TRIPLE UPDATE! – 2ND
Chapter One-Hundred-and-Fifty-Four; Deadly Vanity
"Ugh, what is this?" Electra wrinkled her nose in distaste.
"Something to help sober you up," Haymitch replied, nodding for Electra to finish the concocted drink, in the silver hip flask he had pressed into her hand.
Electra frowned, her gaze a little unfocused, "Haymitch you know this is how I find out information. People are more likely to let things slip when they don't consider you a threat; and a drunken district girl is low down on the threat list."
Haymitch's stony look never faltered however. "Except that was no drunken act back there."
Electra puffed out a loud breath of exasperation, "so I had a little drink! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black," she grumbled sourly.
Haymitch frowned at her but his eyes were tinged with worry, "Ellen?"
Electra glowered at the dancers happily swaying to the music in front of her.
"Ellen who rang you?"
Electra's eyes snapped to Haymitch. Her slightly tipsy state meant she wasn't able to conceal the brief flash of fear that had claimed her features.
"S'nobody," Electra snapped when she recovered.
"Are you seriously going to try and pull crap like that on me Ellen?" Haymitch said sarcastically.
Electra made a disgruntled sound at the back of her throat. "S'not fair. You can always tell when I'm hiding something," she mumbled.
Haymitch cracked a wry smirk. "Yeah well, let's just say I've seen you drunk too many times before."
"Pot. Kettle," Electra mumbled under her breath, as she eyed the silver flask in her hand fondly. She recognised it instantly, after knowing Haymitch for so long. He carried the trusty little flask everywhere with him, filled with its vile-tasting, instant sobering remedy.
Electra grimaced, forcing herself to swallow back another mouthful.
"I cannot believe you let her do that," Electra muttered suddenly, frowning unhappily.
Haymitch furrowed his brow baffled. Electra jumping from subject to subject erratically was another sure sign the woman had had a few glasses too many.
Electra arched an unimpressed brow, "Haymitch," she began sternly, "Stephanie was set to do that interview with King, and next I look around and see that you let her practically run away and postpone it!"
"What, did you want me to tackle her and drag her to stand in front of King?" Haymitch countered sarcastically.
Electra rolled her eyes. "No. But there was practically smoke coming off her heels she moved that fast."
Haymitch smirked slightly and Electra's look gentled.
"I know you…love her Haymitch. But you're not helping her any by allowing her to run away from the ugly things she will eventually have to face. You want to protect her…her innocence I suppose. But, the simple truth is Haymitch you can't. The Games – they will take a piece of her that no one will ever be able to replace and you can't save her from that."
Electra's eyes a little bleary from the alcohol were still filled with genuine sympathy as she looked to Haymitch.
Haymitch sighed heavily as he looked down into his glass of alcohol broodingly. "I know," he simply said before knocking the bitter amber liquid back. "But the Games aren't here yet," he added in the next moment with quiet determination, even as his narrowed gaze fixed on some sight across the room.
Electra turned spotting where Haymitch's scathing glare was settled and she rolled her eyes, scoffing audibly.
Haymitch cast the blue-haired woman a side-long glance, "what?"
"I didn't say anything," Electra protested innocently.
Haymitch's deadpan gaze never faltered and Electra's shoulders slumped in defeat as she fixed Haymitch with a candid look of her own.
"I think you're taking the guard-dog analogy a little too far," Electra said sardonically, trying to swipe Haymitch's glass from him.
Haymitch held it out of her reach though as he rolled his eyes slightly.
"I'm just making sure that scum like that stay away," Haymitch muttered dangerously as his sights landed once more on Dess Landa flirting rather outrageously with the District 2 golden girl Lana Blackell.
"I think Stephanie will be fine," Electra muttered, "Dess Landa is hardly Panem's deadliest assassin."
"No but he is one of the biggest pieces of scum there is in Panem," Haymitch corrected.
"No argument there," Electra conceded, "but…you do know you don't have to watch out for her so much now."
"Ellen don't start again," Haymitch mumbled irascibly, knocking back the rest of his drink, even as he turned away from the scene.
Electra rolled her eyes, but refused to back down. "Haymitch the Games are coming up and unless you have some secret plan to disguise yourself as Frenkin and land in the arena with her – there's no way you will be able to protect her. Stephanie needs to learn to fend for herself."
Haymitch sighed wearily, conceding Electra's point reluctantly. He had already accepted what Electra was saying long ago, he guessed old habits just were hard to shake. Hadn't he said it himself? Stephanie had changed. It was hard to pinpoint something directly, but she seemed surer of herself.
