The morning after she killed Matthias, Effie anounced to her that she would have a new mentor.

Rebecca glared at her because she did not need someone to instruct her how to kill people, "Effie, I don't think that's necessary."

Effie looked at her with an amused expression, "Rebecca, not only is it neccessary, it is expected. The Capitol, in particular President Snow, requires that every victor is to mentor the new generation of tributes."

Rebecca rolled her eyes and looked at the male tribute from her district, a scruffy looking red head who was about fifteen, "she clearly doesn't get the concept survival of the fittest."

The boy looked uncomfortable as he smirked, "Yeah."

Rebecca realized she wasn't get any agreement from her male counterpart, so she asked Effie, "Alright. Who is our new Mentor?"

"Solomon Alabastar." she announced proudly.

Rebecca remembered how well Solomon handled himself in the arena and how she was as shocked as everyone else when he crowned victor and wondered how he could possibly be the chosen mentor, "What? How could he help? He blundered his way through the games."

"That's a matter of opinion." an unfamiliar voice said from the direction of the doorway.

Rebecca turned in her chair to see a tall, well built blonde standing by the door. Right away she recognized his face from the games and from the district; it was Solomon Alabastar himself, "It's my opinion." she coughed.

He smirked and proceeded to walk towards the drink stand and poured himself a brandy, "I may have blundered. But I won didn't I?" he smiled as he took a drink from the crystal glass.

"That's a matter of opinion." she said sarcastically mimicking his words to her.

He smiled as he swished the amber fluid around in the glass before kindly asking, "Effie, Theodore, would you mind giving Rebecca and I alone for a few mintues?"

Theodore looked relieved to be able to leave the room, while Effie looked bewildered that Solomon would want to spend some time alone with Rebecca, "Whatever for?"

Rebecca was curious to know the same.

Solomon smiled, put his glass down on the counter before turning to Effie, "Mentor business."

"Shouldn't Theodore-"

"Miss Trinket, Theodore clearly doesn't want to be here and I need to explain a few things to Rebecca. Now please, Leave." he said in a firm but harsh tone.

Effie saw the fierce look in Solomon's eye and knew not to bother arguing with him, "Right. Come Theodore." and she and Theodore exited the room leaving Rebecca alone with Solomon.

Rebecca sat frozen in her blue velvet chair wondering what Solomon had to explain to her. Given the events that went on with her last mentor, she was not about to let her guard down for even a moment. She waited for Solomon to proceed, but instead watched him pour himself another drink and then saunter gracefully over to the window and gaze out onto the view of the Capitol. The way he carried himself made her nervous, so to break the ice she apologized, "I'm sorry for saying you blundered your way through the games."

Solomon smirked before taking a gulp of the brandy and then throwing the glass so it smashed on the wall behind her, "Don't be sorry." he said angrily, "Being sorry is not going to get you through the games."

Rebecca's eyes widened as she sat back in her chair gripping the arm rests. Never before had she been this terrified of someone and she certainly had not been expected to be affraid of someone who appeared to be meak and innocent.

Solomon's gaze softened as he saw her fear and he sat down in front of her in the chair across from hers, "I know what you're thinking. Why have I chosen to speak with you instead of Theodore?"

Rebecca nodded, "Yes."

He sat back, "Well Rebecca, being in last year's games has taught me alot about watching for a worthy oponent and never have I seen one, until today."

Rebecca looked at him in disbelief, "You're kidding? I'm sure there are other tributes this year that are much more worthy than I am."

"Rebecca, no other tribute has killed their first mentor and made it look like an accident." he said slyly.

Rebecca's eyes widened in shock because she didn't think anyone knew, "How did you know about that?"

Solomon laughed, "I didn't. But your expression just now told me it's true." before he sat forward in his chair, "After I read Matthias' notes where he documented that you killed a peacekeeper after he tried to take advantage of you I figured that the lechurous Matthias suffered the same fate."

"And I'll do the same to you if you try anything."

Solomon put his hands up as a sign of surrender, "I wouldn't dream of , you need to focus and save that kind of thing for the arena." Solomon went on to discuss with her what it would be like in the arena, what she should look out for, which of the tributes she should create an alliance with and which she should just go for first. All the while she sat staring at him and wondered how such an intellegent and sweet man like Solomon could go on to be the viscous killer he was making himself out to be at that moment.

"How did you do it?" she blurted without thinking.

"Do what?" he asked curiously.

"Become what you were in the arena? I saw you in our district, you always seemed mild mannered and gentle. I became rough through my experiences living on the streets but you - I just don't get it." she stammered.

Solomon sighed as he got up from his chair and retraced his steps to the window, "Rebecca, when you're in the ring you have two choices, either sit and wait to be killed, or -"

"Kill them before they can kill you." She said remembering Matthias' own words to her.

He nodded, "Exactly. And if you can do that, then you can win."

Rebecca smiled, "Oh don't worry about that Solomon. I have every intension of winning."

"What's your reason?" He asked as he sat back down in front of her.

"My reason?" she asked curiously, "To stay alive? What else is there?"

Solomon shook his head, "No. Every victor has a reason for staying a live. For Matthias it was the money from the victory pay out and mine-"

Now she was curious, "Yours was what Solomon?"

His eyes softened, "Mine was my family and -" he paused with a smile.

"And?" she asked curiously.

"And, I had someone to stay alive for."

Solomon shook his head and smiled and told her that wasn't important, "What is important is how you are going to stay alive in the ring." he sat back in his chair and asked her again what her reason for staying alive was, "What is your reason?"

Rebecca looked down at her hands and remembered the feeling of killing Matthias with her dagger before telling Solomon her reason, "To prove to the Capitol and President Snow that I will not take shit from anyone."

Solomon was pleased with that reason because he had thought for years that the Capitol needed to be shown that they cannot push the people in the districts around and possibly Rebecca would be the one to do this, "Now that's a reason win the games."