jessieethewriterr
Marilla Ordelia, the sweetest girl from District 4-at least, she used to be. Her happiness once depended on her best friend, May Carfid, who fell ill when they were both 13. When May was reaped that year, Marilla volunteered for her without hesitation, newly old enough to do so. She thought it was the right thing-heroic, even. She won, but the Games changed her forevermore.
The next year, May was reaped again, and though she was still weak, she insisted on going. Marilla, still 14, volunteered a second time. She didn't win for May this time-May died while Marilla was still in the arena. That broke something in her, something she didn't know had been fixed by May in the first place.
Then, as if the curse passed from May to her, Marilla was reaped again at 15. And again at 16. No one stepped up for her-not even May's family. No one batted an eye. Four times in the arena. Two times volunteered. Two times reaped. Four separate fights for survival, and still, she's standing.
The reason she even volunteered in the first place? Her mother didn't teach her correctly on the horrors that were The Games, and, Finnick Odair, he one his games at 13 and was praised the rest of his life, Marilla wanted to feel that too, but Snow saw her as a side character, one to kill off when she got too boring.