Melting Snow // Coriolanus Snow

two: Capitol

Alara head was perched upon her brother shoulder, while Egan was holding a single strand of her between her hair, rolling it and playing with it to pass some time. And not that they voiced it out loud but it brought comfort to both of them equally.

She didn't knew how long has the train been running, how many days or nights its been. The time was lost on them, the darkness their only friend. But then suddenly, the train jerked, and came to a sudden stop.

Polo who was taking a nap, rolled over and smacked his head in the hard metal wall. While the other member who were awake, their bodies lurched harshly but seeing that they were huddled together, they didn't had any injuries.

Polo whose legs were in air, sat up and curse loudly. "You alive polo?" Egan questioned and in reply polo only let out few curses while holding his head, and for a second Alara felt bad for her.

However, all of their attention was diverted from polo to loud openings of compartment doors. From the voice, Alara could tell that they were opening the door to compartment which were few boxes down from them.

Their was silence, deep silence, and than there were screams. Loud ugly yelling screams, as if someone was screaming at someone, and whoever that was, he was walking toward their compartment because his yells started to get louder. And soon it was as if he was right outside their compartment door.

Once again, there was silence. Deep haunting silence and as Alara was looking at the door with all her focus, when the compartment door mechanism grunted loudly and hard sun rays shone inside on them.

Everyone including Alara, immediately looked away, some putting their hands on their eyes while others squinting their eyes hard. They were in dark for god knows how long and their eyes had settled to dark, and now it caused them pained to see in light.

"Oh my what the hell! Get them out" Screamed a loud voice, and before Alara could do anything, the peacekeepers rushed into the compartment and started to take them all by the arms. Dragging them harshly up onto their feet, and pushing them forward.

Polo and Victor was the first one who were pushed forwards to exit the compartment, but seeing how their eyes weren't used to sun due to past few dark days, they both squint hard at the sudden intrusion of sun and before they can help themselves, both of them took a tumble out of the compartment.

Falling onto their faces, from 7 feet high compartment platform. "Help them!" someone screamed again. Alara still couldn't tell who but the voice was same. It was the same guy ordering again and again. "You useless idiots!" said the same voice again. She put her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun but it didn't help.

Alara eyes were slowly getting use to the light but still everything looked hazy and blur. Standing a little behind her brother, she saw that a peacekeeper helped her brother and Nyx, off platform, by holding their hand. While some other young boy, not dressed like a peacekeeper but still look clean and put together, came forward to help Inna, and took hold of her arm.

He was helping Inna get down from the 6 feet tall platform while Alara slowly sat down at the door edge, her legs swinging in air. Trying her best to calculate if she should just jump and land on her face or wait for the guy to help her. It was as if her thoughts were spoken out loud because the guy who was helping Inna titled his head up and look at Alara.

And before she can even react, he turned his head and said to someone "Coryo help her please". Alara blink hard, trying to get use to Capitol harsh sun, and tried to turn her head to see who the guy was referring to.

But before she can even breath, or blink. The other guy came in her view like swift snowstorm. Putting both of his large hands on her waist, without even breaking a sweat, he pulled her towards himself and brought her down from the compartment edge.

Alara feet touched the ground, and due to the fact that she was in moving train for days, standing at still ground felt weird and her legs shook weirdly like jelly. She was still looking at the ground trying to find stable footing; but then the loosened hands which were still around her waist. They tighten again, holding her straight and making her stable.

"Are you alright?" whispered a soft voice.

Alara blinked and turned her head up. Has she died. Did she jumped off the train edge, smashed her head and died. If not, then why was she seeing an angel. Confused she only blinked at the person, or angel, or whatever god's creation he was.

The guy raised an eyebrow at her, and her still emotions. She looked as if she had either seen ghost or something heavenly and it confused him, he was neither. and yet both.

"Are you alright miss?" The guy asked again, and his hands that were still resting on her waist, he squeezed it slightly. And it was as if, that jerk started Alara's heart again because she slowly nod her head at him.

He had white hairs, they were not combed or perfectly gelled back but messy and teased, that shone beautifully in the sun. His piercing blue eyes looking at her as if he could see her soul and all the secrets that she carries deep in her heart.

Alara could suddenly feel the warmth coming through his hands, his palms that were resting on the either side of her body. She looked at him and she smiled inwardly. He is what snow would look like if it take physical form of human.