One year later
"Mirror on the wall... who is the most powerful of them all?"
"You are the most powerful, my queen."
The queen smiles at the mirror's response. Every day is the same answer and the queen couldn't be more pleased. The mirror has answered her questions since she become the king's wife and it will keep on answering them until the princess's heart is crushed with her bare hands.
The mirror was given to her by her deceased brother. It is the only memory she has of him and in same way she is doing this to fulfill his dream. His dream of being someone in a world of monsters and assassins. The old queen's room is now the mirror room and no one is allowed but her. If they only knew the truth about the mirror... A big round transparent looking-glass hangs on the west wall, its golden frame carved with endless branchs and leaves. A face floats in emptiness as its dark eyes smile at the queen.
Although, today is the beginning of the end.
"Mirror on the wall... who is the most powerful of them all?"
The queen wears her silver headpiece and deadly black gown proudly as she stands in front of the mirror.
"You are the most powerful, my queen. However, one has returned to take thy place."
Her heart skips a beat when she hears the words.
"Who?"
"The princess."
She almost stumbles with the weight of the words. She didn't want to believe it but she knew this would happen eventually. All those assassins she sent after the princess never came back. However, they were chasing an outlaw, not the princess. Katniss Everdeen was the princess's new name but the queen could see through the it.
"How is she alive?" The queen shouted. "She shouldn't even be breathing!"
"Destroy her heart and become the most powerful." The mirror advised.
"Every assassin I sent after her is probably dead!" She glances at the mirror. "You lie!"
"The years have strenghten her."
The queen remembers the day of king's burial when the princess shed her only tears. How innocent and pitiful. Despite that, she knew the princess was beloved by the kingdom. She was loved by her father, by the kingdom and by the entire country. She was a threat and needed to be destroyed. That never happened because she escaped before the queen's guards got to her. Since that moment, the queen took every measure to capture the princess but she kept slipping through her fingers and the assassins were useless. The mirror was also useless when it came to searching for the princess.
"Guards!"
She storms out of the mirror room and reunites several guards on the throne room. She orders them to leave immediately and to communicate to the other kingdoms that their queen wants deadly thieves.
The queen has been looking for the princess for three years. This small and scared girl has been tormenting her for far too long and needs to be destryoed as quick as possible. Since their first encounter, the queen found the princess to be annoying. She was a delicate flower in her father's eyes. She helped the poor. She didn't care about her status and that made the queen angry. She saw the princess as the kingdom's saviour.
That has to end.
She can't live anymore.
She has to die.
...
Four weeks later
Three thieves were found and the queen couldn't be more happy. She ordered for them to be brought to her for evaluation. Their strenght and thirst for blood were important factors and if they succeed, they will be given a very generous prize.
She waits for their arrival on the throne room. She stands on the throne's platform, her dark red dress with golden trimming fits her slim figure and cascades down the platform's steps. The wooden doors open to reveal the thieves. The queen smiles gently as they enter the throne room and walk towards her. Their stern expressions change when they notice the queen. They are flanked by two guards each as they walk one behind the other. The thieves have a good physical appearance but their faces harbor several scars and small cuts.
"It's striking to see strong and deadly men like you wanting to kill a helpless girl."
"Your Majesty wants us to-"
"You will not interrupt your queen!" Her voice echoes around the wide room.
The thieve in the middle frowns. Sebastian Brutus comes from Hemalia, the kingdom in the snowy mountains. It's home to several thieves and outlaws and he is known for his unforgiving brute force.
"I want the girl dead. She is a great threat to Panem and to our safety." The thieve on Brutus's right looks puzzled.
Bruno Tresh, born in Chalkton, was held captive for years in a farm. He worked the land of the wild fields with other slaves and was beaten and tortured for pleasure. Thresh escaped and since his escapement, he saw it as his duty to murder every owner of slaves held captive in the farms of Chalkton and other kingdoms.
"You may know her as Katniss Everdeen, the famous outlaw." The queen mocks. "You will bring me her heart as proof of her death."
"And what do we gain in return?" Cedrick Gloss crosses his arms.
He is known for his good looks in the kingdom of Esbart, near the coast. However, he is a deathly man and as every thief, he enjoys playing games with his victims.
"Wealth."
"Your Majesty?" Thresh asks, suspicious of such prize.
"You wish to defy your queen's word?"
"No."
"Where can we find the outlaw?" Gloss wonders.
"Her current location is unknown and has been for several months." The queen says. "Although, that will not pose a problem for you. You are skilled murderes."
"And who will be the one to find her?" Brutus asks, hoping he is the chosen one.
The queen smiles, mockingly and waits a moment before answering.
"It will be chosen among yourselves."
There is a moment of suspension as the thieves digest the queen's words.
"That is ludicr-"
Gloss stops and the queen watches as he vomits blood. The sword trespassing his heart is removed by Brutus and Gloss falls to the floor in a small pool of his own blood. The queen watches, amused, as the guards attack Brutus and shove him against one the stone columns along the room. He hears his bones snapping because of the extreme force the guards are making as they push him harder against the column. Thresh is held by four guards before he decides to act.
There is a small commotion happening outside the throne room and suddenly the doors open. The queen's face changes as soon as she recognizes the person responsible for the commotion.
"How dare you show your face in this castle?"
"None of these men will be chosen." The mysterious young man says. "I will be the one finding the outlaw."
This chapter is third person point-of-view. The queen is Coin and the mysterious man will be revealed in later chapters. However, I'm sure you already know who he is! And I forgot to mention another influence - Snow White and the Hunstman. Favourite, follow and review. Thank you!