Phoenix Rise

Chapter 2

Coping

Siobhan POV

When I got home, the first thing I saw was a bouquet of White roses on the mantel. Caution, I walked up to the silver vase and examine the roses. They were beautiful, however, they smelled different. As I picked up a bud and sniffed it. The first thing that comes up to mind was President Snow. I paused, putting the rose down. Before I grabbed the card that was written in red ink:

Congratulation on your Victory, Miss. Underwood, for I hope to see you soon. May you represent your District with Pride and express yourself.

Sincerely

President Coriolanus Snow

Read reading the letter, to realize what the letter was written. That I dropped it, hands trembling. I collapsed on the ground, with fear. The fragrance haunting, the scent of blood and roses. The note, written in blood. But the question is whose blood?

That was how Uncle Mark found me, after he returned from Haymitch.

"Siobhan!" he exclaimed in worry, as he knelt down taking my hand. "Are you hurt, did you fall?"

Ever since the Games, my condition was unpredictable. Doctors pronounced that my body was physically strained from the event. Body adaption towards my new prosthetic leg, but I didn't believe it. There was something wrong with me? The episodes of shaking, trembles, and such that I don't know what's causing it. Winning the games was already enough, emotionally and mentally, but the physically has taken its toe. Because of this, people like Uncle Mark, Gale, and The Everdeens been watching me. Waiting, when I would fall and can no longer get up.

". . . Yeah, spooked," I replied.

Uncle Mark hardly got the message, but helped me up, and led me towards my room. He didn't say much, told me how Haymitch almost gotten his head cut off. But that didn't matter, for when Mark was getting the bath settled. Another, rose was set on my nightstand, next to a picture of me and Gale. This rose was different compare to the others. It was a white rose bud with red tips, cased in a rosin vial that formed into a beautiful shape. I bit my lip, confused in what it meant.

Shaking my head, I went into the bathroom. The bath already set. So removing my clothes, I paused to stare at the prosthetic leg. Taking a deep breath, relaxing to the lavender scent, I grabbed the latch and disconnect. A shot of electricity, shock my body, as a whimper escape. It hurt; putting the damn thing on and off, it hurt so much. I wished they made an alteration, for this thing. Something without the technology, to make it realistic, but workable?

I sighed and lowered myself into the silk water. Mark must have added his special oils. We may live in riches, didn't stopped us from living our normal lives. Since winning the Game with Gale, all went swell, though people look at me strangely, some with fear. I lifted my hand, though cover in bubbles, they are stained red. Blood, nine and sevens blood; I sinked down lowered to drown the thought. Red, Foxy, I killed her too. By out-smarting the fox: Three, three by my hands. And when looking at a fox, you may see the wolf. Add ten, mutt, with the tributes genetically alter trait. Then Cato, I helped Gale killed him too.

Suddenly my chest hurt, that I grabbed it. Not again, not again. It hurt to think, in what I did in the games. To see how home, looks at me with wary and such. A girl from the teashop, who became a murderer. I killed to protect, I killed to survive, and I killed to live. But I couldn't protect, no, I failed as a guardian. Rue, the sweet little angel was dead. I promised I would protect her. That I would give my life so she could see her six younger siblings again. In the end, she died. She died, because . . . forget it.

"You two have to win," Rue's voice echoed. "For the three of us."

We did win, if only she won as well; after I sang to her to death. The only thing that keeps me from falling to depression was Gale. He was my sun, my light in the darkness. What keeps through the shadows and slowly but greatly? The hunter has snared my heart. Though, I wasn't ready to say those three words. With a deep breath, I dived down deep in the water washing tawny hair. Before I hear the commotion down stairs. Oh God, their back, my worst nightmares have returned. I was able to get out of the tub and put on a bathrobe when the door burst open to reveal my prep team. Privacy doesn't existed their vocabulary, I presumed; especially my body.

"Siobhan, your eyebrows!" Venia shrieked. Different from the last time I saw her. Having blue hair and golden tattoos. I groaned, why couldn't it be just Cinna? At least he doesn't over exaggerate on the simplest of thing.

Octavia came in and comfort Venia. "There, there. You can fix those in time. But what are we going to do with these nails?" As she grabbed my hand, to see them nails uneven on length. It was hard to keep nails even, since working in a teashop. But that was no excuse towards these Capitol women and their fashion. "Really, Siobhan, well at least you left me something to work with."

I should have just bitten my nails off, for kicks. Gale's rebellious moments, but I couldn't do that. Not since breaking my bad habit on biting nails. A torture, stunt Uncle Mark used that consisted of lemon juice and tape. I shrugged, grabbing the prosthetic leg and attached it. I bite my tongue, silencing a yelp as from the voltage shock. Hiding the pain I was in, in front of them. Not wanting them to know my suffering.

Soon Flavius came in examining a few strands of wet hair that reached to my mid-back now. He gave a sigh of relief, causing his ginger corkscrew locks to bounce. "At least, you kept to our request in letting your hair grow."

