The Colosseum

What Makes a Person

Ezra

I had Leon bring Annette Stryker back after dropping Kova off. From the time he left to the time he came back, I had a lot to think about.

Sitting in the Dining Hall makes me feel cooped up, so I resort to a quiet walk in the garden, taking time to sort my jumbled thoughts. Kova's behavior at the table didn't reveal too much about her character, so it's hard to predict her finite moves. However, like everyone else in the Colosseum, she doesn't want to die and that can be her greatest weakness or strength. She's open to anything that extends her lifespan, but it's evident that once she finds the opportunity to refute my offers for something better, she will. If Annette is really her mother, then Kova doesn't know anything about loyalty or the benefits it reaps; nobody taught her about it and she's never had anyone she wanted to count on.

Which brings me to Annette. I recently appointed her to be in charge of weaponry since Mr. Enoch's betrayal and ultimate death. Now that Kova is here and I've talked to her, I'm almost certain that the previous winner of the Colosseum has a successor. I thought Annette was someone I could trust – someone who wouldn't abandon me or turn on me for better fortunes. But if it turns out that Kova proves to be her real daughter, then all of those credentials can be thrown out the window. That means Annette saw her own child as a weight to her success and left her out in the desert to fend for herself. The mere thought of it is enough to make my insides rot and my head pound. Have I been trusting a fraud all along? Someone just like my own parents?

My parents. They should be coming to the palace soon for an obligatory meal, considering the annual march is approaching – where all the citizens and royal bloods put on a massive parade to celebrate the reopening of the Colosseum. When it was first put into play, it created most of the economy we have today, and because we are a large and rich nation, it makes us the most powerful. I wonder which scowl Mother will greet me with. #152, Why Were You Born? Perhaps she'll hit me with #12, a classic Find a Hole and Die in it. And which way will Father act like he never wanted me to take revenge on my brother? The typical cold shoulder and avoidance of eye contact?

Whenever they come back, I allow myself to get hopeful. It's a mistake I repeat every time around these holidays, and as much as I wish I could prevent myself from hoping that one day I'll be greeted with a smile, I simply can't. When we all sit at the table, I feel like a child again; unknowing of the evil intentions behind my parents' watchful eyes, and easily manipulated just by simple words. Though I've surpassed both of them in height, I still feel them looking down on me.

And every time they leave, I feel cold and hollow, much like I do after every Colosseum match when the winner returns underground and the body is dragged away. I understand how I feel that way once my parents are once more vanished from my life – how could I not feel rejected when my own blood despises me? Despite that, I still have difficulty figuring out why I feel the way I do after my fights are over.

Footsteps behind me bring me out of my own head. Judging by the fleetness of the pace, I know it's Leon approaching. "Annette Stryker is waiting in the Dining Hall."

Turning my head, I lock eyes with his dark brown ones. Tersely, I nod. "I'll be there soon."

With a slight bow, Leon takes his leave and returns to the palace. I take a deep breath, inhaling the scents of magnolias, lilacs, and freesias. Focusing on chirping crickets, the distant water fountain, and the rustling of bushes in the wind, I clear my head and get ready for my next deal. Leisurely, I pass through the garden, conjuring the skeleton of what I want to speak to Annette about.

I need to touch points on Annette's progress with the weaponry, figure out if she has any relation to Kova, and decide how much trust I should put into her after that. It should be a considerably quick meeting, but I have a feeling it will be anything but.