Azalea Rose Willow loves three things above everything else:
summer, the only season that mattered in her mind.
singing, alongside the comforting embrace of her guitar.
but above all, the easy camaraderie with the boy who lives next door to her, and...
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The weight of her mother's final letter pressed heavy on Azalea's heart.
Gone was the naive picture of childbirth she'd held as the reason for her mother's absence.
Now, a brutal truth lay bare – a truth woven with love, sacrifice, and the cruel hand of the Capitol.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" she finally asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Tomas reached out, his hand hovering over hers for a moment before gently cupping it. "I...I protected you, Azalea. I didn't want you to grow up afraid, burdened by the Games. I wanted you to have a childhood, a semblance of normalcy."
"The Capitol is going to try everything to get me killed. Why should I even try to survive?"
Tomas nodded, his own eyes reflecting the pain of the past. "Life rarely feels fair, Azalea," he said gently. "But we can choose how to respond. We can succumb to bitterness, or we can fight back. Your mother fought for you, for our love."
He squeezed her hand. "And now, it's your turn to fight, not with weapons or violence, but with the strength that lives within you. You carry your mother's spirit, her love, her defiance. So her sacrifice wasn't in vain."
Azalea took a deep breath, trying to quell the storm of emotions churning within her. "Okay, for mom". A relieved smile spread across Tomas's face. He pulled her into another tight hug, the unspoken words hanging between them - they'd face this together.
He cleared his throat, then pulled back, his gaze serious. "Alright then, let's get to work."
So long for the father daughter moment. Azalea opened the book her dad handed her, its pages filled with meticulous notes and diagrams. Hours melted away as Tomas outlined the Games – past victors, common arena layouts, and the importance of sponsors.
"Now. We need to think of how you are going to present yourself the moment we arrive in the capitol. You'll be in the Capitol for weeks before the Games even begin. There will be interviews, parades, sponsors to impress. Every move, every gesture is scrutinized."
"Public perception, Azalea, is a vital weapon in the Games. It can earn you sponsors, sway the Gamemakers, and ultimately, secure your victory."
"The Games might be a twisted spectacle, but they are also a game. And you need to learn how to play it."
<3
Tomas watched the train doors slide open, his heart thundering in his chest. There she was, Azalea, his precious daughter, stepping off the train and into the glittering maw of the Capitol. He saw the practiced smile stretch across her face, a vibrant mask concealing the fear and determination he knew burned brightly in her eyes.
But his explanations had been limited, the true depths of his reasoning hidden for her own good. He couldn't burden her with the weight of his strategy, the cold calculations behind her performance. She was his daughter, his sunshine girl, and he wouldn't taint her spirit with the darkness that fueled his plan.
