"𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸."
in which persephone ignis, born of fire and love, writhes under the tricks and power of snow to form the black swan.
(young! coriolanus snow x fem! oc)
takes place during and after th...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
—A Rose for Death—
The Arena was more uncanny at night. District tributes lurked inside, either bloodthirsty or afraid—both of which tempt them to act upon their urges. Fight or flight. Selfish human nature infects its host with rage, violence, aggression, everything until all that is left is carnage.
A gust of wind sent a cold shiver down Persephone's spine. She liked to believe it was the weather and not her fear of waltzing into a lion's den, nor the way lies eased out of her lips in front of Doctor Gaul.
It was almost like an instinct to cover her tracks and maintain social images.
The ride to the Arena was silent in the truck, guarded by Peacekeepers in every empty corner. Persephone and Coriolanus were high priority as Capitol students, but Academy Rouge Mentors were infinitely important.
Mentors would not be allowed any more injuries—not after the President's son was fighting for his life.
Persephone kept her gaze on her shoes, the glares Coriolanus sent her passing through unnoticed. She only hoped to save Sejanus soon enough, though a more radical part of her desire was to talk to Reaper once more.
The truck doors unlocked and opened wide. "Get out." One of the Peacekeepers instructed as he motioned for the two to file through. Persephone's legs trembled with every step, fearing the possibilities.
As much as she craved to believe it, the tributes would likely jump her regardless of her sympathy.
On a moonlit night, the ominous Arena taunted her relentlessly. It called for her name, to walk among the horrors of murders and spilled blood from every Hunger Games.
"Persephone, what were you thinking agreeing to this?" Coriolanus stopped her with a clamped hand on her shoulder. He was fuming, utterly angry for her personal decision to throw herself into danger. "These tributes have gone savage, worse than how they were in the zoo."
"Coryo," Persephone hid her quivering hands and pounding heart, "I know what I'm doing right now. I know this is dangerous, but Sejanus is in there. Our friend. And they're gonna tear him apart if we don't get him out."
"You don't have to do this." His nostrils flared, grip tightening as he took a step closer to her. Coriolanus had little interest in the safety of Sejanus after he entered a dangerous situation on his own, but she was more important. She was his First Lady and, as Highbottom described her, his swan. "I can rescue him. You don't have to be here."
"Doctor Gaul asked me first, Coryo." She furrowed her brows and slid her hand up to release his grasp. "She wants me to prove something and I care about Sejanus, I need to make sure he's okay."
