Melting Snow // Coriolanus Snow

five: Plinth's residency

Alara tried her best to hid it, but her eyes told everything. Currently she sat inside a huge guest living room, which to her guess probably was the least nicest room of the Plinth residence, and not because it was ugly, it was rather quite beautiful. But because the Plinth's probably didn't think of Alara and the crew as important enough. Seeing how they all were nothing but low dirt from the district 12.

But Alara, and her team mates couldn't help the way their eyes room around the magnificent room, taking in everything. They were confused, their mind not having the ability to understand if anyone can be such rich, but at the same time they all couldn't hide their jealousy and anger that was very vividly presented on all of their faces.

She was tired of staring at the wall which were hand painted with huge murals of naked women, their tits and everything else drawn to detail, she was tired of looking up and seeing images of naked men with their penises pointing in her face.

So she turned her head and her eyes fixed upon the fake pond; she blinked hard wishing it would vanish but it didn't. The fake pond stayed there in the corner of this huge room, and the fake naked mermaid from whose mouths, the water sprouted like a fountains, remain haunted.

She didn't even had the courage to be impressed by such craft, but was rather in agony thinking how she has seen men, women and children died out because they had no option but risk catching the violent disease from drinking the dirty bacteria ridden water.

All the while the Plinth's decided that their naked mermaids sprouting water from their ceramic polished mouths were rather more important than little babies dying of thirst.

But her attention was taken away when the huge doors of the room were opened by the servants that were standing outside the room. For a second Alara wondered if they really were mere servants or the peacekeepers cosplaying as them, for the fear that Alara and the crew might have some underlying agenda.

Everyone head lift up and their eyes were stuck on the entrance, to see the familiar face of Sejanus enter, with a smile on her face. He entered and smiled awkwardly at the people who were sitting on the soft sofas of Plinth's residency.

Before he could even open his mouth and say a word, Alara heard few pairs of feet steps behind him. Alara eyes moved from Sejanus to see who was the new intruder, while Sejanus turned his whole body to face the entrance.

He tried his best to hide the way his body stilled and the way he turned stiffed at the pair of old couple who was entering the room. Alara was confused at his reaction and all she could wonder was why.

The old man dressed in the finest suit she had ever seen. It should be crime for a mortal man to dress in such fine clothes. But his face stern, his head high and his spine straight as steel.

While the woman next to him looked kind, her eyes round looking like a doe, her old wrinkles eyes and forehead showed her age, her lips in a small gentle smile with smile around her mouth, showed that she indeed was a kind soul who appreciates good laugh in her youth. Maybe that is why the man such as him, fall in love with her and choose her. for maybe she completed him, and was his other half in a deluded way.

"Ma! Pa?" Sejanus retorted, his eyes moving from his one parent to another. Appreciating seeing his mother but had a questioning uncertain tone in his voice when referring to his dad.

"My dear son", as expected, the woman stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Sejanus, enwrapping him in a loving way. After a while she stepped back and stood next to her husband, who lift up a hand and placed it softly over her back, while his eyes were fixed on his son.

"Sejanus" Mr. Plinth, nod at his son in a very formative way and only received a nod back. After that, to dissolve the awkwardness, Sejanus immediately turned and faced Alara and the crew. He raised his hand and motioned it towards the guest. "This is the crew that i have invited for the party."

Sejanus as expected didn't even introduced Alara or any of the crew to his father or mother. He simply show case them all to them as if they were nothing but livestock. And she couldn't blame Sejanus, his own father looked at him as if he was worth filth, so she expected little out of such cold man.

Mr. Plinth took his time to look at the crew, his eyes running down each one of them individually, as if he was calculating their worth, and that scared Alara to the point that her hands which were folded behind her back, she clutched them so hard, that she was able to feel the wetness in her fingers. Blood, she assumed.

Taking his time analyzing each one of them under his gaze, as if was superior, Mr. Plinth turned his head to face Sejanus again and said "Get them settled in the east residency." Thats all, thats all what he said.

And Being from Districts, Alara didn't knew what was in east but the horrified expression on Sejanus face told her that it wasn't anything impressive. However, it surprised her when Sejanus tried t argue with his father and said "But father, that area is.." Sejanus was not even able to finish his sentence.

How bad can an area be? It can't be that bad, Alara thought.

But Mr. Plinth raised his hand as if to stop Sejanus further comment. "If you can't bothered going to that part of town; then get Coriolanus snow to get them settled in. He won't mind, I am sure" At that comment, Sejanus head fall down and he only nod back at his father. "Don't worry father, I will manage"

Mr, Plinth looked at Sejanus, his eyes gazing into his son's soul "PLINTH!" Mrs, Plinth said out loud to stop her husband from whatever he was doing.. When Sejanus didn't said anything else, he turned around to look at his wife "Let's go love" He asked and Mrs, Plinth smiled at him lovingly, "You go, I will join in a second"

Without saying anything, Mr. Plinth nod at his wife, and turning around he walked away. Mrs. Plinth then look at the crew and smiled at all of them, a smile which was returned only by Inna. "Welcome to Capitol." She said.

Even though she was kind looking, she was product of Capitol and woman of few words. Turning around she faced Sejanus and put a hand on his cheeks in comfort, "I am sure they will do great Sej." She said as if they weren't just standing a few fees apart.

And after that she raised a corner of her silk shawl and put it over her nose, her eyes crinkling she gasped "Heaven forbid! you smell poor Sejanus."

Sejanus eyes widened and Alara could see that he was embarrassed by his mother comment. The old lady didn't stopped there and continued "God why do you smell such way, its horrifying". Alara couldn't help but bend her head and sniff herself, she didn't smelled that bad. Maybe it was polo farting that caused the poor woman to act in such way.

But Mrs. Plinth turned her head and her eyes soften "Oh, It must be them" she said. Alara was shocked. does these people don't have any bedside manner. Lord they were so rich that they were almost inhumane.

Facing back to her son one last time, she said "Get them settled in East house. Get them clean and please get someone to deep clean this room." And with that saying she walked away. What shocked Alara was that the lady wasn't being mean, her voice was kind, she was kind. It was just how she was, a product of Capitol, born to think of districts as Inhumane.

Done with Plinth's residency, Plinth family and the weird Plinth pond with mermaids sprouting water out of their ceramic carved mouths. All Alara wanted to do was play the fucking guitar, singer the wretched songs and get the fuck out of Capitol. poor her.

How naive of her to think such a thought anyone can escape Capitol.

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P.S NEXT EPISODE WE GET SNOW.