Hello again my readers, sorry it's been years since I updated, hopefully i'll get more reviews today, I want to know what you think! I'll update more frequently now, I've just come back from a holiday where there was no wifi and I whipped up this chapter tonight. Enjoy :) -Olympia
Forresters POV
That cough I know too well, I grab Maize's hand after President Snow comes into the room. Without the slightest gesture of query he sits down on the sofa.
"Sit." He says emotionless.
Mai and I sit down on the couch opposite him stiffly. He smiles.
"Are you finding your morning comfortable?" he asks, cheesing smugly. Maize pipes up.
"Erm, yes, I was just wondering whether we could get some extra linen… in the cupboard."
"Oh, Miss Maize, I'm terribly sorry, but I'm afraid that would be impossible, you see these are serviced apartments, they provide their own specially made home wares. The staff might be terribly offended I they think that they're work is unsatisfactory, besides, you won't be getting any visitors as of yet, not to worry. I assure you that if there are any the service here will take good care of it!"
Her face ashen by Snows' response, she mumbles under her breath meekly.
"Of course…"
Another smile comes from his face…
"Well, Maize! your car is outside waiting to take you to the workforce, the Gamemakers are there waiting for you also, the games begin next week and I expect, by then that you will have caught the mole amongst your number."
She nods slowly, I watch as her chest rises and falls in the same rhythm as mine, her tank top stretching and contracting to the expansion of her lungs. Snow turns to face me.
"Mr Chidiac. I have… shall we say, separate duties, for you."
"I would like to stay with Maize if that is alright with you, President." I say as I clamp my arm around Maize's waist protectively, feeling the way she tenses under my strong hands and I resist the urge to kiss her in front of Snow.
"That will not be possible, you are both children, young and…" his eyes linger on Maize as he speaks "… innocent. This does not mean that you are not disposable, I advise you both to do as you are told, take care of yourselves properly. Or you might wake up to find you are wearing… a blood necklace."
He stands up promptly and walks straight out of the apartment, the smell of roses and blood in his wake.
"Good morning." He says with finality, already walking down the hall. "I expect Mr Chidiac in my study at twelve and Maize, I expect you in the car now."
She kisses me on the lips.
"I'll talk to you when I come home!" She says hastily and walks out of the apartment after Snow, her shoulders slumped. Memories of last night flood back vividly, Maize's pale face, the warm tears running down her cheeks and her soft choked up voice.
I stare as she chases down the fifth floor hall after the man that was responsible for her discomfort and I feel the fury bubbling in my stomach like lava in a volcano. I want to kill him, to hurt him as badly as I can, tear him limb from limb, the man who tormented my best friend… my girlfriend as he puts it.
Maize's POV
I was sorry that Forr had to see me the way I was last night, I've always thought it important that a girl is strong in front of her partner, I threw away any chance of that when I had a meltdown last night. However that was a tiny blow compared to not changing the situation. Snow had simply denied to give us some linens he also denied us each other's comfort, I am headed towards my new job and he is waiting in the apartment alone and weary. I seems strange that I should mistrust Forrester like this, but it's hard not to when the person I thought I knew passed information leading to the discovery of my family's allegiance. Some might still argue that this has nothing to do with wanting me and my body but I can't say I agree.
The District five boy made me aware of it and under closer inspection I found that my suspicions were correct, the Capitol folk regard us district kids with disdain, they have no respect for our privacy and no respect for our minds. And that's just the boys, for the girls its worse, we are objects of pleasure, there for two purposes; to entertain and to serve. The bread and the circuses. Since Forr is a Capitol boy I don't know whether he is truthful, and he wants to be with me, or if he is lying and there is something he wants from me.
The car is soon speeding away into unknown capitol streets, beyond it I see the train tracks and beyond that a huge glass dome – The Arena- and next to it an enormous skyscraper also glass, The car draws to a halt in front of the building and Snow, who has been sitting at the front in silence the whole journey speaks again.
"Go through the front entrance of the building and there will be someone there to find you, good luck, and this car will be here to pick you up at five, Good luck."
He says all of this without turning to glance at me. I nod and step out of the car bracing myself for yet more new faces, more new places.
I watch the sleek black car speed away, purring silently around the corner I hear voices coming from the direction of the building at the same time.
"Is he gone?"
"Just left Mr Heavensbee, in his Jaguar, he dropped the girl off first; she's standing at the front now."
"He had placed her here to detect the spy among us, I am sure of it Persei, they know about the plan, and the poor child has little word in the whole affair, she is disposable to Snow, and knowing Snow, after she has reached the end of her usefulness, she will be disposed of."
My stomach flips and my brain whirrs, had I been such a fool to think Snow would leave me alive? I was from the dead district and I knew it, I would not, could not be allowed to live, I was a threat. I hear footsteps approaching the place where I stand and I begin to act like I am lost on my way to the entrance, I hear a voice behind me.
"And you would be Miss Elphinstone?"
I jump violently.
"Y-yes" I stammer
"I apologise if I startled you, I am Plutarch Heavensbee and this is my assistant Persei Pyrmont, would you like us to show you around?" He asks politely, as though he had not just been murmuring about my fate seconds beforehand, Persei flashes me a radiant smile and holds out an emerald studded hand.
"A Pleasure." He says
PERSEI'S POV
Oh. My. God. She. Is. Beautiful.
She has beautiful blue eyes and beautiful sleek hair, a toned body, tiny waist, big bust and perfect thighs. I want to reach out, to run my fingers over her soft, tanned skin. I settle to shake her hand and flash a smile.
A pleasure… I say, because it will be a pleasure soon.
"The pleasure is mine." She replies
"Would you like me to give you a tour?"
"Thank you." She says smiling again, colour filling her once pallid cheeks… Without further questions I clasp her hand in my firm grip and lead her inside the headquarters of the gamemakers.