Corruption of Ambition | Sejanus Plinth

One

It was an uncomfortably sultry morning the day of the reaping. The air vents into Riyana's room seemed to be blocked and despite leaving several notes to her father, it had not been fixed for days. She had opened up the window to her bedroom, hoping to find some comfort in the chill of wind, but it would not come. She could feel the hairs at the back of her neck began to stick and she wished she had enough time to shower and restart.

Her body was too warm and the shawl her father insisted she wore itched.

"They were your mothers." Her father had said when she objected. "You will wear them with pride."

Her mother had been much smaller than her and the fabric pinched at her arms. It smelt discreetly of salt, and she assumed it was what her mother had smelt like; She could not remember. She had shut her mouth and turned towards the mirror to adjust it properly. She was aware of the mockery she could face showing up to such an important day in formal wear made for someone else entirely. She was surprised her father would allow it, much less suggest it, she thought it made her family look cheap.

She took a moment to take in her reflection and thought she almost looked pretty. Her hair was wavy and tied together in the back with a single green ribbon. The dress was fitting for the occasion but not fitting for her. She regretted putting on makeup, it looked nice, but she was sure it would be melted off by a mix of anxiety and irritation by the time she reached the hall.

When she exited her bedroom she found her little sister, Beatrice, and father in the living room dressed. They had both dressed up as well, talking animatedly to each other in a way Riyana never could with either. Pushing away her desire to slip out the front door without conversing with either, she cleared her throat and stared expectantly. She knew the family's driver was on her fathers call and she had no desire to walk in the heat.

The conversation between her father and Beatrice came to an inorganic stop at her presence. Riyana took no offense; she doubted the conversation would be anything of her interest. Beatrice adjusted her gloves, though there was really no need they were already perfect. Everything about Beatrice was always perfect. She placed her hands in her lap and smiled thinly up at Riyana.

Her father's eyes met hers and she instinctively took a step back. Riyana knew her father would not find a daughter in his empty gaze. He would search for a wife ten years dead in the girl before him.

"I don't want to be late." Riyana stated.

On the ride to The Academy Riyana took in the surrounding streets. Children played, delightment in their screams, a luxury not awarded to Riyana's school mates at that age. On the wealthier streets middle aged women gathered to talk over grapes and wine. The first memory Riyana could recall containing grapes was at the age 7; she was sure she had them years before but she was too young to remember. It had been at one of her fathers dinner parties, a tasteless event during such a time. Her family, owning the majority of hospitals in Panem, had not been hit as hard during the rebellion as most. Grapes were a luxury that even they were not accustomed to at this point nonetheless. Her father had managed to add a singular vine of grapes to the platter. It ended up being rather lucky, a singular grape for guests. One of the guests, a mother of two sickly thin girls, had grabbed two for her daughter. A man had broken a glass over the mothers head in response.

Riyana grimaced at the memory and let her vision fall to something else in the distance. An apartment building just a hundred yards away had more Panem flags hanging from windows than she could recall seeing in her entire life collectively. The particular building seemed to avoid failed rebellion erasure, allowing rubble to remain on its ground. Riyana assumed it was to be symbolic. A picture of the past; a past where dying man consumed dead man. A sore imagine sticking out in a happier land.

The Pelides family arrived at the academy to a swarm of students, staff, and media. Twenty four top performing students had been selected for one final project before graduating this midsummer; An honor Riyana was sure she had not earned. It was no shock when Dr Gaul, the runner of the games, received a generous grant for game intended medical research, just a week before the to be mentors would be announced. Her father had not shown interest in the final project until he had learned how his family could be connected to such "honorable" games.

Riyanas father and Beatrice walked in front, which Riyana found ironic. They were at this event for her. They three walked towards an entrance draped with black banners, down a vaulted hall, and into Heavensbea hall. The family were not late, thirty minutes before the official starting time, but the halls were filled with buzz already. A man she could only recognize from charity events called her father over and Riyana took it as her excuse to separate herself.

An avox walked by holding a tray of posco, a watery wine. She did not enjoy the taste, but it would do. She took a Goblet and took a generous gulp.

"Ladylike."

Riyana turned on her heels and turned to see Clemensia smirking at her. Riyana let out a sigh and interlocked her arms with her friend.

"I don't recall you having a negative opinion on the substance last week." Riyana rebutted.

Clemensia stifled a laugh and shoved her shoulder into Riyanas, "Ana, we're in public."

"How do you look so lovely on a day like this?" Riyana asked, becoming even more conscious of her own appearance.

Clemensia took her arm away and stepped back to take in Riyanas appearance. "You look pretty Ana, actually the prettiest I think I've ever seen you. A fan of the cameras huh?"

Riyana did not feel the prettiest she'd ever been. She felt out of place. Clemensia of course felt comfortable like this, there was never a day that Clemensia did not look her best. Even blackout drunk at parties she could not recall a loose stand ever leaving Clemensia's slick back hair. Riyana was about to thank her for the compliment anyway, but she noticed Clemensia's eyes were searching for something different in the crowd.

Just ahead a pair of boys' conversation seemed to be coming to an end; Coriolanus Snow and Sejanus Plinth. Riyana knew where Clemensia would rather be so she just rolled her eyes and said, "Go."

Clemensia smiled and leaned forward placing a kiss on her cheek, "I'll sit with you. Promise."

With Clemensia leaving for Coriolanus, Riyana headed in the opposite direction towards Sejanus. He wore a charcoal suit, with a blinding white shirt, and a paisley tie. He looked expensive, a decision Riyana knew would only cause eye rolls from the rest of the students. His style choice seemed just as out of place as her, and she found it comforting.

"You clean up nice, Plinth."

Sejanus flinched, and had to readjust the shield he was holding for a teacher. He seemed like he had been unaware of her walking up to him. She could not blame him. Sejanus had shown up to the capital a decade ago and she could not recall making an effort to include him in conversation more than a handful of times.

"I look stupid." Sejanus muttered. He set down the shield and used his now free hand to grab a goblet from a passing avox.

"Who knows, maybe your shirt will be too reflective to show up on camera."

Sejanus did not laugh.

"I'm sorry, that was rude." Riyana said, followed by a singular gulp finishing the rest of her drink.

Sejanus finished his drink and took the empty one from her hand. "It was funny, sorry, I'm just distracted."

"You alright?" Riyana knew the answer was no. The district born boy had made it very clear that he had perfected those from the districts to capital borns, so she knew this had to be his least favorite day of the year.

"I'm fine." He replied, and exhaled loudly through his nose.

Riyana only nodded. She did not push, if he wanted to let her in he would. He had no reason to let her in, she had not ever made an effort to earn that privilege. Honestly it was for the best; She did not know what she could say to comfort him if he had told the truth.

"You uh, look nice as well." He said after some silence.

Riyana let out a humorless chuckle, "Thanks Plinth."

A bell ran and students started heading towards the front of the hall.

"Suppose it's time to assign us tributes." Sejanus said glumy.