Mockingay

Part 1- The Reaping

Every year, Arthur would be awoken by his sister crawling into his bed, nightmares of her name being called hiding behind her red, puffy eyes. Every year he would comfort her, stroking her dark, coal coloured hair and singing her the song his mother once sang to him. Every year he would then sneak out while his sister and father slept and he would make his way to the hole in the fence nobody dared to acknowledge, except for him and his closest friend, Gwen.
He let himself perch on the end of what was once walls to somebody's home and wait for her, she always came.

'I picked some berries while I waited, they will go nicely with this!' She held up a small loaf of bread, still steaming.
'Where did you get that!?' He almost fell trying to reach for it.
'Couldn't sleep last night, traded it for a big squirrel.'

She broke it in half and they sat there in comfortable silence, watching the sun rise over the trees.

'We should get back soon,' He sighed. 'My sister will need help with her hair, my father still refuses to learn. I keep telling him he should, with how many times my name is in, it would be for the best.'
'You are such a pessimist Arthur Pendragon!' She playfully ruffles his hair.
'No,' He straightens his shirt and smooths his hair back down. 'I'm a realist.'

Gwen walks him back to his home, where his sister is pacing at the front door, she kisses his cheek and makes her way through town to her own waiting family. Arthur is practically dragged inside by his sister, Morgana, who plonks herself down in front of him and nervously rambles on about if she looks okay.
Once her hair is finished, he tilts her chin up so her eyes meet his,

'You are a Pendragon, you were born with fire in your blood and fight in your heart. Your name is only in there once, the odds are in your favour little dragon.' She rises to her tiptoes and hugs him as tight as she can. Arthur's father appears in the doorway, a concerned frown upon his face.
'The water should be warm enough now, I really wish you would stop sneaking out before the reaping, you're filthy.'
He scrubbed himself raw before climbing into one of his fathers old outfits. He looked beautiful. His mothers golden hair paired with his fathers flaming red shirt, this is the only day he wouldn't stand out in this ridiculous outfit.

The streets were full but not alive like usual, everyone keeping their eyes on the town square, not daring to make eye contact with anyone. Lining up, separated by gender and then by age. Arthur's sister at the back of the girls and him, towards the front of the boys. He was 16, 17 later this year, which meant his name would have been in the bowl 5 times. Arthur's name was in 20 times. If he wanted his family to eat he had to put his name in for extra grains, and so he did. Still, he thought to himself, there are thousands of people in District 12, he would have to be very unlucky to be picked. His friend Gwen, had 5 siblings and she was a year older than him and standing opposite him, towards the front of the girls, her name was in 46 times.

A lavishly decorated woman walked out onto the stage, dressed all in gold as if to mock the poor that surrounded her, and, beaming as if unable to read the room, she introduced herself as Leona. A rough looking man, slightly overgrown beard and uncut dark hair, dragged himself up onto stage. Arthur recognised him as Gwaine, the victor of the 50th Hunger Games and a drunk. He gave Leona's hand a sloppy kiss before sitting himself down on the Mayor's lap, immediately jumping up, slamming his hand to his mouth and hiccuping 'Oops!' loud enough for the whole town to hear and sliding down into the chair next to the Mayor. Leona, now a shade of fuchsia you'd only see in the capitol, straightens her wig and returns her gaze to the crowd.

The same video that plays every year starts and Gwen turns to see Arthur mouthing along the words, she hides a smile. Leona starts her speech before walking towards the bowl in front of the girls.