AELLA smoothed her hands over the black leather trousers she wore as she looked at herself in the full length mirror of her dressing room. Cayenne and Flax had scrubbed her to within an inch of her life, an hour it had taken in total. She had sat back and relaxed in the hot water, allowing the luxurious bath soak they had brought from the Capitol to soothe her tense muscles. They massaged an array of shampoos, conditioners and oils into her scalp and she hated to admit she enjoyed every single second of it.

Out of the bath, they waxed every inch of hair from her body before slathering her in lotions and moisturisers. After Clio had finished raiding her wardrobes Flax had plucked her eyebrows neatly and Aella sat through the whole thing with sliced cucumbers over her eyes while Cayenne provided her with a well needed pedicure.

Over the years Aella had become used to the routine. She no longer felt the pain of waxing and plucking. Instead she'd come to enjoy it. It was hard for her to grow accustomed to at first. She remembered the first time Cayenne pushed her down on the waxing table in the Capitol and how she had jumped and yelped with every strip they pulled from her body. Flax had to re-paint her nails several times before her interview with Caesar as she kept chipping the paint with her picking.

With every step they completed she could feel herself slipping into her alter ego; Aella Barnes, Victor of the sixty-ninth Hunger Games, the Capitol's Golden Girl. That girl was invincible, she had to be.

By the time Cayenne and Flax had finished with her she looked nothing like the girl Clio had picked up off the ground two hours prior. Aella hardly recognised herself under all the 'natural' tones of her makeup. Her upper and lower lids were lined in brown pencil and smoked out delicately, her brows were filled and shaped neatly and a highlight had been dusted over her cheekbones. Clio had demanded they paint her lips red, much to Aella's dismay but the she merely ignored the way she rolled her eyes in detest.

Clio had selected a simple outfit, nice and modest for the occasion and weather appropriate too. A white polo-neck clung to Aella's frame and Clio had helped her into a brown fur body warmer. She wore black heeled boots to match and although Aella hated wearing heels, the boots weren't too bad.

Once Clio had spotted the time she'd nearly had a fit. They were running exceptionally late and Aella was forced to leave her house at such a speed it almost give her whiplash. She was positive she'd never seen Clio move so fast in all the years she'd known her. She was impressed, especially seeing her move with such effortlessness in eight inch heels and a dress far too short for her own personal taste.

They left Cayenne and Flax in her house to pack up the mess they had created. It looked like a bomb had gone off. Aella hadn't seen her house so untidy in a very long time. It gave her a headache and so she was glad to be escaping the mess, even if she was jogging across the District in heeled boots because she couldn't keep up with Clio's long and rushed strides.

Clio went over the order of the event as they walked and Aella had a hard time focusing on her words. It was perhaps why she found herself distracted so easily. It wasn't that she was struggling to keep up with her—no, she was exceptionally fit. She ran miles around her District every single day, sometimes even twice. It was something to pass the time if anything else and on more than one occasion she'd found herself sparring with Daniel in his house.

She had managed to maintain her stamina and her strength since she emerged as the Victor. God knows it took her a long time to train up. There was no way she was going to let all her hard work slip. She would tell herself that it was good to be prepared and that's why she worked so hard but in reality she knew deep down she did it purely to make the days pass by quicker. Sometimes, if she was feeling adventurous she'd find herself slipping into the long and winding river that ran by her house just so she could keep up with swimming.

So, no, it wasn't that Aella was unfit, she just really did not want to be there. Her nerves had long since passed and instead, she found disdain filtering into her body. A grimace had formed on her face, lips set into a thin and brooding line at the thought of having to go before the cameras.

As the Justice Building came into view Aella felt her strides begging to slow as she spotted the array of Peacekeepers accompanied by several cameras. Their presence unnerved her. This was supposed to be her home and all the masked troops in their white uniforms holding deadly weapons in their arms made her angry. She knew it was punishment for what had happened all those nights ago—for the way they had banded together and rebelled against the Peacekeepers.

She wasn't stupid. She'd heard the whispers of riots breaking out within the other Districts. She'd seen the destruction on her own television as she tried to keep up with the Victory Tour. She was sure that she knew Katniss and Peeta's gratification speech off by heart by now but it had paid for her to watch it. Residents of varying Districts were saluting Katniss and Peeta in a way much different to the Capitol. In the short few days since their tour had began, the three fingered salute had been regarded as an act of defiance against the Capitol.

