The Price of Peace (Finnick Odair)

Two Sides of a Coin

Katniss' hold on her hand grew almost painful as they were led to the glass garden that served as a prison cell for President Snow. 

Katniss would go in first and then Evadine. 

Katniss' visit was short, she didn't even look at any of them when she stormed out of the glass rose garden. All guards turned to her waiting for her to move.

She couldn't help but pause for a moment. 

The last few days had been madness. 

They had escaped to Tigris' shop where she provided shelter and disguises, They snuck in with the crowd of fleeing capitol refugees, trying their best to hide their extremely recognizable faces. 

Then the bombing began. 

A Capitol hovercraft had flown overhead, releasing what seemed to be small aid parachutes. The capital children recognized the parachutes from the Hunger Games and reached for them. Their trust was their fatal mistake because, in seconds, the parachutes detonated, killing and injuring the Capitol children. 

Prim was one of the ones killed by the bombings. 

Katniss had been destroyed by her sister's death. Evadine tried to comfort her, but there were times when people could find no comfort. 

Shaking off the horrifying memories, Evadine glanced back to where Finnick stood motionless. His eyes remained trained on her with concern. He hadn't liked the idea of her going to see Snow alone, but Coin insisted. 

She winked at him and smiled before making her way past the guards and into the crystal prison cell. There he sat, among the roses. 

"Ah, Sweet Evadine. I'm surprised they allowed you in here. More than that I'm surprised you wished to come." Snow spoked first, joyfully reveling in the chaos. 

"Well, you always have taken good care of me. I wanted to thank you for saving my husband's life." She said, plucking one of the white roses from the bush. 

"An unintentional byproduct of my adoration for you. Similar to my downfall I suppose." He answered casually as if they were discussing the weather.

"Yes, your obsession with me was actually rather convenient," She smiled as she began plucking the petals from the rose. 

She slid into the stone bench beside his as they sat in each other's company. Snow was once again the first to break the silence, "I'm not delusional as you think. When you were first examined for the Quarter Quell I requested some tests done. While your pregnancy was indeed a surprise I had been more focused on your DNA results to notice them..."

Her heart stalled in her chest. 

No way. There was absolutely no fucking way that he was about to tell her what she thinks he is. It was a lie! A story she made up to mess with his head! There was no truth to the tale she wove! 

And yet as he looked at her, trying to find pieces of himself in her face, she knew. 

"Your grandmother, Lucy Grey, had your mother, and your mother had you. But do you know who your grandfather is?" His eyes shined as if they both already knew the answer. 

"You are a Snow, Evadine, and as you can see... Snow always lands on top." His grin was sadistic as he glanced at her. There was already talk about placing Evadine and Finnick as the leaders of the new Capitol. It was only whispers but the whispers were loud. 

Even when the President lost, snow would still land on top. 

"It's the things we love most, that destroy us..." He whispered his gaze caressing the lines of her face as if seeing someone else entirely. 

Evadine knew the truth in his words. 

She would have been destroyed if Finnick had died. She would no longer be the person she was. She would be a monster, a weapon, a cruel being of vengeance. It was then that she truly saw herself in Coriolanus Snow for the first time. 

Would she too have lost all humanity? 

Wasn't that what she was so terrified of? That she would one day be so far gone that slaughtering children would mean nothing to her. 

Holy hell... Evadine really was pure as the driven Snow. 

"You should have been one of us. Born in the capitol, raised as the beloved granddaughter of the President. You could have so easily been one of the enemies you so despise. Welcome home, Mrs. Odair..." Coriolanus leaned back, satisfied with the thought. 

"I don't particularly care which side I'm on, Mr. Snow... As long as the people I love get to live, I'd do unspeakable things. Snow always lands on top, right?" Her face was devoid of all playful emotion. The mask dropped for just a moment before falling back into place. 

His eyes widened and he smiled, "I thought for a moment that only Lucy Grey lived on in you but now I see it... you're just like me." 

"There are worse things to be." She responded, standing from her seat on the stone bench at his side.

"Like what?" He asked, his voice filled with genuine curiosity. 

"Dead." With that, she left the garden. 

~

Evadine stood once more in front of the mirror. 

She was dressed in white, her hair loose and tidied. A white rose crown was placed upon her head.  Her swollen belly was draped in the glittering fabric as she stood by Katniss. 

Katniss was dressed in black armor. She looked like a soldier. She was fashioned like a reaper come to claim President Snow's life. 

She was harsh lines and hard materials, a direct contrast to Evadine's soft silks and motherly roundness. They were completely opposing forces standing side by side in the fight for justice.

Black and white.

Bringer of Death and bringer of Life. 

Fire and water. 

A warrior and a poet.

The Mockingjay and the Siren. 

They knew their parts, they knew the roles they must play. But as they stood in the shadows of the tunnel, they felt one and the same. 

"Coin was the one who dropped the bombs... Coin killed Prim, not Snow..." Katniss whispered to Evadine. Evadine knew this of course, but she didn't know how to respond to Katniss' silent request for advice. 

"...Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. If you recall the history, Coriolanus Snow started out much the same, with clever tricks and a lack of humanity... We would be fools to craft another dictator... I think you need to live up to your title one more time, girl on fire." She answered honestly, taking Katniss' hand in her own as they entered their final arena. 

The roar of the crowd was deafening as they entered the space. 

Katniss looked conflicted as she looked between Coin and Snow. "You heard her girl on fire... let your aim be true," Evadine whispered under her breath, a subtle nod to do what they both knew had to be done. 

And so Katniss took aim and shot an arrow directly into Coin's heart.