01

A SIMPLE THREAT

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"The end," Evelyn smiled as she shut the fourth bedtime story, facing the young children. Three of the children were fast asleep whilst the oldest of the four showed a content smile, snuggling into the victor's side.

"Dove, you should be sleeping. You know how your mother would feel about this," she joked as she tucked the other children into their beds, kissing each and every one of them on the head lightly. A smile spread over her features as one of them muttered a quick, 'thank you, Eve'.

"I know, but I don't want to leave momma alone for the night. She gets scared and lonely," the child replied, rubbing her eyes.

Evelyn nodded, "I know, but you need to wake up early tomorrow to help your mother with your siblings. You're the oldest now, it's your responsibility to help the family out."

Dove sobbed silently, as she got out of her bed and onto her deceased sister's bed, "I miss her."

"I know, sweetie," she replied, sitting next to her and bringing her into a tight embrace, "Just know that Rue is in a better place, she is with your father and your grandparents in heaven. Dancing in the meadows, singing with the Mockingjays," the child sobbed more, "Do you know, that when the first flower of spring blooms in the fields, it's a message from your loved ones. It will mean that Rue, and your father, are watching over you guys. Okay?"

Dove nodded and stood up, getting ready to lie in her own bed. But Evelyn held her hand and motioned towards Rue's bed, the girl nodded and got under the covers before Evelyn could kiss her cheek, "Goodnight, Dove."

"Night, Evie," she yawned before turning over and hugging into Rue's pillow more, smelling in her scent that still lingered around the house ever so slightly.

Evelyn shut the children's bedroom door before walking into the small kitchen where Rue's mother, Lily, was packing away the food that Evelyn had brought over for the family to eat. It had been a regular occurrence since the 74th Hunger Games in honour of the fallen child. The family needed more help due to Rue's father being killed in the first rebellion in District 11.

"I heard what you said to Dove, thank you."

Evelyn took the plates from the mother's trembling hands and placed them aside, wrapping her arms around her neck and bringing her into a hug. "Lily, you will get through this. I know that the Victory Tour is coming up and it will be hard, but you have me. Thresh's family agreed to stay with you whenever you wanted, too. I came straight from their house. They are dealing with the exact same thing, in the exact same way."

Lily nodded and pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes and going back to cleaning up with Evelyn's help. "How is she? Aeliana? The kids miss seeing her around, they miss her music the most. She is so talented for such a young age."

"Lina is doing well, she hates having to stay at home but with the Tour coming up, I never know when Snow will just show up. I can't have him knowing that she isn't my sister, it is too dangerous. I don't know what he would do if he found out," she shrugged as she pulled on her coat after wiping down the wooden table.

"You are doing right by Aeliana, the thing she needs most is you and Jaime. Your brother is doing an excellent job, by the way, I see him in the fields; keeping the peace between the guards and the workers. If he wasn't there, many more would have died. It wasn't even a week ago that he managed to stop a small uprising," Lily smiled, wrapping up a wooden figure for Aeliana, "Here, the boys are learning to whittle, they aren't as fast as their father used to be, but they can sure make a good horse? Or is that a tree?"

They both laughed, "Keep up the good job, Lily. I'll see you later, and I am sure that this is a cloud."

Evelyn shut the door behind her and tracked through the snow-covered trail and to the Victory Village behind the forest, watching as the trees danced in the dark. A sudden chill running up her spine and making her gasp as the fight happened again before her eyes.

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A sixteen-year-old Evelyn Miracle slashed her sword downwards at the District 2 tribute that attacked her, piercing his skin and making him scream out in pain. Yet for Evelyn, it was as if this wasn't real. The adrenaline pumping through her veins made her believe this was a fantasy, it would be hours before she realised what she had done.

The blood from the boy's chest spilt onto the ice around them as he landed on top of her, knocking the air from her lungs. He reached for his axe quickly, but he wasn't quick enough. The girl from District 8 pressed her boot onto his hand until she heard it crunch and another yell left his blue lips. Evelyn rolled out from below him and thrusted the sword down one more time, her eyes refusing to look at the lifeless body and only stared into the blonde girl's eyes, a silent gesture of appreciation being shared.

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Evelyn kicked the snow from her boots before entering her household, letting the warmth from the fireplace envelope her whilst hearing her siblings quietly bickering amongst each other from the living room. She sighed loudly before peeling her large coat from her frame and turning to see her brother walk up beside her. He helped her put her coat back on for some reason, his face pale with shock and discomfort.

"Jaime?" she asked her eyes softening, "What's wrong?"

He stiffled before checking behind him, "It's Snow, he's here. In the garden. It looks serious."

She gulped loudly, "Can you go and grab the file? The one in the safe."

Evelyn refused to show the fear that erupted in her chest. She tugged on her coat once more and strolled to the garden, shutting the door loudly behind her. When she turned, she wasn't surprised to see President Snow sitting in a garden chair, his head pointing up to the clouds.

