Wild Heart
A/N: In this chapter, we will see the fallout between Katniss and Haymitch, as well as meeting an old friend. We will also catch a glimpse of a certain someone, with an interesting (albeit awkward) first meeting.
Setting: The chapter continues where the previous chapter left off.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
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Chapter 01
Don't you let it die…
(Katniss' POV)
Before he died, my father used to constantly remark about how I needed to quell my anger. I would not say that I am the chirpiest of people, but I do not feel that I am the most explosive individual either. I can admit that I might have a minute affinity for ire, but that is all that it is. I just like to think that I am a woman who does not tolerate foolishness. My tolerance has decreased exponentially since he and mother passed, but that is to be expected. How else would any child act after watching their father viciously torn apart in broad daylight?
They never truly discovered what caused the explosion, especially one at the entrance. A part of me has always felt that it was done on purpose, that for whatever reason, the Capitol felt it necessary to spew the blood and gore of a dozen loved ones upon the unfortunate friends and family that day. My mother never truly recovered, which is why she was not focused enough to realize that one of her patients would fly into a maddening rage and brutally murder her in front of her children. Luckily, Prim was only just coming of age then, old enough to know, but young enough to forget. I will never forget…
Seeing Haymitch, the one man that was supposed to watch over us but disappeared two months in, makes my blood boil. I do not even think as I shove past Effie and Caesar, angry tears streaming down my face. His eyes widen before I draw back and punch the ever-loving shit out of him. As he stumbles back into the wall, I grab the front of his pristinely-pressed blazer and slam his back into the wall. I can just barely hear Effie gasping in the background, sending Caesar to her desk for something or other. My entire attention becomes focused upon the drunken bastard in front of me…
"So this is where you have been hiding, huh! How lovely, Abernathy! Do you even know what Prim and I have been through?! Do you even care?! Give me one fucking reason why I should not rip your fucking throat out right now!" I roar, my emotions completely taking over. I know that I should be showing some restraint, but the image of Prim crying because she could not find 'Uncle Haymitch' refuses to allow me to…
"You ought to know, sweetheart, that I was no better suited to watch you two than that damn cat of yours!" he throws back. I laugh bitterly.
"And it never occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, you could have told someone else that you were fleeing?! I mean, you at least could have said something to Greasy Sae! Hell, I would have even taken perverted old Cray!" He simply looks away, too ashamed to actually meet my gaze.
A gunshot and a scream draw our attention.
"Effie!" we bark in unison. She giggles innocently while Caesar trembles slightly.
"Shit," she mutters lightly before lowering her arms, letting them hang limply on either side.
I let Haymitch drop to the floor before moving over to the rose-haired woman, taking the gun from her hand and placing it in my belt loop. I sigh as I feel Caesar wrap his arms around me again, whispering apologies softly into my ear. I can already tell that Caesar will be an integral part of my life here in the Capitol, as will Effie. I steel my resolve before gingerly extricating myself from the host's hold, patting him on his chest in thanks. He smiles sadly before wiping away my stray tears. I notice his makeup is running a bit…
"Caesar, please take Haymitch out of here. He and I will have a bit of a conversation later on. Katniss, come with me, please." I watch bitterly as Caesar grabs Haymitch by the arm and leads him out. I turn to find Effie moving towards a rather well-hidden pathway in the bookcase behind her desk. I jog to catch up to her.
As soon as I set foot into the corridor, I stop. An endless stretch of stained glass stands before me, calling me to walk these hallowed halls. Effie stands patiently as I walk slowly to the nearest pane, staring at the brightly-colored depictions. I have never been one for wonder and enchantment, but something about these vivid portraits calls out to me. My mother always commented on how I reminded her of days long gone, of a much darker era in Panem's history. As my fingers trace a crimson shard representing blood, I know immediately what I am gazing at…
"The Dark Days," I whisper quietly, letting my eyes rove the length of the hall. Effie is silent for a moment, probably gathering her thoughts.
"Not many people know that, actually. I must admit, given that you are a mere district citizen, I could not have guessed your knowledge on the subject," she states quietly.
"In school, we were told of the existence of that time, but never given any details. My father, however, he…he had an extensive collection of texts given to him by his father from the days of yore. I have read them all many, many times, especially after…" I let my voice drift off here, not really wanting to get into that, at the moment. After seeing Haymitch, I cannot bear thinking of my parents right about now.
"I cannot apologize enough for what he did to you and your sister, Katniss, really. You are safe here now, you have to know that," she says, letting her pale hand rest gently on my shoulder. I cover it with my own…
"Thanks," I say quietly before stepping away from the glass and moving along. Effie's hand never leaves my shoulder.
"So, let us get you to your Prep Team, and then we will head off to the Training Center where you will be spending the next month or so training for and learning about the Hunger Games." I nod slowly, my eyes remaining locked upon the beautiful glass on my left. I have a feeling that I will spend many hours here in the near future, an anxious yet unsettling feeling…
"Why am I going to see this Prep Team?" I ask somewhat distantly. She laughs lightly at my tone.
