WINGS - Coriolanus Snow

SEVENTEEN

ARIA REALLY COULDN'T CATCH A BREAK. The deal was that if Aria won The Hunger Games, she'd get to live the rest of her life in peace, but now, the Capitol were trying to kill her again. She was angrier than ever seeing that Smiley, Bug and Junius were being dragged into it just for helping her, but she was glad that Lucy Gray was safe.

It was insanity though, that there would be two Hunger Games in the same year. The rule was that they were an annual thing. If the rules could be changed by Gaul just like that, then the rules could be changed by anyone. Aria wished she could be that person. If she had the power, she'd obviously get rid of The Hunger Games, preventing future generations from going through the same things as she did.

Coriolanus was thinking of Aria. He wanted to stay by her side in The Games to protect her, but he also knew that with him there, Aria was in more danger than ever. He knew that she wouldn't hesitate to throw herself in front of an arrow to save him. She'd shown that before, when she sacrificed her freedom to save Coriolanus when he was trapped during the arena's bombing. The idea might sound silly considering his feelings towards Aria, but Coriolanus couldn't stay with her when they were back in that arena. It'd kill him, but he thought maybe he should push her away, make her hate him so that she'd have a better chance at winning. Most people would think that having more allies would mean a better chance of winning, but more allies just meant more people you were tied down to. As long as Aria considered Coriolanus her ally, she was endangering herself, as she'd likely risk her life for him.

Coriolanus looked over at Aria, curled up in the corner of her cell. It was the second time she had to participate in The Hunger Games. She'd barely been given a break from the last one. She'd gotten lucky last time, could she do it again? And would the Capitol even allow her to live in peace? It seemed like an unfathomable idea that Dr. Gaul would just allow someone she classed as a rebel to keep their life. Interrupting Coriolanus's thoughts, Gaul's insufferable daughter entered the room.

"So, what d'you think about that?" she laughed. "You get to go and fight again!" Coriolanus and Aria were both not in the mood for her mockery, so they ignored her.

"Oh, come on! We can all be friends! Let's talk about how you're feeling, guys," she carried on.

"Laugh at us all you like. Karma will always give you what you deserve," Aria stated.

"Well, I know what you deserve. You're from District 12, you're barely even human. Everyone sees you as a wild animal, and you'll die just like one," Aryadne hissed.

Her entitlement made Aria's blood boil. She didn't care that Aryadne was from the Capitol, because so was Coriolanus. The difference was Aryadne's entitlement. She truly believed that just because she was born and raised in the Capitol, she deserved more than Aria. She deserved to live, to be happy, whilst Aria deserved to live and die full of sorrow. She didn't deserve a moment of peace.

Aria climbed to her feet, walking towards the bars of the cell even though she felt she might sink back down at any second. She gripped the bars tightly, to the point where her knuckles turned white. She glared at Aryadne, her face full of hatred. There were plenty of people Aria should've hated, but none of them came close to Aryadne.

"You think you're that much better than me? We'll see, in a few decades when The Hunger Games are abolished, who's right and who's wrong. You'll be condemned for your part in all these murders, and everyone who reads about you in the history books will feel disgusted in what you've done."

Aryadne smirked. "That'll never happen, and if it does, it's not happening any time soon. I guess you'll enjoy it when your dead," she gave a sickly sweet smile, walking to the door. "I hope you're excited."