Moves and Countermoves: Hannah
Chapter 10: The Interview
Saturday 5th July
The Capitol
The loud crashing noise wakes Hannah up in a start.
Shooting up out of the bed covers, she automatically poses herself for combat.
She isn't sure what the origin of the noise is, but it had to be something troubling.
After the initial adrenaline subsides, she recognises Haymitch stood at the open door.
And then Euphemia Coin and the two stylists, in that order, rush in a few seconds later, all colliding into Haymitch.
"Hannah!" Euphemia Coin shrieks pushing herself to the front, and Hannah's eyes bulge over the woman's display as she bends in two as if she has been stabbed in the stomach, gripping Haymitch as support.
The two stylists don't look too different.
Confused, Hannah looks back at her father for an explanation. But he is still rooted to the spot and there are tears running down his face.
"What are you doing here?" He asks, his voice rough.
Hannah looks around the room, wondering what she has done wrong. It is then that she realises the soft thing under her left foot is Pig Boy's arm, and removes it quickly. He seems just as disturbed as she is by the four adults in his room, half dressed - and even then, not properly - out of breath and looking like they have just survived the Cornucopia.
"It's alright, she's OK", the male stylist breaks their link and takes the female stylist out of the room - whom, Hannah only recognised because of her eyes. Like Euphemia Coin, without her clothes, wigs and makeup, she almost looked District. Hannah didn't realise they slept in the Penthouse too. She remembers Euphemia Coin explaining on the train the structure of the Training Centre, all the District stylists slept on the same floor on Level 3.
"What happened?" Hannah asks, because Haymitch is still rooted to the spot, and Euphemia Coin is still gripping on to him like he is the only thing keeping her up right.
"You. You happened", Haymitch says, moving to collect Hannah. "Don't do that again", he says, squeezing her tight.
Hannah still doesn't know what is going on but she hugs her father back.
She can feel Euphemia Coin join the hug and before long, she is in her arms being squeezed tight.
"We thought someone had taken you", she explains, in between kisses. "I went into your room and I couldn't find you", she cries, her whole body crumbling.
"It's OK, Effie", Haymitch, taking Hannah back and holding the woman tight against the other side of his chest. "You stay in the bed we put you in", he orders.
Hannah nods. She never thought that going into Pig Boy's room last night would cause this. Who did they think would have taken her?
Haymitch escorts the three of them out of the room, and Hannah waves at Pig Boy over his shoulder before snuggling into his neck.
It was nice to feel so cared for.
~xXx~
Euphemia Coin hadn't let go of Hannah since they returned back into Hannah's room.
"I thought you said we were going to do something fun today?" Hannah asks. She was nestled in between her parents, Haymitch had a hand on her back and Euphemia Coin had locked her hand in hers. It was nice at first, but now it was getting boring and it looked like they were falling asleep.
Euphemia Coin chuckles, moving one of her legs to lock around Hannah and Haymitch.
"You don't find this fun?" Haymitch's voice rumbles underneath her, full of sleep.
"No".
"I find this fun", Euphemia Coin mumbles sleepily.
Hannah leaves it another minute before she tries to climb out of their embrace, but the moment she does, a blue eye opens.
Euphemia Coin smiles at her. "We'll get up soon, Darling. It's still early".
Hannah glowers. It's always 'too early' for them.
Euphemia Coin laughs again, her finger playing with Hannah's bottom lip. "You have the most adorable pout", she says, before kissing it, pulling her out of Haymitch's arms and into hers. She rolls them both over, but Haymitch is quick to follow them, pulling the two of them back into his chest. "Let's just stay like this forever", Euphemia Coin says sleepily, closing her eyes again.
Hannah rolls her eyes.
~xXx~
When the alarm goes off on Euphemia Coin's watch, just as she had yesterday, Hannah shoots out of bed before she can be stopped. When she returns from the bathroom in her fluffy white towel, Haymitch and Euphemia Coin are still asleep. Both their arms reach out to the spot Hannah had left.
Annoyed that they are still asleep, Hannah marches back into the bathroom and puts her pyjamas back on. When she looks at her reflection in the mirror, she ruffles her hair with her fingers to make it as wild and big as she can.
"I'm ready", she announces when she's back in the bedroom to her still sleeping parents.
Euphemia Coin eyes flutter open and take in Hannah's appearance before closing it again. "Marvellous. You look wonderful, Darling".
Hannah glowers at her. She expected her appearance would send the woman flying out of the bed.
"Well, I'm going to go play in the living room then", Hannah says, slowly making her way out of the door, still expecting the woman to stop her.
"Scream if anyone tries to take you", Haymitch mumbles.
Hannah sticks her tongue out at the both of them.
~xXx~
The living room is quiet and empty. Hannah tries playing the boardgames by herself but it's not as fun. After putting them away, she looks out the large Penthouse windows to the Capitol all around her. She tries to find the place they went for Afternoon Tea with Madam Coin, Arturoes, and guesses which skyscraper Euphemia Coin lives in with her room full of gifts. After that get's boring she just sits on the settee and waits.
After that gets boring, she goes back into her room and finds her parents are still asleep. She considers trying to wake them up again but the way their bodies are intertwined, makes her not want to go near them.
Pig Boy is asleep like a star on his bed. She shakes him awake and asks him if he wants to play games.
While he uses the bathroom she sits on his bed and waits for him. When she hears the toilet flush and the shower run, curiosity gets the better of her and she walks into the bathroom. After all, she and Pig Boy are more than just acquaintances, so she's not being rude or breaking any of Euphemia Coin's rules. Also, when they are older and they have a toasting - or even better, a wedding - they will always be seeing each other naked.
She's never seen a naked boy before. Not in person, only in a book. But she knows from Haymitch, her Sae and even her own body, that naked bodies in real life are different to those in a book.
Pig Boy's body, she decides, is beautiful.
He is shocked to see her enter the bathroom, even more so when she starts to take her clothes off. Lying that she hadn't had a shower yet and joining him. Hoping that he also thinks that her body is beautiful.
