4 CHAPTER UPDATE! - 4TH; Hopefully this will go some way to making up for the delay. I currently am sitting exams, and a brutal revision schedule leaves little time for writing unfortunately :( But don't worry; I will never abandon this story! :P
Chapter One-Hundred-and-Fifty-Two; Victor
Electra perched herself carelessly on the table, stretching languidly to get comfortable.
The official wrinkled his nose in distaste at her behaviour as he handed the phone to her stiffly.
Electra grinned at him sweetly, "thanks ever so much," she drawled sarcastically.
The official's cheeks pinked and then finally he stormed off out of the room with an offended air, leaving Electra in relative privacy.
Electra rolled her eyes; he had been a tough one to shake.
However in the next second the blue-haired woman returned her wary gaze to the phone in her hand with its mysterious caller.
Electra connected the call raising it to her ear and waited in silence for the other person to speak first.
Unfortunately the other person was waiting too and Electra frowned. Not a good sign.
"Hello?" Electra finally barked impatiently.
There was a moment's pause and then a mocking chuckle that chilled Electra to the bone floated through the phone.
"Hello Electra."
Electra almost dropped the phone from her suddenly numb and trembling fingers.
"What do you want?" Electra demanded hoarsely, as wild panic flared in her eyes, "is something wrong? Has something happened to – ! "
"Nothing has happened. She's fine. There's no need to work yourself into a state. This is purely a business call."
"Business?" Electra repeated scathingly, her initial worry abating as her racing frantic pulse slowed.
"Stephanie Trindlesworth."
Electra sighed heavily, her eyes sliding shut as she dropped her head. "Whatever Game you're playing Wirin I don't want a part in it."
Wirin chuckled incredulously, "you don't exactly have a choice Electra dear, remember? Unless, of course you would like little Eve – "
"Fine! Fine! I agree – whatever it is, I'll do it!" Electra cried frantically, grasping the phone in a white-knuckled grip. "Just don't hurt her!"
"There, there," Wirin drawled almost sympathetically as Electra's heartbeat pounded in her ears.
"Just tell me what it is you want done," Electra said brokenly then. She had sworn she would never let herself to be so weak as her mother had been and yet here she was…practically begging Wirin –
But it wasn't for her she was begging Electra thought resolutely as she gathered her resolve once more…
Eve...
"You know I have to admit I was rather surprised to find out you were back in the Capitol," Wirin drawled musingly.
Electra swallowed down the hate that stuck in her throat like a tangible object.
"I was repaying a favour to a friend," Electra replied tightly.
"A friend?" Wirin echoed knowingly before he laughed mockingly and Electra shut her eyes. Any scrap of pride or dignity Electra or Ellen had once had had been eradicated by this man and Electra was reminded of the many times she had told Stephanie to discard the foolish notions the girl had of hanging onto her dignity in a place like the Capitol where people like Wirin Xavier existed. Electra had never been as proud or stubborn as Stephanie had been. Electra always had been pragmatic, but not even that had saved her in the end.
"I wonder…" Wirin continued on tauntingly, "does this friend know how you truly feel about him?"
Electra cringed, "what do you want Wirin?" she snapped with far more confidence than she felt.
Immediately Wirin's lingering chuckles tapered off and the glacial chill was almost palpable over the phone.
Electra waited in tense silence, fearing perhaps she had pushed Wirin too far this time.
But when Wirin spoke Electra realised the sudden bitterness was not truly directed at her. Merely Wirin was expelling his own frustration on her, making himself feel better about his own ineptitude by demeaning her. Electra smirked thinly. Wirin always had been a needy, self-centred man, even as a nineteen year old boy when…Electra paled, forcing back the inevitable onslaught of blood-curdling memories that always assaulted her every time she heard Wirin's voice. She raised a trembling hand to the ruined side of her face, her fingertips gingerly brushing the raised scars.
"I'm speaking to you on behalf of business for Seneca Crane," Wirin spat contemptuously. It was clear he resented being reduced to a mere messenger boy for his bitter rival Seneca.
"Go on," Electra said calmly. A riled Wirin was easier to deal with than a calculating one.
"How much do you know of the…situation involving your tribute Stephanie Trindlesworth?" Wirin asked coolly.
Electra took a second to consider her answer before deciding that feigning ignorance would not help her any.
"I know everything there is to know," Electra answered then. By the derisive scoff that followed Wirin had expected her answer and he was not impressed, but he evidently didn't care enough to press the matter.
As long as Seneca's stupid district girl didn't go blabbing to every single person she met! Wirin thought.
