Bryony Mapleblossom ~ District 7



This is a tribute by Sambaroses, please don't use her without prior permission! :3

She is Sambaroses 4th District 7 Female, and has the longest backstory out of all the tributes she has created so far. :D

Bryonys Basics
Name: Bryony Mapleblossom

Age: 15

Gender: Female

District: 7

Weapons: All types of Axes (Though she specalises with Throwing Axes), Dagger

Height:  5'4

Appearance
Skinny and pretty petite, Broyony has deep chocolate coloured eyes, dirty blonde hair that falls in loose waves to just past her chest, a pale complexion, and a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks.

Personality
Strong of character and normally level-headed,  Bryony is a serious girl with a quiet persona. Calm and smart, she's kind in her own unique way, though she can come across as being heartless and a bit uncaring a lot of the time. When provoked - which is quite easily done - she has quite a temper on her, not at all afraid of spitting out some choice remarks, and she rarely ever regrets what she says, regardless of the outcome. She's definately a bit bossy, and is far more of a leader type than a follower. When it comes to the opposite gender she often retreats into her shell a little at first, as she quite honestly finds them a bit of a mystery, however this by no means she becomes a blushing mess or at all nervous around them (Unless they are taking a romantic interest in her, then she gets a little on edge), as she's not really a hopeless romantic type. Finally, when Byony does try her hand at humour barely anyone gets it, as her sense of humour is quite dark and sarcastic.

Backstory
Born and raised in District 7, the only child of a Lumberjack and a Carpenter, Bryony spent quite a lot of her childhood on her own. Why, I hear you ask? Well, however much her parents loved her, they both had to work stupidly long hours just to make enough to scrape by. Though she had friends, she never really felt quite at ease with them, she always felt like she was putting on a facade, a smiling happy face every day at school. It's not that she didn't like them, she really did, she just never had anyone she felt she could truly confide everything in, a best friend if you will.

So in time she grew up to be a serious, calm young woman, and when she was just shy of 14, she got her first job as a lead climber, her light, petite frame working very much to her advantage. Her parents made her promise that she'd still go to school too, so she kept her word. It was very tiring for her, going to school, working after school well into the evening, and sometimes putting in some work before she went to school if she could, as they really needed the money. Life became a monotunous routine for her for just under a year, with little in the way of fun. That was until he appeared.

One saturday she was at work as there was no school, shimmying up a paticularly tall, slippery tree (it was raining at the time), when her foot slipped off the branch she was standing on, sending her plummeting towards the ground at an alarming rate. She tried to grab onto something, anything as she decended, but everything just slipped out of her grasp, so she screwed her eyes shut, bracing herself for hitting the ground, knowing there was nothing she could do to stop herself. However much to her surprise, she didn't hit the ground, but more a person. Whoever it was they both went tumbling across the grass, carried by her momentum.

Eventually they both came to a stop, and Bryony tentatively opened one eye, finding herself face up on the grass.Opening her other eye she mentally noted she hadn't broken any bones, which must have been some kind of miracle. Hearing a groan she turned her head to the right, where she came practically nose to nose with a guy around her age, possibly a little older, his messy black hair stuck to his forehead by the rain, his forest green eyes not managing to hide the obvious pain he was in. Despite that he smiled weakly at her, asking if she was all right as she'd taken quite a fall.

'I should be asking you the same question. ' She'd muttered in reply, pushing herself up into a sitting position as she tried to work out why she'd never seen him around here before.

'First day on the job.' He'd replied as if he'd read her mind, chuckling under his breath, though the pained moan that interrupted his laugh implied he probably needed medical help. At this point a number of the lumberjacks and load pullers had rushed over to their aid, helping her up and trying to assess the mystery boys injurys. Bryony was retisent to admit it, but she did kind of feel horible about it, considering his injurys were totally her fault. Well, not completely, they probably shouldn't of been forced to work when it was raining, it just wasn't very safe, but that was beside the point right now.

