Fierce and Beautiful / Cato Hadley

02 ▬▬▬▬▬▬ white rose

"What a cute little house. So quaint, isn't it?" Effie then claims, her eyes inspecting the place as she paces around, the clinking of her sharp heels echoing through the walls. "Of course, you've heard about Cinna?"

This sentence spikes my interest and my worry at the same time, and, during the flicker of a second, I imagine the worst. "What happened to Cinna?" I reply hurriedly.

"Oh dear, he's a fashion star. You're his muse. Everyone in the Capitol's wearing him. Everyone." she explains dramatically. I let out a breath of relief, having let my subconscious picture the beginning of Snow's revenge.

"Well, not everyone." I pick up someone murmuring from behind Effie, and I waste no time in flinging myself into Cinna's arms as he materialises himself. My grin is genuine as I burry my head in the crook his neck. His presence is enough to calm me down, to let the tension that was jumbled up inside of me get replaced by pure contempt.

"Jade?" my sister softly calls out from the far end of the hallway, tightly holding Buttercup against her chest.

"Jade, is this your sister?" Octavia quizzes, and all I can manage is a short nod as my crew hurries towards Prim in an instant.

"Are you okay?" Cinna whispers, as if he's able to catch the twinkle of worry that remains in my gaze.

"Yeah." I smile, as convincingly as possible, as I feel my stylists tightening my jacket, stroking my hair, preparing me for my public appearance in less than a few minutes. I breathe steadily, preparing myself mentally for the familiar whooshing and zooming of dozen of cameras. They're flashes projecting my image onto millions of screens, focusing onto every word that will slip out of my mouth.

Just as I'm about to cross the door, to face it all, my mother catches up to me with something cupped in her hands "For good luck," she says quickly, and I thank her as soon as my eyes land onto the mockingjay pin she places in my palms. Cinna quickly fixes it onto the corner of my coat.

Effie Trinket's nearby, clapping her hands. "Attention, everyone! We're about to do the first outdoor shot, where the victors greet each other at the beginning of their marvelous trip. All right, Jade, big smile, you're very excited, right?" I don't exaggerate when I say she shoves me out the door.

As soon as my feet crunch against the outdoor snow laying onto the steps and the cool air strikes my face, my lips quirk up into a huge grin, and, nearly subconsciously, my hand shoots up and starts waving at all the screens offering a reflection of my figure.

From the corner of my eye, I'm able to make out Haymitch stumbling out of his own house, somewhat dressed and ready. Thankfully, he'll accompany me on the Tour, being the only Victor of 12 left, my only possible support through it all.

"There she is! Our golden girl, our beautiful Victor, our fierce winner! The girl on fire." Caesar exclaims from the Capitol, his voice travelling miles to seep out of the speakers. Haymitch's presence goes practically unnoticed, his fame having died out after all these years. I manage a laugh as the cameras fly away.

"Wonderful! Everybody in motion, we are out of here in 10!" Effie directs from the corner of the garden, her wig whooshing in the wind.

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It never fails to surprise me how smooth the train ride feels, considering its incredible rapidness. I sit back in my chair as Effie goes on about all the commodities I will be offered as the newest Victor. Yet, only one thing stays clawed at the back of my mind, making it impossible to react to any of Effie's words.

"Fabulous food, fabulous wine, the massages, spa treatments nothing but the best for my best Victor." she rants, her eyes peering at the ceiling, as if she was already imagining all the favours this trip could bring.