"Stephanie Trindlesworth is dying. Her fainting problem is a fatal one." Wirin announced shortly and Electra narrowly missed falling off the table she was still perched on.
"What?!" she exclaimed.
Wirin scoffed derisively. "Don't worry – there's a cure," he sneered, "in the meantime however she cannot faint for any reason."
Electra's eyes were still wide with the shock at the recent news, "and what am I supposed to do?" she asked incredulous, yet already knowing.
"Stop her fainting," Wirin snapped impatiently.
Electra rolled her eyes, "and how on earth do you suggest I do that?"
"I don't care how you do it Ellen, just damn well do it. For if that district tramp faints, Seneca will take out his anger on me, and believe me if he does I will make sure you suffer. Do we understand one another?"
Electra had paled once more at the implications of Wirin's threat. It wasn't herself she was worried for though, as she hurriedly assured Wirin she would make sure Stephanie didn't faint.
"Good," Wirin said gruffly. "And be prepared. I very soon will require you for some tasks of my own," he warned forebodingly.
Electra gritted her teeth, despising this poisonous Capitol that had ensnared her so tightly within its grasps she would never be free of it. Her one life motto to repay those she owed would be her death sentence; for she would never settle the debts she owed. And she could never be free, not with Eve…
"Did you hear me?" Wirin snapped irritably.
"I heard you," Electra replied hollowly.
"Good," Wirin repeated. "Make sure you remember your place Ellen. Whatever pathetic debt you owe to Seneca pales considerably when faced with what I hold over you, I think you would agree?"
Electra remained silent, her pulse thundering in her ears, boiling hatred threatening to tear her apart.
"Well?" Wirin prompted her tauntingly.
"I appreciate the…complexities of my position," Electra agreed in a deceptively even tone.
"Smart woman," Wirin mocked before his voice dropped to a chilling whisper. "Because Seneca might have saved you last time but I promise you Ellen if you ever cross me like that again, the punishment will be more than a scarred face."
Electra swallowed thickly, struggling to find her voice. "I understand perfectly," she finally managed to reply.
There was a final snort of derisive mocking laughter and then the line went dead and Electra let the phone slip from her hand, her entire body shuddering with the ordeal she had just endured.
However Electra swiftly gathered herself. She had a party to attend where she was tasked with the impossible of stopping Stephanie fainting.
Electra stood as she straightened her ivory white fitted blazer, trying to ignore the chill that felt like it was embedded in her very bones.
She strode from the room, not having it in her to even throw the loitering, disgruntled official a disarming grin.
Her thoughts were haunted as she made her way back to The Water Gardens main venue room.
The complexities of her position…
In love with a man who didn't have the slightest clue of her feelings, indebted to a man she despised, and owned by another she could never be free of.
Electra stepped into the room, the mingled sounds of party chatter and music against the backdrop of rushing water filling her ears.
She smirked as the first person her eyes fell on as she entered the room was Stephanie.
Somehow unwittingly her own complex situation had become entwined with the equally intricate situation of Stephanie Trindlesworth.
But the smirk faded fast as she saw the hesitant smile Stephanie was offering her as her golden eyes silently expressed her concern.
Electra had the forebodingly distinct thought then, that when their intrinsically linked situations were resolved one way or another in the end; only one of them, Stephanie or her would be able to stand a 'victor'.
And Electra was determined who that would be. Because, afterall…Electra looked out for herself above all others.
…
Stephanie watched Electra approach them once more and she saw the relief clearly on Haymitch's face at the return of the blue-haired woman.
"Well?" Stephanie prompted as soon as Electra had reached them. Even Frenkin was looking up at the former District 3 victor expectantly.
Electra shrugged carelessly, an easy grin sliding across her lips. "No need to worry," she said breezily.
Stephanie frowned lightly and she caught the disbelieving narrowed-eyed look Haymitch was shooting Electra. Stephanie considered that if Haymitch clearly wasn't buying Electra's casual dismissal – especially, given he had known the blue-haired woman longer than Stephanie – then something was most definitely up.
But they never got to press the subject as a nailed hand suddenly latched onto Stephanie's arm.
Stephanie winced, narrowly missing calling Isa's nails 'claws' again and upsetting the escort.
Isa fixed the four of them with fiercely disapproving looks, her darkest reserved especially for Electra.