They decided that the boy did indeed need medical attention, so Bryony was tasked with helping him to the local doctors, as he could just about walk, though it seemed to cause him agony if he did. Bryony was about to question why one of the adults couldn't take them both, when she noticed that the older workers kept sending worried looks towards their superiors and nearby peace-keepers, and she realised that if anybody left the site they could well lose their jobs, and no one here could afford that. With a sigh she went to help the mystery boy, cursing in her mind all the while at the stupid peace-keepers.

They eventually made it to the district hospital, which was usually fairly busy considering District 7s trade and the pitfalls that come with it. She'd discovered this boy was called Hawthorne Willows, and he was indeed older than her at 15. He lived with his father, as his mother had died during childbirth, and this job was the only thing keeping his family afloat. She'd thought it was odd at the time that his job was keeping them afloat, not his fathers, but she chose not to question it, as they'd arrived at the hospital, and her shoulders were starting to ache from supporting him as he hobbled along, wincing everytime he took a step.

Soon enough a doctor informed them that Hawthorne had broken two of his ribs and his arm, and he unfotunately would not be able to go back to work for some time, as he would be on crutches. This saddened Bryony, as this just made her feel guiltier than she all ready had, though to be fair he shouldn't have tried to catch her / got in her way. She was told by the doctor that she'd be fine to return to work, there would be some pretty nasty bruises, but all in all she'd escaped pretty scott-free. This meant that she had to get back as soon as possible if she still wanted to get paid, but first they promised to meet up again soon as they'd hit it off, though little did Hawthorne know she had a plan.

The next day few days went by with little to report, though Hawthornes face haunted her, refusing to leave her alone however hard she tried to ignore it. Why was he always there in the back of her mind? To be honest it was starting to bug her. A few days later they met up again at a little spot on the outskirts of the forest, and this time Bryony had brought a gift. She'd brought her weeks wages with her, and demanded he take them, as it was her fault that he now couldn't work, and she knew he would need the money. He'd tried to decline but she'd insisted, thrusting it into his hands. Her parents had always taught her to do what she felt was right and just, and giving him the money was pretty much the only way she'd feel better about the whole situation.

This routine continued on for a number of months, Bryonys family managing to scrape by by the skin of their teeth, and Bryony giving her wages to Hawthorne, though he still objected every time she did, until she practically threw it at him every time. He'd even insisted on buying her a birthday present if she was going to continue being so nice to him, so for her 15th birthday she recieved a little silver chained necklace with an intricately carved piece of maple wood hanging from it, shaped like a leaf. The clasp at the back was also created to look like two interlinking leaves when worn, which just added to the beauty of the object. She knew this must have cost him a lot, but since it was technically her wages anyway she didn't object.

One day some time later however, she decided to drop by his house, something she'd never done before, as it was his 16th birthday, and she'd got him a gift. It was a brand new axe, something she'd scrimped and saved for, as she now had her own money back since he'd been cleared to go back to work. I mean, an axe may seem like an odd gift, but in District 7 this was a big thing, as a workmen was only ever as good as his tools, and a good axe was very much a requirement to being a good lumberjack. Though she hated to admit it, she'd rather fallen for him, and all these feelings were new and exciting for her. Was this what a crush felt like? Was she in love? All these questions swirled round her head as she made her way to his house, working on keeping up a cool, calm composure, as always.

So she knocked on the door, letting out a small sigh. Was his dad going to be home? What was he like? Would he even like her? Her thoughts were cut short when a tall, aged looking man opened the door, his hair sticking up in every direction like it hadn't been cared for in years, and his mouth set in a hard line.

'What is it girl? What do you want?!'

He barked out, spitting out every word like it was poison, his breath reeking of alchohol. Though she was utterly repulsed she wiped the spitle off her face with her bare arm, fixing on her best smile / grimace.

'I've come to see Hawtho-'

However she never got to finish this sentance, and he suddenly lunged forwards, grabbing her by the neck. Or more, the necklace, clenching it in his fist as he tried to pull it off of her neck.

'What you doing with that?! Where did you find that? You theiving lowlife!'

