𝔞𝔪𝔭𝔥𝔦𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔢 ✩ 𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔫𝔦𝔠𝔨 𝔬𝔡𝔞𝔦𝔯

1 0

CHAPTER TEN

✩ ✩ ✩

Odelya's tribute parade was quite of an outer worldly experience and seemed to be rather a blue. Once the carriage had taken off at a natural pace, the adoring crowd gathered in the streets of the Capitol to see the newest tributes as they made their way to the President's mansion in the City Circle.

Cheering her name and throwing flowers in her path, the Capitol applauded their newfound Siren - despite all the unpleasantness which surrounded the Hunger Games, Odelya was never one to shy away from the spotlight. She seemed to relatively enjoy the attention.

Yet, all of a sudden, the parade was over and their beautiful ornate carriage pulled up at the Training Centre. She was saddened really, to have to leave her moment in the sun, but all enjoyable things must come to an end.

At least their arrival was greeted by a different form of sunlight, Finnick Odair. He seemed to be wholly impressed with their performance durning the parade, this validation cause Odelya's heart to smile.

"Congratulations, Dely," Finnick said as he helped his tribute down from her chariot and pulled her into a hug, "The Capitol adores their Siren, but you'll always be my mermaid."

"Thank you, Finn," she smiled in return. Something strange always seemed to flutter in the golden boys stomach at the way hit name sounded upon her rosy lips. "Apollo did wonderfully as well."

Finnick rather reluctantly pulled away from Odelya's embrace to offer his congratulations to the older boy.

"Glad you took the time out of your busy schedule to watch," Apollo snarked.

Apollo seemed to have a sense of annoyance regarding their mentor which would come to hold no bounds. The reasons for such a grudge were unbeknownst to Odelya, perhaps it was because Finnick survived and Melody didn't? Whatever the reason, he would soon push it too far with the jokes regarding the Capitol's women and discover Finnick's wrath.

Odelya wasn't too fond of the time Finnick spent with the enemy, but unlike Apollo she did not take it as a personal insult or a diminishing of their friendship. She was very much aware the Finnick was hiding something regarding the time he spent elsewhere to his home in Four and previous events dictate that she was not to push the subject.

So, in a way of diffusing the slight tension which filled the air, Odelya asked, "Where'd Mags? Is she alright?"

"She is waiting for us upstairs," Finnick placed his arm around her waist and guided her towards a rather spectacular lift, "She wasn't feeling too well this morning, I told her to get some rest."

As the three now stood inside of a crystal encrusted lift, Finnick gently pressed the button engraved with a large number, 4, representing both the level of the quarters and their District.

Perhaps travelling at an even greater speed than that of the train which delivered them to such a modernist world, they reached their respective floor before Odelya could even process what was happening.

Opening into a luxurious suite, Odelya stepped first out of said life, still with  Finnick's arm wrapped around her waist, careful not to trip over her elegant dress and she made eye contact with the fragile, elderly victor who had previously been sat upon a velvet couch.

After picking up merely a few phrases of sign language through the time he had spent on the train with Mags, Apollo managed to understand the congratulatory message of which was delivered to both himself and Odelya without any need for translation.

In response, Apollo gave a thankful smile, but Odelya removed Finnick's arm from its comfort point so she could stride over the room to embrace her mentor in a comforting hug. After only knowing the woman for a mere day and a half, Odelya had already connected with her on such a deep level and the concept of Mags not being at full health worried her terribly.

Mags then encourage them to go and find more comfortable clothes to change into before the Avox's brought up their dinner. Odelya decided with a smile to deny Finnick's offer of assistance regarding this matter.

The bedroom was quite literally the most stunning room she had seen so far in her duration of time in the Capitol: Plush pillows covered a king sized bed, line with sheets of the very softest silk.

A wardrobe hung in the corner, which could be programmed to contain any clothes that Odelya so desired, but the item that most caught her attention was her reaping dress hanging there, taunting her.

Picking up the cotton dress, she traced the pretty bluebells and periwinkles of which were embroidered upon it, as she lifted it closer to her heart, she could still smell the ocean breeze which filled her home.

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes as she remembered home and her Mama who she so desperately missed. Instead of dressing in a more comfortable ensemble, such as Mags had suggested, she slipped into her reaping dress - which comforted her in a whole different sense.

Entering the bathroom, she carefully rinsed her face, removing the extravagant makeup of which Selene has spent such delicate hours on. Odelya brushed her hair back, in attempt to remove some of the excessive products that had been used to create the slicked back appearance.

Once all undertakings had been complete, she returned to the shared quarters, of where her mentors, stylists, escort and district partner were sat at the dining table, being served a delicious meal.

A rich lamb stew was their dinner, which was a rich delicacy and warmed her from the inside out. She was careful though, not to spill any on her Mama's beloved dress, for it would resurrect the woman just to cause her a heart attack and send her back to the depths of the oceans floor.

Finnick and Mags began then to describe the other tributes and the impression the had formed upon the Capitol's people. Apparently, as surprising as it were to hear, District Eleven had made the greatest impact other than themselves and they would go by the names of Blaise and Clementine.

The former being the very same age as Odelya and the latter being just a year younger. Unlike the careers, they had not been trained at a state of the art academy since their childhood, however their best qualities combined would create two deadly warriors.

"What about the little girl from Twelve?" Odelya asked, as the girl had been weighing on her mind since the beginning of the parade.

"Florence Abernathy," Finnick answered, "Such a dreadful story. I heard that her twelfth birthday was the day of the reaping. She is being mentored by her father, of whom is the only family she has."

Florence having the same birthday as Melody and Orion seemed to shatter her heart into a thousands pieces for reasons currently unbeknownst to her.

✩ ✩ ✩

Please vote, comment and share.

I love you to the stars.