❝ my only love sprung
from my only hate ❞
CHAPTER iii. ❛ broken anew ❜
EMERALD's POV
I could already hear the torturous sounds of hands clapping out the back of the white, rich mansion. Everywhere on the walls were fluorescent, neon coloured lights dancing in patterns. I had yet seen the known girl and boy from District 12. My mind was a blur of flashbacks from a few years back when I was 16 at my own ceremony.
I was surrounded by a bunch of freaks, capitol freaks. They were all fluttering around the dance floor with their abnormal freakish dresses. I leaned my arm onto a table with a glass of red wine in my opposite hand.
Here she comes, the gracious, extraordinary girl on fire. A puppet on the president's string.
I studied her outfit and face. She was smiling slightly, but her eyes showed me she was bored as fuck. Her outfit did look a bit odd, odder than normal capitol dresses. Her dress was in the shape of black flames that stuck to her body above her chest area, with red and dark blue feather-like fabric that covered each shoulder. She almost looked like a parrot.
Katniss was beautiful indeed, but I did not feel a single bit of jealousy or competition. I knew if it came down to both of us, the capitol would pick their jewel.
Katniss caught my eye as she walked towards her stylists, Peter's arm in hers. Fear and anger flickered in her eyes, then it was gone.
This is boring me to death.
I rolled my eyes in irritation and sipped the remnants of my wine.
I spotted a slightly overweight man in a black suit coming towards me. His dark grey/white hair was slicked back, he somewhat looked like Snow.
"Hello, Emerald. I'm Plutarch Heavensbee, Head Gamemaker. Its a delight to meet you."
"Can't say I feel the same. That's a heavy duty to replace though." I raised my eyebrows towards his plain face.
"I was more than happy to apply for it." He smiled a disgusting grin at me.
He looked rather familiar, like I once knew him. But I ignored it and said to him, "So, any clues you wanna say for the quarter quell this year?"
Anything he's willing to tell me, I'll take it so that I can have all the advice and help I can pass on to the two young persons who are to be reaped this year.
He chuckled "I would be more than happy to say if I could, but i'm afraid what will happen this year for the quarter quell is between the President and me. But, what I can say, is that I hope all your training has really paid off these years."
And with that, he was gone. What does that even mean? What is it that is coming? How is my training with bow and arrows relevant to the quarter quell? Whatever is was, I didn't want to know, nor do I care.
I looked towards Katniss and Peeta who were now talking to their escort during last year's games, Effie Trinket.
Was there a dress code for tonight or is everyone looking like a type of animal?
As Effie caught my eye over the crowd, I smiled softly at my thoughts before her face lit up towards me.
Effie was a sweet woman, always on time and a one hundred percent perfectionist. Her style was atrocious though, based on my opinion.
I smiled in her direction as she led the two victors over to me.
"Emerald! How lovely it is to see you again. You are looking just astonishing!" She exclaimed happily.
"Thank you, it's a pleasure to be here."
Not.
"I'm sure you know our two lovely victors of last year, Katniss, Peeta, this is Emerald Blythe. Victor of the-"
"65th Hunger Games. Yes, it was quite the rememberable games." Katniss interrupted, almost in a hurry to get this night over with.
"Quite a bloody and slaughtering games if I say so myself. Don't know how it would apply to you though, considering you were what, 7?" I hate the way she looks at me, as if she knows and thinks I took pleasure in killing all those innocent kids.
"Can I ask you something, Emerald?" She said, anger rising in her voice.
Fuck no.
"Go right ahead."
"Did you feel any guilt in killing those kids? What about the 18 year old from District 12? He didn't even touch y-" Her voice loudened but she was cut off before she could start yelling.
"That's quite enough, Katniss. I'm sorry, Emerald. Enjoy the rest of your night, dear." Effie winced in embarrassment.
I looked at Peeta, who just stared at me in disbelief. He hadn't said a thing, and I didn't wait for him to do so as I said grinning, "You too. Make sure to try the wine, Katniss dear. It's delicious." I knew full well that she wasn't old enough yet, but what can I say? Teasing is fun.
I ignored her vicious look at me and walked away, immediately frowning at everyone. I'd had enough of this night.
_______
A few days had passed since my encounter with the cunts of District 12. I was excited, yet nervous for the third quarter quell to be announced in a few minutes.
I already had gotten several things done for the day, mostly taking my anger out on the holograms in my training room. But by this evening I had showered and gotten into my silky white dressing gown. I had quickly but neatly put my hair up into a loose, high ponytail with strands hanging down the sides of my face.
I walked over to my fridge, grabbing my leftover iced tea and went to sit on the couch. The live stream tv turned on to show President Snow's face. I wanted to rip his eyes out, rip him to pieces like he did to me.
I was interested in who I will be expected to train this year for the games. I don't actually mind the process of training them, it's watching most of them die that hurts.
He continued to babble about the quarter quell until finally getting to the point. I leaned closer with my elbows on my knees.
"As a reminder, that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of the Capitol. On this, the third quarter quell games, the male and female tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of victors, in each district."
My soul had completely left my body. This couldn't be happening, I couldn't go back. No, not again. My breath hitched in my throat, and i stopped breathing completely.
I fucking despise him. I could feel the anger rise in me as I screamed, "FUCK YOU, SNOW. FUCK YOU." Tears streamed down my face, he was probably watching me right now. He was always watching.
I threw my iced tea at the screen and watched it go straight through it and smash into the wall behind.
I can't breathe, I can't do this again. Not again, not fucking again.
In a mountain of fury, I ran to the training room and grabbed all the knives I could find.
SCEEW THE HOUSE, SCREW THE CAPITOL. SCREW MY FUCKING GODDAMN LIFE.
I threw knife by knife, in every room. Destroying every valuable thing in sight. I hate him for what he's done to me, what he's made me. A pawn. A puppet where he pulls the strings.
Glass, shelves and paintings shattered around me. It wasn't until I saw a maid standing at the doorway in fear and disbelief that I felt my rage and fury rise even stronger at the sight of her.
"GET OUT. GET THE FUCK OUT." I cried in outrage and threw my silver and emerald glinted knife towards her.
She screamed as it hit the wall next to her, and then she was gone in fear. I fell to my knees, tucking them in tight and cried. That's all I could do, I couldn't hide anything anymore. I was tired, so damn tired of hiding.
As soon as I thought I had finally healed from the games, I was broken again. Snow broke me, the capitol broke me. I knew I would have to face specifically him again, and I wasn't prepared at all.
I didn't and couldn't go through all that again. The days I spent desperately hunting down kids, and sometimes my own friends, almost killed me physically and mentally. It killed me having to kill those kids, and now I'd have to face that pain all over again.
_______
a/n
chapter 3!! comment if i should make them longer because i feel like i'm doing them too short, mostly because i know i have a lot to write and theres going to be a lot of chaps because i have sm more planned!
forgive me if this isn't that good i'm running out of ideas rn but next one i promise finnick and emerald will reunite for the games! 🫶 🫶
DON'T BE A GHOST READER. pls don't i know most of u are cause i can see, tysm for that one person who doesn't i will forever remember u and the next chap will be dedicated to u!
p.s u know who u are :))