𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝑨𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝑼𝒔

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑶𝒏 𝑴𝒚 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓 - 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑫𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒆

"Cheers!" The constant loud cling gave the dean a headache. The party had been going on for hours, hours that he could've used to research the Snow family. And Lucy Gray Baird.

The party had been meant for the President after another successful obstacle that was removed in the districts. Or more crushed down by peacekeepers. 

Drunk singing, dancing, and screaming filled the white rooms up to the brim, almost loud enough to make the dean go deaf. He had wandered in after hours of research, hoping to find rest and a drink or two, but he had been forced to stay after the Right Hand of the President told him to rest and enjoy the night while it was young.

"Cheer up Alabaster," Wren said, shaking her head as she handed him a glass of wine. "So uptight, no?"

The dean noticed his friend's new look with the blonde hair and charcoal mascara. A tight red dress hugged her waist and red gemstones cascaded down her arm as if finishing the dress.

"It's only a party, Wren, it doesn't change the fact that we're the backbone of the Capitol. We must always be on alert, especially with the fire last time."

Wren sighed before leaning on the wall against the dean. "I guess you're right but tonight's the one day where we can forget about the world and live!" She raised her glass to the crowd, getting an immediate reaction of cheer in response.

"When that boy,"  He spit, "is still on the run, I can't rest."

"Who Coriolanus? The Snow Boy? I heard his family had to recently move to one of the shelters near the Outer City." Wren said, swirling her finger over the rim of the glass.

"Really?" The dean said, interest sparking in his eyes. "Tell me more."

Wren gave a suspicious look. "Why are you even going after this poor boy? What did he do to you?"

"It's not what he did to me, but what he did to my daughter. How he tricked her. Also, he is someone who must be exterminated before his ideas get to the rest of the Capitol."

"So this is what it's all about huh? Your daughter," Wren said flatly.

"I would die for my daughter even if it means to give her justice," The dean said, "Would you understand?"

Wren paused, toying with her hair. "I have a son too. Two months old."

"You want to protect him, don't you?"

She nodded.

"Then listen when I say we must get rid of Coriolanus Snow. Imagine a tomorrow where we are one of the districts." A shudder trailed down his spine. "Imagine us without this. We are nothing. We are no better than them."

Wren thought for a second before murmuring. "You really haven't changed have you, Alabaster. I thought becoming Dean would change you. Clearly not."

"You don't understand," He said, staring into her copper eyes.

"Of course I don't. Of course, I don't understand when I lost two of my own children." She said, raising her voice slightly, tears brimming her eyes. "They were fourteen and ten, Alabaster. Fourteen and ten and fighting a useless war against the districts. For you! For all of us!" She paused. "But I didn't let that stop me, I'm not hunting the world for a boy who was helpless against his fate. I didn't hunt down the men who shot my children, and eventually moved on, you did not."

Wren pushed herself off the wall and walked to join the crowd, shaking her head. She took one glance back at the dean, and a tear fell down her cheek.