"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts"
For Caesar Flickerman there wasn't a more true statement that could ever be made. Sure, most people got a few choices here and there about there lives, but nothing Caesar did was his own. He was a puppet and Snow his puppet master, bending to the ever whim of the President of Panem. The only decision Caesar himself made was out of fear and fear makes you do anything you can to keep your loved ones safe.
Caesar loves the stage, the burning lights blaring down upon his face a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. The roaring crowd screaming his name cheering and laughing for him, oh how they loved there Master of Ceremonies. He loves the sounds and effects that come from such a position and the perks aren't to bad either. Everything is set to perfection according to him, you know when it is Caesar who will be occupying the grand stage by his theme song.
Caesar loves the capitol, the wide spectrum of colors and styles that clothe the many residences. The beauty that litters the flower beds and the grand parties thrown for no reason whatsoever. The varieties that dwindles as the people pick their favorite tributes and begin to wear clothing that has become that tributes trademark. The brightly colors pets that are attached to the owners from jewel studded collars.
Caesar Flickerman does not love President Snow, he can only describe his feelings towards the man as absolute hatred. Caesar didn't always hate the man, once upon the time he thought of his as a friend a good friend until Caesar made a terrible mistake.
A young girl, beautiful in all aspects of the word, was reaped into the games at 17 years old. At the time Caesar was still in the prime of his life and indulging in everything his career brought about. The parties, food, drinks, and women never seeing the same women twice until her. Blue eyes of azure and hair the most delicate blonde, she was smart as she was kind and everyone absolutely adorned her. That's when Caesar's love for Snow began to recede as Caesar realized he was her executioner, sending her to her death in the games. He regretted having to send he but he did and by some miracle she survived to be the lone victor having shed no blood nor took any lives. Her games were very dull but she, oh god she became the women Caesar loved.
She came to the Capitol every year and every year for a short while Caesar got to be with the women he loved, but that wasn't enough, he wanted more like anyone in love would. He petitioned Snow to allow her to move to the Capitol but in order for her to do so, Caesar would have to consent to Snow selling her youthful body for sex, something Caesar would never allow even if it was up to him. So he learned to be content with seeing her only during the games and in turn she loved him with everything she had. That was until Caesar discovered she was with child and he was no longer going to play along with these foolish games.
He decided on the day his daughter was born, if Snow wouldn't allow her to move to the Capitol he would move to district 11 and be with her, he could still return to the Capitol and host the games. A week later he was packed and ready to go. However, the moment Caesar got on the train Snow knew and this was viewed as a rebellious act of disobedience. No one was free from punishment when the situation was one that would inspire a war, and Caesar was the most dangerous of rebel possible. Everyone in the Capitol loved him and would follow him to their very deaths.
The train stopped in the Capitol and Caesar was taken into custody by peacekeepers and Caesar knew he was in serious trouble. He was brought into the whitest room he had ever seen, but inside was the vision of all his dreams. The woman he loved cradling their daughter to her bosom as the infant suckled her from her mothers breast. Caesar's worry turned to a smile as he approached her and embrace them both in a loving hug, careful not to deter the eager girl feasting on the very thing Caesar himself had feast on only months ago.
"What's going on?" the delicate voice of his lover was full of worry and fear and as much as he wanted to comfort and reassure her, he couldn't. They remained silent, the only sound coming from their daughter as she finished her meal and his lover covered her exposed nipple. "Would you like to hold her?"
Caesar carefully took his beautiful daughter from his lovers arms, she looked so much like him but he knew enough about babies to know they looked like their fathers until they started aging. Soon enough she would have her mothers beautiful features and his quick wit. As soon as his daughter was securely in his arms and smiling up at him the door burst open and in stormed peacekeepers and President Snow. Peacekeepers wretched his lover to the center of the room and positioned her so she was kneeling with a gun to her head. Caesar turned to Snow, tears in his eyes.
"Please sir, she didn't know. I will take my own punishment" Caesar's voice was broken and strained with his unshed tears. He was proud of his lovers lack of emotion as her life was threatened but he would do anything and everything to save her life.
"Unfortunately Caesar, this is your fault you disobeyed me and this is the result of your defiance. You are too important to receive the punishment yourself so the pain of losing your expendable lover will have to do"
Caesar watched as the peacekeepers index finger crushed the trigger, but everything seemed to be in slow motion. The sound resonated in his ears, the only thing he heard before his lovers last plea, telling them she loved them before her body collapsed on the white stone floor. Her blood spilling over and staining the cold ground, Caesar's grief was too much as his knees crushed to the ground. He was so adsorbed in emotional agony that he didn't take notice when President Snow took his daughter from his limp arms. Caesar crawled to her and held her lifeless body against him. Her skin was cold and coarse no longer the warm and welcoming woman he had grown to love over the past six years.
"I'm sorry it had to do this to you, my friend but such acts cannot and will not be tolerated and to ensure you continue to properly do your job the way i want you to do your daughter will be under my constant care and you will never her know her. The moment you step out of line again she will suffer, do as i say and she will live a pampered life" Caesar's eyes were stuck on Snow's black dress shoes they purposely came to stand in the blood of his lover.
"Allow him all the time he needs to soak in his knew life of slavery and then return him and his belongings to his home"
That night was a constant visitor in his nightmares, his beautiful daughter a constant image on magazines and news. His daughter had become President Snow's beloved and adored grandchild in the eyes of the public, Snow's constant reminder that Caesar was a puppet and the stage was Snow's to command.
His once friend was now the most hated man to Caesar, but everything he did was at Snow's approval, everything. He ate what Snow told him to eat, wore what Snow told him to wear, Said was Snow wanted him to say, all for the sake of his daughter. Caesar abandoned all hope of being and independent individual person and that was the only choice he had anymore: do as Snow orders and his daughter lives or disobey and Snow would have her killed just as he had her mother.
So Caesar Flickerman hates the stage for it has become his prison, the place where he has to plaster on his makeup and surgical induced smile on his face. He smiles and waved and laughs and jokes with the crowds and encourages the tributes, doing his best to provide them with sponsors to try and save the lives he is helping to destroy.
So Caesar Flickerman hates the Capitol where he had once been able to learn to love one woman and enjoy it. Where he used to call home is now unwelcome and cold, somewhere he dreads being. The colors are dull and outdated, no longer inspiring him, red is all he sees. Everything is red, red like his hair the year his lover went through the games, red like her delicate lips, red like the split blood of a lost love.
So Caesar Flickerman hates President Snow.
"All the world's a stage," his stage where he tries to preserve life and inspire sponsors to be these children's salvation.
"And all the men and women merely players;" the players who bend and turn and break all at Snow's command as he moves his amusing players into position.
"They have their exits and their entrances," Caesar entered on the stage and now he would end on the stage, the life he thought he had wanted. Now he realized he'd give it all up just to hold his daughter one last time, see his lovers smile one more time.
"And one man in his time plays many parts," Lover, father, host, Master of Ceremonies, puppet, slave, all of which he had no choice to say.
"His acts being seven ages." And this, this is Caesar's final stage where he prays for a rebellion as a young boy walks upon the stage and changed the way of the world with his undying love for his female counterpart.
The female who will exact justice for all the wrong Snow has done, the female who will save Caesar from his stage and allow him the chance to be a father to his daughter. But she will never be able to bring back his lover, never erase the blood that stains his hands, never take away all the pain and agony he feels everyday. But she will give him life and bring love back into his life.