QuinnTalon
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For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.
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Post by QuinnTalon on May 17, 2018 12:51:20 GMT -5
River Nerita; Victor of the 31st Annual Hunger Games: 'A Proper District 4 Victor' "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." Everywhere he went, there were stares. It was fine. Honestly, he'd only been to The Trees once. During his Victory Tour, and they hadn't stayed for too long. A few hours, and he was back on a train and on his way to The Tapestry, and then The Fields where he'd stayed the evening in one of the empty homes in the Victors' Village. That was what he'd done the past few nights. He'd stayed alone in one of the empty homes in The Victors' Village. They kept one or two ready for visiting Victors or visiting emissaries from The Capitol. He was one of the former, though it seemed even the people here in the Victors' Village were confused by his presence, even if Maxine Colton had brought him a pie she'd baked. Those Coltons...always so welcoming. Other than a few excursions to the little market--where he'd been another oddity and curiosity--for a few groceries and things, River hadn't left the house. Because he was waiting. Of course, he'd waited for Aurora to get her children settled before he decided to make his way to her home, carefully and quietly knocking on the front door. He'd even waited for her to greet her family and friends here in her home before he made his way there, as would be proper. Besides, what he had to say--and to ask her--was for no one's ears but her's. "Aurora of The Trees," River nodded to her when she opened the door, offering his arm to her before he clasped his hand behind his back. "I do know you are likely quite busy, but This One would appreciate a moment of your time in regard to Jace of The Fields."
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CuteLikeMurder
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Post by CuteLikeMurder on May 17, 2018 19:53:43 GMT -5
Aurora “Rory” Colton-Noland; Co-Victor of the Quarter Quell: The Girl Who Dared to Hope “The steps you take don't have to be big. They just have to take you in the right direction.”
Brandon and Avery were sitting with her eldest, Lucas playing some board game their uncle/second-cousin got them. He spoiled these kids. Wistar and Maxine. But that was expected of them. And their job as the Aunt and Uncle of Rory's little tribe. And she let them without almost no resistance. They would never have children of their own. And her children deserved to be loved by as many people as possible. Besides, it wasn't seen as stepping on anyone's toes. It took a District to raise a child. And extended family was still family. Besides, Wistar was the closest thing she had to a true sibling. He and his wife were more than welcome to spoil her kids as they saw fit.
Life was far too short and complicated to stress over something like this.
When she answered the door, Aurora was holding Katie in her arms. The little girl was quiet. As most of her children had been. The only sounds, escaping her with tiny coos, as if she was trying to have a full on conversation with Rory. And the Victor thought to herself, she's going to be an orator, this one.
Aurora saw Junius in each of her children. It wasn't just their coloring. But it was the way they carried themselves. And some of their mannerisms. June had seen each of his children as infants when Aurora had to take them to the Capitol. And again, just before she found out that Katherine was on the way. However, other than that, these children didn't know of the other man that she loved. Jace was their father. He raised them. They had his last name. But there was also no denying (at least to herself) that they were June's children too.
Her expression when she took in River was one of surprise at first, before her face was a mask of friendly neutrality. Junius had once told her that she wore politeness like one might wear armor. And he was right. She did. Congeality was her armor. And words were her weapons.
“River of the Sea,” Aurora greeted with a nod before she stepped aside. “Please, come in.”
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QuinnTalon
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Post by QuinnTalon on May 17, 2018 21:10:04 GMT -5
River Nerita; Victor of the 31st Annual Hunger Games: 'A Proper District 4 Victor'"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." It was so...quiet. To be fair, River didn't have much in the way of experience with children. He would likely never have any, and when his younger sister started her family (and she assured him she definitely planned on having one--the moment she found a man she wanted, of course), he'd be the doting, wealthy Uncle who spoiled them rotten. But he knew they tended to be much less quiet than this. As it was, over Aurora's shoulder he could see the three eldest playing a game of some sort, and the youngest was quiet in Aurora's arms. Janus and Ember's children seemed...much louder. And rambunctious. And exhausting. At least the few times he'd seen them. They were certainly beautiful children, but he was more than sure they weren't actually Jace's. One of the things he knew he was decent at was reading a situation, and while Aurora and Jace seemed to love each other a great deal, it wasn't in the way a husband and wife normally did. It was closer to the way he and Dru valued each other. Even if the sham of his marriage was the worst kept secret in Panem. Hence, why he was even considering this. River didn't look like himself, he realized. The clothing was something he'd wear in The Quarry, which made sense considering that's where he'd come from. It was the same jacket and boots he'd worn the day he'd left, but it was better suited to this place than anything he'd wear at home, though to be fair what he'd wear at home was 'next to nothing', as Silver had once scoffed. "Your home is nice," Different than the places they were given. Theirs' were airy and open to the water, which he supposed made sense. Here, they were surrounded by tall trees and the sound of rain on the roof put you to sleep at night. It was...different. "I would like to preface what I am about to ask by saying that...it is the first time I have ever asked it," He began, his hands clasped behind his back. Still. Leaving his body vulnerable. It was no small thing. "And that I am asking you, specifically, because it is an important step to show that I respect the people in his life who are important and...the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb."And...why was he putting this off? With babbling. A great deal of babbling. Because he was...nervous. When did he become nervous over a man, for The One's sake? Dru would die laughing. "I am here to ask your permission to..." Yes. Nervous. Dammit. "...I would ask your permission to court Jace."
