The Black Widow- A Hunger Games Fanfic

The Victor's Coronation

They said my injuries were minor. But it didn't feel like that.
They said the games hadn't even lasted a week. But how could that be true?
They said the people of the Capitol had begun calling me the Black Widow. But that was probably fair.

Victoria dressed me backstage as we waited for the ceremony to begin. Gone were the pinks and golds of the tribute Rose Gold. Now my dress was black with red accents and silver jewellry with bloodred rubies. They'd changed my nails to red to show off my most lethal weapon. But that just meant I couldn't get the blood off. The pink in my hair was now black. But I couldn't bring myself to look into the mirror- to meet the eyes of the killer who would be staring back.
Why had I volunteered for this?

I waited in the wing of the stage. Cashmere came up behind me,
"I know why you did it," she said quietly. This really wasn't the time for it.
"Did it work?" I asked her.
"Only time will tell," she replied, "He generally asks us on the last night of the victory tour."
I didn't have time to reply before I was called onto the stage to greet Caesar.

He didn't kiss me in greeting like last time, it seemed my performance had rattled him. Good. That was the aim.
I was the last one on the stage and the crowd roared with applause as I entered. I was presented as the victor of the 69th Hunger Games. A few weeks ago, that was my goal- my entire reason for existing- but now, it felt empty: all it meant was that 23 other children had died because of me. But still I waved. Still I smiled. Still I blew my kisses.
But now the people of the Capitol dodged and dived out the way; trying to avoid my death curse. After all, everyone I had kissed was now dead. By my own hand.

I sat in the chair opposite Caesar, just like in my interview.
"It's nice to see you again Rose," he began. He seemed different; not as confident as he had been. I wondered if my performance had worked perhaps too well.
"It's nice to be back," I answered happily. Yeah, I wasn't being very helpful to his interview. But I won. I didn't need the Capitol's support anymore: I needed their hatred.
"Might I just say that the ending to your games had us all absolutely screaming," he told me, "You had us on edge as soon as Morgan turned up after you killed Mason."
"Screaming in a good way?" I asked, feigning innocence. Caesar laughed and the audience did too.
"Well, I wouldn't quite say in a good way," Caesar chuckled, "I think that emotionally destroyed alot of people, didn't it folks." There were cries and shouts from the Capitol. Not all of them positive.
"But," Caesar intervened, "We're going to watch it all again. So brace yourselves for a Hunger Games full of betrayal, love and lies!" I sucked in a breath- I didn't want to watch the games again. I didn't want to see the person that I had become, that my family had seen.

The screen in front of me lit up with the reaping as I volunteered and threatened the girl who tried to volunteer for me. The camera focused on my face and the instant shift from fury to flirtation. I guess I wasn't as discreet as I had hoped. Not that it mattered now.
Then the opening ceremony with me in my costume (it really was atrocious) talking to the other tributes and riding out into the Capitol. It didn't show Cashmere's outburst.
There were a couple clips from training including my early flirtation and sizing up of the other tributes. Most of the people of the Capitol hadn't seen this before but they seemed impressed.
From there, we skipped to the interview. I could see Caesar fighting the urge to yell at past- Caesar to run. It would have been comical if I didn't know what was coming next.
I saw myself raised to the top of the mountain. The video skipped the countdown and launched straight into the bloodbath. I had to watch myself kill the girl from eleven and the boy from 8. But it was only then that I realised that they hadn't died instantly. They had suffered as Mason had (the cannons had been added back in during the bloodbath in this video for the sake of dramatic effect). The scene changed to the boy from eleven sneaking up behind me. Morgan's warning. I saw Morgan kill him. For me. Not my kill, but a death I would always blame myself for nonetheless. Not much else was shown in the bloodbath except Hildegarde's fight with the pair from seven and the girl from 10 killing the pair from 12. Both of which had proved me right.
Next was our hunt. I had dreaded this. We got a brief intermission of me carrying Morgan's coat. My next kill was shown but at least that one was quick. Morgan's kill was skimmed over in favour of Mason's. I had hoped they wouldn't show this. I didn't want to watch this. But I had to. I had to watch as he removed each of the boy's organs and finally his heart. I wanted to vomit all over again. But they didn't show me vomit on screen so I didn't now. As if it had never happened. I guess me vomiting at the sight of violence didn't really help their narrative.
Then the camera sped away from us. Down another tunnel. To Hildegarde. I had to watch as Jupiter killed the boy from 10, turning his back on Hildegarde. I wanted to scream at him to turn around. He did. But only as Hildegarde swung her axe at his neck. Severing it instantly. The canon boomed. At least it was quick. But I was still shocked. I had known what was happen but I was still frozen in spot. I wasn't moving, wasn't breathing.
No-one paid any attention. The show must go on I suppose.
There was a brief clip of me finding out about his death and crying with Morgan's arms around me. Then a glance at Mason, who was watching jealously. He was still covered in blood.
After that we found the lake and I got to look smart. I smirked. That was probably my personal favourite part of the games. It was devoid of killing and I got my subtle revenge on Hildegarde.
The only thing shown at the lake was Morgan giving me his coat to sleep and then me convincing the others to kill Hildegarde. We got a quick glimpse at her death (so similar to how she killed Jupiter) but the scene was more focused on Mason and I's kiss. And his subsequent death.
It showed me hide the body and Morgan's return. I heard the people of the Capitol scream at him to run. But he couldn't run now, he was dead. I had to watch as I stitched him up and we began our swimming lesson. The whole thing was shown so Caesar decided to talk to me during it,
"So you never learned to swim?" he asked me,
"No, I did," I replied shortly, "I just needed to give Morgan an ego boost." The crowd gasped, some calling me a monster.
"So why didn't you want to get in?" Caesar queried,
"As you saw earlier," I told him. I tried to sound cold, detatched, "I had hidden Mason's body in that lake. I didn't think it was very sanitary." There were more cries from the crowd. I think I might have secured my place as the most hated victor in history. Perfect.
As the swimming lesson ended, Caesar began to explain the the crowd the next part,
"So right before the finale, the mentors were all told to buy their tributes scuba diving equipment. This was very expensive at this point in the games and the tributes with the most sponsors were able to get the biggest air tanks, which was a massive advantage as it gave them the luxury of time."
I was suddenly glad for all my sponsors. The girl from 10 had died because her air tank was too small. Morgan and I had had all the time in the world.
It briefly showed our time in the cavern with all the dead bodies, zooming in on all the 'important' tributes before cutting to the fight with the boy from 7. Finally, it showed the girl from 10 emerging from the caverns and promptly passing out. I then had to watch as we threw her from the side of the mountain.
Then it was just us. Me and Morgan.
We kissed.
He died.
The games ended.
The victor was announced.

After the screening ceremony, I was led to a stage, where I met President Snow. He held the victor's crown aloft, looking me dead in the eye as he placed it on my head. I sat on the throne designed for the lone victor, looking out at the Capitol masses.
Knowing that every single one hated me.
And I did not care.