𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝑨𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝑼𝒔

𝑨 𝑺𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑨𝒔 𝑨 𝑫𝒐𝒗𝒆 - 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑫𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒆

"Where is Coriolanus Snow?" A voice asked, turning around in his chair.

"Former Dean Highbottom sent him to District 8, sir."

"No," Casca Highbottom said, entering into the white-marbled room. "He begged me to send him to District 12, where I sent him. Show him a little mercy no?"

Five tall, white pillars surrounded the round room with black and golden floors to accompany it. There were open windows between each pillar, filling the room with bright light every day. Obsidian tiles filled the floors, glimmering only when the light hit the tiles. The day was unusually slow, with no one coming in or going out of the room.

"How kind, Highbottom, but it seems your little snowflake has gone off the map!" The voice shouted, slamming the reports onto the paper. "Not only that! Sejanus Plinth is dead for conspiring! How are we going to tell his parents?"

"I suppose telling them over tea wouldn't hurt-"

"Don't mess with me Highbottom, you stepped down as Dean, know your place."

"You're getting yourself too comfortable as the new Dean, Dovecote, no?" Highbottom said, shaking his head.

Alabaster Dovecote stared down at the former Dean. "I'm only doing what my family should have done a while ago. Avenge my daughter and restore the Capitol to its former glory."

"Your daughter was in the wrong, Alabaster!" Highbottom yelled. "Dr. Gaul may have gone overboard but her punishment seemed fair. She went off Coriolanus Snow!"

"Never mention that name again!" Dovecote roared back. "He is an exile, he never belonged in the Capitol, everyone knows that. With his worn out, used clothes. You don't deny it either, Casca."

Dovecote narrowed his eyes, his features very similar to his daughter, Clemensia Dovecote, who had passed due to the snake bite.

Casca Highbottom walked closer until he was right under the pedestal Alabaster stood on, pacing back and forth. "You'll never catch him, he's gone with his songbird."

"I won't need to, you see, I sent in some jabberjays."

Highbottom looked up in disbelief. "Surely the Capitol did not allow it? It's illegal to use jabberjays for personal use!"

"When you're the Dean, anything is possible. Who is there to stop you?" Alabaster said, leaning back. "You could've done something. if you were still the Dean."

The former Dean clenched his hands into fists. "We'll see about that." He turned around and walked out the doors, but paused for a second before adding. "Did you see Dr. Gaul yet? For the rebel movement that's arising?"

"No why would I need to? The peacekeepers have it under control."

Highbottom tsked, shaking his head. "From one dean to another, I suggest you start, it can be quite a handful. I would love to help, but oh look at the hour!" He stared out the window into the now darkened skies. "It's dark! Good luck Dean Dovecote, it gets hard to see with the old candles, but I'm sure you'll push through, especially when you need to keep 12 districts and a Capitol happy!"

Highbottom walked out of the room, fully pleased as the new Dean scrambled to get the papers to start writing letters, requesting progress with the Peacekeepers that had been stationed at every district.