It was a tradition from District Twelve, Aella had learned, but the other Districts had since adopted it as a way of showing their admiration towards Katniss—towards a girl who had so very royally pissed off their President.

Aella prayed that no one would salute to either Katniss or Peeta today. Those who did were being executed on the spot. She didn't think she could take seeing her people being slaughtered by Peacekeepers live on camera where children were present.

Her fellow Victors appeared into her line of view as Clio led her into the Justice Building. The woman gushed over Porter Millicent Tripp who had been dressed from head to toe in a metallic purple catsuit and she moved swiftly over to speak to her. She left Aella alone, eyes casting over the room in an analytic way.

The Mayor was already present but what surprised Aella was how heavily guarded the building was. Even inside, five or so Peacekeepers held their weapons tightly to their chests.

"We're ready." Mayor Gallohill had announced to the small amount of people gathered within the room. Aella was thankful she didn't have to wait long—at least she didn't have to socialise with Drew.

As always, the Victors followed Mayor Gallohill out on to the stage outside of the Justice Building and they took their respective seats, movements like robots. Aella, like every year, was seated between Clio and Daniel. They had learned from the mistake of sitting her next to Drew the first year she was forced to endure someone else's Victory Tour. The then fifteen year old had kicked Drew's chair out from underneath him the second he tried to sit next to her.

It sparked outrage within the Districts people before that years Victor even had the chance to appear. 

It wasn't often that Drew emerged from the confined walls within his house, no thanks to Aella. He was a hated man within his District because of what he had done to her. Many had always wondered if Aella was the only one or if no one ever found out because the poor tributes never lived to be able to tell the tale.

Many were outraged that the only disciplinary action he received was a year in the Capitol on house arrest followed by a further five months in his home in District Five after the trial that had taken place a year and a half after Aella's Games. It was a trial that had divided the entirety of Panem but ultimately it was Aella who was favoured—even if the jury had been made up entirely of men and the judge had been under President Snow's influence. It was always her word against his but somehow she managed to win against him at fifteen.

Many patrons of the Capitol and her District favoured Aella's side. The likes of President Snow and his influx of influential friends, however, favoured Drew even if they had sentenced him. It would've ended in outrage if he had gotten away with it all. That was how he managed to scrape away with the lightest punishment they could figure out when common civilians were more often than not killed for their crimes.

Aella straightened her back when she noticed Mayor Gallohill standing before the microphone. She relaxed her shoulders and placed her hands in her lap gracefully, lifting her chin as the cameras pointed to them on the stage. The etiquette Clio had drilled into her over all those years shone through and she sat like a poised young woman.

"Friends, family," Gallohill addressed the crowd of his District, "We gather here today to celebrate with not one, but two Victors as they continue their tour of Panem. We are honoured to have them with us today and help us commemorate our fallen Tributes, Kayas Finchale and Zachious Prane," He continued, "Join me in welcoming the Victors of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark."

There was a poor reaction from the crowd. A handful of people clapped as the doors opened and the two young star-crossed lovers emerged hand in hand. Aella was too busy staring at the platform that Zachious' family stood upon to really pay attention to them. His mother clung to his five younger siblings as they fought back their sobs while behind them his face was displayed on the large screen.

She hated it. Hated it with an absolute passion how their families were forced to endure the trauma of losing their son or daughter or brother or sister again.

She made a mental note to check in with both of the families standing up on those platforms the next day. The wounds would still be too raw to check in later on.

Clio saw Aella's hands still in her lap and elbowed her discreetly while everyone clapped. They met each others gaze with narrowed eyes and Aella saw the warning there. She held her face in a natural expression and looked ahead again, clapping her hands for the two Victors unenthusiastically.

She didn't see the point in it all if she were being completely honest. Same thing on a different day in a different District of people that hated you for what you'd done. The Victors could never win—would never truly win.

Aella had only been fourteen when she'd endured her Victory Tour and after District Ten she was done with it. Hated it. The people she came across didn't know how to treat her, what to say to her. They didn't know whether to congratulate her on her win or offer words on how strong they thought she was, how they admired her for telling the world her story of what Drew Lopez had done to her.

The only time she'd enjoyed her Victory Tour was when it went through District Four and she got to see Finnick Odair for a few hours.

