A Baird and the Snow

Demands

Coriolanus knew exactly what he was going to say when they walked into that room. If President Coin wanted them as her mascots, they weren't going to do it for free.

"You have that calculating look in your eye, Coriolanus," Lucy Gray said and Coryo turned to look at her. "What are you planning?"

"If we're going to stay here, there's going to be some conditions," he said. "First, I want my family out, like we talked about last night. And I want to go back to 12 for the covey," she squeezed his hand at that."And I don't want any secrets. If they want us to be the face of this rebellion, we have to know every single detail of what's going on of every minute and every hour."

General Odair was a few steps ahead of them when he spoke. "Your list of demands won't go well with Coin," he said, turning his head back to look at them.

Coriolanus shrugged. "They're going to have to, otherwise Coin won't get what she wants and Lucy Gray and I will do just fine traveling further north."

The General smiled lightheartedly. "I like you, Coriolanus Snow. You've got grit."

With that smile, he realized that the man couldn't have been much older than him. Maybe twenty? A little young to have a wife but he supposed that when you loved someone enough, you would be ready to marry them on the spot. No hesitation.

"Have you really not had anyone else come from the capitol?" Lucy Gray cut in to ask.

"One." Odair said.

Hilarius Heavensbee, Coriolanus thought, remembering his classmates expression when they met eyes on the way to the mess hall. "And you didn't think to ask him to be the face of your rebellion?" He asked the general.

"Of course we did but he refused—" that's when Odair stopped in his tracks, turning to look at him with a suspicious look in his eyes. "How did you know it was a he?"

Coriolanus didn't shrink under the the man's cold stare. "I saw him as we were making our way to the mess hall. He was my classmate in the academy. Hilarius Heavensbee."

Lucy Gray gasped beside him and that's when he remembered who Hilarius was the mentor for. The girl from District 8— Wovey. Something about her reminds me of my cousin, Maude Ivory.

Coryo tightened his grip on Lucy Gray's hand, trying to provide the little comfort that he could. He would never forget the mistake that had happened when Wovey drank the poisoned water meant for Coral. And he knew that it would haunt Lucy Gray forever. He could tell that even now it was upsetting her and he pulled her closer. She was trembling softly as she held her other hand over her mouth, trying to hide her quivering chin.

General Odair looked at her, an expression that looked almost like concern replacing the previous suspicion. "Come on," he grunted. "Let's keep going," and then he led us down the path that led to Coin's office.

•••

Lucy Gray could only see little Wovey's face in her mind's eye now. All she could remember was the horrifying feeling that was in her gut as she watched that poor skinny girl guzzle down the water that she didn't know was poisoned.

She cried for nights after the games, haunted by every life lost to that damn game. Most of all the ones she took. Wovey. Treech. Reaper.

She wanted to hide, to run back to that mess hall and lose herself in the music she knew would protect her from her own thoughts. But she held her ground and stood tall, forcing the quivering in her chin to cease.

She wouldn't lose her composure, not now. Coriolanus noticed her effort to pull herself together and let out a soft sigh before pulling her hand up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on her knuckles.

When they finally made it to Coin's office, General Odair opened the door for them, following them in and shutting the door. He stood by the frame, his hands folded in front of him, his stance ready.

"You've made your decision then?" President Coin asked from where she sat at the far end of the long table. There were papers spread out in front of her, too far away for Lucy Gray to read.

"We'll stay and be your mascots," Coriolanus said and the President's face broke into a grin. But before she could say anything, Coryo continued. "But," he said, "we have some demands."

Coin's expression dropped as she frowned. "What kind of demands?"

Lucy Gray listened as Coriolanus listed the same things to the President that he did to her. By the time he was finished, Coin's brow was furrowed in deep thought.

"I'm not sure that we can accommodate—"

"Oh, and another thing-" Coriolanus interjected, not even giving her the chance to refuse them. Lucy Gray had to hold back a laugh. "We want a bigger bed. One that's less creaky too. Wouldn't want to keep the neighbors up," he smiled with the type of mischief that anybody else would mistake as lewd but Lucy Gray knew to be Coriolanus only having fun with the power he held in his hands.

This time, as well as holding back a laugh, she held back a flame that threatened to flood her face. She could also hear General Odair behind them covering up a laugh with a cough.

President Coin only hesitated a moment before coming up with a response. "It's like I said before— I don't know if we can accommodate these requests. Secrets are everything in a game like this. And who are we to prioritize your family over everyone else's? Everyone's risking something here."

Coriolanus glowered at that. "These aren't requests. You either take it or leave it. Those are our requirements and if you can't accommodate them, then you don't have faces for your rebellion."

Lucy Gray held her breath as they waited for Coin's reply. She truly did want to stay and help, so she crossed her fingers, praying that she would just agree to their terms.

If she didn't, she would be disappointed to leave, but it would be necessary. If she wasn't going to be able to save her and Coryo's family through this new position in the rebellion, it wouldn't be worth it. That's all she's ever wanted to do— protect her family.

President Coin took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Okay. You've won."

Relief flooded Lucy Gray's body.

"You'll get a new room and we'll figure out a way to get your families out first. You'll know everything about what's happening, when it's happening, and where it's happening." President Coin relented and Coriolanus smiled.

"Good doing business with you, President." He said.

Lucy Gray watched as this event took place and realized that, yet again, her entire life had just changed.

***

Author's Note:

Exactly seven days after the last post 😎 sorry that it's a bit short. Hopefully there'll be a new one by next Sunday!