Princess of the Sea
By: CyanideMuffins7
Chapter 4: The Opening Ceremony
Author's Note: I enjoy the reviews and favorites I've been getting. But I hope you as my fellow readers will spread the word about my story. I wish to have more views and reviews, so I encourage you all to leave a review, or favorite or add my to you're story alerts. I would really appreciate it. Anyways, enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Hunger Games, the trilogy or any of the characters Suzanne Collins has created. I only take credit for the characters I have created and the plot I have made.
The woman with the yellow black spotted hair, Sala-M, plucked the tiny dark brown hair from my eyebrow. Then the dark colored man with white hair, Mek, and the cat woman, Katarina, yanked white strips of wax off my legs. Each strip removed the little hair I had from my skin.
"We're almost done!" Mek reassured as he slathered the wax on my knee then placed the white strip over it while Sala-M plucked another eyebrow hair.
It felt like they've been at this for hours, only removing the unnecessary hair from my body. Although I wasn't quite the hairy character, I still had some. People from District 4 usually don't have a lot of unnecessary hair since we're skilled swimmers. But it's a tedious and painful task.
When they first saw my body, they were horrified by the dirt I refused to clean my skin and the dried mud on my feet. Even these strange people could smell the wet sand and sea air I bring. Mek then yanked the strip off my knee, and my body was completely rid of the unnecessary hair. My skin was left to feel completely sensitive to even the lightest touch. My prep team then escorted me to the large washroom where they put me in a large porcelain tub. The chemicals were burning my skin after the hours of hair removal. Mek was scrubbing down the mud from my feet with his talon hands while Katarina was scrubbing my hair with her claw hands. Mek and Katarina were handling my sensitive skin with their oddly sharp hands while Sala-M was scrubbing the rest of my body with her regular hands. I had to be perfectly clean in order for my stylist to come as my Prep Team claims. They continued with their banter of the other stylist, Atris, and her new hairstyle. Then Mek then went on a long banter about my hair. My Prep team just loved my hair and everything about it, especially the color.
I've been told I look a lot like my mother and Ian with the same colored hair except my mother's hair leaned more toward the peach color. We've also been complimented with beauty as well. My mother was actually the talk of District 4 in her days. Every boy was in love with my mother, but the only man she had her eye on was Dad. How they ended up together, I'll never know.
Once I was rid of the smell of home, they dried my hair and body off and began on my nails. All they did was coat a glistening polish on it to make it look decent. Once they were done doing their job, they observed their work carefully. Mek then fanned his face.
"I think we did a great job, didn't we ladies?" Mek said to his colleagues with a grand smile. Katarina nodded in agreement while Sala-M just kept looking at me like I was plain, "But that will be up to Nex when he comes." Mek and Katarina still act ecstatic as they dragged Sala-M out of the room to retrieve Nex.
I have no opinion on my prep team, yet. When they first saw me, they were horrified, but I guess they took it as a challenge. When they took a look at their work, Sala-M wasn't sure if their work would impress my stylist, Nex. I wonder how Hei is going through his Prep team and Atris. Hei is probably giving his Prep team a hard time or his team and stylist are probably bowing before him.
"Hmm…" I turn around to see a young looking man with pale skin and black hair that reached to his lower back with the tips being dark blue. He wore a black jacket, collared shirt and black trousers with dark blue at the end. His face looked actually attractive although I couldn't really tell if he altered his face or not.
"I'm Nex, your stylist." He mentioned with an atmospheric yet hallow tone. Even though this man looked handsome, he kind of gave off a distilled vibe about him. I can tell he's going to be added to my list, right after my Prep Team. He nods over to the silk robe that the Prep Team had made me keep putting on and taking off. I immediately put it on to secure my now flawless body. "Do you usually style District 4?" I decide to ask to make some conversation.
Nex shakes his head, "I was stuck being the stylist for District Two, but once I heard there was an opening for a new stylist for District four, I jumped right in."
