'Look Miss Sparkler, I threaded my needle all by myself!' Miracle exclaimed happily. Sparkler smiled to her.
'That's a great job, Miracle. How's your picture?' she asked. Miracle showed the half-finished needlepoint flower, smiling brightly. Sparkler nodded with approval.
'Good job, Miracle. I guess tomorrow it will be finished?'
'No… I'm not coming tomorrow' Miracle shook head. 'Marvel doesn't train on Thursdays.'
'On Friday, then' Sparkler smiled, ironing some bookmarks. 'Then I'll teach you making outlines.'
Miracle smiled even brighter, her eyes lighting up.
'And later French knots?' she asked. Sparkler nodded.
'Though no sooner than you learn half-crosses, crosses and fractional stitches.'
Miracle squealed with joy, getting back to stitching the flower. Sparkler finished bookmarks and added strings to them. The little girl learned fast.
About an hour later, Marvel came to the studio. Miracle squealed with joy and dashed towards him, happily chirping about everything that happened that day. Marvel lifted her in his arms and cuddled.
'Thank you, Miss Sparkler' he smiled to the stitcher. 'I'll bring Miracle on Friday again.'
'You're always welcome here' she smiled back. 'Both of you.'
Marvel chuckled. 'Is my token ready?' he asked curiously. Sparkler nodded and showed him the armband.
'You can try it on, but you will actually get it after the reaping' she said as he took the armband. He tried it on and Miracle corrected its position a little, smiling brightly.
'It's perfect, Miss Sparkler' Marvel said. 'Thank you. And goodbye… see you again on Friday.'
He returned the armband to the woman, took his sister by hand and left. Sparkler put the token back in drawer and took out one for Glimmer. It was glimmering in the light. She smiled and softly sang the same she was singing all the time she was stitching it.
Fabric, floss of many tones,
please help Glimmer come back home…
It sounds like a magic spell, she thought. Just like small rhymes she sang while stitching tokens for Gloss and Cashmere. And they both won… maybe it was a good sign. Maybe Little Glim-Glim would win too.
Then Sparkler thought of Miracle's smiling face, and Marvel's true devotion to his little sister. Marvel really deserved to win too. He was so caring, and from what Brocade said, he had skills in not only close combat, but could also throw spears… so he had higher chances…
…but Glimmer was so beautiful, she'd definitely have sponsors just for this, like Cashmere, who gained first sponsors right after the tribute parade…
…however, Cartouche and Glamour had two victor kids already, while Magnificence and Mandala had none…
Then Sparkler sighed, thinking of her own parents. They had no victor kids, even though she was reaped once, when she was fourteen. A girl from training academy, Pearl, volunteered – and died. Since then, Sparkler felt indebted to Careers. She did her best to help them, but it wasn't much.
Parents…
Sparkler shook her head, taking another chart and picking threads. No point thinking of her parents. They were highly disappointed in her, so she ignored them pretty much. She looked into the order, and stared stitching. Another piece for Capitol…
Who should win? Glimmer or Marvel? Marvel or Glimmer?
If only two tributes could win…
Reviews are love. Happy author updates faster!