𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 || 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒏𝒐𝒘

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

"𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒋𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒔
𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒅, 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒔"

                                            -𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂
_______________________________________

The dinner was just as Ismene expected. She'd attended dozens of dinners for family alliances.
They were extremely boring and this one was no exception. All you had to do was nod and smile nicely, tell how the food is great at least once at every course as if not the cooks have made it and always agree with the host. Ismene, as someone thinking of the games as an unnecesary cruelty, she could never say what she was really thinking.

"And how do you like the University, Ismene?" Asked Strabo Plinth, looking at the girl expectantly.

Isme knew that he didn't actually care, it was just polite to ask.
"It is spectacular. The way it's built, and the chandeliers, just beautiful. And I think the education is also very fine."

"Oh, yes. I saw it too and it really is magnificent." He smiled and nodded, agreeing.

"Isme is also top of the class, too. She can't beat me, though." Coriolanus said jokingly and flashed Ismene a smirk, who was sitting next to her.

It was true and it annoyed the girl sometimes. She was a perfectionists and always wanted to beat him.

"That can change anytime, Coriolanus." She smirked back at him.

Since she arrived, she haven't seen a single picture of Sejanus. It was like he never existed. Of course, she suspected that they wouldn't want to be associated with a rebel but he was still their son and they must have loved him. Maybe they had pictures in their bedroom where nobody could see. But they didn't even look like they were grieving, which was unusual because they lost their son just a few months ago. It made her feel sick that somebody could be forgotten so easily just beacuse he commited a crime. She wondered if she did the same, would her parents act like they never had a daughter at all?

"Excuse me, can I use the restroom?"
She asked polietly. She felt the need to just get away from these people.

"I'll show her." Coriolanus stood up before anyone could answer. He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her through the hallway.
"Is everything alright?" He asked when they were out of hearing range.

"I don't think so." She then stopped suddenly to face him.
"It feels so wrong that Sejanus was just forgotten. Like they don't look like a couple who lost their son just a few months ago. And there no pictures of him, I'm assuming you live in his room now. How does thta feel like, Coryo? He was your best friend after all." Ismene said, whispering so nobody could hear her.

"Look, Isme I know you were fond of him but he was a rebel and commited a very serious crime, I know it, I was there." Coriolanus really didn't want her to ask about Sejanus. If she found out that his decision led to his death she would probably hate her and he  couldn't have that.

"And? Don't you miss him? Not even a little?" She couldn't believe that Coriolanus was being so indifferent. She couldn't understand how could he not care at all about his friends death and live in his room like it was always his?

"This is not the time to discuss, Isme. We should go back, it's already been too long." He offered his arm and waited for her to take it so they could go back to the dining room.

"I'm not going back now, Coriolanus. I need a break from pretending that everything is alright. That is why I excused myself and did not ask you to come with me. Go back if you want to."Ismene turned around and locked herself into the bathroom.

Coriolanus clenched his jaw. Why did she had to be so stubborn? Her behaviour was going to get her marked as a rebel. She was not like this when he left for the districts. He also did not like the fact that she wouldn't listen to him, that he couldn't control her. He invited her so she'd make a good impression on the Plinth family but she was doing the opposite now.