I woke up in a small room, in a small body, and my head pounding. Mr. Everdeen comes in to check on me.
"Hey kid you alright? You've been sleeping for nearly a week. That fever damn near killed you. We could barely keep it from turning your insides into mush. Here drink this." He says concern written on his face with a solemn look as he hands me some water and what looks to be like medicine.
As this goes on I don't speak and had fully integrated both sets of memories into my mind.
"Thank you. But if you're this concerned about me leaving you could alway give me Kat for me to stay." I say with a toothy grin as he's taken aback about my forwardness.
He smiles barks out a laugh and says maybe if I come back from the games. I asked for his help as I tried to stand up.
"Then I'll hold you to that promise old man no backing out." I state laughing with him as he helps me get ready.
We walk out and meet up with everyone again in the kitchen before we head out. My eyes land on Katniss as she walks out. We look at each other as her parents look on with amused smiles.
She asks how she looks but I just blurt out "beautiful" still dazed. As everyone laughs and Katniss blushes hard. Not knowing what to say I hold out my hand and and she takes it as we are escorted to the hall of justice by her parents and little PrimRose.
As we walk to the HOJ (Hall of Justice) I end up in my thoughts again.
'I have four games till canon. Should I keep volunteering each time? I don't think the games had important implications in these next 3 or 4 games that'll be detrimental for the 75th games so I can just take them all out.' I start thinking to myself.
I look at everyone in line all scared. All with lifeless eyes. We go in and start waiting. They make their speeches about war and sacrifices and how the hunger games are honorable and should be happy about it.
As always ladies first. They call up an unknown girl. Tiny and fragile. Severely malnourished and weak. It was her death sentence and no one saved her I clench my fists and jaw. War should never involve children. She walks slowly to the podium. Scared, confused and in tears.
Now it was time for the gentlemen. But before anything I couldn't stand it anymore so I stepped out of line and announced "I volunteer as tribute." With a loud authoritative voice that left no room for argument. I walked up in confident strides with a very small almost cocky smile.
As I reach the podium Effie Trinket just smiles and and applauds for me I thank her for it. I kneel down to the terrified girl and gave her a hug.
"Don't worry little one as long as I'm around no one can touch you." I whispered to her in her ear as she just clings to me in a tight embrace. Everyone not saying anything the whole time. Effie asks me for my name and I say Orion Atlas Knight. She applauds and I hold our 3 finger salute needing no words. Just respect. Shining in their eyes. But in the Everdeen family there was chaos written on their faces.
Fear, worry, heartbreak from the screams of Katniss and little Prim.
We were taken into our separate rooms. The father comes in alone. Mad and scared.
"What is wrong with you child! Why? I don't understand." He asks truly sounding hurt and scared as he hugged me tight.
"Because she's scared and alone just like I was when you took me in. Our family protects the children of the district as long as possible no matter the cost. I wanted them to remember that. I need you to start training all kids that are 12-16." I state in a matter of fact tone like it was obvious. "Watch my games, my resolve, my motivation." I state with clear resolve.
He steps back takes a good look at me. Broad shoulders, standing at 5 feet 5 inches. Tall for my age and built like a wall. Raven black hair and ice blue eyes that catches anyone's attention.
"I understand my boy. Now please be safe." He says softly almost defeatedly.
After that the rest of the family comes in. We hug say our goodbyes in heartbreak and worry. And the parents of the girl come in and ask me why. I told them the same thing I said to Mr. Everdeen. That's when they realized what his family had done for the district and the children no matter the cost to themselves. Start preparing the children to train. How to survive off plants if need be and how to hide without leaving traces. If we're going to be forced into the games we're gonna survive them and deal with the aftermath as a district.
"One more thing before time is up. I'll protect your daughter from the others and promise her a quick and painless death if I find her mortally wounded. I'll do my best to make sure that one of us comes home. Because that's all I can do for either of us." I told them with a look that promised them hope that their daughter was safe with him at least until the end.
We get to the train and Effie comes in happy as can be as haymitch is drunk again.
I got severely pissed off. At him and ignored him.
"Effie." I started. "I would like to thank you for your hard work and apologize for my districts lack of support and enthusiasm during the reaping. Not everyone in the districts show the same level of respect and appreciation for the games like those of the capital." I apologized to her. "We are wary towards outsiders especially the capital because of the hardships we endure." I stated as I help the young one sit down for dinner and show her som mannerisms that make her question why. As Effie looks at me with an appreciation and a calculated expression. "Little one. I promised your parents I'd try to help you live as long as possible. You just have to find me. Stay close to me. And listen to everything I say. We're going to be together the whole time. But for now try not to eat so much. You're body can't digest everything." I start talking to her calmly and authoritatively.
