Falling Snow

003

They'd gathered together that evening, the Plinth's, Cardew's and Snow's.
Tigris had worn her best made dress for the occasion and with the money the Plinth family were providing them, she was able to create more extravagant styles. She'd walked awkwardly into the house and didn't spare her staring of the large hallways and extravagant paintings. Coriolanus hadn't told her much of the place, in fact she and her cousin didn't talk much anymore.

Livia stood in her appointed guest room for what felt like a millennium, staring at herself in the gold ordained mirror until her face started to morph and turn into someone else. She felt like someone else. She was dressed in a blood red gown adorned in golden jewellery, the plinth style, their twisted way of saying she now belonged to them, to Snow.

She wouldn't tell a soul, but Livia Cardew used to have romantic feelings towards Coriolanus Snow, before the 10th games she'd watched him and found herself stuck with words whenever he'd find himself in her presence, the feeling scared her, so she responded the only way she knew how, by forcing herself to hate him.

Now, in this very moment however Livia Cardew was terrified by the fact that a small part of her did hold hate towards her future president, in fact she thought all love for him had disappeared when she heard the whispers of him cheating in the most recent games.
But now, as she stood staring at her reflection she realised from just a simple interaction with the blonde boy, those small doses of affection had returned.

So she weighed her options.
If this sham marriage were to work she couldn't be rash or cruel to him, she wouldn't be able to bring herself to force it anymore anyways, instead she would be diplomatic and blunt, just as she had been the other day when they first spoke about the arrangement. She wouldn't force her feelings away, simply refuse to let them grown further.

Coriolanus Snow would not creep his way into Livia Cardew's heart.

The families had gathered around the long dining room table as Livia and Snow stood in the hallways in front of the closed wooden doors to the room. Her breaths were shaky as he finally acknowledged her, "Livia."

"Snow."

"Will you refuse to call me by my name in front of our families?" He questioned, referencing her words from the other day and knowing she'd break the illusion if she kept acting like this. Livia Cardew was already proving herself difficult, Coriolanus basked happily in that fact, even choking down a small smile.

"Coriolanus." She correct, rolling her eyes inside her mind. She had never met a man more arrogant, and yet the emotions still stood clear to her.

"Perfect," in a swift movement he'd grabbed her hand and intertwined his fingers with her own, ignoring the butterflies rising in his stomach at the action.

They'd entered the room hand in hand and the first to react is Tigris, shooting her hands over her mouth in a happy surprise, awing over the couple.

"Oh Coryo!" It was the first time in a year she'd called him that and he tried his best not to led a tear well up in his blue eyes. He thought he'd lost her.

"We've gathered you all here to make an important announcement," he squeezes Livia's hand tighter for a moment, she can't tell if it's an act of comfort of aggression, "Livia and I are to be wed. We are engaged."

The room burst into happy cheers, gathering around and hugging the couple, releasing their hands from eachother as they were pulled to different sides of the room, aching for the warmth of the others hand once released.

"Coryo you, I never thought-" Tigris struggles to get her words out through happy laughter as she hols her cousin, "and Livia Cardew?!" He simply smiles, not breaking his composure, "well life works in funny ways."

"Gosh I remember when you'd come home from the university and rant about her all night!" He stiffened awkwardly as he noticed the blonde looking over to them, overhearing their conversation while she pretended to listen to her father, "you went on and on! I should've known there was something behind that."

Coriolanus was thoroughly embarrassed. He didn't want Livia getting the wrong idea. It wasn't as if he was in love with the blonde girl, she just irked him, but he didn't want her knowing that either. This was strictly a business relationship and nothing was to convince his future spouse otherwise.

"Okay Tigris thank you," he tried to shut her up but she simply giggled, "oh Coryo don't be embarrassed, you're soon to be wed I'm sure she'll hear all about it."

Hear all about it? Coriolanus was hoping to spend as little time with the girl as possible, let alone tell his life story.

"I don't see why she should, we're both busy people, probably won't even see each other before the wedding."

The room grows silent before Mr Cardew loudly announces, "of course you will!" He glided across the floor to where the blonde boy stands, "a couple must organise a wedding together, in fact a couple must spend most of their time together to prepare for cohabitation."

Cohabitation.

The thought sent shivers down Livia's spine, she hadn't thought the far ahead. To play pretend in a relationship with Coriolanus was one thing, but to live with him..

He grabs her hand and squeezes it after sliding across the room to where she stands, "of course, we understand." He was lying through his teeth, he knew he hadn't discussed the possibility of cohabitation with Livia yet.

"I propose Miss Cardew stays in the Plinth manor for a while."

Strabo speaks, stunning the room to silence.
"M-my daughter? Stay here?" It was as if Mr Cardew had been paralysed, "she.. away from home?"

"Your daughters growing up Demetrius," Coriolanus perked up at hearing Livia's fathers name for the first time, intrigued by the beauty of it. Livia's family had such beautiful names. Coriolanus's eyes glazed to Tigris and he tried not to shudder.

"She'll be living with Coriolanus soon enough anyways, why not prepare for their marriage here?"

Coriolanus nods along in agreement, squeezing Livia's hand tighter, "I can't help but agree, it would prepare us greatly for married life." The blonde girl besides him was stunned, snapping her head upwards to sneer at the plastic smile on his face.

"I guess I can understand that much.." Livia's mother squeezes Demetrius's shoulder lovingly and smiles, a soft, loving smile. Coriolanus wonders if that's the sort of love that makes people weak.

"Well then it's settled." Coriolanus's voice is like poison to Livia in the moment, coursing through her veins creating a sort of twisted anger at the events, "Livia and I will live together here before the marriage."

It wasn't long before the blonde girl had ran to the bathroom to throw up.