"Haymitch pet why are you all just standing here?!" Isa admonished. She affected a blinding grin suddenly when she noticed a camera drifting casually by. However soon her brighter than green eyes were fixed on them all again. "Quick, quick pets interviews with the Gamemakers," Isa began to bustle them on. "It's such a pity Seneca Crane isn't here. Poor pet working so hard and now he's ill! He is so handsome – " Isa babbled on as she ushered their little group towards the Gamemakers. Stephanie tried her best to look stoic and ignore Isa's prattling, even as she caught Electra's gaze flicker knowingly to hers for a brief moment.
"Alright Isa, we'll take it from here," Haymitch assured Isa who was in danger of practically shoving Stephanie into the arms of the nearest Gamemaker.
Isa grinned breathlessly, "of course Haymitch pet," she agreed, running a dusky glittering hand down his arm. "I know of course it isn't you that is disrupting things," Isa said, shooting an accusatory glare at an innocently grinning Electra.
A faint smirk touched Haymitch's lips though as Isa scuttled off once more to join their huddle of gossiping stylists.
"Come on Tiny Tim, I'll take you," Electra clapped her hands firmly on Frenkin's shoulders before she looked to Haymitch, affecting a look of faux innocence, "as long as I'm not disrupting you Haymitch," the blue-haired woman added. Haymitch shook his head slightly in fond amusement while Stephanie's gaze was otherwise fixed on a shaking Frenkin. Frenkin had been utterly transfixed in a terrified sort of awe at the arrival of the Gamemakers.
But now that the time had come for him to have his interview with one, the nerves were clear on Frenkin's face as he pushed his glasses up on his nose with slightly shaking fingers.
Stephanie noticed and smiled sadly, reaching out to chuck Frenkin's cheek lightly in a fond gesture. "You'll be fine, don't worry," she assured him quietly and Frenkin managed a slight smile.
Electra then made to steer Frenkin away firmly when she paused as her gaze caught something. "Oh look at that," Electra murmured and they all followed her line of vision.
The bumbling Gamemaker smiled as he realised he had been caught out staring. He raised a podgy hand, wriggling his stumpy fingers in an incongruously dainty wave.
"Is he serious?" Stephanie muttered under her breath, not knowing whether she was meant to wave back or not.
Haymitch's expression had darkened considerably but Electra merely gave a jaunty little wave back. "Just grin and bear it," she advised. Electra threw one last meaningful glance at a stony-faced Haymitch then before she directed Frenkin away.
Stephanie watched Electra disappear into the crowds with Frenkin. She had the inkling suspicion Electra had been so keen to get away with Frenkin to escape the suspicious gazes Haymitch and Stephanie were shooting her, concerning her recent phone-call.
Stephanie sighed, feeling slightly at odds as she looked back. The bumbling Gamemaker was engaged with another tribute now. Astara Stephanie realised with a jolt of recognition.
But her attention was swiftly claimed as Haymitch turned to her. "It'll be impossible to avoid him now," Haymitch conceded darkly.
Stephanie tried not to feel so terrified about whatever lay in store for her with this disconcerting Gamemaker as she pointedly fixed her attention elsewhere; primarily on the grey-eyed man standing beside her.
It was strange to be working so closely with Haymitch again as it were; to rely on him for his advice yet to know irrevocably that there was a distance between them also.
"He seems like a strange Gamemaker," Stephanie murmured to Haymitch as she looked to him questioningly.
It felt so natural to be able to talk and ask Haymitch's opinion on things like this. There was no one she trusted more in this Capitol, save Frenkin, occasionally Electra and…
Stephanie didn't let that thought finish, as she watched the lines on Haymitch's face grow shadowed.
"His name's King and appearances can be deceiving," Haymitch said quietly.
Stephanie turned her attention back to the Gamemakers. Tarii from District 1 had been one of the first to engage with the Gamemakers. But the pixie-featured girl hadn't spared a glance for the balding and round lead man, instead heading for the willowy Gamemaker behind him. That man had vivid yellow hair with a cutting quiff being his most eye-catching feature. His hair colour may have been sunny but his expression wasn't. He looked dour and a permanent scowl was set heavily on his face.
The other two Gamemakers were women, one with curling lilac hair and the other with straight blonde hair that fell past her hips. Both the women were engaged with Career tributes also.
Stephanie's gaze was fixed however, on the slowly building look of horror on Astara's face as she spoke to the Gamemaker King.
And Stephanie felt suddenly very nervous.
Thanks to new follows / & / favourites!
asunatiger; yep there is definitely more coming!
girlworthfightingfor; I know, I'm sorry - I'm evil :P I make no promises concerning with ships may or may not sail :P