So yes, Aella was over it. She had been over it from the moment Caesar Flickerman had announced it all those days ago. She knew the two Victors standing on the stage and facing her District were also over it. She could read them easily enough. The square shoulders and straight backs were enough of a giveaway. They were uncomfortable and traumatised to say the least.

All a Victory Tour did was rehash the wounds that were starting to close. That was what it had been designed to do, after all. That was why they scheduled it exactly six months after the Games. To not only remind those of the 'excitement' of the last Games but also remind them that in six months the next Games would be crashing down on them.

The short applause died and pure silence scattered throughout the whole District. Those who weren't permitted to leave their jobs to attend watched from televisions at work. Everyone else was forced into the square, staring up at the Justice Building that had never once delivered justice. They stared up at Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark with hate in their eyes and glares on their faces.

Peeta began their speech by clearing his throat into his microphone. Aella watched him fidget with an expert eye but she kept her face neutral, blank. She willed boredom into her veins. Both Peeta and Katniss held a stack of cue cards in their hands and while Peeta looked across the sea of people Katniss stared at Zachious' family.

Aella's eyes narrowed gently while she watched Katniss. She saw the way colour drained from her face. She recognised the haunted look in her eyes only because she'd wore it before herself. Guilt was eating the young woman alive and it was rolling off her in thick tendrils.

That was what the Victory Tour did. It reminded the Victor of who they'd killed, of who they'd maybe spared in a moment of understanding, of who they'd allied with and watched die. Because in the Games no one stopped to think about whatever family that Tribute they'd just killed had. They didn't wonder if their family relied on them for a sole income, if they provided when others could not. The Victory Tour did a good job of reminding the Victors what monsters they'd been. Of who they'd deprived. Of what kind of families they'd destroyed—especially in the Districts that weren't Career Districts.

Aella knew exactly what was running through Katniss Everdeens mind in the moments she stood as still as death staring at Zachious' family. She was recalling how she'd shot him in the back from high up in a tree while he was hunting for food. He hadn't even been a threat. He hadn't even seen her hiding there and likely wouldn't but she had made that choice, that decision, to kill him anyways.

It was a choice only Aella and her fellow Victors who had a guilty conscience could sympathise with. A choice she probably would have acted on if it had been her sitting in that tree.

Next to Katniss, Peeta looked equally as guilt-ridden. He swallowed thickly as he looked at Kayas Finchle's family. At her mother and father and her younger brother. Kayas who had been so, so, smart Aella thought she had it in her to win by outsmarting all the other Tributes. Smart, but she lacked common sense. Despite working for her father in a plant shop, despite Aella's strict warning to both her and Zachious not to eat anything other than the food given in the Games, she stole up bunch of red berries from Peeta and ate them.

A small cluster of poisonous berries. Aella had almost lost her shit when she died. She had worked hard to get her sponsors, to get people to believe she had a shot at winning but she blew it all over a few berries that wouldn't of kept the hunger at bay for no more than five minutes.

It would've been Peeta Mellark dead in that arena if Kayas hadn't gone rutting through his things and eaten them instead.

He seemed to remember that as he swallowed deeply and looked down to the cards in his hands, "Thank you," He looked across the District, "we are honoured to be here today, and to be with the families of your fallen tributes. Katniss and I want to share with you our victory and our gratitude to the Capitol for bringing us together. It was the bond of love, forged in the crucible of the Games that was our greatest prize. For it is love and true love that allows us all to bear our hardships. That mends the heart and banishes loneliness and gives meaning to our lives."

Oh it was sickening. It was so incredibly sickening that Aella fought to stop her eyes from rolling. She struggled to keep her face neutral.

Peeta looked to Katniss and offered her an encouraging nod of his head and she stepped closer to her microphone, "We also want to share with you the sorrows of your losses. The Tributes of this district were brave and noble warriors. They brought honor to their families and pride to their people.
We are all of us united, both victors and vanquished, in serving a common purpose."

Her eyes dropped back to the card in her hands and Aella knew what words came next. She couldn't help herself, not as she mouthed them as Katniss spoke aloud. That fake promise she wanted nothing more than to shatter to the ground along with the President that had created it.

"Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever."

• • •

It didn't take long for the square to clear. Everyone had far better things to do than loiter around and with the presence of so many Peacekeepers still hanging over their shoulders everyone was keen to get out of the way. They were wise the people of District Five. They knew when to pick their battles, it seemed. After the rebellion those nights ago no one dared put a toe out of line. They followed every rule to the last letter.

