𝙷𝙾𝚄𝚂𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚁𝙾𝚂𝙴𝚂 | 𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝙾𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚛

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐈 - 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐋 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓

Bright blue eyes stared above, reflecting the rays of sunlight as white flecks began falling around her. The white blanketed ground stared back at her almost mockingly as another constant reminder of where she came from. She pulled her hand out of her coat pockets, exposing her hands to the nippy air as she reached out to catch the snowflakes in her palm.

Perhaps if she caught frostbite she wouldn't have to attend the reaping ceremony.

The thought almost made her laugh. As if her grandfather would ever let her miss such a publicized event even if she was on the verge of death.

The wetness on her hand soon turned to ice, and she had no choice but to push her hand back into the warmth of her jacket.

Her eyes caught sight of a snowflake over her head, and she watched its slow descent to the ground as she wondered what it would be like to live such a simple life. To not have to worry about her family legacy, of condemning innocent children to die every year for simple entertainment. What she would give to live somewhere else, anywhere else. Surely anywhere was better than where she was now.

She watched the snowflake reach its destination, hitting the white blanket of snow as it plunged into a puddle of red.

Red like blood.

She recoiled as the blood seeped towards her with each snowflake that touched the ground, her breath catching in the back of her throat as she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for it all to end.

"Your grandfather is ready for you."

She whipped around at the sudden presence of her father's new head Gamemaker, Leto Gaul, standing at the back door of the mansion.

Turning back to the snow, she was unsurprised by the white ground that met her. Another figment of her imagination, a living terror no thanks to her grandfather. Releasing a deep breath and hoping Leto couldn't see the way her body trembled, she allowed him to lead her back inside.

She maintained a step behind the older gentleman on the long walk to the main hall, eyeing his back with distaste. She had no hopes he would last long, no matter what relation he held to the late Dr. Gaul. Her grandfather had little patience for failure, and it seemed an impossible task for any Gamemaker to last more than a few before making a mistake seemed too harmful to keep them around.

She wasn't sure why people bothered volunteering to fill the role anymore.

The answer was quite easy, and honestly pathetic. Glory. Riches. Status. They wanted it enough that they were willing to risk their lives, even risk their families lives. A selfish attempt to boost their own ego. It would never be enough for them, and it would always end in their downfall.

Not that she cared much for it. They built their success on the backs of innocent children dying year after year, and she deduced it was karma for their wrongdoings.

She lifted her head higher, straightening her back more than it already was as Leto pushed open the doors to the main hall. Loud chattering and flashing cameras stifled her senses as she tried to appear unbothered by it all as she made her way toward the end of the room where she knew her grandfather waited for her.

Her eyes caught sight of her baby sister being held by the nanny, her heart twisting as she was reminded of their dead parents who had passed only two years prior in suspicious circumstances. Blood splashed across her vision for a split moment before turning her head away to meet her grandfather's venomous gaze.

Even if he looked at her in his own way of adoration, for she knew deep down he cared for her no matter how sick and twisted she believed he was, one could never tell from his almost void expression. His eyes showed nothing but hatred, built by the endless amount of horrid crimes he's committed over the years.