Into The Waves // Book I

Chapter five

CHAPTER FIVE
-Shimmering, Glistening, Radiantly Beaming-

Now left alone to her own devices, Laneya couldn't help to step to the mirror and examine her face close up. With the Capitol magic, her small imperfections didn't look like imperfections anymore. Even without makeup on her face, everything was well-groomed and perfected to a point. And her hair. It would be considered natural inside the districts, but that wasn't how Laneya's eyes saw it. She saw it as something fit for the president's daughter, or granddaughter in President Snow's case.

It did not seem correct yet she found herself hoping her hair would stay like this all the time.

There was a rush of air as the door behind her opened to reveal a dark-skinned man. His hair portrayed one of the more interesting hairstyles Laneya had seen in the Capitol. On the sides of both his pitch black beard and hair, an intricate pattern of lines had been shaved. In the center, his hair broke up into an elegant mohawk which bounced with every step that he took.

"Zedo," The man introduced himself.

"Laneya." Laneya replied, suddenly feeling timid and embarrassed.

"If you don't mind removing.." He motioned vaguely to her robe and she complied, placing it neatly on the counter. The urge was strong to cover up but she stood still, eyes trained on Zedo's reaction. They didn't give away much of an expression as he circled her slowly, analyzing every centimer of her body. Her skin began to crawl. She didn't like to be stared at in this way.

"You are quite pretty, your prep team was right." Zedo commented once he had done a full 360. "I think the outfit will suit you just fine." He began to walk into a separate room, leaving Laneya to follow. "Grab your things and lets have lunch."

The robe was thin but it provided coverage as Laneya joined her head stylist in a room, all walls solid except for one filled with glass. That window surveyed high above the Capitol city. It was exhilarating to be able to see the streets below her.

"I suggest walking away from the window, unless you want to flash everyone." Zedo spoke from his spot on the couch. He pressed a button on the table and a meal of red-meat appeared, complemented with a strange assortment of vegetables and mashed potatoes. "And don't eat too much. You'll want to fit into your outfit."

Feeling slightly offended, Laneya took her place across from Zedo, picking through the steaming food precariously. Zedo, on the other hand, barely even touched his meal.

"Now, I've been told that you've met Calyptis before, the other head stylist, is that correct?"

Laneya nodded and swallowed a mouthful of green beans before replying. Except, she didn't have the chance to as Zedo continued to speak before her.

"Good. Then you know what to expect from her." His eyes looked her up and down before he stood and headed away from the table, calling over his shoulder, "And now you'll know what to expect from me."

Laneya sat patiently in her chair as her prep team flooded into the room, ready to apply her makeup.

The brushes felt familiar yet strange on Laneya's skin but by the time her team had finished, all of the pain beforehand didn't even matter. Her eyeliner was smoked out from the outer corners of her eyes and the lids were covered in glitter. Her lips were outlined with a dark rose and her cheekbones had been sharpened. In fact, her whole entire face seemed bolder than before, but not quite intimidating.

Zedo went around pointing out little details to adjust. "Highlight her nose better," "Do less blush," "Make sure that blue brings out the blue in her eyes."