But he simply turns away from her and continues showering.
So she does the same, wondering whether her body was that ugly he couldn't look at it. She has scars, like Haymitch, but not as bad as his. Living in the wild did that. And where Pig Boy's body was mostly round and soft looking. Hannah's was straight and hard.
She suddenly feels awkward and self conscious and turns to leave when she catches Pig Boy looking at her body.
She makes eye contact with him and smiles.
Pig Boy's entire body goes pink and he apologises, grabbing a towel and escaping the room quickly.
When she's dried and changed back into her pyjamas, he's waiting for her on his bed.
His face goes bright red again on seeing her.
Hannah wants to tell him that she thinks his body is beautiful. She feels like maybe she should kiss him too, but her feet and mouth won't move.
"Shall we play?" He asks.
Hannah nods in relief.
~xXx~
Thankfully, they play as if what happened in the bathroom never happened and Hannah thinks that maybe she won't end up having a toasting or wedding Pig Boy, but at least they will always be friends. Each others' most favourite friends - because of course everyone will want to be their friends when they win their Games - but also because of their shared experience of the Games; their friendship will always be extra special.
When Hannah hears movement in the kitchen area, she just assumes it is Snake Woman getting breakfast ready. However, when she later looks over, it is not Snake Woman. It is two new Avoxes instead.
Hannah frowns, thinking it is strange that first Darius should leave, and now Snake Woman ...
She whispers to Pig Boy to follow her and she is pleased to see that he quickly and quietly complies without questioning.
Opening the door to her bedroom, she finds Haymitch and Euphemia Coin still asleep in each others arms.
She goes to her father's side and shakes him awake. "It's too early, go back to sleep".
Hannah purses her lips it's definitely way past late if breakfast is being served.
"What is it, Hannah?" Euphemia Coin asks, having opened her eyes. "What's wrong?" Sitting up.
Haymitch sits up too, squinting behind Hannah.
Hannah looks over her shoulder to see - but it's just Pig Boy standing awkwardly in the bedroom doorway.
"There are two new Avoxes", Hannah whispers, not really knowing why.
Haymitch deflates.
"Do you recognise them?" Euphemia Coin asks, worried, and Hannah sees Haymitch go rigid again.
Hannah shakes her head, no.
Both her parents deflate and sit back in bed, seemingly not worried about their second missing Avox.
"Good morning, Theodore", Euphemia Coin smiles.
"But what happened to our old, Avox?" Hannah wants to know.
"She was probably just reassigned", Euphemia Coin cups her cheek and tries to rub away Hannah's frown. "How about some breakfast? Your father and I have indulged in sleep too long and it's high time we start having fun before we have to start preparing for the interview. Which game shall we play first, hmm?"
~xXx~
The Roof Terrace
When Euphemia Coin cryptically told her and Pig Boy that they would not be eating breakfast in the dining room, Hannah wondered where the woman was taking them with she and Haymitch still in their pyjamas, and her looking so District. At first, Hannah was rooted to the spot in awe of this secret place, with comfortable seating and amazing views that looked down on all the skyscrapers, and couldn't believe that until now, she never knew it existed. It even had a place for helicopters to land! But Haymitch said that very rarely happened. And they didn't have to worry about falling off the edge because there was a force field all around and Haymitch demonstrated this by throwing his knife and expertly catching it, which had Hannah jumping up and down in glee. He very, very rarely played like that.
Euphemia Coin happily told them there were no cameras so everyone could 'just be theirselves'. She showed Hannah and Pig Boy where they had gone out to eat and the skyscraper she lived in, because she explained whilst laughing, that she didn't have a whole skyscraper to herself. Hannah had been way off point in her guesses, but no one had to know that.
Sometime later the new Avoxes brought up some Afternoon Tea for them all to share. Hannah watched them suspiciously until Haymitch had distracted her by showing her how he could catch the food he had thrown at the force field into his mouth. Much to Euphemia Coin's building annoyance and everyone else's enjoyment, the rest of their time together was not only spent playing games and stuffing their faces, but trying to master Haymitch's food force field trick.
~xXx~
They had finally got Euphemia Coin to try the food force field trick when the male stylist appeared on the roof. Hannah spotted him first, and the moment she saw him, she knew that this little ... paradise ... that had been created would go. The fun and relaxed versions of her parents who played with her, didn't scold her or correct, laughed and smiled with her would be replaced again with Haymitch and Euphemia Coin.
"I'm very sorry to interrupt..."
Her mother, who was sitting in front of her, smile fades at the sound of his voice. She slowly turns her head to look at the male stylist. She pats her hair - her real hair - and nods.
"Caesar has asked both you and Haymitch to join Hannah for her interviews".
"The plan worked", she says to Haymitch with a small smile on her face.
"The plan worked", he repeats.
She then turns to Hannah and Pig Boy and smiles. "It's time to put our war paint on". She didn't look happy about it one bit.
Haymitch coaches her first, explaining to her the structure of the night, specifying that she should only answer questions that Effie - Euphemia Coin - asks her herself. She was not to answer any of the questions the host, Caesar, asked her.
She nodded that she understood.
For real this time.
For real this time, she assured him.
She had promised Euphemia Coin that she would listen to everything she and Haymitch told her to do and in return, she would save Pig Boy for her.
Then Euphemia Coin swapped with Haymitch. She was wearing her 'war paint', looking more Capitol than Hannah had ever seen her, and it disappointed the girl. She had looked so nice on the roof, she had caught Pig Boy look at her in awe a few times. Hannah had almost been... proud? To have her as her mother.
For the remaining time before they left for the interviews, her mother coached her on how to sit and smile without smiling too much. Quizzing her with example questions Caesar may ask and how to answer them.
She also re-emphasised she was only to answer questions that she asked her herself.
~xXx~
Waiting to go on stage
They stood in lines like at the beginning of training. The boy from District 1 was at the front and Hannah was at the very back. They no longer all wore the same uniform. They were all 'glammed' up. Remembering what Haymitch and Euphemia Coin said about not answering any questions that wasn't specifically asked by Euphemia Coin, Hannah kept in her line, focussing only on the back of Pig Boy's head as the queue got less and less. She internally practiced all of Euphemia Coin's answers, whilst also listening to bits of the other tributes interviews which could still be heard from where they were back stage.
