Writer Games | Masquerade of Martyrs & Family Ties

Task Four: The Brother - Females

District One - Jace Argentaria

Rosie had expected to  encounter her brother. Perhaps her father. Maybe even her mother. When  Jace's arms wrapped around her, Rosie was more shocked than comforted.  Her lungs ached from running, having sprinted from her hiding place in  hope that she'd make it to Orion safely. Rosie felt like curling up  against Jace and bawling like the small girl that she was in the eyes of  her opponents.

"What are you doing  here?" She whispered it against Jace's jacket, clutching the fabric in  her hands as she hugged the older girl. Her mind was far away from the  Games and she wanted it to stay there. Jace was there, Jace would  protect her. It would be okay.

"My job." Jace's  voice wasn't that of a seventeen year old girl. She didn't sound like  her brother's best friend, the girl who made her pancakes for her  birthday and danced on tables and practically lived with them when she  was younger. It was her mentoring voice, the one that had coached her  through her short time in the Capitol.

Though she was  speaking like the mentor she'd been forced to be after the last Games,  Jace was clinging to Rosie like she was her own little sister. And as  far as she was concerned, that's how it was between the two of them.  They stood there in silence and hugged like they hadn't seen each other  in thousands of years. Jace was shaking like a leaf but she didn't look  too afraid when Rosie lifted her eyes.

"But how are you  going to get back?" Despite her intelligence, the situation didn't quite  make sense in Rosie's mind. Jace had made it out of the arena once  before but she was no longer a tribute, she was working behind the  scenes. She was supposed to be keeping her alive.

Jace said nothing,  holding her tighter and sighing deeply. Rosie had a thousand other  questions for her mentor but she was just glad to have her there. The  grim look in Jace's eyes worried her but she grabbed Rosie's hand the  way that she had in the Justice Building. They had spent hours talking  after that, curled up on the couch and watching the Reapings on  television as they traveled.

Rosie let Jace take  the lead. At first, she was hesitate to do so and get lost in a place  she hadn't yet seen. Then she remembered that as her mentor, Jace had  seen much more of the Games than Rosie herself. It was probably best to  let her mentor do the leading and to follow her lead like she'd been  doing since they met. Orion had once told Jace that his sister worshiped  her as a hero. Rosie couldn't deny this.

"Why isn't Orion  here?" Speaking of her brother, she wanted him here, though she wasn't  sure that this was the safest place for them to reunite. She trusted him  to keep her safe but not necessarily to keep himself in good shape. He  worried about other people too much.

Jace gritted her  teeth. It was a nervous habit, something Orion used to warn them both  against to protect their teeth. She tried to turn it into a smile but  Rosie had already seen the frown. Something wasn't right here, though  she wasn't sure what was wrong with her almost-sister. They struggled  through the razor sharp grass without stopping.

"You shouldn't have  left your supplies behind, Rosie." Jace shook her head, not commenting  on the lack of Orion that they were both feeling. The plants that were  getting knotted around her ankles was also hiding her backpack,  something that clearly annoyed Jace as a Career who was always very  prepared.

Rosie had a reply  prepared but the swishing sound behind her stopped her in her tracks.  She froze, startled and stuck like a deer in the face of a hunter. Jace  sprung into action. Though they were both unarmed, it was clear that she  wasn't afraid to fight again. Rosie stumbled out of the way as Jace put  herself between her and the danger. Her muscles were tense, coiled and  ready to spring.