He screamed in her face, as Bryony struggled to escape.

'It was a gift!'

She screeched, trying to unclench his fist with her small hands.

'Dad, stop it! '

She heard Hawthorne yell, and as if by magic he appeared managing to force his way between them, Bryony still clutching onto the necklace which was barely hanging on, a red mark round the back of her neck where the necklace dug in as he tried to pull it off, her face a perfect picture of shock. No wonder he'd never wanted her to meet his father.

'Well, I should've known it would be down to you! Get out and stay out, you're no son of mine! '

At this he grabbed Hawthorne by the collar of his shirt, before slapping him across the face and throwing him to the ground next to her.

'And as for you young lady, you are giving that back right now!'

He hollered at her, and as warning lights flashed in her head her instincts took over, and she turned on her heel and started to run, faster than she ever had before. She was aware of Hawthorne running beside her, though she was to preoccupied with not being caught to give it much thought. Eventually after what seemed like years of running but was probably only a few minutes she came to a halt, her breathing heavy and tears of shock more than anything pooling in her eyes, though she was point blank refusing to let them fall. She sat down silently on the grassy verge they'd arrived at, and as Hawthorne turned to look at her she decided to get the truth out of him.

'What the hell was all that about?' She asked, tilting her head to the side slightly in confusion.

'That was my dad... he's always blamed me for my Mothers death, and since he discovered the powers of alchohol a couple of years ago he's been practically drowning himself in it ever since. That necklace I gave you? It was my mothers. I wanted you to have it because she meant a lot to me, and you mean a lot to me, and I really like you Bryony an- ' He never did get to finish his sentance however, as she cut him off with a kiss, surprising even herself. She didn't even know why she'd done it exactly, it's like her mind was spinning out of control, but he hadn't pulled away which was a good sign in her book. She felt his arms twisting around her, holding on tight, and Bryony realised, she was in love. So badly that she didn't even care about his father, or what her parents would think, she just wanted to be with him.

Unfotunately for her, it was now around the time that the workers headed home, and her parents just had to choose that route to walk home by. Her father after witnessing her kissing a boy he knew very little about demanded she come home with them right now, so they could have a little talk. She couldn't exactly disobey as her parents had always been fair and honest with her, so she bid Hawthorne fairwell and headed home with them, getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

When they'd got home her parents had sat down at their dining table, them on one side, Bryony on the other. They started to lecture her on how she was still young, and how she shouldn't rush into things. She, on the other hand, was not going to take this lying down, so she just got up and walked out, without saying a word, them shouting after her to come back. Her parents were normally always so understanding, so why couldn't they see that she was far from rushing into things?

She decided to head to her favourite spot just on the outskirts of the forest, to try and clear her head. The sky was darkening rapidly above her but she didn't care. She sat there for what must have been hours, staring at the stars as day transitioned to night, trying to straighten out her thoughts. After a couple of hours she felt a presense next to her, and she knew who it would be without even looking.

'Bryony? I have a plan. '

He said to her, prompting her to turn her head and watch as he flashed his green eyes at her, before staring up at the sky again just like she had been.

'You do? '

She questioned some moments later, also back to staring at the slightly cloudy, yet still star filled sky.

'We could go, leave the district, leave all our problems behind... I've always been curious about what's past the fence y'know.'

'Haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds?'

She shot straight back at him, focusing on a paticular star. It didn't shine as brightly as the others, but it was still just as beautiful, even if it was a little more dulled. She tore her eyes away from it to look at him after a prolonged moment of silence, and his face broke into a grin as he gazed back at her. Almost cheshire cat like, she thought.

'Come on.'

He said, reaching for her hand as he stood up. After hesitating for a moment she took it, and they headed for the fence, intending to climb up a well situated tree and jump off it over the electric fence. So they put their plan into action, Hawthorne going first, and Bryony leaping into his arms off the tree as she went over the fence. Then they went on their way, too in love to think straight, though neither of them paid much thought to how long it would last... they just pretended it would last forever.

