𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗮 ♛ ꜱᴇᴊᴀɴᴜꜱ ᴘʟɪɴᴛʜ

♛𝘁𝘄𝗼♛

Aurelia swung the door to the apartment complex open wide so that both siblings could fit through side by side.  In front of them laid the Corso, the main avenue in the Capitol, where many of the most prestigious families in the Capitol resided.  For this exact reason, this area was one of the hardest hit during the war.  Piles of ash and fallen rubble still littered the street, causing the twins have to swerve around slabs of granite still to this day.  

It was odd that the rubble was still there.  The Capitol was in good economic status currently, at least much better than it was in during the war.  They could easily clear all of the stone away if they wanted to.  Perhaps the stone was a reminder, just like the Hunger Games, of the war.  People had to remember, otherwise they'd fall back into the same situation and all of the suffering and fighting would blow up all over again.  People are stupid, they just forget.

Aurelia would never forget.  Not as long as she lived, she wouldn't forget the day her father didn't return, the books they had to burn for even the slightest scrap of heat, the secret stashes of cabbage hidden where nobody would even think to look.  The hunger so crippling she could barely even leave her bed most days.  Her mother getting sick, dying.  Her and her brother getting sick, surviving.  The unending suffering constant, daily, weekly, monthly.

The girl felt a small nudge on the side of her arm, it was Coriolanus motioning for her to slow down.  It was unbearably warm out today, being the fourth of July, and her twin was wearing a long sleeved cotton shirt.  Aurelia was lucky, as uncomfortable as her dress was, her arms and legs were allowed to breathe.  They matched steps as they made their way towards the Academy.

The Academy was prestigious, educating the children of the wealthy and influential, the children who were going to do something in this world.  The connections made at the Academy were going to be very helpful for Coriolanus to gain a political standing.  The connections made at the Academy were going to be very helpful for Aurelia to figure out who was going to be influential and, well, marry them.  

The colossal staircase led right up to the main building of the Academy.  A steady stream of people made their way inside, and the twins made their way up slowly and in a dignified manner.  Everyone had known their parents, and if not their parents, their grandparents, so they had to present themselves at the standard that was expected.  Chin up, shoulders back, stand tall, step carefully, no glancing around.  Eyes straight ahead, move at the same pace your brother does.  Who knew there could be so much to do while walking?

This was more important for Coriolanus than Aurelia.  To make it anywhere, he had to go to the University, which, unlike the Academy, was not free.  The Snows obviously could not afford that, so he needed a prize to cover his tuition.  The best way to gain enough recognition for a prize that large was to mentor the winning tribute in the Games.

Maybe it was horrible, but Aurelia wanted to win instead.  She had never been noticed for anything, always been overlooked in favor of her brother.  If she got the prize, she could go to the University and make something of herself, instead of living as a housewife to a man she only somewhat likes and raising his children.

But that was nonsense.  If she got the prize, the money would be given to her brother anyway.  Their grandmother would never let Aurelia go to the University, not in a million years.  Better to just accept her fate and not be disappointed later on.

The rules for the Games were quite simple.  Twenty-four tributes, a boy and a girl from each of the twelve districts.  They fight to the death, the winner is bathed in riches.  The tributes are dumped in the Capitol Arena with some weapons.  Many people avoided watching, and that was the biggest issue.  The Gamemakers' job was to make them more enjoyable and engaging.

This was the reasoning behind the mentors.  Nobody really knew what this consisted of yet, but potentially an interview of some sort.  The pairs of tribute and mentor were currently being eaten up by the Capitol citizens.

Finally, the twins entered the Heavensbee Hall, where the reaping ceremonies would be shown.  There were already crowds of people, some Aurelia recognized, some she didn't.  Students, Academy employees, and even some officials conversed with others around the room.  The twins gave each other a look, Aurelia muttering, "Are we sticking together?"  Coriolanus glanced around the room, then nodded, thinking that perhaps this was the best idea for the moment.  

An Avox offered the Snows glasses of posca, a watery wine laced with herbs that made many people act a fool.  They both took a glass, but only took one sip to rid themselves of any remaining traces of cabbage.  Cabbage was the lowest class food you can get, and Capitol citizens constantly hunt for any trace of someone poorer than them.  One wrong move, even a tiny one, could result in all their cover being blown and all their status being lost.

Aurelia trailed behind her brother as he turned on his charm, complimenting everyone that he even knew a little.  She offered polite, shy smiles, just as she was taught.  She wasn't supposed to talk a lot, that was her brother's job.  

She picked up her pace the smallest bit, falling into step beside her brother.  They made their way up onto the dais, towards a group crowded around Satyria, the teacher who had campaigned for the twins as mentors.  Coriolanus was Satyria's teaching aide, but Aurelia was another favorite of hers.  She was visibly ahead of them on the drinking side, but she was quite entertaining at times, not too uptight like some other professors.  

After briefly conversing with Coriolanus, Satyria turned to Aurelia.  Recognition flickered through her eyes, before she blinked it away.  But still it returned, the posca likely inhibiting her senses. Satyria spoke the next statement to Aurelia's brother. 

"Coriolanus, how nice of you to bring your mother.  I haven't seen her in so long," 

♛

that last sentence was so heartbreaking to write im cryingggg

anyways im so sorry about not posting a chapter in like a week and a half! the only writing occupying my time currently is school :( im graduating in about a month and a half so everythings getting a lot more intense!

hope you guys enjoyed!

also QOTC: do you prefer writing in first or third person? and do you prefer reading in first or third person? why?

take care of yourselves loves and have a great day/night :)

-jess