Corruption of Ambition | Sejanus Plinth

Fourteen

By nine the next morning the students were once again gathered on the front steps of the Academy. The pre funeral coverage started two hours earlier so their chatter was kept to a minimum as they sat grieving two classmates this time.

Originally it was expected that Coriolanus would once again get on stage to start the procession with the national anthem, but when he appeared on stage it was in holographic form. The graphics were crisp and seeing him up there singing with such authority showed how he was starting to resemble the late General Snow more and more with each day.

The efforts were doubled for the twins' funeral in comparison to Arachne's  just less than a week prior. Double the banners and double the peacekeepers, with so much more words of praise coming from their peers. It seemed fitting, the twins may have never been close with Riyana, but they just had a quality that made them friends with everyone.

When the service came to an end and the students were released, Riyana turned towards Sejanus. "Are you still coming tonight?"

Sejanus took a moment to respond, seemingly more affected by the twins' death than Arachne's. When he turned towards her she saw he had not been crying but his jaw was clenched and his eyes were glossed over. The tension in his jaw subsided almost completely when he looked at her.

"Planned on it, what time should I pick you up?" He asked.

"What are you talking about?" Riyana asked, her confusion spreading to Sejanus.

"For the dinner, I thought we were going together." Sejanus responded.

Riyanas eyes widened, "Oh, no, well yes together. I have to be with my family though. I assumed you'd just come over beforehand."

Sejanus' eyes widened for just a moment, but the surprise was wiped away by the time he blinked. "Oh, okay."

"You don't have to come, if that's weird for you. I honestly don't even know why Beatrice invited you in the first place."

Sejanus' eyebrows furrowed slightly as he asked hesitantly, "Do you not want me to go?"

Riyana quickly shook her head, "No, I want you there. I just don't want you going because you feel pressured to do so."

"Don't worry, I want to be there, I want to be with you." He assured her.

Riyana could feel the blush creeping on her cheeks so she quickly cleared her throat and rose to her feet. "I'll see you tonight then." She said quickly, hurrying to hide her rosy cheeks.

When Riyana ran into the living room later that night, searching desperately for the bracelet she seemed to have misplaced, she seemed to have interrupted a rather awkward conversation.

"Sejanus, You're here!" Riyana exclaimed, leaning in to hug him until she heard her father clear his throat.

Riyana stiffened and stood up straighter than she had been before. "I'm sorry for the interruption. I seem to have misplaced my bracelet, could I borrow Sejanus to help me look?"

"Me and him were having an important talk, Riyana." Her father said, his patience for her already running thin.

"Oh but what could be so important, really my outfit will be dreadful without the bracelet to pull it all together." She said, just trying to get herself and Sejanus out of this conversation.

"If you must know," Her father started, looking directly at Sejanus. "I was letting your date here know how he should act to maintain this family's stature, well what will be left of it after arriving at this event with a district savage." 

Riyana's eyes widened and she turned towards Sejanus with wide eyes but he just shook his head, telling her not to interfere. She ignored him.

"Don't call him that. He grew up here, just alongside us." Riyana said, using all of her willpower to keep her voice at a steady volume.