When they told Pig Boy that it was his turn to go on stage, he had turned and told her she looked pretty.
She felt her cheeks go very red over his compliment.
He waited a few seconds, she guesses for her to reply.
She wanted to say something in return. Like he also looked pretty, or at least a thank-you, but her tongue felt tied and then she missed her chance because he was suddenly on stage.
Hannah looked down over what she was wearing.
They had asked her to wash again and then the female stylist had washed her hair separately afterwards. Plaiting her hair into lots of individual plaits, making Hannah excited about what intricate hairstyle the woman would do on her, because the style she did for the Parade was so amazing and surely the Interview was much more of a special occasion.
So she was disappointed when the female stylist took them out, and now her hair looks boring when everyone else's is fancy. Still, she was just glad that she hadn't cut it. When she saw the female stylist put the scissors close to her hair, she had been worried. Even when she assured her that she was just going to 'trim' the ends a little. Hannah had watched her intently as pieces fell off of her. When she looked at the floor after it was done, she was relived to see that it was just a little.
Her costume was a light yellow skirt that went kind of outwards and stopped just below her knees and felt weird to touch. Her top was small and white. Haymitch had grumbled that it showed 'too much skin', but Hannah liked it best because it was made of lots of little white butterfly cut outs which were all nicely sewn together. It looked very fancy and it was nice to touch. She was also wearing tall shoes like Euphemia Coin, but not as tall, they were just 'a little off the ground'. It had lots of little white butterflies on the 'straps'.
'You like it?' The male stylist had asked whilst they looked at her reflection.
She smiled and nodded, and when he told her to spin or 'twirl', the skirt went out.
She had been very happy with her reflection back in the Penthouse, but after standing in line with everyone else, she realised she looked kind of boring. Everyone else was glammed up a lot more than her and stood out more. On the one hand, she was glad she wasn't wearing too silly Capitol clothes, but what if everybody looked over her to someone more fancier dressed?
Before Hannah knows it, they were telling her it was her turn.
She had completely missed Pig Boy's interview!
But there was no time to feel sad about that as someone escorts her towards the stage.
She suddenly feels nervous. As if the butterflies on her top had become alive and were now fluttering in her stomach. Haymitch had assured her that he and Euphemia Coin would also be on stage with her, but when she had glanced at the screen throughout everyone else's interviews, no one else seemed to have their mentor or escort on stage with them.
Still, she follows the person in black until he suddenly told her to stop.
She tries to take in her surroundings but everything is blurred.
Was she crying?
She touches her eyes, relieved to find them dry.
But her heart in thumping and she feels like running away.
Then there is loud cheering.
She hears her parents' names being said by someone.
Not someone. She recognises the voice from the movies Haymitch showed her early, Caesar.
Then everything goes quiet and she can hear her parents voices but she can't make out what they say.
Then they are telling her it is time for her to go on stage.
OK.
Haymitch had told her that when she first went on stage, look left for he and Euphemia Coin, and join them where they're sitting.
But as she takes her first few steps on to the stage, she finds herself staring at the blackness in front of her.
She knows it is where the audience is, even if she can't make them out too well, because that is where the noise is coming from. They're clapping and calling her name. She gives them a smile and a wave like she had seen Euphemia Coin do when they were out in the Capitol, because despite everything, this was still her moment. This would be part of her movies. She then quickly does what Haymitch told her and looks left.
She makes her eyes bypass the purple hair of Caesar, to see Euphemia Coin sat perfectly on the settee first, smiling widely at her. All gold and bright pink. Hannah then looks for Haymitch and finds him stood up in front of the settee smiling at her with a hand stretched out for her to take. She goes to run towards him before instantly slowing down to walk, remembering her parents warning her not to run in case she fell over - even though she knows she wouldn't.
A light follows just in front of her as she walks, so she concentrates on that until she bumps into something that she knows too well as her father's form. She looks up to apologise to him and finds him still smiling, so she hugs him.
The audience seems to like that.
"Wave to the audience, Hannah", she hears Euphemia Coin instruct behind her. "And don't forget to smile".
Hannah turns her head towards the audience and waves a hand, smiling.
And as impossible as it seems to her, the noise gets louder.
"Sit now, Hannah", she orders and Haymitch gently guides her to the seat between Euphemia Coin and himself. It is all one long settee, but it is also sectioned off into three individual seats. She feels the material before sitting like Euphemia Coin had told her to sit, putting on the smile Euphemia Coin had told her to put on, but she struggles to find where to look...
She first tries looking out onto the audience, but now she is closer, she can make out the outlines of all the hundreds and hundreds of people there. Her hands in her lap suddenly become really sweaty and the butterflies start to move again. She doesn't know where she found the courage to smile and wave at the audience when she first entered the stage, but that courage has definitely gone now.
"She is adorable! Isn't she adorable?!" She can hear Caesar say, Hannah turns to him so she can politely greet him, like Euphemia Coin said she must do on arrival, but he is not looking at her. He is looking at the audience. All she can see is his purple hair.
She tries to say it anyway, but she can't be heard over the noise.
She looks at Euphemia Coin for instructions, but finds that she is also looking at the audience.
She looks down at her hands that are neatly resting on top of each other in her lap, but Euphemia Coin told her not to do that.
'If you get nervous, look at me or Haymitch'.
Hannah turns to look at Haymitch, who is smiling down at her, eyes only on her and she instantly feels calmer.
"You OK?" He asks.
She nods and he takes her hand, resting it on the soft barrier between them.
He leans in, "it will all be over soon. You're doing good"
She nods. Feeling better.
He cups her cheek with his other hand, before taking it away, and she instantly misses it.
Still, her other hand is incased in his. She can do this.