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CuteLikeMurder
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Post by CuteLikeMurder on May 17, 2018 23:11:56 GMT -5
Aurora “Rory” Noland-Colton; Co-Victor of the Quarter Quell: The Girl Who Dared to Hope “The steps you take don't have to be big. They just have to take you in the right direction.” From River's dress he had come from District Two. Probably to visit with his wife before his duties as a Victor brought him back to his home for the Reaping. He was dressed for brutal cold of the mountains. Aurora had only gone to District Two three times, once for her Victory Tour, and then twice more for the Victory Tours of her former tributes; where she had to face the people from the same district of the tribute she had killed. Cade Blackstone. At the time Aurora had called it a mercy. But his death haunted her. She still dreamed of him and that night in the woods. Needless to say, Aurora Noland hadn't been back to District two since Chase's Victory, which to be fair they were treated better than the other times, but Aurora was struck of how cold it was. And not just the weather but the people. In District Seven the people were prone to a bit of broodiness, perhaps a slight case of meloncholy but it was nothing like District Two. There was warmth here. Love. Kindness. Peace (as much as the Capitol would allow them). However, what struck her as odd was River's presence here. District Four is south of Two. And Seven is north of that. Why would he go north only to go back south? “Thank you, River. The Living Dead of the Sea are always welcomed here.” Jace had a special connection to District Four. And so Aurora had spent time there, away from Jace so he could grieve in his own way. She understood the culture. And while she couldn't hide her District Seven...ness, Aurora had a knack for dialects and customs. And she respected that while some Districts didn't mind the term Victor, a few may even love it, the Victors of District Four understood something that Jace and Aurora discovered; once the counter reached zero, every tribute was dead. Even those that survived the Games. They were cursed to walk the Earth with one foot already in the grave. “Boys, come here for a moment.”Lucas and the twins trotted over. And Rory introduced them. “My sons, Lucas, Avery, and Brandon.” Then she looked at her three eldest. “Boys, this is River Nerita of the Sea.”Lucas went to shake his hand as he was taught but Aurora stopped him. “In District Four they greet people like this.” And then showed him, grasping his little forearm the way that River had done with her earlier. “It's a sign of respect and to show that you're unarmed.”Aurora spoke to her sons as if they were tiny humans. Because they were. They had their own wants, needs, and desires. They were their own people. Even now, Lucas was committing what she had told him to memory so he could try it out. “Hello, Mr. Ner- Ner... Hello, Mr. River,” the eldest boy said, before he offered his arm as his mother had show him. “I'm Luke. Mommy only calls me Lucas. And that's my brothers. Avery and Brandon.” Brandon hid behind Aurora's leg, peaking to wave before he popped back. And Avery was looking up at River eyes filled with a wordless wonder. “And this is Katherine.” She glanced at her boys and smiled. “Alright, boys, I need a moment with Mr. River alone.”“Can we go see Uncle Wiss?” Luke asked. “Yes. I'll come for you all when I'm done here.”“Yay!” And then the boys were out of the door, calling to River. “Bye Mr. River. It was nice meeting you.” She listened to River speak, moving further into the house. She watched River and the way he exposed himself to her. In District Two with would have been an insult, River saying that he didn't see Aurora as a threat. But in District Four, this was a sign of deep respect. Because he knew Aurora could be dangerous, and he was vulnerable to her. When he was done, Aurora gaped at him. He wanted to court... her husband? “You want to court my husband?” Aurora asked. “The father of my children?” It still wasn't sinking in. “You want to court Jace? And what does your wife think about this?”It wouldn't be a problem if Jace had taken someone. At least here. Love and marriage were as varied as the people of Panem. What worked for some didn't always work for all. And she suspected that Drusilla Rorke didn't care in the slightest what her "husband" did in his free time.
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QuinnTalon
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For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.
