Pandora's Box || Coriolanus Snow

Chapter 1 - The Plinth Prize

Coriolanus Snow - 3rd Person

    Coriolanus woke up in a cold sweat. It was past three in the morning, and the halls of the Plinth estate were silent—a welcome noise considering what had awoken him from his deep sleep.

    This must have been the third time just this week that he had dreamt of Lucy Gray, those obnoxious mockingjays, and their collective, incessant singing. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Gaul, soon the sound of her name would be forgotten, but Gaul couldn't erase the songbird from the Snow boy's head. Her memory lived on with him. It was almost romantic. His tribute, his girl, only truly being known by him. What a high honor, he thought, to be remembered by a Snow.

Oh, but he knew she would have hated it. That ungrateful girl, always talking about how much she wanted to be "free". The irony in that was she could have been free, if only she hadn't tried to kill him in those woods. He would have made his way back to the Capitol, and ensured her safety back in twelve. She would have never had to travel north to escape from the vengeful mayor. He could have protected her, he could have kept her safe, but of course she couldn't hear him out. Poor little ghost girl. So impulsive, so arrogant.

    His time in 12 had proven quite useful. Unexpectedly, it had taught him the true meaning of the games. It had also allowed him to get rid of three thorns in his side, though he only intentionally gotten rid of one. It was true, sometimes he felt sorry for Sejanus and Lucy Gray, but in truth, the thought of Casca Highbottom lifeless in that chair made him smile. Snow Lands on Top.

Living with the Plinths was quite the experience. Given their sons behavior, he had expected much more talk of District 2, but it seemed as though the Plinths had officially forgotten their District life. Perhaps it was due to not wishing to be associated with their son's treason. Smart move.

    For three months now, he had dined at their table and laughed with Strabo in their living area. He ate Ma's pastries and wore clothes they had bought especially for him. It was almost as if everyone considered him one of their own. Everyone but Pandora.

He had only spoken to her one on one once since he had arrived. Her response to his condolences was curt. It was almost as if she knew what he had done, although that was impossible. That was just another one of him and Gaul's personal secrets. Her apparent disdain for him weighed on his mind almost as much as Lucy Gray's voice did. It fascinated him, and if course, was another example of things going exactly his way.

If he were to be President of Panem, he would need a first lady. Someone to have at his side through his campaign, someone to show the world that he was a family man of sorts. People loved that, especially in the Capitol. However, he couldn't marry for love. That was strictly out of the question. Love made him vulnerable. Lucy Gray had used that against him, and he couldn't become that weak again.

It was evident that, for whatever reason, Pandora Plinth hated him, and he was never too fond of her either. She was a year below him and Sejanus at the academy, and he always found her to be insufferable. The way she showed off her money with gem encrusted headbands, the manner in which she walked through the halls. She was the opposite of Sejanus in the worst way. She was proud of her status, which would have been good if she wasn't also proud of her Disrict heritage. She was like her brother if he had enough wit to not do things that would lead to inevitable death.

Of course, like Ma and Strabo, her talk of life in 2 subsided after Sejanus' execution, which made her much more tolerable. He didn't like her, but she was pretty, powerful, and wealthy, the three most important qualities for the wife of a President. Usually, her indifference towards him would be off-putting, but that was exactly what Coriolanus wanted. Yes, she would do quite well; the two would make a pretty pair.

    The only thing in his way was the extent of this indifference. It was true, she didn't seem reasonable enough to marry for convenience. She was idealistic like her brother, but she couldn't avoid him. He'd be at the Plinth estate throughout university, and it just so happened that he knew something that she didn't.

    Coriolanus frequently spoke to Strabo as if they were good friends. He gently squeezed the information he needed out of him during these conversations, and it just so happened that Pandora's father was keen on the idea of her marrying after her graduation. This made perfect sense. She was his only heir, and why wait? He had told Coriolanus that it was best to have a union quickly cemented so there would be less worry. What was good for Coriolanus was that Strabo adored him. Who better to marry his lovely daughter than himself?

    All he had to do was plant the idea in Strabo's head. He was soon to be the President of their country. Plus, Snow was likely the only bachelor whose name held more power than the Plinths, at least since his partnership with Gaul.

    This would be one of Coriolanus' best feats yet. Once again, Strabo Plinth had a prize he could hold over his head, and this time he knew how to win it. Pandora Snow, he thought, what a lovely name.

    Truly, Pandora was the perfect option. She had both of the qualities that he wished Lucy Gray had. For one, she couldn't make him weak, and on top of that, he'd always know where she was. A bird in a cage, or more ironically, Pandora in a box.

    Coriolanus opened the door of Strabo's study with a grin. As always, he greeted the man with respect and sat down loosely on the chair in front of his desk. He let the conversation run on long enough until he found the perfect place to interject.

    "Strabo," he said, "I have a question regarding your daughter."

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A/N: Hi! I hope the first chapter is enjoyable. If anyone is coming from the movie without having read the book, I hope that Snow's monologue isn't too much of a shock. I tried to stay true to the way he thought throughout the novel. I'm on holiday break so that's why I'm writing these so fast, but eventually I'm thinking of updating once a week.