KINGDOM COME | finnick odair

i. son of nyx

The Reed family never let it show how much Reaping Day bothered them. If they seemed calm perhaps that would be enough to soothe Ophelia's nerves. Though, if you looked close enough you could see their fear slipping through the cracks. In the way Emerald Reed's hands shook as they braided Irina's hair, or how Lydia was unable to sit down from the nerves, or how Merlin Reed watched the three of his daughters with such a fondness as if he was trying to memorize each of their features one last time. 

As the youngest, Ophelia Reed had gotten ready first and now she sat on the floor watching her mother braid her older sister's hair. She snacked on the sunflower seeds she had picked the night before and tried her best to seem calm. It felt rude to make her family think all their effort to calm her was in vain. Ophelia may only be fourteen but she was no an idiot, she knew there was no day worse than today. 

Her father came over and crouched to Ophelia's level. "How you feelin, flower?" Ophelia smiled as she tossed another seed into her mouth and bit into it with a crunch. "Ready for my birthday." Merlin shook his head and held his hand out for a seed. Ophelia dropped it into his palm. 

"That's another three days away."

"Yes, but three days is nothing when I've been waiting a whole year. Fourteen is too young, fifteen is just a year younger than Irina." 

"Don't be in such a rush to grow up, Lia. After your birthday you'll have to really start working in the field. No more playing around all day." Irina spoke through the pain of her hair being pulled. 

"The faster you two grow up the faster your names will be taken out of the drawing," Lydia said as she adjusted her grey dress which she was too big for. "Lydia." Emerald scolded. "What? It's my last year being illegible but it doesn't matter because I'll keep dreading this day until you two are finally free from it." Emerald secured the end of Irina's braid before turning to her oldest daughter. "There is nothing to dread because nothing will happen to any of us Reeds. The odds are in our favor." Emerald raised her eyebrows in a way that told Lydia there was no room for disagreement. "Right, sorry mom." Lydia's eyes met Ophelia's and she smiled. Lydia and Irina had been given their mother's sharp eyes while Ophelia got their father's soft round ones that made them both look more young and innocent than they were. 

Merlin helped his youngest daughter to her feet and smoothed out the wrinkles from her dress that had once been Lydia's and then Irinia's and was now Ophelia's. "The five of us will be back here before sundown," Merlin said with conviction he hoped would soothe their nerves. Though none of them found any comfort in his words. 

☽

Lydia, Irinia, and Ophelia walked hand in hand until they got to the entrance of the Reaping Ceremony. Lydia bent down and pressed a kiss to her sister's hair. "I'll find you after, so don't go anywhere. I love you." Ophelia smiled. "Love you guys too." Then she stepped forward and got her finger pricked. She tried not to flinch at the pain, she was about to be fifteen after all, much too old to flinch at something so silly. 

Then she stood in line and fiddled with the hem of her dress while everyone filled in. 

A woman dressed in bright pink with hair dyed as yellow as the sun stepped onto the stage. "Hello, District 11, and welcome to the 68th annual Reaping Ceremony!" The woman clapped and no one in the audience met her enthusiasm. She seemed unfazed by it as she continued. Ophelia dropped her dress and kept her gaze on the ground as the capital's video played in an attempt not to draw attention to herself. Then finally the worst part of the ceremony started. 

"As usual, ladies first," The woman walked over to the bowl to the left and gracefully dipped her hand in the bowl. She plucked out a name like plucking the leaves off a flower and walked back over to the microphone. Then she opened her mouth to declare who would be sent to their death, "Ophelia Reed." 

Her heart stopped inside her chest at the sound of her name. Her blood went cold and for a moment she thought about running so the peacekeepers would just shoot her then and there. All eyes were on her and after an elbow to her size, she forced herself to take a step out of the line and began her walk to the stage. Gasps were heard throughout the crowd as she began her walk to her death.

 "Ophelia!" She glanced to her right and saw Lydia pushing against peacekeepers to get to her. Tears streamed down her face and her eyes held an anger Ophelia had never seen before. Ophelia sighed in relief. She was saved! Surely her older sister wouldn't let her go to her death. She would volunteer for her! Irina was also calling her name. Maybe they both would volunteer to save her. After all, she was the youngest she had no chance of surviving the games, and hadn't her sisters promised to always protect her?

Ophelia stopped and met Lydia's eyes and smiled in thanks. But Lydia simply dropped to her knees and continued sobbing. A peacekeeper nudged Ophelia's back with the end of his gun, she stumbled forward and glanced at Irina who now was refusing to meet her eyes. 

All her hope fell apart and she continued walking until she was on stage, no longer able to see through her tears. "Now for the boys, Lane Ash!" 

☽

Lydia and Irina entered the room first. "Ophelia!" They cried and threw their arms around their little sister. Ophelia didn't feel happiness at seeing her family and she didn't feel fear knowing this was likely the last time they ever saw each other. She felt nothing but burning anger. She stood still until her sisters finally released her. She finally met their eyes and saw they had the nerve to still be crying. 

"Get out," Ophelia mumbled. Neither of them moved. "I said get out!" Ophelia grabbed the first thing her hands could get and threw it at her sisters. They stared at her in shock. "Now!" 

"Ophelia!" Her mother scolded. "I don't want their tears. I wanted them to save me!" Ophelia glared at her sisters. "When you see me die, I want you to know it was you who killed me." She didn't have it in her to cry or say goodbye to her parents. She pushed past her family and walked out the door. "I'm ready." She said to the peacekeeper. Her family cried her name but she ignored them and let the peacekeeper lead her to the death her sisters sent her to.