I remember Valentine used to talk about District Two's costumes for a while. She loved how they painted the two tributes to look like statues. I always thought that was crazy though, and that was each year. So I guess Nex was to blame for that. So what is he going to do to me? Dress me in mast robes or see through nets with the fish still on it? I would prefer the robes over the nets if he can read my mind.
"District Two was actually-" I began until Nex cut me off, "No need to sugar coat things. Two wasn't much of a challenge. The people were too, statuesque." Well he's in luck. I'm a piece of work.
Nex then led me into another room, designed white from the floor to the ceiling. He had me take a seat on a cream velvet couch while he began to prepare me. It was a while until Nex was finished dressing me. I wore dark blue tights wearing a thin light blue and amethyst layered dress with the skirt split open to show off the dark blue tights that stretched on the floor. Nex gently tilted my chin up side, to side. He then put my makeup on and had me put on clear boots. I felt like I was wearing barely anything. The dress was thin as well as the tights. If anything I felt like I shouldn't be wearing this. That was when my Prep team made it worse as they came in and gasped.
"We just saw the other District 4 tribute right now, he looks stunning!" Katarina said as she jumped up and down with glee, "And now Pandora is just stunning." Mek chimed in. "Love the earthy makeup." Sala-M added with a light smile. I might look stunning, but I don't like the feeling of dresses. I hate the breeze that goes under the dress and the feeling of it on my legs. It's uncomfortable.
Nex and my Prep team accompanied me to the glass elevator where I was sent all the way down to the stables where I met back up with Hei. He wore essentially the same thing as me, except he wasn't wearing a dress, although that would have made me laugh in these times. But he wore a light blue coat with dark blue trousers with clear heel less boots. He then looked at me then I looked away. We were then led to our Chariot that was pure white with blue swirly designs on it while it was being led by four snow white horses. We enter in the chariot and waited, stood side by side and a little too close for my enjoyment.
Once the District 3 chariot went out, we were right after them. It was surprisingly cold outside and I could feel it nipping at my legs and my bare arms. But people were applauding when we came out. District 4 was quite a popular District among the Capitol. We do get privileges that many of the other Districts don't, but some still can't afford it and live the poor part of the District, like I do. I could see everyone was looking at us, even the cameras. I did what I had done at the station, and not even crack a smile. I just casually look at the audience with this look and they went wild. I didn't expect being myself would impress the audience so much or maybe it was the costume that Nex and Atris had Hei and I wear. I quickly glance over to Hei to see he was only doing that half smile thing he does whenever he sees me in pain. My eyes then went back to the crowd.
The line of chariots made it all the way to the City Center where the chariots circle around while President Snow gave his speech to all of Panem. I felt like I was back in the Square of the Justice building where Iza would give her long speech. Boring…Throughout his entire speech, I retained myself from yawning until he was finished and we reached the stables of the Training Center. We boarded off, relieved that standing awkwardly next to Hei was over. Both of our Prep Teams approached us while they complimented us about our spectacular show.
Hei's Prep Team looked a lot like any other person from the Capitol. They wore vibrant colored wigs and odd clothes. But by the way they were talking to him, they seemed a little scared. I guess Finnick is right; he pretty much already sells the psycho bit.
Sala-M, Mek and Katarina all approach me and went nuts. They complimented how I looked at the crowd, at the President and the cameras, they called my look fierce. When I act like myself, I'm fierce? Strange, I guess that's another reason why people never talked to me. I probably scared everyone whenever I looked at them.
All of the Districts were escorted into the elevators where it would take us to our own private level in the center. We only had to wait three levels until we reached Level four. Once the elevator had stopped, Iza and Finnick were waiting for us. Iza only complimented us on how we were able to look presentable, and that was it. She showed us to our rooms and told us when dinner was.
My room looked even grander than the room on the train. It was so spacious, the bed was practically across the room while the dresser was all the way to the right and the bathroom was to the left.
