kings & queens [mayor rosemary oneshots, 92nd]

Every year, the reaping frightens me. I'm always fearful someone I know will be chosen for the Hunger Games, or worse: they might even volunteer. Volunteer... like Sage and Affron did all those years ago. It's been seventeen years now, and I still don't understand why he did what he did. It'll never quite make sense to me. I'm grateful that Caroline isn't old enough for the Games yet, but I grow more anxious as the years move forward, as I know she'll be eligible sooner rather than later.

As the mayor, I need to be in the District Square for the reaping, despite not having any children who are able to be chosen, nor am I eligible myself. I'm a figurehead for the District just as much as I am a politician now. So, I have Caroline by my side as I stand there, waiting for the names to be read aloud.

One of the tributes is Anika Khan. The Khan family is wealthy, but never really talks about where their money comes from. That's about all I know about them, though. Anika clearly dressed ready to be on a stage, standing in front of an audience. She seems to be proud of her wealth, whereas, from what I've seen, her siblings downplay it a bit more, as if not wanting to show off what they have. Anika's confidence is obvious, though. It might even be a bit much.

The other tribute is a volunteer: Finnagan Davies. What I'd seen of him wasn't much, but I was pretty sure that there was some sort of correlation between he and some Peacekeepers in the District. I just wasn't quite sure what it was. He insisted he was going to be representing himself, and made it clear he didn't want anything to do with the District he came from.

If anything, just seeing these two at the reaping made it clear to me that giving them a sendoff in the Justice Building might end in them not being so happy with me. Or, at least, that seemed like it would be the case when it came to Finnagan. Perhaps Anika would actually like the attention.

So, when it came time for visitors to say their goodbyes to the tributes, I had a decision to make.


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