Not one arrest, not one person misbehaving, not one death.

The relieving sigh Aella had released when the tour had been deemed over and no one had saluted to Katniss and Peeta had been massive. It had kept her on edge all day and the night before also.

Her people knew—had seen and heard what had been happening in the other Districts and decided not to join in. She could've wept in relief on the spot, still on the stage in front of thousands but she didn't. Like always she held it together. Kept her face schooled into that same killing calm even as she followed Clio and the Mayor back into the Justice Building where Katniss and Peeta had just been escorted to.

This was the part she hated the most. Not the speech, not the unease of her people. It was greeting the Victor—or Victors—who had no interest in speaking to them and vice versa.

Daniel walked beside her silently, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans while Aella's arms were crossed over her chest. The warmth of the Justice Building kissed her cool skin. Ahead, she beheld the two new Victors with Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket, the mentor and escort for District Twelve.

Clio made a bee-line straight for Effie and Aella watched in admiration. She never understood how Clio could move so fast and swift in such monstrously high heals.

Behind her—somewhere where she didn't care to look—loud and obnoxious clapping echoed through the large building. Aella didn't need to look to know who it would be and she rolled her eyes in pure distaste.

"What a speech!" Drew Lopez gushed sarcastically, his voice was enough to make everyone's back straighten. Hated... he was so hated in District Five but President Snow demanded he keep up to date with his appearances as Victor and he did it with such maddening satisfaction.

Aella knew it was one small portion of her punishment. Snow's way of reminding her that he called the shots.

Everyone—including the guests from District Twelve—had turned to look at him. Mayor Gallohill merely scowled at him before walking out of the nearest door.

"So full of emotion. Such remorse and regret." He said and feigned wiping a tear from his eye, "It touched me."

"Fuck off, Drew." Aella snarled as she glared at him. Such fire in those ice blue eyes. Katniss Everdeen had never seen anything like it in her life. Peeta would be lying if he said he wasn't intimidated by her.

Drew Lopez looked at Aella, eyes gleaming as a serpentine smile danced across his face. He was only in his very early thirties. Dull mousy brown hair was un-styled like it always was and a matching stubble coated his chin. His blue eyes were cold and lifeless along with his pale skin. He didn't even look like a Victor. He didn't dress like one, didn't carry himself like one—not like his fellow Victors scattered through the room.

And everyone in that room who knew him held their breath while they watched him stare at Aella. Something like fear rippled through their eyes. Dread over what it was he was going to say to purposely get under her skin.

"I think I'll stay," He began with a sneer, "after all, it's—"

But Daniel Amor—ever the brother and protector she no longer had—stood in front of her but not before shooting a glare at Drew that was enough to get his knees shaking. He hadn't ever been scared of Aella. It didn't matter how many times she threw herself at him in a fit of rage and tried to kill him. It didn't matter that she had grown up and had learned from two very skilled Victors how to fight and defend herself. Drew Lopez would always see Aella as the same thirteen year old he had ruined.

Daniel Amor, however. It was no secret that Drew was petrified of Daniel Amor. Everyone in District Five remembered Daniel's Games—even Drew. Daniel had won the fifty-eighth Games with brute force and strength and when he had turned up to mentor Drew when he was reaped for the sixtieth Games he had been terrified of him—of that brute strength and unforgiving nature.

The sixtieth Games had been big turning point for District Five. It had been Clio Acton's first year as escort and even she hadn't liked Drew Lopez. She had only been young—merely twenty, the same age as Daniel—and when they had formally met one of the first things Clio had said was how she didn't like Drew. He hadn't been charming, or nice, or even polite. He had been an arrogant seventeen year old who winked at her and thought he would woo her easily. Clio and Daniel had both been glad to see him go into the arena but they hadn't been glad to see him emerge as Victor.

So while Aella had a horrible history with Drew Lopez both her mentor and her best friend had a deeper history with him and over all those years Drew had always remained afraid of Daniel and what he could do. Aella had no idea it was because Daniel had once knocked him out with one punch after hearing a snide and vulgar remark he'd made about Clio during his Games.

So when Daniel threw that hateful glare Drew's way the man almost backed down. A victory would've meant he left but for whatever reason he slipped into the shadows against the dark walls and remained there, quiet and observant.

