The President's Hidden Legacy

(7) A President's Intervention

As he watched his wife sleep, he couldn't help but wonder about the choices that had led him to this point and the dreams he had willingly let slip away.

Coriolanus Snow, despite the lingering echoes of the dream, ultimately decided that dwelling on the past and longing for an alternate reality were futile endeavors. The world had forgotten about Lucy Gray, and he should too. He gently left the the bed, careful not to wake his sleeping wife.

He began to suit up, donning a red suit with his signature white rose. With practiced precision, he smoothed back his white curls. As he gazed at himself in the mirror, a sense of pride and determination filled his eyes.

"Coriolanus Snow, President of Panem, I salute you," he declared

Coriolanus Snow made his way to his office to begin planning the 23rd Hunger Games. Although he was no longer the head Gamemaker, his intelligence and experience were deemed invaluable, they were lucky to have him on their team. As he started brainstorming ideas for the upcoming Game, his train of thought was abruptly interrupted when his assistant burst into the room.

"President Snow! You need to hear this!"

He scoffed, "What's so important that it's worth interrupting me while I'm trying to come up with ideas?"

"Someone sneaked into District 12 from outside of Panem."

Coriolanus felt his heart stop. It couldn't be her—could it? The mention of someone entering District 12 from beyond Panem triggered a wave of unsettling thoughts, and he couldn't shake the possibility that the past he tried to bury might be resurfacing.

"Who is it?" Coriolanus demanded, his tone sharp with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity.

As the assistant provided more details, Coriolanus Snow felt a twinge of recognition at the description. The woman in her late twenties with brown curls struck a chord in his memory, and the uneasy feeling in his gut intensified. Could it really be Lucy Gray? The mere thought of her resurfacing from the shadows sent a chill down his spine.

Despite the years that had passed, the allure and danger Lucy Gray posed were still fresh in his mind.

In that tense moment, Coriolanus Snow knew that the ghosts of his past might be knocking at the door, and the consequences of her return could reshape the carefully constructed world he had built in Panem.

But then his assistant added one more thing The added information hit Coriolanus Snow like a thunderbolt. Lucy Gray not only returned, but she brought someone with her – a girl who might be her daughter.

"Her daughter?" Coriolanus Snow's voice betrayed a mixture of surprise and unease. "Are you certain?"

The assistant nodded, "Yes, sir. Witnesses mentioned they heard murmurs about a possible mother-daughter relationship."

Coriolanus Snow's emotions swirled in a tempest of anger and sadness as the news settled in. The mere suggestion that Lucy Gray might have had a daughter with someone else pierced through the meticulously constructed walls around his heart.

A surge of anger welled within him, fueled by a possessiveness he thought long extinguished. The notion that Lucy Gray might have built a life beyond him, with another man and a daughter, ignited a jealousy that he struggled to conceal.

The Assistant struggled to say one last thing, "They were ordered to have them hanged."

"What?!" Coriolanus Snow's reaction was immediate, shock and disbelief etched across his face. The Assistant, aware of the gravity of the situation, fidgeted in response.

In light of the shocking revelation, Coriolanus Snow, his initial disbelief turning into a mix of concern and determination, made a swift decision. He couldn't let them be hanged.

"Prepare the train. I need to go to District 12," he directed, a firm resolve in his voice. The Assistant nodded, understanding the gravity of the order, and hurriedly set in motion the preparations for the President's unexpected visit.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The hours in transit were filled with a quiet tension, each passing moment bringing Coriolanus Snow closer to the district he hadn't visited in years. The fields and familiar landmarks gradually emerged outside the train window, setting the stage for a reunion that held the promise of answers, yet also threatened to unearth buried secrets.

As the train rolled into the station, Coriolanus Snow took a deep breath, steeling himself for the complex web of emotions and challenges that lay ahead.

Coriolanus, anxiety gripping him, urgently approached the nearest peacekeeper. "What's the status? Where are they?" he inquired, his voice revealing a mix of desperation and determination.

"They're currently being walked to the Hanging Tree," the peacekeeper responded.

"What?!" Coriolanus couldn't believe the swift turn of events. Without wasting a moment, he started rushing towards the Hanging Tree, a haunting symbol of Panem's history and his own past.

As he arrived, the crowd thickening around the macabre spectacle, Coriolanus pushed himself through, determined to reach the heart of the gathering. At the edge of the crowd, he raised his eyes to catch a glimpse of a young girl with blonde hair, almost pure white, flowing in the wind. A jolt of recognition struck him, and for a fleeting moment, she reminded him of himself.

"What?" he thought, a momentary disorientation clouding his thoughts. He tore his gaze away, there she was – Lucy Gray, his first love, standing under the shadow of the Hanging Tree. The reunion unfolded in a surreal and unexpected setting, emotions swirling as Coriolanus faced the repercussions of his past actions.

As Coriolanus Snow's eyes darted to the officer's hand on the lever, a surge of panic overcame him. The realization of the imminent tragedy unfolding before him fueled an urgent instinct to intervene.

"STOP!" he shouted, the command echoing through the tense air.

"Pe-President Snow"

"I demand an immediate halt to this execution," Coriolanus Snow reiterated, his words carrying a sense of urgency and authority. The moment hung in suspense as those present processed the unexpected turn of events. The officer's hand on the lever remained frozen, and a palpable tension filled the air.