CHARADE | Glimmer

Chapter Six

Trigger warnings: Manipulation, abuse of power (Cashmere)

"Welcome, my pink-feathered doves to your Capitol train!" Gwen Maple beams as Marvel and I are escorted onto the train. Cameras and microphones are thrust in our faces, and my mouth hurts from how long I've been holding into a smile. It's a relief when the train doors close behind us.

Cashmere and Gloss stand waiting for us. With their matching blond hair and blue eyes, there's no denying that they're brother and sister.

"Hello Marvel. Hello Glimmer," Cashmere smiles but her mouth is puckered slightly in distaste as if she's eaten something sour, "Glimmer, I will be your mentor, and Gloss will be Marvel's."

"We will do our best to help you win, but we need your 100% cooperation," Gloss says, "And that means doing everything we tell you. Is that clear?"

His voice sounds distant and robotic, as if he's said this many times before. But of course he has done. It's been eleven years since he's won. A decade of tributes who have been and gone.

Gwen leads us to our rooms, and Cashmere follows. After Marvel disappears into his room, Gwen opens the door and ushers me inside mine. It's large with a comfortable white bed and carpeted floor, with a massive wardrobe and another smaller room off to the right. I go to close the door, but then see that Gwen and Cashmere have followed me inside. There's a click as Gwen carefully shuts the door.

"What-"

"Undress," Cashmere says sharply.

"What?"

"We haven't got much time," She snaps, "Undress."

I gape at her, and she moves powerfully towards me and reaches over with a large hand for my dress. My mind goes blank. Suddenly, it's not Cashmere standing in front of me, but a man from seven years ago sneering at me in the bar, beer bottle in hand as he grabs me...

My hands grip Cashmere's arm before she can touch me, and I swing her onto the floor. She grunts with surprise and I feel her locking me legs with her own, and then I'm on the floor, her arm jammed against my throat.

Her eyes are emotionless as we stare at each other, panting for breath, but the smile that stretches across her face is shark-like.

"So you do have some fight in you." She release me and stands up, grabbing my arm to haul me up, "I won't ask you to undress, but we do need your measurements." She swings me towards Gwen who has a tape measurer at the ready, "That way Arion knows what they're working with."

She places her hands on my shoulders forcing me to stay still whilst Gwen measures my bust and height.

"Good," Cashmere says when it's done. She steers me towards the bed, "Now, sit. We need to discuss your angle."

"My angle?" I ask, as I'm pushed down to sit on the bed. Cashmere plonks herself down too closely next to me whilst Gwen hovers, somehow now holding a clipboard and a pen. Where does this woman store everything? In her wig?

"Yes. Your strategy in the Games and how we're going to market you to the Capitol."

She reaches for a strand of my hair and I freeze, watching as she turns it over with her fingers.

"Can you fight?" She asks, "Other than what you just did?"

"No," I admit, "Not well."

Cashmere frowns, "No weapon of choice?"

I shrug, and try and shift slightly away from her, "I can shoot...but it's passable at best."

Cashmere nods, and to my relief, she releases my hair, "Well it's a good thing you're somewhat pretty then." She turns to Gwen, "Romance angle, it is. We'll get the Capitol to fall in love with her."