"Besides," Electra added in a quieter voice not meeting Haymitch's gaze. "You and Stephanie aren't together anymore. So you should stop behaving like you are."
…
Sponsors; relatively checked – she had potentially three, plus Dess since Seneca had threatened him into becoming her biggest sponsor.
Alliance; yet to be confirmed. Prall was still talking to the Landas, Frenkin looked like he was never going to escape Mrs Ara and her friends. Stephanie couldn't see Ava, Tain or Astara anywhere though.
Gamemaker interview…most fixedly not checked –
Stephanie frowned a little anxiously as she watched the tribute King had had his latest interview with scuttle away. Stephanie only recognised the auburn-haired girl faintly as from the outer districts, but what Stephanie did recognise immediately was the tears spilling down her cheeks.
Stephanie had been watching the interviews with King with a growing sense of unease and dread building in her. As far as Stephanie could discern the Gamemaker had no 'type' like Electra had mentioned. Male, female, young, older. He seemed to indiscriminately select tributes to speak to.
However what each tribute had in common that disconcerted Stephanie the most, were the looks of silent fear and horror that would be etched on their faces by the time they had finished speaking with King. And now King had reduced a tribute to tears.
Stephanie's frown deepened as the same thought occurred to her…again.
I wish Seneca were here…
Stephanie released a measured breath. The only reason she wished Seneca were here was because she didn't want to do her interview with King, Stephanie forced herself to rationalise reasonably. That was all she told herself sternly.
Besides she was being an utter hypocrite! Before she had been terrified at the thought of an interview with Seneca – though for entirely different reasons – and now she was close to begging for one.
Stephanie tossed her head irritated, feeling her cheeks glow hotly at that last thought. She averted her gaze across the room where she could just make out the two heads of hair off to the side of the dance-floor; one electric blue in colour, the other sandy.
She was glad that Haymitch was talking to Electra; she hoped that he might be able to get something out of her. For Electra may put on an impressive act but the fact still remained that getting drunk was the perfect response to trying to forget something unpleasant. And despite Haymitch trying to cover for her, Stephanie recognised that Electra was drunk and considering the mysterious phone-call Stephanie suspected that something was not quite right with Electra.
Stephanie was disturbed from her musings by a flash of movement out of the periphery of her vision.
She turned to see that the tribute from before – the girl that had run away from King crying – had skulked up the buffet table, sniffing pitifully and rubbing at her red-rimmed eyes. She reached for some sweet cakes, eyes darting about nervously as she nibbled hungrily.
It was then her eyes caught Stephanie looking. Stephanie offered her a gentle smile but the girl, far from looking reassured, almost choked on the food in her mouth. Her eyes grew round with fear and in the next moment she had scurried off again.
Stephanie sighed irascibly. That had not been the first time tonight she had received that response. At first Stephanie was convinced that Bright and Lashes must have drawn fangs on her while doing her make-up or something for her to evoke such a response.
However as she considered it objectively Stephanie came to a conclusion on why she was receiving some strange reactions.
The last time any of them had seen her Stephanie was engaged in a physical fight with Slena – whose punishment still remained ominously unknown – after Slena had just accused Stephanie of murdering her cousin Fas Clearwater. The gazes had been following her all night of fellow tributes and mentors; infinitely curious and suspicious.
Stephanie couldn't blame them. They all evidently considered her a substantial risk now; ordering hits on fellow tribute's family members and staging physical altercations! No wonder many now wanted to steer clear of her!
And there it went again Stephanie thought bitterly. Her reputation. Racing ahead of her and with barely an ounce of truth to it. Stephanie gritted her teeth, tamping down the familiar feelings of her riled pride taking a hit.
"I need to speak to you."
A light touch on Stephanie's elbow almost made her drop the full glass of champagne she was twirling idly between her fingers. She turned then to come face to face with Tain's pale blue eyes. His lips were set in grim line of determination and his words finally filtered through to Stephanie.
"Erm, right…of course," Stephanie replied as she deposited her full glass on the table and allowed Tain to lead her off to a more secluded corner of the room.
…
Their more private area turned out to be on the walkway behind the waterfalls. Stephanie had caught Tain checking that Astara was otherwise distracted before he had followed her. She suspected Tain was still trying his utmost to keep his plans to sacrifice himself for Astara a secret from his sister, though Stephanie had an inkling feeling that Astara already knew.