I stick my tongue at him. Flavius wasn't to please, when Gale cut my long hair during the games. Anyway, they kissed my cheek and started their torture in my room. Venia doing my eyebrows, Octavia vialing my names and Flavius brushing my hair. They talked about everything, from the games, to the capitol fashion, until they mention a certain topic that District 12 victors hate. The Quarter Quells.

"Isn't thrilling?"

"Don't you feel so lucky?"

"It's your very first year of being a victor; you get to be a mentor in a Quarter Quells!"

I didn't respond to them. The one thing I didn't consider of was being a mentor. Now, I can't walk around the school without the students to look at me as their mentor. Even the school physical education department, took it seriously. As they learn to be physically fit. However, it was the Seventy-fifth Hunger games, that shaken the country. The third Quarter Quells. An event of the Hunger Games, that there should be an anniversary to the defeat once in every twenty-five years. A sick twisted event. The first Quells consisted that the Districts voted their tributes, while the second quells was double the numbers.

Haymitch. I feel sorry for him, ever since winning the Game, I understand his stand point. Although, I worry for him this year. He was Victor of the 50th hunger games victor. And he experience thing that were far worse than I had alone ... Including my Cousin Maysilee, Mark told me, she and Haymitch team up in the games. But that was all the information I was given.

I wonder what this year's quells probably going to be. Probably all girls go in to the game, for women made the decision to rebel? The relationships of sibling enter the arena? No goodbye's to families? Triple the numbers? Its options are endless to figure out what the capitol ancestors decided on the Districts punishment. If they are generous, maybe they decided on altering the arena? Anyway, more children blood shall be spilled.

An hour altered, they were done pampering me, to look . . . Civilized. Though Flavius truly wanted to his signiture purple lipstick on me. I was glad; Cinna gave the command, of doing my head and hands. The only Capitol person, I could trust. We talked time to time on the phone, but other times, we would write letters, it made things more special. Especially his way of therapy. It was his idea that could help me cope this unexplainable pain I felt, that Mark or Gale couldn't ease. Anyway, Cinna wanted me to be more elegant not sexy. That what he did at the victory interview; for the girlish me died long ago. It was okay, since I'm lady like to the Capitol.

When Flavius was done, straightening my hair. I went down stairs to see Cinna, talking to Uncle Mark in the living room. It made me smile that they were getting along. Not many people do, when you mix District with Capitol. But Cinna was different compare to flamboyant people. For he wore his simple black clothes with the golden eyeliner around his eyes. We embraced, from the long time we been apart, to feel the safety from what's to come. Including my talent.

It's sort of mandatory for victors to express their talents. Since your victory, you don't need school, or work in the industry. Gale, doesn't have anything of a talent, unless if it comes to trapping. So the celebrity world targets me. Me and my tea making; thanks to Caesar, my family business sky rocketed through the roofs. Except tea that was made by me, is the most expansive of them all, practically cost $500 for a tea bag. But a quarter of the profit goes to two families in District 11. I also do other things as well, my sketches catches interest with Charcoal, Effie tried adding paints to my artistic. Do to camouflage skill, but liquid paints couldn't work? So I gave all the paints and canvases to Peeta. He was very artistic, that I sponsor his work to the Capitol with Effie help.

"Okay, where are they?" Cinna asked, excited to see my new sketched I made for him; since I also give ideal designs. I handed them to him to examine, nodding to approval. Before he tossed some clothes at me. "Get dress, you awful generous thing."

It was a compliment, since some of the designs I draw, Cinna uses for me. But I love Cinna works; it was like vice versa on both of us. Nodding, I put on some wool plant, a white cotton blouse with floral lace on the sleeves, a grey sweater, leather gloves and shoes. Cinna adjusted my appearances before fixing my necklace. The locket he gave me as he open it and the flower incantation played. He gave a small smile to it. I was his lady of fir with an earth soul. The locket was similar to Gale's pin that Madge gave him. It was a made out of three different type of gold: gold, white gold and rose gold to make a mockingjay that was on a compass I think. While inside was a music box and a small clock, and a picture. The picture I put in was the Hawthorne family and Uncle Mark.

Then Cinna whispered in my ears. "You'll have to explain your drawing when filming. Be yourself."

Then a pumpkin hair Effie entered. "We're on schedule."

I if not Mark couldn't help but laugh as for the orange wig. But it was cut off quick when the Camera crew came in. I went to one of the stands removing the silk fabric to exposed my latest art work. A charcoal sketching of Willow haven, during the games. Though hard to see in the tree's, was a shadow of Rue.

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Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

So you all know, Siobhan medallion locket cover, is like the one for Catching fire cover. Can you guess how it would be useful? Also, I alter thing around a bit. You see later on in the story. Thanks for reading a please leave a review and some ideas.

Silent wolf singer.