"In order to live here in the Capitol, you will have to look the part! And after darling little Primrose gets better, so will she!" she pipes excitedly. I roll my eyes, already dreading the tortuous hours of preening and prepping that I am going to have to endure until this is all over…
Great.
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"Oh, Effie, she is gorgeous!"
"Look at this hair, this skin, and these eyes! Beautiful!"
"Stunning, absolutely stunning! And very well kept, too!"
A deep growl threatens to rip from deep within my throat as the annoyingly chatty trio pokes and prods every inch of my robe-clad body. Effie is no better, though, boasting and giggling right along with them, inciting their continued praise and observance. I have been shorn, soaked, and slathered with shit for the last hour and a half. Back home, I always made sure to earn enough to keep Prim and I from looking like barbarians, but I have never in my life gone to this extent. I love my body, but have never offered any credence to that 'your body is a temple' bullshit…
I guess I will have to now.
I keep a tight smile plastered on my lips, not wanting them to see how much I abhor all of this. I fear that if they see it, they will only increase their level of annoyance tenfold. At that point, I will definitely stop giving a damn and start killing them all. Drawing in a sharp breath, I steel my nerves and remain quiet. After I win the Games, I will snatch up Prim and move to a quiet corner somewhere well hidden. I would love to simply move back to District Twelve, taking one of the homes in Victor's Village. Sadly, we would be no better off than we were before, only this time, in a bigger house with more money…
"I think it is customary to allow one to have breathing room, is it not?" All eyes shift to the owner of the calm, soothing voice of reason.
He is around medium height, dark-skinned, and dressed in a simple midnight blue suit with gold accents. Unlike the other three, he only wears gold eyeliner. He walks over to me, smiling apologetically before shooing off the others. He then begins to circle me, mentally taking note of every inch of my being. The huntress in me wants to grab the scissors to my left and start cleaving my way out, but I refrain. This man is not a beast, and I have no reason to fear harm as of yet. With Thread roaming around, I know that I am walking on borrowed time, but the rest of these people are of no threat so far…
I pray that that does not change.
"You are truly as gorgeous as they say, Ms. Everdeen. My name is Cinna, and I will be your stylist while you are here. A large part of the Games is getting sponsors, and a bulk of that comes from looking the part. I am here to make sure that you land as much aid as possible." I smile at him. We are going to have a strong partnership, Cinna and I.
"I appreciate it. Who knows, I may just keep you on after the Games," I comment offhandedly. We both snort at that.
"Oh? You planning on becoming a Career then, I take it." I roll my eyes while shaking my head.
The Careers are denizens of Districts One through Four, the luxury districts. Their people always volunteer for the Games, thirsting for the fame and glory that comes along with victory. Not only that, they often choose to compete again and again, only stopping once they are either far too old to participate or dead. It is rather ridiculous, in my honest opinion, but to each his or her own. I remember one year, and man in his seventies competed. He was one of the last ones to die; he was from District One.
"No way in Hell. So, how does this stylist situation work?" I ask curiously. He chuckles.
"I will either send for you or come to your room each morning. Now, for the most part, you will be responsible for the more menial tasks. I will choose what you wear and what makeup will be applied for the day. I have heard from Effie that you are quite the wild heart, so do please try to show some care for your looks. Your Prep Team will do all of the official prepping while I will come in and finish the rest." I nod, dread settling in comfortably.
"Will I have to go through all of this every morning?" I inquire bitterly. He shakes his head in reply.
"No. For the most part, you will not have to wear makeup since you will be primarily in training. Also, your clothing will be much simpler, very similar to what you had on today. I will only have to dress you extravagantly when you have events, meetings, or interviews. Since you have arrived so early, you will only have to be dressed two or three times."
We lapse into a comfortable silence, simply staring at one another. My eyes catch a few scars here and there along his face and neck. His skin is smooth and even otherwise, his gold-flecked green eyes shining brightly. He is beautiful in every sense of the word, something I never expected to ever say about any citizen of the Capitol. When he reaches his hand out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear, I learn that his skin is soft, although his fingers are somewhat roughened with small scars and callouses…
"So, what now?" I ask softly. He cocks his head to the side while offering me a gentle smile.
"Effie plans on taking you to the Training Center to get you all settled in, but I can promise you that she will arrange some type of meeting with the President before then. That is why I am going to dress you with a bit of…Capitol flare." I roll my eyes before sighing rather dramatically.
"Make it quick. If I have any time to doubt this, you will most definitely regret it." He laughs heartily.
"I would not expect any less from you, Katniss, any less…"
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I step hastily behind the retreating pink form, the seemingly tireless woman constantly chattering on about something or other. I am very fit, mind you, so to be out of breath trying to keep up with her is a feat never before seen. I am almost tempted to take off my high heel and throw it at her, but that would be rude. Also, I have actually come to care about her, regardless of how impossibly insufferable she is currently being. Drawing up the ends of my floor-length gown, I lightly jog after her to keep up.
