HEART OF GOLD | CORIOLANUS SNOW

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 15

Snow's perceptiveness had stunned Lilith, but only because it had been an accurate interpretation of her rationale.

"Exactly, sir," she said, feeling a small smile of delight forming, and watched Snow watch her.

His expression was inscrutable. The only thing she could definitively say he was was intense. The way his eyes bored into hers; the way his irises were blue, like the water in the lake on an extremely good day. So intensely blue...

"Thank you, Miss Gold," said Snow, rather abruptly, and Lilith hoped her start hadn't been too conspicuous. He had straightened up, his folded hands propped up on elbows rested upon the table top. "It's an idealistic plan you've got there. I'd like to know what inspired you. Surely there's a plethora of methodologies for promoting fairness. Why stylists and mentors in particular?"

"I got the idea from my little brother, actually," admitted Lilith. "He has a pet named Lady—she's a cocker spaniel. The first time he entered her into a dog show, he didn't do his research. He didn't know there were specific tasks to accomplish and hadn't trained her for it. But due to her exceptional grooming and the fancy costume he'd put her in, she earned such a high score in the pageant segment she placed fifth overall. This year, after a professional was engaged to coach her, Lady improved markedly in the agility and obedience events, which, combined with her gold medal in the beauty contest, won her the competition.

"To be sure, my brother had the privilege of learning by trial and error. The tributes, unfortunately, don't share his luxury. They only get one chance in the arena, and they have to make it count. Nobody can be expected to do on their own, though. Everyone needs a little help. Dogs have coaches; students have teachers; even the president has his advisors. Why shouldn't the tributes have mentors?"

"Why shouldn't they, indeed?" Snow's voice, like his face, betrayed no emotion. Lilith couldn't begin to fathom what he was thinking, but she couldn't dismiss the strange inkling of being mocked either. "What's in it for them?"

"I beg your pardon, sir?"

"The victors," said Snow. "Why should they do it? Are you going make them?"

Lilith blinked, appalled by the notion.

"I didn't think so. What's in it for them, then?" he asked again. "What do they get out of being a mentor?"

"They...they get honour," stammered Lilith, "and to see their tribute live."

After a moment Snow flipped over her paper, revealing an equally defaced second page, and began to read:

" 'To avoid potential conflict of interests, victors may only serve as mentors to their own district's tributes. Mentor-tribute pairings will be further governed by gender, with male victors charged with male tributes and so forth. For districts with more than one eligible mentor, the most recent victor will be honoured with the task. For districts with only one existing victor, or with victors of only a single gender, he or she will act as mentor for both male and female tributes for their district, until such time as the district gains a victor of the opposite gender. For districts without existing victors, tributes will nominate a parent or guardian to act as mentor, until such time as the district gains a victor.' "

Looking up from her essay, Snow continued, "You are recommending that some—most victors, really, be mentors to two tributes. And your reward for them is so that they may, and that is a big may in itself, see one of them survive?"

"I—" But the defense Lilith had hoped for never arrived.

In truth, she hadn't considered it from this aspect. To her, being a mentor was indeed a privilege. It would be an enviable role, a prime position from which people could help their fellow district citizens. In a theoretical world that had adopted her proposal, victors would be excited to join, thrilled by the prospect of being able to actually do something, rather than sitting idly in front of a television screen. Granted, only one wouldn't be disappointed with the results, but the point was that they'd at least tried, was it not?