Coriolanus Snow had his eyes glued to Evadine Ripley since the moment she volunteered. She strutted up to the stage in that fucking dress, a shadow of his former flame sent to haunt him.
He watched as he played the game. Every one of her poetic words was hand-chosen to draw in an audience. How a thirteen-year-old girl could create such extravagant performances was beyond him.
A little orphan girl from District Four didn't challenge anything. She didn't portray herself as a rebel or a symbol. But her understanding of the politics made him uneasy.
Something about that little girl intimidated him.
He watched how she used the judge's pride and selfishness against them. She made them a part of the act so they would give her a higher score. Of course, the judges would give a perfect score to the performance they assisted in. It was brilliant and entertaining.
He could admit privately to himself that he was impressed with the girl's cleverness. How she shot that arrow into an apple blindfolded he would never know. As far as he knew she had never held a bow before.
He had researched her obsessively since she volunteered.
He rewatched the clips of Finnick and her reunion. He noticed the white roses placed as a crown in her dark curly hair. White roses... his symbol placed crowning her like a siren queen as she reunited with her long lost love.
He watched how she turned Finnick so the cameras got the perfect shot of their moment. He noticed the makeup no orphaned district girl could afford, giving her a perfect angelic glow. Her every move was intentional as it was effective.
He had seen posters across the capitol of that single camera shot. Finnick stood lovesick, the victor's crown on his head, his trident tightly in his grasp. The young victor's nose brushed hers, the sea green-eyed of the siren staring up at him, eyes full of devotion and love, with a crown of her own atop her head.
That single photo was everywhere. It had been displayed on a constant loop since she volunteered.
President Snow watched carefully as Caesar Flickerman questioned the tributes, trying to make them more appealing to the audience. But all could see it... they were just grey background characters, Evadine Ripley was the lively star of the show.
He could practically see the audience counting down the districts in their heads until they got to see her.
"Now... this next young lady had been on our screens and in our hearts since she first appeared during the 65th annual Hunger Games. A love so strong, it gave Finnick Odair the courage to become our youngest victor in Hunger Games history!" The people went wild clapping and cheering, they knew exactly who was next.
Coriolanus Snow felt sick as they lost all composure just at the thought she was near.
He sat back, poured himself a whiskey, and waited for the show to truly begin.
"You know her! Our District Four volunteer! Give it up for Panem's Siren, Evadine Ripley!"
She emerged like a goddess. The dress was a bit risque for someone her age but it merely added to the illusion. The fabric of the dress gave a wet clinging look to her newly forming womanly curves. It shined like the clear waters, pooling around her feet like water clinging to its mistress. In her hair, an iconic flower crown. The look was simple but eye-catching, perfectly chosen to fit her character.
She walked smooth as a fish swimming through the water, smiling like an angel as she performed the familiar bow that was growing to become a staple for her.
YOU ARE READING
The Price of Peace (Finnick Odair)
FanfictionWhen Evadine Blackwell died she had no choice in where her soul would go next, if she did she never would have picked Panem. (Finnick Odair x Fem!OC) (Pre-Hunger Games- Post Catching Fire)
