Growing up in District 1 is easy, isn't it? You get trained for the arena, and you get a choice wether you enter it or not. Athena Belcourt wasn't given that choice. The District decided she had to volunteer for the 74th Games while her older sister...
There are fighters, workers and a very few become warriors, the ones that are warriors are sent to the arena by the District, any others that volunteer are just fighters.
Athena Belcourt was a warrior, which was fitting considering she was named after the Greek Goddess of War. But her best friend, Achilles Sonhart, was a fighter.
You would think it would be hard for him, always in Athenas shadow, but he didn't care what he was, neither of them did, they just didn't want to have to fight in the arena. Of course, it's not often children in District One actually get what they want.
When Athena was 13, her and her sister, Glimmer were requested to go to the Mayors building, just north of the training centre. As they started to exit the training centre and walk towards his office, Athena felt a cold rush flow over her as she realised what she was about to be told. Athena and Glimmer were going to be District One's next victors.
The plan was that in 2 years time it would be the 73rd annual Hunger Games, which 16 year old Glimmer would Volunteer for, and then the year after that, when Athena was 16, she would volunteer for the 74th. The plan was put in place as 10 years before, Gloss and Cashmere Nicholo won the 63rd and 64th Hunger Games back to back, they were the greatest "warriors" District One had seen. So naturally the District wanted sibling victors exactly 10 years after. Athena and Glimmer were the best potential tributes in the training centre anyway so obviously they were the ones that were selected.
Two years later, Glimmer and Athena had trained all day every single day to give them the best chance of survival possible. They trained privately with Cashmere and Gloss since they were family friends, so they had known Athena and Glimmer their entire lives. It was practically impossible for either of them to lose, as long as Glimmer got a sword or a knife, she would be fine, they had a plan.
On the day of the 73rd Reaping, Glimmer and Athena both got ready for what could be the last time they ever saw eachother. Athena knew the plan, Glimmer volunteers this year, she volunteers the next, but when Glimmer's arm started to rise, Athena quickly stepped out of the crowd and volunteered. Walking up to the stage Athena felt relieved she managed to volunteer first, but standing up there she saw the worry in her sisters eyes which made her feel sick. Looking over to the crowd of boys she saw Achilles, he was shocked, understandably, but he also looked hurt, surely he realised Athena couldn't let Glimmer die first.
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