed on their backs.
That was the first thing that Rosemary noticed as she and Rye walked into the training room. The second thing was that they were the last to arrive, even though it was still twenty minutes to ten. The third thing that she noticed was how large the training room actually was. It took up most of the floor and had a modestly sized swimming pool, a track that looped the whole room, various weapons, obstacle course, and skill stations.
Rosemary and Rye joined the circle where the rest of the tributes were gathered. The head trainer, a tall and athletic woman named Atala, started to explain what their training schedule would be like. Experts would be at each skill station to teach and the tributes were free to roam from area to area to learn the skills. Atala read the list of the skill stations, some of them included learning how to make traps or climbing, and then she went on to tell them that the tributes were forbidden to participate in any combative exercise with another tribute. If they wanted to practice with a partner, assistants were on hand.
Rosemary kept an ear listening to Atala's instructions while studying the other tributes. All of the tributes, besides the thirteen-year-old from District 8 who was the same size as her, were bigger than her. While some tributes—like the ones from District 11, who was just as poor as District 12—were underfed, the Careers looked vicious. She could tell that they had never missed a meal in their lives. They'd be able to squash her like a bug.
After Atala released them, the tributes split up to head to different stations.
Rye turned to Rosemary. "Should we work on the weapons first?" he asked her. "That will give us more time with them."
"Sure."
Most of the Career Tributes were at the large weapons stations, looking over them with calculating looks. When the siblings arrived, they were only spared a few glances in order to decide which weapon they were going to use. The boy and girl from District 1 and 2 went for the spears and throwing knives, respectively, while the girl from District 1 took a bow; the boy from District 2 picked up a sword, looking like he a lot of experience handling it. Once they picked their weapons, they all went to practice.
While Rye picked up a spear, Rosemary's eyes flittered over the weapons so she could find the bystaff that Haymitch had mentioned. When she asked for help, one of the assistants helped her pick one out. The bystaff was made out of steel and was smooth for the most part, but there were some bulbous sections that the assistant told her held spikes that would come out with a simple press of a button. In the middle of the staff, there was a strong magnetic latch that would come apart when twisted properly. A thin black strap enabled the staff to be easily carried.
"The instructor for the bystaff is right there," the assistant pointed out a burly man only a station away. "Good luck."
What did that mean? Was the guy going to bludgeon her to death before she could even get to the arena? It was such a peculiar thing to say but then again, maybe it wasn't. Maybe the assistant was hoping that she'd learn how to use the bystaff so she could protect herself.
The instructor folded his arms behind his back when she nervously approached him. "12, huh," he raised an eyebrow, almost mockingly. "I'm Hugo."
"Rosemary," she timidly introduced herself.
Act weak.
"Rosemary, do you have any experience with the bystaff?"
"No," and technically, it was true. She hadn't ever used a bystaff before but she had experience using material that was like a quarterstaff. And she was good at it.
Hugo didn't look surprised by her admission. "All right, let me teach you the basics before we get started."
Despite his condescending attitude, Hugo was a great teacher. First he taught her how to properly hold the bystaff, which was shorter than a regular quarterstaff; her right hand would be placed at near the end of the staff, about a quarter of the way in while her left hand would rest only four or five inches away from the end. Next was the stance that would be best for her; she would bring her left hand toward her left hip, stand shoulder-width apart, and take a step backward with her right foot. Then he taught her different defense and offense movements like blocking and blows.
She did as she was told, though it seemed to be second nature to her. Once Hugo was satisfied with her movements, he ushered her into a roped off area where they could spar. It was slow going at first, with Hugo telling her which moves to make but she matched him. An impressed look encompassed him as the sparring got heavier and she was able to keep up, blocking his blows and making her own.
Parchment Pike had pulled off.
Rosemary felt exhilarated when she wielded the bystaff, adrenaline rushing through her veins. She was satisfied that she could actually defend herself and Rye if she needed to and she wouldn't have to do it half-assed. Once she got the hang of it, she started slowing down, hoping that none of the other tributes had seen what she could do. She purposely faltered a couple of times, allowing Hugo to get a hit in and eventually, she bowed out completely and tapped out.
There was a look in Hugo's eyes that told her he knew exactly what she was doing. "We can practice more tomorrow," he told her as he helped her up from the bouncy floor underneath their feet. "You still have some work to be done."
"Okay," Rosemary said as she tried to catch her breath. "Thanks, Hugo."
Hugo nodded at her in response.
Rosemary wandered over to where Rye was practicing with the spear instructor. At the moment he was working on moving targets and before she left, she saw that he hit four out of five of them. Next she made her way over the knot-tying station where she'd be able to learn how to make snares and traps. No one else was at the station, which explained the instructor's excitement to see her.