Stephanie had also saw Haymitch cast her a silently questioning look just before she had stepped behind the wall of water.
They walked in silence for a few minutes. Stephanie chanced a glimpse at Tain out of the corner of her eye and saw that he was chewing on his lower lip, a pensive frown on his face. Stephanie decided to give him the needed time to gather his thoughts before she spoke.
The sound of rushing water was much louder here, resulting in less people being along the walkway behind the waterfalls. The raucous music and talk of the party was diminished by the cascades of water that cast the walkway in a pearl blue glow with dappled beams of rippling light.
In typical Capitol style their people, while enjoying looking at spectacular things, didn't relish being a part of them, be it astounding waterfalls, vast lakes or the most brutally violent fights as tributes fought one another for their life.
It was probably how The Water Gardens came to be; some wise spark in the Capitol had suggested indoor waterfalls and as soon as the place had come into being most Capitolites hated it because the mist ruined their fine clothes and perfectly styled hair. Most likely also why the lake was situated so far away from the Capitol; it was something beautiful to look at – from a distance. And as for The Hunger Games themselves…Capitolites from Vir's attack on Cron were still trying to claim they were suffering from the "harrowing trauma" and yet it didn't stop them placing their bets for the Games.
The walkway was made of meshed metal with a metal rail running alongside it and Stephanie's heels clacked loudly, reverberating off the marble walls. Stephanie could see the broiling water a few mere metres below her and for the first time she felt a small twinge of fear in her heart.
Her mind suddenly without warning threw up her conversation with Seneca into her head, until Stephanie appeared just as distracted and lost in her own thoughts as Tain walking by her side, with his hands clasped loosely behind his back.
She chewed on her inner cheek, twiddling her hands as her thoughts drifted.
When she first entered this room she was completely enthralled by the towering waterfalls and now looking at the surging water metres below her she was reminded how dangerous a risk it posed to her, given she couldn't swim. Yet she still couldn't help but – like it.
'Attracted to things even if they were dangerous…' Stephanie frowned, pushing away the thought that had suddenly sprung up in her mind and sounded very much like the smug murmur of a blue-eyed Gamemaker she was getting to know dangerously well.
"I have to ask Stephanie," Tain said suddenly, seemingly coming to some decision.
Stephanie almost jumped when he spoke, having almost forgotten Tain was there at all.
Stephanie looked to him expectantly as their footsteps both innately slowed.
"Did you do it?"
Stephanie blinked dumbly, "what?"
Tain stopped completely and for the first time Stephanie noted the cold suspicion in his pale blue eyes. Stephanie felt her breath lodge uncomfortably somewhere in her throat as her heart rate picked up.
"Do what?" Stephanie breathed dreading.
Tain was still eyeing her, but he looked to be reluctantly suspicious of her.
"Fas Clearwater." Tain stated abruptly and Stephanie felt all the breath knocked out of her.
It was one thing to feel a few wary glances following her; it was something else entirely to actually be accused!
"I-I don't understand Tain," Stephanie managed as she tried to scramble for answers; reminding herself of all the countless things she had to keep secret and couldn't blurt out even if it would exonerate her from the accusations in Tain's eyes.
Tain sighed as he blew out a measured breath and averted his gaze for a quick moment. He dragged his eyes back to Stephanie looking visibly torn.
"I trusted you Stephanie with my sister's life. I know it was probably a stupid thing; afterall this is the Hunger Games. But I didn't think you would be one of the ones to stab someone in the back."
Stephanie leaned heavily against the rail, feeling something horrible and sickening rise up in her like she had never felt before.
The mist suddenly on her skin was chilling and the bluish tint of light was haunting.
"What do you think I've done?" Stephanie breathed shakily.
Tain frowned then, looking unsure as he surveyed Stephanie's suddenly pallid complexion.
Tain shrugged jerkily, shoving a hand through his white-blond hair. He offered Stephanie a grim smile, "that's just it. I don't know."
Stephanie looked at Tain, "I had nothing to do with Fas' death," Stephanie stated with quiet conviction, willing Tain to believe her.
Stephanie tried to calm her racing heart. She knew she had had nothing to do with Fas' death; Seneca had confirmed that.
But even the idea that Tain believed that she had, had Stephanie reeling.
Tain sighed loudly, the sound tinged with exasperation. "I want to believe you Stephanie – really. I do. And not just because I'm entrusting you with Star, but because…I genuinely don't believe you are the person the Capitol say you are," Tain finished quietly.