"Hello..." I say to hear a slight echo through the room. A smile spread across my face, but I make it quickly fade. No smiles, not here. Although the echo was funny. I walk over to the dresser to get myself out of my costume. I spot an outfit that accommodated my regular wardrobe. I took out a gray long sleeved shirt with dark jeans and leather boots. I had to walk all the way to the bed and undress, then got dressed. I left my costume on the bed and headed to bathroom where I washed off the makeup. To my surprise, there wasn't a lot. Nex only had put little on my cheeks and my eyes, but kept my lips untouched. Nex didn't do such a bad job, with the makeup and costume. But I don't know him enough to trust him, in fact there's no one here I can really trust. Anyone I could trust was left back home.
I kept looking in the mirror to sink it all in. I'm in the Games, in the Capitol, where I would be spending my last days in luxury. But I'm not the only one, and I've never been. I wonder if Finnick had thought about this when he was in the Games? I wonder if Evan and Ian thought about it too. Were my brothers thinking about their demise and their possible last days? It's too hard to think about Evan and Ian now. But it's not hard to think about home, and my promise I made to Dad and Valentine. My eyes fixated where my necklace should be. It's gone.
My whole body freezes like I've been in an icy cave. Did I leave it with the clothes I wore in the Remake Center? Did one of my Prep team thought it was junk and threw it away? Suddenly I hear a knock on the door following Iza's voice, summoning me to dinner. Maybe Nex or my Prep team will be there, and I can ask them about it. I leave my room and head over to the dining room. Again, I'm the last one to show up which is weird since I left pretty much after Iza called me.
I sit down at the long dining table, now inbetween Finnick and Iza and across from Hei and his stylist Atris then Nex. This was the first time I ever saw Atris. She looked like the opposite of Nex. Instead of black, she wore white even her hair was as white as snow.
"So everyone just loved You two. They couldn't stop staring!" Iza complimented as the Avoxs came in with the plates of food. They gifted us with beef stew, goose stuffed with brown rice, an orange thick sauce for the goose and more dishes that are too overwhelming. I decide to sample one of everything since it all looks so delicious. Iza then begins to blab about what the other Tributes came in as and what they wearing, but I tuned her out after a while since I wasn't very interested in the Tributes stylists. I'm pretty sure no one was. I have to wait for about five days until I'm thrown into the arena. Until then, I have to hear Iza's rantings.
"Speaking of Sponsors, I actually have a few who are considering sponsoring the two of you." Finnick added into Iza's rant. I guess it's reassuring that we actually have a few Sponsors already to give us gifts in the arena. But I know only having a few, means we probably only have two or three, and we could probably get more if we continue to intrigue them.
I look over to Atris and Nex once Iza continued talking. Nex pretty much kept a straight face all through dinner and Atris was too meek to speak. They both seemed to be tuning Iza out like myself. I look over to Hei, and he seemed to be bored as well. Finnick was only adding in things once in a while to the rant, but I guess no one was listening to Iza. He also cared to add that Hei and I work out before and after our training session and the Training Center to build up our muscles for the arena. That was pretty much all I listened.
"Nex and Atris, you did such great work with these two. I never could imagine something beautiful can come out." Iza said trying to nudge the two stylists to speak. Atris kept her head down and smiled lightly followed by a quiet thank you while Nex said nothing. I cared to notice that Iza was slightly glaring at Nex before she began to talk about what she had heard about the other Tributes again.
Once our plates were taken away, I decided not to stick around for dessert and slipped out of the dining cart and head to bed. I just wanted to get away from everyone really. I'm still invisible to everyone, so I guess no one will notice that I'm gone. I slip out of my clothes and dress in the nightgown that was in the dresser. I slipped under the plush covers of the bed and laid my head on the pillow. There was no one I could trust… Iza can never shut up, I don't know Finnick well enough, I've always hated Hei and I just met Nex. I guess having no one to trust is better right? If you die they won't shed a tear. But right now, I really need someone to be with right now. Someone I can trust. If Valentine were here, I would feel more comfortable and I could tell her how I feel about everyone. But if she was here, I would be pitted against her in the arena. The moment Valentine dies, my life would be over.
I then realized, I would have to be fighting Hei, the dangerous psycho.