"Settle down, settle down" Caesar. "Or we'll never hear what this delightful surprise of a creation has to say". His black eyes turn to Hannah. Even his eyebrows are purple! And his face is almost orange! And his grin ... Hannah swallows away the butterflies that have risen up to her throat now and tries to greet him properly again.
"-Well, I have a bone to pick with you, Caesar", Euphemia Coin's loud, high pitched voice over powers hers, instantly quieting down the audience.
"Oh!" Caesar says to the audience, shocked.
They all laugh at him, and Hannah has to admit that he did sound and look funny.
"Yes!" Euphemia Coin pouts - also to the audience. "You introduced me as, Effie Trinket, and I am Mrs Alma Coin", she grins, bouncing her leg and wiggling her fingers.
The audience roar.
Hannah shifts slightly in her seat so that she is closer to Haymitch. Euphemia Coin must catch her movement because when Hannah looks back up at her, she is giving her one of her smaller, more real looking smiles. The woman's eyes sparkle at her, and that is the girl's touchstone to her mother. Her eyes.
"I know, I know", Caesar flaps his arms like a bird, "but one mountain at a time, and I think we can all agree, Effie Darling, that this is a monumental catastrophe", he emphasises the last few words to the audience who all hum in agreement.
Haymitch's hand flinches slightly around hers, but Hannah sees that Euphemia Coin's smile and stature does not move a bit.
"I mean, who, where, what, why, him?" He indicates to Haymitch and the audience laugh. "All those live feeds do is tease us, isn't that right, Ladies and Gentlemen?" The audience clap in agreement. "I just don't know how we are going to fit everything in. I - we have so many questions, and you have been so ghastly to us, Effie Darling, for being so silent and elusive since returning to the Capitol. But anyway, here you are and it is wonderful that you have agreed to join us. As far as timings, I thought two minutes and a half on you, Effie Darling, then two minutes on this creature that you created". Hannah felt and saw both her parents flinch at 'creature'. "And then thirty seconds on Haymitch, if we have time. Does that seem fair to everyone?" Caesar asks the audience.
"Thirty seconds is all he needs", Euphemia Coin speaks over the audience's noise, and the audience roars with laughter.
Hannah frowns up at her father - who is also laughing slightly - for understanding, but he shakes his head, no, at her. So Hannah dismisses the comment to silly Capitol talk.
"You're not worth sticking around for that's why, Sweetheart".
And the loud laughter continues.
Hannah again frowns back at her father for understanding, but he is now looking at the audience.
"Well, I'm glad to see that parenthood hasn't changed anything between the two of you", Caesar speaks when the noice has quietened. Then his face falls, and with it, the noise from the audience. "But jokes aside, and to quote your newest protege, sweeter than the cakes he bakes, Peeta Mellark, what this Games has shown Panem is that anyone can be reaped, which means anyone can be a Victor. But your own child, Effie Darling. How did this happen? And is it true you're going to sue the Games industry?"
"Well, for the latter question, you'll have to ask wife about that, because that's all her. But it will of course depend on whether we get our daughter back".
"I love the we".
"Well she was born right into Alma's hands".
"That's right, that's right, but, obviously...", Caesar's eyes stay on Euphemia Coin but his hands go in the direction of Hannah and Haymitch.
"We were very close, I don't think that is a secret". Euphemia Coin, recrosses her legs and Hannah notices how her dress goes even further up her thigh. When she had first seen the woman in it, Hannah thought it was the shortest dress she had ever seen anyone wear. It barely went over her buttocks and she wondered if perhaps she had put a dress for her on instead of her own. "Back then Haymitch didn't drink like he does now. He was very handsome and personable. He was - and still is - the only living Quell Victor. I was just this teen model who was trying to make a name for herself. It was my second year as an escort and for a second year, I was on the winning team. Haymitch and I were the hottest duo in Panem".
" - I would argue that you still are", Caesar, and a few of the audience whistles.
"You're all too kind, however my point, Caesar Darling, is that as I was overwhelmed. And if I may speak a little crudely?"
"- Oh, please do", Caesar says leaning in closer to the Euphemia Coin.
The audience cheer and Euphemia Coin and Caesar laugh loudly.
"The fact of the matter is, the actual Games period for an escort is a very long time", Euphemia Coin speaks after the audience has quietened. "You start Games preparations weeks before you even leave the Capitol for the Reaping, and it continues for a considerable time after the Victors return to their districts. Not only that, the days are long. And although I am just as dedicated to my job now as I was back then, I am no longer a novice to what the job entails. I am a lot more equipped now, and therefore I am able to move more freely and have more free time. Back then, I allowed myself very little free time. Most of my time I spent attached to Haymitch's hip as I grasped at learning the ropes".
Hannah watched as Euphemia Coin took a well needed deep breath, finally pausing her speech. She had been trying to concentrate more at how the woman moved her hands as she talked, than what she was actually saying because the woman's pitch was out of this world and making Hannah's ears bleed.
"So", Euphemia Coin clears her throat, continuing, her voice thankfully, more low. "It is a very long time and ... needs must ... I didn't trust Enorbia's teeth, Finnick was far too young, so that left Haymitch, and who didn't want to sleep with Haymitch back then?" She shrugs to the audience, and Hannah has to bite her tongue from blurting out that she was the one who told her that ladies never shrug, and there she was doing it on live television, for the whole of Panem to see!
"And who didn't" Caesar laughs, and the audience roars.
Euphemia Coin laughs with them, but Hannah catches how her long nails dig deep into the skin where her thighs are crossed.
Haymitch's hand removes from Hannah's and rests on the back of Euphemia Coin's neck.
Euphemia Coin instantly retracts her claws from her skin, turning to him with a small frown on her face.
"So what you're trying to say is, I've potentially got more of these things running around here?" Haymitch laughs and the audience laugh with him.
"With your performance record, I would highly doubt it", Euphemia Coin flutters her long eye lashes at him.
Haymitch's hand slips off her neck, falling around Hannah's own shoulders.
"So what you're saying is, it was just the one time?" Caesar.
"I only remember one time. So I hope it was just one time", Haymitch, making the audience laugh again.
