Lucy Gray had never been so grateful to get to the Capitol, the journey by train in her maternity state was exhausting and disgusting.
The movement of the damn train caused her to vomit everything she ate. And at one point she started crying because she couldn't eat those delicious cupcakes because of the constant dizziness she had.
As she could, she began to speak with her tributes.
Ember and Kieran were elected by the same district.
She knows Ember as she often helps her to load the shopping to the Victor's Village. She was a pretty girl, but with very strong traits that gave her a masculine appearance, as an orphan, she began to work carrying coal bags, and as Lucy Gray was making donations to the Community House, the girl was properly fed.
And Kieran, he was the butcher's son, so he could see blood and viscera without having arcades or vomiting. He was a thick-contexted, centered boy.
Now I understood why they were chosen, not crying or panicking. The district had chosen its best options.
'And it is not as if I had a great desire to live,' said Ember in the middle of the dinner.
When they arrived they were welcomed by an assistant from the Capitol and Lucy Gray was surprised to see Tigris.
'What are you doing here?' asked Lucy Gray excitedly, and opened her arms.
Tigris laughed and despite Lucy Gray's big pregnant belly they gave each other a hug. After they separated, Tigris looked at her belly.
They all climbed into the designated vehicle to take them to the Tribute Center. Lucy Gray introduced Tigris to her guys, calling her, a dear friend
'You are evil,' said Tigris, 'you know the mess you have just got into? I'm gonna be District Twelve's stylist and I already had the dress ready, they're gonna make a interview the Mentors tonight."
"Will give me an interview?"
"Yes," replied Tigris, "and no one knew that you were pregnant. Now I had to make a new dress quickly. But first we'll leave your boys at the Tributes Center, you'll go to the medical department."
'Why?' asked Lucy Gray quickly, hugging her belly.
"The victors have their annual medical examinations, don't you remember?
'Oh yeah,' said Lucy Gray.
'Besides, you were the first victor to be pregnant,' explained Tigris, 'unless we count Garnet McCarthy. At least you seem to have a fruitful pregnancy."
Lucy Gray made a bit of sadness when she spoke of Garnet, the One's victor. She had won her games at seventeen five years ago, and it was no secret that McCarthy had had three miscarriages.
"The Capitol wants to see that everything is okay with you and your pregnancy."
"I understand."
Lucy Gray waved as she rubbed her belly.
• •
They made her put on a hospital coat.
They quickly weighed her, and a doctor known as Lysistrata Vickers, who was Jessup's mentor, genuinely congratulated her on her pregnancy.
Lucy Gray trembled when they put that cold gel in her belly.
'It is a healthy baby of thirty-four weeks,' smiled Dr. Vickers, 'a strong fetal beat, excellent weight, perfect size... In a few more weeks you will have a beautiful girl in your hands.'
'Is she a girl?' asked Lucy Gray excitedly.
'Yes, look,' the doctor turned the screen of the machine. Lucy Gray smiled when she saw her baby.
'We wanted it to be a surprise,' said Lucy Gray. 'Well, every pregnancy of the Twelve is a surprise to the end.'
'There is nothing to stop you from having a normal childbirth,' said the doctor, cleaning her belly. 'Do you have a trusted midwife in the District?
"Yes, Azalea Nightingale," replied Lucy Gray, "she is the daughter of the district apothecaries."
'Then everything is in order,' smiled the doctor.
• •
Coriolanus feel the betrayal to learn that Tigris was the one who made Lucy Gray's wedding dress.
When he went to dress her last year he saw her working on the dress, he never asked for who it was. He recalled that she had old family photographs, including his grandparents' wedding photo.
She mentioned the "Juliet Veil" that Grandma'am wore at her wedding and said it was perfect for this order.
Coriolanus saw the surveillance cameras of the tributary medical department. He was wearing a cream-colored dress with floral details on top of a white long-sleeved shirt. Without wasting time, he managed to obtain the information.