Cinna dressed me in a deep chocolate halter-gown with crimson and gold accents, tightly curling my raven locks and letting them flow down my back. Matching makeup and headpiece complete the look, giving me a fiery yet commanding appeal. When he finally let me see myself in the mirror, I could do nothing but smile. Prim would be so proud of me, dressing all girly and whatnot. A frown mars my face, worry rearing its ugly head at the thought of my ailing sister. Effie promised me that she would be perfectly fine, but still…
Abruptly ending my sad internal reverie, I look up to find my escort nowhere in sight. Silently cursing myself, I turn and dart down the nearest hallway. All of the corridors look the same around this place, frustrating me. I walk briskly down various paths, peering into random doors as I journey up and down hallway after hallway. After what seems like an eternity, I stop, pinching the bridge of my nose to stop an oncoming headache. I lift my head, hoping to catch a whiff of her perfume, but come up empty-handed.
I turn to head off down yet another hall when something catches my eye.
Looking to my left, I notice the telltale reflection of water through a set of gilded double doors. Walking up to them, I push none-too gently. Irritated, I push a bit harder, thinking the doors stuck. There was not a single locked door on my journey here, so this is definitely puzzling, if not infuriating. My eyes roam the barriers slowly, looking for any lock…or sign of weakness. I smirk when I notice an almost imperceptible lock near the center of the right door. I pull one of the pins from my hair and easily pick the lock, grinning triumphantly as the door swings open.
I step inside, looking around curiously. The swimming pool encompasses almost the entirety of the room, with only a few benches jutting from along the walls on either side of the room. The ceiling is stained glass, just like the secret hallway leading Effie's office. This one depicts the ocean, perhaps during a storm as the waves are crashing rather angrily against some foreign shore. A lone figure stands in the center, a striking presence in the midst of tumultuous sea…
"There you are."
I whirl around, eyes darting quickly throughout the room. The acoustics in the room are horrible, causing the mysterious voice to reverberate dangerously. Even with my extremely sensitive hearing, I am not able to tell where the voice originates from. The feeling of a hand stroking my hair causes me to whirl around, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end when I only witness empty space. A deep laugh echoes around me, teasing and taunting. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot someone diving into the pristine blue below. When I turn to look, there is not even the slightest disturbance on the glassy surface.
I step back slowly, blood rushing through my veins as my heart pounds within my ears. My back stiffens as I feel a pair of arms wrap around my waist, a warm cheek pressing against my own. The smell of the sea wafts into my nostrils, pulling gently at something in the far reaches of my mind. I barely suppress a gasp as a large pair of hands begins to move slowly up my torso, stopping just below my breast before tugging me backwards sharply. I keep my eyes trained on the wall opposite me as my mind reels…
"I was beginning to think that you were going to stand me up yet again. Appointments are made so as to not be broken; they are not rules, after all," he says seductively as his lips tease my earlobe. For the first time in my life, I am rendered absolutely speechless and motionless.
It is not until his left hand begins to travel south do I come back to my senses.
My elbow is in his ribs quickly, freeing me from his grasp. I waste no time in kicking off a heel and throwing at his head…or where it should have been. Letting my instincts take hold, I quickly whirl around and toss the other across the room. It lodges itself in the wall, just barely missing my darting companion. I silently apologize to my beloved stylist before diving below in pursuit of my assailant. The water is unnaturally clear, every detail as clear as if on land. I slowly spin myself, my dress billowing out around me.
The feeling of a hand sliding up my thigh grabs my attention. Instead of turning, however, I reach behind me, grabbing ahold of thickly-muscled flesh. He whips around me effortlessly, large palms wrapping around my forearms. We move almost as if dancing, whirling in disconnected circles. I cut my eyes at him, but remain still. His unique, sea foam-hued irises peer determinedly…lustfully. He goes to pull me closer, but I swirl my body downwards, slipping easily from his grasp.
I dive deeper before curving upward abruptly, breaking the surface seconds later. I go to climb out, but slide back in as a hand grasps my ankle. I twist myself around a few times before attempting to safely 'beach' myself. I curse loudly as I spot a pair of golden feet. He effortlessly lifts me from the pool, tossing me unceremoniously onto the cool marble floor. All of the wind is knocked out of me at the unexpected impact. He drops to the floor fluidly, moving up my still form smoothly, almost serpent-like.
His face is just a few inches away from mine when everything goes black...
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Here are a few things to note in this chapter:
President Snow hides the truth of the Dark Days away from the general populace.
Cinna lives in the Capitol, but was born elsewhere.
He was not always a stylist, as his scars and callouses prove. This will be expanded upon later.
Haymitch abandoned Katniss and Prim for reasons to be revealed later.
He is an avid drinker. His alcoholism is due to his 'win' in the Coliseum.
Most Victors release their stylist and Prep Team after winning unless they are to participate again.
Tributes are responsible for garnering their own sponsors through socializing and whatnot.
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