fantasy | johanna mason

chapter six

"The female tribute from District Seven is... Kaede Woodman!"

I let out a relieved breath. It's not Rowan.

Then the familiarity of the name of the reaped female hits me: my family used to be neighbours with the Woodman family. Kaede is the youngest of the three daughters, the same age as Rowan. They've been best friends for ages.

The crowd of fourteen-year-olds make a clear path for slightly trembling, pale-faced Kaede to take the stage.

"I volunteer as tribute," an awfully familiar voice gasps.

All eyes turn to the source of the voice.

Rowan. Rowan volunteered.

It's all I can do to not scream at my sister to stop, to not sacrifice her life for anyone, even if she's best friends with Kaede. I must have been trying to run towards my sister, to push her back into the group of fourteen-year-olds, because I can feel Johanna's firm grip around both of my wrists, keeping me firmly into place. I know all cameras must be recording my reaction, but it's impossible to conceal all the emotions that must be apparent on my face.

Everyone remains silent as Rowan catches up to Kaede, pressing a longing, desperate kiss on Kaede's lips and whispering something in her ear before two Peacekeepers force Rowan away from her lover and up the stage.

"Rowan," I get out, looking at my younger sister for an explanation.

In reply, Rowan mouths, I'm so sorry. I had to. I love her too much.

"Excellent!" Aeneas exclaims, breaking the deafening silence. "Your name?" he asks, though he most definitely already knows.

"Rowan North," Rowan replies quietly.

"How very dedicated and prideful you are of your district!" Aeneas says, beaming.

Johanna scoffs, shaking her head.

Rowan stares at her shoes, likely trying to avoid mine and my father's gaze.

"Now for a male tribute," Aeneas announces. "And the male tribute from District Seven is... Jude Redding!"

Jude Redding, a tiny twelve-year-old boy, looks like he's about to faint when his name is called.

"C'mon up, Jude!" Aeneas encourages.

The Capitol escort makes Rowan and Jude shake hands, then announces, "the tributes from District Seven, Rowan North and Jude Redding!"

-

As my father goes to say goodbye to my sister, I am notified that I'm wanted to be one of the two mentors along with Johanna, taking Blight's place. I suspect the Capitol wants it to be easy to record my reaction if my sister dies in the Games.

The second we're in the train, I turn to my sister. "What the hell, Rowan?"

I continue yelling at my sister, until she tries to shush me. "Let me explain."

"Rowan, you never told me you had a lover! When were you planning on telling me? And you weren't supposed to volunteer! I was worried about you being reaped, and you're willingly going to the Games! Rowan, how the fuck am I supposed to bring you back home alive-"

"Elowen. ELOWEN!" Johanna says, interrupting me. "Just let the redhead try to explain."

"I don't know how accepting you would be about Kaede and I."

I scoff. "You were worried about me being homophobic? Please, Rowan. You know I'm not."

"I should've told you. I'm sorry. I do... I do love her a lot, though. I promise."

"I just don't understand," I say. "I don't understand why you would express so much concern about the Games then volunteer for a lover I didn't even know about."

Rowan ponders her response for a while. "It was... hasty, I know."

I sigh. "The point is that you're going into an arena with any amount of kids who will be able to kill you with nothing but their bare fists."

Johanna plops down onto a couch. "You'll have to make allies. You'll need sponsors, too, so make people like you. And of course, you'll need skill," she says. "I know you can climb trees and throw an axe with some efficiency," -she smirks at this part- "what else?"

Somewhat taken back by all the advice given by Johanna, Rowan replies, "Um, that's mostly it, but I can survive in the woods. I'm smart with edible plants and animals in the woods. And I do woodwork with a small knife, if that counts."

"That's a start. You'll need more training in the Capitol, though," Johanna says, twisting her mouth slightly.

I sigh. "Johanna and I'll keep you alive. Or try. But I would say allies and sponsors are your best bet."

"We can talk about this more at dinner, yes?" Aeneas says suddenly. All of us completely forgot he was there. "I would like to show the recap of the reapings."

I take a seat on a plush, Capitol-grade love seat beside my sister. We watch the reapings in relative silence. I pay close attention to the Career districts. District One doesn't seem like such a big threat this year, as both tributes are non-volunteer and on the younger side. The tributes from District Two, however, are vicious-looking volunteers who are both in the sixteen to eighteen range.

How on earth is Rowan going to kill those two?  I think. Both of them could kill Rowan in the blink of an eye.

The male tribute from District Four, the last Career district, is a bulky, sneering boy, likely fifteen or sixteen, who dwarfs the sly female tribute from his district.

Some of the other tributes from other districts stick out to me, such as the two trembling twelve-year-olds from District Six, which must be something of a first in the Games. We watch my home district's reaping as well, of Kaede's name being called and Rowan volunteering, and Rowan kissing Kaede. The hosts from the Capitol, Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith, recognize Rowan as my sister. Sure enough, my reaction to Rowan's volunteering is shown as well, as well as the terrified, shocked expression on my face. The rest of the reapings aren't anything special, but I note the boys from Districts 10 and 11 as potential threats to Rowan.

Aeneas makes all of us eat, though I'm not very hungry and the idea of eating rich Capitol food while all the districts are starving repulses me. I watch Jude, skinny, malnourished Jude, gorge on his food. This is most definitely the most extravagant meal he's ever eaten. Rowan, Johanna and myself are understanding, as we too were once starving District Seven kids. Aeneas, however, watches with interest. Fancy Capitol food has likely been the norm for him since he was very young.

"How did you two win your Games?" Jude asks, directing his question at Johanna and I. This is the first time he's spoken.

I answer first. "I didn't really have a special winning method. I just killed when I had to, and hid out in trees. It was luck, mostly. I thought I would die."

"I pretended to be weak," Johanna says with an almost mocking laugh, "then killed all the bitches when I had to."

"I can climb, too," Jude says to me. "My older brother taught me so we could pick fruit, and because it's a needed skill to be a lumberjack."

"Then I think you should hide," I say. "Can you use an axe?"

Jude gives a solemn shake of his head.

"We can work on that in the Capitol," I assure him.

Johanna gives me an apprehensive look, which tells me what I already know: if Rowan is to live, Jude will have to die.