❝ ALONE WE ARE STRONG,
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER, ❞
in which talia riverthorn,
a citizen of district 4,
finds her heart torn
when she is forced into the
71st hunger games.
and the handsome,
mysterious finnick odair
is her mentor.
and as well...
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THE CAPITOL
The train was only a mile out from The Capitol, and Talia could almost feel the power of the city surging as she looked out the window of the train towards the large dam that stood on the edge of the city. The train sped through to the city, and the towering buildings made Talia feel tiny, and she realised just why this was the hub of power in Panem. Her heart thuds in her chest as the train speeds through the city, people below dressed in all colours of the rainbow, and Talia already knew each and every person below her right now was going to watch her and her fellow tributes fight to the death.
The train reaches the station and Talia watches Ethan wave to the crowds of Capitol citizens outside, Coral joining him in waving. Finnick places a hand on Talia's shoulder, leaning close to her ear, "Wave,"
She gulps back her stubbornness and lifts her hand, waving to the people, a fake smile on her lips as Finnick joins in her in waving. Before she can ask why, Thelan asks them to follow him so they can head for something named the Remake Centre. Talia has no idea what that is, but she knows she has to follow anyway. She makes sure she has her fathers necklace with her as she leaves and follows closely behind Finnick, his figure casting a shadow over her as they leave the train. The crowds scream his name, he's always been one of the Capitol's favourite Victors, and the screaming men and women and even children, were evidence enough.
The tributes, their mentors and their escorts are whisked into the Remake Centre and Thelan leads Ethan and Talia away from the mentors and into a large room filled with hospital like beds. Talia gulps back the lump forming in her throat as she is assigned a bed simply labelled D4 female.
The curtains are closed and she gets changed into a hospital-esque gown before climbing onto the bed and lying down. A few moments later two women enter, both of them look strange and alien-like to Talia.
"Whats your name dear?" Asks one of them and Talia offers a soft smile, still scared.
"Talia Riverthorn," She says and they both nod.
"I'm Zetta," The one on Talia's left speaks, she's tall and would be even without the monstrous heels she's wearing, her clothes are green like her hair, which is braided around her head and then down her back, reaching her hips, her skin is dark and covered in white tattoos, piercings in her eyebrows, nose and lips are what Talia is drawn to.
"And I'm Fava," Says the other, her skin is pale, and her hair a bright orange, like a flame. Her eyes are red and her lips are painted red too- of the two women before her, Fava seems the more natural of them.
"Nice to meet you," Talia says and Fava smiles, while Zetta's face remains stern, "What am I here for again?"
"We're going to make you beautiful," Zetta says and Talia's lips press together firmly as they both pick up their tools and start working away on Talia, her hair is cut to remove the split ends and her legs, armpits and arms are all waxed, her eyebrows are threaded and her body washed down to remove dirt. Her nails are cut and her face goes through various skin proceedures to make sure it glows and is clean for the Opening Ceremony tonight, where she'll be shown off to the Capitol and her potential sponsors will get to see her for the first time.
It takes 4 hours for Talia to be completely finished, and when she finally gets up from the bed she is given a robe, which she wraps round herself and Fava guides her to a separate room labelled D4 Female Dressing Room. She steps inside and looks at the beautiful room, the furniture is red and gold and it acts as a perfect preview for what Talia can expect from the Capitol. She sits down and waits for whatever reason, Fava leaves her and tells her to relax, she'd been so tense and Talia rolled her eyes when Fava left- Fava had no idea.
After a few minutes the door opens and Talia stands up quickly, in walks a man, tanned with blonde hair in a quiff, his nails painted blue like the sea of District 4 and his eyes the same blue shade.
"I'm Aldar and I'll be your stylist for this years games," He smiles, walking forwards and offering his hand, "I have big plans for your clothes,"
"Great..." Talia says, shaking his hand and copying him when he sits down.
"Talia, I want to highlight your District in your clothes, I want it to be perfection," He says and Talia notices all the little District 4 references he wears, the blue nails, eyes, earrings, he even has a large fish tattooed along his neck and down onto his collarbone.
"By any change, do you like District 4?" Talia asks and he smiles in response.
"District 4 is my muse," He says and Talia's eyebrows raise- District 4 a muse?
"What do you have planned?" She asks and his eyes glance at the pearl necklace that Fava had given back to Talia after her Remaking.
"Your district in previous years has been passed off as just a fishing district, your tributes are often dressed in fishing nets and seaweed and given fake anchors to have round your neck...This year, I want to make it better, bigger, something special...And that pearl on your neck is going to be one of the highlights. I want you to look stunning," He breathes, smiling softly, "This year, District 4 will be the most beautiful of them all,"
"Okay," Talia nods, letting out a heavy sigh, "Sounds great,"
"I have a few hours to make this outfit, and I'll obviously be working with Ethan's stylist too, but I want you to tell me about your district," He says and Talia looks into his eyes.
"District 4 isn't just a place where the Capitol gets its fish...Its my home. Its many people's home, and people don't see it that way...The sea is warm and refreshing and it moves so peacefully but can be so deadly, the waves can take you in and kill you in minutes, sometimes seconds. Every morning at sunrise the horns sound at the harbour, and you see all the fishermen and sailors dragging themselves down there to climb on the Capitol's ships and they sail out into that sea- and some of them never come back. District 4 is more than its fish. Its a home. My home,"
Aldar's lips part as he inhales a deep breath, "That is what Finnick told me I should expect, and I have never felt so...Moved,"
"What would Finnick know?" Talia scoffs, shaking her head, rubbing her newly plucked eyebrows as she turns her head away.
"He knows a lot more than he lets on, Talia," Aldar chuckles, "Anyway, my dear, I have to go and prepare for tonight, you should eat and rest,"
"Where? Here?"
"Your food will be here soon, I was supposed to eat with you, but I need to get this design out there before it leaves my mind, I'll see you this evening Talia," He says and he takes her hand and presses a kiss to the back of it, she sends him a soft smile.
"Thank you," She says and he nods before leaving her alone to eat and rest, and as she sits there, her mind wonders back to District 4 and she hopes with all her being that she'll be back there after all this is over.
________________________
Thank you for reading and i hope you enjoyed!
honestly loving this rn and i really wish more people would appreciate this book
