Lilith sat on the larger couch squished next to her brother, rather than take space next to her father on the loveseat. The Capitol had planned an extraordinary announcement; nobody would dare to not listen. The community needed to show it had grown, needed to please the Capitol with it’s good behavior, and Lilith's father wasn't going to be the one to go against the Capitol. Even in the rebellion he trusted the Capitol.
“It's been nearly a year since Panem took the drastic measures to end the rebellion. One year since one district chose the fate of their citizens, one year since Panem was forced to send firebombs to District Thirteen,” President Jepson started, without introduction, right on schedule. Everything was impeccable, the stage of the Capitol without a smudge on it’s white surface; quite a feat, considering how the blank space sprawled out across everything. The Capitol had to be the cleanest thing in all of Panem.
“Now, to remind us all that the power and glory of Panem cannot come without a cost, it has been decreed that each of the remaining twelve districts must offer up one young man and woman to make the ultimate sacrifice. The rebellion of the districts nearly destroyed our great nation.” There was no doubt the president had a smooth way of whisking words over the ears of any listening; however, Lilith couldn’t help but shuffle in her seat while her brother tensed up. She’d have to talk to him about that out of their father’s earshot, he wouldn’t have any ill talk about anything involving the Capitol, let alone it’s leader.
“So, now as a reminder, on the anniversary of the end of the rebellion a new tradition shall begin. The Hunger Games will commence, winning will mean fame and fortune and losing will mean certain death,” he finished, ending the message and leaving the nation with those words.
The loud clap from her father’s giant hands broke a quiet moment the rest of the family had, “Now nobody can ignore what those thugs did!”
“Great thinking, Greg!” Lilith's mother chimed, cheering up a bit. The announcement had sent her into a somber whirlwind, but her entire attitude lifted when her husband found the great to the situation.
Lilith could only worry about what the age range was, and if she fit into it. Her brother stepped out of the room after a quick touch on her back, signaling her to follow later. The reverberations of the couch springs still tickled at everyone’s ears by the time he was out.
“Cain,” her father said, trying to stop her for leaving without his permission. Anybody could see Lilith was the least favored, her father thinking her to be nothing more than a troublemaker who was, in his own words, “trying to get everyone in on his delusions.”
Her mother stepped in though, “You know he prefers Lilith.” Her addition didn’t help any, she didn’t acknowledge Lilith as a girl either, and her father already knew and ignored all of that painfully well. The best intentions can still cut, and Lilith felt her fists clench on their own accord.
“Cain,” he started again, having taken up the doorway to her and her twin brother’s shared room. “I don’t know what you’re going to do, but you better not mess this up.”
“No sir, I won’t” Lilith hadn’t addressed her father in any other way than Sir ever since she told them about her gender, he certainly didn’t address her in a loving way. She had no idea how she could even mess it up, the Capitol was an unbending force that couldn’t be overthrown by one measly girl messing up new Games.
Doubt showed over his entire face, but he allowed her to pass. A nervous sigh escaped the instant she closed her bedroom door, her brother already sitting on one of the beds.
“Everything okay?” He asked, sitting up a bit more. He knew he was the favorite, anybody could tell. Still, he had faced their father's wrath a couple of times.
She shook her head, “Just the same ol’ shit.” Lilith plopped down on the bed, next to her brother despite the open bed. He calmed her down just by being there, with him she could take on the world. Even if they misgendered her.
“How young do you think you think they’ll go?” Her brother, Xavier, asked.
“Maybe twenties? Be too little otherwise,” Lilith muttered, mulling over it. She’d have to deal with it and the danger for quite a while. “Capitol ain’t dumb enough to send out the littlest to they death.”
Xavier let out a breath of agreement, leaning back on the wooden headboard. “At least we’re safe for now, probably.”
“We safe for a whisper of time, though.” Lilith chimed in, putting the thing behind her. No sense in worrying about things you cannot help.
YOU ARE READING
Tribute; Cain Cambiare II Fighter; Lilith Favor (abandoned)
फैनफिक्शनCain was called as a tribute for the First Annual Hunger Games, but it is Lilith who's fighting. Lilith is the here and now and she'll do anything it takes to win; anything to never be known as Cain ever again.
