Charlotte Amsel

Name: Charlotte Amsel

Age: 16

Member of: District 10

Appearance: Charlotte stands about 5’ 6”, and has long dirty blonde hair. She has deep brown eyes that shine hazel in the sun. Charlotte is slender, but not, by any means, in peak physical shape. She has strong arms from her profession, but that’s about it for her physical talents. She likes to dress comfortably, but doesn’t mind wearing dresses or skirts. Her long hair is always styled in some fashion, usually with braids.

Personality: Charlotte is a quiet, reserved person; she is also incredibly shy. She prefers to spend time in her family’s bakery than being out in the hustle and bustle of the square. She does enjoy being outside in the woods and meadows near her home, but only if she can be alone or in very little company. She is a skilled baker, and can make practically anything she wants. She decorates her baked goods beautifully, and is set to take over the family bakery when her father cannot run it anymore.
When someone breaks her shyness down, she is an incredibly able-minded person. What she lacks in physicality, she makes up for with mentality. She can be a great friend to have, and she treasures her close relationships dearly. She also enjoys drawing.

History: Charlotte is the youngest of three children. Her older twin brothers, Simon and Parker, both are farm hands on various farms in the district, while she helps her father run the family bakery. Growing up, she had a few traumatic incidents that have left her emotionally scarred; her mother died in a fire that destroyed the family’s home, and forced them to move, and Charlotte lost her best friend to the Games when they were both 13. Now, she tries her hardest to keep her family afloat and go on with her life the best she can. Her best friend meant everything to her, and now that he’s gone, there’s been a void in her life.

RP sample: The Reaping.
I have hated this day ever since I was old enough to understand its magnitude. Simon and Parker’s names were somewhere in the big bowl of names designated for the boys, and my own would be in the one for girls. I was dressed in a conservative black dress, just like the one I wore at my mother’s funeral a few short years ago.
“Hey.” I heard a familiar male voice say as my right hand was swallowed in another. I looked up and saw Cloud Collins, my best friend. His face was pallid, out of sheer terror. His family had run into some tough times, and he had to sign up for tesserae. Cloud’s name was in that bowl more than it should be, and it scared him. Cloud was the youngest of his family, and his seventeen-year-old sister had her name entered as well, one final time; she would turn 18 before the next Reaping. I spot her in the crowd, just a few people away from me. I wonder what’s going on her head?
A Capitol citizen got up on the stage, preparing for the start of the Reaping. I instantly loathe her, and everything about her. Her bright green hair is like a personal insult to me, as well as her ridiculous outfit, which was a sickly teal color.
“Attention! Attention! The Reaping will now begin!” She chirps into a microphone. The quiet buzzing of the crowd ceases immediately, and she smiles at us. She introduces a few people to the crowd, and then walks over to the bowls.
“Ladies first?” She says, and my throat tightens in fear. I glance over at Cloud’s sister, and the color has fled from her face. The woman fishes around in the bowl before pulling out a small sheet of paper. She unfolds it, and leans into the microphone.
“Iliana Merriweather.”
I know the Merriweathers; their mother comes into the bakery every day for some sweet bread. Iliana is 15, but I know her younger sister, Kialla, through school. I see Iliana walk up the stairs to the stage like she was just served a death sentence. My throat loosens once more as I find the power to breathe. While I feel bad for Iliana and the Merriweathers, it is not me or Cloud’s sister. I glance over at her, and she looks extremely relieved. I would be too.
The Capitol woman reaches her hand into the names of the boys, and my throat tightens again. I see Simon and Parker next to me, each seeming to be holding the other one up. I can’t imagine what must be running through their heads; losing a sibling is one thing, but losing a twin is a whole other story. Cloud’s grip on my hand becomes tighter, which makes me more anxious. I watch as the woman pulls a slip out of the bowl, unfolds it, and says two words I never wanted to hear come out of her mouth.
“Cloud Collins.”

