Peacekeepers: The 49th Annual Hunger Games

Tribute

The train ride was far too long. A day on the train was likely to kill me before we even made it to the Capitol. Marigold often came in my small room to check on me, but I wasn't interested in speaking to her. Instead I sat by the window and watched all the districts roll by. A part of me had convinced itself that this would be the last time I'd see any of the districts. A part of me decided maybe dying would be better.

Obviously, the previous Victor killed himself for some reason, and I don't think it was because of a mental disorder. I'd heard stories of the previous victors going crazy, or killing themselves shortly after, because the pressure of the games was too much to handle: I couldn't let that happen to me.

I thought of Mason and how much he fought to avoid letting me get reaped. Part of me blamed him. Part of me believed that this wasn't an accident I was reaped. But I must have been crazy to believe that.

I sighed and leaned my head against the wall. Tate's room was just on the other side of this wall. Maybe I was nuts but I could have sworn I heard sniffling. My thoughts travelled back to the girl crying at the reaping. She had to have been a girlfriend.

I closed my eyes again and tried to let my mind drift to sleep but everything that had happened was still too real and fresh. I'd watched these Games for my whole life, but now it was actively something I was a part of. Starting tomorrow, I'd be an official tribute of The Hunger Games and my life would either be over or be changed forever.

I played with both my rings; the straw ring and the silver one that Mason had given me. I took a shaky breath and slid off the silver one, setting it on the nightstand and laying down. I fell asleep imagining Mason and I in our tree.

I awoke to Marigold scolding me for sleeping in. I grumbled. It hadn't been a dream. "Wake up!" Marigold hissed through her teeth and teetered over to my curtains, opening them wide. The train was stopped now, and I could tell by the sun pouring in my tiny window that it was about noon.

"You have to meet your prep team and get ready for the parade!"

"Prep team? Parade?" I mumbled, still half asleep and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I propped myself up on one elbow and looked to the door, where Tate was propped against the doorframe.

He looked annoyed with me, probably for making him late, but maybe that was just my premonition of him after he shouted at Marigold. I knew he had a soft side because of the sniffling I hurt last night and the tear rolling down his cheek when he was picked. I was amazed I hadn't cried yet.

"Ready to go, Princess?" Tate teased with an aggravated look on his face.

"Don't call me that." I grumbled back and stood. I was still in my dress from yesterday, and my mind flashed back to Mason and our conversation just before the reaping. Marigold almost managed to get me out of the room before I swept my hand down and grabbed my ring.

"What's that, like a wedding ring " Tate asked, slowing his walk so that he could walk beside me.

"None of your business," I snapped back.

"Calm yourself princess," he growled. "It's just a question. You know, from what I'd been told around town, I never thought you'd be so snotty."

I stopped, but Marigold, who was ahead of us, kept walking. "I am not snotty." I said, crossing my arms before walking again. "And I'll have you know it's an engagement ring."

I could tell what he was thinking without looking up at him. Engagement implied that I thought we were going to be married, and to be married, I'd have to win. Tate fell silent and walked faster so that he passed me. I huffed and followed after.

Marigold led us through the Capitol crowd, and I decided this would be a good time to try and get sponsors. I smiled and waved at people, and even posed for pictures with a few people. They all looked like clowns. It was frightening. Would this happen to me if I won? Would I become a Capitol darling and lose all traces of the old Evangeline? In some ways, that scared me more than anything else. If I lose, Mason and my family loses me. If I won, I lose myself. I reconsidered winning for the third time since I'd been here.

Tate seemed to scowl at every person. These were the people that were rooting for us to die and kill each other, yet I was smiling and waving and taking pictures with them. Maybe this would be my method. Get the people to like me, and then break all their hearts.

Marigold led us into the Tribute Center. A couple of people came out to greet us by giving us cheek kisses. Tate and I had the same reaction. Get away from me before I kill you.

Part of me was slightly panicked when they took my hands and dragged me into a large green tent in the center of the room and laid me down on a bed. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't too bad. I didn't like having them do my eyebrows, but I had to admit, the scalp massage felt nice.

When I was all done, the stylists started talking abut hairstyles and costumes that could work for the tribute parade. District Eleven was agriculture. There wasn't much that could make us stand out unless they wanted to dress us as a corncob.

Instead, they put me in a long, flowing dress that looked like it was made from fifteen thousand stands of wheat. It flowed behind me like a train. For my make up, they went very natural, with bright gold eyeliner and then long false eyelashes. My costume wasn't as ridiculous as some of the others in District eleven past. They finished the look off with a bridal tiara that made me ache to go home to Mason.

I never did get to meet my stylist.

I giggled as Tate came out in his hilarious getup. He was wearing overalls and a black tshirt under it with a cowboy hat. They'd done something to make him smell different.

Roses.

My mind flashes back to the rose I found in my bedroom and I couldn't even tease Tate about his outfit or listen to what he had to say about me. I was just overcome with so much homesickness that I could cry.

"Hey," Tate said, stepping onto the chariot. "Don't you dare cry." I turned bright red, angry that he saw something so personal and made a joke about it. I stepped onto the chariot silently and prepared myself to keep the act up. The act that I loved all the Capitol fans. I took deep breaths for as long as I could before I had to put a smile on my face.

The crowd cheered, just like we expected them too. They had to be cheering for me rather than the coal miners from twelve. I could feel their adoration for me. It was different from Mason's adoration. This kind made me sick to my stomach instead of making me warm inside.

I smiled at everyone, waving and blowing kisses. This was my way of winning their hearts. Maybe if I won their hearts, I could win the games. Tate glanced at me, and I heard him mumble, "How are you doing this?" I looked up at him and shrugged. "I don't know." I admitted.

In that moment, seeing the worry in Tate's face, and the anger in the other tributes, I could sense that I was a real threat to them.

A/N: I know this chapter isn't that good, I just needed a filler. Believe me, it's going to get better. ❤️ thanks to all my readers. I really appreciate it.