Many a week passed as they trekked across the rough terrain, having the time of their lives. Everything was so new and exciting, the new places, the new feelings, just everything about it. She did feel a deep, burning regret about not saying goodbye to her parents though, and it never seemed to leave her alone. Life had never been worse for her, sleeping rough and being so far away from home, and yet it had never been better. Their relationship was going relatively smoothly, and they were just generally enjoying being rebellious, being out of peacekeeper hold and running free.

The weeks rolled into months, and one night she was sitting in a clearing beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. It was beautiful here, she openly admitted that, the trees surrounding them, the moonlight glinting off the dew dampened flower petals, the soft grass underneath her bare feet. Wonderland, she thought, casting her mind back to when she was a small child, and her mother used to read her the story of a little girl called Alice and her adventures in wonderland. Wonderland...

She had obviously fallen asleep against his shoulder, as when she woke up again her head was slightly fuzzy from sleep and she had a pain in her neck from leaning on him. She reached her hand out for him with her eyes still closed, though all she was met with was empty space. Opening her eyes she sat up slowly, trying to piece together what was happening. He'd been right here before, it was unlike him to just leave, he'd never done that before... was she losing her mind or something? She was totally alone, or so it seemed to her. Little did she know that there were strangers watching, whispering turning to talking, which is when she realised. She was far from alone. Suddenly, figures broke through the trees, their peacekeeper uniforms glinting in the moonlight, dragging a figure behind them. They didn't look like they were from 7, their jackets displaying a district number she couldn't quite see. A scream sounded, and she looked round desparetely, trying to find the source of it, her feet rooted to the spot. Then she realised. It was her.

'B-Bryony, go! '

A voice screamed at her, and she realised the struggling figure they were half-pulling, half-dragging along behind them was none other than Hawthorne. Backing away slowly her eyes darted around fearfully, before she abruptly turned on her heel and ran,  away from them, away from Hawthorne, the sound of bullets whizing past her ears and the loud noise of boots against twigs alerting her to the fact that they were in pursuit. She knew she had to go home, or at least die trying, so she ran and she ran, until the voices and boots were long left behind, her nimble body helping her out greatly. Many days of tears and many nights of regrets followed, mentally cursing at herself relentlessly. She should have slept with one eye open at night...

To her surprise, she found herself back infront of the fence one night, quite by accident really. She hadn't even known if she was going in the right direction, the memorys of her and Hawthorne jumping over the fence searing in the back of her mind like a burning flame. It wasn't even that long ago. Scaling up a tree a little way from it she threw herself in it's general direction, not really caring if she made it or not. By some miricale she did, rolling on impact and managing to escape with only a broken wrist and a sprained ankle to boot. She'd returned home that night, tearful and broken, and she hadn't really left her house since, too scared of if those peace-keepers find her. Heart-broken and alone she often cried in her room when her parents weren't home, feeling forever like a part of her was missing. And in the end in wonderland, we both went mad...

Strengths
Due to her petite stature, Bryony is very good at hiding, and is a nimble girl in general, capable of running at alarming speeds and climbing extremely fast. Because she grew up in District 7 she has used axes and knives / daggers from an early age, so she is proficient with both of them. Due to her quiet nature she normally gets on okay with most people, and she's pretty tough mentally.

Weaknesses
Purely down to her size Bryony is a failiure when it comes to hand to hand combat, and she can't really swim, she can float on her back but that's about it. Also, due to what happened with Hawthorne she's kinda damaged, and if reminded of what happened to him she will retreat into her shell, becoming even quieter than normal. Finally, she is also afraid of figures of authority after what happened outside the fence.

Token
The leaf necklace as detailed in her backstory, given to her by Hawthorne.

Song Inspired By
Bryony was heavily inspired by the song Wonderland by Taylor Swift. :3



The song is qouted multiple times throughout her backstory, and her whole character is based pretty solidly on it. Wonderland is one of my favourite tracks from Taylors album 1989, and the track is well worth a listen if you have a moment. :D