Eva's reflection glinted off the steel walls, throwing her cold breath back at her as she tried to take slower breaths. She stood next in line behind another girl she didn't know. She wasn't use to the outfit she wore now, even for her royalty status.
Her torso was covered in bright red material, and there were no straps to hold up the sweetheart top of her dress. She wondered why her dresser even decided on something without straps with no bosom to hold it up. She was constantly trying to make sure the dress didn't fall too low and always fidgeting with the top to pull it up a bit more every time she felt a small breeze.
The skirt of her dress matched that vibrant red color of her torso half, and elegant golden accents were added in a way that made her feel like a warrior queen instead of a princess of a small kingdom. The dress hugged her slightly around the hips but had an a-line figure to it. The front split a little down the middle like a curtain to reveal a dazzling gold fabric underneath. The back fell down to her mid calf while the front stopped right above her knees. The red split off like a tail coat to the sides of the golden fabric.
Her hair was pulled upwards into what she thought was a wild mess. To these high class people it might have looked like a popular hairstyle that only the victims of the games would wear. Her hair couldn't even be described it was so complex, but it was braided in some areas to make it look like she was wearing a crown of jewels while 22 karat gold ribbons were strung through it beautifully. A little bit of her hair was left to hang perfectly curled below the mess on her head and to rest on her neck.
Right now the hair was sticking to her neck with sweat as she waited nervously. She began chewing on her lip, only to be warned by the all too familiar clicking noise her stylist made when she was doing something wrong.
"And now ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the one and only Beauty of the Games, Eva Bella of Allendora!"
A breath of air raced past her lips and down her throat, drying it nearly instantly. Her mouth followed suit and dried up as she fought to calm down. She closed her eyes, gave a slow, deep breath before taking the step towards the stage. Her golden sandals touched the stage steps and she felt a shudder race up her spine. For a moment she thought about running, but then again she remembered the last person who tried to run.
Quickly she tried to shake those thoughts from her mind, making her way into the blinding lights of the stage. The crowd roared to life, and she nearly froze. She tried to convince herself that the sweat on her palms was from the lights burning themselves into the them as she tried hopelessly to defend her pale eyes from their glares.
In the glare of the lights she could see the presidents peering down at her with amused smiles. Each one looked like they were enjoying themselves. Did it ever occur to them that this was wrong? Sending young people, the future of their 'perfect world' to their deaths? Of course Eva didn't understand what would make someone so cruel, but there was nothing she could do.
Eva made her way over to a chair that sat next to Caspian Willams. The chair was soft as she sat down, and she wished she could sit there instead of going through these dreadful games of theirs. She looked out at the crowd, seeing every pair of eyes watching her ever move. She let a large amount of saliva slip down her throat as she tried to calm herself. Under their gaze she felt like prey to these horrid beasts.
"So Eva, how do you feel about being entered in the games?" The first question rang off the walls, and the crowd was silent. Eva felt as if these creatures were hanging onto her every word even before she spoke. She turned her eyes on Caspian and cleared her throat.
"Caspian I'm appalled." Eva gave her best smile, knowing all eyes were on her. She saw the small shock in Caspian's eyes but he also continued to wear his own smile.
"Have you ever been ripped away from your home? Ever forced to chose between the love for your family and the love for your friends?" Eva saw her 'mentor' quickly waving her hands from backstage. She made the motions that threatened Eva's own life if she continued speaking.
"Well looks like we have a spirited one here..." Caspian turned to the crowd and laughed with them before turning back to meet Eva's gaze wit ha stern one. "Now then, what do you expect from these games?"
Eva held his gaze with her own stern look. She didn't care what these people thought of her. She would speak her mind and make everyone understand these games are wrong. She painted a smile on her face, hoping it wouldn't crack.
"I expect you people to learn a thing or two. Maybe even learn that this is wrong." The crowd began whispering, sounding like the waves of an ocean. Caspian cleared his throat, beginning to look a little nervous about this interview.
"Do you see yourself being the victor of these games?" Eva saw his adam's apple move up and down and the lights shimmering against his forehead. She just continued to keep the best, innocent looking face she could. She learned how to wear this mask at a young age, and never knew it would come in handy.
"I'd prefer not to answer, next question Caspian." The crowd was beginning to get a little louder. She wondered what the Presidents were thinking right now. Caspian looked down at the paper that rested on the side table. He sighed and then looked back up at Eva.
"Why? I think we'd all love to hear what you think on this." He turned to the crowd and made a wide gesture towards them, showing who he meant when he say 'we'. Eva sighed, seeing she couldn't avoid the question if she wanted sponsors.
"I'm going in for a reason. If I die, and my message survives then I am the victor. If I survive and my message is covered in jewels and blood, then I've lost." She never heard the crowd so quiet before. She could feel the Presidents giving her glares, but she stood strong on her ground.
"If you can't win these games, who would you like to win them?" The crowd was so quiet, Eva thought she was the only one in the room. She looked out at them, mostly to assure herself they were still there. She gave them all the look her mother would call the Queen's Dare.
"I wish them all dead if they let you beasts get inside their heads." Without another word she got up. The crowd erupted and Caspian watched her as she walked off stage. Eva didn't look at the others as she left. She didn't want to see the looks her fellow royals were giving her. She didn't expect them to like what she had said.
The guards came to her side, escorting her to the side exit. Her mentor was yelling at her about sponsors and how she'd never get them now. What she didn't know was that Eva was talented in a little more than just reading. She would prove herself to these sponsor when she needed to.
She threw the pebble, and she created waves in the ocean.