I filled her plate with easy digestible food that her body can handle. Chicken, a salad, fruits. No bread. Too filling no nutrients. And one glass of juice and water. To help clear her system and help it get better vitamins through the liquid. I come up with a meal plan and tell her to stay away from any and all breads unless in the games. To focus on eating straight meat and vegetables and fruit.
"Effie. To make an impact on our district I'd like for you to be more reserved. For us it's not a time for celebration but dread." I informed her. "The capital doesn't care about us and never will. They control the narrative because they won the war. What you need to do is not thank us for our sacrifices but thank us for our endurance and perseverance. Because even in the darkest of days there's still light. Or else the moon wouldn't come out to keep us from losing our way during the night." I finish with a small sincere smile. "Thank you for trying to keep our minds off the horrors we'll face with your enthusiasm. I hope you continue with it. Oh and please do me a favor and make sure our stylists don't miss us up. We want to make an impression not bore the audiences. We may be a minor district but we are not just overalls and helmets." I finished my impromptu speech. She just beams at me with the biggest smile I've ever seen.
"I'll come up with a design for me and the girl. I'll have to ask you to give it to the stylists and make our arrangements I know it's hard for you Effie and I maybe throwing your plans out all together but I just ask you to trust in me and my vision. Help me make my fantasies a reality please." I ask for her help and that just makes her even more happy.
"We'll cal it the spark of dreams." She exclaimed with a bright smile all giddy and I smile back as we finished our meals.
"Little one remember to always drink water and juices I want the vitamins circulating around in your system. It's easier that way. It'll keep you from dying quickly and help strengthen your immune system to help you from getting sick too quickly." I instructed and advised. "I've been studying the hunger games since I could remember. Everyone always goes for weapons. But I want you to just grab the nearest bag to you and run away. I'll find you. Hide in a tree if you can these people are too stupid to look up. Find water. We can eat plants and fruits. But we can't survive without water. Anyone can kill with a weapon but we can make our own as well that isn't important." I continued
Haymitch still drunk or in a hangover no one knows but I don't care right now he's pissed me off. I ask Effie a bunch of different things and bounce ideas off each other while the girl stays silent watching the tv with haymitch awake and still drinking.
Later that night I woke up after hearing her scream I bum rush into her room and hold her as she drifts back to sleep.
We end up at the capital after a hard breakfast and a long trip. We meet up with the stylists. I told them I'd like our suits to be all black with our steeds be the same but light their manes a flame. A black crown on my head and a princess tiara for her. When they ask me why I wanted a crown as I walked off to get washed down I looked back with the iciest glare causing fear to creep down their spines as they look at this 12 year old boy.
"Right now I'm too young to be a king." I started. "So for now I'll be the Prince of Games." I stated in the coldest voice devoid of emotion and walked off leaving everyone dumbfounded and scared. How can someone so young strike that much fear into them? But one thing for sure he was right…
"The Prince of Games…"
"I love it." Whispered Effie to everyone breaking the silence. In awe of what just happened.
A little time passes as the clean us down. They bring us up ready for the parade. I was dressed in what looked to be royal clothing all black with glowing embers as accents. Same with the girl. For her family I made her a princess of the mines. For me the prince of games.
[D12]
Everyone including the Everdeen family is in the square watching the parade. And here we come. Katniss looks at me in awe at me looking like a true born royal. Face stoic. Unreadable. The girls crying for their little girl. How beautiful she looked. They saw the boy looked like a royal prince and there daughter a princess. Until the announcers called him the prince of games. And the princess of the mines. Everyone cheered as we brought up our hands held together and the other hands were raised with our three fingered salute! I looked straight at the camera and nodded once. My district saw it.
The fire in my eyes and the message I sent to her family. Look at how healthy and beautiful your daughter looks. And know she's safe for now. The smile on her face never fading. So bright, so serene.
[Capital]
The parade ended and we went back to our designated spots. Everyone cheering for us. Telling us how amazing we looked. Like true royals.
We went through some conversations as we headed back to dinner. We rewatched the parade and the girl teary eyed looked at me and asked if that was truly her. We smile and said yes. And she hugs me tight thanking me for the gift of making her a princess. I told her that in her parents eyes she was always one she hugs me tighter. Her strength more than before as she was taking my words seriously about her nutrition diet.
We all headed our separate ways and headed of to sleeep.