Merlin! How great to see you!" gushed Caesar, shaking his hand energetically. Merlin hoped he didn't notice his sweaty palms and fidgeted slightly, pulling at the sleeves of his suit jacket. "Thank you Caesar." He forced a smile.
They settled into their chairs, Merlin moving slowly and with the utmost care not to fall over and embarrass himself in front of the live and televised crowds who were busy analyzing his every move. His legs shook and sweat dripped down his collar as he took a deep breath.
"So Merlin, an eleven in training, huh? Any hints you can give us on what you have to offer in the arena?"
Had Caesar said something? The lights were bright, so bright. Blinding. His pulse raced and he gripped the arms of his chair, forcing an easy smile on his face as he guessed at what Caesar had just inquired. "I'd love to give you all the details, Caesar, but I'm afraid that's against the rules. Just know that I'm stronger than I look."
"I'm sure you are." Caesar nodded solemnly. "Tell me. How is the Capitol different from District Eleven?"
"The porridge here is excellent," Merlin quipped.
"The porridge!?" exclaimed Caesar. The crowd roared with laughter.
"Yeah," Merlin beamed, beginning to enjoy himself. "And the showers. But I've lost several battles with those already. Hopefully I won't have to fight any blasts of frigid water and lemon soap in the arena."
The crowd's roar turned into a resounding thunder as Caesar doubled over, chuckling heartily. Whether his helpless mirth was genuine or not, Merlin couldn't tell, but the crowd seemed to like his responses. He realized wryly that despite his decision to just be himself in the interviews, he had yet to give away information of any true worth about himself.
Apparently recovering from his bout of laughter, Caesar righted himself and the audience hushed. "Is this the latest fashion back in Eleven?" he asked, pointedly looking at Merlin's trademark red neckerchief.
Smiling, Merlin glanced down at the front of his jacket, where his stylists had grudgingly allowed him to wear his district token in place of a tie with his suit.
"Err… I suppose… It's my district token, and I wanted people to be able to recognize me in the arena when I'm not all dressed up like I am now."
"Well time's almost up. One last question. Why do you think you have a chance at winning these Games?"
"Trying to get me to spill my secrets again, are we Caesar?" he grinned impishly. "But I never said I thought I had a chance." His smile faded. "But there are people in that arena that I would gladly give my life to protect, and I won't go down without a fight. Mark my words when I say that hurting any of my friends in any way is a serious mistake. I have a destiny to fulfill, and I won't let anything stand in my way."
There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes, an aura of mysterious power that had not previously shrouded his lanky figure. The crowd sat in hushed silence, shocked by the sudden change from the cheeky, happy-go-lucky boy that had stood before them moments earlier. The buzzer echoed throughout the silent hall and Merlin strode from the stage and back to his seat. Gwen squeezed his hand gratefully and he heaved a sigh of relief. It was over. Now all he had to worry about were the Games themselves.