Daniel made quick work of distracting Aella. It wasn't hard. Drew hadn't managed to irritate her that much. She was more annoyed with the whole idea of being at the Victory Tour than anything, cameras and Peacekeepers watching their every move. He couldn't of agreed any more with her. He didn't like being dragged from his house and to televised events any more than she did but they both kept quiet for Clio's sake. Only mumbling their dismay quietly in places no one could hear them.

Porter Millicent Tripp was already talking to Katniss and Peeta when Clio peeled herself away from the small group she'd entered. Effie Trinkett stood next to her, her beady eyes on her own Victors in silent warning to be polite and behave. Haymitch Abernathy had stood between Effie and Katniss and Clio's first impression of the teenage girl was simple; Aella only three or four years ago. Everything Katniss Everdeen was reminded Clio of Aella all those years ago just after she had lost her family. She knew they'd clash worse than what she and Drew did.

Peeta Mellark, she had decided, was delightful and polite. He was a well mannered boy. Perhaps one of the most well mannered younger, male, Victors she'd ever met. Those who usually won were arrogant and rude. Clio told herself, as awful as it was to say, the only reason Peeta Mellark had survived was because of his female counterpart. A soft and kindred spirit like Peeta never emerged from the Games. He had been exceptionally lucky.

Clio looked over her Victors and completely bypassed Drew standing up against the wall. Instead, she found Daniel and Aella conversing and shouted their names softly, waving them over as Porter closed her conversation with the two District Twelve Victors.

"Come meet Katniss and Peeta." She said with a knowing smile—though both Aella and Daniel saw the threat in those contact-covered irises. Come meet them or I'll drag you over here myself, she seemed to warn and no matter how big, or strong or burly Daniel looked he obeyed her without a second thought.

"I don't fancy Clio's wrath today," he grumbled as he looked at Aella, "what about you?"

Aella met his gaze before he turned back to Clio. She nodded in agreement with his words but swore she saw something glimmer faintly in Daniel's eyes. It was gone in a mere second. Quick enough for her to wonder whether she'd just imagined the whole thing because she had never seen or heard him talk about anyone after his fiancée had been shot dead in their bed all those years ago. No, it was nothing, she told herself with a shake of her head. She watched Daniel walk over and made to follow him, you're imagining things.

Porter stepped aside to let Aella and Daniel in and Clio glanced at them, "Daniel, Aella, meet Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark."

"Katniss, Peeta," Effie said to her Victors, "meet Daniel Amor, Victor of the fifty-eighth Games and Aella Barnes, Victor of the sixty-ninth Games."

And Katniss almost opened her mouth to question how someone who looked as young as Aella had won the Hunger Games almost six years ago if she hadn't of been struck down by her cold and unforgiving stare. There was no light in Aella's eyes as she stared at Katniss. Clio hissed a warning to her but she paid her no heed.

Instead, Aella merely pursed her lips and said, "You shot an arrow straight through his back."

"Aella." Daniel warned her lowly, jutting an elbow into her side lightly as Clio gaped in outrage.

But Aella didn't look away from Katniss. She just continued to stare at her while she shrugged once and added, "He was just looking for food... didn't even see you so high up in that tree and you just killed him. No remorse for what you had done."

And Katniss swept her eyes over Aella's loose posture once and said, "I'm sure you would've done the same as me."

Both escorts fumed silently but neither said anything as Aella hummed once. Ire simmered in her eyes and she glanced over at Peeta. Her eyes swept over his body in the same way Katniss had looked at her and she inclined her head once in way of greeting to Peeta, "Nice to meet you, Peeta Mellark." She merely said, tone border than ever. She made to turn, to walk away, but not before fixing her stare back on Katniss and saying, "Welcome to the Games, Everdeen."

Haymitch chuckled heartily as they watched Aella walk away and the drunken mentor shouted across the room to her, "Always a pleasure, Aella!"

In response she gave him a filthy, vulgar, gesture over her shoulder. No words spoken. Haymitch chuckled even more and she reached the door but not before she turned back and dipped her chin in way of greeting to her fellow mentor, nice to see you, too, Haymitch, she said silently, eyes gleaming before she turned and left leaving them all in stunned silence.

• • •

A/N; Next update will be Wednesday. I'm moving to alternate days now. The schedule will be every Monday, Wednesday & Friday! Hope you guys are loving Aella as much as I do!