Pandora's Box || Coriolanus Snow

Prologue

Pandora - 3rd Person

When the letter came in the mail, her heart stopped. Her older brother, Sejanus, was to be hanged the next morning on account of treason against the Capitol. Ma's wails were tuned out by the sound of her own breathing—ceaseless, heavy, and rapid. The world spun, her body felt cold. She hadn't felt this way since the reaping of the District 2 tributes for the 5th Hunger Games, both of which were her close friends when she and her family had lived there. They both died, just like Sejanus was about to.

In the background of her panic, she could hear her father yelling curses and the sound of his feet as he loudly paced the floor. Nothing felt real. It was all too much. It had to be a dream, right? Sejanus was passionate about his loyalty to the districts, yes, but he'd never go as far as to commit treason. How could he help if he was dead? He was impulsive, but not impulsive enough to get himself executed. Not after almost getting himself and Coriolanus killed in the arena.

Coriolanus. He was with Coriolanus in 12. She knew because Ma had sent countless baked goods to their unit. Suddenly her thoughts went to him. How awful it would be for him to have to see his best friend hanged. They were always attached at the hip. Where one went, the other followed. Pandora knew that her brother's friend was good with words, she had seen it when he advertised Lucy Gray to the Capitol. He had managed to convince nearly everyone that she was anything but District, and it was an injustice that she was seen as such. Maybe he talk Sejanus out of this situation.

    She knew it was impossible, and she was right. The next week they were informed that Sejanus was dead. Ma cried some more, her father yelled, and she hid away in her sibling's room, trying to hold onto what was left of him. She tried not to think about his lifeless body, the fear he must have felt, the way that no one could spread the bread crumbs on his corpse. He'd be so hungry in the afterlife. So so hungry.

Tigris Snow was the first to offer her condolences, which was hardly a surprise. Her and her Grandma'am sent bundles of roses from their garden and their well wishes. For other Capitol families, that wouldn't seem like much, but from the Snows that was truly them giving their best. Clemensia Dovecote, her closest friend at the academy, wrote her letter after letter asking if she was okay. She'd occasionally come to visit the Plinth's, the two of them sitting on the floor of Sejanus' room, the only sound being Pandora's sobs. It seemed that neither of the two girls were allowed mercy this year, given Clemensia's "flu" the month prior.

    It wasn't long before Coriolanus returned from District 12. His duties as a Peacekeeper had officially ended, and he made an effort to hush any rumors that had spread regarding his absence. In his words, he simply wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, but had realized that he could do more help in the Capitol than he could in the slums of 12.

    Shortly after his arrival, her father had called him to their estate to discuss matters regarding his schooling. Strabo had decided that his Academy education would be funded by the Plinth family, and he would be offered board in their home. The Plinths had practically agreed to sponsor the Snows in every manner they could. How else could they possibly repay the closest friend of their dear Sejanus?

    One day, while meandering the halls of the estate, Coriolanus finally was able to catch Pandora alone. Yes, they had dined at the same table for months now, but the two hadn't spoken since he visited during the 10th Hunger Games. Pandora attempted to merely greet him with a soft smile and a nod but the Snow boy stopped her before she could walk past.

    "Pandora," he flashed a charming smile as he spoke, "I thought you were supposed to be at the Dovecotes today."

    She forced a smile, not in the slightest mood to hold a conversation, "Yes well, something came up," she said briefly.

    "I apologize, I haven't had the chance to offer my condolences to you yet," he said, his face softening, "I know how close you and Sejanus were. He was like a brother to me as well."

    Something about his words made her blood boil. Like a brother was very different from him and Sejanus actually being brothers. Besides, she knew the way he spoke of him to the other Academy students in the two's graduating class. Believe me, he's not my friend, he would say, as if having a friend as kind and gentle as her brother was a death sentence. She tried to maintain composure, but that was proving to be difficult.

    "Well, I'm sure he would have been glad to hear that," she spoke, hoping that her anger wasn't obvious, "Have a good day Coriolanus."

    As she walked away she could feel him staring back at her. In that moment she knew she would have to make every possible effort to avoid him during his stay, and he knew that he once again had a Plinth Prize that he needed to win.