The Price of Fame and Fortune (Hunger Games)

18

There it was. Lying there all innocent. I could tell from the blade that it was expertly sharpened. The handle a pretty silver that almost sparkled under the fire light. I sighed longingly from my tree. I want it, more than I've wanted anything.

I'm not materialistic. Really, I'm not. Despite living in luxury, despite coming from money. I never really wanted anything but to be loved. But that axe, it's the most beautiful axe I've ever seen. And I'll be damned if I can't wield it. Even if it's just aiming it at a tree...I sighed. 

Liam was nodding off now. It's close to what I assume is three in the morning. The fire was dying down and I watched as the grip on his trident started to loosen. I smirked. It's now or never. 

Like a spider I crawled down the tree. Keeping an ear out for the slightest sound that might alert him to the fact that he isn't alone. I tried not to think about the country watching this very moment. Having known for quite some time that I've been watching his every move. I wondered how my mother felt about me stalking her friend's son like he's a piece of meat. 

I tried not to think about it. About how Katniss feels knowing the one weapon her kids know how to use are now unavailable because of me. How Finnick and Annie feel in this moment knowing their son is exposed while I might just slit his throat with his own trident.

Was Johanna sitting with her friends watching or has she moved after the things I've done and might do to her friends children?. 

Better not to think about it. Besides, I'd only met those Victors once. I don't have any loyalties or attachments to them. I stopped short just above Liam. I craned my neck forward to make sure he is in fact asleep. I listened and waited for ten minutes. Until I was satisfied with the rhythm of Liam's breathing and that it never slowed or fastened. 

I smirked and silently reached down, now swinging from the last branch upside down on my knees. I started to swing as if with more momentum I might somehow be able to reach it. That was my mistake.

I let out a slight groan as I missed, my out stretched hand catching nothing but air. But that was all it took for Liam's eyes to snap open and before I know it I'm on the ground. His foot is on my stomach and his trident hovers over my throat.

He tipped his head down at me with a smirk. "Victoria".

I swallowed and tried to breathe out the pain from being winded. My eyes narrowed at his gorgeous sea green ones. "Liam".

He chuckled and myself, thinking he was distracted in his own ego reached for the axe only to feel the trident dig into my throat causing me to freeze in fear. He tusked with a smirk. "I wouldn't do that if I was you".

I swallowed and bit my lip. "Where's your friends?".

He shrugged. "It didn't work out".

I gritted my teeth at the blood stained blades on my throat. "Whose blood, then?"

His eyes hardened. "Not District Twelve's if that's what you're worried about".

I scoffed despite my deathly position. "I couldn't care less about District Twelve".

He nodded in amusement. "Yeah, you've made that pretty clear".

I frowned. "I-I..." I sighed and he rose his eyebrows at me. He shrugged. "Tell you what. You agree to ally with me and I'll help you find that boy".

I gritted my teeth at him. "Or?".

He nodded in mock thought. "Or...I stab it all the way in". He put slightly more pressure on my throat as if to drive the point home.

Right. I sighed and opened my mouth and then shut it again. Fuck! What choice do I have!?!. I sighed in defeat. "Trent. His name is Trent".

Liam smirked in satisfaction. "Wise choice". He lifted up his trident and I inhaled a gulp of air as he did so.

I turned my head to the axe beside me and rolled. Within two seconds I was crouched with my axe raised at his head.

He surprised me by only holding up his hands with a smirk. "Think about it. I got you that axe as an insurance policy. Thought you might trust me a little bit more if you're at least armed".

I scoffed. "Or you brought it to fuck with my head".

Just as I said that a small whistle like tune floated around us before a parachute dropped in between us. A sponsor...

I gulped and tuned up to Liam as he looked down to it with a frown. "Whose is it?".

I shrugged, suddenly more weary of anything coming from either Johanna or Finnick over Liam. "No telling".

He nodded and indicated to the small silver like contraption. "Should I?...".

And I realised then that Liam doesn't want to kill me. At least not yet. He's had ample opportunity. Yet, I'm still breathing nor have I swung. Nor had I thrown the expensive axe expertly into his skull.

I lowered my axe and he send me a wink as he picked up the parcel. He merely rolled his eyes and looked up at sky and muttered. "Funny".

I huffed impatiently before standing up and making my way over to him cautiously. "What's funny?".

Liam tusked and handed me a small card. I instantly frowned as I read it.

Trust eachother.

-F & J

Liam chuckled and made a cringe face at me. "Guess they were getting a bit angsty watching us point our weapons at eachother, huh?".

I huffed in confusion. "Johanna doesn't get angsty".

And certainly not over me. He chuckled and bumped my shoulder, seemingly less cocky now that I'd agreed somewhat to this alliance. "You call your mum by her first name?".

I frowned. "So? You don't call your parents by their names?".

He shook his head with a small smile. "Nope, that'd be weird".

Weird?. I rolled my eyes behind his back. I'm not weird. If anything, Johanna's the weird one. I bit my lip and then rather to not sound so pathetic in front of Liam Odair I added. "Well, sometimes I call her mother".

Liam paused mid step and turned to me with an amused smile. "Wow I'm sure she feels honoured".

I didn't comment and he didn't bother to continue the conversation. And instantly I knew what this new alliance is. We're together out of convenience and because we both respected our parents enough to trust what they tell us to do in the arena. If Finnick tells Liam to grab an axe and search for me he's going to do it. And if Johanna who for the first time showed me genuine love, tells me to trust Liam then I'll do it. Both of us with the highest scores and eachothers biggest threat. And our Parents? They know that the best way to get ourselves out of this arena is by working together. 

That is, until it's just us.