Former First Lady Janan Gosselin

The pre Reaping party for the Capitol elite had always made Janan somewhat worried. Why she worried, she wasn't completely sure. Or at least unwilling to admit to herself. She banished the thought from her mind, knowing it was irrelevant, only worth considering later. Still, she worried. More, now that her husband was dead and gone.

There were people she hadn't seen in months. Whilst her freedom had increased after she had accepted Ms. Mirage's offer, she was still blocked from private communication with so many of her family member and friends. Including one who she knew would be here tonight. Janan took another sip of her drink and glanced around the room. Not in this room, she thought. She knew that somewhere at this party was the woman she had missed the most in her isolation.

"Looking for me?" Janan turned her head to see Aphrodite watching her.

"As a matter of fact, I am." The two looked at each other. Janan wanted to hug her, to apologise for not communicating for so long, but there were too many people who would see. She knew they'd be watching. The rumour mill would have plenty of stories about her disappearance from public life, she didn't need more circulating. Best to let them think they'd seen each other since the funeral. She knew Aphrodite would be thinking something similar. They always were similar.

"Have you tried any of the food yet?" Aphrodite asked her.

"Not yet."

"It shouldn't be missed."

"Then why don't we go and get some?" Janan suggested. Let's get out of this room. Let's find somewhere we can talk. She hoped Aphrodite had understood.

The two women moved through the crowds of people into a room that was just as crowded, with maybe even more people. They kept moving, past the food tables, towards a large display of shrubbery in the corner. Where is she taking me? Aphrodite looked around and then pulled Janan behind the plants.

"Hiding behind plants isn't going to cut it." she hissed at Aphrodite, who ignored her, looked around and then disappeared around the corner of the wall. Janan quickly followed her, and then the wall closed behind her. A secret room. Perfect.

"How did you know this was here?" she asked her.

"How didn't you? You're the one who lived here for years on end." Aphrodite was right. How did she not know that?

"It doesn't matter."

"You're right. What's been happening for the last few months?"

"Durante locked me up. The Head Gamemaker got me out on the condition I work with her."

"Mirage helped you?" Aphrodite seemed incredulous.

"Yeah. Why, is that strange or-"

"Yes. Have you not seen how she reacts when asked about your family?"

"How does she react?"

Aphrodite shook her head. "Ask her yourself."

What was Aphrodite saying? Maybe she's up to something. Maybe she knows. No. That was impossible, Janan knew that. She knew that she could think about that later, for now she had only a short time to talk unmonitored with Aphrodite. "What's been happening since I've been gone?"

"Not much. New trends, of course. There was a short-lived scandal about Durante's brother. Something about him having deserted the peacekeepers. It wasn't true, but it damaged Durante's reputation."

Durante's reputation was damaged. Could that help her? Could that help someone else gain power? She'd have to watch, wait and see. There was time. After the Games, there'd be many more opportunities for that. For now, they needed to get back to the party, or someone would notice. They probably already had. If she didn't return soon, there would be trouble with someone. Someone would be angry. Probably Durante, or the Head Peacekeeper.

"Thanks. We should go back."

"Yeah. Let's go."

An hour and a half later, Janan found herself questioning her decision to talk with Marielle Noschese, one of Durante's advisors who seemed to have gotten a little too drunk. Marielle was laughing constantly, and was getting the pair some odd looks from others at the party. Although, she supposed, people already thought of her differently because of the past few months. One interaction with Marielle wasn't worth worrying about.

"And so I was telling hi- oh! Felicia! There you are." Janan took advantage of the distraction to slip away. Marielle didn't seem to notice her disappearance when Janan looked back, seeing her deep in conversation with another woman.

Janan wanted to leave, but at the same time she didn't want to go back to her surveillance. She wanted to stay around all the people she hadn't seen in months, she wanted to forget that the past few months had happened. But that couldn't happen. She wouldn't, couldn't, forget without forgetting something important. Information she needed. Who knew if she could trust the Head Gamemaker, or anyone else? Being able to wait and see was a luxury she didn't have.

She stood still and unmoving as the party whirled around her, and as midnight drew closer and closer, she began to dread the next day more and more. The Reaping was coming. The Games were coming. Who knew if she'd still be useful after they ended. Maybe for the Victory tour, but what then? And what of the time in between? Janan started to move through the crowd, finding herself in a seat in a corner. She watched as the crowd became silent, and as the President appeared in front of the crowd.

As Durante began to speak, Janan found herself tuning out even as she tried to listen. She was only able to catch the final words:

"Tomorrow we shall see which brave souls will join us in the coming days. Until I see you all again, Happy Hunger Games!"

There was a loud cheer from the crowd, and the people began to mill around each other once again. As Janan watched them, she became aware someone was watching her, it was more obvious now. A new observer, maybe. This was how her next days would be. Watched by all, more obviously as time went by. People knew who she was, they'd want to know about her life and what happened to her.

Yes, Durante, she thought, Happy Hunger Games indeed.

A/N

Hello everyone! So, this is the final prologue, and introductions will begin shortly. The cast list can be found on my profile. The next chapter will likely be put up on the 19th May, where we will meet some of our tributes for the first time.

SnowSymphony