Burning Embers

5

~Poor Marionette, Sarah Cothran~

The morning of the tournament, I'm awoken by a loud bang, and pry open my eyes to see Clarie and Airan standing in front of me, holding a pot and lid, respectively.
"Time to wake up!" Clarie grins, holding out a hand, which I accept with a groan. Glancing at the windows, I notice with surprise that the sun is up.

I've just come out of the bathroom after brushing my teeth and doing my hair, when I'm tackled from behind.
I feel Clarie and Airans arms wrap around me tightly.
"We won't see you until you step out into the Arena," Clarie says.
"So good luck." Airan adds.
The sisters had a habit of finishing each others sentences, which I had always found weird, but, they are my roommates, so what am I gonna do?

I'm heading toward the Roost, when I spot Jaren making his way towards me.
He stops in front of me as I eye him suspiciously.
"Yeah?" I ask.
He hesitates, opening his mouth before snapping it shut.
"Go get him." Is all he says, before walking off.
That was strange I think as I jog towards The Roost, ducking through the cave entrance. I take a sharp left, waving to the workers who are chopping up fish for the dragons. They smile and whoop, and I grin as I swing open the door to the Underbelly. I jog through the hallway, pushing through the door into the main room.
Finn watches me as I slide into bench across the table from him, pushing a bowl of porridge and spiced chicken toward me.
I thank him, digging my fork into the chicken as he clears his throat.
"The unrest is getting worse." He murmurs, stirring porridge in its bowl.
I glance up at him in surprise, chewing my chicken.
That would explain why Jaren was so nervous. I wonder why Clarie didn't tell me.
"The king will want our best performance, then." I finish his sentence, before he can say it.
He nods, something flickering in his eyes. Something that looks like nerves, but I've never known Finn to be nervous.
"He also wants to meet with us after breakfast. Before we suit and warm up."
My stomach drops, and I resist the urge to hurl my breakfast.
Finn opens his mouth again, when the door to the Underbelly is thrown open, revealing two of the king's guards.
I shove the final spoonful of porridge in my mouth as I make eye contact with Finn, before we both scoot our chairs out, and bow.
"His Highness requests your presence." The guards say in unison, holding the doors open for us. I don't look at Finn as we walk side by side through the doors, following a guard leading us to the King's meeting room. I feel the other at our back.

5 minutes later, we kneel in the King's meeting room, the guards dismissed. I watch as his shoes click across the floor, coming to a stop a foot or two in front of us.
"Rise." A rumbling voice commands.
We push off the floor in unison, and I meet slitted green eyes.
"Always a pleasure to see you, Samara." The king purrs, and I fix my eyes on the throne behind him as he traces a hand up my neck. I feel my face burning red with humilation, and I suppress the urge to shiver as his hand cups my face, thumb caressing my cheek.
I hear a throat clear, and Finn's voice asking why the king called us here.
The hand leaves my face suddenly, and I hear a loud slap, which forces me back to reality.
Finn's head is turned to the side, a glowing red handmark on his cheek.
The king used the momentum of the slap to turn, back to us as he stomps back to his throne.
"I expect a show from you two." Is all he says, with a wave of his hand we are escorted out. The king's guards leave us at the door of the meeting room, letting us walk back the Underbelly alone.
I feel a single tear drip down my cheek, and speed up so we turn the corner, out of view and hearing.
As soon as we turn the corner, Finn spins toward me, and the handprint is gone, but his lip is bleeding.
"Are you okay?" He asks, his eyes tracing the single tear.
I angrily drag my hand across my face.
"Could be asking you the same thing." I reach out, brushing my finger against his bloody lip.
He shakes his head, catching my hand as I pull it away.
"I'm sorry, Sam." Is all he murmurs.
It's my turn to shake my head. The king has long been this way. The only way to get away from this
is to win the Tournament. He won't be able to touch me then. I glance over at Finn as we walk back, his gaze resolutely fixed in front of us, hand on the small of my back. One of us will be left here with him, though.

We slip back into the main room of the Underbelly, quickly cleaning up what remained of our breakfast. Then we hustle into our flame suits, and I sigh in annoyance as I yank the skin tight fabric over my bare skin. I zip up the front, smoothing out the wrinkles in the fabric and tugging on my black boots, before smoothing my hair and meeting Finn back in the main room. His eyes flick up and down, before I raise my eyebrows at him and he moves behind me, tightening the straps around my wrist and shoulders, his hands sliding slowly down my arms, lingering.
I feel my face flame, and clear my throat, bidding my voice to keep steady. I hate him, and this affect he's had on me since we were little, even though we are supposed to be enemies.
"All done?" I ask, feeling the last strap along my ribs pulled tight, fingers brushing feather light up and down my ribs.
"Yep." He says, stepping back and twisting on his heel so I can do the same. I quickly pull the straps, feeling the red drain from my face as I concentrate on my work. In a few seconds I'm done, and I step back as he thanks me with a nod, and we pull on our helmets.