Kaenas Moreau, District Ten Mentor
"You came!" Hebe hugged Kaenas and squealed rather enthusiastically when she saw him and Blaire come through the door. It was the night after the chariot rides, and Hebe had rented out a community space in the Capitol for one of her parties. Most of the guests were victors, though he could spot a couple of stylists and escorts milling around. The food was not half as extravagant as most Capitol functions, but there was a nice cheese plate and Hebe had managed to bake a few different cookies and pies for the occasion.
"I said I would." Kaenas grumbled. "So I'm here."
Hebe didn't seem affected by his grumpiness. "I'm glad to see you. And Blaire too! Hi. Anyway, welcome. Enjoy yourselves. We've got about a week until we have to see everyone die, so we should try to make it an enjoyable one."
Blaire scanned the entire room as if looking for someone, then walked over to the cheese plate without another word.
"She's been through a lot." Kaenas said, though he wasn't sure why. He never explained his own rudeness so it was strange to defend someone else's.
"Oh it's no problem. I was like that for years after Mr. Wren got his hooks in me." Hebe looked over to Blaire who piled up a small plate of food, "Wish I could do something more than bake her cookies, but he's got the ear of President somehow. Moving against him is… complicated."
Kaenas didn't know exactly what to say to all of that so he changed the subject.
"So what happened today. Was that you?" He asked.
Hebe walked to a slightly more secluded area of the party and Kaenas followed. "Well I'm not really sure I can take much credit for it. The Jack of Hearts was the one who got the recording. Ace of Spades got it hooked up to the sound systems, and the King of Clubs took out the president's microphone. I just gave them the idea and served as backup."
"I know I agreed to help you with this, but I am not going to take a stupid card name."
"Don't worry, only the four of us do that." Hebe reassured him, "Though if I pull a couple strings I might be able to pull off a stupid chess reference."
"If you do that I will quit. No rebellion on earth is worth that kind of humiliation" he said.
Hebe giggled, but it was short lived. She sighed for a moment, then walked to the table and came back with a bottle of wine and a glass each.
"I don't really drink." Kaenas said.
"Fair. But maybe just hold it so I don't feel weird drinking?" She asked.
Kaenas thought it was a strange request, but he was willing to hold a glass for a few minutes if it made Hebe more comfortable. She poured them both a glass, then grabbed hers and quickly downed the liquid.
"I didn't actually want to do it." Hebe confessed, "It weakens the President, gives us an opening. But that poor girl. If she dies she becomes a martyr, if she lives everyone will be fighting over her image."
She filled her glass again, "To a future where change is no longer built on the bodies of dead children."
Kaenas had never seen her quite like this before, defeated and cynical. Hebe had always been a source of light to him. He decided she still was, but she wasn't the teenage girl he had met all of those years ago. She was older, more pragmatic, more aware of how difficult the situation is. And somehow she could still make that toast, if only to a friend in private. She was still working her way towards a better future.
"I'll drink to that." Kaenas said.
And he did.
AN: Right, so I know I said training would be the next chapter, and people don't really read SYOTs for subplots, but I felt like this little interlude was needed. So I wrote it! Go figure. I am starting on training pretty much now, so the next chapter will be quick. But for the moment, thanks for reading and enjoy!