OUR FOREST OF THORNS | tbosas ✔️

022 || A Lover's Wrath

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO -        A Lover's Wrath ..

______________________

          She had only ever tuned in to watching the Games once before, an unpleasant experience that had her swear off ever attempting to see reason in the most outrageously idiotic gambit taken by the Capitol against the Districts. That day, Daphne had broken her vow.

"I have to hand it to Dr. Gaul and all the rest," she sighed from her laying position on the whole of the backseat, a position she otherwise chose to let herself get into only to release some of the pain accumulated in her lower back and her shoulders; the lack of sleep had accentuated her every strain ten fold. "Associating the Capitol elite with these nobody's certainly grew the interest of the more intellectual audience, who would have otherwise been appalled from the get-go to see that poor fellow hanging from the roof in the center of the arena. Tsk! Was he District 2? I can't remember. But Coryo's tribute is still alive. As far as we know. Which is good."

"Are you going to donate, ma'am?" Thaddeus looked at her through the rear mirror, notcing that Daphne had been so hypnotized by watching the passing streetlights from down there that she had forgotten she was ranting to someone, and not just to herself.

"How would she be able to receive sustenance if she's hiding?" Daphne responded with an inquiry. "Wouldn't Coryo sending her anything at all be a death sentence to a girl whose only strategy is to wait this whole charade out? I'm not sending her anything, Thaddeus. All that money will simply go into the government pockets in the end. So much food and water wasted to prolong some stupid games. If they were getting the provisions to people without a death sentence hanging over their heads under the question of luck, perhaps I would have donated. I am sure Albert is going head over heels supporting the Games with betting this year," she couldn't help but roll her eyes. She wasn't looking forward to seeing him again, as though she found ways to conceal the bruise on her cheek, it was still there and it still hurt.

Alas, she relished in the fact that she won't have to deal with Albert just yet — tonight, she was going to sleep well, next to Coriolanus. Her aches echoed in unison, not giving a damn about whether or not she wished to admit that she craved that comfort they had the last time they shared the bed. Her exhaustion awakened enough lack of reason in her to even have her consider perhaps getting a little closer to him this time too, instead of sleeping on the edge of the bed; after all, she justified that thought bordering some unholy intentions, he is comfortable.

Thankfully, her dignity was granted the mercy of circumstance. Arriving before the Snow home and feeling the car come to a stop prompted Daphne to sit up and make sure she still looked and smelled presentable, despite the long day of work and the road that had occurred in between this moment and the shower she took before departing from District 2.

Only after deeming herself appropriate did Daphne finally confirm for Thaddeus that he ought to wait there, as the last time. She couldn't deny it, the second she knocked on Coryo's door, her heart ached with a craving claiming to be ancient though its demand's very nature went only as far back as the last time she came knocking at his door in the night. Just as undeniable though was the fact that once the door was promptly opened by Tigris, Daphne's heart sunk a little. She had hoped that, by having promised to wait for her, he would be the one to open the door.

"You just missed him," Tigris hung onto the door, her gentle palm holding on the outside of it while half her figure remained hidden in the shadow of the home, shielded thus from the chill traversing the street. She had chosen to skip past the formalities of a greeting, not for the lack of manners, but for the pounding headache that kept on forcing her to swallow yawns.