When the Mockingjay Sings - Coriolanus Snow/Treech

Chapter Nineteen

After two weeks of being in the arena, Mags Flanagan was named the Victor of the Eleventh Hunger Games. It was the longest-recorded game to date yet.

Without having barley any access to watch the games in the Districts, Athena rarely left her house for those two weeks, anxiously waiting for the winner's announcement.

Mag's game was one like no other. Instead of having the arena in the Capital, it was moved to an unknown location, allowing the game makers to get creative. Replacing the regular Gladiator-styled arena was a lake surrounded by a forest. The tributes had to know how to hunt, kill food and humans to win. Thankfully, Athena's training paid off, and Mags won.

Word travelled of the District 4 girls winning along with her training, and soon enough, Districts 1 and 2 followed closely behind. They were starting to form groups of kids to train for the games.

When Mags returned, Athena and her started training the kids together. She found it kept her mind at ease with the Treech's disappearance.

After she found her house destroyed, it took her and Gracie a few days to clean it up. Athena had hoped he would turn up within the next week, but nothing. Then months passed, and he still never turned up, and Athena was convinced he was dead. There was so much blood on the floor of her living room for anyone to survive.

"You okay?" Athena broke out of her daze. The reaping was only in a week, the 12th Hunger Games was going to be like no other and Athena found herself harsher on her students. She was determined to make them as successful as Mags.

"Yeah," she softly smiled.

Athena was trying to help Mags figure out what requirements she had to fulfill to join the military, but she found it too hard to focus.

"Can we look over this some other day? I'm just having a day," Athena asked, rubbing her head. Instantly, Mags nodded her head, packing away all the papers.

"Of course!" The two had been at her house nearly all day, and her head felt numb by that point.

"Did you want me to stay the night?" Mags or Gracie would generally stay the night with her where she was so used to having Treech there. Even Finely would occasionally sleep on the couch to keep her company after he noticed her lack of talking at their weekly family suppers. She appreciated everything, but nothing helped her; she slowly learned to love with the sadness.

"No, it's okay Mags! I'll be okay on my own," Athena smiled. Mags looked at her skeptically but nodded anyway.

"If you need me, don't hesitate to come barging in my house like you do," Athena laughed at her remark.

"I will, don't worry," Mags saluted her before leaving Athena alone.

Silence engulfed her once more; only the slight breeze running through the trees could be heard.

A few more minutes passed before Athena stood up from her couch and opened all her windows aggressively. The sound of the rushing waves and rustling of the trees filled the silence, and Athena felt herself relax.

She tied her hair back and slipped into bed, drifting to a dreamless sleep.

Soon enough, one week passed, and Athena found herself standing near the reaping stage again, wearing a sage green dress and curled hair. She was standing near Mags, who was with the parents; she could no longer get picked up.

Athena emotionlessly stared ahead; another one of her students was going to be picked.

Caspian walked onto the stage with a diamond smile glowing on his face. His hair was now green, nearly matching her dress with a matching glittered suit. He wore black shades and a green silk top hat.

"Hello, District 4!" He greeted.

"Welcome to the 12th annual Hunger Games. Last year you guys were winners; I like winners," he winked, grinning.

"Now!" He cleared his voice and straightened his tie. "Many may say ladies first, but I say boys first," he laughed, sticking his hand into the boy's container.

He was quick to pull out a name, "Merlin Everwood." He was a year younger than Athena, just turning 17, while Athena was due to turn 18 in a few days.

Merlin was lean; he swam a lot and fished rather than studied. Athena tried to get him to study, but he eventually gave up and just went occasionally. He had black hair and tanned skin with Hazel eyes. He was one of the tallest people in the district; you could pick him out among a crowd.

She watched as Merlin slowly walked up the aisle and onto the stage. As usual, everyone was silent; only the sound of Merlin's feet against the pebbled ground was heard. Each sound hit the District like a knife as they silently said their prayers for the soon-to-be dead.

"You're a tall one," Caspian whistled in awe.

"Now for the girls," he reached for the bottom of the glass bowl, pulling out a slightly bent piece of paper.

"Athena Brightsworth Highbottom." Athena could feel every pair of eyes snap at her. She felt all the blood drain from her face, but she put on a brave face. She is the most well-trained in the district; if anyone could win, it would be her.

It took her a few seconds to move; she walked down the aisle slowly, grabbing the peacekeeper's hand when they offered to help her up on stage.

"Interesting," Caspian hummed, giving the camera a knowing look.

"Now, shake hands!" Athena and Merlin faced each other and nodded before shaking hands. Without words, the two promised each other that they wouldn't be the cause of each other deaths.

Coriolanus sat in the living room of his freshly furnished house. The fireplace was lit, lighting the room with orange, contrasting the velvet green chairs. On top of the fireplace was a more giant TV than he had ever owned.

In his right hand was a glass of whisky; his hands were nearly white from the tightening grip on the crystallized glass.

On the big screen, he watched as Athena Brightsworth Highbottom's name got called.

He hasn't thought about her in over a year; he never realized she was sent to the Districts after her father's death.

She looked different. Her hair was longer, nearly past her waist and lighter from exposure to the bright sun.

She wore a sage green dress that brought out her blue eyes and complimented her tanned skin. She didn't seem scared, but Coriolanus was terrified, something he had only felt for himself.

Athena stirred something in him, a familiar and painful feeling he had forgotten for over two years.

Feeling the hot anger spread over his chest, Coriolanus gripped the glass and threw it across the room, watching the glass smash against his dark brown walls and staining it with whisky.

He watched her shake hands with her opponent, her enemy. Athena was coming back to the Capital, and she may never leave.