#alaric shultz

[cassiahunt]

No light, no light: Cassia + Alaric

Cassia whimpered as she felt the weight of the blonde girl crushing down on her stomach. A sharp pain in her head caused her vision to blur as she felt the cold liquid red run down her face. The wound was deep and she knew she was losing blood fast. The tip of the knife slowly pushing against the ball in her neck was slowly chocking her.

“What did you think Eight, you could just fuck around with your mentor for a few days while the rest of us trained? You’re pathetic. And to think, you probably thought he loved you. Look where that left you.” The blonde girl spat. Cassia watched as the girl rose her arm, only being able to stare at the crimson stained blade as it rose above her. Then, as quick as a bullet, she watched the knife fall down upon her chest…

Cassia screamed as she jolted awake. Dreaming. She was just dreaming. She exhaled as she pushed her onyx curls out of her face. This was the first vivid dream she had had of what she imagined the arena to be like. As she imagined her worst fear. Death.

She swung her legs over the bed and walked over to the bathroom. She was in no state to go back to sleep, and she figured a nice warm shower could help calm her nerves. She turned on the hot water and allowed it to run for a short time while she undressed. She stepped into the inviting glass door, grinning as the steaming hot water poured onto her face.

She stood completely still, wishing she could stay in that position, free from all thoughts, for eternity.

Her mind slipped back to earlier in the day, how she felt completely vulnerable to her bubbling emotions, allowing them to cloud her judgment. In what mindset did she believe it was okay? What she had done. Especially to someone for whom she had loathed just hours before. Maybe she really was pathetic just as her subconscious had been telling her. How could she allow herself to even become attached to anyone in these games, and certainly not on such a personal level?

What made this man special. This grown adult, twelve years older than she, whom she barely even knew…and worse, she could be completely making this up. Blowing something little way out of proportion.

But something deep within, back in the corners of her mind, told her this was not a one-sided feeling. When she leaned in the first time, it was an impulsive, spur of the moment move. But he didn’t push away, no he did much worse. He looked her in the eyes with complete consciousness and understanding of what he was doing, and brought her back. But this was not as confused and unsure as hers was. No. this held a form of intimacy. Held beauty.

Cassia felt a new sense of water fall upon her cheeks. Water not coming from the shower head above, but from the corners of her eyes. She tried to contain herself for a short while but soon burst into tears. She fell back against the side of the glass wall and let her body slowly crumble to the ground of the shower.

Holding her head in her hand she wept, allowing her mind to return to the nightmare she had just surpassed. The warm water pelted heavily against her knees as she drew in her legs to her chest and curled up against the corner of the shower. She felt so weak, so useless, as her own mind reminded her of her weary odds of winning in the arena. How she allowed her emotions to consume her rather than keeping her head in the game, ready to train. She felt such anger towards herself fill inside and she pounded her fist against the side of the shower and let out a pent up scream so loud the glass shook. She just kept screaming and screaming trying to let out the emotions she held inside. Waiting, for a light to arise in the darkness of her mind.

[burton-copperfield]

Lunch Time Acquaintances | Burton, Alaric

The cafeteria in the Training Centre was always an odd place to be; situated in the centre of the first floor, the main hall was filled with tables from wall to wall. The Tributes always tended to sit at one side of the room whilst a few of the mentors would join them at the opposite side of the hall. Today was one of those days where Burton felt a lunch in the Training Centre would be best; it was time to sit and talk with the other mentors. He'd already seen a few of them milling around the Capitol and spoken to a few of them, but the number of faces he actually recognised was few in number.

Had the Capitol really got to grips with the overflow of mentors from the various Districts of Panem? He went through the cafeteria stalls buying his lunch, counting the mentors he knew about in his head. Of course, Harrison, Calloway and his two back-to-back Victors had returned; so had Aleks and Lila. But they were the only ones who had returned; Wren Golde had obviously vanished months ago and the Capitol had assumed her dead. Naima had seemingly 'retired' from the Games but Burton had his suspicions; a woman as driven as her would never willingly retire from the Games. Darlen, Turquoise, Leron, Buttercup… the list of mentors who had arrived so fleetingly to the Hunger Games and then vanished were increasing by the year.

What was happening to the Victors?

The sight of a young man sat nearby caught his attention; it seemed as though the 73rd Hunger Games was the time for a swarm of new mentors. Burton kept one eye on him as he paid for his meal, before deciding to do something about it. "Hey," he began, bringing over his tray to the table in the corner. Might be worth making friends around here... he thought to himself as he took the seat opposite the man. "I don't think I've met you before - the name's Burton. District 6 mentor here, been around a while." He raised an eyebrow, trying to remember the young man's face. "Have we met before?" 

[cassiahunt]

Just a Bundle of Surprises: Cassia + Alaric

After a few hours of training, Cassia and the rest of the tributes were given a break. Cassia was in no mood to sit and become best friends with any of the other tributes, but she in turn didn’t want to seem like the outcast sitting by herself at lunch. She thought about sitting with August or even Rowan but she saw a couple other tributes taking their lunch to their apartments and decided that seemed like a better idea.

She stocked up a plate full of backed chicken, pasta with white sauce, fruit salad and some sort of rice rolls wrapped in a black something. None the less everything looked so appealing she tried to get a good variety without overeating because she knew she would eventually have to go back into training. She walked over to the elevators and headed up to the eighth floor. She hadn’t spent much time on her floor but was rather appreciative that it was separate from the other districts.

Walking out she was greeted by the array of colors and prints that surrounded her. Their district floor was magnificent; with glossy wooden floors and plush couches and rugs. Cassia set her plate down on the coffee table in the sitting room, and simply fell into the couch. She smiled as she was surrounded by soft furs and fabrics. She wished for a moment that she had grown up as a Capitol kid. Having everything she ever wanted, and never having to go a day wondering if she was going to have dinner or not. But that wasn’t who she was. She wouldn’t have had the hardships that had molded her into the person she was today.

She sat up and began to start on her lunch for she was oh so ready to indulge in the arrangement of tastes she had laid out for herself. Yes, sitting and enjoying the peace and quiet there was much better than having awkward small talk with the other tributes downstairs.