"Tain I swear I'm not…" Stephanie began; her voice in her own ears was wispy as she felt nausea roll over her in dizzying waves. Her vision blurred for a moment and Stephanie couldn't be sure if the roaring in her ears was from the water or her own blood.
But Stephanie willed herself to keep standing. She couldn't faint and allow Tain to continue believing she was a cold-blooded murderer.
Stephanie had never been vain about her looks and she rarely paid attention to what she wore as long as it was comfortable. Stephanie's 'vanity' lay with her pride. While Stephanie didn't care what people thought of her outward appearance she cared very much about what people thought of her 'inward appearance.'
It was why she found it so hard to grovel, to swallow her pride or bear any slight to her dignity. Why she had told Seneca she would rather die than give herself to someone like him. And why she incidentally found the fact that Tain thought she was a murderer so hard to bear.
Tain sighed again, clearly wrestling with some decision.
"But then Slena really doesn't seem like the type of person to lose it so completely either, if she didn't have some reason to at least suspect…you of having something to do with her cousin's murder," Tain reasoned pragmatically.
Stephanie swallowed, feeling her faintness sink its claws deeper into her.
Tain looked suddenly concerned as he stepped forward, "are you alright?"
Stephanie sucked in a deep breath as the mist clung to the bare skin of her shoulders and arms.
What could she possibly tell Tain that would prove her innocence in Fas' murder without saying too much?
"Tain I swear to you I had nothing to do with Fas Clearwater's murder," Stephanie managed to get out.
Tain frowned deeply, "well what about all that stuff Slena was saying after the guards had restrained her…?"
Stephanie grasped the rail tighter, her knuckles white with the pressure as her breaths shortened painfully and her vision swam again.
"Look are you sure you're alright?" Tain said as he held out a hand worriedly.
Stephanie shook her head. She had fought off fainting before – she could damn well do it again!
"Slena had made a mistake," Stephanie panted out.
Tain dug his hands into the trouser pockets of his smart black tuxedo as he shifted uncomfortably.
"Seems a pretty big mistake to make; accusing someone of murder," he mumbled while Stephanie stared at him desperately.
She staggered then losing her footing on the slick metal and Tain gave a cry of surprise as he lurched forward to catch her before she could hit the floor.
"So the rumours are true - you really do faint," Tain mumbled disbelieving as he held her up.
Stephanie fought back the fainting. If ever there was a time to not show weakness it was damn well now! She pushed herself up, before she latched onto the rail again. A pained groan pushed past Stephanie's lips then as a sharp pain erupted in her chest as she fought back the fainting. Stephanie felt her breaths shorten until it felt like she was being suffocated and panic gripped her. She had never felt a crippling pain like this before with her fainting.
"Should I get help or what?" Tain asked, his pale gaunt face bathed in dappled bluish light swimming before her eyes.
Stephanie opened her mouth to speak but all that came out was an unintelligible grunt as she clutched at her chest. The necklace collar dug uncomfortably into her throat but she barely noticed it.
"HEY!"
Tain's head whipped around at the shout as Stephanie slumped further against the rail, unable to even lift her gaze.
She heard the sound of approaching footsteps running across the metal.
"I don't know what happened – she just…" Tain trailed off helplessly as he shifted Stephanie's weighted form over into another's arms.
Stephanie looked up already knowing, as Haymitch's grey eyes filled with concern gazed down at her.
Stephanie clung to Haymitch's blazer feeling tears sting at her eyes and pushing them back angrily.
"Go on," Haymitch barked gruffly at Tain.
Tain nodded, casting one last sceptical glance at Stephanie shuddering in Haymitch's arms.
However before he could pass them Stephanie's hand had shot out to grasp his wrist, stopping him, her golden gaze feverishly intense as she fixed it upon Tain.
"Tain I could never prove it to you, but…I swear on everything I hold precious that I didn't have anything to do with Fas' death."
Stephanie felt Haymitch tense at her words as Tain's pale blue eyes flitted over her face searchingly as though scouring for some semblance of a lie.
For once Stephanie was glad that she was a terrible actress, that her expression was always open and that she could rarely conceal what she was really thinking with any real success.
"Think about it – how on earth could Stephanie have killed Fas?" Haymitch asked pragmatically as he looked frankly at Tain, catching on swiftly.
Tain's gaze flicked to Haymitch as he stood straighter.
Stephanie's fingers slipped from Tain's wrist.
"I guess I have a lot to think about," Tain said enigmatically.
Then he spared Stephanie one last inscrutable look before he walked off without a glance back.