"One time was enough to learn that some fantasies, should remain fantasies".
The audience roars with laughter again. But if Hannah was being honest, it was getting a bit boring, and she rests her head against Haymitch's arm.
"Obviously, I didn't think it was going to amount to anything, least of all a child".
"So why did you decide to keep it - her? Surely you must have known it would end like this?"
"I didn't know for the longest time that I was pregnant. I had pregnancy symptoms, but I just put that down to nerves and the typical teen model lifestyle. But I found out just before Johanna Mason's Victory Tour". Euphemia Coin turns her attention from Caesar to the audience. "For those who don't know, before a Games and a Victory Tour, in our contract, it is compulsory for all involved in the Games to have a medical, which consists of the three month contraceptive shot. So that in theory, any relations that may transpire do not culminate to anything. I went to get my shot, Alma, who was then a Games doctor, told me that I couldn't have the shot because I was already four months pregnant".
Caesar gasps loudly, making Hannah jump a little. "And you didn't know!?"
"I didn't know. I had no bump or anything", Euphemia Coin looks at Haymitch.
"You can search your archives for photos of her during Johanna Mason's Victory Tour, she didn't look pregnant", Haymitch.
"What did you say when you found out?" Caesar asks Haymitch.
"I didn't even know Haymitch was the father, I -"
"- Well who did you think the father was to keep your pregnancy a secret like you did?"
"-A lady does not kiss and tell. If, she can help it", and the audience laughs. "But I certainly didn't think it was even possible that it could have been Haymitch's because we both had our shots before the Games and-".
"- Caesar", Haymitch's voice overpowers Euphemia Coin's. "In the contracts we all sign, those shots are stated to be a 100% effective. Whether they tried to reduce costs that year and trialed the cheap-o version, or they misread the label whilst ordering and gave us fertility shots, I don't know. But someone fucked up, big time".
"We are on live, Haymitch", Euphemia Coin snaps angrily at him.
"We had our shots", he speaks over her again. "We both signed our contracts that are also to protect us. Like she said, any relations that happen during the Games, is not supposed to end up with a baby".
"But it did", Caesar.
"Like I said, someone made a big doo-doo. Like she said, her wife is on the case".
Doo-doo?
Caesar pauses, his eyes moving between Euphemia Coin and Haymitch and for a moment everything is silent.
"So when did you find out it was our Quell Victor's offspring you were pregnant with?"
"When she was born. She looked so much like Haymitch. She was Haymitch".
"But when you realised, you must have been worried about the law? Is that why you gave her away? You couldn't have expected that your decisions would end up where we are now? Or did you, which is why you gave her away?"
"So many questions", Euphemia Coin laughs. "But I do believe we are approaching your three minute limit with me. But I will say this to close my bit, the law that everyone is worried about, is an old and outdated. Just like the law against same sex marriage. No one has to worry about my head. But it is lovely to know that I have the Capitol, my home's best interests. As many know, Tributes' family members and District teams are not allowed to sponsor them, so I will be relying on you all to help bring my daughter home. As for the other numerous questions I know everyone has, I am already in conversations about writing a book about all of it, after the Victory Tour is over".
"All of it?" Caesar.
"All of it. My life as a Games Escort".
"Will I get the exclusive?"
"Of course you will, My Darling".
Hannah wrinkles her nose. She thought, 'My Darling', was a name she just called Hannah.
"Well then, I think that leads us quite spectacularly on to the girl in question, Hannah", Caesar smiles at her.
Hannah sits up, happy to finally be brought into the conversation.
"It is a pleasure to meet you", she says.
"And it is a the upmost pleasure to meet you too", he says, before flicking to Euphemia Coin. "She's so polite".
Euphemia Coin grins widely at Hannah. "Come here, Hannah, my Darling, sit next to Mummy".
"Is that what she calls you?" Caesar asks.
Hannah walks over and perches at the end of Euphemia Coin's seat.
Caesar looks even more scary up close.
Euphemia Coin puts a slightly sticky arm loosely around her. It's not as comforting as Haymitch. Whom, Hannah tries to look over at, but she can't see past the gigantic pink flower on Euphemia Coin's dress.
"You know when she was a baby she looked so much like Haymitch that it made sense to me that she should be with him. But now that she's here", she looks down at Hannah and Hannah can see drops of sweat on Euphemia Coin's forehead, glistening like water droplets on the white layer of paint she's again put on her face. Her eye lashes, with the small gold butterflies at the edges are black and overpowering. Her lipstick is the same eye-sore pink as her dress and so are the big feathers that dangle down from her ears. Up this close, Hannah doesn't know who looks worse, Euphemia Coin or Caesar.
Euphemia Coin looks back at Caesar. "I want to spend all of my time with her. I never thought I had a maternal bone in my body but now it consumes me".
"How are you liking the Capitol, Hannah?"
"Well, she hasn't seen much of what we have to offer her yet. But she's met, Alma. Haven't you, Sweetheart?" Pinching Hannah's cheek with her long nails. "She loves Alma. Tell Caesar what you call her".
"Madam Coin".
"Madam Coin", Caesar repeats. "She sounds so Capitol. Honestly, if she didn't have Haymitch's eyes and jaw, and of course colouring, I wouldn't have passed her at all as a District child. Don't you agree, Ladies and Gentlemen".
The audience hum in agreement.
"And you've met President Snow, haven't you, my Pet?
My Pet?
That was a new one.
"Tell everyone the name of your bunny rabbit. She wanted to bring it with her, but I told her not to incase she lost it", Euphemia Coin looks back down at Hannah.
All Hannah can think is how much Euphemia Coin lies. The rabbit sits on the table by her bed and she's looked at it only sometimes, but that's it. And she doesn't love Alma. She only loves Haymitch. And maybe Enorbia Meycrenden, and maybe... "Snow", Hannah answers before her thoughts get the better of her, knowing that this is the answer Euphemia Coin wants as they had already rehearsed it. But after meeting President Snow, Hannah decided that she didn't want her rabbit to share the same name as him anymore. She wasn't even sure if she was going to take him back to District 12 with her.
