OUR FOREST OF THORNS | tbosas ✔️

010 || Faith and Honor

CHAPTER TEN - Faith and Honor ..

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          Coriolanus shuddered, "It all feels wrong. Out of place. Like..." He struggled to find his words and arrange them in a way that they did justice by what he's been experiencing for the past day. "Like the Games, but not with Tributes from the Districts. With us."

Twenty-four hours separated him from the last time he had consulted with Daphne properly and though he remained disturbed thanks to everything that had happened at Dr. Gaul's laboratory, last night's copious sleep helped put some order to Coriolanus Snow's mind, enough to get himself in clean uniform that morning too and make for the Academy early in order to pull Daphne aside before the funeral procession without getting anyone's unwanted attention around them.

It was enough for him to tell Daphne as little as 'I had something to do with Clemensia Dovecote's absence' and she understood they needed far more privacy than a seemingly lonely corner underneath the main stairs. She took his hand without much of a warning and dragged him up those stairs, passing through the masses of students all making their way outside, to take their places for the procession about to be televised in the whole of Panem.

Daphne wore a black, white collared dress, with short sleeves, not the Academy uniform, though Coriolanus noted, even without the red suit, she still attached the pin of the students to the soft material of her dress, up beneath her left shoulder. She led them in a hurry through a door on the highest level of the building that he had never even noticed, far less dare go through or test for whether or not it stayed unlocked. The final flight of stairs they had to advance on were much narrower, forcing Coriolanus to stay behind her for what amounted to a single long minute, ended on the creaking note of a heavy door being open with a grunt by Daphne. Daylight flooded in after the darkness of what counted as a proper tunnel and Coriolanus woke up taken to the very rooftop of the Academy building.

Her resourcefulness has been showcased to him so many times, in so many different ways, yet to that day, it still managed to impress him. On that roof he confessed to her everything that happened since last they've spoken to each other, looking first and foremost for someone to confide to, but also someone that may help him with a better advice than Tigris' gullible urging of him just staying away from Dr. Gaul - he couldn't possibly hope to manage such a feat when that woman ran the Games for which he Mentored. Daphne Ravinstill was overqualified for meeting his needs.

"That's always been her vision," she sighed deeply. To avoid being seen by anyone gathered down in front of the Academy, both her and Coriolanus had the idea of sitting down, backs against the railing, watching the only entrance point to the roof with lost gazes. Their shoulders brushed against each other with every each breath that soon grew to synchronize. "That the world is an arena and all of us are tributes, by some extent."

"But the Games are for the Districts," Coriolanus corrected his posture against the hard concrete behind them, feeling his nervousness growing.

"In theory, they are," Daphne agreed. "On paper. That's what they were supposed to be when Casca Highbottom let alcohol get to his head and he spewed out the punishment for those who lost the war. But it's not Dean Highbottom who is controlling the games now, is it?"

Coriolanus sighed as a response, allowed Daphne to continue, hardly satisfied with the things she was saying too. The truth hurt, but it remained the truth nonetheless. "Whoever thinks Volumnia Gaul gives a damn about anyone but herself is a fool. Fools don't last long in this game. Do you think Clemensia will make it?"