𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐕ł𝐕Ø𝐑 ⎯ finnick odair

1.04

         When Grayce pulled away from her granddaughter, her husband cut in and held her tightly. She knew what he was feeling, for it was the same that she was feeling, they felt like they were back in the Hunger Games in which their children had been reaped, and back in their home watching their daughters die, watching as their eldest son was murdered by a Peacekeeper when he tried to attack the family of the other Tribute in childish retaliation.

         They couldn't help but feel the same terrifying fear that they did back then.

         "Please try to win, come back to us." Roman begged his granddaughter, holding her close and tightly like his wife had done. "Show those Capitol snakes that District 9 is not to be overshadowed and looked down on."

         Hestia rubbed her grandfather's back as she hummed, of course, she would try to win, but so would all the other 23 tributes that would be in the arena with her. An arena that they had yet to discover what it would be of, as it changed every year.

         After Grayce and Roman Meadowes were told that their time was over, Hestia was brought over to where her fellow tribute was waiting, a bright red mark on his face. Hestia could imagine why, almost all tributes, and especially those that weren't Career, broke up their attachments before heading for the Capitol, it was the safest and most sane thing to do to help ease the pain of those that were left behind.

         A small chariot was provided for the Tributes and their Escort to travel to the train station without walking, manned by a horse, it wasn't completely unlike the chariots that were used to transport grain from the fields to their tanks. but it was good enough for the transport.

         The short ride to the train station was quick and filled with silence, the Escort, Leto, didn't say anything, merely looked around at the scenery while the tributes looked at their laps or at the horse, avoiding catching the eyes of someone that they knew.

         The exterior of the train was a sight that everyone in the District had grown used to seeing, be it when it zipped past the station and over the train tracks as it headed someplace, or when it stopped at the station for refueling or grabbing containers of grain to take to the Capitol.

         But the inside was not a sigh that the Tributes were expecting, or perhaps they should've, considering that the train belonged to the Capitol. They entered through the fourth carriage, which presented them with the sight of a luxurious dining room and bar, the furniture blue in colour.

         "The carriage after this one is a lounge, where one could see the track tracks behind the train, the two carriages before this one are sleeping quarters, neither that we will be using considering the District is close to the Capitol and the ride will not last longer than two hours." Leto told the tributes.

         Cornelius threw himself onto one of the seats, his cheek still red but tiredness evident on his face, the Games had yet to start but the male tribute of District 9 was already tired.

         "Do you happen to know who will train us?" 14-year-old Hestia questioned, tilting her head up slightly to look at the Capitol-born woman.

         "Not yet, but you will most likely be trained by Victors from the Career Districts and they have plenty of them." Leto replied, her tone solemn and void of emotion.

         It was something that many, if not all, escorts did. They tried their damn hardest not to get attached to the tributes that they were chaperoning, it was easier than having to grieve them when they died in the Games.

         "If we are trained by Career Victors, at least we will stand a chance of surviving the Games." Cornelius claimed, his blue eyes locking on Hestia's smaller figure. His words were both a threat and a reminder that they were going to be on the same side until either of them didn't need to other.