"That's so sweet. And what did our esteemed President say to you when he met you?"
Hannah looks up at Euphemia Coin again.
"She's a little shy", she says to the audience. "But she feels better when she has some cuddles with Mummy", the audience let out a collective noise, as Euphemia Coin cuddles Hannah closer into her sweaty, overly sweet skin. "What did he tell you?"
"He said that it was lovely to meet me", she recites carefully so as not to miss out any of Euphemia Coin's wording, "and that I was beautiful just like Mummy, and that he hopes to see me again".
"Well, we all share the same sentiment, don't we everyone?"
The audience cheers loudly.
"Well, your mother and I actually have a surprise for you, Hannah", Caesar says after the noise has quietened.
A surprise?!
Euphemia Coin didn't say anything about a surprise, and Hannah sits up more in anticipation.
It seems to make everyone laugh, even Haymitch's laugh she can be hear.
"As you can tell, she loves surprises", Euphemia Coin.
She doesn't know where it came from, but suddenly there is an Avox in front of her and he's holding up some sort of structure that has a cloth draped over it. He places it on the seat Hannah had previously sat on.
Caesar gets up and stands next to it, his hand at the bottom of the cloth.
Hannah can see Haymitch peaking out behind him with an unsure look on his face, but Hannah is too excited. Besides, if it was a gift from her mother, it wouldn't be anything dangerous. Maybe it is another board game? Maybe there is a whole stack of them!
"Are you ready?" Caesar asks excitedly.
"Yes!" Hannah answers without prompt.
"OK. One, two, three", and he lifts off the cover and it is not what Hannah was expecting because it is Silver and Buffo!
And they're not dead!
Hannah jumps off the chair to have a closer look to make sure it is actually them.
But is!
They are Buffo's markings and the scar around Silver's foot from when she was caught in a trap.
Hannah looks up at Caesar, who doesn't look so scary anymore. "How did you know?" She asks, looking deep into his eyes.
"Your mother said that you missed them. Is that true?"
Hannah nods.
"Are you happy?" Caesar asks.
Hannah nods again earnestly. She feels like crying. She had been so upset when she thought about them starving death.
"Well, we're going to have them sent up to your room, so that they're there for you when you go up", and when he clicks his fingers, the same Avox takes it away with him again.
"Sit back down, Hannah", Euphemia Coin.
Hannah sits back down in the seat between her parents, her eyes fixed watching the Avox and her animals disappear behind the curtain. She feels both Haymitch's and Euphemia Coin's hand rest on her head at the same time, before they are both quickly removed. Hannah bounces a bit in her seat in her pure happiness before she remembers that it is probably not correct to do so. She looks up at Euphemia Coin expecting to see a scolding look, but she is just smiling at her.
"So Haymitch", Caesar's voice says and Hannah looks over to her father to find that he is also smiling at her, before looking over in Caesar's direction.
"Caesar", he replies.
"Let's talk business. But first, I'm shocked that you haven't taken a drink. We have your favourite I believe", pointing to a collection of filled bottles and clear glasses on the table in front of them.
Hannah watches one of Haymitch's hands lean over and grab for a bottle. "I believe you do".
'Dirty District Dog', the label reads.
Dirty District Dog...
- That was the phraseology Euphemia Coin got so upset about.
It was an insult.
And he was going to drink from it?
The joy Hannah was feeling instantly disappears as she watches her father's hand open it.
"Don't drink it", Hannah whispers urgently.
He frowns back at her.
"Please Papa. Any bottle but that", she pleads with her voice and eyes.
"Is there a problem?" Caesar asks and Hannah jumps.
"She doesn't like me drinking", Haymitch laughs, putting the bottle down.
"I don't think anyone does", Euphemia Coin, and the audience laughs.
"Your just bitter because I never invite you".
"I have to say", Caesar, "I do love that you still ended up in Peacekeeper custody, Haymitch. I thought if any year Haymitch Abernathy would be sober, it would be this year".
"What can I say, the rest of my team are not here to keep me in line. And it's not like I listen to anything she says", he points to Euphemia Coin who tuts, and the audience laugh with him.
"Speaking of the rest of your District 12 Victors. What do you say to the rumours that this years Hunger Games Tributes were actually supposed to be selected from the existing pool of Victors?"
"I say that would have been quite a show".
"And will we be getting a book, all about it, like your escort?"
"I will keep it short and sweet. Effie was always a pain in my ass", the audience laughs. "Now I got another pain in my ass. The difference is, I actually like this one", he indicates with his thumb to Hannah.
"And do you think the odds will be in her favour?"
Hannah can feel Haymitch's gaze on her, so she looks up at him and smiles.
"Well you've all seen her in her training sessions. The judges gave her a twelve in her Private Sessions, the highest score you can possibly get. No one can argue that she is not Victor material. But most importantly, she is a fighter. She survived Effie's smacked up druggy pregnancy -"
"- Haymitch! -"
" - She survived being raised by me", speaking loudly over Euphemia Coin's protests and the audience's laughter. "I'm sure she can survive and win these Games", he smiles down at her, gently punching her.
"Well we have all seen from the live feeds how terribly protective you are of her...".
Haymitch sighs loudly. "Everyone likes to compare her to me, to Effie, to previous Victors. We all do that every year with each throng of new tributes, compare them to tributes past. But, I just want to remind everyone that she is her own person. She has no agenda other than winning her Games. Isn't that right, Shorty?"
Hannah nods, smiling. "Yes", she says definitively.
"Well, it has been humorous for us to watch this less grizzly version of yourself. But now, I just have one more questions for each of you, and I am sorry if you find these difficult questions to answer, but we all must know", Caesar says leaning in.
He pauses for the longest time.
"Well, what is it?" Haymitch, his hand fisting and un-flexing agitatedly.
"Haymitch, Effie. If you had both known the truth about Hannah's parentage before it was too late. Would you still have kept her?" Caesar looks at Euphemia Coin. "Would have you told her to get rid of it?" He looks at Haymitch.