She was a little girl who grew up inside Lucy Gray.
After his appointment, he saw how the current fourteen victors gathered in a private room for lunch. The women quickly approached Lucy Gray, worshiping her, commenting on how radiant she looked.
Garnet McCarthy, the victor of District One, came out crying out of the room as soon as Lucy Gray entered.
Of course, all the Victors abstained from talking about their tributes, only comments of their lives.
Woof Casino, the victor of the Eight, asked about Lucy Gray's husband, all the others stopped eating to listen.
'...he's the kindest person I've ever met,' said Lucy Gray. "We met at one of my performances in the Hob. He invited me for a drink and took me out to dance."
Mags Flanagan added that the boy writes poetry.
"Why do you think Lucy Gray always leaves the Capitol with books?" said Flanagan.
"Mags!"
Lucy Gray put her hands on her cheeks, clearly blushed. Coriolanus whispered from his office.
A miner who thinks he's a poet.
That low fell Lucy Gray
• •
Coriolanus was in the room of his department watching the interview with the mentors. The order was from the newest victors to the oldest.
The victors of the first games up to the ninth were either dead or could never be found because they never carried a record of them to this point, which left Lucy Gray as the oldest victor of the Hunger Games.
Each of them played their roles well, demonstrating their commitment to the Capitol and Panem, willing to exercise their role of mentor with responsibility.
"...and as the last mentor of tonight," Lucky Flickerman announced, "the only and incomparable Lucy Gray Baird!"
Lucy Gray made her appearance on stage, everyone applauded to see her. Much whispered about her pregnancy, Lucy Gray graciously slipped through the stage, wearing a satin blue dress that highlighted her bulky belly and her big maternity breasts.
Her hair is much longer, brown waves falling from her back, highlighting an incomparable beauty.
'Lucy Gray, let me congratulate you on your baby,' said Lucky, sitting beside Lucy Grey, 'you look radiant."
'Thanks to you, Lucky,' smiled Lucy Gray, rubbing her belly.
"I have no word," Lucky began to say, "the whole Capitol has known you as that dramatic singer at the age of sixteen, but look now, a splendid woman soon to be a mother."
'These have been the best months of my life,' replied Lucy Gray. 'Moreover, I think that the Twelve Bakery has made great revenue because of my obsession with cupcakes these months."
"And tell me, dear Lucy Gray," Lucky said, "are you still Baird, or what is your name?"
'Now I am Mrs. Everdeen,' smiled Lucy Gray, raising her hand where she was carrying that simple wedding ring.
Coriolanus would have given him a ring with a big diamond. The interview continued with questions about the tribute of the Twelve, and Lucy Gray mentioned that she had hopes with both guys.
'...and changing the subject,' said Lucky, 'is he a boy and a girl?"
"I have just been informed that I am expecting a girl."
"A girl! How wonderful!" applause Lucky Flickerman "And we can only assure her that she will be as beautiful as you. And what names do you think of for your baby?"
"My husband and I already have the choices" commented Lucy Gray "We will follow the Covey family traditions. One name for a song and the other for a color... My husband suggested the name Jude for a girl, but the stars saved us. We pick the first names by drawing with papers in a bowl."
"And can you tell us what the name will be?"
'I want it to be a surprise, but I can tell you that her initials will be C.S. Everdeen,' smiled Lucy Gray, 'and as I know she is a little girl, I will bring a lot of beautiful clothes for my little girl and fortunately I will also bring a victor back to the Twelve.'
C.S. Everdeen.
It must have been a cruel joke for Coriolanus. Initials similar to him, must have been some sort of punishment of Lucy Gray.
Instead of being Everdeen, the name and blood of that baby that grew up inside Lucy Gray should be Snow.
He saw in the interview how Lucky helped Lucy Gray get up, gave her a playful kiss on her cheeks, thus ending the mentor interview.
Now, Coriolanus had to find a way to get the poison to Lucy Gray and cause the baby she was expecting to die.