It would have been easy to kill him there and then. Ever since she survived the games, Eve resorted to carrying a dagger with her at all times. One swift movement and she could slit his throat with no remorse. She should right? For the protections of the others. But they would only replace him with another, more brutal dictator.

"Good evening, Evelyn. Please sit," he pushed the seat next to him out gracefully, his eyes moving from the starts and to her face. Did he know what she was thinking? She nodded and sat down, refusing to say anything. "I am here to get the information, from your last assignment."

"Jaime is getting it now, I assumes that was what you were here for. I mean, I had just come back from the capitol and I'm not due back for another four months."

"I am very much aware of that," he smiled, showing his pearly white teeth, "I was just on my way back from District 12 and though that I should pop in to see you and your family. Imagine the surprise I got when I saw that you were out after curfew."

She nodded her head, knowing that she would not receive punishment, "Well, you see, I knew that the year after the games, especially with the Victory Tour starting soon, is always hard for the family of the latest tributes. I was visiting Thresh and Rue's families, providing guidance and company for them."

His smile dropped when Jaime opened the door to pass the folder to his sister, a second, much quieter pair of footprints following behind him. Evelyn's eyes visibly widened when a blonde, six-year-old child ran out onto the fresh snow without a coat. A gasp catching in her thoat. The girl stopped with a quiet gasp when her eyes landed on the older man.

"President Snow," Jamie interrupted before the child could say anything, noticing the blank expression on his sister's face, "This is our youngest sister, Aeliana."

The President stood up, using his cane, to walk to the girl. He looked down at her with cautious eyes, inspecting her. "What lovely golden hair you have, Aeliana."

Evelyn's heart sunk, he knew. It was a curse that Aeliana looked so much like her father and nothing like her mother's family. She carried the golden hair and blue-eyed gene from her father, especially the trouble-filled grin that she showed when she would be in trouble. 

The youngest Miracle stepped back, hitting the legs of her uncle how then wrapped his arms around her to pick her up. "I was just coming out to tell Evie that the show was starting," she stuttered before hiding her face in Jaime's jacket.

Snow laughed loudly, almost a jolly chuckled, "Well, I am not one to stand in front of a Capitol broadcast, am I? I will just take that file and I will be on my way."

Evelyn robotically nodded her head and passed the brown folder over, trying to hide her shaking hands. He smiled one last time before turning, his eyes set on Evelyn's worried face, "I will see you soon, Evelyn Miracle."

And with that, he started to step down the snow of her garden. Five guards emerged from the shadows and followed in his pursuit. Evelyn had not seen the soldiers hiding in her garden, if she had finally decided to kill Snow, she would have been a dead woman in a matter of seconds. Being back at home made her forget her survival instincts. It made her weak whilst it also made her strong.

"Momma?" the young girl asked softly once the President was out of sight, watching as her mother stood in the garden and refused to move an inch.

She took a deep breath before turning, taking her child from her brother's arms and walking inside, "Let's go and join your aunt and uncles, should we?"

She nodded happily before they walked into the living room, silencing it as she sat on an armchair in the corner which gave her a good viewing place for the upcoming program. Aeliana positioned herself comfortably on her knees. 

"What did Snow want?" her father asked, from his wheelchair.

"Nothing important," Evelyn smiled to her parents, watching as her father turned to lace his hands with his wife's. It had been three years since her mother had last said a word to anyone after her breakdown, she had been almost comatose for the whole time and required constant care; her mind trapped wide awake in a body that couldn't move freely besides small movement, paralyzed in a pseudocoma. But that was the price the Miracle family had to pay. One of their many prices.

Both parents had been in the game, one after the other. They had both won and it was a love story like no other, two tributes who not only fought for survival. But also fought for love. Yet, as they came to learn, the games never end. The hope that their love inspired, their strength and determination caused doubt amongst the gamemakers. Their youngest daughter was placed in the reaping as punishment. After years of waiting for the worst to happen, it did. It had brought chaos to the capitol and many Districts had questioned the Capitol's motives, but Snow assured that a new rule was to be added; everyone from the ages 12-18 were to now be in the running, regardless of if their parents had previously won. 

In silence, the Miracle family watched as Caesar Flickerman walked onto their screen, announcing the Victory Tour's soon start with a television appearance from the two newest victors, the star-crossed lovers, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

From the corners of her eyes, Evelyn watched her father's hand tighten around his wife's fingers.

Their love reminded Evelyn of her parents, how it fueled them to win the Games that they had unfairly been placed into. She envied them for that, being able to express their love so openly. Evelyn was no stranger to having to hide from the media and their intruding eyes, she only wished that it wasn't long before his letter would arrive.

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I've seen many thg fics where the OC has a whole section for their games, instead, Evelyn's games will be shown in flashbacks. this is to mimic her PTSD and flashbacks. I hope you enjoy the story!