Hannah guesses by their silence that her parents had not been told about these questions.
"I don't see why it's either here or there because she's here now", Euphemia Coin.
"I know, I know", Caesar. "But if you had".
Euphemia Coin's finger nails dig back into her skin, but this time Haymitch does not stop her.
"I would have told her to cut it out", Haymitch.
"Effie".
"I would have of course aborted".
"And Hannah...".
Hannah looks up at Caesar. She feels Haymitch's arm go back around her.
"If the odds are in your favour...".
Haymitch's grip tightens.
"And you win your Games. Who would you want to live with afterwards? With your mother in the Capitol? Or with your father in District 12?"
Hannah looks up at Euphemia Coin, because she doesn't know how she is supposed to answer this question. She knows what her true answer is, but right now she doesn't even know if she should answer the question.
Euphemia Coin smiles sweetly at her, despite her nails still digging what looks like painfully into her skin. "Such a question. Who would you want to live with, Hannah?" She asks removing her nails from her thigh to stroke her cheek.
Haymitch's arm all of sudden feels very heavy around her.
"With Haymitch", she answers, because that is the truth. That has always been the truth. But even after she says it, she doesn't feel like she should have told these people the truth. Everything about them is false. From the unnatural colour of their hair, to the paint they hide their faces with, the overly sweet smells they disguise their smell with, and the odd shaped and coloured clothes and other stuff they decorate their bodies with with. She should have lied.
"Well, before we wrap it up. Hannah, can I ask you, have you brought your flames with you?" Caesar asks her, his voice going from being very serious to very happy.
Hannah looks at Euphemia Coin, not understanding the question.
"Stand up and give everyone a twirl", Euphemia Coin instructs with a small smile. She holds a hand out to Hannah and helps her up.
Hannah stands up and spins and the audience claps, gasping and cheering.
At first Hannah thinks it's because she is spinning so well but when she looks down she sees the yellow flames come off her skirt like they did at the opening ceremony.
Hannah spins faster in her excitement and the flames get higher.
She spins until Haymitch stops her by picking her up.
"The fabulous, Cinna, Ladies and Gentlemen", Caesar says as Haymitch sits her down in his lap.
A light goes on the audience and her male stylist stands up and takes a bow.
"The always fabulous, Effie Trinket", Euphemia Coin nods her head.
"Your Quell Victor, Haymitch Abernathy", Haymitch nods too.
"And Hannah".
Haymitch instructs her to wave, so she waves.
~xXx~
What happens after is a blur. When the light went down, they went back up after what couldn't have been more than a few seconds and behind them on stage was all of the Third Quarter Quell Tributes. Euphemia Coin had said that they did this at the end and before they even prompted her, Hannah left her seat to stand next to Pig Boy. She curtsied when everyone else did. And she waved and smiled like everyone else.
When the lights went down and back on again, there was a large red curtain where the audience used to be. Hannah didn't have much time to take in the surroundings as Haymitch had picked both she and Pig Boy up in each arm and walked off with them, ignoring Euphemia Coin's calls from him to wait for her.
He had carried them until they arrived in his bedroom Hannah had never actually been in before. It was big like Euphemia Coin's room.
Also like Euphemia Coin's room, it had a gigantic tub in the bathroom, which he filled up with lots of hot water and bubbles, instructing her and Pig Boy to wash up. It wasn't awkward because Pig Boy had clearly never been in a tub that big either, overflowing with bubbles. It could have fitted maybe twenty people in it!
Whilst they played, Hannah could hear Haymitch shouting at someone through the closed door. Either Pig Boy didn't notice or he just didn't say anything. Hannah thought it was most likely Euphemia Coin, because who else would he be shouting at? But no matter how much she strained her ears, she couldn't hear the other person, not that she could hear what Haymitch was saying either.
When the shouting stopped, Haymitch joined them in the tub.
Leaning his head back. 'This is nice', he had said.
Back in Haymitch's bedroom; Silver, Buffo and their dinner were waiting for them. Hannah had been so happy when she saw that Haymitch had dressed in night clothes instead of his going out clothes because it meant he would be spending the evening with them. He gave both her and Pig Boy a shirt of his to wear and that was when she knew Euphemia Coin would not be joining them. She didn't have to worry about her hair being brushed, or eating slowly, or with her mouth open, or any of Euphemia Coin's rules.
Later in the evening, when Haymitch brought the screen down in his room, Hannah thought maybe they would be watching another princess movie, but it was Pig Boy's parents who ended up on the screen!
Hannah had watched their interaction silently from the corner with Silver in her lap, as she alternated between giving herself and the pet food to nibble on. Haymitch had stayed with Pig Boy the whole time with his arm around him and talked to Pig Boy's family too. She had noticed Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the small crowd of people too. Katniss Everdeen's sister was speaking nicely to Pig Boy and Hannah wondered if he wanted to marry her.
Haymitch had asked Hannah to join them in the beginning of the conversation, but she hadn't wanted to. She had felt strange, almost sick feeling, and besides, it wasn't her that they were interested in, it was Pig Boy. Still, it was interesting to see them interact, interesting to watch how much they loved him.
When it came to them to say good-bye, Hannah picked up her courage and quickly scrambled next to Haymitch, saying goodbye, before the screen went black.
After that, Pig Boy turned into Haymitch's chest and started crying. Haymitch carried him to the top of the bed and laid down with him and held Pig Boy until they both fell asleep.
~xXx~
Hannah was still playing on the floor with Silver when Haymitch's bedroom door quietly opened.
Euphemia Coin stood at the entrance. "You're still awake. Where's ...", but her voice trails off. "You should be asleep, Hannah. I don't need to tell you what an important day tomorrow is. You need your sleep and you need your strength. Haymitch. Haymitch"
"He's asleep", Hannah says.
Euphemia Coin sighs. "Pick up your pets, we'll put them in my room. I'll look after them until your ... back".
That sounded like the best plan. She was sure Haymitch wouldn't look after them properly.
