Die First

PART 10- THE SONHARTS

The Sonhart household was a grand building on the same estate as Belcourt Manor, where I grew up. Achilles and I were part of the wealthiest families in our District. The Belcourts had been supplying the Capitol with crystal decorations for decades. Chandaliers, crystal flowers, lamp shades etc. And the Sonharts made the most elegant furniture for people in our District and provided the Capitol with the disgusting, tacky furniture they like to decorate their foul interiours with. It's rediculous that the Capitol think their decorations are devine when the people they are buying them from make much more beautiful and better quality stuff for people in District 1. That's one thing I know about the Capitol. They don't have taste. 

The Belcourts and the Sonharts have been friends since before I was born, so it doesn't come as a surprise that they owned and stayed on the same land, together. However, since our Father abandoned Glimmer and I, and we moved into Cashmere's house in the victors villiage. Mr and Mrs Sonhart cut off ties with my Father, they didn't even regard him as a neighbour. 

As I begin to approach the Sonhart house, I see my Father in the corner of my eye but don't bother to turn my head to face him. He doesn't even try to get my attention. Is he that jealous that I'm better than him? I just had to kill the person I'm in love with in order to survive and he can't even bother to give me a wave? He's an embarrassment of a person. My Father obviously still cares enough about Glimmer and I since he since us a small fortune every month. He clearly still wants us to continue bringing pride to the Belcourt name, but he's too embarrassed that his own daughter is the most impressive Victor the Hunger Games have ever seen, 15 years old, 13 kills, perfect training score, and most sponsors ever. And he didn't even make it through his first year of training. 

I knock on the Sonhart's door, apprehensivly. Wondering wether it's too soon for them to see me. Mrs Sonhart opens the door and pulls me inside with a hug. "Oh, Athena. I was wondering when you'd get home. We were so worried about you darling."

"I couldn't wait to get home ma'am, I just got here like 15 minutes ago. But I had to come and see you and Mr Sonhart." She walks me through to the living room and brings me some tea. 

"So, how are you holding up? I'm so sorry about what happened, when you had the realisation after that girl died from the arrow. My heart sunk for you." She says

"For me? You already made the connection?" 

"Yeah, we saw Achilles stop breathing in the background. But I couldn't focus on him, I was dreading what you would be like, Athena. I couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen." 

"You should've focused on your son, he mattered a lot more than I ever will."

"Honey, we knew Achilles wasn't going to win the second he volunteered for you. Even if you died and he was the last person left, he wouldn't have let himself live without you, Athena. You know he wouldn't." She looks down and starts to cry. She accepted her sons death. She was rooting for me. I can't believe I put them in that situation. It's all my fault. 

"I'm so sorry Mrs Sonhart. Not just for what happened to Achilles. But for not stopping him from volunteering. I should've talked to him the night before, it's just I didn't even know I was volunteering, I never imagined he would too."

"It's ok Athena. As long as you can promise me you will live a long and happy life, I will be fine." She smiles through the tears soaking her face. Mr Sonhart enters the house.

"Athena" He shouts, practically running through to the living room, sweaping me up in a hug. I forgot that now that Achilles is gone, I'm like their only child now. They were always like parents to me, but now they have no one else. "How are you managing Princess, I know it was beyond awful for you in there." 

"Well, I'm still trying to process everything to be honest sir. I constantly get flashbacks to what happened with Achilles. Hell, every time I look at Glimmer I think of the girl from 4, Oceania. It's hard, you know?" There's a comforting moment of silence. "Anyway, I didn't come here to talk about me. How are you two doing." 

"We're ok. As long as you are. Of course, we miss Achilles more than anything. But it's a blessing that you won, Athena. I can't bare to think what it would be like if we lost both of you." Achilles' father says as Mrs Sonhart goes to check on the pie she has in the oven. I swear everytime I'm in this house, no matter what's happening, that woman always has some sort of dessert on the go. "Look, Athena. Between you and me, the moment we saw Achilles die, I was terrified that my wife would try and join him. If I'm honest, the only reason I think she's still going is you. You know we've always seen you as a daughter. But now, more than ever, you mean a lot to us. I can't thank you enough for protecting Achilles in there. He loved you more than anyone else. So I'm so grateful you stuck by him, even when it wasn't easy." 

"Of course, Sir. I will always stay by Achilles and make sure Panem never forgets him. And if you and Mrs Sonhart ever need anything, I can support you. It's the least I can do after everything you've done for Glimmer and I." Mrs Sonhart enters the room again. "Well, I will let you both continue on with your day. But I wanted to ask you if you would want to come have dinner in my house at the victors villiage, for Glimmers birthday. She doesn't want a big party, just a meal with family and friends. So it would mean a lot if you guys came."

"Of course we will. We already bought her present months ago." Mrs Sonhart says, laughing. They thank me for coming and ask me if I'll be ok one last time before I leave the house. I'll miss them when I'm moved to the Capitol.