Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Presidential Mansion (pt2)
A couple of hours must have passed by now. The countless of mediocre interactions with the partygoers have all blended together now. She'd nibbled on a few of the numerous delicacies on the banquet tables, mostly re-exploring the seafood she hadn't ever eaten in this life. Maize had missed tuna. But probably not as much as salmon. Maize gets asked to dance by almost every brave male partygoer and one starstruck female. She complies with all of the dance requests with a shy smile and peers up at them through her thick eyelashes, as if Maize couldn't believe that they would choose to dance with a tiny thing like her. It makes her dance partners fluster and bristle up with pride as they promise to show her the most popular dances of the Capitol.
At one point Seeder leads Maize to one of the many tables with food, a wide proud smile on her face as she leans in and whispers, "Mtoto, you are doing splendidly." before introducing her to some of the older Victors from the other Districts.
Chaff is the one to introduce her to the only living Victor of District 12, that is after she finally escapes from a rather drunk and handsy Capitolite on the dance floor. Haymitch Abernathy is similar and yet different from what she expected. He was drunk, much like Chaff was, his dirty-blonde hair was at chin-length and his grey eyes piercing as he kissed the back of her hand.
"Chaff's told me a lot 'bout you." he murmured.
Maize smiled at him awkwardly, "Only good things I hope. He's talked about you before too."
Haymitch nodded, "True. But he also told me 'bout how you growled and almost bit him once when you fell asleep in his living room."
She shot Chaff an embarrassed and frustrated look, her face coloring, that made her male mentor chortle good-naturedly, "That only happened once. And in my defense, he was taking my blanket..." Maize added almost weakly.
"Funniest thing I e'er saw!" Chaff chortled.
The eyes of 12's Victor were shiny with mirth as he slurred, "Chaff can' talk though, he punched me once for tryin' ta shake him awake." Both of the male Victors broke out into raucous joyful laughter over the memory... as if it were a completely normal reaction anyone would have to being woken. Their joy was contagious as a giggle escaped from her lips.
A colorful servant in a red suit tapped onto Maize's arm before leaning in and whispering, "Follow me please, President Snow wishes to speak with you."
It takes all of the countless hours of training she'd done with Seeder not to pale at the words and collapse into herself. Instead, she smiles softly at the servant before turning to the now tense and wary male Victors, "I'll be back soon, Chaff. Tell Seeder not to worry. It was wonderful to meet you Mr. Abernathy."
Chaff nods. Maize ignores how his -only- fist clenches angrily as he turns to glare at the wall in order to avoid making a scene.
"Haymitch, please, Ms. Galloshire" Haymitch responds in a sad but teasing voice, as he purposefully tries to ignore what they all know will happen now, before kissing the back of her hand once more.
"Then you should call me Maize, Haymitch." Maize returns with a cheeky grin before her expression melts into a more neutral -plastic- smile as she hooks her arm with the servant's, "Lead the way."
The servant doesn't speak as he expertly winds her through the crowds and passes by some cleverly disguised guards into the part of the mansion where the partygoers were banned from entering. He leads her to a closed intricate wooden door. Maize releases her hold on his arm so that he can knock politely on the door three times.
"Come in."
The nameless servant opens the door for her with ease. Maize strides into the room with the same numb confidence she had while standing on the podium in the arena, not paying any mind to the servant as he closes the door behind her. Maize's eyes don't really wander around President Snow's office. All of her attention focused on the ruse snake in her presence as he plays the role of an old benevolent and traditional President. The man hasn't looked up from the journal he's been writing in yet, but she doesn't let that bother her as she waits for him to speak.
Cold -serpentine- blue eyes flick up and lock onto hers as he snaps his journal closed, "Ms. Galloshire." he greets before gesturing to the chair in front of his desk, "Please sit. Make your self comfortable."
Maize delicately sits on the indicated chair, "Thank you, President Snow."
"My pleasure, Ms. Galloshire. Can I offer you something to drink?" the man questioned politely. The smell of roses in the room was almost suffocating. Maize shot him a demure smile.
"Oh, no thank you, President Snow."
The man nodded. His cold gaze never straying from her seemingly submissive form. "I hope you are enjoying the festivities."
The politeness game was already boring Maize.
"Yes. You have a lovely home, President Snow. It's simply beautiful inside and out." she responded without hesitation.
The white-haired man's eyes narrowed, "Correct me if I'm wrong Ms. Galloshire, but you are seventeen? Yes?"
Maize nodded, "My birthday always falls either a few days before or after the reapings, President Snow."
"I see." he hummed before his eyes narrowed, "Ms. Galloshire, you strike me as the type of person who prefers to face things head-on and without societal niceties. Am I correct?"
"Yes." she stated bluntly leaning back into her seat, crossing one leg over the other in a practiced careless manner.
"Good, see I have a proposition for you Ms. Galloshire." a cruel smile was beginning to tug on the corner of his lips, "You see the people of the Capitol are enamored with District 11's brave volunteer. The outlying Districts rarely enrapture this much attention from the Capitol. To say the least, the citizens of the Capitol are simply taken with Maize Galloshire, the 70th Victor of the Hunger Games."
Maize hummed softly under her breath in mock-contemplation, as if this were an issue that truly concerned her as well, "I can see how that could happen President Snow, tributes almost never volunteer from 11."
"Exactly my dear. You have made yourself quite a hot commodity." he agreed, "It is for that reason that I wish for you to keep the citizens of this fine Capitol happy. Can you make a prediction as to where I'm going with this, Ms. Galloshire?"
She hummed under her breath once more, "Keeping the Capitol happy is of the utmost importance." Maize agreed demurely, "How may I be of service?"
A wide almost genuine smile stretched across the President's face. It was unsettling. "That is what I love to hear."
Maize left the meeting feeling a million years older.
Haggard and weary of life.
A little more broken.
More done with everything.
But... relieved.
Triumphant.
Her family was safe.
Maize had ensured that her brothers and sisters would never suffer the same fate she was.
And that... that was all Maize really needed.
Words 1241
(Writing the dialogue in this chapter was so freaking difficult... Thank you all for FAV/FOLLOWING/REVIEWING! Reading your reviews always makes my day! Hope you are all safe and healthy! Happy Reading!)