Chapter Nine; Breathing Difficulties

Luckily for Stephanie, Ficen had decided that she wasn't worth the bother and sent Lashes and Bright up to retrieve her costume.

They helped Stephanie out of it (soundlessly, she was happy to note) and she gratefully stepped into the shower after they had left her in her new room. After a few moments of pressing random buttons and almost making herself blind from the sudden shots of soapy mixtures the shower assaulted her with, she managed to get a steady stream of warm, scented water.

As the water soothed her into a warm embrace she allowed her mind to drift back to home. She thought of Eldi and Weisna and Dar, of her father and mother and her brother. She wondered what they were doing? She imagined them watching her on the small television set that would have been provided to them for the Games; watching her ride in on the Chariot looking like a silver storm. Feeling the tears begin to prick her eyes she swallowed harshly and got out of the shower.

She went to the wardrobe and cursed loudly when she was met with a lot of frills once more. She looked to the wardrobe floor with a hopeful expression, but there was no hidden bag to save her this time.

The door suddenly rapped and checking the towel was secure around her Stephanie went to answer it. She had barely opened it when Isa burst into the room and bounded over to the huge bed in a blur of bright yellow and perched herself on the end of it.

Stephanie concealed her scowl as she shut the door. There was no way she was going to let Isa dress her. She absent-mindedly wondered what Isa would do when she ran out of colours to wear.

"You aren't dressed, pet." Isa stated the obvious.

"No, I was just going to get dressed before you came," Stephanie replied as kindly as she could.

Isa skipped over to the wardrobe and Stephanie watched her do so in amazement; considering Isa's heels were as tall as the ones Ficen had made her wear.

Isa within seconds had whipped out a few garments. Stephanie could only watch in horror as Isa shoved the purple dress into her arms.

A little while later saw Stephanie being supported down the hall by a beaming Isa.

"Isssaaa," Stephanie managed.

"Hmm, yes pet?" Isa turned to face her, green eyes glinting brightly.

"I …can't breatheee," she said barely above a whisper. The purple dress, or 'straitjacket' as Stephanie preferred, came down to just above her knees and was made of silk – a material that doesn't fit to suit the owner, Stephanie learned. It was decorated with gold and silver flowers, had long, fitted sleeves and clinched in at the waist, with a wide, gold belt.

"Oh, nonsense pet! You will get used to it," Isa replied, patting her arm patronisingly.

Not if I die first from lack of oxygen! Stephanie thought bitterly. She came to a conclusion on why Isa tottered as she did. Stephanie could barely move her legs forward in the constrictive cocoon of the dress and the shoes were in no way helping. They finally arrived at the dining area and Stephanie could have sworn she saw Haymitch smirk.

Somehow managing to ease herself into a seat, Stephanie looked doubtfully at the food in front of her. Haymitch sat at the head of the table, Stephanie to his right and Frenkin to his left.

"What's the matter darling? You should try the food, it's delicious," Haymitch addressed her sweetly.

She glared at him. "I don't think it is physically possible for me to eat," she answered.

Haymitch definitely smirked that time and she tried to kick him, only to find that her dress also restricted that movement. Her foot therefore, only managed to brush his leg which he found highly amusing.

"You're losing your touch sweetheart. The Capitol is taming you. Unless of course, you didn't mean to kick me at all." He sent a pointed wink at her.

Frenkin sat obliviously wolfing down food and Stephanie noted jealously the loose turquoise shirt and black trousers that he wore.

Isa sat at the other end of the table and holding her fork in some ridiculous fashion began to eat. Stephanie glanced longingly at the food on her plate.

Damn it! Stephanie thought, and inhaling deeply she forced herself to breath out, puffing her cheeks out. It had the desired effect, and a moment later a tearing sound could be heard. Finally able to breathe Stephanie pulled her chair in and began to tuck into the food on her plate greedily, ignoring Isa's distressed cries.

Frenkin's face had gone scarlet red and she sent him an apologetic smile. Beside her Haymitch had paused his eating. She turned to him with a smirk. "I hear you should try the food darling, it's delicious," she said in a sugary voice.

For a moment he said nothing and she didn't look up as she washed her food down with a few gulps of the dark liquid in her glass. Then she heard him laughing and her head snapped round to observe him. His grey eyes were bright and he had a roguish smile.

"Well done sweetheart," he said, and he raised his glass to her in a sort of salute and toast.

Dinner was finished pretty swiftly after that. Stephanie concluding that it didn't matter anymore, slipped the shoes from her feet and excusing herself from the table, sauntered back to her room with them slung over her shoulder. She noted personally that she was going to count that as a win for her.

Once in her room she walked over to the mirror to see what damage she had done. The back of the dress from about the waist where the belt was to the neck had a huge rip revealing a strip of milky white skin. Also there were two long splits from the hem of the dress to about her mid-thighs. She smiled ruefully to herself and scoffed as she thought of Haymitch's words. Tamed?! I'm no Capitol Doll! She thought victoriously in her head. She refrained from letting her thoughts drift to the arena, instead deciding that she quite liked this dress now.

Strangling a yawn she clambered over the bed, pulling back the covers but before her head could hit the pillow she was disturbed.

There was a sharp rap on the door. However the person on the other side didn't even wait for her to answer and burst on through. There was only one person who would do that. Haymitch.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking and waiting? It's called manners, you know," she said, propping her head up with her hand.

"Yeah, and ripping your dress apart at a dinner table is perfect etiquette, eh?" he shot back with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes but a smile tugged at her lips. "Fine. Is there a reason for you being here?"

His expression grew grave for a moment as the smirk dissipated and Stephanie felt a tugging in the pit of her stomach.

"I just came to let you know you have an event to attend tomorrow. Ficen will be here early ….and Stephanie, don't give her any trouble. You and Frenkin will spend the morning with me and Isa learning what you need to know and then the event will be that night," he warned sternly.

"Hold on! Event? Learn what?" she said sitting up, suddenly alert. She could hear the hysteria leaking into her voice but she couldn't help it.

"The training is next week. The other three weeks are socialising. So there's a …shall we say, a welcoming party, for you tomorrow night. Isa and I will be teaching you how to behave all morning, and I'm serious Stephanie, you have to pay attention," he answered. His grey eyes were sombre as he lingered at the doorway.

She nodded numbly. What more could she do? It was out of her hands, but it still didn't stop her from feeling sick down to the pit of her stomach. She only hoped that her dinner would stay down.

"Oh and Stephanie," Haymitch called. She glanced up to be met with some material thrown at her face. She grabbed it, ready to hurl it back with a few choice words when she recognised a pair of slim black trousers and a loose green shirt.

"Thought you might appreciate them," he said and then he left, closing the door after him.