A little hope is effective.

What i was promised.

'He said what?' Axel hisses through his teeth.

The ride back from the main plaza, was a silent one. I couldn't breathe properly, as the information seemed to finally filter through all my numbness. We'd had tea, he'd smiled at me and kissed my hand before he'd dismissed me. I'd stumbled through the tribute training centre and into the elevator, my knees shaking and vomit rising in my throat. I'd barely managed to get to the couches, when my knees gave up and I just began to sob, surrounded by my darkened cape I wept; hearing voices but having norecollection of whose; feeling a pair of arms envelope me but not caring whose. Axel had carried me to the couches, and held me tight on his lap as I ruined one of his shirts with my constant stream of sobbing and tears; I don't know where the tears came from but it was like I'd found a dam in myself and I couldn't stop. It took a long time for the sobbing to subside and be replaced with the hiccupping of unsobbed tears; two teas later I'm still huddled on Axel's lap but I seem to have some form of control on my emotions, enough at least so I can recollect what was said to my family; because that's what they are. The moment I'd saw all their faces, the pieces clicked together and the idea of leaving Four was like being doused in an ice bath; it would be like leaving the only connections I have to Four behind, leaving the only two people who nurtured me like parents; but then I'd saw Axel's and the whole cycle got worse because the idea of leaving behind is like the fear I felt upon entering the games, an unimaginable pain...that's only comparable to a painful and slow death.

'He said that he isn't going to give you passage to the district...' That's as far as I've able to say, the first words I've uttered and they've destroyed the calm embodiment that is my Fiancé.

'He can't do that!' Axel shouts making me jump.

'He's the President, I think he can.' I whisper.

'But what does that mean? I'm not going back to what we were! We're engaged for fuck sakes!'

'You're what?' Mags interrupts.

'Oh...' I smile, holding up my left hand.

'My pretty, pretty girl.' She smiles, clasping her hands together and beaming at me.

'Did you...' Finnick says.

'He knows but that didn't change his mind but...'

'But nothing! Ayda I'm coming with you...'

'Will you listen to me?!' I shout, taking them all by surprise.

'Are you changing your mind?' Axel asks, looking at me with wide fearful eyes.

'No...Jesus no!' I say quickly. 'I will never change my mind! He didn't just take me there to say that.' I say softly.

'What did he say?' Finnick prompts.

'It would be more potent to say 'what did he offer' because that's what it is...' I correct quietly.

'Baby what did he say?' Axel breathes.

'He offered me citizenship.' I hear Mags gasp loudly.

'What Capital citizenship?' Axel gasps.

'Yeah...'

'And why would he do that?'

'Control.' Finnick answers Axel's question.

'He's never offered that before... to no victor...no-one born outside of the Capital...ever...' Axel breaths.

'Yeah I know...' I mutter.

'Why did he offer this Ay?'

'Because he thinks it would be wasting your talent.' I whisper.