The instructor started her off with tying a couple of knots that she had told her she knew how to do. Once the instructor was satisfied with Rosemary's slip knot, which she usually used for knitting back at home, she taught her how to use the knots for making animal snares. When she was passable at that, the instructor then taught her a tricky trap that could leave a human dangling by a leg from a tree. It took her over an hour of work at the knot-tying station but when she was able to move on, she felt satisfied that she would be able to catch food in the arena.
Next was the camouflage station. The instructor in charge was a thin man with long blonde hair tied up into a topknot and a kind face. He enthusiastically introduced himself to Rosemary as Everett. Before Everett could even begin to see where she was in terms of being able to camouflage herself, the male tribute from District 2, the one who was eyeing her and Rye the night before, came to stand beside her.
He didn't say anything at first, listening to what Everett had to teach him but he still made Rosemary nervous. He was shorter than Rye by an inch or so but his huge muscles made up for his lack of height. She was pretty sure that his thighs were bigger than her.
While Everett was helping the tribute, Rosemary took the time to paint her arm. She started with basic camouflaging; she mixed together a combination of mud, clay, and berry juices on her skin, transforming her arm into leaves and vines.
"Oh, Rosemary, how delightful," Everett gasped when he got a look at her arm.
Rosemary sent him a small smile and continued on with her work.
"How do you know how to do that?" the tribute beside her asked.
Rosemary hesitated for a moment before answering him, "My family owns a bakery back home. I decorate the cakes with my little brother. When we're able to afford paint, my dad gets me a couple."
"Hmm," the tribute hummed thoughtfully, picking up some ingredients to learn from her movements. "I'm Kyler, by the way."
"Rosemary," she replied just loud enough so he could hear her.
She wasn't sure she wanted to play nice with other tributes. Yeah, an alliance could be a good thing but she already had Rye and she didn't trust anyone other than him. These people would be out to kill her and her brother as soon as the countdown for the Games began.
Kyler seemed to be pretty nice for a Career, though. "So, you have a little brother, too?"
"Yeah," she confirmed. "He's three years younger."
"I have a brother that age," Kyler shared with a fond smile that faded a little when he continued, "I had a sister, too."
Rosemary frowned and turned away from her arm to look over at him. "Had?"
She knew what he meant, of course, but she didn't want to assume and offend him.
"Yeah," he nodded solemnly. "Uh, she was at the wrong place at the wrong time, you know? Got in the middle of a fight when we went to the market and took a few hits. When I got to her, she was already gone."
Rosemary's stomach dropped, her eyes stung, and she felt physically sick. She couldn't imagine anything like that happening with Peeta. And if she couldn't protect him? The guilt—the same guilt that she was sure Kyler felt—would probably kill her. Her heart ached at the thought of it.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, trying to compose herself.
Kyler frowned. "Me too," he cleared his throat. "Anyway, I feel for you and your brother. It's gotta be hard to come here with him, knowing that...well, you know, the Games."
"It is hard," Rosemary turned back to her arm, continuing her camouflage. It was starting to look like the woods with sunlight peeking through the gaps in between the leaves on a tree. "but I'm trying not to think about it."
"Contrary to popular belief, sometimes denial is good for you," Kyler chuckled slightly as he looked over to the clock; it was about time to break for lunch. "Well, I'll see you later, Rosemary."
She gave him a close-mouthed smile before he wiped off his arm with a damp towel and started to make his way over to his fellow tribute. When Atala called over the intercom for lunch, she washed off her arm and found Rye by the edible plant station.
"How are you doing?" she asked them as they followed the other tributes to a room just off the gym where they would eat lunch.
Around the room, carts filled to the brim with food were waiting for them to serve themselves. Most of the tributes sat in tables with their district partner or by themselves but the Careers gathered at one table, talking loudly and haughtily as if they were better than the others. Rosemary didn't like them, plain and simple, but Kyler was okay. When his fellow careers were busy listening to the male from District 1 tell them a tale from his home, he sent her a small wave that she returned.
It was only after Rosemary and Rye served themselves and sat down at their own table that Rye answered her. "Okay. The spears were slow-going but I'm getting better," he told her. "The instructor wants me to practice with him again tomorrow."
"That's what the bystaff guy told me, too," Rosemary answered after swallowing a well-seasoned dice of beef. "Did you learn anything at the edible plants station?"
"Actually, yeah," Rye perked up happily. "I'm pretty good at those. I got a seventy out of a hundred, which is great considering the fact that I have next to no experience."
"It's that memory of yours," Rosemary nudged him with her elbow.