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Post by QuinnTalon on May 18, 2018 4:52:10 GMT -5
River Nerita; Victor of the 31st Annual Hunger Games: 'A Proper District 4 Victor'"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." He knew that Aurora and Jace were both well-traveled, but it was quite another to be teaching their children how to greet others from other places. The little boy began to shake his hand as they did here and in The Fields, but then Aurora told him how it was done by those of The Sea, and he took it in. Like a little sponge. "The stars shine upon the hour of our meeting, young Luke." Children were small people, and deserved the same respect as any adult in their lives. They were small people learning how to be 'larger', and creating a dialogue was never a bad thing. That...and the warmth was welcome. Everything in The Quarry was so hard and cold. The people of The Trees were a welcome bit of fresh air before he headed to his home. The children ran off--save the smallest--and then River dropped his bombshell on Aurora. Because that is what it had to be to her. Or...perhaps it wasn't. While people were fond of Janus Colton in spite of themselves--indeed, River had that same thought a time or three--Jace was a different matter altogether. Jace was someone who everyone had a fondness for. Everyone worth speaking to, at any rate. Silver disliked him, but it was all sour-grapes. Mostly because the Career districts--save his own--had such a poor showing in the Quarter Quell. Not to mention the year after. "I would speak frankly, Aurora, as I do think you appreciate such things." River stated, though he knew he had to be careful. In their homes, it was not unheard of for there to be 'ears', as it were. People listening to things without their permission. There was more than one reason River kept his parents' house on the beach. While no one officially lived there, it was where he did a good deal of his business. The type he didn't want the Capitol to know of. "Druscilla of the Quarry and I married because there, to be unmarried once one reaches the age of twenty-five is illegal. After our respective Survivals, we became friends, and as her friend I did not wish to see her tethered to someone who would demand things of her she is quite unwilling to give. As such, I agreed to the marriage as a means of attaining her freedom.
"But it is not the way it is with most spouses between us. We do as we please. And Dru knows of my admiration of Jace. She always has. And...I do believe you and he have an arrangement that is somewhat similar. Yes?"
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CuteLikeMurder
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Post by CuteLikeMurder on May 18, 2018 8:12:11 GMT -5
Aurora “Rory” Noland-Colton; Co-Victor of the Quarter Quell: The Girl Who Dared to Hope “The steps you take don't have to be big. They just have to take you in the right direction.” Lucas loved to learn. And so they taught him. Jace and Aurora. They treated Luke as if he was capable of absorbing these things. Because if they failed in their lifetimes to stop this, it would be up to the next generation to move things forward. Lucas and his siblings would succeed. Aurora didn't want to put that weight on his shoulders. His surname would protect him from the Games to an extent. But there would already be the weight of watching children he grew up with reaped and thrown into the Arena on his shoulders, all four of her children's shoulders if they didn't stop this. So they had to stop this. She grinned at the way River spoke to her eldest. He understood. And she appreciated that. “I do respect and welcome honesty, yes,” she said, walking over to a table. Her fingers touched the underside of it and there was the sound of a switch being flicked. As if Aurora didn't know that her home was monitored. She wasn't that naive little girl anymore. She had been playing this game for 15 years. Brendan had been right, for the Victors... the Games never end. The type he didn't want the Capitol to know of. Aurora cleared her throat and took in River's words. She figured as much between Dru and River. Neither one of them carried on as husband and wife should. Neither did Aurora and Jace but she would like to think they hid it better than River and his spouse. It was admirable however, that River would do such a thing for Dru. It reminded her of what Jace had done so they could be safe. She had been angry at the time. They fought. She told him not to speak with Junius. He did so anyway. They fought some more. But in the end, Aurora understood. “Yes,” Aurora replied, honestly. “We do. But our rearrangement isn't such an open secret.”She needed him to understand. Courting Jace... it could be a dangerous thing.
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QuinnTalon
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Post by QuinnTalon on May 18, 2018 9:19:41 GMT -5
River Nerita; Victor of the 31st Annual Hunger Games: 'A Proper District 4 Victor'"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." It seemed they all did similar things to keep their homes safe. And private. He wasn't concerned about the Capitol knowing of his admiration for Jace Colton. He'd made no secret that he was interested in him that way, even if he'd not moved forward. Too many people had a similar admiration, and from what he'd deduced relationships there evolved the way they did everywhere. Sometimes a couple was completely happy on their own. Sometimes they took lovers outside of marriage. There was nothing wrong with either way of doing things. And really, could they expect people outside of the Gilded Cage to be much different? "I understand your trepidation, Aurora," And he did. She had children to think about. And Jace as well. "I also understand that your arrangement is not common knowledge. The populace believes you are in love. And while I do know that you love each other a great deal, you are not in love.
"And the closest thing he's ever known to such a feeling was with my cousin." He didn't like bringing up Lallek anymore than...anyone else really did. Lallek was eighteen when he died. River had been twelve. "I know the danger. I have rolled it over in my mind for months. Years, even, if we want to be honest. I've even looked for guidance with our Priests, and I have come to one conclusion.
"The moment I am afraid to live my life as I wish to live it, they'll have won. And I will not let them win, Aurora. The only person who will tell me I can not have him is Jace himself. No high official or great politician will dictate who I love. Only The One has that perogative, and He would not.
"Love is never wrong."
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