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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Mortar and pestle clashed against each other rhythmically as Sera added in more dried white rose petals alongside dried blue petals of some other flower that she couldn't recognize but she knew one thing about it; the blue flowers were poisonous.
A mask covered her face to prevent breathing in the poisonous dust from the grounding.
Her hands were gloved, her right arm still covered under a thick bandage hidden away by her one-sleeved dress with silk orange roses and her long black hair tied up away from her face, held up by the dahlia pin that Finnick had returned to her three days ago.
She ground the petals into fine dust before dumping them into a small glass jar where dried white rose petals already sat neatly. She mixed the powders in and closed the jar tight before shaking the jar to mix the powder in.
Yet despite the bright blue hue of the unrecognized blossoms, President Snow's roses stood out. Its unnaturally white tint gleamed brightly under the artificial sun of the greenhouse, drowning out the blue.
"The people have been getting anxious, Mr President." The senator said, throwing Sera a cautious look. "It's time we did something to quell the growing discontent."
From the corner of her eyes, she could see President Snow and some member of the Senate. The old senator would often pause mid-conversation to watch her work.
She was after all the entertainment for the evening and she knew it too well. She had a part to play and she played it well, slowing her movements, and being very delicate with her motions.
President Snow leaned back in his chair, his face a mask of indifference. "What discontent?" He kept his eye on Sera's quick yet graceful motions. "The people are busy with the games, I hardly am aware of any...discord around Panem, or perhaps is this a...plot?"
"No," The senator quickly said. "Of course not. I would never. I'm just thinking of the best interests of the people."
"Or yourself." President Snow coldly stated, gone was the earlier welcoming tone. "Which is it?"
She spooned the contents of the jar into small cloth teabags she'd prepared beforehand and finished filling up the last of the teabags.
With a swift motion, she took off her mask, catching the eye of the senator whose cheeks were suddenly painted with a light pink shade as she spared him a soft smile. She wanted to throw up.
She traded the mask for a pair of pruning shears and picked up a few white rose stems along with a roll of floral wires.
She gracefully stripped the thorn-infested roses of their leaves quickly. The roses that the senator didn't know were the bad batch, the batch the President would throw away; he didn't like his roses to have thorns.
"I only think of the people." The senator said slowly yet it was obvious he was lying.
Sera smiled at his words and shook her head. She had caught him accepting bribes at some charity gala he had hosted two weeks ago.
