Aelia Duskhill

**"I'm stronger than you know"**

"Everyone thinks that."

**"But in my case, it's true"**

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Aelia Duskhill grew up in the capitol, and was trained to become a peacekeeper. From a young age she had a rebellious heart and strong spirit. She is a fighter.

## Backstory

#### **Parents**

> *Ages 0 - 4 months*
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Aelia Duskhill was born to Titus Duskhill and Vita Heavenberg. The two had attended the Capitol Academy and University together and had developed feelings for each other. However, Titus joined those who worked for the games, and as stipulated by the job was not permitted to be involved in any romantic relationships, or father any children. He and Vita parted ways once he signed up, her having felt betrayed by him.

Years passed before Titus reached out to Vita. He had come to see the games and the capitol for what they were. The same beliefs Vita had her entire life. Once they made contact once again, Vita and Titus rekindle their love. And as a result, Vita became pregnant with a baby girl. Had the capitol learned about Titus’s betrayal, he would be put to death, as would the child. So Titus hid the woman he loved and his unborn baby.

Vita hid her pregnancy and eventually gave birth to the child with the help of a friend of hers, and for the first few months of Aelia’s life, she was hidden from the world. Only her father, mother, and friend were aware of the child’s existence. Titus hoped that the birth of their daughter would encourage Vita from publicly speaking out against the capitol but it didn’t.

Soon, the capitol sent out guards to arrest her. Vita fled from the capital, and in the pursuit, she left the baby somewhere hidden yet safe. A small letter with Aelia’s first name and a plea to save her was left with the girl. The four-month-old baby was found by a capitol citizen who then took her to an orphanage.

#### **Childhood**

> *Ages 4 months - 14*
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Aelia grew up in an orphanage with no idea who she was. The only thing that connected her to the life she had before, was her name. It was given to her at birth by her parents, but aside from that, she grew up with no idea of who she was or where she came from. He was passed from home to home, and back to the orphanage in an endless cycle. Some of the family she stayed with were loving, others were abusive and toxic.

Growing up the way she did she had nothing that was truly hers. So rather than getting attached to things she owned, she grew attached to the talents she had. She had a beautiful voice, and when she was an older child at the orphanage she would sing to the younger girls. She was a natural leader as she grew up and as a result, also helped many of the other children there find things that made them feel special and worth it.

Aelia, however, was known for causing many problems at the center. Constantly defying orders and questioning those in charge. So, when she turned 14, the orphanage sent her to a training center. Wanting to be rid of the trouble and hoping that the girl would learn to follow orders and obey.

#### **Training**

> *Ages 14 - 21*
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When she arrived at the training center, the 14-year-old Aelia hated it. She wanted to pursue a career in singing, but instead, she was sent to become a warrior. Her first few weeks she was constantly getting into trouble and getting punished for how she behaved. She was reckless and constantly tried to break the rules. She was hoping to wash out and be sent to the streets or back to the orphanage. However, a specific trainer noticed her and wanted to train her.

Titus Duskhill took interest in her and as a result, she became a personal student under him. She believed he viewed her as a challenge, not knowing that he had recognized her as his daughter. Titus had spent years not knowing if Aelia or Vita was taken by the capitol or escaped. So he took the opportunity to train her when he realized who the girl was.

After Titus came into her life, he taught Aelia how to fight, but also other lessons such as how to think for yourself, and following your heart. From the moment he began to train her she felt safe and trusted him. He became a constant to her, and while she was unaware of who he was, she still viewed him as the father she never had.

Aelia trained in hand to hand combat, marksmanship, and some more specific fields. Such as war combat, strategies, and how to hand unexpected situations such as bombs and even torture. Aelia spent 5 years training daily and developing skills. She was top of her classes but still kept her rebellious nature.

She continued to question the capitol, though never vocally. She learned how to control what she said, but questioned everything. She never believed the capital was to be trusted and had come to the conclusion that she was an orphan because of something they had done. She used her training in observation to begin studying the way the capitol behaved.

## District 5

> *Age 21 - 23*
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At 21 Aelia was sworn into the peacekeeper career and was supposed to spend 20 years in service of Panem. She was hesitant but agreed to peacekeepers’ life, and was soon sent to district 5 to begin her service. It wasn’t long before Aelia fell in love. She fell in love with the life district 5 provided. The simplicity of the districts as opposed to the capitol. Even as a peacekeeper she felt less watched and judged. She felt free for the first time in her life.

Due to the loyalty of district 5 to the capitol, not much of her life was spent punishing those in the district. Of course, some of the citizens needed a strict hand, but Aelia was fortunate enough to avoid punishing those because of her lower rank and younger age. Typically they wanted an older and stronger male to provide the punishment.

It was also her time as a peacekeeper that showed her the amount of pain the districts were in. She watched the reaping from the stage, in person, and watched the fear in the children's eyes and the pain in the parent’s faces. It was then that she learned she hated the capitol. Now 22, she was finding her loyalty being tested.

She witnessed Knox Pitville, a 23-year-old older brother, say goodbye to his younger sister after the reaping, having to separate them from saying their finale goodbye. Within days of the games start, the girl had been slaughtered and Aelia watched the strong power plant worker breaking down. She felt personally responsible for the pain after learning that 4 years prior his parents were killed by a peacekeeper.

Aelia’s attempt to comfort him soon led to something she couldn’t control. No longer was the feelings of love about the district, but about Knox. She tried to fight her feelings, knowing her job as a peacekeeper required her to never have a romantic relationship.

However, the two started a hidden romantic affair. And for a year they were able to keep it going. Hiding their relationship added to Aelia’s rebellious nature, and gave her excitement. She was happy, in love, and free.

But unfortunately, things changed. Much like Aelia, Knox was a born rebel. His anger and hatred for the capitol and for the death of his family slowly grew. He began making deals and plans with those in 5 who worked in the black market. Aelia begged him to stop but he refused to listen.

At 23 years old Aelia watched the man she loved get arrested for consorting against the capitol and watched as he got hung for his crimes. His death shattered her, she couldn’t help blame him for trying to fight. Believing that if he followed order they could be happy.

Aelia wrote a letter to Titus, confessing with him about her relationship and the rules she had broken. She begged him to have him get her out of district 5. No longer able to bear walking the streets. The memory of him seemed to haunt her.

Weeks after she sent the letter, orders arrived for her to return to the capitol. Titus had used his position to release her from restrictions and give her a new job in the capitol. Soon she had left district 5 behind, to return to the capitol and serve them faithfully once more.