1. How did Charlotte cope with the loss of her best friend? Does she currently have a best friend?
She hasn't coped at all, to be honest. She hasn't found a way to fill the void that currently runs her life. Cloud was a big part of her, and she knows now that if he were still alive, she'd probably be dead-set on marrying the boy. His death meant the end of the future that she dreamed for herself, and she hasn't found new hopes and dreams.
As a result of this, she currently does not have a best friend. She is too afraid to reach out for that kind of relationship anymore, in case it ends the same way.

2. How old was Charlotte when her mom died? How did Charlotte cope with the loss of her mom and her home?
Charlotte was eight when that day occurred. Charlotte dealt with her mother's death more than Cloud's, and she knows it. She feels as though it's easier to deal with her mother's death because she didn't actually see it; she was at school when the fire engulfed the house. She misses her mother, of course, but she found it easier to move on after her death.

3. What is Charlotte's relationship with her dad like? Is it any different now than it was before the loss of her mom?
Her father was the one that got her interested in baking, and she has spent a lot of time with him in the bakery refining her craft. Previous to her mother's death, she was the prime example of a "daddy's girl", and followed him around like a loyal puppy.
Now that her mother is gone, and a void is there for him like Cloud's death is for Charlotte, he's become distant from his kids. It breaks Charlotte's heart that he's like that, because she actually understands what he's going through, and he refuses to talk about it, or seek comfort from it. It's hard for Charlotte to spend time with him now, because the man that used to be so full of life has been transformed beyond repair.

((Great answers! Have some more questions~))

1. Does Charlotte have many friends? What kinds of people does she like to spend time with?

2. What does Charlotte like about baking?

3. Now that she is rather distant from her father, who is Charlotte closest to? Who would she talk to if she needed advice or needed to confide in someone?

April Adams wrote:

((Great answers! Have some more questions~))

Aww, thanks! You're so sweet!


1. Does Charlotte have many friends? What kinds of people does she like to spend time with?
Well, since the loss of Cloud, she resists reaching out to other kids her age. She has other kids she talks to at school, but she definitely wouldn't consider them her friends. She likes to spend time with people that don't press her about her problems, and generally let her keep her personal life to herself.

2. What does Charlotte like about baking?
Charlotte loves how distracting from everyday life that it is. Kneading bread, decorating cakes/cookies, and mixing batter/dough takes concentration, and doesn't allow her mind to wander to other things that haunt her nightmares.
Plus, the delicious smells that come from bakeries doesn't hurt the situation.

3. Now that she is rather distant from her father, who is Charlotte closest to? Who would she talk to if she needed advice or needed to confide in someone?
If she needed to confide in someone, she'd turn to her older brothers, Simon and Parker. I like to think of them as the Weasley twins; always looking on the bright side and being silly, but can turn serious in a matter of seconds. They distract her from her unhappiness by pulling pranks, telling silly jokes, and making up crazy stories, and she's grateful for it.

1. What would it take for Charlotte to let her guard down and reach out to one of her friends at school? Do you think it would ever happen?
It would take her getting over Cloud's death, and that would be a miracle in itself. It's possible, but she doesn't know how to go about doing it.

2. Since they work as farm hands, how much does Charlotte see of Simon and Parker? Are they still reaping age? How does that make Charlotte feel?
Simon and Parker are 18, so they are no longer young enough to be reaped, which is a huge relief for Charlotte.
She sees them in the evenings, when they come home from work. She has dinner with them and her father every night, and they help her with her homework on occasion.

3. What is Charlotte's favorite thing to bake? Why?
She loves baking souffles because they're a challenge. To make the perfect souffle takes a lot of talent and concentration, and even though she hasn't successfully made one, she keeps trying in the hopes that she will someday make one.

1. If there was one thing Charlotte could say to Cloud, what would it be?
"Come back. I miss you."

2. Other than baking, what does Charlotte do in her spare time?
She adventures in the woods, and she spends time with her brothers. She likes to take walks in town, too.

3. If either of the twins had been reaped instead of Cloud, would Charlotte be any different?
No. She loves her brothers a lot. Her father would've been worse off; losing his wife and one of his sons would have devastated him.