The 'Flower of Panem' or 'The Angel of Mercy', Seraphine Reza is the jewel and pride of Panem. One of their most treasured victors in the history of the Hunger Games and a favorite of President Snow.
While she smiles, comforts and plays her part ev...
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Betrayed would not be the right feeling or the word to describe what Sera was feeling in that moment.
Under the gaze of twenty-something tributes, she forced herself to smile while President Snow's words repeated in her head like a broken record.
She couldn't hear anything, not even the blood rushing to her head, the flutter of wings from the butterflies from the darkened greenhouse that the dining hall overlooked or the clutter of cutlery.
Across the table, she caught the eye of Finnick who looked like he was going to do something reckless. Silently, she had to beg him to calm down just like how she was forcing her restless heart to calm down. But she was anything but calm.
Next to her, Scarus filled up her glass with a clear nectar and passed it to her. It was like he was trying to calm her down. She didn't want his comfort. She wanted for all of this to end.
At the head of the table, President Snow stared down at her with a calculating look. On his right was Minister Thistlewood who looked more than pleased by the President's new announcement. On his left was Plutarch and the new Head Gamemaker, Decima Dolittle. Plutarch's eyes conveyed his sympathy towards Sera's plight, sympathy she didn't want but she needed.
"So there's no objections to your additional role." President Snow clasped his hands together and stared down at her.
Cashmere forced herself to smile at the mention of her name. "Welcome." She said with a false cheeriness that almost made the girl's face ache with the way she was smiling.
Forcing herself to not shake, Sera picked up the glass of clear nectar drink and held it up to the President. "I would never turn down this honorable opportunity...the President has given me. I owe you and Panem a lot."
Perhaps it was a good thing not all victors were present. She didn't know what Estelle or Huxley would do in this situation. The pitiful gazes from them, she wouldn't be able to avoid. In a way, it was tragically comforting that only familiar faces were Augustus, Leora, Finnick, Wells, Gloss, Enobaria and Zephyr.
"More of you should aspire to be like Miss Reza here." President Snow said, not really meaning it.
There was a quiet crack heard like a glass had started to break and across the table, she noted Finnick's grip on his glass had tightened. She avoided his gaze and focused on her plate.
"And Mr Nikolas," Zephyr raised his head carefully. "I've heard that you made a prosthetic arm for Seraphine's brother."
"It was nothing really, she was my mentor and helped me to...su–win, it's the least I could do." Though he stumbled a little in his words, Zephyr managed to properly speak in the end. It was after all his first attendance at such an event.
"Even so. I have to say you did a commendable job."
"Thank you, Mr President."
"That being said, I'd like you to apply your abilities for the good of Panem. I'll call upon you later to discuss further details."
