"Ironic ain't it? The one woman I can't get enough of, is the one I'll never be able to have"
Delyth Bardott grapples with unexpected emotions for her tribute, straying from the expected norms of a Capitol girl drawn to a District boy.
Meanwhile...
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As Coriolanus unfolded the letter, his eyes scanned the words that confirmed what he dreaded. Anger flared within him, a seething frustration at the realization that she had slipped through his grasp. The words on the paper echoed in his mind, a reminder that she was supposed to be his, his First Lady, waiting for him in the capital. The fury within him intensified, knowing that the one he desired had eluded him.
He resisted the urge to crumple the paper in anger, his fingers tensing on the edges. Suddenly, the document was ripped from his grasp by an unseen force. His nostrils flared, and his eyes burned with a fury that threatened to consume him.
Perhaps she was forced to leave? Maybe this was a misunderstanding. His mind grappled with the possibility that she loved him and was coerced into departing against her will.
"Alright, listen up! We got a situation on our hands. Four of 'em managed to slip through our fingers and vanish into thin air. We can't let that slide.
And about the parents left behind – they might know more than they're letting on. We need to dig into that. We can't afford any loose ends.
Now, I know some of you are itching to chase 'em down, but hold your horses. They can't have gotten far yet. We need to track 'em, but no reckless moves and stay sharp. Move out!"
Treech's mother was inconsolable, tears streaming down her face as she repeated how disappointed she was in her son. On the contrary, his father was a storm of fury, his anger evident in every line on his face.
To Coriolanus, it undoubtedly appeared that way.
"When did you discover the letter?" He inquired, struggling to focus as his thoughts remained fixated on the blonde.
His mother, grappling for words, shook her head, with his father offering a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She struggled to regulate her breathing. "Around 1 o'clock," she managed to say.
"And when did you realize they'd left?" He asked, boredom coloring his voice.
"I noticed they were gone this morning, but I thought they had just gone out. It wasn't until I read the letter that I understood where they'd gone," she cried out, the tissue in her grip now soaked. "I thought it was some kind of sick joke at first."
"And how do we know you've got nothing to do with it?" His colleague asked from beside him, his voice more intimidating, his glare fixed on Treech's mother, recognizing her vulnerability.
His accusation making Treech's mother begin crying again, Treech's father, his expression now a mix of anger and frustration, retorted, "This is absurd! Our children embarrassed us, and now you accuse us? We had no idea about their plans. We've been duped by our own kids, just like you have!"
Coriolanus, despite the seemingly convincing words, couldn't shake the feeling that he had been fooled one too many times, especially by a certain girl. Doubt lingered in his mind, clouding any certainty in the situation.
Treech's father, still seething with anger, declared, "If you find them, I want nothing to do with them anymore. Hang them for all I care. They've embarrassed us enough." His words were filled with a deep sense of betrayal and disappointment.
"I can assure you, if they are found, they will be hanged!" The words of his colleague beside him rang a bell in his head.
As much as he despised what Delyth had done, the mental image of her with a rope wrapped around her neck, swinging lifelessly in the wind, sent a shiver down his spine. He couldn't bear the thought of witnessing such a sight.
Treech's mother cried out in denial at his words, shaking her head as if trying to dispel the horrifying notion he had just voiced.
Treech's father interrupted with frustration, "You're wasting your time here! If they're smart, they're probably well on their way to the south by now."
Coriolanus and his partner briskly exited the house, swiftly making their way toward the lieutenant.
"You think they had anything to do with it?" inquired his partner.
Coriolanus, his mind consumed by thoughts of Delyth, shook his head. "No, he was telling us to hang them if we catch them." His partner nodded in agreement.
His mind still wrestled with the questions surrounding Delyth's departure. As they set off to pursue the escapees, he couldn't shake the feeling that this journey held more personal stakes for him than he cared to admit
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