The Hunger Games has been proven to test everyone's virtue, not just the young and unfortunate kids plucked from their districts and thrown into the arena. Venus Hummingstill has never cracked under pressure. Regardless of everything being stripped...
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The air in the room grew sickeningly thick with each shaky step that Venus took.
Heart thudding in her ears, she tried her damndest to listen in on what Dr. Gaul was saying to Coriolanus. The smirk on her face indicating that no trouble would be brought upon him, at least not yet. The longer that Venus did not hear her name she grew more and more sick to her stomach. Her lips growing pale as she felt like she was going to faint right there on the intricate marble flooring.
Dr. Gaul's rhymes faded as quick as they came. Her inquisitive nature poking his brain and wanting to know the truth in why he went into the cage with Lucy Gray. While Coryo said he didn't think his songbird had a chance in winning, the girl beside him knew he was lying through his teeth. His attitude at the Reaping and for the cameras was different, not because he had to play up the act, but because he believed it.
All Lucy Gray had to do was sing a song, prance around onstage and not even a day later she was close to him—his Grandma'am's white rose tucked behind her ear.
"You did not fall into a cage," Gaul stated matter of factly in the short girls direction. "why did you go to the Zoo?"
"To meet my tribute." Venus answered honestly. "How can I expect her to trust me if I don't make my presence known?"
Highbottom grunted. "Bold of you to believe that a child from the Districts would trust anyone in the Capitol."
"It worked for Coriolanus." She protested. If this was going to be her last few moments on Earth, she would surely get everything off her chest that she wanted. "Why couldn't it work for me, Dean Highbottom?"
Gaul chuckled darkly, a look of almost impression in her eyes as she waved of the Dean. "I understand you expressed a level of frustration yesterday at the Reaping, Venus," she began. "walk me through your change of heart from demanding a new tribute to following Coriolanus to the Zoo."
The statement was layered. Spoken in a code that only she understood. "I knew that this was the hand I was dealt." She replied quickly. "There was no changing it. No time for tears...it's just do or die." She said, eyes flickering between the Dean and Gaul. Letting them know she understood what was happening.
How desperately they both wanted her to fail.
"Be mindful of thinking with your heart over your head, Miss Hummingstill." Dean Highbottom said dryly.
"Very well, you're dismissed." Gaul shooed her away. "We have more pressing matters to discuss with Mr. Snow that you have no need being privy to."
Venus didn't need to be told twice to leave. Turning on her heel she shot a last look to Coriolanus, his striking gaze almost pleading with her not to leave him alone. A twinge of something plaguing her heart. He had broken more rules in his short time with Lucy Gray. Putting his safety at risk, meeting her at the platform, hijacking the narrative of Capitol news.