Despite being harebrained some of the time, Rye had an excellent memory. It was mostly how he actually passed his classes rather than flunk them due to lack of homework being done; he aced the tests because he remembered what his teachers taught him.
Rye snorted. "Did you go to the knot tying station yet?"
"Mmhm," she confirmed. "I learned how to make some snares that will trap animals and the instructor taught me this neat trap that will dangle someone by their foot from a tree."
"That's great," Rye chuckled.
Rosemary hummed, placing another piece of beef in her mouth.
"I'm going to the shelter station after lunch. Wanna come?"
"Yeah and if we have enough time, I want to go to the fire building station. If we don't have matches in the arena, we're going to be screwed."
"You're right," Rye hummed and paused for a second as he shoved a spoonful of lamb stew into his mouth. "Hey, did you see the Gamemakers?"
Rosemary nodded; the Gamemakers appeared only a half-hour after they were allowed to start training. There were around twenty-five men and women dressed in deep purple robes who were going to be observing them throughout the three days of training. They sat in elevated stands that surrounded the gym, watching the tributes, writing notes, or eating at the endless buffet set out for them. The Head Gamemaker, Misha Tripple, paid the most attention out of all of them; Rosemary had seen him looking at her maybe two or three times before he moved onto another tribute.
She wasn't going to say anything about the Gamemakers, though. She'd get into trouble if she did. She didn't have anything good to say about the people who took pleasure in their deaths.
The next two days passed by quickly. On the second day of training, Rosemary and Rye both took more lessons on the bystaff and spear; they were able to learn more while holding themselves back to not show off their skills. They tried hand-to-hand combat, which Rye was better at, and climbing, which was more Rosemary's thing. They complimented each other, excelling at things that the other had trouble with. For Rosemary, she was good at setting traps, camouflage, and making shelter. For Rye, he was an expert in edible plants, building fires—without matches—and hand-to-hand combat. He was even able to pick up some skills in throwing knives, which would be an advantage. Between them, if they could use three or four weapons, the better they'd be able to defend themselves.
On the third day of training, after lunch, their private sessions with the Gamemakers began. They were told to wait in the waiting room connected to the lunchroom and were called out in order of districts, with the male tribute going first. Once the tributes left, they didn't come back.
The tributes were called one by one until finally, Rosemary and Rye were left alone. Rosemary was full of nerves but Rye was as cool as a cucumber. It didn't surprise her; he had always been the calm one when it came to her and Peeta. Rosemary had her anxiety and Peeta was overactive sometimes; when he wasn't, he wouldn't stop talking.
"It's gonna be okay, Rose," Rye's voice was soothing as he tried calming her down; Rosemary nodded slowly, her leg bouncing frantically. "Just show them your skills with the camouflage and traps. Don't forget about what Haymitch said."
That morning, while they were eating breakfast, Haymitch had given them tips for their private sessions. He told them that it was time to show off all that they had been holding back during training. For Rye, that was his talent with spears, identifying edible plants, and hand-to-hand combat. For Rosemary, that was her skills with the bystaff, camouflage, and traps.
"Okay," Rosemary breathed; her nerves weren't any better but she steeled herself, trying not to let them affect her.
An automatic voice announced Rye's private session. "District 12. Rye Mellark."
Rye gave Rosemary a comforting smile before he stood and walked out of the room. Fifteen minutes later, they were calling for her.
"District 12. Rosemary Mellark."
Rosemary inhaled deeply and stood, making her way out of the waiting room to the gym. As soon as she walked in, she knew that she had to get the Gamemakers' attention somehow. The private sessions were too long for them; they were bored, drunk, and wanting to go home.
She decided to head to the camouflage station first. She painted the scene she had worked on the first day of training; leaves and trees in the woods. After five minutes, she moved onto making traps, starting with the animal snares that were easy to demonstrate.
Unfortunately, none of the Gamemakers were paying attention.
Anger building in her chest, Rosemary cleared her throat loudly. "Excuse me?!"
While her voice wasn't rough or rude in nature, it was enough to get the Gamemakers' attention. She marched over to the rack of weapons and grabbed a bystaff. She looked back at the Gamemakers for a second before she went to work, demonstrating her skill with the staff.
She used a dummy that were usually used for knife throwing, methodically dipping and diving, hitting it with blows that almost knocked it off its stand. When she was satisfied with the regular staff skills, she pressed the button for the spikes and unlatched the clasp, separating it into two batons. Her arms were fast moving as she twirled the batons and hit the dummy, the spikes penetrating deep into the flesh-like material.
By the time her fifteen minutes were up, she was breathing heavily and sweating. The Gamemakers didn't seem to mind her appearance, some of them turning away from her or giving her approving looks.
Rosemary clenched her teeth together and nodded at them before leaving the gym.