𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 * 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐒𝐍𝐎𝐖

𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄

Pushing the dark thought from his mind, he carefully folded her letter and placed it in his chest pocket with the ribbon. Taking the proper precautions to preserve the paper and its scent. The smell of her threatening to fade from him already. He wondered what she was doing back home, was she getting ready for commencement or was she mourning the loss of him? That was the only thing that kept him going on his journey to becoming a Peacekeeper, the idea of Venus spending her days and nights thinking of him.

A week had passed since the Hunger Games ended and Venus stood in her bedroom at the front of her wardrobe. Staring at the blush corseted gown that her Mother instructed the Avox to bring in from the shops. Since the beginning of Venus's last semester at the Academy, her Mother took her to get fitted for her commencement gown and have it embellished with rubies and pearls to demonstrate their wealth. She came from a long legacy of Academy graduates and a Hummingstill must look their best in the presence of the public on such a monumental occasion. The Capitol girl was obsessed with the fabric upon first glance and how it made her feel on top of the world, now, looking at it brought about no emotions.

Nothing about this felt right, she knew a piece of herself was missing and she would never get it back.

She had not heard from Coryo at all. Her stomach in knots pondering how he was doing and what District he had been assigned to. Venus was giving him time and space, this transition could not have been easy for him. Training was surely taking up a large amount of his time. She was certain that once her work with Dr. Gaul began that she could try and attempt to return to a normal life. She would have her hands full with assignments and duties to distract her from reality.

"Are you dressed yet, sweetheart?" Venus heard her mother knock on the door. "I have a gift for you."

The girl opened her bedroom doors, allowing her Mother's presence to interrupt her sulking. The woman took one look at her daughter before clapping her hands together happily. "Oh, Darling, you're so beautiful." She choked out, tears prickling the corners of her eyes.

"I'm just in my robe, Mother." Venus replied, unamused with her Mother's dramatics already beginning.

"It's just..." The woman sniffled, waving her hands over her face in effort to dry her tears. "Venus, this is the beginning of the rest of your life. The Academy loved you and I'm certain so will University. So many new opportunities await you that will set you up for success. New people, new friends, you'll meet your Husband during your studies--"

"I do not want to focus on the subject of emotions right now, please." She interrupted. Her Mother knew the bare minimum in regard to Coriolanus and his banishment. According to Venus, he felt so strongly connected to his Father that he wanted to follow in his footsteps. She never went in depth on how she felt about him, what was the point? He was now seen as less than in the eyes of the Capitol. "You said you had something for me?"

The woman pulled a small box from her pocket. The red and gold details catching Venus's attention immediately, the similarity to the gift she was given a week prior. Her Mother shoved it into her hands, anxiously awaiting her to open it. Venus opened the box, a bottle of perfume staring back at her with one delicate flower etched into the glass.

"It smells like roses." Her Mother nodded, proud in her gift giving and completely oblivious to the mental turmoil she added to. "Let me know if you like it, Honey, and I'll pick up more the next time I'm at the shops."

Venus licked her lips, speechless and nervous to even take a deep breath of the fragrance. Everything seemed to remind her of him and she was sick of it already. How was she going to continue the rest of her years this way? Would the thought of him ever get easier to handle?