"How do I even look after a Bullfrog?" Euphemia Coin asks when they are in her bedroom, standing next to Hannah after she has put Silver into the other side of the cage.
"He likes being inside his cage at night because it's warm, but you can let him out in the day". Hannah looks up at Euphemia Coin, who has a displeased expression on her face, but quickly changes it when she realises Hannah is looking at her.
"And if I kiss him, will he turn into a prince?"
Hannah shakes her head, no. Wondering what planet this woman thought a frog would turn into a human. "Where you being serious?" She asks, suddenly worried that in the Capitol, it was true! That they had created some kind of mutation that-
Euphemia Coin shakes her head laughing. "No. What do I feed him?"
"Insects, little pieces of meat or fish", Hannah shrugs, "I usually feed him whatever I eat, just in small pieces. But not vegetables. He's a carnivore".
"Insects are not usually in my diet", she says straightening up, and pulling on a stand of Hannah's hair, before collecting all of her hair and analysing it.
Hannah thinks that maybe she will start brushing it, but she just lets it go.
Moving to sit on the edge of her bed, Euphemia Coin massages her feet, but she doesn't take off her tall shoes. Hannah wonders if she is planning on going back out?
"I have some photographs I wanted to show you", she says, taking her hands off her feet and going into her little bag.
Hannah sits next to her, peering over to watch her look through her bag. She feels the woman's gaze on her and looks up to see her smiling at her before she pulls out two envelopes. She hands Hannah the first one.
'For Hannah', it reads.
"It is from Alma".
Euphemia Coin looks down at her expectantly, so Hannah slowly opens it, opening up the card.
She can feel Euphemia Coin reading over her shoulder.
'To Hannah,
You are the Greatest Victor that ever lived!
I look forward to congratulating you after your Games.
All my love,
Alma'
Hannah grins. The Greatest Victor that ever lived!
She feels Euphemia Coin put her arm around her and kiss the top of her head.
Hannah goes to put the card back in the envelope, but notices something at the bottom... like another, smaller note.
She's about to pull it out when she feels Euphemia Coin stiffen.
"Is there something else in there?" She asks, interested.
Hannah shakes her head no, because if Euphemia Coin doesn't know its there, it's obviously meant to be secret.
She puts the card back in slowly and and quickly closes the envelope.
She'll look at it again later.
"Don't you want to know what is in the other envelope?"
Hannah nods, but Euphemia Coin doesn't give it to her. She opens it herself and pulls out the photographs she said she wanted to show her.
"These are just a few of my favourites".
Hannah nods. One of the photographs, the one of just Hannah as a baby, she recognises. Haymitch has it in a book of photos all of Hannah from when she was a baby to her most recent birthday. He has never told her he has it, but she has seen him look at it a couple of times when she has been spying on him and likes to look at it sometimes herself.
Another one is of Euphemia Coin breastfeeding Hannah, and it reminds Hannah of the comment Euphemia Coin made of her just eating the woman's milk until she left her with Haymitch.
The last one, Hannah looks really, really small and weak. Maybe it was when she was just born. She is against Euphemia Coin's chest who is looking at the camera with tears in her eyes. She has no make-up, no wigs, no visible clothes on. She looks beautiful. She looks happy to have Hannah as her baby.
"I want to tell you a secret, Hannah", Hannah looks up at Euphemia Coin and she can see that there are tears in the woman's eyes and she is shaking slightly. "I shouldn't tell you, but I must. I only ask that you don't tell anyone. This is very important, especially after the Games".
"Haymi-"
"Haymitch already knows, so you don't have to worry about keeping secrets from him", she traces her nose.
"OK, I promise to keep it a secret".
"I loved your father. I loved your father so much it consumed me, and when I found out I was pregnant with his child, I knew I had to birth you", she tucks a hair behind Hannah's ear. "I couldn't get rid of you because it would be like getting rid of him, and having his child was the only way I could possess him. Have a part of him. You see, the laws of our country, would never allow us to be together. Would never allow us to be anything more than colleagues".
Hannah nods, taking her time to take in the woman's words.
"So you didn't see me as a mistake?" She asks, hopefully. Her heart suddenly beating wildly against her ribcage.
"Is that what he told you?"
Hannah nods.
"Well he shouldn't have said that to you", she smiles sadly.
"But did you see me as a mistake?"
Euphemia Coin breathes in and then out. "I didn't plan you, Hannah. Not because I didn't want to but because I wasn't allowed to".
Hannah nods that she understands what the woman is saying. Panem is not free. A Panem where everyone is free is what the rebellion is all about. Where people have a choice over how they live their lives.
"But as soon as I knew I was going to have you, I wanted you. I knew you would be perfect. A perfect mix of me and your father, and you are. You are a wonderful gift, Hannah, not a mistake. And you are a product of love".
Of love.
Hannah feels her eyes start to water.
Euphemia Coin pulls her into her embrace, and it is again overly sweet, but it is her mother. Her mother who loves her.
"I always knew. From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I knew whose you were and that was why I kept you", Euphemia Coin pulls Hannah out of her embrace to look at her. "You were wanted. You understand?"
Hannah nods and she starts crying loudly, as tears fall out of her eyes again and her nose starts to run, but Euphemia Coin doesn't seem to mind as she wipes at her face with her bare hands.
"And you didn't ever wish that you drowned me?" Hannah asks, choking through her tears.
"Never, my love, never", she says, alternating between kissing and squeezing her with hugs. "My only regret is that I gave you away. I was young and I got scared and I didn't know what to do", she speaks into Hannah's hair and the girl wills herself to stop crying so she can listen properly to what the woman is saying to her. "You looked so much like Haymitch and I was afraid they were going find out the truth and to take you away from me, or worse. The only person I could trust to look after you was your father and that is why I gave you away to him. But I am so sorry. I am so sorry your life has been so hard. I'm so-", but the rest of whatever she was going to say, got taken away by the woman's own tears.
AN: I swear I write these chapters with every intention of keeping them short and to the point, but they always run away with my mind. I cannot write short chapters, I simply cannot. Next chapter is day one of the Games! Until next update!
